.

.

In This Life

Chapter 40

Annajewel- this is for you hunni I sat at my laptop for hours reading and re-reading the story looking for a way to update it and make it run smoothly. I decided on this and I hope you enjoy it! i hope it lives up to your standards and expectations whatever they may be thank you for being such a loyal reader. I'm just glad an idea came to me and all those hours werent for nothing! I had wanted to get a chapter of A New Place To Stay done aswell but thats not possible tonight. Anyway take care hunni bye for now xxx

They Finally Come

Dumbledore had finally gotten the whereabouts of Harry Potter, but he was infuriated that even with his connections he had to wait a fortnight for the transatlantic Portkey. He was in no way prepared to get on Muggle transport. He may only be a half blood but he had spent his entire life in the Wizarding world. He had never been on any means of Muggle transportation and he wasn't about to begin now, it was utterly insane. He didn't have a destination where he could apparate without being spotted, and if the America's got word they would just love to pull him up about letting Muggles see him. They had stricter rules in regard to magic being performed in their country, especially in front of Muggles who didn't know. The American's did not like Obliviating their people, unlike the Wizards and Witches in the UK. Muggles in the UK were just a nuisance but to the Wizards in America Muggles were regarded and treated with respect despite the fact they didn't have an ounce of magic in their bodies. It might be because the majority of America was Muggles not Wizards and Witches.

He didn't know where the Portkey would take him so he couldn't just trick them and apparate. It would take a lot out of him to do such a thing, not many knew but his magic along with his age was deteriorating he couldn't keep up with Voldemort much longer. He was one hundred and sixty years old and considered an old man in even Wizarding ages standards. He didn't think neither James nor Lily had the magic to apparate anyway, so the Portkey they would just have to wait for. Unfortunately if Lily and James were coming Eric Potter would too, Albus still wasn't happy about the big brat. He had risked everything for him only for it to kick him in the arse years later; Eric wasn't the boy who lived after all. He had been sick to his stomach when he realized what had happened, and he felt infuriated beyond anything anyone had seen. Not only that but Snape was missing, he was beginning to think he had died. He had disappeared before class one day, and never showed up again. Severus usually did tell him when he was summoned but there was an occasion when the pain was to severe for anything but to leave straight away.

He did feel bad for his spy, in his own way but this was war he couldn't get attached to people like that. There was no denying that Snape had been very valuable to them over all the years. Albus could only hope that Voldemort would stay inactive at least until he had started training the Potter boy.

Albus Dumbledore was in for a very big rude awakening.

Two weeks later Dumbledore was waiting rather impatiently for Lily and James, half tempted to go himself. He couldn't do that after all the boy probably wanted to get to know his parents. If it helped bring him back who was he to complain? He wanted Harry kept as far away from Eric as humanly possible. He didn't need the boy becoming spoiled and bigheaded or beaten down by Eric's bullying tendencies. He could only hope that the boy was at least mouldable and impressionable being adopted and passed around all the time.

"Why did you never tell me about those photos?" whined sixteen year old Eric Potter alerting Dumbledore to the fact they were finally coming. If he hadn't constantly used to keeping up masks of benevolent Headmaster he would have tapped his foot impatiently. He had much more composure than that having had to deal with Eric Potter for six years. Thankfully Hogwarts had finished for the year and they weren't needed in Hogwarts to protect it. McGonagall and the majority of the Order were waiting on them coming back, eager to meet the true boy who lived.

"Oh hush Eric!" tutted Lily shaking her head in exasperation, her own red hair much like her sons bright red. It was one of the many ways you could tell the difference about the boys she had given birth too. Harry had ended up with brown hair which was probably like his fathers a birds nest.

"We are late come on!" sighed James walking ahead of his wife and son. He never thought for a minute that his child wouldn't want him as a father; after all he was young, good looking, rich and probably a sight better than the couples that had adopted him from the orphanages. Even if he was angry at the boy for claiming his inheritance, he had earned a good sizable amount of it too.

