Chapter 2: Life's Surprises

December 11th, 2004

The last three months had been the best of his life. Starting a relationship with the woman he had been in love with for over 5 years was a dream come true.

They had been sharing a bed since that first night. Neither of them had been virgins but the first time they had sex they had both felt something they would later describe to each other as feeling at peace, and carnal lust of course.

He had never believed in the idea of soulmates and while he still wasn't convinced, he did think their magic sang for each other.

Studies have been done that showed that magic might have a degree of sentience. Of course, those studies were ignored in Britain. Britain always ignored stuff they didn't understand.

They both thought though that it was their magic recognizing their feelings for the other, which led to the feelings that had intensified after they had sex for the first time.

It could also be that they were both so in love with the other that the moment meant more than they knew consciously.

Andromeda had mostly stayed silent on the matter, just giving them a smug grin every time they would exit their room. If she thought, they were moving too fast she didn't say.

Since they had gotten together, they had set up clear rules. The first of which was no overly displays of affection in front of Teddy or where he might see, no child wanted to see their parents mid-shag.

The second was to always be truthful, they had both been burned by their respective others before and if they were going to build something then they needed to make sure it would last. They had each overlooked the faults of both Ginny and Remus, in doing so they had both been in relationships that were doomed from the start.

Dora had admitted to him years ago that she would have regretted ever getting together with Remus if not for Teddy. No matter how much pain and anguish she went through with Remus it was worth it if it gave her Teddy. She had also admitted that she knew from the start that the relationship wouldn't last, but she had tried so hard to shove that thought down, hoping for her happy ending.

Harry himself was never really in love with Ginny, he was only 16 when they started dating and it was mostly a way for him to ignore all the shit that was going on around him. They had both used each other, him for emotional support and her for her boy-who-lived daydreams.

The third and last rule was to make sure they had date nights at least twice a month so as to never let things go stale. It had been a rule her parents had. 2 days a month that they could make just for them, or at least a couple of hours twice a month. It was a rule he fully supported, even if they had been going on dates at least 3 times a week. Most times Teddy tagged along, which was fine with Harry because they were a package deal in his opinion.

He had also truly stepped up and become Teddy's father, which the boy greatly enjoyed. He did feel as if he was stealing Remus' place, it took both Andromeda and Dora talking to him and making him realize that he would never replace the man but that didn't mean he couldn't love Teddy just as much as them.

"Harry?" He jumped as his lover broke him out of his recollections.

"Yes?"

He waited 30 seconds before Dora opened the door.

His smile vanished as he saw her look of nervousness, "Is everything ok?"

"I need to know did you sleep with anyone in your 6th year." She asked him carefully.

He shook his head negatively, "No, the first person I slept with was a waitress about 3 months after the final battle, I was trying to get past how I was feeling about you."

A smirk crossed her face before she settled back into nervousness.

"What's going on Dora?" He questioned getting worried.

"We got a call today about a possible abused child."

Harry's face darkened, "Is the child, ok?"

Dora's hair turned blood red as she looked on the verge of erupting before she calmed herself back to her bubblegum pink, "She will be fine physically at least, it was bad though."

Harry sighed, "Thank Merlin."

"The thing is though luv, she has your eyes and can talk to snakes."

Harry stiffened, "But, I didn't…"

She shook her head, "I don't know, would you come with me so the healers can check if you got a possible connection."

"Yeah." He stood up and quickly morphed to look a decade older with blue eyes and blond hair. The public still didn't know he was back in Britain, and he wanted to keep it that way.

"I already told mum, she said she would pick up Teddy from school."

Harry nodded in response.

They apparated to St. Mungo's, and he followed silently behind Dora. His thoughts were anything but silent though, internally he was freaking out.

All his obliviations had been broken but was it possible that some were missed? His last obliviation was when he was 9 when he escaped the Dursley's and then Dumbledore put him back and blocked his metamorph ability.

They soon reached a room that was being guarded by a man he didn't know and Hestia Jones. She gave him a knowing nod, one of the few people that knew who he was.

