FAMILY, MAGES, AND EVERYTHING IN-BETWEEN
Summary: The summer before Harry's 7th year is full of adventure and
surprise. The biggest one: Harry has long lost family! But does he
really want to find out who he's related to? How will his life be
different after everything is known, including the real reason why
Voldemort wants to kill him? And what is Voldemort up to now?
Couples: H/Hr, could be a RW/?? and DM/GW later
Rating: R (because of suggestion and later chapters)
Categories: Romance / Angst / Adventure
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Never have, never will
(unfortunately). But oh well, at least I can pretend!
To fully understand what's going on, please read the prologue.
Chapter 1: Preparing for the Summer
School had ended five days ago, yet Albus Dumbledore still sat at his desk, looking over the students' grades. Well, only two students actually. Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. Gryffindors, top students, future Head Boy and Girl, and the first two sorcerers to grace the halls of Hogwarts since the days of Godric Gryffindor and Rowena Ravenclaw. As he though of the two students, a smile graced his lips. 'Two of the greatest assets the school has ever seen,' he thought. He remembered all the adventures they and their best friend, Ronald Weasley, had been through. And now, they were the wizarding world's only hope to defeat Voldemort. That thought made him frown. Even with this great power and responsibility, he had not told the two everything. Even their parents had no clue. He knew he should tell them, but when? And how? This could destroy them, and everything they know and believe. He was just about to consult the past headmasters and headmistresses of Hogwarts when a knock was heard on his door.
"Oh my! That's Sirius! He's right on time, and I've been here daydreaming. Come in!" Dumbledore said, returning to his seat. The door opened, and Sirius walked in. In one arm, he carried his cloak, in the other, a small girl.
"Hello Albus!" Sirius said, taking the seat that James had just sat in a few minutes ago and putting the girl on the ground. "I'm glad you could fit me in your busy schedule."
"Very funny. You know I always have time for you." Albus said, laughing. "So, is everything ready?"
"Not quite. That's why I have the kids with me. Arabella said that if she had to watch Lily, she couldn't finish packing. And with Remus, Katherine, and Hermione coming tonight, she wants everything to be ready," Sirius explained.
"And where is Harry?" Albus asked.
"Getting a check-up. Arabella is still worried about him, and so am I to be frank. I know that he looks OK, but that kid knows how to hide his feelings. And Arabella won't be relaxed until he has another look-over, so I told him to have Poppy look at him. She's still worried because he still has a slight limp in his right leg."
"Other than that?"
"Scratches and bruises. Hermione too. Which is to be expected. After all, they used a lot of power."
"And how are you and Arabella handling it?" Albus asked gently, leaning forward to look Sirius in the eye.
"Honestly? It still scares me to death every time I think about it. Just thinking about how close I came to losing him again makes me want to cry and punch the wall until it breaks at the same time. Arabella doesn't want to let him out of her sight. She still thinks that she should have been able to stop it. So do I, for that matter. I'm the Head Auror, and I can't even protect my son!" Sirius said, slamming his fist on the desk. He looked at Dumbledore with a haunted look in his eyes. "I finally got him back after all of those years, we finally have a real family, and we almost lost it. I almost lost the reason why I kept living in Azkaban, the reason why I escaped, the reason why I live now. I don't know what I would have done if I would have lost him," he finished, a tear forming in his eye.
"Sirius, this wasn't your fault," Dumbledore stated, gently but firmly. "No one knew that was going to happen. And we know that Harry is on top of Voldemort's hit list. Not only would his death plummet the spirits of the wizarding world, but it would devastate the Order."
"I know, I know.but still. We should have known." Sirius muttered, shaking his head.
Dumbledore decided that they needed to change the flow of conversation. "So, you wanted to discuss your trip, correct? Where exactly are you going?" he asked.
At this Sirius smiled. "Everywhere," he answered. "I figured we would start with England, and then move to Switzerland, Austria, Spain, and Greece before ending up in France. We're not supposed to meet you and Severus until the end of July, so I figured that we could spend a few days at all of the places. This will be our first ever vacation as a family. We couldn't go last summer, because Bella was too far along to travel, but we're making up for it this year."
