The Founders Awaken

Chapter 2: Home

The four awakened founders stepped into the Great Hall together. Their group may have seemed weird to most people, but thankfully everyone was too busy talking and laughing to notice.

At least until Hermione screeched, "Harry," loudly enough for everyone in the room to turn their heads to them.

The four of them stopped their studying of the familiar room and turned their heads to her and Ron, who were marching over to them, angry looks marring their features.

"Where have you been?" all he could think about was how much she sounded like Molly Weasley in that moment.

"Erm… Well, I was on the train, waiting for you two to finish escorting Ginny to her friends. But well, I got caught up talking to these three for the rest of the journey," Harry said, grateful when he received two hand squeezes from Neville and Draco.

"Why were you talking to these three? I mean, Malfoy, really mate?" Ron said.

"Well, once you get to know him properly, he is actually one of the best people I know," Harry said, a protective edge to his voice.

Ron guffawed, "Bloody hell, mate, has he cursed you or something? And why are you with Loony and Nev? Surely you wanted some fun?"

Harry growled, "I will have you know that Neville is my best friend, Ronald. And if you ever call Luna 'Loony' again I will be the one doing the cursing. No, Draco has not cursed anyone, we just talked. We got to know each other, without masks and bigoted little fools like you hanging around and trying to start a fight,"

"He is the bigot," Ron practically shouted, glaring at Harry.

"You are a bigot, Ron. Despite being a pureblood yourself, you hate other purebloods. You also think that one quarter of this school is evil just because of their House, even though Slytherin doesn't automatically mean evil. Need I remind you that we know of at least one Gryffindor who became a Death Eater. Professor Quirrell was a Ravenclaw, and he helped Voldemort in our first year. And I am sure there are other Death Eaters from the other Houses, also. Need I also remind you that Merlin, you know, the person we all swear on, was, in fact, a Slytherin. He wasn't evil, was he Ronald?" Harry said, trying to keep his recently expanded magic at bay.

"The Hat also wanted to put me in Slytherin, Ron. Am I evil? Because I am the same person I always was and so I am the same person that the Sorting Hat wanted to place into Slytherin. You also think Hufflepuffs are useless, and Ravenclaws are only good for reading books. Gryffindor is the only good House according to you, and yet, you don't take any time to get to know your fellow Gryffindors, do you? Sure, you play chess with me, and other games. And when we are in our dorm room, you chat to the other boys, but you don't chat to anyone else other than Hermione, and your siblings. You don't take a few seconds or minutes out of your very busy schedule to talk to anyone else in the House, do you? Because they are all beneath you, right. Because you are my best friend. But you aren't, Ron, neither is Hermione. Because neither of you have taken a second to get to know me, the real me, either. All you talk about is the-boy-who-lived. Not me. Not Harry. I am a person, you know," Harry said.

"What are you talking about, Harry? We know everything about you," Ron demanded.

"Really? What's my favourite colour?"

"Red, obviously," Ron grinned.

"Nope. Neville, what's my favourite colour,"

"Green," Neville said.

"Correct. Hermione, what is my favourite food?"

"Erm," Hermione said, looking like she would rather be incorrect.

"That isn't food. Neville, what is my favourite food?"

"You talking savoury or sweet?" Neville said, grinning, "You love a roast dinner with all the trimmings, and you love treacle tart,"

"Correct. Ron, what do I want to do after school?"

Ron beamed, "You want to be an Auror with me,"

"Nope. Neville, what do I want to do after school?"

"Either teach or be a healer, or both depending on where you might be teaching. You don't like catching bad guys and don't want to, but you have been forced into it by certain peoples and the whole country thinking you are the one that has to do everything for them even though you are a child and the ones looking at you to save them are mostly adults,"

"Correct," Harry smiled at Neville.

"Now, Ronald, Hermione, can we all sit down and let the first years be sorted. We are holding everything up. And I really just don't want to talk to you two right now," Harry said before leading his fellow founders to the Gryffindor table.

"Harry, what are you doing? Malfoy and Lovegood can't sit at our table," Hermione said.

"Actually, they can. There is nothing in the school charter that says students can't sit at other House tables if they want to. And I want to eat with my friends. So either we sit at the Gryffindor table, or we sit elsewhere," Harry said.