"Who's this?" The man asked his hand grasping his wand tighter.

"Possible father, Proudfoot. Taking him to get tested."

Proudfoot grew angry, "He left that little girl to monsters!"

Dora scoffed, "He didn't know about her."

Proudfoot seemed to relax somewhat but he still gazed at him with disgust, which annoyed Harry.

Dora led him into the room, and he gazed at a starved little girl who had blonde hair with blue tips. Her hair was matted, and she looked as if she hadn't bathed in a long time.

When Harry gazed into her eyes, he noticed his own looking back at him, his eyes morphed back to his normal green to match hers. What stunned him though was he could see himself in her and not even through looks. Her circumstance was familiar, she had the same guarded look.

"You have the same eyes as me." She whispered.

He moved closer and kneeled next to her bed. He didn't like the flinch that was reminiscent of years he tried to forget. "We do have such pretty eyes."

"Are you, my dad?" She asked. Her face showed hope.

"I don't know." He told her already realizing that she was going to be his daughter regardless. He saw so much of him in her that it didn't matter if he wasn't her biological father, he would be taking her in regardless.

"Delphi, do you mind if we check if my boyfriend is related to you?" Dora asked her softly.

Delphi nodded shyly.

The healer started to perform a standard paternity charm; its results were odd. "It's saying that she is your daughter but not at the same time."

Harry saw the hope extinguish on the girl's face, giving her a reassuring smile, "Give us a minute Delphi me and the nice Auror here are going to go get this straightened out."

Seeing the girl nod he led Dora and Healer Ross away, out of the sight of Delphi. "Explain."

Healer Ross looked frustrated, "I don't understand myself. It's saying you're her father but not."

"What could cause that?" Dora asked.

"A blood adoption, but those rituals are illegal."

"I assume a blood adoption is what it sounds like," Harry said.

Healer Ross nodded, "You would give your blood to someone else, and depending on the ritual you could become siblings, parents, and even a duplicate. The duplicate ones though are extremely dark and includes life in Azkaban. They were used centuries ago to usurp noble houses."

Harry stiffened, "If someone took your blood forceful to reembody themselves then would that count."

"Yes!" Healer Ross exclaimed before he realized, "Your Harry Potter… That means the child is-"

"Stupefy!" Harry said before the healer could finish.

Dora jumped, "What the hell!"

"Muffliato." He said placing a silencing barrier around them. "Voldemort used my blood, Dora."

Her eyes widened, "That means…"

He nodded, "The girl is his daughter."

"Who the fuck would sleep with snake face."

He merely raised his eyebrows causing her to groan.

"Probably my demented aunt," she muttered.

"I don't care, she's, my blood." He told her firmly.

She nodded, "Mine too probably."

"We'll obliviate the healer and then confound him to think that the results said I was her father."

"But who would you say is her mother," Dora asked.

Harry ran his hands through his hair, "I don't know."

"She's the same age as Teddy," Dora remarked looking down at the healer.

Her head shot up, "We can say we had a one-night stand on your 17th Birthday, and I gave birth in secret. We can say she was Teddy's twin."

"Dora, I can't ask you to do that, you might lose your job. Not to mention we are stealing Teddy's father from him."

"You're Teddy's father as far as I'm concerned, besides he already thinks you are. Remus is nothing but a man that abandoned him." Tonks finished bitterly.

"You're job?" He questioned half-heartedly, not minding the fact that people would think Teddy was his biological son.

She shrugged, "I've been thinking about quitting for a while now, maybe joining you."

"Fury would love that." He smiled, imagining the possibility of having backup on missions that required a disguise.

Dora rolled her eyes, "Of course, he would, I know he hates sending you in alone."

"I think he feels he owes my maternal grandparents and that's why he is so protective. Besides he usually sends in the Hawk as backup." Harry said shrugging.

"Your Grandparents trained him, right?" He nodded at his girlfriend.

Rubbing his head again, "What will we tell people."

"That I got pregnant and had twins. Then we were told she was dead and taken from us. She was found in the company of death eater sympathizers. We can spin it as V-Voldemort's backup plan if he died, the girl killing her own father."

