Tom bounces up on his toes to grab the library book and the woman behind the counter coos softly at such a cute boy as she hands it over.
Tom turns a death glare on the witch and she flinches back before she can stop herself.
"Careful, Tom," Harry chuckles. "You might petrify someone with a Basilisk stare like that." He lifts the boy onto a hip and moves away from the line and the wary staff member.
Tom frowns (pouts) up at him but at least he isn't trying to crucio people with his magic anymore. "I'm not a baby, put me down."
A tug on Harry's pants makes him look over to find Gellert staring up at him, eyes wide in innocence. Which means something bad is going to happen.
"I want you to carry me as well," Gellert says.
Harry begins to lower Tom but the boy's nails dig into the back of Harry's neck, Tom's library book clutched to his chest with the other arm.
"No, you're carrying me!" Tom snaps.
"You said to-"
"I changed my mind," Tom hisses.
Harry raises an eyebrow. "Are you just trying to spite your brother?"
Tom scowls. "I like being carried, I just think it's a baby thing to do."
Harry straightens up and gets a better grip on Tom. He looks between the boys and decides that it will be very bad if he doesn't explain clearly why he can't pick up the blond.
"I'm sorry," Harry begins with. "I think that if I pick you up as well, I won't be able to hold either of you properly and might drop one."
Gellert narrows his eyes in concentration, picking apart the excuse. "We can hold on," he protests.
"I probably can't," Harry admits. "I'm not that strong and you're both rather big." Instead, he offers a consolation prize. "How about this; I'll carry you around the next time we come shopping."
"What? That's unfair," Tom snaps. "You just picked me up and we're almost done. I haven't gotten a whole day."
"Um," Harry tries.
Both boys dismiss the adult because clearly, he's incompetent, and instead turn to each other with anger.
"Wait, wait!" Harry cries before they start in on each other.
He really doesn't want a rivalry to be a normal thing between them. He quickly puts Tom down despite the boy's protests and clinging.
"Look, now you're both even. I'm not holding anyone." Harry smiles, pleased that he fixed things.
Tom and Gellert don't look very pleased. They move away far enough that they can have a brief, serious conversation without Harry hearing it.
Harry ends up holding both of their hands home. A day later he finds a schedule, drawn in crayon, pinned to the wall beside the door.
"What happens if we don't go shopping on one of these days?" Harry asks.
"The contract will be renegotiated," Gellert answers with a cute smile. "There are exception clauses on the back."
Harry lifts the paper and, still in the same mash of crayon colours, the boys have written a surprisingly airtight contract with several subclauses and conditions. "Huh."
So the good news is that they are learning to share. The bad news is that Harry has become a toy to be shared.
Harry gently tips his shoe and a little snake tumbles out. It hisses wordlessly at him and them slithers under the couch. He stands, drops the shoe and shoves his foot in. With a wave of the elder wand, the laces tie themselves.
Death is judging him from the background, a large black spider covering several kitchen cabinets.
"It's more efficient," Harry says. "I don't have to bend down to tie them either."
"I did not realise you were sixty," Death deadpans. "Watch that knee, might need a replacement soon."
"You know what?" Harry begins but then rethinks that. "Just watch the kids, I'm heading out for a quick grocery run."
Gellert steps out from the small room converted into a library. "Harry."
"I didn't do it," Harry blurts out because he feels like he's in trouble.
"Where are you going, Harry?" Tom asks from the top of the stairs.
Harry glances across all three of them. "I don't know what's happening or what I've done."
"Where are you going?" Gellert echoes Tom, moving closer. "Why are you leaving?"
"I'm out of flour," Harry admits. "It'll take me ten minutes, maximum."
Tom turns away. "I'll get my jacket."
Harry raises an eyebrow. "You don't need to come," he calls out but Tom has already vanished. Harry looks down at Gellert instead. "You always look so annoyed when I make you come out with me, where is this enthusiasm coming from?"
Gellert blinks. "When you go out, you take us with you. That's how it works."
Harry smiles and ruffles Gellert's fluffy hair. "You're such helpful boys."
On the inside he's laughing. He honestly didn't think forcibly setting their habits would work. Going out and getting library books or visiting interesting shops each time was just supposed to make them want to be with him, to associate Harry and going outside with 'reward' so they could slowly get used to normal people and start taking on social interactions.
This raising children thing is too easy.
Death, once again a little brown haired boy with hazel eyes, walks through the busy shopping lane. People give him a wide berth unconsciously, not even realising that they pull their bags out of Death's way, never quite look at him front on, and lean away when he gets too close.
"Not bad," Harry says, walking where Death's shadow should be and enjoying the little bubble of space around them. "I should bring you out more often."
"Shall I put my name down on the schedule?" Death drawls.
"I don't want to touch you," Harry admits frankly. "Definitely no carrying."
Death's eyes track a smiling couple walking arm in arm. "His wife will kill them both in three days."
Harry stops, sighs and turns to follow the couple.
"Harry," Tom says like a threat, using a tone no seven-year-old should even be able to vocalise at their age.
"Tom," Harry replies slowly, still holding the new bag of dog food for Gellert's pet.
Which is definitely not a dog with how big that damn thing has grown. It's probably not even a wolf considering it can barely fit through the door anymore so Harry needs to keep it in the magically expanded backyard, covered with several layers of wards, curtesy of the long-suffering Unspeakable.
"You're supposed to take us with you," Tom continues, sitting perfectly still on the couch like he was just waiting to catch Harry coming back.
Gellert stares at Harry with big blue eyes from where he's sitting at the foot of the stairs.
"I just saved two people from almost certain death today," Harry points out. "I can't do guessing games with you right now, please tell me clearly."
Gellert leans forward. "We don't like it when you leave the house without us, especially if you take that thing with you instead." Gellert nods at Death. "Stop doing it."
"Why don't you like it?" Harry asks, putting the heavy dog food down in the entry way and kicking off his shoes.
"We go out together," Tom says simply. "It's what we do. Why do you feel the need to change it?"
"Why do you want it to stay the same?" Harry fires back.
"You are avoiding the question," Tom scowls. "You are changing the status quo; therefore you should carry the burden of proof as to why it should change."
Okay, so this conditioning thing was a mistake.
"I…" Harry trails off. "Didn't realise it was so important to you. Now that I'm aware, I will make sure to tell you when I go outside."
"Acceptable," Tom states. "Don't let it happen again."
Gellert walks over and hugs Harry, which is super cute but also super manipulative. Tom seems to contemplate this turn of events and then comes over for a quick hug as well because he understands that a happy Harry is an easily coerced Harry.
Harry hums contently. "One of these days, you're going to hug me and there will be no ulterior motive."
"Maybe one day," Gellert consoles.