Hermione huffed in a mix of annoyance and anger, especially as Harry and his friends sat in a spot which left no room for her and Ron to sit there also.

The sorting came and went without too much hassle, though Ron and Hermione glared at Harry the more that he and his friends clapped and cheered for every student, no matter where they were sorted. Harry also noticed that Dumbledore didn't seem too happy. And Snape seemed confused, though he was trying to hide it behind his shields.

Harry didn't care, though. He needed to be close to his friends, his family.

"Are you okay, Harry?" Draco asked him quietly, squeezing his hand in comfort.

"Yes, thank you. Are you?" Harry asked him, worriedly.

"I will be. I just… I'm confused, I guess,"

Harry nodded in understanding, "We can talk later, if you want? Like we used to,"

"Okay," Draco nodded, smiling slightly.

The food came and Harry grinned when he saw that all the items for a roast dinner were placed in front of the four of them. The other three grinned also and they all dug into the food that seemed to be more delicious than usual. The nearby students looked confused that they all had different foods to the four of them, but neither he or his friends paid too much attention to them.

They each had their favourite dessert placed in front of them when the main meal was over, and they couldn't help but grin even more, humming in delight as they tasted their wonderful treats.

As soon as they were done eating their desserts the four of them stood and exited the Great Hall together, holding hands, and ignoring everyone that tried to call for them. Somehow they made it to their private rooms without anyone finding them, or following them.

It was part of the castle that neither of them had been before, at least, not in this life. But it was open to them now that they had their memories and magic back. Back in their first lives they lived together with their children in a large portion of the ground floor that was shut to everyone they didn't key into the wards.

They all beamed when they saw the large, ornate wooden door still intact, and felt the welcoming magic beaming off it. Neville stepped forward and opened the door and tugged them all into the large living room that still looked mostly like how they remembered it. Though there were a few more paintings lining the walls, some more throw blankets, and ornaments, tables, and books on the shelves, and such.

The fireplace sprung to life and warmed the room, and a hoard of House Elves popped in front of them, all beaming up at the four.

"Hello," the four of them said, together.

"Hellos founders, we are so glad you are backs," one of the elves said excitedly, bouncing on her little feet.

"We are glad to be back," Draco said kindly, "Are you the ones who work in the kitchens? Did you give us the roast and our favourite puddings?"

The house elves nodded happily.

"Thank you very much," Harry said, smiling at them all.

"No worries, Master Slytherin. We be here to help you all," another elf said.

"In facts, we can help you mores. We can be making it so that no one finds you, or follows you, or questions where you are so you cans be living here," an older male elf said.

The four of them beamed at each other at the thought of living together again, in their own home, "That would be amazing, thank you," Neville said.

"Is everything clean and ready to be used?" Luna asked gently.

"Yes Miss Raven, we elves have been taught over years to keep things clean, tidy, and ready because you woulds be coming back,"

"Well, thank you for being such diligent workers," Harry said.

The elves squealed excitedly before popping away to continue their work.

"We're home," Draco whispered, a mix of excited, happy, and sad.

"We're home," Neville beamed as he pulled the other three into a tight hug, causing them all to laugh.

…

Going to bed was somewhat awkward. Neville and Harry wanted to sleep together, and so did Luna and Draco, both couples in their old beds. And although they had gone to bed together nearly every night once they were married in their previous lives, now it was different.

They were in different bodies. They were fourteen, or thirteen in Luna's case. And it had been too long.

Once they got into bed it didn't take long for Neville or Luna to fall asleep. But Harry and Draco both laid in their respective beds, tossing and turning, trying to sleep. And yet, they couldn't.

Harry ended up giving up on the idea of sleeping at around one o'clock in the morning. He walked into the living room to find Draco curled up in the corner of the larger sofa, his knees pulled tight to his chest, his head resting on them as he stared into the living room unseeingly.

Harry sat next to him, worried, "Draco," Draco jumped, spinning to look at him with wide eyes, "You okay?"

"I…" Draco trailed off, "My father certainly will not be hearing about this," Draco muttered, though a mix between a sob and a laugh escaped.

