Author's Note: Sorry this is late, lots going on which left me little time to write. I also warn that my beta hasn't seen this. I claim my errors, but if I can barely find time to write, I'm certainly not going to go back and edit. Action soon, I promise. MNF

Chapter 15:

Sparks of Many Colours

Immediately after lunch

"What in the good name of Godric Gryffindor was that man thinking?" Andi asked the air as she moved her wand over Neville.

"Andromeda, what's going on?" Augusta Longbottom asked the healer.

"I see the remnants of a block Frank must have put on Neville. I suspect that like Harry, your grandson was doing too much magic to be safe. It should have burned off and would have been gone before Hogwarts if that meddling, good for nothing former headmaster hadn't put another on. I would guess it's been there for about five years. Hold on, dear," she said to Neville, "I'm going to remove it." With another few swishes there was a resounding crack and Neville glowed for a second or two.

"Neville, you glowed!" Augusta said happily.

"I feel strange," the young man said back.

"Strange how?" Andi quickly asked.

"Like I was in a too-tight jacket that pinned my arms down, and now I'm free to move," he answered, while wiggling his arms and torso.

"Oh, Neville, I'm so happy for you," Hermione said before rushing over and wrapping him up in one of her trademark hugs. For his part, Neville looked a bit surprised and looked to Harry for help.

"Okay, Hermione, I think you've squeezed the life out of him," Harry said before physically removing her.

"Sorry," she said.

"Hermione, dear, you should know that to some purebloods, your actions would be considered a play for an engagement contract," Augusta said.

"You're not serious, are you?" Hermione asked. "I'm not interested in that. I was just excited about Neville and –"

"I understand that, but you must always be aware of what your actions might mean to others?"

"Is there a book on this stuff?" Hermione asked while Neville and Harry shared a smile.

"There are several, Hermione," Sirius said from where he was standing with Amelia. "I have them in the library here. I'll put them for you, and then I think both you and Harry may need some lessons on Wizarding society. Harry, I'm also going to start your training on what is required of a Lord, since you're now to inherit two titles. Susan will be joining you, as she will be Lady Bones when she reaches her majority. Dowager Lady Longbottom, if you haven't started Neville's training, he is welcome to join."

"That would be wonderful, Lord Black. In exchange, I will do etiquette lessons for all four of these youngsters," Augusta answered.

"Thank you, Dowager Lady Longbottom, but please call me Sirius."

"Then you are to call me Augusta."

"Thank you. Now, I believe I promised Neville a new wand as part of many belated birthday gifts. We can Floo from the reception hall. Susan, would like to join us?" Sirius asked.

"Thank you for the offer, Lord, er, Sirius, but I have plans to go to the beach with Hannah Abbott. The Abbotts live in Brighton. I plan to go back to school with a lovely tan," Susan answered.

"Another time then?" Sirius suggested and Susan nodded.

"Hermione, do you need anything from your home?" Harry asked and she nodded.

"My bag is there, I'll just pop over and be right back."

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"Neville, I am so sorry that I never investigated why your magic was so weak," Augusta said to him as they entered Diagon Alley. "Your grandfather and I were away for much of the last war, he thought if we ran…anyway, I had no idea that your father might have bound your magic when you were small."

"Gran, you heard what Healer Tonks said. If Dumbledore hadn't bound my magic again, I would have burned it off. I can't believe he did that," Neville groaned.

"I can," she said in an unpleasant tone.

Twenty minutes later Neville left Ollivander's with his own wand, Cherry with a Unicorn Tail Hair centre. It had an interesting cherry tree pattern burned into the wood that Neville particularly liked. It was a good thing that Sirius was with them, or Ollivander might not have put his shop back together after the power of Neville's first flick of the wand.

"You can't ever say you're a Squib again, Neville," Harry said to the boy. "You and Hermione might be on par now."

"You're still stronger, Harry," Neville deflected.

"Sure, but we needed a crowbar to get out the book I levitated into the ceiling of the library," Harry said sheepishly. "You'll get a hold of your magic before I will."

