Christmas and Papa
The next few days passed like a blur. Harry and Sirius spent countless hours playing pranks, practicing quidditch and just generally being a teen with his godfather. Sirius told Harry stories of his school days and about his parents and what kind of trouble they would get into.
It was a few days before Christmas, the day that a few of them where heading back to Godric's Hollow. Harry had spent the beginning of the day with Ron working on some of their homework. Yes homework and yes, it was a very cold in hell.
After lunch Harry pulled out the marauders map, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good."
Lines appeared across the parchment and Harry saw that Sirius, Remus and Icicle were all in an empty classroom not that far from the common room. Pocketing the map Harry and Ron set off to meet up with them. When Harry and Ron entered the room they saw Sirius playing a piano and Icicle singing, "Come with me, where chains will never bind you. All your grief at last, at last behind you. Lord in heaven look down on him with mercy."
"Forgive me all my trespasses and take me to your glory." sung Remus.
"Take my hand, I'll lead you to salvation. Take my love, for love is ever lasting…"
Remus joined in with Icicle, "And remember the truth that once was spoken, to love another person is to see that face of God."
Remus gave an encouraging smile, "Better. Watch your intonation because you're still slipping flat in a few of your low notes. If you are not exact with your notes the charm could go terribly wrong."
"Blah, who needs intonation," mumbled Icicle.
Remus turned and noticed Harry and Ron standing at the door, "Good afternoon you two. Are you done with you homework?"
Harry shook his head, "Actually no but we are close. What are you doing?"
"Icicle is learning how to perform song charms, I'm coaching her and Sirius is accompanying her with some of the songs."
Sirius gave a smile and broke out in what seemed to be an extremely hard piece, Harry stood amazed, "When did you learn how to play the piano?"
"Before I came to Hogwarts my mom decided that I needed to do something cultured and since I was hopeless at singing she signed me up for piano lessons. She claimed that it was a more productive way to spend my time."
Icicle snorted, "Yeah the freak actually loves to practice."
"Hey what is wrong with practicing?"
"No normal student has EVER enjoyed practicing."
"Look who is talking Miss Fine Art freak."
"I may be kind of enthusiastic about my extracurricular activities but I never practice unless I absolutely have to. It is like an unspoken law for students not to practice."
Remus picked up some music and tossed each one a piece, "Come on you two we need to run a few more songs before we leave."
Harry and Ron sat watching the three of them go through songs. Remus had definitely inherited his mother's singing talent and Icicle kept pulling these hidden talents out of her butt. If she walks up to me and tells me that I am the daughter of Lord Voldemort, I might not be that shocked.
When Icicle, Remus and Sirius had finished going through what they wanted to accomplish it was finally time to go. Grabbing a portkey Harry, Ron, Icicle, Remus and Sirius all landed in front of Godric's Hollow. Walking up to the door once again Harry opened it. The hinges squeaked and as he walked in finding the place in perfect order. The house defiantly didn't look like it had been empty for over a decade. Harry turned around to see the others entering when he felt something tug at his robes. Pulling away from what was grabbing him, Harry looked down. There at his feet stood two house elves both clothed decently. "Mr. Potter is that you? You look so different. We thought you were dead" squeaked one of the elves that looked male.
Harry blinked in confusion.
The elf looked saddened, "Why did you leave us for so long? We thought that you had died."
"Oh, I'm not James, I'm Harry."
"Little Master? My have you grown!" exclaimed the other elf who looked a lot like Winky.
"Hello Lilo, Ren." said Sirius as he stepped forward.
"Master Sirius and Master Remus! Why did you go away too?" asked Ren
"That's a long story, but we came so that Harry could explore the house that he grew up in as a baby."
"Oh, Lilo and Ren are sorry we got in Little Master's and his friends way." apologized Lilo.
"It's okay," replied Harry as he started wandering around the house. There were pictures all over the place. Some of them were from when his parents were in school and some where of Harry when he was a baby and there were also a few family pictures. Ron had stayed to talk to the elves with Remus. Sirius and Icicle took off in different directions. Walking up the stairs he opened the first room he came too, it was his room. There was a crib in the corner, a dresser next to it and toys spread out all over the sides of the room. Harry walked up to the crib seeing that there was something in there. Looking into the crib, Harry picked up a teddy bear. For some reason it seemed to trigger a memory.
"Papa, Papa!" screamed a one-year old Harry.
Aunt Petunia was trying to comfort him and Uncle Vernon was putting Dudley to bed. "Petunia can't you make him stop crying and put him to sleep?" asked Vernon.
"He just lot his parents Vernon, it is only natural that he cries for them. What I don't understand is why he is only calling for James and not Lily."
Sirius walked into the room, "You use to call him Papa. James would get so mad that you called the bear that instead of him."
That's it, I couldn't go to sleep without my bear… "If I didn't call James, dad what did I call him?" asked Harry
Sirius gave a big smile, "Bear."
All of a sudden Icicle burst into the room, "Harry did you ever know that you were filthy rich?"
"What?" asked Harry
"I mean so rich that you could swim in your money."
"I get that but what do I have that makes me so rich?"
"Well, I was wondering around when I found a locked box in a closet. Curiosity got the best of me and I opened it to see what it was and it contains a bunch of deeds and keys to other vaults. There are 10 vault keys and some of them look like top-notch security, which means that there are some serious valuables in them. You also own about 200 acres of land around the world and have houses, mansions or some sort of living place in 10 different countries."
Harry looked at Sirius, "Do I really own all of that?"
"Being the only Potter heir, yes and probably even more then that. You parents were the most promising wizard and witch of our time so of course they had high paying jobs. You mom was the youngest director of the charms administration and you dad was the most deadly aurtor of his time. If he had lived he probably would have made Mad-Eye Moody look like an amateur. To top it off the Potters are the oldest known line of wizards so a lot of your wealth was collect throughout time."
