In the last chapter: Harry delves into his training and receives a visit from Anthony. Harry then divulges to Anthony about his training and the other boy joins Harry over the summer. Harry and Ginny keep in touch over the summer, while Hermione is in France with her family, Draco is in Russia, and the Weasleys take a trip to Egypt with the prize money Arthur won.
The slow heat of summer ticked off days lazily, like honey, sinking warm and rich into July. Harry, though, didn't allow the sedating warmth to coax him into the same mid-summer fog that had claimed both Remus and Sirius, causing the pair to sleep more and spend long hours with cold drinks in the kitchen. Instead, Harry threw himself more head-first into his work.
On most days, Harry would spend his morning studying the language of the dead, committing the lost tongue to written form in a heavily guarded and protected journal—with his companion's permission, of course. In fact, Death had been rather pleased with Harry's suggestion that he write down what he learned, since it was not him who thought the language unfit for practice.
On the topic of journals, Harry hadn't touched the sole Horcrux in his possession since hiding it in his room at Grimmauld Place as soon as he returned. The diary had been completely docile since, and honestly . . . with how things were left the last time he and Tom spoke, Harry didn't know how to face him again. As far as Tom knew, Harry died in that chamber protecting the girl he had used for his ploys, there was no reasonable explanation for how Harry could be alive, and facing those questions would only cause more problems. It was cruel, perhaps, but necessary.
So the diary stayed hidden away in the back of his drawer, spelled into a hidden compartment of expended space within the very wood, undetectable with any spell. That handy spell was the same one Harry used for his own journal, as well as the untouched philosopher stone he still held onto.
When Harry wasn't learning the language of the dead, he was practicing in the training room: practicing new spells, spells he'd be 'learning' in his next year at Hogwarts, dueling, acclimating to his animagus form, and starting to learn apparation. Unlike learning the animagus transformation the previous summer, apparation was actually risky and dangerous if not done correctly, leading to painful splinching. Splinching happened when someone attempted to apparate without proper determination to get to a certain place, leaving a body part behind in the process.
Harry may be immortal, but lost limbs don't kill immediately and reattaching an arm or a leg would be an . . . unpleasant experience.
Despite Harry's initial apprehension, once he really put what he knew of the magic into practice, it didn't take long before he was 'popping' about from one end of the room to another. Once he got the hang of it, Harry shared it with Anthony and had the golden-haired boy apparating by the end of July, as well as proficient enough in dueling for him and Harry to have mild matches—that were more focused on learning than trying to beat one another, of course. Draco would have loved the challenge, but Anthony was placed in Ravenclaw for a reason, a scholar through-and-through.
Through all of that, Harry wasn't the only one teaching; Anthony's family were amongst the group of wizards that believed in passing down traditions, heritage, and magic. Harry knew a bit about the Goldstein's 'sensitivity' to magic, but until Anthony began trying to teach some of the techniques to Harry, he hadn't realized how prominent the trait was in their family. It was passed down through genes or taught, as sacred as the 'family bible.' Such was common among most older families.
Harry didn't have much of an affinity for the practice, but it was still quite fascinating, and there were many things Anthony could teach him that he wouldn't have access to otherwise. Tricks and tips from word of mouth rather than published and approved texts. Soon, the two boys began to flourish together, sharing in their curiosity and wonderment at each new spell they discovered.
With this private side of Harry now open to Anthony, Harry slowly settled into a more relaxed state, not only around Anthony, but also Sirius and Remus. It wasn't just that Harry was warming up to them, but also felt more comfortable letting his colder side come through. Harry knew that there was a large part of him that would always be indifferent, cold, perhaps even apathetic or cruel. It was as much a part of him as his curiosity and yearn for knowledge. So, the more time he spent around those three, unconditionally accepting and welcoming, the less Harry had to hide or falsify his actions and emotions.
The wave of good fortune continued when a week before Harry's birthday, his Hogwarts letter came—as usual—with an expected and welcome addition. Included with the letter, was a permission slip for the Hogsmead trips Harry could attend in the upcoming year. Not only were the trips an anticipated and exciting prospect for everyone going into their third year, but Harry knew that the ventures off school grounds would allow him the opportunity to seek out Horcruxes.
But beyond that, the letter brought up another matter that Harry hadn't really thought about. A matter that until then hadn't come up, yet Harry felt that it certainly should have been addressed sooner.
So, with the help of Sirius, Harry made a few arrangements, finishing right before his birthday. On the day of his thirteenth year, Harry awoke to a large pancake breakfast, several letters from his friends, along with a few parcels containing his gifts, and two over enthusiastic adults with seemingly-permanent matching grins urging Harry through breakfast so that he could open his gifts.
