Disclaimer: Well, considering I'm not richer than England royalty, I don't own Harry Potter. Or Twilight.
Story: The books happened. And then Harry decided to happen. So he did, living his life and traveling the world. Then Teddy comes into his care and he decides to settle down in Forks, somehow drawing attention even when he doesn't want it. Teddy is just exasperated and having his own fun.
Set after book 7, AU Epilogue and slightly altering the final battle.
Spoilers: Books 1-7 probably.
Warnings: ????
Pairings: Harry/Marcus, Bella/Carlisle, Alice/Jasper, Emmett/Rosalie, Esme/Charlie, Teddy/Leah, Sam/Jacob, Edward/Tanya…
A/n: Wow, I was surprised at how many people liked this. Well, here's the second chapter which will start moving the story along, after the first chapter set up. Sorry, it took so long. I wanted to make sure I had a good chapter to put out. Only thing you need to know is that I changed Scorpius' birth date from 2006 to 1999.
Stranger Happenings
Chapter Two: Bloody Sundays
"Papa, you have another letter from the Ministry," Teddy said, handing his godfather the large bundled pieces of parchment.
Harry took it without looking, throwing it into a box with a huge collection of similar letters and labeled "junk" on the side.
You see, following Harry's voluntary leave of the British Wizarding World, the Ministry of Magic kept sending him letters ranging from a summon for a vote of a bill (naturally, Harry had to be there considering he held the Wizengamot seats of the Potters, Blacks, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, and Hufflepuff families) and to a meeting with the new Minister of Magic. Harry ignored them all.
Teddy sweatdropped and sighed in exasperation, leaving as he called out that he was going to visit the Blacks over at the reservation.
"Steal some beef jerky for me."
Teddy paused and then continued on his way, shaking his head.
"Do not ignore that letter, Potter. My father wrote that one personally," Draco Malfoy's exasperated voice greeted him.
Harry quickly jumped up from his chair with a grin, holding his arms out.
"Ohh, my little dragon! How have you been?" Harry cooed, dismaying Draco.
"Arsehole," Draco grimaced. "Don't call me that. If Scorpius hears you say that, I'll kill you."
"How is my lovable Malfoy godson?" Harry smirked, leaning back against the table and crossing his arms across his chest.
Draco hesitated, "He is…being obstinate. He's complained to me many a times how he wishes you would call on him more. You do have more than one godson, Harry."
Harry worried his lower lip. "I'm sorry. I know that, but Teddy is like my son. But perhaps I should be more considerate of Scorpius' feelings."
"Maybe if he were to stay with you awhile?" Draco hesitantly suggested.
"You would allow that?" Harry raised an eyebrow.
"Yes. Scorpius would be a playmate as well to Teddy. And he won't stop bothering me about it anyhow."
Harry smiled, "Sure. Send him over. I'll set up his room and I can show him around. Can I enroll him into school with Teddy? He's already started so he can help Scorpius settle in."
Draco rolled his eyes, "If you must send him to muggle education. When should I send him over?"
"An hour or two. Teddy will be back by then, maybe even with Jacob. He's our neighbor. Smells vaguely of wolf."
Draco shook his head, "Werewolf?"
Harry shrugged, "Who knows. Not my problem. I'll just have to keep Teddy away around full moons. Scorpius now too, while I'm at it."
"Well, read that letter and I'll send my son over later. See you, Harry."
Harry nodded and Draco apparated out. Reluctantly, he took the letter back out of the junk box and noticed the official Malfoy insignia sealed onto the back. Breaking the seal, he began reading the letter.
Dear Harry,
You had better not ignore this letter as you've undoubtedly ignored all the others. I know you don't care for the British Wizarding World politics, but all of the ignored summons are building. We cannot get a single bill passed because your absence is preventing us from coming to a decision. Your votes matter, Potter. Not only can your votes sway a decision either way, but without you here to vote, we are stalled and put into a limbo until you cast a vote. A bill cannot be passed or denied unless every Wizengamot seat (which means the six that you hold) is present and votes, making your seats vital on casting a decision of nay or yay. Write back or just damn show up, Potter. Or I'll come there and drag you myself.
