Harry's Choices

by Acop

AU. Harry Potter is not an orphan. He does not have a prophecy and an old Headmaster looming over his life. Yet, he is still special. Sequel to Severus' choice but can be read as a standalone if you accept to go with the flow of changes brought to canon.

2. Chapter 2

Thank you to everyone who took the time to review :)

AN1: I'm glad some of you thought Harry's point of view is interesting enough to read this story :)
AN2: Thanks Miette for checking this chapter for plot-holes and incoherence despite your busy schedule. Still looking for someone to correct my grammar and spelling mistakes, if anyone is interested :)

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A few months later, Mum and Dad told me Beth and I were going to have a little brother. I was dismayed because Beth was not even two and still required a lot of attention. Dad, Mum and Padfoot were as busy as ever, and I was scared the fragile balance we had finally achieved was going to come crashing down on me.

I tried not to show it because I did not want to worry Beth and because Mum was really tired because of the baby. She remained home everyday as soon as her belly began showing, and she had to remain in bed almost all the time despite taking Sev's potions to get better.

"I don't understand Padfoot. Lily had no problem with Harry and Beth while Narcissa had great difficulties bearing Draco for only seven months, but now, it's like their situations have been swapped. Caspian's potion are helping Lily, I know Healer Plutark is a lot more optimistic about the chances of both her and the baby making it, but it feels like Caspian's keeping something from us!"

I frowned from my place behind the armchair as Dad almost shouted at Padfoot. His voice sounded so sad and angry at the same time. I had planned on surprising them by jumping out from my hiding place but that did not seem like a good plan anymore.

I heard Padfoot sighed.

"Why would he keep anything from us, James? He loves Lily like a sister and Neele even more. He's doing everything he can to help."

"I don't know. I just… Narcissa was glowing during her last pregnancy. Don't you think they could have done something more, something… Dark?"

I held my breath. Dark meant bad. The people Dad and Padfoot caught during their work often used Dark spells and Dark potions. But Sev was not bad.

"Come on, Prongs. You know he's not Dark, no matter what he looks like. Merlin knows I was Dark without even realising it," answered Padfoot, a bit of frustration showing through his voice, like it was a recurrent discussion between them.

"I'm not saying Dark like twisted," protested Dad. "Just… not light."

"Even if they had done something like blood magic for example, would you and Lily accept to do the same?"

Silence fell on them. I did my best to remain still and not make any noise. I was beginning to feel a bit uncomfortable after crouching for so long.

"You know we would not," finally said Dad. "Not when neither Lily nor the baby are in mortal danger right now."

He sighed.
"Thanks Padfoot. I'm sorry, I just… I hate seeing Lily so weak. It doesn't bring out the best in me."

"Lucky we've seen each other at our worst," replied Padfoot, sounding only half joking. "Let's go flying for a bit, clear your head before dinner. You don't want Harry and Beth to see you like this."

They kept talking but I could not distinguish their words anymore as they left the room.

I waited for a moment before getting up, chewing on my lips. I did not like what I had heard. I hesitated, not wanting to be a bother. I really needed to see that Mum was alright.
I slowly walked towards her room downstairs. She had moved there to be able to get some fresh air without getting too tired because of the stairs. I was beginning to think that Mum was more than just tired.

I hesitantly passed my head through the door, feeling relieved when Mum smiled at me and motioned for me to come in. I entered the room quietly, took off my shoes and carefully climbed on the bed to settle next to her but without crushing her.

Mum's hand gently began petting my hair, humming softly. I felt a lot better already.

Later that evening, Dad told Beth and me we had to behave ourselves because if Mum worried too much or became even more tired, it could make the baby come out too soon.

I tried my best. It helped that Grandma, Grandpa and Aunt Neele once more came to live with us. Mum joked that they should stay for good, but I could tell it was not really a joke. I was all for it.

I felt better with everyone at home. Little William still came two months early.

Dad and Padfoot were at work that day, Grandpop, Grandma and Grandpa too. Aunt Neele had the day off from the hospital and was getting ready to go see Sev, whom she was "getting to know better", to see if they were "compatible enough to maybe marry and have a family one day", according to Padfoot. That's why Grandmum left in a hurry to leave Beth with Aunt Alice and Neville's grandmother before accompanying Mum at the hospital, while Aunt Neele took me with her to visit Sev.

I was shocked when we arrived and a blond kid who was not Luna was already sitting with Sev on the big sofa of the living room. They were playing with luminous butterflies, and it looked a lot like the game me and Neville played with the Fairies.
Sev grumbled a bit when he saw us arrive but the blond boy, Draco, welcomed me with a curious smile. We immediately hit on.

The day was very different from what I usually did at the Burrow or home. We first practised a weird dance called Taichi. It was fascinating to feel how presences and not-presences reacted to it, and I swore here and then to become as good as Sev. Draco promised he would teach me what he knew and he was really nice about slowing down so I could copy his movements. Sev watched us and corrected us when we made mistakes.
Then we learned how to brew a simple potion and why we needed to use one ingredient or the other and why to prepare them one way or another. Neville liked plants a lot and he had taught me about them. It helped to understand the potion and I listened with as much attention as Draco.

We had an excellent lunch cooked by Tuei, then Aunt Neele took me and Draco outside for a game of hide and seek. Several of Sev's house members joined us, and I was awed to feel that several of them were really good at using presences too. Then we had a quiet time reading stories together.
During dinner, Aunt Neele told me that we were going to spend the night here. When he heard this, Draco pleaded with Sev to remain too and have a sleepover. Sev caved in under Aunt Neele's amused eyes.

Draco later confided that Sev was his Godfather. Of course Sev was going to want to make Draco happy, like Padfoot did for me.
When I left with Aunt Neele after breakfast the next morning, Draco promised he would ask his Dad to organise playdates for the two of us. I could not wait.

The first weeks after William's birth were hard. He was as bad as Beth had been at using his presence, and we were often woken up during the night when he cried for our parents. Beth was still a baby, just about walking steadily on her own and not yet allowed to come to the Burrow with me. So she still slept in the nursery with William, meaning that she often woke up and began crying with him too. Even Padfoot coming to my room did not help me get as much sleep as I needed. I could tell he did not sleep enough either, and the both of us were often cranky in the morning.

One day, I got up to Mum frantically speaking with Grandmum.

"What are we going to do, Euphemia? I agree with Molly, we cannot take the risk of Harry catching the chicken pox. Alice and Frank are working so Neville is staying with his grandmother, and you know Augusta thinks Harry's the devil incarnate. Fabian and Gideon are taking days off to look after the twins and Ginny who are the only ones not ill, they will have their hands full and it means neither James nor Sirius can stay home with Harry. I can't ask Mum and Dad to take more days off from work, they have already done so much. But I have to go to Saint Mungo with William today, and Beth is being really difficult these days. I'm afraid Harry will once more go on his adventures the moment Pearl and you are distracted."

Grandmum took Mum's hands into hers.
"Breath Lily. I assure you the world is not ending. We have a solution."

I watched Mum take a shaky breath.
"What do you propose?"

"Fleamont can look after Harry. He's going to Gringotts this morning. I'm sure it's suitably impressive and new to keep our Harry fascinated while Fleamont conducts his business. I also have no doubts Goblins should be enough to keep Harry on his best behaviour."

Mum relaxed.
"You're sure he won't mind?"

Grandmum laughed lightly.
"Come on, child. You know he loves spending time with Harry, he just needs the right pretext. It might also be the solution to keep him from overworking once more."

It was the first time Grandpop took me out on his own. Mum had dressed me smartly for the occasion, saying Gringotts was a solemn place and I had to make a good first impression because I was Grandpop's grandson. Dad was already at work, so she had chosen the dark green robe instead of the bright red one. I liked it better, the red caught the eye too easily. It was also Aunt Neele's and Grandma's favourite.

Grandpop took my hand and we went through the floo to Diagon Alley. We did not go often, and I stared with delight at the various shops showing their treasures in their windows. Grandpop promised we would go treasure looking once we were done at Gringotts, so I hurried my pace to follow him to the bank.

