A Moment in Time
DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter (and associated characters, likenesses, concepts, etc.) belongs to J.K. Rowling, Bloomsbury Publishing, Scholastic, Inc. AOL/Time Warner, Inc., among others. I make no claim, written or implied, upon Harry Potter. No money is being made and no infringement or disrespect to the creators / copyright holders is intended.
Warning: This story will contain slash (ie. male/male relationships) and mpreg, although neither will be graphic.
A/N: This story was inspired by the many wonderful stories that I have read and enjoyed here at fan fiction and any similarities to existing stories is not intended. This story is AU, meaning that the events that occurred in the OOTP have not been taken into account and am I in no means suggesting the material described in this story should be considered as a direct interpretation of cannon. Also, I am American so I apologize in advance for any Americanisms.
Chapter Eighteen – Welcome Home
Harry shook his head to remove the slight disorientation that resulted from traveling via portkey nearly half way across the globe. 'At least I managed to remain standing,' he thought sarcastically. Then he realized that the shaking he was feeling wasn't coming from him, but from the small child in his arms.
"Hey sweetheart, are you okay?" Harry asked, gently.
"Me no like port-tee Daddy," Matthew replied solemnly.
Harry was relieved that the shaking had subsided somewhat. "Tell you the truth sweetie, I don't like them much either," Harry confided in a soft whisper.
Harry saw that Draco was calming down a similarly affected Evan. Evan looked over Draco's shoulder at his daddy. "That yucky," the almost three-year-old scowled. Harry couldn't agree more.
The portkey had taken them to a location just outside of Hogwarts' protective wards. Looking down the hill, Harry could see what little remained of the only all-wizarding community in Europe, Hogsmeade. It was in ruins. Ironically, the only building left largely intact was the Shrieking Shack. The other stores, pubs, homes and assorted structures were largely in ruins; windows and doors broken or missing, some roofs were destroyed, and in other cases, entire buildings were crumbling almost as though they had been imploded. Harry was saddened to see that nothing at all remained where the Three Broomsticks had once stood.
Harry let out a low whistle. "What the hell happened here?"
Draco gave a cursory glance at the disarray. "The war, the war happened Harry. Hogsmeade fell in an attempt to breach Hogwarts about nine months ago," Draco explained, gravely.
Harry slowly let his eyes roam the destruction in disbelief. He had heard the words that had described how badly the war effort was going, but the reality of the situation hadn't sunk in. But faced with the startling evidence of exactly how close the war had come to Hogwarts, the grimness of the situation was undeniable.
"Come on, Harry. I want to get up to the castle before it gets much darker. It's not safe here." Draco said shifting Evan from his right hip onto his left.
"Here, Draco, let me take him if he's too heavy for you," Nicole said in a sickly sweet voice, trying to diffuse the tense situation.
"I'd like to see you try." Draco winked as he turned away from the remnants of the village and started up the worn path towards Hogwarts.
Hesitating only for another moment or two, Harry turned and followed his family up the familiar path back to the only childhood home he had ever known.
* * *
As they crested the top of the hill overlooking Hogwarts, the gigantic castle came into view. Harry stopped mesmerized at the sight of the familiar turrets and towers. The bright light reflecting through the crystal cut glass beamed cheerfully bidding Harry to come closer. His throat seemed to close up and his chest felt tight as he was strongly reminded of how he had felt when he had first seen this magnificent structure. No, structure wasn't really the right word, Hogwarts was so much more than just stone and mortar; it was almost alive.
"Dat's pretty, Daddy."
Harry smiled down into Matthew's upturned face. "It sure is. That is probably one of prettiest things I've ever seen. With the exception of your Father, of course," Harry added the last bit in a sly whisper.
Realizing that Draco, Evan and Nicole had gotten a good bit ahead of them, Harry and Matthew hurried to catch up. The closer he got to the castle, the more Harry was able to take in the subtle changes that weren't apparent at first glance. Hogwarts seemed weary, tired somehow; the shine didn't seem to be as brilliant as it used to be.