Despite their relentlessness, Harry patiently finished what he could of the mountain of thick pancakes, savory strips of bacon, and sausage that may have been left on the pan just a little too long. Harry had barely set his glass of juice down before his abandoned plate was whisked away and replaced by two wrapped boxes that were roughly the same size, but distinguishable in that one was neatly wrapped in light blue wrapping paper, and the other was slightly puffed and crinkled from too many layers of a gaudy pink paper with obnoxious 'Happy Birthday Princess!' printed all over its surface, accompanied by an unholy amount of tape to tame the odd and wild edges. It was fairly clear which gift came from Remus and which came from Sirius.
Remus got Harry a few books on myths and legends from obscure magical communities, as well as the news that, starting in the fall, Remus would be the new DADA professor, which had been quite a shock, but a welcome one. Sirius gifted Harry with brand new quidditch boots and the one of newer models of a flying broom, shrunken to deceptively fit inside the box. The gifts weren't extravagant, but Harry still found himself flustered and unable to do much else than thank them both and gingerly place the gifts back in their boxes for when he had to carry them back up to his room.
"Now, Harry, what would you like to do for the rest of the day? We could go out and see a-" Remus was interrupted mid-sentence but Sirius clearing his throat beside him, grabbing his attention.
"Actually, there's one more thing. . ." Sirius nervously presented a plain white envelope to Remus, unsealed and unmarked on its surface. With the swiftness that Sirius had pulled the envelope from behind his back it was obvious that the man had been waiting with it in his hand for quite a while—waiting—which had Harry rolling his eyes while neither of them were focused on him.
Remus took the envelope with a confused wrinkling of the skin between normally smooth brows. Pulling out the single sheet inside, Remus skimmed the Hogsmead permission slip with mounting puzzlement. Frowning, Remus tried to offer the parchment back to Sirius, but the scruffy and nervous man just lifted a hand to politely refuse. Hoping that the younger—and usually more mature—wizard had an explanation, Remus turned back to Harry, only to just catch sight of his hand slipping back under the counter top, having left behind a single, non-descript gold key between them.
Remus picked up the key, the significance not permeating his thoughts until he recognized the design as one would receive from Gringotts. With a punched-out sound, Remus' eyes widened to reveal the milky expanse around his mossy green iris's.
"Oh . . . oh." Unblinking, mystified eyes found Harry's as Remus visibly swallowed hard. Harry smiled softly and with a small reassuring nod, Remus took the nonverbal invitation and practically levitated out of his chair, floating around the side of the table and kneeling down to pull the young man he'd come to care for deeply into a tight embrace. The side of Remus' face was pressed to Harry's soft raven hair as a tell-tale sting shot up from behind his nose to the backs of his eyes.
Harry didn't squirm or end the hug prematurely like he usually did when his two caretakers became overly affectionate and tactile with him, instead he rested his chin on Remus' shoulder and gripped the front of his robes, feeling safe and protected. Neither reacted when a warm hand found both of their shoulders, but they secretly reveled in the comfort.
Later on, despite Remus' insistence that they do something more exciting for Harry's birthday, their small, stitched-together family made their way to Gringotts to formally apply for the joint-guardianship. At Harry's request, the goblin that handled their affairs was once again Bogrod, the same goblin who dealt with it last time and also one of two goblins that knew of Harry's . . . unique title.
Bogrod had been elated to be chosen personally by Harry, even though the head goblin had already offered. Despite that, the head goblin still promised that he would prioritize their application as both a sign of amity and as thanks for providing a way for them to go after a few wizards in the Ministry who had been antagonizing them. Because of its precedence, the application would take no longer than a few days to process, authenticate, and pass. The entire time, Remus wouldn't stop beaming, which Death slyly teased Harry about how he wouldn't be so happy if he knew what a little 'monster' Harry was, though the comment was made completely in jest and Harry found it ironic and dryly hilarious that Death often made so many jokes.
Harry fought the curling at the corner of his lips while they listened to Bogrod speak, but the little goblin noticed quickly averted his gaze with the slightest stumble in his speech.
'I wonder; can they feel you when you press so close to the veil?' Harry pondered to his old friend as he noticed the slightest shifts in the others around the small office—the unconscious tugging of sleeves down over exposed wrists, the smallest tremor in the spine as hairs rose and hands slid into pockets. Harry didn't feel anything, but that didn't hold much severance when he frequently basked in the presence of Death, gliding against the veil like it were a cool silk sheet, so very soft to the touch.
'Perhaps, but no more so than one would feel the touch of an apparition. Now, when I pass through to the world of the living, that's when things get interesting!' Death mused as Harry heard the faint raddle of dry bones shifting together as the skeletal fingers caressed the veil teasingly.
'Hmm, then I suppose I might just have to invite you to tea one of these days when I'm alone. It seems that you've been away for quite a while, I'm sure it would be fun to take a trip to this side of the fence.' Harry's tone was a bit mocking, but his intentions were actually quite serious, it would be interesting to see what happened when his friend crossed into the living world.
