The Return
by S. L
Harry sighed and rubbed his temples. Returning to the wizarding world was much more difficult than it looked, or at least for someone as famous as him. As if restoring his account at Gringotts, and his property rights and well as reinstating that yes he was in fact alive and needed papers and various licenses validated wasn't hard enough without the fame factor.
Everyone he spoke with had to scream and mark she he was there and that he wasn't dead and that they were meeting Harry Potter, then he'd have to conduct his business under their admiring eyes and stupid questions. Eventually he'd just put all his affairs in Ron's hands and let his old friend take care of everything for him.
Reuniting with Ron had been... strange to say the least. They had been best friends and though Ron had been absolutely furious at him for leaving, now it felt like he'd never been gone. It was wonderful that at least one relationship he could pick up where he'd left off.
"Harry," the friend in question persisted. "The minister's here and wants you to take up your old job again." Ron snorted, showing exactly what he thought of the situation. "I can't get rid of him, but maybe if you get through to him that you're working for Dumbledore he'll leave you alone. You know how Fudge and the Headmaster feel about each other."
Harry picked his head out of his hands. "Don't tell me the animosity's still there? I thought they'd grown out of that ages ago."
The Weasley rolled his eyes. "Then you left and they argued once more and Fudge jumped to all sorts of conclusions and well... you'd best just speak with him yourself."
"How much more of this must we go through?" Harry persisted. "I was hoping to return to the castle some time to check up with Hannah and Jane and see how school was going. You've still got to meet them by the way."
His old friend smiled widely. "I know and believe me I can't wait to see the girl who managed to bag the famous Harry Potter. Man when that one hits the papers she'll have all the girls after her blood! Even with you gone Harry, you must have won the Most Charming Smile Award every year!" He shook his head. "Lockhart's infuriated with you of course, but no one mush cares. They never gave up on you though Harry."
"Yeah well," Harry began. "That can be interpreted as a good thing or... a bad thing."
Ron clapped him on the back. "Oh cheer up, we'll make sure you're in Hogwarts before the weeks through." He smiled a bit. "That is if there's still a Hogwarts to return to by then. With Sirius back in the school, it won't be long before all the teachers are begging for mercy!"
Harry laughed half heartedly and let Ron lead him from the room. Now he just had to get though the minister and that damnable press conference.
~
"Bloody brilliant!" Sirius squealed hugging his middle and erupting into giggles. Hannah couldn't help herself either, she was right beside him, slumped against the back of the blond boy trying to contain her laughter.
She couldn't see anything through the tears in her eyes, but she had caught a good look of papers and ink whirling about the room scattering desks and students alike. The students laughter rang in her ears even now, though she thought she heard some of the Slythrens grumbling.
Hermoine had to be the only one in the class not laughing. "Sirius Black, Dan Harrison this is your doing!" Hannah looked up to see Hermoine as angry as she had yet seen her, her hair in disarray, angry red blotches on her cheeks and fury gleaming from her eyes. "Not one damn day of school Black before you pull your first prank! Not one day! I won't take another bloody moment of it, detention for the both of you, no all three of you, two weeks time and you-" she pointed her finger at Sirius. "You are not to take another step into this classroom ever again!"
The ex-convict lay on the floor in a daze, staring up at Hermoine with a smile plastered on his face as if he hadn't heard a word of it. This sent Hannah into more giggles just looking at him, he reminded her of one of her students that she had taught years ago. Then again, that particular student had been six years old... still little Frank Park bore a strong likeness to Sirius Black.
The professor rounded on Hannah next finding that scolding Sirius was hopeless. "And you- I don't know what he's been telling you, but if you had a part in this... there are no pranks to be played in my classroom!" Hannah could only blink at this from her position on the floor, staring up at her friend with stars in her eyes.
She couldn't think to tell Hermoine she hadn't done anything wrong, but somehow she couldn't get the words out. Just thinking of the disastrous scene made her want to laugh again. So she did forcing Hermoine to turn to yell at someone else.
That she did, growing more heated by the second. "And Harrison, five points from Gryffindor for this on top of your detention!" She said, her fist balled up at her sides. "Now all three of you out!"
Sirius was the first to respond, pulling Hannah up with a silly grin still plastered on his face. Hannah turned with a frown to face Hermoine, ready to protest. She was ready to say that she hadn't a part in the prank and shouldn't be punished like an insolent child.
