LATER (11 Years Later)
Riddle's soul was released, 11 years ago when he perished. As his Horcruxes were effectively found and destroyed, the remaining soul piece - too crippled to make it through Greater Heavens- shattered on the two unsuspecting children, entering their barely year-old soul. The Healers had done their part to remove the largest evil. Alas small pieces had scattered so deep in the babes they couldn't be removed without endangering other vital organs. Against their godfathers will, the scattered pieces had been left there.
Along with the shared trauma - of green lights - the boys had a permanent connection. They could sense strong emotions, hate, anger, love. The really profound ones. And Voldemort's skills were transferred onto them.
Two twelve year old boys sat on a large wooden table. Grinning like mad as they tried to eat their breakfast. They looked nothing alike. For one had messy, long raven hair and bright green eyes, and was of a skinnier build. The other, more brawny, was of brown hair and blue eyes. But theirs was a bond closer than blood.
Muffled sounds came from the master bedroom upstairs.
"How much you reckon this'll get me?" asked the raven-haired boy, eyes gleaming.
"Enough for that trip to Cyprus." replied the brunet
They guffawed as a second black-haired man entered the dining area.
The brown haired boy who saw his arrival whispered "chaperone" to his mate, before they shared their final grin and attempted a weak semblance of schooling their features.
"Boys, you're up early!" said Sirius cheerily
"Not all of us are preoccupied with exhausting night-time activities." muttered Harry, to which Neville sniggered. Sirius Black yawned as he leisurely took a seat on the table.
"What was that? When is that school of yours starting?" he asked, facing the sad half deafness most adults exhibited.
"It's today godfather dearest. Now where is my other seriously responsible godfather?" replied the raven haired one, rolling his eyes.
Black made to respond but was cut off
"No, Merlin's underpants not another Sirius pun. There's a limit to how many one can handle per year!" shrieked Neville.
"The year has not begun." admonished Sirius, widely grinning.
"Seriously!?" shrieked back Neville.
"That is my name." chided Black.
Harry and Sirius laughed, they never ceased to annoy Neville like that.
"Boys," said the strict collected voice of none other than the reluctant Wizarding hero. The intrigue behind the converted Death Eater unnerved and intrigued Wizarding Britain to no end.
The boys rushed to hug him. He let them with a simple raised eyebrow. He didn't dote on them like Sirius. They loved both to an equal end but the boys yearned to earn Severus Snape's affections more as he rarely expressed them.
"So what has this oaf done now?" quipped the ex-Potions Master,
Harry smirked at Neville again, as if he couldn't hear. The trio returned to the table as Harry began
"He forgot we begin our second year today."
"Can't say I'm surprised." muttered Snape in that same soft voice that traveled across the hall clearly.
"Heyy." jutted Sirius. "You, where's my croissant from the bakery right opposite your flat?"
"My girlfriend and I are having problems, next time mate." replied Snape smoothly, winking at the boys.
"What was her name again?" began Harry.
"You know her boys, some distant cousin of the Malfoys, honestly I'm of mind to think she isn't worth all the trouble after all." lied the Potions Master swiftly. Sirius was rubbing of him in all the wrong ways, and those were many aswell.
"You know how it is with girls, dating men would be so much easier." tried Neville, nonchalantly as he reached for the abricot on the table. His smirk concealed by his bent head.
Harry bit on his apple harshly to suppress the burst of laughter threatening to escape. Sirius choked on his juice, coughing loudly as it spluttered out in a rather undignified way. Snape got up and slapped his back, eyes narrowed in suspicion or in anger who could tell? This sobered the boys. Merlin he'd be a scary professor, thought Harry, not for the first time. His hand rested a moment longer on Black's lower back before returning to his seat.
As it turned out, their dogfather was merely laughing.
"Merlin Neville, you want to date boys? My time in school, they'd label you a poof and there goes your popularity."
"No, jeez Sirius. I'm not trying to come ou-", moaned Neville.
"Thank Morgana it's a different time now, right?" continued the Black heir, giving a significant look to the third raven haired man, Snape.
"Neville?" asked Severus, in earnest and curiosity.
"This is about that bint, Hermione." rescued Harry
"Ahh Hermione, what a sweet girl that one!" remembered Sirius.
"Please you act like all these girls are innocent out there. Neville was just nice to her. Honestly, I was there, I can guarantee, 101%." said Harry rolling his eyes for good measure,
"Melange à trois?" cracked Sirius
"Sirius." admonished Snape. His glare managed to quiet down even their incessant godfather. The boys chuckled.
"Why have I heard that name…ahh indeed, the letter before your voracious holidays. Top grades of her year. I was very disappointed in you boys." his straight tone made it impossible to discern if he was quipping, or vehement.
Harry opened his mouth several times, but struggled to respond, sometimes Snape stared at him so steely he had trouble thinking, or breathing.
"Harry topped her in DADA, me in Herbology, even that git Malfoy got her in Potions. Her average from bloody History of Magic made her first." came Neville to his rescue. Harry shot him a grateful look.
