Chapter 1: Chapter One: Origins
Chapter Text
Chapter One: Origins
Harry Potter sat on his cot in his room under the stairs. It was nearly midnight and Harry was about to turn 10 years old. Double digits. Finally. Harry reckoned that even though no one else cared that he was turning 10, it didn’t mean that he couldn’t celebrate it himself in his own way. The Dursley’s, his relatives that he lived with, certainly weren’t going to make a fuss about it if they mentioned it at all. No, his aunt, uncle, and cousin were more likely to make things worse if they did remember it by giving him extra chores. Harry was content to remain quiet and be happy for himself rather than risk ruining the day by bringing it up. He imagined that had his parents been alive that they would have planned a huge blowout for his reaching 10 years of age. It didn’t do to dwell on what could be, he reminded himself. It was truly up to him to make the most of his life.
Harry grinned to himself. He’d been planning what he was going to do for his birthday all week and it was time to get started. He reached above the door and grabbed a hairpin from his stash of ‘lockpicks’. Harry had resorted to collecting things that could help him break out of his room whenever he needed. Hairpins were the go to for the simple lock. They were easy to come by and easy to hide. If anyone did find one in his room they’d assume it had made it’s way there by mistake. He pushed the illuminate button on his watch and read the time. It was 12:00 AM and everyone was surely asleep by now. He jimmied the hairpin into the lock and twisted and pushed until he undid the lock.
The door creaked open and Harry could hear the dulled sounds of Dudley’s TV playing upstairs. His cousin often fell asleep with his TV on so it was safe to assume he was asleep. He gently closed his door and made his way to the kitchen. He didn’t bother to turn any lights on. He knew the layout by heart, having spent so much time cleaning and cooking for his relatives. He walked to the refrigerator and opened the door to claim his prize.
While he did most of the cooking, his aunt always chose the menu. Far be it that Harry get to make something he actually liked. No, he had to be smart about it. Harry loved treacle tart. It was his absolute favorite. Always had been. Harry had worked hard all week to leave subtle hints here and there to help influence his aunt’s decisions for meals this week. He started by fishing through his aunt’s recipe book and making sure the page with treacle tart on it was a little loose. That way whenever his aunt opened the book, she’d see the treacle tart. Then when he’d gone shopping for his aunt, he’d made sure to slip in the ingredients needed to make it. It had worked. This very night, his aunt had decided that treacle tart was to be on the menu for dinner. He made sure to sigh heavily when his aunt told him.
He wasn’t allowed to have any at dinner of course. No, dessert was not offered to Harry ever. But today was his birthday and as a gift to himself he was going to help himself to some in the middle of the night while everyone else was asleep. Harry hummed Happy Birthday to himself while he ate.
Once he was done, he very carefully put the leftovers back in the fridge exactly as it had been before. He washed his dishes very quietly and put them back. No one would be able to tell that he’d been here at all.
“Time for part two,” Harry whispered to himself. This next part was far riskier than sneaking into the kitchen for a midnight snack. Harry crouched low and very carefully walked out of the kitchen and towards the front door. He was a bit nervous about sneaking out the front door. He could take the back door, but then he’d have to deal with the gate and that was directly below his aunt and uncle’s bedroom window. Since it was summer, it was likely their window was open. No… risky as it was, it was safer to use the front door. He steeled himself and quietly walked through the front door and gently shut the door behind him. He hesitated slightly and paused to listen for any indication he’d been heard. When it was clear to him that he hadn’t been heard, he started to walk.
Harry walked up Privet drive basking in the quiet darkness that night provided. He was in his element and he could remove the mask he wore during the daytime. His relatives had tried so hard to make his life hell. For a long time, no one trusted or liked him thanks to his aunt gossiping about what a lazy, no good troublemaker he was. Whenever Harry was out in public or at school, he was treated with disdain. If something went wrong, Harry was the first to be blamed, even if there was no evidence whatsoever that it had in fact been him.
This had bothered Harry a lot. He cared very much about his reputation and hated that everyone thought poorly of him. This drove him to always be on his best behavior when people were around. He had to be above reproach at all times so he worked very hard to keep his hands clean. He had mastered the art of staying out of trouble. He became a model citizen and student. Soon, his aunt’s words were no longer enough. People no longer thought of him as a delinquent thanks to the polite and studious demeanor he wore. It frustrated his aunt, but there wasn’t a lot she could do about it in public.
But the night provided anonymity and he could walk freely. He was very sneaky and could navigate the shadows in such a way that he might as well be invisible. It was like magic to Harry. If he didn’t want to be seen or heard in the dark, then he went unnoticed to those around him. And in the darkness, Harry was free to be himself. And he was anything but a model citizen.
Harry had a secret. Not a single soul knew about it other than him. For as long as he could remember, Harry loved to steal things. Small things, big things, common things, expensive things, it didn’t matter. The only rule that he had was that the person he stole from had to deserve it. Bullies were his favorite target. The more power they had, the better.
And tonight on his birthday, as another gift to himself, he was going to pull off the greatest heist that his 10 year old mind could come up with. He was going to break into the school and get back at the biggest bully he knew of: his teacher. Mrs Violet was a bully, plain and simple. Why she had chosen to be a teacher when she clearly hated children was beyond Harry’s comprehension. She picked on the students relentlessly, called them stupid when they answered incorrectly, and she was also the only teacher that Harry couldn’t seem to win over. But tonight wasn’t about that, no. It was about something much worse in Harry’s mind.
Her most recent crime had nothing to do with Harry, but another girl name Prity. She had refused to give a hall pass to her when she very clearly needed to use the restroom. And when she peed herself, rather than apologize for the mistake, she made her stand in the front of the class in her wet clothes and write lines. Harry couldn’t fathom dealing with the humiliation of such an act. He shuddered at the memory.
Lost in his thoughts of revenge, he hadn’t realized that he’d already almost made it to the park. He needed to stop there before heading to the school.
Surrounding the south and west sides of the park, was a small wooded area in the space between the neighborhood and the park. From an outsider perspective there was nothing noteworthy about the place. It was as mundane as the surrounding neighborhood. But Harry knew better. He walked into the treeline and towards a small cove of trees and stopped seemingly at random, leaned down, and pulled open a trap door. Harry had discovered this place on accident a couple of summers ago. He’d been running from Dudley and his gang when he’d suddenly fallen into a hole in the ground. Harry figured that a negligent developer had failed to fill in this area properly and after some time the roof weakened enough and Harry fell through. Dudley and his gang never found him and after a lot of effort, Harry was able to climb out of the hole. He returned later with some supplies and hollowed out the hole even further. He’d used fallen tree limbs from the surrounding trees to line the dirt walls and ceiling and built himself a nice little ladder. He’d covered the hole with some scrap plywood and put a bunch of leaves and dirt over it so it blended in with the surrounding area. No one ever came back here really. Harry was one of the few kids that spent time outdoors.
Harry climbed down the ladder, leaving the door open since he wasn’t staying, and surveyed his hideout. It looked the same as it always did but… He couldn’t put his finger on it. Something just felt off. All of his stuff was here but he couldn’t help but feel like someone other than him had been down here recently. Unable to find anything out of place or missing, Harry shrugged and grabbed what he’d come here for in the first place… his fanny pack theft kit and some keys.
He’d gotten the keys one Monday morning a few weeks ago before the end of the school year. Harry had been walking down the hall after using the restroom and had heard snoring coming from a supply closet. He’d opened the door and found the janitor laying there with his hat covering his eyes. He could still remember the foul smell of alcohol coming off the guy that was probably sleeping off a hangover. It was too easy and Harry couldn’t help but take advantage of his luck. He grabbed the keys and gingerly placed them in his backpack, careful not to let them jingle. He didn’t need the keys at the time, but the janitor was a grouchy old man that yelled at the kids. He deserved to be one of his victims, Harry had decided.
The fanny pack he’d nicked from Dudley’s second bedroom. A discarded gift. He’d filled it with hairpins, some tape, a flashlight, and other odds and ends from the shed and then taken it to his hideout to store until he needed it.
Harry climbed back up the ladder and closed the door. He checked his watch. It was only 12:20AM. He’d only been out of the house for a few minutes but it felt much longer. He still had plenty of time to pull off his heist. He might even get a little bit of sleep tonight.
He walked back through the park and back to the street. The school wasn’t far from there. Harry had been going to this school for four years now and knew it like the back of his hand. He walked around the school and towards the loading dock where trucks dropped off food and supplies. It was a well covered area and he didn’t need to worry about being seen from one of the homes in the neighborhood. He fished out the keys and tried them one by one until one of them opened the door. The door creaked loudly and he flinched. He didn’t think anyone would be here to hear it but he wasn’t sure. He decided that speed was probably going to be more important than stealth at this point. In and out as soon as possible.
Mrs Violet’s classroom wasn’t far from the cafeteria and Harry soon found himself just outside the classroom. He hoped this trip was going to be fruitful. It was summer after all and Mrs Violet could have taken her belongings home until the next school year. He gingerly opened the door and slid inside before shutting the door behind him. He walked towards his teacher’s desk where he knew she kept one of her most prized possessions. On the desk he gazed at his prize, relieved.
It was a very nice pen set. Not something he would normally care about but he knew it was important to her and that it was probably quite valuable. She had bragged and bragged to the students and staff that some renowned professor had given it to her himself. Harry didn’t know who the professor was but all the teachers were impressed when Mrs Violet told them. He placed the pen set in his fanny pack. He grinned at the dust line that was left behind at the now missing object. It was one of the simplest things but it brought him so much happiness to see evidence of the vacant object.
Harry was on his way back towards the classroom door when he heard a man walking by with a flashlight. ‘It must be the security officer,’ Harry thought before he quickly ducked and leaned against the wall near the door. He saw the man shine the flashlight through the small window in the door and he held his breath. The beam of light shone right where Harry was standing seconds before. A few moments later and the man was back on his way down the hall. ‘That was too close,’ he thought to himself as he exhaled. His heart was racing. He loved this. It was exhilarating.
Harry waited a few more seconds before he opened the door. He could hear the man walking away around the corner. He ran as fast as he could back towards the cafeteria while still being quiet. He made it back outside without issue. Harry took a deep breath and smiled to himself. Another successful heist.
Harry walked back towards his hideout in the park, reminiscing on past heists he’d pulled up. He had been planning this particular ‘job’ for weeks and was so glad to have it pay off. Nearly being caught actually made it even more fun for Harry. It was thrilling. His heart was still racing when he walked past the playground, a smile plastered on his face.
He walked over to his hideout, opened the trap door, climbed down the ladder, turned around, and ran into something… no, someone! He stumbled backwards until his back was up against the ladder. Harry could see the outline of the person as they reached towards the small tree table and turned on the lantern. Harry’s eyes adjusted to the sudden light slowly. He blinked a few times and found himself looking at the familiar face of…
“Mrs Figg?” Harry asked. “What are you doing down here?” Harry could hear the confusion and frustration in his voice. He’d worked so hard to maintain a certain image and all of that was now at risk. He didn’t understand why ‘Old Mrs Figg’ was standing here in his hideout with a smile on her face. Why was she smiling?
“Can you think of no reason for me to be down here, Harry?” She asked him.
Harry paused… Thinking. And then he remembered. Just last Friday he had been over at Mrs Figg’s house helping her with some errands. He had taken something of hers. He couldn’t help it. It was like the small figurine was calling to him and he broke his rule. Harry’s shoulders dropped a fraction of an inch before he pulled on his cool exterior. The momentary shock he had felt before replaced by resolve.
“Thinking of lying to me, laddie?” Mrs Figg asked him.
‘How did she know?’ He wondered. Harry had in fact been working on a cover at that moment.
Mrs Figg walked over towards one of Harry’s makeshift shelves and opened one of his many containers. Harry wanted to stop her but couldn’t see any way out of this. He’d have to ride this out and see where it went. She seemed more amused than angry he reckoned. Maybe it wouldn’t be that bad. He watched as she reached her hand in and took out a small porcelain figuring of a cat with his paw raised and a gold coin in his mouth. “This,” she said with a steely voice, “is mine and I’d thank you to not go swiping my things in the future.”
Harry watched as she walked towards him. He noticed that she had a small smirk and she was looking at him with her head tilted to the side as if she were studying him. The silence continued as they stared at one another.
Finally, after what seemed like forever she finally said, “I’ll forgive you this time, laddie, but it will require a favor and a promise to never steal something of mine again.”
Harry breathed a sigh of relief and he asked, “What kind of favor, Mrs Figg?” He couldn’t believe his luck. She was willing to let it go? She wasn’t going to turn him in? He very much wanted to know how she knew that he’d taken it and how she had found his hideout but he held his tongue. For now.
“Straight to the point, just like your mother.” Mrs Figg said.
Harry flinched. “You knew my mother?” he asked. He was strangely happy to be compared to her, even though he never knew her. He was suddenly very glad that he’d staved off asking his other questions.
“Indeed I did,” she replied. “And if you do this favor properly I’ll happily tell you all about it.”
Harry couldn’t believe his luck. Not only was he not in trouble but now Mrs Figg had revealed that she knew his mother. No one was ever willing to talk to him about his parents and he was starved for any information about them that wasn’t tarnished by his Aunt Petunia’s obvious jealousy. It all seemed to rely on this favor though… He hoped it wasn’t something terribly difficult or distasteful.
“What do you need me to do?” He said.
Mrs Figg smiled wickedly and said, “You aren’t the only person to have stolen something from me in the last couple days, it turns out. Normally I’d handle this myself but I find myself curious about you and this is a perfect chance for me to find out more.” She looked around his hideout and gestured to his trophies before continuing, “I’m impressed, Harry. I’m not going to lie. I had no idea that you were… anything other than what you portray to everyone else. That is…” she paused, “Not until you made the mistake of stealing from me.” Harry could see an angry glint in her eye and he swallowed. Apparently he wasn’t the only person wearing a mask on Privet Drive.
“Who are you?” he asked her before he could stop himself. He was at least proud that his voice didn’t tremble from his nerves.
Mrs Figg laughed and much of her frustration and hardness seemed to evaporate away. “I’m ‘Old Mrs Figg’, laddie. The neighborhood crazy cat lady that can’t manage anything on her own and needs to ask for help constantly.” Harry smiled. That was almost exactly how his Aunt and Uncle talked about her at home.
“Play your cards right and I might just tell you more, Harry,” she said. “But right now, I’m still a bit peeved at you for stealing from me. You need to earn my forgiveness before we go any further.”
Harry paused. She had so easily put him at ease and then back on edge within seconds. She reminded him of a cat. If he had to use a word to describe her at this moment it was capricious. She was playing with him like a mouse. He would need to be careful not to find himself caught in her trap in the future.
“Right,” he said. “What do you need me to do?”
“As I was saying,” she said. “You aren’t the only person to have stolen from me recently.” She sneered in disbelief before continuing, “I want you to steal it back. I’ve had my eye on you tonight and I think this is within your skill level to handle.”
Harry couldn’t believe it. How had she been watching him? He hadn’t seen any sign of her at all. All of these revelations about Mrs Figg were maddening and he knew at that moment that he hadn’t been nearly as careful as he thought. He needed to know how she had been watching him if he was going to do better in the future. At this point, he’d do just about anything to be in her good graces. Maybe then she would let him know just how she had discovered his secrets.
Mrs Figg continued, oblivious to his racing thoughts, “The neighbor down the street, Miss Koshkov, bought one of my kittens a couple days ago. She was supposed to pay me 500 pounds but she only paid me 200. I’ve been trying to get it from her but she says she won’t pay any more than that.” She paused, collecting her baring before continuing, “I suppose she figures that poor ‘old Mrs Figg’ can’t or wont’ do anything about it but she’s wrong!”
Harry’s eyes widened. This was not the ‘Old Mrs Figg’ he knew. This woman was scary. He was impressed at how she had fooled everyone around her.
“I want you to sneak into her house and get the kitten back,” she said.
Harry smiled and said simply, “I’d love to.” He glanced at his watch. It was still only 2:00AM. He wondered if he could squeeze this in tonight. He was feeling rather impatient and wanted to know more about how Mrs Figg had known he had stolen the figurine and how she knew his mother. He didn’t know which he wanted to know more. He wasn’t likely to get much sleep tonight after all of these revelations anyways.
Mrs Figg smiled at him. “You really are so much like your mother. She didn’t mince words, that one. So very clever and capable. She’d be proud of who you’ve become so far and you’re only 10 years old.” She shook her head solemnly. “Happy birthday, by the way.”
Harry was shocked that she knew it was his birthday. He was tempted to ask her for more but decided against it. There would be time for that later. Instead, he just said, “I’ll get your kitten, Mrs Figg. I’ll meet you at your house shortly.”
Mrs Figg nodded, handed him the container that he’d used to store the cat figure, and climbed the ladder. Harry took the container and placed it back on the shelf. He shook his head in disbelief once again and then climbed the ladder out. When he’d cleared the trapdoor Mrs Figg was nowhere in sight. ‘Good thing I know where Miss Koshkov’s house is,’ he thought to himself. He closed the door and made sure it blended into the surroundings. Satisfied, he walked towards Magnolia road. It was opposite the way he’d entered the park. Miss Koshkov lived on the opposite end of the neighborhood from his relatives and he needed to hurry if he was going to make it in time.
Harry clung to the shadows and avoided the lamp posts that lined the street. He was on high alert after Mrs Figg had discovered him tonight. He was determined that there would be no more surprises. Soon enough, he found himself in front of Miss Koshkov’s house.
All the lights were out. The good thing about this neighborhood was that almost all of the houses were the same layout with only very small variance. He knew where the master bedroom was and all the easy ways in and out of the house already. This should be fairly easy as long as one of the windows or doors is unlocked.
Harry decided to try the back door first. He didn’t want to be seen on the front porch. He made his way to the side gate and tried the latch. No lock. Great! He opened the gate without a creak. Harry sighed in relief and made his way to the back door. He tried the door knob but it was locked. He wasn’t surprised. The door wasn’t the only way in. Harry looked up and scanned the windows. The Dursley’s left some of their windows open all night in the summer and he reckoned that Miss Koshkov did the same.
Sure enough, Harry found his way in on the 2 nd floor on the side of the house. There was no easy way up, however. Undeterred, Harry made his way to the back of the house. He saw a shed. Maybe there is a ladder in there. He made his way to the door and sure enough, it was unlocked. He couldn’t see inside for the life of him, though, and had to fish out his flashlight from his fanny pack. He turned it on and scanned the room quickly. He found a ladder laying on the ground against the wall opposite him. He very quietly snuck it out of the shed and set it up just beneath the open window on the side of the house. If Miss Koshkov’s house was the same floor plan as the Dursley’s then this would be the bathroom window. He climbed the ladder, flinching as each step made a sound.
Sure enough, it was in fact a bathroom window. Harry prayed to the gods that he wouldn’t be discovered and climbed through. The window was right next to the toilet and luckily for him, unluckily for Mrs Koshkov, she had terrible taste in decorating and had one of those ugly toilet seat covers with frilly fabric. It cushioned the sound as Harry used it to climb down from the window. Harry stopped and listened for any indication he’d been heard. After a long pause and no sign that anyone was awake, he moved out of the bathroom and into the hall.
Where would he be if he were a kitten? He wondered to himself. Harry had spent enough time at Mrs Figg’s to know that she only sold cats once they were old enough to be house trained and weened off their mother’s milk so he guessed that the cat box was likely downstairs. Either in with the laundry or another closet. He snuck down the stairs, flinching when he made a creak on one of the steps. It was impossible to know which steps would creak in each house. Harry vowed to discover a way to climb stairs without making a noise.
Harry found himself in the kitchen and couldn’t believe his luck. Right on the floor, surrounded by baby gates was the kitten and a cat box. Mrs Figg must have sold this one a little earlier than normal, he thought. The kitten looked up at him and meowed quietly. “Who’s a good kitty?” he said as he leaned down and scooped the kitten up. He continued to make silly noises to the kitten to help it remain calm.
Harry scanned the kitchen and noticed a rather large purse on the kitchen table. It would be perfect for carrying the kitten down the ladder in. He contemplated leaving out the front door but he wanted to remove any sign for how he got in. Leave no trace and all that. He put the purse over his shoulder and then placed the kitten inside gently. The kitten meowed loudly. Panicked, Harry scanned the kitchen again and made his way to the garbage. He removed the lid and found a can of cat food. There was still a bit of food left in it so he snatched it up and put it in the bag with the kitten. The meowing stopped as the kitten began to eat the food.
There wasn’t much food in the can so Harry would need to hurry. He slipped back up the stairs, careful to avoid the step that creaked last time. He went through the bathroom and climbed back out the window. It was much more difficult with the bag but he managed. Once back on the ground, he quickly put the ladder back in the shed. Outside of the shed, he took a breath and scanned the yard. There was no indication he’d been here at all. Happy with his work, he made his way to the side gate and crept out of the backyard the same way he came in.
It took almost no time for him to make it down Magnolia Road and he was soon turning onto Wisteria Walk. Luckily, Mrs Figg lived on this street, on the end closest to Privet Drive so it was on his way home anyways. Harry opened the bag to check on the kitten. To his delight, he discovered they’d snuggled in and were sleeping contentedly. He walked the rest of the way down the street in the dark. He checked his watch on the way. It was 2:30AM and no one in the neighborhood was likely to be awake. Still, Harry remained vigilant as he made the rest of the way to Mrs Figg’s house. When he got to the front door, he raised his hand to knock quietly on the door but it opened before he could knock his first knock. Mrs Figg’s hand reached out the barely open doorway and held out her hand expectantly. Harry chuckled at her antics, shrugged off the bag, and placed the strap in her hand.
It didn’t seem to be what she was expecting. Her hand jerked at the contact of the leather strap but she recovered and pulled it inside. Harry heard her say “I’ll be in contact soon,” before she shut the door.
His jobs done, he quickly walked the rest of the way back to his relatives home and walked back in through the front door. He carefully set the lock.
He crept back into his room, exhausted, and laid on his cot with a smile on his face. His birthday a success. He couldn’t imagine anything could ruin it. No one was going to prevent him from getting what he wanted. Even with the cards stacked against him and even if he had to work harder than anyone else, Harry always got what he wanted eventually.
Chapter 2: Chapter Two: Revelations
Chapter Text
Chapter Two: Revelations
Only a few hours after he got home from his heists, Harry groggily awoke to the sound of his Aunt’s nails drumming on the door to his cupboard. Harry sighed, he felt like he’d just closed his eyes seconds before. A moment later, his cupboard door opened and his aunt’s ugly mug was framed by the doorway. “Get up you lazy good for nothing boy!” She yelled. “It’s time to make breakfast. I’ll not have you lazing about all summer.” She backed out of the doorway, straightened with a huff, and walked towards the kitchen.
Harry sighed. It was going to be one of those days, wasn’t it. Some days were worse than others. On a good day, his relatives operated as if he didn’t exist except to do a few chores here and there. On a bad day, like this one seemed to be, they belittled him and gave him more to do than he had time. He guessed it was too much to hope that his birthday would land on a good day.
His aunt continued to berate him as he made breakfast but let up when his uncle and cousin entered the room. Harry kept his head down and served his relatives breakfast. He was simply too tired to put up any pretense of a fight. He couldn’t win anyways. No, on days like today, it was best to simply mitigate the problem by becoming as invisible as possible.
Sure enough, his uncle and cousin left, and his aunt gave him a list of chores to do before also walking away. Harry read the list. It was a lot, but not the most he’d ever had to do in one day. He reckoned he could be done by lunch.
Harry distracted himself as he worked by thinking up scenarios of how ‘Old Mrs Figg’ could possibly have known his mother. His favorite idea so far was that his Mom and Mrs Figg were secret agents of MI6 even though he knew it was pretty far-fetched. Maybe they were part of a criminal syndicate or maybe they were simply co-workers. Harry figured the latter was the most likely. People were seldom part of anything remotely exciting. Harry shrugged. He had no way of knowing. His aunt never talked about his mother except to complain that she’d been irresponsible and it wasn’t fair that her and uncle Vernon had been stuck with another mouth to feed.
He was outside pulling weeds in the back garden just before lunch when he heard the phone ring through the open window. He heard his aunt’s heels on the kitchen tile as she walked to the phone.
“Hello, Mrs Dursley speaking,” he heard his aunt say. “Oh, hello Mrs Figg.” His aunt’s tone shifted slightly to a less friendly one. There was a somewhat long pause before he heard his aunt speak again. “I’m sorry to hear that,” she said, and then a little bit later he heard her say, “Yes, I supposed I could send Harry over to your house later today, but not until he finishes his chores.”
Mrs Figg worked quickly. Harry was lost in thought for a while, thinking of all the things he was going to learn from Mrs Figg about his mother. He was brought out of his thoughts when he heard his aunt say, “Yes, I suppose we could work something out so long as we’re… I mean, the boy is compensated.”
Harry wondered what they were talking about now. It sounded to him as if he was being sold for labor. Harry shuddered. It was just the type of thing the Dursley’s would do. He grimaced. I’m not their property. They have no right. Harry continued to seethe quietly out of view as he listened in on the one sided conversation. Nothing of note was said though… just some niceties.
Harry resumed working on his chores. In his anger, he misjudged his hand placement and ended up cutting his middle finger on a thorn. “Ouch!” he exclaimed out loud and then promptly stuck his finger in his mouth trying to dull the pain. Mumbling to himself, he shifted and then resumed working. He was almost done. He’d just have to wait to see what his aunt and Mrs Figg had worked out.
A few hours later, his aunt called him into the kitchen. He walked through the backdoor and stood at the end of the table. “Get yourself showered and dressed in some different clothes,” she said with a crinkled nose. Her upper lip drawn up in disgust.
Harry did as he was told. He walked up the stairs and into the bathroom. He stared at himself for a moment in the mirror before starting the shower.
Once showered and dressed, Harry made his way back down to the kitchen. When he got there, his Aunt was sitting at the table, just as before, and there were two sandwiches on plates set. One in front of her and the other in the space next to her. She gestured for him to have a seat. He sat with a frown. In any other family, the gesture would be perfectly normal. In the Dursley household, Harry only saw red flags.
His Aunt said, “Go ahead and eat, boy.”
‘Boy’, Harry thought. All they ever did was call him ‘boy’. As if he didn’t have a name. He grabbed the sandwich and took a bite.
“Mrs Figg called earlier and she’s had a bit of an accident. Tripped over one of her cats I suppose,” she said. “She’s asked for some help around her house for the rest of the summer and I’ve told her to expect you sometime today. You’ll be staying with her in her house since she can’t seem to get around much.”
Harry stopped chewing. The rest of the summer? A whole month Dursley free it sounded like. He began looking for the inevitable downside that he was sure must be there somewhere. Then he remembered the compensation he’d heard them talk about over the phone. He probably wouldn’t see a pence of it.
“You’re to be on your best behavior. You’ll do as you’re told and not talk back,” she said while wagging her finger at him. “If I hear that you’ve been anything but a gentleman, you’ll have the belt!”
Harry shuddered at the memory of the last time he’d been whipped with a belt. He’d healed quickly, luckily, but the welts… oh the welts. He hadn’t been able to sleep properly for days. He’d rather avoid that.
“And you better not go telling her about how you’re treated here, understand?” she said. “No one will believe you anyways.
Harry nodded as he swallowed the last of his sandwich. He couldn’t believe his luck. A whole month away from the Dursleys. A whole month to learn from Mrs Figg about his mum and hopefully learn how she’d known he’d stolen from her. He understood now why his Aunt was mostly being nice to him even if she was threatening him. He’d tried telling teachers about how he was treated by the Dursley’s but they didn’t believe him. His Aunt’s gossip about him had spread too far. It wouldn’t matter. Nothing would change.
“Good,” she said. “Go on then, Mrs Figg is waiting for you.”
Harry stopped at his cupboard to grab his hairpins and the fanny pack he hadn’t had time to put away in his hideout the night before. He then made his way out the front door and started walking to Mrs Figg’s house. He just managed to contain his excitement in case his Aunt was still watching him. As he rounded the corner, he saw Piers Polkiss and Dudley heading his way.
Before they could see him, he crept back and hid between a garbage bin and the fence. It would be safer to let them walk past him unnoticed. They weren’t likely to let Harry go on his own way without any trouble. They came into view a moment later and he could see they were each wearing headphones. Harry was going to just let them walk by but then he saw a wad of cash hanging out of Piers’ back pocket. It was hard to pass up the chance to pickpocket one of his greatest enemies, even in broad daylight. He crept up on Piers, matching his footsteps so he wouldn’t be noticed by the oblivious boy. He reached out and deftly swiped the wad of cash and then crept back to his hiding spot near the garbage bins. He waited until they were fully out of view before he continued walking towards Mrs Figg’s house.
Harry unfolded the wad of cash and began counting. ‘ There is nearly 100 quid here!’ , he thought. He wondered if Piers and Dudley were planning on shopping this afternoon. He laughed out loud and practically skipped the rest of the way. His birthday was going better than he could have anticipated. He slid the money into his fanny pack, which was now covered by his baggy shirt.
Harry knocked on Mrs Figg’s door and waited. A few seconds later, Mrs Figg shouted for him to come on in. He opened the door with a bit of trepidation, remembering the last time they’d talked, and walked in cautiously. “Harry!” he heard as he cleared the doorway, “Come in, come in!”
Mrs Figg had a big smile on her face that put him at ease instantly.
“You did an excellent job last night. I’m so happy to have my kitten back. The money, laddie, I wasn’t expecting. I have been watching you but you seem to be full of surprises,” she said to him.
Harry paused. What did she mean? He’d only gotten the kitten last night…
Mrs Figg laughed and said in a pleased voice, “Don’t tell me it was an accident!”
Harry caught up. The bag. Harry had completely forgotten about the bag. He’d only grabbed it so he could safely store the kitten.
“You must have the gods on your side if you grabbed the bag of cash on accident!” she said. “There was nearly 1000 quid tucked away in there with the kitten. It seems Mrs Koshkov could have afforded to pay me full price and was withholding it out of spite.”
Harry couldn’t believe it. 1000 quid in the bag just laying there in the Kitchen. That amount of money was unfathomable to him. And he’d just nicked it by chance. Mrs Koshkov ought to have been keeping that amount of money somewhere safer. He was a bit miffed that he’d just handed the money over to Mrs Figg, but he smiled at her. It didn’t hurt to have her in a good mood and he hoped she’d forgiven him for stealing her figurine.
“Here, come say hi to the kitten you rescued. He’s just in the kitchen,” she said. Harry followed her into the next room. Mrs Figg’s kitchen was night and day different from Aunt Petunia’s. It wasn’t overly messy but it was very well lived in. Her counters were covered with appliances and food instead of put away out of sight. Her cupboards were painted green and she had floral wallpaper throughout the room. It felt very welcoming.
On the floor next to the kitchen table was the kitten he’d rescued the night before. Harry hadn’t had the chance to get a good look at him as he rushed out of the house last night. He was black as night with amber eyes. The kitten meowed loudly at him. He crouched down and the kitten walked over and headbutted his hand, purring.
“He likes you.” Mrs Figg said simply. Harry smiled at the kitten as he scratched his ears. “You should name him”, she said. “I haven’t been able to come up with anything for him.” Harry thought for a second. Names were important and he wanted to do right by his new friend. Harry thought for a while, looking at his black fur. There wasn’t a spot of any other color on him. Just jet black fur similar to Harry’s hair. His amber eyes shined brightly in contrast and seemed strangely intelligent.
“How about… Midnight?” he asked the kitten. The cat purred but didn’t indicate whether he liked it or not. “No, better be… Shadow?” The cat blinked in response. “You’re right, much to common. Hmm…” Harry looked into the cat’s eyes and detected a bit of mischief. And then it came to him. “How about Loki?” He asked the kitten. The kitten meowed in approval before headbutting his hand again. Harry laughed. “I think he likes it,” he said to Mrs Figg.
“Aye, a good name. Names are important,” she said. “You should keep him. Consider him a birthday present.” Loki meowed in discontent and Harry understood why. He wasn’t a thing to be given away. He was a living being. Mrs Figg continued unaware, “I doubt your aunt will let you take him home…” Harry snorted. No. She would absolutely not let him take him home. Uncle Vernon or Dudley would likely kill him. The thought soured his mood a bit and he shook away the thought. “Well,” she said with a frown, “I suppose he could stay here. You’ve obviously already got a bond so I won’t sell him to anybody. Wouldn’t be right by either of you.”
“Thanks, Mrs Figg,” he said. Today was turning out to be the best birthday he’d ever had. “Does that mean that you’ve forgiven me for stealing from you?” he asked.
“You’re forgiven for stealing from me, but don’t do it again. Another bag of money won’t save you from my wrath if you do me like that ever again.” Harry looked her in her eyes and said, “I won’t. I promise.” And he meant it. Mrs Figg was a friend for life for what she was doing for him. He didn’t know what compelled him to break his one rule in the first place.
“You really do have your mother’s eyes, Harry, has anyone told you that?” She said.
Harry thought. He hardly knew anything about his mother. No one, not even his Aunt would tell him anything about her. “No,” he said finally, “No one has ever told me that.” He saw Mrs Figg frown.
“Not even your aunt?” she asked him. He shook his head no.
Harry could feel Mrs Figg assessing him. He tried not to shift in discomfort, but failed. She walked over to him as if seeing him for the first time. Harry stood still as she reached towards him and tugged on his baggy shirt sleeve. “The Dursley’s don’t treat you very well, do they laddie?” she asked him. Before he could answer she continued, “They told the whole neighborhood that you were a miscreant and a criminal and I figured they were just give you some tough love… but you’re not, a miscreant, are you, laddie? Well… I mean… other than stealing from me,” she said with a smile. “The other things they say about you, they’re not true are they?”
Harry didn’t say anything at first, but decided that Mrs Figg had earned his trust and opened up a little bit. He pet Loki’s head and said, “I’m not a trouble maker, really, Mrs Figg. In fact I didn’t even start stealing until everyone already assumed that I was a bad kid.” He took a breath and decided to press forward in defense of his actions. “I don’t just steal from anybody, normally. I don’t know why I stole your figurine… it was just calling to me and I couldn’t help it. Normally…” he paused trying to think of how best to phrase it. Loki was purring contentedly in his arms and that soothed him. “Normally, I don’t just steal just because… Don’t get me wrong, I do like stealing. I love the thrill of it and the challenge… but I have a rule now. I only steal from people that deserve it. I have to have a good reason.”
Mrs Figg was watching him with interest. “I don’t suppose that sometimes those reasons are a bit flexible, eh?” she asked him. Harry thought about her question for a minute. Did he sometimes stretch it and make up an excuse to make it okay? Sure. He tried not to push it too far though. He smiled. Mrs Figg seemed to understand him and she wasn’t judging him. She continued, “So you steal to because you like it but to justify it, there has to be a reason?”
“Exactly!” he said. “Otherwise, I’m no better than the average bully and I hate bullies. Stealing feels good and is a thrill to me, but the greater thrill is providing justice in an otherwise unjust situation. If they don’t know where the justice came from, all the better.”
Mrs Figg was looking at a large gray cat on top of the refrigerator. Harry had been over here a couple times while Mrs Figg minded him when the Dursley’s went on vacation but he’d never seen this particular cat before. The cat had purple intelligent eyes and the gray fur had a purple hew to it. If he didn’t know any better, he’d guess they were having a conversation. Harry laughed at the thought. The cat jumped off the fridge and ran into the next room.
Harry yawned and remembered that he’d only gotten a few hours of sleep last night.
Mrs Figg seemed to remember as well and said, “Why don’t you sit tight with Loki and I’ll make us dinner?” Harry made to get up from his chair but Mrs Figg bade Harry to sit down. “I’ll tell you a bit about your parents while I cook.” Harry complied immediately, suddenly less tired.
“Lets see… where to start…” Mrs Figg hummed to herself with her finger on her chin, deep in thought. Harry thought he heard her murmur something about a dumb door being upset with her. He looked down at Loki. The small kitten was curled up in his lap sleeping. “Alright, well there is nothing for it. I can’t really tell you about your parents without telling you…” She broke off again seemingly trying to figure out how to tell him something.
“Have you ever done something out of the ordinary or had something happen around you that you couldn’t explain?” she asked him. “It would most likely happened while you were stressed or really wanted something.” Harry didn’t know where she was going but she had such a serious look on her face that he decided to just think about it for a minute.
There was that time he got blamed for turning his substitute teacher’s hair blue… but that was surely just someone else performing a prank. Harry thought it was a pretty good prank, actually, and would have appreciated it more if he hadn’t been blamed for it.
Then there was the time he ended up on top of the school while he was running from Dudley and his gang… Harry always assumed he’d just disassociated or something because of stress. But everyone else made a big deal about it and Dudley didn’t go near him for a whole week he was so scared.
Harry guessed there were odd things going on around him from time to time and he nodded in the affirmative. “Yeah, I suppose… Why do you ask?” Mrs Figg had a knowing smile on her face as she said, “I ask because they are signs of your magic reacting. When magical kids want something or are stressed, their magic reacts and things happen that no one can seem to explain. And you laddie are a magical, just like your dad and just like your mom.”
Harry raised one eyebrow as if to ask if she really expected him to believe that.
Mrs Figg chuckled and said, “I’m being serious Harry. You are magical just like your parents. There’s a whole society of witches and wizards all around the world. They have to hide from the non magicals to avoid persecution.”
That made sense to Harry. After all, he wore a mask every day to avoid detection as at thief. Being a thief was who Harry really was. It was part of his identity. Did that mean that being magical was another part of his identity? He wondered which of the two he’d end up owning more of. Probably being a thief, he thought. He’d managed to be a decent thief without any magic, after all… but then he started to wonder if accidental magic had ever played a role in his success. There was no way for him to know, he reckoned, so why worry about it. Harry thought some more about some of the weird things that had happened around him and he decided it was crazy to believe anything other than what Mrs Figg was telling him. Besides, what did she have to gain by lying to him? Maybe, he should trust her for now until he could get proof.
“Mrs Figg, does that mean that you are magical as well?” he asked. He’d hoped maybe Mrs Figg could give him an example.
He saw her flinch and suddenly regretted his question.
“Ah, no, not exactly,” she said. “I am what is known as a squib. A squib is someone with magical parents but no magical ability of their own. They are looked down on in magical society,” she finished.
Harry frowned. It didn’t seem fair that someone could either be born with or without magic. It didn’t make any sense to him. To be born into the magical world but not be able to do any magic at all seemed a very cruel fate. He wondered if there was a way to give someone the ability. Could he steal magic from someone undeserving of it and give it to someone else? Probably not, he reckoned, otherwise Mrs Figg would have found a way to do just that. Still, the idea was planted in his head firmly and was now unwilling to move. He’d have to look into it.
Mrs Figg continued, “Your mom is an example of the opposite. In polite society, she’s what is known as a first generation witch because no one else in her family had any magical ability. You should know that there are some people in magical society that look down on first generation magicals. They have cruel names for them, but I shan’t tell you that now.”
Harry was getting the idea, he thought, that magical society was just as fickle as regular society and that there were people trying to maintain superiority in any way they could. Regular people had money, politics, and even blood in certain circles in England. Magicals seemed to be just the same, but added magic into the mix.
Harry didn’t think it was exactly fair to judge someone for something they couldn’t control. He reckoned he could have just as easily been born in America or China and had no magic. It all came down to chance. He’d rather judge someone by their character and ability.
“Your father on the other hand was from an old pureblood family. The Potter family can trace back their magic several generations,” she said. “It was quite a scandal when your father married your mother, though your grandparents were thrilled. They loved Lily and you.”
“What happened to them?” he asked. He figured they weren’t still around or else he’d be living with them instead of the Dursley’s. He couldn’t help but wonder what that would have been like. Definitely better than what he had now. Life was unfair like that sometimes he mused.
Mrs Figg crossed her arms and frowned. She seemed to be thinking what to tell him. “Unfortunately, they died during the last wizarding war, the same as your parents,” she said with a sigh. Harry frowned. His parents had died in a war? He scoffed. He shouldn’t be surprised that his aunt and uncle had lied when they said they’d died in a car crash.
“My aunt said that they died in a car crash. Her and Uncle Vernon always said that my parents were lazy, inconsiderate drunks with no jobs. I’m guessing that they weren’t being honest about that part too?” he asked.
Mrs Figg had a sneer on her face at the revelation. “No!” she screamed. “Sorry. No.” she said. She got up from her chair and started to make some tea. “No, your parents were very good people. Courageous people, in fact. Your father was an Auror, that’s a person that catches dark wizards, like a detective. Dangerous work that. Takes a whole lot of skill, brains, and a certain level of bravery that not many wizards have these days.”
“And my mother?” he asked. He wondered if his mom was the type to stay at home and raise kids or if she also had a career. He thought both were completely valid options and were better than what his aunt and uncle had said about them. He just wanted to know his parents better.
“Your mother was an expert at charms and potions and could have chosen a multitude of careers had she been born into a pureblood family. The fact that she was muggle born set her back a bit, but she was extremely gifted and intelligent. She worked with me, in fact, for an organization that didn’t care about her origins.”
Harry smiled. He was so happy to hear that his parents were good people and not the things he’d been told. He yawned again. Mrs Figg placed a steaming cup of herbal tea in front of him. “Drink up laddie, that ought to help you sleep tonight.”
Harry and Mrs Figg drank their tea in silence, each thinking of the past.
After they finished their tea, Mrs Figg insisted that Harry try and get some sleep tonight and that she’d continue to answer his questions tomorrow. Harry wanted to protest but the yawns discredited anything he said. Mrs Figg helped him gather Loki’s things and she took him upstairs to one of the spare rooms.
A few minutes later, he was fast asleep on the queen sized bed.
Harry woke suddenly to raised voices. He rubbed his eyes and shook his head. Where was he? He definitely wasn’t in his cupboard… moonlight was shining through a window in the room. Something stirred on his stomach and he looked down. Loki was stretching his front paws out and yawning. Harry must have woken him up. He remembered now that he was at Mrs Figg’s place in the spare bedroom upstairs. He wondered who he’d heard yelling downstairs.
He lifted the covers off and stood at the edge of the bed. Worried that maybe Mrs Figg was in trouble, he walked to the door and opened it. He could hear Mrs Figg and another voice he wasn’t familiar with from the stairs. He started to catch snippets of the conversation and instantly knew that they were talking about him.
“The lad arrived with nothing but the clothes on his back. His relatives sent him to stay here for a whole month with nothing else. I’ve watched him before and it’s always the same and I’ve had enough. Things need to change around here. We need to do something to take care of the lad.”
Another voice that belonged to a man said, “I promised the Dursley’s that there would be no interference from the magical community when they took the boy in. Surely it’s not as bad as you say. My wards would have notified me if there was serious trouble.”
Mrs Figg continued, “Your wards are wrong. I can tell that something is not right at that house. They told him that his parents died in a car crash and that they were layabout drunks. He has no idea who he is. He has no friends. The Dursley’s work him to the bone and I’m beginning to suspect that they treat him more like a house elf than a human!”
Harry heard a loud sigh but couldn’t catch what the man said.
Mrs Figg responded in a lower voice. He’d have to get closer if he wanted to hear what was being said. He didn’t want to eavesdrop on Mrs Figg though. She’d been kind to him to get him away from the Dursley’s and was obviously trying to help him now. Harry decided to risk it. They were talking about him after all. He grabbed Loki and crept down the stairs a bit further. It seemed the voices were coming from the sitting room so he should be able to hear from the kitchen. He made his way down the stairs without a sound and put his ear to the door to the sitting room.
“I know you mean well, Professor, but if you were here you’d agree with me. The boy needs help. He’s being neglected. Surely your wards aren’t so important that the boy’s health and well being should pay for them.”
“My wards are all that is keeping him safe from witches and wizards that would see him harmed. Still, maybe there is a way we can help Harry without interfering with my promise.”
“I’m a squib, surely I don’t count as magical interference. Let me take the boy in and get him some clothes at least. It wouldn’t have to be permanent. You said the wards needed to be recharged every year, but how much time do they need?”
The professor replied, “I’m not sure. I will need to come by and test them without the Dursley’s knowing. Can you let me through? I might as well get this done now.”
Harry didn’t know what the man meant by letting him through. Surely Mrs Figg wasn’t blocking his path. Either way it sounded like they’d be coming through the kitchen any moment and he’d better skedaddle. Harry hurried to the stairs and climbed them as quietly as he could. He decided to wait at the top of the stairs out of view. He figured he could sneak back into his bedroom if it seemed they were coming upstairs.
A few minutes later he heard them walk through the kitchen. He could hear them talking in hushed tones and wasn’t able to understand any of it. He heard the front door open and shut and figured they had left the house. It wasn’t worth checking though so he stayed put. What on earth was going on? It sounded like Mrs Figg was trying to get him away from the Dursley’s for even longer than the rest of summer. He really hoped she succeeded in convincing the professor. He couldn’t help but wonder why the professor had a say in what he did anyways. Who was he to tell Mrs Figg what she could and couldn’t do? He sat at the top of the stairs and pet Loki. The kitten purred contentedly the whole time. Harry thought over the bits of conversation he’d heard. What was a house elf, he wondered? And the wards? Probably some type of protective or monitoring magic that the professor placed around the Dursley’s house. The professor had mentioned them keeping him safe, but from what? Maybe his parents had had enemies. That would make sense if his dad was a… he sifted through his memory of earlier that night… an auror, he thought.
Harry was pulled from his thoughts when the front door opened back up and shut a little while later. He could hear the voices again but couldn’t understand what was being said. Did he risk going back down to the kitchen? They weren’t likely to go back to the sitting room if the professor was going to leave any time soon. He ultimately decided it was worth the risk. He’d apologize if he got caught and say he thought he’d heard something and it had woken him up.
He and Loki snuck down the stairs and into the kitchen. From the kitchen, he could hear the conversation a bit better. It seemed that neither the professor or Mrs Figg were angry any longer. Harry figured that was a good thing. He placed his ear to the door and listened.
“I can’t believe how weak the wards are. If there was anything amiss going on in that house then I doubt that the warning would make it to me unless it was something extremely dark,” the professor said and sighed heavily. “You said that Harry has only been here since this afternoon?” he checked.
Mrs Figg said, “Aye, just this afternoon. Not even 12 hours. Does that mean anything.” There was a pause and then Harry heard the professor reply, “Based on the level of the wards, I’d guess that Harry hasn’t felt very loved while he’s been there… He probably doesn’t think of the place as home. Wards alone are complicated and sometimes finicky, blood wards even more so. I had hoped that Lily’s sacrifice transferred to the familial love of her only living relative would protect the boy… and they have, but only just.”
“Do you think it’s worth keeping him there? It’s a miracle the lad isn’t a psychopath or worse in those conditions. He needs love. He needs to be cared for or your ‘savior’ might end up turning to the dark, like Tom. Please, professor, let him stay with me… I knew his parents and I can be there for him.”
“Ah, I think you’re right, Mrs Figg,” the voice said slowly. Harry could tell that the Professor was deeply sad. He thought he’d heard enough of them talking about him. He didn’t understand everything they said but he understood the jist. It sounded like Mrs Figg had been able to convince the professor that he needed to be taken from the Dursley’s. He expected the Dursley’s would be thrilled except he wondered who’d be doing all the work around the house. The thought of Dudley doing gardening or cooking meals made Harry laugh out loud.