Harry snorted, "The Prophet is going to eat this up and glamorize it that we're reunited with our daughter."

Dora scowled, "There is nothing to glamorize about what happened to that little girl."

"What did they do to her." He growled.

"They starved her and beat her; I don't know how often. One good thing is there were no signs of sexual abuse."

"Small fucking miracles." He muttered. "Let's get this show on the road. Get ready to cry."

Dora looked confused, "Why?"

"You're about to reunite with the daughter you thought was dead."

"Good thing I aced undercover roles." She quipped.

Harry pointed his wand at the healer but before he could do anything Dora grabbed his arm, "If we do this Harry, she is my daughter, not Bellatrix or whatever woman slept with Voldemort. She never finds out." Dora stared directly into his eyes trying to get the point across that the minute she was their daughter now and no one else's.

"Agreed." He nodded, "Same goes for me, Riddle is not her father."

"You think Teddy will like having a sister?" Dora asked a smile on her face, already imagining her little hellion getting a partner in crime.

Harry laughed, "He's been asking you for a sibling for the last month after we told him we were together."

"I don't think he knows what that means."

Harry shrugged as he obliviated and confounded the healer. He then revived the man.

"It's extraordinary Mr. Potter and Ms. Tonks that we found your daughter!"

"Thanks doc." He said slapping the now jubilant man on the shoulder. He perhaps overdid the confundus a little.

They reentered the adjoining room and noticed Delphi looking at them terrified about what she was going to hear. She hoped that they were the thing that was going to keep her from going back to her hell.

It reminded him of all the times he wished for a long-lost relative to come and take him away from the Dursleys. He didn't know how many times he cried in his cupboard wishing for his parents to come and save him. This little girl was going to get something he didn't, parents.

He almost jumped as Dora started crying and rushing forth and stopped in front of Delphi. It would have sold it better if she had grabbed her in a hug, but she was trying not to scare her, too much anyway.

"My baby!" Dora cried holding her arms out for Delphi. He knew that a part of her was truly crying imagining what the girl went through.

Delphi looked startled and cringed back scooting towards the opposite end of the bed, Dora lowered her arms, conveying that she wasn't going to hurt her.

Harry didn't even have to act as he started his own water works, she was technically his daughter, and knowing she went through something he went through decades earlier made him want to rage, but that wouldn't help her right now, he could break down later.

"I'm your dad and this is your mum."

"You left me." She whispered. Harry's heart wanted to break at the look of absolute sadness and loneliness that was on her face.

"No." Dora said sternly, "You were stolen, we were told you died."

"I'm alive," Delphi whispered as she closed her eyes to slow down her tears.

Harry moved closer so that he was standing right next to Dora, "You are, and we're never leaving you again."

Delphi didn't even try to stop her tears as she practically threw herself into their arms.

They just held her as she cried herself to sleep. Harry gently laid her down. She refused to let go of Dora who just laid there curled on the bed with their new daughter.

"I want them dead Harry," Dora whispered. Her eyes glinted with madness that reminded him of her aunt, Delphi's most likely mother.

"I know." He whispered back. If he could see his reflection, he knew that he would look just as mad as his girlfriend.

He motioned the healer over to the side, "What does she need to get better."

The Healer cringed, "Her right arm and right leg need to be knitted back properly. She needs daily nutrition potions for at least 3 months. Lastly, she needs to see a mind healer."

Harry rubbed his brow, "Fuck, document everything I want those pieces of shit in Azkaban for life or better yet the Dementors Kiss."

Healer Ross nodded looking as if he agreed completely.

Harry made his way out of the room after a quick look at Dora to which he muttered Andromeda, she nodded back.

Making his way out of the room he stopped in front of Hestia and Proudfoot.

"Are you the father?" Proudfoot asked.

"Yes, and Dora is her mother."

The Auror's eyes went wide. "Do you mind going following me Hes I need to go break the word to Andromeda that her granddaughter is alive."

"But… Dora di-"

"Please Hes." He pleaded.