"Draco,"

"I mean, can you imagine his reaction if I were to tell him that I am the reincarnated form of Helga Hufflepuff? He hates Hufflepuffs more than he hates Gryffindors. And if he finds out I used to be a girl, then there goes the inheritance. Not that I need it, but still. He was a bloody nightmare when we found out I was a bearer,"

"You're a bearer?"

"Yes," Draco nodded, his eyes shining red with tears, "Merlin, it is all such a mess, Harry. I mean… I'm a boy, but now I have memories of being a girl, a woman. I know I'm a bearer, I have known since I was five. But, that doesn't change the fact that I am a boy now. No periods, no boobs, no bloody vagina unless I happen to give birth. But I'm with Luna so… Will she bear any children we might have? I know she didn't last time, but will she want to this time because she is a girl and I am a boy? Why am I a boy this time? We all thought that we would at least be the same gender, but I'm not, and it is confusing, you know? Don't answer that,"

"Draco," Harry said, and Draco looked at him with wide, confused eyes, "It's okay to be confused, this is a bit of a confusing situation. For me anyway since I wasn't there when you guys did the ritual, and for you because of the change of genders. But you have to know that we will all be by your side whilst you figure things out, right? Like we all supported each other in the past, we will all continue to support each other now. I can't imagine what is going through your mind right now, but I am here if you want to talk about it. And just because you are with Luna, it doesn't mean you can't bear your children again if you want to. Do you want to bear your children, Draco?"

"Yes," Draco nodded almost desperately, "I have wanted to have children since I was old enough to know what being a bearer truly meant. And I… I loved being a mother more than anything else, you know?"

Harry beamed, "I do know. Being a mother is the best thing in the world," Harry agreed.

Draco smiled, "What if Luna wants to, though?"

"She was happy to let you bear all of your children in our past lives, Draco. I can't imagine she wouldn't be happy to let you do the same in this life. Though you would have to talk to her about that. There are ways for you to carry your children, Draco, as you well know. And if Luna does want to carry some or all of your children, you won't love her or your children any less, will you?"

"Of course not," Draco looked aghast.

"You will figure things out, Draco. And we will all be here to help you, every step of the way. Though this time we should try not to give birth at the same time, I think we put the two of them through a bit much during that particular episode,"

Draco laughed, wiping his cheeks with the backs of his hands, "It was funny, though. Watching them panic and run around like headless chickens whilst we did everything ourselves,"

"Indeed," Harry chuckled, "Actually, yeah, maybe we should do that again. Not for a good few years, though, we are still children after all,"

Draco nodded, laughing merrily as he did so.

"Though, if Luna is the one to carry our children then please don't do that to me," Draco said, a bright smile.

"Well, you would have the sense to be able to handle the situation, you would actually help us. It would just be Neville in panic mode then,"

"True," Draco laughed, leaning into Harry slightly with a small yawn.

"I swear, every bloody time I gave birth, that man didn't know what to do. Bloody useless Gryffindor," Harry muttered, causing Draco to snort.

"But hey, you had me," Draco said.

"Of course. You were the only one keeping me sane, and the kids, of course,"

"Oh, you and the kids were the only ones keeping me sane also," Draco said, patting his arm in agreement.

"Most of the time, anyway, there were a few moments that weren't quite sane," Harry whispered in a sad remembrance as certain memories flashed before his eyes again.

"Mm," Draco said, looking up at Harry with sad, knowing eyes, "Our babies,"

"Our babies," Harry said.

Draco nuzzled into his side tiredly and Harry held him close, both laying down on the comfortable sofa, in each other's arms, needing some form of comfort.

"We'll be okay, right?" Draco said.

"Yes, we will all make sure of it. And we will fix things, eventually," Harry said, squeezing Draco gently.

It didn't take them long to fall asleep.

Hiya my lovelies, how are you all?

I hope you enjoyed the chapter. What do you think is going to happen? Is there anything you would like to see? I am intrigued to know what you think.

Also, I have a Facebook group called Maraudering_Paige which you are all welcome to join if you want to and are able to. It is where we can talk about Harry Potter, fanfics, life, share memes and more. It is also where I have an update schedule of sorts, and will be keeping you updated on what I am working on, both fanfics and original works. So, if you are interested then I will happily accept you.

I hope you are having an amazing day!

Kind regards,

Paige xx