Z.R. Stein

Lily Potter and the Escape to Remnant – A RWBY/Harry Potter Crossover crossover AU fic.

I do not own the characters of RWBY or Harry Potter in any way, shape, or form.

If anyone wants to beta this fic, and/or my other two, I would appreciate the help.

I said I would answer your questions, so here goes.

Berna45 asked: was wondering if Harry & Pyrrha could be paired together?

This question (and two or three more like it) brings up an interesting point that I don't think I've told the general public yet. This fic is not about Harry Potter. Yes, Harry will be in it, but he's going to be a wee ickle babby and won't have any serious sections devoted to him. Harry and all of his adventures in Remnant will not begin until the sequel to this fic, which the presumptive title for is Harry Potter and the World of Remnant, which will detail his Signal and Beacon years. This fic, Lily Potter and the Escape to Remnant, is about Lily Potter, along with Sirius and Remus, and how they adapt to life in Remnant. It will span a period of roughly ten years, from their arrival until Harry goes off to Signal, and it will focus on Lily, Sirius, Remus, Ozpin, Qrow, and everyone else of the older generation. So, stop asking me who Harry is going to be shipped with, because the answer is no one, because he is not going to be old enough!

Manic Archmage asked: Are you going to unlock their auras? Or would it be too difficult to create the semblances?

All three wizards will have their Aura unlocked and will all gain Semblances (eventually). Anything else would be spoilers.

Happy reading!

The natural enemy of the strong is the weak, but the natural enemy of the weak is not the strong - it is the ones that are even weaker. -Sora

. . .

"Now try this one."

Qrow and Sirius sat in an out of the way speakeasy somewhere in downtown Vale, both of them clutching shots of Ember Ale in hand. The Beowolf Den, as it was called, was apparently one of Qrow's favourite watering holes in Vale, and Sirius was beginning to understand why. According to Qrow, it was one of the only bars in the city that sold Dust infused liquor (something that was highly illegal, apparently) to customers in the know, and Qrow happened to be one of their regulars. After Sirius had confronted the young Huntsman and explained the situation, Qrow had agreed to hear him out, but professed a need for a stout drink, offering Sirius one as well. As a man of discerning tastes, Sirius Black had accepted.

After sampling a shot of Jotun's Vodka (which was infused with Ice Dust and was cold enough to cause damage to the stomach if too much was drank at once), Sirius was hooked. Firewhiskey, say hello to your new competitor.

Swirling the Ember Ale, Sirius took a sip, feeling the burning sensation of small chunks of Fire Dust rushing down his throat and settling into his stomach. Suddenly, Sirius hunched over, an unpleasant pressure building in his gut before he doubled over and spewed out a massive cloud of steam.

Qrow chuckled at the predicament Sirius found himself in, white wisps trailing out of his mouth as well.

"That one's called the Frostburn combo. You probably shouldn't do that twice in one day until you've got your Aura unlocked, it can be hell on the stomach if you ain't got any protection."

Coughing, Sirius righted himself, small puffs still escaping from his mouth.

"I'll say! Merlin, man, that was worse than any moonshine I've ever had. I think I'm about ready to hack up a lung."

"Guess you won't be doing that a second time, eh?"

"Hell no, I've gotta try that again. I don't know why I never thought of mixing enchanted drinks like that."

Qrow sniggered, watching the other inhabitants of the bar out of the corner of his eyes.

"Two things: You passed the first test of being my apprentice, so well done."

Sirius coughed out the last bit of steam and raised an eyebrow, asking "So you wouldn't let me train under you unless I could hold my liquor?"

"Hey, since Tai got married and semi retired I don't have a drinking buddy any more. You seem like an upstanding guy with good taste. Why not?" Qrow threw a few Lien onto the bar and nodded to the bartender before standing up, Sirius following.

The wizard grinned, cracked his neck and asked "Fair enough. What was the second thing?"

Qrow hummed as they exited the speakeasy, not answering. When the door closed behind them, Qrow suddenly lashed out, pulling them both into an alleyway and pinning Sirius against the wall. He stuck a blade underneath the other man's throat, the cold steel pressing against Sirius' neck, almost drawing blood. Sirius froze in shock before realizing that Qrow had pinned his wand arm down, rendering him next to helpless. He was about ready to Apparate away and ask Qrow what the hell he was playing at, but was interrupted by Qrow talking.