They were almost upon the huge front doors when Harry felt as though he had been doused with a bucket of ice water. This was it. There was no turning back now. After he went through those doors, he was going to have to face the demons that he had so persistently kept locked away, deep in the recesses of his mind. Doubts about whether or not he was doing the right thing, along with more serious doubts about whether or not he mentally was prepared to do this, threatened to overwhelm him. Harry didn't even realize that he had started to shake as he was to busy trying not to throw up.
Without comment, Nicole took Matthew from him and settled the toddler into her own embrace. Leaning in, she gave Harry a soft kiss on the cheek. "It's going to be alright, Harry. They can't hurt you anymore."
Harry leaned down, putting his head between his knees, taking several deep breaths. "I know, but…just give me a few moments."
Draco sat Evan down on the ground and knelt down beside Harry. "Harry, I know this is hard. I can't even begin to image what you must be going through right now. But know that I am so very proud of you. We are doing what we must; you have to believe that. I'll be with you every step of the way. I'll never leave you alone again."
Concentrating on Draco's words, Harry was finally able to bring his slightly erratic breathing under control. Straightening up, Harry pulled Draco to him needing the closeness and warmth that the blonde would provide. "Thanks, Dray. I needed that."
Draco smiled before pressing his warm lips against Harry's slightly cooler ones. "I love you, Leo."
Harry felt some of his nervousness vanish in Draco's embrace, replaced with an infusion of self-confidence. "Leo?" Harry questioned lightly, "I can't remember the last time you called me that."
"I know, it only seems fitting that I should start using the nickname that I gave you while we were in school now that we are finally back here again. Don't you agree?" Draco chuckled warmly. Reaching down, he took Harry's still clammy hand in his own. "Come on luv, it's time that we go face the bastards."
Giving Draco another small kiss, Harry said under his breath, "Let's get this show started."
"Alright Daddy?"
"Daddy's just fine, Evan. Wait till you see the inside of this castle. It's absolutely amazing. Should we go in now?"
"Yeah. Me hungray Daddy." Evan pouted as his belly let out a loud rumble. It was then that Harry realized that they had left California so fast they hadn't waited for the pizza man. No one had any supper.
Taking a deep fortifying breath, Harry turned and faced the doors, knowing that with the support of his family that he would be able to face whatever waited for him on the other side. Taking Evan's hand in his other hand, he nodded at Draco indicating that he was ready to proceed. "I bet we'll be able to find lots of good things to eat in there? Did I ever tell you about chocolate frogs?"
Relieved that Harry seemed almost back to normal, Draco reached out and threw open the heavy wooden doors.
As he passed through the entranceway, Harry had the uncanny feeling as though the castle itself was breathing a sigh of relief and reaching out to welcome him home. Shaking off those ridiculous sentiments, Harry lifted his head proudly and strode off in the direction of the Great Hall.
* * *
The Headmaster sat up straight in his chair at the head table in the Great Hall when he heard the outer doors open and then slam closed. Concentrating hard, Dumbledore could feel the strong magic protecting the castle from intrusion, almost as a warm blanket comforts a newborn babe. The wards were still in place, so that meant whoever just entered had to pose no immediate threat to the castle or its occupants. Otherwise, the castle would never have granted them entry.
Sharing a knowing look between some of the more senior members of the Order, Dumbledore gave them a reassuring smile allowing the others to relax slightly as they waited for their visitor to make an appearance. Most of the Order members were present tonight, along with several other witches and wizards who were scattered around the long tables enjoying their evening meal. As Hogwarts had become a refuge for most of the remaining wizarding families that had elected not to flee Europe, many of the family quarters were equipped with small kitchenettes, although the house elves still provided most of the meals. This way, families were allowed to prepare their own meals or snacks if they so desired and the house elves got a small break. As such, many families, especially those with children, often elected to eat in their quarters rather than in the Great Hall, trying to maintain some semblance of normalcy.
Just then, the doors to the Great Hall opened, admitting a tall attractive women holding a small child in her arms. Albus' tired eyes noted quickly that both the women and child were dressed in muggle clothing. Before he was able to study the pair further, the pair in question where followed by two men and another small child.
"It can't be," he heard someone gasp; he thought it was Remus but he wasn't sure as his full attention was occupied solely on the sight before him.