"And Remus, Katherine, and Hermione are going with you?"
"Of course! Remus and Katherine are just as much family as if they were related by blood. And Harry would kill us if his fiancée wasn't coming. I'm surprised that I've been able to separate them this long!" Sirius said, laughing. "Besides, she's family too, if not officially yet, so of course she's coming. And she'll be training too."
"I see.so what did you want to talk to me about?"
"Security," Sirius stated bluntly. "We would be in enough danger already, see as all of us are on Voldemort's top 10 hit list, but with Harry and Hermione's powers, I wanted extra security."
"From the Order?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes. I trust my men, of course, but you never know. And the Order knows how to not be seen."
"I'll work on it--" Dumbledore started, but was interrupted by a knock on the door. "Come in!" he said.
The door opened, and Harry stepped through, looking happy but with a slight limp to his step.
"Ah, there you are, Harry!" Dumbledore said, smiling as the boy sat down.
"Hello, Professor," Harry answered, smiling in return. As soon as he sat down, Lily had crawled over to him, begging to be picked up. Harry obliged, sitting the girl down on his lap.
"Ah, I see that she has you wrapped around her little finger!" Dumbledore laughed.
"Yep!" Harry said, as Lily giggled happily. "But I'm not the only one! Remus is the same way, huh Dad?"
"Most definitely," Sirius said, laughing. "I swear, Remus would jump through hoops if Lily asked. So, what did Poppy say?"
"That it's healing," Harry answered. "She said that the bruises would go away in a few days, but that it might be another month until my leg is completely healed. But it should be OK by the time we get to Snape's. Other than that, I'm in perfect health."
"Well, that will make your mother happy!" Sirius exclaimed. "She was worried that this trip would be too much on you!"
They ended up talking for another hour, until Sirius took a look at his watch. "Well, we better be getting back. Everyone is due to arrive soon."
"So, you have fun on your trip, and I will see you at the end of July for training," Dumbledore said, rising to show them out. "Have fun, and be careful, and bring me back something."
"Don't worry, Professor, we will be," Harry assured, laughing, carrying Lily out of the room. "Mum wouldn't have it any other way!"
After showing them out, Albus Dumbledore sat once more at his desk, head held in his hands. How could he destroy the world, and life, that they had worked so hard to create? He knew that they all loved each other, but this new information would tear Harry, and therefore their family, apart. He knew he had to tell them, but how?
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Harry, Sirius, and Lily got home 20 minutes later, having taken a Portkey from Hogsmeade. "Honey, we're home!" Sirius said, laughing.
Arabella walked into the living room, wiping her hands on a dish towel. "Hello to you too," she said, kissing him on the cheek. She turned to Harry and Lily, giving them each a peck too. "So, what did Poppy say?" she asked, looking at Harry.
"That I'm OK, and I'll only be limping for another couple of weeks," Harry answered.
"Good. What took you guys so long?"
"Just talking. When's dinner?"
"I'm almost done. And I think Remus and Katherine should be coming any minute. Oh, and Harry?" Arabella said, walking back to the kitchen.
"Yes, Mum?" Harry answered.
"There's someone waiting for you in your room," Arabella said, smiling.
Harry's face broke into a huge smile. He quickly handed Lily off to Sirius and ran up the stairs.
"Boy, that boy's got it bad," Sirius chuckled, shaking his head and following his wife into the kitchen.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Harry climbed the stairs 3 at a time, reached his door, and slowly opened it. She was standing with his back to him, looking out his window. Creeping quietly in as not to alert her to his presence, he reached her and wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her neck. "Hello, beautiful," he murmured between kisses.
"Hello to you, too," she breathed, turning around to face him. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she kissed him on the lips. "I've missed you."
"Not as much as I've missed you," he told her, giving her another breathtaking kiss. When the need for air became too great for them, they broke apart, leaning on each other's foreheads. "God I love you," he breathed, staring into her eyes.
