AN: I'm sorry this took so long. I haven't had much motivation to write recently, but I really wanted to get this next chapter out since it's been so long since I've last updated. Originally, I wanted to wait to update this story until I was done with Taking His Life Back, but every time I try and think of where I want to take it, I add new things to the story.
Anyway! I hope you all enjoy this next chapter. There were parts that I wasn't as fond of, but I really wanted to give you all something since it's been so long.
Sirius held the letter in his hands delicately, his fingers trembling as his throat started to close with emotion. Hot tears pricked at his eyes as his chest constricted for the briefest of moments, the relief starting to sink to his very being. Not long after, Remus was rushing into the room, having felt the disturbance in his lover's scent.
"Sirius? Is everything okay?" Remus was moving closer, growing more alarmed when he noticed the bloodshot brown eyes.
"More than okay." Sirius breathed out, swallowing hard. "Harry's okay, Remy." Sirius choked out, another burst of relief hitting him in his chest. "Take a look for yourself." He shakily handed over the crisp parchment, barely a wrinkle on the expensive letter.
As Remus read the letter, his brows raised high and his mouth parted in shock, a disbelieving sound escaping from the suddenly dry throat.
"Dear Merlin," Remus choked out, his eyes as wide as saucers. "Did Harry just-"
"Somehow manage to exonerate me?" Sirius finished for him, the weight of the message starting to sink in. He sat there numbly for a moment, goosebumps starting to rise on his skin. Freedom.
He would have freedom again.
"How on Earth did Harry manage this?" Remus breathed out, ungracefully falling into the chair beside his partner. He couldn't stop his eyes from landing on the letter again, scanning each word, hoping to find any hidden message. "I wonder where he's been staying," Remus mused, chewing on his bottom lip. His question gained a pained sigh from Sirius, who laid his elbows on the table, face burrowed into his hands.
"Wherever he is, he doesn't want to be found." His words were laced with pain, his heart seizing in fear. "Remus, I can't help but wonder," Calculating eyes turned to the werewolf, a suspicion starting to rise. "-if all of this is to stay away from Dumbledore."
The unspoken "Would he have come to us if Dumbledore wasn't around?" was heard from miles away. It made Remus close his eyes in sadness, feeling a wave of guilt crash into him.
"Perhaps," Remus agreed solemnly, index finger gently caressing over the neat script. "But something tells me there is more at play." The werewolf confessed, pausing on his caressing of the letter. "Harry has always been a clever wizard. He hides it well around others, but we know what he is capable of. He's planning something." As someone who had trained Harry and saw him master the Patronus after a few tries, it was a sight to see. They had also been able to see his spectacular transformation into his Animagus form, and that memory never failed to make him smile wistfully.
"I know that. I just…" Sirius hesitated; his eyes downcast. "I wish he had come to us or at least told us in advance. We've been so worried about him. Everyone has." As soon as he said that, he paused, certain pieces starting to fall together. "We've been blind all along." Sirius realized, nearly smacking his head in stupidity. "Why didn't we see it before!"
"What?" Remus asked, eyes wide at his partner's sudden enthusiasm.
"Remus," Sirius breathed, shaking his head. "Considering we know Harry more than most people do, we should have seen the clues. Think about it. Of his closest friends, Hermione and those mischievous twins haven't been around to share their worry." Sirius laughed suddenly.
"Moony, they probably know where he's been this whole time!" Sirius heaved a breath. "And if they don't know where he is, they at least trust his judgment." Remus blinked before groaning suddenly, laying his own elbows on the table.
"Damn it. I should have pieced that together. Why did that take us so long?" They had been worrying this entire time, too blind to see that Harry's best friends either didn't seem as perturbed or downright looked like they knew something everyone else didn't.
Thank Merlin those three were more than capable of keeping secrets and shielding themselves.
"You know what else is worrying me?" Sirius asked after a moment of silence, trying to gather his thoughts. "Harry's last line. It says 'I wanted you to know this, and know it came from me doing this. If Dumbledore tells you otherwise, do not fall for his words.'" Sirius read off, brows furrowing in worry. "The fact that he felt inclined to include this in his letter…"
"Is more than a little alarming," Remus supplied, folding his hands together. "The last few years Harry has obviously been wary of Dumbledore, but this is different. I think something else has happened." There was a flash of anger in Sirius' eyes at this, the man sitting up and scowling darkly.
"And here I am," Sirius spat in self-hatred. "Allowing this man to host the Order meetings while our Godson is off who knows where." Remus was quick to get up and take his lover's hand, giving a reassuring squeeze.
"Before we make any rash decisions," The werewolf began, giving another squeeze. "We need more information. We have two options," Remus began. "Either we try and write to Harry and schedule a time we can meet, or we find him at your trial coming up. He wouldn't miss your exoneration for the world." The words helped calm Sirius a little bit, but not much.