Of the Noble and Ancient House of Malfoy,
Lord Lucius Domitius Malfoy
Harry snorted and then snickered. "That's the point, Lucius. Doing nothing, and tying their hands. A basic fuck you very much to the good people of British Wizarding World."
He fondly noted the Malfoy patriarch was still very arrogant and conceited. "Lord Lucius," he kept snickering. That said, he put the letter back, resealed it, pretended like he'd never opened it and chucked it back into the junk box.
Before Teddy could come back and before Scorpius would be arriving, Harry decided to drop by the hospital and get things arranged there. Whistling, he walked into the hospital winking at every female and male that walked by. His new light gray tinted glasses were brilliant. Finding who he was looking for, he knocked loudly on the wall beside the head doctor to get his attention.
"I wanted to set up before getting started tomorrow," Harry informed him, cheery and all smiles.
"Ah yes. I'll give you a tour, show you your new office and inform you of your new duties," the doctor hesitantly smiled back.
Harry followed, asking questions and taking note of everything. Seeing a pale man walking around the ER, Harry twitched.
"That man right there. Who's he?" Harry asked, with a huge smile on his face and eyes narrowed into slits. It seemed very cheery, but an edge of predatorily hints seemed to have tinted it. The head doctor dismissed it as his imagination.
"Dr. Carlisle Cullen. He's very good, our best doctor here. Could probably take over my job, if he wanted to. And he's subbed for me whenever I'm out."
Harry kept the expression on his face, face darkening only slightly. But only those who knew him closely would catch the hidden emotions on his face that was behind the cheery front.
'Vampire,' his mind supplied, automatically registering all the signs. He sighed inwardly. It wasn't his problem, and as long as he or his godsons weren't bothered, all was right in his world. But it was rather tiresome to know that he'd moved to such an unassuming place and he still seemed to be surrounded by the unnatural aspects of the world. Vampires and werewolves, to hell. Damned if he got caught up in it. Whatever was going on, or whatever either group was up to –not his problem. And he wasn't going to involve himself unless absolutely necessary. Which most probably meant never.
Harry really loved being an uncaring jerk nowadays.
"Ah, Dr. Cullen! I'd like you to meet our new Director," the head doctor called out, bringing the golden-eyed vampire towards them.
Well, at least he was vegetarian.
Harry firmly shook his hand, the silly grin still on his face and his eyes still slitted like a fox's. He didn't flinch at the cold marble-like skin, even holding Carlisle's hand longer than necessary.
"Director Potter, this is Dr. Cullen. Carlisle, our new Director, Harry Potter."
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Harry purred. And while his usually did so seductively, this tone was more dangerous.
Carlisle caught it.
Giving a strained smile, he greeted the new Director. "Hello, sir. I must say, it's my pleasure. And it's such a great thing, you coming in and helping out like this. A small town like Forks needs people willing to chip in more."
Harry's smile didn't change a bit, but his eyes slightly opened. "I'm sure."
After the uncomfortable meeting and Harry finished up there and had enrolled Scorpius, he went back home just in time for his six year old Malfoy godson to appear at his doorstep.
"Lord Slytherin," Scorpius greeted formally.
Harry rolled his eyes, "Lucius makes you call him Lord Lucius too?"
"Sometimes," Scorpius grinned, relaxing a little.
"Uncle, Scorpius. You've always enthusiastically called me that before, don't start on that Lord crap on me now," Harry returned the grin.
"Okay, Uncle Harry."
Harry ushered him inside, muttering about having a talk with Lucius and the use of titles.
"I really am going to have a talk with that man," Harry shook his head, particularly when he remembered Scorpius having to call his own grandfather Lord Lucius or Malfoy or whatever.
Harry examined himself in the mirror, tilting his head to the side and then the other side.
"Dad…are you wearing Michael Jackson's Thriller jacket?" Teddy gaped, Scorpius behind him looking confused but amused.
