Everything is J.K. Rowlings. I only claim the plot. Everything else is hers, all the characters and the magic, all of it. Please let me know what you think though, I encourage feedback of all kinds, just be nice about it!

Thank you for sticking with me through this. And I appreciate all of the positive feedback. I had a little struggle with this chapter but I hope you still enjoy it. I also went back and forth on the Patronus bit, like multiple multiple times. But I think it is better this way and I hope you will all agree. I'll probably go into the explanation later on.

He's Our Son

Ron sat in his room with Hermione, Ginny, and the twins. It had been four days since they met with Harry and they were going to approach his parents and Remus tonight. Hermione and Ginny had convinced his mum to invite the werewolf over, saying how he was probably feeling horribly alone right now. Of course, his mum jumped on the idea and at the prospect of the twins being over for dinner as well, she was happily bustling about the kitchen while his dad kept to the workshed.

"How are we going to do this?" Ginny finally sighed. She was leaning against the frame of the bed on the floor, her legs kicked out in front of her and arms crossed.

"Delicately," Hermione offered. She sat on top of the bed, leaning against Rons' knees that were propped up while he leaned against the headboard. He was thrilled at the contact and would have loved to pull her closer to his chest to wrap his arms around her, protecting her from the craziness of the outside world.

"We feel them out first," Ron began, his brow furrowed while he strategized a plan, pushing thoughts of cuddling Hermione out of his head for the moment. "Mention Harry or something, offhand. Like how it will be weird him not going to school with us or not being here and see how they react."

"What if they aren't receptive?" Fred asked. He and George were leaning against the wall closest to the door and acting eerily serious.

"Backtrack?" Ginny offered weakly. "Change the subject and hope they forget about it and suffer through an awkward dinner."

"Should we have some topics to fall back on if they aren't as on board as we thought?" Hermione asked, she was rubbing at her chest again, so Ron knew that she was worried and he wished he could comfort her. "So the backtrack can be done smoothly, and it doesn't look like we are floundering."

"Probably," Ron agreed. If he could strategize and plan everything out maybe that would take the weight off of the curly-haired witch's mind. "Start talking about your shop," he said nodding to Fred and George. "And we can ask about Bill and Charlie. Bring the topic completely away from Harry or school."

"What if they start out OK with things but then go against him?" Ginny asked nervously. "What then? By then we might have said too much."

"Obliviate?" Hermione suggested quietly.

The room was silent before slowly each Weasley sibling gave a short nod of agreement. "Yeah, to protect Harry," Ron said, not recognizing his own voice.

Dinner arrived far too quickly and soon the group was separated by his mum's calls for help setting up and preparing dinner. Hermione and Ginny were set to chopping vegetables and peeling potatoes, while the twins were in charge of setting the table and then cleaning up the living room, and Ron was put in charge of dragging his father out of his shed.

"Hey dad," Ron greeted, stepping into the overly packed shed filled with muggle knick-knacks. Ron remembered last summer, Harry and Hermione had tried explaining what some of the items were and so he recognized a toaster and a lava lamp.

"Ron, son, how are you?" His father asked, standing up from bending over one of his work tables.

"Great. Mum says dinners about ready and Professor Lupin will be here soon.'

"Right, right," his father muttered, looking back at the pile of items on his desk. Now would be a perfect time, Ron thought, to feel his father out about Harry. But how? His mind turning over the possible conversation starters, he licked his lips.

"Say, dad-"

"ARTHUR! RON!" his mothers' shrill scream cut him off.

"Looks like we've been summoned, eh? Best head in before your mother gets upset," his father chuckled, clapping him on the shoulder and guiding him out of the shop.

"Yeah," Ron mumbled, cursing himself for missing his chance.

Arriving in the house, Ron could smell roast wafting from the kitchen. Remus was already there, looking pale and shaky, Ron wondered if the man had been drinking recently.

"Hey, Professor," Ron greeted the man.