"Guard the room no one in." She told Proudfoot who nodded, he was upset that someone told an Auror her child was dead and then kidnapped her and subjected her to a life of abuse.

As soon as they couldn't see Proudfoot Hestia hissed, "What the fuck is going on Harry!"

People started looking at them. He grabbed her arm and hissed back, "Not Here!"

They apparated to Grimmauld. He gestured to her to follow him.

"Dad!" Teddy Came running and slammed into him as soon as he entered the townhome. His face swiveled as he noticed Hestia, "Auntie Hes!"

Hestia gave him a pained smile as she ruffled his hair. "How's my favorite godson."

"I'm your only godson." He chirped back.

"Teddy where's your grandma."

Before he could respond she did, "I'm right here."

Giving her a serious look, "We need to talk."

He set Teddy down and kneeled to his level and placed his hands on his son's shoulders, "Teddy, I need you to go to your room and play, we have to talk to Grandma quick. Everything will be fine though." He finished quickly seeing the mounting worry on Andi's face.

Luckily Teddy agreed, he was not used to seeing his father so serious.

Harry led the two women to the tapestry room. Finding Bellatrix on the tapestry he noticed her name connected to Riddle and him. It led to the name Delphini Riddle.

The women saw where his eyes went and cursed.

He explained what happened and what he and Dora were going to do.

Andromeda's face hardened as she pointed her wand at the tapestry and burnt out the whole area where Delphini and Bellatrix were labeled. "Bring my granddaughter home now!"

Harry flinched at the pure unadulterated rage in her eyes. She had not taken the news well that her niece was abused.

He knew that once upon a time Bellatrix was her best friend. It was only after Voldemort broke her mind that she descended into madness.

Harry and Hestia fled as fast as they could. They would of course deny that Andromeda terrified them.

By the time they got back to St. Mungo's the Minister for Magic Kingsley Shacklebot was outside the room arguing with Proudfoot. It looked like the argument stemmed from Proudfoot not allowing him entry.

"Minister." Hestia greeted politely.

"Hes, what is going on? I got word about a possible child abduction of an auror." Kingsley said turning around and taking in their appearance.

"It's a long story Minister," Harry replied.

"Mr.?" Kingsley asked.

Shifting back to his normal features, "Come on King it hasn't been that long."

"Harry." Kingsley moved forward and wrapped him in a hug. Pulling away, "Where have you been."

"The better question is where hasn't he been," Hestia replied with a smirk.

"We can get into it later, maybe me and Dora can have you and your wife over for dinner sometime next week."

Kingsley grinned, "I'm sure Melissa would love that." His face then turned stern, "Now what's happened."

Harry through up multiple privacy charms around the four of them. "Me and Tonks hooked up on my 17th birthday. Nine months later she gave birth to a son and daughter. We were told our daughter died."

Harry took a calming breath as Hestia continued from where he left off, "Auror Tonks and I responded to a child abuse case. The child could speak to snakes and had Harry's vivid eyes. The healer ran the scan, and it came up that she was the child of Harry and Tonks."

Kingsley just listened silently until she was done. "I didn't know she had a daughter."

"Don't take it personally King. You remember how it was, we kept it secret because of the target on my back. Hell Remus pretended to be Teddy's father just to keep him safe." Harry lied, feeling ashamed. He hoped Remus didn't hate him for this, but Delphi Riddle would probably be murdered if it came out that she was the child of Voldemort.

Kingsley nodded, "I understand. What's her name?"

"We never named her, it hurt too much. They were calling her Delphini Riddle." He told him.

Kingsley paled, "Riddle."

"I think they were trying to convince her that Riddle was her father so that she would take revenge on Mr. Potter in the future." Hestia lied.

Kingsley's face contorted in rage, "Animals! The lot of them!"

Harry started to cry as he imagined all the pain, they put her through, "They abused her, like the Dursleys did to me."

Kingsley placed his hand on Harry's shoulder. "I'll see that they get the Dementors kiss for this. Who did this." He asked Proudfoot.

