Come Together KeeperPawsoffMe Chapter 2
The week following the attack on Godric's Hollow was a busy one for Alice and Frank Longbottom. The Auror's dept was good enough to allow the young couple an emergency leave of absence so that they could become use to their new family and make the arrangements concerning Lily and James and the Potter estate. Entering Gringotts to deal with the legalities of James and Lily was one of the hardest and most heart wrenching things Alice and Frank had to do in their lives.
The goblins were understandingly all business but allowed extra time for the meeting. The temporary joining of the House of Longbottom and the House of Potter was one of the largest mergers in recent goblin memory and everyone involved wanted to make sure that everything was done legally. It was decided that even though legal age in the wizarding world was 17 Harry would not be handed over all the control at that point.
Remus would be in control of the everyday business of Potter Investments, P.I. for short, while Sirius would watch over the bigger picture. Alice and Frank would have custody of Harry and be allotted a monthly allowance for Harry's upkeep even though they really didn't want to take it. At the age of 14 Harry would have monthly meetings with the goblins about his family investments at 17 or when he graduated from Hogwarts Harry would make the decisions about P.I. but with Sirius' advice and finally by the time he was 21 Sirius would step aside and Harry would have the ability to make all decisions concerning P.I.
All of the adults involved and the goblins thought that this would be the best for everyone including P.I. itself.
Before A very tired Alice knew it; it was Saturday morning and time for the Weasley triplets to come and visit her two. Alice had two of the house elfs, Doori and Kiki; clean the nursery until it shown. The toys were set out for easy access for all the children and a little area of just pillows and picture books had been arranged incase the children became tired or over whelmed at all. Alice hoped that the visit would go well. Harry was finally starting to react to the past weeks actions and he was very jumpy and clingy to Sirius.
At 9 on the nose the floo flared and Molly and young bill stepped through. Molly was carrying Fred and George while Bill was holding little Ginny. The bright strawberry blonde hair of the triplets marked them as Weasleys Alice smiled as Bill set Ginny on the floor.
"Good bye Mum, just floo if you need help getting everyone back. I'll make sure Dad doesn't burn down the house while you are gone." Bill smiled at the adults turned to the floo through in the floo powder and called out "The Burrows" before stepping into the green flames and disappearing.
"He's such a help" said Molly smiling after her oldest.
Sirius ran into the room scooped up the three toddlers and headed up to the nursery.
"Have a nice visit ladies, the 6 of us will have loads of fun I promise."
Alice shook her head she swore she heard Sirius say "OK you three do you know what a prank is?" as he left the room.
Not a peep was heard from the nursery except for the occasional peels of toddler laughter.
At lunch Sirius trooped the 5 into the kitchen for sandwiches and biscuits.
"Mummy" said little Ginny her brown eyes shining "We love Cousdin Siri"
George smiled "he fun"
"yup" said Fred
"That's cousin dears, can you say cousin?"
"Cousdin" the three said together.
Remus J Lupin lay awake in his bed staring at the ceiling. He could not remember his heart ever feeling so heavy. Dumbledore had just come to visit and give him the news. Lily and James were dead, Peter was missing and Sirius, Frank and Alice were being very unreasonable about Harry's well being. Remus felt like his whole life was falling in around him. Dumbledore had asked him to go on a mission for The Order of the Phoenix or TOP as the younger generation had started calling it and Remus had been asked to leave before James and Lily's funeral. Dumbledore didn't think a funeral would be a good idea at all actually, too many people would come to gawk and the possibility of an attack in retribution for Voldemort's and the Lestranges' deaths. Remus tended to agree with that but didn't want to go anywhere before he spoke with Sirius, Alice and Frank and of course saw Harry for himself.
Remus forced himself up from his bed and into the shower. If he felt this bad Sirius must feel five times worse.
Forty five minutes later Remus found himself on his hands and knees in front of his fireplace calling for his best friend. "Sirius, Are you home old man? May I come through?" Remus looked around Sirius' place as best he could from the floo and realized that Sirius' flat was still set up for the Halloween party that they never had..Standing up Remus sighed. "Yup he thought to himself he was investing in a stand up calling floo. This hands and knees stuff was getting old fast." Grabbing more floo powder Remus tried Alice and Frank's one of their house elfs answered the floo.
"Hello Master Remus," squeaked Kiki, at least he thought it was Kiki, "I will tell Master Frank e has a call." The little elf disappeared and Remus could hear footfalls heading towards the floo.
"Remus, come through Alice Sirius and I have just put the boys down for a nap and were trying to figure out were you'd be so we could talk." Frank stepped back so Remus could come through.
In an instant Remus was at the Longbottom's Alice converging on him in a hug as Frank slapped him on the back. Drying her eyes Alice said "Sirius is in the kitchen Remus, it's so terrible. People have been celebrating and no one seems to realize or care that James and Lily are gone." Alice dabbed at her eyes again. "I'm sorry I try so hard not to cry in front of Harry. Come in come in. Tea?"
Remus followed in a bit of a daze not sure exactly how he would find Sirius.
Sirius was sitting at the kitchen table looking into a cup of tea sadness just rolling off of him. Sirius jumped up and only got one phrase out before the two friends were clinging to each other. "Moony, they're gone."
Ten minutes later the adults had gotten themselves back together and were sitting around the table only the occasional sniffle and the red rimmed eyes betraying the emergence of the emotions of earlier.
"How's Harry?" asked Remus? Dumbledore came to my flat and hinted that you three were not being reasonable about the situation what's going on?"
Frank, Alice and Sirius explained to Remus what had happened from the moment of Frank and Alice returning home to change up to Dumbledore's arrival at Frank and Alice's and his demands tat Harry be placed with the magic hating muggles other wise known as Lily's sister.
"That old goat" said Remus "He came to my flat and tried to tell me you three were being unreasonable about Harry's safety and how I should leave on a mission before the funeral even. I think He's trying to split us up so he can have total control of Harry. I don't know about you all but I'm beginning to wonder about Albus."
"So are we Moony, so are we."
"I have an idea gentleman," said Alice looking around the table a very serious expression on her face. "Frank and my house is the little house on Longbottom Estate and as you know we even have our own gate and gate house here. Would you two consider moving into the gatehouse and helping us with Nev and Harry? Since we are on a magical estate the boys can use magic and with Dumbledore behaving so oddly I would like them to start training even now." She looked around at the confused faces at the table. "Yes I know the boys aren't two yet but they can be trained in things like flying and proper speech and heck some muggles are even teaching their infants to read already I'm sure our boys are smart enough for that. If the four of us combine our strong points the boys will be in no danger from any hare brained idea of Dumbledore's. Sirius you could teach them stealth by playing with them and frank and I could teach them herbology and charms Remus you were the best tutor Hogwarts ever had you could teach them muggle schooling reading writing and arithmetic. I know Mother Longbottom had been talking about hiring a teacher for Nev already I'll tell her I found one and suggest you Remus. Mother Longbottom likes you, you know. Frank and Sirius and I will continue to work in the auror's dept and you can train the boys, what do you think guys? Heck the gate house is almost as big as this one you two will have a blast. Please?"
Sirius and Remus looked at each other across the table and huge grins spread across their faces. "We'd love to" said Remus "to be honest I was afraid you'd not allow me to be in Harry's life, with my furry little problem and all."
"Oh don't be silly Remus;" said Frank, "your furry little problem isn't half as dangerous as Siri's demented influence. Everyone around the table laughed, "Now if you'll excuse me gentlemen please hold down the fort while I go and speak with Mother Longbottom. Alice left the room as Remus, Frank and Sirius started to make plans.