I bowed slightly to the guards at the entrance doors like Grandpop did, and tried not to gawk at them too much. It was my first time seeing Goblins. The bank was huge and contained many presences and not-presences, but it felt a lot more contained than the Manor.
Instead of taking the stairs to go down with the milling crowd, Grandpop led me to one of the Goblins standing in the hall.

"Greetings, Master of Bonds and Beyond," said Grandpop, offering a light bow to the Goblin.

"Greeting, Master of Balance and Bonds," answered the Goblin, bowing to him in return. "How may I help you today?"

"I have a meeting with Usta Antei."

The Goblin took out a stone from his pocket, used his presence on it then nodded.
"You know the way, Lord Potter."

"Thank you. May the sun illuminate your day."

"May your coins ring in earnest."

Goblins talked weirdly. I wondered if it was a kind of passcode. I did not have the time to question Grandpop as he led me through a corridor which seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. We did not walk for long before reaching a crossroad. Wizards and Goblins were coming and going, sometimes on their own and sometimes in pairs or groups.
Grandpop led me towards the second corridor to the right, but before we could take it, I heard my name.

"Harry!"

I turned back with a smile, recognizing the voice immediately.

Draco was walking towards me with an excited smile on his face, dragging by the hand a man who had to be his father.

"Hi Draco!"

"Dad, this is Harry! I've told you about him and how we should invite him home and-"

"Draco, please mind your manners," interrupted his father, firmly but gently.

He immediately looked chastened.

"Good morning Lucius, little Draco," said Grandpop, surprising me.

He knew Draco's dad?

They shook hands then he added:
"Please, meet my grandson Harry. Harry, this is Lord Malfoy."

"Good morning Harry," answered Draco's dad, offering me his hand to shake. "It's a pleasure to meet you after hearing so much about you, young man. Please call me Lucius."

I smiled at him brightly as we shook hands. Draco had told me that Sev and his Dad were as close as brothers, and that's why Sev had accepted to be Draco's Godfather, so Lucius had to be very cool too.
His presence certainly reminded me of Grandpa's but in a more fluttery way.

"I did not expect you to come with your son for our meeting," said Grandpop, smiling kindly at Draco.

"Neither did I, but Narcissa is busy at Saint Mungo with the wave of chicken pox. She has not been home for three days now and Draco has been a bit clingy," explained Lucius. "What about you? I did not expect Harry either."

"Two of Mrs Weasley's kids have caught the chicken pox, so she cannot look over him today. Lily and Euphemia are looking after Willian and Beth, and I get to spend the day with my favourite boy," answered Grandpop, winking at me.

Lucius nodded with a smile.
"I should have known it was chicken pox for you too. Shall we go then?"

We first stopped by Usta Antei's and Usta Stonewreak's office, who were respectively House Potter's and House Malfoy's Gringotts representative. Then we went to a meeting room. Draco and I were set up on a sofa and given snacks, sheets and colour quills while the adults settled around a table.
Me and Draco ate quietly, drawing together a big picture of Gringotts at the same time. Draco was better than me, and he tried to help me but I just kept failing at getting the perspective right.

After a while, we began to grow restless. I was going to suggest playing with the car toys I had brought with me when Draco took my hand excitedly.

"Look, here's Nifty!"

I looked where he was pointing, also reaching out with my presence. A small niffler was quickly making his way to us!

"Hello Nifty," whispered Draco softly, as the niffler bumped into his hand to be pet. "Please meet my friend Harry."

Nifty looked at me, tilting his head as if he had understood Draco's words.

"Hello Nifty," I greeted softly, hesitantly holding my hand in front of him.

Nifty considered it for a few seconds before touching it gently and letting me stroke him a few times. He was really soft.

"I met Nifty a few months ago. He always brings me gifts when I come to Gringotts," explained Draco.

Draco was really interesting. I needed to work on convincing Mum to organise a day together. She had told me before that she would try to contact Draco's parents but she was already so busy with William and Beth. Maybe I should take advantage and ask Grandpop.

"Do you think he knows where to find a treasure?" I asked, feeling my excitement grow.

"Of course, he's a niffler," answered Draco a bit haughtily.

Well. True.

"But we can't get out without being noticed," he added dejectedly.

Hmm. I reached out with my presence, being careful to remain on our side of the room and not brush against the other people in the room. Grandpop usually felt when I brushed up against his presence, and I did not know the others' abilities.
There. I was pretty sure I could use this not-presence to get out discreetly. Dhaal had shown me how to move someone else with me, and I knew I could manage it for a short distance without exhausting myself.

"I think I can get us out, but then what? We'll be seen immediately, and they'll bring us back here and we will be grounded without having seen anything."

"We could say we're joining our parents," suggested Draco.

I shook my head.
"On our own? They'll never believe us, or they will insist on going with us."

Draco pouted.
"We might be lucky and not meet anyone."

I stared at him.

He huffed.
"I know. I wish I could turned invisible like Dhaal."

Nifty seemed to perk up hearing his words. He jumped to the floor, waited to check that Draco and I were looking at him, then used his presence.
We gasped as he disappeared from our sight.

I reached out with my presence and felt that Nifty was still there and circling around us. I turned, focusing on his presence until I localised him. There! Contrary to Dhaal, Nifty was not invisible. He used a kind of cover which merged with his environment, making him hard to spot.
Nifty released his cover, revealing himself to me and Draco.

"That was brilliant Nifty," whispered Draco, excited. "Can you do the same thing for us if Harry can get us out?"

The niffler nodded then jumped back into Draco's hand.

The blond boy looked at me with sparkling eyes.
"Ready for a treasure hunt Harry?"

"Always!"

I reached for his hand, happy when he held on tight without any hesitation. I focused on wrapping my presence around the three of us then grabbed the not-presence.
We stumbled outside the room, a bit further in the corridor than the room's door.

I blinked, feeling a bit dizzy for a second, but quickly regained my bearings. Draco and Nifty seemed to be alright too.

"Go on Nifty, hide us," said Draco softly.

Nothing happened for a few seconds, then I felt as if a light fabric was falling all over me. I looked at Draco and felt my smile grow. I could barely see his shape.

"I think we should keep close to the wall," stated Draco.

I nodded. We would take less risk of bumping into someone, and the walls all looked the same so the camouflage should work best on them.

"Where to now?" I asked Draco.

"Lead the way Nifty!"

The niffler led us swiftly through several marbled corridors. To my relief, we did not cross paths with many people, and none of them seemed to spot us. Then, we arrived at a small door that I would never have noticed if Nifty had not stopped right in front of it.

"Can you open it?" asked Draco. "I think there's a spell on it."

I reached out with my presence carefully. He was right, I could feel several strands of not-presences linked together over the door. I had no idea what they would do, but it could not be a good idea to trigger them. I also did not see how to unfold them. However…

"I can't open it, but I can get us past it."

Draco did not doubt me one moment and confidently took my hand while Nifty climbed back on him.

Once more, I grabbed a not-presence and dragged us to the other side of the door.
This time, I had to wait longer before feeling stable enough to walk.

"Are you alright Harry?" asked Draco, concerned.

"I'm fine. It's just more tiring for my presence when I take you with me, but I'm good now."

He looked me over, reaching out with his presence to examine me. I allowed it, watching what he was doing with curiosity.

"My Mum's a healer. She can use her magic to see if people are sick. You look good," agreed Draco.

We began walking again, still following Nifty. The place was very different from before. Where there had been smooth marble and lights everywhere before, we now walked in a stone passageway only lighted with burning torches.
We quickly reached the end of the passageway, which opened onto a kind of railway station. Carts were set up on rails, and the rails seemed to go deep beneath the surface. I could see that other passageways than the one me and Draco had followed led to the railway station, Goblins and Wizards coming through them.
We watched for a few minutes as several carts driven by one Goblin each took in Wizards or Goblins and then went down the rails. The carts were divided into three parts, the front for the Goblin driving the cart, and then two compartments for the passengers.

"I think we need to get into a cart to find the treasures," whispered Draco.

"But only Goblins seem able to drive them," I whispered back.

He hummed softly.
"Do you think there's enough space for us to go in one cart with another Wizard?"

"Without them noticing us?"

Unlikely.

Draco nodded at me.
"You're right, I don't think Nifty's trick will be enough."