He made his way back up the stairs and into the bedroom. He looked at his watch and it was only a quarter to 3:00AM. He could get a few more hours of sleep hopefully. He put Loki down on the bed in the space next to him, pulled the covers over him and went back to sleep.
Downstairs, Mrs Figg and the professor worked out what to tell the Dursley’s and worked through some other details. It wasn’t until nearly 5:00AM that the professor left and Mrs Figg turned in for a couple hours of sleep.
When Harry woke up, it was just after sunrise. His routine at the Dursley’s made it difficult to sleep in too long and he didn’t really mind that. He got up and went to the bathroom to get ready for the day. After a fresh shower and brushing his teeth, he put on the same clothes from yesterday. He hoped he’d be able to get some clothes that fit him. Maybe some of that money he’d taken from Mrs Koshkov would go to good use.
In the kitchen, Harry inspected the contents of the fridge. There was everything he needed to make a decent breakfast for the two of them. He pulled out the bacon, eggs, and bread and got started on breakfast. He saw Hermes watching him from his spot on the top of the fridge. He could have sworn the cat winked at him at one point.
He wondered where Loki had gone off to… he was worried for a bit and then he reminded himself that Loki was a cat and was probably just off doing cat things elsewhere. He couldn’t expect him to hang out by him all day, could he?
Breakfast done, he set the table and was contemplating on whether or not to wake Mrs Figg up or to leave her be. He decided to wait just a bit and sat down. The large gray cat that he’d seen last night jumped from his spot on the fridge and wondered off up the stairs.
Harry decided to start cleaning up the dishes in the meantime. A short while later, Mrs Figg came down the stairs in a robe. Her hair was a mess and she was rubbing her eyes, confused.
“Good morning Mrs Figg,” he said as he put a fresh mug of tea on the table. “I made breakfast. I hope that’s okay?
“Of course it’s okay, Harry, but you didn’t have to go through all the trouble,” she said.
“No worries Mrs Figg, I like cooking well enough and I er…” How did he want to go about this. He could be up front and let her know that he’d heard a bit of the conversation or he could play dumb… but he figured Mrs Figg would likely figure it out eventually just like she’d figured out he’d stolen her cat figurine. No, best to be honest and start off on a good foot. He continued, “I know you were up late last night. I heard a bit of your conversation with the… professor, and I wanted to say thanks for standing up for me…” he finished kind of lamely, he thought.
He looked up and saw Mrs Figg staring with wide eyes. He tried not to smirk, pleased that he’d been sneaky enough to get one past her for once. Mrs Figg took a sip of her tea and Harry sat down opposite of her with a plate of food. He watched as Mrs Figg looked up at the large gray cat sitting on top of the fridge. It looked like they were having a conversation again, he thought.
A moment and a few silent bites of food later, Mrs Figg finally said something to break the silence. “Well, I was hoping to have some more time to organize my thoughts but I suppose you eavesdropping on the conversation makes things simpler. Tell me what you heard and I’ll fill in the rest,” she sighed.
So Harry summarized what he’d heard and then told her a bit about what it was like living at the Dursley’s. He noticed her face get a bit stony when he told her about the cupboard under the stairs that was his bedroom. The large cat jumped back down off the fridge and then jumped onto her lap. Mrs Figg pet the large cat as Harry spoke about his treatment by the Dursley’s. When he finally finished, Mrs Figgs mouth was a very thin line. She took another sip of tea and then said, “I’m sorry Harry. I’ve failed you. I could tell you weren’t the happiest boy but I had no idea of the extent of your treatment in that house.”
Harry went to say that it wasn’t her fault but when he opened his mouth, Mrs Figg raised her hand to stop him.
“There is much to share with you, Harry, and then you can decide whether or not I’m worthy of your forgiveness.”
Harry nodded and then took another sip of his tea. Mrs Figg’s large gray cat jumped onto the table and laid down. Harry thought Mrs Figg was going to shew him away but she didn’t. Harry’s aunt would have a cow if an animal lounged on her kitchen table. Mrs Figg and the cat were staring at each other again. He couldn’t take it any more. He had to ask.
“Are you two talking? Is that a thing too?” he asked bluntly. He wouldn’t be surprised if she said yes at this point.
Mrs Figg laughed and said, “Usually we’re a lot more subtle when we talk to each other but I guess the cat is out of the bag as they say.” Despite his assurances to himself that he wouldn’t be surprised, Harry felt his jaw drop at the revelation.
Mrs Figg continued, “It’s not a thing for everyone. Hermes here is a Bakeneko and can speak telepathically to those he chooses to.” At this revelation, Harry began to feel a presence brush across his consciousness. It felt like a feather being swept over his head. It tickled and he smiled.
Then he heard an unfamiliar deep voice in his thoughts say, “Hello Harry Potter, it is a pleasure to meet you formally. My name is Hermes.” Harry shook his head. It wasn’t exactly uncomfortable but it was definitely different than anything he’d ever experienced. Harry thought the ‘voice’ fit the large cat. He decided to try and reply back mentally instead of out loud. “Hello Hermes, it’s nice to meet you as well,” he said simply.
The cat bowed his head and then broke off contact, apparently done with the mental conversation.
“That was something else,” he said to Mrs Figg. He was still smiling at the contact. Hermes deep voice could have come off frightening but it had been so calming to Harry. He hoped to be able to speak to him again at some point.
“Yes, it is a very special thing you just experienced. Bakeneko are tremendous judges of character and are very picky about who they talk to. Hermes is even more picky in my opinion, though he did enjoy your mother’s company and spoke with her on a few occasions.”
Harry was happy at the comparison.
“As I was saying, there is a lot to talk about and Hermes and I were simply discussing the merits of sharing with you our own little secret in addition. It is important I think, that you have the full story so you can decide whether or not I really am worthy of your forgiveness. What I’m about to tell you is a far bigger secret and must be kept in complete confidence. My life and Hermes life would be at risk if you were to tell the wrong person.”
Harry nodded solemnly and promised not to say a word, even if he was angry afterwards. And he meant it. He guessed it was what his mom would have wanted of him. She was a part of this too, obviously.
“I can’t tell you everything. Magical oaths limit what I can share but I will tell you what I can. Your mother, before she died, and I are members of a secret magical society known simply as the Guild these days. It’s true name can only be given to those that have taken the steps to be initiated into it. The Guild operates across the world and considers itself separate from any one nation. It is governed by it’s own creeds and regulations. It operates in the shadows of society, unseen and unheard.”
Harry nodded, excited. It sounded like his kind of people.
“The Guild has spies all across the world in positions to gather intel and do things that the Guild determines are necessary for the good of people as a whole. That is the Guild’s primary purpose. It was started in order to keep the people in power in check. Powerful people tend to not like that, so the Guild has to operate secretly.”
This is soooo cool, Harry thought to himself. His mom was part of a secret organization!
“As a member of the Guild, I was tasked with keeping tabs on the Potter’s and their circle of allies. To that end, I was hired on as a housekeeper and tutor. There is little I can do as a squib, and the Potter’s being the light sided progressive type that they are agreed to hire me instead of purchasing another house-elf. I had been with them for around 10 years when your father introduced Lily to the family.”
Harry was engrossed in her story. It was so nice to get to learn more about who is parents were before they died.
“I ended up recommending to the Guild that Lily be recruited. She really was something, your mother. So smart and capable. It was such a shame that her blood status kept her from pursuing a career in the ministry. She would have been a force to be reckoned with. The guild had no qualms with hiring a first generation witch and saw her talent for what it was worth. After a couple years, she got her first big assignment, which was to infiltrate the “Order of the Phoenix”. The Order of the Phoenix is Dumbledore’s group of vigilantes.”
Their purpose was to try and stop the dark wizard, Lord Voldemort, and his followers from taking over the ministry. The Guild had a vested interest in seeing Lord Voldemort destroyed as well so Lily began to support the Order and provide intel to the Guild.”
Then, rather suddenly, your mother and father went into hiding and we lost contact with your mum. At the time, we had no idea what had happened. This is where everything went sideways very quickly. Up until Lord Voldemort’s rise to power, the Guild was growing in number. It had spies in every major country and in countless businesses and organizations. We think that Voldemort must have had his own follower among our numbers because suddenly many of our missions began to fail and we began to lose members left and right. It was a very sad time and I lost a lot of friends.”
Among the chaos and the huge losses the Guild was seeing in England, your mother seemed to slip through the cracks. Before they died, your grandparents admitted to me that your mum and dad had gone into hiding but they didn’t know where. They also told me that your mom was pregnant with you. They were so happy to know they had a grandson.”
“How did they die?” Harry asked then.
Mrs Figg sighed sadly and answered, “Voldemort had them killed when they refused to join him. He’d been recruiting pure-blood witches and wizards at that point. If you didn’t agree to join, he’d have you killed.”
Harry figured that was probably a simplified answer and that there was more to it, but didn’t press.
Mrs Figg continued, “It seemed as though Lord Voldemort was going to win over Wizarding Britain. And then it happened. For some unknown reason, he went after your family. When he went to your home in Godric’s Hollow he killed your mom and dad, but when he tried to kill you it backfired on him and he vanished.”
Mrs Figg was crying now as she recounted the loss of her friends. Harry cried too. He couldn’t believe that someone would go after his parents while they were in hiding. And to go after a baby… what a terrible thing to do.
“Why did he go after us?” Harry asked.
Mrs Figg blew her nose and said, “I’m still not sure, though I suspect that Dumbledore knows. The Guild hasn’t been able to discern why Lord Voldermort targeted your parents. To be honest, even 10 years later, we’re still recovering from the war and don’t have the resources we had before.”
In your mother’s absence, and after the Potters had died, I was charged by the Guild to try and worm my way into Dumbledore’s Order. I didn’t have much to offer but I managed to convince Professor Dumbledore to take pity on the Potter’s last remaining connection. He got me a job working for his brother at a pub. Dumbledore likes to trade in favors so I figured me owing him would eventually lead to something else and I was right.”
“After your parents died, Dumbledore wanted to move you to your aunt’s house to keep you safe from any lingering dark wizards seeking revenge. He figured the muggle world was the safest place for you and your mother being a very clever witch, had done some sort of blood magic before she died. Dumbledore suspects, and the Guild agrees, that your mother’s sacrifice is what saved you that night. Her magic lives on in your blood and Dumbledore was able to tie that magic to wards around the Dursley’s house. It was supposed to protect you from harm.”
He eventually called in my favor and asked me to move into the neighborhood to keep an eye on things. Your aunt made him promise that there would be no interference from the magical world when she agreed to take you in. Since I’m a squib, he was able to keep a closer eye on you without breaking his promise to your aunt. And that is where I failed you. I should have paid more attention. I should have stepped in when I saw how unhappy you were. I was a fool and I’m sorry, Harry.”
Harry thought over everything he’d learned from Mrs Figg. It was a lot to take in and he probably didn’t fully understand everything that went on. He was only 10 after all. But he appreciated Mrs Figg treating him respectfully and telling it to him straight. Harry didn’t blame Mrs Figg for not realizing that he was being abused. No one else noticed it either. He decided that Mrs Figg didn’t have anything to be sorry for. It helped that she was taking steps to correct her mistake now that she realized how off things were.
“It’s okay, Mrs Figg. I don’t think my mom would want you to beat yourself up over this. And I appreciate you trying to make things right now,” he said.
“I don’t think I deserve it but I thank you for accepting my apology, Harry. I promise to try and make it up to you,” she said.
Chapter 3: Chapter Three: Diagon Alley
Chapter Text
Chapter Three: Diagon Alley
After Mrs Figg told Harry everything about how he came to live on Privet Drive with the Dursley’s she went back upstairs to get some much needed rest. Hermes promised to keep an eye on things and let her know if she was needed. Harry decided to spend some time with Loki so he took him outside into the back yard.
Loki was mostly content to just curl up with Harry on the grass but every now and then he’d get up and stretch and run around. Harry could see Hermes standing vigil on the back porch. Harry tried to ‘talk’ to Hermes a few times but couldn’t quite manage the connection. He guessed that Hermes would need to initiate contact in order for him to talk to him. He could always just talk to Hermes out loud and he’d probably understand Harry just fine but he was content to just lay there for now.
He looked up at the clouds and tried to imagine what his life was going to be like moving forward. He knew that he’d at least be staying here with Mrs Figg for the next month or so. Since the focus of the conversation had been about Harry’s parents, he hadn’t thought to ask Mrs Figg what what Professor Dumbledore intended to do now that he knew that Harry wasn’t being taken care of properly.
It sounded like his family had been rich at one point. Maybe he’d be able to move into a giant mansion. Harry laughed. Things like that only happened in stories. It would be awkward to live here in the same neighborhood with his relatives just around the corner. He decided he’d ask Mrs Figg as soon as he got the chance.
Harry’s thoughts moved to Professor Dumbledore. He sounded like a decent person that had good intentions and Mrs Figg didn’t ever really talk badly about him in their earlier conversation. He wondered what the Professor taught and where. It never got brought up. Harry guessed there was a magical school somewhere so that Wizards and Witches could learn magic. His mom had learned magic somewhere, obviously, and it wasn’t from her parents since she was a first generation witch.
While Harry thought about all of these things and speculated on what his life was going to be like in the future Loki was busy hunting a butterfly that was flying by. Harry laughed as he watched Loki jump after the flying insect. Suddenly, he felt that same feather light touch cross his brain. He waited in excitement for Hermes to start ‘talking’ but it wasn’t Hermes voice in his head this time.
“If it’s so easy, you try catching it!” he heard a small voice say. Harry looked from Hermes to Loki. “Loki! Are you talking to me right now?” he asked with his mind.
Loki headbutted his hand and said, “Obviously.”
Harry laughed again. Amazing! Loki could talk so that must mean that he was a Bakeneko like Hermes. He scooped up Loki and cradled him to his chest.
Harry looked at Hermes on the porch. Hermes had wide eyes and his mouth was open. “Oh no,” he said mentally. “Arabella is never going to let me hear the end of this.”
“You mean that Loki is yours?”
“It seems so,” Hermes said. “His mother and I aren’t exactly exclusive…”
Harry blushed as it dawned on him that they were talking about Hermès’ sex life.
Luckily, Loki interrupted the awkwardness when he said, “Hi Dad!” and ran over and tackled Hermes. Hermes, ever stoic and regal, simply leaned away awkwardly as his son tried to play.
Harry guessed that paternal instinct didn’t always come naturally. From the sounds of it, Hermes probably had multiple partners and this was the first time any consequences manifested.
Loki continued to try and wrestle with Hermes and eventually wore him down, Harry was happy to see. He let them continue to play as he wondered what it would have been like to have a relationship with his father. Would James have been stiff and distant or playful and warm?
He reminded himself as he often did that the only thing he could do is move forward. It didn’t do any good to dwell on what might have been. He had to play with the cards he’d been dealt. And his life wasn’t so bad since it turned out he was a wizard and was escaping the Dursleys.
Harry continued to play with and observe Hermes and Loki for most of the morning. In the early afternoon, he thought he saw an owl fly into an open window upstairs. He ignored it, thinking he was seeing things. Obviously the owl flew out of sight and not into the house. A little while later, he did see the owl fly out of the window and out of sight. He hadn’t imagined it after all.
It wasn’t long afterwards that he heard Mrs Figg call for him to come into the kitchen. He dutifully stood up. He left the Bakeneko to continue to lounge at the base of a tree.
When he walked inside, Mrs Figg was standing in the kitchen and she was dressed to go out.
“Mrs Figg! You’re not going to believe it!” Harry said. He held his sides as he caught his breath and continued, “Loki is a Bakeneko. Hermes is his dad.”
Mrs Figg’s jaw dropped and then she started laughing. “Oh goodness! That’s great news!” She said as she walked to the back porch. “You have some explaining to do mister!” She shouted to Hermes. Hermes tail twitched in reply. “You stay home and spend time with your son while Harry and I go out! We’ll have a talk later about the responsibilities of parenthood when I get back!” She said and turned back inside.
“Harry dear, how would you feel about doing some shopping?” She asked with a smile.
Harry was instantly excited by the prospect of getting his own things. “Right now?” He asked.
Mrs Figg nodded and said, “Dumbledore sent me a letter with your Gringotts key.” She handed him an old fashioned key. It wasn’t anything special. It was made of brass but he thought he could feel some kind of energy coming off of it. He wasn’t sure he wasn’t just imagining it though.
“Gringotts is the wizarding bank. Dumbledore had your key since, as the headmaster, all students without magical parents are technically wards of the school.”
“That makes sense,” he said. He trusted Mrs Figg and she seemed to trust Dumbledore, so he figured he could trust him by extension for now but he didn’t necessarily want any sort of relationship with the man that had placed him with the Dursleys and never checked in on him.
He expected to follow Mrs Figg back towards the front door but she gestured for him to go into the sitting room. They stood in front of the fireplace and he was about to ask her what they were doing when she reached her hand into a pot on the mantelpiece and threw some black powder into the fireplace.
Green flames erupted from the fireplace and Harry yelped jumping backwards.
Mrs Figg laughed. “Dumbledore pulled some strings and had a floo installed when I moved in. It still works even though I’m non magical,” she said.
Harry has recovered a bit from his shock and asked, “What’s a floo?”
“Magical transportation and communication,” she answered. “You can travel or call any fireplace connected to the floo. You just throw the powder in and call out the floo address you want to call. Stick your head through and you can have a chat or you can step through completely and you’ll be transported.”
‘Wow,’ thought Harry. “That’s amazing!” He said out loud.
She told him a bit more about proper floo etiquette. It wasn’t ok to travel through to a private floo without getting permission first but you could call almost any time. It was rude and foolish to linger in front of a fireplace after traveling so be sure to clear the area swiftly. Most magical homes had wards to keep out unwanted visitors so you couldn’t just floo through in most cases anyways. Harry couldn’t help but wonder if there were ways around the wards that he could exploit.
“Now,” she said as she clapped her hands together. “It’s important to speak clearly when you give the floo the address. Numerous witches and wizards have ended up somewhere else by accident. This time, I’ll speak the floo address for you before you enter.” She gestured for him to stand in front of the green flames and said, “Diagon Alley!”
Harry entered the flames expecting to feel something but it wasn’t any warmer or colder. Magic really was amazing. A moment later and things started to spin. He closed his eyes. He was sure he’d be sick if it didn’t end soon. As soon as he thought it, the spinning slowed and he found himself standing in a pub. He remembered to step aside just in time as Mrs Figg materialized where he was standing a second before.
The room was still spinning for Harry and Mrs Figg guided him to a seat. “First time?” A male voice asked, kindly. Harry nodded.
The voice said, “It’s best that you keep your eyes open. Remember that for next time, lad.”
“Thank you Tom,” Mrs Figg said.
“Oh Arabella, it has been too long since you were here!” Tom said. “What brings you here today and who’s this?”
Mrs Figg looked around before shushing Tom.
“I mean to keep our visit quiet, Tom. It wouldn’t do to make a scene on Harry’s first day in the magical world since Halloween 1981.”
Tom’s mouth made an ‘o’ as he began to understand what Mrs Figg was saying.
“I’m sorry Arabella. I didn’t know.” Tom said. He glanced towards Harry and stuck out his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Harry. Welcome to the Leaky Cauldron.”
Harry shook Tom’s hand and said, “Thanks! It’s nice to meet you too.
Mrs Figg must have wanted to escape before a scene was made because she said, “Tom, can you let us through please?”
Tom nodded and led them to a back door. They were crammed into a back alley and there was a giant brick wall in front of them. Harry watched Tom take a stick out of his pocket and tap a few bricks with it. Harry thought he might be crazy but Mrs Figg seemed unphased like it was completely normal. The next thing Harry knew, the bricks were shifting and in their place was a giant archway.
“Welcome to Diagon Alley,” Mrs Figg said to Harry.
Harry was gobsmacked. It felt like he was walking back in time. Eccentric witches and wizards were dressed in old fashioned robes and were walking along a cobblestone street. Shops were jammed tightly together and the street was lined with lamps that needed to be lit by hand.
Mrs Figg said thanks to Tom for them both and then took Harry’s hand in hers. They began briskly walking down the alley. Harry tried to take it all in but Mrs Figg seemed to be in a hurry.
“We’ll have time to look through some of the shops today but we need to go to Gringotts first and then I have a friend I’d like you to meet,” Mrs Figg said.
Harry complied, but when he saw a sign that said Knockturn Alley next to a dark alley, he got chills and instantly wanted to go down there. Mrs Figg laughed at his antics but insisted he move along.
When they were outside The Magical Menagerie he became really excited. He told Mrs Figg that he wanted to get some things for Loki. Mrs Figg assented but told him, “After Gringotts.”
Harry wondered if he’d be allowed another pet. He had a soft spot for animals in general and was excited to learn more about the magical sort.
They weaved in between the other shoppers until they finally reached the bank at the end of the alley. Harry could see another alley just to the side of the bank and he read a street sign that said Horizont Alley. He could see even more rows of shops down that way and he was eager to explore it later if they had time.
They climbed the white steps of the bank and reached a set of gold doors that were manned by two small creatures with green skin. The creatures had long limbs and fingers and even longer noses. They had large yellow eyes with small black iris. They wore scarlet and gold uniforms and were armed with spears but they made no attempt to stop Mrs Figg and Harry from entering. Instead, they struck the butt of their speers on the ground and the gold doors opened. “Thank you, goblins” Mrs Figg said to the pair as she and Harry entered into the foyer.
Harry wondered if she had addressed them as such for his benefit or if it was the appropriate way to address a goblin. He made a mental note to ask her later.
The foyer had benches on opposite walls for patrons to sit as they waited for their companions to finish their business. Harry saw a small girl with red hair sitting with a plump woman with hair of a similar color. He overheard the younger girl complaining about having to shop at the secondhand robe shop. The girl’s mother reprimanded the girl and told her to be grateful that she had robes at all. Harry smiled at the girl as he walked by, still being led by Mrs Figg. They approached another set of doors, this time silver, and Harry saw an inscription on the doors that read:
“ Enter, stranger, but take heed
Of what awaits the sin of greed
For those who take, but do not earn,
Must pay most dearly in their turn.
So if you seek beneath our floors
A treasure that was never yours,
Thief, you have been warned, beware
Of finding more than treasure there .”
Harry felt goosebumps on his skin and he shivered at the warning. He shook his head and a small smile came upon his lips. ‘ Challenge accepted,’ he thought to himself. One day, he hoped to have a need to break in and overcome the obstacles the goblins were sure to have placed. He imagined it would be like a right of passage or milestone for a wizarding thief to successfully break in and rob a place like this.
Another set of goblins in the same uniform as those outside struck the butts of their spears on the ground and the set of silver doors opened as well. Harry’s jaw dropped when they entered the main lobby of the bank. There were very large dome shaped vaulted ceilings with ornate windows that let the light enter from outside. The light seemed to shine off every surface. The building itself seemed to be made of precious metals and stones that were decorated with jewels of various colors. The desks and counters were made of fine quality wood that was buffed and shined to perfection. Behind the counters was a very large platform for the goblins to stand and peer down at the bank patrons, looming over them menacingly. It was intimidating and Harry was sure it was every bit intentional so that witches and wizards would know their place in the Goblins realm. Harry respected the show of power.
Mrs Figg and Harry approached one of the counters with a goblin opposite them. Mrs Figg looked up, met the goblin’s eyes, and said, “Harry Potter is here to make a withdrawal.” She whispered to Harry for him to show the goblin his key. Harry quickly reached into his pocket, withdrew the key, and held it up so the goblin could see. The goblin simply nodded and banged on his gavel. Another goblin approached him from behind the counter and gestured for them to follow him as he walked down a hallway. Harry saw that the platform continued throughout the bank so that the goblins and the witch and wizard were always separated and the goblin was always higher than any of the bank patrons.
Harry looked around as they walked down the hall. He could see that there were numerous goblins on patrol in every section of the bank. There were also large towers in multiple locations that were manned by goblins keeping keen watch over every corner of the bank. The security of this place was crazy and Harry began to doubt that he’d ever be able to pull anything off here. Definitely not any time soon. One of the goblins saw him looking at them and he sneered at Harry. Harry continued to look at the goblin, refusing to back down and be intimidated. The goblin smirked and then whispered something to another goblin and then they both looked down at him with smirks on their faces. Harry didn’t get the joke, if there was one. He decided to continue to look around.
The goblin led them to another large room with vaulted ceilings similar to the lobby, but smaller. In the middle of the room were train tracks and several carts. The carts had benches that looked like they could fit four to five people and in the back of the cart was a goblin seated in a tall seat so that again, the goblin was higher than any of the patrons. Mrs Figg led Harry to the cart in front and they sat down. As soon as they were seated, the goblin in the tall seat behind them pulled on a lever and they descended.
As they rode down the track, Harry noticed the walls change from the fine polished stone to a rough surface and he felt like he was now inside a cave instead of a bank. They went through several twists and turns and Harry became very disoriented. He was sure that if he were left down here that he’d never get out without the help of a goblin. He and Mrs Figg were completely at the mercy of the goblins. The power they held here in the bank was extraordinary.
The ride continued for several minutes before they finally stopped at another platform. They exited the cart and the goblin exited as well on another platform above them.
The goblin they rode down with grabbed a lantern off the wall and turned it on. “Follow me,” he said and he started walking down one of the various tunnels. Mrs Figg and Harry hurried to follow him. The goblin had the sole source of light down here and they had to keep up if they didn’t want to get left in the pitch black. It was several minutes before they stopped again, this time in front of a large vault door that was inscribed with a very large ‘687’ in the middle. Mrs Figg said, “Go ahead and put the key in and turn it,” while pointing at a slot that Harry hadn’t seen right away. He did as instructed and the door creaked open towards them. They pulled on the door together until it was wide enough for them to enter.
Lights turned on in the vault as soon as Harry walked in. Harry noted that the room was about as large as Dudley’s bedroom. There were mounds of bronze, silver, and gold coins in the room. Harry was flabbergasted. All of this was his? His parents must have been very well off for them to leave him all of this.
“Go ahead and grab a few handfuls of each type of coin and put them in this.” Mrs Figg said as she handed him a small coin purse. “It has some enchantments so it’s bigger on the inside,” she explained. Once he had put in a good amount of each type of coin, he tied the coin purse shut and Mrs Figg helped him attach it to his belt. “Good,” she said. “This ought to last you at least until next year. As you can see, there is no such thing as a quick visit at Gringotts. It’s best to plan ahead and withdraw enough so that you don’t have to trouble the goblins more than necessary.”
She turned to the goblin and asked, “Is there anything other than gold in this vault?”
The goblin nodded and pointed to the wall opposite him. Harry and Mrs Figg walked over and he saw that the wall was lined with cubbies. Some of the cubbies had rolls of parchment in them, some cubbies were still empty, and other cubbies had jewelry and other devices in them. He wandered over to the devices and Mrs Figg started to go through some of the parchment. He couldn’t make sense of most of the things over here. The jewelry was obvious but he had no need for it. “Ah ha!” Mrs Figg said. “Here we go. I hoped but wasn’t sure what exactly happened with the property. Let's go, Harry.”
He wanted to ask what Mrs Figg was talking about but he got the sense that she didn’t want to talk about it in front of the goblin. They left the vault and the door shut on its own behind them. Harry tried to process the crazy amount of money he had in the vault as they ascended back up to the bank lobby. There was so much money in his vault. More than he could comprehend. He probably wouldn’t want for anything for a very long time and that was such a foreign concept to him that he didn’t even know what to do with it.
When they got back up to the main lobby, Mrs Figg quickly exchanged the muggle money that Harry had stolen from Mrs Koshkov. As she did so, she explained what each of the coins were that Harry had put in his bag. The gold ones were called galleons, the silver were sickles, and the bronze were knuts. She also explained that a galleon was worth about five pounds. Once she had the money exchanged, she gave Harry half of it. Harry had tried to protest but Mrs Figg let him know that she was well taken care of and didn’t need it either and that it was only fair that he get a cut since he’d done the job. Once Mrs Figg explained that they could buy muggle clothes in Diagon Alley with wizarding money, he also exchanged the money he’d lifted off Piers.
They exited the bank and made their way to one of the restaurants to get a bite to eat before tackling the rest of the shopping. As they ate their meals, Harry asked, “Mrs Figg, what was that parchment that you found at the bank?” Mrs Figg said, “I promise to tell you later when we get home. I don’t want to be overheard here.” Harry nodded in response and decided to just drop it for now.
They spent the early evening outfitting Harry with a wardrobe. He now had robes for every occasion and some muggle clothes in case they wanted to spend time in the muggle world. After the clothes shopping they went to the bookstore. Harry wanted to find some books about magical animals and after his experience at Gringotts, he decided it was a good idea to read up on goblins too. He found a copy of Hogwarts, a History as well as some entry level books on charms, transfiguration, potions, herbology, runes, arithmancy, and defense against the dark arts. He wasn’t starting school until next year but he wanted to get a head start if he could.
He was able to talk Mrs Figg into letting him get a brewing kit so he could start practicing potions right away. Since some potions didn’t require a wand at all, it wouldn’t be a problem. At the very least he’d have a good understanding of how to heat the cauldron and prepare ingredients. The kit included a lot of basic ingredients that would be covered in his first year at school. He was determined to do well in school and wasn’t going to let the next year go to waste before he could start at Hogwarts.
After the books and potion supplies, they were finally able to go to the The Magical Menagerie. They browsed through the store looking at various interesting creatures. Harry thought the Nifflers were really cute, but Mrs Figg said they were more trouble than they were worth and caused mass destruction wherever they went. He was still tempted to get one, but figured he’d do some reading first.
Things got interesting really quickly when Harry walked by a terrarium of runespoors and they started talking to him. When he talked back, Mrs Figg gasped and clutched her chest. When Harry looked at her, she was looking at him with wide eyes that held a little bit of fear. He was about to ask her if she was okay, when she whispered “Later!”
They decided it was time to go, but Harry went and got some food, toys, and other necessities for taking care of Loki. He had the guy working the counter shrink his supplies so he could carry everything around.
“We need to go meet with my friend now, Harry. I’m sorry to cut your visit to that particular shop short. I know you were looking forward to it,” Mrs Figg said.
“It’s okay Mrs Figg, I’m sure there will be a chance to come visit again. Besides, I got what I really came for,” he said as he patted his pocket where the pet supplies were.
“Good, stay close to me. We’re going to go down Knockturn Alley and it’s not the safest part of the alley,” Mrs Figg said.
Harry grinned. He was excited to go down the dark alley. Mrs Figg walked with determination and the crowds parted when they saw her. She must have a reputation, Harry thought to himself. A few of them glanced his way but when they caught Mrs Figg’s eye they looked away quickly. Finally, they entered through a nondescript shop towards the middle of the alley.
The shop was dark and Harry thought no one else was here, but then he heard someone say, “Arabella Figg, it has indeed been a long time since you graced my shop with your presence. What do I owe this pleasure?”
Harry spun around towards the sound of the voice and he saw a man sitting in a chair with a tobacco pipe in his hand. The man was short and thin. For the most part he was as nondescript as his shop, except for a large scar peeking up from under the collar of his shirt.
“Hello Mundungus,” Mrs Figg said with a grin. “It has indeed been too long. I’m here with Harry and I have something I could use your help with, if you have the time.”
“Straight to the point I see,” the man said in return. He glanced at Harry for a moment before returning his gaze to Mrs Figg. “Perhaps later, you and I can pick up where we last left off…?” he said with some suggestion. Harry balked at the implication.
“Perhaps, Mr. Fletcher, but only after you’ve helped resolve our problem,” she said as she handed him one of the scrolls she’d found in his vault.
Mundungus smiled, showing his yellow teeth. Harry noticed some were missing. It was frighteningly disgusting, Harry thought. He couldn’t fathom why Mrs Figg would have any interest in the man but she simply smiled in return. Maybe she was just putting on a good show so she could get what she needed from the man, he thought.
He unrolled the scroll and mumbled to himself as he read. His eyes grew large as he scanned the document and then he spoke, “My, my, my Arabella, this is quite the find. The deed to the Potter Manner signed over to our young Mr. Harry Potter, I see. But if you have this, then what could you possibly need from me?” he asked.
“I don’t want anyone knowing of my connection to Harry so I need an alias and then I need your help filing this with the Ministry and Gringott’s so we can make the transfer to Mr. Potter official. Then I need the documents sealed so no one is the wiser that Mr. Potter has claimed his Family Home. As far as anyone else will know, Harry still resides with his muggle relatives.”
“That won’t come cheap, Arabella, even if you actually intend to pick up where we last left off…” He said, leaving the sentence hanging. He drummed his fingers on the desk and continued, “This will cost you 1,000 galleons… and we shack up for the weekend.”
“500 galleons, and we can go out for one date,” she said. Harry blushed. He did not want to be here for this. He gestured to Mrs Figg that he’d prefer to wonder and she nodded. He walked around the shop, looking for something interesting. On one wall, Harry noticed several scales that were obviously rigged to cheat unsuspecting customers. Harry was intrigued by an aisle that had various vials of potions. He read the tags and found that there were truth serums, love potions, luck potions, and some poisons. Harry went to pocket one of the luck potions, but he felt a burning and then heard Mundungus shout, “Don’t ye even think about it laddie.” Reprimanded, he put the potion back on the shelf and shook his head. He guessed his shop was protected by magic that let him know when someone was stealing.
He moved to the next aisle which had several books. He found one that was on wards, sigils, and ancient magic that looked interesting. He found the price… “100 galleons! ” he said out loud. Unbelievable! How could this book be worth that much money? He began to flip through the book instead. He found some interesting runes and a diagram titled, ‘ Tattoos for Enhancing Magical Sensitivity ’. Now, that was interesting, thought Harry. He continued to read the description, ‘ Sensing magic is a lost art in today’s society. Before the 16th century many mages tattooed these runes onto their hands, arms, and legs to allow them to sense magical traces left behind by other magicals. Since they didn’t have an official government back then, and witches and wizards intermingled with non magical society, it was harder to identify other magic users. These runes allowed magic users to know if another mage, magical structure, or object was nearby…” That sounded pretty handy to Harry but it was probably outside his ability and he doubted he’d convince Mrs Figg to let him get tattoos.
Harry made his way back over to Mrs Figg and Mundungus. He heard Mrs Figg say, “Alright, I’ll wait for your owl that the matter is resolved. As per the usual arrangement, here’s half the gold up front. You’ll get the rest when you finish the job and then we’ll negotiate the other part of the deal.”
“Sounds good, Arabella,” Mundungus said. He looked over to Harry and smiled before saying, “Sorry laddie, I didn’t mean fer ya to hear the adult talk. I got caught up in this lass’s beauty.”
Harry blushed again and both adults laughed at his expense.
“Harry, this is Mundungus. He’s part of the Guild.” Harry saw Mundungus head shoot up and he glared at Mrs Figg.
“You told him about the Guild!” he yelled.
“Aye, I did. I reckon he deserved to know that bit of his mother’s history seeing as she can’t tell him herself.”
“Aye, Lily, she was a wonder,” he said. He looked at Mrs Figg, “Does that mean you’ll be moving forward with the plan to start recruiting at Hogwarts? Is he to be one of the fledglings?”
“That is my intention, but I haven’t run it up the chain just yet. I was hoping you’d have my back on the matter?” she said.
Mundungus looked at Harry and stared into his eyes. Harry looked him back in the eyes squarely, determined not to blink or flinch. After a moment, Mundungus nodded and said, “If ye think he’s fit then I’ll trust your judgment. If the lads even half as capable as Lily, he’ll make a fine agent I reckon.”
“I agree, and he shows promise already,” she said with a nod. Harry blushed at the praise. He hoped they stopped talking about him like he wasn’t there soon. Though, he didn’t mind being compared to his mother by people that actually knew and respected her. It was nice.
“We should go, it was nice to see you again, Dung. Thanks for your help.” Mrs Figg finally said. She looked to Harry and said, go grab that book you had laddie, It’s on me. Happy Birthday!”
Harry ran and grabbed the book back off the shelf and ran it over to Mundungus. The man looked it over and said, “Aye, you’ll make a fine agent. You’ve got good instincts.” He placed the book in a bag and handed it over to him.
Mrs Figg and Harry left the shop and made their way back to Diagon Alley. They grabbed dinner from one of the restaurants and Mrs Figg told him more about what his parents were like. He learned that his dad was a bit of a troublemaker at school and he and his friends caused all kinds of havoc. She did mention he was a bit of a bully in his younger years but grew out of it as he settled down a bit and when he started spending more time with Lily. His mother had been a good influence on him.
Harry soaked up everything she told him. He felt lucky to have been rescued by such a good friend as Mrs Figg, who treated him with respect and was willing to answer his many questions about his parents. Things had sure changed from just a couple days ago when he was trapped at the Dursley’s.
Chapter 4: Inheritence
Chapter Text
Chapter Four: Inheritance
Harry spent the next couple weeks lounging at Mrs Figg’s house. She wouldn’t let him do any chores or cook meals. She would have Harry keep his room clean and if he wanted to help with meals, he could, but he was not allowed to do it all on his own. He spent plenty of time outside in the backyard with Hermes and Loki. He continued to practice talking telepathically with the pair, but was never able to initiate the conversation.
He also spent a good amount of time reading his books and he had set up his potions kit in his room on a desk by the window. Mrs Figg told him that he had to leave the window open while he was brewing. Ventilation was extremely important. Mrs Figg had been a tutor for the Potters before James went to school and she had a good understanding of the subjects that didn’t require any or much wandwork such as Astrology, Herbology, Potions, History, Arithmancy, and Runes. She would spend a bit of time each day going over the various topics to help Harry have a firm understanding of the principals even if he couldn’t perform magic since he was underage and didn’t have a wand. It would be another year before he was allowed to get one and longer still before he’d be allowed to use it.
They’d also talked about his ability to speak to snakes. Mrs Figg had been shocked when he’d spoken with the runespoors in the magical pet shop. She’d informed him that it was a taboo ability in Britain, but that it was more accepted and even revered in other parts of the world. Harry had understood the message: Keep this ability under wraps if he didn’t want any trouble.
Along with his studies of magical principals, Mrs Figg had begun to tutor Harry on etiquette in the upper ranks of magical society. As the last member of a respected magical family, it would be expected that he kept up with certain traditions. Harry was already a very polite person and he saw the value in maintaining that image when he stepped back into magical society. He was used to wearing a mask and this was just a continuation of that. He would wear it proudly. He even was a little proud, knowing that he was following in his father’s footsteps and the traditions of his family. He felt closer to his ancestors each day as he learned more from Mrs Figg.
It was near the end of summer when he started to become impatient staying at Mrs Figg’s house. Knowing that they would be moving into the Potter family home eventually was exciting and he was getting tired of waiting. He hadn’t run into the Dursley’s at all since moving in full time with Mrs Figg. The details of what transpired between the Dursley’s and Professor Dumbledore was still a mystery to him.
Ever since he’d read the bit about sensing magic, he’d been intrigued. He confided in Mrs Figg and she’d let him know there were a couple magical objects in her home. If he could find them, she’d promised to reward him with another trip to Diagon Alley or maybe even Hogsmeade, the magical village near Hogwarts. With his restlessness, he was more determined than ever to find the magical objects. He thought that if he investigated some magical objects he already knew about, maybe he’d be able to memorize the sensations that they made.
The book he had found in Mundungus’ shop had even more information about sensing magic and he was eager to try some of the methods mentioned. He walked down to the sitting room and closed his eyes in the doorway. He knew the general layout of the room and knew where the fireplace and the floo powder was. He was hoping that maybe he’d be able to pick up on the magical signatures of the two items in the room. Maybe if he memorized how the two things felt, he’d be able to more easily identify the sensation of other magical objects.
With his eyes closed, he tried to focus on the sensations he felt. He took deep steadying breaths and tried to shut out any intrusive thoughts. It took quite a while and his thoughts often crept in on him, distracting him from his goal. He let the thoughts come without getting frustrated and tried to focus on his breathing. Eventually, he was able to shut out everything except how he was feeling. His attention was solely on the present.
He walked around the room paying attention to how he felt. He picked up on some vibrations in the general direction of the fireplace and made his way in that direction. As he got closer, the vibrations grew in intensity but were never overwhelming. He was sure that what he was feeling was the magical signature of the floo powder and the fireplace. Next, he tried to push the sensation of the two items outside of his focus so he could reach out for any other magical signatures. It was difficult at first but he was eventually able to move on.
Opposite of the fireplace, Harry thought he was picking up on a different vibration. We walked over to that side of the room, following the sensation he was feeling. As he got closer, the vibration grew and he noticed that the pattern of the vibration was different from the fireplace. The fireplace vibration felt warm and reminded him of the crackling and popping sound that wood made when it was burning. The new vibration was more steady. Constant, Harry thought. It felt similarly to what it felt like when a bee was buzzing near your ear. He reached for the item and the vibration grew in his hand as he got closer. When his hand made contact with the item, the vibration went up his arm. He opened his eyes and saw in his hand, a porcelain statue of a miniaturized Egyptian Obelisk.
Excited by his success, he wanted to keep trying. He focused again, trying to push the known vibrations from his consciousness to see if he could pick up on anything new. It took a while before he was able to slow his thoughts again because of the excitement he was feeling. He focused on his breath, determined to shut out everything but what he sought. After a while, he thought he was picking up on another item, but he didn’t think it was in the room. He opened his eyes and headed towards the front door where he thought maybe he was picking up on something.
Once in front of the door, he closed his eyes and focused again on his breathing until everything was shut out. He began to pick up on something coming from the doorknob. The vibration he felt was strong, sharp, and… Harry focused, trying to decipher the sensation he was picking up from the object… hot. The vibration was hot. It felt dangerous, he thought. Harry wondered what sort of enchantments were placed on the doorknob but he wasn’t completely sure he wanted to find out on his own. He’d just ask Mrs Figg.
Harry again worked on shifting his focus to his breathing as he shut his eyes and tried to determine if there were any other objects in the house. He pushed away the already known vibrations and reached out. Vibration was coming from somewhere upstairs so Harry made his way to the stairs and climbed them. Once he was at the top, he shut his eyes again and focused. He walked down the hallway until he was in front of Mrs Figg’s bedroom door. This time, the vibration felt reflective. Every vibration he made bounced off the door and dissipated. He thought that it was some kind of shield that pushed everything away. He wasn’t able to reach out beyond the door to see if there were any objects beyond it.
Harry thought it was getting easier for him to focus each time. He hoped he’d eventually be able to do this without closing his eyes. It wasn’t exactly practical to have to close his eyes whenever he was trying to sense something. People would wonder if he had lost his mind. He was pretty sure that he’d found all the items that there were to find. Mrs Figg had left to do some grocery shopping so he’d have to wait until she got back to check.
Harry huffed with impatience. He wanted to get out of the house a bit and blow off some steam. Busying himself with studying was helpful but it didn’t offer him quite the same level of satisfaction as some other activities he could think of. It had only been weeks since his birthday and his last successful heist, but it felt much longer.
He’d be leaving Privet Drive soon. Maybe for good. If he wanted to find out what happened to the Dursleys, perhaps it was time to plan his next night time excursion. A recon mission wasn’t as exciting as a heist but it was better than being cooped up.
—————————————————————
Harry was looking over his potion for what seemed like the 10th time. The potion book had said that it should be a grayish blue with bright spots shooting out every few seconds. His potion was a murky gray and was foaming. He didn’t know why just yet and he was going over the instructions to find where he’d messed up.
He was getting ready to discard the potion and start over when he heard a ruckus downstairs. Loki ran into Harry’s room and let him know Mrs Figg had just arrived home. Harry was a bit frustrated because of his failed potion and didn’t head down right away.
A short while later, Mrs Figg walked in and saw the mess on Harry’s desk. She winced and said, “That looks rough. Everything alright here, Harry?”
Harry grumbled in frustration and said, “I’m not sure what I did wrong. It doesn’t match the description at all.”
Mrs Figg walked over and looked over the instructions in the book and then glanced inside the cauldron. “I’m no potions Mistress but… did you chop the beetle eyes evenly? That can be a bit tricky to do.”
Harry had not in fact chopped the beetle eyes evenly. They kept flinging away from the knife when he tried to chop them. He shook his head and explained.
Mrs Figg picked up his potions knife and said, “This needs sharpening.” She rifled through his kit and pulled out a whetstone that he’d missed. She then went on to explain the sharpening process.
She brushed off his mistake and said, “This is the kind of thing most wizards overlook. There are spells you can cast to sharpen and prevent degradation later, but the residual magic can interfere with your potions, even if just slightly. It’s best to do the manual work for high quality potions. Your professor will see the difference when you start next year.
He felt foolish and was embarrassed by his oversight, but was grateful for her instruction and that she didn’t belittle him.
Mrs Figg was holding her chin in thought. “Show me how you stirred after you put in the Horklump juice,” she said next.
Harry walked over to the cauldron and grabbed the stirring rod in his right hand and started stirring. He counted to 13 and then stopped.
“Ah, I see. Watch me,” she said as she took his place. She grabbed the stirring rod with both hands and placed it in the cauldron. “It’s best to think of the cauldron as a clock. Most potions are started at the twelve o’clock position straight in front of you. You’ll learn more about the importance of numbers if you take Arithmancy, and then this will make more sense,” she said.
Mrs Figg’s motions with the stirring rod were more intentional and pronounced than his had been, he noticed.
“I think if you try again using these instructions that you’ll have more success,” she said. “But you’ll probably want to wait to find out… I ran into ‘Dung and he said the house is ready. He connected it to the floo under an alias and everything. We can head over as soon as you’re ready!” She finished with an excited gleam in her eyes.
Harry jolted. ‘ Finally!’ he thought. He wanted to go right away. All thoughts of investigating the Dursleys left his mind immediately. Why bother with them anyways? They were nothing.
He hesitated as he thought of his secret hideout in the park and all of his trophies.
He brought up his desire to collect his stuff to Mrs Figg.
“Ah, yes, if you’d like to go tonight to collect your things then I think that would be fine. Just make sure you’re not seen,” she said.
“Naturally, Mrs Figg,” he replied with some bravado. “I’ll just finish cleaning up my mess here and then later tonight I’ll gather my things. Thanks for your help with my potion, by the way.”
“No problem, laddie,” she replied. “Make sure you get it all put away. The Potters had quite the potions lab. You can wait until we’re settled there before you try again.” And with that, she took her leave and headed downstairs.
—————————————————————-
It was just after 1AM and Harry was waking up from a small nap he’d decided to take after cleaning up and packing up his room. He’d missed dinner but hopefully Mrs Figg wasn’t too put out.
Harry had decided to dress all in black. His new clothes fit him very well and he was surprised by how much it boosted his confidence. He felt bulletproof.
He reached for a bag that Mrs Figg had given him. She’d told him it had undetectable expansion and featherlight charms placed on it and it should be able to carry all his stuff out of his hideout. He loved magic!
He knew that Mrs Figg already knew he was going out tonight but he wanted to see if he could sneak out without her noticing anyways. It made it more fun anyways.