"I'm hardly your professor anymore, it's just Remus," Remus replied kindly. Despite his outward appearance the man still kept his gentle nature which was a relief. Ron had been personally worried that all of the news might have been the last straw and the kind man would fly off the handle.

Food was brought out and everyone took their seats and began filling their plates. Ron sat between Hermione and Ginny with his mum next to Ginny, the twins on the opposite side of him with Remus between Fred and his father and George next to Fred and his mum.

The five teenagers kept exchanging glances with each other, trying to determine who should start the conversation. Ron couldn't taste his food as his stomach knotted tighter around itself. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore and decided to start talking. He never did like silence.

"So, school starts soon," he said probably louder than necessary but his nerves were frantic. He was surprised he was capable of holding his fork at this point.

The three adults blinked at the random comment but just nodded.

"Yes, my baby girl is starting her O.W.L. year and you and Hermione are starting your N.E.W.T.s. You're all just growing up so fast," Mum whimpered lightly, her eyes going shiny at the thought.

"Yeah, I'm so excited to be starting on our career-focused subjects," Hermione chimed in. "It'll be nice to not have additional distractions."

Ron nodded and saw the twins looking intently between the three adults, observing closely. "Should even be a relaxed year now, you know? What with Harry not being there with us."

It had started. Ron felt his heart stop as he held his breath. There was no turning back now, he had brought Harry up now and so began the part of feeling out the adults to determine their loyalties. He could feel Hermione and Ginny tensing beside him which only fed his own frayed nerves.

"It will be strange, him not being there," Ginny agreed softly, her eyes flickering between her parents and former teacher. "I wonder if we should continue the DA?"

Ron watched his parents and Remus exchange looks. "Now children, we wanted to speak with you about this and so I'm glad you've brought it up," his dad started. Ron glanced at the others and swallowed hard. This wasn't what they planned for.

"Now, I know what Dumbledore said and given the article that came out with Harry's interview confirming it," Remus began, shifting between the twins looking far paler than normal. "Well, we understand that you might be upset about what happened. Might be blaming Harry for choosing to be Dark. Well, magical inheritances, they can't be chosen. You were all able to accept me for being a Dark creature when I didn't have a choice. Harry didn't either."

Ron's mouth hung open and so did the others. This was far easier than he thought it would be.

"Harry didn't have a choice in his magical inheritance. And even if he is Dark as the Headmaster claims," his mum took over. "Having an inheritance doesn't take away your memories, so Harry does still remember us. He is just afraid right now and all alone." His mum started tearing up now and so his dad took over.

"What your mother, Remus, and I, are trying to say is, if Harry does contact you let us know. We want to show him that getting an inheritance isn't the end. Even if Dumbledore believes it is... Well, Dumbledore is a great man and a powerful wizard but there are instances where he is wrong."

Ron sat at the table feeling incredibly numb. Things were going far better than he thought but not completely.

"Actually, Mum, Dad," Ginny said breaking the silence that had fallen, her gaze flicking to her brothers. "We wanted to talk to you about Harry too. It's good to hear that you are so receptive." Ginny tugged on a strand of her hair. "Because well, he has contacted us."

The three adults stiffened. "What? When?" Remus asked, gripping the table edge in his urgency. "Is he alright?" his mum asked. "Why didn't you tell us?" his dad asked.

"We didn't say anything because we weren't sure how you would react," Hermione answered nervously.

"We couldn't risk Harry's safety," Fred continued.

"We had to find out whose side you were on first," George finished.

"Whose side? What are you talking about?" Remus asked frowning in confusion, his gaze shifting between the teenagers rapidly, Ron thought he saw a bit of an amber tinge creeping in.

"Before we say more," Ron started and saw Hermione gripping her wand under the table just in case things went south. "We need to know where your loyalties lie. Are they with Harry or are they with Dumbledore?"

"Why are they on separate sides?" his dad asked and Ron swallowed hard. "Dumbledore is just confused, once Harry shows him that he hasn't forgotten himself then things will be alright."