I reached out toward one cart, trying to see if I could find a way to make it work on its own. The not-presences around it felt very heavy, as if they would not be persuaded to divert from their assigned spot contrary to the one at the door. That was not good.

"Look Harry!"

I frowned, not understanding why Draco was so excited when we had obviously reached an impasse.

"There are kids there!"

I looked where he was pointing. Kids were indeed coming through one of the passageways. However, they were escorted by three adults and one Goblin.

"There are adults with them."

"Yes, but only three, they will not be able to go with all of them in the carts. We should be able to sneak on one with a group."

It was not a bad idea. I did not have a better one.

"Alright. But we'll need to drop the camouflage when we go on the carts or it will look weird."

"Of course," said Draco, looking offended. "I was thinking of trying a don't-look-at-me to help us."

"A don't look-at-me?"

"Yes, it's a spell so people won't look at your face unless they know to look for you. Mum and Dad use it sometimes when we go to Diagon Alley and we don't want people to bother them about their work."

"Could you teach me?" I asked, feeling my excitement rising back.

Draco tilted his head in consideration.
"Hmm, you're good with your Sense so maybe you can learn quickly. Here, try to Sense what I'm doing."

I wanted to ask what he meant by sense, but I felt him begin to use his presence to spread the not-presences around us all over his head. Well, it was more like his presence was redirecting the not-presences so that they spread over his head as if he was not here to disturb them. The result made my head hurt. I knew he was here, but my eyes kept wanting to look past his face as if he was not important. That was so cool.

"Can you do it again?"

"Sure."

Draco dropped the not-presences, then cast his don't-look-at-me again.

This time, I focused very attentively on the way he arranged his presence around him, then I tried to copy it. It took me five tries to manage to hold it the way I wanted.

"You did it!" whispered Draco excitedly. "Do you think you can hold it?"

I nodded. Now that I knew how it worked, I felt like it would not tire me more than using the not-presences to move.

"Alright. Let's hurry then, they are already going on the carts."

As discreetly but as quietly as we could, remaining as close to the walls as we could, we joined the group of kids, Nifty now tucked into one of Draco's robe pockets.

"Remember, no more than six by carts!" shouted one of the two Wizard adults, a woman with quite the shrill voice. She turned towards the other adult, who seemed to be a younger woman. "The other classes are going to want to come too."

"I can understand how Goblins and a round in a high speed cart are more interesting than a visit to Saint Mungo," she answered, chuckling.

"But a lot more complicated to supervise!"

I felt Draco take my hand to guide me into one of the carts. There were only three kids in this one, and none of the others seemed intent on getting in as they already were in groups of four or more. He really was a good companion for adventures.

The three kids were in the first passenger compartment, so we got into the second one. The cart began moving only moments after, and I let out a relieved breath. Draco tightened his hand around mine, and I felt a big smile stretch my mouth. We had done it! We were going to see the treasures!

The cart gained speed until we were going as quickly as Grandpa's car. The difference was that I could feel the air on my face as if I was on Dad's broom. I had to focus really hard not to shout in delight. The Goblin in the front was speaking to the other kids but I could not understand what he was saying.
Suddenly, the cart slowed down then stopped. I saw that some of the kids and the third adult were waiting a bit further in a tunnel.

"This is where we're stopping. Enjoy the visit of the vault!"

The kids thanked the Goblins then went off the cart. We followed them hurriedly, keeping ourselves behind the other kids and hidden from the adult's sight.

"What do we do now?" whispered Draco. "Do you want to go with them?"

It could be interesting. I reached out with my presence, trying to feel if anything looked special. There were a lot of groups of not-presences spaced in almost equal distance from one another. I supposed it was the protection of the vaults. I could not feel much from any of them.
I kept feeling the place over, a bit disappointed. I had hoped to know which one would contain the best mystery. Suddenly, I felt something different. Something more dense. Like a presence maybe. A bit like Baskos.

"I think I found something better," I whispered to Draco. "Follow me."

Still holding his hand, I began cautiously leading him away from the group of kids and toward the presence, until we turned into the first tunnel we found.

"I think we should drop the don't-look-at-me," said Draco. "Uncle Severus always says I must not tire my magic too much or it can be dangerous. And there's nobody here."

I let my presence relax, and felt a wave of exhaustion hit me.
"Wow, you're right."

We waited until the ground stopped turning then looked at each other.

"Ready?"

Draco nodded.
"Let's go."

Nifty climbed on his shoulder, and I took Draco's hand, leading him toward the intriguing presence I was feeling.

"Can you feel the weird big presence?" I asked him.

He frowned, extending his presence.
"I don't think so. But I'm tired."

"I think we need to go down," I admitted. "Do you see staircases?"

"And why would two younglings need to go deeper into Gringotts?'

Draco and I jumped in fright, Nifty barely avoiding falling from his perch, and looked behind us.
A Goblin was scowling at us, his arms crossed and looking very displeased.

For the first time in my life, I found myself unable to speak. However, Draco seemed completely at ease.

"Hi Hoardrock! We are just-"

"Now Helmi, don't try to "hi Hoardrock" me. What would Wirkrund say if he knew you were here alone?" asked the Goblin – Hoardrock.

"I'm not alone, I'm with Harry and Nifty," answered Draco indignantly.

"Is Harry a grown-up?"

Draco pouted and remained silent.

Hoardrock nodded.
"That's what I thought. Now come, Vijanas, some people are worried about you."

He held his hands out towards us, eyes piercing as if he could see inside my head.
I looked at Draco who sighed and reluctantly walked to Hoardrock and took his right hand. He looked at me expectantly, so I followed suit.

We took the cartrail then walked back to the meeting room, Hoardrock holding on us tightly as if he feared we would try to escape. I was beginning to feel very tired, and judging from Draco's repressed yawns, I was not the only one.

We entered the room quietly.
Lucius was pacing impatiently while Grandpop was sitting with an empty glass in hand.

"I found your two miscreants," stated Hoardrock, gently letting us go.

Lucius immediately went to Draco and kneeled, taking him by the shoulders and speaking to him in a low but urgent tone.

Grandpop looked at me and gestured for me to come to him. I obeyed reluctantly, unable to meet his eyes.
I felt his presence examine me swiftly before he put his hand on my shoulder.

"Harry. What did we say about adventures?"

I shrugged.

"Harry. Please."

I looked up at him. He did not look pained or angry or amused. I could not tell what he was thinking. Grandpop was really good at making me squirm.

"I should always warn an adult before leaving for an adventure," I recited quickly.

"Did you respect the rule?"

I shook my head.

Grandpop let the silence grow before speaking again.
"Come here, little one."

I immediately climbed on his knees, burrowing against him.

"I know the world is full of mysteries and you have very good reasons to go on your explorations, but until you're grown up and able to defend yourself, you cannot go off on your own without telling anyone."

I nodded wordlessly, yawning.

"Here are some cakes for the vijana," said Hoardrock, handing Grandpop a plate.

He hummed thoughtfully.
"The famous Frekka's cakes. Harry is really fond of them. Thank you, Master Hoardrock. May your coins keep on reflecting the light."

"You're welcome, Lord Potter. May your vijana grow to leave the cavern."

I ate two cakes in silence, knowing I would feel better afterwards. I must have really tired my presence despite Draco's warning.

"I'm curious to know why you wanted to go deeper into Gringotts instead of following the other kids," said Hoardrock, breaking the silence.

"We were looking for a big treasure, something special," answered Draco. "Harry said he could feel it."

Hoardrock looked at me.

I nodded tiredly, still nestled against Grandpop.

"I could feel a big presence, it reminded me of Baskos."

I felt Grandpop tensed. Lucius was more vocal.

"You think you felt something like a Basilisk and you went toward it?! Draco, why would you agree to such foolishness?"

"It sounded fun. And Nifty would have protected us."

"What did Harry feel?" asked Grandpop, voice deceptively mild. "I cannot believe you would have a Basilisk freely roaming Gringotts' tunnels."

The three Goblins looked at each other.

"That must be the dragon," mused Usta Antei.

"The dragon?" repeated Lucius faintly.

"Yes, he's guarding the Lestrange's vault. It's part of an old contract."

"I cannot believe it's a good idea," said Grandpop, sounding alarmed.