"Two, if you're gonna be travelling with me, you gotta learn to watch your mouth...among many other things. I know you're all thrown out of whack by being in a new world, but magic ain't exactly common news around here, or didn't you hear Ozpin? If I were you, I wouldn't be going on about shit like 'enchanted drinks' if you want to keep your secret a secret."

Sirius' eyes widened. He had forgotten; for some reason, drinking alcohol that was so clearly magical (not that the native inhabitants of Vale knew that) had caused him to lower his guard. It was a stupid mistake to make, one that probably didn't endear him to Qrow.

Qrow continued on, saying "You're gonna have to do better Black. I ain't an easy man to follow after. Hell, I've probably been on more suicide missions that any Huntsman in the past decade. You seem like a decent guy, Sirius. You should go back home with that pretty redhead and that bookish Faunus schmuck, live the quiet civilian life. Maybe you can open your own bar or research with your pals. Cuz if you stay with me...you're gonna have to be at your very best. One mistake, one more fuck up like that out on a mission, and you'll probably die. Got it?"

Sirius nodded minutely, not wanting to cut himself on the knife. It would be hard enough to explain to Lily why he smelled like a bar.

Qrow, having sheathed the knife faster than Sirius could follow, gave him a quick once over.

"Meet me outside the city at nine o'clock tonight, the same gate where we came in. Consider finding your way back there your second test. Oh, and no magic; learn to read a map. It's an essential skill for any Huntsman."

Without another word, Qrow strolled off, hands sunk deep into his pockets. Sirius rested against the wall for several moments before grumbling under his breath.

"And I thought Mad-Eye Moody was bad. Shit...well, can't back out now, I guess."

. . .

Lily Potter sat on the edge of her mattress, crying. Remus was holed up in his room, reading on his scroll (his main activity for the past two days), Sirius was out talking to Qrow, and Harry was asleep, so she had allowed herself this moment to grieve. James' death was still so terribly close, but the pain of her husband's passing was usually buried underneath the shell of steel that Lily had built around herself. She had to be strong for Harry, and Sirius and Remus, and for James most of all...but she would allow herself time when no one else was around. Times like this.

So she wept, pouring out all of the sorrow that had building up inside since she had heard of the attack on Halloween night. After fifteen minutes, the tears finally stopped rolling down her face, and her weeping devolved into sniffles. Wiping her eyes with a tissue, she blew her nose and stood up, leaving to check on Harry.

Her precious baby boy had weathered the aftereffects of the stasis charm and had returned to his normal cheery, baby self. He still asked for Dada quite often, but the presence of Unca Moo'y and Pa'foo' had assuaged him, for the most part. Thankfully, her brief trip to Azkaban and the journey to Remnant hadn't seemed to change him any way (she had been concerned that if Remus had changed, it might extend to Harry as well, but her fears had been unfounded. None of her scans could determine anything that had changed in the boy).

Peeking into the newly furnished nursery, Lily saw that he had woken up and was standing up inside of his crib.

"Hey there. You wake up?"

"Yah! Mah!"

Lily laughed and picked her son up, kissing his forehead and rubbing her finger over the oddly shaped scar that was there. She had made a habit out of that since taking him back from Dumbledore; for whatever reason, the scar worried her. It still hadn't healed completely, still standing out against his skin, as ugly and red as a fresh cut.

Lily frowned. Was it possible that it was a curse wound? None of her scans had shown anything; then again, they had all been medical scans, showing only physical abnormalities. If the scar was truly cursed from whatever dark spell Voldemort had used (Lily still wasn't sure if she believed it had been the Killing Curse), then it would only show up in a magical scan. Lily sighed deeply; scanning one's magic was decidedly more difficult than simply scanning one's body. She had learnt her fair share of medicinal magic and spellwork, but examining a magical core was outside of her department. And just her luck, there was likely no one else in the world who could perform—

Wait...yes there was. Lily set Harry down to play as she considered the idea that had popped into her head. Ozpin had used that...Aura Sight? Aura Sense? Something like that. He was one of the few trained wizards in Remnant, and the only one that she knew personally. He would likely be able to help.