But it was, he was sure of it. Standing there, in front of him, was the one person he had least expected to see here tonight. Standing proudly in front of everyone gathered in the Great Hall, almost as though daring someone to say something, was none other than Harry Potter himself.
Immediately the Great Hall erupted into total chaos as people either tried to come closer or to move away from Harry and his family. One thing was certain; this changed everything. No one in the castle was going to be unaffected by this unexpected but extremely welcomed turn of events, some more so than others. Albus' thoughts briefly touched on those that would be most affected by Harry's presence before being caught once more in the whirlwind that was currently sweeping though the Great Hall, as people came to terms with who was standing right in front of their eyes.
Harry had toyed with the notion of going back to Hogwarts as Emrys Kingston; at least until he had the opportunity to introduce his family, but he had quickly rejected that idea. As soon as the Order saw him with Draco, they would immediately realize who he was, and not only that, but they were the ones that first suspected he was actually Emrys Kingston anyway. It seemed pointless to try to hide behind his 'Emrys' façade any longer. Deciding it was better just to allow his alias to fade away into a closed chapter of his troubled past, Harry faced the people who had condemned him face to face. Dropping Evan's hand, and ignoring the upheaval that his arrival had caused, Harry quickly scanned the Great Hall for the first time since the night he had been arrested.
The Great Hall had been expanded, allowing for more long tables than the five that had occupied it previously. Now, beside the head table where that bastard Dumbledore sat surrounded by his council, there were eight other long tables residing where the four house tables had once been. The new tables where similar in size as the house tables and appeared to be occupied by people in the midst of enjoying their evening meal. Harry carefully noted that most of the people in the room appeared to be wearing either the red robes associated with the Order of the Phoenix or the deep blue colored robes that the Aurors wore.
That wasn't the only change that was immediately noted. Harry felt a deep pang of regret when he realized that the beautiful house banners and the school tapestries no long were majestically displayed as they once were. 'This is wrong' Harry thought to himself. 'The Founders never intended Hogwarts to be used in this manner.' Harry was disappointed again in the wizarding community and at himself for allowing this to happen to Hogwarts. Steeling his resolve, he strode over to the head table.
Seeing the pained expression on his Godfather's face, Harry had no intention of rehashing everything they had just gone through only the matter of a few short weeks ago. With the slight wave of his hand and a whispered "remember" under his breath, Harry restored both Sirius' and Severus' memories regarding the time they had spent together.
Gritting his teeth upon seeing that annoying twinkle in the old man's eyes, Harry stopped only when he was in front of him. "I heard you were looking for me," Harry hissed, his tone deadly.
The twinkle dimmed only slightly at Harry's tone. "Yes, my dear boy, we have. Thank you for coming."
Harry's eyes narrowed at his former mentor's endearment. "Don't think for a moment that my coming back here has anything to do with you, old man."
Sitting back in his chair, the Headmaster felt every one of his over 150 years. "I see. Why don't we take this discussion someplace more private, the Phoenix Chamber perhaps?"
Knowing that this confrontation was better served in front of the Council as opposed to everyone currently in the Great hall, Harry agreed.
But before Dumbledore could stand up from his chair, Draco interrupted. He had followed Harry up to the head table and had overheard their conversation. Looking at Evan's hungry questioning awe filled face and seeing a similar expression on Matthew's face, Draco wanted to make sure that their family was taken care of before they left for what would be a very tedious discussion. "Sir, if I may interrupt for a moment. Our family is tired and hungry, would it be possible to get them something to eat before we adjourned to the Chamber?"
Harry shot Draco a grateful smile. He had forgotten how hungry the boys were and he felt bad about not thinking about either them or Nicole.
"Mister Malfoy, may I say it is good to see you again. You have been sorely missed." Dumbledore didn't even bat an eye at Draco's use of the word 'our' when referring to the people that had accompanied them. "I think that would be a great idea. Why don't we save the formal introductions until later when everyone is feeling refreshed?" With the clap of his hands, five clean plates and silverware appeared on the end of one of the tables in the center of the room.
Draco guided Nicole and the twins over to where their plates had been set.