He opened his bedroom door and stepped out, closing his door behind him quietly. He made it to the middle of the stairs when he heard Mrs Figg shout out, “Be safe!”
Harry groaned and then he heard Mrs Figg laugh. So much for getting out undetected. He still didn’t know how she did it.
His mood somewhat ruined, he walked out the front door normally.
As soon as he was outside in the dark, his mood improved. He was back in his element now. He snuck down the street, avoiding lights as he went. He encountered no obstacles and it didn’t take him long to make his way to the park and down into his hideout.
He sighed. He was utterly bored due to the lack of challenge.
He looked fondly at his hideout. It had been a wonderful sanctuary for him over the years. He reminisced on his past heists and experiences as he collected his trophies from the shelves.
He was sad to leave it behind but was looking forward to the next chapter. Hopefully he’d be able to find a new sanctuary when he got to Hogwarts. He doubted very much that he’d need one at his family home.
The final trophy collected, he wondered if he should dismantle his hideout or leave it for someone else to find. He opted to leave the shelves, ladder, and hidden entrance. If someone was meant to find it, they would, and he hoped they’d put it to good use as he had.
He decided to go ahead and stop by the Dursley’s house. He didn’t know if he’d ever be back. He hoped not, honestly. It was a weird feeling, both wanting to leave and never come back but also feeling sad about leaving. He supposed he was mourning what could have been had the Dursleys been decent people.
He was in front of number 4 in no time. He hadn’t seen signs of the family in weeks. The last time being on his birthday. He was feeling a bit reckless due to the boredom and decided to try and get inside.
He tried the front door first but it was locked. He made his way to the backyard. The gate opened with a loud creak but he didn’t care. He tried the back door but it was locked too. He checked all the windows on the ground level but had no luck.
Next he looked up to the second floor but couldn’t see any open windows. Discouraged, he sat down on the steps up to the kitchen door. He thought about breaking one of the windows so he could get in. He grabbed a large stone and was about to throw it, but he stopped himself.
Were the Dursleys even worth it? He was so mad at them for how they’d treated him over the years, but was it worth risking his escape now? He’d be leaving for good in the morning. He decided this was all the closure he needed. “Have the lives you deserve,” he said out loud.
Harry made his way back to Mrs Figg’s house and up to his room with conflicting feelings. Up until now, he’d been all on his own. Now he had Mrs Figg and he was grateful to her, but he kind of wished for the solitude he’d grown accustomed to. He felt kind of bad about the direction his thoughts had turned.
Mrs Figg was a far preferable connection to his parents than his aunt has been. He should be more grateful for everything Mrs Figg had done for him and the stories she’d shared about his parents.
He looked around the room he’d been staying in. Everything was packed and ready for their move to Potter Manor. He decided to sleep in his clothes so he wouldn’t have to rummage through his luggage again. He closed his eyes and drifted into an uneasy sleep.
—————————————————————
A few hours later, he, Mrs Figg, Loki, Hermes, and all of Mrs Figg’s cats were getting ready to floo over to their new home.
“There are several wards in place to keep unapproved visitors out but it’s also listed under an alias registered to another alias. Our tracks are well covered. The name is Forest Glade,” she said as she threw in some floo powder.
The fireplace flared green and she stepped through. Harry waited a few seconds and then stepped through as well. It took a few trips to bring everything over and they were recovering from the spinning in the entryway of Potter Manor.
Someone had clearly been by and covered all the furniture with white sheets at some point. Harry wondered who it could have been, but he was grateful. Every surface was covered in dust. He knew it was going to take a lot of time and work to make the whole place habitable.
“We’ll probably want to focus on one wing at a time, Harry. We won’t have need of the whole house for quite a while anyways,” Mrs Figg said as as she ran a finger over the mantle.
Then they both sneezed and then laughed. It would take a lot of work, he thought, but it was worth it.
Mrs Figg was obviously familiar with the place, having lived here for several years before he was born. She led the way through several rooms that Harry had no idea what function they provided.
They climbed up some stairs that Harry almost missed. “These are the servant’s quarters and where I stayed when I was here last. Let me just drop some stuff off and then I’ll show you to the main suite,” she said.
“You don’t have to stay in the servant’s quarters, Mrs Figg, I-“ he said and then Mrs Figg cut him off. “No, Harry, I’m content to stay here. It’s what I’m used to and I like it here. It’s quite nice, you’ll see.”
The rooms in the servant’s quarters were quite nice and he noticed they could have fit all of Mrs Figg’s house in here and then some. They let the cats out here to become acquainted with their new home. Loki and Hermes were given free reign of the place since, as magical creatures, they were better able to defend themselves if needed.
She led him back out of her quarters and to the main hallway. They walked quite a bit before they were stopped outside some large double doors. Harry was blown away at the extravagance. Even in it’s dirty state, the manor was quite impressive.
Mrs Figg opened the double doors and said, “This is the main suite. Your grandparents' rooms and offices were on the left and your father’s rooms were on the right. Straight ahead are a family room, a dining room, and a few other areas.
Harry was overcome with strong emotions as he looked around. He had missed out on all of this for the last 10 years because of some dark wizard that had killed his family. He was envious of the life he could have had if things had happened differently.
It wasn’t just the fact that the place was huge and extravagant, that was just a bonus. It was the feeling of family that he sensed from it. There were family photos all around that waved happily at Harry and there were even drawings obviously done by a little kid displayed proudly. The suite felt as a whole, warm and welcoming like he thought a family home should feel like. And he’d missed out on all that because of Lord Voldemort.
Never again would anyone threaten to take anything away from him ever again, he vowed. He’d work harder than anyone to hold onto what he had now. He’d get married and have kids and they’d be safe and happy here.
Harry and Mrs Figg got to work quickly after their tour. They opened all the windows and collected the sheets off all of the furniture and threw them outside to take care of later. Then they dusted and swept from top to bottom. The prep work that had been done beforehand made their job very easy.
Harry slowed down when they cleaned his grandparent’s and father’s rooms. He found a couple old journals and family albums and perused through them while Mrs Figg kept cleaning.
He learned from the journals that his grandparents, Fleamont and Euphemia, had been inventors. Fleamont favored potions and Euphemia was an enchantress. There were several objects around that had been designed by them including a mirror that would make recommendations to compliment your features and a complex clock with planets and moons that he didn’t understand. The journal explained that an alarm would go off when it was a good time to perform specific spells or advanced potions.
He could see from his father’s bedroom that he’d dabbled in inventing as well. One of his journals talked about a map of Hogwarts that he and his friends were working on as well as some enchanted two way mirrors that he was developing. He found one of the mirrors but the journal didn’t explain how they worked. There was no sign of the map.
There was another bedroom that Mrs Figg said was used by his father’s close friend, Sirius Black, during the last two years of Hogwarts. It was pretty bare in there though besides the furniture.
Mrs Figg left him to his perusing and went to make lunch for them.
He’d also read an entry about an invisibility cloak and that was probably the most exciting discovery so far. That would be a game changer for sure. He had found several cloaks and tried them on but none of them made him invisible. He reckoned it wasn’t here… unless they only worked with a spell or something. He simply didn’t know enough to rule all of them out. He thought about asking Mrs Figg but it could be a useful secret that could help give him an edge. Maybe it would be better not to give it away.
When Mrs Figg came back, they both stopped and ate in silence. Loki and Hermes had been off exploring the grounds but had returned to beg for food. Harry was happy to share his sandwich with Loki.
After lunch, they wandered out of the main suite and over to the potions lab and library. The lab was large and had several stations set up. There were also a few shelves of books and journals on one of the walls. The ingredients closet was stocked but Harry wasn’t sure if they were still ok to use. Mrs Figg recommended that they could start fresh with the basics and expand in a few years if Harry’s interest and experience with the subject increased.
Harry liked books but wasn’t as excited by the library. Maybe that would change but for now he was content to know where it was when needed.
There was another wing that was shut off and it seemed prudent to leave it that way. Mrs Figg said it was mostly offices and guest rooms used by extended family and friends if they were visiting from far away.
They went outside onto a large patio while the sun was setting. From the patio they could see the large grounds that were surrounded by forest. The sunlight was peeking through the trees. He thought it looked like the trees were on fire. The sight was magical.
He could see several greenhouses and a barn, but he doubted very much that anything was left alive after the decade or so that the manor had been vacant. He hoped the animals had been released. He decided he’d explore later and just enjoyed the view with Mrs Figg.
“Your grandparents had quite an interest in magical creatures. My favorite were the mooncalves, but they had other creatures as well.”
Harry thought he remembered reading about them in one of his books. “Are those the ones that only come out during a full moon and make weird crop circles?”
“Good lad, yes. And their manure was very helpful in the greenhouses. I used to help collect it every full moon. Useful stuff.”
Harry laughed at the mental image. Mrs Figg must have been picking up on his sour mood because she just smiled.
“They also had griffins for a while. I caught James sneaking out to ride them in the middle of the night. It was one of our little secrets.”
Harry smiled at the image.
“Around the time that Lily started coming around, they had some clabberts. She thought they were funny,” Mrs Figg said. “Her and Fleamont used to play with them and collect their pustules when they shed them. Lily had won over Fleamont with her potions knowledge and prowess in the lab.”
Harry remembered that Mrs Figg had said that his mother was good at potions. His own interest in the subject was probably because of that and it had been reinforced now in knowing his grandfather also favored potions. It helped that he could work on it now even though he didn’t have a wand.
Euphemia loved all the creatures. She had a heart of gold and was often seen with the herd of unicorns in the forest. They weren’t owned by the Potters. They just showed up one day and never left,” Mrs Figg said.
Harry wondered if they were still there. They’d probably not want anything to do with him, he laughed to himself.
“Any other creatures?” he asked.
“Oh, yes, lots of different creatures over the years…” she trailed off in thought. “There were even dragons here for a very short while. And thestrals, they might even still be in the forest… oh and a demiguise. He just disappeared one day. They do that,” She said with a laugh.
Harry couldn’t remember what a demiguise was and so missed the joke. “What’s a demiguise,” he asked.
“It looks like something between a sloth and an ape. Long hair, long limbs, and big eyes. They can see the future and turn invisible.”
Harry’s eyes widened and he said, “Turn invisible? How?”
“Magic,” Mrs Figg said. “Euphemia would brush his hair and collect it so it could be sold. They use it to make invisibility cloaks.”
Harry saw his opportunity to ask about invisibility cloaks without alerting her that he’d learned about one his father had. He didn’t want to miss his chance so he checked, “What’s an invisibility cloak?”
“You would be interested in that, wouldn’t you, my little thief?” She joked. “It’s just what it sounds like. Dead useful, they are. You just put it on and you turn invisible.”
Harry smiled at the pet name. It felt good to have someone treat him with familiarity.
He wondered where his father’s cloak went though. It would be useful to have. He’d have to keep looking for hints in the journals, he decided.
It was getting late. The sun had set long ago and his stomach growled. Harry and Mrs Figg ate dinner on the patio and then Harry decided to sleep in his fathers old room.
Mrs Figg went to the servant’s quarters. They’d pick up in the morning and maybe go explore the grounds a bit.
Chapter 5: Hogsmeade Village
Chapter Text
Harry had forgotten to close the drapes in his new bedroom before falling asleep so he was awakened by the suns rays as they pierced through the windows and into his face.
He could hear the birds singing outside and he smiled. His uncle would often complain about birds chirping nonsense in the morning, but Harry rarely heard it from his cupboard.
He smiled and walked to the window closest to his bed. He looked outside and was astonished by the view. Woods and hills as far as the eye could see. The sky was mostly clear with a few clouds here and there. The sight was striking. He didn’t think he could ever get sick of it.
He glanced to the side and saw that there was a balcony that he must have missed yesterday. He stretched and put on a bathrobe before exploring the main area once again. He found a door between the dining and family rooms that he thought might lead out to the balcony.
On the other side of the door was a large sitting room with some book shelves. It looked like a pleasant place to relax and read. On another wall, he saw a glass door that clearly led outside.
The balcony was wonderful and somehow still very clean and well maintained. He wondered what enchantments might have been placed to keep it so well preserved. From here, Harry could really see the property properly.
He leaned over the railing and enjoyed the view. All of this was his. He still couldn’t believe it. He’d gone from popper to prince practically overnight. He had a large home and an even larger wallet. He very much doubted that he’d have to work a traditional job ever unless he wanted to. No, he could spend the rest of his days living here without worry and he might even be happy with just that.
At that moment, Mrs Figg opened the door and stepped onto the balcony. “Good morning, Harry,” she said. “Hungry? I’ve brought a tray.”
Harry glanced at the tray that Mrs Figg had put down on a small table. There were some berries and sliced melon as well as buttered toast, and a steaming kettle of tea.
His stomach growled and he gave his thanks as he filled a plate with food.
They each looked off in the distance and enjoyed the view as they ate.
Harry was the first to break the silence. “Mrs Figg, do you think the Guild will accept me without a proper education?” He asked.
Mrs Figg peered over her cup of tea as she sipped. A while later she said, “Harry, what is it you’re thinking? Don’t you want to go to Hogwarts?”
“I don’t know, Mrs Figg,” he said with a shrug. “There are a lot of people there and I’m worried I won’t be accepted. That I’ll have to wear my mask all the time. It sounds exhausting.”
Mrs Figg laughed a small understanding laugh and said, “Aye, it is at times, I assure you, to be in society. But, that’s life, Harry, you can’t just hide here.”
“Why not? I have everything I need here. I have money. Why do I need school or to be part of magical society?” He asked.
Mrs Figg was looking at him with concern but she didn’t say anything.
Harry thought he had made his point and that he had likely won their small argument.
“I doubt very much that you’d be considered by the Guild to be a viable candidate as a hermit, Harry,” she said. “You’re too famous. They’ll see that as a huge asset as you’ll be a shoe-in to keep tabs on the purebloods and ministry officials. Without that, they probably won’t need you…”
Harry sighed and looked away. “Fine, I guess I don’t need them then.”
“Harry, what’s gotten into you? You seemed thrilled at the idea earlier. I thought this is what you wanted?” Mrs Figg checked.
Harry didn’t really know why he was acting this way. It was just a lot. Being here. Being a wizard. Finding out about his family. It was all just too much.
“I don’t know Mrs Figg, just forget I said anything.”
With that, he walked away back into the house.
It was several hours later and Harry was still in his room. He hadn’t wanted to go out and face Mrs Figg. He was angry and he wasn’t sure why.
He was laying on the floor with his legs extended upwards against his bed when there was a knock on the door.
“Harry, can I come in? I’ve got Loki,” Mrs Figg said through the door.
Harry was tempted to remain quiet, but he had been missing Loki so he told them to come in.
He heard the door creak open and then what sounded like a very small horse running towards him. A moment later Loki was jumping on his chest and butting his head against Harry’s chin, purring.
“I’ve missed you too,” Harry said as he scratched behind Loki’s ears.
Harry shifted and sat at the end of his bed, moving Loki to sit on his lap.
“Harry, you don’t have to join the Guild if you don’t want to,” Mrs Figg said. “I never meant to… I thought it was what you wanted…”
“It all sounded so exciting,” Harry said. “But I don’t know if I’ll fit in with the purebloods and ministry officials. It sounds exhausting. Why can’t I just be a thief?!” He said with exasperation. “I don’t even need magic to do that, do I?”
Harry looked at Mrs Figg. She was looking at him, her head tilted to the side as if she were studying him.
“Laddie,” she said. “Did you ever attempt my challenge to sense and identify magical objects?”
Harry smacked his forehead. “Yes! I found the obelisk, the doorknob, and your bedroom door… But what’s that got to do with anything?” He asked before continuing. “We’re talking about whether or not I need to study at Hogwarts… and I don’t need Hogwarts for that, clearly.”
“Clearly,” she said with a grin. “But I told you that I might take you to Hogsmeade if you found them, didn’t I? It’s time for a little trip, I think.”
Harry tumbled out of the fireplace and just barely stopped himself before falling on his face. He straightened and coughed.
Mrs Figg proceeded to dust his robes, removing all the soot. “You’ll get it eventually, laddie,” she said.
Harry grumbled. He thought he’d gotten the hang of it. He’d barely stumbled at all when he’d flooed to his new home from Mrs Figg’s.
“Enough grumbling, Harry,” Mrs Figg said. “This is meant to be a happy trip.”
She guided him over to the bar and they sat on a couple empty stools. Harry looked around and saw that there were quite a few patrons sitting throughout the pub. There were stairs that went up to a loft area that looked mostly empty. He thought he saw a small girl with blonde hair out of the corner of his eye but when he shifted to look, he blinked, and when he opened his eyes she was gone.
Mrs Figg waved at the bartender, who Harry thought was very attractive.
“Madam Rosmerta, will you please get us each a butterbeer?” Mrs Figg asked.
Madam Rosmerta looked at Harry and he felt the heat in his cheeks. He looked away.
“Bit young for a butterbeer, don’t ya think?” she said.
Mrs Figg smiled and said, “The lad can handle it.”
Madam Rosmerta shrugged, “If you say so,” she said and brought them their drinks.
Harry took a sip of the butterbeer. “This is amazing, Mrs Figg!” He said. He took another sip and put the drink down.
“This place is called The Three Broomsticks and is frequented by students of Hogwarts,” Mrs Figg said. “Your mother and father would visit this place every Hogsmeade weekend they could while they attended school. And I bet your father and his friends might have visited more frequently than that…” she said mischievously. “The school holds many secrets.”
Harry thought of the map and cloak he’d read about in his father’s journals. It probably made it easy for them to slip out of the castle.
“The store owners here in Hogsmeade tended to look the other way when your father visited outside the allowed weekend,” Mrs Figg said.
Harry took another sip of his drink. He knew that Mrs Figg was trying to entice him with illegal trips and secret passageways. If Harry was being honest, it was working. He loved breaking the rules and sneaking around without being caught. He took another sip and finished his drink.
After they left the Three Broomsticks, they headed over to Zonko’s shop. From outside, the shop looked very small. The windows were jammed packed with colorful product and posters enticing people inside. They opened the door and went inside. It was incredibly loud in here, Harry thought, not that it bothered him a bit. It was quite a bit more empty inside the joke shop compared to the Three Broomsticks but there were a few children which Harry guessed were locals. Their parents didn’t seem to be anywhere nearby at least.
The man that Harry assumed was the owner, who was dressed flamboyantly and had a large top hat, walked over and greeted them. “The name is Zonko,” he said. Harry shook the man’s hand. When he did, a gooey green substance shot towards his face, but he dodged it just barely. Zonko frowned when his joke didn’t land and then his eyes widened in shock.
“Mr Potter! I was not expecting to see you anytime soon. What a wonderful surprise!” He exclaimed excitedly. “Nice dodge by the way.”
He then dragged the boy around the shop, filling a bag with various items as he explained what they were and what they did. Harry never got a word in, but it suited him just fine.
“Truly an honor to meet you. Your dad was a frequent visitor and I’m told he unleashed quite a few spectacles at the school with my products,” he said to Harry. “And your grandparents,” he paused to breathe, “they helped me open this shop here. I hadn’t two knuts to rub together. My dad was a wizard and he died when I was young. My mum is a muggle and we struggled to get by. Your grandparents helped me out by investing in my shop,” he finished with some enthusiasm.
“I had no idea,” Harry said.
“And I am not the only one that your grandparents invested in. There are several shop owners here and on Diagon that owe your family for their success,” Zonko continued.
“Yes, but times have changed I fear,” Zonko said. “Lucius Malfoy has been trying to buy up all the shops here and at Diagon Alley. He wants to lease them out to only people he considers worthy.” Zonko looked at Mrs Figg and said, “And you know what kind of people that excludes. It’s getting harder and harder for new people to start their businesses. Before you know it, only purebloods will be able to set up in the magical villages.”
“That’s awful! Malfoy always was a knob, “Mrs Figg said. “His money is the only thing that kept him out of Azkaban, I reckon, the filthy death eater.”
Harry laughed at Mrs Figg’s name calling but was confused by the rest. He gathered that Malfoy was probably a rich pureblood that looked down on people outside his circle. He disliked him already.
Mrs Figg must have seen his confused look and said, “Malfoy is a death eater, a follower of Voldemort, and a dangerous one at that.”
Harry was incensed at the thought of a follower of Voldemort walking free. Was the Ministry of Magic really so corrupt?
Mrs. Figg and Zonko continued chatting and Harry looked around as he waited for the adults to finish their conversation. He caught a glimpse of long blonde hair at the end of one of the aisle before it disappeared around the corner. He wondered if he might be being followed and decided to investigate. Mrs Figg nodded as he gestured that he wanted to look around. Zonko continued on. The man was clearly a talker.
Harry casually transitioned into his sneaky mode but tried to maintain an air of inconspicuousness since it was the middle of the day and he was in a shop full of patrons. He walked lightly down the aisle he had seen the blonde haired girl last. He felt his senses heighten as he focused all his attention on his target. He thought he could hear the girl breathing just around the corner. He finally made it to the end of the aisle and decided to jump out and catch her unaware. However, when he cleared the aisle, there was no one there.
Harry thought it was probably a good thing. What if the girl wasn’t following him and he had just jumped out and scared her? That would have been a bit embarrassing and hard to explain away. He stood there awkwardly with his hand on the back of his neck. He continued walking around the shop, peeking down each aisle, but he never found the girl again.
He returned to Mrs Figg and Zonko and thanked Zonko for giving him so much stuff for free and then he and Mrs Figg walked over to Honeydukes so Harry could buy a cauldron full of treats.
Harry could smell the sweets from outside the shop. His mouth began to water as he looked at the items on display. Harry was most enticed by the baked goods. A little bell chimed as they entered the shop and to his surprise, it was void of any other patrons, and it didn’t take long to understand why. At the checkout counter was a tall man with long silvery blonde hair talking loudly with the store owner. They were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn’t even seem to notice that someone else had entered the shop. Harry felt a weird energy about the place, as if something was encouraging him to leave the shop immediately.
Before he could comply with the impulse, Mrs Figg put a finger to her lips and motioned Harry to follow her down one of the aisles far away from the checkout counter. When they got far enough away, she whispered to Harry, “That is Lucius Malfoy talking with the store owner, Ambrosius Flume.”
Harry’s eyes widened at the revelation. He could hear the two talking loudly but they were far enough away that he couldn’t hear what was being said. “Do you think I can get closer so I can listen in without being seen?” he asked Mrs Figg.
Mrs Figg frowned in thought before responding, “Go ahead and give it a shot, but make sure your scar stays covered just in case. I don’t want him noticing you if we can help it. He knows me and the two of us do not get along at all, so I’ll stay here. If he saw both of us together, he might make the connection, but it’s still not likely.”
Mrs Figg brushed his hair with her fingers so his scar was covered.
He began creeping across the shop, which he noticed was bigger on the inside, just like Zonko’s. He wondered if all magical buildings were enchanted like this. It would make sense, he reckoned.
As he got closer, the impulse to leave returned. He pushed through the impulse as he started to pick up on the conversation. It sounded like the Flumes had borrowed money from Malfoy and Malfoy was calling for the payment in full.
“Please, Mr Malfoy, you told us that we could pay you back over the course of 10 years… we don’t have that kind of money,” Mr Flume said.
Harry was now in the aisle just over from the checkout counter. He had crouched down low so that he could peer through the shelf. He watched as Mr Malfoy unrolled a piece of parchment and slammed it on the counter, making Mr Flume flinch. “If you look at the contract that YOU signed, it says here that I can require the full loan to be repaid plus interest if you miss a payment.”
Harry could still only see the back of Malfoy’s head, but he could see Mr Flume gulp, he was clearly afraid of Mr Malfoy. Harry didn’t blame him really, a menacing energy was rolling off Malfoy in waves. Harry had a thought just then. Maybe Malfoy was using some kind of enchanted object to create the effect. He started his meditation exercise. This would be a good chance to push his limits a bit and see if he could sense and identify objects from further away than he had at Mrs Figgs old house.
It didn’t take nearly as long this time. He suspected that it was because he was already so focused as he was sneaking around. A moment later he was reaching out with his senses. He was right, Malfoy was using something. Harry could feel the menacing energy concentrated around a ring on Malfoys finger. Harry wondered if there was an activation phrase or some other way to control the object. It wouldn’t be practical for it to be active all the time. Maybe the ring had to be worn in order to be activated. Harry very much wanted to check but didn’t really want to come face to face with Malfoy just now. Mrs Figg would not be happy.
Harry returned his attention to the conversation.
Mr Mafloy was in the middle of a tirade “... you missed your payment last week. I’m a businessman and I won’t be taken advantage of! Take your whining to someone else. A deal is a deal and if you don’t repay your loan in 30 days, then I’ll be forced to take collateral as agreed here,” he pointed angrily to a paragraph on the contract, “which you agreed to when you took the loan!”
Mr Malfoy turned on his heel and walked towards the exit, his cloak billowing behind him. Harry guessed that Malfoy had likely practiced that exit many times to get it just right. At first he was impressed but the thought caused him to grimace. He didn’t like Malfoy on principle seeing as how he was a death eater. Still, the theatrics might be useful. Harry would have to practice his own exit if he was going to fit in with the purebloods.
As soon as Malfoy left, the room lightened considerably. ‘That ring, however it worked, was a powerful object indeed,’ Harry thought. A moment later he heard a shaky breath come from the checkout counter. Mr Flume was obviously still shaken up from his encounter.
“I never should have agreed to do business with that man.” Mr Flume said out loud to himself.
Harry thought of his vault full of gold and what Zonko had said about his grandparents investing in shop owners now and then. He wondered what they would do in his position. Harry, who hated bullies like Malfoy, was inclined to offer his help but wasn’t sure how to go about it. He wanted to run the idea past Mrs Figg, but he wasn’t sure how he was going to get back to her without being noticed now that Mr Flume wasn’t distracted. A moment later, his wish was answered however, as he saw Mr Flume turn and walk into a back room.
Taking his chance, Harry walked back over to Mrs Figg. He told her what he’d overheard and what he’d discovered about Mr Malfoy’s ring.
“That was some good work, laddie, I’m impressed.” Mrs Figg said with a smile. She shook her head and chuckled, “You have good instincts and the Guild would be foolish not to accept you as a candidate… That is, if you decide you want to become part of the Guild.”
Harry frowned, he still wasn’t sure he was up to it, but he definitely wanted to do something about the likes of Malfoy and he figured the Guild would be the best resource. Mrs Figg seemed to believe in his abilities. Maybe he just needed to get over his self doubt.
Instead of voicing his thoughts to Mrs Figg, he decided to change the topic back towards Mr Flume and his deal with Malfoy.
“Do you think we could help out Mr Flume? All that money is just lying useless in my vault and I think this is the kind of thing my grandparents would want me to do,” he said.
Mrs Figg frowned and muttered to herself a bit as she worked through her thoughts.
“It sounds like Malfoy was hoping for a chance to take Honeydukes as collateral eventually. He won’t like us thwarting his plan.We’ll have to be careful and we’ll need a solid contract.”
Harry nodded in understanding.
“I think this will be a good learning experience for you,” Mrs Figg continued, “but you need to make a choice.”
Harry wondered what she was getting at.
“On the one hand, you do not want to make yourself a public enemy of Malfoy right now. You’d be outmatched,” she said. Harry scowled but knew she was right.
“On the other hand, the lighter pureblood families will adore you for picking up your family’s mantle as a budding philanthropist.”
Harry was deep in thought, weighing his options. He wondered if there was a middle ground they could take. It was obviously well known enough that his grandparents invested in businesses. Maybe he could just treat this as an investment instead of a donation. If he made efforts to make deals with other shop owners then it wouldn’t look so targeted and might throw Malfoy off his trail. The older wizard would probably still be put out at the competition but it wouldn’t be clear that Harry was going out of his way to thwart the man.
He brought up his thoughts with Mrs Figg who nodded in understanding. “That could work,” she said. “Let’s simmer on this while we shop.”
They walked over and Mrs Figg opened the door so it would chime as if they’d just entered. They grabbed a cauldron to fill with goodies and then they saw Mr and Mrs Flume come out of the back room. The old couple waved and welcomed Harry and Mrs Figg as if nothing was wrong.
Harry took the cauldron from Mrs Figg and began to fill it with sweets as he continued to think up a plan for how to help the Flume’s without making enemies or damaging reputations. He grabbed a bunch of Chocolate Frogs, Acid Pops, and some Sugar Quills. He was enticed into buying some Pepper Imps by a moving poster that showed the consumer smoking from the ears and breathing fire. Mrs Figg let him know that it did wonders for sinus issues, which Harry thought was interesting.
Harry shuddered at the display of Mr. Spindle's Lick "O" Rish Spiders crawling around inside a jar. He wasn’t a huge fan of licorice anyways.
He saw Mrs Figg eying some Crystallised Pineapple and grabbed some when she walked away to give as a gift later.
They perused the shop and added more and more sweets to his cauldron until it was overflowing.
Finally, they decided to go and make their purchase. Harry assumed he’d be set on sweets for quite a while.
If Mr Flume was shocked at the amount of sweets Harry was buying, he didn’t let on. While the man had a smile on his face and was polite, Harry could tell that his mind was elsewhere. Harry decided to trust his instincts and with a glance at Mrs Figg he made his decision.
“Mr Flume,” he said reluctantly, “I may have overheard your conversation with Mr Malfoy earlier…”
As if broken from a trance, Mr Flume’s head shot up and he locked eyes with Harry before glancing up at Mrs Figg.
“You look just like your father, Mr Potter,” the man said. “Caught him in my shop with his three friends often enough. If I didn’t know better I’d swear there was a secret entrance from Hogwarts in my cellar…”
The man shook his head and said, “I am sorry you overheard us. That wasn’t very professional of Mr Malfoy. His visit was expected, but not timely.”
Mrs Figg took over for Harry, “We’re sorry for dropping an ease, but we walked in when Mr Malfoy was here and you didn’t notice. Harry here has a desire to help and we have an offer for you, no strings attached.”
“Well, there are some strings,” Harry clarified. “I don’t exactly want to make an enemy of Mr Malfoy just now. I’d like to help, but I’m a bit hesitant to oppose Malfoy so openly.”
Harry shared his idea with Mr Flume who for his part, listened intently. Hope was practically etched onto his face.
“Ah I see, so this will be more of an investment and less of a donation then?” Mr Flume checked.
“Sort of,” Harry said, "I’m willing to donate the money needed to cover Malfoy’s interest, but the remainder of your loan will be covered as an investment. I’ll become a silent part owner in your company and I’ll take a cut each month, but you’ll be able to buy me out if you want.”
Harry cleared his throat and said, “In return, I ask that you spread the word to the other shop owners that I’m looking for investment opportunities.”
Harry was worried that Mr Flume was going to reject his offer. He dared a glance at Mrs Figg but he couldn’t guess at her thoughts as her face was blank as slate. She was a good business woman.
Finally, after what felt like ages, Mr Flume said, “Your grandparents were good people, son, otherwise I would be more hesitant. I’ll have to run this by the misses, but I do believe we can come to an agreement. How’d you like to stop by for supper tonight so we can go over some of the finer details and I’ll invite a couple other shop owners so you can see I’ve fulfilled your requirement?”
Harry nodded enthusiastically and agreed after Mrs Figg nodded her consent. They made to complete their purchase but Mr Flume offered to hold onto it until after supper.
Harry was a bit tired as they exited the shop, but he was exhilarated by everything he had been able to pull off. First the sneaking and spying, the successful use of his newly discovered power, and then finally being able to successfully navigate the beginning stages of investment. All in the name of justice and preventing a knob from bullying good people.
They decided to do a bit more shopping and exploring until supper. Mrs Figg showed him what the villagers called the Shrieking Shack, but let him in on the secret. One of his dad’s best friends had been a werewolf and had been able to use the shack each month during his transition. The monthly screams had scared the villagers for seven years before it went silent. Now the shack was nothing more than a tourist attraction.
After the shack, they went up a hill that overlooked the valley. There were several benches running along the edge of an overlook. They took a seat that faced Hogwarts and Harry looked on in awe of the giant castle.
As they looked on, Mrs Figg said, “Hogwarts is a rite of passage that most kids would die for. As a squib-,” Harry flinched. “-I never had the chance.”
Of course she’d be upset at Harry for even considering giving up this chance, he thought.
Harry apologized for being an insensitive git about the whole thing. “I’m sorry, Mrs Figg, you’re right of course. I’m just being stupid,” he said.
Mrs Figg waved him off. She had a big smile on her face.
“Don’t worry about the Guild for now, Harry, you can decide later. I just hope you know how much of an impact you could have as a member,” she said.
“I’ve made my decision, Mrs Figg, I’ll attend Hogwarts and join the Guild if they’ll have me,” he said.
Mrs Figg smiled at him and they sat in silence as they looked over the valley.
Harry was feeling a bit off, like he was being watched. He remembered the blonde girl he’d seen earlier that day. He wanted to look around and see if he was right, but didn’t want to give anything away. He remembered his experience in Honeydukes with Malfoy’s ring. He wondered if he would be able to pick up on someone else’s presence with his ability. He had been so focused on objects so far that he hadn’t thought to even try. He imagined the experience would be pretty similar.
He took a deep breath and tried to focus his attention on his feelings. He closed his eyes as he continued to breathe in and out. He focused his attention first on Mrs Figg. She was a squib so he might not be able to pick up on her. He felt silly, since he knew she was sitting right next to him, but he tried anyway. At first, he thought he got nothing and he was ready to call it quits, but just as he was about to shift further out, he thought he picked up on an inkling of something. It was a near intangible feeling, like an empty vessel eager to be filled. He felt sad for Mrs Figg.
He decided to reach out further and see if he could sense who or what was causing him to feel like he was being watched. It might just be his imagination, but he had to try and find out. This was a good exercise of his ability to sense magic, if nothing else. He reached out and imagined a dome expanding. As the dome expanded over objects, he would pick up on minor inklings or impressions of what the object might be. There were a few magical plants on the hill top but he hadn’t been able to identify them. He certainly hadn’t noticed them on his walk up here.
He pushed the dome boundary a bit further, but it was getting harder to maintain his concentration. A moment later and his focus fizzled out entirely.
“That was most impressive,” he heard in the distance. Mrs Figg jumped as if shocked. Apparently she hadn’t been aware that they were no longer alone. It was nice to know that she wasn’t perfect and that he had hope in pulling one over on her every now and then in the future.
“I could see your aura expanding further and further. I’ve never seen someone do that before, it was fascinating,” the voice said before Harry saw a small blonde girl that he guessed was around his age hop out of a tree just outside where he guessed his focus had fizzled out.
The girl continued to walk towards them and Harry noticed that she was barefoot. He looked over at Mrs Figg, but except for a single raised eyebrow, she gave no indication of her thoughts.
When the girl was close enough, Harry raised from his seat and extended his hand towards the girl inviting her to take his hand. “My name is Harry Potter,” he said. The girl looked at his extended hand with her head tilted to the side as if in thought. She made no move to shake his hand and Harry lowered it, blushing.
“It’s nice to meet you, Harry,” she said. “I’m sorry for following you, but you have the most intriguing aura and I admit I was drawn to you.”
Harry didn’t know what to say.
Mrs Figg stepped in and said, “I’m Mrs Figg, Harry’s guardian, and who might you be?”
The girl looked at Mrs Figg, her thumb and index finger holding her chin as if inspecting the woman. She finally answered, “My name is Luna Lovegood.”
Harry noticed Mrs Figg flinch ever slightly but it was so subtle he doubted the girl, Luna, had noticed.
“Lovegood you say,” Mrs Figg said. “You must be Xeno and Pandora’s daughter then?”
Luna nodded.
Mrs Figg looked around, her hands out palms up as she asked, “And are your parents nearby? I didn’t think you lived near Hogsmeade…”
“My parents are always with me,” Luna said with her hands on her heart, “But no, I’m afraid they both died recently and I’m here on my own.”
Harry frowned. He felt bad for her, but she seemed a bit off. What did she mean her parents were always with her? What was all the talk about auras?
Mrs Figg continued, “Oh I’m sorry to hear that. I didn’t know either of them well, but I understood them to be good people.”
“That’s nice of you to say,” Luna said.
Mrs Figg didn’t seem to know what else to say.
Harry had been silent so far but he had been busy observing. He’d noticed several things that indicated that Luna was in trouble. Aside from being barefoot, he also noticed that her dress was rather worn out, the edges frayed. She was also very thin, and had circles under her eyes. He was familiar with the look, having only recently been able to cure himself of his own. There were bruises on her shins and elbows that at first glance looked like what a normal child would have after an afternoon playing outside, but Harry could tell they were rather old. She was having a hard time healing. She was starving.
Harry decided to try and sense her again, now that she was closer. He was curious what he’d read from her. He closed his eyes and pushed his focus outward, like before. When the boundary of his mental dome reached the girl, she giggled in delight. He was able to read the girl almost instantly. Unlike Mrs Figg, this girl was full of serene energy. It felt like he’d plunged his head into a cloud and he was dreaming. He felt boundless, like nothing was impossible and everything was possible. There was a twinge of sadness surrounding the girl, on the edges, but overall she felt calm and resolved to be happy.
He pulled back and returned his focus to the physical world, his eyes wide. Mrs Figg was looking at him curiously, but she didn’t say anything.
Luna groaned in disappointment, “aww, I like your aura, Harry, it has a calming and curious presence like a cat.”
“I umm, like your aura too, Luna,” he said awkwardly as he tried to use the new term. It was like trying to speak another language, but it was helpful to put words to his ability. “Your… aura… felt like a dream of endless possibilities.”
Luna giggled at his description but had a beaming smile on her face. Harry noticed some missing teeth and frowned.
Mrs Figg must have picked up on the details as well because she was frowning as well. “Do you have any plans tonight, Ms Lovegood?” she asked the girl.
“It’s a full moon tonight so I was hoping to be able to visit the mooncalves on the next hill, but other than that I don’t.”
“How would you feel about joining us for supper at Mr Flume’s house?” Mrs Figg asked.
Luna’s eyes grew wide and she said, “I’d like that, thank you!”
They made their way back to the village. Mrs Figg walked ahead and said, “I’m just going to hurry ahead to have a chat with Mrs Flume before dinner. You two take your time walking back.”
Harry understood that Mrs Figg was likely letting their hosts know they’d have an extra guest tonight and to ward off any awkward questions.
Harry and Luna walked side by side in silence. At one point Luna tripped and Harry caught her arm so she wouldn’t fall. Luna looped her arm in his after that and nestled into his shoulder after that. Harry, who was not very used to physical contact, was surprised at how natural it felt to have her on his arm.
Harry gathered his courage and asked, “Can I ask what happened to your shoes?”
Luna shrugged and said, “I took them off so I could soak my feet in a stream and forgot to put them back on.”
Harry decided not to ask how long ago that had been.
Instead, he said, “Since we’re visiting some friends tonight, what do you say to me treating you to a new pair of shoes?”
“That sounds nice,” she said simply. “Just as long as they’re easy to take off.”
Harry smiled and then steered them down the street towards a clothing shop he’d seen earlier.
A little while later, Luna was outfitted in a new outfit that Harry had bought her. Harry had expected a bit of a fight from the girl, but she didn’t seem to mind Harry buying her things. She kept it simple, however, and didn’t take advantage.
Now back outside, Luna was standing there with her shoes in hand, still barefoot. Harry just smiled. He guessed she’d just preferred being barefoot at this point.
They walked over to Honeydukes, at which point Luna put her new shoes on, and walked inside.
They were welcomed into the apartment on the second level by Mrs Flume and Mrs Figg, who fawned over Luna in her new outfit. Luna seemed pleased with the attention and gave a small curtsy.
“Nice job, Harry,” Mrs Figg whispered to him as he pulled out Luna’s chair. Mrs Figgs lessons on etiquette were really helping out with this new scenario. Harry and Luna were the last to reply and everyone waved off his apology when he offered it. Everyone seemed happy to be invited and seemed to know why they were here.
Besides the Flumes, there were three other shop owners seated around the table. Mr Flume made the introductions then and Harry learned that the three shop owners he didn’t recognize were Feona Greengrass, Harold Weekes, and Zacharia Fenby who respectively owned Dogweed and Deathcap, Spinwitches Sporting Needs, and The Magic Neep.
Mrs Figg then introduced herself, Harry, and Luna to the group. Harry noticed that Luna often had a vacant expression on her face, but assumed she was off in her own world or maybe scoping out their auras. Nobody seemed to mind her presence there.
They served dinner and began to talk and eat and Harry learned several things.
Feona and Harold were both pureblood or near enough to it to not be bothered. Zacharia, however, was a halfblood who had recently purchased The Magic Neep from the previous owner. It had taken his entire inheritance to make the purchase of the building, Harry had learned, and he needed help buying supplies. Feona and Harold had been blacklisted by Malfoy, who he’d learned was the primary owner of several suppliers.
“Before they died, your grandparents owned several of the businesses that Malfoy has since taken over. He was able to use their absence to build quite the portfolio,” Mrs Figg had said.
“Right,” said Harry. “And now he’s bullying everyone into doing what he wants.”
Harry was fuming. Voldermort had orchestrated his parents and grandparents deaths and now one of his death eaters was free and taking advantage of the absence his family had left behind.
Feona Greengrass broke the silence, “We have a plan, but we need the capital to pull it off. With you in our corner, we should be able to correct what's happened. The process will be slow, but if we do it right then Malfoy may end up being unaware that anything is going on at all.”
At that, Luna said, “Mr Malfoy does have quite a few wrackspurts, so I expect you’re right.”
Everyone stopped at that comment and Mrs Figg politely asked, “What are wrackspurts, Luna?”
“They’re tricky creatures that infest one’s mind. They’re invisible and cause confusion and unclear thoughts,” Luna clarified. “Mr Malfoy had quite the infestation.”
Harry noticed that most everyone had a very skeptical look on their face and chose to come to Luna’s defense. “Yeah, I think you’re right Luna.”
At Harry’s statement everyone nodded their head in agreement.
“Thanks Harry, you’re a kind soul,” Luna said before eating more of her dinner.
Feona finished explaining the plan to the group and Mrs Figg seemed to agree it was a good plan.
After that, they served dessert. Everyone was quite pleased with the discussion and seemed to be in agreement.
“I’ll have a friend of mine draft up the contracts for each of you and Mr Potter here.” Mrs Figg said. I’ll owl them over for your signatures if you agree. If you don’t simply send a reply back requesting any corrections.”
They all nodded their agreement to the plan.
“I will be including a non-disclosure to my involvement. It’s not well known that Harry has re-entered the magical world and that he’s in my care. As far as the community at large knows, Harry is still living with his muggle relatives. I’d like to maintain that ruse for as long as we can, for his protection.”
“I’ll sign, of course,” said Mr Flume. “It will help keep Malfoy off our trail anyways if he’s stuck searching for our benefactor.”
“Yes, I’ll sign as well,” Feona said. “We can reveal Harry’s involvement at a more opportune moment in the future.”
The rest of the group agreed as well.
After that, the group dissipated in intervals. It wasn’t unusual for the shop owners to mingle, but they wanted to reduce any rumors from spreading.
After everyone but the Flumes had left, Luna said, “That was a lovely dinner Mrs and Mr Flume. Thank you for having me.”
“You are welcome anytime, dear,” Mrs Flume said and Mr Flume nodded his agreement.
“Harry, the full moon is out, can we go see the mooncalves now?” Luna asked.
Mrs Figg nodded and they gave their goodbyes to the Flumes.
Mr Flume handed Harry his cauldron of sweets from earlier and insisted that since Harry was going to be part owner, that he needed not to pay.
Outside the store, Luna promptly removed her shoes and the trio made their way down the path that led to a large field that was known for mooncalf sightings.
Luna resumed her place on Harry’s arm and they followed Mrs Figg down the path. Several times, Harry felt Luna lean her head against his shoulder.
They climbed a steep hill and Harry nearly lost his breath. Luna struggled a bit due to her poor health, but Harry and Mrs Figg guided her along providing support when needed. From the top of the hill they had a great view of the field. Harry looked up at the sky and saw that the moon was obscured by a large gray cloud. He hoped it would move so the moon could come out. He could see that the cloud was slowly moving and that the moon would eventually be able to shine down on them. He was glad that he’d finally be able to see a herd of mooncalves.
Harry could tell that Luna was tired, so he went to sit down and then pulled her into his lap. She cuddled up with him and he noticed Mrs Figg try to hide a smile. He could tell that the woman was as fond of the young girl as he was. Harry could hardly believe that they’d only met for the first time earlier today. He already knew he’d do anything for her. His first friend, he reminded himself. It was good to have a friend.
Harry looked up at the sky again and could see the moon was about to break free from the cloud. He nudged Luna, who was falling asleep, at the exact moment that the moonlight shone down on the field. Luna perked up and looked down at the field.
“Look,” she said. “Just there.”
She pointed down at the tree line where several large boulders were. A moment later, a herd of mooncalves came frolicking from behind one of the boulders. Harry had no idea where it had been before the moon came out. He remembered reading that they tended to live in burrows or caves and only came out at a full moon. If you were lucky, you’d get to witness them do their dance, but it was a rare sighting.
“I hope they’ll dance for us,” Luna said.
Mrs Figg smiled and said, “I have a good feeling that they will.”
Sure enough, the moon calves began to jump around in a circle. Soon, they were jumping in sync with each other. They began to twirl and sway as a group. Harry was entranced. He strained his eyes to stay open so he wouldn’t miss any of it. Luna squeezed him tightly and murmured something but he couldn’t make sense of it. He squeezed her softly in return.
In a moment, the spell ended and the mooncalves began to frolic back to the group of boulders.
Harry was sad that it had ended so quickly but considered himself lucky to have seen it at all.
Mrs Figg was looking down at them and said, “Alright, I think it’s time to get going. Luna dear, would you like to come with us?”
If Luna was startled by the invitation, it didn’t show. She simply smiled and said, “Oh yes, I would love to come live with you.”
Harry chuckled at her, unsure if she had misunderstood Mrs Figg’s invitation or if she had simply known what Mrs Figg was really asking.
They made their way back to the main street in no time and used the floo at The Three Cauldrons to travel home. It was an uneventful trip, of which Harry was very grateful. It had been a very full day and he was very tired.
Once back in the main hall, Mrs Figg left Harry to show Luna to her new room while she returned to her quarters.
Harry and Luna walked hand in hand as Harry showed her around. He didn’t go into much detail, tired as he was, and Luna didn’t seem to be paying attention anyways.
When he got to his family quarters, he explained that he’d been staying in his fathers old room and she was free to take either the room Sirius Black had used or his grandparent’s old room. Luna frowned, “Can I just stay with you in your room?”
Harry blushed. She wanted to share his room? “Are you sure you don’t want your own room?” he asked.
“Maybe later,” she said. “Right now, I just don’t want to be alone. I’ve been alone a really long time and it’s lonely.”
Harry chuckled quietly at her description. He understood what it was to be alone and lonely. “All right, you can stay with me for now but I’m not sure how long Mrs Figg will allow you to stay in my room. It’s not proper.”
“She won’t mind,” Luna said matter of factly as she pulled Harry into his room after her.