"I had a replica made of it. Nice, hm? I look great. Didn't like red, so I had it made in black. I turned the original black design into grey. Didn't care for red, reminds me too much of Gryffindor. Didn't care for green while I'm at it. No one wears a green jacket and gets away with it."
"My father is insane," Teddy sighed.
"I like Uncle Harry's look," Scorpius commented. "I want a jacket just like it. I'll have to bug my father for one when I get back."
"Both of them…crazy," Teddy shivered, thinking of all the money the jacket cost.
Harry smiled, adjusting his gray glasses. "Ready for school, you two?"
Both of them nodded. Harry's eyes glinted behind his glasses suspiciously, alarming Teddy while Scorpius stayed oblivious.
But they still followed after Harry. This was their downfall.
After getting out of the car on wobbly legs, both kids collapsed onto the sidewalk, too dazed and terrified to even kiss the concrete in relief. They sat there panting and hunched over as Harry yelled a goodbye as he sped away.
"What in Merlin's name was that contraption?!" Scorpius grimaced.
"That…was Harry's 612 Scaglietti Ferrari," Teddy gasped out.
And while they were recuperating outside their school, Harry was driving straight back home. Unfortunately, it wasn't to his lovely, beautiful home that he was going to. He had to go to his beautiful, lovely inn that was right next door. Oh, the tragedy.
"Work," Harry sighed.
After bamboozling the head doctor into letting him spend most of his hours at the inn, being able to be on call at all times so that whenever he was needed he could get there, he promptly hightailed it out of there. Well, that did take a lot of charming and dazzling and flattery and flirting and –well, you get the point.
Now though, he had to finish the final touches of his inn. Namely, giving ground rules to the house elves he'd nicked from his other homes and making sure everything was in order before taking a nice, long-deserved nap.
Well, if Carlisle Cullen hadn't decided to rain on his parade.
The usually calm and cool vampire seemed flustered, waiting for Harry by a black Mercedes Benz that he guessed was the doctor's. Tilting his head, he observed the pale blond and idly wondered if Draco was part vampire.
Somewhere, Draco Malfoy sneezed and then grumbled knowingly about stupid certain ex-savior friends.
"Hello there, Dr. Cullen. Why don't you follow me to my inn? I'm about ready to open it next weekend, after I've completely settled working at the hospital," Harry pleasantly directed to him, no hidden undertones or looks.
Carlisle smiled hesitantly at him, following in his footsteps to the inn that Harry made almost as grand as his house. It was gray and looked about rainy that day, so it was a relief to enter the inn and feel the warmth.
"I'm sorry to intrude, Director, it's just…I wanted to make sure I didn't accidentally do something to offend you. It seemed at out meeting that you were…offended by my presence."
"Was I?" Harry drawled nonchalantly.
"Well…not offended, per say. More like –"
"A really wrong choice of words, Dr. Cullen. I wasn't offended at all, don't you worry about that. I was exasperated perhaps, maybe even resigned. But mostly a strange mix of apathy and curiosity at your presence," Harry concluded by taking one of his thumbs and biting down harshly on it, shoving it towards Carlisle as he let the blood well rapidly.
The acclaimed doctor flinched, but Harry noticed that it wasn't from the sight of the blood itself, but from what the gesture meant.
"Don't worry about me revealing your coven's presence, if you are here with others," Harry shrugged. "I merely want no part of whatever struggle that goes on, and will warn you that when I say I will look the other way –I will look the other way."
I will overlook your presence, but I am also completely unavailable for any help.
"I…understand, Director. You won't have to worry about overlooking my family for long, but I must ask you for help at least once."
Harry arched an eyebrow, "And why would I agree?"
Carlisle looked solemnly at him, "As I've said, my family is leaving soon so you won't have to worry about us. However, in the process of our stay here, my adopted son Edward fell in love with a human girl name Bella Swan. She knows about us and reciprocates my son's feelings. When we leave, I fear how she would take it. I only ask that you watch over her."
