Family First Chapter 16: December 31

Disclaimer: I do not own anything.

A/N: Here is chapter 16 for your reading enjoyment. Chapter 17 will be up on the 24th.

Beta'ed by Jasper's Mom

"Sir?"

"Yesterday, while you were with Severus, Draco mentioned something."

"Yes sir?"

"I have been thinking about it, and was wondering, would you like to see your parents graves?"

Harry paused before answering. That was a tricky question. On one hand, he did. He almost physically needed to see the final resting place of his parents. He needed that kind of closure. On the other hand, he didn't want to. It might sound silly, coming from someone who had lived his whole life knowing his parents were dead, but it would bring home a truth. It would close a door that could never be opened again. It would be almost like them dying all over again.

"I don't particularly want to, but I think that it's something I need."

"We can go today, the whole family if you want, or it can be just you and myself, or you and Cissa."

"No, I want everyone there, Professor too."

"I'm sure Severus would be willing."

"We can go today."

"Yes, if you would like we can go after lunch."

"Yeah, I guess that's fine. Where are they buried?"

"In Godric's Hollow."

"Is Godric's Hollow a wizarding town?"

"It's mixed, about three fifths the town at least know about magic, while the rest of it is entirely blind to what is going on right around them."

"Don't most pureblood families have a cemetery of their own?"

"Yes."

"Why aren't my parents buried there?"

"They are. The Potters descended from the Peverell line, Ignotus Peverell to be specific. Antioch, Cadmus, and Ignotus were the sons of Leofrick Peverell and Gussalen Gryffindor. Gussalen was the only heir, and daughter to the Gryffindor line. As her dowry, Godric Gryffindor gave his childhood home, the property he grew up on, which we now call Godric's Hollow. Many years ago, the Peverell's separated the land into lots, and allowed muggle-borns and their family's to buy lots and move in. Since then the town has grew a bit, and became a mix of muggle and magical. However, the Potters have always considered it their town, and even when they built Potter Manor a considerable distance out of town, they have always owned property in the town, and have forever poured money to various different services and businesses in the town."

"I own a town?"

"Not a whole town, just bits and pieces of it. You own Potter cottage, as well as renting out several buildings, and lots in the town square. Gringotts takes care of the magical aspect of it, and the muggle aspect is taken care of by a muggle company."

"Oh, how come I never knew any of this?"

"That I can't answer. Come on, let's put the horses up, Lunch should be almost ready. After lunch we can go see the town, and their graves."

Godric's Hollow was a quaint village. Small, with just a handful of shops, a church, and a post office, sounded by winding streets, and cute little houses of all different shapes and sizes. People milled about the street, going about their business. While no one stood out as distinctly wizarding, some people did do double takes of Harry walking with the Malfoys, and others openly stared.

As they walked down Church Lane, Harry saw a mother hurrying along her three children. While the mother seemed oblivious to the presence of Harry and the Malfoy's, the middle child jabbed his older brother in the ribs, whispering something. Both boys turned and stared at Harry, and then broke away, furiously whispering to one another. Harry kept his eyes trained on the back of their heads. He was fairly sure he had seen the boys before.

"Liem McCod, and Perry Right, their half brothers." Draco whisper in his ear. "The oldest is a illegitimate halfblood, his father was Zander Avery, the other is a muggle-born."

"What house are they in?"

"Ravenclaw, both of them. One's a third year, the other is a seventh year."

"Who else in Hogwarts lives here?"

"Well... I don't know. Most old purebloods are spread out all over the country in manor houses. Muggle-borns who still live with their parents are also spread out, although there is a slightly higher occurrence of them in small villages rather than metro areas. Half bloods, muggle-borns who are living on their own, and purebloods that have lost their manors and land tend to cluster in one area. There are just a few villages that house any significant number of wizards. In fact there are only three that I can think of, and Godric's Hollow is bigger than both of the others. If I had to guess, I'd say forty or so."

"Forty or so what?" Lucius questioned.

"There are about forty students who live here, wouldn't you say Papa?"

"Yes, that's about right, the only place where more wizards live in one spot is Hogsmede."