"I like the first idea more," Sirius admitted. "I need to see for myself that he's okay, Remy." His lover pressed into his neck, kissing it gently.
"I know," Remus mumbled. "I need to see him too, Siri. I've been so worried about him this past month."
Mind made, Sirius conjured a quill and parchment and set forth on writing a message, hoping this one would reach their godson.
Dear Feathers,
Remy and I just received your letter. You have no idea how thankful we are to know that you're safe. You also have no idea how grateful I am to you. I once thought that I would have to spend the rest of my days in this ancient house, or as a dog on the streets. To know that I have the chance to walk as a free man again is more than I ever dreamed of.
We are also extremely relieved that you are no longer living with the Dursleys. We were told you weren't, but to hear it from you is also a great relief. You did not deserve the treatment they gave you and I'm so sorry I wasn't able to take you away from them sooner. We should have tried harder to remove you from that situation. For now, we are happy you are safe.
From your previous letter, it sounds as if you've had a busy summer. To claim your lordship and heirships at the age of fifteen, well. It's simply remarkable. You will never cease to amaze me.
Onto a different matter.
We are still worried about you, Harry. I suppose we will always worry when you are away, considering you are our godchild. The reason we are more worried than ever is because of Albus Dumbledore. Your distrust in him has been present to us for a while, but we can't help but fear that something has happened.
In the letter you sent, you wrote "do not fall for his words," which leads us to believe the man has been lying about something important. Whatever it may be, you have our full support. You already know we have our own issues with Dumbledore, but we can't help but feel as if there is another thing at play here. Again, whatever else is going on, we support you.
My exoneration date is two weeks out, but we would like to see you beforehand. If there is something more at play here, we want to know about it. We want to support you with all we can, feathers.
With a sigh, Sirius sent the letter off, hoping it would reach his Godson this time.
"Barty?" Harry held the creased letter in his hands, teeth chewing on his bottom lip. His book of runes lay forgotten on the table, green eyes scanning the letter from top to bottom. "Sirius wants to meet before his exoneration date." He saw the man pause in his writing from the corner of his eye, slowly sitting up and glancing at him.
"They want to discuss something. Probably about why I left the Dursleys and didn't say anything about it. I think they know Dumbledore is a huge factor." Harry explained, handing him the paper to read for himself.
"It also appears that they realize there is another factor as well. I can't say I'm too surprised. The marauders were known to be observant and crafty. Sirius was always doing well in his classes despite never needing to study." Harry snorted a bit, thinking about his classes where that was the case. The fondness quickly grew somber as Harry rubbed the back of his neck, a wave of apprehension hitting him.
"As true as that is, it has me concerned. If he's been able to notice that something else is at play, it might mean that he'll catch onto the fact I no longer associate with the light. At all." Harry reiterated. "I know going against Dumbledore is one thing, but if they realize I've switched sides-"
"Then tell them why," Barty soothed, reaching to lay a hand on his head, stroking the unruly hair. "If you can forgive the Dark Lord for killing your parents and trying to kill you, they can at least try for you. They already offered you support in this letter," Barty reminded, bringing the younger closer to him.
"What if they hate me?" Harry asked in a strangely small voice, one that absolutely broke Barty's heart.
"Then they're idiots who lost something precious," He whispered back, flushing when Harry pressed into his chest.
Harry knew Barty was right, of course. He just dreaded the inevitable conversation.
Especially with how close his parents had been to Sirius and Remus. It was one thing to lose his parents whom he barely remembered, but it was another to lose your closest friends. The twins and Hermione briefly popped into his head and he nearly grimaced, knowing that he would personally have a hard time dealing with their murders.
He knew that Sirius in particular was close to his father. They had been as thick as thieves.
Harry just hoped they would be able to hear him out.
"I know they're my godfathers, but…" Harry hesitated as he looked at Barty, swallowing hard. "Will you come with me?"
"Of course I will," The elder promised. "I know you trust them, but I don't exactly feel comfortable leaving you alone with anyone from the Order, even if they aren't keen on Dumbledore."
Making his mind, Harry waves his hand and produces a blank paper, a deep sigh escaping his lips.
Thursday at noon. Meet us at Gaia's Teahouse.
"Gaia's teahouse?" Barty smirked at the younger wizard. "Let me guess, you want another bag of their signature sunflower and lavender blend?" Harry smiled innocently, leaning into his friend.
"Maybe." He grinned. "Not my fault you got me hooked on it," Harry chuckled. "And don't act like I'm the only one who likes it. You drink it just as much as I do." Harry paused, remembering what he wanted to say about it. "And when I researched it, they're apparently both our birth flowers, so that could be a reason we are drawn to it."
