Hey this actually goes with the poem Thirteen Years which you'll find in my author directory thing. Please enjoy.
Title. Of baby powder and blood
Author. Ferality Red
Rating. PG-13 for mention of child abuse and death and Padfoot's foul mouth.
Warning. Spoilers for book 1-4. Has nothing to do with book 5 except for some facts.
Disclaimer. I don't own any thing but the plot. And please R and R because I don't have a clue on what I'm doing..
Warmth, comfort and soft lazy sunlight kept him half asleep and quiet for several hours after the sun had risen. He had been in and out of sleep through out the previous day. The absence of Cedric's frozen, frightened eyes in his dreams and Snape's convulsing body under Voldemort's wand in his visions had permitted sleep. After a while Harry fought his way out of the comfortable haze that his mind seemed to have rapped around itself. The soft warmth of the bed made it difficult to wake up but his body demanded that he take care of its needs.
Harry blinked at the powder blue walls that with further inspection would actually show to have delicate white snowflakes on it. As he scooted out of the bed he got a better view of the room. The room was light and airy with sparse furniture and two windows. He noted the small vials on the nightstand beside the bed and knew that they were potions, ones that he was probably going to have to drink later. A brief look around the bed and night stand yielded no sign of his glasses. He frowned a little but dismissed it. He padded to the door and slipped into a hallway. Finding the open bathroom several doors down he closed himself inside it.
Feeling more awake Harry splashed water on his face and criticized himself in the sink's mirror. A slender face, more Lily than James without his glasses, had turned too sharp under too many missed meals. His hair had continued to be its usual self, growing out to lap over his shoulder blades in waves, refusing cutting of any sort. He had started to tie it back in a messy not or pony tail with a rubber band.
It hurt sometimes when hair got tangled around the band but it was easer then having it hang in his face and getting caught in the hinges of his glasses. He had wondered how Snape put up with it every day; no wonder he was so cranky. He eyed his cheek and the faint yellow-green tinge of the bruise that had been a black-purple the last time he had seen it. With a hesitant sigh he continued his search to find out what was going on.
-
As Harry moved as quietly as he could down the stairs, which was situated at the end of the hall. He wondered if Sirius had really come and gotten him from the Durslys or if it was a some wishful dreaming on his part. Of course if it had been a dream where was he right now? It certainly wasn't the Weasley's home. The vague memory of the mention of Remus made him pause. Was he at Remus' house? Dumbledore had told Sirius to lay low at Remus' after he got a hold of the old crowd. The brief puzzlement over who the old crowd could be was pushed aside as he reached the bottom of the stairs.
Harry squinted at what looked to be the living room. His lack of glasses irritating him for a second, he didn't like being vulnerable. He twitched toward the noise of soft conversation and the distinctive clinking sound of dishes. It was probably the kitchen and whom ever the house belonged to was nine out of ten in there.
-
Remus stilled and smiled. "It seems our pup is up." Sirius quirked an eyebrow and watched his friend bustle out of the kitchen. Remus was surprised; he hadn't expected Harry to be up this early. The Headmaster had predicted that Harry would sleep for another day. But as usual their pup had gone against the grain. He smiled fondly as he leaned against the open doorway and watched Harry stand uncertainly at the bottom of the stairs, squinting at him.
"Harry! Why don't you come and have lunch with me and Padfoot. We got a late start today." He beckoned Harry forward holding his hand out to take.
-
"Professor!" The happy yet confused boy moved toward him placing his hand hesitantly in Remus'. Remus laughed. "Harry I'm not your professor anymore. I thought I told you to call me Remus or better yet Mooney. After all you used to call me that as a baby." Harry blinked up at him. "Really?" Remus nodded back, guiding Harry through the door. "Really, Know let's go have lunch or Padfoot's stomach is going to eat him."
Harry's eyes widened and he smiled even wider. "Then it wasn't a dream! Sirius is here too?" Remus nodded again. "Actually I'm right here and Mooney is quit right. If you're going to call him that then you might as well call me Padfoot." Sirius stood from his chair and was promptly back in it as Harry slammed into him, his arms wrapped around the older man. There was silence as Sirius held his godson, stroking the teen's dark head.