The only problem was that Lily didn't know if she could trust him.

Talking to Ozpin before had been a matter of necessity. They had been new in this world and had needed information desperately. This...this was different. Could she trust Ozpin enough to have him take a look at her son?

Part of her told her no. Despite the man's straightforward answers, he still reminded her of Dumbledore. She knew that he likely had his own plans for her little family, plans that might put herself or others at risk. If she exposed Harry to him, she would be showing weakness to another potential manipulator.

Then again...he hadn't made any of the same mistakes Dumbledore had (yet) and seemed like a much more competent person all around. Lily snorted, thinking that was only natural; Ozpin ran a school for elite warriors. He couldn't afford to bumble around like Dumbledore, pretending to be senile. He was eloquent, thoughtful, and most importantly, he had been honest with her so far. And she needed to know if something was wrong with Harry.

Lily turned her attention to her son as Harry toppled over the small tower of colour changing blocks that he had been building.

"What do you think I should do, little guy?"

"Eh?"

Lily smiled as Harry crawled towards her and pulled himself upright using her knees.

"Do you think we should go see Professor Ozpin?"

"Ozzpee?"

Lily snickered, filing the babyish nickname away fro later.

"Mhmm, Ozzpee. Do you want to go see him?"

"Yah!"

Lily tickled her son's chin and nodded to herself. She would extend Ozpin this trust. Hopefully, it wouldn't backfire into her face.

. . .

"Ah, Miss Potter. How have you been these past two days?"

"Quite well, thank you. We've just been settling in."

Ozpin picked up a silver coffee pot sitting on his desk and poured himself a fresh cup, steam wafting out of the porcelain container.

"I understand that Mister Black has approached Qrow about the apprenticeship. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. Birds of a feather and all that."

Lily smiled, agreeing with the Headmaster. Qrow and Sirius did seem to have rather similar personality types.

"He is the only Huntsman we know besides yourself, and he knows about magic. It was an easy decision on Sirius' part. That isn't why I am here today, however. I'm here because of Harry."

Ozpin quirked an eyebrow, attention zeroing in on the child that was currently crawling up the side of his desk.

"Yes, the child. I don't remember him appearing during our first meeting. Might I ask where he was during that time?"

"You may ask, but I doubt you'll get an answer." Lily said. She wasn't ready to trust Ozpin that far yet; for all she knew, keeping a child in a trunk was punishable by death in Vale no matter the circumstances. Until Remus learned more about the laws of the city, she would refrain from talking about that particular bit of info.

Ozpin took it in stride, gently batting Harry's hands away from the coffee pot.

"And what is it you are seeking from me for young Harry, Miss Potter?"

Lily's face tightened as she steeled herself. The moment of truth had arrived.

"I want you to look at his soul like you did ours."

Both of Ozpin's eyebrows shot up before furrowing in thought. His amber eyes flicked over the small boy who had lost interest in Ozpin's coffee pot and was currently gnawing on the edge of his desk.

"I assume if I asked why this was necessary you would refrain from answering?"

"You would assume correctly. A story for another time."

Ozpin's lips quirked minutely at hearing his words parroted back at him, and he responded "Very well. I don't see any harm in it."

Lily Potter watched closely as Ozpin's eyes unfocused slightly before snapping towards her son with an almost uncanny clarity. Harry stiffened just as she and Remus had when they were examined, his tiny eyes looking around to spot the source of the disturbance. The examination seemed to drag on for hours, concerning Lily with its length. Did Ozpin really need to examine him for so long?

With a sigh, Ozpin leaned back; Lily could see a tightness in his jaw that had not been there before. He turned his eyes towards her, and she saw a deep sea of emotions swirling in them that weren't normally present.

"Miss Potter...forgive me for asking again, but I would very much like to know what happened to your son to cause this."

Lily felt panic clawing it's way into her heart. What was wrong with Harry? What had those bastards done to him!?

"What is...what do you mean what happened to him?"

