(All my work has been proof-read but not in detail. Thanks to Grammarly, I don't have as many mistake-mistakes as usual. As always: Enjoy!)
Harry POV
"You know there's something we haven't done yet," a voice spoke up as Harry was laying across his bed in his room at Potter Manor. Laying the blue-green copy of The Standard Book of Spells Grade 4 by Miranda Goshawk, Harry looked up seeing his sister lounging against the doorframe to his room. She was dressed in Muggle clothes today in a light blue summer dress.
"What's that?" Harry asked, closing the book now. He was trying to get a start on his summer reading and homework, much to his chagrin. He wanted to have some of it done before he left for camp. When he returned, Harry knew he would be in no mood to do homework for several days.
His Fourth Year books sat on his desk waiting to be opened up to see what kind of horrors the next school year would bring him. He already knew that Potions was going to be horrendous especially since Alyssa had graduated.
"We need to go to Godric's Hollow," she said quietly, chewing on her lower lip. "To see mom and dad."
Harry swallowed a lump in his throat. Sitting up quickly, he crossed his legs in the Lotus position and looked carefully at his sister. She was right. They hadn't been there. No one had offered to take him since he found out he was a wizard. Harry opened his mouth several times and gulped audibly to help clear out the silence that strangled him.
"I-I don't know where it is," he offered lamely.
"Sirius does," she replied, motioning to come into his room. When he nodded, she crossed the room and sat down on his red bedspread. She refused to meet him in the eyes as she traced the gold yarn that reflected his loyalty to his Hogwarts House, Gryffindor.
"Will he tell us?"
She sighed and shook her head, her black-haired bangs obscuring her vision, "I don't know. The last time he and I were there, it was that night."
That stopped Harry instantly. He didn't think his sister would remember living there before their parents died, "Are you sure you want to go, Alyssa?" he asked with concern.
He watched as she plastered a smile on her face and nodded at him, "Yea, I think so."
Harry nodded at her and realized that she wasn't sleeping well. He, on the other hand, slept just fine at night. Most nights he and Hermione would stay up and chat through their journals. He couldn't make himself talk to Ron, not knowing who he was actually writing too. The stunt his Headmaster pulled put a new perspective for Harry keeping viligant about people.
It still hurt knowing that Ron would sell out this incredible gift. It was given to them as a way to communicate easily during the summer months. When he told Hermione what happened, her response was quite abrasive. Harry was sure that Ron would get a lecture about it. Ron should have remembered the Headmaster's intent on sending Harry back to his horrible relatives instead of with Alyssa for the summer.
Needless to say, it was a lesson learned.
Now Harry was starting to regret inviting Ron to Potter Manor when he returned from America. It seemed odd that he, Harry Potter, was going on a trip like a normal person rather than locked up in a small room. He was sure that Hermione-with all her traveling had never been to America. It felt nice to do something first.
Getting to her feet, Harry watched as his sister picked at invisible lint on her dress before looking at him, "I will hunt him down, 'kay?"
Harry started to nod but thought better of it, "Why don't I go with you-that way he can tell us at the same time."
He slid off his bed and thrust his wand in his pocket. He moved to follow his sister out of his room. Closing the door behind him, he peered over the balcony of the second floor and looked down. It still amazed him that he lived here. From growing up in a cupboard to quite a large room in a bigger home that he could have ever imagined.
Harry felt blessed indeed.
Traipsing down the hardwood flight of stairs, Harry made it a game to keep his feet on the dark green and purple rug that was kept in place with sticking charms. The off white staircase was pristine as it was the day the house was built. Harry had half a mind to use a 'Point Me' spell to find his Godfather but realized as he followed his sister outside onto the expansive grounds, they were heading to Sirius's cottage.
The overhead sun was hot as fire in the middle of June. Soon sweat started to trickle down Harry's back and his shirt began to cling to him. Alyssa wasn't looking any better than he. The lawn, while quite impressive, felt like it was missing something. It's why he asked for a Quidditch Pitch to be added to the grounds.
Beyond the immediate lawn, the vast landscape was filled with various trees and plants that Harry hadn't a clue about. In the distance, he could see a small building that was completely covered in glass and another that looked like a small tool shed. It was something else he could add to his list of places to check out.
A scant few minutes later they arrived at Sirius's cottage. It still annoyed him that the cottage was round instead of square, but nothing about the Potter's were ordinary. Still following his sister, Harry lingered a few feet behind her when she strode up to the cottage and knocked. Hell, he would have just walked in. Aunt Petunia had instilled manners in him, but there were times the unruly, ill-mannered teenager came out.
