Chapter 5.
The Weasley's had made plans to stop by the manor in a few days, they wanted to get their kids together, and Ginny really did need to see a specialist at St. Mungo's. They planned for a dinner near the end of the week.
Stepping from the school the two kids said goodbye to Ron at the gates before a pair of house elves from Hogwarts popped them to St. Mungo's. They could have traveled by floo powder but when Minerva offered elf transportation Molly jumped at the chance of not having to wipe soot off herself and the kids.
Once the Weasley's were gone the Potter's turned towards the kids smiling. With the pair smiling back James asked the question, "Okay Hermione where to?"
"Umm.." Hermione wasn't sure how to explain how to get to her house.
"Just give me the address sweetheart, I'm muggleborn too you know." Lily smiled.
Hermione, now smiling too passed on the address to Lily.
"Got it, now I know the area but not the specifics, so I need to ask a few questions." Hermione agreed and Lily continued, "Great, now is your back garden enclosed?"
Hermione agreed in the affirmative, "Can it be seen by any neighbors?"
Hermione said it couldn't. "Great! Now I need you to take my hand and really put all your focus onto the backyard. Can you describe it to me, as you describe it close your eyes so you can really visualize it?"
Hermione did as she was told and started to describe in great detail her backyard. She was just getting to the description of the sundeck when she felt like she was being sucked through a tube. Opening her eyes, she gasped. She was in her backyard!
"Did we just apparate?" she asked excitedly.
"Yes, and you pulled us to the destination. Good job Hermione. Now wait here and I'll be back with the boys."
Lily popped away and was back in under a minute with Harry and James in tow. Harry looked a little green around the gills, Hermione knew he hated floo travel, it seems he hated appiration just as much.
"I much prefer flying thank-you very much." Harry said honestly.
James roughed up Harry's hair, "That's my boy"
"Right" Lily said chucking, "Hermione lead us in dear."
It had just hit Hermione that she was home, she tore off towards the backdoor, knowing they wouldn't be locked just yet and ran in the house calling for her parents.
Dan and Jean were in their study when they heard Hermione's voice. "What on earth?" Jean said while getting up and rushing out the door, Dan on her heels.
Jean had barely reached the lounge when Hermione launched herself at her. "What on earth, how did you get here from Scotland?" Jean asked while squeezing her daughter.
"Oh mum, the most amazing thing happened!" Hermione gasped remembering her manors and turned around to the group that lazily followed her in, Harry leading the way as he knew where he was going.
"Mum, Dad, I would like to introduce you to Harry's parents, James and Lily Potter!" Hermione squealed before launching herself into her fathers' strong arms.
Shaking her head at her daughters' manners, Jean reached a shaky hand out to the two adults, "What a pleasure to meet you both, pardon me if this sounds rather rude, but did you adopt Harry? Because we were pretty sure we were told both of his parents had passed away when he was a baby."
Jean eyed Harry for any distress. Lily smiled. "Thank-you so much for caring for my boy Jean, it is a very long story on how we came back but we are in fact Harry's biological parents. It's so nice to meet you."
Jean then went to Harry and wrapped him in a hug, "Oh Harry, I'm so happy for you dear."
For the first time in her short time with the lad he didn't tense up, instead he melted into her embrace and hugged her back. He was finally comfortable with her.
Dan now free from Hermione's hug reached a handout to James, "You have a great kid there James, it was a pleasure having him with us this year."
James' smile widened at the compliment, knowing it was coming from a fellow father meant everything to him and he said so.
The Grangers offered their guests some tea and asked what the occasion was for their early arrival. "We were expecting to pick the kids up next week at the station" Jean said.
"Yeah, we sort of hijacked them, with Molly's permission of course." Lily laughed.
Jean smiled, "No worries, I'm assuming you will have a lot to handle now that you are back amongst the living, but could we spare a few moments of your time to talk about your sister and her oaf of a husband?" Jean asked after they got the very condensed version of their comeback story.
"Actually, that's exactly what we wanted to talk to you about, we would also like your help and participation this week, do you think your practice could spare you for an extra week. Hermione had already mentioned you took two weeks off for when they got home."
