Chapter One:
Sirius Black was vibrating with excitement. He was ready to begin his second year at Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and it was September the 1st and he was getting ready to head to the King's Cross station where he would see his friends for the first time since the previous school year ended. James Potter, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew were the absolute best mates he could have ever asked for and he couldn't wait to see them again. James was from a Pureblood family like him while Peter and Remus were both Half-bloods. None the less, his mother considered them 'blood traitors' and unworthy of the Black Heir to associate with them. She had forbidden him from seeing them during the summer, leaving him with only his little brother Regulus and their crazy house-elf Kreature as his only companions and since he had been placed into Gryffindor the previous year, things had been very tense between the three of them.
The only good thing about his summer was that something had changed with his father. Lord Orion Arcturus Black was a cold man, or at least Sirius had always thought so, but when he had arrived home for the summer, his father had summoned him into his study and the two of them had sat down and talked. This time it wasn't about what was expected of him as the Black Heir or even his family's belief in blood purity, no, it was about what Sirius wanted in life.
For the first time Sirius had told his father the truth and didn't try to lie about his beliefs. Orion had sat quietly and listened to everything his oldest had had to say about Slytherin, blood purity, marrying between family and his mother's behavior. It was the most heartfelt conversation that had ever been between the two. It was also then that Orion had gained a little bit of understanding about his heir. He had always known that Sirius was different than any of the other Black children. He refused to follow the standard sheep mentality that most of magical Britain had, he was too stubborn for that and it was also then that he had realized why Sirius had been placed in Gryffindor rather than Slytherin.
He was to use to being stubborn in his beliefs and being brave, standing up to his mother all the time. When Orion looked back on his heir's childhood, he knew that Sirius had never been subtle or sly. He liked being loud and bold, liked to laugh and prank and be the center of attention. He knew it was because he didn't get much positive attention from home.
Orion had never wanted to marry his cousin Walburga and only had because their Grandfather's had forced it into a magically binding marriage contract when they were first born. His father had tried everything to get Orion out of it, but the damn thing was unbreakable. This had forced him to marry Walburga the moment they had graduated from Hogwart's. Sirius had followed two years later and Regulus a year after that. After satisfying the rules of the contract, Orion had refused to touch Walburga. She had been okay with that because she was more focused on trying to force both her sons to be the perfect Black heirs and blood purists. Orion had spent at much time as he could out of the house as the boys grew. When Sirius had gotten his Hogwart's letter, Orion had been nervous. Sirius was nothing like the other Black children.
Andromeda was in fifth year Slytherin but chaffing at her parent's constant blood purity speeches and expectations. They expected her to marry the Rowle heir and the girl was now pulling away from the family. She was still the perfect Slytherin though, sly, cunning and ambitious. Bellatrix was a third year Slytherin and was now straddling the line between sane and the Black Madness. She was sly and ambitious but not cunning. Orion privately thought that if Bella hadn't threatened the Sorting hat against placing her in any house but Slytherin, she would have been a shoe in for Gryffindor. She was loud, bold and had a flair for the dramatic. Their youngest sister, Narcissa was beginning Hogwart's that year alongside Regulus and Orion knew that both would be going into Slytherin. Regulus was all the things the house embodied and Narcissa was so smart, sly and cunning that she sometimes frightened Orion. He knew she would be a prize for any pureblood worth their salt who wanted a wife.
Sirius was the only one who was different. He may have been a Gryffindor, but he was among the top five in his year, had good friends and after Orion had spoken with him, he had calmed somewhat in their home. He still played small pranks on everyone but nothing over the top like he used too. Orion still had to hold back a chuckle when he remembered their last family dinner with Walburga's brother Cygnus and his wife Druella. Every time Cygnus went to say something about blood purity, he would start braying like a donkey. Orion, who had, on more than one occasion, wanted to shut his brother-in-law up, had caught Sirius's eyes as everyone rushed around trying to figure out how to stop it, and given him an approving nod. Sirius had relaxed some ever since and was now more content to be himself when he was home. Orion had also taken to spending more time in Grimmauld Place that Summer, watching the dynamic between Walburga and their children. What he saw hadn't impressed him and Orion was positive that if he hadn't had that conversation with Sirius at the start of the summer, something horrible would have happened to him, because Walburga had proven to have no patience for their oldest son and heir.
Which led to now.