"Why is Malfo-Draco a git? I thought you were friends?" asked their dogfather
"We are..mostly, he can be so snobby at times."
Severus cackled "Please, Sirius couldn't have raised you both to be any less obnoxious, nor spoiled than him," The two children and one man-child look affronted.
"You know-" began Snape. The boy fixed each other, tight smiles on their faces This is the part where Sevi hits us with his childhood trauma "When I was your age-"
"Sev, the boys have chores." reminded their godfather.
"So you say, they also have their own house-elf, wing of the house and broomstick,"
"He actually wears a tie and collared shirts." continued the boys, unphased. "And the way he says his name Malfloy, Draco Malfoy!"
"So you only hang with him because he's Cissy's son?" pondered Sirius.
"I actually like Draco more than you lot, so disciplined, the perfect pure-blood if there was ever one, eh?" said Snape, feeling mildly entitled to defend his godson,
"Right." said the boys rolled their eyes.
That old pure-blood propaganda history now. The Death Eaters who were not killed in the 'freak accident' that Halloween's day scattered and didn't dare to speak against the savior of the wizarding world; a muggle-born woman.
Instead Harry and Neville went on to tell them in detail how Draco called for a duel and never showed.
"Slytherins." muttered Sirius.
"I had half a mind to duel him, you know, just to irritate the hell out of you." jibed Harry.
Their godfathers eyes widened perceptively "And then I would have erased you from my Will and Estate. Not to mention renounced my godfathership"
"Touché," retorted Harry, "Now Siri, I went to the bloody Lion's den for a year now, following my beloved parents and godfather's house of choice. May I please, please, pretty please have the Nimbus 2200?"
Sirius had almost agreed, before his eye's shot to Snape, who shot his lover a warning gleam.
"Sorry Harry, we get enough complaints from Minn- I mean Headmistress, as it is. Don't wander in the Forbidden Forest. Neville, this goes to the both of you, and keep the cloak hidden or I will suspend it!" he said in a feeble attempt of being stern.
The boys might have paid heed to the warning if they knew he meant it. Very few things pissed their dogfather off. He loved his adopted -of sorts with Neville- sons to the brim. He was patient and enthusiastic, a worldy and charismatic man. Some minor things pissed him, but it was more brooding than actual mad. Sirius vowed to live his life to the fullest and for his best-mate and - if rumor was to be believed - love Lily. Harry didn't like to think about the odd relationship his mother could have had with these three dark-haired men. It seems they would take it to their grave.
The one time Sirius was downright mad, his face glowered red and hands twitched. It was when Harry and Neville had attempted to enter his chambers at naughty late hours. Harry had thought that odd, it was likely just some witch right? By eleven they'd known all about witches, witches, babies, shagging. Harry found it kind of ucky.
They were grounded for a week. Their trip to France canceled, house party canceled, wands taken away. They'd been stuck indoors when the warm sun beckoned them outside, to read, of all things in the world. Harry would have rather cooked and cleaned the house. No he admitted, he could never do such things, he didn't even know how to make a good cuppa. The boys had actually shed tears. They'd really been looking forward to the magnificent Black family pool and what was the name, jacuzzi.
They'd been charged with their textbooks for company. They'd to read the first five chapters of each text, each class, and make notes on it! They would then be tested on it every evening by Snape. For two weeks straight! Until one night new clothes had appeared, real dragon leather! like real dragon leather. A little surprised and hopeful they'd unfolded the package, only to see Black's note - Neville's uncle and grandma were coming over. The boys had scowled at that.
The boys would get back at the adults. Harry felt a surge of happiness, Neville was his brother. He would never know how in Merlin Sirius had managed to get guardianship of Neville. Neville's grandmother Augusta was not bad altogether, but she missed the fun element. She was stricter than bloody Snape, and that was saying something. Harry did feel for Neville though. At least his own parents had died a clean painless death. Neville's suffered terribly and were barely hanging on the thread of life and death. Harry felt perhaps the reason Neville didn't like her so much was because she reminded him of his parents lying in the patient beds. For an indeterminable time.
Harry returned to the breakfast table debacle, always an insanely hilarious spectacle.
"You gave them the darn cloak?" questioned Severus
"Yes Sevvy. Those buggers made a nasty bet. Set me up to fail. Shouldn't have given it to you."
"Bets a bet" began Neville.
"May I ask what bet?" cut in Severus tersely.
The moisture in Black's throat dissipated. Sirius blanched as the boys grinned widely. If he revealed, he'd agreed to a bet that Harry could pull off a Wronski Font in exchange for the cloak, Sirius would be on the receiving end of his moody partner's anger tantrums. In some ways Serverus was just as fussy as Sirius was.
"Ahem.." he cleared his throat, no answer apparent
When the angelic voice of his beloved, wicked but beloved godson cut in. His green eyes gleamed naughtily
"I bet I could brew the perfect cure for boils. Sirius called my bluff, as I hadn't even tried my new Potions Set."