Harry's face was stony and revealed nothing, making Carlisle nervous.
Instead of responding to that, Harry jerked his chin at Carlisle's left hand.
"You've no wedding ring. Around the hospital, the many woes of the nurses there are of your lack of availability because of your marriage."
Confused and uneasy, Carlisle answered. "My wife and I have recently divorced."
"After around what? Hundred plus years of marriage?" Harry questioned, head tilting in curiosity, a habit Carlisle noted belonged to the mysterious man.
He chose his words carefully, "When we moved here, both Esme and I unfortunately found our eyes caught on people we knew we could never have and love freely. But we would not live a lie to each other, even though we agree we had to at least to our children."
"You trust her then? Your former wife? Beyond all doubt?"
Carlisle nodded firmly. "Of course. Without a doubt."
Harry nodded, "You may talk to her about this, but I suggest saying nothing to anyone else…and then I will consider seeing to your Bella."
Relaxing slightly, Carlisle brought up another point. "I can hide it from Edward, who is a mind reader, but Alice is a Seer. Could she not have already foreseen this?"
Harry was quiet a moment, "Around myself, I've found that the future has always been cloudy."
"Director…"
"At the sight of my blood, you didn't even seem the slightest bit tempted," Harry interjected, eyes alight with interest, changing subjects suddenly and baffling Carlisle.
"I've never had blood in my entire time as a vampire," Carlisle said truthfully. "And I am over 300 years old."
"Very commendable and curious," Harry murmured. "You'll be leaving now then?"
"Ah yes. Thank you for letting me take up some of your time."
Harry sighed exasperatedly, watching him leave. "You may stay, Carlisle. Come, let us talk and drink."
And when Carlisle suddenly resigned the next week, Harry wasn't surprised. He sat in his inn, leaning on his elbows in front of the fire, shadows of the flames dancing across his face as the rain pounded outside.
Bella Swan was missing.
"Tatay, that Swan girl is missing," Teddy said suddenly, pausing from his game of Wizarding chess with Scorpius.
Harry leaned back in his chair, his face completely in shadows.
"It isn't any business of mine."
"She could get hurt," Teddy pushed. "And she's supposed to be a magnet for trouble. What if she gets caught by more vampires, except evil ones this time?"
"She was the one who decided to associate herself with them."
Teddy scowled, "What happened to the Harry Potter I knew, that would help someone that really needed it and would never let harm come to someone?"
When his guardian was silent, Teddy began to wonder if maybe he shouldn't have spoken up. But without turning to face him, Harry replied in a cold tone.
"That Harry Potter is dead. I killed him because he was too weak to stand up for himself. He was too busy complaining and feeling sorry for himself, and didn't act to change himself or his situation. He's better off gone."
Outraged, Teddy flipped the Wizarding chess set over, scattering complaining pieces, before grabbing a silent Scorpius' hand and stomping out. Outwardly, Harry hadn't seemed to have noticed and no reaction could be seen. And then the former savior sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"I was tired of being that Harry Potter," he muttered.
With another sigh, he disappeared with a pop.
He reappeared in a forest, tracking his magical signature that he'd placed on the girl after Carlisle had asked him to watch over her. Face blank, he walked through the rain, getting soaked until he reached her, staring down at the catatonic figure of Bella. He observed her for a moment, watching her dilated eyes and her shivering figure curled up into a ball.
Edward Cullen must have done a number on her.
Bending down and enchanting her to a quick sleep, he scooped her up into his arms, adjusting her to a more comfortable position before apparating back into the foyer of his inn. Both of them completely wet, Harry called on a little wind to dry them off. Placing her on a sofa next to the armchair he'd occupied, he summoned a couple of house elves to place blankets over her cold form and placed a tray with warm butterbeer and chicken soup on the table near them, waiting for her to wake up. He went back to staring stoically at the flames.
When she stirred, he didn't glance at her. She sat up slowly and warily, catching sight of him in just a second.
"H-hello," her unsteady voice was still thick with tears.