Sirius and Regulus were patiently waiting by the floo in the parlor, trunks and familiars packed up and ready to go. They were just waiting for Orion and Walburga to arrive so they could leave, and it took everything for Sirius to not shift with impatience. Orion arrived first, dressed in his best black trousers, long sleeved sliver dress shirt and sleeveless open black robes, the Black crest proudly displayed on the right side of his chest. The boys were both dressed similarly, only Regulus wore green and Sirius was dressed in Gryffindor red. Orion wondered what Walburga would make of that, she abhorred the color red. Which was why their house was done in all silver, green and black, though Orion was somewhat sick of looking at the same things continually.
"Are you ready boys?" he inquired to his children. Sirius gave him an easy smile and nodded, "I'm looking forward to see the Marauders again," he said as he double checked his familiar's cage. It was a new development, the familiars. No one in the Black family had had a familiar in centuries since before the Statute of Secrecy in 1689 came into being. Orion had taken them to Diagon Alley for their school supplies that July, and a ball of white fur had smacked into Sirius, knocking him over and then refusing to leave his heir alone right after they arrived. It turns out the ball of fur was a tundra wolf pup, only a few months old and the moment Sirius had touched him, the pup's eye had changed to the silver grey of the Black's and magic had surrounded them, signaling the binding of the bond. Orion had been shocked but was then stunned silent when he had gone into the pet store to see Regulus catch an animal out of thin air, it was a black baby mink. Their bond had instantly snapped into place and Orion had felt pleased, magic had blessed his family deeply.
He was also confused. Not a single Black had gained a familiar in over four hundred years. The fact that Sirius and Regulus had, it made him wonder what had changed in their magic. He wondered it if had to do with the magical disturbance he had felt a few weeks before. The one that no could figure out what it came from though the Department of Mysteries had been investigating, but found nothing, other than it came from Gringotts. It was a mystery because the goblins wouldn't share any private information and the ministry couldn't demand answers without risking another war.
Orion shook himself from his thoughts as his youngest son answered, "I'm ready to go to Hogwart's father," he said calmly, pureblood mask in place. Orion wanted to sign for he felt that Regulus tried too hard to please Walburga instead of trying to be himself. He had relaxed some since Sirius had started letting down his walls around them, spending more time with his brother and actually enjoying some of the small pranks Sirius played around the house. It was like things had done a complete turn about it their home, only Walburga acting as though everything was the same. Thinking of her must had summoned her because his wife came gliding into the room, she had once been beautiful, but her bitterness and hate had ruined her looks. She wore a long sleeved, knee length, dark green dress with a string of emeralds at her throat, dark hair twisted into a perfect bun at the base of her neck.
Sirius tensed slightly as his mother looked him over from head to toe and then sneered at her oldest, "Disgraceful," she muttered before looking to her youngest, not noticing the hate flashing across Sirius's face. Orion did and he moved over to place a hand on his heirs' shoulder as he listened to his wife fuss of over their second son. He didn't understand why Walburga was so hateful of their first-born, he could still remember when Sirius was first born. Walburga had loved him, fussed over him and kept him close to her. He was her baby and god forbid anyone say anything bad about the Black heir in front of her, as her own brother had learned after she cursed him.
It was only after Regulus was born that Walburga began neglecting their oldest. He didn't know if it was by choice or because Regulus's birth had been so difficult. He had been born with the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck and when he had come free of his wife's body, they both feared he was dead. They had waited on pins and needles for what felt like hours, but was only minutes, before their second son had cried for the first time. When Orion had taken them home, Walburga became like a mother dragon to Regulus. No one was allowed near him unless Kreature or she were watching, Sirius was not welcome to even be in the same room as his brother and even Orion had been barred from holding his second son until he was almost a year old. Sirius had been pushed away heavily by his mother and Orion privately thought that was the main reason Sirius pushed so hard against tradition was he didn't want to do anything to gain his mother's approval. She had abandoned him, in a way, after all.
He was again shaken from his thoughts as Sirius leaned briefly into his hand and then pulled away, shrinking his trunk and tucking it away in his pocket. The beautiful female tundra wolf pup, who had promptly been named Nix, the Latin word for snow, was in her carrier as she was still too small to safely be transported by floo or other magical means without moving, was picked up and Sirius moved over to the floo, eager to get away from Grimmauld Place. Orion followed him and the offered Sirius the pot of floo powder with a slight smile.
