Ramblings and Dribbles

by WolfgangNH

This is a posting of ramblings, dribbles, one-shots, unfinished ideas or other stuff I just don't think deserves it's own storyline. Some I plan to finish someday, others are what they are. This is mature reading for some posts. Some items may be well developed, others are not yet, and may never be. There will many different pairings, and sometimes none.

27. The Simple Life of a Hero

This one has been sitting for a few months as well. With the general busy life and the lack of a muse for the last few months, I thought I would put this out there. For now it is relegated to my Rambling and Dribbles, but hopefully someday it will be more. Enjoy...

Concept: Dumbledore left Harry on the doorstep of the Dursley's like in cannon. A week later, the wards and all the magic linked to them unexpectedly failed. This was not enough time for the new wards to charge to their fullest, thus Dumbledore's instruments were not working yet.

In that time, Harry was given to an orphanage. His green eyes, cute messy hair and the scar on his forehead soon found him being adopted...

Harry grows up with a forgotten branch of his family, refusing to go to Hogwarts for a few years. He is forced to go back due to the Triwizard Tournament in what would have been his fifth year. It will be a different tournament

-oOo-

Chapter 1

-oOo-

July 26, 1991

Somewhere in Denbighshire, Wales

Harry let out a loud whistle. "Digger," he called out, pointing to a few sheep that were moving off towards the southern end of the pasture. They had to get them into the barn for the night. It was going to be a full moon and they would not risk the flock if a werewolf or two were to be around. The almost hundred sheep were the life blood of his family.

The black and white border collie took off. On another whistle, he herded the sheep back in. Their older border collie, Riker, kept the other side of the heard in line.

"Good job," his dad said.

Harry smiled as he walked behind the sheep. They bleeted, but did as they were told.

"It's all Digger," Harry complimented his dog.

"And who trained him?"

"I only did what you told me to," Harry replied.

"It's alright to be a little sometimes," he said, ruffling Harry's hair.

"Do you think I'll be able to take top spot at the festival this year?" he said. The sheep made it into the barn and Harry closed the gates.

"I think you have a good chance." His father let out an even louder whistle than Harry's through his teeth. Both dogs came running to their sides. Harry pet the side of digger. His younger sister, Isobel, would be getting her first puppy next year and Maddy was always by mum's side.

"Right, let's get the doors closed and you then work on your locking spell again," his dad said.

Harry gave a huge smile. Being home schooled, he had been allowed to get his wand last year for his birthday. Harry helped hid dad close the thick wooden doors before taking his wand out. "Remember, a circle and then a jab."

"Yes, dad," he said. The dark oak and dragon heartstring wand just about hummed in his hand. He did the circle and jab, enchanting, "coloportus."

He felt the magic flow through him. A second later, his father pulled on the latch and gave a nod before taking out his own wand. Harry watched as the man checked his work. With a grunt, he nodded. "It'll do. Now go in and wash up and change. Your mum won't like you all muddy from the fields. Rinse off Digger too."

"Yes, dad. Come on, Digger," Harry said, clapping his hand against his trousers. Digger took off after him as Harry ran around the barn to the house. Most farms would have the barn detached around here, but being in areas where magic creatures could cause issues, it was a necessity to have access without going outside. Harry laughed as Digger jumped up, barking happily at Harry. He was almost two years old now and dad had finally said he was trained enough to use in the fields.

They stopped at the old hand pump. Harry turned it away from the trough and Digger happily jumped up to catch the water as it came out of the spout. When done, Harry took out his wand again. "You would get us both in trouble if you ran in the house all wet," Harry said. Digger, knowing the routine, stood still as Harry said, "Caliventus."

Digger let Harry dry him off. Just as Harry stopped, Digger gave out a bark and stood at attention. Harry knew that was a sign that someone was near. Turning around, Harry saw a tall woman in green robes and a black dress. Her hair was up in a bun and dark blue eyes looked down at him. She looked like she had just seen a ghost.

"Ah, can I help you," Harry asked when she didn't say anything for a moment.

"Mr. Potter?" she asked.

"That would be my dad. DAD!" he yelled out.

"That isn't what I mean. Are you Harry Potter?" she asked.

"Yes, ma'am," Harry said, not liking the way she was looking at him.

"Can I help you," his dad said from behind him.

The woman shook her head and then looked to his dad. "Mr. Potter?"

"That is me. Harry, go in the house and get changed. Dinner should be on the table soon," his dad ordered.

"Yes, dad," he said, giving the lady a look.

"Perhaps your son should stay? Maybe if we have some tea I can go over the opportunity I have to offer him at Hogwarts?" she asked, looking to Harry again.

"Harry, go."

He looked to his dad, then the woman again, before he walked to the front door. Before he closed it, he heard his dad say, "I put into the Ministry that he will be home schooled..."