The door opened a second later when Sirius's head popped out, "Firstly, what are you two doing here? Secondly, why are you knocking on my door?"
Sirius, like a criminal under house arrest, was quite used to being on his own after his mad escape from Azkaban. Though, he realized he fared far better here at Potter Manor than he would anywhere Dumbledore might stick him. At least here there was a family. If Dumbledore had his way, Sirius would be stuck at Grimmauld Place.
Since his arrival here, the former prisoner had undergone a massive change of appearance. Gone was the lanky, dirty, & malnutrition wizard. It was all thanks to a two month trial of nutrient potions that was given to him by a Healer that Alyssa's boyfriend had introduced to him last year.
Sirius was astounded by the new him. He was fit and active and felt younger than his years, but he knew he had a long way to go before he would be fully stable again. Mentally, that is. Right now, standing before him was his goddaughter, who looked like the Hogwarts Express rammed over her. Behind her, his godson stood there as she knocked on his door when they should be off getting into mischief.
"We knocked Padfoot because it's proper manners," Alyssa drawled irritably.
"Manners? Harry just walks in," Sirius said, throwing his godson under the bus.
"Hey!" Harry protested, looking at him with mock disdain, "I don't see you knocking much on my door when you need to talk to me."
Harry watched as his Godfather wave his hand in dismissal as if it were water under the bridge. Sirius stepped aside with a sweeping gesture of his arm to let them in. Once Harry and Alyssa stepped into the bachelor pad, as Sirius had begun to call it, they turned to look at him expectantly.
"From your grave demeanor, I take this is not a social call…."
"It's not Padfoot," Harry said, flopping down in his favorite chair. Harry removed his glasses and ran his hands over his face. How was he supposed to ask Sirius to tell them how to get to Godric's Hollow? Harry sighed deeply, opened his eyes, and put his glasses back on. He would do it if he could keep Alyssa from asking.
"We want to go see our parents," Harry spoke up quietly, not meeting his Godfather's eyes.
A small hitch of breath broke the silence that had fallen over the trio and the young wizard waited with bated breath for an answer.
"I, uh," Sirius coughed, trying to swallow a lump in his throat, "I mean, if you want too, I can take you."
"You really would?" Harry asked, ignoring his sister who had opened her mouth to speak.
"Well yea," Sirius replied quietly. "Moony and I was talking about taking the both of you anyway. I was just waiting for one of you to say something."
Harry rubbed his eyes as they began to burn. He couldn't cry now. This was something he had wondered about since he found out he was a wizard. He remembered the Mirror of Erised, in his first year, showing his parents and how he wished they were alive. This was before learned about Alyssa. Though he realized now, as he sat in Sirius's cottage, he never envisioned more than just his parents.
Opening his eyes, he slipped his glasses back on and the world came into focus. Harry could see the unshed tears in Sirius and Alyssa's eyes. It appeared as if they were trying not to cry as well. This was going to be harder than the young wizard thought it was going to be.
"Is it difficult to locate?" his sister spoke up breaking the tearful silence.
"N-no it's not," Sirius stammered, before taking a breath. " I don't even think it's under the Fidelius Charm any longer. Not since that night when that rat gave up the location," Sirius replied. "When do you two want to go?"
Harry looked at his sister in silent communication. He would be ready to go tomorrow, "I am ready whenever Alyssa is."
"Can you give me a few days?" she asked as Sirius and Harry nodded.
Harry refused to sit any longer with his family as they reminisced about the last days of their parents. He didn't even know what their faces looked like outside pictures. Coming to his feet, he nodded toward the both of them and motioned for Alyssa to follow him.
Sirius watched as his two favorite kids stood to leave. He may not be their father, but he loved them just as much as if they were truly related. He stayed seated in his chair that he had magically found himself in and watched as they walked out the door. Neither of them saying anything but threw a small wave.
Finally, after what seemed like hours, Sirius rose and walked over to his kitchenette. He opened the top left cabinet and pulled out a bottle of Blishen's Firewhisky and popped the cap. Pouring himself a drink, he took the glass and the bottle and crossed the room to sit back down in his chair. Gulping down the firey drink, Sirius finally allowed himself to cry.
As Harry left his Godfather's cottage, he hurried past Alyssa, who was leisurely walking and headed into the Manor. The house-elves were busy preparing dinner for the family. Stepping into the large kitchen, the aroma of food tempted Harry's stomach as he crossed the room. The dark-haired wizard snuck into the refrigerator and pulled out the ingredients to make a sandwich. He sat the ingredients down on the large antique butcher block island that was in the middle of the kitchen.