"Indeed, keeping a dragon trapped in the bank does not sound safe," agreed Lucius, looking displeased.

"There has been talk of ending that particular contract, especially as most of its beneficiaries are dead. I believe Lord Caspian is the one taking care of the negotiations," explained Hoardrock.

Both Lucius and Grandpop relaxed at the information.

The adults kept speaking, but I was too tired to pay it any attention, and fell asleep without meaning to.

I was not scolded by Mum and Dad for my adventure. I am not sure Grandpop told them. However, I spent the next few days under his watchful eye, practising my letters and numbers in his office. He provided me with books about Goblins so I could learn proper manners to address them, and books about proper wizarding etiquette, then asked me to write a letter of apology to "all the people I had worried and inconvenienced with my ill-conceived stunt".
I was a bit puzzled because it did not truly feel like a punishment. Indeed, when I began growing restless after staying behind my desk for too long, Grandpop always noticed and then took me for a walk around the Manor's ground, quizzing me on what I had read, but also explaining more about the Manor's Tree, the creatures living on our grounds and the relationships between all of us.

I would have been a bit sad when the wave of chicken pox ended and I was able to go back to the Burrow, except once a week, I now spent the day either with Grandpop or at Draco's.

Spending two days per month with Draco meant that I quickly heard of and met most of his family.
He had a Dad, Lucius, and a Mum, Cissa, and a little sister about Beth's age, Leaena.
Their relationship with Cissa's family was tense. Draco was only close with Regulus, who was Cissa's cousin and Padfoot's little brother, the one Dad did not like, and with Cissa's sister Andromeda, who also was his Godmother. While she looked like a darker haired Cissa, Andromeda's face was colder and for a long time, I found her a bit scary.
Draco did not have close family on Lucius' side, though Lucius' dad's best friend, Augustus, was like a grandfather to him.
Then of course there were Sev and Dhaal, Draco's Godfathers. Draco's and Sev's family were really close because Lucius was like Sev's older brother and Augustus was Sev's grandfather and Andromeda belonged to Severus' House. As a consequence, through Dhaal and Sev, Draco had gotten a Goblin grandfather called Wirkrund as well as a grumpy uncle called Hoardrock, the Goblin from Gringotts who had found us before we found the Dragon. Draco also had a cool goblin cousin called Soraa. She was the little sister of Sev's Goblin Blood-brother, and was really good at drawing and exploring.

I first met Wirkrund three months after my new routine began. Apparently, he had been pestering Lucius and Sev to introduce me because Dhaal and Draco kept speaking about me. Wirkrund was fun and really good with his presence, better than Padfoot but less than Sev. According to Draco, only Maverick and Hoardrock were as good as Sev with their presence.
After a long Taichi session and some fun games about using our presences to try to guess some spells and runes' aim, we ate a goblin lunch which was really different from anything else I had ever eaten, except for Frekka's cakes. Then, we spent the afternoon playing in the labyrinth. It was a popular game among young Goblins, the goal was to get out of the labyrinth before the hourglass was empty. The difficulty was adjusted to each player, and was a mix between physical and magical tests.
I had to go alone the first time before Wirkrund allowed me and Draco to team up. It was really fun but also very tiring for our presence. But afterwards, we got a big snack with various cakes and chocolates.

Just before I left that first time, Wirkrund gave me my goblin name and told me that I was welcome anytime. Draco was very happy because it meant I was like an honorary member of Wirkrund's clan now. I was also very excited because I had had so much fun, and because Käärme sounded like a powerful name.

In the following months, my days with Draco were mostly spent at Uusi, learning from Wirkrund or going with Soraa to whatever lesson she had. I began learning Gobbledegook and was surprised to discover that neele meant "blue" like the colour of her eyes and that Aunt Neele's name had been a gift from Sev because she did not like her English name, Petunia, and even less her nicknames Pet and Tuney. I learnt that Sev's Goblin name, Daoack, came from dào or dão which meant either the sabre or the path. I had no idea how it applied to Sev. On the contrary, Dhaal's name meant shield which I thought really apt for him, while Draco's meant pearl and mine meant snake. Wirkrund had to have heard that I was fascinated by Baskos when he chose my name.

Most of the time, Luna and Dhaal came with us too, and several times, we skipped Soraa's lesson to go on adventures. We got to meet a group of Wargs who were like Dhaal but not, a horde of Thestrals that only Dhaal, me and Luna could see, and even a Pack of Werewolves who did not feel like Moony at all. However, we always began and ended the day at Sev's because Uusi's location was a secret that should not be revealed to those who did not belong to the clan.
It gave me the opportunity to meet many of Sev's House members and all of them were fascinating. There were Muggles like Aunt Neele, and their presence felt more like hers than Grandpa's and Grandma's, with the same Sev's echo. There were also Wizards, Fairies and House Elves, but there were also Half-Faes and Half-Fairies, and even one Dwarf and one Centaur. I seldom saw the Dwarf, Rhys, who was always very busy with his research. The Centaur, Manylion, often supervised me, Draco and Luna when we were playing outside. She appeared to be grumpy and rough yet her presence was very agile. She was almost on par with Sev.

Mum usually was the one who came to get me. I believed it was because Dad and Sev did not get along. I had noticed that Sev never came to the manor, and that their conversations were always stilted when facing each other. Dad also seemed to like Sev and Lucius far less than Grandpop did, though I noticed he tried not to say anything bad about them and Draco when he knew I could hear him.
Padfoot was not as bad so he was the one who came when Mum was not available, but I think he made Sev uncomfortable because he kept looking at him as if he were a fascinating mystery he did not understand yet.

Weirdly, I did not feel like speaking much about Uusi to Mum and Dad. I would have to explain about presences and they would not understand. So I kept it vague, and it was enough because now that Beth was beginning to speak coherently and went to the Burrow everyday, she also had a lot to say.
It was not the same with Aunt Neele, she knew Uusi and Wirkrund and Taichi and she liked Draco so I could tell her everything about my day with them. I told Padfoot more than I did Mum and Dad too, when he felt that I could not find sleep because of the excitement of the day and joined me on my bed in his fluffy form.

When I asked why Mum liked Sev but Dad did not, Mum said that sometimes, people did not like each other, like I did not particularly like Ron. When I answered that I did not mind Ron and that he just was not my favourite Weasley, she smiled sadly and changed the subject. I asked Padfoot about it later, and he sighed and made a weird face and remained silent for a long time. Finally, he answered me that it was complicated but that it did not concern me and that I was free to like Sev even if Dad did not like him. When I asked him if he liked Sev, he gave me a pained smile and cuddled me in his fluffy form so I could not ask him more questions.

I did not dare ask Dad. Not after the cloak debacle.

"Padfoot! Are you sure you did not take my cloak?"

"I told you, Prongs, I gave it back to you last week!"

"Father, are you sure-"

"James, enough," said Grandpop firmly as Dad once more stormed into his office. "I have not used the cloak for a long time."

"But where can it be? Lily swears she hasn't used it either," said Dad, running a hand through his hair in frustration.

"Could Neele have taken it?" asked Padfoot, coming into the office with us.

"Why would she need it?" asked Dad, puzzled.

"To play a prank on Caspian?" answered Padfoot, waggling his eyebrows weirdly.

"Sirius," said Grandpop, looking both fond and disapproving.

"What? She could have! But she would have asked first," admitted Padfoot with a pout.

"What about Beth?" asked Grandpop. "I seem to remember her liking it a lot during your last game of hide and seek."

Dad's eyes widened.
"You're right! It's not because Harry's never been interested in it that my other kids are not!"

He left in a rush, jostling Padfoot on his way out.

"Honestly, how you are both such successful Aurors is beyond me," said Grandpop.

"You wound me, Dad," answered Padfoot, miming his heart breaking.

I giggled quietly.

He narrowed his eyes on me.
"What do I see here? A little Pronglet looking far too serious sitting at his desk on a Thursday morning. We can't have that now. What should I do about it?"

He prowled toward me, exaggerating his steps. I jumped from my chair, and ran to hide behind Grandpop's armchair.

"No Sirius, you are not roughhousing with Harry in my office, absolutely not!"