A smile Sirius returned, "King's Cross Station," he said clearly, dropping the power and vanishing in a flash of bright green light. Orion gave a light chuckle before following his son, leaving Walburga and Regulus to catch up. Surprisingly, Sirius was waiting for him, and Orion felt a rush of affection for his son as he stopped beside him. He hadn't been able to take Sirius to the station the year before due to a last minute Wizengmont meeting that was called and had regretted it ever since. Walburga had arrived back at the town house in a spitting rage, her hair charmed pink and ranting at about how Sirius had taken off and not greeted the other pureblood families. He was half expecting his son to do the same thing again this year. He was pleased Sirius had stayed so Orion could take him to the train.
He heard the floo flash behind him, and instantly stiffened. He wasn't alone in that he noticed, catching sight of every single dark and neutral family on the platform turning towards them. His magic instantly hummed as a grey aura, heavy with protection and love, rushed over every single person, causing many to sway. It was rare to meet a real grey witch or wizard, most magicals leaning either dark or light. Grey magicals, were rare, because they were magicals who saw magic as a whole and accepted every part of it. Even most the neutral families leaned more one way or the other, there were no true Grey families anymore, having been hunted into extinction by Dark Lords over the Centuries.
He had thought it was Walburga behind him, but then his magic sprang forwards, surging through him, singing and dancing through his veins, singing and urging him to claim and posses the highly magical being behind him. He caught the awe on Sirius's face from the corner of his eye before a shiver danced down his spine as low and raspy voice sounded from behind him, making his magic strain violently, "Excuse us please," it said.
Orion turned, unable to stop himself, Sirius following suit and both Black's were struck speechless over the woman standing there. She was the most beautiful woman Orion had ever seen. Her skin was pale and flawless, she was short only coming up to Orion's chin, with a perfect hourglass figure. Her hair was a dark wine red that fell in tousled curls down to her thigh's, half was pulled away to the back of her head in a braid and her bangs hung to the side of her forehead. Her eyes were a bright stunning green, with a depth to them that made him think of a lush forest. She wore an off the shoulder, knee length green dress with a flowing skirt and empire waist top, a ribbon of green trying in a bow right in the center. A pair of sandals, with a delicate chain wrapped around her ankles. A simple diamond hung from her throat in the form of a heart, and he caught shimmer of a wand holster on her arm.
At her side was a boy.
He couldn't have been anything other than her son. He had black hair that was thrown about in every direction, reminding Orion of the Potter's, matching green eyes with only a circle of amber around his pupil, reminding him lightly of a werewolf's eyes. The boy stood at her breast, dressed in a pair of muggle jeans, button up blue shirt and jean vest over top, soon to be as tall as she was. At his side was a beautiful adolescent orange tiger cub, who was connected to a lead and waiting by the boy's side patiently.
Orion noticed how the woman's eyes widened, the moment their eyes met and her magic instantly brushed against his, before she bowed her head in a respectful greeting, "Lord Black," she said eyes quickly scanning over his person before her eyes fell to Sirius and softened and a light smile crossed her face making her look years younger for she had to be in her late twenties to her early thirties, "Heir Black," she greeted the twelve year old. Sirius smiled widely back at her, a blush on his cheeks, "It's just Sirius," he said back to her. Orion chuckled upon noticing his sons smitten expression. The woman obviously caught it too by the amusement in her eyes.
"Who might you be?" Orion inquired politely.
Her eyes instantly met his eyes, and he was drawn into the beautiful green of them, he had never seen anyone with eyes that color. She smiled lightly, "My name is Lady Hariel Peverall, and this is my heir Edward Peverall," she said offering him her hand. His eyes widened the moment he heard the name and he accepted her hand, "Lady of the Noble, Most Ancient and Courageous House of Peverall?" he asked in surprise after placing a kiss along the back of it. She nodded, "Yes," she said softly, watching him with curious eyes. Orion knew that an old Vault had been reopened in Gringotts, the goblins had been in an unusually good mood for the last couple of weeks and it had been in the papers, only the name of the Vault in question had been withheld. To learn it was the Peverall family had his mind instantly running a mile per minute to figure out the repercussions of them coming back.