Reaching for the bread box, Harry hoped the house-elves didn't flay him alive for making food for himself. If he stayed quiet, maybe they wouldn't see him. The young wizard shook his head at his own silliness. Quickly, before a house-elf could catch him, Harry had made a sandwich and began putting things away. Wrapping his pastrami sandwich in a paper towel, Harry turned to leave the room when he was stopped with magic.
"Master Harry Potter sirs! Is that a sandwich I sees in your hands?" a kitchen house-elf dressed in a hot pink apron, named Gabby, frowned seeing his sandwich.
"I, uh…" Harry began and stowed the sandwich behind his back, "not sure what you're on about."
The house elf stared at him until he cracked. Sometimes, Harry realized, house-elves weren't any fun, "Yes, well, I made something for myself."
"Yous didn't needs to be doing that! Gabby would have been pleased to make a sandwich for Master Harry Potter sir!" the small house-elf wailed dabbing her large eyes with her pink apron.
"It's alright, I promise," Harry tried to reassure her. "I was just a bit hungry. I smelled the dinner you're cooking and I wanted a snack…"
"Well," Gabby, the house-elf exclaimed, "next times you better calls one of us," she said firmly pointing a finger at him.
Harry nodded and slowly backed away from the house-elf and exited the kitchen. He stopped and glanced back at the kitchen door for a split second before shaking his head. He turned toward the stairs that would lead him back to his room and the homework he abandoned earlier. Hermione would be incredibly proud of him. He had half his Charms homework done and was preparing to work on his Potions homework next.
Hermione pushed him for ages to get a start on his homework early since the summer after their first year. No use waiting until the last two weeks… she would mutter when he protested. Now they were dating, he was trying harder. Ron, on the other hand, would do his homework once he arrived at Potter Manor where Hermione would almost be forced to help him.
Harry scowled as he passed the sitting room and the portkey entrance. He was guilty in nearly forcing Hermione to help him as well. Though, he did have his written and would always ask her to revise it for him. That counted, right? Stomping up the flight of stairs, one hand on his sandwich and the other on the banister, Harry climbed up to the second floor where the living quarters were.
The third floor had several more rooms, library, and a study that Alyssa frequently visited. He was told that in the lower portion of the Manor resided a Potions lab, that had been his grandmother's, and a dueling room that he had yet to explore.
Dueling was something he hoped could get someone to help him with. Last year when Alyssa began working with him on family spells and beginner's dueling lesson; he had greatly enjoyed learning. Hermione could surpass him in the theoretical aspects of magic, but Harry knew he was better when it came to the practical side.
Pushing the door open to his room, he glanced around the bedroom and noted that Hedwig was still gone. Since the trio was gifted with the journals, Harry had little use for his beloved owl. So, he let her out to explore. Occasionally he would receive a post from Neville, who had learned about Alyssa becoming Regent of the Potter line and was aspiring to let Harry know that the Longbottom's were willing to re-establish their alliance.
It was strange knowing this. When he brought it up to Alyssa, she smiled and told him that she would look into it. Sirius, on the other hand, was willing to sit down with Harry and explain to him what was in store for him when he turned seventeen. They have yet to have that conversation. The upcoming trip to Godric's Hollow would put a damper on anything that was related to Harry's inheritance.
Flopping back down on his bed, Harry bit into the sandwich and sighed happily. His journal glowed blue letting him know he had a message. He hoped it was Hermione. Merlin, how he missed her in the week since school had ended for the summer. He would truly miss her when he was thousands of miles away in America.
Opening the journal, he looked to see who had written to him. It was from Hermione! Harry's grin swelled to the size of the Hogwarts Quidditch Pitch. It always did when Hermione messaged him. Ron had written to him a few times and Harry preferred to keep things short between them. He was suspicious of who was writing him from Ron's end.
Harry.
I really wish you'd let me say something to Ron about what he did. It annoys me greatly that he would willingly give his journal to someone who clearly doesn't have your best interests at heart.
Harry could almost hear her sigh.
Mum and Dad have asked me if I want to go to France for a few weeks while you will be in America. I really want too, but I want to be close to home. Doesn't that sound silly? You will be over 3000 miles away from me and even further if we go! Too bad I can't sneak over to America with you. The things you will learn! I will admit, I am jealous, but you must teach me everything you learn. I miss you something mad and I can't wait to see you in August.