Chapter 6: The Guild Leader
Chapter Text
Harry woke up with mixed feelings the next morning. Luna had slept in his bed with him last night and her presence had been comforting. After years of neglect, physical contact was foreign to him, but he liked it when Luna held his hand or when they walked arm in arm together. He’d welcomed her contact as she’d leaned into his shoulder and hugged him as they watched the mooncalves dance.
But this morning he’d been woken up by a pair of freezing cold feet on his back. She’d somehow shifted into a ball and then slid her feet up his shirt. After all her tossing and turning, he barely got any sleep. The girl had hardly stayed still all night and she seemed to shift into a new position every few minutes.
As much as he liked Luna and was happy for her companionship, if things kept up he'd likely never have a solid night's rest again.
He shook his head as she shifted once again, this time pulling the blankets off of him. He got up with a huff. There was simply no point in trying to sleep any longer. He walked over to the window.
The sky was a clear purplish pink as the sun was getting ready to rise. It must be pretty early still but he decided he’d just get an early start. He grabbed a change of clothes and walked towards the bathroom so he could shower and get ready for the day.
After a very pleasant shower, he was heading back to his room. He figured it was as good a time as any to peruse his father’s journals. Maybe he’d find out how he’d been able to sneak into Hogsmeade. He also grabbed the book that Mrs Figg had bought him from Mundungus just in case.
It was a nice day out, but it was getting too cold to enjoy the balcony this early in the morning, so he opted to sit in the reading nook he’d found yesterday instead.
It was a couple hours later before anyone came looking for him. He’d heard Mrs Figg calling for him and he hollered to her where he was.
Mrs Figg entered the reading nook with a playful smile on her face as she said, “I see that Ms Lovegood has claimed your bed as her own. Has she claimed you as well? Your bed is an absolute mess…”
Harry’s cheeks began to burn and he refused to meet her eyes. “It’s not like that, I promise,” he said.
Mrs Figg laughed heartily and said, “I should think not, laddie, you’re only 10 years old as it is.
“From the look of things, I’m guessing you didn’t sleep well last night?” She checked.
“Ruddy awful! She’s a menace! Tossing and turning all night, hogging the blankets, and then finally she shoved her feet up the back of my shirt… might as well have shoved ice up there!
Mrs Figg guffawed at his distress. When he glared at her, she just laughed harder.
“After that I showered and came in here to do some reading,” he said with a huff, “And since you’re here just to take the mickey out of me, I think I’ll get back to it.”
Harry grabbed the journal he’d been reading and put it up so it was covering his face.
“Trying to find out how to sneak out of the castle?” She asked.
Harry grumbled. How did she always know what he was doing?
“Are you a mind reader or something? How do you always know what I’m up to?” He asked grumpily.
Mrs Figg chuckled and said, “I guess I just know you well enough by now to guess.”
Harry grunted.
“Alright laddie, I’m sorry for teasing you,” Mrs Figg said. “But you do make it rather easy.”
Harry put the book down with a smile.
Mrs Figg continued, “I need to go visit ‘dung about those contracts. While I’m out, I’m going to reach out to a healer from the Guild and they’ll give you and Ms Lovegood a look over.”
Harry nodded. He was nervous about his own exam but he knew Luna likely needed some help.
“Since she’s staying with us, I’ll probably reach out to Dumbledore as well just to keep him updated.”
Harry went to argue that it was none of his business, but Mrs Figg stopped him.
“The more we openly share with the man, the less likely he is to go digging in our business. As long as he thinks he’s on the up and up, then he won’t be suspicious.”
Harry thought about it for a bit. It did make sense even if he didn’t like it.
“What if he tries to take Luna away?” Harry asked.
“I don’t think he will. If it were the child of a dark family, he might interfere but the Lovegoods have always been on the lighter side of things,” Mrs Figg said.
“But, what if he…” Harry started before being cut off.
“Trust me, Harry, if Dumbledore interferes then I’ll put up such a stink about it that he’ll lose interest. I got you away from the Dursleys, after all.”
“You’re right of course,” he said, defeated. “Thanks.”
“Alright, I’ll be late if I don’t leave now. There’s food in the kitchen. If I’m not back by dinner, go ahead and start something up without me,” she said as she got up and left.
Harry finished reading the journal. He’d gotten through years 1 and 2 already. His father was an interesting kid. He definitely took the Potter name seriously and wanted to live up to his parents expectations but he went about it in rather unorthodox ways.
By the end of year 2, his fathers group were top of the class without ever appearing to study. They’d accomplished this by using the invisibility cloak to roam the school for secret areas that they could study and practice in private.
They’d found and entered every house common room and even the teachers quarters undetected, but there had been nothing mentioned about Hogsmeade.
Their favorite place to hang out was actually in the dungeons. His father said it was the last place the enemy would think to look. They’d found a hidden room down there that was close to the kitchens and their favorite target, the Slytherins.
They would spend the whole weekend down there so they could study and practice magic undetected. Because they were never found in the library, the school population believed the four students were just naturally gifted. In reality, they worked their butts off and then used the Slytherins to blow off steam.
His father and Sirius were under the impression that all Slytherins were evil dark wizards in training. Harry thought that was likely not true, and he didn’t really like how much they bullied the students, but he knew his father eventually grew out of it so he didn’t let it bother him.
Harry’s stomach growled and he looked at his watch. His eyes grew large as he realized it was nearly 10 AM and he’d gotten lost in his books for most of the morning.
He decided to try and wake Luna up so they could go eat breakfast. He knew his friend needed it.
He opened his door without a thought and walked in right as Luna was changing out of the pajamas she’d borrowed from Harry.
He quickly covered his eyes and said, “Sorry, Luna. I wasn’t thinking.”
“It’s ok,” she said. “It’s just my body. I’m not ashamed of it.”
Harry paused and didn’t know what to think. Luna often said odd but insightful things that left him thinking. It would probably be a while before he wrapped his head around this one.
“I’m dressed now,” she said.
Harry lowered his hands and glanced at his friend who was now dressed in her outfit from yesterday. “We’ll have to get you some more clothes of your own,” he said.
“I don’t know about having to, but I’d like that,” she replied airily.
Harry chuckled and held out his arm. “Do you want to come with me to get something to eat?”
“Oh yes, please,” she said and she took his offered arm.
Harry slowed his pace so that Luna could look around at all the paintings and photos that were hanging throughout the manor.
She stopped several times to stop and look at some of them.
“Your family members all have pleasant auras like you,” she said.
“You can see their auras in the photos?” Harry checked.
Oh, yes. I can sense the aura of most things and people but it’s easier if they’re magical,” Luna said. “I couldn’t get much of anything from Mrs Figg, for instance, but everyone at dinner had good auras too. If I’d picked up on anything negative I’d have let you know.
“I can sometimes read an aura of a painting, but a bit of the artist's aura usually intermingles. I suspect it depends on how well the artist knows the subject or how they feel about them.”
Harry thought about what Luna was saying and he wondered if what he was doing was the same thing or similar. If it was the same then he reckoned that Luna was a natural or had mastered her gift while Harry was still working on developing his.
A lot of what Harry picked up on resonated with what Luna described. He’d had a hard time reading Mrs Figg, but Luna has been easy. He wondered why he’d picked up on Malfoy’s ring, but not on Malfoy himself or on Ambrosius Flume.
He shared his thoughts with Luna.
“Hmm, it sounds similar. I suspect it has to do with your focus. You zoom in and focus on the details. You should try zooming out a bit and see what happens.”
Harry thought he understood what she was saying but he didn’t know how to zoom out… his brain just worked that way, he thought.
He decided to try anyway. It was getting easier to get into his focus mode, but he still kept his eyes closed to help reduce outside distractions.
He decided to focus on Luna first because she was familiar. Almost immediately he felt like he was in a cloud again. The sadness was still there but it was accompanied by a comforting feeling of companionship. Harry suspected that that was their new friendship at work and he was happy for his new friend.
Luna giggled and that reminded Harry what he was supposed to be working on. He took a deep breath and tried expanding his focus a bit. A moment later and it fizzled out.
“Darn it,” he said, frustrated.
“It’s ok if you don’t get it right the first time. You can always try again, but let’s go eat,” Luna said.
Harry nodded and they made their way the rest of the way to the kitchen in a comfortable silence.
Harry whipped up some parfaits for brunch and then they shared a small loaf of bread with some cheese. Harry was grateful for Mrs Figg stocking the kitchen.
While Harry was deep in thought, enjoying the last of his parfait, Loki ran into the kitchen. “Harry! You have to come see what I found on the grounds,” Loki shouted mentally. “It’s big and hairy and has creepy eyes.”
“Oh, I’ve never met a talking cat,” Luna said. “Lead the way, good sir.” And then they took off.
Typical Luna, Harry thought as he ran to keep up with them.
Loki’s description matched an endless number of creatures he’d read about. He followed Loki out of the kitchen and into the entrance hall.
They walked for a long time before they were finally able to exit the large manor.
Outside in the courtyard, Harry could see that Mrs. Figg had gotten around to trimming some of the bushes. She’d done a good job too. It was a stark difference from the ones she hadn’t gotten to yet. Maybe afterwards, he’d help her finish the rest of the trimming.
Loki was running and Harry, who was now far ahead of Luna, was barely able to keep him in his field of vision at times. It was a good thing that Loki kept looping back to encourage them to run faster. The garden was much larger than it looked from the balcony and it took them a lot longer than he thought it would for them to make it to the greenhouses that Loki seemed to be leading them to.
The greenhouses were in bad shape. There were several broken panes of glass and a lot of the structure looked rusty. They’d probably need to be replaced and Harry had no idea how they’d manage to do that without some outside help if they were going to maintain their secrecy. He hoped Mrs Figg had a plan.
Inside the greenhouse at last, Harry glanced around. There were large vines growing all over the inside of the structure. It was an utter mess in here, Harry thought. Loki stopped near the back of the greenhouse and said “It was just here a moment ago but it seems it got out.” Harry could tell Loki was frustrated. Loki continued, “If it hadn’t taken you so long to run down here we probably would have found him!”
Harry apologized for being slow but reasoned that with the vaste size of the grounds, that he never would have been able to make it in time. They looked around for a while but found no trace of the creature. Harry was leaning against one of the tables while he caught his breath. The effort it took to get down here had worn him out and he was wiping some sweat away from his eyes when one of the vines wrapped around his ankle and pulled him to the ground.
He landed with a grunt and shouted out to Loki as the vine pulled him towards a dark corner in the greenhouse. Loki hissed loudly and ran after him. Harry watched as Loki leaped over him and started clawing and biting at the vines. He thought he was doing a pretty good job too, but it didn’t seem to phase the thick vines at all. Harry shouted for Luna. He had no idea where she was but hoped she’d hear him somehow. He saw Loki run out of the greenhouse and hoped that Loki would be able to track Luna down in time.
Harry was trying not to panic. He was near the corner of the greenhouse and it was really dark. He could just see that the vines were growing out of a large hole in the ground. He was being dragged closer and closer to the black abyss.
Just as Harry was about to be pulled out of sight and into the darkness, he saw a large gray ape-like creature appear out of nowhere and latch onto the vine. It was stronger than it looked and was able to hold the vine in place, preventing it from pulling him any further. Loki must have found Luna because she came charging in a moment later with sheers in hand. She ran over to the dark corner and snipped off the vine with several quick clips.
What remained of the vine that had previously been holding onto him, shrunk back into the hole. Harry took a deep steadying breath as he sat on the ground. When he looked up, he found himself looking into the black eyes of the creature that had rescued him. “Thanks,” he said, even though he didn’t expect it to understand him.
Luna broke the silence and said, “Oh, a demiguise? How lovely to meet you.”
Harry watched as the creature looked away from him and walked over to Luna who leaned down and scooped the demiguise up so it could hang off her shoulder, its feet resting on Luna’s hip. Luna used her other hand to pat her dress down before reaching into a pocket. Harry didn’t think dresses had pockets, maybe only witches made dresses with pockets. From the pocket, Luna withdrew a lollipop and offered it to the demiguise.
The demiguise reached for the candy with an eager look, quickly removed the wrapper and stuck it in its mouth with a satisfied groan.
“Mrs Figg told me there used to be a demiguise here when my grandparents lived here so I’m guessing that’s you,” said Harry.
Loki meowed loudly and Harry looked down. “Thanks for all your help with whatever that was,” Harry said to the group.
“I think it’s called Devil's Snare,” Luna said. “Daddy told me about a time he’d escaped one on one of his adventures.”
“We should probably leave before something else exciting happens,” Harry said with a wary look towards the corner.
Loki meowed in what Harry guessed was agreement.
“You were very brave, Sir Loki,” Luna said as they left the greenhouse.
She struggled to walk with the added weight of the demiguise so Harry offered his arm to the creature, which shifted happily onto his shoulders. Its arms hung over each of his shoulders and its legs wrapped around his waist like a giant backpack.
Loki then promptly jumped into Luna’s now vacant arms and then perched onto her shoulders.
The trio turned quartet headed back inside. Once back inside, the demiguise unhooked itself from Harry’s torso and then disappeared as it headed towards the sealed off area of the manor.
Harry was tired from his restless night, early morning, and the events of the day. He just wanted a nap so he said, “Luna, I’m going to go snooze for a bit. You’re welcome to explore but maybe take Loki with you in case something else happens.”
“That sounds like a grand idea, doesn’t it Loki?” She said. Harry watched Loki, who was still on her shoulders, hold on for his life as Luna started skipping towards the library.
Harry shook his head and chuckled at the oblivious girl. She sure was odd, but he liked that about her.
Back in his room, Harry plopped on his bed to try and get some rest. He hoped Luna and Loki would be safe. So far, he hadn’t encountered anything dangerous in the house itself but he hadn’t really explored the other wing.
Loki would come get him if anything happened, so he shouldn’t worry. Before long, he slipped into a deep sleep.
When Harry woke up he could see that the sun was nearly set. He hadn’t expected to be able to sleep more than a couple hours tops but he must have needed it.
He wondered if Mrs Figg had returned from his errands.
He exited his room and called out to see if Luna was nearby. To his surprise, she called back out from the room next to his.
He’d been through the spare room himself but hadn’t found anything noteworthy in it. He remembered that Sirius had used that room for a couple years and wondered if Luna had found anything interesting with her gift.
He walked into the room and found Luna sitting on the bed, her legs crossed. Loki was napping in her lap. She had been reading a book, but put it down when Harry walked in.
“Hey Luna,” he said, “Sorry I slept so long.”
“Oh, that’s ok. Loki and I had fun exploring before we settled in here,” she replied.
“Anything interesting happen while I was out?” He asked, “Is Mrs Figg back?”
“Oh, If she is, I haven’t seen her,” she said as she stretched. “I spent most of the time in the library. There are many interesting books on magical creatures in your library, but nothing about crumple-horned snorkacks or nargles unfortunately.”
“What are crumple-horned snorkacks and nargles,” he asked.
Luna frowned sadly for a moment before explaining, “They’re creatures that my dad and I were exploring for before he died.”
“Sorry Luna,” he said. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“Oh, there’s not much to tell really. My mom liked to experiment with spells and something went wrong and blew the whole house up. I was off exploring in the woods when it happened.”
Luna wiped her eyes and sniffed before continuing. “When I got home there were aurors and ministry officials all over. I didn’t like their auras, so I hid. I found out what happened later in the Daily Prophet.”
Harry remembered seeing a boy selling those papers in Diagon Alley. What a terrible way to find out your parents had died.
Harry walked over and gave the girl a hug. “Thanks for telling me,” he said.
Luna just squeezed his torso in return.
“Anyways, I liked this room when I found it. It has a good energy,” she said, changing the subject. “Whoever used it last was a very good person.”
“Oh, that would be my dad’s best friend, Sirius Black,” he said simply.
Harry watched Luna’s eyes grow big and her jaw dropped. “This aura is not the aura of someone that would have betrayed your parents…which makes sense considering what I found in this journal,” she said.
“What are you talking about?” He asked. Harry was confused. “Who said that Sirius betrayed my parents?”
“Everyone knows that Sirius Black is in Azkaban because he blew up Peter Pettigrew and a bunch of muggles and he was the one that told Voldemort where you and your parents were hiding. He was their Secret Keeper.”
“What is a Secret Keeper,” Harry asked Luna while she was turning pages in the book she’d had.
“It’s exactly what it sounds like, but the secret is sealed by a spell. Only the Secret Keeper can give the secret away to someone else after the spell is placed.”
“Ah ha!” Luna exclaimed loudly, causing Loki to jump out of her lap with a hiss.
“Read this entry right here,” she said pointing to the page.
Harry took the book from her and examined it. He found an inscription on the inside cover that read, “Property of Sirius Black”, he said out loud.
It didn’t look like any of the journals he’d found around the house. “Where did you find this,” he asked.
“In the library in between a pair of sofa cushions. I only found it because I was tracing the room for auras. Your family's aura is comforting… so I’m pretty much always feeling for it, this aura stood out and I traced it back here,” she said with a shrug.
Harry opened the book to the entry Luna had found and read out loud, “October 25, 1981. He noticed that it was the very last entry but that there were still plenty of blank pages after.
“I stopped by Potter Manor for the first time since the funeral. All the furniture has been covered and preservation charms are in place. It doesn’t feel the same without the Potters here. I miss them.
“I just came from meeting with James and Lily about the Fidelius Charm. I got to spend time with young Harry. He loves it when I turn into Padfoot.
“I’m worried about my role in all this. I’m an obvious target as a blood traitor. Most the family has joined Voldemort’s ranks, and Regulus has been missing for months.
“James and Lily want me as Secret Keeper. I’d die for them but what good would that do? If I die then the charm dissolves and with the target on my back I don’t think I’m the best choice. I’m going to suggest we switch to Peter and I’ll be the decoy.
“If Remus were still around, I might even consider him. He’d be the less obvious choice as a werewolf but he’s in just as much danger as I am...”
Harry wiped his eyes. His emotions surprised him but he couldn’t help but feel sad for all the loss his family endured.
“I think Sirius did switch the Secret Keeper to Pettigrew and I think Pettigrew is the one that gave the secret to Voldemort,” Luna said.
Harry was having a hard time catching up. It was a lot of information to digest. He hadn’t even known that Sirius was still alive. He assumed he’d died or something.
Luna continued, “Since he was the only one left alive that knew that Pettigrew was the real Secret Keeper, he confronted Peter in the street, killed him along with all those muggles and then went to Azkaban for it.”
Harry agreed that it made sense but didn’t think it mattered. Who would believe them? Would it even make a difference for Sirius? He had killed all those people after all.
Still, Harry thought it might ease some of the man’s pain if he knew that Harry knew he hadn’t betrayed his parents. Perhaps he’d find a way to write to him. He’d have to check with Mrs Figg.
“Come on,” Harry said, “Lets go look for Mrs. Figg.” He offered her his hand and helped her off the bed. Harry couldn’t help but notice how light the girl was. It took almost no effort at all on his part.
They decided to check Mrs Figg’s quarters first. Harry hadn’t been in here since the first night here and he noticed right away that Mrs Figg had made few changes. It looked more like he remembered her house in Little Whinging. He was surprised to see several cats wandering around. He’d figured they’d have gone off to explore other parts of the manor, but here they all were.
There was no sign of Mrs Figg, but Harry found Hermes resting on an arm chair by a window. “Have you seen Mrs Figg,” Harry asked the cat out loud.
“She’s not been here since this morning so I’m guessing she’s still on her errand.” Hermes replied mentally.
“Oh, another talking cat!” Luna exclaimed happily. “Are you related to Loki, here?”
“I am,” Hermes said. It didn’t look like he was going to elaborate any further.
“Hermes is my father,” Loki said happily. Harry was pleased to see that Loki wasn’t offended by his dad’s lackluster response.
Hermes went back to sleep after that.
“Well at least he talked to you, Luna, Mrs Figg says it’s rare for Hermes to talk to anyone,” Harry said.
“He has a pleasant voice,” Luna said. Harry agreed that Hermes' voice was very striking and pleasant. He only wished the cat was more pleasant and willing to converse.
“Let's go,” Harry said, “We can go make dinner or something while we wait for Mrs Figg. I’m sure she’d appreciate a warm meal after a long day.”
They walked back to the main area of the house and then into the kitchen. Harry was pleased to see that Luna knew her way around the kitchen. The two made short work of preparing dinner and Harry was very glad for the company. While they cooked, Harry reflected on how much his life had changed in what felt like a very short amount of time. It had been months since his birthday at this point, but his new life was unrecognizable from his old one. He wouldn’t have believed it a year ago if someone would have told him what his life would be like now.
It was then that he also remembered that it had been a very long time since he’d been able to steal something. Usually, it was like an itch that had to be scratched. If he didn’t steal something then he’d get irritable and a bit reckless at times. But he didn’t think he’d been experiencing that lately. He supposed he’d been so busy discovering his new life that it had distracted him. But now that he’d pointed it out to himself, he could feel the itch begin to deepen. It was like when you hurt yourself playing, but don’t realize it at the time. Later, when the wound is discovered, it finally begins to hurt.
He hadn’t confided his secret to Luna. He wasn’t sure how she would respond if she found out he was a thief. So far, Luna had been a great friend and she didn’t seem the judgemental sort but he wasn’t sure he wanted to risk it. Besides, Mrs Figg had asked him to keep her secret as well. He couldn’t talk to Luna or anyone else about the Guild. Harry had never had a friend before and he hadn’t realized how hard it was going to be to keep secrets from those he cared about. It felt bad.
Harry and Luna cleaned up their dinner mess while they waited for Mrs Figg to come home. They decided they’d wait a little while longer and if Mrs Figg didn’t show up then they would go ahead and eat without her.
It was several hours later and Luna and Harry had eaten and were lounging in the library. He had noticed that Luna was nodding off every now and then and he suggested that maybe she ought to go to bed. She nodded and she and Loki headed to bed. Harry wasn’t tired, still refreshed from his nap earlier in the day. He had decided to go and check in with Hermes to see if he thought anything was wrong. It was pretty late in the day now and he was beginning to worry about Mrs Figg.
Harry walked through the house and into Mrs Figgs quarters. There was still no sign of her. He found Hermes exactly where they’d found him earlier. It didn’t look like he’d moved an inch.
“Hey Hermes,” Harry said, “I’m getting worried that Mrs Figg isn’t home yet.”
Hermes looked up at him and blinked before yawning and stretching.
“It has been longer than we expected, but she did have a lot to do today. It’s probably nothing to worry about,” he said dully.
“Alright, I’m going to go look for her.”
“You’ll do no such thing,” Hermes growled. “You’re underage and untrained. It’s not safe and there is literally nothing you can do to help.”
“Well you can’t expect me to stay cooped up in this house all the time! I’m going after Mrs Figg and you can’t stop me!” Harry yelled back.
“Insolent child,” Hermes replied. He got up from the chair and prowled over to a bachelor chest. “Open the second drawer from the top.”
Harry walked over to the chest and did as he was told. Hermes jumped on top of the dresser and fished through the contents with one of his paws. Eventually, he found what he was looking for and flung a locket at Harry. Harry nimbly caught the locket out of the air and examined it.
“That was given to Arabella by her late husband. She tells me that you have some skill at picking up on magical signatures. This necklace is a companion piece to Mr Figgs pocket watch, which Arabella happens to have on her person. If you memorize this signature, you should be able to get a bearing for where Arabella is. I’ll not have you going out there without at least a semblance of a plan.”
Harry took a moment to calm down before attempting to read the object. He opened the locket and found a photo of a handsome man with a large mustache on one side and a picture of a young girl with curly brown hair on the other. The girl looked very young, maybe five years old.
“Who’s the girl?” Harry asked.
“Arabella’s daughter,” Hermes replied shortly. “She died shortly after that picture was taken.”
“I didn’t know Mrs Figg had a daughter,” he said.
Hermes didn’t say anything in response. He simply walked back over to his chair and curled up into a ball.
Harry didn’t know why Hermes was so irritated. He just wanted to make sure Mrs Figg was okay. Hermes should be just as worried as him, he thought.
Harry calmed down before his temper could rise again. He reached out with his senses and got a reading off the locket. Harry thought it felt like a warm sunny day with a cool breeze. He wondered who’s aura he was picking up. Was it Mr Figg’s or perhaps the jeweler that had made it? He’d noticed that he’d only been able to pick up the aura of magical objects. Mundane objects didn’t seem to have an aura at all unless they’d been frequently handled by someone magical. Had Mr Figg been a wizard? Harry wondered.
Harry suddenly felt guilty for not finding out more about Mrs Figg’s life, especially after all she had done for him.
Determined to find Mrs Figg and make sure she was okay, he walked out of her quarters and over to the entrance hall’s fireplace. He took some floo powder and threw it into the fireplace. Green flames suddenly came to life and he stepped into them. “Diagon Alley!” he exclaimed.
Harry felt the familiar sensation of being pulled through a tube. A moment later he landed expertly out of the fireplace at the Leaky Cauldron. Harry looked around and found that it was mostly empty. There were a few patrons sitting at the bar enjoying food and drink. He decided it was probably a good idea to ask Tom if he’d seen Mrs Figg recently. He walked over to the bar and waved at the man, smiling.
Tom’s eyes widened as he recognized Harry. He walked over and whispered, “What are you doing here at this hour, lad?”
“Have you seen Mrs Figg today?” he checked.
“Aye, this morning but not since,” Tom said with a nod.
“Alright, thanks Tom. I think I know where she is. Do you mind letting me through?”
Tom looked hesitant, “I don’t know if that’s a good idea, lad.”
Harry paused. He could see that he wasn’t likely able to convince the man to let a 10 year old boy wander Diagon Alley alone at night. Honestly, he should have thought about that before asking.
Harry did his best to look and sound dejected as he said, “Alright, Tom. I’ll just head back home then.”
Tom nodded and went back to cleaning up behind the bar. Harry made a show of walking back to the fireplace but he had no intention of flooing home just yet. Instead, he watched to make sure he wouldn’t be seen and then when the timing was right he snuck towards the back door that led to the alley.
As he passed the bar he saw someone’s wand poking out of their pocket. He knew it was risky, but he slid the wand out of the patron’s pocket as he passed.
Equipped with a wand, Harry hoped he’d be able to let himself through the alley’s passageway. He tapped the three bricks that he’d seen Tom tap last time and sure enough the bricks began to shift.
Harry wondered if he ought to leave the wand here for Tom to find and return to the owner, but on the other hand it might come in handy if he were in a bind.
He reminded himself that he didn’t actually know how to use it and keeping it was risky if he got caught. He decided to drop the wand by the door and then slipped into Diagon Alley.
The Alley was mostly vacant, with only a few people walking around. He walked down the street as if he belonged here. He found that most people ignored you if you looked like you had a purpose.
When he was standing near Knockturn Alley, he decided to try and feel for the magical signature that matched Mrs Figg’s locket. He didn’t pick up on anything.
He took Luna’s advice and tried to zoom out. Maybe he was focusing too hard on one thing. He imagined himself as a bird soaring over the alley, scanning for anything that stood out. At first, he found himself overwhelmed by magical signatures, but then he focused on the memory of the locket. It was as if he was tuning an old fashioned radio, turning the knobs until the station he wanted to listen to was clearly playing.
Eventually, after what felt like ages, he started to pick up on something down Knockturn Alley. He opened his eyes, but tried to remain in tune with the object. It was an uncomfortable and odd sensation. His senses were overwhelmed. He imagined that this might be similar to how a blind man would feel if he was suddenly able to see.
He walked down Knockturn Alley, which had more activity than the last time he’d been down here with Mrs Figg. Without Mrs Figg there to scare them off, it didn’t take long for people to start approaching him and he suddenly wished he had Mr Malfoy's ring.
Instead, he simply tried to act as if he were the most dangerous creature here. He stared down and sneered at anyone looking in his direction. He walked with purpose, but didn’t run. He was the predator, not them.
Surprisingly, it seemed to work. More often than not, if he looked at someone they were the first to look away. Everyone was giving him space and he was able to walk in peace. Before he knew it, he was standing in front of ‘dung’s shop.
He tried to open it, but the door appeared locked. Harry could sense the locket on the other side of the door and assumed Mrs Figg was on the other side.
He knocked and waited. He could hear footsteps walk towards the door and then it cracked open just a smidge. Harry looked up and saw one of ‘dung’s eyes widen in shock before the door opened wider and he was pulled in.
“What do you think you’re doing here!” Mundungus growled.
Harry heard Mrs Figg in the back room, “‘dung, who is it?”
“It’s Harry!” The man shouted back.
A moment later Mrs Figg was walking into the main shop with a blazing look. Harry was reminded of the time she had discovered he’d stolen from her and he flinched.
“I just wanted to make sure you were ok.” He said in his defense before she could start yelling at him. That kind of thing would sometimes work on his aunt.
Mrs Figg’s expression softened slightly but he could tell he wasn’t out of trouble just yet.
“Of course I’m ok, lad,” she said. I was just meeting with Mr Fletcher and…” she looked towards the back room with a hesitant expression.
Harry looked towards Mundungus and saw that he had a worried look on his face too. What was the problem, Harry wondered.
Just then, another woman stepped out from the back room. She was very old and dressed very shabbily. She had liver marks all over her saggy skin. He didn’t understand why they were so worried, but then she looked into his eyes and he felt a very primal urge to run away.
“Mrs Figg, Mr Fletcher, who is our young guest here?” The old woman asked in a voice that didn’t match her body at all. She had an Eastern European accent and her voice was melodic and… had a royal air to it, as if she was used to getting her way at all times.
Mrs Figg recovered quickly and said, “This is Harry Potter, the boy I was telling you about.” Harry saw Mrs Figg look at him pointedly and then he remembered his manners and the etiquette lessons.
He walked over to the old woman and bowed at the waist while he accepted her right hand in his and kissed her knuckles lightly.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you Madam…” he said, giving her a chance to offer her name.
“Oh, very well done lad,” the woman said. “As the leader of the Guild, I no longer have a name.”
Mrs Figg and Mundungus both flinched when she mentioned the guild, which told him that they would likely be in trouble if she thought he knew about it. He decided to play dumb.
“What guild is that, madam, I’m not sure I know what you mean,” he tried.
The old woman smiled wickedly at him. “Oh, you’ll do nicely after some training, I think,” she said and then she looked towards Mrs Figg. “You’re right that the boy has promise, but he is too young.”
Harry was shocked when Mrs Figg simply nodded. Was she giving up the fight already? Harry knew he’d been on the fence about the Guild just yesterday, but now that the option was being taken away, he simply couldn’t stand it.
“I’m not too young,” he said defiantly.
The old woman turned on him so they were face to face. Harry could see his own reflection in her dark eyes. She pulled back and he could see an evil smirk on her face. Every cell in his body was screaming at him to look away but he refused. He returned her stare with his own and then smirked.
Her eyes widened a fraction and then she laughed. “Oh I do like this one. It’s been ages since anyone stood up to me,” she said to Mrs Figg before turning back to him. “But don’t fool yourself, boy, nerves of steel will only get you so far. You need knowledge to understand your enemies and the wisdom to know when to act. That kind of thing only comes with time and experience.”
“Try me,” he said before he could talk himself out of it. He could see Mrs Figg cover her face in exasperation. Mundungus chuckled nervously.
“Oh, what a splendid idea,” she said while clapping her hands together. “Mrs Figg, Mr Fletcher, it’s been an absolutely pleasurable evening full of surprises. I must be going, my potion is about to wear off, you see.”
She began walking towards the back room, but stopped and looked back at Harry before saying, “expect my owl soon with instructions,” and then she disappeared and he heard a loud popping sound.
Mrs Figg let out all of her stress and broke into a tirade at that moment. He heard her exclaim all kinds of swear words and insults about his intelligence.
Mundungus just started laughing and then lit his tobacco pipe as he took a seat and enjoyed the show.
“What were you thinking coming here? How did you even get here? There’s no way that Tom let you back here on your own… even he’s got more sense than that!” She exclaimed.
Harry figured it was a rhetorical question but he decided to answer anyway. He was rather proud of himself to be honest.
He started with Hermes and the locket and then told her how he’d swiped a wand after Tom rejected him. And then he told her about getting through the mob of people in Knockturn, at which point she swore and shook her head.
Mundungus laughed and muttered, “Balls of steel on this one…”
“Stop encouraging him! He shouldn’t have come! Now we’re all in thin ice with The Nameless One,” Mrs Figg said.
“Oh, I don’t know about that. She likes him… like really likes him, I think. I haven’t seen her so happy in ages… not since…”
Mrs Figg shushed him then and Harry was disappointed not to hear what Mundungus was going to say. He loved a good secret.
She pulled out her pocket watch and cursed. “It’s time to go,” she said. “The healer is arriving tomorrow and you will need to review the contracts before we send them out.”
She grabbed Harry by the collar and escorted him out of the shop. She didn’t release him until they were halfway down Knockturn Alley.
“It was foolish of you to come down here alone,” she said.
Harry reiterated that he’d only come because he was worried.
“Oh stuff it! You came because you were bored!” She hissed.
Harry was hurt. Sure, he was bored and was looking for a bit of adventure but he really was worried.
“It can be both things,” he said quietly.
“Sorry,” she said. “You’re right and I’m touched you were worried about me but I can handle myself and you really could have been hurt.”
Harry thought he understood that she was just as worried about him as he had been about her. “Alright,” he said. “I’ll not do something so foolish next time.”
“Thank you, laddie,” she replied.
They made their way back into The Leaky Cauldron. Harry saw that the wand he’d used was no longer where he left it. He braced himself for an angry Tom when they walked in.
Tom was there at the bar but the dining area was empty. He looked up as they entered and Harry heard him sigh in relief.
“That was a risky thing to do, lad. I told you not to go into the Alley,” he said to Harry. “And you’re lucky I found his wand lying there and was able to return it to him. I had to convince him he must have dropped it on his way back in.”
Harry felt bad for putting Tom in a potentially bad situation. He apologized to Tom and then returned home with Mrs Figg.
Chapter 7: The Healer
Chapter Text
When Harry and Mrs Figg arrived back home, Harry remembered that he wanted to talk to Mrs Figg about a few things. It was late and he knew he needed to get some rest, but with so much unveiled but unexplained on his mind, he wasn’t sure how much sleep he was likely to get anyways. He decided to broach the subject of Mrs Figg’s family first.
“Mrs Figg, when I got your locket with Hermes help, I opened it and I saw who Hermes explained was your late husband and daughter,” Harry said. “I guess I just wanted to ask if you’d want to talk about them sometime? It’s just, in a lot of ways you and are alike, both orphans of a sort and I wanted to be there for you if you needed…” he trailed off.
Mrs Figg looked at him with a sad small smile, “Thanks Harry, maybe another time.”
Harry nodded. She’d tell him when she was ready.
“Luna found something interesting in the library today… well we found two interesting things such as a demiguise hiding in one of the greenhouses. There’s also some Devil’s Snare, probably, in one of them… There was a small incident but we all turned out okay,” he was rambling.
Mrs Figg started rubbing her temples, and he thought she was going to get angry again, but she took a deep breath and said, “And the other interesting thing… the one in the library?”
“Oh, right. Well Luna found a journal in between two couch cushions that belonged to Sirius Black and…”
Mrs Figg perked up at that. “Sirius Black had a journal here?”
“Yes,” Harry said, “And it said some interesting things about the Fidelius Charm and switching Secret Keepers to Peter Pettigrew at the last minute…”
Mrs Figg had wide eyes at that revelation. “It makes sense,” she said. “Sirius and your father were practically brothers. I’ve always had a hard time thinking he’d betrayed them.”
“Luna said something about his aura being that of a good person and she doesn’t believe he betrayed them either,” Harry said.
Mrs Figg simply hummed at that.
Harry contemplated his thoughts on the subject. He still wasn’t sure what difference it would make, but he decided to press forward with his request to write to the man.
Mrs Figg looked thoughtful at his request. “Hmm, I’m not sure…”
“What could it hurt, Mrs Figg,” he asked. “He’s in Azkaban so even if he did do it, what could he possibly do from there?”
“Alright, I think prisoners are allowed visitors occasionally, but I think a letter first would be best and we can go from there.”
Harry smiled and nodded happily.
“We should probably get to bed, lad,” Mrs Figg said. “It sounds like it’s been a long day for both of us.”
“Good night, Mrs Figg,” Harry said and they parted ways, each heading towards their own quarters.
Harry got a much better night’s sleep. When he did wake up, it was to her head on his chest, and that was a huge improvement to the night before. Luna hardly moved at all and for the most part stuck to her side of the bed.
His stomach growled loudly and he gently shifted Luna off of him so he could get up. She didn’t budge an inch but she did wake up. “Ughhh,” she said into the pillow. “You’re more comfortable than my pillow Harry, why’d you move?”
Harry laughed and said, “C’mon, lets go get something to eat. Mrs Figg got home late last night but said that a healer was going to stop by to check on both of us.”
Luna groaned louder at that. “I never agreed to be checked out by a healer,” she said pouting. Harry ignored her.
“I’m going to go take a shower. When I’m done, you will have to get up and do the same,” he said.
“Fine,” she mumbled as she fluffed her pillow and went back to sleep.
Harry walked towards the bathroom and turned the water on. He peered at his reflection in the mirror. He looked a lot different than he had while living with the Dursley’s. Still scrawny, he noticed, but not deathly thin. He wondered what the healer would notice about his physique. He felt fine, but you never really knew what an expert might find. He hopped on the shower and cleaned himself up. He wanted to present himself in the best light possible. He knew it likely didn’t matter, but he couldn’t help but squirm at the thought of being inspected by a stranger. He finished cleaning himself and turned off the water. It was the best he could do. The healer would find what they would find. There was no use trying to cover anything up or act like he was fine.
He dried off and got dressed so he could go wake up Luna so she could have her turn. When he got back to the room, he knocked, not wanting a repeat of last time. Luna shouted from the other side of the room for him to come in. He opened the door, and Luna came walking out past him and towards the bathroom. “Take your time, but not too long please. I want to go eat breakfast together,” he said to her and his stomach growled again.
He went and made the bed and tidied up the place a bit. Luna still didn’t have any other clothes and was borrowing his pajamas each night. They’d need to remedy that soon, he thought. He looked out the window and saw that the sky was full of dark clouds. It looked like it was going to storm today, he thought with a smile. He loved storms with lots of lightning and thunder and was looking forward to watching it later if he could.
He hadn’t seen Loki since the day before. The bakeneko hadn’t been in the room with Luna when he came home last night. Thinking of the Devil’s Snare, he hoped he was safe.
His stomach growled again and he silently wished that Luna would hurry up. He decided to go wait in the living area on the couch. He thought about reading more of Sirius’ journal but didn’t want to invade the man’s privacy too much, seeing as how he was alive. It seemed wrong somehow, to invade a family friend’s privacy like that. If it were someone else he might be more tempted but he couldn’t do that to someone that was basically family.
He went and grabbed one of his dad’s school journals instead. He still needed to discover how he had been able to sneak into Hogsmeade.
Harry laughed as he read about one of his father’s pranks on the Slytherins. It was mostly harmless and according to his dad, it was rather well received by the majority of the school, even a few Slytherins.
They’d broken into the Slytherin common room and charmed all the snake statues, paintings, and even the embroidery on the sofas to sing christmas carols in the weeks leading up to Christmas break. In order to share the prank with the entire school, they’d cast some pretty advanced charms so that the snake paintings would feel compelled to leave their frames to follow the Slytherins around the school. His dad had described both Professor Dumbledore and Professor Slughorn, the head of slytherin, in the great hall during breakfast, waving their wands in the air as if they were conducting the musical number. According to the journal, the students cheered and clapped at the spectacle.
He’d also learned that the group of marauders had learned of the reason for Remus' monthly visits. They’d grown suspicious of him needing to disappear every 28 days and Sirius had eventually put it together that it was always on a full moon. The three friends had put it together and then confronted Remus on their theory that he had Lycanthropy. From then on, they vowed to help their friend and started the process of becoming animagi so that Remus wouldn’t have to be alone.
Luna eventually made her way back all cleaned and dressed for the day, except she wasn’t wearing shoes.
They made their way down to the kitchen and made breakfast, this time pancakes and sliced fruit. They made enough for themselves and Mrs Figg who arrived with a fond smile when they were nearly finished.
“This looks wonderful, thank you,” Mrs Figg said. “This is just what I needed after Harry…” Harry, who was standing behind Luna, started waving his hands to get Mrs Figg’s attention before she spilled the beans to Luna that he’d snuck out last night. He didn’t want to have to explain.
Luckily Mrs Figg caught on and she just trailed off. Luna looked at her confusingly and said, “Mrs Figg, I think you have wrackspurts.” Luna had a thoughtful expression and said, “I know! I’ll draw you a picture. Mom always said it helped her keep them away.”
Mrs Figg smiled down at Luna and said, “That would be nice dear, thank you.”
Luna smiled, happy to be taken seriously about her magical creatures.
They finished their breakfast in comfortable silence before Mrs Figg broke the silence by saying, “The healer should be here sometime this morning so please stay close.”
Harry and Luna nodded in agreement and made to start cleaning up but Mrs Figg stopped them. “You made breakfast, let me clean up,” she said cheerily as she waved them off.
Luna said she wanted to explore the library some more. Harry didn’t want to do that so he went to the potions lab. He hadn’t been able to try Mrs Figg’s advice since her mini tutoring session.
On his way there, he ran into Loki. “Oh, good morning, Loki! Do you want to come with me to the potions lab?” Harry asked.
Loki barely looked back as he mentally said, “Luna’s in the library and she gives the best belly rubs while she reads,” and then disappeared.
“Traitor,” Harry mumbled.
In the lab, Harry got to sharpening his knife as instructed by Mrs Figg. Then he collected all his ingredients. He inspected the cauldron and stirring rod to make sure they were clean and then got to work. An hour later and he had successfully brewed his first potion. It matched the book's description perfectly.
Harry was very pleased as he bottled and labeled his potions before storing them in the cupboard. He was going to make as many different potions as possible before going to school. He wanted to do his parents proud and planned to make it look effortless just like his dad had.
Mrs Figg entered the lab just then to let him know the healer had arrived. She walked over to the cupboard and inspected his work. “This is very well done,” she said.
Harry ducked his head, pleased at the praise. “It’s all thanks to you, Mrs Figg. Your advice was a game changer.”
Mrs Figg gave him a side hug as they walked out of the lab to go meet the healer.
Luna was already talking to the healer when they got there. Harry overheard her talking about nargles and wrackspurts and was curious how the healer would respond.
Harry was happily surprised that the healer engaged in the conversation as if it were the most normal topic in the world. She asked many clarifying questions and responded with a large smile and frequent nodding as she listened to Luna’s descriptions and explanations.
Eventually, the healer was able to, Harry thought rather expertly, shift the conversation and introduce herself to Harry. “I’m Healer Juniper, from St Mungo’s. Mrs Figg has stressed that my evaluation is kept confidential. You can rest assured that no one other than those of us in the room will have any knowledge of my findings.”
Harry was relieved because he was rather nervous about what would be discovered. He knew he was malnourished but he wasn’t sure what that would mean for his magical core.
If Luna was curious about the need for secrecy, she didn’t let on.
“Thanks, Healer Juniper,” Harry said.
Healer Juniper smiled and said, “I’d like to start with you, Mr Potter,” she said. She then pointed to a privacy curtain that she’d set up and asked him to go change into a hospital gown.
Harry complied with her request and changed his clothes. As he did so, Healer Juniper informed him that clothing is contaminated by magical interference throughout the day as we interact with magic. The gowns were sealed in bags that repelled magic to prevent them from being contaminated. Harry was intrigued and wanted to know more but Healer Juniper didn’t have all the details.
Changed, Harry stepped out from behind the curtain. Healer Juniper said, “Now, Harry, you can choose to excuse anyone that you don’t want here. It’s up to you.”
Harry thought about it but he didn’t mind Luna out Mrs Figg knowing so he declined to send anyone away.
Healer Juniper nodded and wasted no time as she began explaining what she was going to do and then started chanting spell after spell while making notes.
Harry had no idea what any of it meant but he was in awe of the display of magic. He hadn’t had many opportunities to see magic performed at this level. He found himself curious if he’d be able to read anything using his meditation exercises. Healer Juniper gave no sign of stopping so Harry shifted his focus and reached out with his senses.
He was able to get a reading on Healer Juniper, Mrs Figg, and Luna, who giggled when his magical aura reached hers. He zoomed out a bit so it felt like he was observing the room from above. It was then that he started picking up on the spells the healer was casting.
Each spell felt slightly different. It was like little bugs were burrowing into him painlessly and others were scurrying over his skin. A steady hum was present as they reported back their findings.
Harry was stunned. In a way, the magic felt like it had an intelligence all its own and was making decisions as it interacted with him. It wasn’t something he expected.
Satisfied, Harry ended his exercise. When he came to, he noticed Healer Juniper looking at him with a curious expression, but she never stopped chanting.
It seemed like the spell continued for several more minutes before she ended the spell. She jotted down a few more notes and then said, “All done.”
Luna went to the screen to get changed.
Luna was offered the same option as Harry but she also chose to let them stay for the scan.
Harry watched as Healer Juniper worked her magic on Luna. He decided to try and sense the spells again, but Healer Juniper shook her head at him when he was about to start. She has a stern look on her face.
Chastised, Harry simply observed as he waited for the spell to end.
Luna went and changed back into her clothes as Healer Juniper made more notes. Once changed, Luna rejoined the group. Harry went to change back into his clothes but the healer stopped him.
“Ok,” the healer said, “Mr Potter, before we go over your results… I noticed you did a bit of magic during my scan and it seemed intentional… do you mind explaining what you were doing?”
Harry nodded and explained that he got curious and wanted to try and read what the magic was doing.
Healer Juniper looked confused at his description and said, “I’m sorry, I don’t follow. What do you mean, read the magic?”
Harry explained again, “If I focus, I can find magic around me and feel it. When I feel it, I can get a sense of what the magic does. It works on people too. I can get a sense of a person's nature and…” he glanced at Luna, “sometimes I can get a sense of their emotions at that moment.”
Healer Juniper nodded at his description. She wrote something down and handed it to Harry. “I recommend you try and get your hands on this book, if it’s not already in your family's library.”
Harry glanced down at the note and read ‘Family Magic and Known Magical Abilities ’.
He nodded.
“I suspect that what you’re describing is family magic. Family magic is a special type of magic that is passed down through a family, just like physical traits. For instance, you seem to have inherited your father and grandfather’s messy hair.”
Everyone in the room laughed as he blushed and tried to flatten his hair.
“So my father had the same ability?” Harry asked.
“He could have, but it’s not guaranteed. The ability is passed on genetically but isn’t guaranteed to be active.”
Harry nodded. He thought he understood finally. A question came to him though and he said, “I thought anyone could do what I do… I mean Luna said something about my aura expanding when I was trying to sense if anyone was nearby. I assumed that meant she was doing the same thing as me…”
Healer Juniper looked at Luna and said, “Luna, can you describe what Harry’s referring to?”
Luna nodded and said, “I can see auras around people and some objects. When I read a person’s aura, I get a sense of what kind of person they are and when I read an object’s aura, I get a sense of the person’s aura that’s attached itself to the object.”
“Interesting,” Healer Juniper said. “Do you know if your parents could do this too?”