Inside, he took his boots off as Digger ran through to a squealing Isobel, who laughed as she jumped around with Digger. He had come in the back door of the kitchen. "Harry, go get changed. Is your father coming in soon?"

"Yes, mum. Dad is is talking to someone in witches robes," Harry told her. She looked up from the pot on the stove. Where his dad was a wizard that had been home-schooled with some formal training at one of the lesser schools in Britain, she was a squib. Luckily Isobel has already shown she would be a witch too. "She said something about Hogwarts. I thought you and dad wanted me to stay here and go to Russel Academy a few times a week," he said.

"You are. Now go get washed up and changed," she told him.

"Yes, mum."

He rushed up the stairs as Isobel and Digger played. "Isobel, not around the table," he heard his mum.

Less than ten minutes later he was running back into the kitchen and pulled up short to see his seven-year-old sister standing next to their mum. "Isobel, why don't you go watch something on the tellie? I'll call you in when dinner is ready."

Harry looked at them all curiously. "Can Digger come with me?" she asked Harry. His Maddy was in the corner, panting, but keeping an eye on everything. He was sure where Riker was.

"Go ahead boy," Harry said to his dog. Digger padded behind Isobel. "Should I follow them?"

"Take a seat," his dad said.

Harry sat and looked between them.

"Mr. Potter, you do know you have been offered..."

"We told him. We had a talk. He decided not to go," his dad said, cutting the woman off.

"You do know that his parents wanted him to go and signed him up when he was young?" the woman questioned.

He looked to his parents. "Mum, dad, you said you didn't want me to go," Harry said confused.

His father growled at the woman and his mother gave him a hard look. "I only let you into this house because you agreed to our stipulations. Harry is a Potter. Son of Robert and Veronica Potter," the man said.

The woman pursed her lips. "This is not a legal..."

"It is perfectly legal, Professor. If you say anything else, I will ask you to leave and never come here again, unless you want to talk to the Aurors for trespassing," his father said.

He looked to them. His mum was looking at him.

The woman didn't look pleased. "Fine. Mr. Potter, you have a spot at Hogwarts that is under..." she glared at his dad," ...scholarship. All expenses are paid and you are already expected to start on September first. I know you and your family have decided to decline this opportunity, but I have come to convince you that this is an oppotunity you should not pass up. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is one of the premier schools in the world."

Harry didn't like the look his mum was giving him or the look his dad was giving this woman. "Uhm, I'm not sure I want to go to a school I can't come home every night. I can't leave Digger behind, not now he is trained. I don't even know who you are, ma'am."

"Forgive me. Professor McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress and teacher of transfiguration. I really must impress that you are passing up a rather good opportunity here. I know some may feel a little homesick when they first go, but you will find the school will become a home away from home and that the friends you make will be life-long companions," she said.

"I already have friends and a school," Harry told her.

"But these will be peers that have the same gift as you," she tried to reason.

"I have those too," Harry replied a little petulantly.

"Be polite," his mum lightly chastised.

"Sorry, mum," Harry said.

"But I must assume your friends are going to Hogwarts as well. Wouldn't you like to go with them?"

Harry shook his head. "No, ma'am. Morag McDougal is doing the same thing as me, and Nathan Cunningham will as well. I also have my muggle friends from Caligh School."

"So you are the boy she talked about when her parents turned down the invitation? I assume that you, Mr. and Mrs. Potter, are her sponsors?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"Considering she is our niece, yes," his mum said.

"I see. I assume you will not reconsider, Mr. Potter?" the woman said looking at Harry.

"No, ma'am," Harry replied.

"I see. I will just leave this here then," she said, putting down a pile of parchments and flyers. "If you change your mind, you can send me an owl in the next few days. If I don't receive one by August first, I will have to assume you are not attending this year."

"Thank you, Professor. Please tell anyone else at your school that we will contact you if we wish to change our mind," his dad said.

The woman looked less than pleased. "I will pass your message on." She cast one more look at Harry. "He looks so much like..."

"Thank you, Professor. I need to complete dinner," his mum said, getting up. Harry knew there was something else going on.

"Of course, Mrs. Potter. I do hope you reconsider, Mr. Potter. Have a good day."

When the door closed behind the woman, his mum got up and went back to dinner preparations. His father looked a little concerned. Harry was thinking of what had just happened. "Dad, what did she mean about my parents wanting to go?" he asked.

His parents shared a look that made him very uncomfortable. "I think after dinner we need to have a talk," his father said.

"Robert, I thought we decided to wait," his mum said concerned.

His father sighed. "I think it's time. If Professor McGonagall knows, you know everyone else will probably know soon as well."

"Know what?" Harry pressed.

