After yesterday's revelations, Harry Potter wanted nothing more to do than to crawl under the blankets and hide away in his new bedroom. It still blew his mind that Cassie was his half sister through Sirius and their mum, Lily. Hermione pushed him to eat the same broth and crackers that he did when he arrived. It touched him knowing Remus and Cassie rescued him from Privet Drive. He didn't expect it, but when he woke up in an unfamiliar room, he knew he was safe.
It shamed him knowing that his family now knew about his life with the Dursely's. After many years under Vernon's thumb, he finally realized that no one was coming to save him. So he dealt with it the best he could. He didn't even want to face his family and see the pity in their eyes. Maybe that was one of the biggest reason he didn't tell anyone for years. Deep down inside, he was sure that the Headmaster knew.
Harry didn't know what he would if he ever found out that Albus Dumbledore knew about his home life and refused to help him or find him another family to take him in. After living in the Wizarding world for the past few years, Harry realized he would have flourished living with a wizarding family instead of the Muggles that Dumbledore forced to live with.
The only thing the Headmaster ever told him was that he had to go back to his relatives. No explanation at all. Harry asked several times why he had to, but the Headmaster kept quiet. After his third year, once he rescued Sirius, it angered him each time he talked to the Headmaster. Every year, the Headmaster would send Harry back. He began to question everything the Headmaster ever told him.
The young wizard feared that Sirius would drag him to St Mungo's for an examination and the whole of the Wizarding world would know about the abuse. The DMLE would get involved and Harry knew he would never live it down. Hogwarts would become hell for him with the likes of Malfoy and his goons. Maybe he could convince everyone to have a private Healer come to Grimmauld Place and give him an examination.
If it was the Muggle world, it would be sent over to the police and Child Service's. There would be no telling what they would do with him. They still considered Sirius a fugitive, thanks to that idiot Minister of Magic. Harry would bet his Firebolt that Fudge would pop a blood vessel if he found out what happened to Sirius. He would keel over if Harry walked into the Ministry demanding that something be done about Sirius's non-trial. Of course, he could still do that. After the events of the past few years, especially with the return of Voldemort, Harry wished someone would force Fudge from his job.
When he laid down the previous night, he cast a Silencing Charm on his room, hoping to keep everyone from hearing him if he woke with nightmares. If he didn't, they would come rushing in to see him sweating and frightened. Hermione, he feared, would try to coddle him when he didn't need it. He would rather be left alone to hide in his room. In the morning, someone would knock on the door and enter the room to make sure he got out of bed to eat.
He was sound asleep when he heard the faint knocking on his door. He groaned and rolled over, burying his head under his pillow. He was warm and comfortable. Harry prepared himself to ignore the faint knocking and go back to sleep when he felt his blankets being tugged off him. He gripped his blankets and held tightly while the person put all their strength in taking his warmth from him. Cold air touched his face as someone yanked his pillow off his head.
Harry groaned as he pushed himself up to a sitting position. He reached for his glasses, plucking them off the side table. As he slipped them on, he saw Hermione and Cassie standing there, waiting patiently for him to see them.
"Wha-?" he mumbled, yawning.
"Breakfast time!" Cassie chirped, flashing him an enormous smile.
Harry nodded absently and pushed the covers completely off him. He was thankful he remembered putting on a shirt before bed. He didn't think he could take their pity if they saw how thin he was. Harry threw his legs over the bed and stood up slowly. Now he knew why both girls were in his room, to help him if he couldn't stand on his own.
Harry gave a bright smile to the girls once the dizziness had passed. They stood back as he hobbled toward the loo. Once he was finished, he grabbed his robes and led the girls from his bedroom. Harry trudged his way down the narrow staircase and into the cleanest room in the house, the kitchen. He squinted against the bright scones on the wall as he heard his stomach growl.
He took a seat and smelled the aroma of bacon, sausages, and fried eggs. He knew his body wasn't ready for that food, but it made him salivate. He gave a smile as Hermione sat down beside him. It was comforting to have her close by. Cassie took the other seat and reached into her pocket and pulled a book she enlarged. It shocked him that Hermione didn't have a book with her either.
The door swung open a minute later, revealing a disheveled Sirius and a grim-looking Remus. Harry frowned, seeing how tired his godfather looked. He felt Cassie stiffen beside him for a second before she relaxed. The news that Sirius was her father probably shook her still. It shook him she was his half-sister. Harry rested his elbows on the table and yawned, dropping his head and closed his eyes.
The young wizard could feel tiredness wrap around him like a heavy cloak. The lack of food over the past few weeks resulted from his constant tiredness. It wasn't the first time the Dursely's let him go so long without food, but this time it made his body ache. Unlike before, where they would force him to do chores, he could rest and gain back the weight he'd lost. The loud scratching of the dining room chairs was loud in his ears, and he lifted his head to scowl at his godfather and pseudo-uncle.
He leaned back into the upright chair as the food appeared. The young wizard frowned, seeing the yoghurt, porridge, and fresh fruit appear before him. Turning his head, he saw everyone else was eating a full English, Hermione being the exception. She was eating porridge and fruit.
"What's this?" he asked, looking back at the food.
