Hey everyone,
New chapter and I am so glad that I am mixing these two in a new way. I know in A Cooper family that there were a lot of things holding me back, one of which was that I was a little out of ideas of what to do now that they had a fifth year without Voldemort or Umbridge, but this story still has a lot more potential for plans to come.
Also, for those of you wondering how it was possible for the gang to arrive late enough the kids were already asleep, it took Fleur some time to find them and Interpol isn't a 9 to 5 workplace. Carmelita had a late Shift and the distance between Berlin and France is 655 miles so Sly's journey back to Paris did take a while.
You all understand,
Venquine1990
PS. Carmelita's Spanish, so translation time
usted bruja asquerosa is Spanish for You Disgusting Witch
Chapter 04
Meeting My Parents
Harry's POV/Rin-Gin's POV
Last night was amazing, especially when Bill and Fleur arranged for the French woman to go look for my family's hideout and while I am still not entirely sure what my link is to the Coopers, am I almost 100% certain that Carmelita and Sly Cooper are my real parents, while Lily and James must have adopted me after I was kidnapped.
This I had shared with Sirius after he took me to his room to sleep and the man had agreed and even vowed, like he had to the others, of how sure he was that neither Lily or James knew of me being kidnapped, the man assuring me that they would never take a helpless child from their parents, not even when in war.
We had then talked the rest of the night away, Sirius telling me all kinds of things he had seen me do when I was little and me sharing the few things I had been able to uncover by myself about my family as well as sharing the papers Bill and Charlie had helped me find with him before sleep had taken me and I had been off to dreamland.
The excitement for meeting with my folks, however, must have become a magic of itself as I didn't have a single nightmare or vision, not of Cedric dying, Voldemort's rebirth or the strange corridor, but when consciousness returns to me, do I instantly sense that Sirius and I are no longer the only ones in the room.
A presence. One of a being that is slightly taller than my original Foxcoon form is on the side of the bed and has his or her gaze aimed at my own humanoid face, making me know that whoever this person is, he or she is unable to see past the powerful glamour charm that the Goblins will hopefully be able to take off of me today.
Deciding to find out whoever this person could be without them knowing so, do I feel happy when, opening my eyes just a sliver, I find myself lying sideways with my face aimed for the bedroom door and the person gazing at me. Yet the looks of the person near me, even when viewed through slivers of my eyes, shocks me senseless.
A fox with orange brown fur and chocolate brown eyes is leaning on her lower legs as she is besides the bed and looking at me, the fox herself dressed in a uniform that has an actual police badge hanging from a choker around her neck, proving to me that this fox is someone who fights and arrest criminals for a living.
Wondering what a person like that could have to do with my actual parentage, does it take me only a second to realize that, were her eyes a few shades lighter, they would have been identical to mine and then suddenly do I hear a deep baritone voice whisper: "Carmelita, you'll wake him if you keep staring that intensely."
And when I switch my gaze from the fox to the doorway, do I see a raccoon with grey fur and amber brown eyes leaning against the doorframe, his arms crossed, an easy smile on his face and his legs crossed at the ankle before he seems to notice my gaze and smiles at me, his eyes warm and full of love as he says:
"Never mind, too late." Making the fox look at my face in clear shock while the laughing voice of my godfather sounds from behind me and he says: "Good morning, Harry." And then, even while he's behind me, can I sense the man gazing from me to the raccoon in front of me before he goes on and says: "Or should I say, Rin-Gin."
At this I turn back to the fox and Raccoon and the way that the woman's eyes are now teary and showing me an emotion I have only ever seen in the eyes of Mrs. Weasley when she looks at her kids, but never at me, together with how the loving pride that is shown on the face of the raccoon is all the proof I need to have.
These two creatures, this female fox and this male raccoon, really are my parents and some witch or wizard really did steal me from them only days after I was born, before giving me to Lily and James Potter, putting a Glamour on me to make me look human and cause everything else that has happened to me, with all its consequences.