"Clever," Barty praised, thinking back to the tea blend. "I found myself drinking it often after escaping the imperious curse. Lavender is meant to clear and heal your mind. The first few weeks after escaping the imperious curse were horrible. I couldn't concentrate on anything." Harry frowned at that, shaking his head.
"I'm so sorry. I can't imagine what that must have been like." To be under the curse for that long and suddenly free? It was astounding that Barty hadn't lost his mind. "I have a similar reason for drinking the tea," Harry admitted. "I hadn't realized until after I researched it, but sunflowers are used to strengthen the stomach."
"Strengthen the stomach? I was unaware of that medicinal use." Harry shrugged.
"I was malnourished growing up," Harry explained. "Hogwarts was where I was actually able to eat three meals a day, but it came at a price. By the time the school year ended, I had gotten used to the meals, but when I was sent back to the Dursleys," He swallows hard. "I had to train my stomach again. Because of that, it got to a point where I could only eat small portions without hurting my stomach. The sunflower tea is helping me increase the potion size I can withstand."
"Harry, I had no idea." Barty looked alarmed as he gazed at the younger wizard, a deep frown on his face. He knew Harry was physically abused, but he hadn't known they also starved him. "And to think they made you cook their meals." Barty seethed, red-hot hatred boiling inside of him.
"It's alright. Cooking for them was a blessing sometimes. If they weren't around I could steal a few bites. Merlin knows my uncle would never notice." He could remember the way his uncle scarfed down his food, the sight nearly making him sick on numerous occasions.
"The more I learn about them, the more I want to visit them. How anyone could be that cruel is beyond me," He wrapped an arm around Harry subconsciously, the feel of the other's magic calming him down slightly. "When you head back to Hogwarts, I'll be sure to owl you a bag every week,"
Harry felt his heart flutter at that.
Thursday had quickly approached, much to Harry's excitement and apprehension. Barty, feeling the unease, sent a wave of calming magic through their necklaces. It earned him a small smile as Harry sighed.
"Sorry," The younger apologized, a faint flush on his cheeks. "I'm worried how they will take it," He wasn't so much as worried about Remus, but Sirius. His Godfather had strong beliefs about the dark side and Harry wasn't looking forward to telling him about his switch in sides.
However, he knew Sirius was in the dark about several things. Once he revealed Dumbledore disregarding the wishes of his dead parents, then it was more than likely Sirius would come to an understanding.
Not before getting to that point, though.
"I'll be right beside you," Barty promised.
"Right," Harry breathed out again, the words helping him relax more. "Let's get this over with," Harry tried to joke, but it came out as more of a grimace as Barty took his arm and apparated with him, landing about a few buildings away from the teahouse.
Even if they were almost twenty minutes early, Harry had wanted to grab a table early on. He wanted to sit and concentrate on what to say and having Barty there calmed him down more than the smell of the exotic tea.
"Do you want me to go ahead and order the usual?" Barty asked softly, finger lightly brushing against Harry's hand. Taking another breath, Harry nodded.
"Please?" He whispered, grateful when Barty waved his wand, charming the menu to fly to the hostess and list off their order. Even in his anxious state, Harry still loved watching the exchange.
He loved magic.
It wasn't long after that a witch with short blonde hair came out, teacups following behind her. Her brown eyes were full of mirth as she shot the pair a playful look.
"I see my favorite customers ordered the usual today," With a wave of her wand, two jars of honey appeared on the table. One was full and sealed, which caused Harry to send her a look of confusion.
"It's on the house today," She mumbled, eyes holding a severe look of them as a small privacy charm was placed. "You've helped my family, Lord Potter. My Wife was sent to Azkaban and like him," She nodded to Barty. "She was never given a chance to defend herself. A few days ago I received a letter from the ministry explaining that she was possibly coming home. Thank you, Lord Potter. From all of us," Her teary eyes moved something inside of Harry as he swallowed hard.
"Thank all of wizengamot, Calliope. Without their votes, the bill wouldn't have gone through," She chuckled at his modesty and shook her head.
"Yes, their votes sent it though," She agreed. "But without you and Lord Sayre, none of it would have been possible. Lady Abbott told me how inspiring your speech was and I once again thank you for all that you have done," She gave a court nod, lowering the privacy shield as she went to deliver the other patrons their tea.
"I," Harry floundered for a moment, eyes wide. "Was not expecting that," He answered truthfully, face flushed as he watched her walk off, still reeling from the shock.
"What you helped achieve wasn't something minuscule, Harry," Barty explained softly. "You and…Octavian," Barty said, remembering to call him by his new name. "-have changed more than you realize. Appellate courts were unknown to them until you and Octavian set forth to implement it." The older wizard touched his shoulder, words soft.