Still the other man held onto her arm and whispered into her ear. "Hush, at least we're out of class early!"
As Hannah surveyed the destroyed room and the livid professor she decided that that might be a good point. She'd make up with Hermoine later, maybe when she looked less able to kill.
Haggard looking students giggled as they righted their desks and waved them goodbye, even the Slythrens looked amused. Hermoine, still stood in the center of the room looking as if she was going to explode.
Hannah still felt the need to say something, to tell Hermoine she hadn't a part in the joke that she didn't know what had happened and didn't want to see her friend angry. Sirius however pulled her along between him and the Harrison fellow. Only when they'd left the disastrous scene behind did he release her.
The boy and man burst into laughter again, leaning against themselves, this time, for support.
"Oh that was classic," the boy was saying. "I've never pulled anything like that in Granger's class! Wonderful!"
Hannah regained control of herself slightly and pursued her lips and waited for the two to notice her. When they didn't she taped her foot noisily.
Wiping tears from his eyes Sirius turned to her. "What-"
"Let me just tell you thank you very much for including me in this wondrous affair! Now Hermoine thinks that I'm part of your ridiculous group and probably won't let me help her teach! I'm meant to be there for a reason even if you're not!" Somehow though her words were heated she couldn't keep a slight smile from her face.
That was something that Sirius noted himself, who began grinning back at her. "Just got bored was all," he said pushing her playfully. Even though he was many years older than her Hannah felt as if she was speaking with a child. "Have to have some fun when I get bored."
Hannah couldn't help but smile, after all, she did get out of class early, and a boring class that was. "Fine, just don't get me into any more sorts of trouble if you can."
Sirius was all too ready to agree to her terms before introducing her to his giggling companion. "Hannah this is Dan Harrison, my partner in crime. Harrison this is my friend and your Professor Martney."
Hannah smiled at the boy, recognizing a prankster at heart. Harrison gave it away with his wide innocent eyes (which probably had helped him with his troublemaking) and rough smile.
"Quite lovely to meet you professor!" The boy said comically bowing. "Oh and sorry for the disruption, that was a nice prank that Sirius and I had been saving our first day back!"
"I'm sure," Hannah added dryly.
A soft cry sounded through the hallways. A cry that roused Hannah, it was soft and light and sounded so very much like...
"Jane!" She took of down the hall at a run vaguely aware that the other two had followed her.
The cries only got louder as she grew closer to where her sleeping quarters were. New sounds began to overlay the screams. Molly's frantic sounds to soothe her daughter. Hannah pushed her way into her room without a second thought, slamming the door in Sirius' face.
"Oh Hannah!" Molly cried in relief allowing Hannah to take in the scene. Jane was merely having a tantrum, flinging her balled up fists against the floor and burring her tear stained face into her Mummy Molly's robes. Molly herself looked completely frazzled and at a loss of what to do.
Hannah swept her daughter up in her arms, cradling her head against her own. "Shh love it's okay mum's here. Shh."
Molly sighed, "she's crying for her daddy. Won't stop, I've tried everything!"
She looked down with new sadness in her eyes, resisting the urge to cry herself. She missed Harry too.
A hand laid itself on her back. Sirius stood behind her, Harrison a few uncomfortable steps behind. Sirius whipped a stray tear from her eye then transformed into Padfoot.
Jane opened her eyes and chocked back a sob at the sight of her new favorite playmate. Padfoot barked quite happily and made as if to jump at the little girl, licking her face instead.
For a moment it looked as if Jane would begin to scream again, then her face froze in a mask of terror and surprise. The next moment she was giggle and petting Padfoot with both her hands giving sloppy baby kisses on his wet nose.
Hannah sighed in despair. Hannah had been crying for Harry nearly every day now. Not that she blamed her daughter, most of the time she cried right on with her daughter. From what she had gathered Voldemort was a very powerful man as were his Death Eaters, and they had done some very terrible things. She didn't want anything to happen to her husband and just thinking that he might be hurt was enough to send her into tears.
God, they needed Harry.
~
"Now can we go?" Harry had reached his wits end. He'd been through all of their questions, answering as best he could, been interrogated by nearly every ministry official and had been having a camera flashed in his face all day. Ron had promised that they'd be able to get back to Hogwarts in a weeks time, but that was even seeming like a slim chance.