"Neville, you're welcome to come over for lessons with Harry this summer," Sirius offered. "We can have one lesson time lead into the other, if you don't mind working this summer?"

"No, it's not like I have much else to do. I like to work in the greenhouses, but the elves keep them in far better condition than your Orangery is. That's much more of a challenge."

"I'm sure you'll have it into shape in no time, dear," Augusta said while beaming at the boy.

"If you don't mind, I'd still like to be a part of, well anything I can be," Hermione said.

"Hermione, you live across the garden," Harry said. "You're always welcome at our house." She smiled at Harry which caused the boy to blush.

As the friends, Sirius and Augusta were enjoying their ice cream, Mr and Mrs Weasley entered the magical alley. Sirius saw them first and went onto alert. He would handle this for his boy. Sure enough, Mrs Weasley saw them, and before Arthur could grab her, Molly was on her way over.

"Hermione, dear, how lovely to see you," she said pulling the young woman up to hug her. "When are you coming this summer?"

"Er, I won't be," she said awkwardly. "My parents are keeping me close to home." It wasn't her parents keeping her close, but she wasn't going to share where Harry was with anyone, as both Ginny and Ron had her address, and they'd undoubtedly pester Harry.

"Oh, that is too –" Molly was cut off by Arthur arriving and pulling her behind him.

"I am so sorry, Lord Black, Heir Potter-Black, Dowager Lady Longbottom and Heir Longbottom. We will be leaving," he said and attempted to turn her around and leave, but Molly was being stubborn.

"I want to talk with Hermione," she said with a pointed look. "She is still friends with Ron and Ginny."

"We will be leaving. We're not going shopping. We are going home," Arthur said firmly.

"Just because Harry doesn't want to talk –"

"It would do you good to remember you're not to be around him," Sirius said. "And, to remember his name is Heir Potter-Black. You are no longer given leave to speak his given name."

"I have always called him Harry! He's like a son to me," Molly bit back.

"He is my son," Sirius said with anger in his voice. "You wronged him. Your family is persona non grata to him. If you do not follow your husband's orders, I will call on my family magic to judge you. That is something you do not want."

"Molly, please, go," Arthur pleaded.

"Like your magic would do anything to me," she said. "I doubt you're strong enough."

"Stop!" Harry roared, his magic flared and caused the leaves of the tree above them to shake and fall off. "Are you so stupid you can't follow the simplest of directions? YOU ARE TO STAY AWAY FROM ME!"

"Harry, darling, you're part of our family –"

"No, I'm not. Sirius and I are family. Neville and I are godbrothers, which is more than I can say for anyone in your family." Magic was still swirling around Harry, so Hermione slipped his hand in his, which helped calm him.

"You were fortunate that the gift Lord Potter left you in his will was more than what you owed Heir Potter-Black. However, from this incident, I could require further reparations. Get out of here before I bankrupt your household," Sirius growled, letting his eyes turn just a bit of the unsettling gold and grey they did when he was Padfoot.

Molly was stunned by the sight, and Arthur was finally able to push her out of the alley. Unfortunately, a crowd had gathered after they saw the leaves suddenly falling off a green tree and Lord Black arguing with the Weasleys. "I think our day here is over," he said tersely.

"Unfortunately, I agree," Augusta added. "Neville, be home for supper please. Would the rest of you like to join us?"

"I would normally say yes, Augusta, but I have a date tonight," Sirius said with a hint of a smile.

"Another time then?" she asked.

"Most definitely. Come along, we can Floo home." Sirius said as he angled his body to shield Harry. He'd not let go of Hermione's hand, as she was helping him control his anger and magic. He'd likely destroy another wholly unrealistic garden dwarf when he got home. They were left throughout the garden and a large box of extras was in the back upstairs of the house. Harry found it was a great outlet for excess magic. Plus, the things bothered Remus extensively. He hated how it felt like their eyes followed him.