Ignoring the excited chatter that had broken out amongst the individuals who had witnessed his arrival, Harry followed his family over to their table. Draco and Harry sat on one side of the table with Evan in between them, while Nicole and Matthew sat across from them. Having lost his appetite, Harry just sat there watching his children's delight in the sights and smells around them. Their wonderment at being surrounded by obvious magical things helped to ease some of Harry's tension.
Harry had forgotten how uncomfortable it had always been to be stared at and whispered about. Sure he had been famous as Emrys Kingston, but only as a performer. People never expected more from him than a quick autograph. He wasn't expected to do more than any other performer and he certainly wasn't looked upon to save the world. Many of the reasons why he hated being Harry Potter were staring him right in the face, literally.
Picking at the food on his plate, Harry pushed those thoughts aside and found himself caught up in listening to Draco's soothing voice as he patiently answered both the twin's excited questions and Nicole's more subdued ones. A hand on his shoulder brought Harry back to the present.
Harry immediately tensed and pulled away abruptly.
"Whoa, sorry there Harry. I didn't mean to startle you."
Harry grinned at his Godfather sheepishly. "That's alright Sirius. I'm just a bit jumpy."
"Don't worry about it, I would be too if I was in your position." After greeting Nicole, Draco and the twins, Sirius sat down at the table beside Harry. "I owe you one for messing with my memory like that."
Harry shrugged. "I wouldn't have done it if there had been any other way. But I needed some time to get things finished back home and I was afraid that if you came back to Hogwarts without me, Dumbledore would just send someone else. I couldn't risk it."
Sirius grinned. "Well, I'll forgive you this time Harry, but if I were you, I'd be careful around Snape, I thought he was going burst a blood vessel when we found out what you did."
Harry glanced up at the Head Table warily. Severus was in fact glaring in their direction, but Harry could also see something else in his expression, relief.
"Look Harry, now that you're here, Dumbledore's going to want a full explanation, our meeting tonight is going to last a while. I just wanted to let you know if you needed somewhere for Nicole and the boys to stay while we're occupied, seeing that you don't have rooms of your own yet, that they are more than welcome to crash in Remus' and my apartment."
As Sirius finished his offer, he caught Nicole's eye. She had raised an eyebrow when Sirius had admitted to living with another man.
"Oh no, no…it's nothing like that, in fact Remus is hardly ever there anymore." Sirius was quick to protest as his face turned an attractive shade of pink, the thought of being with his best friend in an intimate way clearly not to his liking.
Now it was Draco's turn to raise an eyebrow as he suspected where or more importantly with whom, Remus was currently spending much of his free time.
Deciding that his Godfather had suffered enough, Harry smirked. "Way too much information there Sirius, but thanks for your offer. I have a feeling that Dumbledore's not going to let me even so much as leave the room to use the bathroom before we're had our little chat. Would it be possible for you to stay with Nicole and the twins until they are finished here and then escort them to your apartment? I assume you know where his apartment is, Draco?"
Seeing the blonde's nod, Harry continued. "After you get them settled, you can join us in the Chamber. You already know my story anyway."
Not taking his eyes off of Nicole, Sirius smiled. "I'd be delighted to help, Harry."
Harry smiled back. "Just so that you remember that your two Grand-Godchildren are there as well as Nicole, Sirius."
* * *
Dumbledore was watching the scene over at the center table very closely, trying to gauge how best to approach this critical meeting that was about to take place. Deciding on a course of action, he indicated to Charlie Weasley to come over to where he was sitting. After instructing him to go inform what remained of the Weasley clan about what had just transpired and to ask them to meet in the Phoenix Chamber in about an hour, Dumbledore continued his observation.
Shaking his own head, as he didn't fully believe that Harry had just willing strolled into Hogwarts, Charlie set off to find Bill and Fred first, before going up to Ron and Hermione's chambers. He wasn't sure how the news of their former best friend's return was going to affect them, just that it would, tremendously.
* * *
Hermione looked up from where she had been clearing the dinner table when she heard a knock on the door to their chambers. She and Ron along with their daughter had moved into an apartment at Hogwarts only two weeks ago, two very long and painful weeks ago. They had been living in the Oxford so that they could be close to her parents, as they were muggles and couldn't come to Hogwarts. Now, however, the need to stay close to her parents no longer existed. They had been killed two weeks ago in a Death Eater attack.