Padfoot ignored him and lunged, almost grabbing me but I deftly avoided him and dove between his legs. I hurriedly got up but he was quicker and took me up in his arms. I shrieked in delight as he began swinging me from left to right while making ogre-like noises.

"Sirius."

We froze, looking at Grandpop. He did not look mad, but he had his serious look on.

Padfoot looked at me with a lopsided smile.
"Sorry pup, playtime's over."

He straightened up, putting me back on my feet, and gently arranged my clothes back into order. I let him do it, sharing a small smile with him.

"Harry. Did you take my cloak?"

I started in surprise. I had not noticed Dad coming back, too engrossed in our game. He was standing in the doorway, his arms crossed with a frown on his face.

"Why would he take your cloak?" asked Padfoot. "You know he doesn't care about it."

"Beth said she saw him take it."

I really loved Beth, but I had not realised that little sisters also were snitches.

"Harry?" asked Grandpop, looking at me.

I forced myself to meet his eyes squarely.
"I gave it to Dhaal. He said it was dangerous and that he needed to destroy it like he had destroyed the stone."

Silence fell. Grandpop's face was unreadable. Padfoot looked torn between amusement and horror. Dad… Dad looked like he often did lately.

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath then looked at Grandpop.
"Dad, Padfoot and I need to go to work. We'll have to find another solution to avoid the Fae. I'll let you deal with Caspian?"

Grandpop nodded.
"Focus on your mission. You don't need the cloak to be a good Auror."

Dad relaxed a bit, offering Grandpop a true smile.
"Thanks Dad. Sirius?"

"Ready to go, James."

Padfoot looked at me, taking my face in his hands.
"No more smuggling Potter's treasures to outsiders, Pronglet."

I nodded wordlessly.

He looked at Dad who sighed but came and kneeled next to me.
"Give me a good luck hug?"

Relieved, I went into his arms. Dad was not that angry.

I was forbidden from having contact with Dhaal for the next month, which also meant no Draco, no Luna, no Sev and no Uusi. It was a good thing I knew my Taichi sequence well enough to practise on my own, though it was frustrating to sometimes feel that I was doing something wrong because my presence was not doing what it was supposed to, but without knowing how to correct it.

When my punishment ended, I was surprised to learn that I was now going to begin magical primary school. I had heard the adults talk about it. Mum had been working hard so that Muggleborns could begin learning about Magic and wizarding culture as young as possible, helped by Mister Wilkes, one of Sev's best friends. Now, there were enough schools and teachers to also have non-Muggleborns attend those schools.
I was a bit disappointed when I learnt that Draco was going to Greenwings while I was going to Bluepaws, but I felt better when Neville told me he was going to Bluepaws too, and that so were Susan and the Weasleys.

Primary school was great. It was a mix of Muggle and Wizard courses, including Maths, English, Latin, Muggle and Wizard History, Geography and Biology, Quill Writing, Poetry and Awareness lesson.. We had teachers from various magical kinds, even Squibbs. Kids both younger and older than me were attending, and we all shared classes depending on our levels of knowledge of the subject of the lesson. Lessons ended at four in the afternoon, and then I went either to the Burrow, Longbottom manor, or home.
The only downsides were that I did not have my days with Draco anymore and Fridays. Fridays were the day we had Awareness classes, meaning we practised feeling presences and not-presences, but those lessons were ridiculously easy, not even involving poking or actively using presences. Yet, most of my class struggled with it. I spent those lessons playing push with Neville or taking him away on an adventure when we grew bored. That first month, we had a different teacher each week but they never felt us play or leave the room.
After another meeting between Mum and Aunt Alice and Bluepaws' headteacher following my latest disappearance from class with Neville, Mum cancelled my Sunday playdate with Draco, to "teach me that actions have consequences". In retaliation, I hid in the Manor for the entire day, and wrote a long letter to my friend, complaining about the stupid class and unfair parents.

I gave my family the cold shoulder the next two days, until Grandpop unexpectedly announced that from now on, I would spend my Fridays at Uusi.
Dad was not happy about it, but Grandpop told him in his serious voice that "it was a request from Usta Antei, James, and it's the least you can do to help mend the relationships you harmed so much," and he stopped protesting. I did not know what Dad had done to anger the Goblins, but I was quite grateful for it. Especially when I realised that my days at Uusi often featured Draco, Luna and Soraa.

Our days at Uusi were more serious than before. We were not allowed to skip lessons, and we began working with Drunek, Soraa's father and Severus' adopted father, on building our presences' shields so we would not be overwhelmed by presences and not-presences like I had almost been during my first visit to Hogwarts.

One day, Draco and Luna introduced me to a new kid who was going to come with us to Uusi from now on. Her name was Hermione, she was a Muggleborn and Severus' new mentoree. Hermione asked a lot of questions and did not like adventures much. Me and Draco were unsure about Sev's choice at first, but Luna explained that Sev had chosen Hermione because she needed help to improve, and obviously Sev was the best choice seeing as she was so stubborn.
Hermione's presence also needed a lot of help. It was really strong but also very rigid. I took to poking her randomly to make her react and decrease her reaction time. Luna and Draco caught on fast and did the same. Her progress was slow but perseverance and Taichi helped.

A small cataclysm shook my world a few months later, two weeks before my tenth birthday. Aunt Neele and Sev finally got married after several years of courting, and it changed both nothing and everything.
The ceremony took place in the function Hall of Spinner's End, the village built around Caspian manor. According to Draco, Sev had built the function Hall after Cissa had once more complained that Caspian manor was not big enough to house the parties that Sev's rank in the society required. I completely understood why Sev did not want too many people in his home. Draco disagreed but he liked people and parties as much as Cissa did. To be fair, we were now old enough to have our own parties with the other kids while the adults spoke politics and danced. I just was not that interested in dancing and gossiping.

Many people came to the wedding. I met my first Faes and my first Vampires. I was really glad that Draco was with me when it happened because their presences were really special and I was able to ask them some questions without looking too rude. I hoped. They did say I reminded them of Sev so they could not have taken it badly.
I also met Nymphéa for the first time. Draco had told me a lot about her but she was at Hogwarts most of the time, and I had always missed her during the holidays. She was seventeen, had changed her first name like Aunt Neele when she was eight years old because she had not liked her birth name either, and could make her body look like anyone she wished to as long as they were part human. She was going to begin an Auror apprenticeship with Moody and Gideon, and she had had a lot of adventures with Dhaal. I was completely awed.
She introduced me to Pandora, Luna's mother, whom I had weirdly never managed to meet before either. Pandora gave me a big hug and told me to "be brave, little snake", leaving me baffled. Draco and Nymphéa assured me it was completely normal.
It was not the only weird event of the day. Me and Luna spoke a bit with Maverick, and he was quite perplexed because a niffler had just come to lay at his feet and die. We all agreed it was a good thing Draco had not been present. We also saw Manylion cry of joy, and that was a feat nobody had ever thought to witness.

During the meal, I was seated with Draco, Luna, Hermione, Neville, and four others who were Draco's friends, Vincent, Gregory, Pansy and Daphnée. They teased me and Daphnée because we both had green eyes and they were trying to decide if House Potter also had a secret alliance with Forest Nymphs like House Greengrass was rumoured to have.
I had a lot of fun, especially when we played a giant game of Quidditch afterwards. The game became even more awesome when Baskos joined us. I had heard he had turned into a Dragon when he had become Hagrid's Familiar, but to see it was something else.
It comforted me in the idea that I wanted my own Familiar one day.

However, what shook my world was Aunt Neele's oath to House Caspian. While I was able to feel Aunt Neele's and Sev's oath to each other during their wedding, and the way it linked their presence together, Aunt Neele was sworn into House Caspian after all the guests were gone and I was back in Potter manor. The intensity of Aunt Neele's presence had increased since she had begun practising Taichi. I felt it grow even stronger in my mind after her oath to House Caspian. However, I also felt her presence dissociate itself from the Manor's at the same time. Suddenly, Aunt Neele's presence and her Sev echo only remained like an aftertaste in Grandpa's and Grandma's presence and in our Godmother-Godson bond.
When I saw Grandpop the next day, he looked like he had not slept one wink in the night. He spent the entire day speaking with Mum and Dad. The next day, she officially became House Potter's heir. I was sick the whole week as I felt the Manor's presence change again, not-presences growing and moving all over the Manor's ground before settling. Mum, Dad and Grandpop were no better than me and remained in bed the whole week as well, but they looked satisfied afterwards. Indeed, the Manor felt as steady as before but even stronger.