"Azkaban has been around for centuries," He added. "I don't doubt that many innocent people have died in there, all because the ministry didn't have a reliable court system." Harry sighed, running a hand through his hair.
"What I don't understand is why it never had one," Harry added. "They've been established in the muggle world for over a century now," Harry stated, remembering from his days in primary school.
"I think it's because of the countless wars," Barty took a moment. "The muggles went to war with each other, and we weren't unaffected by it. From what my mother told me about it, the bombs hurt them just as badly. That doesn't even include the war with Grindelwald that was happening at the same time," Barty explained, taking a slow sip of his tea.\
"My mother lost her parents during the wars. Her father was purchasing supplies for Yule when the city was bombed. The wards of the city couldn't withstand the power behind those explosions. Then her mother was killed by Grindlewald himself about a year later for standing up to him and refusing to fight on his side," Barty smiled at him sadly. "Once buildings were rebuilt and things started to go back to normal, there was stability for a short while. Until Dumbledore started to rise to power. And another war started two decades later, the one that saw us wanting to change things for the better," Harry swallowed hard, unaware of how bad it had been in the last five decades.
"I always thought that Grindlewald was the only thing we were fighting back then. I hadn't known about the other war being just as harmful." It made sense, though. Muggle weapons were dangerous beyond measure. No wards could have withstood the power behind those bombs.
"It was particularly hard on those who were raised by muggles," Barty had a small frown on his face as he added a small amount of honey into his cup. "Even if no one was safe from the bombs, the wizarding world was considerably safer than the muggles. My mother was never afraid to make friends, no matter their blood status. The muggleborn population at Hogwarts was almost nothing back then,"
The more Barty spoke, the more Harry realized how much sense it made. He hadn't put much thought into what the wizarding world was like in the forties, but hearing it now made him realize how bad it must have been.
It also made him begin to understand how Dumbledore was able to get away with so much.
"Damn," Harry whispered after a moment, seeing a correlation that he had never seen before. "That was how Dumbledore did so much during those years. Not only was it because he defeated Grindelwald, but it was because he had been there to help in the reconstruction of this world. People turned to him because they didn't have anyone else to turn to and he used that to his advantage. He used their support and faith in him to label the Dark Arts as dangerous, probably under the guise that it was the dark arts that lead people to commit acts of war and violence." Because with the muggle bombs going off and wizards fighting each other, there was so much Dumbledore could have subtly manipulated after.
And the people of the time believed in his words. They didn't want to go face another war with more bloodshed. So they used propaganda on the dark arts, saying it was the cause of all the suffering in this century.
No wonder people looked at Dumbledore like he was a phoenix back then. From the ashes, rubble, and blood; he had risen. He rose and once he gained more power and more support, started to try and change things.
And who would have tried to challenge him back then?
Before Barty had a chance to respond, he noticed the way Harry froze, eyes locked ahead.
"Here," Barty put a spoonful of honey into Harry's tea and slowly slid it to him. "Take a sip and relax. I'm right here," Swallowing hard at the words, he did as he was told and smiled into the cup.
"Just the way I like it," He said, sending Barty a thankful look as he took another sip, letting his nerves ease despite the approaching figures. Barty's presence and the calming tea were all he needed.
Hell. Barty was all he needed. The man and his magic soothed him in ways that nothing else seemed to.
"You can do this, Harry," Barty brushed their fingers together once, sending a wave of calming magic before Sirius and Remus reached their table.
Harry was never more thankful to have Barty in his life during moments like this.
"Hey, Sirius. Remus," There was a small smile on his face as his godfathers reached their table, their eyes wide. "I don't think you need an introduction, but this is my friend," He could barely withhold his smirk when Barty waved at him.
"Black." Barty nodded.
"Crouch," His godfather looked conflicted as he stared between them, opening and closing his mouth for a moment until Remus nudged him.
"Let's sit down," If Remus was surprised by the turn of events, he hid it better than Sirius did. Sirius blindly followed the orders, not taking his eyes off Barty for a moment.
"I thought you were dead," Sirius blurted after a moment of silence, momentarily shocking Harry until he remembered that to most of the wizarding world, Barty had been dead. "The guards came by my cell and carried your body off," Harry winced at the imagery, grasping his necklace and sending a wave of magic to Barty.
He hadn't been expecting this turn of events.
"That body belonged to my mother," Barty said softly, raw emotion shining in his eyes. "When she watched her husband send their child away without a fair trial, her magic turned on her. She started to die from the inside out. Her dying wish was to have me back home and away from the Hell we were placed into." Harry touches Barty from under the table, feeling the tension. Within seconds, it washes away as a hand takes his own for a moment, the warmth shared between them. "Neither of us were given a fair trial, Black. I'm being exonerated for crimes that I didn't commit just as you are."