If they didn't decide to let him go before Monday he was going to leave himself.
Ron sighed, he was just as exhausted as Harry. "No, Dumbledore wants you to meet with a few operatives before you come so you can report to him on them. Order of the Phoenix meeting next Friday though, so you'll definitely be at Hogwarts by then.
Harry groaned. "I'm not waiting another week Ron! I've already been gone a month if not more!" He buried his head in his hands. "You know, this was the reason that I left the first place. Dealing with a this! At least then I could spend time with my family."
His friend decided not to comment, which Harry decided was wise since he didn't think his temper was going to last much longer.
Then Ron had to go and open his big mouth and interrupt his thoughts all over again. "You shouldn't have left you know, we all missed you so terribly."
Harry was tired of this argument. Since he'd returned this was all he ever heard. That he shouldn't have left because everyone missed him. They loved and cared about him and he should have at least let them know. He was sick of it, couldn't they see that? "I had to Ron," he said tiredly. "I couldn't stay here another moment."
"All those years though Harry, I thought you were dead," Ron's voice was labored now. "I thought I'd lost my best friend. Couldn't you at least have told me?"
A painful stab jolted his heart. He was sick of the argument, but he knew that they were right. He really didn't like making all of them worry. "I couldn't Ron, I just couldn't..."
Never had Ron been able to control his emotions and the past few years hadn't changed that. He stood up and glanced at Harry with disappointment.
"I'm going to bed." Was all he said before leaving Harry alone with his thoughts. His damn thoughts.
All he had wanted was to be normal.
Ummm.... I'm super sorry for the delay and everything. Okay major delay, I suppose there's no excuse for that is there? Er- right... Anyways I am sorry, but I was having a bit of writers block, if that even exists. I guess it was more like a sudden lack of ideas. Hope this chapter is alright though, oh and if anyone has any particularly good ideas for this ideas are welcome. What I had originally wanted for this I don't think will work anymore, so... um yeah I'm pretty much at a dead end. Don't think I'll abandon this though! I'll still keep agonizing over it until I find something- even if you're the ones who have to wait... yeah. So thanks for your patience and I hope you like this enough to keep with me!!!
by S. L
Harry sighed and rubbed his temples. Returning to the wizarding world was much more difficult than it looked, or at least for someone as famous as him. As if restoring his account at Gringotts, and his property rights and well as reinstating that yes he was in fact alive and needed papers and various licenses validated wasn't hard enough without the fame factor.
Everyone he spoke with had to scream and mark she he was there and that he wasn't dead and that they were meeting Harry Potter, then he'd have to conduct his business under their admiring eyes and stupid questions. Eventually he'd just put all his affairs in Ron's hands and let his old friend take care of everything for him.
Reuniting with Ron had been... strange to say the least. They had been best friends and though Ron had been absolutely furious at him for leaving, now it felt like he'd never been gone. It was wonderful that at least one relationship he could pick up where he'd left off.
"Harry," the friend in question persisted. "The minister's here and wants you to take up your old job again." Ron snorted, showing exactly what he thought of the situation. "I can't get rid of him, but maybe if you get through to him that you're working for Dumbledore he'll leave you alone. You know how Fudge and the Headmaster feel about each other."
Harry picked his head out of his hands. "Don't tell me the animosity's still there? I thought they'd grown out of that ages ago."
The Weasley rolled his eyes. "Then you left and they argued once more and Fudge jumped to all sorts of conclusions and well... you'd best just speak with him yourself."
"How much more of this must we go through?" Harry persisted. "I was hoping to return to the castle some time to check up with Hannah and Jane and see how school was going. You've still got to meet them by the way."
His old friend smiled widely. "I know and believe me I can't wait to see the girl who managed to bag the famous Harry Potter. Man when that one hits the papers she'll have all the girls after her blood! Even with you gone Harry, you must have won the Most Charming Smile Award every year!" He shook his head. "Lockhart's infuriated with you of course, but no one mush cares. They never gave up on you though Harry."
"Yeah well," Harry began. "That can be interpreted as a good thing or... a bad thing."
Ron clapped him on the back. "Oh cheer up, we'll make sure you're in Hogwarts before the weeks through." He smiled a bit. "That is if there's still a Hogwarts to return to by then. With Sirius back in the school, it won't be long before all the teachers are begging for mercy!"