"I don't want him coming here! You'll both hate me!" whined Eric pouting childishly, looking stupid on his maturing sixteen year old face. In two weeks time he would be seventeen and later start his last year at Hogwarts. In two weeks time he could officially become an independent man and of course an official Wizard and allowed to use magic without the restrictions. Eric didn't care about growing up but the ability to use magic when he pleased suited him just fine.

"We could never hate you son!" soothed Lily clutching her son close reassuring him quite needlessly in Dumbledore's opinion considering he saw the brat smirking in satisfaction at his mother's declaration. He was just being spiteful for attention; well Dumbledore would be having a word with them. They had a lot of making up to do and they had to make sure the child wanted them so he would come back to Hogwarts. Dumbledore didn't even bother thinking that the child would be coming back like it or not, he believed all children would bow down to his command just because he looked trustworthy.

"Ready to go?" asked Dumbledore clearing his throat they were cutting it very close the Portkey was due to go any second. He handed the old rotten boot the Ministry had given him much to his distaste and waited. The three people accompanying him gripped it tightly too, before long they were whirling to a stop outside the back of an alleyway.

"Get here alright?" asked a Wizard his American accent quite thick.

"It was fine thank you, I'm Albus Dumbledore, the people with me are…"

"I know who you all are, I wish you good luck I will report back that you are here" said the wizard bluntly before apparating away leaving the four of them stunned at the way he had spoken to Albus Dumbledore.

"Well that was nice" said James sarcastically; unlike Severus it didn't sound right coming out of the older mans mouth.

"Let's just find him" sighed Dumbledore changing his robes into something more fashionable. It was very early in the morning, too early by far for people to be out despite the fact they had left the UK in the evening.

Here Lily took order and quickly hailed a cab that was unoccupied coming down the street. The three Wizards with her looked very awkward getting into the Taxi, having never been in one before. Lily would have laughed instead she just told him the address she wanted to go to and the meter was on and driver was on his way. Thankfully Lily had thought to bring Muggle Dollars with her because when he had asked the three Wizards looked at the cab man strangely.

Rolling her eyes she handed it over and told him to keep the three dollars change.

"It doesn't look used" said James looking at the windows and the newspaper filled step.

"Your right it doesn't" said Lily looking worried, nevertheless she walked into the small garden and knocked on the door and rang the bell just as a precaution. The three Wizards just stood behind her letting her deal with it.

"What does that mean?" asked Eric looking extremely put out.

"It means they might be on holiday or have moved" said Lily sadly, giving a huge sigh of discontent.

"Can we ask someone?" asked James looking around the area, pointing to one that had their lights on already.

"It's much too early to do such a thing!" protested Lily it just wasn't done going to someone's door so early.

"I cannot wait all day" said Dumbledore already heading towards the door with the outside light on. Lily grumbled before following them, overtaking them again she would ask the questions. She didn't want them to think they were weirdo's she couldn't have the American Police force coming down on them.

"Can I help you?" asked a young looking woman, she had a suit on and looked confused. Half her hair had been straightened, the other half was bedraggled, she only had the door opened a tiny tad. She had no idea if it came to it those three men and woman could get into her home within seconds with their magic.

"Yes I'm wondering where your neighbours are? The son Harry I need to speak to him" said Lily looking hopeful.

"Oh Hilda has moved away, her husband Isaac had a sudden cardiac arrest too many memories I'd expect" said the young woman, opening the door a little wider, showing the dog that was sitting on the stair actually growling at the intruders. It made Eric hide behind his mother and James look at the dog warily. Dumbledore wasn't scared because he would use his magic to defend himself if it came to it.

"And Harry? I need to see him I…he's my son he was adopted when he was born I was…very young" said Lily playing on the young woman's heart strings. She had to find out where he was and if he had gone with Hilda or not.

"Oh I'm very sorry to hear that" said the young woman looking extremely awkward at the conversation going on in front of her. She felt sorry for her but they were strangers and not many people were confronted with four strangers at their door at six o'clock in the morning in Forks.