When Harry remembers to check on Sirius, he catches the pain and guilt-filled eyes.
"I'm sorry," Sirius manages, surprising Harry at how sincere the apology was. "And for what it's worth, Crouch, I never believed you were guilty. Regulus might have made some mistakes in his life, but befriending you was never one of them. His biggest mistake was hanging around Bella."
"And that ended up being my mistake as well," Barty chuckled humorlessly. The atmosphere was awkward, but Sirius was soon opening his mouth again.
"What I want to know," Sirius began after a tense silence. "Is why you're with my Godson."
"Sirius," Harry sighed, the entire plan he had divulging before his very eyes. "As much as I hate to say this, that is one of the last things you need to worry about right now," Harry smirked to himself when Barty snorted.
"Now that's ominous, feathers," Sirius remarked with a deep frown that was mirrored by Remus.
"Feathers?" Barty turned to Harry, who blushed dark crimson.
"I'll explain later," He promised, turning back to the set of frowns directed at him. "Look," Harry ran a hand through his hair nervously. "So much has happened in these last two months and I need you both to listen, okay? What I have to say is going to surprise you and anger you, but you need to know."
"Harry," Remus reached forward to touch his hand. "You can tell us anything,"
"Yes," Sirius agreed, looking at him with wide eyes that resembled a puppy. "You are our godson. We will always love you."
"Even if I turned on the light side?" Harry asked quietly, afraid of the chaos that was about to erupt.
But none came.
"Even if you turned on the light," Sirius responded and Harry felt his heart stop for the briefest of moments, all of his past worries leaving him.
"Especially if you turned on the light side," Remus said, something raw in his voice that even caught Barty off guard.
"Remus?" Harry asked, watching the way his godfathers glanced at each other.
"Remember what you wrote in your letter, Harry?" Sirius asked after a moment of deliberation. "About not falling for Dumbledore's words?"
He was beginning to get a bad feeling.
"Not long after you wrote to us about my exoneration, he sought me out the next day and tried to act as if he were the one to get the act passed." Harry saw the anger in Remus' eyes grow. "And that the only reason he was never able to do so before was because Fudge continued to deny his request about looking into it."
Harry was absolutely livid.
"That bloody bastard," Harry seethed, eyes flashing green. "How dare he. Fudge was one of the most supportive of this bill's passing. He gave me and Octavian his immediate approval when we provided the evidence. And it only took me a day, whereas Dumbledore had over thirteen years to at least try."
"Dumbledore should consider himself lucky it wasn't a full moon when he dropped by," Sirius added, motioning to Remus. "It took me three hours to calm him down when Albus left," Harry smirked a bit, shaking his head.
"I don't know if I would have stopped him from mauling Dumbledore." Barty and Sirius both laughed at that.
"Next time I won't be so generous," Sirius teased. "Merlin knows Remus still wants to rip him apart,"
"Well," Harry chuckled slightly. "Once I tell you everything, you'll both want to maul him." Sirius paused, a stormy expression rumbling across his face. "Honestly, Barty." Harry turned to him. "I don't even know where to begin," The Death Eater hummed, leaning back.
"Perhaps with your loving relatives?" Barty spoke, his words dripping with venom. "And your parents will," Remus and Sirius furrowed their brows, lips parting in confusion.
"Before I start this," He turned to his godfathers with a sheepish look. "I need you to at least try and control your magic-" Before he could even finish, Barty tapped the table and it shimmered in gold for a moment. Once it was done shimmering, Harry could make out the faint white lines etched onto the table.
"I didn't know how they would take it, so I placed the Rune of Oudeteros on the table before they came. The rune will last for about two hours, or until I break the chalk," Barty explained, his warm chocolate eyes locked onto Harry.
"Clever," Remus mumbled from the side. "It's the Rune of neutrality. It stops high levels of magic from passing through. Parents often have to use it near a child if their magic is unstable." Harry took Barty's hand from under the table, giving it a small squeeze.
"Thank you," He smiled, eyes bright with gratitude. "You and your perfect brain," He teased, letting the hand go and turning away, missing the soft look that was only for him.
"Since that settles the issue of your magic," Harry began. "I can tell you how Dumbledore manipulated everything to ensure I was placed in an abusive household, even though it went against the wishes of my parents" Even if the Rune was in place, the atmosphere grew cold as he spoke.
"Excuse me?" Sirius asked slowly, fist clenched on the table. Lupin's eyes flashed darkly, fingers digging into the wood.