It was the moment I realised how important motto and Houses were. It was a surprise to realise that Mum embodied our motto Magicae ab audacia, Magic comes from bravery, better than Dad. I also felt a twinge of dread because I did not feel it described me well. In contrast, both Draco and Neville felt perfectly suited to their House's respective motto, Survivre, toujours – Survival, always– and Bravery in honesty.
It was the beginning of several sleepless nights, as I realised it also did not bode well for my future Hogwarts House. While my family kept saying that they did not care where I would be sorted, I could see in their eyes that they expected me to be in Gryffindor because it was where most Potters had been sorted before and because I was "always so daring" going on my adventures. But Gryffindor's motto did not resonate with me. Forti Animo Estote, Stay Strong of Heart. Neville liked it a lot and even used it when we played at being pirates or Aurors. I simply did not find it inspiring.

In truth, none of the Founders' motto moved me. Hermione had researched it at school and shared with us what she had found. Ravenclaw's motto, Wit beyond measure, Is man's greatest treasure, seemed far too shallow to me. Hufflepuff's Wisdom in unity was better, but not completely true. Wisdom could be found in unity, but from what I had heard about the civil war when the adults forgot I could hear them, crowds could be crazy too.
Then there was Slytherin's. Hermione's research said it was Power, Blood and Magic creates singularity. I was not certain I understood what it was supposed to mean. Dad said it meant that Slytherin had been a blood purist who thought Purebloods were better than Muggleborns. Grandpop and Mum said it was more complicated than this, and that Slytherin had cared about traditions. Sev had scoffed and said that Slytherin's true motto was Singularity yet oneness, Power yet humbleness, Magic yet cleverness, often shortened in the past to Singularity, Power and Magic. That seemed more interesting, but once again, I was not certain I understood what it meant.

Padfoot had said not to torture myself with this, and that the hat would know where to put me even if I did not. I did not understand how that was supposed to reassure me.

Aunt Neele's new oath had another unforeseen consequence. Dhaal could no longer come and go in the Manor as he wished to. Now that Aunt Neele's presence was no longer meshed with the Manor's, the latter did not allow Dhaal to pass through the wards unless I created a path for him. While we usually spent time together when I was at Caspian Manor or Uusi these days, Dhaal still showed up at the Manor from time to time to play a game. This made it impossible for him to sneak on me and took away half of the fun.

Only a few months later, another announcement shook my world. Aunt Neele was pregnant.

"Harry, are you sure you don't want some more cake? Tuei made your favourite," said Mum, looking at me with a faint look of concern.

I forced myself to offer a convincing smile.
"Thank Mum, but I'm full. May I be excused?"

"If you promise not to get into trouble," answered Mum, but she was smiling fondly so I was not offended.

"Draco and Luna are not here, how could I get into trouble?" I replied, making the entire table laugh.

"Please be careful if you go outside," stated Sev, looking at me with a knowing look that made me want to hide. "Remember to stay away from the kicking trees".

I almost rolled my eyes.
"Hagrid showed me how to calm them down."

"Hellspawn."

I sighed.

"Yes Severus, I promise I'll be careful."

I left before Mum could change her mind, grabbing my coat before going outside. A walk into Caspian's wood would help me clear my head away from prying eyes. I did not want to worry them with my selfishness.
Feeling tears prickling at the corner of my eyes, I broke into a sprint, running through grass to reach the woods, then focused on avoiding roots and stones while keeping up my speed. Thoughts flew from my mind and time lost its meaning.

I stopped, breathing raggedly but feeling better. It was silly really. Aunt Neele and Sev deserved to have their own kids. I just wondered what it would mean for me. Aunt Neele and Sev were as busy as Mum and Dad. To be able to focus on their own kids, they would need to cut back the time they spent on their other activities. And how was Aunt Neele supposed to take me out with twins needing all of her attention?
It should not hurt so much. I had many other people at home. But Aunt Neele, and Sev to a lesser degree, were all mine. I did not share them with Beth and William the same way I shared everyone living home.

I sighed, kicking a stone aside. Anyway, it was only for eight months. Then I would be in Hogwarts for most of the year.
I felt my heart twist at the thought.

Mum had assured me that while Houses were an important part of our daily lives in Hogwarts, the structure was not as strict as it had been during her time, and that even if I was not sorted with all of my friends, I would be able to spend a lot of time with them. It was not what worried me. Pearl and Grandmum would not be here to offer me snacks whenever I got too tired because I had exhausted my presence. I would not be able to feel Grandpop's presence, steady and powerful. Grandpa or Grandma would not come and offer to play a game of soccer. Aunt Neele would not take me away for a few hours to get away from the Manor and be just the two of us. Padfoot would not be there to help me get back to sleep. Mum and Dad would not be there.
I suddenly felt very alone.

"Harry?"

Without realising it, I had walked back to the edge of the wood.

"Yes Aunt Neele?"

I did not mean it but my tone was sullen even to my ears.

She looked at me in silence before opening her arms.
"Come here."

I did not hesitate to obey.
We hugged for a long time, Aunt Neele caressing my hair gently.

"You know that me having kids does not change anything between us."

I tightened my grip on her.
"They will need a lot of attention."

"I won't be able to work for some time," agreed Aunt Neele, completely missing my point. "I have been thinking about it ever since the wedding. I love being a doctor but I believe I need to adapt my practice to our town. The mix between Muggles and magical people is a chance for us, but it requires some thinking."

I remained silent. I could feel her sigh.

"Harry. I will need you to be indulgent with me the first months as I adapt to being a mother, but I swear to you, I will always have time for you. We will keep doing our days together, they may just take a different form."

I nodded.
"I'll be going to Hogwarts soon, it won't be a problem for long."

"Harry." Aunt Neele let me go and kneeled instead to better look me in the eyes. "It's not a problem. I want to see you, I'm not replacing you with my children. My heart is big enough for all of you, and for Draco, and Luna, and Hermione, and Beth, and William, and Kiveä, and Soraa, -"

I could not help but laugh.
"Alright I get it. You already love a lot of kids. But the twins will be yours."

"You're mine too. I am your Godmother," she replied, pulling lightly at our bond.

I felt like a weight was lifted from my shoulders, and very silly too.

I took a step forward to hug her again.
"I'm sorry Aunt Neele, I don't know what came over me. It was silly."

She squeezed me briefly.
"Nothing to be sorry for, Harry. You have lived through many big changes these past few years, and I know it has been a bit rocky at times. It's human to wonder how me having children will change your life again."

She got up and put her arm around my shoulder.
"Now come, I believe Tuei saved you some cake and hot chocolate."

Now that she was saying it, I realised I could eat something. I let her lead us back to the manor while she made me proposals for our next outings together.

While I felt a lot more confident in my relationship with Aunt Neele, as months passed, I began feeling more and more anxious about Hogwarts. It did not help that for the first time in my life, I had a serious argument with Dad.

"I'm sorry Harry, what did you say?" asked Dad, frowning.

I cleared my throat and repeated more loudly:
"I don't want to go to Ollivander's."

"I know you're very gifted, son, but you need a wand to go to Hogwarts," said Dad.

"I know Dad. But I want a Maverick wand."

Silence fell on the table. Neither Mum nor Padfoot looked surprised. Grandpa and Grandma clearly had no idea what the problem was, and neither did Beth and William. Grandmum had a resigned look on her face but offered me a smile. I still could not read Grandpop well.

"A Maverick wand?" Dad sighed. "Harry, I know you like Caspian House a lot, but that's not a reason to get completely brainwashed. House Potter has been going to Ollivander's for several centuries now. Your Mum got an Ollivander's wand. There's no reason for you not to get one too."

"But I want a Familiar one day!"

"Harry, that's enough. There is no way you will risk not developing your magic properly on the off chance that you might get a Familiar," said Dad, his tone clipped and looking angrier than I had ever seen him.

"Hagrid got Baskos. Sev got Dhaal. Why shouldn't I get one?" I replied, feeling my own anger grow.

