Harry's new hope.
Minerva McGonagall couldn't believe her eyes. She was standing on the edge of the forbidden forest, and she could see a boy laying in a pile of leaves. Getting no response when she called to him she decided to take him to the hospital wing.
"Its Harry! I saw his scar, Albus. There's no mistaking it." She tried to explain later.
"Yes, I saw it too. But why wasn't he at the Dursleys, where I left him? I will have to talk to him when he wakes."
"And his head?"
" Poppy has done all she can to make him comfortable. He will wake up with no pain, not even a headache."
"Very well. I will contact his godparents. Surely they will want to see him?"
"I think so. Sirius and Remus have been most annoying in trying to find out where he is to see him."
Harry awoke to voices and… a soft bed? Confused, because he last remembered being outside in a forest, he opened his eyes. And closed them again. He didn't know any of these people. Except two of them, sort of felt familiar.
"Harry?" He opened his eyes. And nodded slowly.
"How are you?" Huh? What are they saying? He panicked and avoided the hand that reached out to him, glancing nervously to its owner.
"He was in England? He can understand us?" Remus asked softly, looking sadly at Harry trying to move away from faces he didn't know.
"Of course he was in England, he could already talk a little when I left him."
"Harry. Do you understand us?" Sirius asked. Harry looked up at the mention of his name but couldn't understand anything else, so he looked away again. They tried numerous things, but all they could manage to establish was that the boy knew, and responded to his name. Maybe he couldn't speak English after all.
"This is ridiculous. I'm going to try some other languages." Remus snapped, he had been all over the world and spoke most of the basic languages.
"Mi chiamo Remus , e lei?" Remus was on his last language
"Io sono Harry. Parlate Italiano?" Harry prayed for a positive response.
"Ci Common cava?" Remus grinned in relief
"Io fa Fredo." Harry giggled.
"Whats he saying?" Sirius asked.
"He's cold." Sirius grabbed a blanket and tried to place it over Harry's shoulders. He flinched. Sirius passed it to Remus, looking hurt and watched as Harry allowed him to hold him. They whispered quietly Harry nodding every now and then and finally shaking his head and saying an adament "Non"
Remus told him to stay put.
"He's fine. A little scared. Remember he doesn't know you. Right now I'm the only one who understands him. He doesn't want to go home and he won't tell me where it was, apart from Italy. Harry's five, as you all know and is still able to learn very easily, but he wont learn another language. Which means major communication problems." While Remus was talking, Harry noticed the man with the blue eyes was watching him thoughtfully. Remus had said he was a friend, a godfather, like him. His name was… Sirius. Harry decided he looked nice, and walked up to him, which was hard considering the blanket.
"Sirius sad, Needs a hug." He babbled, lifting his arms to be hugged. Remus stopped what he was saying and watched as Sirius picked the child up and held him. Harry started talking to Sirius, forgetting that he didn't understand.
" Am I going to live with you and Remus? Why are you so sad? Do you have kids? Will I have a family?" And Remus lost it, he started crying. Crying and Laughing because it was so funny and yet so innocent and compassionate and sad.
"What did he say, Remus, tell me!" Sirius asked hurriedly "Please?"
"He asked, is he going to stay with us. Why were you so sad. Do we have kids and would he finally have a family." Remus whispered.
"Tell him Yes, Not for you to worry, Two, adopted. Kelly and Mike, And Hopefully he will with us." Sirius choked as tears ran down his face. Smiling happily, Harry grinned and rested his head on Sirius' shoulder.
"Bene." Suddenly Harry closed his eyes and screwed up his nose, and with a pop an apple appeared. Frowning, Harry wondered if he they could do the stuff he could.
" I'm hungry" He appealed to Remus.
"Ask him just how long he has been doing that, Remus." Albus demanded. Rapidly Harry and Remus argued.
"He says it started when he was three, whenever he needed small stuff, he would just ask…" here Remus looked at Harry and asked him to repeat.
" he would ask some people who would give it to him, from what he said I think they were the founders. He says he has to close his eyes and think of love. He said that they have been teaching him to do it on his own, without their help, for one year now. That's the best translation I can do." Harry butted in
"Can you do magic?"
"Ci," And Remus explained about Hogwarts, and the students.
"So there are lots of others who are the same as me? I'm not a freak?" the hopeful look on the boys face nearly broke his heart
"Yeah, Harry. And you'll make lots of friends and learn heaps!" Remus smiled at the boys enthusiasm.