"Rodolphus Lestrange and a Ms. Rowle," Proudfoot growled with hate. Lestrange had killed his daughter at the battle of Hogwarts.

The door opened up revealing Dora holding Delphi in her arms. It had only been an hour, but the little girl looked much better. She was cleaner and looked much happier, though she still looked on guard for things to go bad like she didn't trust that this was all a dream.

He did feel elated when she saw him and smiled.

Kingsley went up to Delphi slowly stopping when he was right in front of her. His calming smile worked as Delphi relaxed somewhat. "Hello Ms. Potter, it's an honor to make your acquaintance."

"Potter?" Delphi asked.

Kingsley smiled sadly, "That's your real name little one, the one you would have had your whole life if you hadn't been stolen."

"But Mrs. Rowle said my Daddy was called the Dark Lord."

Kingsley grimaced, "They lied to you and stole you from your real daddy, Mr. Potter here." He said, pointing at Harry.

"Why?" Delphi asked her lip trembling, "Why did they take me?"

"It's complicated Del, I promise to explain when you're older," Tonks told her.

"Okay, mummy." Delphi then buried her face into Tonks shoulder. Tonks lovingly rubbed her back, joy on her face. It hadn't even been a day and she was already loving having a daughter.

"Let's go take her home, Andromeda can help sort all her injuries Harry whispered. Tonks nodded back as Kingsley visibly growled at the thought of her life.

"Take the rest of the month off Tonks," Kingsley said. Tonks nodded gratefully at her former partner.

Tonks started walking towards the apparition point, Harry was about to join her when Kingsley put his hand on his shoulder, "I'm going to fast track the trial for those monsters, I'll be pushing for the Dementors Kiss."

"Thank you." He told the man gratefully as he shook his hand. "I'll send you an owl about dinner, probably sometime next week. I want to give Delphi time to get used to things."

"Take your time," Kingsley added just as a bright flash of light nearly blinded them. Immediately he pulled the Elder Wand, ready to start fighting, only to realize it was just a journalist. Scowling he ignored them asking questions as he made his way out of St. Mungo's.

He arrived at Grimmauld to see Teddy looking at Delphi curiously, both of them staring at each other within arm's distance of the other as Tonks and Andromeda watched on.

"Did you introduce yourself?" He asked his now son.

Teddy grinned wolfishly, "I'm Teddy!" Putting his hand forward.

"Delphini," she said timidly, shaking his hand slowly.

"Delphi, this is your twin brother," Tonks told the girl, a soft hand on her right shoulder. Delphi glanced up at her, "Really." Her bottom lip quivering.

"Really," Harry said, enjoying the open-mouthed Teddy's reaction. Teddy bounded forward and started hugging Delphi. Harry thought she would flinch, but she didn't, instead the tips of her hair flickered black to match Teddy's hair.

"You can do what I can do," Teddy said overjoyed as he started shifting his hair to various colors, instinctively Delphi matched him.

"That's enough for now Edward, Delphi needs to take her medicine so she can get better." Andromeda chided her grandson.

Teddy's hair reverted to black, "Why do you need medicine?"

Delphi cringed, "Ms. Rowle hurt my arm."

"What!" Teddy exclaimed, his magic lashing out at a nearby vase shattering it into a thousand pieces. Delphi dropped to her knees hands covering her head as she retreated inwardly.

Instantly Teddy controlled himself as he dropped to his knees whispering to his new sister, "I'm sorry, I'll never hurt you. I'm your big brother, it's my job to protect you."

Teddy may not have had Lycanthrope, but he clearly inherited the pack instincts, and those instincts were now screaming that she was pack.

"Really?" Delphi asked.

"Really." Teddy grinned at her; she then gave a hesitant grin back.

"Come on little one," Andromeda said softly, leading her away toward a guest room.

"Can she sleep next to me; I want to make sure that person doesn't hurt her." Teddy's face grew grim.

"Of course, she can, but only if you want Delphi," Tonks told her son proudly, smiling at how he was already considering Delphi his sister.

