In This Life

Chapter 39

Seven Months Later

Needless to say everything had settled down now, Harry and Draco learned everything they could when school broke up for the day. They were kept well and truly busy until eight o'clock at night then they were allowed to do what they wanted. Most of the time they just showered and got their nightclothes on. At the weekend they were allowed to sleep in, and spend most of the day with their friends/girlfriend's and boyfriends. Severus was a hard task master, and demanded nothing but one hundred percent concentration from them. He didn't suffer from fools, which Harry had learned the hard way. Thankfully he hadn't been too hard on him, just made him work another half hour as punishment.

There was a potions lab in the Black manor; it was beautiful obviously someone in the Black family had loved their potions. Severus had said someone who just liked potions wouldn't have a lab like this. Severus said it was done to the best standards and everything despite the dust was preserved brilliantly. So Harry learned potions as well as defence against the dark arts, charms and a little transfiguration. The Transfiguration was very hard, Severus was training him to transfigure things, soft things and hard things so if things were coming his way he could change them or as he learned in charms fling them back. For instance Severus picked up a stone and transfigured it into a dragon which would protect you from a spell that's fired your way. The dragon wasn't able to breath fire and wasn't alive but the fact was it would save you. Harry spent a lot of time levitating statues or heavy set things. Harry hadn't understood why until he had been submerged in a pensive.

He watched Tom Riddle and Dumbledore fight, and saw why he was learning these seemingly endless useless things. He had watched in awe the powerful fight between those two men. He had never doubted Severus again after that, he had done everything presented to him no problem or moaning whatsoever. Severus knew what he was doing obviously, and Harry was glad to be getting trained by him. Severus knew Dumbledore and Tom Riddle like the back of his hand, who better to teach him? Even Sirius had admitted that.

Sirius taught them Ancient Runes, which thankfully Harry and Draco were at the same level. As neither of them had taken Ancient Runes, Draco had passed up the opportunity and Harry had never had that opportunity. Harry missed Edward during the week like mad, but normally he would come though the window after his training. Severus and Sirius knew he was there and didn't mind. Harry was after all old enough to have a boyfriend, and Edward had been there first - plus Sirius didn't want to be a father he just wanted to be a loveable godfather to him. If anything Severus was more tough and being the male role model for Harry.

As he continued his training, he began to muscle up; he was finally growing up to be all he could. With nutritious milkshakes, all the exercising he had done it was no surprise really. His hair was getting longer way past his shoulder blades now and Severus had corrected his eyesight. His eyes weren't bad enough for him to notice he needed glasses but they hadn't been exactly top notch. Severus had said they would continue getting worse over time, so they might as well deal with it now.

The time seemed to roll around, Draco was well, a different young man indeed. He had always been arrogant because of his up bringing, when it came to food, clothes, money, girls and gossipers. Now he had gotten that confidence which he had lost when he joined Hogwarts and Dumbledore let Potter away with bullying him. He was very protective of Harry; almost like a little brother which was ironic enough as Harry was nearly out doing him at everything. Muscles, tallness and in power as well. Harry was more powerful than Draco, it was understandable as he was supposed to have the power the dark lord knew not - supposed to be Voldemort's equal.

They had now passed their driving tests, and were driving about in the similar green cars. Volvo C70 convertibles they were up there beside the most sought after cars…they would give the Cullen's cars a second thought. The only difference between them was the Slytherin green scarf that was made smaller and stuck to the glass at the back of the car. There was also their registration plate too.

Surprisingly Draco passed his test first, Harry had messed up on his mock test and it got put back a few weeks. None the less he didn't get any less attention than Draco when he did finally pass. Unknown to him Sirius and Severus had exchanged coins, when Draco had passed first. Sirius had been so sure Harry would with him known the Muggle world all his life - instead a pureblood that had hardly any knowledge of the Muggle world had passed. Severus hadn't let Harry see that smug smirk on his face, although Severus had to admit it was more to do with beating Sirius at a bet than being more proud of Draco than Harry.

Harry had gone leaps and bounds in his magic, Severus was proud of him he couldn't have asked for a better student. As the months went by Severus was beginning to wonder how much he could actually teach Harry that was any use. Severus was after all training him in stuff he had to learn, defence against the dark arts and actual dark arts. Sirius and Severus had argued for a good twenty minutes before finally realizing he was going to have to learn the dark arts to defend himself against them. Severus had basically said "getting taught them didn't make you evil, after all you turned yourself away from your family and the dark arts after eleven years of getting taught them no doubt!" needless to say Sirius had been stunned. It had been the first time they had disagreed and Severus had swiftly stunned him into silence.

Letters had been coming and going for the past seven months since Remus Lupin had gone back home. He was keeping them updated on absolutely everything that was going on.

Severus,

Dumbledore is under the impression you have been caught as a spy or that Voldemort is forcing you to make potions for him. Either that or he thinks you are dead and giving the Order false hope but that I cannot see happening.