"Can you tell us?" asked James sadly.

"Harry stayed here, I saw him moving his things into a black or dark green car…days before Hilda moved. It's all I can tell you I'm sorry, maybe the shop owner down the road could tell you. They know everyone and deliver to people's homes you might get lucky" suggested the young lady, she was rather wary of them with the way her dog was reacting to them. He had never growled at anyone before in his life, yet here he was growling angrily at those people. She felt something, weird, when they were talking and she didn't like it at all.

"Thank you very much! I'm so sorry to have disturbed you!" said Lily smiling gratefully at the blonde haired girl before walking away giving her a short wave. The three men did the exact same thing before they all began walking towards the shop she had indicated.

The girl gratefully shut the door with a sigh, before continued getting herself ready for work. Shaking off the strange encounter, stroking her dog as he finally calmed down since the door had been shut once more.

"Oh mum I'm hungry can I get a sweet?" begged Eric as soon as they walked into the shop.

"Fine go and get some things" said Lily exasperated.

"Muuuuum!" moaned Eric.

Lily rolled her eyes and walked over to her son "What is it now?" she demanded.

"I don't know what this all is!" protested Eric hotly.

"I shall get you something then will I?" asked Lily shaking her head, she picked out a multi-pack of crisps and a couple of multi-pack sweets and got everyone a soda deciding on orange as it was familiar to the three wizards that accompanied her. She got herself a packet of gum having not had any since she was seventeen years old. She paid for it before asking the question, thankfully because James had been about to explode.

"Do you know Harry?" asked Lily curiously.

"Why do you ask?" asked the shop owner his eyes sharp with suspicion.

"He's my biological son and we are here to get to know him" said Lily honestly, hoping the man would at least give them some information. She knew Dumbledore was being watched while in America and couldn't do to much magic or the authorities would be upon them. They believed Dumbledore was secretly trying to recruit more people to fight his war for him. So it was no wonder the American Minister of Magic was asking his Auror's to keep an eye on him.

"I see" said the owner unsure of whether to believe them or not. He knew Sirius he came by quite often to pick up supplies. With two young boys it didn't surprise the store owner, he had three and they just about ate him out of house and home. The older they got the more they ate it was unbelievable but they were worth it the man thought fondly.

"Please! I just want to get to know my son!" begged Lily his green eyes large tears already threatening to spill. She deserved an award for her acting, she didn't even know him never mind well enough to shed a tears over him.

"They are at the now habited Black manor" sighed the shop owner, he would just call Black manor and let them know. Just in case it was all a ruse but it didn't seem to be, the parents did look genuinely worried, the grandfather and son look relieved when he told them.

"Thank you, do you have an address?" asked Lily pleadingly.

"Uh, I cannot reveal without their permission" said the owner apologetically.

"That's fine! Its ok" sighed Lily taking the shopping bag and walking out of the store, giving a packet of crisps to her son.

"Black manor? You don't think Sirius found him do you? And didn't tell us?" asked James looking worried now.

"I think that's exactly what has happened" said Dumbledore grimly.

"Do you know where it is?" asked Lily to James.

"No, only know where Sirius was brought up…in Grimmauld Place" admitted James in defeat.

"Get another axi" said Eric through munching crisps.

"Do we have to?" sighed James he had felt sick riding in that disgusting yellow taxi just half an hour ago.

"We have to, the Taxi should know Black Manor" said Lily quickly.

Unfortunately none came by; Lily had to ask the shop owner to call one for her giving him ten dollars to do it. She couldn't see a pay phone anywhere so she had no choice but to pay for using the phone. Once he put it down he said quickly that it would be there in five minutes. Lily then went back to join her husband, son and her old Headmaster and waited the necessary time for the taxi. After grumbling some more James, Eric, Albus and Lily entered the taxi and told her where they wanted to go.

Twenty minutes later she had them where they wanted to be - Black manor.