"You know, I think I need to start over." Harry shook his head. "Because none of this will make sense if I don't explain what happened during the third task." From there, Harry took a breath. "
Voldemort," Harry felt bad seeing the way Barty tensed and grab his arm. "Otherwise known as Tom Riddle, did come back. However, I never dueled him in the Graveyard as I said to the public. He told me to say it, explaining that's what Dumbledore would want to hear. Instead, Tom explained to me he spent the last few months uncovering why I was able to survive his attack. Which lead to him uncovering his relation to my mum. They were cousins."
"Wait wait wait," Sirius holds up his hands, eyes wide. "You're telling me your mum was a descendant of Slytherin? I-" He pauses, eyes going glassy. "Shit. I can't believe I didn't put it together. No wonder Lils always stopped talking to the snakes when we came by," Remus paused as well, a look of realization flashing across his face.
"…That's why she was so awkward about it," Remus groaned. "Merlin,"
"It's also why I can talk to snakes," He explained. "But Tom told me of ancient magic regarding the Slytherin line. They're supposed to be unable to harm each other. It's partially why the curse bounced off me."
"If it bounced off you, why didn't it bounce off Lily?" Harry swallowed hard.
"Because the Gaunt line has a blood curse, much like the Greengrass line." Harry saw recognition filter through Sirius as he said this. "All women die within a few years after giving birth. Tom's mother died not long after giving birth to him, and when he looked through the records, he found numerous death certificates of the women after childbirth. All of them ranged from immediately to five years after. The theory is that the blood curse canceled out her Slytherin family protection."
"Merlin," Remus sighed again, head laying in his hands.
"We made a truce," He raised his sleeve and tapped his forearm, a snake appearing on his skin for a moment before it vanished again. "He has the exact symbol on his arm too." He clarified when he saw the look of alarm in their eyes. "I don't expect you to…be comfortable with this," Harry said, taking the time to form his words. "But this is the path I've been going down. Dumbledore tried to fill my head with lies about Tom and his side, and I'm seeing those lies firsthand now,"
"It is odd," Remus agreed, not wanting to sugarcoat it. "But if Albus was willing to lie to us about Sirius' exoneration, I fear to imagine what else he's lied about in the past." Sirius took a breath after Remus finished talking.
"Remus is right. It's strange hearing you talk about… him so candidly," Sirius admitted. "I'm just happy you're safe, Harry. I was worried that another war would break out and you would be forced to…" Sirius takes a breath. "You could be a dark lord yourself, Harry, and I would still be your godfather. I would still be there to support you in a heartbeat." The moment was tender and Harry couldn't stop his grateful smile.
"Now," Remus smiled. "Why don't you tell us about how you avoided going back to the Dursleys? I'm curious about how you were able to avoid it."
"When I was entered into the TriWizard tournament," He shot a playful look at Barty who innocently looked away. "I was deemed by magic of being magically mature. I could decide where I wanted to live, and I wasn't going to spend another moment with the Dursleys."
"You could have-" Sirius cleared his throat. "You could have come to us," Harry smiles at them, but it didn't quite meet his eyes. He shook his head.
"No. Not with Dumbledore around."
"Harry," Remus implored. "If you asked, we would have never let that man back into our home. We would have told everyone in the Order to leave and find another place to do their meetings."
"I knew you were questioning Dumbledore, Remus. But I was never for certain how deep it went," Harry tried to explain. "I still wouldn't be able to, regardless. With all that I've needed to do for wizengamot, I needed to be where I am. And," He smiles shyly. "I'm unbelievably happy where I am," He sees Barty smile from the corner of his eye, fingers brushing against his in a show of affection.
"Okay," Sirius doesn't look completely happy, but there is a level of understanding.
"Right, where was I…" Harry mumbled. "After leaving Hogwarts for the summer, we headed to Gringotts. I got an inheritance test so I could claim my potential lordships. That's when I noticed something I hadn't known at all," He looks to Remus and Sirius. "My mum wasn't even an Evans. She was adopted as a baby. Dumbledore keeping me in that house because of the wards was a lie. I shared no blood with the Dursleys at all."
Their anger was palpable as Sirius shifted to touch Remus' shoulder, doing his best to keep him calm.
"I also discovered Narcissa was my Godmother, despite never being told." Sirius goes still.
"What do you mean you were never told?" Sirius floundered. "Merlin, Harry. I thought you knew-"
"No. No one told me. Because apparently my acting magical guardian was Albus himself, and he never thought to tell me of anyone but you Siri." He watches as Remus froze next. "Yep. No one told me about you either, Remus. I was only informed of Sirius being my godfather. Of course, I always saw you as one too, but I only recently found out you were both legally my godfathers. I only thought you were my godfather because of the relationship you had with Sirius,"
"And what's worse," Harry laughed bitterly. "If I couldn't be taken in by either of you three, my mom and dad explicitly stated for me to be placed in an orphanage and never in the hands of the Dursleys." The air was like ice. "Instead of having Narcissa and Remus present for the will reading, Dumbledore sets the date for the duration of the full moon and when Narcissa was at the ministry, being questioned on Lucius' involvement with the Death Eaters. He was the only one present for the reading, but he still sent me to the Dursleys, ensuring I grew up in the muggle world."