Delphi didn't say anything, but she grasped Teddy's sleeve and held it.

They got her to lay in bed with Teddy curling around her protectively.

"Now Delphini you have to drink these two potions; they'll fix you up." Andromeda half told her half ordered.

"We'll take you shopping tomorrow to get you some new clothes and stuff for your room."

"Ok," Delphi said not truly believing it. Harry sighed it would take time for her to realize that she was safe now and that she was never going back to that bitch. He looked at his lover and noticed her face had hardened, no doubt thinking the same thing as him.

With each vial she drank Delphi made a yucky face but didn't protest, no doubt if she protested in her previous home she would get punished. Andromeda gave Teddy a dreamless sleep as well since it was only 4 pm, it was to ensure that he would not destroy his sleep schedule.

After the children were both out the three of them made their way to the kitchen. Harry just stared at the countertop for a minute before he stood up, "I need to break something."

He made his way to the basement dueling arena ignoring the Tonks women following him. He spent the next 20 minutes lobbying spells that only got more dangerous at a dummy. Only stopping after he threw a killing curse at completely obliterating what was left. He threw his wand at the ground in disgust as he crumbled to the floor.

He felt Tonks wrap her arm around him whispering lovingly into his ear, "It's ok luv, let it all out."

He just cried out all his rage and pain. Seeing Delphi like that brought up too many memories of his childhood. Too many instances of Vernon whipping his belt across his back or throwing him, or even the one time he broke his arm. No one had helped him, and when he imagined his daughter going through the same treatment, he once did it made him beyond furious.

Not knowing how long he cried he finally cried himself out. Tonks and Andromeda just led him to the kitchen where they just sat with him but not before Andromeda just threw a frozen pizza in the oven.

After they finished eating Andromeda pointed out, "You do know that you will have to Blood Adopt Teddy as well so that you can get the same results, we can say it's an effect of the Killing Curse."

"I want to Blood Adopt Delphi," Tonks added.

Andromeda nodded approvingly, "Probably a smart idea, we don't want people questioning the story that she's your daughter."

"She is my daughter now," Tonks growled.

Andromeda smirked, "Just as she's my granddaughter." Her face turned serious, "She's going to need a mind healer, I can see if Benson will see her."

Harry agreed, "Benson helped me get past my childhood, if anyone can help her it would be her."

"I do got some bad news." He said.

"What is it?" Tonks asked with trepidation.

"I got photographed by someone as I was leaving St. Mungo's, the story will probably be splashed across the Daily Prophet tomorrow," Harry said frowning at the shitstorm that was about to happen.

Tonks growled as Andromeda sighed, "It was bound to happen eventually, especially with the trial."

"I know but is it too much that I wanted some more time being incognito? Besides Delphi doesn't need to deal with this so soon."

Tonks placed her hand on his, "We'll deal with this together, we can mostly stay muggle into it all blows over."

"Agreed. We can take her shopping in the morning to get a full wardrobe and some toys for her room." Andromeda said while she stirred some more sugar into her cup of tea that she had fixed while talking.

"I'm proud of Teddy, he's going to take like a fish to water with being a brother," Harry admitted.

Tonks leaned her head against his shoulder. This day may have started shitty but ended with him gaining both a son and a daughter. No matter what Delphi would grow up happy, Harry would make sure of it, and judging from the looks of the two most important women in his life he knew that so would they. His family was growing and for the first time all day, he felt happiness at that thought.

AN:I've wanted to do a Harry raising Delphi story for a while so I combined it with my MCU story which I had fully planned (the only stories I had such detailed plans for was this one, Unexpected, and one I haven't written past the first chapter called Again?) I have integrated Delphi into the plans, she and Teddy will be very important, the snap will happen when they're 20 years old.

Tonks is going to be super mom when it comes to her kids. I wanted Tonks to not take a backseat to Harry and be at home while he saves the world and her having a kid right away would sideline her. Tonks is going to have a close relationship with Delphi. She's going to be a momma's girl.

This story will be my next major project after an Unexpected Development. Until then it will be infrequently updated, usually when I have writers block.