Icicle gave a Cheshire cat grin, "Hey Harry could I have a few thousand gallons?"
Harry hit Icicle playfully over the head with his bear. "Careful Harry, you don't want to hurt poor papa now do you? I wonder what Rita would have to say when she hears about him?"
Harry ran after Icicle all through the house for the rest of the evening. "Okay I give up you can beat me with papa all you want and like I would tell that Rita woman anything." gasped Icicle as she laid on the floor trying to catch her breath.
Harry had to admit that growing up in Godric's Hollow would have been a blast. The house seemed to scream run around and play. Everyone finally gathered in the living room since the sun was setting and it was time to get back to Hogwarts. Lilo and Ren were going to stay at Godric's hollow until Harry graduated. They were raised to serve the Potters but Harry had no need for them at school so they said that they would wait until they were needed. As they left Harry grabbed the box of files, a picture of him and his parents playing outside and Papa. There is no way that I am leaving him behind again.
* * * *
During the next few days, Harry spent more time with Sirius and going through the files and records that he had brought with him. Harry determined that he was defiantly richer then the Malfoy when he only counted his land. This is going to be one to rub in Draco's face.
"Harry wake up it is Christmas!" exclaimed Ron. It was the one-day in the year that Ron would wake up early and in a good mood, "Let's get down to the common room."
Harry grabbed his glasses and bolted down to the common room. Remus, Sirius and even Dumbledore were already there. "Merry Christmas Harry," said Sirius as Harry sat down next to him.
Dumbledore smiled and his eye's sparkled, "It seems that we are only missing Icicle, who would like to go wake her up?"
All at once Harry, Ron and Sirius ran up the stairs to the girls dorm fighting on how they were going to wake her up. Finally they agreed on a simple plan of action so Sirius came in carrying a pitcher of cold water with Ron and Harry following. Everything after that melted into a colorful blur. There was a scream followed by some explosions and other screams. When all four of them walked out, Icicle was dripping wet, Harry had sprouted flowers all over his body, Ron was purple with pink spots and Sirius's ears were so large that they dragged on the floor. Apparently, when they dumped the water on Icicle she flew out of her bed and started cursing them without taking time to notice who they were. It took a while for the four of them to get Dumbledore and Remus to stop laughing and fix them up. After removing flowers from Harry, charming back Ron's skin color, shrinking Sirius's ears, and drying Icicle, everyone started opening presents. Harry got several things: an enormous package of sweets and a shirt from Hermione, a practice snitch and some new gear from Ron, a snowy owl care package from Remus, a CD player from Icicle with a few CD's, pranks and new shoes from Sirius along with other gifts from Mrs. Weasley, the Moody's, Hagrid and even Remus's parents. Harry was really glad that he had gotten a new pair of shoes since he was busting out of his old ones.
Harry would have to wait to see if Hermione liked her gift but everyone else seemed to enjoy what Harry got them. Ron was excited to read the book that Harry got him, Famous Quidditch Chasers of the Century. When Icicle opened Harry's gift she stared at the necklace in shock for a while and then started screaming in delight. Running over to Harry she practically strangled him to death. "Oh my God! I loved this necklace so much when I saw it in the store! How did you know that I wanted it? How did you afford it? How…."
"A little fairy named Hermione paid a visit and told me that you wanted it."
"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!!!!!"
Everyone was laughing at Harry as he was smothered by an overexcited Icicle. Dumbledore picked up his last gift and opened it, "Aww Icicle I see that you saw strait into my heart."
Icicle let go of Harry and looked up, Dumbledore was holding several pairs of fuzzy warm socks.
* * * *
It was later in the evening and time for the Christmas feast. The hall was decorated with trees and lights, mistletoe and every other Christmas decoration known to man. Dinner was full of chattering and celebration amongst the professors and few remaining students. Hagrid was his drunk merry self and even Snape looked like he was in a good mood. As the meal ended Harry and Ron realized that Icicle had been talking to Malfoy for most of the night. "What is she doing talking to that miserable git?" asked Ron.
"Dunno," replied Harry. He didn't like were this was going at all.
All of a sudden Icicle pulled a Christmas present out of her pocket for Draco and Draco pulled one out for her. They laughed and opened them. She had gotten Draco the full CD of Phantom of the Opera and he had gotten her and CD of another Broadway play called Rent. Harry and Ron were shocked and angry that Icicle was actually friends with Draco, DRACO MALFOY. When Draco eventually left, Icicle walked up to join Ron and Harry. "What in the hell are you doing with Malfoy." demanded Ron.
"Giving him his Christmas present and wishing him a Merry Christmas since that is what you do on Christmas?" replied Icicle who seemed shocked at Ron's behavior.
"That slimy git is an evil being that will take advantage of anyone who gives him a chance. I know you haven't been in this world for a long time but you can never trust a Malfoy."
Ron had touched a nerve, "I'll trust who ever I dam well feel like trusting. I know that I am very judgmental and that is one of my flaws but you are so fucking shallow and narrow minded on top of being judgmental. Just because he is a Malfoy doesn't mean he is evil and just like his dad. You never gave him a chance so you have no right to judge him. At least I got to know him before I said anything."
Harry had to agree with Ron on this one, "Draco is a stuck up prick. I wasn't raised in this world and I saw that from day one."
"You never gave him a chance either Harry. Plus are you the same person that you were when you were 11? Do you believe in the same things? People grow, people change and sometimes you have to break through a shell to really get to know a person."
"Icicle we are just telling you that he is dangerous and you shouldn't hang around him!"
"Well he is one of my friends and you guys will just have to learn how to deal with it if you are going to be my friends too," with that she stormed away.
* * * *