"Don't you worry at the moment. Go tell Isobel to wash up. We will talk later," his dad told him.

"Yes, dad," he said.

"Robert, are you sure," his mum said as he left.

"He should know," his dad replied.

Harry was getting a bad feeling about this.

-oOo-

Same day...

Hogwarts, Scotland

Minerva rushed through the halls of the school towards her office. "Minsy," she called out.

A second later, a small house elf popped at her side. She took off with a squeak as her mistress kept walking. She had to run to keep up with the long strides of the older woman. "Minsy is here, mistress Minny," she said.

"Is Albus back from the Hague," she asked, taking her had out and flicking it to open her door. It slammed open harder than she wanted.

"Professor Dumbles is not back, Mistress Minny," the elf replied.

"Please go get Astrid, then I will need you to get with his elf and get message to him," she ordered.

The house elf nodded and then snapped her fingers.

Minerva opened a draw. In it was a picture of her godson and his wife. In their arms was a squirming boy that had the jet black hair of his father and the emerald eyes of his mother. James and Lily had been killed almost ten years ago and there wasn't a day that went by that she didn't miss them. More importantly was their son. She had tried to get custody of him, but the boy had been squirreled away by some corrupt bureaucrats in the Ministry and it wasn't until almost two months later that they realized he had been taken from the home he had been setup in.

Since then, Albus had helped look for the boy, at times almost as desperate as she had been to find him.

Truth be told, Minerva had given up hope to find the boy, starting to think he had been kidnapped, or worse, killed.

That was until today. It was unmistakable the sloppy hair and green eyes. They were James and Lily. He also looked alot like James, but also like the man she had met today. The name Potter was not a common name in their world, but she knew there were a few families, thus when a Harry Potter had come up on the list this year for new students, she had allowed her hopes to rise, but not too much. As far as she knew, Robert Potter had no relations to the main Potter line. Could they be a long lost offshoot?

It was also apparent that the wife was not a magical, but the husband was. Thinking through her years, she could not ever remember having him as a student here, or ever meeting him. He seemed like a competent wizard though. The wards around the house had a familial feel to them, and she had seen Harry drying his dog off before he had turned to her. That meant one of two things. Either Harry had been approved for magical use outside of a formal school and was being homeschooled, or the wards were masking his underage use of magic. Considering the boy hadn't looked like he was trying to hide anything, she could only assume that he was being home schooled. That had been the same things the McDougal's had told her. Morag was down as a muggleborn, but if her parents were squibs, that would show up the same in the registry.

Now wasn't the time to ponder though. She had two missives to get out. One to Albus. He had to know. The other to Child Wizarding Services. She had to know if this was the real Harry Potter or just one that was just the right age, with the same birthday, and with eyes that would not match either parent in that house...

She was happy to see that he looked healthy, happy and that the nasty scar that he was rumored to have was gone. She was also thankful that the boy had Lily's eyesight and didn't require glasses. She had lost count how many times James had broken his with how rambunctious he used to be.

-oOo-

That night...

Somewhere in Denbighshire, Wales

It had been a rough day. Harry was reeling from what his parents had just told him.

At ten years old, he just found out his parents weren't his real parents. To make it worse, he was the real Harry Potter from the books and everything. His hand was on his forehead, feeling the smooth skin. "Why don't I have a lightening bolt shaped scar or glasses," he asked, looking up from the table.

"You know why you still see the doctors twice a year?" his mum asked kindly.

"It's because of the luekemia," he told them.

His dad nodded his head. "It is, Harry. When you were five, the doctors had to do a surgery to remove the growth in your forehead, and the infected material around it. The infecte material had some really dark magic and a team from St. Mungo's had to work with your muggle doctors to get it out. After that, they were able to fix your forehead and your eyes."

Harry kept feeling around his forehead, trying to see if there was any trace of the scar. He didn't feel anything. "I am really Harry Potter?" he asked. Of course he was Harry Potter, but not the Harry Potter.

"You are, dear," his mother said.

Harry looked at them. "You aren't my parents?"

"You are our son, Harry. We adopted you shortly after we got married and your birth parents died. It was part of the James and Lily's will. Your mum and I never meant to lie to you, but we thought you should grow up away from all that mess. Don't ever doubt you are our son," his father told him.

Harry was trying to make sense of it all. "So, they wanted me to go to Hogwarts?"

"I think they wanted you to be happy," his mum said. "There was nothing in the will about requiring you to go anywhere, or that they had already paid for your education. If you want to go, your dad and I will support you, but I think I would rather see you home every night."

Harry nodded. He needed to talk to Morag. She would never believe this. He wasn't sure he did. After a moment, he looked up, "I am still a Potter?"

"You are still a Potter," his father agreed.