"You need food that will be easy on your stomach," Sirius spoke up as he stabbed a sausage. "Don't worry, I think it's for a few days…"
Hermione nodded beside him, setting her spoon down. "It should last only a few days, but you need to be seen by a Healer."
Harry looked at her alarmed. A healer would mean that the wizarding society would learn about his home life with the Dursely's. He shook his head frantically, pushing the chair away from the table. Everyone stopped to watch him, he could see the concern in their eyes. His hands trembled as his heart hammered in his chest. He couldn't risk anyone but the people in the room knowing.
Kicking the chair back, Harry stood and backed away slowly from everyone. Hitting the wall closest to him, he slid down it until he was sitting. What if they found out and sent him back? Would they laugh at him or pity him? He couldn't take the pity. He didn't even want his makeshift family to know what he endured for over a decade living with Vernon and Petunia Dursley. He tried to suck in air and couldn't breathe. His body felt like it was fighting for air as his mind spun out of control.
He couldn't go back
He couldn't go back
He rocked his body slowly back and forth, his mind repeating the same mantra over and over. He wrapped his arms tightly around his shins and closed his eyes and tried to focus on his breathing. He knew what would happen if they sent him back to Vernon. The fat, loathsome man would do his best to hurt him.
"Harry…. Harry…. take a deep breath, Harry," a soothing voice said amid his panic. "You're all right. We'll get through this." A warm hand touched his arm, jerking him back to reality. His eyes swam into focus as he saw a worry stricken Hermione in front of him. Her chocolate eyes watching his every move. Beside her, Cassie sat with her hand on his leg.
Harry blinked back tears, and he saw his godfather and Remus standing close by in shock. He ducked his head again, and he refused to look at the one person he considered a father figure. He didn't want to see the pity in Sirius's eyes. Another warm hand touched him, this time higher on his arm, slowly rubbing the appendage. He took a shuddering breath through his nose and smelled vanilla and ink. Hermione was closer to him.
Slowly, the girls inched their way toward him until they were beside him like guards. Harry felt the weight of their heads resting on his bony shoulders as they comforted him and gave him strength. After a few moments, Harry lifted his head. Removing his glasses, someone snatched them from his fingers and cleaned quickly before returning to his grip. Placing them back on his face, he tilted his head back and sighed.
His stomach growled lightly, reminding him he needed to eat. He didn't want to move, but his hunger forced him to do so. Budging Cassie and Hermione, they stood quickly and reached to help him up. They grasped his hands and pulled him to his feet. The two teen girls walked him back to his chair where he sat down heavily into it. Reaching for his spoon, he dug into his porridge. It wasn't bad tasting, but he wished it was more flavorful. As everyone else took a seat, they could hear the flapping of wings soaring through an enchanted window.
A black majestic owl landed beside Sirius, who plucked a scroll from the owl, before flying away again. The crinkling of unrolled parchment was the only other sound in the kitchen besides the quiet noises of cutlery. Harry looked up just in time to see Sirius hand the letter to Remus, who read it scowling. Apparently it wasn't something they expected.
After breakfast, Hermione and Cassie follow Harry upstairs to his room, where he intended on laying down for a few hours. Having a full stomach tired him and he wished for a nap. As he was climbing into bed, an enormous wolf shaped Patronus entered the room.
"Kids, stay in Harry's room until we tell you to come out," Remus's voice said urgently.
Looking at the girls, he sat down on the bed while Hermione locked the door with her wand. Shrugging, he pushed back the red and gold covers and climbed back into bed after tossing his robes at the end of the bed. Hermione took a seat beside him as Cassie sat at the end of the bed. Hermione called for Dobby to bring hers and Cassie's schoolwork. A few minutes later, the girls were scratching away on parchment as Harry fell asleep.
Sirius watched the kids leave the kitchen and head upstairs to Harry's room and felt his heart rip in two. He watched, without knowing how to help, as his son had a panic attack. The Marauder couldn't place what triggered the panic attack, but he knew it was something that Hermione said. Leaning back into the upright chair, he had an urge to track down Vernon and Petunia and hex them with the darkest curse he could find in the Black library.
He rose suddenly, nearly knocking his chair back, and walked over to the closed door; pushing it open to stare at the dimly light staircase. A part of him realized that if he hadn't wanted revenge, he would have raised Harry. The thought twisted a knife into his heart as he heard the door close. He remembered what it was like living with his own insane mother. Sirius remembered crawling his way toward James's home, beaten by his mother, and being taken in. He remembered the nightmares and moments of panic he endured for several months after he became a permanent residence at Potter Hall.
Like himself, Harry had friends who would help him through the darkest hours. The darkness seeped from him until the night Voldemort murdered James and Lily. He didn't have the chance to recover the second time because of the Dementors. The foul wraith-like demons reminded him every day of his failings. It was only his innocence and his determination that kept him from going mad.
Pushing the door open to the kitchen, he slumped in his chair and looked morosely over his half-eaten breakfast. Lifting his head, he looked at Remus, who was pushing his breakfast around. Neither of them seemed to be hungry after watching Harry have a panic attack. He heaved a sigh and picked up his tea before frowning. There must be something he could do to help his godson.
"What do I do, Remus?" he whispered into his tea.
Remus sighed, setting his fork down, and leaned back into the wooden chair. "I would say he needs a mind healer, Sirius. What he experienced today won't go away unless he has someone professionally he can talk too."