"Can I go to Hogwarts?" Harry breathed
"Ci, Harry, Ci" Harry giggled and clapped his hands at this.
The year passed, with Sirius, Remus and Harry becoming inseparable. Sirius learnt some Italian, and began frequently using it around the house, he loved Harry and Remus and Kelly and Mike more than ever. Harry in turn stubbornly would not learn English, but he was happy and loved his home, with his brother and sister and dads. Remus was drinking it all in, watching Harry carefully and loving him like his own. All was well, and everyone was content.
"HARRY JAMES POTTER-BLACK-LUPIN! Get here this instant." Sirius yelled
"O-oh" seven year old Harry gulped, poking his head around the corner of the living room, to see two furious faces. He was for it now. Despite how adamant he had been about not learning English, Harry had picked it up fairly quickly, and Remus and Sirius had learned fairly quickly to watch what they said.
"What have we told you about playing in our office?"
"Um… Don't play in the office?" Harry said softly
"Correct. What on earth possessed you to rearrange it?'
"It was boring. Besides I only moved a few things." Remus and Sirius had gotten used to Harry using magic consciously, to almost the point where nothing shocked them. But really, they were always amazed by the control he had. Honestly, he would probably find a wand a nuisance, which would cause problems in school.
"Boyo, we say things for a reason! Now we don't know what is what. But enough about that. We wanted to tell you somet…." Sirius stopped and sighed as Harry started his nervous habit. He refused to tell them about his life before. But they had worked out it was one without love, and so they gave him as much as he needed.
"Mi dispiatchi. Io non…" Harry started to mumble his ramblings in Italian again, like he always did when he was upset.
"Harry, I thought we were past the speaking in Italian stage? Do you not speak English?" Remus grinned, effectively causing Harry to giggle nervously as he remembered the battle of wills that had lasted since he was adopted at five by the men he considered his fathers.
"But Pa, Dad, I don't like speaking English. I only learnt so I could go to Hogwarts, when it's my turn to go." Harry said softly in his slow way.
"Ahh. Hogwarts. Kelly's letters arrived this morning. Albus sent it early"
"Oh."
" Speaking of your sister… Kelliana Lillian Dermott-Black-Lupin, I know you are listening. Come here, miss, so I can pull your ear for eavesdropping." They had adopted Michael, who was in first year and Kelly who was going into first year about a year before adopting Harry. They had immediately fallen in love with their new baby brother, and Harry had taken a shining to them aswell
" No fair! You used magic to catch me. Owowow… Owie!" Kelly pouted, rubbing her ear from where Remus had pinched it.
"Come, lets go and see you brother. Its nearly time to get him off the train."
"Mike should already be waiting." Remus corrected, ushering them hurriedly into the car.
"Mike!" Harry squealed in delight, as his brother picked him up and swung him onto his shoulders.
"How ya doing Harry?"
"Good!" Mike grinned at the proud looking little boy.
"Is that so?"
"Yep. And Pa says I grew too."
"Good work! Hey sis." He kissed Kelly's cheek.
"Hey yourself."
"Hi Pa, Dad."
"Hello Michael."
"Daaad, call me Mike."
"Alright." Remus chuckled giving him a hug as Sirius put Harry onto his shoulders
"Ready to go home?"
"Yeah, schools great, but homes better."
"Nice to hear." Sirius beamed.
"I take that back…" Mike smirked, making everyone stop and stare at him. "Schools excellent." He cackled, dodging his fathers' hand, which had been trying to clout him on the back of the head for his cheek. Kelly grinned at him.
"Cheeky little…"
"SIRIUS!" Remus glared and cut in, gesturing to Harry.
"Sod… Cheeky little sod." Sirius finished weakly, knowing exactly what Remus meant. Guaranteed Harry would end up repeating it. Meanwhile Kelly and Mike were laughing their heads off.
"Evil little monsters" Sirius chuckled making sure Harry was safely buckled in between his brother and sister.
"You need a haircut, Harry." Remus smiled as he combed the boys hair.
"But I like it long. It's not a permanent mess," the little boy protested, green eyes pleading with his father.
"Alright, a small trim, to make it nice again?" he wanted Harry to make the choice. It was obvious a barbers was one of the places the child disliked.
"I spose." Harry sighed. "Will you take me or will pa?"
"Pa will. He needs a cut too." An evil smirk made its way onto his face.