Ozpin frowned, turning his eyes back to the child and said "His soul is much like any other child's, bright and small and utterly innocent. Children have yet to gain much in the way of personality at this age, but I can already tell he will be a sweet and kind boy. He has a powerful magical core as well, you might be pleased to note, one of the strongest I've ever seen...but there is something attached to his soul. Some...dark parasite, an ethereal tumor, I suppose you'd say. I must confess, I've never even heard of such a thing. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would think it to be impossible."

Lily's throat constricted.

"A parasite? Can you remove it? Is it hurting him? What is he—"

"Calm yourself, Miss Potter. It may not be as bad as you are imagining. Yes, the parasite is there, but it does not seem to be harming him, for the moment at least. And given that it is attached to his core, I imagine there is a very easy way to destroy the parasite."

Lily swallowed her fear. The fact that there was a solution was enough to drive away the rampant fears that had raged through her mind from hearing Ozpin's diagnosis.

"How?"

"Aura."

Lily tilted her head, momentarily confused.

"How exactly would Aura help?"

"Mmm...I know you are still unlearned about many of the technicalities of life in Remnant, so it is not unexpected for you not to know. I explained that Aura is the manifestation of the soul and that Semblances are powered by it, but there is much more to Aura than that. Aura is not simply a power source. In its raw state, Aura can be used to shield oneself or others. It can heal minor wounds or negate damage altogether, and it can be used to strengthen items to be far stronger than they normally are. Take, for example, this piece of paper."

Ozpin picked up a small square of paper off of his desk. He flexed it, showing how bendy it was.

"In its normal state, paper would make a rather terrible weapon. But, if I extend my Aura outwards into the paper…"

Ozpin suddenly flicked his fingers, sending the piece of paper flying. It buried itself in the floor, not bending in the slightest.

"...I can make it as strong as steel."

Lily's eyes shone as ideas began popping into her head like so many kernels of popcorn. The things she could do with this new information! After a moment, she reigned in her curiosity enough to ask Ozpin another question; she was here for Harry, not herself, damn it!

"So...Aura can be used to protect the soul as well as the body?"

"Correct. It does come from the soul, after all. That is the main duty of one's Aura; to shield your heart and soul from harm. Aura is protective in nature. I may not know how that parasite became attached to your son, but unlocking his Aura should get rid of it very quickly, especially given his powerful core. It would, however, be beneficial to wait until he is at least two years old, as unlocking his Aura before then might have adverse effects."

Lily paused, frowning. As eager as she was to rid her son of this dark taint of Voldemort's, she did not want to harm him while doing it.

"But he should be ready to unlock his Aura when he is two?"

"That is the earliest approved age, yes. In Vale, the standard age to unlock one's Aura is ten, the year before children may apply to one of the many combat schools in the city. Atlas typically unlocks one year earlier, Vacuo two years earlier, and Mistral one year later. Parents and guardians may unlock it before that time, but two is the absolute minimum."

"I see…"

Lily scooped Harry off of the floor and settled him on her lap, scrutinizing the scar for several seconds before turning to Ozpin.

"I...suppose that is the best we're going to get. As long as it isn't harming Harry...I can wait a year to unlock his Aura. Thank you."

"You are welcome, Miss Potter. If you ever need to talk again...please, don't hesitate to ask."

Lily nodded and made to walk to the elevator, Harry held in her arms. Before she pressed the button to open the doors, she turned her head and said "Less than two months ago, Harry and my husband were attacked in our home by a dark wizard named Voldemort. He killed James and used a Dark spell on my son. I am...hazy on some of the details myself, I admit. But...whatever that man did is the reason Harry has that...thing...attached to his core. I...hope that answers your question."

Ozpin didn't respond, choosing to take in the information silently. When Lily Potter left, he settled back into his chair to think, his only companion the constant ticking of the many gears in his office.

. . .

Several hours later and a fair distance away from the city, Sirius Black collapsed onto his back for a quick breather. After finding a local map and hitching a ride from a friendly local out of downtown, he had walked the rest of the way to gate, arriving half an hour before the specified time. Qrow had showed up soon after and complimented him on doing what any idiot child could and promptly moved on to the next test. Sirius had thought that Auror training would be enough to prepare him for whatever Qrow was going to throw at him. He was wrong. He had been woefully unprepared for the onslaught of trials that had followed.