Sirius nodded his head at his old friend. It would work, but getting Harry to go along with it would be an issue. He could see the boy now fighting him over it.
"I think it would be best if you went to see one too," Remus pointed out, giving him a knowing look. "First you escape Azkaban, find Harry, discover Cassie is alive and now this…. the both of you need to see one."
Sirius turned his head toward the door as he thought. It would be the best way for him to keep Cassie and Harry with him. The Ministry still considered him a fugitive, thanks to that idiot Fudge. If he could show that he was competent enough to take care of two teenagers, then the Ministry might see things in a different light.
That meant he would have to be exonerated.
And that's where it became tricky.
He would have to trick the entire Ministry into gaining his freedom. It would take stealth, planning, and luck to pull it off. He wondered why he wasn't granted a trial ages ago? He could have raised Harry and Cassie. Someone stopped him from being there. If that was the case, then why not kill him instead of locking him away in Azkaban? It would be easier, wouldn't it?
He sat his tea down, looked at his plate, and sighed. He would need to eat and regain his old self before he planned anything. No use planning on taking over the world if he fainted from lack of food. Anger gnawed at him for the treatment those fucking Dursely's gave Harry all those years the Ministry incarcerated him. Despite his godson's attempt at hiding it, Sirius could see how thin he really was.
It would take more than a few good meals to help him. Harry needed a healer. He needed someone that the boy could trust and help him instead of fawn over him. Sirius would have to look into it. Picking up his fork again, he stabbed his eggs forcefully before shoving them in his mouth. Between the lot of them, they needed a lot of work done before the kids went back to Hogwarts in the fall.
"What about a Healer?" Sirius asked, wiping his mouth.
"Harry needs one. I don't know enough about medicine to help him," Remus whispered.
"Can you look into finding one that will work with him?"
Remus nodded, then brightened. "Andromeda is a Healer. She's considered family, and if you take on your Lordship status, you could invoke an oath to keep it secret."
Sirius stroked his small beard, thinking over Remus's words, "I could do that, but I don't think I can…"
"You know the Goblins don't care. I'm sure they don't consider you a fugitive," Remus interrupted him.
"We can ask them tomorrow when we go," Sirius finally agreed. "Speaking of, how are we getting there? I know the owl from earlier mentioned a meeting?"
Remus nodded his head, fiddling with his napkin. "I'm not sure how we're getting there. You could always go as Padfoot and walk into the building."
Sirius snickered at the thought of sneaking around Diagon Alley with a 'Kiss on Sight' order from the Ministry. It would be a good prank and a thumb at the idiots that ran the British Wizarding world. He would do it. No one but a few knew he was an animagus. Dumbledore bound him to this house, and while he hated it, it was still better than living in a cave. Now that his kids were living with him, it was getting cleaned by Dobby. The house-elf amused him, and he figured Dobby would be a sound investment.
He pushed his plate away, feeling full for the moment. A quiet pop later, the table was cleared and clean again. He smoothed the front of his robes as he came to his feet and waited on Remus. An alarm sounded from the parlor. Someone had apparated into the house. No one but Albus, himself, and Remus could do it. The rest had to floo in. He palmed the wand he found in the upstairs study of his father's. He stalked out of the kitchen and headed toward the parlor with Remus on his trail. Sirius glimpsed Albus as he pushed the repaired door open. Mouthing to Remus who it was, he turned away before he saw the Patronus Remus sent.
Sirius heaved a heavy breath before stepping into the room. He looked expectantly at Albus as he fought to control his anger. The old man was standing by the empty fireplace, waiting on Sirius as if he owned the place. This infuriated Sirius to no end. He let his arm dangle loosely by his side as he gripped his wand. He hoped he wouldn't need it. If Albus came here to make a big deal about Harry, then Sirius was going to have to change the wards around.
"Sirius, my boy! How are you this morning?" Albus said, smiling brightly at him.
Sirius scowled at the man before answering. "Fine, this morning. You're here awfully early. There's nothing going on right now."
"Ah, yes I am here to collect Harry," Albus said, his blue eyes twinkling.
"No."
"Now come on Sirius. The Dursely's are his family…."
"I AM his family or have you forgotten that part?" Sirius snapped as he forced himself to not bare his teeth at his former Headmaster.
"And that's wonderful, but I cannot let him stay here…"
"Why not?" Remus demanded, interrupting Albus.
Sirius caught the glare Albus sent Remus for interrupting their conversation. Apparently, the Headmaster didn't like it when someone questioned him or his motives. Padfoot could feel the magic radiating off Remus. The wolf inside his old friend was itching to get out and have his way with the problem before them.
"That I cannot tell you," Albus said forlornly.
A light snort came from Sirius. This old fool thought he could play on them like this. "Harry isn't going anywhere with you." Sirius took a step forward, "He's not going back to the Dursely's. He won't be going with you right now to Hogwarts either."
"Harry is safe as long as he stays with his relatives," Albus interjected.
"My god-my son is safe here with me! This house is under the Fidelis Charm. The wards are old and strong. No one will find him here." Sirius snapped, his eyes narrowing at the audacity of the Headmaster.
"But…" Albus began.