---
After the three has settled down Remus dished out grilled cheese sandwiches and they started to fill Harry in on what had happened. "So basically Padfoot walked in, in the middle of the night, and walked back out with you. Without telling anybody what he was going to do." Remus gave his friend a pointed look.
It was returned sheepishly.
The werewolf had given Sirius a hard time about it. Knowing that the animagus, had taken the advantage of the full moon five nights ago. The disapproving looks from both Remus and the headmaster had toned down after Sirius had explained what he had seen. Of course Remus hadn't completely forgiven him till the black haired mans remark of "I have to take every advantage I can get while I'm living with a wily werewolf like you." The playful edge of the words hadn't hidden the apology in his voice. "Oh! Did I cause a problem? I'm really sorry. Maybe it would be best if you just take me back" The boy bowed his head.
Sirius rolled his eyes. "Who are the godfathers around here pup? Oh yes speaking of adults" Remus snorted out a laugh. Sirius gave him a dirty look but continued. "Our esteemed headmaster will be coming over tomorrow to talk to you. We hadn't expected you up so quickly. Do you have anymore questions?" Harry looked conflicted for a moment before nodding slowly. "Umm… Where are my glasses?"
-
The dark man who had resided in the dungeons of Hogwarts as its potions teacher sat at his desk and stared. The bowl looked innocent enough for something that could hold your deepest thoughts. He hadn't forgotten those who had made his all ready difficult life even more difficult then it had been before.
Difficult enough that he had turned away and instead of taking the right path he had taken the easy one. Right into the Dark Lord's service. In the reflection of the pensive's silvery memories he saw his face. He had sworn that he wouldn't become his bastard of a father or another James Potter.
But when he looked at himself he could see them stamped on every line and harsh angle of his face. Irony, as usual, was never far away. He had promised and now it was time he kept it. With a resigned finality that few had seen he took the bowl to be put away. For good.
-
Remus smiled softly at the two most important people in his life. It sounded sappy and mushy as a newly wed couple but it was way to true for its own good. Sirius had come to him at the end of Harry's third year ragged and beaten and running from his shadows. The first year had been hard. The nightmares were nightly and waking up in the morning and finding Padfoot's furry body curled up under the bed wasn't unusual.
But there had been progress and lots of it. Sirius had admitted to him that he was afraid that he would mess up with Harry. Try to make the boy into someone who was dead. Admitted that Harry was so much like James but yet so undeniably different. Remus had pointed out that besides the overpowering glasses and hair he thought that Harry looked too much like Lily. Sirius catching on to Remus's line of thought had remarked that Harry looked like Harry and ended the discussion in favor of dinner.
The werewolf didn't think that there would be a problem. Fifteen years ago the paternal look in Sirius's eyes would have had him checked into St. Mungos by his friends but now it looked right. The man in question was gesturing and smiling pulling the quiet teen into conversation. Most of the time it was Remus pulling Sirius out of his brooding, usually with the tact of a crashing plane, but having Harry near seemed to put a spark in his eyes and a bounce in his step.
"So what do you think Mooney contacts or glasses."
Remus choked on his tea.
Thanks so much to all those people who have read this even if they didn't review. And too those people who did……Bows down and kisses toes.
Kaoru: Of course!
Owlviennagreen: Thank you and I will
Jemma Blackwell: It's nice to know that I'm doing some thing right and thanks for putting me on your favs! Thank!
Roeschen: Thank you!
DarkWish: THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! It makes me so feel so privileged that some one would want to translate one of my stories! THANK YOU!
Myownlilfantac: I know I just like making people wait. /winks/
SiriusElvenStar: I actually went back and fixed that! Thank you for the suggestion!
Margaret: Ya a lot of people say the same thing. I agree too. /ducks for cover/
Oceanjewel: I'm hoping to put more dialog in. I tried to do so in earlier chapters but it made it seemed too forced.
You know me...somehow: Yes I do don't I! Thanks for going out of your way to look me up!
Sweetascandy: Completely wrong! Though I can see James burying Sirius in the back yard for that!
Aka-chan2: I LOVE YOU. Can I have your baby? But beside that thanks for reviewing. /laugh/
MiruSedna: Yes! The carnage/Cackle/