“My parents couldn’t, but my mom wasn’t surprised when I told her about what I could do. She said she had an aunt that talked about auras.”
Healer Juniper mused aloud, “It could be that you have the ability to use your family magic, like Mr Potter here. From what you’re describing, Luna, I think it’s different from what Harry is doing. You should read that book as well. You both might find some interesting things in it.”
Mrs Figg interjected, “Family magic is rare, and you should limit who you share your abilities with.”
Healer Juniper nodded in agreement and said, “It is rare and Mrs Figg is right. Family magic is revered by each family that wields it and it’s not talked about often outside of the family… except everyone seems to know that Slytherin’s family magic involved talking to snakes.”
Harry tensed as he processed what she was saying. Did his ability to talk to snakes come from family magic too? He remembered what Mrs Figg had said about parseltongue and he decided not to bring it up.
“Ok,” Healer Juniper said, “Thanks for answering my questions. Let’s talk about what else I found. Overall, you’re pretty healthy all things considered. You need to eat more to counter the malnourishment you endured in your… family’s care.”
She said family’s in a derisive tone.
“Your magical core is very strong so no worries there,” she said. “I don’t want to stress you out Mr Potter, but there is one thing I’m worried about and I’m not entirely sure I’ll be able to help you on my own.”
She conjured a bed and asked him to lay down. He complied and then she approached him. She motioned Luna and Mrs Figg over.
“Please, don’t worry Mr Potter. I’m going to cast my spell again but I’m going to focus on your scar. I’d like you and Luna to use your abilities to observe me and maybe between the three of us, we can determine a diagnosis.”
She conjured a second chair next to Harry’s bed. “Mrs Figg, please take a seat and provide young Harry here with some comfort.
Harry felt Mrs Figg hold his hand. He looked up at Luna’s smiling face. She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. Between the two of them, he felt himself relax.
“Ready?” Healer Juniper asked.
Harry nodded. He didn’t want to risk talking and giving his nervousness away.
Harry heard Healer Juniper begin to chant her spell and he attempted to focus. His nerves were making it difficult. He was eventually able to focus and then he zoomed out so it was like he was looking down at himself. It was a weird sensation, like being in two places at once, for he was looking down at himself, but also looking up at Luna at the same time.
He felt Healer Juniper’s magic probing his scar. Small tendrils flowed out of her wand and over and into his scar. Harry thought it looked like a column of ants entering and exiting their hill.
He shifted his focus to the scar and suddenly felt terrified. Something sinister and foreign resided beneath his scar. He began to hear hissing in his ears and he shuddered. ‘ Harry Potter, the boy who lived…’ the voice said. ‘ You will not defeat me, for I am the greatest wizard who ever lived and I have taken steps to ensure my immortality and your impending doom…’
He tried his breathing exercises to calm down and stay focused but it wasn’t working. Luna was watching him and could tell he was struggling. She looked off in the distance like she was receiving instruction and then leaned down and whispered in his ear so only he could hear.
“It’s going to be ok, Harry Potter. We will overcome whatever this is,” she said in a serene voice. “Relax and let your family watch over you. Feel the familial love in your home and let it in. Your entire family is watching over and supporting you… always.”
Harry felt tears begin to form in his eyes. He was completely touched by his friend’s words. Friend didn’t quite match his feelings for Luna so he corrected his thoughts. They were his sister’s words.
He reached out with his senses and felt his magic reach out like it was searching and beckoning all the residual magic in the house to come to his aid. He felt the magic, or the auras, or whatever it was that resided in his home, and it answered his call.
Luna looked on in awe at things no one else seemed to be able to see but Harry could sense.
His family gathered around him showering him with love, the special familial love that only existed between family members. It answered his magic’s call. Warm magic swirled around, surrounding him in a loving embrace. He felt more magic enter his skin and fortify his body from within.
The magic began to collect like a rain cloud in his center. He felt it swirling around inside him, growing bigger. Soon it felt more like a thunderstorm, ready to burst with wild energy. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could contain it.
He heard thunder crack outside as if the atmosphere was reflecting what he felt inside.
Healer Juniper’s chanting ceased, but Luna and Mrs Figg continued to hold him.
He felt the energy continue to build and then he heard a hissing voice begin to scream, ‘ Noooooo!’
A smoky substance began to release from his scar and the group watched as it coiled to the ground like a snake. The smoke dissipated and in its place was a tiny fetus-like creature, no bigger than an apple, before also disappearing into nothing.
Thunder cracked ahead once again and then the storm within him began to calm. He could still feel his family’s comforting presence within him. He began to release tears of joy as he felt warmth and happiness manifesting from an unseen source. It felt like his magic and his family's magic were celebrating a great victory. He was filled with gratitude for his family, both living and dead.
He felt himself gasp as if he’d been holding his breath as he returned his focus to normal. The experience had been intense, unlike anything he’d experienced so far.
Luna jumped on him, crushing him with a giant hug. He returned the embrace with equal fervor and said, “Thank you! I don’t know what that thing was, but it felt scary and said awful things to me.” Mrs Figg had tears in her eyes that she was wiping with a handkerchief. Harry glanced at Healer Juniper and saw that she also had tears in her eyes. She sniffled and turned away.
Harry had not expected what had happened. He thought they’d just be diagnosing his scar, not healing it, but it looked like his family's magic had other ideas and when he’d identified that dark energy as a threat, his magic had reacted.
They all took a moment to recover. Mrs Figg ran to make some tea. Luna ran to find Loki. Harry found himself alone with the healer who was looking at him fiercely.
“I need to tell you something while we’re alone, Mr Potter. I don’t advise you to share it with just anyone as it’s very dangerous information,” she said.
“What just occurred was more than family magic,” she said, “It was ancient magic. Something that I haven’t felt since I was fresh out of school exploring the continent when my friends and I were still set on being curse breakers. The experience was so frightening that I decided to pursue healing instead.”
“What happened,” Harry asked, intrigued.
“My friends and I were visiting a small village. We’d heard rumors that there was a hidden ruin deep in the mountains. When we got to the village, a group of kids had found their way inside the ruins and two of them were killed. The remaining kids returned home shaken, unable to speak.
“One of them eventually slipped into a coma and we volunteered to investigate the ruins to find out what happened. We were young and cocky... foolish,” she said as she shook her head.
Harry didn’t comment. He was happy to hear her story and he willed that Mrs Figg and Luna would stay away long enough for her to tell it.
“I won’t go into great detail, but our mission did not go well. We found the object seeping with dark energy that we suspected was the cause of the villager’s troubles. We brought it back carefully wrapped in a bag similar to what I brought your hospital gown in.
“When we got back to the village, the boy in the coma was working on a dark sacrificial ritual. He was being possessed by whatever was in the object and he had killed over half the village.
Healer Juniper continued, “We tried destroying the object but nothing was working.
“We had to stop the boy and one of my friends cast the killing curse in desperation. The boy died and a dark energy left him and returned to the object.”
Harry gasped. It sounded just like the dark energy that left his body.
“What was it?” He asked.
“It’s called a horcrux,” she whispered. “It’s a piece of someone’s soul anchored to an object. It prevents the soul from passing on into the afterlife…”
Harry thought about what he’d heard the sinister disembodied voice say… ‘ You will not defeat me, for I am the greatest wizard who ever lived, and I have taken steps to ensure my immortality and your impending doom…’
“My scar was a horcrux!?” He whispered frantically.
“I believe so,” she said. “We eventually destroyed the cursed object using fiendfyre. Dark smoke exploded out of the object before it dissipated into nothing.”
Harry didn’t know what fiendfyre was but he was grateful he didn’t have to be burned to a crisp in order to destroy the horcrux inside his scar.
“Your horcrux seemed weaker than the one we encountered. I suspect there may be more of Voldemort’s soul anchors out there. Curse breakers have access to texts that most people don’t. In my research, a horcrux is made by splitting the soul in half, so that would mean that half a full soul is in the first object and half remains in the person. If the person were to create another horcrux, they’d split their soul in half again, the second soul fragment would be even smaller…”
Harry wondered just how many times Voldemort had split his soul… there had to be a limit then, luckily… but he agreed with Healer Juniper’s assessment that there were more out there.
That meant that Lord Voldemort was still out there somewhere, and could return. Harry wasn’t going to let him if he could help it.
Harry wanted to ask her if she was going to tell the Guild about her potential discovery. She’d sworn to keep his medical evaluation a secret, but he wasn’t sure if this was covered by that. Did he want her to keep it secret? Maybe the Guild could help.
Before he could ask, Luna returned with Loki in her arms. Healer Juniper asked where the kitchen was and then went to help Mrs Figg with the tea.
“Thanks for what you said, Luna,” he said while hugging her. “It made all the difference.”
“I only said what your family told me to say,” she said. “They really are watching out for you.”
Harry agreed. He just wished he could have pinpointed his parents in the mix and gotten to interact with them in some way. Still, he was very grateful for what his family had done for him today.
Mrs Figg and Healer Juniper arrived with tea trays just then. Harry gratefully accepted a cup.
Healer Juniper handed a cup of tea to Luna and said, “We never got around to talking about you, dear, before everything got out of hand.”
Luna simply nodded and said, “That’s ok, what we did for Harry was very important.”
The healer hummed in agreement while sipping her tea. “Are you ok discussing my findings in front of these two,” she checked.
“Oh yes,” Luna said, “We’re family after all.”
Harry smiled a big smile and Mrs Figg blew her nose again.
“Alright, you need to eat three meals per day just like Mr Potter. I’m also going to be sending you some Skelagrow potion to help with your teeth. You can take it before bed each night until you finish the bottle, ok?” She checked.
Luna nodded her agreement.
Healer Juniper reviewed her notes one more time before saying, “You’ll probably start your cycle soon so I’ll also send you some supplies for that and a potion to help with any discomfort. It should last you until Hogwarts and I know Madam Pomfrey will provide you more as needed.”
Luna smiled and said, “I can’t wait to be a woman!”
Mrs Figg chuckled. Harry was just confused, completely lost in the conversation.
“I should probably just send all the maturation material now, seeing as how you’re living together here,” she said.
“Oh, it’s not like that though, Harry’s like a brother to me,” Luna said.
Harry nodded in agreement.
“Still, just to be safe, expect my owl. I should get going,” she said. She waved her wand and her privacy screen shrunk and flew into her bag.
Harry got up and went with Mrs Figg to escort her out. “Thanks for all your help, Healer Juniper,” he said.
“No problem, reach out if you ever need anything,” she said as she handed him a note with her floo address. He just had time to read it before it ignited and burnt into nothing. She threw in some powder and disappeared a moment later.
Mrs Figg’s eyebrows raised in shock. “She must really like you, Harry. She doesn’t give out her address to anyone… I don’t even have it,” she huffed.
Harry just smiled. He’d liked the woman too and was grateful to be able to reach out if needed.
He and Luna headed out to the balcony to watch the storm. Lightning lit up the sky and thunder shook all around them. They were soaking wet but they didn’t care. They enjoyed the show and each other's company until the storm ended.
“C’mon, Sis,” he tried as he got up from his seat, “let’s go inside and get simmering to eat.”
“Coming, big brother,” she giggled.
Chapter 8: The Forest
Chapter Text
It had been several weeks and Harry still hadn’t heard from the Guild Leader. He wondered if she’d reconsidered testing him.
He’d written several drafts of letters to Sirius, but it just felt wrong to write what he wanted to say in a letter. He’d prefer talking to the man in person.
He was currently sitting at his desk early Sunday morning. Luna’s lythe figure was sprawled across the bed. If he wasn’t so annoyed he’d be impressed at how much bed she’d managed to take up.
Luna still struggled to sleep and was very grumpy in the mornings if he woke her up. He was already used to waking up early, from the Dursleys so it wasn’t a big deal. He’d sometimes nab an afternoon nap if he needed to.
Mrs Figg had taken them to Hogsmeade to meet with his business partners and they’d gotten Luna her own wardrobe and some other personal belongings for her. She wasn’t very material minded, but they’d had to store all her clothes in Sirius’ old room. Harry hoped she’d feel comfortable moving into it soon.
Harry had managed to get some Christmas shopping done and he felt prepared for his first Christmas, which was only a couple weeks away, with his new family.
Mrs Figg had picked up the pace of his tutoring and Harry felt more than prepared for his first year at Hogwarts. Luna had joined him as well and was grasping the material quickly. Mrs Figg was a great teacher and Luna was naturally very intelligent, if unfocused at times.
They’d gotten into a good routine and he was enjoying himself immensely. But the itch to go on an adventure, to steal something, or spy on his enemies, was growing steadily more irritating.
As if he’d willed it into being, Harry saw an owl approaching his room. He grew excited and jumped out of his chair to open the window. The chair screeched and Luna mumbled grumpily.
Harry ignored her and greeted the owl as it landed on his windowsill. The owl offered its leg so she could untie the letter. Once removed, the owl took off. Harry frowned at the missed opportunity to dote on the animal as he was prone to do.
He sighed in disappointment and opened the letter. He noticed that the letter was sealed by a blank wax seal.
He was met with neat loopy black ink.
‘My young friend,
I have given great consideration to this little errand I’d like you to run. You will tell no one what you’re doing for me, not even Mrs Figg or your little friend, Luna.’
Harry shouldn’t have been surprised that she knew about Luna, but it worried him a bit. He wondered if Mrs Figg had told her or if she had another way of knowing. He figured that as the leader of an organization of thieves and spies that it made sense that she had resources to know things.
He continued reading his assignment.
‘ There is an object I seek that is currently in possession of a shop owner. It has the ability to hold a lit candle that shines light that only the one that wields the object can see. I’m sure you can imagine how useful such an item could be.
I won’t tell you where to look, but I will tell you that the object is in plain sight.
You cannot purchase or borrow this object and you must not be caught.
Once you've obtained the object, you will place it inside the Shrieking Shack in Hogsmeade. You’ll know exactly where when you see it.
You have until New Year’s Day.’
The letter ended without a signature.
Harry had chills after reading the letter. He was so excited for this chance to prove himself and go on a little adventure. He had no idea where to look but he hoped the object was in Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley. He checked his calendar and counted how many days he had to figure it out. He had only 20 days to find the object and place it inside the Shrieking Shack. He put the letter in his coin purse for now. He might need to check it again.
He had a pretty good idea of how to get into the shrieking shack. He’d have to use the same secret passage that Remus used when he transformed each month. He had no idea where he’d find the object described in the letter. It sounded like the perfect thing for a thief or an adventurer. He could think of only one place that might have something like that… Knockturn Alley. He wasn’t sure how he would get there unnoticed unless he went on his own but he wasn’t sure that was a good idea right now.
No, for now maybe he would focus on finding out more about how to get into the shrieking shack. He walked over to the bookcase where he had moved and collected all the journals from all the family members he had been able to find. He found his father’s third year journal and pulled it off the shelf and began to read.
Harry had spent most of the day reading through the journal but no luck. From the journal, he learned that his father had opted to take Care of Magical Creatures and Arithmancy as his electives. That he was infatuated with Lily Evans, his future mother, and that Lily wanted nothing to do with him after he’d pranked her friend Severus Snape.
He wondered if Mrs Figg knew anything about this friend of his mother’s.
He’d discovered nothing on how his father had snuck into Hogsmeade. Perhaps he discovered the secret himself in a later year.
He had gleaned that his father knew that Remus was taken to the Shrieking Shack via a secret tunnel beneath the Whomping Willow, but not how to get past the violent tree. Still, it was a start and he was grateful for the useful information.
He’d keep reading the journals during the day in hopes of finding more information and then sneak out late at night to explore. He wasn’t sure how he was going to discover what the object was and who had it without visiting the shops during business hours, and he wasn’t likely to get away with that with Mrs Figg around. Maybe he could do some recon while doing some actual shopping.
Harry put the journal away and made his way to the library to see if he could find Luna. When he got there, he found Loki sitting on the couch next to Luna who was reading a large tome. Loki had basically chosen Luna as her favorite human.
“Anything good?” He asked.
Luna held the book up so he could read the title. It was the book on family magic that Healer Juniper had mentioned.
“Oh cool, I’d completely forgotten about that. Did you buy it or was it already here?” He asked.
“It was here but it took me ages to find. I kept getting distracted by other interesting books.”
“Have you read through the whole library yet?” He joked.
“No, I have 735 books left to read, but only 227 if I skip the ones that don’t interest me,” she replied seriously.
Luna had a hard time with jokes sometimes, so he wasn’t surprised that his joke didn’t land. He wondered just how many books were in here. He hasn’t read much of them, choosing to focus on getting ahead of the coursework.
“Are you hungry? Have you eaten?” He asked.
“Oh. No, I haven’t,” she said, glancing at the clock. He checked the clock too. It looked like they’d both skipped breakfast and lunch at this point.
“We should go eat something or Mrs Figg will be cross with us,” he said.
Mrs Figg has been spending most days with them making sure they were taken care of and tutoring them, but usually went out on Sundays and they were left to their own devices. It was up to them to take care of themselves, but they often forgot.
They whipped something up quickly and ate together in silence. They’d gotten used to each other in the kitchen and had a routine they followed when they cooked together.
After lunch, they decided to venture outside in the snow. They put on coats, boots, and gloves and walked through the garden.
Mrs Figg had been able to procure some replacement glass for the green houses and they’d spent the last two Saturdays fixing them up. She’d gotten Harry to whip up some herbicide potion and they’d poured it into the pit of Devil’s Snare and then lit it on fire for good measure. Harry smiled happily at the memory of the plant writhing around as it burned.
The greenhouses were in pretty good shape and they were just waiting to start filling them with plants. Herbology was one subject he was behind on in practical work, but he’d studied a lot of the academic material already. He could say the same for Charms, Transfiguration, and Defense Against the Dark Arts.
They were nearing the edge of the large forest that the Potter home was nested in. Harry thought he heard a mournful cry off in the distance. It was a pitiful and awkward sound that gave him chills. He heard it again, now closer than he thought it was before. He looked up in the direction he thought it was coming from but couldn’t see anything. He decided to try using his ability to see if he could pick up on anything. He pinged on something a little ways into the forest up high in one of the trees. He and Luna walked in to investigate.
When they got to the area he thought he’d sensed the creature, they looked up. A large worn looking bird with greenish-black feathers was looking down at them. It cried it’s mournful cry again, but didn’t move. Luna was looking at it in wonder and said, “That’s an augurey, Harry. They cry when it’s about to rain or snow. A lot of people think they are a bad omen, but I think they’re just misunderstood.”
Harry thought he could understand why someone would think the cry of an augurey was a bad omen. He thought it was a pretty ominous sound, himself, and he still had goosebumps.
Harry watched as Luna extended her arm, inviting the augurey to join her. Harry didn’t know if that was a good idea as this augurey was very large, but he patiently waited with Luna to see if the bird would accept her invitation.
It cried again, but didn’t budge. Luna hummed disappointedly. Harry knew that augurey liked to eat insects and fairies, but with it being winter he wasn’t sure they’d be able to find any insects. He wondered if there were any fairies in these woods. He’d read a bit about them but not much. He knew they were semi-intelligent humanoid creatures and liked to cause mischief and were incredibly vain. He hated seeing Luna disappointed though, and decided to try and search for something to attract the augurey for Luna.
It had gotten easier for him to use his ability since Healer Juniper had arrived. He wasn’t sure why. He reckoned it could be a number of things or maybe a combination. He suspected the shard of Voldemort’s soul had been parasitic and was leaching off his magic or maybe his families residual magic had somehow enhanced his own magical core. Or maybe it was simply all the practice he did. He couldn’t be sure and there didn’t seem to be a large amount of information regarding soul magic or family magic.
He closed his eyes and expanded his consciousness. Rather than fly high above himself like he had done in the past, he chose to remain lower than the canopy. He didn’t want to have to climb up very high in order to hunt whatever he found. He’d prefer to stay close to the ground if he could. In his mind, he soared through the woods, probing for anything magical. The forest was full of magical plants and creatures and it took time for him to deduce if it was anything useful. Eventually, off in the distance he thought he might have found what he was looking for. He left Luna so she could continue to keep an eye on the bird and went to investigate what he’d found.
He was a little surprised at how far away the source of magic was from his location. He hadn’t realized how far he was able to expand his consciousness now. He came upon a very large old tree. Next to it, was a medium sized bush that was blazing with energy. He walked over to the bush and moved aside its limbs as he investigated. As he went to push one of the limbs a small creature came flying out and then gracefully landed on his hand. Harry was stunned at the small fairies beauty. Suddenly, the fairy bared it’s fangs and then bit down on his thumb and the fairy no longer seemed very beautiful to him. Harry flung his hand on instinct, but the fairy stayed latched on. Harry grabbed it with his other hand.
Harry calmed down after that. He knew the fairy was just defending its home. The creature appeared so human that he suddenly wasn’t sure how he felt offering it to the augurey. He wondered how Luna would feel too.
He brought the fairy to her and her eyes widened. “Harry, you found a fairy… this is perfect.” She took the fairy from him and held it up high so the Augery could see. Her other arm was extended out like a perch. Apparently, he was alone in his concern for the fairy’s life. He just chuckled. If Luna didn’t think it was a big deal then maybe he was being silly.
As if she read his mind, Luna said, “Fairies are pests in the magical world. Don’t let their appearance fool you, they aren’t human or all that intelligent.”
Harry watched as the augurey glided down and landed on Luna’s arm. She took her other hand so that the augurey could see the fairy and then she opened her hand. The large bird didn’t hesitate and claimed the fairy. It had been so fast that Harry barely had time to worry that Luna might get bit in the process, but she remained unscathed. The augurey cried softly again as if thanking Luna for the snack.
Harry examined the bird more closely and saw that it was infested with tiny crab-like creatures. They were crawling all over in the bird’s feathers and on his feet. The poor guy was obviously struggling. “Luna, we have to do something.” he said.
Luna nodded and said, “I think they are chizpurfle, Harry. Let’s take him to the greenhouse and out of the cold. I know there are some lanterns in there and maybe we can draw them out with the light.”
Harry nodded, he trusted Luna knew what she was talking about. He offered his arm to the augurey and it jumped over to his arm. Luna had called him a he so he guessed it was a male bird. He was surprisingly light. The augurey shifted onto his shoulder awkwardly as they walked towards the greenhouse.
When they got to the greenhouse, the large bird soared over and landed on one of the empty tables. It walked around inspecting the area and then let another mournful cry. Harry was starting to get used to it by now and wasn’t as affected. He and Luna found a pair of lanterns and lit them. They placed a lantern on each side of the augurey and waited. While they were waiting, Harry went and collected a couple large jars to collect the tiny creatures in. He knew some parts were used in some potions he’d brewed. He just hadn’t recognized them while they were living, used to seeing them in powdered or crushed forms.
He watched as some of the tiny bugs starting crawling towards the lanterns, but most of them stayed on the bird. “Luna, what all do you know about chizpurfle?” he asked.
Luna hummed in thought. “I thought the light would work. I read that they are attracted to Lumos… but maybe it’s magic they are attracted to… or both?” she mused.
Harry thought about what she was saying and he think he had a solution he wanted to try. Maybe he could try concentrating his magic somewhere and see if the bugs would be attracted to it. Luna had said that he zoomed in too much when using his ability, but maybe that would be a good thing in that instance. He focused on a spot on the table, away from the lantern. He waited, trying his best to maintain focus on the one spot. Nothing seemed to be happening, but he remembered that Luna had guessed that they were attracted to both. Instead of releasing his focus, he shifted it to the flame inside the lantern.
Harry watched as the lantern seemed to shine more brightly. Luna gasped as the small insects started marching towards the lantern. It was working. Once a large number of bugs were congregating around the lantern, Luna swept them into the jar as best she could. When they were sure that all the chizpurfle had removed themselves from the large bird, Harry stopped.
He looked at the jar. It was nearly half way full. He couldn’t believe how many of them there were on the augurey. The poor creature.
“Is that better, Auggie?” Luna said to the bird.
“Auggie the augurey?” Harry checked with a laugh.
“I like it,” she said with a shrug.
The large bird gave a loud mournful call.
“See, he likes it too,” Luna said in a sing-song voice, “Don’t you, Auggie?”
To his utter disbelief, Auggie dipped his head up and down as he walked toward the girl. Luna scratched his head gently in response, seemingly rewarding him.
‘What the hell…’ he thought. He didn’t understand how, but Luna had a way with magical creatures.
Harry pocketed the jar of chizpurfle in one of the pockets inside his robes. “I’m going to go back into the forest and collect some fairy eggs and maybe some wings as potion supplies,” he said. “Do you want to come with?”
Luna thought for a minute, “Sure. I bet Auggie is still hungry and could use some more fairies anyway,” she said.
They made their way back into the forest so Harry could collect his ingredients. He turned his focus on so that he could find things more easily. Most of the things he found with his focus were dormant plants so he left them alone. He could always come back in spring to find out what they were. He found the fairy shrub pretty quickly and got to work. He wasn’t sure if he would find any eggs in winter but he wanted to check. Several fairies flew out and attacked him, but he was able to subdue them. He removed their wings and then offered the fairies to Auggie.
Eventually he found some fairy eggs stuck to the bottom of a small stem. He cut off the stem with a pocket knife and then put it in a jar. He knew that there were still some fairies hiding deep within the bush but he left them alone so they could repopulate. As he was leaving, a female fairy flew at him, waving her arms in anger. Harry thought she was rather beautiful, but he’d been bitten several times so he decided to just leave her alone. He’d be angry too if someone came waltzing in and started messing with him and his family.
Auggie joined them on their way back to the manor instead of staying in the forest. He seemed attached to Luna. They went inside and took Auggie back to their room. They would need to get some supplies if they planned on keeping him there for long. They decided to let him perch on the window seal so he could come and go as he pleased. The windows were charmed so that things like rain and snow couldn’t come in so it wasn’t a worry. Auggie seemed content to stay with them for now.
Harry took the ingredients he’d collected down to the potions lab. He was proud of himself for harvesting his own ingredients. It was something fun and productive that he could do around the house and he could see himself continuing the practice when he had the chance. He couldn’t wait to try growing things in the greenhouse and he did want to try taking care of some magical creatures too but it seemed like too much work without the help of magic. He’d probably have to wait until he had a wand and even then… what would he do when he went to school unless he figured out a way to come home every now and then to help. It would be too much for Mrs Figg alone. He wondered if Mrs Figg would have any ideas.
She still wasn’t back yet and he had several things he wanted to ask her about, including a trip to Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley to do some shopping. If she was too busy, maybe he’d be able to convince her that the shop owners at Hogsmeade would watch out for him. When they’d first started venturing out, Mrs Figg had been worried that people would discover that he’d returned to the magical world, but so far nothing had been in the papers. For the most part, no one seemed to recognize him except for people in Hogsmeade that knew his dad. But the majority of the shop owners that did know, were now business partners and had signed non-disclosures.
Harry chose not to question his luck for now. It would come out when it came out. That didn’t mean that anyone would know where to look for him. His location was a well kept secret sealed behind several layers of security thanks to Mundungus. While a few people did recognize Mrs Figg, most of them respected her and knew her to be a good person. They’d known she worked for the Potters years back and didn’t question it. As long as the free death eaters remained oblivious then he figured he was safe. He and Mrs Figg knew that they’d have to face magical society eventually. It was part of their plan afterall, and the Guild would certainly want to use him in a few years if they accepted him.
When he’d tried to use that excuse in the past, Mrs Figg had simply reminded him that he didn’t have a wand or know how to use one. As a squib she was limited in ways to protect him if someone made a move. She’d promised to lighten the restrictions once he’d gotten a wand and some practice using it. For now, he had to lay low.
He decided to grab a few potions that he’d brewed from the cabinet and take them up to his room. He wanted to start gathering his supplies in case he got the opportunity to leave unnoticed so he could perform his mission.
When he got back to his room, he noticed that Luna and Auggie were gone. He continued prepping for his mission. He collected several things that he thought might be useful for causing a distraction. Zonkos and Honey Dukes had been great resources for that. He also made sure his blackest robes were clean and in good order. And, even though he wasn’t allowed a wand, he still put one of Zonko’s joke wands in a holster on his hip. It might at least give him the appearance of being armed, if he needed it. Lastly, he grabbed the expandable bag that Mrs Figg had given him so that if he did find the object, he’d have somewhere to put it.
There was just one problem that he wasn’t sure how to get around… Luna. While they did spend a lot of time apart during the day, they shared a room and he wasn’t sure how he was going to sneak out without her knowing. He’d gotten away with it once but he wasn’t sure it would last. He didn’t know how well she would take it if he asked her to move to a different room or if he made the choice himself to switch rooms. It needed to be done, however, so he started working out how best to bring the topic up. Hiding stuff from his family was hard.
It was getting pretty late, but still early evening. Mrs Figg didn’t always check on him when she got home and he could probably make an excuse that he was in the forest or off somewhere if he got caught. This was the only way he was going to accomplish his task because he couldn’t do it all in the dead of night and he didn’t know how he’d sneak away from Mrs Figg if she was with him in Diagon Alley.
He made his way into the main hall. He had no idea where Luna was and that was potentially problematic but he’d have to risk it. Even if he got grounded, it would be worth it if he managed to succeed in his task. Once inside, he walked over to the fireplace and looked around. It was all clear so he threw in some floo powder and said “Diagon Alley!”
Harry had been searching all the shops in the main alley and Horizont Alley just to make sure there wasn’t anything there that stood out before he risked going into Knockturn. He was slightly worried that he’d run into Mundungus or Mrs Figg if she was here. He wanted to turn on his focus but it was kind of overwhelming with so many people and magical objects around… especially without something he was searching for like last time.
Once he’d eliminated all the shops in the main alley, he made his way back to Knockturn.
He made his way down the alley, making sure he was emanating confidence and belonging so people would leave him alone. It had worked last time. There were several shops down Knockturn but they weren’t very well advertised. Most everything was run down and it was hard to know what each shop sold. He was beginning to rethink all this. He simply didn’t know enough about the shops around Diagon and Knockturn Alley or even Hogsmeade. He wondered if he could ask anyone without giving himself away.
“Ugh,” he mumbled to himself. “This would be so much easier if I could do magic.”
“I can’t wait to do magic either,” a voice said behind him. Harry froze. ‘ Crap!’ he thought before turning around and coming face to face with a blonde boy that looked to be around his age. He wanted to put his hand out and introduce himself as was custom, but no one was supposed to know he was here. He couldn’t just make up a name either. What if this person went to Hogwarts with him. It would be really hard to explain why he had used a fake name. Coming here was a bad idea.
He put his hand out and said, “Hi, my name is Harry Potter.” With his other hand, he brushed his hair aside casually, as if it was in his eyes, so his scar was visible.
The blonde boy’s eyes widened and he said, “My name is Draco Malfoy, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Likewise,” he said out loud. Inside, he was freaking right out. The son of his enemy right here in Knockturn Alley.
“What are you doing in Knockturn,” Draco asked casually. Harry could tell that what he said now was important to Draco. He decided to go with a bit of truth and a lie.
“Oh, I was just doing some shopping in Diagon. I got bored and Knockturn Alley looked like the kind of place that might cure my boredom… But then I got a bit turned around.”
Draco looked smug. “You must be very brave to come down here alone,” he said, “Or very foolish.”
Harry laughed and said, “Oh, I’ve been down here by myself a few times now. It’s no big deal if you know what you’re doing.”
Now Draco looked impressed.
Harry pressed on, “Which are you then, if you’re down here by yourself?”
Draco laughed and Harry relaxed.
“People down here know not to mess with me. My father is visiting Borgin and Burke’s and he kicked me out,” the boy whined while pointing out one of the shops. “I don’t know why he thought I couldn’t handle it. I’ve been there loads of times.”
Harry looked at the shop. He definitely would have missed it if Draco hadn’t pointed it out.
“What kind of shop is that?” Harry asked.
Draco smiled smugly again at knowing more than Harry. “They sell antiques that are… sensitive in the current political climate and difficult to own without the right connections.”
“Oh, that sounds fascinating. Your father must be very well connected to be able to handle transactions like that then,” Harry said, playing on the boy’s arrogance.
“Oh, yes he is. You’ve heard of my family, I suspect?” Draco checked.
“Yes, indeed,” he told Draco confidently. He had heard of them after all, just not anything good.
Draco nodded smugly.
“Well, I should get going. My guardian’s will be wondering where I’ve been and I don’t want to get in trouble. It was a pleasure meeting you Mr Malfoy.” Draco practically preened when Harry called him Mr Malfoy.
“You too, Potter.” Draco said in return. It was clear to Harry that Draco was posturing, but he really needed to get out of here before the actual Mr Malfoy showed up. He didn’t want to meet him on his own. He let the slight go, and wandered off back towards the main alley.
It would be too dangerous for him to try and enter the shop while Malfoy was there. He was cutting it pretty close time wise. He had a lead, at least and plenty of time to come back and try again. He decided to just head back home and wait for another day to go into Borgin and Burke’s.
Harry landed roughly when he came through the floo in Potter Manor. He didn’t want to be caught here in case anyone suspected him of leaving the grounds. He rushed through the main hall and then outside onto the patio. He crept along the house until he had a clear shot into the woods that were free from any windows.
He decided to collect some more potions ingredients as an excuse in case he was found. He remembered that he’d seen some wiggentrees and he knew the bark would still be good for use in potions even if he harvested in winter. He made his way in the direction he thought he remembered seeing them.
The forest was quiet. It had been snowing when he arrived outside, but the forest was thick and the snow wasn’t making it through the thick canopy. Harry was glad he didn’t have to trudge through thick snow while he was out here. He finally found a tree and approached it. He was about to start peeling away some bark but a little stick creature came rushing down the trunk. It stopped just out of his reach and started waving it’s tiny fists at him.
“Alright, alright, I get it. I won’t mess with your tree,” he said out loud stepping back. Harry thought back to the book on creatures he’d read. “You must be a bowtruckle,” he said to the stick creature.
The bowtruckle tilted it’s head to the side as if it were processing his words and then it finally nodded. Harry extended his arm and then held his index finger in front of the bowtruckle. “My name is Harry,” he said to the bowtruckle.
The bowtruckle hesitated for a long moment before he reached out with both hands and held onto Harry’s finger. Harry moved his finger gently up and down simulating a handshake. Harry laughed at the oddness. Harry was thoughtful for a moment. He knew that bowtruckle lived in magical trees and protected them, but maybe there was a wiggentree that had fallen that was still viable to harvest from. The bowtruckle seemed intelligent enough so Harry asked, “Have you seen any wiggentree’s that I could harvest from? Maybe one that has fallen already?”
The bowtruckle looked angry when Harry started asking his question, but then turned thoughtful when he understood that Harry wasn’t wanting to harm a living tree or one that any bowtruckles were living in. He gestured for Harry to pick him up, so Harry laid his hand flat so the bowtruckle could climb on. When the bowtruckle climbed on, Harry moved his hand to the pocket on the front of his robes. The bowtruckle climbed down into his pocket and then pointed where Harry should go.
Harry started walking and it was taking a long time. He was beginning to think the bowtruckle had misunderstood him after he walked several paces and didn’t find anything. “Are you sure there is a tree down here?” he asked again.
The bowtruckle simply extended it’s long finger in the direction again, emphasizing that Harry should keep walking.
“Alright, I guess I’ll trust you’re not sending me to my death,” he said as he walked along.
Harry started to notice that the trees were getting really thick here. He must be pretty deep in the forest. He was beginning to feel pretty vulnerable out here without anything to defend himself with. Just when he thought he might have to turn around and abandon his quest, he came across a very large and very old tree that had fallen down. He wasn’t a complete expert, but it did look like a wiggentree, if a bit older and more gnarled than he had seen before.
Harry pulled out his knife and got to work extracting the wood. He didn’t take too much. Just enough that he could make a few batches of wiggenweld. He didn’t know if he wanted to risk coming back out this far again until he had a wand. He felt like he was being watched. He probably was being watched but he couldn’t see anything and rather than use his gift, he just wanted to get out of there as fast as possible.
Bark harvested and collected, he thanked the bowtruckle for helping him find his way here.
“Do you want me to take you back to your tree,” he asked his new friend.
The bowtruckle nodded in response so Harry started walking back the way he came, willing that nothing dangerous approached them.
It felt like it was taking longer to get back than it did to get there, he mused, but the trees were thinning so Harry knew he was heading in the right direction.
Harry eventually found the tree he’d found the bowtruckle in and he picked up the creature and went to put him back on the tree where he’d found him. He extended his arm and hand palm up so the bowtruckle could walk over to the tree.
“Thanks again,” Harry said. The small creature hesitated and shook his head while climbing back into Harry’s pocket.
Harry reached in and pulled the creature out gently. He placed him in his palm so he could see him better. “You don’t want to go back in the tree?” He asked.
The bowtruckle shook his head no in response.
“Do you want me to take you to another tree?” He checked.
Again, the bowtruckle shook his head no.
Harry was confused now… what else could the creature want? “You don’t want to come home with me, do you?” He asked.
The bowtruckle nodded enthusiastically.
Harry smiled. “I’d like that, c’mon…” he said. “You’ll love Luna, but maybe I shouldn’t bring you to her… You’d probably end up liking her more than me.”
The bowtruckle simply tilted his head to the side at that. Harry placed him back inside his pocket.
Harry walked back home, ready with his excuse that he’d been harvesting potion ingredients if anyone asked where he’d been. He knew he’d skipped dinner and Mrs Figg wouldn’t like that. He wondered if Luna had stopped to eat anything. She usually only ate when Harry reminded her, he mused.
Harry walked through the garden and then into the main hall from the patio. Mrs Figg was walking by and she said, “Oh, there you are. Where have you been? I tried calling out.”
“I was collecting potion ingredients,” he said, showing her the tree bark. “And I met this little guy.” He gestured to his front pocket.
Mrs Figg smiled at the twig creature and offered her finger for him to shake.
She then inspected the wiggentree bark and said, “This looks pretty old. How far in did you go?”
“Not too far,” Harry lied.
“Hmm, I should hope not, she said. “There are dangerous creatures in those woods. Even with a wand you’d be hard pressed to defend yourself against some of them.”
Harry couldn’t help but shiver at her words. He must have been lucky.
“Have you seen Luna,” Harry asked, changing the subject. “I want to make sure she ate dinner.”
“Oh yes,” Mrs Figg said. “We ate together without you. You should tell someone before you go wandering out in the woods alone like that.”
“Yes, Mrs Figg,” he said. “I’m sorry.”
“Alright,” she said. “Go wash up and come back down for something to eat. I don’t want Healer Juniper yelling at me because the two of you aren’t eating unless I tell you to.”
Harry nodded. Okay, I’ll be right back.
He headed back to his room with a smile on his face. He felt bad for having to lie but he was excited at getting away with it. He wondered how long it would take for him to get used to all the lying. He’d certainly have to do it a lot if he joined the Guild. Hopefully it didn’t become a problem, he mused.
Back in his room, he realized he didn’t have anywhere for his new friend to stay. He’d have to get an indoor tree or something for him. There were a few potted shrubs on the balcony that would do… maybe he could bring one inside and put it by the windows.
A few minutes later, he was dragging one of the shrubs into his room, making an awful noise that made him wince each time he pulled. Hopefully he wasn’t ruining anything. He inspected the area and was surprised to see no damage. ‘Probably spelled with protection,’ he mused to himself.
His new friend was inspecting the tree. Finally satisfied, he sat on one of the branches. “You need a name,” Harry said. “How about… Twig.”
He then learned that bowtruckles could glare.
“Alright, alright, I get it,” he said. He thought some more. Loki was named after a Norse god. Maybe he’d like something like that.
“I think you’ll like this one,” he said. “It’s the name of a fearsome dragon that protected the great world tree, Yggdrasil…”
Harry checked and saw that the tree creature was leaning forward, interested.
“Nidhogg!” He said, hoping his new friend would approve.
The twig creature actually laughed and slapped his knee before standing up and gesturing two large circles over his chest and then sashaying along the tree limb.
Harry was confused but eventually understood. “Oh, Nidhogg is a girl?” He said to the twig. “I forgot.”
His friend nodded.
Harry thought some more and then remembered another creature associated with the world tree. He couldn’t remember the name though. He walked over to his bookcase and found the book on Norse mythology he’d read.
He eventually found what he was looking for and found… “Ratatoskr!” He exclaimed triumphantly.
The tree with legs nodded vigorously when he heard the name. Harry was pleased he’d found a name his friend liked.
According to the book, Ratatoskr was less a protector and more of a messenger. He guessed if his friend liked it then that was good enough for him.
“Alright, Ratatoskr it is,” he said to his new friend. “I need to go eat dinner so I’ll leave you here. Feel free to explore but don’t ruin anything please.”
Harry left his room satisfied with the events of the day. Even though he didn’t find the magical item he was looking for, everything else made up for it.
Chapter 9: Chapter Nine: The Hand of Glory
Chapter Text
The next day, Harry formed his plan. With the new additions of Ratatoskr and Auggie, he and Luna had an excuse to go shopping. And even though Harry had already finished his Christmas shopping, he planned to try and use it as an excuse sneak away for a bit.
He got dressed, fresh from a shower, and walked back to his bedroom to wake up Luna. When, he walked in, he was surprised to see that Luna was already awake and dressed.
"I know you left the house yesterday, Harry," she said in a small voice. "I won't tell Mrs Figg. "I know you'd only leave if it was important."
Harry was shocked. "How did you know?" He asked.
"The house told me," is all she said.
Harry paused. He knew she had a special ability thanks to her family magic, and that she had witnessed his own family, or the remnants they'd left behind, come to his aid so he shouldn't be shocked... "What do you mean?" He asked. "Like when Healer Juniper was here?"
"Yes, but it's not quite the same. It's hard to explain," she said. "I can pick up on auras, and I've always felt comfortable with the auras in this house, but ever since that day with Healer Juniper, I've felt more close... like I've been accepted into the family... adopted maybe."
Harry nodded. He knew that his own feelings about Luna had changed that day and he now thought of her as a sister. Maybe whatever they'd done... when his family came to his aid, and Luna helped as well, they'd formed a familial bond.
"Ever since then I've felt the auras here more strongly and it's like the house... talks to me," she said. "It's not a voice, but I know more or less what is going on here."
Harry was growing worried. If Luna was right, then he'd have no way of keeping his thieving or his involvement with the Guild a secret.
As if she knew what he was thinking, she said, "I know you have a secret and that Mrs Figg has lots of secrets." Luna looked uncomfortable. "But I don't know the details. I trust both of you and I know you'll tell me when you're ready."
Harry nodded. He was grateful that Luna was so trusting. He decided to go ahead and let her in on his secret, but he was going to avoid talking about the Guild or his initiation mission.
"Thanks for being so understanding, Luna," he said. "I've been trying to figure out how to bring it up and I've been worried what you think of me once you find out, but I trust you too so I'll just tell you."
Harry to a deep breath and looked at Luna. She looked more curious than anything. She didn't seem worried or apprehensive and so he said, "I'm a thief. I like to steel things, but I try to only take from people that are bad."
Luna nodded simply. "That's not so bad, really," she said. "Kind of like Robin Hood? He only stole so he could give to those in need."
Harry nodded and said, "Exactly! Although I don't feel like I'm as generous or useful to anyone else just yet."
Luna frowned. "I don't think you're giving yourself enough credit," she said. "You took me in after just a few hours of meeting me. And you are helping the shop owners in Hogsmeade. And then you helped me with Auggie when you saw he needed help..."
"Thanks Luna, I guess I've just been feeling bad about lying to you and Mrs Figg sometimes that I forget the good stuff I'm doing too," he said. "There is more that I can't tell you because I promised Mrs Figg, though."
"That's ok. Everyone has secrets sometimes. I know you're a good person so I'm not worried," she said.
Harry's stomach growled loudly and they laughed. "Let's go get breakfast," she said with a smile. "Thanks for telling me, Harry."
Mrs Figg joined them just as they were cleaning their dishes. Harry watched as she poured herself some green tea and grabbed a slice of buttered toast. She seemed like she was in a good mood.
"Good morning, Mrs Figg," he said.
"Good morning, you two," she said in return with an eyebrow raised. "Go ahead and spit it out... I can tell you have a request."
He huffed. She away knew what he was doing... he guessed he still needed to work on his poker face.
"Well Luna and I... adopted an augury yesterday..." he started. "And then I found Ratatoskr, so we need to go to Diagon and get them some supplies."
Mrs Figg was giving him a look and he wondered whether or not she was guessing he had ulterior motives. He remembered what she had said about giving Dumbledore certain information so he wouldn't get suspicious. So he added, "And I may have forgotten to get a gift for you."
It was a lie. He'd finished shopping for Christmas, but he thought it might be a good excuse for his less than forthcoming behavior.
It seemed to take ages for Mrs Figg to lower her skeptical eyebrow but she finally did.
"Alright," she said. "We can go after your morning lessons."
"Oh good. I want to get Auggie a proper perch and some treats," Luna said.
"While we're there I want to buy some potions ingredients... and that reminds me of a question I had about my mother," Harry said. "What happened to her friend Severus Snape?"
Mrs Figg tensed up a bit at that. "They had a falling out around 6th year before she got together with your dad," she said. "Then he got mixed up with a bad crowd and joined the death eaters. He teaches Potions at Hogwarts."
Harry was instantly angry. "Whose brilliant idea was it to hire a death eater at Hogwarts?" Harry asked, fuming.
Mrs Figg laughed and said, "Professor Dumbledore hired him. Apparently Snape switched sides before the end of the war and joined Dumbledore's little group."
"Oh. Still... it sounds like Snape joined willingly. Why did he switch sides?" Harry asked.
"Dumbledore has been pretty tight lipped about why but he vouched for him at his trial and assures he's reformed and was vital in several key events."
"Did my mother and him ever reconcile?" He checked.
Mrs Figg shrugged and said, "Not that I know of, but I lost touch with James and Lily towards the end when they went into hiding."
"Ginny Weasley told me that Professor Snape was a bit of a bully towards the Gryffindors," Luna cut in. "Her brothers complained about it in a letter home."
Luna didn't often talk about her life before her parents died so Harry was very curious. "Who's Ginny Weasley?" He asked.
"She's an old friend from... before. They lived close by so I got to hang out with her occasionally," she said.
"Oh okay," Harry said. He often forgot that Luna had a whole different life before they'd met. "Will Ginny be joining us at Hogwarts next year?"
"Oh, no. Ginny is a year younger than me so she'll not be attending until the year after us. Her brother, Ron, is our age though. He's nice enough, except he'd make fun of me sometimes when I talked about nargles or wrackspurts."
"I've heard that Snape isn't very popular amongst the students, except the Slytherins," Mrs Figg said, returning to the original topic. "Your dad and his friends did bully him quite a bit so he might be prejudice against Gryffindors in general."
Harry thought he could understand that. He was kind of worried now that Professor Snape would be harder on him than the other students because of his dad. He hoped he'd be able to continue succeeding in Potions.
Harry remembered that he'd wanted to ask about Remus as well. Sirius was in prison and Peter was dead and possibly a traitor.
"What about Remus? Is he still alive?" He asked.
Mrs Figg tensed a bit at that. "He's alive. I think he travels a lot to find work. His condition makes it difficult," she said.
