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…
To little-bast, who not only repeatedly comes back but leaves multiple reviews...
Stranger Happenings
Chapter Nine: Rabbit Holes that the Moon Jumped Over
Charlie finished up at the station, warily watching the strange woman who had introduced herself as Luna Lovegood. He'd insisted he'd drive her over to Harry's home, and she had stayed by his side at work since. But the entire time, Luna (as she had insisted she be called) was prodding and touching various objects in the office. She poked at his computer, knocked on his phone, and had picked up the huge fax machine (where did that strength from this tiny girl come from?) and had examined it every which way.
He was starting to regret the offer a little.
"How did you know my name anyhow? Harry tell you?" he asked gruffly.
She hmmed, "I know your name like I know all the other things I know."
Luna also never seemed to speak directly. At worse, she went into riddles.
"Well, I'm done. Let's get going then."
Eager to get back already, he stepped a little on the gas. He was tempted to turn on the siren and just blaze through traffic. Not that he didn't like Luna or didn't enjoy her company, but he wasn't sure he could handle her for long. He at least needed to get used to her, like he did Harry, and there was only so much he could take of the other man at a time as well.
"I suppose the Brain has become active once more," Luna said conversationally.
"Uh, yeah, sure," Charlie had no idea what she was talking about.
"It has been awhile. I almost thought the Weasel was going to deprive the Brain of oxygen forever."
Charlie sweatdropped.
At long last, they reached Harry's double homes. Seeing what time it was, Harry was probably at the inn. He parked nearby and led the odd woman to the inn, immediately spotting Harry at a dining table, where the eccentric man had been regaling the surrounding tables of tales about large snakes and chambers and red stones and three-headed dogs. Only Luna and Hermione, and to some extent Bella, knew Harry was telling the truth and not embellished fantasy stories for the crowd.
"The Queen of Insanity greets the King of Madness," Luna hailed coolly, looking very serious saying it.
Harry froze, his back to Luna. The others around him knew this was going to be another meeting with Harry's past –whether it was going to be happy like Hermione's reintroduction into his life or absolute hostility like with Ron remained to be seen.
Harry whirled around with a big grin, tossing himself at Luna enthusiastically.
"Joker! How have you been doing? And why so serious?"
"I'm doing fine. And I thought that was your godfather," Luna blinked innocently.
Harry guffawed, "Of course, of course. Well, the King of Madness returns the Queen of Insanity's greetings. Mayhaps a spot of firewhiskey will seal the deal?"
"Why Mad Hatter, I am so very flattered at your invitation. Will the Brain, or would she like me to address her as Hannibal instead, be joining us?"
Hermione chuckled lightly, "I think I will. And I suppose Hannibal will be better; we'll be going with crazy names with you Luna then? And if I recall, you only started calling me the Brain when I got together with Ron. Why's that?"
"He was infected with a Brain during the Department of Mysteries incident. I assumed they'd merged and because you were like a brain, he was attempting to mate with you because of his newfound Brain hormones that were attracted to your Brain-like qualities."
Both Harry and Hermione just hmmed, while the rest continued to gape, lost in the translation.
"Okay, simplest thing to get caught up on would be the crazy names. Can we get an explanation on that?" Bella cut in weakly.
The wizard and witches blinked and stared around.
"Ah, yes. You see, when we were younger there was a group of us together and we decided to give us names to refer to in code, much like Harry's dad and his friends did when they were younger. Except, for us, we all thought there was a bit of craziness to us all in some form of irony and decided to call each of us names from a known, fictional crazy person," Hermione started off.
"We called our friend Neville John Doe from the Jane Doe from Se7en, my friend and father of Scorpius Draco Mr. Freeze (well, that was once we were on friendly terms and before that the name was sort of mocking), and Ron," Harry spat his name out. "was Jack Torrence from the Shining. His sister and my former girlfriend was Darth Sunshine, no particular media though we got the inspiration from Star Wars," he finished blandly.
Luna and Hermione both put a hand on his shoulders, and he just continued to grumble under his breath.
"Harry doesn't like to talk or hear about the Weasley's he doesn't get along with, especially those two," Hermione explained to the others, who nodded sympathetically. "So anyways, I was Hannibal from well, you know. Luna was Joker. And Harry was Commodus from Gladiator, the Emperor," she winked to the others. "We call him Emperor too, sometimes."