"Not as much as I love you," she assured him, steering him towards his bed. The back of his knees hit the side, and they fell, Hermione on top of Harry. They began to kiss again, relishing the feel of being with each other again after being apart for a couple of days. After a few minutes, she broke the kiss. "Where were you?"
"Seeing Professor Dumbledore. Mum wanted me to get checked out again by Madame Pomphrey, and Dad wanted to talk to Dumbledore. Something about the vacation, but that's all I got."
Hermione rolled off him onto her side, looking at him. "Why did you need to see Madame Pomphrey? Are you hurt?" she asked, worry creeping into her voice.
Harry smiled at her. "No," he answered, reaching over to draw shapes on her thigh, "Mum just wanted me to be checked over before we leave. You know how paranoid she gets."
"And for good reason! You always seem to get -" Hermione was cut off by Harry's lips finding hers again, and her rolled over so that he was on top of her. Not willing to let him has the last say, she quickly darted her tongue in his open mouth, making him gasp in surprise. She smiled against his lips. The kissing soon got more physical as hands began to explore, following their practiced paths up and down their bodies. It was only when Harry's hands would their way up her shirt to the clasp of her bra that Hermione stopped her own ministrations. "Harry! We can't! Not now!"
"And why not?" he asked, taking his hand out from under her shirt.
"Hmm.let's see. Is it because your parents are downstairs, or because Remus and Katherine will be here any minute, or because, knowing our luck, your mum would walk in on us? Do you want to pick one, or should I?"
"Uugh." Harry moaned, rolling over to lay beside her. "This is going to kill me.who's knows when we're going to get another chance! We leave tomorrow for vacation, and then we train for the rest of the summer!"
"I know, but we can't now. Maybe." Hermione whispered, bringing her lips up to Harry's ear, tickling him with her breath, "we can sneak away during vacation and try some new places.there would certainly be some danger associated with trying to fool around in a shopping mall dressing room, and I know how that turns you on."
"Ooh, you clever, clever girl!" Harry exclaimed, leaning over for another kiss. "Let's just hope that we get to try your plan out soon!"
"Me too, me too," Hermione replied, giving Harry another kiss. "I don't think I can wait too much longer either."
Harry smiled at her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close. "So, what are we going to do now?"
"Why don't you tell me where we are going for our vacation?"
"Well," Harry started, "we are going to start in Spain for about a week, and then we are heading over to Ireland and Switzerland for a couple of days each. Our last stop is going to be Greece, where we'll spend about 5 days, I think. It seems that Katherine was really popular in Athens so Dumbledore wants us to make an appearance. He thinks that it might strike up more support for the light side to see so many famous and respected wizards fighting against Voldemort. Then we finally head to France, where we spend a week in Paris before heading to Snape's chateau."
"That sounds wonderful!" Hermione breathed. "But why do I have a feeling that Greece isn't the only place we're going to have to make an appearance? After all, you and Katherine are internationally famous, and Sirius is one of the top Aurors in the Northern Hemisphere!"
"I know, I feel that we're going on a Goodwill tour instead of vacation. But that won't be the entire time, and Dad made sure that we have as much privacy as we can get wherever we're staying."
"Good," Hermione said. "I --" She was cut off by a bang downstairs, and muffled voices. "I think that Remus and Katherine are here," Hermione said, smiling.
"Me too. Want to go meet them?"
"We better. Come on."
"As you command, oh glorious ruler of my heart," Harry answered, giving Hermione a deep bow and a big smile.
"Oh you!--" Hermione said, smiling, as she gave Harry a swat on the arm.
"Oh come on, you know you love it when I do that," Harry told her, wrapping his arms around her and giving her a peck on the cheek.
"OK, OK, you got me. Now come on, we better get down there before Remus and Katherine get offended that we weren't there to greet them when they got here."
"Alright," Harry said, taking her hand in his, "let's go greet the rest of the family."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
So, what did you think? This is my first Harry Potter fan fiction, so please review and be totally honest about my good and bad parts. Any and all comments will be appreciated. So what are you waiting for? Review!