Traditionally, Peverell's were a neutral party, refusing to favor one side over the other. they were a truly Grey House and the male line had been hunted into extinction. Obviously someone had missed a son somewhere in the line, otherwise, Hariel wouldn't have been there. The family's line dated all the way back before the time of Merlin and they had earned the title of a Courageous House after they had helped save Camelot, it was given to them by King Arthur himself. They were a family of the Sacred Twenty-Eight and everyone had thought the line was dead and gone. No one had claimed it or tried to claim it in centuries. The fact that she already had an Heir of schooling age, it made her a dangerous opponent. Many would want to marry into the family, for new blood, but no child Hariel would later bare could be heir because she already had a son, so the point would be mute.
However, his magic didn't seem to care, brushing against her enticingly, trying to get her to play. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and Orion fought a blush, urging his magic to calm down. It wouldn't do to have her take offense of his magic tugging at her. She was a powerful political figure, being the only Noble House ever given the title Courageous, which had led to almost every single member of the family being placed in Gryffindor until the line had ended, or so they thought.
As Orion tried to figure out what to do with a new player in the game, Sirius had turned to Teddy in curiosity, "What year are you going into?" he asked curiously. Teddy looked to his mum for a second before smiling slightly at Sirius, "I'm a first year," he said softly, hair quickly flashing different colors before returning to black. Now that Sirius was looking at him, he couldn't help but notice how much Teddy looked like James, only the eye color was wrong. Teddy had his mother's eyes. "You look a lot like my friend James," he mentioned softly. Teddy's eyes widened, flashing with an emotion Sirius didn't recognize, before turning thoughtful, "James Potter?" he asked curiously. Sirius nodded and Teddy's eyes cleared, "My mums related to the Potter's, I think they're our cousins like five times removed or something," he explained. Sirius nodded, understanding with how intertwined the pureblood families were. He himself was related to the Malfoy's, Potter's, Crouch's and Prewett's in some way or form.
Having heard their children's conversation, Orion finally collected himself, "Sorry about that, I wasn't aware that the Peverell's had returned to Britain," he said, subtly questioning on where she had been. Amusement flashed through her eyes before she signed lightly, "My parents died when I was young, and I grew up in the muggle world. I attended St. Marcus's School of Magic in Northern Italy and graduated from there. I was not aware that the Peverell's were one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight until my husband brought me to see England, as my parents were born here. It was then I found out that I was a part of the Britain nobility. My husband was killed shortly after and then I learned that I was pregnant with Teddy. For his safety, given what's happened to my family over the years, I retreated to Italy where I have been until recently. My son expressed a wish to attend Hogwarts and I decided it was time for me to take my seat on the Wizengmont," she explained to the man, watching as Teddy spoke softly with her dogfather.
Her heart squeezed in her chest as she looked at the familiar boy in front of her. Gods, he was just as handsome as Remus used to say and Hari grieved for the man who had died saving her but promised herself, she would save this Sirius. He would grow up without the war, would get married and have children. He would have the life he always should have had. She would do anything to make sure of that. He was the reason her and Teddy had been thrown back in time after all.
Orion nodded his understanding and then smiled, making Hari's breath catch in her chest and Sirius do a double take, never having seen his father smile at anyone the way he smiled at the woman, Hariel. He had also never seen his father so relaxed with a stranger, the pureblood mask was nowhere to be seen and Sirius felt his heart lighten at the sight. Maybe, his father would find happiness. A scowl covered the oldest Black sons face though when he heard his mother's banshee like shrieking for him and his father and watched the familiar mask cover his father's face, making him want to turn around and curse her. His mother always found a way to ruin everything.
Hari quickly spotted the familiar shrieking woman, standing with a group of other pureblood families, before she gave a half smile to Orion and Sirius, "I'm sorry to have kept you away from your company," she said reaching out to rest a hand on Teddy's shoulder, "But I should be going. It was nice to meet you Lord Black, Sirius," she said with a nod to both men. Sirius grinned back at her, "You as well Lady Peverall," he said with a cheeky wink. She chuckled at him as she moved to escort Teddy past them, "Until we meet again Lady Peverall, Heir Peverall," Orion said, eyes glinting especially as his magic brushed up against the women's and he felt the pulsing energy of deep, comforting grey magic envelope him, making him fist his hand to stop from reaching out to touch her. Hari looked back briefly to nod and then she and Teddy vanished in the masses of people on the platform, gaining wide-eyed looks from every person they passed.