Love Hermione
Harry re-read the last sentence several times and he could feel his heart aching to be close to Hermione. He wondered how Alyssa handled long distance relationships. He knew that while he was gone, the instructors would keep him busy from missing her too much. Grabbing a Muggle pen, he turned to a new page.
Hermione,
I know you do and I figure it would be a waste of time to talk to him about it. I wonder if Alyssa knows how to stop the Headmaster from using it again? I think I will ask her later today and see what she says. She wasn't the one who enchanted them.
If you want to go to France, go to France. I know you want to be in England, but I won't be home till the middle of August. And no, it doesn't sound silly…..I would probably say the same thing if the situation was reversed.
Only you would be jealous of not learning something new and I swear I will teach you all I will learn. Which I hope will be a lot. I miss you too Hermione and I can't wait for you to come to see me in August. I am sure we can find plenty of places to hide….and snog.
Love Harry
He knew that he would teach Hermione and even Ron everything he would learn over the summer. It would be impossible not too. He wasn't sure if Ron would want to learn during the summer. Picking up his sandwich, Harry quickly finished it and tossed the paper towel in the bin. His hunger satisfied for a moment, Harry reached over to grab The Standard Book of Spells Grade 4 and another roll of parchment. He was determined to finish this before dinner.
A house elf broke his concentration when Harry was close to finishing his Charms homework. The room had been eerily silent until a subtle pop startled the dark-haired wizard.
"Master Harry Potter sirs! It's time for dinner," the house-elf's voice rang out in the silence.
Startled, Harry knocked over the ink pot and scowled at the interruption. Turning his head to the house-elf, who must have known he had interrupted the wizard, he frowned and sighed reigning in his irritation, "Thank you…" he paused, looking at the house-elf for a name.
The house-elf, in the Potter house colors, realized what his Master was asking, "I is Kiko Master Harry Potter sir."
"Well Kiko, thank you for informing me," Harry said sincerely. The house-elf nodded happily and vanished.
Harry cleaned the ink blot mess and rolled up the now dry parchment. He sighed happily realizing that another bit of homework done. Closing the book, he tossed it on his cluttered desk and winced when several more books fell onto the floor with a dull thump. Well, that didn't go as expected, he mused to himself. Using his wand, he levitated the rolled parchment on top of his shoulder bag. He was determined to get one more class done before he left.
Rolling himself off his bed, he landed swiftly and planted his feet on the floor. His eye caught the journal and he remembered he needed to ask Alyssa about removing the Headmaster from it. He figured he would ask her at dinner. Stretching, he rolled his head around in a circle before he pocketed his wand.
Exiting the room, he strolled down the hall and down the flight of stairs that led to the first floor. Crossing the entrance way, Harry worked his way back to the kitchens where the dining room was. He must have been the last one to arrive because he heard a multitude of voices in the room already.
Entering the room, Sirius, Remus, and Alyssa were sitting around laughing about something. No one noticed as he stepped into the room and took his seat across from Alyssa. Harry looked around at the spread was immediately pleased. There were bangers and mash, beef wellington, steaks, an assortment of vegetables, rolls, and some kind of grilled fish for Alyssa.
He noted that Remus's steak was quite bloody which sent Harry's stomach in a roll, but he shook it off and dived into the beef wellington and vegetables. It was strange to be able to eat what he wanted and when he wanted without being yelled at or struck by his Aunt Petunia. Normally, living with them, they would toss him the leftovers or scraps. Living here he would start to gain weight.
He wasn't sure how he was going to bring up the journal issue with Alyssa. As he chewed on the beef wellington, he thought about how he was going to approach it. While the young wizard thought and chewed he caught snippets of the conversation around him.
"...charmed all the bathrooms…"
"Of course, Sirius made everyone pay a galleon…"
"Are there still any hidden?"
Harry never noticed it had gone quiet. Too quiet. In the midst of thinking-which he knew was a dangerous thing to do when there were two Mauarader's sitting at the table along with a sneaky sister, he had completely tuned everyone out. Still musing about the journal and his life in general, he never noticed that Sirius and Remus rose from their seats and crept over by him.
"BAH!" two voices shouted right beside him. Startled, Harry dropped his fork and fell out of his chair. Laying on the ground, he blinked rather hard trying to figure out what had happened. Fixing his crooked glasses, he opened his eyes to see a laughing Remus and Sirius. A feminine voice followed.