Summary: The summer before Harry's 7th year is full of adventure and
surprise. The biggest one: Harry has long lost family! But does he
really want to find out who he's related to? How will his life be
different after everything is known, including the real reason why
Voldemort wants to kill him? And what is Voldemort up to now?
Couples: H/Hr, could be a RW/?? and DM/GW later
Rating: R (because of suggestion and later chapters)
Categories: Romance / Angst / Adventure
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Never have, never will
(unfortunately). But oh well, at least I can pretend!
To fully understand what's going on, please read the prologue.
Chapter 1: Preparing for the Summer
School had ended five days ago, yet Albus Dumbledore still sat at his desk, looking over the students' grades. Well, only two students actually. Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. Gryffindors, top students, future Head Boy and Girl, and the first two sorcerers to grace the halls of Hogwarts since the days of Godric Gryffindor and Rowena Ravenclaw. As he though of the two students, a smile graced his lips. 'Two of the greatest assets the school has ever seen,' he thought. He remembered all the adventures they and their best friend, Ronald Weasley, had been through. And now, they were the wizarding world's only hope to defeat Voldemort. That thought made him frown. Even with this great power and responsibility, he had not told the two everything. Even their parents had no clue. He knew he should tell them, but when? And how? This could destroy them, and everything they know and believe. He was just about to consult the past headmasters and headmistresses of Hogwarts when a knock was heard on his door.
"Oh my! That's Sirius! He's right on time, and I've been here daydreaming. Come in!" Dumbledore said, returning to his seat. The door opened, and Sirius walked in. In one arm, he carried his cloak, in the other, a small girl.
"Hello Albus!" Sirius said, taking the seat that James had just sat in a few minutes ago and putting the girl on the ground. "I'm glad you could fit me in your busy schedule."
"Very funny. You know I always have time for you." Albus said, laughing. "So, is everything ready?"
"Not quite. That's why I have the kids with me. Arabella said that if she had to watch Lily, she couldn't finish packing. And with Remus, Katherine, and Hermione coming tonight, she wants everything to be ready," Sirius explained.
"And where is Harry?" Albus asked.
"Getting a check-up. Arabella is still worried about him, and so am I to be frank. I know that he looks OK, but that kid knows how to hide his feelings. And Arabella won't be relaxed until he has another look-over, so I told him to have Poppy look at him. She's still worried because he still has a slight limp in his right leg."
"Other than that?"
"Scratches and bruises. Hermione too. Which is to be expected. After all, they used a lot of power."
"And how are you and Arabella handling it?" Albus asked gently, leaning forward to look Sirius in the eye.
"Honestly? It still scares me to death every time I think about it. Just thinking about how close I came to losing him again makes me want to cry and punch the wall until it breaks at the same time. Arabella doesn't want to let him out of her sight. She still thinks that she should have been able to stop it. So do I, for that matter. I'm the Head Auror, and I can't even protect my son!" Sirius said, slamming his fist on the desk. He looked at Dumbledore with a haunted look in his eyes. "I finally got him back after all of those years, we finally have a real family, and we almost lost it. I almost lost the reason why I kept living in Azkaban, the reason why I escaped, the reason why I live now. I don't know what I would have done if I would have lost him," he finished, a tear forming in his eye.
"Sirius, this wasn't your fault," Dumbledore stated, gently but firmly. "No one knew that was going to happen. And we know that Harry is on top of Voldemort's hit list. Not only would his death plummet the spirits of the wizarding world, but it would devastate the Order."
"I know, I know.but still. We should have known." Sirius muttered, shaking his head.
Dumbledore decided that they needed to change the flow of conversation. "So, you wanted to discuss your trip, correct? Where exactly are you going?" he asked.
At this Sirius smiled. "Everywhere," he answered. "I figured we would start with England, and then move to Switzerland, Austria, Spain, and Greece before ending up in France. We're not supposed to meet you and Severus until the end of July, so I figured that we could spend a few days at all of the places. This will be our first ever vacation as a family. We couldn't go last summer, because Bella was too far along to travel, but we're making up for it this year."