Harry could tell that Mrs Figg was uncomfortable talking about Remus.
"What's wrong, Mrs Figg, do you not like Remus?"
Mrs Figg jumped as of shocked. "It's not that, laddie," she said.
"If anything it's the other way around," she murmured quietly.
Harry was confused. He doubted very much that a werewolf would be prejudiced against a squib. "Why wouldn't he like you?" He finally asked.
Mrs Figg frowned heavily and poured herself another cup of tea. "Because my husband is the one that bit him as a kid," she finally said.
Harry thought back to what he knew about Remus from his dad's journals. He thought he remembered reading that Remus had been bitten as a young child by a werewolf named Fenrir Greyback.
"Your husband is Fenrir Greyback?" Harry checked.
"Aye," she spat. "That's the name he gave himself after he was infected. His real name was Gerald Figg. He was a good man when we met. And a good father."
Mrs Figg sipped her tea. "Things changed after he was infected. He had to be registered with the ministry and then he lost his job. Couldn't find work after that and we struggled.
"He fell in with a pack that was hell bent on turning more people into werewolves. Thought they were the superior beings and wanted to be in charge.
"They convinced him to turn our daughter, Sara," she said Sara with a smile he'd never seen on her face before. Like it was reserved just for her. "He took her far away into the woods and then transformed. She didn't survive the attack.
"I divorced him after that. He got better at controlling himself during the full moon and became obsessed with infecting children. And that's when he attacked poor Remus," she finished sadly.
Harry felt bad for Mrs Figg. To lose her daughter like that to a man that was supposed to protect her... they both deserved better. He didn't understand how a man could do something like that to his own family. Greyback was now added to Harry's list of enemies.
Harry snapped out of his thoughts of revenge and noticed that Luna had moved over to Mrs Figg and the two were embracing each other.
The three of them made quite the group. Two orphans and a woman that had lost her husband and daughter.
"I'm sorry, Mrs Figg," he said. "You deserve better and it's not your fault that your husband attacked Remus."
"Thanks lad," she said with a small smile.
After breakfast, Mrs Figg insisted that they follow through with their scheduled lessons that day. Mrs Figg was made of stronger stuff and wouldn't let the memories of her past drag her down. Harry and Luna each silently vowed to do the same.
After the lessons, they headed out to Diagion Alley through the floo. Harry followed along with his plan and they went to the Magical Menagerie for supplies.
They got a nice perch for Auggie, along with some treats that the shop owners insisted would be great for him. The shop owner was a bit stumped on how to care for a bowtruckle, but told him to check with Mr Olivander, who as a wand maker had developed a bit of a relationship with the creatures.
Harry agreed to go check in with the wand maker, but told Mrs Figg and Luna that he'd like to go alone so he could get Mrs Figg a present as well.
Mrs Figg looked hesitant but Luna interrupted and said, "It'll be fine, Mrs Figg, and I'd like to go shopping for a brazier and I know Harry won't want to tag along for that."
Harry knew that Luna was going out of her way to help him and was grateful.
"Oh, alright, meet us at the Leaky Cauldron when you're done, but no skulking down Knockturn Alley... and be quick."
Harry smiled and ran off towards Olivanders without agreeing to Mrs Figg's demands.
The shop was empty when he walked in. Long narrow boxes were stacked unevenly throughout the store.
"There must be hundreds of wands in here," he mumbled to himself.
"Over a thousand, actually," a voice said from behind a large stack of boxes in the counter.
The owner of the voice stepped out from behind the counter. He had large gray eyes that seemed to pierce right through him. His hair was wild and gray. The man looked ancient.
"You're Harry Potter," Olivander said. "And you're early."
Harry nodded. "I'm not here for a wand, Mr Olivander," he said. "I met a bowtruckle and the little guy decided to come home with me. The shop owner at the Magical Menagerie was at a loss and told me to come here."
"Oh my," Mr Olivander said as his eyes grew wide. "Bowtruckles can be pretty picky about associating with wizards. You must have impressed the little guy."
Harry told Mr Olivander about his quest into the woods for wiggentree bark.
"Marvelous!" Mr Olivander exclaimed. "Bowtruckles are fierce protectors of their trees. It was rather clever of you to ask about a fallen tree."
Harry blushed at the compliment, but smiled, pleased.
"You'll want lice or fairy eggs. Some apothecaries have them in dried form, which will do, but fresh is better," the man explained. "Other than that as long as they have a tree or bush to live in, they're pretty easy to appease."
"Thanks, Mr Olivander," he said happily.
"No problem at all," the man replied. He was now looking at Harry rather oddly as if he could see something that Harry couldn't.
Harry was about to excuse himself when the man spoke suddenly, "You've been doing magic. Your core is very strong."
Harry thought about lying to him but didn't really see the point. He chose to be vague and silly said, "I can't say I've been doing magic like I've seen others do but I have been working on my family magic."
Mr Olivander smiled shrewdly. "Oh you know about family magic? I've known the Potter family for the last few generations. Fleamont used to send me the best wand wood from the forest when he was still alive."
Harry thought for a moment before offering, "I'm sure I could continue sending you wand wood. How much did you pay him?"
Mr Olivander excused himself to a back room and then came back with a scroll.
"Look this over with your guardian and if you agree sign it and send it back," he said. "I'd love to continue business with you if you can find the high quality wood like Fleamont could."
Harry took the scroll. He'd like to help Olivander but then he remembered that Mrs Figg had said it was dangerous.
"I'll need a wand first," he said. "The forest is dangerous and Mrs Figg will never agree if I don't have a wand."
Mr Olivander chuckled. "You're very much a Potter, through and through. A light family that skirted the rules when it suited, the lot of them."
Harry simply smiled.
"I suppose I could get you your wand early and just file it with the ministry later, but if you're caught with it before school starts then I'll have to deny selling it to you," Mr Olivander said.
Harry agreed and they shook on it. After that they set out on finding him a match.
The first several wands reacted violently and Mr Olivander put them away quickly.
They'd gone through several more before Mr Olivander started grumbling to himself. Finally, he put a holly and phoenix feather wand in front of him.
Harry grabbed the wand and felt a pleasant hum vibrate up his arm. This one has felt differently than any of the others so far. He waved his wand and a few sparks shot out.
Harry smiled but when he looked at Mr Olivander, he was frowning.
"So close," he said, "but not quite a perfect match."
"It felt good," Harry said.
"And it would likely work well enough, but it's not a perfect match."
He left into the back room and came back with two more boxes.
"I made these as a bit of an experiment using materials I don't use very often," he said while opening one of the boxes. "This one is cedar with phoenix father."
Harry pulled it out and felt the familiar hum that the last wand had gave off. He waved the wand and large red and gold sparks came shooting out.
Mr Olivander clapped happily. "Cedar makes for very protective wands and are suited for people that are fiercely loyal. Phoenix feather cores support a wide variety of magic but are very picky about their owners.
Mr Olivander pointed at the other box and said, "Try the other one, I'm curious."
Harry lifted the lid off the other one and pulled out the wand.
"This one is Hawthorn and nachtkrapp feather."
Harry again felt the hum vibrating up his arm. He didn't know what a nachtkrapp was but he was intrigued.
He waved the wand and bright green and gold sparks came shooting out like a fountain.
"Hawthorn doesn't typically work well with all but a couple wand cores," Mr Olivander said. "I didn't count on this particular combination working together but the wand guided me to, so I did. Hawthorn is suited for both healing and combative magic. And nachtkrapp feathers are adept for healing, dueling, occlumency, and divination."
Harry inspected both wands and said, "They both felt really good, but..." he held up the Hawthorn and nachtkrapp feather wand, "Feels particularly good. I think this is my match."
"I agree, but both suit you. You should be aware that hawthorn wands tend to be more... troublesome."
Harry nodded. "Thanks for the warning but I'm content with this one."
"Ah, good. That'll be seven galleons," he said, "and I look forward to working with you."
Harry left with the wand hidden up the sleeve of his robe. He'd spent longer than intended at the wand shop and he needed to hurry down Knockturn if he was going to scope out Borgin and Burke's.
Before he knew it, he was standing outside the shop. He tried looking through the windows but they were so dusty that he couldn't see in. He took his chances and turned the door handle. A bell on the door rang as he pulled the door open and he walked in. If he was confronted, he'd just say he was curious and looking around.
There was no one else inside, but he was sure the shop owner would likely come greet any prospective customer soon.
He heard footsteps approaching him and he scanned the room for somewhere to hide. He didn't want anyone to know he was here in case they weren't friendly. He saw a large cabinet not too far from him and he bolted towards it.
He climbed in and looked through the tiny slits in the door. He held his breath as an old man limped into the gallery. "Hullo? Is anyone there?" A deep voice announced.
Harry heard the old man limp around the gallery out of sight. "I could've sworn I heard the bell," the old man said. "Must be hearing things."
the old man limped back into the back room of the shop with a lot of grumbling and swearing.
When Harry was sure it'd been long enough, he opened the cabinet and stepped out. He perused the room carefully, to not make any noise.
The gallery was filthy. Cobwebs and dust covered most every surface. Display cases were filled with random items, from rusty shackles to human bones.
He found several books that looked to be bound by human skin and he shuddered.
Next he saw a pack of playing cards covered in dried blood.
What he was seeing inside the shop didn't make sense. What could Mr Malfoy possibly want from this shop? Maybe the stuff out here was just a distraction and the really interesting stuff was stored elsewhere...
He was about to give up when he saw a large hand with old leathery skin resting on a pillow inside a glass case. The description card next to it read, ' Hand of Glory - Insert a candle and it gives light only to the holder! Best friend of thieves and plunderers!'
Harry knew this was the object he was meant to steal. He tried to open the display case but it didn't budge. There must be some kind of lock or spell on it.
Harry thought for a moment. Maybe he could try and sense for the spell and get a reading on it. Then he might figure out how to counter it.
He focused and reached out with his senses, expanding his consciousness just enough so that he could read the object and not much else. He didn't want to be overwhelmed inside the shop.
What he felt was similar to what he felt back in Mrs Figg's house on her bedroom door. His magic reflected off of the surface. He continued to probe for a weakness or a difference. There has to be a way to access the Hand of Glory after all.
The little probes he sent continued to bounce off the display case one by one. He was sure he'd checked every inch by now but still nothing. Maybe the case was triggered open remotely.
He extended his focus downward towards the floor until he encountered sobbing odd. There was a line of energy running from below the table the display case was on and back behind the counter.
He guessed that there might be a switch or some kind of way of opening the case from back there. He continued to probe but it was getting harder to focus on a small area the further out he went with his consciousness.
He didn't want to risk walking too close to the counter in case he was spotted. He stopped and thought again. Hadn't he been able to focus is magic in one spot when he'd been attracting those bugs off of Auggie?
Maybe if he focused on the line of energy he'd felt beneath the table he'd be able to trigger it. He sent his probes out and found the line. Then he focused directly onto the line and pushed a little bit.
He heard a click and the glass case opened slightly. He pulled the glass pane open a bit wider, reached in, and withdrew the gnarled hand. He stuffed the object quickly into his expendable bag and then closed the display case.
This was a mistake because an alarm started going off. Loud shrieking reverberated off the walls. ' Shit!' Harry thought. ' I can't get caught or I'll fail my task!' He ran towards the door and pushed, but it didn't open.
He thought quickly and pulled out his wand. "Alohamora!" He said with a wave. Nothing happened. He could hear heavy footsteps and loud swearing coming from the back room.
He began to panic and reached out with his senses. He was initially overwhelmed by ask the magic in the room but quickly focused on and around the door.
He felt another line of energy extending from the door frame and focused on that. He pushed on it like he had before and the door cracked open. The alarm stopped. And he stepped out just as the door from the back room opened.
Harry pulled his hood up and walked quickly, but didn't run, and blended in with a crowd heading towards Diagon.
He heard a commotion coming from Borgin and Burkes and then he saw a tall slender witch in red robes followed by a stockier wizard in matching red robes walk past him towards the shop.
When he cleared the Alley, he lowered his hood and ensured his expandable bag, his wand, and his coin purse were still secure. Once he determined everything was where it should be, he headed towards the Leaky Cauldron to catch up with Mrs Figg.
When he walked in, he found his companions right away sitting at a table sipping butterbeer. Luna was talking animatedly while waving her hands. Mrs Figg was laughing quietly.
"Hey, you two," he said.
Mrs Figg looked at him with a knowing look and just shook her head. "We should go before the aurors block the floo," she said.
She pointed over to a group of people at the table next to them talking loudly about a caterwhaling charm going off down Knockturn and aurors running down the alley.
Harry didn't argue and let Mrs Figg guide him and Luna over to the fireplace. She threw in some powder, pushed them all in together, and called out "The Three Broomsticks!"
Harry didn't have time to be confused as everything began to spin. He was launched out of the fireplace and into a nearby wall when they finally stopped spinning. Luna came flying out next and flew into him, which was lucky for her since he was able to break her fall, but unlucky for him because... ouch!
Mrs Figg stepped out normally.
Everyone was looking at them so Mrs Figg simply apologized for the interruption and then picked him and Luna up off the floor.
She whispered in Harry's ear as she did so, "There better be a damn good reason for that little stunt."
Harry glanced at Luna pointedly and whispered, "There is but I can't talk about it right now."
Once they were outside, Mrs Figg guided them to a nearby bench that was secluded.
Aright spill, "I caught Luna up to speed on what I could tell her about the Guild you don't need to worry about that."
Luna just sat quietly and waited for Harry to answer. She seemed completely unbothered by everything.
"Won't you get in trouble?" Harry asked.
"Let me worry about that. I assure you that you won't be in any trouble for my actions," she said.
He nodded and then said, "It had to do with the job the Guild Leader wanted me to do. I can't tell you, she said not to."
Mrs Figg huffed. "Were you at least successful?"
He nodded, "I got the hard part out of the way but I still have one thing left and it happens to be nearby... why did we come here instead of home anyways?"
Mrs Figg sighed and said, "When the aurors shut down a floo, they usually check where the people went just before they shut it off. I'm trying to keep them off our trail by going somewhere public."
That made sense to Harry and it was lucky for him that they’d come here.
“This just happens to be where the next part of my task needs to be done. I think I need to do it alone,” he said with a little bit of shame. He’d lied to Mrs Figg and now he was kind of asking for permission to continue after he’d been caught. It felt weird.
“Go on then,” she said irritably. “We’ll go visit with Flume for now. You can meet us at Honeydukes when you’re done.”
“Be safe, Harry,” Luna said with a smile. “We can catch up later.”
Harry nodded and walked towards the entrance to Hogwarts. It was a long walk, but it was the only way he knew for sure to get into the Shrieking Shack. School was still in session. He hoped he’d be able to get onto the grounds all right, otherwise he’d have to sneak in another way if that were even possible.
Harry’s watch had stopped working after Healer Juniper had helped him. Whatever they did had made the watch all wonky and it no longer worked. Harry gauged that it was early evening by now. He hoped it got darker when he got closer to the gates. It would be hard to sneak around in the daylight.
After a long while, he finally made it to the gates. The sun was setting, but there was still a bit of twilight left. He guessed security wasn’t a big issue right now because the gates were wide open. That was rather lucky for him. He walked through the gates and felt a weird tingle run up his spine. He reckoned there were probably wards and that he’d just triggered them, alerting whoever… probably Professor Dumbledore that somebody had crossed them.
He picked up his pace and stayed within the tree line of the forest. He could see the castle so he had a good idea of where he was and he knew the general direction of the shack, so he just kept chugging along. He knew the whomping willow was a large tree and that it was in a clearing on top of a hill between the forest and the lake, so he figured he couldn’t miss it.
He slowed down when he saw a small hut just outside of the forest. He wondered who lived there. He got a bit careless and stepped on a twig, which snapped loudly. A dog, probably pretty large from the sound of it, started barking loudly.
“Calm down, Fang,” a booming voice said from within the hut. “It’s probably nothing.”
Harry could see a very large silhouette through the window and he froze. Whoever lived in that hut was huge and he didn’t want to be discovered by the man.
After a while, the silhouette moved and Harry felt it was probably safe to start moving again. He walked through the trees, keeping the castle in view. Harry shivered. It was getting really cold out here. He should have dressed more warmly, but he hadn’t really planned on this part of the trip. Mrs Figg was probably going to ground him until the school year after this, he reckoned. At least he’ll have completed his little job for the Guild Leader.
He heard some rustling coming from the forest and he froze.
“Who goes there?” a deep voice bellowed out.
Harry looked towards the voice and found himself face to face with a large brown centaur.
“Students aren’t supposed to be in the forest, young man,” the centaur said.
Harry didn’t know what to say… he knew the centaurs were proud creatures and he doubted they reported to anyone in the school.
“I mean no harm, sir” Harry said to the centaur.
The centaur chuffed, but didn’t say anything initially. He just looked up at the sky and said, “The stars told me that someone would visit our forest.”
Harry didn’t know what to say. He wasn’t sure how much he bought into divination.
“You should be careful. There are things in the forest that would harm you,” the centaur said as he walked away.
Harry shook his head. He knew there were dangerous creatures in the forest. He figured he was safe as long as he stayed close to the grounds.
As he came up on a small hill, he was able to see a large tree swaying in the moonlight. “That must be the whomping willow,” he said to himself.
He walked towards it cautiously. He felt confident that even with the moon shining so bright, he was far enough away from the castle that he wouldn’t be seen. They’d had to put the secret passageway somewhere no one would see after all.
As he got closer, the tree must have sensed him somehow because it started swinging its branches violently. Harry continued to walk around, out of reach, to see if he could find the opening. Harry reached out with his senses to see if he could detect the passageway. He was overwhelmed almost instantly. There was magic literally everywhere, as if the grounds were imbued with magic. He shook his head to clear it. His gift wasn’t likely to be very useful here if he couldn’t stand the level of ambient magic. Hopefully he’d be able to get used to it over time.
Perturbed by his failure, he continued to watch for an opening as he walked around the tree. It looked like there might be a passageway at the root of the trees. Maybe if he ran he could make it through in time. There was probably an easier way but he didn’t have time to figure it out. He’d suddenly wished he’d spent a little more time reading through his dad’s journals for a hint at what to do. Lesson learned, he guessed. He needed to be more prepared in the future if he was going to avoid these kinds of situations. He needed to be the very best if he was going to be a member of the Guild.
A memory of what the Guild Leader had said came to mind, ‘ ...nerves of steel will only get you so far. You need knowledge to understand your enemies and the wisdom to know when to act. That kind of thing only comes with time and experience. ’ He guessed he was starting to understand more what she meant. Harry simply didn’t know enough and would need to work harder to catch up.
As things stood, all he had was nerves of steel at the moment so the only thing he could do was run and hope he made it in time. He leaned down and pushed himself in the direction of the base of the tree as fast as he could. Instantly, giant club like branches started smashing into the ground around him. He rolled to the side and pushed forward each time. Then a large vine like branch came sweeping horizontally in front of him. He decided to try and jump it this time, but it raised at the last moment and he tripped to the ground.
He took a deep breath and flinched as he saw a large phone pole sized limb raise up over him before crashing back down towards him. He rolled out of the way just in time and gathered his strength. He was really close to the base of the tree now. He could do this. He pushed himself forward dodging limbs as they came crashing around him. He was nearly out of breath at this point, but he was determined not to lose. He’d made it too far to back out. The only way was forward.
He dove towards the base of the tree and landed roughly on his butt. He was pretty sure he’d just bruised his coccyx, but now he was sliding down a hole in the ground. When he rolled to the bottom of the sloped hill, he just laid there to catch his breath. That was way too close. It looked like he needed to add physical fitness to his regime too. He inspected his arms and legs and found that he had dozens of scratches all over him. He hissed as sweat dripped into open wounds all over his face and neck.
He felt around in the pockets of his robes. Luckily, the vials of wiggenweld potion were spelled not to break. He removed the cork and drained the potion down his throat with a grimace. It didn’t taste awful but it definitely wasn’t pumpkin juice. He felt the potion take affect and his wounds started to heal. His vigor restored, he trudged on through the secret passageway.
After a long while, he saw what looked like the end of the tunnel and it started sloping back upwards. He felt the strange tingle again and realized he must have triggered the wards again. He looked up and saw a large wooden trap door overhead. He reached up and pushed it open and climbed through the passageway. The floors were covered in dirt and dust. All of the furniture was broken and Harry saw obvious signs of chewing and scratching on nearly every surface. The drapes were ripped to shreds. This was not a happy place and he suddenly felt very sad for Remus having to go through this once a month throughout his childhood.
We walked through one of the doors and into a room. In the center of the room was a small table with a note. He picked it up and read it outloud to himself, “Turn around.”
He turned around and came face to face with the Guild Leader, who had a large smile on her face. “Well done, Harry. You completed the job with time to spare.”
“How did you know when I would be here?” he asked.
The old witch chuckled and said, “I have my ways but I won’t share them. You’ll have to earn my secrets and they don’t come cheap.
Harry shook his head and grinned. That was fine by him. He’d do whatever it took.
“I heard things got a little too close for comfort in Knockturn Alley today…” she said.
Harry gulped. “But I wasn’t caught,” he said.
“You weren’t,” she said in return offering him a bow, “I’ll grant you that.”
She began to walk around him, studying him. “And what of Mrs Figg and your… sister… Luna?” she asked.
Harry tensed when she revealed that she knew that he thought of Luna like a sister. Nearly nobody knew that.
“Don’t worry, Harry. As a member of the Guild you are granted certain protection from other Guild members, even me. I won’t ever harm you or anyone you care about so long as you do the same.”
“I’m in, then?” he checked.
“You are, after you swear the oaths,” she said with a grin. “There’s a little ceremony with some of the other Guild members. I’ll even let you invite Luna.” She was still walking around him like a predator playing with its food. “With her gifts, there’s no use trying to hide things from her, anyway,” she continued. “She’ll be offered to swear some oaths to ensure our secrecy and protection, but she won’t be able to join… not that I think she’d want to.”
Harry nodded. He hadn’t talked to her about it but he doubted she was interested in the Guild at all.
“Thank you, Guild Leader,” he said with a bow.
“You’re very welcome. You’ve done well overall and I am impressed,” she said. “As a gift, you can keep the hand… It might just come in handy.”
“Thank you!” he said excitedly as he placed it back within his bag.
“Take my arm,” she said, offering him her arm. “I know that Mrs Figg and Luna are waiting for you in Hogsmeade and I don’t want you to have to go back the way you came. You’re too… valuable… to waste.”
Harry did as he was told and grabbed onto her arm gently. He was surprised when his fingers came in contact with silky smooth skin instead of the leathery skin he saw. She must be wearing a glamour of some kind.
“Tighter, Harry,” she said with a wicked laugh. “I don’t want to lose you.”
He tightened his grip and she spun. He heard a large crack and then felt like he’d been squeezed into a tiny ball before being wrung out like a wet towel. He thought he was going to be sick for a minute before he finally recovered with a small shudder.
The old woman leaned down and kissed him on the cheek. “Goodbye Harry,” she said and then she spun and disappeared with a loud crack.
“What in the world was all that?” he asked out loud, touching his cheek. Her lips had felt full and not at all what they looked like.
He was standing in front of Honeydukes. He saw the ‘closed’ sign in the window but walked forward and checked the door. It was open, at least, and he was grateful. He walked inside and then upstairs to the apartment. Mrs Figg and Luna were sitting on the sofa talking to Mr and Mrs Flume. They turned and took in his haggard appearance.
“Harry!” Luna said, “are you all right?”
“I’m fine, I promise. I had some wiggenweld potion and that helped a bunch,” he said.
“Your clothes are a mess, laddie,” Mrs Figg said. “We should get you home so you can get some rest.”
Mrs Figg made some excuses to Mr and Mrs Flume so they didn’t ask too many questions and before he knew it, they were all arriving through the floo back home.
Harry was so exhausted that he didn’t even want to eat, but Mrs Figg made him and Luna something small and quick anyways.
Since his job was done, and the Guild Leader said he was basically in at this point, he didn’t feel like he needed to keep everything a secret any longer. He told them about the letter, Borgin and Burkes, the whomping willow, and the shrieking shack. He didn’t hold anything back, relieved at finally being able to share his experiences with his family.
Chapter 10: Chapter Ten: The Marauders
Chapter Text
Harry was woken up rudely by Mrs Figg as she stormed into the room and turned on the lights. She walked over to the window and pulled the curtains open with force. Auggie cried mournfully at the rude awakening and flew out the open window.
“Up!” she demanded. Luna groaned grumpily and Mrs Figg told her to go back to bed. Luna rolled back over and went immediately back to sleep. Harry sat up urgently, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
“What time is it?” he asked.
“It doesn’t matter, it’s time for you to get up!” she said firmly.
Mrs Figg wasn’t joking when she said she was going to increase his tutoring regimen, he was finding out. She threw him some clothes and told him to put them on and head to the kitchen.
Harry looked at the clothes and realized it was athletic clothing and that meant he’d be starting his day with exercise. He hated exercise. Growing up, he’d had to be at least a little bit fit in order to outrun Dudley’s gang of friends when they wanted to go a round of Harry Hunting. But he’d never gone out of his way to be fit. This wasn’t good.
He changed his clothes as Luna snored in the big comfortable bed. Once dressed, he exited the room and headed towards the kitchen. His muscles were still sore from the night before and his body ached in protest each step of the way.
When he entered the kitchen he saw that there were two potions on the table in front of him. “Go ahead and take the potions,” Mrs Figg said as she sat opposite him. She was sipping some tea. Harry could tell that one was wiggneweld but he didn’t recognize the other one.
He downed both and instantly felt energized and his aches and pains dissipated. “Whoa, I feel loads better,” he said.
“I’m sure you recognized the wiggenweld. The other one is an invigoration draught,” she said.
Harry spent the rest of the early morning doing different exercises. Mrs Figg even made him do sprints outside, which he hated because it was so cold. She just laughed and told him to get used to it because this was how he was going to spend his time until the school year started. She even threatened that if he came back soft after first year that she’d make him regret it.
Harry shivered at the threat and pushed through. She didn’t let him stop until he’d thrown up.
After the exercises, Mrs Figg started working on breakfast and told Harry to go wake up Luna for normal lessons. Harry went and took a quick shower and changed into some normal clothing before entering his room and waking Luna. Luna was grumpy like normal when she woke up. Harry told her to go shower and head down for breakfast. She complied with his request with a grunt. Harry just shook his head at the grumpy girl.
He made his way back to the kitchen to eat. He was starving after the intense workout. The potions he’d taken earlier that day were starting to wear off too and he yawned loudly. He sat at the table and grabbed a plate before heaping on piles of food. “Thanks,” he told Mrs Figg. As much as he had hated the workout this morning, he knew it was good for him. There was no point in being cross with Mrs Figg who was clearly looking out for him.
She slid the morning paper over to him and he read the headline outloud, “Aurors Investigate Crime in Knockturn Alley.” he skimmed through the article to find out more, expecting to find mention of the Hand of Glory that he’d stolen.
It turned out that the crime mentioned in the article had nothing to do with him. Harry laughed out loud when he realized that not only had he gotten away with the theft, but that the aurors were now investigating some very questionable items found inside Borgin and Burkes. The article had even mentioned several people that the ministry had questioned after going through the shop’s records. Malfoy, Nott, and a Ministry employee by the name of Walden Mcnair were all being investigated for trading in illegal and dangerous goods as a result.
The aurors that he’d seen in Knockturn Alley had been sent to arrest Borgin and Burke and Harry just happened to be there right before they’d gotten there. He couldn’t believe his luck.
Mrs Figg just shook her head. “You got lucky, lad,” she said.
“I know, but look at how good it all turned out. Now Malfoy is being investigated by the Department of Magical Law Enforcement!” he said.
Mrs Figg nodded but said, “Don’t get your hopes up. He’s been lining the Minister’s pockets for years. Minister Fudge won’t let the investigation go too far. He’s gotten comfortable with Malfoy’s money.”
“That’s wrong,” Harry said, disgusted.
“It is how things work in the Ministry right now,” she said.
Harry mumbled under his breath. He couldn’t believe how corrupt the Ministry of Magic was.
“You should be careful about Borgin and Burke,” Mrs Figg said. “They won’t forget that they’ve been stolen from, and even if they are in Ministry custody, they are well connected.”
Harry nodded his understanding as he took a bite of food.
Luna came skipping in just then and she wasted no time digging into breakfast. Luna was like that, he had learned. Super grumpy when she woke up, but it didn’t last long most days.
They spent the rest of the morning being tutored by Mrs Figg. They focused on the wandless subjects since Luna didn’t have her wand yet. After lunch, Luna was free to spend the rest of the day as she pleased. Harry, however, was dragged off by Mrs Figg so he could practice magic with his wand.
Mrs Figg lectured him on safety and told him no fire or water spells inside the house.
After that, Mrs Figg left him to practice on his own. He had his copy of Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) and A Beginner’s Guide to Transfiguration out before him and he spent hours going through them, finally attempting the spells he’d been reading about. Despite all the studying he’d done he still wasn’t able to get all of them on the first day. He’d successfully cast Lumos, Nox, and Alohamora. The Levitation charm was still giving him issues and he hadn’t managed any of the Transfiguration spells. Most of the jinxes and hexes in The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection required an opponent, but he practiced the wand movements and pronunciation anyways. Colorful spells flew out of his wand but he didn’t know if they were effective. He didn’t let it dampen his mood though.
He didn’t stop practicing until dinner and by then he was exhausted.
He sat down next to Luna and put his head down on the table in front of him.
“Rough day, Harry?” Luna asked.
“You could say that,” Harry said, “I’m exhausted.
Luna leaned into him and gave him a side hug. “It’ll all be worth it,” she said.
Harry tried to nod that he agreed but he was too tired to move.
“What did you do with your time, Luna?” he asked.
Luna let him know that she and Auggie and explored the other wing to try and find the demiguise, but they were unsuccessful.
The trio ate in comfortable silence. Harry yawned a big yawn and excused himself so he could turn in early.
Mrs Figg reminded him to stretch before he went to bed or he’d regret it.
Harry nodded and walked off.
The routine went on for the rest of the week. On Wednesday, Luna grew tired of being woken up alongside Harry and she moved into Sirius' old room permanently.
On Saturday, Mrs Figg backed off and let him use his time as he’d like but he wasn’t allowed to leave. He honestly felt too tired to do anything but he knew he needed to replenish his stock of fairy eggs or Ratatoskr would likely abandon him. He and Luna put on some proper clothing for exploring the forest in winter and Harry placed Ratatoskr in his front robe pocket.
In the forest, they returned to where the fairies were and made quick work of harvesting their eggs. With his wand he’d been able to freeze the fairies mid air before they could attack them. Luna grabbed a few for Auggie and put them in a jar. She handed their wings to Harry so he could use them in his potions. They left before his freezing spell could end.
After they were done harvesting from the fairy bush, Harry asked Ratatoskr where a wiggentree that was ok to harvest from might be. The stick creature pointed off deeper into the woods.
Luna skipped happily ahead, but stayed close enough that Harry wasn’t worried. They traveled for quite a while. The trees were growing closer together and less light was making it through, despite there being several trees without any leaves.
Harry reckoned they were in pretty deep. He maintained his focus and was scanning the perimeter for any signs of danger. Nothing concerning was popping up, but Harry reminded himself that dangerous mundane animals could likely be here and he didn’t think his magic would find them if they were here.
Before long, they came upon an old fallen wiggentree. Harry silently admired the giant tree, which must have been ancient to be so large. Luna took Ratatoskr and the two walked along the trunk of the fallen tree. The bark looked to be in good shape and he began harvesting enough for dozens of potions.
He had so much that Luna had to help carry some, but she was happy about it. “Wiggentree bark will protect us from dark creatures,” she said. Harry remembered reading that somewhere but no one seemed to know why it worked, so he was still a bit skeptical. He maintained his focus and scanned the area the whole way back.
They made it home without incident, which Harry had mixed feelings about. He was happy everyone was safe but also disappointed that he didn’t have an excuse to try out some defensive magic. Where was all the danger in the supposedly dangerous forest?
They had just passed the fireplace when he heard it activate. He turned around and saw green flames flare and then a man he didn’t recognize, dressed in worn robes with several patches, stepped out.
Harry pulled out his wand and pointed it at the man. The man’s eyebrows raised in shock and he put his hands up so Harry could see he was unarmed.
The man smiled and said, “I’m happy to see you’re being well trained, Harry.”
Harry frowned, and didn’t lower his wand. He was used to people he’d never met recognizing him.
Luna has been standing behind him but stepped out and put her hand on Harry’s wand arm. “I think he’s a friend, Harry,” she whispered. “The house remembers him and he’s got a good aura.”
Harry nodded at Luna in thanks and turned to the man and asked, “Who are you, sir?”
“Remus Lupin, an old friend of your father’s and my being here was meant to be a surprise…” The man trailed off and looked around the entrance hall. “The house looks just like I remember it.”
Mrs Figg arrived just then and halted when she saw the trio standing by the fireplace. She glanced at Harry’s wand and said, “Oh blast it all, Harry, Remus was meant to be a surprise guest for the Christmas holiday.”
She walked over to Remus and said, “Sorry, I thought he’d have stayed in the woods longer so we could surprise him together.”
She looked at Harry and said, “Please tell me you didn’t throw any spells at him!”
Harry gulped, “I almost did but Luna stopped me.” He looked at Remus and said, “Sorry, sir.”
“No harm done, I’m impressed actually,” Remus said as he walked over and shook Harry’s and Luna’s hand. “I’d love to know more about what you said about my aura and the house, sometime Luna,” he said.
Luna’s smile lit up the room. “Oh, yes I think that would be lovely,” she said and guided him towards the kitchen.
Harry and Mrs Figg shared a smile and followed behind. Harry was eager to talk to his dad’s friend and find out why he hadn’t visited him sooner.
The group ate and talked and Harry learned that Remus had tried every year to convince Dumbledore to let him stop by or even just see Harry from a distance, but Dumbledore always refused, using Aunt Petunia’s demand that there would be no interference from the magical world as an excuse.
“But this year when I asked, expecting the usual refusal, he told me to reach out to Mrs Figg. He told me there had been a change and that Mrs Figg was seeing to your care now.”
Harry was annoyed at the headmaster’s interference, but had to remind himself that the old man hadn’t meant any harm and had kindly stepped out of the way when his fumble was realized.
Mrs Figg took up the story then and Harry and Luna listened with rapt attention. “I ran into Remus in Diagon a couple days ago and we got to talking. I invited him to stay with us for a while,” she said.
Harry was happy to see there was no animosity between Remus and Mrs Figg. Her worries surrounding the werewolf disliking her because of her ex husband seemed to have been unfounded.
“Mrs Figg mentioned you’d found something of Sirius’ that might indicate he hadn’t betrayed your parents?” Remus asked.
Harry explained about the journal and Luna’s aura reading. He also voiced his doubts that it wouldn’t likely do much to help, since Sirius had killed Peter and all those muggles.
Remus nodded that he agreed with Harry’s deduction. Harry saw tears forming in the man’s eyes. “It might not make a difference to Sirius’ situation but it makes all the difference to me,” Remus said.
“I think I’d like to go visit my old friend and get his side of things,” he said after a long pause.
Harry felt excited, “Can I come?” He asked, looking both to Remus and Mrs Figg.
Remus and Mrs Figg looked at each other and then started speaking at the same time. It was hard to decipher but he gathered that Remus wasn’t sure it was a good idea but Mrs Figg was surprisingly supportive of the trip.
“But the dementors…” Remus said with concern.
“Harry’s made of stronger stuff. I think he can handle it,” Mrs Figg said.
Harry had read about dementors and they sounded awful. He’d read that people who had been through awful experiences tended to have a stronger reaction. He couldn’t remember his parents death so he didn’t think it would be a problem.
“Can you do the Patronus charm?” Harry asked.
“Yes, I can, but it still seems a bit wrong to take a child to Azkaban,” Remus said.
Harry knew he was just a kid, but he hated being reminded all the time.
“Perhaps you’re right,” Mrs Figg said, “But I’m inclined to let Harry decide. I trust that, should you allow him to come with you, you’re capable of keeping him safe.”
Harry felt his heart beating faster. “Please, Mr Lupin, I can handle it and I won’t be any trouble.”
The aging man shook his head with a smile. “Your mother would flay me alive if she were here but… I guess you can come with me as long as you never call me Mr Lupin again.”
“Yes!” Harry said as he raised his fists in the air above his head.
The next day was Sunday. Harry was standing outside in the yard. Snow was falling down around him, but he wasn’t cold. Remus had cast some warming charms over him and they were standing opposite each other with their wands extended.
Remus cast a red stupefy at him and Harry quickly summoned a shield, using protego.
The red spell bounced off his shield and into the ground.
“Good, your shield is strong,” Remus said. Try deflecting my spell back at me… it’s a bit tricky, but if you can catch my spell in the center of your shield, it should bounce straight back.”
Remus cast another red stupefy and Harry cast the shield charm and then tried to aim it just right.
It took quite a few tries but he was eventually able to send a couple spells back in Remus general direction.
“Very good, Harry,” Remus said as they ended their practice.
Remus was a natural instructor. He was calm and had a way with words that made it easy to learn.“Thanks, you’re a good teacher,” Harry said.
The two went back inside and grabbed a snack. They planned on flooing to the Azkaban Visiting Center this morning. From there, if their request was approved, they’d be able to take a boat to the island that housed the prison. If they weren’t approved to visit, they’d have to make an appointment and try again. Harry was prepared to bribe his way in if needed but he hoped his name was enough if there were any issues.
Luna gave them both a hug goodbye and Mrs Figg wished them luck.
Harry stumbled out of the floo at the Azkaban Visitor Center with a curse. Remus caught him before he could fall.
“Blasted floo is cursed, I swear!” He said in his defense.
“You can thank your mother. She never got the hang of it either,” Remus said.
Harry smiled as they walked towards the desk. There weren’t many people here waiting to visit.
Remus talked with the wizard and was able to secure passage to the island. When he asked who they were here to visit and Remus answered “Sirius Black,” the wizard hesitated.
He left and went into a back room and Harry began to worry.
A new wizard came out and said in a robotic voice, “Visitations are canceled. Everyone go home.”
The few people that were in the Visitors Center groaned in protest. Another wizard came out and threatened them ask with arrest if they didn’t leave.
Harry was beginning to suspect that they didn’t want anyone visiting Sirius Black. He glanced at Remus and said, “Let me try something.” Remus nodded.
“Excuse me, sir,” Harry tried with the Wizard telling everyone to leave. The wizard just ignored him. “Go home, visitations are canceled.”
Harry was furious and said more loudly, “Sir!”
The wizard finally looked at him and his eyes widened as recognized who Harry was. He looked around the room, worried.
“Why do you want to visit Sirius Black anyway? He basically killed your parents,” the wizard said.
Harry looked at the man’s name tag then back at the wizard. “Mr Turpin, are you sure you want to bar me from visiting the man that sold out my parents to Lord Voldemort?”
Mr Turpin flinched hard when Harry used Voldemort’s name. “I- I’m just following orders. Visitations have been canceled,” he said.
“Who’s orders?” Harry asked. “So I know who to report to Madam Bones.” It was an all out farce. Harry had obviously never met the woman, but he had a feeling this might just work.
Mr Turpin hesitated. Harry focused on his magic, wanting to emanate authority and conviction. “Tell me who’s responsible for this or I’ll tell Madam Bones it was your fault.”
That did the trick.
“It was ordered by Barty Crouch,” the man admitted. Remus’ head jerked at that. “But he’s no longer over the DMLE or Azkaban…” he said.
Harry saw his chance. “I’m sure Madam Bones would be interested to hear that Mr Crouch is interfering in her department,” he said. He looked again at Mr Turpin’s name tag. “- and that Mr Turpin here was… just following orders…” Harry trailed off to emphasize how weak of an argument that sounded to him.
Mr Turpin looked tense.
“Unless you want to let us visit Sirius, and maybe we’ll leave your name out of it,” Harry finished.
“I’ll be right back,” Mr Turpin said and he walked into the back room.
Remus let out a chuckle. “What has Mrs Figg been teaching you? That was downright impressive, scary even.”
“Mrs Figg has stressed the importance of using whatever resources you have. I don’t like my fame much, but I’ll use it if it helps me reach my goals,” Harry said.
Remus looked thoughtful. “You look like James, but that was like seeing Lily reincarnated…”
Harry laughed, “You sound just like Mrs Figg.”
The guard came back and said, “You can come with me.” Harry and Remus followed the guard out to a boat and the three of them boarded.
Remus cast a warming spell on the lot of them, even the guard who simply grunted his thanks. The magical boat moved across the water smoothly. Harry started to shiver in spite of Remus’ warming charm.
Remus must have noticed or was also being affected because he removed his wand and said, “expecto patronum!”
A white mist exuded from his wand and formed into a wolf. The wolf ran through the air around them and Harry started to feel better.
Harry could barely see through the thick fog but Mr Turpin assured them they were close. A moment later, Harry saw a light forming ahead of them. They got closer and closer and Harry realized it was a lantern fixed to a a post along a dock.
They came up next to it and then the guard hopped out and then pulled Remus and Harry up out of the boat. Mr Turpin lit his wand and waved them on to follow him.
He led them up several dozen steps and then into the prison. Remus’ patronus followed them the whole way.
When they got inside, Harry flinched at the sight of a large black figure hovering over them. Remus’ wolf patronus ran between the group and the dementor and the dementor screeched.
“Be gone, demon,” the guard ordered and the dementor floated away.
“I hate coming here but no one else was willing to break Mr Crouch's orders,” Mr Turpin said. “I’d really appreciate it if you made sure Madam Bones knows that when you tell her.”
Harry nodded and said, “I will, I promise.”
He continued to lead them through dark hallways. Harry was starting to feel bad, and kind of hopeless. He started remembering the times he’d been trapped and picked on by Dudley or forced to start in his cupboard for days on end.
Remus pulled out a bar of chocolate and broke it into three pieces. He then distributed it to the group and they ate happily as they walked. Harry felt better instantly.
They got to a large metal gate and Mr Turpin fished out a key and then unlocked the way forward. “You’ll find Sirius Black 12 cells down on the right. This is as far as I go but you’ll be safe enough with your patronus,” Mr Turpin said. “The inmates go a bit nuts when us guards go through but they usually leave the visitors alone.”
Harry and Remus walked down the dreary hallway, counting the doors along the way. They stopped at the 12th cell and peered inside.
A large black dog was laying there on the ground, apparently asleep.
Harry hoped he wasn’t dead. He couldn’t tell he was breathing.
“Sirius Black,” Remus said clearly.
The dog didn’t budge.
“Padfoot,” Harry tried.
The dog’s ears twitched at that.
“Padfoot,” Harry said again.
The dog’s head lifted off the ground and Harry saw his eyes staring into his.
Padfoot got to his feet quickly and he walked over to the door with a whine. A moment later, he shifted into a man. A very dirty and smelly man, Harry thought.
“Sirius,” Remus whispered sadly.
Sirius shifted his attention to Remus and sobbed. “Remus!” Sirius wailed. “I’m so sorry, Remus.”
Sirius looked again at Harry and said, “And Harry, I’m so sorry. I was so foolish.”
“What happened, Sirius? Was it Peter?” Remus asked, cutting to the point of things.
“It was Peter. We switched at the last moment and then Peter sold them out.”
Harry was relieved to hear that. He was beginning to worry that they’d gotten it wrong and that Sirius had betrayed his parents.
“The rat is still alive, Moony.” Sirius rasped out.
Remus jerked then and grabbed the bars eagerly. “Peter is alive?” he checked.
“Yes, Wormtail got the last laugh in the end. Pulled a prank well beyond anything I’d thought he was capable of,” Sirius said.
“How?” Remus asked.
“When I cornered him on the street full of muggles he started shouting that I’d betrayed the Potters,” Sirius said. “He was making a scene. I was so angry that I just started shouting at him and throwing spells.”
Sirius shook his head. “He cast a blasting curse at a gas line and blew up the whole street. I was a bit dazed, but I watched him cut off his finger and then turn into a rat before scurrying away.”
“The papers said you were laughing like a lunatic…” Remus said.
Sirius nodded. “I couldn’t believe the rat had pulled one over on me,” Sirius said. “I underestimated him.”
“He could be anywhere now, maybe even dead for real. How do we prove your innocence without him?” Remus asked.
“I’ve been thinking about this a long time,” Sirius said. “Capturing Peter is the only definite way.”
“How do we find him?” Harry asked.
“Peter is a coward and he wouldn’t have been safe walking freely in magical society… not with so many death eaters walking free,” Sirius said. Remus nodded as if he understood but Harry didn’t get it at all.
“If Peter were on their side, why would he be worried?” Harry asked.
“Because his information led to their defeat at a time where it seemed their victory was certain,” Remus answered.
“And he couldn’t go to Dumbledore for protection like Snape,” Sirius said. Remus nodded again.
“Peter wasn’t brave or very good at casting spells, but he’s not stupid,” Sirius said. “He’ll be somewhere he can hide but still keep up to date on what’s going on.”
Remus looked thoughtful. “Do you think he’d choose living as a rat over escaping to another country?” He asked.
“I don’t know,” Sirius said. “I’d be willing to live as a dog to stay out of here…”
“Why haven’t you?” Harry asked. He knew he would have had if it were him. He didn’t think he could stand it here for more than a visit. And then, not very often.
Sirius looked sad. “This place is…” he trailed off.
Harry thought he understood. The dementors probably made it hard to think clearly out to feel like there was a point to anything.
“Sorry,” Harry said. “That was a dumb thing to say.”
Sirius laughed. It came out awkwardly, like he hadn’t laughed in a very long time.
“Harry, it’s so good to see you. I’m so glad you’re ok and that Remus was able to take you in,” Sirius said.
“Oh, actually I grew up with my muggle relatives, the Dursleys, until Mrs Figg stepped in a few months ago,” Harry said. “Remus and I met yesterday… I’ve actually started writing you several letters because Luna found your journal and we thought you might be innocent… and-“
Sirius interrupted, “Wait, what?”
“Sorry, I tend to ramble sometimes…” Harry said.
He then caught Sirius up on his life so far. Sirius looked angry when he told him about the Dursleys, curious at the mention of Mrs Figg living in the neighborhood at Dumbledore’s request, and absolutely thrilled that Harry was now living in Potter Manor. He teased Harry about Luna so Harry left out that they shared a room and bed up until recently.
Remus, who hadn’t known the details either, looked really thoughtful and was being rather quiet.
Each of the men said at nearly the same time that they should have been there for Harry.
Harry just laughed them off. Remus had lycanthropy, which made it hard for him to be a justifiable guardian and Sirius has been framed for a crime. It wasn’t their fault.
“Maybe I should just escape this place and live the rest of my life in hiding,” Sirius said.
“We need to get you out of here,” Remus said to Sirius. “But I worry that you escaping will make it harder to prove your innocence and it might scare Peter away.”
Sirius looked thoughtful. “The rat needs to pay for what he did,” he said.
Harry wanted to say that he could help, but didn’t know how to explain it without mentioning the Guild.
“Tell Dumbledore about us being animagi and about Wormtail. He’ll want to know that there is a potential death eater roaming free that he didn’t know about,” Sirius said. “And he has the connections in the ministry and guile to start working the system.”