The laughter continued as he grasped the table and stood up to look around at his family who had just pulled a small prank on the boy-who-lived. No one but the Weasley twins had ever tried it. Though, this one didn't involve potions or spells. Sitting back down he grumbled good-naturally at his family who was still smiling at him.
"Are you finally going to join us, pup?" Sirius asked, taking his own seat.
"Yea, yea…," Harry grumbled into his drink.
"Harry," Remus began, hiding his smile, "what were you thinking about?"
"Oh, um…" Harry stumbled, "about the journals…"
"What about them?" his sister asked, her interest piqued.
"Well, how do you remove the Headmaster from accessing it?"
He watched as Alyssa sighed and wiped her mouth daintily with a napkin. Setting it down, he could tell she was thinking about how to answer him, "The best way is to deactivate the whole thing and start over. I mean, it's just an enchantment."
"How do you do that?"
"You'd have to have the one who enchanted it and then remove the enchantment. Wiping the slate clean-if you will."
"And who did that?" Harry felt like he was interrogating his sister.
"My Henry," she said simply, grabbing her glass of juice, "And no, before you ask, I cannot get him here to fix the problem right now. All I can do is write to him."
Harry sighed. It was a solution, but not the one he was looking for. At least not immediately. Pushing his plate aside, he lost his appetite and grabbed the jug of pumpkin juice to refill his glass. Maybe something sweet would help? As if the house-elves could read minds, there sat before him was treacle tart. His ultimate favorite dessert. He could literally swim in it and eat it every day until the day he perished.
Digging into his favorite dessert, he hadn't taken the first bite when his Godfather spoke up, "So, I received a letter from the solicitor you two have on retainer…"
Harry paused in mid-bite and looked toward Padfoot. The only reason why their solicitor was contacting Sirius was because of the hunt for his wand. Setting his fork down once again, Harry looked at the sweet concoction and knew this was far more important.
"Draven Xander has been in contact with Gringotts about the Black Inheritance," Sirius paused, pushing his own plate aside, "and informed me that I am still able to access the Black Vaults. Apparently, when that incompetent government of ours threw me into Azkaban, they never filed the paperwork prohibiting me from accessing the money. With that being said, I am going to hire someone to help track down my wand."
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Alyssa popped in.
Harry watched his Godfather nod, "I do. I can't go back to where it happened and trace it, but I am sure I can find someone who can at least find it."
"I can help you look into it while the kids are gone for the summer," Remus offered.
"That would be very welcomed."
"Didn't you say it was at the Ministry?" Harry inquired, remembering a letter that Sirius had written Alyssa while they were in school.
"I did, but you never know if I was being lied too," Sirius muttered darkly.
Harry nodded at his Godfather and quickly finished his dessert. There wasn't any use to diving into this any further for him. Harry knew he was powerless to help Sirius find his wand. It wasn't as if he could summon the wand to Potter Manor. The young wizards had enough to worry about.
"Are both of you excited for the upcoming events this summer?" Remus asked, setting his wine glass down.
"I am," Harry answered confidently.
"So am I, but I am dreading the separation," Alyssa replied.
That was the crux of the problem that had been niggling in the back of Harry's mind since their arrival at Potter Manor. He had just found his sister and now they were going to be separated by thousands of miles. Even if it was only for a few weeks. Plus he had Sirius and Remus, whom he knew he would miss. Suddenly, he didn't want to go to America.
"Me too," the dark-haired wizard confessed. "I mean, I realize it's going to be for just a few short weeks, but I think we've all gotten…."
"Comfortable?" Remus interjected.
"Yea, that," Harry agreed, wishing for another slice of treacle tart. One of the house-elves must be psychic because another slice appeared in front of him with a dollop of vanilla ice cream.
Giving a brief smile, Harry took a bite of the dessert mixed with the ice cream and instantly felt better. Once he was finished, he sat back and realized that maybe that second slice was a slice too many. He would have to go running tomorrow morning with Alyssa to burn it off.
"I am going to head back to my room to start on my Potions homework," he said, nodding his head to everyone. "I will see everyone in the morning."
Harry left the dining room in a subdued mood and wandered slowly back up to his bedroom where he knew Snape's massive homework was waiting for him. The greasy git was giving everyone horrendous homework this summer to prep them for the upcoming year and quite frankly, Harry wasn't feeling it. If he wanted to be an Auror, Healer, Curse-breaker, Unspeakable, or any of the other numerous jobs in the Wizarding World, he would have to have sufficient grades and this included Potions.