'It is true that I do not do it often, but I could make an exception, it might be entertaining. If not, it's no hardship on my part.' Death conceded just as the meeting came to an end and Harry was leaving with Sirius and Remus to pick up Anthony so that he might join them in the rest of the day's festivities.
Several days after Harry's birthday, as the last month of summer holiday was borne into humid heat with warm summer rains, the new family of three were summoned to Gringotts in much anticipation. Remus was like a boisterous pup, practically dragging both dark-haired groggy wizards down to the floo and forcing them through first before him to make sure that they didn't stay behind to dawdle on breakfast while he waited on the other side.
Once they ate a quick, but filling breakfast at a café, Remus' endless excitement began to bleed into their own moods and lift their spirits. When they arrived at the goblin bank, everything went preternaturally smoothly, without a single hitch, bump, or snag. Harry and Remus were magically bonded after Remus was briefly informed of the same things as Sirius had when they became bonded.
Although the excitement of it all clouded out a lot of what was being said to Remus, Sirius was able to actually absorb it all this time around. Which led to a slight frown forming on his face as the strange and specific arrangements pertaining to Harry's possible demise including inheritances and even what would happen to Harry's body. Harry knew that the inheritances didn't matter to Sirius, but the fact that they weren't named and the waiting period before they would transfer may have seemed odd.
Thankfully, Bogrod noticed as well and was quick to move on to discussions of custody, distracting both adults as they made it clear that they wanted the rights to be equally split between them, since they were all living together now.
Once everything was signed and notarized, they left to celebrate with ice cream—Sirius' suggestion. Even though the day was overcast with sporadic showers throughout, the three spent most of the day out of the house, only returning hours later after the morning had long since faded.
Unfortunately, the lifted mood of the day did not last into the night.
Only mere moments after exiting the floo, a loud and insistent knock resounded from the front door. Sirius moved quickly upstairs to answer it, with Remus close behind and Harry trailing after curiously.
Harry was only part way up the stairs when the door was opened and closed, a flash of silvery robes dotted with errant rain drops as a man Harry never expected to see that evening strode purposefully into the house muttering something about 'terrible news.' Harry went unnoticed as Sirius led the Headmaster deeper into the house and towards the sitting room, Remus following.
Harry moved silently into the hallway, knowing that he would be sent away if they remembered his presence. However, after only a quiet moment inside the room, Harry heard a creaking of floor boards and Remus gently offering to go make some tea. Harry quickly moved to the barely-used office next door and slipped inside the dark room before Remus entered the hallway.
Wanting to know whatever was about to take place, Harry quickly found the old vent at the back of the room and carefully pried the cover from the wall with a little help from his magic to keep it quiet. Then Harry set it down and melted into his animagus form so that he could easily slide into the vent and silently slither to the next grate over, which looked into the sitting room what Dumbledore was currently sat in a chair while Sirius sat on the small couch.
Harry's smooth black tongue flicked out and scented the air, using his most powerful sense to pick apart the older wizard's emotions: stress, determination, concern, and anxiousness.
It wasn't until Remus returned with a floating tray of tea behind him, sat down next to Sirius, and served everyone that Dumbledore finally seem to settle into speaking. A sip of his overly sugary tea and Albus found his voice.
"Bellatrix Lestrange has escaped from Azkaban." The words sent a jolt through Sirius, causing his fists to clench hard enough that Harry winced at the ache his bones would feel once they loosened. Remus unconsciously sought Sirius' hand and wrapped his fingers around Sirius' fist.
Harry absorbed the information slowly, mind whirling around everything he knew about Sirius' deranged cousin and Voldemort's most loyal and insane follower. If she was free, then Harry might have a problem on his hands.
"How?" Sirius' voice was low and dangerous, unchecked rage roiling through his body, even as Remus squeezed his fist to try to ground his lover. Dumbledore sighed like he was truly feeling his age in that moment and his eyes seemed to convey pity towards his former student.
"They are not completely sure as of this moment, but somehow the witch had gotten ahold of a wand—perhaps off one of the guards—and killed every guard on the island that crossed her path before fleeing herself. They haven't made this public yet, but they will have to if she is not found within twenty-four hours." Albus took another long sip of his tea.
"Do you think they will?" Remus asked hopefully, but even he did not sound very convinced that they would. Dumbledore shook his head sadly.
"I do not, she is far too resourceful to get caught now, and if she has a wand . . . I wouldn't count on it."
There was a long stretch of silence as Sirius' narrowed stare bore into the Headmaster suspiciously.
"You think she going to come after Harry." It wasn't a question, though Dumbledore didn't seem offended or surprised by the accusation in his voice. Remus, on the other hand, looked shocked, like he hadn't even thought about that possibility yet.