"I think you should leave Albus," Remus said coldly.
"But…" Albus tried once again to change their minds. Harry was safe at the Dursely's! He had to figure out a way to make Sirius see the error of this. The blood wards around the Dursely's house kept all magicals away unless invited.
"Get out of my house NOW!" Sirius roared, brandishing his wand as he aimed it at Albus's face.
It surprised him when Albus took a step back. Sirius held his ground, seeing the anger in the old man's eyes. Sadness quickly replaced it and Sirius couldn't tell if Albus was sad or just playing him. He hoped to Merlin he wasn't being played right now. Albus nodded his head at him and with a quiet pop, he disappeared from the parlor.
He sagged with relief. His arm dropped with his wand dangling by his side. He closed his eyes and let out a breath that he didn't know he was holding this whole time. Turning his head to Remus, he could see a flash of amber in his lupine friend's eyes. Albus must have known how dangerously close Remus was to losing it and bowed out quickly.
Running his hands over his face, he shook his head in exhaustion. The day had barely begun, and he already wanted to go back to bed. Straightening himself, he needed to check on Cassie and Harry. Giving a nod of thanks to Remus, he left the room and tiptoed up the narrow stairs to the bedrooms. Stopping in front of Harry's door, he took a breath and knocked quietly. He waited a minute before knocking again. When it opened revealing Hermione, he gave her a pained smile.
"It's safe to come out now. How's Harry?" he inquired, stepping inside the darkened room.
"He's asleep. Cassie and I are working on our summer homework," she whispered, closing the door softly behind them.
He had to see his... son. He needed to make sure that Harry was perfectly fine and in bed asleep like he should be. It would take days of recovery. Sitting down on the bed, he slipped his fingers through Harry's inky locks and smiled, seeing the rise and fall of his chest. It was official. He would have to do everything in his power to keep his kids safe.
He would take up his Lordship title and Albus Dumbledore be damned.
"Do you really think he needs a Healer?" Sirius asked softly, looking at Hermione. She sat her quill down and looked at him.
"I do. I know he doesn't want to go, but he needs to. Maybe both of you can go," she said, picking up the quill again and twirling it between her fingers. "He would feel more comfortable if you went to see one too."
Sirius nodded, turning his attention back to his son. Closing his eyes, he heaved a sigh before standing up. Both girls paused their writing as he came to his feet. Giving Cassie a smile, she smiled back at him. He could see the worry in her eyes.
"Why did we have to stay up here?" Cassie asked, setting her parchment down beside her.
"Albus showed up."
Hermione gasped, her eyes narrowing at the mention of their Headmaster. "You mean that he came back after what we told him yesterday?"
Sirius nodded his head solemnly. He didn't want to go, but he would do anything for Harry. He failed him once, long ago, and he wasn't planning on failing him anymore. As he stood there, he tried to think of what they could have done differently had someone realized earlier about Harry's home life. Maybe he should have said something when he tracked Harry down the summer before his third year.
"I hope you threw him out," Cassie said after a thought as Hermione nodded.
Sirius chuckled lightly, "Oh, I did. After Remus and I yelled at him."
The girls chuckled quietly before freezing as Harry rolled over in his sleep. Everyone turned their head to watch as Harry rolled in his sleep, mumbling incoherently. Sirius winced, seeing the shirt pulled tightly against his back. He could see his son's spine and the outline of his ribcage. Growling, he bared his teeth at the sight before him. He would take Harry to a Healer, kicking and screaming.
"Sirius," Hermione whispered, shaking him from his thoughts. "He might need a mind healer too. I—I know my parents would send me if I experienced something like he did at the end of the term."
He raised a black eyebrow at her. He had heard about the tournament and how much of a cock up that was. Fury boiled in him the entire year knowing that Harry was trapped into competing with three other better trained opponents. Albus refused to let him come to the castle to watch the tournament.
Another reason to be exonerated.
The way the brunette witch looked at him, something happened that no one told him about. While he wasn't uninformed about things, people had a habit of keeping him in the dark. Sirius knew that he was impulsive. He would rather cast hexes first, then ask questions afterwards.
"What do you mean?" He asked, sitting gently back on the bed.
Hermione bit her lip as tears slipped slowly from her eyes. He could smell the salt from her tears thanks to his animagus form. "Harry said that Peter killed Cedric Diggory. Then Peter helped Voldemort come back."
"He did what?" Sirius seethed dangerously, his eyes narrowing.
"Peter brought Voldemort back. The monster has a body again," Hermione whispered. She turned her head to look at her best friend as tears slipped from her eyes. She could hear Cassie sniffling. "He will come for Harry. They cut Harry for the ritual. Took his blood. There's a mark on his arm…"
Sirius hissed lowly. His magic shimmering on his skin. He could feel small sparks crackle at his fingers. He needed to get the fuck out of that room before he did something destructive. Giving Hermione a tight nod of his head, he rose from the bed and stalked out of the room.
Quickly he made his way down to the basement. They split the basement between a dueling room and a potions lab. In the far corner was a wooden door. Unlocking it with his wand, he cast a series of spells to protect occupants and the house. Magic burst from him as he howled like an angry animal before he collapsed.