Harry nodded. He knew Dumbledore could likely help. He’d ask Mrs Figg to inform the Guild and between them they’d secure Sirius’ freedom and see that Pettigrew was punished for his actions.
Harry and Remus got back home without issue and the pair were sipping hot cocoa in the kitchen as they debriefed Luna and Mrs Figg. He’d have to wait to ask her to involve the Guild.
Harry felt bad that he was enjoying a hot drink while Sirius was stuck in that awful prison.
The cocoa had helped instantly. Luckily, he had a meeting scheduled in Hogsmeade with the shop owners this evening. He could stock up. The man would need it when he got out.
Harry had taken more of a backseat with his investments. Mrs Figg knew what she was doing and he’d probably just do what she recommended in most cases. But she’d reminded him that it was important that he develop a personal and professional relationship with each of them. So they were meeting tonight to discuss next steps, but mostly just to enjoy a meal together.
He’d signed Olivander’s contract and would be paid for any high quality wood he sent the man. He hoped to use the money he had inherited and was earning to start buying back the businesses Lucius Malfoy and the other free death eaters had claimed in his family’s absence.
He’d then use those businesses to supply other businesses he was involved in until he slowly but surely shoved Malfoy out. Hopefully all without the man knowing it until it was too late.
Remus had been invited but he’d opted to try and visit with Dumbledore in person. Harry wished him luck and followed Mrs Figg and Luna to the floo.
Since they’d planned ahead, the Flumes had opened their floo to them so they could travel directly to their apartment. Harry was greeted by Mrs Flume, who caught him as he stumbled out of the fireplace with an apology.
“No worries, dear,” Mrs Flume said. “Come join the rest of us at the table.”
Harry was greeted warmly by Zonko, Ambrosius, and the rest of the group. Zonko offered his hand for Harry to shake, but Harry was still wary from the last time.
Zonko laughed and revealed a hidden device that sent a minor stinging hex up the victim's arm. Feona Greengrass admitted that she’d fallen for the prank with a glare directed at Zonko, but Harry could tell she wasn’t really mad.
They enjoyed a good meal together and he was happy to see that Luna was having a great time talking to Harold Weekes and Zacharia Fenby.
Mrs Figg was chatting happily with the Flumes. He turned and caught Feona watching him with a smile. “You really care for them, don’t you?” She asked.
Harry nodded. He did care for them. They were his family.
“I have a niece starting at Hogwarts at the same time as you,” Feona said. “Her name is Daphne. She has a rough home life… her father, my brother, is a bit old fashioned and has been grooming her to be a ‘proper pureblood bride’, she said with air quotes. “She could use a friend like you at school.”
Harry thought about it for a bit. He was happy to try but wasn’t sure whether or not Daphne would want to be friends with someone like him. “I’d be happy to try,” he said.
Feona nodded her thanks.
They spent the rest of the evening chatting and talking a little bit of business. Harold needed some higher quality wood for his broomsticks and Harry told him he could probably supply it.
Zachariah had worked out a deal with several farmers in the area and was set for the next year.
Feona had been able to work something out with a few suppliers but needed help getting her hands on some magical creature byproducts.
Harry wished he had a way to help with the magical creatures. He had the land but not the know how or help he needed to take care of it all when he left for school. It was too much for Mrs Figg alone. Maybe Remus would be willing to help or knew someone that could.
“I’ll see what I can do about that, Feona,” he said. “I have an idea but I need to check with someone first.”
Chapter 11: Chapter Eleven: The Invitation
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Harry woke up the next morning to Mrs Figg demanding that he get started on his morning workout. Harry complied with a grumble and got to work.
When breakfast came around he’d hoped to see Remus but it looked like the man hadn’t returned just yet. Harry and Luna ate and Harry told her and Mrs Figg what his visit to Azkaban has been like.
He spared no detail and Mrs Figg beamed at him when he explained how he’d convinced the guard to let him and Remus visit Sirius.
“You should follow through on your threat and contact Madam Bones,” Mrs Figg said. “She’ll appreciate you informing her of the situation and it never hurts to have the DMLE as an ally.”
Harry agreed and saw the value in forming a positive relationship with the woman. He wanted to be careful though.
“Can you tell me anything about her that will help?” He asked.
Mrs Figg nodded and replied, “She’s a model Hufflepuff. She earned her position the old fashioned way… hard work. She’s held onto it by being extraordinarily fair.”
Harry nodded.
“I met her once,” Luna said. “My father wrote an article about corruption in the magical creatures department… She took daddy’s allegations seriously and several people were fired after her investigation.” Luna looked like she was trying to remember something. “Her aura was the clearest I’ve ever seen.”
Harry digested the information. Thinking over his approach with the woman.
“Maybe she can help Sirius…” he said before trailing off.
Mrs Figg looked thoughtful and a bit concerned, “She might be able to help later on if she isn’t too blunt in her approach. We don’t want to tip anyone off or Pettigrew might get word.”
That made sense to Harry. Without knowing where the rat was, it was risky to approach anyone for help. Maybe they should have left Dumbledore out of it too… but it was too late now.
Harry sighed. Plotting was challenging. He preferred winging it.
He shared his concerns with Mrs Figg and Luna.
Luna replied first with, “It’ll all work out, Harry.”
Mrs Figg was silent for a long time before replying, “Pettigrew would be insane to spy on Dumbledore. It would be safer for him to keep a good distance from both groups, but close enough to pick up on any potential change… If he’s living as a rat, he’ll probably be living as a pet so he’ll be kept safe from predators… if I were him I’d pick…”
Mrs Figg was interrupted as Remus walked into the dining area along with an older woman with a stern expression dressed in green robes.
“Minerva…” Mrs Figg said with a look at Remus. “What are you doing here?”
Remus didn’t say anything, but he looked a bit guilty to Harry.
“Arabella, I must say I was relieved when Albus told me you were taking over young Harry’s care.” The woman turned and faced Harry. “I don’t know the details, and I won’t pry, but Albus has looked exceedingly guilty any time you’re brought up.”
She held out her hand and he took it into his before bringing it to his lips. “I’m Professor Minerva McGonagal,” she said.
“It’s nice to meet you, Professor McGonagal.”
Professor McGonagal chuckled and said, “I see you’re being taught proper pureblood etiquette. Fleamont and Euphemia would be happy about that.”
“Mrs Figg has been teaching me,” he said simply.
Remus cleared his throat impatiently.
Professor McGonagal simply raised her eyebrow at Remus and then said, “Well I just happened to be there when Remus was visiting with Albus about Sirius… I never could wrap my head around Sirius betraying James. They were practically brothers…”
Harry continued to listen as the woman explained why she was here. Mrs Figg had been telling him about the people he’d meet at Hogwarts the last couple weeks so he knew she was the deputy headmistress and head of Gryffindor house. He also knew from his dad’s journals and a few comments from Remus that she was extremely capable and not to be crossed. His dad and the other marauders obviously respected her and valued her opinion of them.
“When Remus told me that they’d become animagi and that Peter was a rat, I recalled that one of my lions has a pet rat that is missing a toe,” Professor McGonagal said. “I noticed him during one of my classes.”
Harry perked up at this information.
Professor McGonagal continued, “Normally, I wouldn’t have thought anything of it but Percy is a very studious student and does well in my class. No matter what he tried, he couldn’t get his rat to transfigure into a water goblet.”
Harry nodded along with everyone else as they waited for her to complete her story. Harry thought he was beginning to understand that the reason the spell wasn’t working was because the rat was really a man already transfigured as a rat. He assumed that complicated things to another level.
“When I went to help young Percy, the rat bit him and scampered off,” she finished. “Percy ended up using an extra rat and got the spell correct instantly.”
Luna chose that moment to interject, “I remember Ginny telling me that her brother had had a pet rat for as long as she could remember. I didn’t think rats lived that long… I thought it must be a puca.”
Harry didn’t know what a puca was but he guessed it didn’t matter. Everything was pointing to the rat actually being Pettigrew. It fit with their assumption that he was living as a rat with his ear to the ground.
Mrs Figg responded next, “I was just brainstorming with Harry that if I were Pettigrew I’d have tried to stay with a wizarding family so I would be safe but could be aware of anything going on in society.”
Harry was thinking about how he was going to capture the rat and prove Sirius’ innocence. If he could bring Pettigrew to Madam Bones then he’d for sure ensure Sirius' release.
“Remus, you were the planner in the group. How do we capture the rat without him suspecting anything?” Harry asked the old marauder.
Remus turned to him and grinned wickedly before the group started brainstorming. Harry felt his pulse quicken in anticipation, impatient to act.
It had taken several hours to work through the details of the plan. Professor McGonagal stayed for a while before excusing herself back to Hogwarts.
Mrs Figg happily canceled her lessons for Harry and Luna. As a spy, she was a great resource and Remus and her seemed to feed off each other as they discussed strategy.
Luna mostly just listened and observed but she had been to the Weasley’s home and was able to describe the layout.
Eventually, Mrs Figg had to leave as well and Luna decided to go read in the library with Hermes.
“Sorry for inviting the professor over without discussing it with you and Mrs Figg first,” Remus said when it was just the two of them.
Harry shook his head, “Don’t be. It was the right call and in any case I wanted to run something by you…” Harry swallowed nervously, suddenly worried that the man would reject him.
Remus looked at him curiously.
“I was wondering if you’d like to move in permanently… I like having you here and Mrs Figg will need some help with the animals and greenhouses… you can pick any of the rooms…” Harry rambled nervously.
Remus chuckled and said, “Whoa, slow down there.”
Harry mumbled an apology. He hated when he lost his composure and started rambling.
“Did you just invite me to move in?” Remus checked.
“Yes,” Harry said simply. Determined not to start rambling again.
“And you mentioned something about helping with animals and the greenhouses?” Remus asked.
“Yes,” Harry replied, “But only if you don’t mind. I could pay you…”
“No, I won’t accept payment. Somewhere to live is good enough for me and I’d like to be part of your life, Harry…” Remus looked conflicted. “Are you sure? I mean… with my condition it’s not exactly safe.”
“Nonsense,” Harry said. “I’ve already asked Mrs Figg to pick up the ingredients for Wolfsbane. Can you brew it?”
“No, Sirius was the potioneer, I’m afraid…” Remus trailed off.
“Good thing he’ll be joining us soon then,” Harry said simply.
Remus shook his head with a chuckle and then cleared his throat. “There is one other consideration…” he started before taking a sip of tea. “I kind of have a… girlfriend and she has a daughter… they are traveling with a pack but we’ve always talked about settling down…”
Harry cut him off with a laugh, “They can come too if they want. How old is the girl? Will she join us at Hogwarts?”
“Oh, she’s a few years shy of attending Hogwarts. She’s a good kid and I think you two will get along just fine.” Remus answered.
Harry was musing. Maybe he would be able to pull all of this off with a little bit of help. It was kind of perfect to have people living here in the manor to help take care of things so he could focus on his goals. And it freed up Mrs Figg so she could continue her work with the Guild as well. He trusted Mrs Figg and Remus to keep things running smoothly and maybe even Sirius would want to help too when he got out.
“This is turning out perfectly,” Harry said to his father’s friend. “I want to start selling magical plants and animal parts to people that need them, but I’ve not been able to figure out how to do it while I’m away at school… Do you think you and your girlfriend are enough or are there others that you’d trust to hire and live here?”
Remus thought about it for a moment and said, “I think the two of us should be plenty but if it ever gets out of hand I’ll let you know. There are other werewolves that need the work but… trust is kind of hard to come by in the werewolf world.”
Harry thought about Greyback and his beliefs. “Maybe we could change that by offering shelter, food, and work to those that need it. Steer them away from Greyback and his lot…”
“Maybe,” Remus said. “But that is a lot for you and Mrs Figg to take on. You can’t solve all the world’s problems… you’re only 10 years old after all.”
Harry nodded. It was probably too soon for him to make a move against the likes of Greyback. Malfoy was already too much. And Voldemort. He was simply outmatched on so many levels and needed to keep working. Eventually, he might be able to take more on after he had more allies and could defend himself better. He wasn’t going to win this war overnight.
“You’re right,” Harry said. “Thanks for being willing to help out around here, Remus. You’ll make a huge difference.”
“Anything for you, Harry.” Remus said with a smile as he drank the last of his tea.
The pair sat and discussed the plan to capture Pettigrew. It would be a few days before they could act. The conversations turned back towards Sirius and Harry remembered that he hadn’t heard much about how Dumbledore would be helping.
“What was Dumbledore’s reaction to everything?” he asked.
“Oh, much the same as Minerva. He had a hard time wrapping his head around Sirius betraying the Potters, but everything had pointed to that being the case,” Remus said.
“Why hasn’t anyone looked into it?” Harry asked. “It seems everyone eagerly believed he was innocent once an alternative option popped up, but…” he trailed off, realizing that Remus was included in that group of people that had simply left it alone until now.
Remus sighed with a grimace before responding, “The war was hard on everyone and plenty of people that we thought were on our side turned out to be the enemy. It wasn’t completely farfetched to believe that Sirius was included in all that… as much as we didn’t want to believe it.
“When evidence cropped up that he might be innocent, I barely dared to hope… had it come from someone other than you I might not have believed it.”
Harry nodded. He thought he understood a little better now.
For the rest of the week, Harry woke early to exercise and continued with his lessons with Mrs Figg and his spell practice in the afternoon. He pushed himself harder than ever as he geared up for his role in capturing Wormtail. He wouldn’t let himself be the reason that Sirius remained in prison. Remus helped him for a couple days but then left
On Thursday, after dinner, Mrs Figg handed him two letters that he’d received earlier that day. One, surprisingly, was from Madam Bones inviting him to a Winter Solstice party tomorrow evening. It was very last minute but he was willing to let any potential slight go. Most people didn’t know he’d returned to the magical world afterall.
The next letter was from the Guild Leader and the mystery surrounding his invitation to the Bones’ party was solved instantly. The letter outlined that he was to attend the party and start networking. He’d be contacted by another member of the Guild, who would portkey him to a secret location so he could be initiated officially into the Guild.
It was going to be a long day but he was grateful for the opportunity to meet Madam Bones before he turned Pettigrew in. He’d be able to get a better read on the woman and decide if she was the one that would be helping them or if they needed to pursue other avenues.
He wondered what the initiation ceremony would be like. He remembered a weird film he’d watched at the Dursley’s one night where a group of people bled into a cup and they all drank. He shuddered at the thought. He hoped blood wouldn’t be involved.
He was shaken from his thoughts when Mrs Figg said, “I’ll let you sleep in tomorrow and then we’ll spend some time going over the plan for the party. The Guild leader sent me a list of people attending that she expects you to cozy up to.”
Harry nodded and asked, “Will you be attending as well? What about Luna?”
“Luna and I have been invited to attend the party,” she said.
Harry was pleased. He’d been so busy that he’d hardly been able to spend time with his friend outside of lessons. A party would be the perfect time for them to spend quality time together.
Harry waited for Luna to finish eating and then the pair walked together to their living area. She was quiet and had a vacant expression on her face like she wasn’t really there, which was pretty normal for the girl.
“How have you been, Luna?” He asked. “What did you do today after lessons?”
It took a moment for her to reply. “Good,” she said simply. “Hermes and I have been exploring together and think we might have figured out where the demiguise has been staying.”
Harry was pleased to hear that Luna had been able to find something to do other than read.
“Anything else going on?” He asked.
Luna hummed. “All the time, you’ll have to be more specific.”
Harry chuckled and then decided to get to the point. Small talk was challenging enough, but with Luna it was almost impossible.
“I’m sorry I’ve not been a very good friend, lately,” he said.
“What are you talking about?” Luna asked. “You’re a great friend.”
Harry was relieved she wasn’t upset with him but he knew he’d been neglecting her. “I’ve just been so busy and I haven’t really been paying attention to you,” he said.
Luna actually laughed at that. “We both know that you pay more attention than I do. I’m the aloof one, not you,” she said.
Harry was surprised at the level of self awareness she was displaying. She never commented on her odd mannerisms and he figured she didn’t realize she was being odd. He had to admit she had a point. Maybe he was being silly and Luna didn’t mind that he’d been preoccupied since she was basically always preoccupied.
“Thanks Luna,” he said.
The pair snuggled up on the couch and talked about random things until they fell asleep.
Harry had fully intended on sleeping in, but he’d woken up in the early morning and hadn’t been able to fall back asleep. He still hadn’t developed a love for exercise so he chose to head down to the potions lab instead. He found potion making to be relaxing and he wanted to clear his head since he was beginning to feel anxious about everything on his plate today.
He decided to brew a few vials of Exstimulo Potion, which was supposed to increase the power of a single spell cast after drinking the potion. It sounded useful and he hadn’t brewed it yet but should be at his skill level.
After a couple hours, he noted the potion matched the sky blue description in his potions book. He filled five vials and labeled them before putting them away. He wondered if there was a way to enhance the recipe so it lasted more than one spell.
As he was cleaning up, Mrs Figg walked in and said, “There you are!” In a flustered voice. “We need to get started. There are a lot of profiles to go over.”
“Almost done here,” he replied. “I’ll come to the dining room in just a moment.”
Mrs Figg nodded briskly and then walked away. Harry finished cleaning and then followed after her.
He saw Remus near the floo and waved. Rebus waved back and said, “Good morning, Harry. I’m just heading out to meet with Dumbledore so he knows what our plan for Pettigrew is.”
Harry nodded. They’d discussed keeping Dumbledore in the loop and even though he didn’t like it, he knew it was important for their plan to succeed.
“Safe travels!” He told the old werewolf.
Remus vanished in a plume of green smoke a moment later and Harry entered the dining room.
For the next several hours, Mrs Figg instructed him on each of the guests expected at the party. The amount of information she had on each person was frightening. Each profile included names, birthdays, professions, and net worth. Some even included Hogwarts house affiliations. There was also relationship status, siblings, children, and even pets. Pretty much anything of note was in the profile.
He thought it was a little overkill but he did his best to memorize every detail. He wondered what his own profile looked like. But he suspected that maybe he didn’t want to know.
“If the Guild has all this information, then what use will I be?” He asked Mrs Figg.
Mrs Figg laughed and said, “Information is one thing. Being friends and allies so they’ll back you up and improve your influence is another.”
Harry nodded, understanding. He was making allies so that the Guild could use him to push their agenda. He could only hope that it never conflicted with his own desires.
Mrs Figg added, “Besides, their children will be there and the information you gather will be used to create their profiles too.”
“Ok, that makes sense I guess,” he said. Harry was reminded why he liked thieving more than spying and politicking. Thieving was so much simpler. “Did my mom do all this?” He asked.
“Of course,” Mrs Figg said. “Your mother thrived in the Guild. She was a natural at gathering intelligence and she was so likable that it was easy for her to get in close with the people she was assigned.”
Harry sighed. Maybe he’d like it more after a bit of success.
Mrs Figg left to go get their host a gift.
Luna quizzed him on everything until he felt like his brain would explode. He felt better after Luna reminded him that she’d be there. “I’ll just bring up a strange creature if it looks like you’re about to embarrass yourself,” she said.
Harry practically mauled her with his hug. “You’re a lifesaver, Luna,” he said. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“Grr-off!” She squealed as she tried to push him off of her. He’d put on a bit of weight and she wasn’t very successful, but he complied with a grin.
Luna huffed and puffed as she regained her breath. “That’s not fair, you’re a lot bigger than me now,” she said with a mock glare.
Harry just laughed in return and the pair went to try and relax before the party.
Harry was dressed in smart jet black robes that he’d been told were in style. He’d used a bit of sleek-easy to tame his hair and it was as controlled as it was going to get without gluing it down to his head. He was leaving his wand behind with a bit of trepidation. He’d gotten used to having it but it wasn’t a good idea to walk into the head of DMLE with an unregistered wand.This was his first open foray into wizarding society and he wanted to make a good impression.
He did have a couple potions in case anything happened, not that he thought anything would. He just wanted to be prepared if something did. There was nothing illegal about that. He’d even grabbed a few empty bottles and his knife in case the opportunity to harvest something presented itself.
Mrs Figg had jokingly started calling him a Boy Scout, but he knew she approved.
Luna was dressed just as smartly as Harry in a new type of woman’s robe that was apparently in style, but she was wearing robes that were light blue. Harry thought she looked very pretty.
Mrs Figg dressed more traditionally than Harry and Luna, but Harry thought she looked really nice too.
The trio were gathered around the floo, waiting to make their entrance. Harry wanted to be on time but Mrs Figg said it was better to be a bit late. He didn’t get it, but knew Mrs Figg knew best.
Harry asked Luna to quiz him a few more times to help pass the time. He answered the majority of her questions correctly, but forgot a few key points. It seemed at least Luna had been able to remember everything.
Eventually, they threw in some floo powder and traveled to their destination. Harry tumbled out of the fireplace and right into a pretty red headed girl, who caught him.
Harry was mortified and blushed furiously as he met the pretty girl’s blue eyes. She was gorgeously dressed in green robes similarly styled to Luna’s. Harry noticed she had a few freckles on her cheeks.
He offered his hand so she could take it, and said “I’m so sorry. I haven’t quite gotten the hang of the floo, miss…”
He kissed her knuckles as she curtsied and said, “Susan, Susan Bones.” Harry noticed she was blushing a bit as well, though he didn’t know why.
She cleared her throat and said, “it’s quite alright, no trouble at all actually Mr…”
“Oh, right,” Harry fumbled. “I’m Harry Potter. It’s nice to meet you.” He couldn’t believe he’d forgotten to introduce himself properly. He quickly glanced around and found Mrs Figg looking at him with a knowing smile.
He looked back at the girl, Susan, and noticed she was looking at him with wide eyes. When she noticed him looking at her, she said, “Sorry, you probably hate when people react that way.”
Harry did hate it but he had just bombed his introduction, so he just said, “No big deal,” with a shrug.
Luna walked over just then and introduced herself. Susan was looking a little disappointed, but he wasn’t sure why. Luna noticed and said, “Oh, don’t worry, Harry is like a brother to me. He’s completely available.”
Susan blushed and Harry was confused. “Luna, what are you-“
Mrs Figg came by just then and interrupted him. “Harry, come greet our host,” she said as she guided him around to stand in front of a tall woman with gray hair. He’d seen her picture in her profile, but it didn’t really do her justice. She was much more intimidating in person.
Harry quickly performed the rituals that Mrs Figg had been cramming into his brain. He was pleased that he’d been able to do it all flawlessly, unlike with Susan.
He offered her a nice bottle of wine that Mrs Figg had picked out and thanked her for inviting them.
Madam Bones looked impressed and said, “It’s very kind of you to not mention how last minute my invitation was, Mr Potter. I must beg for your forgiveness… I hadn’t realized you’d returned to us from the mundane world until very recently.”
Before he could respond, she continued with “I must commend you for your efforts to perform the proper niceties as if it’s not new to you. It was very well done, but I must admit I’d prefer if we could do away with them for the rest of the evening.”
Harry decided he liked her at that very instant. He smiled brightly, relieved that Madam Bones seemed as tired of the pureblood niceties as he was. “Oh, thank goodness,” he said. “Mrs Figg has been teaching me.”
Madam Bones smiled at Mrs Figg and said, “You’re very lucky to have someone like her looking out for you. Mrs Figg, I don’t think I’ve seen you since before…”
Mrs Figg interrupted, but not rudely, “I believe it was around the spring equinox at the Potter home just before they died, yes.”
“Such a loss, that was. Have you been looking after young Mr Potter all this time?” Madam Bones asked.
Harry listened as Mrs Figg explained how he’d come into her care. She didn’t go into details but offered just enough truth. He looked around the room at the rest of the guests that were chatting in little groups all around the ballroom in the next room.
He recognized most of them from their profiles but there were a few he didn’t remember learning about. He saw Scrimagaur and Kingsley from the DMLE. He also saw a man in a bowler hat that must be Minister Fudge talking with Malfoy Senior and his wife, Narcissa. He saw Draco with two large boys by the punch bowl. He saw Luna and Susan talking with a chubby boy that he didn’t recognize and was relieved to see them smiling as Luna said something.
He returned his attention to Madam Bones and Mrs Figg just as Mrs Figg finished her story.
“I’m very grateful for all Mrs Figg has been doing for me,” he said truthfully. “She’s been a great friend.”
Mrs Figg blushed and waved him off playfully.
Madam Bones smiled a real smile at that. “I hope Susan feels that way about me,” she said.
Harry knew from the profile that Madam Bones was Susan’s Father’s sister and that most of the family had been killed in the last war. The Bones family was hit almost as hard as his own. He found that he didn’t know what to say but didn’t want to be rude. He settled for a compliment and said, “Susan is lucky to have someone like you to care for her. Family is important.”
“It truly is,” she said, impressed.
“I’ve been learning about my family. There are plenty of journals around the house and Mrs Figg has been kind enough to tell me some stories,” Harry said, seeing his opening. “I don’t mean to be rude by bringing up work, but I came across something that might interest you…”
“Oh? Please, feel free,” she said.
Harry then told her about Sirius' journal and his trip to Azkaban with Remus. She seemed shocked that he’d made the trip to the prison and gave a judgmental look to Mrs Figg, which Mrs Figg ignored.
She was furious when Harry told her about Crouch’s interference at the prison and he watched as she scanned the room and made note of the man’s location.
She listened intently as Harry finished explaining Sirius' side of the story and his admission to being an illegal animagus along with Peter Pettigrew. He told her how Peter was the actual secret keeper and that he’d been the one to blow up the muggles before transforming into a rat and escaping.
“We think we know where the rat is and we’ll be moving on him soon. I was hoping I could count on your help, if it turns out the man is alive?” Harry asked.
“Of course,” she said. “I’d prefer my department be the ones to confront him, though.”
Harry nodded. “It’s not anything against your department of course, but we don’t want word to get out and the rat to run off…”
Madam Bones nodded grimly. “I know not everyone in my department can be relied on to keep their mouth shut… but I insist you accept the help of someone I trust implicitly.”
Harry wasn’t surprised at her demand. From what he’d heard about the woman he was surprised that she wasn’t taking over completely. It was her right to do so. She must be shaken that Crouch had been able to interfere right under her nose without her knowing. There might be others working against her and that must be why she was so willing to give up her right to interfere.
His respect for the woman was rising as he began to understand what she was doing by offering help without risking ruining everything by including the wrong people.
Harry agreed to her offer of help. “Who is it, may I ask?”
She got the attention of the tall man with dark skin in purple robes that he’d identified as Auror Kingsley earlier. He started walking over and Harry soon realized just how tall the man was. His neck nearly hurt as he looked up.
“This is Kingsley. He’s an auror that actually worked with your dad and… Sirius back in the day,” Madam Bones said.
Kingsley raised one eyebrow at the mention of Sirius, but chose to keep his thoughts to himself. “It’s a pleasure to meet you Mr Potter,” Kingsley said in a deep voice.
Madam Bones updated Kingsley on the situation and Kingsley agreed to join the team. “I’d be honored to work with you and your friends,” he said.
“Thanks, I’ll ask Remus to reach out with the details tomorrow if that’s alright?” Harry asked.
Kingsley accepted and then went to leave.
Madam Bones hurried and said, “Don’t let Crouch leave before I can talk to him,” she ordered. Kingsley nodded and returned to the party.
“I’m glad that’s settled. Thanks for keeping me and the DMLE involved,” Madam Bones said. “I’m afraid I should probably go mingle with more of the guests, but let me introduce you to the Longbottom boy.”
She scanned the room until she spotted him and then led Harry and Mrs Figg over. Harry noticed that Luna and Susan were still there with the Longbottom boy.
Harry noticed the boy who must be the Longbottom heir, he thought maybe his name was Ned or something, tense as Madam Bones approached. He looked nervous, though Harry couldn’t guess why.
“M-Madam Bones, it’s g-good to see you. Thanks again for inviting me and gran,” he managed to say.
“You’re very welcome, Neville,” Madam Bones said. “I’m just here to introduce you to Harry, here. Mrs Figg, would you like to join me?”
Ah it was Neville, not Ned. At least he’d been close.
She gave a small bow and then her and Mrs Figg walked over to a group of adults not too far away. Harry admired the way she positioned herself so she could keep an eye on Crouch.
He turned his attention back to Neville, Susan, and Luna.
Neville had the same look that Susan had when she realized she was talking to the boy who lived. She blushed a little bit, seemingly remembering that herself and then gently elbowed Neville in his side.
Neville jumped and then shook his head as he realized his faux pa. “Sorry, I’m Neville Longbottom and this is Susan Bones and Luna Lovegood,” Neville said.
Harry was relieved that Susan hadn’t been bragging that she’d met him.
“Thanks, I’m Harry Potter,” he replied unnecessarily but still adhering to the proper social rituals. He held out his hand and Neville shook it nervously.
“I met Susan earlier, didn’t she say? And Luna and I actually live together at my family home,” he added.
Susan interjected, “I didn’t want to come across as braggy…” she said.
“We were busy talking about the infestation of wrackspurts around the Malfoys, we didn’t have time to talk about you.”
Neville simply nodded. Susan smiled fondly at Luna.
“Oh of course,” Harry said. “Is it worse than before?” He checked.
“Not really, but it seems worse when they’re grouped together,” Luna said.
Harry nodded.
He looked back at Neville who seemed confused. Neville said, “Wait, Luna… everyone thought… I mean your parents… No one really knew where you went… are you ok?”
“I am. I miss mom and dad, but I’ve got Harry and Mrs Figg now and they’ve been great!” Luna said.
“I keep forgetting you probably know everybody already,” Harry said to Luna.
“Not everyone, but I’ve met Neville and Susan before,” she replied.
“What about you, Harry?” Neville asked. “Word around here has been that you’re living in the mundane world with some relatives… but no one really knows where.
Harry explained that he had in fact grown up in the muggle world, but had been rescued by Mrs Figg a few months ago.
Neville and Susan both looked impressed. Susan said, “But you fit right in, I was watching as you greeted my aunt and you did everything perfectly…”
Harry smiled, “I had a good teacher. Mrs Figg has been helping me. She used to tutor my dad.”
“Isn’t she a squib?” Susan asked.
“Oh, yeah but she’s still taught me loads about the magical world and about my family. It’s been great!” He said.
Harry had copied Madam Bones and had positioned himself so his back was to the wall and he could see everyone else. He saw Draco and his two friends walking over to him and said, “Looks like Draco is on his way over here, just a heads up.” Harry wasn’t too worried about anything Draco might do at the party. It would be considered bad form to make a scene or insult the host or other guests.
When he finally made it to the group of kids, he said “Potter, nice to see you again. Neville, Susan, always a pleasure,” in a polite tone. “Who invited Looney?” he asked with a sneer, his nose turned upwards.
Harry held back a snarl. He walked forward and shook Draco’s hand, reminding the boy of what manners looked like. “Hi Draco, it’s nice to see you too. Luna,” he said emphasizing her name and was still holding Draco’s hand firmly, “was invited just like the rest of us actually, but it so happens that she’s a close friend of mine. She’s practically family.”
Harry wanted to make sure Draco knew that any further insults thrown at the girl would be taken seriously by him. He’d gone out of his way to be polite to Draco and was choosing to ignore the slight, but that would all change if Draco misbehaved again.
Draco looked away from Harry, uncomfortable and the boys that had been to either side of him walked forward as if to protect Draco. Harry didn’t budge, he simply looked at both boys and asked, “And what are your names? I’m Harry Potter, by the way, I don’t think we’ve met.” He finally released Draco’s hand, and Draco held his hand as if nursing it. Harry offered his hand to each of the boys but they didn’t shake it.
“Looks like someone has been neglecting their etiquette lessons… it’s rude to refuse a handshake, you know.” Harry said.
Both boys grumbled and then offered their hand in turn for Harry to shake.
The first boy said, “I’m Vincent Crabbe.” He was squeezing Harry’s hand roughly, but Harry simply smiled and the boy let go.
“I’m Gregory Goyle,” the second boy said, taking Harry’s offered hand. Goyle had a stronger grip, but Harry didn’t let any discomfort show. It looked like all the bullying he’d been the victim of was finally paying off somehow.
“That’s better,” Harry said. “It’s nice to meet you both. I was just telling Neville here how excited I am to attend Hogwarts next fall. What about all you,” he said gesturing to the group at large, “What house do you think you’ll be in?”
Susan, as the host, wanted to make sure the interactions went smoothly so she answered first to put everyone else at ease. “I think I’ll be in Hufflepuff, like my aunt,” she said. “Most of my family have been in Hufflepuff.”
Malfoy snorted, “I’ll be in Slytherin of course, just like my parents.” He folded his arms proudly and said, “Slytherin is the greatest Hogwarts house, afterall.”
Crabbe and Goyle both nodded their agreement.
“What about you Neville, is there a house you’re hoping to get into?” Susan asked, still taking the lead.
“Oh. I don’t know…” Neville said. “Both my parents were in Gryffindor but I don’t think I’m brave like them so I’ll probably go to Hufflepuff.”
Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle shared a look, but didn’t say anything. Their body language was speaking volumes about their opinion of Neville and Hufflepuff house.
Luna spoke up then, “I think I’ll be in Ravenclaw,” she said. “What about you, Harry?”
Harry wasn’t sure which house he thought he belonged in. Both his parents had been in Gryffendor, but he thought he might have more Slytherin tendencies than Gryffindor ones. He didn’t fancy being in a house with Draco and his goons though. He chose to stay neutral and said, “Both my parents were in Gryffindor so I will probably end up there, but all of the houses sound good to me. I’m hoping to have friends in all the houses so it doesn’t matter much where I sleep.”
Draco looked curious at that, “But the houses are more than where you sleep, Potter,” he said. “Who you make friends with in school will impact the rest of your life and that is why Slytherin house is the greatest house. We turn out the best witches and wizards than all the other houses.”
Susan sniffed angrily at that, but chose not to say anything.
Harry didn’t want to continue arguing. He didn’t want to ruin everyone else's night just to prove a point so he just nodded as if he understood, and was even considering what the boy had said, but chose to also not say anything.
Just then, Harry noticed there were three girls and a boy heading their way.
Susan absolutely beamed and ran over to greet one of them. Harry reckoned they must be close. The remaining group approached Harry and he displayed the proper niceties with each of them.
One of the girls, Daphne Greengrass, was quite pretty. She had wavy black hair and green eyes. They reminded him of the woods back home. She was the one that Feona had asked him to befriend and had been nice enough, if a bit quiet when Harry greeted her. He didn’t see any problems being her friend, if Daphne wanted it.
The other girl was named Tracy Davis and she was a lot more bubbly than her companion had been. Tracy had plain brown hair and brown eyes.
The boy that was with them was named Theodore Nott, which put Harry on edge because he knew at least one Nott had been a death eater. Theodore was polite and quiet. He had not responded the way that Neville and Susan had when Harry introduced himself and Harry was grateful for that. He was willing to give the boy a chance for now.
The girl that Susan had run to was Hannah Abbot and she was apparently Susan’s closest friend. She was pretty in a plain way, but he noticed that Neville stood up straighter when she’d arrived. Harry reckoned that maybe Neville would disagree in Harry’s assessment of her appearance. The addition of the group had helped immensely with lowering the tension that had been present when Draco and his friends had arrived. Harry noticed that Susan’s posture had relaxed so she must have noticed too.
They continued talking about Hogwarts and what classes they were looking forward to. Harry soon found himself having a pleasant time and he was able to relax as well. Luna rarely left his side, however. She must not have been enjoying the larger group and preferred more one on one interaction.
Harry made an attempt to get to know Daphne better, but stumbled a bit because she was so pretty. He succeeded in learning that the young witch expected to go to Slytherin like her family and that she enjoyed brewing potions just like Harry. They bonded a bit over their shared interest and he was hopeful that they’d be able to continue to be friends.
Susan made her way over to Harry at some point and Harry’s heart began to race at her close proximity. He wasn’t used to talking to pretty girls. He thought he could get used to it, though.
Theo remained mostly aloof to the others, like Luna, and was content to be present but didn’t offer a whole lot to the conversation. When he noticed Harry looking at him, he raised an eyebrow, but didn’t make a move. Harry decided that he’d be the one to break the ice and walked over to him.
“What subjects are you looking forward to at school?” he asked.
Theodore just shrugged and said, “Care of Magical Creatures and Potions, probably.”
“Oh cool. I like brewing potions and I’m trying to convince Mrs Figg to let me get a few creatures, maybe moon calves, thestrals, and griffins,” Harry replied.
Theodore came out of his shell a bit at that. Having something in common helped.
“What house do you think you’ll be in?” Harry asked.
“Probably Slytherin, but I’d be okay with Ravenclaw or even Hufflepuff,” Theo answered.
Harry nodded. “I don’t think I’m quite academically inclined enough for Ravenclaw and I’m not sure I can put up rooming with Malfoy in Slytherin… but Daphne might change my mind if she ends up there.” he added the last part without thinking and blushed a bit.
Theo just laughed and Harry was relieved it was a genuine laugh and not a mocking one. “Aye, Daphne is quite pretty, but she’s just as dangerous as Malfoy so be careful.”
“So you know Daphne pretty well then?” Harry asked.
“Our families run in similar political circles,” was all that Theo said to that.
Harry wasn’t sure what to say to that. He didn’t want to offend Theo by saying something negative about the traditional purebloods. He opted to take a drink of the punch that Luna had brought him instead.
Luckily, he saw Mrs Figg gesturing for him to join her. “Apparently Mrs Figg wants to introduce me to some friends of hers. I better go, but it was nice getting to know you Theo,” he said.
Theo nodded and said, “It was, in fact, nice to get to know you too.”
Harry thought he was even being genuine, though it was a bit hard to tell.
Harry excused himself from the group of kids and told them he’d try and come back if he could, even if it was only to say a proper goodbye.
Mrs Figg met him halfway so she could talk to him before introducing him to a few people.
“You seem to be doing well over there, lad,” she said.
Harry nodded. “It was rough for a minute with Malfoy, but when the others joined things lightened up.”
Mrs Figg hummed. “Malfoy Senior and his wife were quite rude, but Madam Bones was able to diffuse the situation. She called them right out for their rudeness and the pair quickly apologized before sneaking off somewhere else.”
“They don’t seem to mind abandoning etiquette, the Malfoys…” he said in response.
“Their money makes it easy to overlook most of the time, I reckon,” Mrs Figg said.
Not for long if Harry had his way. He’d see them bankrupt and destitute eventually, he vowed to himself.
Mrs Figg introduced him to several people that seemed interested in meeting the boy who lived. Harry, for his part, was polite and didn’t let the hero worship bother him. He’d use it if he could, even if he hated it. Everything has its purpose and it seemed foolish to give it up when it was readily available to him.
Mrs Figg smiled and seemed proud that he’d managed to remember all her lessons in etiquette. He managed to introduce himself and help carry the conversation without any further faux pas. He even liked several of the people he’d been introduced to, including Madam Longbottom who was loud and overbearing. She at least seemed to treat him like a human being and not just a piece of meat.
Minister Fudge was very obvious in his machinations. How the man managed to become minister while being so obvious was a mystery to him. Barty Crouch was a bit intimidating, Harry thought. He didn’t seem swayed by Harry’s fame in the slightest. Harry’s opinion of the man was that he was very ‘by the book’ like Madam Bones, except for his interference at the prison at least.
Harry noticed Madam Bones watching him periodically, as if she were inspecting him. He barely managed to contain the shiver that ran down his spine each time he caught her watching. He didn’t want her for an enemy, that was for sure. He’d have to be careful around her. He was suddenly very glad he hadn’t brought his wand with him. She surely would not have let him get away with that.
Luckily, he managed to avoid meeting Malfoy Senior and his wife. He had no desire to meet them and would prefer to stay off their radar for as long as possible.
At some point while he was being led around by Mrs Figg, he felt someone place something in the pocket of his robes. He’d been unable to tell who it had been because of how crowded everything was becoming. He thought he caught a glimpse of curly black hair, but they vanished in an instant. He wanted to check his pockets, but didn’t dare do it in front of all these people. He excused himself to the restroom and once he was alone, he reached in and withdrew a black envelope. He flipped it over but it was completely blank.
He opened it and found a small piece of rope and a note with the activation phase and ‘9:00 PM’
The note soon disintegrated into nothing. Harry left the restroom and found Mrs Figg. He gave her the signal that he’d been contacted and she nodded her understanding. He tapped her elbow nine times in order to convey the time they needed to leave. She nodded again that she understood.
It was still only just before 7:00 PM and he knew they’d be eating soon. He went over to find Luna and his new friends so they could eat together. It turned out that most of the group was expected to eat with their families. Purebloods loved to brag about their kids and dinner was the perfect time to do just that. Only Harry, Luna, Susan, and Theo would be allowed to eat together.
When dinner was announced, they each made their way to their place at the table. Harry enjoyed the meal and the company. He was relieved that everything was going so smoothly. He felt like he’d succeeded in his task tonight and was happy to have made a few potential friends.
After Dinner, he found Luna and Mrs Figg so they could portkey to their destination on time. He said his goodbyes to everyone and thanked Madam Bones for her hospitality a final time.
“Don’t be a stranger, Harry,” she said. “I hope you’ll keep in touch.”
Harry nodded and said he would.
Susan came over to him and offered her hand to him. He took it and bowed so he could kiss her hand.
“I hope you’ll come by again before school starts at least, Harry.” she said with a blush.
Harry blushed in return and he heard Mrs Figg stifle a giggle behind him. He looked and saw an amused look on Madam Bones face as well.
“I’d like that,” Harry said to Susan.
He flooed back home with Mrs Figg and Luna and even managed not to stumble out of the fireplace this time. Why couldn’t he have flooed properly like this when he’d arrived at the Bones’ home, he wondered in frustration.
Harry ran and grabbed his wand. Luna changed into some black robes so she wouldn’t stand out so much and they arrived together in the hall so they could portkey to their destination.
Harry was excited to finally be initiated into the guild. He held onto the small piece of rope and offered the ends to Mrs Figg and Luna. They grabbed hold and he said the activation phrase. A millisecond later, he felt himself fold into space with a pop.
Notes:
A/N: Thanks for your support so far. I’m kind of dying for some reviews if I’m being honest but I won’t hold the story hostage, I promise. In case it wasn’t clear, Luna, in this story, is the same age as Harry. I know she’s a year younger in the books and movies, but I took some liberties.
I hadn’t originally planned on writing her into the story so early but it just kind of happened :)
Anyways, I hope you’re enjoying the story so far. Thanks for reading!
~WayfinderWolf
Chapter 12: Chapter Twelve: The Initiation and The Rat
Chapter Text
Harry landed gracefully from the portkey, for which he was grateful. Of course, he’d been portkeyed into an empty room so no one saw his graceful entrance, save Mrs Figg and Luna who both chuckled while shaking their heads.
Harry saw a candle waiting for him on the table. Next to the table were three hooded robes and a note that said, ‘ put these on .’ Harry handed out the other robes and then they proceeded to put them on over their existing clothing. When he put his hood on, Luna gasped.
“What’s wrong?” he asked. His voice sounded funny… like it was being modified somehow.
“Your aura changed… I can’t feel it anymore.,” Luna said. “I don’t like it.”
Harry turned to look at Luna, who still had her hood down. Curious, he asked her to pull her hood on. She complied and Harry saw that all of her distinguishing features were hidden by a cowl that appeared out of nowhere. “Say something,” he said.
“Something,” Luna said bluntly. Her voice was distorted so he could no longer recognize it. “Oh weird,” she said.
Mrs Figg said, “These robes, as far as I know, are unique to the guild. Many members have tried to recreate them, but have always failed. Only the guild leader knows how they are made.”
“I’m guessing we don’t get to keep them?” he checked.
“No, not right now at least,” Mrs Figg said. “You can earn them later.”
“Do you have a set?” he asked Mrs Figg.
Mrs Figg just laughed and said, “No, I haven’t been given that privilege.”
Harry instantly made a mental note to figure out how to make a set of his own.
“I don’t like them one bit,” Luna said. “I can’t feel anything.”
Harry hummed. “They must block out all the ways there are to identify someone.”
Harry tried to reach out with his magic. His brain was running wild and it took a while for him to be able to focus. He soon found his consciousness flying around the room inspecting areas for magic. He picked up a few things in the room and outside of it, but he didn’t even get a reading on the robes. It was like they were shrouded by emptiness. It almost reminded him of how Mrs Figg felt when he sensed her. Like an empty vessel.
“I can’t pick up on anything either,” He said.
Just then, three knocks were heard on the door and then it opened.
A hooded figure dressed the same as them walked into the room.
“Follow me, please,” a distorted voice said. Mrs Figg nodded to Harry and Luna as if to reassure them and then took the lead behind the new person.
They walked down a long dark hallway. The walls were made of stone, the only light coming from equally spaced torches that lined the walls. Eventually, after what Harry felt was an eternity, they found themselves in front of a door. Their escort opened it and they walked through.
Harry looked around in wonder. They were inside a large dome building. Harry could see that it was snowing outside through a large skylight window. There were no other windows to hint at where they were. He didn’t know the limits of portkeys, so as far as he knew they could be in a different country entirely.
Towards the center of the room was a small circular platform and surrounding that platform was a bunch of raised seating.
“Initiates please enter the platform. Everyone else find a seat!” A distorted voice said loudly. Harry saw someone lower their wand that was previously placed against their own throat.
His escort grabbed Luna and Mrs Figg and led them up to the seating, leaving Harry alone to enter the platform.
Harry was suddenly very nervous, but he pushed it aside and walked onto the platform. He stood, pretending that it wasn’t awkward and waited.
A few moments later, another person entered the platform as well. It looked like he wasn’t the only new member.
Harry looked up into the crowd, and noticed there were several empty seats. He started to count. There were only a couple dozen people seated, looking down at him. Everyone was silent.
Harry was suddenly very grateful that he was hooded and his face was covered because he was feeling decidedly nervous.
The familiar voice of the Guild Leader reverberated down onto the platform from one of the high seats. “Initiates, kneel.”
Harry knelt, his right knee planted firmly on the ground while his left foot remained in place. He heard the person next to him kneel and he was tempted to look to see if they were kneeling in the same fashion. He was suddenly worried that he was somehow kneeling incorrectly. He managed to keep his face forward towards the voice.
“We are gathered here tonight to welcome two new members into our fold,” the Guild Leader said. “The Guild of Shadows has existed for centuries. Our purpose is to watch over all magical kind and ensure the wellbeing, safety, and fair treatment of magicals all around the world.
“These fledglings represent our future. They have both proven themselves to be capable and are ready to join us.”
Harry felt his pulse quicken in anticipation.
“Initiates,” she continued, “We will now begin with your vows. Consider your answers carefully. The consequences of breaking these vows are severe.”
He felt the pressure in the room increase. Magic swirled around the platform and Harry felt his magic reach out. It felt similar to his encounter with his family magic and the horcrux, as if the two magics were assessing each other.
“Initiates, do you vow to never betray the Guild?” She asked.
“Yes,” Harry and the other initiate said together.
“Do you vow to never harm or kill another member unless out of self defense?” She asked.
“Yes,” they answered together.
“Do you vow never to steal the possessions of another Guild member?” The Guild Leader asked.
