Chapter 3
Owls and Peacocks
Sirius had been right when he said the Hogwarts letters would arrive soon. Orion and Hayden had been greeted by two owls at breakfast two days later with letters held in their beaks. No time was wasted before the letters were torn open to reveal what second years would need for the upcoming year. Much to his disgust, Orion noticed that they would need seven books published by a wizard called Gilderoy Lockhart. They were extremely popular with the public, especially the witches. Orion, however, thought they were a load of rubbish. He had read Lockhart's 'Wanderings with Werewolves' and had nearly thrown the book into the fire quite a few times. The book had basically emphasized every stereotype there was about werewolves, claiming that only the bravest of the brave could 'handle' them.
"Who in their right mind would assign Lockhart's books for Defense Against the Dark Arts?" Sirius asked as he glanced at the list over Orion's shoulder. "Not only are they complete rubbish but they're also incredibly expensive."
Orion let out sigh as he pocketed his list. "Looks like another year of Defense Against the Dark Arts wasted," he said grimly then glanced over at Remus who was calmly sipping his tea. "Remus, could you make up list of books that I should be reading this year?"
"Is Lockhart really that bad?" Hayden asked cautiously.
"Not at all," Sirius said in a rather convincing tone. "He's absolutely brilliant. Just ask him. I'm sure he'd love to tell you his entire life story—after you bought the book about it, of course."
Remus and Orion snorted. "In that case, I'll pick out a few books for you at Flourish and Blott's, Orion, although you probably already know what's supposed to be covered," Remus said casually. "For some reason, I have a feeling I'll be doing this every year."
"At least you'll be prepared," Orion offered then stared at Remus with eyes full of pleading. "Please?"
Remus desperately fought not to laugh as he covered his mouth and looked away. "All right," he said with a chuckle. "All right, Orion. Just stop giving me those puppy dog eyes. After all, when have I ever said no to you?"
Orion smiled proudly before shooting a wink at Hayden. "If you want, you can borrow my books when I'm done," he whispered behind his hand although it was clear from the knowing looks passed by Sirius and Remus that they clearly heard. "It'll annoy Hermione a little but she'll get over it."
Hayden smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Ori. I really appreciate it."
As Hayden and Rose packed their trunks, Sirius contacted the Potters and the Longbottoms to arrange a meeting time at the Leaky Cauldron. Orion couldn't help overhearing Mrs. Potter offer to repay the favor by having him over for a few days and was grateful when Sirius declined. As much has he had liked spending the past few days with Hayden and Rose, Orion knew that he just wasn't ready to spend time around Mr. and Mrs. Potter. In addition to what they had done to Sirius, Orion couldn't help but feel that there was just something about them that made him feel uneasy.
The trip to Diagon Alley was scheduled for after lunch. They would travel by floo to the Leaky Cauldron and meet up with the Potters to drop off Hayden and Rose before meeting up with the Longbottoms to pick up Orion and Neville's school supplies. Orion hadn't missed the disappointed looks on Hayden and Rose's faces when they had been informed of the plan. They had clearly wanted to join the group but knew that Sirius would never willingly spend more time with their parents than absolutely necessary.
To prevent any problems, Sirius flooed with Hayden and Remus flooed with Rose, leaving Orion to follow suit alone. Orion didn't mind. He had used the floo network numerous times in to past when traveling to Neville and Cedric's home. He had learned the hard way to announce the destination clearly and not to breathe in when entering the fireplace. He knew that it wouldn't settle well to have something like that happen to Hayden and Rose at the last minute.
Stepping out of the fireplace at the Leaky Cauldron, Orion immediately spotted the Longbottoms near the back of the pub and waved as he moved to Sirius' side. The dimly lit pub had only a few customers, nearly all were trying to not be caught staring at Hayden Potter. The Potter's, however, seemed to be unaware of the attention. Mr. Potter had his hands resting on Hayden's shoulders as he talked quietly to him while Mrs. Potter had her arms around Rose. At first glance, one would think that Mr. and Mrs. Potter hadn't seen their children in months. Hayden and Rose, on the other hand, didn't appear to be as excited.
"As you can see," Sirius said at last in a business-like tone. "The children are fine. Now, if you'll excuse us. Orion and Neville need to pick up their supplies."