Snape stared evenly into Harry green ones. They reminded him so much of his Lily-flower. Against all odds, Severus found love once again. Now those green hues didn't stir pain but a protective surge, for Harry was akin to a godchild for him.
"Fascinating." said Severus alas.
"Neville you're in Hufflepuff." interjected Sirius, out of the blue
"That is factually correct." answered Neville. Merlin thought Snape wishing they weren't always such a pain.
"How did that happen?"
"Ask Harry he had this sudden vision on the train." the brown-haired boy rolled his eyes,
"Nothing, the hat chose me as a Brave Gryffindor and Nevy as a loyal 'Puff"
"Fine, so where does Hermione come in all this?" tried Sirius again
"She's a claw, and with Drakey in Slytherin - we have ourselves an inter-house alliance for sneaking around! Pity she's such a stickler of rules - she'd be your perfect godchild Snape."
"Hmm ?" interjected Snape
"They've both got a stick up their arse." whispered Neville
"And boys when the darn time is your train?!" interjected Sirius, screaming.
The boys looked around jumping,
"Sweet Merlin, fuck. Neville, we're going to be the first idiots who miss the darned Express!" screeched Harry. The time indicated just past 11.
"Calm down, we can make it! Here's the plan, you both leave the floo in 2 minutes and run like a horned humpback is on your trail, to the darned train, copy?"
"Clear." they answered in sync.
"What're you looking at my face, wear some acceptable clothes. You look perfectly savage. Now." Sirius was surprised when they actually ran and didn't pester him more. They'd often use pictures of him rebelling, showing the finger as ammunition. Sirius sighed, maybe he did encourage them too much. But he loved taking part in their jokes, being a trusted friend and caretaker at once. He cherished their special connection and he was excited to hear tyrsts they'd have later on.
The boy returned with surprisingly expensive clothes, or unsurprisingly for some.
"What is this, dragon leather?" admonished Severus "You rot them," muttered Severus.
"I didn't know how kids got groovy ok." explained Sirius
Neville flushed and Harry rolled his eyes,
"No one says groovy, anymore. Later ok?" he said, heading for the floo
"Get back here Potter, give your old man a hug."
"Bye dad." he whispered, hugging Sirius tightly.
It wasn't a name Harry called Sirius often. As a baby he had thought Siri was his 'dada'. Harry stopped when was 7, just when he'd been taught a run-down version of history.
"Bye son." whispered Sirius, kissed the top of his head
"Old man ey?" interjected Neville standing directly behind Harry.
"I'll never live that down will I?" groaned Sirius
"Not likely" smirked Harry. His face held the wonderful glint, just as Lily's.
Neville sneaked up to Sirius, for a similar farewell. Harry shook the hands of Severus before they ran to the fireplace and shouted "Kings Cross 9 " as they vanished.
Were the Black men thinking clearly, they might have questioned the absence of green powder floo-ing required.
"Whew that summer ran fast!"
"You're in deep trouble Black." said the palpable voice of one Severus Snape.
The man gulped.
"Harry's Occlumency is good, but he can't beat a skilled Legimens yet. You gave him the cloak, bet him to pull the deadly Wronski Feint and will eventually have to end-up buying him that darn broom. Which he could topple off any moment."
"If only you would show him you care."
"Then I'd be as easy for him to manipulate. Gods those boys are better Slyterins than Draco and we ever were!"
"-Much better I'd say."
"Why thank-you!" came the resonating voice of Harry in a sonorous.
Sirius let out a screech as he tripped on the couch and fell on the hard floor. Snape didn't fare better, his hand over his chest as he gasped loudly. Their war experience ensured they'd have their wands in their hands but nothing could save them from the embarrassment Harry and Neville had planned for their guardians.
As a return favor from last year, the boys had shifted the calendar by two days Friday night. They knew they couldn't fool the adults with an elaborate lie. Instead they twisted their reality. They chose a Saturday before their actual departure, so a day before. They carefully dropped a mild confusing potion in their suppers the night before to ensure Sirius and Snape would be drowsy the next day.
Suddenly people removed their glamorous and disillusionment charms. When Harry and Neville had gone through the fire, the only other person allowed in their wards, Augusta Longbottom had stood there under the invisibility spell to disapparate them from the fireplace to the outskirts of the property. A testimony for their manipulation and persuasion skills they managed to get Augusta on board. She was key-ed in their wards.
Then it was as simple as lifting the wards and allowing the guests in. The boys had invited everyone they could get their hands on! Amelia Bones and her niece, Narcissa Malfoy and Draco, Andromeda with Tonks and her husband Remus, Professor Sinistra who was a friend of Snape's back when he was a teacher at Hogwarts. Although he barely taught for two years before focusing on creating reliable and affordable potions for the wizarding community of Britain. They were also co-workers from Sirius' part-time Ministry job. The goal was to get even on the raven haired adults for punishing them last summer.
The boys stood side by side, happy, blessed, confident, unashamedly sarcastic and privileged but most importantly free of trauma. Soon the house elves bought flutes of champagne and the party, before starting their second eventful and danger free year at Hogwarts, was in full swing.