"You are still my mum and dad?"

"Forever," his mum replied.

Harry nodded his head. "Can I go over Uncle David's and Aunt Wendy's tomorrow?"

His parents gave him a soft smile. "I want you to get your chores done first," his dad ordered.

"Yes, sir."

"Do you have any other questions," his mum asked.

"Are you James Potter's brother or cousin?" Harry questioned.

His father shook his head. "As far as I know, I am decended from a squid, Darius Potter, who was born about two hundred years ago. He was my great-great grandfather. As you know, Grandpa Potter was a wizard, like me, and taught me everything he knew. He went to Hogwarts, but decided he didn't want me to go."

"Why?"

"Grandpa Potter was caught up in the whole Grindelwald wars, having been recruited just after he graduated by the Ministry and Headmaster Dumbledore. Well, from what I understand the man was one of the Transfiguration and Defence professors back then. After seeing whatever he did, he didn't want another Potter involved in war again," his dad said.

Harry nodded. "Is war that bad?"

"I honestly don't know, but my father was always jumpy and didn't like any loud noise. It was why he found a sheep farm in a quiet part of the country. He did teach me to defend myself though, and I am going to be doing the same with you," his father informed him.

There was a howl in the night and all three dogs got up. Theirs were back and Riker growled towards the back door.

"They shouldn't get through the wards, but I am going to just check on the sheep anyways," his father said, getting up. "We can talk as much about this as you want tomorrow."

Harry nodded and the man went to the door that led to the barn. Once he closed it, his mum caught his attention. "Are you alright with this, Harry?"

"You are still my mum," he asked.

"Of course I am," she said, holding out her arms. He may be ten, but this was one of those times he felt he needed a hug from her. "You are my boy. My Harry," she whispered soothingly into his ear.

After a moment, he pulled away. "I think I go take a bath and then go to bed. I want to take care of the sheep and get to Morag's."

"Go. I'll just finish up with the kitchen and be up to see you into bed."

He nodded, his face becoming pensive as he went for the stairs.

-oOo-

July 27, 1991

Somewhere in Denbighshire, Wales

Digger ran besides him as he crested the hill. His family lived on the back side of Bryn Gwyrdd. He knew it was a cliche name, meaning the green hill in Welsh, but it was fitting. Pastures and small copse of trees were scattered all over it, making it very green. Four families lived around the hill. The two on the back side, the Potters and Longfields, were both magicals. The Longfields had children that were in their late twenties, so Harry didn't really know them.

On the otherside was the McDougals and Cunnginghams, both families with magical children, but non-magical parents. His mum had been a McDougal and that was how she had married his dad. The McDougals were a family like his. His mum's father had been a squib. She didn't have magic, thus she was considered a muggle, though technically a squib herself. His cousin Morag was a magical though, like him and Nathan. Though Nathan was a year younger than them.

Over the crest of the will, he could see his aunt and uncle's farm. They had sheep and a small herd of cows. Digger ran ahead, and then about a quarter of the way down the hill, he turned back to run back to Harry. The young dog still loved to run and came back with a yip and a lick before taking off again. Harry let Digger just run when they walked like this.

He hopped a fence and then let Digger in when he opened the gate. Making sure it was closed, he made his way down to the house. His uncle was outside, laying out fresh hay for the sheep as he approached the house. "S'mae, Uncle Henry."

The redheaded man looked up. "S'mae, Harry. Did you have any problems last night?"

"No. Dad said the wards kept the werewolves away from all of us," he told the man.

His uncle nodded. Dad had made sure the McDougals had the same protections. "Good. Morag should still be doing her chores, if she isn't laying about."

Harry smiled. "I'll find her and get on track," Harry told him, opening the gate to get out of the pasture.

"Make sure that is shut behind you," his uncle told him.

"Yes, sir," Harry replied.

Much like his house, there wasn't enough latent magic here to interfere with muggle electronics, so he found Morag listening to a radio in the barn. She was milking one of thier prize heffers and singing along. Harry made a face, "You like this stuff?" he asked. Harry was not a fan of pop music.

Morag started before looking up to him. "Do you have to scare me everytime?" his redhead cousin asked.

Harry laughed. "Where would the fun be if I don't?"

She glared at him before returning to her work.

"You're dad wanted me to make sure you weren't laying about. Are you?"

Morag rolled her eyes. "This is the last one. You want to take those other two buckets into mum and then we can go down to the stream? I dug up some worms from the garden to go fishing," she told him.

That was what Harry liked most about Morag, she wasn't like the other girls at the Muggle school they went to. She didn't mind getting dirty and she was not squeamish. Harry helped her, taking the milk to Aunt Wendy before they were on their way down to the stream. As they walked, Morag looked at him. "Something is wrong with you today. You haven't tried to tease me once," she said without preamble.