In the upstairs bedroom, Hermione Granger sat on the sofa wiping the few stray tears that slipped down her face. Looking down at her parchment, she sighed, seeing her half written Charms homework. Pushing it aside, she leaned back against the sofa and closed her eyes.
Her intelligent mind thought over the past year and she felt the weariness seep into her bones. Since the beginning of their fourth year, things had been steadily getting worse. She worried incessantly over Harry, helping him learn new spells and ways to keep him alive during the tournament.
It surprised her she didn't have grey hair by now. The after hours of the tournament were agonizing. Finding Harry in terrible shape, then healing him exhausted her. She didn't fight it when she, Neville, and Cassie crawled in bed with him. It was against the rules, but the rules didn't keep Harry out of the tournament, so she didn't care anymore.
Her loss of friendship with Ron hurt her but Neville's quiet friendship replaced the hurt. After listening to Ron rant about how Harry entered the tournament and the fame and money he could win, she finally decided she had enough of her redhead friend.
Hermione knew that she was only friends with Ron because of Harry. The boy was beastly toward her. His manners were atrocious, especially his table manners. He expected her to help him with his homework instead of doing the work himself and having someone check it for him.
Really, she should have been given an award for putting up with him all these years. Frankly, it surprised her that Harry stopped being his friend. She was sure he would overlook Ron's pettiness and jealousy when the prat apologised to Harry. Hermione never asked why Harry ended the friendship, but went along with it.
Neville was a good person who didn't ridicule her or show extreme jealousy toward Harry. Like herself, Neville believed Harry when he said he didn't enter the tournament. The bright witch knew that Neville offered his help to Harry with the second task.
Opening her eyes, she looked over at Cassie. The quiet Gryffindor was busy reading her Transfiguration book while making notes on a loose sheet of parchment. Hermione could confidently say that Cassie was her only female friend. The girls became friends in their third year when they shared Runes together.
Hermione was an intelligent girl and knew that something happened yesterday between Cassie and Harry. The raven-haired girl came back upstairs to their shared room, looking oddly perplexed. Hermione didn't pester her friend, but not knowing what happened was bothering her.
"Cassie," Hermione said, keeping her voice soft as to not wake Harry.
"Hmm?" The younger girl hummed at her before closing her book.
"What happened yesterday after I left?"
Cassie looked at Hermione and realized that her best friend was dying to know, but refused to be pushy about it. Setting her book down beside her, she dropped her quill on the parchment. Turning to look at Hermione, she opened her mouth then closed it. No one told her to keep it secret, but she figured Hermione had a right to know.
"We found out I am Sirius's daughter," she began quietly. "He felt a pull on his magic when he met me for the first time yesterday. If you compare us, we look alike. No one ever told me about him. Not even my guardian."
Hermione thought for a moment, trying to figure out how Cassie was Sirius's daughter, when Cassie's next words paused her train of thought.
"Harry and I are half-siblings…."
The bright witch raised an eyebrow at her friend. How could they be siblings? Then she realized. Lily Potter must be their mother. It was the only way Harry and Cassie could be related. She was sure that James Potter couldn't carry a child and neither could Sirius. Cassie could have been adopted, but she said that she and Sirius looked alike.
"How?" She asked her quietly.
"Lily Potter is our mother. D—dad," she drawled, testing the word on her lips. "Dad, James and mum were a triad. I didn't ask if it was official."
Hermione's eyes widened at that. It made sense to her. Maybe Sirius needed an heir, just in case something went wrong. Cassie and Harry were a year apart, so Lily must have gotten pregnant soon after Harry was born. She wondered how in Merlin's name they started Hogwarts together. She figured Cassie knew.
Harry rolled over, mumbling in his sleep much to the distress of the girls. It made her heart ache seeing him like this. When she offered her suggestion that Harry see a Healer, she didn't expect the panic attack that followed. She and Cassie had calmed him the best they could, but it only confirmed what she already knew.
He needed a Healer and a Mind Healer.
She was grateful that Sirius took her suggestion seriously. They needed healing help. She only hoped it was someone who could help them. His unfriendly attitude about finding out about Voldemort's return sent chills down her spine. For a moment she saw the deranged and dangerous man that Sirius Black could be, when pressed. The bright witch was sure her Headmaster was going to get a yelling at.
The rest of the day passed by uneventfully. Hermione and Cassie finished most of their homework while they sat with Harry. Neither of them wanted him alone when he woke up. He woke briefly around lunch only to have the same thing from last night. Both girls made sure he got up to move around the house a bit. Hermione cast her eyes toward Sirius at dinnertime, but he refused to meet her eyes. Something happened to him once he left them alone with Harry.
Settling Harry into bed, once he was fed and showered, Hermione escaped to her room. Curled into blankets, she sighed before tears fell from her face. Burying her head into the pillow, she cried until she fell asleep sometime near the early dawn hours.
The next day Harry rose from his slumber disorientated and hungry. It wasn't uncommon for him to wake up hungry, but now his body knew there was food in the house that he could eat; it was telling him to rise. Once he rose from the bed, he sleepily made his way toward the loo. His morning ablutions were done quickly, and he found an old pair of jeans and a white shirt sitting on his bed. He pocketed his wand and exited the room, hoping to see Hermione. When he didn't see her, he frowned and trudged his way down the narrow steps toward the kitchen where he could smell food.