Qrow had run him ragged through the forest and over hills, shouting at him to keep up. When Qrow told him to climb a tree, he did (an action that had likely saved his life several times during the night, as Grimm stalked the forest in search of prey). When Qrow told him to fight a Grimm using magic, he did (the spells he used were up to him, though Qrow constantly called out advice on how to best kill each Grimm). When he had briefly complained about not being able to Apparate, Qrow had asked what that was, then had asked him to Apparate as quickly as he could from one location to another. Just to test the limits of the technique.

Sirius tensed as he heard a rustle nearby, deciding to transform into his Animagus form. Qrow had mentioned offhand that Grimm often didn't care about animals as long as they didn't wander onto their turf, and Sirius hoped that any Ursa or Beowolf that happened across him would overlook a large black dog.

Sirius' caution turned out not to be needed, as the rustling noise revealed itself to be coming from Qrow.

"Hey, Black, where you hiding at? We've got moonlight burning here."

Sirius groaned internally, briefly contemplating staying down. He was battered, bruised, and exhausted in a way he hadn't been since the harshest battles of the war. But still...he had chosen this, and if there was one thing Sirius Black did not do, it was go back on his word to his friends.

Sirius rolled over and started standing up (a feat that was much easier when one had four limbs). He stopped upon hearing the telltale snick of a weapon being drawn. Looking around, Sirius found a meter of cold metal resting inches away from his nose. The sword was connected to a hand, which was in turn connected to a frowning Qrow.

"Huh...odd to see a dog out here. What're you doing so far away from the city, boy?"

Very slowly, Sirius backed away until he was out of striking range; he didn't want his teacher to lop his head off when he changed.

Unfortunately, Qrow still very nearly killed him upon seeing the large, black dog shift forms to become Sirius. The smoking hole that appeared next to his head was rather close for comfort and had Sirius scrambling out of the way.

"I swear, it's like you're trying to kill me!"

Qrow lowered his arm and rolled his eyes.

"Next time, maybe consider warning me before you pull off another weird wizarding trick. You should've told me you could turn into a dog sooner, that's a damn useful tidbit to know. Heh...what I wouldn't kill to be able to do something like that."

Sirius grimaced, still on edge from almost being shot.

"Becoming an Animagus isn't all that hard...for a wizard at least. It doesn't work for Muggles...although...well, I'm not exactly sure if it would work on you or not. Aura and magic and all that shit is for Lily and Remus to figure out."

Qrow cocked an eyebrow.

"Animagus? Hmmm...interesting. Ya just get one form?"

"It's supposed to be your spirit animal or something...so yeah." Sirius' face suddenly lit up in amusement "I bet if it does work your form will be a crow."

"Two hundred Lien says you're wrong."

"You're on."

The smile that had been on Qrow's face vanished, and he crossed his arms.

"Buuut bets will have to wait. We still have seven hours before the sun rises. Let's see you move those shanks, bub. Doubletime, no Apparating! If I see you slacking, I'm leaving you out here to be eaten by a Deathstalker!"

Sirius groaned, silently vowing to one day pull the ultimate prank on Qrow. He wasn't sure what exactly that prank would entail, but it would need to be big. Something big enough to make up for this hell that he was going through.

. . .

The sun was just peeking above the horizon when Qrow called a halt to the test. Sirius collapsed against a tree, every inch of his body bone tired and drenched in sweat.

"Suh...So...how did I...How'd I do?"

Qrow leaned back against a different tree, not even looking winded.

"Well...your physique is pretty shit. You reaction time could use some work, and your endurance is just plain awful."

Sirius groaned, slumping down even further.

"But, I think it's workable. Most of that stuff will improve dramatically once we unlock your Aura, and the rest of the slack can be taken up by some good old fashioned training. So yeah...congratulations on passing test number three. Honestly didn't expect you to make it this far, bub."

Propping himself up on an elbow, Sirius managed to gasp out "Unlock...my Aura? You can do that...for me?"

The other man shrugged and said "Ozpin's got his Aura unlocked and he's a wizard. Should be fine, right?"

"Just...let me catch my breath...cockbite."