Jean looked towards her husband who stood from his chair to make some calls, "We will let you know in a few minutes."
The Potters finished their cup of tea and gave Jean a general run down of their plans this week. Find an old friend, save and old friend, clean up their house, and sue a bunch of people.
Dan returned several very long minutes later with the all clear, he had to find two different dentists to cover the work him and his wife normally did, and the people covering for the original two weeks couldn't. In the end he pulled a few strings and got proper coverage.
"Awesome news, would you two mind running upstairs and packing a bag, we can then head for our manor home." James asked while Jean grabbed Dan's hand and led him away quietly explaining the plans to catch him up.
Lily turning to Hermione asked if there was anything she would like to grab from her room, the curly haired witch bounded away talking about books. Harry chuckled.
"While everyone is packing, would you like to see my room? We just decorated." Harry asked shyly, not knowing if his parents would be mad at him calling it his room still. "And I can grab a few things myself."
"Of course sweetheart, you know I have a feeling it will remain your room for quite some time, so I wouldn't worry too much about it if I were you." Lily said kindly and asked him to lead the way.
Harry stood proud at his bed, explaining that blue was his favorite color because it reminded him of the sky and that's why he picked out his room color, and showed his dad his posters of the Falmouth Falcons right next to his Manchester United poster.
James grinned like a Cheshire cat, both where his favorite teams as well and he didn't dally telling him so. This led into a lively debate about the quidditch world cup and Harry explaining Ron's favorite team, the Chuddley Cannons.
Harry collected a few extra clothes that he packed in a duffle bag and walked with his parents' downstairs.
Jean was smiling at him, "Harry, Hermione let us know your concerns about your room, that room is yours dear, it will be there for you whenever you want to visit. We already have a spare room for guests so yours will remain yours for as long as you want it to be."
Harry thanked her by hugging her which brought a tear to Jean's eye. She still remember the scared kid they picked up at the end of summer.
Once everyone had their bags packed James asked them to gather together while he popped away to ensure the house was ready.
/*-/*-/*-/*
James landed in the foyer and called out for his head elf Janbey who appeared instantly crying.
"Master has returned to the manor! We were told you had passed but our magic remained bound to you sir. We protected young master as best as we could over the years." The house elf cried.
"That explains how Harry so called 'apparated' in the chamber, it was one of you?" James asked curiously.
"Yes sir, Ganrey was tasked to watch young master while at school." Janbey said.
"Thank-you friend. I appreciate it more than you know." James said with a smile, "Now could I please get a report of the house?"
"Yes sir, wards are at max capacity, and the house has been maintained. We have plenty of food under stasis waiting to be consumed and we can have beds changed and ready for the family's arrival sir." Janbey reported like a soldier.
"How are the wards at max capacity? We haven't been home in years?" James asked.
"Master Lupin has been popping in every month to recharge them and we bring young master home once a month during the school year to recharge the familiar wards. He's sleeping of course so doesn't know that he was home." Janbey
"Brilliant, when was the last time Moony was here?" James asked excited to reunite with his brother.
"He should be here in roughly an hour sir. He times his visits specifically sir." Janbey reported.
"EXCELLENT!" James said excitedly, looks like luck was on his side today.
"Janbey, could you gather a few elves to assist with the travel of two muggles to our home, I'll also need the house registry to add them to the wards."
Janbey popped off without a word and was back in mere seconds with three house elves. One for the Grangers and the other two for the luggage. James and Lily could each take a child and it would be one trip.
James popped back over to the Grangers and brought the group up to speed on Remus. Lily was so excited she grabbed Hermione and popped away without a word causing Jean to squeak even though she just saw James do the same thing twice.
"It's alright Jean, my wife is just excited, she always had a soft spot in her heart for one of my best friends and his furry little problem. He was bitten as a child and once a month turns into a werewolf, a friendly one if he takes his potion I might add." James said with a chuckle.
He quickly explained elf travel and the difference between that and apparition. Harry instantly volunteered to go with an elf making James chuckle, he noticed Harry hated his experience, so James offered to take Dan to give him a taste of magic.