"Oy! Remus, I do not. What did you rope me in for?" Sirius glared from where he was putting some of Harry's washing into his drawers. His hair was a curtain these days, always falling into his eyes. He pushed a few strands back off his face. Harry giggled.
"Oh, that's funny is it?" his eyes turned to his boy. Harry gulped but nodded
"Right, this means war!" he pounced and grabbed Harry, tickling him until he was no longer pouting.
"Put your toys away Harry, and I'll help you make your bed. Then it's time for lessons." Remus ruffled Harry's hair as he hastened to obey, groaning at the mention of his lessons. He had Math, Reading, Writing, and for some strange reason Karate, Piano and Dancing. He would start, history, politics, and science when he had mastered the basics in the other subjects.
"Which lesson is Monday, Harry? Do you remember?" Sirius asked.
"Monday is maths. Tuesday is karate. Wednesday is Reading and Writing. Thursday is Piano. And Friday is Dancing. So today I have maths." Harry replied eager to show he would remember what they told him, and to be praised for a good job.
"Good boy. Well done. Go and get our books and go to our table." Remus instructed. Harry darted to his bookshelf and grabbed a small satchel, labelled maths, with all that was needed for the day and then climbed into the chair before setting everything out. Sirius laughed.
9 + 3
Harry thought for a minute before telling Remus the answer to the last question of the day, with a triumphant grin.
"Brilliant. You have the basics of addition. Next week we will try subtraction, ok?"
"Yeah, all done?"
" For today. Good work. You are one very smart little boy." Remus smiled in encouragement, helping to put the materials away.
"May I go and play with Kelly and Mike now?"
"If Pa has finished Kelly's karate lesson, and Mike has done some homework. You aren't to interrupt lessons." Harry nodded to show he understood, darting out to find the others to see if they would take him flying.
"All done with lessons? How was Maths?" Sirius asked seeing him grab an apple from the box. Harry chewed thoughtfully.
"Um, Good I think. I got it all right. We are going to start Subtraction next week. But in the meantime I have to practice addition."
"Good boy. Did you practice your patterns for Karate tomorrow?" Harry grinned sheepishly, shaking his head in the negative.
"Uh uh. And I haven't practiced my English. Or Piano or Dancing either."
"Well, Harry, it is important to practice our lessons so we don't forget. You could do some Patterns and Dance with me today, And tomorrow you could do your English and Piano."
"Aww. Not now. I want to have a break. We only just got out of Maths. After Dinner, before my bath, we could do a quick practice."
"That's my boy. How about the haircut Remus is on about. Else we'll both get yelled at?" Harry giggled and nodded and ran to get his coat while Sirius told Remus.
Harry smirked as he stood face to face with himself. Sirius had discovered a spell that allowed Harry to duel with Sirius without actually fighting him. The replica obeyed Sirius' mental commands. Basically they used it because Sirius was too big for Harry to spar with, and might accidentally hurt him.
Par, block, swift kick…jab, duck, block, roundhouse, jab, jab…And the replica hit the mat with a thud. Bowing he watched as Sirius will the replica to stand.
" Well done Harry. You will be at Black by the end of next year if you keep this up. I will take you to the centre for your Green belt test. Mike and Kelly are ready to take their black belts, so you can all go.
"Yes Sensei Black. You are wise." Harry grinned
"Off you go. And don't go sparring with your siblings. I can guarantee they'll kick your arse, but they'll have a time of it."
"Ya pa." The little boy obediently replied, smiling innocently as he did so, before running outside to run around in the sun.
"I should nail that kids feet to the floor." Sirius mused, "Just to see his reaction to not being able to run riot."
"Or you could pinch his ear next time he walks past. I imagine he would be quite indignant." Albus Dumbledore chuckled.
"Albus, don't sneak up on people. Harry, Uncle Albus is here!"
"Hello, Uncle Albus. Can I come to Hogwarts yet?" demanded Harry.
"You should be at Hogwarts. But you are entirely too young. Unless you take this aging potion…" Dumbledore pretended to be serious but the devious twinkle in his eye gave him away.
"But, we'll miss out on his childhood!" Remus protested.
"Ewww. Potion. Err no thanks. I'll wait." Was Harry's quickly mumbled reply, causing chuckles and sighs of relief to fill the room.
"However, you will be joining the first years next year, so I want you to practice this list. About half an hour every evening."
"Yes, Uncle Albus." Harry groaned at the prospect of more homework.