"No, Dad, it won't," Ginny answered sadly. "Again, do you side with Harry no matter what he chooses so long as he is safe and happy or do you side with Dumbledore and his actions."

"Harry," Remus replied instantly. "I'll always side with Harry, he is all I have left." The man's voice cracking slightly at the end of the proclamation.

"What do you five know? Why would Harry not want to side with Dumbledore?" his father asked slowly, his eyes taking on a calculating gleam that Ron had never seen before reminding him that his father had fought in a war once before and survived.

"Answer the question, dad," Ron insisted. "Do you trust Harry or Dumbledore? Who has your loyalty?"

His parents exchanged a glance that seemed to communicate an entire conversation. Ron's heart thudded harshly in his chest and his mouth was dry. What would his parents decide? What would they have to do if his parents chose Dumbledore? Ron saw Hermione's wand hand slowly start to rise and he clenched his fists, silently pleading with his parents to choose Harry.

"Harry," his mum breathed and Ron felt lightheaded.

"There must be a reason that Harry and Dumbledore aren't on the same side anymore and if there is then we trust Harry," his dad continued.

"He's our son. He always has our support," his mum finished.

Ron and his siblings crumpled in relief and Hermione almost dropped her wand as she sagged forward. "Thank Merlin," the twins breathed.

"Let's go to the living room, we will explain everything there," Ginny said, standing up and everyone followed suit.

Remus claimed a chair but sat on the edge with a stiff spine, he looked ready to leap into action. His parents sank into the patched loveseat, gripping each others hands looking anxious for news. Ron stood with the other four in the center of the room.

"Alright, the truth is, we rescued Harry from Dumbledore back when the Headmaster was keeping Harry locked up in old Headquarters' basement," Ron started, thinking it better to just lay it all out on the table. His mother gasped and Remus growled.

"Way to ease them into it, Ron," Ginny hissed glaring. "A little more gently would have been nice. Ron is right though," she continued facing the adults. "Remember when Dumbledore and Moody rushed out during breakfast on Harry's birthday? Well they weren't lying, he had received his inheritance and they did go to get him, but that's where the stories differ."

"They brought Harry back to the basement and tied him to a chair behind bars. Ron and I snuck down a few days later to investigate and we saw him there. They tortured him, Moody and Kingsley. And that woman did die as Harry said in the article. They were trying to bind his inheritance and his inheritance lashed out. When we saw him he was still tied to the chair and behind bars. It was terrible."

"He didn't even know what was happening. No one had even told him that he was a Necromancer," Ron continued when Hermione broke off, her eyes were glassy with the memory and he squeezed her hand. "So we devised a way to break him out and we did. He hid with the twins for about a day before Dumbledore came snooping."

"This is the part of the story where you have to remember your loyalty and trust in Harry," Fred said seriously.

"Harry is safe, he is with people who are helping him," George insisted.

"Where is he? Why are you so concerned about our reactions?" his mother asked fretfully.

"No!" Remus growled, standing now, his eyes fully amber now. Ron swallowed hard, feeling fearful of the man for the first time since that night in Third Year.

"Yes," Hermione answered. "Please, Remus, hear us out. Please." The werewolf gave a nod but didn't sit.

"It's true. Harry did seek out Him," Ginny confirmed, his parents gasped and Remus bared his teeth.

"So Dumbledore was right? He has gone Dark?" his dad whispered.

"No!" Hermione insisted. "Well, not fully…"

"Harry is where he needs to be," George said loudly, making the adults fall silent. "He is a Necromancer, a Dark inheritance that hasn't been around for centuries. Who better to help him than the Dark themselves?"

"But we have met with Harry and he really hasn't changed. He is still the same boy you claimed as your son," Fred continued. "The same son that your best friends died for. He has an inheritance now and he is trying to control it so he doesn't hurt anyone."

"Yes, he has gone and sided with Voldemort but can you blame him?" George picked up after his twin. "Dumbledore certainly didn't offer help. Harry is safe and he is learning and he is far better off than he would have been staying here."