Orion watched after her longingly, intrigued by the beautiful woman, and then shook himself out of his daze when he heard Walburga shouting for him and their son for a second time. He shared a long-suffering look with Sirius before the boy brightened and gave him a cheerful grin, "Look on the bright side, you got to meet a pretty witch," he said cheekily. Orion was unable to hold back his snort, "Let's go before your mother starts sending the others to try to find us," he said placing a hand on Sirius's shoulder and steering him towards the waiting group of purebloods.
Walburga stood at the center of attention, Regulus standing at her side. Beside her was Cygnus, his wife Druella and their three daughters. Abraxas Malfoy was there with his son Lucius, Theodore Nott Sr with his son Theodore Jr, followed by the Lestrange's. Lucian Lestrange was one of the oldest Lords of their group and his oldest son Rodolphus was in his seventh year and his youngest Rabastan was going into his second alongside Sirius and Lucius.
Orion felt the tension in his son as he escorted Sirius closer, he leaned down to whisper to his heir, "Greet everyone and then you can go and find your friends," he said. Sirius brightened before quickly pulling up the perfect pureblooded heir mask as they reached the group and his mother's judging eyed quickly ran over him. Sirius had never wanted to run away so bad as when he caught the slightly flash of approval in her eyes. He watched as the other adults greeted his parents before he too greeted his cousins and the other pureblood heirs. Nix was beginning to make noise in her carrier and Sirius knew he would have to let her out soon.
She also drew the attention of the children.
Bellatrix sniffed at the muggle creature, "Where did it come from?" she asked with a glint of the black madness in her eyes. Sirius shrugged, "No idea. Father took Reg and I to Diagon Alley and she attached herself to me by the pet store. Her name is Nix and she's my familiar," he said smugly, gaining shocked breaths other heirs. Everyone knew that familiar were now very rare and that not one single Black had gained a familiar in over four hundred years. Narcissa gave a soft smile, "She's very beautiful Sirius," she said crouching down to let Nix sniff her through the carrier bars. The small pup sniffed at her and then gave the young girl a lick through the bars. Everyone was surprised to see the girl do such a thing, but Narcissa looked pleased with herself as she rose back to her feet and the look in her eyes dared anyone to say something to her about her actions. Sirius was the future Lord Black and though he was a Gryffindor, he had always been Narcissa's favorite cousin, and she wouldn't true he back on him like some of their family, including her parents, had.
While Sirius traded small talk with the others about the coming school year, Orion was being interrogated by the other adults. Abraxas, with his pale blonde hair and cornflower blue eyes, was smirking at his dearest friend, "Who was the beautiful woman you were talking to Orion?" he asked slyly, having caught Orion's searching gaze. The dark hair man flushed lightly but managed to keep his face expressionless, "That was Lady Hariel Peverall," he answered smugly and watched as everyone tried to process what he had just said.
"Did you say she was Lady Peverall?" Lucian asked, stunned.
It was pretty much everyone's reaction as the news spread. Even Walburga was speechless, and Orion felt smug that he had been the first to discover and share the news of an old family being found and brought back to the Wizengmont. They may have been neutral, but they were all about making sure the balance was kept and the magical world was safe. A truly Grey House and Orion was looking forward to how Hariel was going to shake up the Wizengamont during the next session.
He nodded in answer to his friends' question, "Yes and she was bringing her Heir to the train so he can attend his first year at Hogwart's," he explained without prompting. Abraxas's blue eyes lit up, "Is she married?" he asked instantly. All the men started chuckling. Ever since Abraxas's wife Diana passed when Lucius was ten, the man had been a horndog but only accepted the best. Until recently he had a paramour, but she had finally had enough, and Abraxas was back on the market for a new wife or companion. Orion chuckled as he shook his head, hearing Lucius tell his father there were some things he didn't need to know about, even as he tried to ignore the churning in his stomach at the thought of Hariel being with his best friend.
"Her husband has passed Abraxas, she is a widow," he managed to say through the lump in his throat. He knew what was going on, what his magic was urging him to do, but he was trying to ignore it. He may not have wanted to marry Walburga, but it didn't change the fact that he was married, and he wasn't going to break the vows he had made to her. A brief affair was one thing, but Orion knew if he started anything with Hariel, it wouldn't be something shallow and he wasn't prepared to do that while married and he and Walburga were bound for life. Hariel was a beautiful woman, but Orion knew he couldn't do anything about it, no matter how much he wanted to.