Harry just batted a hand at her in irritation.
"Really now, Commodus. You should be used to your leadership by now," Luna teased.
"Exactly, Emperor."
By the end of the day, everyone had started calling Harry either one of those names. He just face palmed.
Time started to pass by quickly. In that time, Bella and Jessica had brought all the others and they watched a movie. Bella was a little freaked, considering her thoughts wandered between her as the heroine or as the lifeless zombie in the movie that she could've been in real life had it not been for Harry. The others had quickly brought her to Harry, who calmed her down efficiently, before bringing her to a grateful but confused Carlisle. Charlie had looked at him, but Harry only winked back, temporary glasses finally making its way to him.
Also in that time, Bella had started to rebuild two motorbikes she got, working with Jacob, and sometimes the others in the Pack would hang around and teased them. She also knew, with the pay that Harry gave her and Jacob, that they could easily have found someone to fix the bikes for them or even buy new ones, but the two of them wanted to rebuild them on their own and have fun with it and just hang out. It was even better when Harry decided to hang around too, or even help fix the bikes with them, expensive trousers and shirt hilariously getting dirty. Harry didn't seem to mind and the clothes were miraculously pristine the next day, but it was the thought that made Jacob and Bella laugh.
Then again, while there, Bella had also made it her mission to bring Sam and a reluctant Jacob a little closer. Sam had looked at her in confusion once, and she just winked back at him in an eerily reminiscent fashion like Harry was wont to do.
Bella had also had Jacob complain to her about Sam and his group, wondering why his old friends used to ignore him (not now that they work at the same place) and why they had suddenly joined Sam's "cult". It was also starting to seem like they were bugging him and hinting at something he didn't know what, and that he was going to join them soon. It was ominous and witchcraft-y.
Harry laughed loudly when Bella had told him. Jacob just pouted.
But she was enamored with the idea of cliff diving, so the Pack promised to set a date for all of them to go. Harry and Bella were especially enthused about this. There was also a second group outing to the movies that Mike brought up.
Then there was Valentine's Day. The Three Crossroads Inn had a field day with it. Harry had managed to convince the Italian brothers to randomly begin quoting Romeo and Juliet, as the story was set in Verona, Italy and was very fitting (then again, Marcus had been more easily convinced after a pouty look or two –not that the brother would ever admit to it –but Aro had surprisingly agreed right away, very enthusiastic about it and was charmed by the idea from the start). Caius had to be threatened and forced into it by his two brothers, one who wanted all three of them to suffer or the other wanted all to participate because he liked the idea so much he thought it was blasphemy not to and couldn't understand why anyone wouldn't.
Caius would not be forgetting Aro's 'scary face' for a long time.
Nor the combined silent wrath of his brothers.
And so, with Marcus determinedly dragging them with him into this and Aro refusing to let anyone (which just included the brothers) to not participate and refusing to even hear of it –Caius was forced to move his lips and voice the sickening quotes of Shakespeare to an audience that grew quickly starry-eyed. By the end of it, Caius reluctantly admitted, only to himself, that he liked the admiration and was very smug at their reactions to him. Perhaps a little more theater for him in the future, and maybe even participating in it himself…
There was also Marcus, who as punishment for being dragged into this, directed most of his quoting to Harry and followed him around when he could. He could be vindictive when he wanted to.
Harry, unusually enough, was sort of bothered by it. Partly because of the oddly romantic nature of it, for despite his flirting Harry was a bit…off on that kind of thing. And also partly because of that disturbing time in his second year, with creepy dwarves, an uncomfortable show, a bad poem and green toads. It was still traumatizing.
Harry sulked the majority of the time with the mountain of chocolates he received from everyone.
Sulpicia and Athenodora were still there, but he hadn't mentioned them to the other two brothers and the two females hadn't actually confronted their husbands. Instead, they'd managed to stay incognito and decided to explore the town and investigate the humans in fascination. They were also staying in his underground lair, enjoying the downtime and watching life real time on a conjured magical screen, claiming it as their favorite soap opera.