"Did you know I am adopted?" he asked her.

She stopped and blinked at him. "What do you mean you are adopted? You look just like Uncle Richard."

"Neither mum or dad have green eyes," he replied.

"I think they are cool. Especially when you get all upset, they almost glow," she said, a smirk on his face.

Harry huffed. "Morag, mum and dad aren't my real parents," he told her.

"So?" Morag said, starting to walk again.

"So... they said I am the real Harry Potter. You know, the one that defeated you-know-who," he told her.

Morag laughed. "You are not. You don't have the scar and I have never see you with a sword like in the books."

Harry laughed too. "You know my mum says that is all made up."

"I like them. Plus, he is supposed to be cute," she told him.

"I thought it was handsome," Harry asked her.

Morag shrugged. Looking at the serious set to his face, she sobered a little. "Are you really?"

"Apparently," he replied.

"Harry Potter is my cousin," she said, a nasty look on her face. "Ew!"

Harry laughed again. She had just turned eleven last week. "I know," he said, making the same face.

She continued to look at him like he had something bad on his face. "Are you sure Uncle Richard and Aunt Veronica aren't pulling your leg?"

"We had a professor from Hogwarts visit yesterday..." he went on to explain everything and then the conversation with his parents last night. By the time he was done, they were sitting along the banks of the stream with their fishing lines in the water.

Morag was looking as pensive as him. "Do you think we should go to Hogwarts?"

Harry shook his head. "I want to take Digger to the festival this year. I can't do that if we are Hogwarts," he told her simply. "Dad said he would start teaching me more magic. I think he wants you to join us."

"I would hope so. I need to keep my better grades over you," she told him smugly.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Only because you are better in math and science."

"Drawing better and being able to remember most of what you read won't get you a good job," she told him.

"I want to work the farm, like dad. Mum and him make good money selling the cloth they make to stores in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade," Harry told her.

"I know, but I want get away from here. You know, see the world for a bit," she told him.

Harry knew she wanted to see other things besides this corner of Wales. Harry was content to be here, with his family. As he thought about that, he was starting to feel a little doubt creep in. He loved his parents and sister, but were they really his family? He didn't like that thought so he pushed it out of his head.

"When is Uncle Rob going to start teaching us more?" Morag asked as she pulled on her fishing pole. She squealed with delight when it pulled back and they waited for the excitment of her the first catch of the day to die down before he answered.

"Dad wants to start just after my birthday. He said he needs a modification to our underage permits," he replied.

"Oh, okay. I can't wait," she told him.

"Neither can I," he said with a grin. Any magic they could learn was always good. So far they new some simple spells that helped around the house. Like how to do the levitation, hot air, locking and unlocking charms. Mrs. Longfield was teaching them basic potions and herbology twice a week. They would be going to Radcliffe's, a rather high end day school for people that were homeschooled other times of the week, for charms, transfiguration, runes and arithmancy. Now his dad was going to start teaching them how to defend themselves.

"You're line is pulling," Morag told him and Harry pulled on it. It would be their second catch. Maybe a nice fish fry would be for dinner tonight?

-oOo-

August 15, 1991

Hogwarts, Scotland

It was confirmed. Harry Potter had been found. Albus had breathed a sigh of relief at first. The savior of their world had been found and he could finally be brought back into the fold.

Albus well remembered that night, almost ten years ago, when he had left Harry on the steps of his relatives and had enacted the blood wards to protect the child. Evidence pointed to the fact that Tom had survived and that he had marked Harry, like the prophesy said. He had felt secure that Harry Potter would be raised in a safe environment, away from the wizarding world and controlled from learning about it until the time was right. Albus did not want to risk the child having a complex from his fame.

Then he became busy in securing the peace, running Hogwarts, being elevated to Chief Warlock and then Head Mugwump in the ICW. He was so busy, he had missed that the instruments monitoring Harry Potter had not charged correctly.

The realization and panic came almost four months later. It had been Minerva constantly nagging him to go see Harry that had him noticing the instruments were all silent. By the time he went to investigate, it was already mid-February. He had had been furious and scared when he found out the Dursley's had taken Harry and promptly put him into an orphanage. Albus went there, but records of John Smith had already been scrubbed, the staff obliviated and the packet in the WCS missing. He had never though to look in magical adoptions for one Harry Potter. What were the chances that he would be adopted by a family with the last name Potter and then named Harry?

It really hadn't occurred to him until he had gone back a fortnight ago with the information from Minerva. Albus had been surprised to find there was a branch of the Potter family that he knew nothing about. The lost branch of the Potter family had received a copy of the will, which was something the Wizengamot could not block since they were direct blood relatives. That copy had allowed them to take Harry and adopt him, once they had found him.

