Chapter twelve: meet the Boy Who Lived
Sirius had to kick Harry's door instead of knocking because his hands were full of the lunch tray he was carrying. James and Lily had decided that they wanted to speak to the Muggles and find out exactly what they had done to their son as they raised him, and Molly had insisted on going along. As the most level-headed of the group Remus had gone with them. Sirius hoped his lover would be able to contain the anxious and outraged mothers and frankly homicidal father, and had agreed that, as the person most likely to pass out whilst using magic, he would stay behind and fix lunch for his Cub and godson-in-law. Ron opened the door and let him in wordlessly. Harry was still asleep, the noise not even penetrating his heavy slumber, though he was a little restless in the bed.
"Time to get up Cub," Sirius called softly, "Harry… lunch time."
"Ron?" the brunette mumbled, green eyes slitting open reluctantly before their owner sat up and sighed. Glasses were dragged on and the brunette swung his legs over the side unhappily.
"I'm here," Ron said gently but didn't go back to him, forcing Harry to get up, a grumpy expression on his face that made Sirius want to hug his temper away. This was the face of Little Harry, the child he'd never been allowed to be, shining through despite his upbringing. He watched their Cub shuffle over to Ron's side and sling a casual arm around him, leaning in for a hug. The redhead obliged and dropped an awkward kiss on the nearest ear as well. Harry blushed but didn't move away. Sirius made a mental note that Remus would have to give their Cub the Talk soon and put the tray on Harry's unused bed.
"Enough mushy stuff," Sirius teased, "You'll make me jealous."
Harry immediately let go of Ron and flung his arms around Sirius instead, an impromptu hug that surprised but gratified the former prisoner. Remus was his main source of affection and touch and having Harry close during the holidays had been a boon that Sirius had appreciated greatly. He hugged his godson tenderly while Ron investigated the pile of sandwiches and they let go when the redhead asked what they wanted to drink. Sirius had brought up both tea and juice, and all three of them settled down to eat while Harry woke up properly and started paying attention to what was going on around him.
It was obvious that Harry didn't realise that the other adults had left the house, and Sirius wasn't sure if Ron knew his mother was out visiting the Muggles either, because both boys kept half an eye out for their mothers and cleaned up any crumbs they dropped carefully. Sirius suggested chess to Ron, and the two of them settled into their game quietly while Harry watched. Five minutes into the game the brunette was asleep again, cuddled into Ron's side.
Sirius conjured a blanket for his godson and smiled when Little Harry snuggled innocently into the soft material, sighing in appreciation. Ron rubbed the back of his mate and moved his bishop, sending the animagus a look that clearly challenged him to 'get out of that if you can'. It didn't take long for Sirius to determine that he couldn't. There were only seven moves left to him before he was beaten and Ron was smirking at him in a manner that was very unattractive in a godson-in-law.
"Marauder," Sirius murmured and Ron gulped, looking worried for a moment. Harry made a slightly fretful noise and clutched at the redhead and Ron immediately cuddled him close, shushing under his breath in a comforting fashion. It was clear to Sirius that the boys were closely attuned to each other, much as he and Remus were. Right now for instance, his lover was highly angry, and Sirius was doing his best to stay calm. It took a lot to upset the normally even-tempered werewolf, mainly because Remus practised his self control assiduously. He hated being an out-of-control beast during the full moon and made up for it - if that was the correct term - by staying cool and in control at all other times. Well, most other times. There was one or two ways to get around him, ways that his lover practiced most diligently. Sirius dragged himself back to the chessboard that was being reset and hoped that whatever his lover was learning wasn't too bad.
There was a brief respite between games when Harry wandered out to the loo and Ron took the tray down to the kitchen and brought back butter beers for them all. They resettled around the chessboard and there was some desultory conversation for a while before Sirius and Ron started yet another game.
Harry dozed off again, leaning against his godfather, which was a blessing when the others finally came back and someone started screeching away downstairs. Harry slept through the noise, thanks to a quick silencing charm, and Ron packed the game away immediately, sensing that something was wrong. Sirius gently nudged his godson awake, rubbing the sleepy teens back and murmuring quietly until he was sure that Harry was properly awake.
"Your mum and dad are home," Sirius warned, and Harry frowned running a hand through already wild hair and looking around uneasily.
"I didn't know they were out," he muttered and got up, "Where did they go? Was it about school?"
"No… they went to see Lily's sister," Sirius watched his godson closely and caught the start and uneasy expression that crossed Harry's face for a few seconds. The green-eyed teen shook the thoughts away and tidied himself up, obviously intending to stay awake for the rest of the short afternoon and into the evening.