Orion felt a hand rest on his shoulder and allowed Sirius to direct him towards the Longbottoms. Glancing over his shoulder, he noticed that Hayden and Rose were quietly pleading with their parents who appeared to be torn between choices. Orion could only imagine the predicament Hayden and Rose were putting their parents in. Hayden obviously wanted to obtain his supplies with Orion and Neville but doing so would certainly be awkward for the parents.
"Sirius," Mr. Potter said softly, causing Sirius to come to an abrupt halt. "Please. Just for today. Can we forget about the past for the boys?"
Orion felt the hand on his shoulder tense. That was an awful lot to ask considering that it was Mr. Potter's fault that the situation was as bad as it was between the families. However, refusing Mr. Potter's proposal (especially with the proposal made in a public place) would be bad form on Sirius' part. Whether it was intentional or not, Mr. Potter had just trapped Sirius into an extremely uncomfortable situation.
"I have no problem with Hayden and Rose joining us," Sirius answered stiffly. "I would never stand between them and my son. If you two wish to join us, however, I would suggest you keep your distance. You may want to forget the past but unfortunately, I don't have that luxury." Without waiting for a reply, Sirius turned away from the Potters ushered Orion out the back door into a small, walled courtyard with Remus and the Longbottoms following him.
The trash can was ignored as Sirius pulled out his wand and tapped the correct brick three times. The large group waited patiently as the archway slowly appeared, revealing Diagon Alley. As soon as they stepped into the Alley, the group separated without words being said. Sirius and Mrs. Longbottom headed for Gringotts while Remus, Mr. Longbottom, Orion and Neville went towards Flourish and Blotts. As they reached the store, Orion and Neville couldn't help grinning as Hayden and Rose hurried to join them with Mrs. Potter hanging back. Mr. Potter was nowhere to be seen.
"Dad went to Gringotts," Hayden said quietly as they entered. "They promised to give Sirius his space. We just wanted to pick up a copy of the books Remus picks out for you. I know you said I could borrow your copies but I figured I could get a head start and leave what books I finish home with Rose."
"That's actually not a bad idea," Neville said idly. "I was actually planning on picking up a copy of Remus' list too. They're always more informational than the ones on the school list."
A loud, cheerful voice put a quick end to any conversation. "Now, now, my good man! I just want to make sure that everything is prepared for Wednesday. The Daily Prophet is scheduled to come and I want to make sure they can catch my good side!"
Everyone's eyes fell upon a man with dazzlingly white teeth and wavy, perfectly placed hair sticking out from his pointed wizard's hat. His ornate, mauve robes made him looked like a fluffy peacock ready to display his feathers to the world. The wizard behind the counter looked like he wanted nothing more than to curse the man but was using every ounce of strength he had to restrain himself.
"Mr. Lockhart," the wizard behind the counter said tensely. "I assure you that your book signing will transpire without a hitch. We have handled plenty in the past to know what works and what does not."
Hayden shared a shocked look with Orion and Neville. "Lockhart?" Hayden whispered. "That's him?"
As if on cue, Lockhart and the wizard behind the counter shifted their attention to those standing at the door. Both their eyes widened slightly until Lockhart spoke up. "It can't be Hayden Potter?" he asked as he took a step forward.
Hayden shied back slightly as he glanced nervously at Orion who took the hint and discretely nudged Neville to be ready for anything. As if knowing what the boys were thinking, hands rested on their shoulders. Gentle squeezes were all it took for Orion to know that Remus was standing behind him and Hayden while Mr. Longbottom stood behind Neville.
"Gilderoy," Remus said politely with a nod. "If you'll excuse us, we have some school books to pick up."
Lockhart flashed a bright smile. "Of course, of course," he said cheerfully. "As you can see—" he motioned over to the large display of books all showing Lockhart's smiling picture on the cover—"all of my books just arrived." He shot Hayden an exaggerated wink. "I'll have you know, Hayden, from one celebrity to another that I truly understand the pressure to appease the public so I think you should be the first to know that I will be joining you this year at Hogwarts—"
Dread suddenly filled Orion. He could not mean…
"—as your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."
He did. It was only with extreme effort that Orion withheld a groan. He was already sick of the man. How was he supposed to spend and entire year of classes with him and still maintain his sanity? Professor Dumbledore must be out of his mind.