Thanks to these thoughts do I move out of bed with my full speed, not even caring for the fact that I am half as tall as my actual folks as that will change once the Glamour has been removed and I pull my mother with me as I run for my dad, pulling them both into a hug, the two of them shocked for a second before they respond.
Dad starts to laugh softly, his arms wrapped around my shoulders as I slid myself down on my knees when reaching him and mum has tears softly dripping down her cheeks as she lets one of her hands softly go through my hair, the feeling of her fur against the back of my head making me capable of feeling her love for me.
I open my teary eyes to look at them one at a time and when my gaze locks with that of my mum, does she softly pull my face towards her and kiss my cheek, her touch making me feel as I just got born all over again, born where I belong and born where my life was supposed to take place, had I not been kidnapped.
"I can't wait to see what you really look like, my boy, but this human look is definitely very fitting. Not too bulky, not too tall, exactly the right height and length for a good Master Thief." Dad then tells me before he moves one of his arms to my waist and frowns as he mutters to himself: "A little too thin to be healthy, though."
I smile at my dad, touched by how proud he sounded when complimenting me and by how concerned he sounded when feeling the little bit of muscle and flesh I have around my waist and then decide to give him another reason to be proud of me as I say: "Just wait till you see this, dad." And I pull away from them both.
The two of them look at me, dad having an interested grin on his face while mum moves to lean against his side and while he happily wraps an arm around her waist, do I walk over to where I laid my cloths of last night and rummage through my slightly torn jacket for a few minutes before pulling out my little creation.
I started making this after my three meetings with the Mirror of the Erised as it had been something I had constantly noticed was stuck to the back of my dad's mirror image and just getting the right kind of wood, which I got out of the Forbidden Forest, had made me know I had some kind of connection to the Cooper Line within me.
I then take it out of my pocket and move over to Sirius, handing it out to him and asking: "Could you regrow this, Sirius? I shrunk it before getting on the train last year and I don't feel like giving Fudge more reason to expel me, you know?" The man nods and pulls out his wand as I lie the little item down on his bed.
My parents now move over as well, dad's smile now looking both intrigued and excited and while part of me wonders if he gets what I'm about to show him, does Sirius use the Finité spell, undoing my shrinking charm and making the small item grow until it's about as long as one and a half times my own arm.
The item is a cane with a head that is bend like the letter C, but then with an extra curl at the very tip, making it easier for me to attach the end to ropes and other small or thin materials, while the wood of the cane is made of pine with the tip of it being a little thicker and made of the same kind of wood as my wand; Holly.
I smile when the spell has been undone and while I know that I will have to put a permanent shrinking charm on the cane once my Glamour has been broken, do I now happily take hold of the middle part of the cane and pull it close, swishing the wood around in my hand and moving it over to my other without stopping the spins.
I then throw the cane up and catch it with my other hand before slamming the bottom on the floor next to me, smiling at my dad who has a larger smile on his face than anyone else I have ever seen smiling at me, even when I caught the Golden Snitch and won the Quidditch Cup for Gryffindor House during my Third year.
"A real Cooper. He's a real Cooper. He actually made his own cane. He's a real Cooper! MY SON IS A REAL COOPER!" He then shouts and this makes two more animals, one a green turtle, the other a pink Hippo, stick their heads around the doorframe, both of them smiling as the turtle asks: "Anything good to share, Sly?"
And the smile that is still on my dad's face as he turns to who I can only guess are his friends says everything before my mum shakes her head, moves over to me and lies her hand on my arm as she says: "You better prepare yourself, Rin-Gin. You just made your Old Man's day and probably made him unbearable for the next few days."
"How did he do that?" The Hippo asks and I decide to show them the only move I am sure I can do. I strengthen the hold I have on my Holly and Pine wooden cane and rush for the hallway, the Hippo and Turtle moving out of the way as I turn to the staircase, make a jump with a long flip to the side and land on the handrail.