On the day of the second movie outing, Angela was sick and so she was out, along with Ben her boyfriend. That still left Bella, Jessica, Mike, Jacob, and surprisingly Sam. Since everyone, minus Harry, Charlie, Carlisle, and Esme, had gone the first time, the smaller group was a little odd. Still, most of the Pack was working that night, two of their group was sick, Carlisle and Esme were working on something secretive, the three brothers were also working on something secretive, Harry, Hermione, Luna, and Draco were having some kind of 'the old gang' party, and Leah surprisingly volunteered to watch the kids. That left the five of them.
It was after the movie that the real trouble began.
Mike had to rush to the bathroom, having caught the stomach flu as well, and Jacob was getting increasingly annoyed with Sam's attempts to talk to him. Bella and Jessica looked at each other uncertainly, wondering what they would have to do.
"Can you back the hell off, Sam?" Jacob yelled, finally turning to look at the older male and glaring for all he was worth.
"Woah, calm down, Jacob," Jessica hesitantly cut in.
"I can't when this jackass is pissing me off," Jacob snarled.
Bella frowned, seeing Sam paling and Jacob shaking. She put a hand to his forehead and gasped.
"Jake! You're freakin' hot! You guys, he's really burning up," Bella worried.
Sam winced, "Look, I think I need to take him to his dad."
"No, no way. Harry's place is kinda closer, plus that man could probably work miracles," Jessica retorted.
"I don't think this is something Harry can deal with," Sam reluctantly said.
"I think he can," Bella suddenly declared, looking at them determinedly but hiding her suspicious stare. If something supernatural was going on with Jacob, like her gut feeling was telling her, then Harry could definitely do something. He'd hinted as much about the Pack to her before, and she'd trusted his odd hints.
"Hey, what's going on?" Mike asked, coming back to find the tense group. Jessica silently pulled him to the side and quietly caught him up. He looked back at the others warily, but nodded. "I agree with Bells. Harry can do something about this. We should ask what Jacob wants though."
Jacob hesitated, but nodded sharply. "I want to go see Harry," he said gruffly.
That settled, Sam was the one driving and he drove like a bat out of hell towards Harry's home back in Forks. When they got there, they hurriedly looked for Harry, still finding him with his group, but not in the partying mood they had been. The three Italian brothers were also there, hesitantly looking at the obviously drunk group, while Carlisle and Esme were also worriedly watching. Carlisle looked like he was about to have a heart attack with the amount of alcohol being consumed, or at least so disapproving that he was about to go on a rant about it to the group.
"Harry?" Bella tentatively called.
"Ah, my little ones!" Harry called out, swiping his hands out wide 'welcomingly'. Then his eyes turned calculating on the newcomers, watching them closely.
"Don't be so loud, git," Draco moaned.
"Jacob, take a seat next to me," Harry cheerily slurred, dragging a chair out and patting it drunkenly.
Jacob plopped onto it quickly, still miffed about Sam though he was now also looking at Harry worriedly.
"The rest of you take a seat as well," Harry chuckled lowly, and enough seats suddenly popped into existence.
Everyone gaped, and Hermione frowned at their drunk leader, though it was obvious she was drunk as well.
"Here, pup. Take some," Harry poured some of the alcohol they were drinking into another shot glass that hadn't been there.
"Harry, I don't think that's such a good idea," Carlisle cut in, tensing.
"Shh," Harry exaggerated the sound. "I think it's brilliant. Does wonders for anger," his eyes glinted behind his glasses.
Sam's eyes widened.
"Calm your nerves, pup," Harry pushed it towards him and Jacob hesitantly grabbed it and then daringly choked it back, coughing harshly afterwards. Harry, Draco, Luna, and even Hermione started guffawing. "That ain't your ordinary whiskey, boy. Don't go chugging the harsh stuff, when you won't be able to handle it."
Jacob winced, "Could've warned me about that." But the effects were immediate and he was no longer as pissed as he had been, and wasn't shaking anymore.
"Harry, you really shouldn't be giving alcohol to minors. It's a good thing Charlie isn't here," Esme hesitantly butted in.
Harry waved her off in amusement. "You're totally right and it's a good thing Charlie's working late. But I'm making an exception. After all, Sammy my boy, Jacob was really angry, wasn't he? And the anger is the trigger to the illness plaguing your group, eh?"
Sam had completely paled, and started fidgeting when minute glances started heading towards his way. Carlisle had unhappily put it together as well.