Again, he was relieved that Harry was safe and in a known location now.

His relief had started to fade when he returned to Scotland and had a talk with Minerva and learned more about this branch of the Potter family. She had said the boy was not what she expected. He had no scar. He didn't wear glasses. The boy was healthy, a good height and weight for his age and well spoken. Most importantly, the boy had no idea who he truly was. Albus was unsure if this was a good thing or not yet.

To determine the impact, and to get Harry to come to Hogwarts, he had visited them just after Harry's eleventh birthday.

The reception he had received was rather icy from the parents, and he had not been able to directly meet the boy, who was apparently out with his cousin at the time.

He had left unsatisfied, but worried about the story they had told him about Harry's leukemia, that is what they had called it, found behind his scar when he was young. The boy had gone through muggle and magical cancer treatments and was now scar free, and apparently not tainted by any dark magic anymore.

This had led Albus to visiting the department of Mysteries. When he found the globe he was looking for in the DoM, his heart had felt rather heavy to see it. It had an odd silvery glow, not the whitish-blue it should have for an active prophesy. As he worried about it, he realized a few things.

The boy was no longer marked.

The black taint Albus had detected that fateful night was gone.

The prophesy had either been fulfilled or gone inactive.

Even with those revelations, he didn't understand the silver light in it. If the prophesy had been fulfilled, it should be dark grey mist in the glass ball. The only other person he knew that it might pertain too was Neville Longbottom, but the boy wasn't marked. He also didn't seem that powerful given the way Augusta talked about her grandson.

This all gave Albus pause.

Did this mean that anyone could beat Tom, or that his former student was really gone and he had just misinterpreted the magic that night? There was a lot of magic and he still was not totally sure what Lily had done to this day. Perhaps her wards and spells had banished Tom?

When the knock came on his door, he called out, "Come in, Minerva."

She came in looking a little down trodden. She was taking this hard. To have finally found Harry after all these years and not being able to really approach him or get to know the boy was eating at her. James had been her godson. The woman had been very good friends with Fleamont, then with Euphemia. Fleamont had gone to school with Minerva, and then married later in life. Unfortunately, the couple had only been graced with one child, but Minerva had come to love James as much as she had her other nieces and nephews from her brothers. She was already infatuated with Harry when James and Lily had died.

Minerva had been so close, Albus couldn't call on her to help retrieve him or know that Albus was going to leave him with Lily's sister. She would never have gone along with his plans. It had been hard enough for him to try to get rid of Sirius. the man had wasted away in Azkaban for five months before Pettigrew had been caught and sent to Azkaban in his stead. When he got out, Sirius had gone looking for Harry and had not come back for almost three years. The man had been close to broken, but agreed to take up a post as the Defence professor. Until then, Albus had gone through a new teacher every year for almost two decades. Now, Sirius had held the position for six years. The only one taking all this harder was Sirius, especially after finding out the boy not coming to Hogwarts.

"He is not coming. I just received another letter rejecting our offer," she said, putting the missive on his desk. "They have told him and said I can visit if I want. I have to tell Sirius he is invited too, , but Harry doesn't seem that inclined to find anything out about his parents. James and Lily would be devastated."

Albus gave the woman a knowing look. "I am sorry, Minerva, but we need to respect the wished of the Potters. They are his legal guardians and have adopted him. I also got the feeling Harry did not want to come here."

"No, he was not that pleased the day I visited. I don't know the last time a Potter didn't come to Hogwarts," she said.

"Robert Potter never attended and rejected his offer in 1969," Albus told her. He had gone through the registry to get as much background as he could.

"I checked myself. I remember his father. He was a good student from Hufflepuff and then joined the ICW Auror force shortly after graduation to fight against Grindelwald. I never linked him being a Potter meant he was related to Fleamont," she told him.

"None of us did. There have been three Potter lines that have gone through this school, and I thought the other two had gone exist myself," Albus agreed. He didn't remember Robert Potter, but then their had been so many students over his almost seventy years at the school, he really only remembered a few handfuls, and all those had gone on to make big names for themselves.

"I would like to leave the offer open. Being home schooled, he can apply for a transfer into here at anytime and his tuition is paid for. If he doesn't come, then we can look at returning the tuition after he gets his NEWTs," she told him.

"I can agree with that. Is there other business you wish to discuss today?" he asked her.

It was probably better to put Harry Potter out of his head, and maybe start to down play the boys importance in their society, not that the boy wasn't needed. He would have to keep an eye on him though, just on the off chance Tom wasn't truly dead, or the prophecy decided Harry Potter wasn't done with fate yet.