Arriving at the manor Harry arrived and ran to Hermione to tell her about his new favorite form of travel. Dan thought although it wasn't super enjoyable, any form of magical travel was far superior to having to drive for hours to get places.
"When does Remus arrive Janbey?" Lily asked the moment the elf was in her sight again.
"He should be arriving within the hour ma'am" the house elf replied.
"Excellent, that gives us time to get sorted. Please have the elves show our guests to their room, and Harry to his bedroom, it will need the bed upgraded from the crib I suppose." She said looking at her son.
"Yes ma'am, his room is fixed already, we shall show your guests to their rooms then start dinner." Janbey said before grabbing the children and ushering them up the stairs.
Lily walked into James' embrace kissing his chest while he kissed the top of her head. "Welcome home sweetheart." James said silently.
James tensed up feeling the wards open for an arrival, "Incoming" he said into his wife's ear. Lily turned around just in time to see Remus land from his apparition. The scruffy looking man froze in his spot and pulled his wand so quickly it happened in the blink of an eye.
James, figuring Remus would take the defensive jumped in front of Lily and raised his voice to get through to his best friend. "Moony, it's us, we're alive, we made the marauders map in fourth year, it took you four hours just to get the map to unlock with the passphrase only to have Paddy beg you to make it insult people which took another six hours. I solemnly swear Remus that I am up to no good."
Remus' eyes went wide then he fell to the ground in tears. Lily tore out from behind him and engulfed him in a hug. "It's us Moons, it's really us. We are sorry we didn't tell you the plan, we didn't expect to be gone this long. We love you Moony."
Remus didn't know how to respond. He arrived at his normal time as he did every month to charge the wards of his dead best friend's manor so that it would one day be of use to Harry. He normally stayed for dinner to make the elves happy and left back to his pasture.
He completely froze up seeing solid looking ghosts of his best friends. There was no way it could be them his brain told him in an instant, they are dead, they have been for over a decade. His wand was in his hand in an instant without him thinking about it. Self-preservation he guessed. Then he heard James' voice raised yelling verifications that only James or Sirius would know. He supposed Peter could know it as well if he ever paid attention enough, either way it verified that they weren't imposters.
He broke down then, fell to his knees full of emotion, his family was alive. Then before he knew it Lily was there, and his wolf nose picked up her scent and he knew it was real, he didn't need the string of comforting words and affections to know this was really her.
Rising from his knees he forced his legs to work and engulfed James in a hug. He had one question burning his mind. "Harry?"
"He's upstairs old friend, he's safe. We also have brought along a few guests, one of his best friends and her parents." James replied.
Smiling together, Remus couldn't wait to see him, he tried to visit him, but was worried he would get caught, Dumbledore explicitly told him that if he was found around Harry that he would be arrested, he told his friends as much through his apologies.
There was no time for James' anger to spew the group heard footsteps on the stairs only to turn and see Harry bounding down holding Hermione's hand laughing.
Remus' eyes tracked them the whole way down then glanced at his best friend who nodded. Remus thought to himself, damn these Potter men and their luck with women.
"Harry, we would like to introduce you to your uncle Moony, this is Remus Lupin, one of my best friends and brother in all but blood."
Harry shook the man's hand and smiled, "I remember having a dream about a big black dog named Paddy and a man I would call Uncle Moony, it's nice to finally meet you!"
Everyone had a tear in their eye and Remus' gaze landed on James.
"James… Padfoot, Sirius, he-he murdered Peter." Remus stumbled.
"No, he didn't, we had Amelia arrest that rat just a bit ago, he's probably getting questioned as we speak, I was told to expect a trial either tomorrow or the following day at the latest, we'll get our Padfoot back." James said with anger in his voice.
James took a deep breath and let Remus know there will be more, "There is a lot to catch you up on Moons, let's eat dinner and let the kids get some rest, Harry just beat a giant basilisk, one which we will have to talk about over dinner son."
"HE WHAT?!" Remus yelled. "How in the world did he faced a basilisk none the less a giant one, at Hogwarts? This isn't a good time for a prank James."