"A misdemeanor is better than the trouble that would have come our way," Harry murmured.
"What were we talking about before this anger and misdemeanor shit?" Draco slowly piped up, blearily blinking at them all.
"The war," Luna said clearly, though by her glazed eyes, it was clear she was as drunk as the rest.
"Fuckin' shit. I hated it. I was terrified snake-bastard would have killed me or my family at any moment, and that any failure was going to cost me somethin'," Draco groaned, clutching at his head.
Hermione laughed hollowly. "I had to erase my parents' memories of me and send them off faraway. Can you imagine that? Your own family forgetting your entire existence, never knowing you existed, and you suddenly being alone and without your family?"
Harry snickered morbidly, "Heh, kinda. I never had family, remember. 'M an orphan. Never had any family, parents dead when I was barely a year old, and my only 'living' family hated the shit out of me and wanted me dead and out of their lives."
"When you point it out like that, I feel better about myself. I was spoiled like hell," Draco snorted. "My family was so self-absorbed and cared only about ourselves and money…"
"Hannibal, didn't you sleep with Commodus during this time?" Luna cut in.
Hermione blinked. "How the hell did you know about that? I never spoke about it and I don't think that Harry did either."
"I heard the kiddies here speaking about it," Luna said bluntly.
Hermione laughed, "Funny you'd be direct only when you're drunk. Yes, yes. We did."
"Fuckin' Ron left us," Harry snarled, glaring down at the table and hand searching out for the bottle blindly, pouring it into his glass and tossed it back quickly. He didn't even flinch.
Hermione did flinch at that reminder though, growing depressed. "Right…he'd…gotten fed up with the Quest and was growing wrong assumptions about me and Harry. Merlin, we were running so ragged…"
Harry clutched at his head. "We were scared out of our minds, 'Mione. And we kept having to look back over our shoulders and jumping at shadows. I had a death sentence hanging over my head, and you would be killed just by association."
"And because I was a Mudblood," she snorted.
"We were so sick of it. We'd fled to Godric's Hollow, so we could have a semi-normal break. It was Christmas fuckin' Eve. We wanted to spend it where we didn't have to cry with each other in a tent in the middle of nowhere, dirt-covered and wondering if it was ever going to end."
"I was so lonely, and even though I missed Ron, I clung to you and you were always there," Hermione sniffled.
Draco and Luna were staying silent, letting the two get lost in the memories and forget there was anyone else but the two of them there.
"Do you remember? You were asking me, if we got caught, was Voldemort going to parade you around like some prize?" Hermione breathed in harshly.
"Yeah, and then you were telling me you were terrified that when they had you, they were going to rape you and pass you around like a common whore."
"That was my greatest fear," Hermione sniffled.
"I was kidnapped prior to that. They hadn't tortured me yet, but Mr. Ollivander had been extensively," Luna added in solemnly.
"It was Christmas Eve," Harry repeated, eyes dull. "We were so fuckin' young. But the whole thing was riding on us. One day, one fucking break. Not even. We went there hoping for a little peace and so I could finally see my parents' graves, even though outwardly we said it was for the Quest. No, we had to face that stupid snake and fuckin' almost be killed! We almost died and everything just went to the fan!"
Hermione burst into tears and Harry didn't even blink an eye as he gathered her into his arms and started rocking her back and forth, murmuring soothingly into her ear. Luna poured another round of firewhiskey, and the magical group gulped it down, even Harry and Hermione though they were still holding onto each other.
"We were so upset, we'd rented a room and holed ourselves up in it, trying to reassure ourselves and telling ourselves we were still alive. One thing led to another, after I asked Harry the big question."
Harry kissed her gently and she nuzzled his jaw. There was a burning jealousy in Marcus, but the more he observed the more he saw. The lines were bright but a warm, comforting color –and all he could see in the light touches, the short caresses, and the minute kisses were desperation, comfort, and deep sorrow. These actions were needy and reassuring, and a sort of loving that was more consoling and relieving of the part of the closest companions rather than that of lovers as soul mates.
He wished he could have met them sooner, and just sought them out. He wished he hadn't been in his apathetic daze and had come to them earlier and helped them.
"Perhaps, we should leave them to their reminiscing," Aro quipped lightly, though still very grave.
