Chapter 9: Moony and Padfoot
Tom stood, hooking Harry on his hip as he went. While they were trying to keep the child hidden from the public until they were sure all traces of Dumbledore were gone, it would be hard to keep the two men from recognizing the child's scent.
If the dog didn't sniff it out, the werewolf would do so rather quickly.
Snape inwardly cursed, having forgotten that the friendly terms with the two men meant brewing Wolfsbane potion for the wolf. He had a good stock, so it wasn't like he was out. However, he also hadn't wanted them finding out about Harry so soon.
Shaking his head, the man turned and stared as the door burst open. The sound startled the little boy, whom instantly grabbed onto Tom and buried his face into the dark lord's robes. The man would deny that he instantly hugged the child in return in comfort.
"Snivelus!" The cheerful voice cried. However, the voice was instantly followed by a yelp as the man's companion snapped his hand over his head.
"I mean, Severus," the voice had drooped, but the cheer was still evident as he spoke. "I heard it was tea time in the garden!"
Coming into view, Sirius Black was nothing like he had been when Harry had met him in Hogwarts. The man was still kindly looking, with a childlike demeanor and bright eyes. He had finally grown into the handsome man everyone had expected when he had been a teenager. His face was fully formed, his beard a light aftershave rather than a full mane.
His body was adorned and dark red robes, still a proud Gryffindor. A free Gryffindor.
Accompanying him was Remus Lupin, a man whom had also changed since the war had ended. The werewolf no longer walked as if the world rested solely on his shoulders. He had grown back the confidence he had had when he was part of the Marauders. The kindness, however, had only grown. Remus still donned scars from the time, but his demeanor was that of an intelligent bookworm. Much like Hermione.
"And did someone invite you?" Severus drawled lazily, his voice that of when he had taught at Hogwarts.
"Well…" Sirius shrugged, not hesitating as he moved forward and whisked himself a cup. He instantly poured sugar into the concoction, making it super sweet before he'd even take a sip. A wave of his wand conjured a chair just in time to catch him.
"I apologize for the intrusion," Remus began. "It seems as if I've run out of my supply of Wolfsbane, and heard you were home."
The man turned warm eyes towards the two men, and froze. His mouth dropped open as he beheld the child that still remained burrowed into Tom's shoulder. It was evident that the man wasn't going to hide his reaction, his nose twitching as he took a whiff of the room.
It was with quick thought that Tom shook his head gently, Severus casting a silencing charm on the man so that he would not startle the two year old more than they already had.
Sirius, curious on what was happening, finally glanced up from his cup of sugar to see Remus seemingly having a silent freak out. With a frown he followed the man's gaze to the little boy held tightly in the dark lord's arms. He narrowed his eyes, taking in the small body and dark black hair.
The child was pale, from what he could see. Sirius had also learned the hard truth about Harry Potter, and his true origins. Still, the man had vowed to watch after his godson, even if Severus decided he would no longer be of use. It was partially why they had come to a truce, both men loved the missing boy.
But it couldn't be, could it? Surely the child had been killed!
With a frown in his brow Sirius set the cup on the table and did as Remus had, taking a whiff of the room. And was subjugated to the silencing charm immediately.
It took a good five minutes before both men managed to stop freaking out. Tom had taken a seat with the child and started to murmur to him. He'd even cast a ward around himself and the boy so that the two men wouldn't try to grab him in their panicked joy.
Glancing at his husband, Severus threw a silencing charm over the small ward, hoping to have a conversation with just the two men so that Harry would not hear it.
Taking a seat he turned and conjured a chair for Remus, watching as the two men finally deflated enough to stare at him. Both were obviously interested in finding out what had happened since they had last seen the married couple.
Not taking the silencing charm off, Severus nodded. "It's him. It's Harry." His confirmation didn't go without a few tears welling in all their eyes, although none but Remus would ever admit to it.
"He was tracked down when he spoke the old fool's name. By the time we got to him, he had been de-aged and blind." He explained.
Severus finally removed the charm when he noticed Remus trying to ask a question, allowing even the now silent Sirius to make sound.
"Blind? How… what happened? Can he see now?" He sounded furious. "Did that old goat hurt him further?"
Severus shook his head. "As far as we know, the blindness may have been cast before Harry disappeared. remembers the boy screaming when he was taken away from them about his eyes hurting. But he was de-aged by Dumbledore. The man was trying to mold him."
"He can't be older than three!" Sirius exclaimed, also obviously angry.
"Two, actually." Severus confirmed. "But he was a little older when we found him. I used an old potion to bring back his eyesight, the magic de-aged him again."
Remus frowned, "but is he alright? Did it have any negative impact on his health?" The man was shaking to examine the child from head to toe, but knew that he wouldn't get a chance to do so without gaining some sort of trust.