Pushing the door open, it surprised him to see that he was the third one up. Hermione and Remus were sitting at the table, both drinking tea and waiting on breakfast to be finished. Hermione beamed at him when he sat down beside her. Giving Remus a nod of his head, Harry smiled seeing a teacup appear in front of him. Fixing his tea the way he liked it, he leaned back into his chair. He could feel the warmth of tea seeping through the china.
The door swung open a few minutes later, revealing a yawning Cassie and Sirius. Both slumped into their respective chairs and reached for tea that appeared as they touched the china. Harry watched in amusement as the two fixed their tea and sipped the caffeine. After a few minutes, both Blacks perked up and breakfast appeared on the table.
Harry frowned, seeing the same breakfast as yesterday, but he figured he had not had enough food yet to eat normal foods. He shrugged his shoulders indifferently and dug into the yoghurt and fruit. A small rasher of bacon appeared beside the bowl of fruit, much to his delight. He could feel Hermione's eyes narrow at him, but he ignored it. He was hungry, and he hoped he wouldn't pay for it later.
The table quietly ate their food with little to no noise from the occupants. Finished with his breakfast a few minutes later, Harry set his spoon down and reached for his tea again.
He looked around the table and realized he could get used to this. He could get used to having a family, even if it was makeshift. Stretching his legs, he felt a gentle tug on his calf muscles, reminding him not to pull too hard. As he set his cup down, he thought over Hermione's words about seeing a Healer. While he didn't like the idea, it had merit.
A Healer would help him with a myriad of things. He sighed heavily as he realized he would have to succumb to the fact that he would have to go, and he pushed down the streak of panic. Harry rubbed his hand absently over his stomach. He winced, feeling his ribcage through the skin. It would take more than a few meals to fatten him up. He only hoped he could have a head start before Mrs. Weasley showed up and proclaimed he was far too thin. He was sure he could be as big as Dudley and she would say the same thing.
Snatching a piece of bacon, he munched on it while he thought about today's plans. He needed to start his summer homework. Hermione was with him, so it would be easy to have her go over his work when he was finished with it. He never treated her like Ron, who always insisted that she fully help him. Harry would write his essays and have her proofread them for him. Of course, he never stopped Ron from pestering Hermione about homework.
His stomach clenched as he finished the slice of bacon. School let out only a few weeks ago and his stomach wasn't used to eating normally. Or as normal as it could right now. Shifting in his chair, he propped his elbows on the table, letting his chin rest in his hands to watch everyone else. From the corner of his eye, he caught Hermione talking with Remus about something he didn't understand.
He smiled, seeing her face light up as they continued their discussion. She was beautiful when she was happy. She thirsted for knowledge and what better way to learn than to convince a former professor to talk. Over the past year, he noticed that she became more... girlish. He supposed that was the right word. Before the First Task, when she hugged him, he noticed her assets. Had he not been about to face a fully grown dragon, he would have blushed.
"Is everyone ready to leave?" Sirius said, slapping his hand on the table loudly, startling everyone at the turned his head to gaze at his Godfather.
"Where?"
"Gringotts!" Sirius replied, smiling at him.
"Ca—can you even leave?" Harry asked, reaching for his tea.
Sirius opened his mouth to protest when Remus interrupted. "He can go as Padfoot until we reach Gringotts. Inside is Goblin territory. They don't care about his fugitive status."
"Thank you for that lovely explanation, Remus," Sirius said dryly.
"What will we do there?" Harry asked, hoping he didn't sound like he was stalling.
"Several things, I suppose. I need to talk to the family Account manager. We will request to see yours too," Sirius added as Harry nodded, hiding his shock. "I'm not sure if we can read your parents will read or even visit the Potter Vault, but you can always visit mine."
"All of are going?" Hermione asked, setting her tea down.
"If you want to join us Hermione, you can. I know inside Gringotts it will be just me and Harry. Remus and Cassie," he paused, saying her name as she happily nodded. "Will mosey around Diagon Alley."
Harry turned to look at his best friend and hoped she would come with him. He could see her thinking over it and nodded her head. He grinned and touched her forearm, letting her know it thrilled him. When she turned her head and smiled at him, he actually felt his heart stutter. It made him pause and think about how he felt toward her.
He wished she would be with them at Gringotts, but maybe they could spare an hour at Fortescue's. Sirius might have to leave them, but Remus would be with them as chaperone. It would almost be like a date. Harry paused his train of thought. Did he want to date Hermione? They were best friends, sure, but to date her? He couldn't imagine Ron taking it very well, even though they hardly spoke anymore.
The young wizard looked at his best friend again, trying to imagine what it would be like to date her. There would be plenty of studying, but he was sure he could help her have fun instead of locking herself away in the library. There would be far more hugs and hand holding, then kissing. He felt his cheeks heat from the thought of kissing Hermione.
He needed to talk to another male about this. Harry knew he didn't have the first clue about how to ask her on a date. There were Hogsmeade trips this coming year. Maybe he would ask her to the first one only after he talked to Sirius. Harry frowned at the thought. He wasn't sure if Sirius would be serious about dating. Maybe he should talk to Remus instead. Though Remus was negative about many things, including dating.