"No prank Remus" Lily said soothingly, "Let's get to the dinner table before Janbey yells at us, we'll explain everything to you"
James and Lily introduced Remus to Jean and Dan, and then walked everyone through their story once more. Harry and Hermione added in tidbits here and there to collaborate with their journey. Dan and Jean needed a few explanations to get them through the story, which being muggles was understandable to the Potters.
Remus asked several questions, mainly on the Sirius, Peter trial that was coming up. He laughed when Hermione crossed out 'Find Moony' off her list, which was obviously started by James but finished up by the curly haired child.
Harry and for the lesser part Hermione explained their second year, and the journey Harry went on to killing a basilisk. Remus applauded him for using his head, and James explained how he 'apparated' within Hogwarts and most likely those times in muggle primary.
Harry thanked the elves as he saw them, it seemed all of them knew him without him knowing them. Which was a strange new experience, but Harry just went with it, stranger things have happened.
He did ask about a house elf named Dobby and explained his strange appearance in his bedroom the night Hermione sprung him from the prison.
"A dark family sir" Janbey said softly, "Only dark families mistreat their elves. Poor elf must be punishing himself right left and sideways for using his magic to track you down."
"We will have to figure out a way to get the elf out of the situation Janbey" James said. "We have significant pull; we just need to figure out what family he belongs to."
A tiny elf who James didn't recognize spoke up. "It's the Malfoy's sir, Dobby is a friend of mine, I apologize for him showing up, he must have followed me when I grabbed young master one night sir."
Janbey addressed her instead of James, "Lolly, are you able to communicate with this elf?"
"Not really sir, he pops in whenever he can get away, his family is the cruellest family I've ever heard of sir, they make him iron his ears." Lolly said sadly.
Hermione gasped.
Janbey turned to his master, "It will be taken care of sir."
James nodded. "Let me know if I may be of assistance, ole Lucius will be in for a hell of a surprise seeing me."
James didn't want to wear down Harry any further, but they needed to figure out what to do with the basilisk. Harry looked at Hermione and she grabbed his hand under the table, they didn't speak but after a few brief moments Hermione nodded, and Harry smiled then turned back to his family.
"How much do you think we would make from selling it?" Harry asked shyly.
"We can't really say sweetheart, while basilisk stuff has always been in high demanded, no one has raised nor encountered a snake of your size. It may very well flood the market causing prices to drop." Lily said.
"How big was it exactly other than giant?" Remus asked.
"Sixty feet long, well over a century old." James said stiffly, "It was Salazar's' himself."
Remus' light hazel eyes blown wide; "Woah" was all he said. Jean almost feinted and Dan asked for a stronger drink, to which a house elf popped in with a brandy.
"Remarkable" Dan said, though no one knew if it was the elf or the snake he was commenting on.
"Well" Harry continued, "I would like to allow Professor Snape to harvest a small amount from the carcass as he did put up a solid fight and protected Ginny, even if I don't particularly enjoy his company he did right by me for putting his life on the line to protect those he hated."
Lily nodded, "He has reasons for treating you the way he does, they aren't proper but he himself had a horrid childhood. We grew up together and I will talk to him once everything is said and done to see if he can curb his emotions."
Harry nodded and explained how Dumbledore already explained Snapes hatred of him thanks to James and a werewolf. To which Remus blushed and looked down.
"Oh dear, it was you wasn't it, who threatened the man's life all those years ago?" Jean asked to Remus' surprise.
"You know about my condition?"
"Yes, James explained it to us at our home before we came here, we don't hold it against you Remus, you can't help it." Jean said comfortingly.
After everyone settled down Harry continued. "I would like Colin Creevey to get a small amount of the money, at least enough to put him through Hogwarts. He didn't ask to be a victim of the beast."
"I would also like to pay for all of Ginny's treatments as well as her way through Hogwarts, I know the Weasley's struggle with all the kids, and I want her to get help." Harry said with a sigh. "I wish I could help them all, they have been there for me since my first day at Hogwarts, if it wasn't for Mrs. Weasley, I would have never even gotten on the train."
"We'll look into helping them Harry, don't worry, even without the basilisk we would help dear, now what else?" Lily said while brushing his hair off his forehead and kissing his temple to calm him down.