Death Eater attacks were so frequent that even the muggles knew that something was seriously wrong. Unfortunately, the poor souls had no idea how bad the situation really was. Their ineffective attempts to protect themselves against the most powerful Dark Wizard ever were laughable, pathetic even. But who could blame them? They had no idea what they were up against.
Hermione knew that it wouldn't be long before Voldemort moved against Parliament itself, taking over not only the wizarding communities in England but the muggle ones as well.
Before she could even cross the room to answer the door, the door opened admitting Bill, followed closely by Charlie and Fred. Instinctively, she knew that something major had happened just from the expressions on her brother-in-laws' faces. Before she could even ask what had happened, Bill beat her to the punch.
"How's Mom?" The oldest living male Weasley had taken it upon himself to help care for his mother after her breakdown when Percy's treachery was finally revealed. The only positive thing was that Mister Weasley had never lived to know about neither his son's evil deeds nor his wife's subsequent condition.
"She's resting," Hermione answered carefully, still trying to figure out what was going on. They had decided to have Molly move into one of the rooms in their apartment when they had taken permanent residency in the castle.
"Where's Rebecca?"
Getting tired of two-word sentences, Hermione replied, "She is in her room getting ready for bed; Ron is with her. So are you going to tell me what's going on here, or not?"
Before Bill could answer, there was another knock on the door. Slightly exasperated, Hermione threw her hands up into the air and went to answer the door, wondering who else would be disturbing them.
Answering the door, Hermione was surprised to see one of the young women who volunteered at the childcare center. "Melissa, what are you doing here? Is there something that I can help you with?"
"Melissa is here because I asked her to come, Hermione." Bill explained softly. "There is something that we need to tell you and Ron, and then Albus has called an Order meeting for later this evening, so I asked Melissa to come and watch Rebecca."
"Hey Bill, what's this about a meeting tonight?" Ron inquired as he limped into the room.
Bill dismissed Melissa with a slight nod and she went to find his niece. "Let's sit down in the sitting room."
Hermione and Ron exchanged a nervous glance, but followed Bill and Ron's other brothers into the sitting room. Once everyone was comfortably settled, Hermione looked expectantly at Bill waiting for him to begin. But it wasn't Bill who started talking; it was Charlie.
Not sure how to best break the news, Charlie looked first at Hermione and then at Ron. "Tonight, something unexpected happened in the Great Hall during dinner." Charlie sighed; he was so much better dealing with dragons than people. "Actually I guess it would be more accurate to say that someone unexpected as opposed to something," the red headed man started to ramble.
Shaking his head at his bother's nervousness, Bill simply stated. "He's back. Harry's back."
* * *
Hermione paced around the Phoenix Chamber waiting for the rest of the Order Council to finish trickling in. She was still in a state of shock, not really processing what Bill and Charlie had tried to tell her and Ron. Apparently, Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy, along with two children and an unidentified woman just simply waltz back into Hogwarts tonight, back into their lives. It was simply just too unbelievable.
Dumbledore had only recently informed everyone about the results of Malfoy's last mission. Harry Potter had been located, but in the end, he had rejected their pleas for aid and had refused to come and help in the war. Not only that, but Draco had also decided to stay on with Harry for unspecified reasons. Although if anyone ever wanted to listen to Ron complain, he would be sure to give you an earful about how Malfoy was harboring unrequited love. The loss of Malfoy's particular talents was a significant blow. To be honest, Hermione had given up hope. She had seen entirely too much death and destruction. She actually envied Harry and Draco their time away from all of this.
But now, that all looked like it may change, if what Bill and Charlie said was true and Harry was really back. Maybe it wasn't too late, maybe they had a chance after all, albeit a slim one.
A creepy silence slowly made its way around the table, slowing Hermione down mid stride. Looking around the room she saw the source of everyone discomfort. Draco had just entered the Chamber, followed closely by what could only be an older handsome version of the boy who had once been her friend. The two men took seats as far away from where the Phoenix sat as you could possibly get.
Feeling her legs start to give way, she was grateful when Bill firmly guided her over to where her and Ron's chairs were located. 'He is here, he is right here,' kept repeating over and over again in her head.