Right then, there was a break in the crowds, and everyone caught sight of Lady Hariel Peverall. She was stood to the side, allowing them to see her as she spoke softly with her son, the boys head bowed close to listen. It was obvious to anyone with eyes, the bond between the two and for a moment Orion envied that. He and his sons weren't close, due to the tradition of mothers raising the children until Hogwarts age, but it was obvious Hariel had been both mother and father to her young son with her husband having died before the lad was born. He silently promised himself to spend more time with his sons, catching the glint of longing in Sirius's eyes as he too watched the Peverall family. The tiger cub was sitting patiently at the boy's feet, obviously used to the crowds. Orion saw everyone gasp in surprise as the boy's hair quickly circled through a bunch of different colors before settling on its messy black and Orion had to bit his tongue. Metamorphmagus was rare, an old Black family gift and Orion wondered if a Black had married into the Peverall family at some point, for the boy to have that particular gift.
He caught the eyes of his cousin, Dorea Potter, who was standing a few feet away from the two with her husband and her lips twitched up in a quick greeting before she turned away to stop her son, too late, and James Potter plowed right into Edward Peverall, sending him stumbling right into his mother, who caught him. Dorea and Charles quickly hurried over to the group, not paying attention to the group of Purebloods watching them, who were curious to how Hariel would react. Sirius was just now waiting for the chance to rush over to his best mate, though he watched curiously as the Potter's greeted the Peverell's.
~!~
Hari Potter, now Peverall, rightened Teddy after the boy had run into him and turned to the boy ready to lay into him about being careful but was met with the sheepish hazel eyes of her twelve-year-old father, James Potter. A lump grew in her throat and tears prickled at her eyes as she watched him run a hand through his hair and offer Teddy an apologetic smile, "Sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going," he said as his parents came up behind him. Dorea was more than ready to start scolding him, but Hari shook herself out of her surprise and smiled softly back at him, "That's okay, Teddy isn't hurt, are you love?" she said, turning to her son, who shook his head, trying to find his words, which had vanished at the sight of his mum's father.
James smiled relieved back, "Are you a first year?" he asked curiously, having never seen the boy before. Teddy nodded as he shuffled his feet nervously. He still wasn't used to being around so many people, he and his mum had been on the run for many years and were never usually around so many magical people. They had spent a lot of time in the muggle world and being in Wizarding Britain was a lot for the eleven-year-old to adjust too. The most people he had been around was when they were living with Blaise in Italy when he was young, and even then, it was nowhere near as many as there were on Platform 9 ¾. It didn't help they had been thrown back in time and his father, his birth one, was somewhere on the platform at that very moment, making the boy feel extremely nervous.
Dorea and Charles both greeted Hari as the boys got to know each other.
"I don't believe we have met," Charles said as he held his hand out for Hari to shake. She smiled at him, "I wouldn't imagen so, I just recently returned to England. Lady Hariel Peverall," she said taking his hand and giving it a firm shake, all the while internally freaking out about meeting her own grandparents. Dorea's eyes widened as the name rang through her head and Charles gained a childish glint to his eyes, "Oh boyo, I didn't realize that I still had family out there. It's a pleasure to meet you," he commented with delight. As far as he knew, the Peverell's were gone from England and the name dead. He knew that a daughter had married into the Potter family a few generations before, but he didn't think they had anymore connecting family.
Hari smiled at him softly, her green eyes looking far older than her face, "I grew up in Italy in the muggle world. I wasn't aware that the Peverell's were a Noble family here in England until me late husband brought me here to visit. He was killed just after I found out I was pregnant with Teddy, and I stayed in Italy afterwards in order to protect him. It was only when Teddy expressed a desire to attend Hogwarts that I returned here," she explained while her eyes kept flickering back and forth from Charles to Dorea, the latter who had yet to speak.
Charles nodded his understanding, it was dangerous to carry the Peverall name and his eyes glanced to see his son speaking adamantly with the boy, Teddy who was watching his with curious but fond green eyes much like the woman in front of him. He heard James speaking about Hogwarts and a smile found its way onto his face before he turned back to the young woman standing to the side of them. Their eyes met and something inside Charles, something unexplainable, shifted and he wondered briefly what it was before he smiled at her, "Well let me be one of the first to welcome you home to Britain," he said offering her his hand, "I'm Charles Potter and this is my wife Dorea."