The room fell silent and Ron blinked rapidly at the intensity radiating off the twins.

"You've met with him?" Remus asked finally.

"Yes, he invited us to old Headquarters not long after the article came out. He has Kreacher and Dobby fixing it up really nice. He means for it to be a safe house for those he cares about," Ron replied.

"He made a deal with Him," Ginny continued, the three adults flinched. "According to the deal, He will leave all those loyal to Harry alone, if they did the same in return. He and Harry have sworn to not harm each other as well for as long as this partnership lasts."

"Harry swears it's temporary," Ron added with a wry grin. "I'm not sure how long that will last but for now it is."

"Harry is really safe and OK? Is he happy?" his mother whispered, she clung to his father's arm and her eyes were wide. He had never seen his mother look so vulnerable before.

"Yes, he is," Hermione assured them.

"That is all we need to know," his dad sighed. "But, can we meet with him?"

"I'm sure that can be arranged," Ron agreed, feeling a weight lifting off his shoulders.

Harry Potter was the exception to every rule.

This was practically a fact to the mind of Theodore Nott.

Theo prided himself on his intelligence and his ability to observe. And this ability was being put to the test like no other this summer. Ever since Harry Potter rushed up to him and his friends in Diagon Alley running from Dumbledore his entire summer had flipped.

Previously he had spent his days finishing his homework, relaxing with his friends as they speculated on the coming years, the impending war, the upcoming school year; swapping gossip they had gleaned from their parents, and further getting to know Daphne. They had been betrothed since they were five and had grown up as close friends, however, at the beginning of the summer he officially asked her to be his girlfriend and to begin courting and she had accepted.

Now though his days were spent training under Potter's instructive hand and witnessing the tides of the war shifting first hand. It was remarkable and it was all because of Potter.

Because of all this, Potter had become his newest subject to study and it was proving insightful.

Theo thought back on the Introduction Ceremony, the Dark magic that had been rolling off Potter and the Dark Lord had left him weak-kneed and struggling to breathe. His father had had to keep a firm hand on his back to help keep him upright. Theo had felt that Dark magic once again when he and his friends had been ordered to befriend Potter by the Dark Lord while their parents were in a meeting. Theo had felt daunted by the task. Befriend Potter? The Gryffindor Golden Boy surely wouldn't want to be near the likes of them and he wasn't bound by the same orders to obey. Theo had felt hopeless in the face of the seemingly impossible task as they approached the shirtless teenager practicing a craft that had been thought extinct. The Dark magic had been rolling off of Potter in waves and Theo started feeling dizzy, witnessing Crabbe and Goyle swaying with a glazed look in their eyes. The others hadn't fared much better. He felt drunk as the magic continued to wrap around him, calling him.

The Dark Lords' magic was seductive and intriguing. He felt enlivened and invigorated in its presence, energized to fulfill his Lords' wishes. The desire to please in order to feel his Lords' magic once again embrace him couldn't be compared. But Potters' magic was intoxicating and comforting. It reminded Theo of home, like a warm hug, supportive and encouraging. The yearning to please in order to feel that soothing hold wrap around him also couldn't be matched.

When Potter started talking to him, Theo was presented with someone who was completely different from what he expected. Potter presented a rather Slytherin side when dealing with Theo and his friends and Theo found his respect and admiration growing the more he interacted with the former Gryffindor. There were still some Gryffindor tendencies, such as not making the defense lessons part of the favor he owed or how he spoke out against injustice and cruelty like during the Introduction Ceremony or during that first dinner against Travers.

And of course, Potter could get away with such a balance of the two houses, because he was Harry Potter and rules and boundaries didn't apply to him.

It wasn't just the Dark magic and Slytherin attitude that surprised Theo though. Potter's whole look had changed. The day in Diagon Alley the Gryffindor had been sickly looking, sweaty and covered in grime, desperate and pleading. Even in school, Potter wore clothes that were too big, his hair a constant mess, the past few years he had been more broody than normal but he had appeared as average at best. Now though, his clothes were well-fitting, his hair controlled to an extent, and he held himself with a confidence and casual ease that Theo envied.