"And Remus, Katherine, and Hermione are going with you?"
"Of course! Remus and Katherine are just as much family as if they were related by blood. And Harry would kill us if his fiancée wasn't coming. I'm surprised that I've been able to separate them this long!" Sirius said, laughing. "Besides, she's family too, if not officially yet, so of course she's coming. And she'll be training too."
"I see.so what did you want to talk to me about?"
"Security," Sirius stated bluntly. "We would be in enough danger already, see as all of us are on Voldemort's top 10 hit list, but with Harry and Hermione's powers, I wanted extra security."
"From the Order?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes. I trust my men, of course, but you never know. And the Order knows how to not be seen."
"I'll work on it--" Dumbledore started, but was interrupted by a knock on the door. "Come in!" he said.
The door opened, and Harry stepped through, looking happy but with a slight limp to his step.
"Ah, there you are, Harry!" Dumbledore said, smiling as the boy sat down.
"Hello, Professor," Harry answered, smiling in return. As soon as he sat down, Lily had crawled over to him, begging to be picked up. Harry obliged, sitting the girl down on his lap.
"Ah, I see that she has you wrapped around her little finger!" Dumbledore laughed.
"Yep!" Harry said, as Lily giggled happily. "But I'm not the only one! Remus is the same way, huh Dad?"
"Most definitely," Sirius said, laughing. "I swear, Remus would jump through hoops if Lily asked. So, what did Poppy say?"
"That it's healing," Harry answered. "She said that the bruises would go away in a few days, but that it might be another month until my leg is completely healed. But it should be OK by the time we get to Snape's. Other than that, I'm in perfect health."
"Well, that will make your mother happy!" Sirius exclaimed. "She was worried that this trip would be too much on you!"
They ended up talking for another hour, until Sirius took a look at his watch. "Well, we better be getting back. Everyone is due to arrive soon."
"So, you have fun on your trip, and I will see you at the end of July for training," Dumbledore said, rising to show them out. "Have fun, and be careful, and bring me back something."
"Don't worry, Professor, we will be," Harry assured, laughing, carrying Lily out of the room. "Mum wouldn't have it any other way!"
After showing them out, Albus Dumbledore sat once more at his desk, head held in his hands. How could he destroy the world, and life, that they had worked so hard to create? He knew that they all loved each other, but this new information would tear Harry, and therefore their family, apart. He knew he had to tell them, but how?
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Harry, Sirius, and Lily got home 20 minutes later, having taken a Portkey from Hogsmeade. "Honey, we're home!" Sirius said, laughing.
Arabella walked into the living room, wiping her hands on a dish towel. "Hello to you too," she said, kissing him on the cheek. She turned to Harry and Lily, giving them each a peck too. "So, what did Poppy say?" she asked, looking at Harry.
"That I'm OK, and I'll only be limping for another couple of weeks," Harry answered.
"Good. What took you guys so long?"
"Just talking. When's dinner?"
"I'm almost done. And I think Remus and Katherine should be coming any minute. Oh, and Harry?" Arabella said, walking back to the kitchen.
"Yes, Mum?" Harry answered.
"There's someone waiting for you in your room," Arabella said, smiling.
Harry's face broke into a huge smile. He quickly handed Lily off to Sirius and ran up the stairs.
"Boy, that boy's got it bad," Sirius chuckled, shaking his head and following his wife into the kitchen.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Harry climbed the stairs 3 at a time, reached his door, and slowly opened it. She was standing with his back to him, looking out his window. Creeping quietly in as not to alert her to his presence, he reached her and wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her neck. "Hello, beautiful," he murmured between kisses.
"Hello to you, too," she breathed, turning around to face him. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she kissed him on the lips. "I've missed you."
"Not as much as I've missed you," he told her, giving her another breathtaking kiss. When the need for air became too great for them, they broke apart, leaning on each other's foreheads. "God I love you," he breathed, staring into her eyes.