Knowing that Ron was similarly affected, she took his shaking hand in her own, hoping that between the two of them that they would be able to get through this.
* * *
Dumbledore didn't waste anytime bring the meeting to order as soon as the members had settled themselves into their seats. "As you are all aware by now my friends, this is a momentous day for us. Harry Potter has returned."
His announcement was met with silence as everyone was still coming to terms with what that meant exactly.
"Harry, I know that Severus, Sirius and Draco have already extended our apologies to you for the grave wrongdoing that happened, but…"
"'Grave wrongdoing'..." Harry sneered, "Is that what you're calling it now? You sent an innocent child to prison. The key words there being 'innocent' and 'child'. I would call that more than a grave wrongdoing."
Not wanting to aggravate the situation, Albus nodded. "I agree Harry, what we did to you was unthinkable and we are sorry for not believing in you. It will forever be one of the largest mistakes in my life. I am truly sorry, Harry."
Harry unconsciously ran his hand through his hair, pulling his bangs off his forehead, revealing his famous scar. "I didn't come back here to listen to your pathetic excuses or apologies that are entirely too late."
Dumbledore searched Harry's face for a sign, not seeing anything he sighed. "Then why are you here?"
Harry's unflinching emerald gaze met and held the blue eyes that had seen more than a century and a half of problems and solutions. "I'm here, because I couldn't live with myself if I didn't come."
Harry grew angry when the Council seemed to relax and sigh in relief at his words. "But let's get some things straight right now. What you all did to me was unforgivable, and my presence here in no way indicates that I have chosen to forgive and forget. We are not friends, mentors, colleagues, or even associates. I don't like any of you, with the exception of Draco, Sirius, and Severus, and I don't see that changing, ever."
Harry ignored the gasps of outrage resulting from his last comment. "Also, I have come back because I believe that I can help prevent more deaths. I am not now nor do I want to be a member of this Order. As far as the Order is concerned, I will act only as a consultant and I will only do what I think is best, when I think action is appropriate. Simply speaking, I do not take orders from you, Dumbledore. I will also pick and chose my own battles. Are we clear?"
Disappointed, but knowing that they were still better off than they had been earlier in the day, Dumbledore nodded in agreement.
"Fine Harry, if that is what you want, that can be arranged. But remember this, as a seventh year you took an oath to this Order when you joined it. That is a lifetime commitment and can not be revoked simply because you no longer desire it."
"Reeaally, amazing how now my membership is a lifetime commitment, but when I was the one in need how easy was it for everyone here to turn their backs on me? That wasn't quite what I expected when I made that oath, Dumbledore," Harry hissed, his eyes flashing.
"No Harry, I guess it wasn't." Realizing his mistake in bringing up Harry's commitment, Albus tried to keep his own tone soothing in an effort to calm the young man down. "Draco has already informed us about your escape from Azkaban and the time the both of you spent together in New York City. But Harry, would you please be so kind as to tell us where you've been since then?"
Seeing the old man's distraction technique for what it was, Harry decided to comply, as he knew that he would insist on an explanation sooner or later. Feeling Draco slip his hand inside Harry's, he gave the blonde a small squeeze and then launched into his story, careful to omit any mention of the twins, his pregnancy, his other animagus forms or his ability to perform wandless magic.
Midway through his explanation, he saw Sirius join the group, taking his seat next to Remus Lupin. His Godfather smiled at him, letting him know that Nicole and the boys were being taken care of.
As Harry discussed his life in the United States, he took the time to reflect on the people around the large table. His empty stomach clenched painfully. He sincerely hoped that dealing with all these people wouldn't give him a stomach ulcer.
Everyone looked older and worn; Remus and Professor McGonagall were both certainly grayer than the last time Harry had seen them. Hermione had small worry lines on her face that certainly were not there five years ago, and she looked like she had put on a few pounds. Ron had a nasty scar running down the side of his face; then Harry remembered that Draco had mentioned once that Ron had been injured badly and had never fully recovered. Harry couldn't prevent himself from wondering if Ron had any other injuries. The saddest thing of all was to see that the laughter that was as constant as sunrise had faded completely from Fred Weasley's eyes.
To Be Continued.