"If everyone is done with breakfast, I suggest we meet downstairs in fifteen minutes," Sirius said, catching everyone's attention. A quiet murmur of agreements later met with scraping sounds of wooden chairs being pushed back.
Harry rose to his feet, stretching as he did. Looking down at his attire, he figured he would need to change into something nicer. Leaving the kitchen, he followed Hermione and Cassie upstairs. He stepped into the room and found his trunk at the end of his bed. He gave it a jerk and rummaged through the mess to find a wrinkled set of school uniforms. Sighing, he realized that he couldn't wear this to the Gringotts visit.
Harry dropped the school robes into the messy trunk and looked around the room to see a closet. Opening it a second later, he found several sets of wizard's robes and several sets of trousers and shirts. Maybe Sirius picked him up clothes to store here. Harry was sure the clothes weren't there yesterday. Then it hit him, he wasn't going back to the Durselys!
His mind recounted the memory from yesterday when Sirius said that Harry and Cassie would live with him. The young wizard took a shaky seat on his bed and closed his eyes, forcing himself not to cry. He would finally live with people who cared about him. Who, in their own way, loved him for him and not some made up hero. Sliding his hands up his cheeks to rest on his eyes, Harry sighed, pushing out a harsh blow of air.
A quiet knock on the door interrupted his musings, reminding him they were about to leave. Rising to his feet, he dashed to the closet and pulled out a pair of tan trousers and a black button-up shirt. Quickly dressing, he reached for a black cloak before shoving his feet into a pair of trainers. The trainers clashed with his dressy attire, but it would have to do in a pinch. Opening his door, he shoved his arms into the cloak as he hurried down the narrow and dusty stairs.
He was the last one into the parlor. Smiling sheepishly, he then raised an eyebrow when Cassie lifted herself from the floo. She was smiling happily at everyone. Remus rose a second later, dusting the flyway ash from his robes.
"Did I miss something?"
"Cassie asked if Neville could come with us. Remus and Cassie firecalled Longbottom Hall to ask permission. Apparently his gran, Madam Longbottom, wasn't aware that Neville and Cassie were dating. But she gave Neville permission to travel with us today. She didn't like that Remus is the only adult. I half expect her to show up at Diagon Alley," Hermione explained, turning to look at him.
Harry nodded his head and smiled at her. It was strange that Neville wouldn't tell his gran he was dating someone. Though, if word got out that Cassie was Sirius's child, then things could turn ugly for them.
"Is he flooing here and traveling with us?" Harry asked her.
"I don't think so. I think she might apparate him to Diagon Alley to meet up with us," Hermione said, stepping toward the floo.
"If you two are ready, we can go," Remus said, interrupting their conversation.
Both teens blushed and nodded. Harry stood beside Sirius and watched as Cassie, Remus, and Hermione flooed to the Leaky Cauldron. He supposed they would meet up with Neville and his gran. Sirius clapped him on the shoulder and nodded his head toward the floo. Harry watched as his Godfather changed into a black shaggy dog. They stepped into the fireplace and in seconds the world spun as green flames rose around them.
Remus Lupin stepped aside as he entered the Leaky Cauldron. The dim lighting and the aroma of food triggered his hunger response. He looked around the pub, seeing a myriad of magicals eating and conversing. Tom was behind the counter, cleaning a mug when Cassie and Hermione stepped out of the floo a minute later. He flicked his wand, cleaning both their robes. He looked around the crowded pub and spotted an empty table. He motioned for the two teen girls to follow him.
As they took their seats, menus appeared before them. While the food looked good on the menu, his stomach reminded him he wasn't hungry. Setting it down, he folded his hands on the table and waited patiently. The werewolf didn't know how long it would take for the Longbottoms to arrive.
Remus took the chance to look at Cassie as they were waiting. She was a copy of Sirius, but with Lily's gentle features. It amazed him he didn't recognize her when he taught Defense. Of course, he wasn't looking for Cassie. He was there to teach and get closer to knowing Harry. He wondered if she resented that fact. It wasn't as if she was less important than Harry, but the werewolf knew that Harry was alive.
It would take some getting used to having her around again. Especially since Sirius declared that she and Harry would live with him again. He only hoped that Albus wouldn't be a problem with Harry's choice of living arrangements. It unnerved him how persistent Albus was about how Harry had to go back to his relatives. The same relatives that hated Harry and his magic. The werewolf couldn't believe that Albus would leave Harry with Petunia. The woman loathed the fact that her sister was magical and she wasn't.
The seeds of hate were sown very early on for Petunia. With Lily's death, Petunia took it out on her only nephew, even letting that oaf of a husband take his shots at Harry. Remus knew something needed to be done about those two, plus their son. His nephew was too good of a wizard to do anything back to them other than send them away.
Remus knew that Sirius was determined that both his children live with him from now on, but Padfoot was still a fugitive. It would take a miracle to have him exonerated. Something the old wolf knew would not happen unless they risked everything. He wondered how things were going at Gringotts. Gringotts didn't care that Sirius was a fugitive, they loved their gold, and the Blacks had plenty of it. If the goblins could get the Black gold back into circulation, they would ignore little things like fugitive status.