Everyone moves over to look at me, mum and Sirius looking at me with worried shock, while the Hippo and the Turtle are just shocked, yet while focusing on how I slide down the railing, move and bend my body along with the sharp turns when it moves further down and slide to the bottom floor, do I only see one face.
That of my dad and how almost his entire face is covered by his large, proud smile as he watches me slide down the entire railing, whooping and screaming his proud happiness for the entire house to hear, which is something I revel in until I get painfully reminded why it's best we don't raise our voices in the hallway.
And this painful reminder comes from Mrs. Black's portrait showing herself yet again, her voice going through the entire house and screaming terribly as she shouts profanities and insults for all of Grimmauld Place's occupants to hear, some of the other portraits joining her as they get woken up by her screaming.
Instantly my parents rush down and while my dad slides down the railing like I did, does my mum, shockingly enough, pull a pistol from her side and aim it at the portrait, her voice overruling that of the woman painted there as she shouts: "BE SILENT ALREADY!" Shocking all those that came out of their rooms.
"Who? What are you? How did you get in here? Who do you think you are, demanding me to be silent? Do you have –?" Mrs. Black then tries to start a new tirade, but my mum proves her strength as she aims the pistol for the portrait and says: "I am Carmelita Montoya Cooper and I don't care who you are, I just know you're an annoyance."
The woman on the painting bristles and then Sirius says: "And not just a slight annoyance either. If she didn't have that permanent sticking charm attached to the back of her frame, she wouldn't even be here anymore – which my darling mother knows just fine, seeing how she constantly tries insulting us whenever she wakes."
And while the woman on the portrait glares at her still living son, does dad ask me: "Including you, son?" But I shrug and say: "I only got here last night, although I do take offence to the word Halfbreed." Making the woman turn her glare my way before mum glares at her and says: "No one insults my little Rin-Gin."
And while part of me feels that the term little doesn't really count seeing the glamour, does my mum pull the trigger, causing for a ball of electricity to launch itself from the rounded little tip at the end of the pistol and when it hits, does the woman in the painting actually scream in pain before she herself closes her own curtains.
"And stay gone, you usted bruja asquerosa." My mum then hisses before Mrs. Weasley comes over and asks: "What do you think you're doing? Having such a dangerous weapon around? There are kids here, you know?" But while dad, the turtle and the hippo wince, does mum seem to take offence to Mrs. Weasley as she glares and snaps:
"You dare remind me of my son being here? I just defended his honor! You dare think you can tell me how to raise my own son? Who are you anyway?" Mrs. Weasley looks at mum in shock and I whisper: "Had it not been the for the Trust Oath Contracts that were signed last night, I would suspect her to have a part in my kidnap."
This makes Dad turn to me grimly and he asks: "And those Contracts prove different?" I nod and say: "I read one of them. There's a segment that makes it so that if anyone who aided the kidnapper in me being brought here would sign the contract, their magic would make them get some kind of blue aura. None of the signers got that."
At this dad nods, his face now back to looking at ease and happy and then he moves over and says: "I think it's time for introductions, right gorgeous. Miss, my name is Sly and this lovely temperamental woman over here is my gorgeous wife, Carmelita. The turtle over there is my good friend Bentley and the Hippo is my other friend, Murray."
Mrs. Weasley looks at him with a flabbergasted look on her face, having obviously not expected him to just join in the conversation so loftily and then a whooping sound is heard as the twins move downstairs and one slaps my dad on the back while the other firmly grasps and shakes his hand. Then the left one says:
"Fred and George, my good Sly, and congratulations." And the right one, which I now recognize as Fred, says: "Yes, congratulations indeed. I have never seen anyone get our mother to lose her temper so quickly and thoroughly. Tell me, my good man." And the two chorus to the humor of us all: "What's your secret?"