"Is that so?" Mr. Longbottom said dryly. "Well, then I hope you have your lessons planned. The boys have already started basic defense spells under the tutelage of Sirius Black and are eager to continue their studies."
Lockhart's eyes widened. "Sirius Black?" he asked intrigued. Well, I suppose hiring Aurors to train the-boy-who-lived—"
"—my dad wasn't hired to do anything," Orion interrupted defensively as his hands clenched into fists. There was a lot more he wanted to say but the quick squeeze Remus gave his shoulder silenced him. No matter what Orion's personal opinion of Lockhart was, it wouldn't bode well to be on the bad side of a teacher before school even began.
"You should refrain from speaking of matters you know nothing of, Gilderoy," Remus said calmly. "It's bound to get you into trouble one day." He ushered Orion and Hayden towards the display of books. "Excuse us."
The tension in the air was nearly visible as they picked up their books. Orion and Neville stuck to Hayden like spellotape, especially when they noticed Lockhart edging towards him. Remus and Mr. Longbottom were never too far away while Mrs. Potter followed Rose around the store. Eventually, Remus had picked out three sets of books that, in his opinion, would help the boys out as well as a few history books for Rose. Everyone seemed to be relieved when Lockhart finally left but Orion knew that what happened today was only the beginning. Once at Hogwarts, there would be no parents to keep Lockhart away from Hayden.
By the time they were ready to purchase their books, Sirius, Mrs. Longbottom and Mr. Potter had arrived with gold out of their vaults. It was almost funny to see Remus, Mr. Longbottom and Mrs. Potter fill the newcomers in on Lockhart. Sirius looked like he was about to be ill, Mrs. Longbottom simply let out a long sigh and Mr. Potter rather angry as he glanced around the store for any sign of Lockhart.
As the purchases were being made, Orion, Neville and Hayden gratefully stepped out of the store for a breath of fresh air. There weren't many people at Diagon Alley which was surprising but a welcomed surprise. The last thing they needed was to be mobbed by someone pointing out that the-boy-who-lived was present.
"So, that was Lockhart," Hayden said softly. "A bit full of himself, isn't he?"
"A bit?" Neville asked incredulously. "That's a bit of an understatement, don't you think?"
"Boys," Mr. Longbottom scolded slightly as he joined them outside. "Try to keep your comments to yourselves. Gilderoy Lockhart is rather popular at the moment. Speaking ill of him could get you in trouble."
Orion snorted. It wasn't their fault that the public was blind to the obvious. There was no possible way that anyone could have actually experienced everything Lockhart had written about and still parade around without a care in the world. Magical creatures rarely let any human escape completely unscathed.
Remus was the next to step outside followed by Mrs. Potter, grasping his arms. "Remus, thank you for standing up for Hayden," she said softly. "I have a feeling Lockhart wouldn't have left him alone otherwise."
Remus met her gaze before nodding briefly. "It's easy to get caught up in the attention, isn't it?" he asked casually.
Mrs. Potter flinched. "I never liked the attention, Remus," she said pleadingly. "You know that. I would have rather been home with Rose…and Harry."
The last part had been said so softly that Orion couldn't be sure he had heard correctly until he caught Hayden's attentive stare. This was certainly one of those situations where it was necessary listen intently without appearing like you could hear anything. It was a difficult skill to master, especially when you were surrounded by suspicious adults.
"But you went along with everything regardless, Lily," Remus countered. "That had led us to where we are today. We're not the same people we were years ago. We can't ignore the years of pain you caused us just because you've finally woken up and realized you were in the wrong."
"Sometimes," Mr. Longbottom jumped in with a hint of finality to his tone, "wounds can't be mended, Lily, no matter how hard you try. Sirius and Remus have expressed their views on the matter. Now you need to accept their decisions."
Mrs. Potter looked positively broken before nodding and turning away. No one said another word until Sirius, Mrs. Longbottom, Mr. Potter, and Rose stepped out of the store. Surprisingly, Hayden was the one who spoke up, telling Orion and Neville that he would see them on the train. Mr. and Mrs. Potter stood off to the side as Hayden and Rose thanked Sirius, Remus and Orion for the fun filled days and assured them that they would start on the books Remus picked out for them right away.