He wasn't the only one to notice the change either, Pansy, Tracey, and Daphne had all become giggly and dreamy-eyed whenever Potter's back was turned. He noticed it after the third training session. Apparently, Blaise and Draco had noticed the trailing glances and lingering eyes as well, so after the fifth day when they had all returned to Malfoy Manor to relax before dinner, Blaise had brought it up.

The eight of them were spread out in Draco's room, Vince and Greg were leaning against the bed frame on the ground, Draco and Blaise were sprawled out on Draco's large canopied bed, Tracey and Pansy were huddled up on the loveseat while Theo and Daphne were cuddled on the large armchair that easily fit both of them.

"So, what's the deal with you three anyway?" Blaise asked. "I mean with Potter, you all act like you're hit with a Giggle Charm every time he is near."

At just the mention of the Darks newest ally, the three girls started giggling again. "I mean, is it not obvious?" Tracey asked. "Potter is quite the specimen." Blaise, Draco, Vince and himself wrinkled their noses but Greg was nodding a red tint creeping into his cheeks.

"Ugh, I can't believe you lot like Potter," Draco sneered.

"Daphne!" Theo cried out horrified that his girlfriend was in such an agreement.

"You saw him with his shirt off, Theo," she bemoaned to him, giggling with Tracey and Pansy as she said it.

"He is fit!" Greg agreed, which had the girls all beaming at him for supporting their observations.

"And don't even deny that you aren't trying to get close to him, Draco," Pansy snapped back. Draco looked sheepish at that, grumbling slightly.

It was true, Draco was most definitely attempting to prime himself to be Potter's right-hand man. Though if what Potter said about his Gryffindor friends was true than Draco would find himself out of luck, since he doubted Granger and Weasley would relinquish those spots. The idea of a muggleborn and Weasley previously so entrenched with the Light even considering joining the Dark was again really something else that only Potter could do.

"And he really knows his stuff," Tracey chimed in. "He is so kind and gentle when he instructs, he makes you feel like your the only one in the room when he talks to you."

"He is so brave and sweet," Pansy sighed dreamily, she seemed to have it the worst of all of them Theo thought. "The way he talks to the Dark Lord, he really is His equal, but he is funny too and so powerful. You felt that Dark magic coming off of him."

"You weren't so interested at the end of term," Blaise taunted.

"I didn't know him then, not really," Pansy responded primely. "Plus, he was the enemy we weren't allowed to be interested."

That talk still lingered in the back of Theo's mind as he interacted with Potter in the following days. He supposed he could see what the girls meant. Potter really did seem to draw people to him, draw them in and make them feel at ease, it was unnerving.

There was one thing that continued to stick out to Theo though, despite the changes the summer had brought. The closer proximity had only increased his awareness of what he had previously observed over their years at school.

It was that Harry Potter was the exception to every rule.

Survived the Killing Curse. Made the Quidditch team in First Year without trying out. Got a broom in his First Year. Broke countless school rules and got rewarded. If the rumors were true, he killed a massive Basilisk at twelve and could cast a fully corporeal Patronus at thirteen. Got selected to participate in a tournament he didn't qualify for and won. Snuck out of Hogwarts and into the Ministry, fought adult Death Eaters and came out on top. Became a Necromancer, one of the Darkest of the Dark and was still able to make it out to the public that he is the innocent and naive Golden Child they all love. He became a Lord of three Ancient Houses at just sixteen. Previously held beliefs and conceptions held no grounds when it came to Potter.

And lastly, the rule that still scared and impressed Theo that Potter continuously broke: defying the Dark Lord.

Potter rebelled against every rule and broke them easily. He refused to bow to the Dark Lord and the Dark Lord allowed it. Potter refused to offer any inkling of respect or submission and the Dark Lord allowed it. Potter disobeyed and openly defied him and the Dark Lord allowed it. Potter argued and the Dark Lord allowed it.