Smiling Harry continued, "Well, I'm assuming at this point we will be pretty low on money, but I would like to offer a small donation to all the rescuers who went down to fight the beast, and a donation to the auror department for all their help. The rest I would like to donate to an orphanage, I got my biggest wish, and I know not everyone will be as lucky as I am so I would like to help."
Lily and James couldn't be prouder, out of everything that Harry stated not one spec of gold did he allot to come to himself or Hermione which they assumed that was what they were discussing without words a bit ago.
"A very wise plan son, although if we get our account manager to handle it we should come up with quite a bit more than you think." James said.
They discussed a few other trivial things now that all pertinent information was out of the way. Eventually the kids' huge yawns indicated that it was time to head off to bed. Jean and Dan followed along behind also rather worn out from the long day.
James asked Remus to join him and Lily in the study to go over things for tomorrow. It was going to be a very long week ahead of them.
/*-/*-/*-/*
Sirius Black had been sitting rotting away in a cell since the night that his best friends died. He argued with himself on a regular basis over his actions that night.
I should have just taken Harry and went home to the Manor. What on earth was I thinking going after that rat.
But he did go after the rat, his once upon a time brother, a best friend turned enemy. He still couldn't believe that the rodent had enough back bone to be part of the death eaters. He was always the slow one of the group, last to change into his animagus form, last to volunteer to help with any of their many projects, and first in line to bully someone.
Thinking about bullying made Sirius think about Severus Snape, of all the people he knew Severus was a near the top of the list of people he despised, still he didn't deserve to be treated the way they treated him in school. Adolescence did that to a person he supposed, made them act like a lunatic when it wasn't needed all for pride and popularity. Being fifteen and a dickhead was seen as cool to his fifteen-year-old mind, now he saw it as it was, being a giant jerk.
He might have grown up into an adult sitting in this blasted cell, hating every minute of it, but it gave him loads of time to reflect on his own life, his life choices to be exact. He didn't want to be a dickhead, he didn't want to bully people, he just wanted to be free to live his life and his best friends back.
Merlin, he wished he could just hug Moony and James, to tease Lily till she slapped his arm and have his beautiful godson ride upon his back again.
Harry, he thought woefully. He thought of the dark-haired child often. A spitting image of his best friend with Lily's gorgeous eyes.
I hope he's doing alright; he would hurt himself if he ever found out Harry had been abandoned or hurt. But that could never happen, he was there when James and Lily made their will, if he wasn't around then Harry would go to Alice and Frank. They loved the little tyke just as much as he had. He would be raised with Neville in a solid household.
If something by chance happened to them then there were two other additional people in line to raise him. Amelia Bones would for sure take him in, and if not, then McGonagall would.
Minnie who was basically a mother to them all in school, became a beautiful friend after they graduated. Harry would be safely raised within one of their households. That was the only thing keeping him sane in this hell hole.
Hearing footsteps come from up the isle he supposed it was time for food to be passed out and changed back into his human form to sit on his bed. He pretty much lived as padfoot his animagus form while the guards weren't around. It helped him deal with the dementors better, and with Padfoot's hearing he could always tell when someone was coming up the isle way ahead of time to change back. None of the guards were any the wiser.
The footsteps came a lot faster than they normally would to pass out food. It's not like anyone in his wing would be released for trial, they were all convicted death eaters and even with his loss of time Sirius knew no one would be fighting charges this late in the game.
His cell door opened and Kinglsey Shacklebolt walked in, "Hi Sirius, let's get you home, shall we?"
Sirius couldn't speak, he hadn't used his voice in years, no need to, screaming didn't do any good and no one else cared.
Surely, he must be dreaming. Kinglsey smiled then walked over and pinched his arm, Sirius let out a yelp and rubbed the weakened muscles that protested the pinch.
"I'm real Sirius, we got Pettigrew and he confessed everything under veritaserum, you're a free man lets go." Kingsley said while holding out a hand to help Sirius up.
Kinglsey placed a brown sack over Sirius' head explaining that the others need not know who was leaving, it caused less issues for the guards, as he assisted Sirius in walking out of the hell that was Azkaban.