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Harry was surprised that night when he wandered into the kitchen at half past one to find Amelia sitting at the table, a cup of tea in her hands. She had Sirius's dressing gown on over what appeared to be one of his dress shirts, which hung to her knees. Harry had never realized how tiny of a woman she was. Without her high heels and power robes, she looked to be only slightly larger than Hermione, which surprised him as she was such a formidable woman.

"Harry, what are you doing up at this hour?" she asked kindly, after getting up to get another mug and pour him a cuppa. "Do you take anything?"

"Just one sugar," he said quietly. She put it in and handed it to him with the spoon.

"Thanks," he muttered, staring into the mug as he stirred. She took in the sight of Harry, plaid pyjama pants and mismatched tee shirt; one that might have been Sirius's as it had the name of a Muggle rock band on the front. She thought it might have been one of the concerts they went to with James and Lily. Those were the before times – now they were in the after, but crime was going up, and now former death eaters were gathering … Amelia stopped and took a deep breath. She'd deal with that in the morning. "Did you have a bad dream?" she gently prodded.

"Yeah," Harry answered without looking up. When she didn't say more, Harry proceeded to explain his dream. "Ever since that bit of Voldemort –"

"Don't say his name," Amelia said in a Pavlovian response.

"Why? Why can no one say his name except Sirius?"

"During the war, his name had a spell on it, and it was a way he and his followers found those in hiding. We all became used to the euphemism 'he-who-shall-not-be-named' or other such things that we've never gone back. You're brave to say his name, as is your god, er, your father," she explained. "Anyway, about your dreams?"

"Well, since that thing in my head was removed, it's like I have all these memories flooding in and some of them are great. I remember Sirius giving me a broom when I was little and flying around the living room and then the back garden. I remember my dad singing to me and mum giving me a bath. But some of them are not great. I think I remember the night they died." Harry took a long pull on his tea, and Amelia reached over to take his hand.

"I knew them," she said. "You can talk to me about it."

"I swear I can hear my dad tell my mum to take me to the circle. Mum and Sirius had painted this like ring thing on my bedroom floor – that's what Sirius told me. It was supposed to work that when I was in my cot and Mum was behind me, this thing was supposed to trap HIM in the doorway. All Mum had to do was touch this rune with her wand and the thing would activate. Sirius surmises that HE fired before Mum was in place."

"That would be some difficult enchanting, but if anyone was capable, it would have been your mum, dad and Sirius," Amelia said softly. "The three of them should have been enchanters or alchemists, they were brilliant."

"Sirius said I am like them, and he's made me change my electives for next year to Runes and Arithmancy, rather than Divination and Care of Magical Creatures," Harry explained.

"Divination is something you are born with, plain and simple. Do you have prophetic dreams or flashes of what is going to happen next?"

"No," Harry said with a laugh. "That wouldn't be fair with Quidditch."

"True. In your case Divination would be useless. As for Care of Magical Creatures, it's a wonderful course, but only if you're going to work with creatures after Hogwarts. Otherwise, you can learn all you need to know by reading Mr Scamander's book."

"Sirius said the same thing." Amelia chuckled at Harry's comment.

"Both Arithmancy and Runes will serve you well regardless of what career you choose. If you follow your dad, enchanting might be your path. For your mum, alchemy, or higher potion creation. How do you do in Potions?" the woman asked.

"I have an issue with Professor Snape," Harry said.

"You aren't the only one. However, with Dumbledore gone and Severus Snape having money to open his own shop or apothecary, I have the notion that he might not be your professor come fall." Amelia looked down and noticed her cup was empty. "Have you finished your tea?"

"Yeah, I feel better. Thanks," he said, awkward again.

"Harry, Sirius and I will marry one day, and we will all live together. I hope it will be as a family. If you ever need a mother figure, I hope you'll see me as a suitable place filler for your mum. I can't ever replace her, but I can care for you," Amelia said gently before pulling the young man into a strange hug, as he was still seated, and he sort of kept his head from smashing into her chest.

"Thanks, er, Amelia," Harry said.

"Susan calls me auntie, which won't work for you; but Sirius calls me Amy and if you'd like to do so as well, I think it's a fine family-only name." This time, Harry rose from his seat, and hugged her properly.