His godfathers were enraged by the end of it. Remus's eyes were glowing slightly, nails close to chipping the wood. Sirius had a dark look in his eyes that reminded Barty of Narcissa when she was pushed too far.
"Since he disrespected the wishes of the dead, Gringotts is dealing with him. I knew they would be merciless, so I left it to them to handle it however they best saw fit." Harry explained, swallowing at the suddenly think atmosphere. "It's why his Order of Merlin and Chief Wizegnmonth was revoked."
"That's why," Remus mumbled, voice rough after hearing all the information Harry had unloaded. "He tried to play it off like the Ministry had it out for him and was trying to undermine him because of…his return." Harry blinked at that, frowning a bit.
"That's odd. There hasn't been talk about the resurrection among the ministry from what I've seen or been told." Sirius shook his head, sighing deeply.
"More of his lies then," Sirius began. "During the order meetings, he's told us that he's trying to get the Ministry to believe in…his resurrection. He says that his motions to be heard keep being dismissed at the Wizgenmont meetings," Harry and Barty both snorted.
"The last meeting was a regulation law and voting period," Harry explained. "Dumbledore didn't try to come forward with any case about the Dark Lord. He might have if he was still Chief Warlock, but without that title anymore, he hasn't spoken up. Not in public at least. I don't know what he tries to address if it's just himself and the minister,"
That thought alone made him wonder when Dumbledore would seek out Tom next. The man was growing in popularity among not just wizengamot, but the ministry as well. It wouldn't be long until Dumbledore tried to get closer to him and try to charm him into believing in his cause.
That was going to be an amusing conversation.
"I'm worried that he plans to try and use you for that," Sirius spoke up, looking thoughtful as he gazed at his godson. With all the tarnishing his name has gone through this past month, it's likely he will try and use you to do his dirty work." Harry wanted to grimace at that, knowing it was sadly true. It was something that occasionally kept him up at night, wondering when Dumbledore would try and seek him out at one of those meetings.
Or worse, when he returned to Hogwarts and didn't have a way to easily hide.
"That's something I'm waiting on," He admitted with a small shrug, not seeing the point in hiding it. "I don't know when he plans on seeking me out to do so, but I figured it would be in the next month or two," Remus looked sad.
"You can tell him no," Remus mumbled, pausing when Harry shook his head.
"No, I can't. He would grow suspicious," He began, relaxing when he felt Barty's hand brush against his, a small amount of magic passing between the two. "And it's part of the plan that Tom has anyway," Harry informed. "I can't get into the specifics of it, but he wants to make everything neutral again in the Ministry and this world. No more Light vs Dark. He wants everyone to exist together without controversy or censorship. No more banning what people deem as evil because it's simply dark magic."
"I can get behind that," Sirius admitted, shocking Harry at how easily he agreed to the ideas. "I might have been on the opposite side in the war because of Lily and James, but I am a Black," Sirius smirked a bit. "Dark magic has always come naturally to us. Some things should have never been banned, just for the fact they were deemed as dark. I didn't practice as deeply as my family, but I dabbled for a few years."
"Truthfully," Remus began after a moment. "Had he not been after your parents, we would have at least remained neutral. The only reason we ever joined to fight him was the fact we wanted to protect the people that meant the most to us. I don't regret that part." Remus smiled at him, his eyes bright with emotion.
"I'm not going to excuse what he did in the past," It was Barty who spoke. "I nearly disserted when he told us of his plan to go after a child. It was why Regulus deserted," Harry swallowed at the look on Sirius' face, seeing the pain linger for a long moment. "In those last months of the first war, he was crazed. I couldn't see the person I had put my faith into. He had lost the charisma and charm of the leader we originally saw," He took a breath. "Since his return, he's changed back to the person I once followed." Harry nervously glanced at his godfathers, knowing they supported him, but still fearing their judgment.
"You don't have to agree with what I'm doing," Harry mumbled. "I would never ask you to join someone who took away your closest friends, but this is the path that I have taken. It goes against Dumbledore and the Order,"
"Harry," Sirius grabbed his hand. "You have our support." He then turned to Remus and the two seemed to convey something with their eyes. "Wherever you go, we go. If you want to be on this side, we will too," Harry sucked in a breath.
"Siri-"
"I'm considered a dark creature, Harry," Remus cut in. "It's always been the light side trying to put restrictions on me. There was a time when my species had the support they needed and were able to integrate into society. It was before my time, but that was because my time here was started by Dumbledore. He already had power by the time I came to Hogwarts."