And while Sirius, Bentley and Murray start to snicker at the display of the two, Bentley sitting on top of Murray's shoulder, does dad smile at the two with a mischievous air that I have only ever seen around either the twins or Sirius and while Mrs. Weasley recognizes the trait as well, does dad let go off the twins and say:
"My secret, you two? It's really quite simple." And while he speaks, does he walk over to mum, wrap his arm around her waist and grab one of her hands with his as he says: "You love them. It's just that simple." And while mum sends dad a playfully irritated grin, do the twins share a confused look before they both shrug.
I then decide to join in on the fun and while changing my grip to make my cane hang loosely by my side, do I move the staircase back up to the landing where by now everyone has gathered and say: "Mum, dad, Bentley, Murray, meet Molly, Ron and Ginny Weasley, Sirius Black my godfather and Remus Lupin, an ex-teacher of mine."
The four of them smile and I say: "You already met the twins, of course and I think you probably met Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour as well, am I right?" My parents nod, but then Sirius looks up and says: "Someone's calling us over the Floo." And while my parents look confused, do we all rush down to the basement.
There Sirius taps the fireplace with his wand and says: "It's Bill. He's up early." He then comments while tapping the fireplace a second time and this time does the fireplace light up with green flames, just when my parents and their friends walk in, causing the four of them to shout in shock before Bill's face shows up.
"Morning everyone, Fleur and I left for Gringotts early this morning, we just couldn't wait to get the news to High-Master Rigslow. And don't worry, mum, Fleur made me six sandwiches so I can last the entire day no problem." Mrs. Weasley nods, the worry evaporating from her face only slightly before Bill turns to me and says:
"Good news, Harry, I got a meeting with High-Master Rigslow in ten minutes and he demands I take you and your parents over with me. He wants to take the Glamour off personally and he promised to check you for any and all spells that can keep you from being who you're meant to be; a member of the Cooper line, or so he said."
This news make me smile as wide as my dad did earlier and then mum asks: "Is – is it safe? To travel like that, I mean?" And Bill nods as he says: "Thousands of people travel by Floo daily, Mrs. Cooper. No need to worry. You might not land all that greatly, but it's almost as quick as the Portkey you took to get here last night."
My mum nods and I ask: "Sirius, could you –?" The man nods and waves his wand over my form, my nightclothes replacing themselves for a simple blue shirt with leather brown pants and a peasant's cap landing on top of my head, making the smile dad has on his face grow a second time while Sirius sighs and says:
"There, now you're really your father's son." And while mum awes softly do I turn to Bill and say: "Free the way, Bill, we're coming over." And while mum, dad, Bentley and Murray move over, does Bill's face disappear from the flames, but do the flames stay green before dad suddenly stops, looks around and asks:
"Where's Dimitri?" And while his friends and my mum now look around as well, does Fred start: "No way did he –." And George goes on and says: "Sleep through all that –." And they chorus: "Shouting, did he?" But when Sirius waves his wand in the air, does he smirk and say: "One more resident in here is still asleep."
And while the twins whistle in amazement, do I motion my parents and say: "Come on, follow my lead." And I step into the green flames, my parents looking at me worriedly while the warmth of the fire makes me feel as warm on the outside as their love and care makes me feel on the inside before I clearly say:
"Gringotts Wizarding Bank, Bill Weasley." And with that do the flames surge up and do I feel myself swirling and tumbling through an endless tube, countless fireplaces swishing past my vision and making me close my eyes, lest I feel the need to throw up last night's meal and while relieved not have had breakfast, do I travel on.
Then, as if a spring suddenly loosened up behind me, do I feel myself getting pushed out of one of the grates, but with the memory that I now have my parents, do I allow for my Inner Cooper Instincts to kick in, making me roll up and making several somersaults before I stop and put one hand in front of my crouched legs.
"Nice Harry, way better than usual, I see." Bill compliments me, but while I move out of the way for my parents to come through, do I say: "That's because usually I don't allow for my inner talents to come out, Bill. As a Cooper I can move much easier and swifter, but as a human, my balance system is just slightly off."