"Ya see, this is why I like you. You've got fire in ya. Pity that spitfire attitude won't be enough to keep you alive while on a mission. I'll be sure to put some roses on your funeral casket after you kick the bucket. Maybe even write a eulogy. Something stirring, poetic...ah, hell, I can just ask Summer to write it, she's good with shit like that."

Sirius groaned, not gracing him with a response. After several minutes of lying down, he finally found the strength to rise into a sitting position.

"How the hell do we do this?"

Qrow grabbed his arm and pulled him fully up off the ground, the wizard groaning as his sore muscles protested. The Huntsman then spun Sirius until they were facing each other.

"Right, it's very simple. I'll say the incantation and provide the Aura. You just stand there. If you start feeling pain, deal with it like a man. If you can't do that, squeal like a little bitch, then I can laugh about it over a drink later."

"Merlin, I hate you."

Chuckling, Qrow placed his right hand flat over Sirius' heart, using his other hand to grasp the man's shoulder.

"Take a deep breathe and close your eyes."

Sirius grit his teeth but did as instructed, saying "You better not kiss me."

"Shut the hell up Black, you're not that attractive."

After Sirius closed his eyes, Qrow took a moment to center himself, pulling on his own Aura in the process. With a grace that came from long years of practice, Qrow sent his Aura spiralling outwards, his essence intertwining with Sirius' as it searched for the other man's soul.

"In the darkness of night, only one star will remain. The light of thine soul shall be the guide. Its power, thine shield. Its strength, thine resolve. Waver not, for life is fleeting, and eternity awaits for those who accept it. I release thine soul, and by mine shoulder protect thee."

Sirius felt a strange rush. It was almost as if his magic, always contained within his core, was flooding throughout every inch of his body. It raced down his every nerve, leaping into his bones and spreading across his muscles. He felt rejuvenated, as if he had just woken up from a long nap rather than having spent the night running around a forest battling monsters. In fact, he felt better than he could ever remember feeling; lighter, stronger, and more powerful. Sirius gasped at the sensation, opening his eyes to find out that he was glowing with a strong golden light.

"Merlin and Morgiana...that's a rush."

Qrow had moved back and was watching the whole display, his arms resting behind his head.

"Huh, guess it worked after all. That's test number four done."

Sirius looked up in amazement as the glow died. He felt like a new man.

"That...I mean...holy shit."

Qrow chuckled, and said "Yep. First time feeling your Aura is always something special. It's like the one limb you never knew you had and the sense you never knew you needed all rolled into one, then suddenly it gets dropped on you and...mmm, how to describe it...closest thing to a religious experience I've ever had. Not really the kinda guy to praise Oum all the time, so you can see how much it affected me."

Sirius shook his head, still struggling to take in every change in his body and mind. Now that his Aura was unlocked, he could feel it resting just below the surface, ready to shield him if necessary. Sirius suddenly grinned and whooped, taking off at a flat sprint. He was running faster than he ever thought possible, leaping over branches and fallen trees with an ease that could put an Olympic athlete to shame...or he was until one of his feet snagged on a crook and he face planted onto the ground. The impact was jarring, but to Sirius' amazement, he didn't feel hurt from it at all.

Climbing to his feet, Sirius dusted himself off, suddenly mindful of Qrow sniggering behind him.

"Nice moves, Black. Kudos. Ya ready for test number six?"

Sirius turned back, a wide grin on his face.

"Hell, I'm ready for whatever you throw at me. What's next?"

"Weapon's testing. No way in hell you're using just that little stick of wood. If you're gonna be a Huntsman, ya need a proper weapon."

Sirius' grin widened even more.

"Bring it on."

I have this strange feeling that criminals everywhere in Remnant are getting chills.

I really love writing the interactions between Qrow and Sirius. They are both such damaged assholes who are at the same time loving uncles. They're a match made in...well not heaven, but somewhere. And let me reiterate for anyone who didn't catch it last time, they are just going to be bros. I have ships in mind for both of them.

Anyways, leave a review and tell me what you think Sirius' weapon should be. So far, the only candidate I have is a revolver (shoutout to gonewind321, that dude knows how to leave a quality review)