-oOo-

August 20, 1991

Somewhere in Denbighshire, Wales

Sirius stood just inside the gate of the front yard. Out in the field he watch a boy playing with his dog as they kept an eye on some sheep. It was actually a lot of sheep. He wasn't here to look at the sheep though.

A tall boy for eleven was laughing as he threw a ball. A girl with light hair ran after the black dog with a white underside. She laughed and called after 'Digger'. The dog got the ball, bouncing past the girl, who turned and chased after the dog as it returned to the boy. His eyes really didn't follow that action though. He was looking at a boy that looked almost exactly like James at the same age.

The door to the house opened. "It's not exactly polite to enter someone's yard and not introduce yourself," a woman said, sounding a little annoyed.

Sirius shook himself and turned to see a woman with the same light hair as the girl and silvery eyes. "I'm sorry, ma'am. I wasn't trying to offend you. My name is Sirius Black."

Some recognition came across her face. "Ah, I was wondering when you might finally show up. I'm Veronica. You want some tea?"

Sirius looked out at the field again. "Is that Harry?"

"And our daughter, Isobel. You can go out and see them, but I was going to call them in for lunch in a little bit. You are welcome to join us, if you want," she offered.

"Perhaps I can have some tea and you can introduce me when they come in?"

"I figure that is the least we owe you," she said.

Sirius watched Harry for another few moments before he went into the house. He followed her to a stone kitchen as she put a teapot on. "I'm not a witch, so I can't just conjure things up," she explained.

"Doesn't matter to me. I think the real stuff tastes better anyways," he said with a grin. He looked around the house. It was a cozy place with a few rooms on the ground floor and a stair case that looked to lead to three doors at the top. Around the kitchen their was a more modern gas stove, a refrigerator, and cupboards along two walls. To his left was a kitchen table that had six chairs. Some shelves held pictures - both magical and muggle -, drawings and other art made by children, and other knicknacks. Sirius walked over and looked at a few pictures of a happy family. Harry waved back at him out of one of them. He looked to be eight or so. His black hair was unmistakably Potter hair, but with Lily's intense green eyes. he looked very happy.

"We went with my sister and her family to France. The kids had a blast at the magical zoological park there," Veronica said behind him.

"He looks happy," Sirius said.

"He is, most of the time," she replied.

"You have taken good care of him."

"Harry is our son," she said simply.

Sirius nodded. "Lily and James wanted him to grow up like this. And also wanted him to have a sister. I'm glad to see he got all that."

"My husband and I owe you and apology. We never meant to keep Harry away from those listed in the will, but we thought it too dangerous to expose him and we only just told him that he was adopted. Robert and I didn't want him to think he wasn't part of our family," she said.

Sirius gave a sad smile. "You did what you had too. I would rather know Harry is safe and happy then wtih the less savory type," Sirius replied. He had feared that former Death Eaters had kidnapped Harry. It had kept him up, or at the bottom of a bottle, more times than he could count over the years. "I just want to be back in his life."

"I think that would be a good thing. We really didn't mean to cut you out of it," she told him.

Sirius turned back and looked at the woman. She looked honestly sad. "I would have liked to know my godson was safe and sound, but like you said, there were those that wanted him. Hell, some still do. I would rather him be with family."

She nodded. "My husband is a Potter. His great-great grandfather was a squib."

Sirius nodded. "Dumbledore told me. Uncle Fleamont and Aunt Euphemia never mentioned it. They may not have really known. Most pureblood families never acknowledge squibs, especially that far back. I have come to find out that there are a few squib lines and one of my fourth cousins is the first witch in four generations. She is a rather bright student in her third year right now."

Veronica smiled. "Robert is quiet proud of his heritage and has made sure Harry and Isobel know all about his family. He doesn't really know much about Lily and James though. Robert graduated the year before James started and I was a year behind him and Lily."

"James was my brother in all but blood. I would like Harry to know what his parents were," Sirius told her.

She nodded. "I think Harry would like that. I think he is starting to get over the shock and starting to ask. I know he doesn't want to go to Hogwarts now, but he may in a few years."

Sirus smirked. "Hogwarts was the first place I really felt at home and it is my home now. If I had grown up in a house like this, I may not have want to left either," Sirius told her. the kettle started to whistle.

"I have Earl Grey, Darjeeling or a nice Irish Breakfast blend that Robert really likes," she offered, hurrying over to the stove.

Sirius turned back to the pictures. "What ever you are having. Can you tell me about Harry?"

"He's a good boy. Does rather well in school, though he struggles with math at times. He loves animals and Digger never leaves his side," she said affectionately. "Milk and sugar?"

"Please," he said. She bustled about and put a tray with two teacups, a bowl of sugar and a small tureen of milk.

She sat and nodded to the picture he was looking at now. "Robert took them to the dragon preserve last summer. That other girl is their cousin, Morag. They had a blast," she said.