"Someone is definitely here" said James, pointing out the cars; one had a Slytherin scarf which made it even more daunting. Sirius was a Gryffindor, who would be in Black manor that was a Slytherin? And in the Muggle world to boot. Just who had Harry Potter? They were beginning to fear the worst.

"They are getting in a taxi they will be here in twenty minutes" said Alice as she spaced out. Everyone was in Black Manor, Sirius, Severus, Draco; the Cullen's waiting for the inevitable. It had surprised them that he was taking so long to actually get here, two weeks they had waited. That's only because Remus had made the American's believe that Albus Dumbledore was on the look out for troops to help with the war efforts in England.

The owner of the shop had indeed called Sirius to alert him to someone coming.

"Do we really need to let them in?" sighed Harry, he really didn't want to meet his biological parents they had abandoned him after all.

"Unfortunately we do, better be on our terms in our home than somewhere they have the upper hand" said Severus smoothly, he felt Harry's reluctance and he was just as reluctance but he also knew Dumbledore wouldn't give up. They could only hope to keep one step ahead of Dumbledore until he did get the picture. Harry wasn't going to go back to England to clean up their mess. For once Dumbledore was going to have to clean up his own mess and not wait for some stupid Prophecy to fulfil itself. Dumbledore had ignored the signs so it was his own fault.

"And we will always be ahead of him…he mustn't find out about Alice" said Jasper his eyes narrowed as he thought about this man they were all talking about.

"He mustn't find out about anyone" said Severus pointedly; he wondered if Edward's gift would work on Dumbledore. It didn't work on Harry but worked on someone with great mental shields like Remus Lupin so he was unsure of what Edward would be able to read.

He believed the only reason Harry was able to stop him was because they had to be equals to be soul mates. It wasn't an equal relationship if Edward could hear his thoughts, but he went back and forth on that.

Much too soon for everyone's taste the bell of the huge manor began ringing - someone was at the door.

"Don't answer it Harry! They Portkey you out!" whispered Alice grabbing a hold of him even in her trance.

Severus snarled furiously, he couldn't believe the nerve of the Headmaster. They had decided to have Harry answer it because they expected it, and before they realized just who he had on his side. It looked like that didn't matter, because Harry was in no way shape or form answering that bloody front door.

"I answer it then" said Sirius grimly.

"It's best that way, they surely expect you I suppose…after all there aren't many Black's left" said Severus grudgingly.

"A man is worried about Slytherin's and Death Eaters having Harry…because of the scarf in Draco's car" said Edward listening intently his posture still as he listened.

"Dumbledore" said Severus and Sirius together smirking in amusement.

"That old man on the moving frog chocolate?" asked Emmett, Draco had given him one days ago.

"It's a chocolate frog!" said Draco in exasperation; obviously he had told the big vampire that multiple times.

"It sounds better when I say it blonde" smirked Emmett waggling his eyebrows obviously trying to get everyone in a better mood.

Draco just smirked in amusement he liked Emmett the best out of all the vampires.

"Well I best invite our guests into Black Manor excuse me" sighed Sirius.

"Shall I get some refreshments?" asked Esme almost eager to prepare food although she would rather not make any for the new guests. It was her son's mate they were trying to take away after all and that did not sit well with Esme Cullen at all.

"Good idea!" said Sirius a grin on his face, he couldn't wait until Dumbledore, James, Lily and Eric saw Harry and his family. They were in for a shock if they thought for a minute they could convince him to go back to England.

Esme went to the kitchen, very familiar with it by now she had been in Black Manor many times now. All her family had, although she preferred her very open and modern house. Even if this Manor screamed and felt like 'Home' to her some of the things were from her time period. In perfect condition, you couldn't get pieces like that anymore.

Will Eric get on with Harry? or Will Harry not even make an attempt to get on with him? will they even truly care about Harry or only for the fact he was the boy who lived? hehe will they be deadly confused why Harry isnt responding to them like they think? unaware of what kind of gifts the vampires have? will dumbledore continue to try portkeying him only to get beaten every time? resorting to blackmail or threatening them? R&R please