She took it with a slight smile and gave it a shake before nodding in greeting to Dorea, "Pleasure to meet you cousin," she said before hearing the whistle of the train letting everyone know it would be leaving soon. Hari looked to the clock and smiled, "I better get Teddy settled onto the train, it was nice to meet you Lord and Lady Potter," she said before offering her hand to Teddy. He grabbed it and grinned at James before his hair flashed bright yellow, signaling his happiness, "It was nice to meet you," he said politely before allowing Hari to lead them away.
Hari caught the eye of Orion Black and sent him a brief smile, watching as Sirius snuck away towards the Potters and then turned moving Teddy closer to the doors of the train. His trunk was already on board, but she was still reeling from meeting her own grandparents and dad and needed to get away from them before she stared to cry and embarrassed Teddy. The boy looked at her and smiled, "Everything will be fine mum," he tried to reassure her. She looked at him, taking in the slightly Remus like features and felt her face soften before she pulled her son into a tight hug, his arms wrapping around her waist as they held each other tightly.
"Your eleven, you're not supposed to assure me everything go to be okay. That's my job," she murmured into his hair before pulling away and looking into matching green eyes to hers, "I want you to enjoy the train ride to Hogwarts, it's magical," she whispered with an excited twinkle in her eyes. Teddy grinned and nodded, "I'll do my best mum," he said, more than ready for this adventure he was about to embark on. He had heard so many things about Hogwart's and he wanted nothing more than to walk the hallways that his parents, his grandparents and his great grandparents had walked before him. Not to mention all the things his mum had told him about, like the Chamber of Secrets and the Room of Requirement. He had never imagined he would be able to attend the school while they were on the run, but he was pleased, he was being given the chance now.
He left slightly uneasy though, he had never been away from Hari for more than a few hours and the train ride to Hogwart's was eight hours long and his mum would be nowhere near him for the journey. He was terrified something would happen and he wouldn't be there to help. She must had sensed his feelings because her magic wrapped around him in a comforting embrace. "We'll see each other again before you know it," she reassured him, and he knew she wouldn't lie to him.
He knew that they would see each other again once he reached Hogwart's anyways. That's what happened when your parent was a Professor at the school. He grinned slightly as he remembered Dumbledore's face when his mother had arrived at the school after being given the Jon by the Board of Governors. She had blown them away with the knowledge she had on Defense Against the Dark Arts and before Dumbledore really knew what was happening, she had been given the job. But he also remembered the look on his mother's face when she had snarled at Dumbledore to stay out of her head after Lord Bones had introduced them. He knew they would be walking a fine line during the year as Dumbledore suspected something was different about them, but he also knew his mother would duel the Headmaster to his death before she let anything happened to Teddy, like what had happened before.
He nodded before hugging her again, "I'll see when we get their Teddy-bear," she murmured before they separated. He let her go and nodded, "I'm ready," he said stepping back. Rajah, his tiger cub familiar brushed again him comfortingly before Hari knelt to stroke the cubs head, "You protect my cub, yeah Rajah," she said to him. He meowed at Hari in understanding and brushed against her before returning to Teddy's side and Hari rose back to her feet.
The train whistled and kids began hurrying onto the train, many who Hari recognized, including the red hair of her mother as she vanished into the train. She smiled slightly and then nodded to Teddy, "You better go, I do have another flying car to get you to school if you miss the train," she joked. Teddy giggled, "Love you mum," he said kissing her cheek. "Love you too cub," she said messing up his hair before pushing him towards the train. He boarded quickly and waved out the window as the train began moving, making Hari giggle as she remembered the excitement of her first train ride to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry so many years before.
They may have been in the past, but Hogwarts would always be her home and she was determined that what happened in the future wouldn't happen again. Lord Voldemort was at his highest power in this time, but Hari was determined to put a kink in his plans. The war would not end the way it had the first time. There would be not death of the Potter's, would be no Girl-Who-Lived and there would be no betrayal by the Order of the Phoenix. The world as she knew it would never come to be, she would make sure of it. Whole families lost, children orphaned and Albus Dumbledore's Greater Good, would never come to be, even if she had to give her life again to make sure of it.
As the train pulled out of the station, as the purebloods tried to figure out the repercussions of an old family's resurrection, as Albus Dumbledore tried to figure out who Hariel Peverall really was, as Lord Voldemort plotted his next more and as Hari waved goodbye to her son, none of them had any idea that the threads of fate were now changing. The dark future that should have been was slowly shifting and soon; soon it would be full of color and life instead of darkness and death.