"What about Diagon Ally?" Harry questioned the older blond.

"Diagon Ally is more a place of business than a place of residence. To my knowledge there are three houses in Diagon Ally, and some families that live above their businesses, but not very many. Because there are so many businesses there, and thus people milling about, often times there are... Incidents involving people loosing control of their magic, meaning anyone who lives there has to have extremely strong wards on their homes, which is not cheap. Besides that, the ministry gave a strong push that Diagon Ally remain strictly a place of business rather than a town to live in. Out of all the homes that had been built only three families managed to keep their homes, and even they were made to sign a contract insisting that they would not rent out rooms in their house. Turn here."

Harry followed his instructions and almost immediately came across a grave yard. Upon entrance, Severus gave instructions to the location of the grave.

The first time Harry laid eyes on it, was almost surreal. The marble it was carved out of glowed and sparkled in the light. The stone was obviously well cared for, and the site looked peaceful. There names were engraved into the stone, followed by dates, and accompanied by a quote. Harry traced the names carefully with his finger, and then took note of the dates. They were both 21 when they had died, just 10 years older than Harry himself was. For a muggle that was dying young. But for a wizard, who could comfortably live 300 years or more, it was almost an unthinkable fate. Harry supposed though, that war would shorten a lifespan.

"There was a study done" Lucius said quietly "that proved more people have died young out of your parents graduating class, than any other class in the last 100 years."

"Can I be alone with them for a moment?" Harry questioned.

"Of course Dear." Narcissa replied this time. "We will all be right over there." She indicated to a portion of the graveyard a good distance away form Harry and his parents."

"Thank you."

"You need not think us for that child. Take as long as you need."

Harry sat on the ground, and allowed tears to slip down his face. His parents had their whole life in front of them. They could have been happy, he could have had a happy family. Everything in their life had been going right, and in just a few short months everything had changed, Harry was orphaned and they were dead. They had died for him, and now he was thinking about doing something incredibly selfish, after everything they had given him.

"Harry." The dark haired boy whipped his head to the side, eyes wide at the unfamiliar voice.

"Dad?" He chocked out." The man in front of him stood, hair ruffled, looking just as he did on his wedding day. "How." he let out the breathy word just as he crashed into the man, a warm, solid body.

"Nothing can bring back the dead after they have departed Harry, but magic, under the right circumstances, and for the right reasons can temporarily allow us to visit our loved ones again."

"Is Mum coming?"

"She can't Harry. Her sacrifice is going to be very important in the future, and it is going to protect you from some very dark magic. If she revisits you, she would greatly risk that sacrifice, and the protection that it offers staying in place."

"I love you. I miss you." Harry spoke into Jame's chest.

"Harry, my child. Your mother and I love you more than you can ever imagine, more than life it's self, understood?"

Harry nodded his head into the chest he was currently attached to.

"We watch you grow, and learn, and live, and we know that everything we did that night, everything that happened was worth it, because you survived Harry, and to us that was all that mattered. We do wish we could do more though sometimes. I wish I could protect you, from both what has happened, and what will happen. I wish I could show you how to prank, and how to fly, and how to do up a tie. Most of all though, I wish I could make you smile, and play and laugh, and be a child. I had a wonderful childhood Harry, and I wish I was able to say I had provided you with the same."

Harry didn't respond, unable in that moment to think of a single thing to say to the man he had spent countless hours dreaming of meeting.

"I need you to promise me something Harry."

"Anything."

"Look at me."

Harry stood up into a face that was familiar as it was unfamiliar.

"You must allow yourself to be happy. If there is one thing that death taught me it is that life is short. There were so many things I had wanted to do, but I put them all off, because I thought I had time. So when you get the chance to be happy, take it. Don't worry about what your mother or I may think. You are our child, and we will love you no matter what,but more than anything we want you to be happy. No matter what, I will always be your father, and we both know that. But, we also know that you can't come to me when you need help on homework, or advice about a friend. Lucius is alive, Harry, and he is willing, allow him."

"Everyone says he follows Voldemort."

