An: sorry for the radio silence.
Also Harry is not a horcrux.
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Two days after the ball, Harry and Theo accompanied Fleur and her sister home for a few days in the south of France. Harry was thrilled to sit on the Delacour family's private beach with Theo, Fleur, Gabby and Cassinder for most of the day. He didn't even complain about being dragged to go shopping and sight-seeing. Mostly because he got his own private fashion show featuring three beauties, and little Gabriella. Five days in France were followed by five in Spain with the De'vale family.
Theo didn't enjoy his time in Spain as much. Harry was just as attentive to him, but Theo felt more self-conscious with the charismatic and active Jose so close. He took the two of them on scooter tours of the nearby Barcelona. Jose and Harry had spent most of one day playing football with Jose's friends. Theo hadn't a clue how to play so contented himself with sitting on the side lines.
The pair returned to Greece early Friday the 20th. Harry went to have a nap before his scheduled 'date' with Romona. He planned on taking her out to see the exotic equines they had in the barn and maybe even going riding if she knew how.
Theo had little interest in joining them. He had met the Dubear family and didn't want to meet any of them again if he could help it. Instead he went and spent the afternoon finishing his summer homework with Remus' help. Theo was glad Remus would be their defense teacher this fall. He really knew his stuff and explained the subject better than Harry. Harry was great at defense but Theo had trouble following how he did things. The only reason Theo had made an EE last year was because Blaise and Daphne taught him outside of class.
That evening Serpens handed over the mail that had been accumulating while Harry was away.
Harry smiled looked at one of the letters. "McGonagall sent a letter. She says she had to tell Dumbledore about my name change and he was very displeased. From the way it sounds, they got into it pretty badly. She also says our best option is to use Lord Slytherin's rooms. It's a sealed heir suite in the castle that as Lord Perciville we should have access too. The only issue would be if the real Slytherin heir is found we would have to share with them."
"Well that is better than anything else I suppose. Rumor has it the heir suites for the founders are very lavish. I'm sure there would be an extra room or two for us even if we have to one day share with the Slytherin heir."
"And if they are younger than you Harricius you could take them under your wing and teach them about their all but lost family." Serpens pointed out.
"Also there isn't anywhere else in the castle that is safer. Your father and I were quite the clever pranksters and even we couldn't break into the Gryffindor heir suite." Remus told him.
Harry chuckled. "Well if that's the case when the Weasley twins start acting up all you have to do is tell them about that and they will worship you like the next coming of Merlin."
Theo giggled. "Not to mention that Remus is a very good teacher. I feel like I can get an O in defense with him teaching."
Remus ducked his head blushing at the praise.
Harry's eyebrows came down as he went back to his mail. "Trilok has forwarded a letter from Sirius. He says the man was overly formal and very stiff."
"Sirius was never good at finesse." Remus told them. "He was very brash. I would have thought that ten years of imprisonment might have matured him." He sighed.
"That might not be the problem." Serpens said. "I was as courteous as any pureblood lord and the goblins were not impressed."
"Goblins are rather simple. They prefer straight forward, blunt honesty over the flowery speech I've been learning as a lord." Harry told them.
The others nodded in understanding. "What does Lord Black say?" Serpens asked.
"Trilok says he mentioned Peter Pettigrew as the real culprit and that Sirius was tracking him. He's also sent along some gifts for my birthday. He says he didn't want to give them to me while he was here for my party because he didn't want to spoil my day or worry me." Harry smiled at that. His account manager was becoming more like an uncle each time they interacted.
"Well open it." Theo said. He loved watching others get gifts.
Remus smiled. "Knowing Sirius it's something over the top."
Harry pulled out the shrunken box and opened it. "It's a Firebolt." He said in awe looking at the broom.
"It's beautiful." Theo said and Alex sighed.
"It is. We should test it out tomorrow." Harry said handing it off to Dobby who had appeared without needing to be called.
"Dobby will put this with Master's other broom." The elf said with a bow.
Harry smiled and thanked his little friend before he popped out. Also in the box was a black dragon hide cloak with thick silver fur lining and silver embroidered edges. The cloak clasp was the Black family crest.
"It's lovely and will be very warm this winter." Theo told him.
"It is the perfect gift for an heir who has come into his inheritance." Serpens stated as Alex nodded.
"Maybe Sirius has grown up." Remus wondered.
"Remus do you know this Pettigrew?" Theo asked.
Remus sighed. "Unfortunately I do. He was once our good friend but it seems he betrayed us and faked his own death, framing Sirius in the process. According to what Sirius wrote me, he's hiding in his rat animagus form with the Weasley family."
Harry's head snapped up. "A rat."