"He'll be fine, as far as our observations have gone, he doesn't remember Dumbledore. He had a small reaction to Ms. Granger, but that didn't last long." He tipped his head to glance at Tom.
"Please speak softly, and don't rush him. My son has just come back to our world, and he may not remember you at all." He waved a hand, undoing the wards and silence around his husband and child.
Tom was the first to speak, hand rubbing soothing circles on Harry's back. "Harry, why don't you meet your uncles?"
The child had pulled back from the man's shoulder, but hadn't had the courage to turn and see what had made such a loud bang when entering the garden. With some hesitation, he listened to his papa and turned, green eyes taking in the two obviously nervous men.
"Hi Harry," Remus spoke gently. "I'm Remus Lupin, but you can call me Moony." He lifted a hand and was surprised to see the child flinch, not missing the looks tossed over Harry's head between the two fathers.
"I don't mean any harm, I'm your uncle Moony. I'll always be here for you kiddo." He explained softly.
Sirius was next, giving a similar introduction but using his own Padfoot nickname. The child finally spoke, his face scrunched in concentration as he tried out the new words. Moony was spoken easily and brought a huge smile to Remus' face. Padfoot, however, quickly turned into Paddyfoo in which Severus promptly hid a laugh with a cough.
"That's right Harry," Remus encouraged.
Per usual, it was Sirius who became the child faster than the eye could blink. His hands reached into his robes and he pulled out a hexagon shaped box. "Do you want a chocolate frog?" He asked the child.
"No chocolate," Severus instantly ordered.
It was too late, Sirius had already opened the box and watched as the enchanted candy made a jump for it. Harry clapped, forgetting his shyness of the newcomers as he reached forward trying to clasp the frog in his hands.
Grabbing too hard, the thing mushed in his hands. Harry stared at it wide eyed, looked between the men in the room, and began to bawl.
Sirius panicked, while Remus rolled his eyes and grabbed the man by the scuff of his robes. "How about we plan on doing dinner tonight?" He turned to Severus, "you wouldn't mind right? I'd love to spend some time with him."
Severus, whom had now started to calm down the child to no avail, simply nodded and withheld a sigh as the werewolf took the squirming dog away. If it hadn't been for Lupin, he'd had never agreed to making peace with the dog.
"I Keda it!" Harry shrieked, after the two fathers tried persistently to calm him. "I keda it!" He screamed again.
There was a moment's pause as Tom listened to the word, but then he glanced at his husband in a frown. "Harry, what do you mean by Keda?"
The male didn't like this, if he was thinking correctly, the boy knew of a curse he had never been taught. Not even as a teenager had Harry used the killing curse, so what was going on?
"I keda ribbit!" Harry wailed again.
Risking going into the mind of a toddler, Tom delved into the memories that might be bringing up the word. What he received shook him to the core.
Harry wasn't remember his former life as a teenager fighting a war, he was remember his time in the muggle world. Albus, a man claiming to be working for the light, had taken the small child into the upstairs room where he had leashed several animals.
He had then explained to Harry that the animals were bad, and Harry had to punish them. When the old man had been met with resistance, he had lost his temper. A hand had wacked at the child's face, throwing him to the ground. A wand had pointed, a green light had flashed, and the animals were dead.
Looking frustrated, the man would turn to Harry and murmur Obliviate before carrying the child downstairs. It had happened too many times for one of the spells to not mess up.
Coming back to the present, Tom realized that Harry was now sniffling himself to sleep on his chest. Not letting go of the little boy he looked up at Severus, mentally throwing the images at his husband. It was no surprise when Severus fell on the chair beside him, tears brimming the corner of his eyes even as hatred and anger shined brightly in their depths.
"I'll… I'll…" He started, not wanting to startle Harry.
"I'll help you," Tom stated. "Until he wishes it to end, and we refuse. He'll wish he never did this."
Cradling Harry in his arms, the dark lord stood and followed Severus from the garden. The house elf would clean up the mess.
Instead of heading towards the room, they started towards the library, glad to hear that Draco wasn't complaining loudly enough to startle the little child awake.
Stepping into the room, they noticed the blond was sprawled out on an arm chair, Hermione in his lap as she read book to book in her research. When she glanced up, she frowned at how pale both men appeared to look. She had news, and she wasn't sure how they would take it.
Judging by the tear streaked face of little Harry Potter, she was sure both mean would be beyond angry. Perhaps delivering the news while Tom was holding the child would save them some damager?
With a deep breath she spoke gently, so as to not wake Harry. "Harry wasn't blinded when he was taken away, I found… I found the curse. And you're not going to like it."