Theo seriously doubted there was anything that Potter couldn't get away with. He could now, literally get away with murder, thanks to an old law that Avery and the Lestrange brothers dug up.

Bemusedly, Theo followed his friends down the halls of Slytherin Manor following the very conundrum of a man that was Harry Potter going to another training session. They were going to Hogwarts in less than a week and already Theo had learned a lot.

Soon, Potter was forming them into a line facing the dummies. They were progressing to other spells today. So far Potter had drilled them in Stupefy, Protego, and Expelliarmus so much so that Theo could confidently cast Stupefy and Expelliarmus silently, the others could as well with Pansy, Draco and Daphne being able to cast Protego silently as well.

Today was Reducto, Bombarda, and Episkey. Potter was insistent that on top of defense that they all learned a basic healing spell as well. The group was silent as Potter demonstrated and observed them all before getting deeper into the instructions.

Tracey was right, Theo inwardly admitted. Potter knew how to teach and when he worked individually with you it really did feel like you were the only ones in the room. He focused on each and every one of them, working with them individually to help them. Theo had never seen Vince and Greg learn spells so quickly and he knew it was all because of Potter. It was always because of Potter.

"Exactly, Pansy," Potter was complimenting towards the end of the lesson.

They were working on Episkey now having already dealt with the first two. Knowing that Pansy aspired to be a Healer, Potter had taken to helping her from that angle. Talking about the different methods she could heal someone after they had suffered from the spells covered. Given Episkey was a healing specific spell meant Potter focused a bit more on her.

"Thanks, Harry," Pansy replied her cheeks reddening and swelling with pride.

Theo couldn't help but roll his eyes as her look of adoration followed the raven-haired man after his back had turned to help Blaise. That was one thing that had certainly remained the same even after the changes of the summer. Potter was still completely oblivious to the attention of both men and women who fawned on him.

"Great job everyone," Potter praised at the end of the lesson. "I know school starts up soon, so I'll cover some new stuff tomorrow but other than that we will focus on perfecting what we have so far. When you come back over the holidays I might even start teaching you the Patronus Charm."

"Really?" Daphne breathed, her eyes wide.

"So the rumors were true? You can actually cast one?" Blaise asked, his dark features looking eager at the thought.

In answer, Potter drew his wand and shouted 'Expecto Patronum' and a brilliant, silvery skeletal winged horse burst forth and trotted around the room looking for potential threats. "Huh," Potter murmured as the spectral image faded. "A thestral, that's new."

Theo blinked, a thestral? The creatures only visible by those who had witnessed death? He felt uneasy realizing he had just seen an image of it and resisted a shudder.

"What?" Tracey breathed, blinking her eyes almost dazedly.

"Used to be a stag, like my dads," Potter commented with a slight frown, staring at where the Patronus had faded. "Well, anyway, yeah, during Yule, I can start teaching you guys that. I taught the DA how to last year. Or I started, most were able to get it or at least the shield before we got disbanded." Theo saw Draco's ears pinken slightly.

"An impressive feat," a voice sounded from behind Theo and promptly he and his friends spun to a kneel. The Dark Lord had entered who knows how long ago. Theo feared punishment for neglecting to acknowledge the feared Dark wizard as soon as he entered, but there was none. The Dark Lord was focused on Potter and seemed to accept that the children of his followers hadn't meant to be disrespectful. This was something that Theo's father marveled at being different. His father had told him stories of the later years of the previous war how the Dark Lord had become so paranoid and ruthless and that any perceived slight was met with severe punishment.

According to his father, they were still tortured if they did something displeasing or were disrespectful but it wasn't to the same level as before. Theo had a pretty good guess as to why, or more appropriately, who was the reason behind the change. The man currently grinning cheekily at the most feared Dark wizard of all time with no tension to be seen, completely at ease.

Yes, most definitely: Harry Potter was the exception to every rule.