Dumbledore held Sirius' gaze. "Yes," he answered truthfully. "We believe that she will target Harry in order to avenge her master. It would be best if Harry could come back to Hogwarts early for the summer, as it would be safest for him." Dumbledore would have continued if Sirius hadn't interjected.
"What do you mean 'we,' who's 'we?'"
"Well, ever since the incident during Harry's first year, I have begun reassembling the Order of the Phoenix in secret. You see, I fear that He is not yet dead, though I don't think that Bellatrix knows this. So the safest place for Harry—"
"Would be here with us, his legal and magical guardians." Sirius cut in, eyes and voice hard on the man who previous held and neglected said responsibility.
"If you wish him to stay here, that can be arranged, there are plenty of rooms here so, if necessary, the order can help protect Harry from here. You two are both very welcome to join! I was actually planning on asking you if you would, but I thought I would be able to give you more time to settle in before asking." Dumbledore continued hopefully.
"There is nothing to 'arrange' Albus, we will protect Harry ourselves." Remus surprised them all by speaking up firmly against his old mentor and current employer, but it seemed that the job meant little in the face of protecting their family from interlopers. "The wards around this place are ancient and extremely powerful, not to mention that Bellatrix had been scourged from the line and cut out of the wards when she was sent to Azkaban. We are not asking for your help as of yet, but we appreciate the offer and will know where to turn if we do find ourselves unequipped. Now, we thank you for coming to warn us personally, but if you don't mind, we would like to spend time putting up the full protections of the wards and explaining to Harry what is going on."
The dismissal was polite, but swift, true to Remus's character. However, it seemed that Dumbledore was not done just yet. He hesitated for a moment, seemingly unsure whether he should hold his tongue and leave or not.
"Are you sure that is wise? I do not mean to overstep, but telling Harry might only worry and frighten him." Harry would have rolled his eyes if he could pull it off in his animagus form.
"We don't keep things from Harry. I know I'm new to this whole 'parenting' thing, but I also know that Harry was raised by rather awful people, he's had to grow up far faster than any child should and while I'm still learning everyday how to be an adequate guardian, one thing that is clear to me is that he deserves more than to be treated like a defenseless child now. You cannot both force a kid to face danger and the harshness of the world and shield them from truths that may very well save their life. Sometimes you just have to have faith in them and be there to help them when they ask or step in when they can't." Sirius answered, his voice no longer sharp and lashing, but almost wistful in comparison.
Remus looked upon his partner with pride and something akin to love or adoration. Dumbledore finally nodded and excused himself, announcing he'd let himself out and that he wished them all luck and safety.
With Dumbledore gone, Sirius slumped back against the couch with a long-suffering sigh. After an extended moment of thought-filled silence, Sirius muttered something about finding Harry and he disappeared deeper into the house.
"You can come out now, Harry." Remus announced when the footsteps faded up the stairs.
With a little push of wandless magic, the grate came off and gently settled on the floor. Staying in his snake form, Harry slithered over to his new guardian and didn't hesitate before sliding up onto the couch and coiling up on Remus' lap. Although, he had grown since first transforming, so his large body spilled over his lap on both sides and onto the couch. Remus smiled pleasantly down at his ward and began petting the cool iridescent scales.
Glowing light green eyes stared at Remus from where the head rested on the thick coils, black tongue flicking out every so often.
"Don't give me that look. I'm a werewolf, remember? Of course I knew you were there the whole time. Kind of hard to miss with treacle-tart-breath." Remus teased and Harry hissed half-heartedly, eliciting a chuckle out of the man. Harry settled onto the warmth of the lap underneath him and the soothing ministrations against his scales, thinking absently about the situation they found themselves in with the errant Lestrange.
By the time Sirius came back, looking a little panicked, he found Harry asleep on Remus' lap, completely human. Remus was gazing affectionately down at the beautiful child who was growing so fast it made his heart ache, fingers gently carding through the silken locks. Harry was curled up on his side, his knees pulled up close and his head pillowed on Remus' thigh.
Sirius tip-toed over and quietly cooed at the sight as he sat down below Harry's feet. For all his efforts to remain dignified and mature, neither man had ever seen Harry look so small or so young. It was almost painful to see the contrast, but they cherished it none the less. Sirius even snuck a few pictures, though he knew it would be his head if Harry ever found out.
When the flames in the fireplace settled and the glowing embers dimmed, Remus carefully carried Harry back up to his room, forgoing a levitation spell to hold his new cub close. Harry nestled his face into the wolf's chest and snuffled a little in his sleep. Once his cub was tucked into bed, Sirius and Remus retreated down stairs to begin working on the wards.
Harry huffed a small breath into his plump pillow, faint noises on his lips that weren't quite audible, and his hand slid forward between the sheets seeking something that wasn't there.