Sirius could see a Welch Green in the background. He smiled at it. "James wanted a pet dragon our third year. Wanted to feed a few of the Slytherins to it," he finished a little more quietly.

She chuckled. "Harry asked to take an egg home, from what I was told. Robert convinced him the hatchling would eat all the sheep and Harry suddenly didn't want one."

Sirius laughed as he joined her at the table. "That sounds about right for a young Potter."

Sirius found that any animosity he might have felt for these people that had kept Harry away from him for a decade were gone. He would have loved to see Harry grow up, but Sirius wasn't in the right frame, and having him grow up here had kept his godson out of the pureblood circles he would have probably been drawn into. A little after noontime, the back door on the kitchen opened to two happy young people and two dogs. They came tramping in, laughing.

"Take your boots off and go get washed up," Veronica ordered the two kids.

"Yes, mum," the echoed. Harry looked up and stopped to see the man at the table. Sirius just stared at Harry. He looked like a miniature James with Lily's eyes. "Uh, hello," Harry said a little dubiously.

"Hey, pup," he said, using the affectionate name he hadn't used in almost a decade.

Harry looked at the man a little curiously. "Pup?"

"Mummy, who is he?" little Isobel asked, moving towards her mother.

"This is Mr. Black. He's Harry's godfather," she said.

Harry cocked his head a little.

"Go wash up and Mr. Black is going to join us for lunch," she told them.

He watched them go. "It's like looking at James with Lily's curiosity."

"Don't get me going about how curious he can be at times. Especially when you get him together with my niece," she commented.

After laying out four plates with ploughman pies and other hand foods. The two youngesters bounced back in. After a morning of playing outside, their hunger was greater than their curiosity. Sirius smiled to see them eat. Harry's plate was mostly cleaned when he sat in his chair regarding Sirius. "Are you really my godfather?"

"I am pup. You can call me Sirius or Padfoot," he offered.

"Why Padfoot?" Isobel asked.

"It was name Harry's dad gave me when we were in school. It was my code name," he said a little misteriously and a wink to her.

"Code name for what," Harry questioned.

"My animagus form," Sirius answered.

Both kids eyes grew wide.

"You can turn into an animal? What kind of animal?"

"A big black dog," he told them with a grin.

"Wicked," Harry said.

"Can you show us?" Isobel asked.

He looked to Veronica. "I have never seen a animagus before, but I have heard about them."

With a flourish, Sirius stood and a second later he barked at the kids. The two Border Collies in the house were suddenly alert, but neither challenged him. Sirius was not laying claim to their territory. "I want to be a dog," Isobel exclaimed.

"Did James Potter have a form," Harry asked excitedly.

Sirius joy crashed in that second. Harry didn't see James or Lily as his parents. He knew his eyes showed his sadness, but he pushed it down before he turned back, a smile on his face to see their excitement. Sirius would make sure Harry knew about his parents. "Prongs? Why would you think he would be an animagus?" he said in a knowing tone.

"Prongs? What he something with antlers or a horns," Harry asked.

Isobel hopped in her seat. "I bet he was a jackalope. Do you remember seeing them?"

Sirius looked to Veronica as he laughed.

"We went to the United States last Christmas. The kids saw them when we visited Colorado," she answered.

"Ah, I see. No, Prongs was a bit bigger?"

"How about a reindeer like Father Christmas?"

"There is no Father Christmas, Isobel," Harry informed her.

"There is too! He gives us our presents," the little girl retorted.

"There is not," Harry replied.

"Is too," Isobel said, clearly upset.

Sirius silently chortled to see the siblings arguing. This is exactly how Harry should have grown up.

"That is enough, you two. Harry, there is a Father Christmas," Veronica said significantly.

The boy didn't look to want to back down, but after a moment, he lowered his eyes, "Yes, mum."

"Glad to see they get along so well," Sirius commented.

"You have no idea," she said in a tone that almost any parent would recognize. She loved her children, but it didn't mean they couldn't drive her spare at times.

"Padfoot, what do you do," Harry asked.

"I'm a professor at Hogwarts," he replied.

Harry stiffened a little. "You aren't trying to make me go, are you?"

"Merlin, no, pup. I won't say I wouldn't like to see you there, but it is up to you," Sirius told him. "I would like to come visit you again. Maybe take you out to a quidditch game or two?"

"The Applebee Arrows?" Harry asked excitedly.

"We'll see about that," Veronica said. "Why doesn't Sirius come over again for dinner this weekend and maybe your father will take you and Isobel with Sirius," she suggested.

"Wicked," Harry said again.

"I would like that. What day?"

"Saturday at six?"

"I wouldn't miss it," Sirius told her, and he would do everything to ensure he didn't.

-oOo-