"Not as much as I love you," she assured him, steering him towards his bed. The back of his knees hit the side, and they fell, Hermione on top of Harry. They began to kiss again, relishing the feel of being with each other again after being apart for a couple of days. After a few minutes, she broke the kiss. "Where were you?"
"Seeing Professor Dumbledore. Mum wanted me to get checked out again by Madame Pomphrey, and Dad wanted to talk to Dumbledore. Something about the vacation, but that's all I got."
Hermione rolled off him onto her side, looking at him. "Why did you need to see Madame Pomphrey? Are you hurt?" she asked, worry creeping into her voice.
Harry smiled at her. "No," he answered, reaching over to draw shapes on her thigh, "Mum just wanted me to be checked over before we leave. You know how paranoid she gets."
"And for good reason! You always seem to get -" Hermione was cut off by Harry's lips finding hers again, and her rolled over so that he was on top of her. Not willing to let him has the last say, she quickly darted her tongue in his open mouth, making him gasp in surprise. She smiled against his lips. The kissing soon got more physical as hands began to explore, following their practiced paths up and down their bodies. It was only when Harry's hands would their way up her shirt to the clasp of her bra that Hermione stopped her own ministrations. "Harry! We can't! Not now!"
"And why not?" he asked, taking his hand out from under her shirt.
"Hmm.let's see. Is it because your parents are downstairs, or because Remus and Katherine will be here any minute, or because, knowing our luck, your mum would walk in on us? Do you want to pick one, or should I?"
"Uugh." Harry moaned, rolling over to lay beside her. "This is going to kill me.who's knows when we're going to get another chance! We leave tomorrow for vacation, and then we train for the rest of the summer!"
"I know, but we can't now. Maybe." Hermione whispered, bringing her lips up to Harry's ear, tickling him with her breath, "we can sneak away during vacation and try some new places.there would certainly be some danger associated with trying to fool around in a shopping mall dressing room, and I know how that turns you on."
"Ooh, you clever, clever girl!" Harry exclaimed, leaning over for another kiss. "Let's just hope that we get to try your plan out soon!"
"Me too, me too," Hermione replied, giving Harry another kiss. "I don't think I can wait too much longer either."
Harry smiled at her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close. "So, what are we going to do now?"
"Why don't you tell me where we are going for our vacation?"
"Well," Harry started, "we are going to start in Spain for about a week, and then we are heading over to Ireland and Switzerland for a couple of days each. Our last stop is going to be Greece, where we'll spend about 5 days, I think. It seems that Katherine was really popular in Athens so Dumbledore wants us to make an appearance. He thinks that it might strike up more support for the light side to see so many famous and respected wizards fighting against Voldemort. Then we finally head to France, where we spend a week in Paris before heading to Snape's chateau."
"That sounds wonderful!" Hermione breathed. "But why do I have a feeling that Greece isn't the only place we're going to have to make an appearance? After all, you and Katherine are internationally famous, and Sirius is one of the top Aurors in the Northern Hemisphere!"
"I know, I feel that we're going on a Goodwill tour instead of vacation. But that won't be the entire time, and Dad made sure that we have as much privacy as we can get wherever we're staying."
"Good," Hermione said. "I --" She was cut off by a bang downstairs, and muffled voices. "I think that Remus and Katherine are here," Hermione said, smiling.
"Me too. Want to go meet them?"
"We better. Come on."
"As you command, oh glorious ruler of my heart," Harry answered, giving Hermione a deep bow and a big smile.
"Oh you!--" Hermione said, smiling, as she gave Harry a swat on the arm.
"Oh come on, you know you love it when I do that," Harry told her, wrapping his arms around her and giving her a peck on the cheek.
"OK, OK, you got me. Now come on, we better get down there before Remus and Katherine get offended that we weren't there to greet them when they got here."
"Alright," Harry said, taking her hand in his, "let's go greet the rest of the family."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
So, what did you think? This is my first Harry Potter fan fiction, so please review and be totally honest about my good and bad parts. Any and all comments will be appreciated. So what are you waiting for? Review!