Hunkering down for the night, Harry managed to get through the reading portion of the work and decided that it was a good start for tomorrow when he would be doing the writing portion of the homework. Sending off a goodnight note to Hermione, Harry remembered that he would have to tell Hermione about his upcoming trip to Godric's Hollow, he then fell asleep with his glasses on.
Alyssa POV
Alyssa sighed as she laid in bed the next morning. The curtains were moving slightly letting a small breeze into the room. The outside world was cheery and bright. Inside the witch laying alone in the large bed, there was a dark storm brewing. She squeezed her eyes closed and rolled over burying herself in the covers.
What had been thinking when she asked her brother if he wanted to go to Godric's Hollow? What possessed her to even think about it right now? Alyssa shivered under the covers wishing Henry was with her. It wasn't as if he knew what to do, but to have him hold her would be enough. At least temporarily.
Ever since the summer began, it had plagued her like death to see their parents grave. She hadn't brought it up to Henry at all, but he knew something was amiss with her. Out of all the people that she had grown close too, he was the one who knew her best. Alyssa smiled remembering how she met him and the subsequent knowledge that he was magical.
"Alyssa quit gawking and hurry up!" her mother hissed as they entered through the black iron gates that held the large racecourse. She was dressed in a light pink dress with black horizontal stripes and a flower design. On her poor aching feet was a pair of white heels and on top of her head a hot pink hat that slanted toward the left. She could feel the sweat form at the back of her neck and she wished she could do magic and cool herself off. Being in Britain they had their Underage Magic Laws that she would have to abide by.
Alyssa was thirteen at the time and her mother and stepfather couldn't find someone to keep an eye on her while they traveled to England for a day at the races, therefore; they had to take Alyssa with them. Her brothers were ahead of her dressed similarly to their father. The young girl didn't see what was the big deal. Not two states away in Kentucky was the Kentucky Derby. That would have been much Alyssa's idea of fun, but her mother refused to go to the Kentucky Derby. Said it wasn't prestigious enough.
Once their attire was checked to meet the requirements, Alyssa's mother led them toward the escalators that would take them to the room-or Enclosure as her mother called it, where her mother's Pureblood family had a long-standing invitation too. With Alyssa being the unexpected addition, she was given a badge that let everyone know she was a guest and not a member unlike the rest of her family.
While her mother and stepfather were socializing with well-dressed individuals, Alyssa kept her head down and stayed quiet. She was truly excited to be allowed to come and didn't want to ruin her chances of coming back the next following year. Her brothers, while well-mannered, were quite unruly and ran off with a few boys that had arrived. Sitting alone, she looked over the racecourse and marveled at what was going to see.
Alyssa truly realized that her mother and stepfather didn't care about the race, but about talking to people that knew them and her mother's family. A few minutes later, a line of carriages arrived bringing several people whom she had a small clue about. Though her mother didn't care for her, she wasn't going to let Alyssa's ignorance ruin her day. Craning her neck in a very unladylike fashion, she caught a glimpse of inside one of the carriages that had two boys not much older than she with an older man.
Once the procession was over, Alyssa sat back and people watched for a while. Suddenly, without warning, nature called and she cursed herself for having that one last drink. Exiting the Enclosure, she wandered around looking for a bathroom-or lavatory, as her mother would say but found nothing. She stopped and cringed when she heard a horn blaring and realized that the race was going to start and she knew that she was going to be in trouble. Turning around, she was halfway back-or so she thought, to their Enclosure room when she plowed into a tall person.
"Oh! Excuse me," she cried, reaching out and grabbing the first thing her fingers could grasp.
Looking up, she snatched her hand away quickly realizing it was one of the boys from the carriages. Remembering what her mother said, she quickly curtsied regardless. The boy in front of her was tall with red hair and a cheeky smile.
"It's quite all right. Are you lost?" he asked gently.
"I am. I am sorry I ran into you."
"First time here?"
Alyssa nodded, not trusting her voice.
"Then let me escort you back," the redhead boy said, offering his arm like a gentleman which made Alyssa let out a small chuckle. Taking his arm, she tried to hide the embarrassment that she was feeling and kept her eyes focused on where they were going.
"What is your name?" the boy asked, breaking the silence.
"I'm Alyssa...Potter," she replied, using her real family name, "and you are?"
The boy stopped and looked at her flabbergasted, then straightened himself, "I'm Henry."
Alyssa caught his surprise, "I surprised you, didn't I?"
"You did. Not many people haven't a clue who I am," he confessed leading her back to the Enclosure where her mother and stepfather were.