There were footsteps outside and the door flew open, followed closely by a very irate Remus Lupin.
"Moony?" Sirius wasn't sure that it was safe to hug his lover when the werewolf had THAT expression on his face, and both Harry and Ron took a few cautious steps back in case that temper was directed at them. The werewolf within Remus was always excitable, which was one of the reasons he controlled himself so sharply, but that control was obviously missing now.
"Harry, your relatives are downstairs with your parents," Moony said, his voice quite sharp, "Your mums would like to see you right away."
"Ok Moony," Harry said tentatively and Sirius watched him square his shoulders before leaving the room, Ron hot on his heels. A spell from Moony's wand shut the door behind them and Sirius found himself with an armful of upset lover. He wrapped his arms tightly around Remus and listened closely as the werewolf started to tell him what they had discovered.
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Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon looked very pale and worried when Harry entered the kitchen. He had been expecting his Uncle at the very least to be spluttering and protesting, but there was no sign of his usual arrogance at all. He wondered why that was and glanced over at James Potter. The barely contained murderous rage he saw there was answer enough and Harry sighed. While there had been some beatings, starvation and verbal abuse, he knew that there were children a lot worse off than he was. He'd heard about the things that could happen at school and was always careful not to provoke his relatives in that direction.
"Hello Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon," Harry said quietly, aware that they would both be terrified to know they were surrounded by magic and completely helpless in the face of something that they'd always forbidden in him.
"Boy," Vernon spat the word grudgingly, as if he was doing Harry a favour by acknowledging him. James growled low in his throat and Vernon went even paler. If there had been a white wall behind him, the Muggle would have blended in perfectly.
"Why are they here?" Harry turned to look at his father. Best to get this over with now, hopefully without having the Muggles blasted to bits by irate Magic folk.
"We thought it best that we all discuss this together," Lily said gently, a pained look in her eyes. Harry stared at her in astonishment, catching Molly's uneasy movement in the corner of his eye. She hadn't agreed with this course of action then, and he was fairly sure the werewolf currently being comforted by his godfather wouldn't have wanted this either. This cosy little confrontation was down to the Potters, and that realisation let Harry's temper slip its leash at long last. He was tired of trying to live up to conflicting standards, and part of him was determined to settle the Potter's jurisdiction over his life and his actions once and for all. He slammed a hand down onto the table - Aunt Petunia squeaked in fear - and glared with all the authority of a young, powerful icon of the Light, feared and respected by the society around him. The Boy Who Lived was very much in evidence right now, and his parents were about to meet him for the first time.
"What on earth for? Why in Merlin's name would you do something so fundamentally stupid? You've risked the security of Headquarters for what… an apology?" the Boy Who Lived shook his head in disbelief, "Do you really think that will change things? My childhood may not have been the one my parents wanted for me, but it is over with now. These people raised me, and I am who I am due to them in part."
"Harry, it was best to get it all out in the open," James said nervously and Harry's venomous glare would have made even Snape consider his next actions carefully. Even the Head of Slytherin would have been unable to match the sheer impact of that single look.
"Why? What good will it do to rake up the past? It was exhausting and terrifying and unpleasant to live the first time around, what possible gain would there be in reliving it now, except maybe the added humiliation of telling people what had happened?" the Boy Who Lived's voice was cold and clear, "The Dursley's are terrified of magic, and any apology they make today would be based on that terror. In their own minds they do not think they have done anything wrong, and no amount of coercion will change that opinion, no matter what they may say to placate you."
Lily and James gaped at the unrecognisable, cold-eyed man opposite them, thoroughly intimidated by the glittering green eyes and stern frown.
"I am disappointed that you would take such a foolish risk for no gain, and I trust that you will cease prying into my affairs," the cold clear voice cut at them like a thousand knives, "My Aunt and Uncle are not to be disturbed by the magical world any further. Do you understand me?"
"Yes," James rasped, anger starting to burn in his eyes, this time directed at his son, "I understand you, Harry."
"Mum," Harry turned to Molly, "Can you portkey them back to Privet Drive? Maybe a memory charm to make the situation more palatable?"
"Of course dear," Molly nodded, and walked around the table to tug the terrified Muggles from their chairs. The Dursley's had never met the Boy Who Lived, and the aura of power and command that had radiated from their irate nephew was unnerving to say the least - mainly because they now realised that if Harry had a mind to he could come back to Privet Drive and make their lives a living hell. Neither Petunia or Vernon dared so much as look at their nephew, let alone say anything to him, and Harry watched them go quietly.
"Excuse me," Harry nodded to the Potters and left the room once the front door closed, heading up the stairs and climbing until he was once again in the oddly circular room. No one disturbed him for quite some time.
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