As they split up, Orion could feel the tension vanishing with the Potters. Strolling down the winding, cobbled street, all Orion could think about was how complicated everything was becoming. Hayden and Rose obviously liked spending time at Black Manor and Sirius and Remus enjoyed having them. The unresolved issues between the parents, however, would make any sort of visitation extremely uncomfortable. Regardless of who was in the wrong, Mr. and Mrs. Potter were still Hayden and Rose's parents. They would have to go home at the end of the day and hide a part of their lives.
It wasn't fair but Orion honestly couldn't think of any way to make it any easier.
It didn't take much time for Orion and Neville to pick up some new robes, a new supply of ink and parchment along with the necessary materials to replenish their potion kits. Sirius had spent some time in Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop only to leave with his money bag significantly lighter and a large grin on his face. Orion and Remus immediately shared a worried look. They knew that grin. That grin normally meant trouble for them the next time Sirius wanted to have a prank war.
Thankfully, Mrs. Longbottom jumped in and suggested eating out for dinner which would delay the war for quite a few days since Sirius was scheduled to return to work early the following morning. It was an innocent enough invitation until Orion caught the knowing smile she shot his way after Sirius turned away. It seemed that Mrs. Longbottom had a bit of prankster in herself too. Who knew?
Dinner that night was a little awkward to say the least. Throughout the meal, the 'adults' talked quietly amongst themselves leaving Orion and Neville to try to appear that they weren't trying to listen in while having their own conversation. Orion thought he picked up stray words like 'tempted', 'unprepared' and 'stubborn' which wasn't surprising considering what had happened earlier in the day. It was obvious that spending even the smallest amount of time with Mr. and Mrs. Potter had affected Sirius more than what he had allowed people to see.
"Dad?" Orion asked quietly, shifting uneasily as everyone's eyes rested on him. "If I ask you a question will you answer me honestly?"
Sirius frowned slightly. "I won't ever lie to you, Ori," he said seriously. "You know that."
Orion inhaled deeply, gathering what courage he could grasp. "What did the Potters do that hurt you so badly?" he asked nervously.
Sirius' gaze fell as Mrs. Longbottom reached out and grasped Sirius' hand. "It's complicated, son," he said softly as he met Orion's intense green eyes. "Before I adopted you, there was an accident and James reacted badly. He said some really hateful things without letting me try to defend myself. Then, when I—" his gaze shifted to Remus before returning to Orion "—when we needed them the most, they abandoned us and cut off all contact with us. We would have been lost if it hadn't been for Frank and Alice."
"I think you give us too much credit, Sirius," Mr. Longbottom spoke up.
Sirius snorted. "What did I know about being a father?" he asked bluntly.
"You knew that what a child needs more than anything else is the love of a parent," Mrs. Longbottom answered. "Do you really think that any of us know what we're doing? We're just making it up as we go."
"Well that's reassuring," Neville muttered earning chuckles from mostly everyone. "That's just what I want to hear. I'm one big experiment."
"At least you have an excuse for those sessions with the Mind Healer that you will undoubtedly get in the future," Mr. Longbottom muttered.
"WHAT?" Neville cried earning looks from those eating nearby and an elbow in the side from Orion. He winced and looked at his parents apologetically. "Sorry, but what do you mean 'Mind Healer'?"
A sly grin appeared on Sirius' face. "Its common practice—or at least it was when I was a child—for pureblood families to send their first born to a Mind Healer when they enter their teenage years to ensure the child is stable enough to take over as head of the family. My parents never sent me and—well—they knew I was a loss when I was sorted into Gryffindor."
"Sirius, you're not helping," Mrs. Longbottom scolded. "We're not sending you to a Mind Healer, Neville. Certain pureblood families started the tradition when complications arose from unions of purebloods who were a little too closely related. You see, since all pureblood families are—in some way—related, the challenge is to find the most distantly related match to continue the pureblood status."
"Do I have to marry a pureblood?" Neville asked nervously.
Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom shared a knowing smile. "No, Neville," Mr. Longbottom answered. "You can marry whoever your heart desires."
Neville's shoulders sagged in relief. Orion cast a curious glance at his father only to receive a raised eyebrow in return. He wasn't stupid. He knew that the entire pureblood discussion was nothing more than a distraction but it had been completely unnecessary. He had heard enough. He now truly understood why his father acted the way he did around Mr. and Mrs. Potter. Betrayal and abandonment were certainly good reasons. Perhaps Mr. Longbottom had a point. Some wounds just couldn't be healed.