"Like I said earlier, feathers, we only joined the order to protect you and your parents. Had Voldemort not been after them, none of us would have joined the order. Your parents wouldn't have either. They only joined to receive protection and to have firsthand information of where Voldemort was or what he was planning." Sirius paused. "They would be proud of you for taking initiative, Harry. If Lils saw what was being done to you, she would have killed Albus already. They would have wanted you to have a happy life, and one where you got to decide what you wanted to do,"
Harry feels his eyes prick with tears as he offers a small smile, his heart feeling lighter than it had all day.
"Thank you, Siri." He mumbles softly, glad that much of the weight in his chest was now gone.
Wanting to lighten the mood, Sirius spoke up with a smirk.
"This is also personal now," He began. "Dumbledore kept you away from Remus and one of my favorite cousins for all of these years. We'll make him regret that," Harry felt his lips twitch into a smirk at the mischief in his godfather's eyes.
"I have an idea on how you can help with that," Barty had a gleam in his eyes, and Harry leaned forward, already anticipating what his friend had to say. Even Remus looked interested as he tilted his head slightly.
"I'm all ear then," Sirius grinned wider.
"Keep the Order at Grimmauld Place," Barty suggested. "For one, Dumbledore would become suspicious if you were to suddenly kick them out, which would lead him to single Harry out even more," Sirius' eyes darkened at that. "The other reason is with them being there, we know where they are. We don't have to worry about where their hiding spot is. We also don't have to worry about what they would be planning,"
"You want us to be spies," Remus realized.
"Only partially. There are only four members we're cautious about, besides Dumbledore." Remus frowned at that as he crossed his arms.
"Who?" He asked. It was Harry who spoke up next.
"Elphias Doge. Dedalus Diggle, and Sturgis Podmore," Harry sighed. "We're cautious with them because they worked in the ministry and wizengamot during the first war. It's possible they were the informants Dumbledore used to ensure I was at the Dursleys, besides Moody, but he's gone," Harry shrugged. He could feel the anger radiating off of his godfathers as he spoke. "The last person we're unsure about is Tonks," Harry saw the way Sirius winced at that and he felt a pang of sympathy for him. "Moody was her mentor, and she's a fairly high-ranking Auror," Harry explained.
"They could be trying to help Dumbledore in that regard," Sirius mumbled, seeing their uncertainty. "We don't mind watching for them when they have a meeting,"
"In fact, we might just have another set of ears to help out too," Remus confessed and Harry would have frowned, but when he saw the lightness in his eyes and the slight smirk, he knew all too well.
"They'll be glad to help," Harry smirked. "They've been meaning to test out some of their new devices before they stock them in their shop. I'm sure they'd love some help with creating them and testing them," At the confused look Barty gave him, Harry chuckled.
"The Twins,"
"A good choice," Barty agreed. "They can be subtle when they want to be,"
"Which is more often than people think," Harry confessed. "I'll write to them later about it, but I think they'll have a lot of fun out of this,"
With the twins and his godfathers watching the order, he knew nothing would slip past.
"If we see anything suspicious with them, we'll let you know," Remus said. "After everything Albus has done to you, I want to personally watch him suffer as everything falls apart around him," Sirius grinned.
"And people think you're the innocent one," Sirius smirked.
"That went differently than I thought it would," Harry admitted when he and Barty were back home, the two of them settling into their usual position on the sofa. "A lot better too," He had a book in hand, leaning against Barty. The man subconsciously pulled the younger closer, an arm wrapped around him as he used his other hand to hold the book.
"I knew Sirius decently when we were younger," Barty explained. "A lot of the pranks the marauders did have some level of dark magic. Sirius is correct that some types of magic come easier to certain people. The Black family is known for being experts in the Dark Arts and charms," Harry pressed into Barty more as the man spoke, closing his eyes as he let the words sink into him.
"Tired already?" His friend teased after a moment. Harry merely hummed.
"No, I just like listening to you talk," He confessed, missing the blush that settled on the pale cheeks. "I could listen to you for hours, no matter the subject." Swallowing, Barty raised his book giving it thought for a moment.
"I do have a new book on crystals and their specific ritualist runes," He began, smiling more when Harry pressed closer, the younger making an interested sound.
"Are the rituals based on one culture, or does the book include other cultures too?" Barty laid a hand in Harry's hair, stroking softly as he spoke up.
"Multiple," He informed, smiling softly when Harry perked up more. "Want me to read it out loud?"
"I told you, I love listening to you talk." Harry teased back. "So yes. I'd love for you to read it,"
Barty flushed a bit more, a small smile on his face as he started to read the contents.