Eric Potter has suffered greatly, the world now knows that he isn't the boy who lived. One of the Order members must have spilled the beans; needless to say I do feel a little sorry for him. He has no friends, he no longer gets away with the things he used to and he's very, very unhappy.

Dumbledore actually wants Eric away from Hogwarts, but he doesn't dare risk looking Lily and James. He wants the students that left during the past years to come back; he wants his soldiers now that Eric isn't the one.

Remus

Of course the letters continued and before Harry knew it more were coming his way.

Sirius, Severus, Draco, Harry

He's under the impression that your mother Narcissa, has finally taken you from the school. He is furious he thinks you are another Death Eater in the making, and he doesn't like the thought of not being able to keep an eye on you. As for Sirius well I'm not sure what he thinks…he has avoided mentioning you.

The main purpose of this letter is to let you know that Lily is now searching other countries. She cannot check everywhere, and she will find it hard to get you, I can only hope that you thought to remove all papers from the Orphanage. It will only take Dumbledore getting involved for that to happen, as smart as Lily is she doesn't know which orphanage James put Harry in - only James and I suspect Dumbledore do.

James seems weird these days, it's as if he's giving up if I didn't know any better I would say it was guilt. I'm not going to believe it though, I think he's just feeling bad because it's the son he gave away that's predicted to save the world.

P.s - Sirius here are the papers you wanted and I'll see you soon

It turns out it was papers for Harry to get half of his inheritance as he was a Potter. Which he gladly did, the money was now safely in his vaults that no one touch or try and transfer. The only thing Harry wanted was to be able to see the look on James Potter's face when it became apparent.

He did get to read the very fascinating letter.

Sirius

James is furious, he has found out he got the letter from Gringotts yesterday. He tried demanding the money put back, then he demanded them to track his son down for him. The stupid fool thought that the money would be transferred to wherever he was; I honestly thought James was smarter than that. Sure he could track him but he would need to actually withdraw any money for that to happen.

From what I gathered before we left he wouldn't need to do such a thing. Not with all the compensation money he got when that bastard ran him over. Plus he has Edward looking after him he doesn't need to use the Potter money just yet. Advise him to wait or at least come over here and withdraw his money to throw them off.

James has got involved in the search as has Dumbledore when he can get away from all the duties he has - which thankfully isn't often. They are getting desperate and Voldemort hasn't even started his reign of terror yet - he's been unusually quiet.

Remus

Even if it was just addressed to one of them, they all read it at one point or another. Harry was suddenly glad Severus had thought to have someone going back there, keeping everyone up to date. It surprised Harry to no end how stupid they all were, Dumbledore truly thought that Voldemort was forcing Severus to stay. It helped them so he wasn't going to argue.

For once in Harry's life things were going well, he had a family, again. Sirius had claimed guardianship of him, he truly was Harry James Potter-Black but if you include all his names it was actually Harry James Potter Cunningham Anderson Black. The amount of times his legal guardians had change, the Potter's had abandoned him when he was two, his mum and dad had adopted him when he was four the Cunningham's and of course there was the Andersons who had grudgingly taken him in. he hadn't seen Hilda since he had moved, she didn't keep in touch. It was as if she had forgotten about him, and decided to live her life as she pleased with her unborn baby. For once in his life it didn't hurt him that someone was abandoning him - again.

The ironic thing about it Severus wanted to adopt him too, soon his name would get even longer - Harry James Potter Cunningham Anderson Black Snape. He didn't even want to contemplate how long it would get should he marry.

Two and a half months until his seventeenth birthday, it had only been a year since he met the Cullen's fell in love and gained a family…time seemed weird for Harry having so much happen in such a short span of time. All positive things which he was unused to happening, not only has Draco's confidence grown Harry's had too, he remembered how he felt when he first entered Forks high school. He had felt sick and so nervous about it, now he was blooming under the care of two determined men - who wanted him hidden and to remain happy away from the Wizarding world.

Life was uncomplicated until a letter came complicating everything, written in hasty handwriting by Remus.

They know and they are coming, I'll try and stall them for as long as I can, be prepared.

And so it was they had found him at last just like Draco, Severus and Sirius had suspected and feared - they knew it was impossible to hide someone forever and Harry hoped this day wouldn't come. What he had told Draco was true, he would just stand there and let Voldemort kill him even if it was just to let them realize that they couldnt force someone into something like they were sure to do to him. Fortunately for Harry Potter-Black he had a family of Vampires, and a family of Wizards on his side who would fight for him till the death.

What do you think? Will they manage to kidnap him? will he be forced back to Hogwarts or would you prefer Dumbledore try and persude harry to their side in Forks? end up having dumbledore telling voldemort where harry is so that the war could be over? or contiue trying to get him to Hogwarts? which would YOU perfer to see happen? R&R plz