Tilting his head back, he looked uninterestedly at her, simply saying "Hello" back.
She coughed a little, bringing the blankets more snugly around her. "W-where am I, sir?"
"The unopened Three Crossroads Inn. I'm Harry Potter."
"Um, can I call my Dad, Mr. Potter?" she asked hesitantly.
He tossed his cell phone to her, "There's a warm drink and soup there for you, after you're done."
She quickly talked to her dad on the phone, and Harry continued to laze in his chair, wondering what the hell was he thinking involving himself. Well, it was just this one thing…
"Thank you, Mr. Potter."
He twitched. "You're welcome," he replied in a tired voice.
He reluctantly used magic in a mix of a cheering charm and his own brand of magic, allowing him to make her a little happier and push down her negative feelings. It was temporary anyway, and not in the least addictive.
"If you want, I could set a room up for you and let you stay the night. Dinner's in an hour, so you can take a shower before then. I can get you warmer clothes," he offered. Might as well make good on that favor Carlisle asked of him.
"That would be nice, Mr. Potter. I'll just tell my Dad before he drives all the way over here."
"I'll lead you to your room," he murmured.
She took her shower and changed into the pajamas that was laid out for her, and then met Harry in the dining room. He sat at the head of the long table, food already served, but he hadn't taken a bite yet. Realizing he was waiting for her, she hurried and sat to his right.
"This is really nice of you, Mr. Potter. I appreciate it. Really," Bella quietly said, smiling shyly.
The shy smile reminded of him of Jacob. Kids these days. Were they all shy?
Relaxing his coolness, he smiled faintly at her. "Just Harry, Bella."
"Oh, you called me Bella!" her eyes lit up.
"I heard it was what you preferred," he teased. He didn't mention it was Carlisle who told him though. She would most probably become upset at the mention of any Cullen.
She smiled more surely at him. "This inn is new, and so is the house I saw across from here through the window."
"I just had both of them built. I'm new here. I work mostly here as the owner, but I also work as the Director of the hospital in town."
"Oh wow. That's a lot of work, um, Harry."
"Don't worry, I can handle it. I have a lot of time on my hands as well."
Not to mention the dozens of house elves maintaining the inn and his house, and the endless supply of contacts and money he had. But then, looking at her and remembering the horrible state she was in and was going to be once out of his presence…
"You know, I do do all the cooking. I wouldn't mind the extra help if you wanted the job as hostess, you got it."
"Really? That…that would be most kind of you," her eyes widened.
"Don't mention it. You can start as soon as it opens. The grand opening's this weekend, you can work after school."
"I'll do my best," she promised softly.
Really. His involvement stopped at her. No need to bother with the Cullens or other vampires or even find out what was up with Jacob and those funny little friends of his.
"Go on now. I cooked the salmon myself," he smiled, without a hint of a secret in it.
"This is delicious," she sighed happily.
It would be quite easily to distract her from thoughts of Edward Cullen.
"This is ridiculous, brother. Why on Earth would we travel all the way to Forks?" Caius sneered.
Marcus stared apathetically at the leader of the Volturi rulers. Aro just smiled jovially at both of them.
"Why, isn't it obvious? There are rumors of a love affair between one of our kind and a human girl."
Marcus sighed, "And we can't send one of ours to go in instead ourselves?"
Aro's smiled tightened just a little. "I'd like to…investigate this matter myself."
"I'll go tell Gina that we will be in seclusion for an indefinite time, and that we are not to be disturbed. This is to be a private matter, Aro?" Caius scowled in irritation.
"Yes…no one is to know of our little visit. For all intents and purposes, we will just be here and unwilling to meet with anyone. At all," Aro stated pensively.
"When will we leave?" Marcus questioned quietly.
"In a week, so that we can get ready and have our affairs settled here. I do recall having to meet with that blasted Sanguini in the middle of this week about a matter…"
The three brothers convened and went their separate ways, each thinking about their upcoming secret visit.
Started 6/24/09 –Completed 7/17/09