Her fingers brushed lightly over the skin of his wrist and she gasped. She felt the magic coming from him. It wasn't very strong like he was trying to hide it, but it was there. He narrowed his eyes and looked around and found a small alcove where they could speak quietly. When he was sure no one was listening he turned to her.
"You-you're magical!" she exclaimed in a whisper.
"Please don't say anything!" Henry urged her quietly. She could see the panic in his eyes.
"I won't. I swear it," she vowed and a blue light shimmered around them. Fear overtook her and she began to fidget.
"Are you?" he asked with trepidation.
"I am."
Another horn sounded and they could hear people calling for him, "I have to go. Can we talk again?" she nodded at him, "Take a left and you'll be at the Enclosures," he informed her and nudged her gently out of the alcove. She felt him follow her discreetly and smiled as she snuck into the Enclosure hoping to be undetected.
The next year, Alyssa begged to go again.
Another sigh escaped the young witch and she had planned to stay in bed all morning when her stomach growled viciously, reminding her that she needed to eat. She pushed the blankets off her and sat up. Swinging her legs over the side of the large bed, she took a breath and realized that she was missing Henry. They had not seen each other since the summer began.
Entering the lavatory, she showered and fixed her hair before she dressed for the day. Summer in Britain had its advantages. It wasn't as hot as Atlanta, where she had been sequestered for most of her life. The heat there was unbearable during the summer months. Here it was warm, but not sticky hot that left you in a wet puddle before the sun rose high in the sky.
Leaving her room, she passed her brother's and noticed the door was firmly closed. It wasn't like him to sleep in. Between the two of them, he was normally the one up early. Traipsing down the flight of stairs, she eyed the portraits and wondered where the family portraits were. She and Sirius had a discussion about them a few days ago while her brother was out flying.
Stopping at the last step of the large staircase she peered into the lavish foyer and noticed how clean it was. It was a sight better that she wasn't in charge of cleaning her mother's house. As a matter of fact, she hadn't thought about her mother's family since they nearly destroyed her graduation day. She and Harry hadn't spoken about what he had found out that day either. It was as if he had accepted it and moved on.
Wandering through the foyer, she headed back toward the kitchen and stepped inside. The house-elves were in the midst of cleaning the room. They all stopped when she walked in and headed toward the tea kettle sitting on the stove. Picking it up, she filled it under the facet and set it back on the stove, turning it on. Busying herself, she never noticed the frowns that crossed the house-elves faces.
None of them would speak ill of their Mistress, but it did bother them that she would do something they could have done for her. Once her tea was ready, she fixed it how she liked it and walked out of the kitchen after cleaning up. Walking outside toward the conservatory, Alyssa pushed the door open and was immediately greeted by the numerous flora that was grown. There was a separate greenhouse for the magical herbs and plants that would be needed for potions.
Taking a seat on the black sofa with red pillows, she leaned back and gazed outside through the large window panes absorbing the mid-morning sunlight. Alyssa sat in the silence, sipping her tea when a black shaggy dog wandered into the conservatory. She smirked and aimlessly scratched the top of Sirius's head.
"What are you doing here?" she murmured.
In seconds, the black dog reformed into a man. That man sat down beside her on the sofa and looked at her. Sirius knew something was up when she and Harry had ambushed him yesterday about going to Godric's Hollow. He stared at her for a long moment before a house-elf showed up bringing a tea seat. Absently nodding his head in thanks, Sirius made his tea and sipped it slowly. Remus would be along shortly.
The door to the conservatory opened again, letting them know it was Remus. Remus walked into the conservatory for the first time since Oliver Potter was alive. Before him, sitting in the black and red sofas, was Alyssa and Sirius. Sirius gave him a silent nod and he came further into the room and took a seat opposite of them.
Remus's heart clenched knowing why he was here. Alyssa and Harry-whom he loved dearly, had asked to go to Godric's Hollow. The werewolf knew this wasn't a decision made lightly by the teens. Guilt crashed over him and he watched as his niece looked at him sharply. He winced forgetting about the empathic abilities.
Being so close to his….well his family for all intent was uplifting to the lonely werewolf that had sent the letters to Alyssa's mother all those years. He had hoped that she would come to love and cherish her daughter despite the circumstances. He remembered a letter he had received shortly after James and Lily were murdered that Lisa demanding that he, Remus Lupin, take Alyssa and raise her.