The redhead nods and while my mum tumbles out and seems to curse in her native tongue with a low voice, does Bill help her up and out of the way just before my dad does the same thing I did, landing on one leg bend in front of him and the other below him before he opens his eyes and looks around asking softly:
"Carmelita, Rin-Gin, you both okay?" I nod and say: "We are, dad, but you better get out of the way if Bentley and Murray are still to come through." Only just when I finish warning him, does a high shout come from the grate before a screaming shell gets shot out and heads straight for my dad who jumps over it.
I then reach out with my reflexes and my cane and attach the tip of my hook with the hole in the shell that usually has a turtle's head sticking out of it and when Bentley notices this, does a sound of relief come from his shell before I unhook my cane and he pulls himself out, his arms, legs, head and tail moving out of their respective holes.
"What a mad way of travelling. I swear, Murray drives more careful than that when we're escaping the cops, seriously." The turtle grumbles while wiping dust and sooth off his shell, but then I see the fireplace turn green again and rush Bentley out of the way, just when Murray, who seems tuck for only a second, gets shot out.
The Hippo lands flat on his stomach, actually making the floor around us tremble a little and lets out of a loud Oof before he shakes his head, gets up and shouts: "That – was – AWESOME!" Making me snicker while putting Bentley back down, the turtle smiling at me gratefully as he had been standing where Murray's muzzle landed.
Then a Goblin I have never seen before comes over and asks: "Employee 2875444, are these the guests requested to be here by High-Master Rigslow?" And Bill answers: "Yes, Employee 1783221. These are the members of the Cooper Gang. And this is Rin-Gin Cooper, who wears the Glamour High-Master Rigslow mentioned."
The Goblin nods, his face stern and upset, probably because he heard and sensed the commotion that took place here while Bentley and Murray came through the Fireplace and he turns on his heel as he says: "Escort them as ordered." Before moving out of the room and what I can only assume is back to his own station.
"Are all employees so strict and grumpy around here?" Dad then asks and Bill answers: "Gringotts is the only bank in the Magical World and it's completely run by Goblins. There have been many wars between our species over the centuries and there is still a lot of distrust between Goblins and the current higher up Classes of our kind."
This makes the Raccoon look disgruntled himself and he says: "No offence to you, Bill, but the more I hear of this country and world, the more I desire to take my son home and make our whole family forget this ever happened." The man nods, but my stomach churns at the idea of never seeing those I consider my friends again.
We then start walking, Bill leading us through several hallways, some of them made of marble and stone, others having been dug out of the very earth itself and we finally reach an office of which the door is made of pure white marble, making it stand out quite obtrusively from the rest of the tunnel like hallway.
Bill knocks on the doorway and presses a badge that he pulled from his robe against a part of the door, the badge itself lighting up before, after a few seconds, a strong, gruff voice answers: "Enter." The door opening before Bill and the man himself bowing upon entrance, all of my family and me following his example.
I then spare a glance at the Goblin that is considered a High-Master amongst his kind and just the look on the Goblin's face – scarred at several areas, one of his eyes having a strange color which makes me realize he's half blind, a deep but healing cut running across the left end of his mouth – makes me know this is it.
This Goblin is the one who is going to fix everything that has happened to me since my parents lost me. This Goblin will not just undo my Glamour, he will probably find out who casted the Glamour in the first place and, by looking at the being, hunt this person into Hell. And just the thought of all that happening, makes me smile widely.
And the end!
So, Harry has met his parents and his father's friends, he has revealed to have a Cane of his own and a few Cooper Abilities and Mrs. Weasley seems to have already screwed up with Carmelita, but hey, what can you expect if you put two women who are both hot-headed in the same house, let alone the same room.
Anyway, next chapter will be the Glamour being undone and the revealing of the culprit. I will admit that I wanted to make it so that when Sirius first called Harry Rin-Gin, I wanted for that to be the magic word to undo the Glamour, but I need them to know who kidnapped Rin-Gin and the spell just breaking won't help with that.
Enjoy,
Venquine1990