"You don't need a Familiar, Harry!" shouted Dad, his hand hitting the table with a loud bang. "I know it seems fancy, but you will be a powerful Wizard without a Familiar!"

"I don't want a Familiar to be powerful," I shouted back. "I want someone like Dhaal for me."

"No, absolutely no. You will not risk your life just to get a… a… a companion whose more trouble than it's worth."

I stood up abruptly.
"Dhaal is not trouble, you-"

"Harry, James, stop."

Grandpop's voice was firm.
"We will speak about it later, when we're not eating and when you are able to speak calmly to each other."

Grandpop looked at me and I sat up reluctantly. I was still shaking with anger and had no desire to finish eating.
I waited for a few minutes before asking to be excused. Grandpop allowed it despite Dad's disapproval.

It only got worse from there. Dad refused to see my point. He also refused my argument that Maverick's wands were at least as good as Ollivander's. For three weeks, we were unable to speak to each other without it ending in a shouting match.
Padfoot and Grandpop refused to take sides and only intervened when our words became hurtful. Mum never said anything in front of me but she clearly was in my favour because Dad finally caved in.

It did not make the tension between me and Dad disappear completely, though it decreased as days passed. Dad's temper remained short but I discovered one evening that it might not be because of me.

"The Quibbler has really improved a lot these past years," said Grandmum, pensively closing her newspaper. "Xenophilius truly knows how to tell stories and teach us about Magic and our tradition without us even realising it. The rumour is they intend to launch an international edition, I wonder if they would accept a donation to help the project."

"That's a beautiful idea, Euphemia!" agreed Mum enthusiastically. "I'm sure they would be glad for it. Merlin knows they were worried for a time that the newspaper would go bankrupt when they could not find how to evolve with the changes brought by the civil war."

"Lovegood always had a way with words, but I agree he's improved a lot when reporting about current affairs," concurred Grandpop. "I was especially impressed with his capacity to lead an entire investigation to its end. His article about Albus a few weeks back is the best I've read in the last five years at least."

Dad snorted.
"That was not hard, considering how most of those so-called journalists only bothered to make exaggerated accusations of crimes without bringing forth any solid proof or to gossip about his supposed love affair with Grindelwald. It also helps that Lovegood belongs to Caspian's House whose allies were close to the inquiry."

Grandpop nodded.
"Still, Lovegood's article was full of nuance and lists his sources. It highlighted Albus' best and worst sides."

"It didn't say anything about Albus' future plan, though," added Dad darkly.

"His future plan? You know what Moody and Sev said last time. An entire coalition is making sure he's not acting suspicious. The latest news was that he's busy playing home with Grindelwald and avoiding public confrontations," said Mum, looking at Dad with a frown.

"I know Lils, and I'm sure Moody and Caspian are being truthful. And yet, I don't trust him to remain idle," answered Dad as he began pacing. "You've read Lovegood's article. Albus believed he was acting for the greater good, to save Magic and our world. And not without cause, if the fact that Muggles are destroying some of our magical resources is true. I can't believe he would stop plotting just because Caspian somehow managed to imprison him in Nurmengard."

"I agree," stated Padfoot, his mouth set in an unhappy line. "Don't forget he had Faes and Goblins allies too. He might even have had some among other magical races that we don't know of. I know they're all supposed to be in disgrace, especially with their opposition to the negotiation of the new Agreement, but nothing prevents them from letting the storm pass and try again sometime later. Especially when they might not be wrong about the core of the problem, just the way to resolve it."

"Do you really think we would forget that Dumbledore manipulated us to hate Slytherins and lead us to the civil war?" asked Mum, sounding dubious. "Come on, many people know someone who was hurt during the civil war. Everyone agrees that Minister Patil is the best thing that's happened to our politics. We only want peace now."

"It's not so clear to everyone, Lily," answered Padfoot with a sad smile. "You're lucky to know Caspian and Moody and to belong to House Potter who is Clan Hanko's esteemed business partner. You know what happened during the civil war and why. Me and James meet a lot of people during our Auror missions, and I can tell you that those who were not in the thick of it don't really have such a clear idea of Dumbledore's manipulation. They still see it more as an opposition between Voldemort and the Birkins-Dumbledore duo, between two very different political projects, and how both were moved to extreme actions to win over the other. Minister Patil managed to bring a balance between those two projects, but I bet you Dumbledore can use her work to build back his support in a few years."

"But most of those who accepted bribes from Dumbledore were identified and punished," protested Mum. "And surely, the moment Dumbledore attempts to leave Nurmengard or get back into politics, his previous supporters will be under close watch. How could he even win back enough influence to weigh on the political scene as it is now?"

"Don't underestimate Albus," said Grandpop. "I've known him for a long time and I've never known him to truly lie. He knows how to use a version of the truth to win you over. And he has not been tried yet. I'm not saying it would be easy for him, but if anyone can do it, he would be the one. He remains one of our heroes after all. Merlin knows he might even try to reuse the prophecy for this purpose."

"I won't allow it," stated Dad firmly, coming to take Mum's hand in his as they shared a fierce look.

Silence fell over them.

"Who's Dumbledore and what's the prophecy?" I asked when none of them looked like they were going to speak again anytime soon.

"Harry!" exclaimed Mum. "I thought you were reading Beth and William a story!"

"I was, but they fell asleep so I called Pearl to help tuck them in, and then I came down to see if Grandmum would read me a story from the Quibbler," I explained.

"I would gladly read you a story, there is a lovely one about Basilisks, Unicorns and Fairies," said Grandmum, standing up and smiling warmly at me. "But let's go to your room, in case you fall asleep before the end too."

I nodded, but looked back at Mum expectantly.

"Prophecies are rubbish, never listen to anyone who says otherwise," Mum finally said. "As for Dumbledore, he used to be a friend from our family when you were a baby. You never liked him, you cried every time he took you in his arms. And you were right to, he was just using our friendship for political gain. We will never let him close to us again. Now you'd better go if you want to have the time for a complete story before it's time to sleep."

Her answer did not feel completely satisfying but I could tell I would not get more that evening. I gave her and everyone else a goodnight kiss then took Grandmum's hand and followed her to my room.
When my story was over, Grandmum kissed my brow and put her hand on mine, squeezing it gently.

"Don't worry about politics, Honey. You're too young for such things. Trust that we will protect you from anything until you're of age to defend yourself, and in the meantime, focus on your lessons and your friends."

I looked at her sleepily.
"What about adventures?"

She laughed softly.
"Only if you've told one of us where you are going."

"I promise."

"You're a good boy, Harry."

Dumbledore was not mentioned again and I quickly forgot about him when the time finally came to get my wand.

Contrary to tradition, I asked to go find my wand alone. I think Dad was relieved I did not rub my victory to his face but the truth was that I did not want to give him one last chance to make me doubt my decision.
Mum still accompanied me to Maverick's front door.

I knocked, gave Mum a winning smile when I heard "come in", and entered the shop.
To my surprise, Sev was waiting inside with Maverick.

When Maverick spotted me, he grumbled then handed several galleons to Sev.

Sev walked up to me and put his hand on my shoulder.
"I'm proud of you, Hellspawn. Don't forget to use your Sense."

He let his presence hugged mine briefly before going out. I felt all my anxiety disappear, leaving only excitation in its place.
Two hours later, I did not know how to feel even as I cradled my wand against my chest.

Maverick patted my shoulder gruffly.
"You should speak with your friends. I had not made wands as exotic as yours since Severus'. The four of you certainly found each other well."

I nodded, feeling better.
Using my presence to find the right tree for my wand and to select the core of my wand had been tiring. Pouring some of my presence into my wand as Maverick made it had exhausted me even more. I had put all of myself into my wand. Now was not the time for doubts.

As if echoing my thoughts, Maverick spoke again.
"You were right not to go to Ollivander's. I don't think you would have found a wand suited to you."

"I thought I just wouldn't have found the best one to reach my full potential?" I asked, frowning.

Maverick looked almost grim for a second before he offered me a small smile, once more patting me on the shoulder.
"You don't need to worry about it. Now let's go, I believe some people are eager to see you."