Harry laughed half heartedly and let Ron lead him from the room. Now he just had to get though the minister and that damnable press conference.
~
"Bloody brilliant!" Sirius squealed hugging his middle and erupting into giggles. Hannah couldn't help herself either, she was right beside him, slumped against the back of the blond boy trying to contain her laughter.
She couldn't see anything through the tears in her eyes, but she had caught a good look of papers and ink whirling about the room scattering desks and students alike. The students laughter rang in her ears even now, though she thought she heard some of the Slythrens grumbling.
Hermoine had to be the only one in the class not laughing. "Sirius Black, Dan Harrison this is your doing!" Hannah looked up to see Hermoine as angry as she had yet seen her, her hair in disarray, angry red blotches on her cheeks and fury gleaming from her eyes. "Not one damn day of school Black before you pull your first prank! Not one day! I won't take another bloody moment of it, detention for the both of you, no all three of you, two weeks time and you-" she pointed her finger at Sirius. "You are not to take another step into this classroom ever again!"
The ex-convict lay on the floor in a daze, staring up at Hermoine with a smile plastered on his face as if he hadn't heard a word of it. This sent Hannah into more giggles just looking at him, he reminded her of one of her students that she had taught years ago. Then again, that particular student had been six years old... still little Frank Park bore a strong likeness to Sirius Black.
The professor rounded on Hannah next finding that scolding Sirius was hopeless. "And you- I don't know what he's been telling you, but if you had a part in this... there are no pranks to be played in my classroom!" Hannah could only blink at this from her position on the floor, staring up at her friend with stars in her eyes.
She couldn't think to tell Hermoine she hadn't done anything wrong, but somehow she couldn't get the words out. Just thinking of the disastrous scene made her want to laugh again. So she did forcing Hermoine to turn to yell at someone else.
That she did, growing more heated by the second. "And Harrison, five points from Gryffindor for this on top of your detention!" She said, her fist balled up at her sides. "Now all three of you out!"
Sirius was the first to respond, pulling Hannah up with a silly grin still plastered on his face. Hannah turned with a frown to face Hermoine, ready to protest. She was ready to say that she hadn't a part in the prank and shouldn't be punished like an insolent child.
Still the other man held onto her arm and whispered into her ear. "Hush, at least we're out of class early!"
As Hannah surveyed the destroyed room and the livid professor she decided that that might be a good point. She'd make up with Hermoine later, maybe when she looked less able to kill.
Haggard looking students giggled as they righted their desks and waved them goodbye, even the Slythrens looked amused. Hermoine, still stood in the center of the room looking as if she was going to explode.
Hannah still felt the need to say something, to tell Hermoine she hadn't a part in the joke that she didn't know what had happened and didn't want to see her friend angry. Sirius however pulled her along between him and the Harrison fellow. Only when they'd left the disastrous scene behind did he release her.
The boy and man burst into laughter again, leaning against themselves, this time, for support.
"Oh that was classic," the boy was saying. "I've never pulled anything like that in Granger's class! Wonderful!"
Hannah regained control of herself slightly and pursued her lips and waited for the two to notice her. When they didn't she taped her foot noisily.
Wiping tears from his eyes Sirius turned to her. "What-"
"Let me just tell you thank you very much for including me in this wondrous affair! Now Hermoine thinks that I'm part of your ridiculous group and probably won't let me help her teach! I'm meant to be there for a reason even if you're not!" Somehow though her words were heated she couldn't keep a slight smile from her face.
That was something that Sirius noted himself, who began grinning back at her. "Just got bored was all," he said pushing her playfully. Even though he was many years older than her Hannah felt as if she was speaking with a child. "Have to have some fun when I get bored."
Hannah couldn't help but smile, after all, she did get out of class early, and a boring class that was. "Fine, just don't get me into any more sorts of trouble if you can."
Sirius was all too ready to agree to her terms before introducing her to his giggling companion. "Hannah this is Dan Harrison, my partner in crime. Harrison this is my friend and your Professor Martney."
Hannah smiled at the boy, recognizing a prankster at heart. Harrison gave it away with his wide innocent eyes (which probably had helped him with his troublemaking) and rough smile.
"Quite lovely to meet you professor!" The boy said comically bowing. "Oh and sorry for the disruption, that was a nice prank that Sirius and I had been saving our first day back!"