Marcus ignored his brother and quietly came to the two, wrapping his marble-like arms around both of them and held them comfortingly, rocking with them. Bella nodded at the others and just as quietly came next to Harry, Jacob letting her take his seat as he moved over, and she grabbed onto Harry's hand in a firm but determined grip. After a moment, a quick squeeze told her 'thank you'.
Carlisle hesitated a moment but then took his chair over and scooted to behind Bella and Jacob, hesitantly taking her hand. Esme smiled at him and nodded reassuringly.
"I'll go wait for Charlie at the front, and bring him over when he's here," she murmured, leaving after.
Instead of following Bella's okay to them to leave, Mike determinedly went over to Hermione's other side and only hesitated a second before grabbing onto her hand. Luna scooted in her chair and smiled at him sorrowfully, letting him share her seat. The mystifying girl then turned and leaned her back against his side in comfort, putting her feet up and placing it on Draco's lap nonchalantly. The blond aristocrat clutched onto them, huddling over them as he uncharacteristically started to cry. Jessica's own eyes watered at the sight and she timidly came closer before enclosing the wizard into a loose embrace.
Sam was as hesitant as the rest of them, but he sat next to Jacob and cautiously crept his hand closer to the younger boy's. He looked pleadingly at him, and though Jacob scowled and lightly glared at him with slight suspicion in his eyes, he relented and moved his hand closer and held Sam's hand. Since he was still uncomfortable, he slightly turned from the other male and placed his feet onto the wooden bar underneath Carlisle's seat, choosing to watch the more closely interlocked of the group. His eyes softened and he forgot to force himself to forget he was holding onto Sam's hand, instead interlocking their fingers together in a mimicry of the group in front of him, consisting of Marcus, Hermione, Harry, and Bella and closely enough to Mike, Carlisle, Luna, Draco, Jessica, himself and Sam on either side –coming in a full circle and almost like a linked connection, completely together in some way.
He turned back to Sam and nudged him, nodding towards Jessica. Sam nodded back and reached a hand to the other girl, who let one arm fall from Draco and go towards him. After that, they really were all joined together, intermingled in an intimate link that was a physical tie of the bonds they all shared. Especially when Aro joined on Marcus' left, holding onto him and Bella together and Caius on Marcus' other side, holding onto Marcus and clasping a hand approvingly on Mike's shoulder.
"Pass me that lovely little gun, my dear, my darling one. The cleaners are coming, one by one. You don't even want to let them start," Harry started singing softly, face still buried into Hermione's hair, though his voice was still clear.
"We danced to this song," Hermione remembered, half in happiness and half in grief.
"Right after Ron left us," Harry choked out, showing he was still affected by it.
"They are knocking now upon your door
They measure the room, they know the score
They're mopping up the butcher's floor
Of your broken little hearts
"O children~"
The song started playing out of nowhere, even though there was no player in the room or anywhere near. And as they listened, the group softly started singing or humming in a rather mournful and dismal way. Charlie came, but Esme intercepted him and shook her head, the song starting to slowly spread through the entire house and even somehow reaching the quiet inn, spreading the somber mood. Esme sighed sadly and Charlie quietly took her hands, hesitantly leading her into a slow dance, and they danced together in the moonlight outside, just as grave as those inside.
"Forgive us now for what we've done
It started out as a bit of fun
Here, take these before we run away
The keys to the gulag
"O children
Lift up your voice, lift up your voice
Children
Rejoice, rejoice…"
Started 9/20/10 –Completed 7/25/11
A/n: Argh, sorry this took so long to get out! And the end was kind of depressing, eh? I watched the last HP movie when it came out and have been watching Part I over and over lately, so I've been in a rather depressed mood about it as I was writing. Then again, I had that sort of planned sometime, just didn't think it'd become that depressing. Thanks for everyone who's stuck by and all their support!
Anyways, check out my website for some extra stuff and join my newsletter! I might give Stranger Happenings its own page in the HP section on the site though. And if you're a Naruto fan, check out the poll on my author page please!
P.P.S. Sooo, sorry the Weasley brothers don't appear here. But they will in the next chapter. And why Luna's there, and every other question, should be answered soon. Sorry I didn't get to reply to everyone, and answering questions (the answers are just so spoiling)!