We walked back to the manor in silence. I let my presence roam the grounds, trying to identify everyone. It was harder to feel presences when I was not home, though I was getting better with practice. I brightened as I realised that Draco, Luna and Hermione were back.

Draco spotted me first, and immediately bounced towards me.
"Finally, you got yours!"

He looked so pleased I could only smile back.
He dragged me with him to collect Luna and Hermione, then led us to the playroom so we could speak without the adults listening to us. We made a silencing bubble around us using our presences for good measure then sat down in a circle.

To no one's surprise, Hermione took out one book about wandlore, as well as Newt Scamander's Magical Beasts and where to find them.

Noticing our curious looks, she flushed.
"My core's unusual, and I couldn't find it in the wandlore. So I figured I'd take the next best thing."

"Good idea, Hermione," said Luna beaming. "I think you will need it for me too."

Hermione looked doubtful but she did not argue. Instead, she proposed to show us her wand first, because she had been the first of us to get it. Indeed, we had each gotten our wands a few days apart. Meaning I would go last. I was fine with it, I needed to hear what they had chosen.

She took out her wand from her holster – I needed to get one – and showed it to us. Her wand was beige, the design simple but sturdy looking. It almost looked like a stick you could use to beat people on the head when they were being stupid. It fit Hermione perfectly.

"My wand's wood is Fir. According to the book, it demands staying power and strength of purpose in their true owner. It also says that fir wands favour owners of focused, strong-minded and occasionally intimidating demeanour," Hermione said with a grimace on the last words.

"Completely you then," said Draco with a smirk.

She ignored him.
"My core is made of Kneazle whiskers. Kneazles are cat-like magical creatures with the uncanny ability to detect suspicious and untrustworthy people. They are highly intelligent, independent, and sometimes aggressive. They often make redoubtable guardians of their Wizard's home."

I let out a whistle.
"Your wand's a badass Hermione."

She flushed and I felt that she did not know whether to be pleased or insulted. Not an unusual thing for her.

"It certainly suits you," added Luna with a dreamy smile.

Hermione smiled at her, looking a bit relieved.
"Thank you. It… It felt a bit like the wand of a bully…"

"Come on Hermione! You know wands are neither bad nor good," said Draco. "And wands' characteristics can always be interpreted in a hundred different ways."

"True," agreed Luna. "Wands are both simple and extremely complex."

She was the one always following Maverick everywhere, she would know. No wonder she was allowed into Hogwarts with us despite being one year younger.

It seemed to definitely reassure Hermione who looked at Draco with a hint of challenge in her eyes.
"Your turn, Draco."

He smiled at us winningly.
"My wand is perfect, you'll see."

It was dark brown, with an elegant handle and an impressive length. Very lordly, I thought to myself, amused.

"It's very you," said Luna.

"Exactly! It's rowan wood," added Draco, looking at Hermione.

She nodded, riffling the book for the right entry.
"Rowan wood is reputed to be more protective than any other and renders all manner of defensive charms especially strong and difficult to break. Rowan wands are most happily placed with the clear-headed and the pure-hearted, yet they are the equal of any, and frequently out-perform others in duels."

"Impressive," added Hermione.

I nodded wordlessly.

"And you haven't heard about my core," said Draco excitedly. "I got a Niffler core!"

I met Luna's gaze, remembering the day of Aunt Neele's and Sev's wedding. I guessed we now knew why that niffler had come to Maverick.

Hermione frowned, riffling through the wandlore book, before looking at Draco apologetically and taking Scamander's' book.

"Unusual is good. Unique even better," he said.

I had to push him lightly to make his head deflate, but he just laughed, focused on Hermione.

"Nifflers are attracted to shiny things, and thus are very good at finding treasures. Is it a cause or a consequence of the previous statements, no one knows, but Nifflers are very good at detecting curses and unmaking them," read Hermione. "You don't need more treasures," she added teasingly.

"You can never have too much treasure," protested Draco playfully.

I rolled my eyes. I could easily picture a future Draco wreaking havoc in Gringotts with his niffler Familiar on his shoulder. Fond memories and all that. We had never gotten to see the dragon before it was freed from its vault.

"Luna, you're next," said Hermione, cutting Draco in his description of his future mountains of gold. He made a show of pouting but I knew him well enough to know it was all show. My best friend was a bit theatrical. Luna and I could not agree if it came more from Lucius or from Narcissa. Hermione said it was both, but it felt like the easy answer.

Luna took out her wand wordlessly, and I could not help but stare. It was beautiful. Almost blindingly white with delicate strands of silver. So thin that it looked like it would break easily.

"My wand is made from Silver Lime," said Luna with a satisfied air.

"Silver lime wood," repeated Hermione, furiously turning the pages of her book. "It's an unusual but highly attractive wand wood. They have the reputation of performing best for Seers and highly skilled Legilimens."

"Wow."

I could only nod in agreement with Draco and Hermione. Wow. It suited her, but I was discovering that Maverick's reputation as the best Wandmaker seemed completely warranted.

Luna smiled, one of her sharp smiles which she only showed to those she trusted with her hidden personality.
"My core is made of Luna moth' wings."

Hermione once more turned to her wandlore book, then to Scamander's.
"Luna moths are among the larger moths in existence, with wingspan sometimes exceeding 178mm. The eyespot on their wings are rumoured to allow them to see all the magical planes. As a result, they are excellent guardians against spirits and all other mind predators."

"If I summarise, for now, we have a stubborn fighter, a cursebreaker and a protector of the mind. How do I compete with that?" I asked, aiming for nonchalant mocking and landing on uncertain concern.

They looked at me in disbelief.

"Come on, Mr. "I stumbled upon Hogwarts' hidden room when I was six" and "I was able to Sense a dragon when I was seven", your wand must be awesome. Have at it," said Draco imperiously.

I hesitantly showed them my wand. It was warm brown, neither short nor long, and with a very simple design. It looked quite ordinary.

"It's Acacia," I said, looking at Hermione expectantly.

She nodded, already turning the pages of the book.
"Acacia is a very unusual wand wood. Acacia wands often refuse to produce magic for any but their owner, and also withhold their best effects from all but those most gifted. Acacia is not suited to what is commonly known as 'bangs-and-smells' magic. When well-matched, an acacia wand matches any for power, though it is often underrated due to the peculiarity of its temperament."

"See? It's unusual and for the most gifted," said Draco, smiling triumphant.

I smiled hesitantly. It was not exactly what the book said. If I was not gifted enough, Dad would be right and I would not develop my magic fully.

"What's your core?" asked Luna, certainly guessing what I was thinking.

"I got a magical fire Salamander."

And was it not a predicament? Salamanders often were considered to be from the same family as snakes. The opposite of Gryffindor. Dad was not going to be pleased.

Hermione gave the wandlore book a cursory glance then took Scamander's' again. Maverick had not been kidding when he said our wands were exotic. I wondered if he had been as perplexed with all our cores as with the Niffler of the wedding.

"Magical fire Salamanders can be differentiated from Muggle fire Salamanders by their bifid tongue. There is no consensus about their categorisation. Some consider them to belong to the Snake family while others sort them with Dragons or even with Phoenixes. Like dragons, their skin is known for being impervious to most magic and venoms. They produce their own very toxic venom and can also breathe small fire flames. Fire Salamanders are at their most dangerous when in group, because they have the ability to combine their fire and their venom for destructive attacks. They are rumoured to be able to extinguish any fire by bathing in it."

Silence fell on us. Fire Salamanders sounded cool. But I did not see how it related to me, not in the same way I could see how the others' core related to them.

"Uncle Severus said that he was uncertain about his wand for a long time," blurted out Draco.

I look at him flatly. I did not need him to lie to make me feel better.

"It's true," Luna chimed in. "Thestral cores are really rare, and you can imagine the superstitions that exist about it, especially back then."

"Anyway, it's not because a book says something that it's true," stated Hermione decisively.

We looked at her in shock.

She blushed but held our gazes.
"What? I learnt my lesson."

We nodded. That was a big step. It completely turned the focus of the conversation to primary school and Hogwarts, and I was glad for it. I did not regret standing up to Dad to get the wand I wanted.

Yet I could not help but think that a Fire Salamander Familiar was no Thestral nor Dragon.