"Yes a large brown rat." Remus replied.
Harry let out a roar as his wings ripped out of his back destroying his shirt as he lost control in anger.
Theo gasped covering his mouth.
"What?" Serpens asked trying to calm a now pacing and growling Harry.
"Ron Weasley has a pet rat. If that really is Pettigrew then he's slept in the same room as Harry for two years." Theo explained. The whole school knew about his unusual pet.
"Then all you have to do is go and visit your friends. While you are there, cage the beast and bring him to your lawyer. They can make sure he's an animagus and force him to change back. The more people that see him the less likely there is to be a cover up." Serpens said.
Alex was rubbing Harry's back, trying to calm him down.
"We could go over and ask Ginny and the twins to join us shopping for school supplies." Theo offered. "There are going to be several of us all going so why not three more, and since we are planning to hit that used store in the alley they shouldn't feel out of place with us."
Harry stopped pacing and looked straight at Theo. His features slid away as he walked toward him. He kissed Theo. "You are a genius. With Sirius out of jail, there's a chance that Pettigrew would suspect me knowing something, but I doubt anyone would be safe from the twins. If we tell them the truth, they can capture the rat and turn him in. As soon as they go home, we put a bounty on his head, the twins turn him in and bam the Weasley family have a nice little nest egg that doesn't wound their pride." He said with a wide smile.
"Now all we need to do is plan a day to do all our school shopping and let the others know." Theo replied pink from the praise and kiss.
"That I think can wait until the morning." Serpens told them. "It's getting late and we have had a trying day."
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They set the meeting day for Wednesday. Remus had given them an old photo of Pettigrew in human and rat forms to use for the reward. They would be taking out an ad in the Prophet once the others had gone home. Harry had already told Trilok about their plan and he was trying to get a hold of Sirius so the man was hidden and didn't interfere.
On Wednesday Harry and Theo met the others at the Leaky as always. Instead of going out into Diagon or to the muggle world, Harry led them into a private room he'd rented.
"Guys." He began once the group was seated. "There are a few things I want to share with you and something I need your help with." He nodded to the twins.
Fred and George looked at him wondering what they could help with.
"This is very sensitive information and it cannot get out." Theo stressed.
Hermione looked at them curious.
"Everything you have heard about Sirius Black is a lie." Harry told them.
"What?" Daphne said.
"But he was convicted." Hermione argued.
"No he wasn't. If he was given a trial it wasn't a fair one. Sirius was my father's best friend and my godfather. The night my parents died, he went after the real culprit Peter Pettigrew."
"And he murdered him?" Ginny asked.
"No. He and Pettigrew fought but the man turned into an animagus and fled. Sirius was captured before he could pursue him again."
"What's his animagus form?" Hermione ask though she had a guess.
"A rat. That's why Sirius broke out of prison. He saw Pettigrew sitting on Ron's shoulder when you guys won."
The three Weasley's looked disgusted.
"Y... you mean a sick death eater might have..." She trailed off with a sob.
Hermione pulled her into a hug with the other girls soon coming to her side as well. "If that bastard so much as thought about taking a peak at you I will... I'll neuter him." She said. Harry looked at her, he'd never heard Hermione curse
The twins got a dark look on their face at the thought of some grown man peeping at their sister. "What can we do?" they said in tandem. Everyone in the room felt a shiver of dread go down their spine at the tone.
"Theo and I are going to put a bounty on his head that will come out in the morning. We want you two to catch the rat and make sure he can't escape before you get him to the bank and into the hands of my account manager."
"We don't need your money for doing this." Ginny told them.
"Please Gin. Don't fight me on this. Your family has done so much for me. Think of the money as compensation for having the creep live with you for twelve years." Harry argued.
"We'll agree to take the money." Fred said. "If you promise it won't be an outrageous amount." George finished.
Harry smiled. "I promise it won't make a dent in my account." He specifically didn't say which account. The Slytherins caught his wording but said nothing.
The twins nodded. "I hope you don't mind if we extract/ some revenge of our own." George said with Fred finishing.
Harry gave them a feral smile. "Not at all."
"Now that that's settled lets go shopping." Daphne told them to change the subject.
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As they made their way through the bank Griphook stopped the group.
"Harry." He called out to them.
"Griphook." He replied with a smile then raised an eyebrow at the large dog following the goblin.
"Trilok was able to find a dog that fit the specifications you asked for."
"Harry you know dogs aren't allowed at Hogwarts." Hermione said.
"I know that." He replied. "I was looking for a companion to lighten up Serpens while I was away for the year. My uncle is far too serious." He said the last word with a wink at the dog.