"Maybe he does, I don't know. What I can tell you is that Lucius is loyal to his family beyond everything else. If you are part of his family you have nothing to fear from him. He will not harm you, and he will do his absolute best to protect you, even if it means dying."

"I won't allow anyone to dye for me."

"And that is at the heart of what your worried about. Well let me tell you something Mr. Potter. You are a symbol in this war, and whether you like it or not, whether or not you accept it, or allow it, people will die for you. You are not responsible for that though. You are a child, and you have not done anything wrong, and most importantly, that is no reason once so ever for you to turn your back on everyone. Am I understood?"

"Yeah."

"Yes sir?"

"Yes sir."

"Harry... Your mother and I, your grandparents, and all of the ancestors I have met, we all just want you to be happy. You will always remember us, and that is enough. You don't need to push away a chance at a new family, just because you lost your last one. Be happy Harry, have fun, be a child, because life is too short for anything else. I can't say that I agree with what Lucius and Narcissa believe, but I do know Lucius well enough to say he has taken you in as his child, accept that, and take him in as your father." Here James paused for a second.

"Tell everyone, especially mum that I love them." Harry let out a desperate whisper.

"We all know Harry, but I'll tell them. One day, hopefully a long long time from now we will be reunited. Until then just know that we all love you so so much."

Harry felt his father's lips touch his forehead, and then fade away. The older man had disappeared, just like that.

The boy sat at the base of the gravestone a bit longer, tears dripping from his face, but after the fifth concerned glance from Narcissa, he wiped the tears from his face and stood, making his way over to where the Malfoy's were standing.

"I'm ready to go now."

"Are you alright?"

"Yes Ma'am."

"Alright then, I'll take you, and Lucius can take Draco back. Severus I trust you can make it back to the manor on your own?"

Severus gave her a dirty look at that comment. "Yes Cissa, I am capable of apprating to the manor, no need to hold my hand."

"Just making sure." Narcissa replied, completely unaffected by his sarcastic tone.

With that little exchange, Harry was whisked away by Narcissa apprating. When Draco and Lucius quickly appeared afterwards, Harry sent a quick look to the blond boy before making his way up to his own room.

Harry sat on his bed, and a moment later there was a quick knock. Harry granted entrance, and Draco slid into the room, before taking a seat in the lone chair.

"Well"

Harry considered, for a fraction of a moment considering telling Draco exactly what he had seen, but then dismissed the idea entirely."

"I was wondering... Do you think your parents would mind if I called them Mum and Papa?"

"No, they wouldn't care."

"Do you."

Draco took a bit loner to respond this time.

"No, I don't care."

"What about Professor Snape, will he care if I call him Uncle Sev?" James had said nothing about Severus in the talk that they had, but Harry figured that if he was going to do this, it was going to be done right.

"I doubt it."

"Thanks Drake."

Draco momentarily glared.

"If all of you Gryffindorks start calling me that, there be problems, starting with the the whole wizarding world calling you Hazza."

"You wouldn't"

"I'm Slytherin."

"You would."

That night, as Harry was laying in bed, Narcissa, accompanied by Lucius, and surprisingly enough Severus, knocked on the door. They all entered, and Narcissa spoke.

"I know you have had a hard day today, I was just wondering if you would like some dreamless sleep tonight."

"Cissa" Severus huffed "It's best to hold off, the boy can have some tomorrow if he really needs it, but the stuff is exceedingly addictive, and has very unpleasant withdraw symptoms."

Cissa opened her mouth to reply, and Lucius seemed quite content to allow the two to argue, so Harry replied instead.

"No, I don't need any dreamless sleep. Thanks though."

"You are most welcome. Have a good night Harry."

"Have a good night Mum, Papa, Uncle Sev."

Tears filled Narcissa's eyes, though they didn't fall.

"Have a wonderful night my little love." With that Cissa hurried out of the room, Harry suspected, so no one would see her cry.

Severus simply replied with a "good night Harry." but Harry could see something in his expression change a bit, softening.

Lucius expression also changed, unlike the other two, he approached the bed. Looking down on Harry, he brushed the hair out of his face.

"Good night my son."

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