He could have done it, he supposed. He could have hidden them safely away in the Muggle world since the Magical world was strictly anti-werewolf until she reached eleven and sent her off to Hogwarts. He was sure that he could obtain a magical guardian for her. There were a lot of things that he could have done but hadn't the courage to do it. Some former Gryffindor he was.
This was all after Sirius had been arrested. Once James and Lily were murdered, Dumbledore had no issue separating the two. Remus looked over at his longtime friend and thought back to those days. Did he truly believe that Sirius had sold out his family? That very day and the following years-he did. Did he think this way anymore? Not since Harry had helped them expose Pettigrew. Reaching toward the small table, Remus fixed a cup of tea as well.
"Alyssa," Sirus began softly, "are you sure you want to go?"
"I do," she replied, setting her tea in her lap.
"Go where again?" Remus asked, with a hint of confusion. He thought they were here to discuss the teens going to Godric's Hollow?
"Godric's Hollow."
Remus swallowed a lump that had formed in his throat. No one had trespassed on those lands since the night of the Halloween murder. Taking a slow sip of his tea, he tried to suppress the onslaught of more guilt and sadness. No one should have died that night, but they why was never solved.
The tired werewolf watched as Sirius sigh and nod his head at her in defeat, "Do you want us to go with you?"
Alyssa nodded her head at him, the unshed tears making her eyes bright. Both men sat their drinks down and took her hand. Wiping a few stray tears, she smiled at them both, "It's going to suck, isn't it?"
They chuckled and nodded at her. She gave a watery smile trying to push past everything. She knew this was affecting everyone in the Manor-including her brother, who seemed to keep it to himself how he was feeling. She wondered if he would tell Hermione? She wanted to tell Henry but she knew he would worry for her.
Her stomach rumbled again and she stifled a chuckle. She was starving. It was past noon. Henry would already be berating her after learning that she had not eaten since last night. Speaking of him, she knew she needed to sit down and write to him. Alyssa quickly decided to tell him about Godric's Hollow and they would figure out how to work their summer schedule's.
"I'm starving," she said aloud and before she could blink, one of the kitchen elves left a platter of sandwiches and crisps on the table. "If I wasn't so used to magic, I would say that was a tad creepy."
"That a house-elf knows when you say you're hungry?" Sirius gave her a bewildered look.
"Only that he knows when to deliver food…"
"How is Harry taking this?" Remus asked, reaching for a turkey sandwich.
"I hope well enough. He didn't say much to me about after we left Sirius's cottage," Alyssa replied, taking a bite of her roast beef and mustard sandwich. "Would one of you talk to him about it?"
Remus eyed Sirius as if they were competing on who would speak to the young wizard. It was entertaining at least, but Sirius won that round. Between two kids, they split their time with each. Remus and Alyssa preferred their books while Sirius and Harry preferred to play Quidditch. Giving his friend a defeated nod, Sirius perked up and gave a small victory dance.
Later that evening, Alyssa was sitting on her bed reading through Healer's Magic 101 by Doro Norman to get a jump start on her first term for Healer school. In her ears, American music blared loudly that she was quite surprised that she had not gone tone deaf. While magical music was fine in moderation, she found that she couldn't get into it like her former classmates.
In the corner of her eye, she saw a black form sweep into her room through the magically charmed window that Poe would enter. Lowering her book, Poe was perched on her Healing Spells for Beginners by Stella Vergara with a scroll in his beak. Raising an eyebrow at him, she briefly wondered who would be owling her that it couldn't wait until morning. Setting her book aside, she crawled across her bed and gingerly took the scroll from his beak before giving him a gentle caress.
Giving her a small hoot, he lifted up and flew back toward his perched where he watered and fed himself before falling asleep. She looked at her owl for a moment before looking down at the scroll still clutched tightly in her hand. Reaching for her wand, she cast a Detection charm on it. Revealing nothing, she broke the seal and pursued her lips seeing the emblem of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
As she scanned the letter, she felt a sigh of relief course through her. It was a notice that her Auror training would be reduced to finals. It noted that the Department had contacted Stephen Hatter inquiring about her training at the Junior Auror Camp and he gave a 'glowing' recommendation that she could pass the required classes.
Easing off her bed, she walked over to her desk and pulled the rolltop open and fished out her twelve-month calendar and flipped to June to August and calculated that she would only have to be there for two weeks instead of four. Grinning, she gave a little victory dance and realized that once she was done, she would have at least a few weeks of quiet to help Sirius and Remus work on exonerating her Godfather.
Happy with this new bit information, she closed the desk and reached for her journal to inform Henry about the change in her summer plans.