His talks with Sirius over the past couple of days led him to believe that his old friend was going to do something incredibly noble while being incredibly stupid at the same time. Sirius didn't say it to him, but Remus knew that something was afoot. His focus turned to the bright witch in front of him. Hermione Granger was Harry's best friend, but the way they focused on one another made Remus think twice. He knew from Harry's letters that their friendship with Ron was over after a large fight over the Tri-wizard Tournament, which would make things complicated if the Weasley's showed up at Grimmauld Place later. Maybe it was a good thing Harry had his own room now.
Just as he was about to tell the girls to order a drink, the fireplace roared again. This time Madam Longbottom stepped out with Neville in tow. Remus instantly recognized Neville, who was cowering slightly behind his grandmother, and waved them over. Madam Longbottom was a stern woman who reminded Remus of Minerva. She was wearing a black cloak with owl buttons and a hat upon her head. Neville was dressed similar, minus the hat and the buttons.
The wolf smiled as Cassie pushed back her chair and waved to Neville, who waved shyly back at her. He raised an eyebrow at the frown that marred Madam Longbottom's face. Apparently, she had not taken well that Neville was dating a girl yet. Remus didn't care about the teens dating, he'd seen enough of it at Hogwarts two years prior. As they approached the table, he caught Cassie smoothing her robes and hair as if she was nervous. It must be her first time meeting Madam Longbottom. Remus almost felt sorry for her, almost.
Remus rose to greet Madam Longbottom as Neville skirted around her to give Cassie a chaste kiss on the cheek. The action did not go unnoticed by his grandmother. "Neville, aren't you going to introduce me?"
"Ah, well, yes. Gran, this is my girlfriend Cassie York," he said bringing Cassie over as Hermione watched with interest. "Cassie, this is my grandmother, Augusta Longbottom."
"Nice to meet you, Madam Longbottom," Cassie said nervously.
Remus stood back to watch the introductions. The Marauder in him wished to set a prank but knew it would not go over well with Madam Longbottom. Clasping his hands behind his back, he watched as the conversation was stilted with mediocre warmth. He almost felt bad for Neville, living with his grandmother like he did. Clearing his throat, he took pity on the small crowd.
"We should have Neville back in a few hours, Madam Longbottom," Remus said soothingly.
She raised an eyebrow at him, "See that you do, Mr. Lupin."
With a sharp nod of her head and a pat on Neville's shoulder, Augusta Longbottom left the Leaky Cauldron in haste. Remus turned to the teens and sighed, giving them a bright smile. "So, where do we want to go first?" he asked.
It was going to be a long day.
Harry hated floo travel. It was the worst sort of travel. Well, maybe except portkeys. Those things were horrible. Nothing beats flying, though. If it didn't take so long to fly from destination to destination, he would do it. Both human and dog landed roughly inside the Leaky Cauldron. Several patrons turned to sneer at the duo as Harry stood to shake the ashes from his cloak. Ignoring the stares from the patrons, Harry and Padfoot made their way to the brick wall. Harry stood by the door, blocking Sirius, who changed back and quickly tapped the bricks before transforming again.
As they stepped into the bustling Alley, Harry and Padfoot maneuvered their way around, ignoring the stares and whispers as they passed. Several times, Padfoot growled at someone when they got too close to Harry. Petting his Godfather on the head, he shook his head lightly at Padfoot's antics at protecting him.
Harry was grateful for the cooling charm on the cloak as the hot June sun beamed down on them. He couldn't wait for the meeting with Gringotts to be over with so they could find something cold to eat. In the distance, the large white marble building stood above all the shops of Diagon Alley. Harry sighed, his stomach clenching from hunger again, as they made their way toward the steps of Gringotts.
Harry pushed the large black door open, revealing a smaller room. Two sets of armed goblins stood by the entrance doors, protecting the bank from intruders. Harry gave them a nod as they stepped toward the second set of doors. A small growling noise came from one goblin. Harry stopped in his tracks and eyed the goblins warily.
He felt a small pointed end slide over the fabric of his cloak as the goblin snarled at him. "What's going on?"
The goblin snarled at Harry, then pointed his spear at Sirius, "He can't come in like this. He needs to change back."
Harry looked down at Padfoot, who whined a little before letting out a huff. Transforming back to his glorious self, Harry looked back at the goblins. Neither of them lowered their spears. Panic blossomed in his chest as the goblins spoke quickly in their language. Harry and Sirius stood there for another thirty seconds, when the double doors opened revealing the inside of the bank.
The taller goblin rushed into the bank to find someone while Harry and Sirius stood there with the second goblin. A few minutes later, a smartly dressed goblin appeared and stood before them. The goblin beckoned Harry and Sirius into the bank, much to the whispering of the patrons inside.
The duo followed the goblin down a dark corridor with scant light scones illuminating the way. Harry turned his head around to glance at Sirius, who shrugged. Neither of them knew where they were going. The goblin stopped and pushed a door open. He silently motioned them to walk inside. Inside of the office was opulent but sparse in furniture. A large wooden desk sat neatly in the room as two comfortable chairs sat in front of it. An enormous fireplace was seated across the room with several rows of books.
Harry took a seat in the comfortable chair as Sirius did. The goblin walked across the room and behind the desk. Taking his own seat, he peered over his glasses at the two wizards before him.
"Do you mind telling me why you tried to sneak into Gringotts, Mr. Black?"