"I'm sure," Hannah added dryly.
A soft cry sounded through the hallways. A cry that roused Hannah, it was soft and light and sounded so very much like...
"Jane!" She took of down the hall at a run vaguely aware that the other two had followed her.
The cries only got louder as she grew closer to where her sleeping quarters were. New sounds began to overlay the screams. Molly's frantic sounds to soothe her daughter. Hannah pushed her way into her room without a second thought, slamming the door in Sirius' face.
"Oh Hannah!" Molly cried in relief allowing Hannah to take in the scene. Jane was merely having a tantrum, flinging her balled up fists against the floor and burring her tear stained face into her Mummy Molly's robes. Molly herself looked completely frazzled and at a loss of what to do.
Hannah swept her daughter up in her arms, cradling her head against her own. "Shh love it's okay mum's here. Shh."
Molly sighed, "she's crying for her daddy. Won't stop, I've tried everything!"
She looked down with new sadness in her eyes, resisting the urge to cry herself. She missed Harry too.
A hand laid itself on her back. Sirius stood behind her, Harrison a few uncomfortable steps behind. Sirius whipped a stray tear from her eye then transformed into Padfoot.
Jane opened her eyes and chocked back a sob at the sight of her new favorite playmate. Padfoot barked quite happily and made as if to jump at the little girl, licking her face instead.
For a moment it looked as if Jane would begin to scream again, then her face froze in a mask of terror and surprise. The next moment she was giggle and petting Padfoot with both her hands giving sloppy baby kisses on his wet nose.
Hannah sighed in despair. Hannah had been crying for Harry nearly every day now. Not that she blamed her daughter, most of the time she cried right on with her daughter. From what she had gathered Voldemort was a very powerful man as were his Death Eaters, and they had done some very terrible things. She didn't want anything to happen to her husband and just thinking that he might be hurt was enough to send her into tears.
God, they needed Harry.
~
"Now can we go?" Harry had reached his wits end. He'd been through all of their questions, answering as best he could, been interrogated by nearly every ministry official and had been having a camera flashed in his face all day. Ron had promised that they'd be able to get back to Hogwarts in a weeks time, but that was even seeming like a slim chance.
If they didn't decide to let him go before Monday he was going to leave himself.
Ron sighed, he was just as exhausted as Harry. "No, Dumbledore wants you to meet with a few operatives before you come so you can report to him on them. Order of the Phoenix meeting next Friday though, so you'll definitely be at Hogwarts by then.
Harry groaned. "I'm not waiting another week Ron! I've already been gone a month if not more!" He buried his head in his hands. "You know, this was the reason that I left the first place. Dealing with a this! At least then I could spend time with my family."
His friend decided not to comment, which Harry decided was wise since he didn't think his temper was going to last much longer.
Then Ron had to go and open his big mouth and interrupt his thoughts all over again. "You shouldn't have left you know, we all missed you so terribly."
Harry was tired of this argument. Since he'd returned this was all he ever heard. That he shouldn't have left because everyone missed him. They loved and cared about him and he should have at least let them know. He was sick of it, couldn't they see that? "I had to Ron," he said tiredly. "I couldn't stay here another moment."
"All those years though Harry, I thought you were dead," Ron's voice was labored now. "I thought I'd lost my best friend. Couldn't you at least have told me?"
A painful stab jolted his heart. He was sick of the argument, but he knew that they were right. He really didn't like making all of them worry. "I couldn't Ron, I just couldn't..."
Never had Ron been able to control his emotions and the past few years hadn't changed that. He stood up and glanced at Harry with disappointment.
"I'm going to bed." Was all he said before leaving Harry alone with his thoughts. His damn thoughts.
All he had wanted was to be normal.
Ummm.... I'm super sorry for the delay and everything. Okay major delay, I suppose there's no excuse for that is there? Er- right... Anyways I am sorry, but I was having a bit of writers block, if that even exists. I guess it was more like a sudden lack of ideas. Hope this chapter is alright though, oh and if anyone has any particularly good ideas for this ideas are welcome. What I had originally wanted for this I don't think will work anymore, so... um yeah I'm pretty much at a dead end. Don't think I'll abandon this though! I'll still keep agonizing over it until I find something- even if you're the ones who have to wait... yeah. So thanks for your patience and I hope you like this enough to keep with me!!!