Theo smiled and petted the dog playing along with the story. "It was my idea to get a dog. Alex and Remus have grown close and since Remus is our new defense professor he would be left with just Serpens for company once more."
"Come on boy. You want to go shopping with us?" Harry asked the dog form of his godfather with a smile.
The dog yipped and knocked Harry over licking his face. Harry just laughed and the others chuckled at him.
Once he pushed the dog off the twins offered him a hand.
"Be good now Pads or we'll have to get you fixed." Theo threatened with a wide smile.
Padfoot whined and hid behind Ginny.
"Pads?" Daphne asked
"Yes it seems fitting for some reason." Theo looked her in the face. Daphne knew him well enough to tell there was more going on here but didn't say anything. She knew it would come out one way or another if she was observant and patient she would learn the truth.
Hermione rolled her eyes but was smiling as she petted the dog too.
All their books were bought, much cheaper than they expected leaving the twins and Ginny with extra spending money. The group headed to the clothing store to pick up the rest of Harry's new wardrobe. The poor sales man had been dismayed when Harry came back in after his inheritance. He'd promised free sizing and alterations expecting only minor changes in the young man. Seeing the large growth he explained that the clothing couldn't be sized that far and instead gave him a refund for the previous outfits to be used on the new ones.
Those chores done, the group spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the ally. They lost Hermione, Daphne and Lisa in the library. Ginny, Susan and Hannah in the Non-magical Wares. Neville was enchanted by the Apothecary and all the living plants they kept inside. Harry, Theo and the others all spent their time looking at all the day stalls.
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"Master Harry." Alfred said when they returned. "You brought a large beast?"
Harry chuckled, "Alright Padfoot the gig is up."
The dog barked once before changing into a haggard looking man. His black hair was long and ill kept and he looked older than Remus even though they knew he wasn't. He was pallor and much too thin and bony.
"Alfred meet my godfather Sirius Black. Sirius this is our head butler Alfred." Harry said.
Sirius shook the man's hand before grabbing Harry in a big hug. "How I have missed you pup. I love you so much I wish I had never left that night. If I could do it again I would have socked Hagrid one and told him to piss off."
Harry hugged him back. "Part of me wants to sock you one for putting me and Theo into this position."
Sirius looked at Theo with soft eyes. "I am so sorry child. Your mother and I never would have done it if we had another choice. At the time the Dark Lord was growing stronger every day and there was little hope for the future. We were doing what we could to try and make your life easier."
Theo nodded him and his mother had been exchanging messages secretly ever since he'd left. His father was still under the impression that Theo was with the Zabini family.
"Alright enough of this mushy stuff. Let's get you introduced to everyone else." Harry said with a soft smile at Theo.
The moment Remus and Sirius saw one another they rushed together and shared a massive hug with tears and apologies coming from both at once in a catastrophe of sound. The others left them be so the old friends could catch up until dinner.
At the evening meal, Sirius was introduced to Serpens and Alex. As it turns out Sirius and Alex knew one another.
"Fencing was the only thing my family taught me worth shit." Sirius told them. "Alex and I dueled a few times, he kicked my arse every single time." He said with a smile.
The two chatted about fencing with Remus acting as translator for the mute. Sirius also asked about their classes and then about the private tutoring once he heard about it. By the end of dinner he was beaming with pride at his godson.
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The twins didn't get to turn over the rat until the last Saturday of the summer when the rest of their family went shopping. Good thing Harry made the reward for dead or alive because when it was revealed there was a death eater living in her house Molly almost strangled the man to death. Healers had to tend his rung neck before they could get a confession out of him.
Amelia Bones was tickled that the threat of Molly Weasley was enough motivation to get the man to tell her everything he had ever done wrong or seen anyone do wrong. He sung like a canary. Unfortunately for one old geezer the rat was a little too sneaky and spilled the beans about horcruxes. He knew Bella and Lucius had been entrusted with one and told her all about what had really happened with the diary as he had watched it unfold from the safety of Ron's pocket.
Minister Fudge was horrified by what he heard. To think his future voters could have been killed. The very idea made him cringe. He gave Amelia all the power and authority she could want to deal with this under the table. Only news about Peter being the real culprit and Sirius Black's exoneration would get out the rest was to be used quietly to insure he stayed in office until he was too senile to sign his own name.
She didn't give a crap about his campaign but she would vote the yellow bellied fool back in just so she could have the power to actually DO something about the death eater problem.
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While all this was going on Harry and Theo were spending the last few days of their vacation getting to know one another and catching up with Sirius. In May when the two boys were on the train leaving Hogwarts they wanted more than anything to stay in the castle, now they were sad to be leaving home.
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AN: Again sorry for the long absents. But now we're on to third year finally.