“Yes,” Harry and the other initiate repeated.
“Do you vow never to betray the Guild?”
“Yes,” Harry said clearly.
“Good,” the Guild Leader said. “In return, the Guild offers you its support, resources, and will work to ensure your success.”
The swirling magic lessened, but remained in the room. He felt his magic withdrawal back inside his core.
Harry had not been able to pinpoint the source of the voice, but now he saw the crowd part as a figure walked down the steps in front of the two initiates.
Harry looked up at the face of an extremely attractive woman with curly brown hair and hazel eyes. He guessed she was probably in her 40’s. He was pouring everything together and guessed she was either spelled to look different when he’d met her before or was possibly spelled now.
He was interrupted from his thoughts when she said, “Fledglings, please rise and remove the glove from your non-wand hand.”
Harry did as commanded and saw the other initiate do the same. His eyes caught sight of a well manicured hand that was obviously female. He logged that bit of information away.
“This year, after much debate and deliberation amongst myself and other members of the Guild, we are welcoming two of the youngest members in recent history into our fold,” the Guild Leader said.
There was loud murmuring in the crowd as they processed the information. Harry thought it sounded incredibly odd due to the voice altering spells.
“Both fledglings will be attending Hogwarts next year,” she continued through the murmuring. “I’ll admit I still have my reservations, but it’s been pointed out that our numbers have dwindled over the years after the war. We must work to ensure our sacred organization is restored to its former glory!”
Harry heard some cheering from the crowd, but a large portion was more reserved. He didn’t think they were convinced. The Guild Leader must have noticed it too because she added, “To those that doubt my decision, I ask that you help our fledglings become the best of us.” She paused for a brief moment, allowing the crowd to quiet down. “Competition has always been a part of the Guild, and I’ll never attempt to change that, but we mustn’t let it get in the way of the overall success of the Guild. Any success or failure, to a degree, is shared by all of us so it behooves us to help each other, but especially our fledglings that still haven’t learned to fly.”
Harry was a bit confused. He digested her words as the crowd cheered. Did that mean that he’d be in competition with everyone in the Guild? He had thought the Guild was more collaborative, but it sounded like it was more or less everyone for themselves and the Guild Leader was attempting to change that. He was starting to worry that his list of enemies had just grown, but reminded himself of the vows. They shouldn’t be able to harm him… at least not directly.
The noise died down as the Guild Leader turned and faced the initiates once again. The Guild Leader approached him first and took his ungloved hand in hers with a sly smile. He felt heat rise in his cheeks and was grateful again for the cowl. She pulled out her wand and placed the tip to the top of his hand.
He felt his magic respond and mingle with the magic exuding from the Guild Leader’s wand as if inspecting it. A moment later, his magic returned to him.
It took everything in him to hold in his cry as he felt an intense white hot pain on the top of his hand as it glowed. When she removed her wand, he saw a mark that looked like an hourglass tipped on its side. His magic began to respond as it assessed the new mark and then, as if accepting it, his magic swirled around the residual magic and then pulled it in so it became a part of him. A moment later, the mark vanished completely.
Harry looked up into the eyes of the Guild Leader, who he noted looked quite impressed at his display of willpower.
The crowd murmured again, but Harry couldn’t make out a word of it. Someone in the crowd began to clap and soon more cheers were heard.
Harry watched as the Guild Leader repeated her actions on the other fledgling. Harry was a little satisfied with himself as he heard them cry out in pain, clearly unable to bear it any longer.
Harry saw that the mark on the other initiates hand was exactly the same as his. A moment later, the other initiates' mark vanished too.
The crowd cheered loudly.
“Welcome, fledglings, to the Guild of Shadows,” The Guild Leader said with a bow, her arms extended with her palms up. Soon the cheers morphed as each member in the audience made a fist with their right hand and then beat it against their chests in unison with each other.
Harry wasn’t sure what made him do it, but he returned their salute in the same fashion. It was the right thing to do apparently as every single member of the crowd stood and started cheering at him. He noticed the Guild Leader looking at him oddly.
“You sure are full of surprises,” she said to him fondly.
He looked towards the other initiate and even with the cowl he could feel their frustration directed at him.
Harry was standing in the entry hall of his home with Mrs Figg and Luna as they embraced in celebration of his successful initiation into the Guild.
“I’m really happy for you, Harry,” Luna said with a smile.
“Thanks Luna!” He replied happily.
He felt really good and was excited to get started. He’d thought there would be more direction after his initiation but they’d just sent him home with a promise that they’d be in touch with instructions soon.
“Mrs Figg, do you think I’ll have to wait long to hear from the Guild? What’s next?” He asked.
Mrs Figg held back a yawn. “I’m sure you’ll be contacted soon but I wouldn’t count on a mission anytime soon… probably not until Hogwarts really.”
“But that’s practically a year away…” he complained.
“And you’ll be plenty busy with me until then, don’t worry,” Mrs Figg said with a laugh.
Harry just groaned at that.
“It’s late,” Mrs Figg said. “Let’s go to bed. Don’t forget we have a rat to catch soon.”
Harry nodded and they all went to bed.
Harry was sitting at the table in the dining room, enjoying a cup of tea with Remus. He’d filled the werewolf in on Kingsley’s involvement and the pair were altering their plan to capture the rat.
Harry was pleasantly surprised at how well Remus had responded to the news. Apparently, Kingsley had attended Hogwarts with the marauders, but was a few years ahead of them. Remus had no problem working with the man and considered him a great addition.
Once they both felt like they’d addressed everything, Remus left to contact Kingsley. Harry was tasked with setting up a “play-date” with the Wesley’s under the guise of Luna catching up with old friends and dragging Harry along.
He headed to the library where he’d seen her last. On his way there he ran into Hermes and Loki walking together. He rarely saw Hermes and pretty much never saw them together.
“Hey, you two,” he said. “How’s it going?”
Loki turned and looked at Harry, “Hi Harry, we should probably talk.”
Hermes didn’t say anything and just walked away towards Mrs Figg’s quarters.
Harry approached Loki and sat down on the floor just outside the library. “What did you want to talk about?” He asked.
Loki sat in front of Harry so he was looking right at him. “What do you know about familiars, Harry?” Loki asked.
Harry thought for a minute. He’d heard that magical pets were sometimes considered familiars but he didn’t really know the difference between a pet and a familiar.
“Nothing, I guess,” he answered.
“A familiar bond with a witch or wizard can enhance an animal's life expectancy as well as their ability to perform magic.”
“You mean you could cast a spell if you were to become someone’s familiar?” Harry checked.
“No,” Loki said. “It’s not like that. An animal's magic is more intuitive or… it’s just like a natural ability… it’s something we instinctively do.”
Loki hummed mentally, “Like a post owl is naturally able to deliver mail to someone, even without an address. A post owl that becomes a familiar might be able to find their owner no matter what or will better be able to follow through on their delivery in the way their witch or wizard intends.”
Harry thought about it for a moment. “So they become more in sync with each other?” He asked.
“Right, and my gifts and abilities are different so when I form a familiar bond, I might be able to communicate with my bond mate from further away like Hermes or I might be able to read auras like…” Loki said and trailed off when he realized he let slip his intentions.
And finally Harry understood what Loki wanted to talk about. “So you want to be Luna’s familiar instead of mine?” Harry asked in a dull voice. Honestly, he shouldn’t be surprised and he wasn’t really upset… but it still kind of felt like a rejection and it hurt.
“Yes,” Loki said. “It’s not personal, Harry, you’d make a great bond mate… it’s just, a bakeneko typically bonds with the opposite gender. I was trying to ask my dad why, but he just said that’s how it’s always been. My bond will be stronger with Luna because she’s a girl.”
“It’s ok, Loki, I understand,” Harry said. It explained why Loki had so easily attached to Luna after she arrived. He would be happy for Loki and Luna if they bonded and hoped they’d benefit from it.
“Thanks, Harry,” Loki said. “Are you looking for Luna? I can wait to talk to her about it if you want.”
“I’ll just be a minute,” Harry said. “I need Luna’s help with the plan to bring down the rat. In fact, I was hoping you could be part of it too, if you’re willing…”
Loki tilted his head to the side and his tail twitched in what Harry interpreted as anticipation. “Sounds thrilling,” Loki said. “I’d love to.”
Harry laughed, “You haven’t even heard the plan,” he said as they walked through the door.
“I’m a cat. He’s a rat. What more do you need to say?” Loki asked. “I’m in.”
“Fair enough,” Harry said as he scanned the room.
He finally found her standing on one of the ladders as she reached for a book. “Hey Luna,” he said. “Need any help?”
“Yes, please,” she answered as she climbed down the ladder. “It’s the blue one up there on the very top shelf.”
Harry wished he could manage the summoning charm, but it was still outside of his abilities. He climbed the ladder and was just barely able to reach the book. He read the spine, ‘Flora and Fauna of the Forbidden Forest ’.
When he got down, Luna and Loki were sitting together on one of the sofas.
“This looks interesting. Leave it down when you’re done with it, please,” he said as he handed it to her.
He took a seat next to her.
“I will,” she said with a smile and then kissed him on the cheek as thanks.
Harry blushed, not used to physical displays of affection. “Hey, knock that off,” he said as he wiped his cheek.
“I love how easy it is to get you flustered,” she said with a laugh.
Harry promptly changed the subject by asking for her help getting invited to the Wesley’s house… tomorrow if possible.
“Sure, can I use the floo?” She asked.
“Of course,” he answered.
They walked together towards the entry hall. Loki ran ahead of them, leading the way.
When they got there, Luna grabbed some powder and threw it in the fire and said, “The Burrow!”
The fireplace flashed green and Luna climbed into her knees so she could stick her head in the fire. Harry waited as Luna talked with someone on the other side.
Luna climbed back out of the fireplace. He noticed some soot in her cheek and tried to wipe it away. It didn’t budge so he licked his thumb and then tried again.
He laughed at Luna’s cries of protest. “You’re pretty easy to get you flustered too, you know,” he said.
“I miss being an only child,” she grumbled in jest.
He ignored her jibe. “So…?” he said, trailing off waiting for her to tell him what the Weasleys said.
“They said we could come over tomorrow afternoon,” she said.
“Great!” He said, excitedly.
‘ Hold on, Sirius. We’ll get you out in time for Christmas,’ he thought.
Harry was incredibly restless at breakfast the next day. His nerves were firing on all cylinders and he was even a little short with anyone that talked to him.
Mrs Figg finally had enough and sent him to the potions lab to unwind.
Harry grumbled as he pulled a cauldron out from one of the cupboards. He inspected it and found that it had been put away a little bit dirty and that irritated him.
With a curse, he carried the cauldron over to the sink so that he could clean it. Harry scrubbed and scrubbed until the cauldron was spotless. He dried it with a towel and then carried it back over to the workstation where he’d left Ratatoskr.
He felt a little bit better after cleaning the cauldron. He popped open an advanced potions book to the Wolfsbane recipe. He knew he wasn’t capable of brewing it just yet but he wanted to review the ingredients. Mrs Figg had purchased enough ingredients for a year and it had been expensive. Maybe he could find an apothecary owner that was a dirtbag so he could justify stealing from him. He wondered how hard it would be to find out which apothecaries Malfoy owned.
“Wolfsbane, mandrake, dragon blood, moonstone, hellebore syrup, murtlap tentacles, sopophorous beans… what the hell are those?” he said to no one. “Oh and just a bloody occamy egg… Those are common.” Ratatoskr appeared to be chuckling at him, which he ignored.
No wonder it had been so expensive. He might just start growing these plants and raising the required animals… save the dragon… he doubted he could get that cleared with the ministry since raising dragons was restricted in England. Maybe he could work something out with a reserve back on the mainland. If he could grow all these things, he could probably sell a lot of these ingredients to apothecaries that needed them AND steal from Malfoy just for fun. It would certainly speed things along if he did both.
He had come to the lab to try and relax but he was finding himself getting wound up again. He should probably just brew something instead. Maybe a calming draught, but those were pretty difficult to get right. He flipped the pages until he found the potion.
“I should be able to pull this off,” he said to himself as he read over the instructions.
He pulled out the ingredients he needed and got to work. Overtime, he felt himself relax as he got into his potions brewing groove. Chopping, peeling, slicing, and stirring over and over again. The repetitiveness was calming.
He talked with his stick friend while he waited for the potion to finish. Mostly, he just talked and the bowtruckle walked around inspecting everything. Ratatoskr enjoyed pulling ingredients out of jars and sorting them in some fashion Harry didn’t always understand before putting them back inside. Every now and then, Harry would give him a fairy egg just for fun.
At the end, his potion turned out just as the book said it should. He felt he’d probably done a passable job and that it would do its job. He poured the potion into several vials and labeled them. He had calmed down significantly after his brewing session, but he still decided to try some potion to make sure it worked. He figured, worst case, he’d have an upset stomach or maybe be a little emotional.
He downed the potion and instantly felt relaxed. Then he got to work cleaning up after himself, making sure the cauldron was clean this time.
Finally relaxed, he and Ratatoskr made their way back to the kitchen for lunch. He owed everyone an apology for his crabby behavior.
When he entered the kitchen, he was greeted by not only Mrs Figg and Luna, but also Remus, Kingsley, and Professor McGonagal who were all eating and chatting together.
“Hey Harry,” Remus said. “Feeling better?”
Harry nodded and said, “Yes, much better. Sorry for earlier.”
“No matter,” Remus chuckled. “You should see me the day before a full moon… I would be a giant hypocrite if I got upset because you were a little cross.”
“I think I recall a few times you earned detention for your lip, Mr Lupin,” Professor McGonagal said.
Everyone laughed at that and Harry felt a lot better. He went over and hugged Luna after that. “Are you ready?” He asked her.
“Oh, I think so. I’m actually looking forward to seeing everyone,” she said. “It’s been a long time.”
The plan was that Harry, Luna, Loki, and Mrs Figg would floo over to the Weasleys. Remus, Kingsley, and Professor McGonagal would apparate nearby with Hermes to monitor the situation. They’d close in on the Burrow after Harry gave the signal through Hermes and Loki.
Harry looked at Remus and nodded. Rebus returned the nod and got everyone’s attention.
“Thanks for coming, everyone,” Remus said. “Today is the day we not only capture the man responsible for selling out James and Lily to Lord Voldemort, but also ensure an innocent man is released from Azkaban prison after being unjustly imprisoned almost 10 years ago.”
Harry looked around the room. Everyone looked just as determined as he was to see justice done.
“Alright, let’s do this,” he said resolutely. Ratatoskr stood in his pocket on his outer robes and folded his arms, mimicking Harry.
The group walked over to the floo. Harry watched as Luna held Loki close and walked through the fireplace in a flash of green light, followed by Mrs Figg.
Remus, Kingsley, and McGonagal disapparated with a bang that reverberated off the walls.
Harry entered the fireplace, determined to stick the landing this time and vanished in a flash of green light.
He came spinning out of the fireplace and stopped firmly as he stepped out, only slightly stumbling as he reoriented himself.
He looked around the room quickly. A grandfather clock stuck out as he saw each hand had a name and there were locations in place of numbers. What a neat piece of magic!
He didn’t have much time to look strong as a redheaded woman approached him to greet him. He’d gotten used to purebloods greeting him in the traditional way and was thrown off when she pulled him into a hug instead.
He didn’t mind it though. Not even when his back cracked as she squeezed him tightly. This was a proper hug and he returned it as well as he could.
“Welcome, Harry dear,” she said with a warm smile. “Luna was just telling me that you tend to struggle a bit with the floo, but it looks like you made it through alright.”
Feeling awkward, Harry put his hand on the back of his neck and said, “It’s a bit hit and miss.”
Just then, a cute red headed girl walked in.
“Did I hear Luna arrive?” She asked as she walked around her mother, who had been blocking her view.
She saw Luna and ran over and gave her a hug. When she saw Mrs Figg, she looked confused. And then she noticed Harry and her eyes traveled up to the scar on his forehead. She made a weird ‘eap!’ sound and ran out of the room.
Luna ran out of the room after her redheaded friend.
Mrs Weasley stood there awkwardly. “Sorry about that,” she said. “She’s developed a bit of a…” she paused, “crush on you.”
Mrs Figg laughed, “By the looks of things you’ll be fighting girls off you left and right… unless you’re enjoying the attention?”
Harry felt the heat rise in his cheeks and didn’t say anything.
“Already?” Mrs Weasley asked. “You’re only 10 years old, after all.”
Harry sighed. He’d started noticing girls already and a couple seemed to be noticing him as well. He didn’t know why or what to do about it so he just shrugged.
Mrs Weasley looked thoughtful. “Well, I’m sure Ginny will settle down. She was probably just surprised,” she said. “A few of my boys are just outside de-gnoming the garden if you want to join them.”
Harry nodded. “Thanks Mrs Weasley,” he said and then he headed out the side door. On his way out, he noticed pots and pans washing themselves in the sink and he wondered what other things were commonly done by magic.
He walked outside and was astounded by the wild and seemingly disordered garden. He liked it because it just seemed so natural. The Weasleys seemed like a practical bunch and he approved.
He saw a group of redheads standing off in the distance. One of them was spinning in a circle and when they suddenly stopped, a small creature went flying through the air before landing with a thump.
The other boys cheered. It looked like they’d made a game of their chore. As he got closer, one of the boys saw him and waved him over.
“You must be Harry,” he said. “I’m George and this is Fred,” he said pointing to the identical boy next to him.
Fred shook Harry’s hand and said, “Mum said you’d be coming with Luna today. Where is she?”
Harry thought the boy looked disappointed that Luna wasn’t there.
“She’s err, with your sister Ginny,” Harry said, purposely not bringing up that Ginny had kind of freaked out when she met him.
Harry was happy to see that the boys didn’t seem to care at all that he was the boy who lived.
The last boy walked over and offered his hand. “I’m Ron, it’s nice to meet you,” he said. “Hey, where’s Looney?”
Harry glared at that and Ron quickly apologized.
“Sorry, where’s Luna?” He asked sheepishly.
Harry repeated what he’d told Fred.
“Oh, alright. Well mum said you’d been coming and then told us to de-gnome the garden before you arrived,” Ron said. “We haven’t quite finished…” he trailed off with a hint of hesitation. “Would you care to join us?”
Harry smiled. “Looks like fun to me,” he said. “I’ll give it a go.”
The brothers all shared a pleased look. Apparently he’d passed a test of sorts with his answer. He suspected that the Weasleys had been worried he might judge them for their home, but he thought the place was great.
They spent the next little while taking turns flinging the ugly little creatures as far as they could. Harry only got bit a couple times before he figured out how best to avoid it.
Harry saw Luna with Loki and Ginny exit the home as he managed a particularly good throw. Fred and George whistled in appreciation.
Luna was within earshot and Ginny was hiding behind her at this point.
“Hey Luna,” Fred said to the blond girl.
“Long time no see,” George picked up.
“Hey, you two,” Luna said. “I hope you lot aren’t being too mean to the gnomes.”
Loki chose that money to jump out of her arms so he could chase the gnomes around at which Luna grumbled.
The boys laughed and then Fred said, “Of course not, I’d hate to incur your wrath.”
“Fred fancies her, I think,” Ron whispered to Harry with an eye roll.
Luna walked by Harry. She took Ratatoskr from him and whispered to him that Percy was upstairs studying Runes.
Harry nodded and signaled Loki to follow him inside.
“I just remembered that I’d wanted to meet Percy. Luna told me he was taking Runes and I wanted to ask him some questions,” Harry said.
Ron groaned and said, “But that’s so boring. I thought you were cool but you sound like a Ravenclaw.”
Fred and George both punched Ron in the arm.
Harry laughed and said, “Nothing wrong with Ravenclaws, and I’ll just be a minute.”
He walked back to the house with Loki at his heels, and walked into the empty kitchen. He asked Loki to update the group so they knew he was closing in.
Deciding it might be a good idea to use his magic to search out for the rat in case he got away, he focused and reached out.
There were plenty of magical objects around and the residual magic of a family home was quite overwhelming. The Weasley home felt happy and warm, he thought.
He allowed himself to get used to it and then sent out some probes to see if he could find anything that stood out.
He could sense subside, who he could safely assume was Mrs Weasley, in the sitting room and assumed Mrs Figg was there with her. Upstairs he thought he sensed another person as well as something a tad dark close by that sort of reminded him of a lesser version of the horcrux. It had nearly the same magical signature he guessed.
He reached out further, just to make sure there wasn’t anyone else in the house. He did pick up on something wild and… he thought maybe hungry… in the attic, but that was it.
Loki let him know that the others were just outside the property line. They’d wait there unless called on to avoid the risk of signaling to the rat that something was amiss.
He headed upstairs and knocked on the closed door to Percy Weasley’s bedroom.
“Come in,” he heard from the other side.
He opened the door and saw Percy crouched over his desk as he was writing something down with a fancy looking quill. He sensed Loki run in and under the bed, hopefully undetected.
Harry scanned the room for any sign of the rat. Percy’s room was not very large, but it had everything a teenage boy might need. There was a bookshelf filled with books and a good sized desk with a comfortable looking chair. The bed was only a twin and took up a lot of the room.
There was also a large corner shelf that hung on the wall over the desk and onto the adjacent wall. In the corner, on that shelf, was a small cage. Harry could see the beady eyes of the rat starting back at him. It took all his self control not to react.
Instead, he cleared his throat to get Percy’s attention.
Percy turned and looked at Harry who he obviously wasn’t expecting.
Harry watched as Percy’s eyes widened in surprise and then traveled up to the scar on his forehead.
“Oh, right,” Percy said. “Mum mentioned you’d be coming.”
He walked over and held out his hand, “I’m Percy,” he said while shaking Harry’s hand.
“It’s nice to meet you, Percy,” he said in return. “I heard you were studying Runes and I had a question.”
Percy then went into a long explanation about the subject, completely unprompted by Harry who hadn’t technically even asked his question yet. Harry could tell that Percy was academically minded and liked to show off his knowledge.
While Percy was talking, Loki let Harry know that the anti-apparition wards had been put in place. Harry continued to nod and act like he was paying attention while he told Loki to ask the others to move in.
A moment later and just as he expected, he heard Mrs Weasley’s voice as she called for Percy to come down real quick. Percy looked like he was going to ask Harry to come down with him, but Harry quickly moved as if interested in a particular book.
Seeing that Harry seemed truly interested in one of his favorite subjects, he told Harry that he’d be right back.
While Harry continued to pretend to read the book, he let his wand fall from his sleeve so it was resting against the palm of his hand.
He scanned the room quickly as he adjusted his glasses and saw that the rat seemed to have fallen asleep. He placed the book gently on the desk, carefully to make as little noise as possible.
Wand in hand, he stood ever so quietly and faced the rat in the cage. He raised his wand and slid it through the bars before casting a quick stupify. He watched the rat’s eyes open in panic before the spell landed and the rat passed out. He then cast a strengthening charm on the cage so that it hopefully wouldn’t break. He picked up the cage and put it on Percy’s desk.
Loki came out of his hiding place and inspected Harry’s work. A moment later, Kingsley walked into the room in his red auror robes.
Kingsley walked over and inspected the cage with his wand. “I won’t ask how you cast that stunner and what appears to be a strengthening charm?” he checked. Harry nodded sheepishly. “Good work,” Kingsley said with a grin. He cast another charm that Harry didn’t recognize in any case.
“Unbreakable charm,” Kingsley answered. “I’ll take the rat from here straight to Madam Bones so we can begin an official investigation.”
Harry nodded and said, “Thanks, Kingsley.”
The pair walked back down the stairs and into the sitting room where everyone was waiting.
Professor McGonagal was consoling Mrs Weasley. Apparently the Weasley’s had just been told what was happening.
“I’m sorry for coming under false pretenses,” Harry said. “I did enjoy meeting all of you and I’m sorry for ruining a pleasant afternoon.”
Percy shook his head, “I think you just did us a huge favor if Scabbers is really who you say he is.”
The rest of the Weasley’s nodded their agreement.
Professor McGonagal cast a spell on the sleeping rat and confirmed he was in fact a wizard in disguise. “We’ll force the transfiguration later, I think,” she said with disgust. “That’s definitely an animagus and probably a dangerous one at that.”
Mrs Weasley sobbed at the revelation and the rest of the Weasley’s looked sick.
Mrs Figg interjected, “Maybe you could all come to our place for dinner and we can get to know each other better… without all the cloak and dagger.”
Harry and Luna nodded hopefully at that.
“I think we could do that. What about Boxing Day?” Mrs Weasley said in a shaky voice, clearly still upset.
“That would be great, Mrs Weasley,” Harry said with a smile.
Chapter 13: Chapter Thirteen: The Hospital
Chapter Text
Harry and Remus appeared in the entryway of Potter manor with a bang. A moment later, Mrs Figg and Luna arrived via floo.
“I can’t believe everything went so perfectly!” Harry said excitedly. “I was expecting more of a fight. The rat must have gotten lazy over the years.”
Remus nodded and said, “That sounds more like the Peter I knew. He was always a bit lazy at school.”
“I hope the Weasleys will be alright,” Luna said.
Harry nodded his agreement. He knew how he’d feel if Loki or Ratatoskr turned out to be a dangerous criminal in disguise. They’d been in the room while he slept and seen him naked. He shuddered at the thought.
Loki, who had traveled with Luna, jumped out of her arms and ran towards the kitchen. That reminded Harry that Luna still had Ratatoskr, so he went over and collected the stick creature from her.
“We should go eat something now that our part is done,” Mrs Figg said. “We’ll just have to wait to hear from the others for now.”
They entered the kitchen and made a light dinner. Harry ate in silence, mentally going over the next steps.
Shacklebolt and McGonagal were traveling to the ministry with the caged rat. Remus and Kingsley had intentionally planned to reduce the chances of interference. The ministry would be lightly staffed due to it being Sunday and nearly Christmas, but Madam Bones was supposed to be in the office.
The rat would be turned in and verified as an animagus by Professor McGonagal, who Harry had learned was also an animagus besides being a qualified expert in transfiguration. He’d then be questioned under the influence of truth serum in the presence of Madam Bones as the head of the DMLE and Professor Dumbledore in his capacity as Chief Warlock.
If everything happened like Sirius said it did then Wormtail would be kept in a holding cell at the ministry until an official trial could take place.
With any luck, Sirius would be released and sent to Saint Mungo’s for treatment until the trial. Kingsley had said Sirius would still be held by law enforcement, but Harry and his family planned to visit him on Christmas if everything worked out.
Harry finished his food and went to clean up. He was feeling so restless and was already tired of waiting. He decided to head outside to the greenhouses and Luna offered to join him. Remus and Mrs Figg remained behind in case someone contacted them from the ministry.
It was dark and cold outside. He had mostly practiced a few spells that seemed useful like lumos, alohamora, protego, and stupify, but he managed a very weak warming charm. He’d need to practice more.
Using lumos, they managed to navigate safely to the greenhouse. Harry wasn’t growing anything yet, but he figured the manual work of prepping the pots for next season would help distract him.
He and Luna lit a few lanterns and got to work and even Ratatoskr helped a little. They opened different bags of soil and mixed them before adding the mix to a few pots. Mrs Figg said that different plants liked different soil so it was worth making sure each plant got what it needed.
They repeated the work in the other greenhouses. Once they got the seeds early next year, they’d be ready to plant.
It was a few hours later and a very sweaty and dirty Luna and Harry returned to the house. They removed their outer robes and shoes so they didn’t track any dirt inside. They didn’t want to get in trouble with Mrs Figg, who would just end up making them clean it up anyways.
Luna claimed the shower first, but Harry knew there was another shower in the master bath so he could just use that one.
Harry showered quickly, hoping to check in with Remus and Mrs Figg for an update on the Sirius situation. He walked by the other bathroom and heard the shower still running. He knocked and opened the door just a crack so he could tell Luna where he was going.
He went and found Remus, who was reading a large tome, in the guest suite.
“Hey Remus,” Harry said. “Any update on Sirius?”
Remus folded the corner of one of the pages of the book to mark his spot and closed it. He looked up at Harry with a smile and said, “Yes, actually.”
Remus gestured that Harry could sit down if he’d like and Harry complied.
“Kingsley called the floo and let me know that everything went according to plan,” Remus said. “Sirius is already at Saint Mungo’s.”
Harry grinned happily at that. He was happy to hear that Sirius had finally escaped from, and would hopefully never return to, Azkaban Prison and its guards.
“Did Kingsley say when the trial would be?” He asked. Harry hoped it could be soon. He wanted to see Wormtail receive the justice he deserved.
Remus shook his head. “These things can take some time to set up,” Remus said. “But Wormtail is in a specially warded cell so he can’t transform and is under 24 hour surveillance without visitation rights so we shouldn’t need to worry.”
Harry frowned. From what he’d heard about the corruption in the ministry, he wasn’t too sure.
Remus must have sensed his doubt because he continued. “Madam Bones and Professor Dumbledore are taking this very seriously,” he said. “Everything that can be done to secure the rat and keep Sirius safe is being done.”
Harry decided he would try to have faith. Even if something went wrong, he’d at least done his part to set things right. He’d have to let the others do their job now.
“Thanks for the update, Mooney,” he said to the werewolf. He yawned just then and said, “I should probably get to bed.”
They said goodnight and Harry walked to his room for some much needed sleep.
It was the afternoon the next day and Harry was in the library reading the book about magical creatures and plants in the forbidden forest that Luna had found yesterday.
He’d been given the day off since it was Christmas Eve. He was both grateful to have the day off from Mrs Figg’s vigorous training program and discouraged because he needed the distraction.
He tried asking Mrs Figg if he could go to Diagon or Hogsmeade to buy Sirius a present, but she was too busy with her mission to take him and Remus had left early in the morning to try and get a hold of his girlfriend.
He ended up practicing spells for a while until he started to get light headed.
After that he hung out with Luna in her room. Auggie was there and in much better shape. His feathers had grown back in and they were practically glowing. Harry thought the bird still looked a bit miserable but that was just in their nature, he guessed.
But now Harry sat in the library alone, making notes of the various interesting creatures and plants in the forest that he’d hoped to find. Ratatoskr had been with him initially but the small creature kept ripping pages out of the books so he could re-sort them. It drove Harry mad so he took the rascal back up to the tree in his room.
His stomach growled and he remembered that he’d skipped lunch again which meant Luna probably did too. He went to the kitchen and started to make dinner. It was Christmas Eve after all and they should try and make it special even though everyone was stressed and busy.
As he was cubing the potatoes, he heard a voice that sounded like Kingsley calling from the floo.
Still holding the knife, he ran to the entryway where he saw Kingsley’s head floating in the fireplace. It was the first time seeing what it looked like on this end.
“Hey Kingsley,” he said trying not to laugh as he remembered what Luna looked like when she’d used the floo and pictured what the man looked like on the other end. “Everything okay?”
“Harry, I have good news,” Kingsley said with a smile. He laughed deeply as he followed up with, “Dumbledore pulled some strings and he has enough members of the wizengamot to call an emergency trial.”
That was good news, Harry agreed. “Do you think it will go in Sirius's favor?” He asked excitedly.
“We do,” Kingsley said. “Most of the members that we think might try and oppose are out of the country for the holiday and couldn’t be reached. It’s in Sirius’ favor.”
Harry laughed. This was perfect!
“Can I come?” He asked.
Kingsley frowned and said, “Sorry, emergency trials are closed meetings. Only members of the wizengamot and witnesses are allowed in.”
Harry deflated at that. “Aren’t I a witness?” He asked.
Kingsley chuckled, “You could be but we think we have everything we need already. We wanted to avoid any opportunity of someone finding out you used magic with an unregistered wand.”
Harry frowned.
Kingsley continued, “We have Sirius’ and Pettigrew's testimony under Verituserum, McGonagal’s verification that Pettigrew is an illegal animagus, along with Arthur Weasley’s account of when and how Pettigrew was taken in by the family as a pet rat.”
It seemed like they had what was needed and Harry really didn’t want to get in trouble for his wand so he just nodded and said, “Alright.”
Harry promised to pass on the good news to the others when he saw them.
“I need to go,” Kingsley said. “The trial could start anytime now.”
Kingsley left and Harry went back to the kitchen to make dinner.
He anxiously cut the potatoes and skinned the carrots. He really hoped everything went well and that Sirius would officially be declared a free man.
Distracted, he sliced open his finger with a yowl.
He quickly raised his hand above his head and applied pressure. He’d sliced it pretty good and blood was oozing out despite the pressure.
He grabbed a towel and wrapped his finger in it and then used his good hand to quickly pull out a wiggenweld potion, uncork it with his teeth, and then swallow a mouthful.
Thankfully, that did the trick to stop the bleeding but wasn’t enough to fully heal the wound. He was able to bandage it without bleeding all over everything at least.
He cleaned up his mess, inspected the food, and found he’d have to discard some of it unfortunately.
He gathered it up and threw it out with a curse just as Remus walked in.
Remus looked concerned and asked, “Is everything alright, Harry?”
Harry nodded. “I just cut my finger and had to throw some food out,” he said. “Kingsley flooed and said Sirius and the rat are getting an emergency trial. I guess Dumbledore pulled some strings.”
“That’s excellent!” Remus shouted happily. “When is it?”
“Right now or soon,” Harry said bluntly.
“Now!?” Remus yelled. “Why didn’t you say so?” Remus threw his hands in the air in exasperation just as Mrs Figg walked in.
“What’s going on?” She asked. “What’s with all the shouting?”
Remus paced as Harry explained.
“But we can’t go anyways,” Harry said defensively. “Kingsley said it was a closed trial.”
Remus stopped at that.
“A closed trial?” Remus checked.
Harry nodded. “Why? Is that a big deal?” He asked.
Mrs Figg interjected before Remus could answer. “No, it’s a good thing,” she said. “It was probably the only way Dumbledore was able to convince Fudge, and Crouch if he’s involved, to allow the trial.”
Harry and Remus stopped at that. “They could have stopped the trial?” He asked.
“Not entirely legally but these are well connected career politicians,” she said. “They could have found a way. Good on Dumbledore for rushing the trial and finding a way to keep them from interfering.”
Remus nodded his agreement.
“Wait, why would Crouch and Fudge want to stop the trial?” Harry asked.
“Crouch was the head of the DMLE when Sirius was wrongly imprisoned. He won’t want the details to get out,” Remus said. “And Fudge won’t want the past ministry actions to color his own reputation. He’ll want to use this to show how he is fixing things, but since he was left out of the loop he can’t do that.”
Mrs Figg added, “He’ll be able to spin it however he wants since the details won’t be public.”
“Will Crouch be punished because of this?” Harry asked. He didn’t want the man responsible for imprisoning Sirius to get off without any consequences.
“We can hope,” Remus said. “But I wouldn’t count on it… not unless Fudge sees a benefit in doing so and Crouch is very popular.”
Personally, Harry hoped he’d be the one to punish Crouch. This was one time he had been glad the ministry was so corrupt.
They continued to speculate on how or why Sirius and the rat’s trial had been rushed while they cooked dinner.
Just when they were all gathered and about to start eating, Harry heard the floo flare. He and Remus raced out of the kitchen, both competing to be the first one there.
Harry, who has been expecting Kingsley again, was surprised to see the head of an old wizard with a very long beard wearing half moon spectacles smiling at him.
“Professor Dumbledore,” he heard Remus say, “Is everything alright?”
The professor shifted his gaze to Remus and said, “Yes, quite alright I suspect. Sirius has been cleared of all charges and Pettigrew has been convicted of several crimes.”
Harry and Remus shared a smile at that.
Remus seemed to be overcome with emotion and couldn’t seem to think of anything to say.
Harry, curious to know the details, asked, “Will Sirius be able to come here tonight, sir?”
Dumbledore shook his head no. “I’m afraid he’s still in need of some medical care before he’s fit to return to you,” he said. “He asked me to pass on his gratitude for your part in capturing Pettigrew.”
Harry nodded at that. He knew that Sirius might be stuck at the hospital a while longer. He was anxious to see the man his father had written so much about in his journals, but was relieved that Sirius was free at least and could join him soon.
Remus finally pulled himself together enough to ask, “Any trouble with the trial?”
Dumbledore grimaced and said, “Nothing more than I suspected. Mr Crouch managed to elude any consequence, despite my efforts, and I suspect our Minister will try to act as if he’d led the investigation himself.
Harry felt his lip raise in a silent snarl at that but he quickly smoothed his features when Dumbledore looked at him.
Remus interrupted his dark thoughts when he asked, “And Pettigrew?” Harry thought he’d seen a dark glint and a flash of orange in the man’s eyes as he’d said his old friend’s name.
Dumbledore breathed a heavy sigh and said, “Mr Pettigrew has been sentenced to the veil tonight, despite my attempts to see him sent to Azkaban.”
Remus simply said, “Good,” and crossed his arms.
“What does that mean?” Harry asked. “What veil?”
Dumbledore looked away from Remus with a frown and said, “The ministry holds in its depths an ancient archway known as ‘The Veil of Death’ that it sometimes uses to execute criminals.”
“Oh, well that’s alright then,” Harry said. He was honestly confused why Dumbledore had tried to recommend anything else.
“Is it?” Dumbledore asked in a tired voice. “I for one think it inhumane, as it removes any chance of redemption or change from old ways.”
Harry wanted to consider the old man’s words but he was honestly glad the rat would pay for his crimes with his life. The rat had ruined everything for Harry that night by selling his parents out to Voldemort.
Harry looked at Remus who had lost every friend he’d had that night. One night of every month since then, he’d had to suffer alone and without distraction. He’d have to wake up the next day and tend to his wounds on his own.
No, Harry didn’t care about the rat. He’d ruined everything and deserved his punishment. He didn’t really want to debate the old wizard, but he wanted to stick up for Remus so he said, “I think Peter deserves to be sent through the veil for what he did.”
Remus nodded again next to him but didn’t say anything. Harry suspected the reserved and stoic man was wrestling fiercely to reign in his emotions.
Professor Dumbledore sighed in defeat and said, “Perhaps, but the decision weighs heavily on my soul and killing a man shouldn’t be done lightly.”
Harry wondered why he was telling him that. It’s not like Harry was in a position to make those kinds of decisions.
Deciding that, despite his reservations about the man, he was grateful for the man’s help tonight, he said, “Sir, would you like to join us for dinner tonight?”
Dumbledore’s jaw dropped in surprise at the invitation. He recovered quickly and said, “I’d love to, Mr Potter. Would it be terribly rude of me to also invite Professor McGonagal?”
Harry smiled and said, “No, she’s welcome too, of course.”
“Marvelous,” Dumbledore replied happily. “We’ll floo through in just a moment after I collect something.”
Dumbledore had disappeared and Harry looked at Remus, who looked like he was about to boil over with emotion.
“Are you okay, Mooney?” He asked.
Remus shook his head as if clearing away bad memories. “I didn’t realize how much I’ve been holding in. The last ten years have been so hard without them and… all this time I’ve just kind of pushed my emotions aside.
“Hearing that Peter is going to die tonight for what he did is both a relief and… I don’t know how to explain…” Remus shook his head again, his eyes glowing with an amber tint as if a wild animal was bursting to get out. “We took him in. Peter was part of our pack and he betrayed us. He deserves to die for what he did but I’m still sad by the loss of someone I always considered as a pack mate.”
Harry thought he understood. He couldn’t fathom how he’d fill it Luna or Mrs Figg betrayed him.
“At least now you’ll have Sirius,” Harry said.
Remus smiled a toothy smile at that. His amber eyes still shining, Harry almost expected to see fangs.
“Your eyes are glowing. Is that a werewolf thing?” Harry decided to ask even though he was worried he’d offend Mooney somehow.
Remus laughed. “Yes, it’s a werewolf thing,” he said. “The wolf knows Wormtail and Padfoot and is processing his own emotions.”
Harry thought it was interesting that Remus regarded the wolf as a separate being but chose not to comment. It must be pretty complicated, he guessed.
Harry simply gave Remus a hug. Remus jumped a little at the contact before returning the hug tightly. It was almost as tight as Mrs Wesley’s, Harry thought.
The floo flared green just then and the two separated. A moment later, Harry saw Professor McGonagal step through, followed by Professor Dumbledore, who was taller than Harry imagined.
Professor McGonagal shook Harry’s hand and then she noticed Remus and gave him a big hug. Harry guessed she probably knew how hard the situation was for the man who had been one of her lions.
While the two adults were hugging, Harry took in Professor Dumbledore’s appearance. He was old, nearly ancient, but he looked healthy and full of energy. Harry guessed he likely had several more years of life in him.
“Thank you for your gracious invitation, Harry,” Dumbledore said. “I admit I was worried that you and I might get off on the wrong foot because of my actions regarding your initial living arrangements.”
Harry thought carefully about what he wanted to say to the man. He wasn’t sure he’d forgiven him but he also recognized that Dumbledore’s decision wasn’t made with malice.
“Mrs Figg explained everything and even though I’m sometimes still upset with you, I do understand that you thought you were making the best choice,” Harry said.
He offered the professor his hand and said, “I’m willing to give us a fresh start, sir.”
The professor took Harry’s hand with a smile and shook it. “I’d like that too. That reminds me that I brought you a present… although it’s not really fair for me to call it a gift since it belonged to your dad.”
The professor handed Harry a gift wrapped in red and gold wrapping paper. “You may want to open this in private.”
Harry nodded his understanding and said, “Thanks.”
Feeling awkward, Harry said, “I’m sorry, sir, I didn’t get you anything.”
Dumbledore laughed and said, “Fear not, I’m not offended. And like I said, my gift doesn’t really qualify as a gift.”
“I think I’ll go put this in my room for now, then, if you’ll please excuse me.” Harry said and then he ran to his room quickly.
When he got to his room, he decided to open the present and a silvery material tumbled out of his hands. The material was cool to the touch and Harry instantly wanted to reach out with his magic to inspect it.
He focused on his breathing and felt his magic reach outside his body. He sent probes out and instantly could tell the material was magical. It felt cold and dark like an abyss. He couldn’t quite guess what properties it had because it almost felt like nothing, but not quite the same as the cloak he’d tried on at his initiation. It was different.
He drew his magic back in and decided to inspect it further the normal way. He soon found that it wasn’t just material, but a very large cloak with a hood. He figured he could fit him and another person underneath it.
Suspecting what it might be, he threw it on and put on the hood. He walked over to the mirror and found that he couldn’t see anybody in the mirror. This was his dad’s invisibility cloak! He was suddenly very glad that Dumbledore hinted he’d want to open this gift when he was alone.
Harry woke up bright and early Christmas morning. This would be his first Christmas with people he considered family. He hated Christmas with the Dursleys because he never felt wanted, except to do all the cooking and cleaning.
He remembered trying not to sob as he cleaned up all the wrappings and boxes that had contained Dudley’s numerous gifts while he got nothing.
But now he’d be surrounded by people he loved and that loved him in return. He’d actually get gifts and be able to spend time relaxing with his friends and family in his own house.
Last night, dinner with his family and the professors had been wonderful. They’d enjoyed a meal that they’d prepared together and spent hours talking about nothing.
He’d learned a little bit about his future professors and what his classes might be like. He’d been teased with stories about hidden passageways and getting lost in the castle's many rooms and hallways. He couldn’t wait to go.
Luna and Harry planned to open gifts together in their shared living room and then join Mrs Figg and Remus in the dining area. He was looking forward to giving everyone their gifts.
Mostly, he was hoping to visit Sirius at Saint Mungo’s. He hadn’t had time to get the man anything but he’d find a way to make it up to him.
It was still early and Luna wouldn’t like to be woken up just yet but he was still tempted to wake her up. It was Christmas for Merlin’s sake.
He walked outside his room quietly and then gently opened Luna’s bedroom door. It was pitch black because she’d put several curtains up to block out the light.
He nearly tripped over several mysterious items strewn about the floor. The girl was messy.
He eventually made it to her bed and was considering how he might wake her up without risking any potential injuries he might receive as a result.
His eyes had finally adjusted to the dark and he was able to make out a glass of water on the nightstand. Decision made, he grabbed the glass and then dumped the contents on Luna’s head.
Luna gasped before shrieking so loud that Harry had to cover his ears. Luna jumped up out of bed and threw open the curtains violently. When she saw him standing there with an empty glass, she glared at him and yelled, “You’re dead!”
Harry tried to run to the door but he tripped over a pile of clothes with a thud. Luna was on him in an instant and she proceeded to tickle him without mercy.
He gasped for air as he struggled to breathe as she leaned over him so that her wet hair was in his face. Desperate for freedom, he reached up with his hand and gripped her thigh just above her knee and squeezed in a pulsating fashion.
She began to laugh and convulse until she finally relented and got off of him. “No fair,” she wheezed. “Truce?” She asked.
Harry filled his lungs with air several times before agreeing to the truce.
“Ugh,” she groaned. “What time is it?”
Harry chuckled nervously and said, “Just after seven, which is a pretty late start for me. You’re lucky I didn’t wake you up sooner, honestly.”
Luna glared at him. “You know I know where you sleep, right?” She asked in a threatening tone.
He laughed and said, “But we both know you’re not going to wake up early just to prank me.”
“Who said anything about pranking?” She said bluntly.
“You’re scary in the morning, did you know?” He responded.
Luna just laughed at that. She stretched and said, “This isn’t over. You better have gotten me something nice for Christmas or I might just reconsider our truce.”
Harry laughed. He knew she’d be happy with his gift. “Let’s go find out, shall we?” He asked, offering his arm.
She took his offered arm and they walked out of her room and into the shared living area.
Harry walked her to the couch like a gentleman, fully repentant off his mischievous behavior. He then bolted to the tree to gather her presents. “Ladies first,” he said while handing her one of the gifts.
He’d gotten her a few things. Some were common and casual gifts but he’d also gone out of his way to give her something that he thought was a big gesture. He wanted her to know that she was important to him.
She opened a few gifts, including some chocolate and candy, some more clothes and robes that he thought she might like, as well as some magical hair dye that should last her all year.
She’d told him that she might like to dye her hair a few colors, like blue, purple, and pink so he’d gotten her a set that was spelled to whatever shade and color she wanted and that would last a long time.
She could even end the spell if she needed to look presentable. This made it perfect for school since she could just use it during the weekends.
Her last gift was Harry’s big gesture gift. He wanted her to know that she was important to him so she’d gotten her a very nice locket made of fine silver.
She gasped in surprise when she’d opened the box it came in. She took it out and admired the embossed image of a Crumple-Horned Snorkack. Harry had swiped a drawing of hers and taken it to a jeweler to be custom made.
“Open it,” he said.
She gently opened the locket to find a picture of her parents on one side and a picture of Harry, Mrs Figg, and Loki on the other.
Harry watched as the photo of her parents blew her a kiss. Luna wiped tears from her eyes. Photo Harry and photo Mrs Figg waved happily at her and Loki’s tail twitched.
“Thanks Harry, this is really nice.” She said as she hugged him and then gave him a kiss on the cheek. “You really are the best even though you’re annoying sometimes.”
Harry laughed and said, “Is our truce still in effect then?”
“Yes, you idiot,” she said with a laugh.
Harry waited happily while Luna fetched his gifts. She’d also gotten him some sweets and a couple books on potions and enchanting that she’d noticed him eyeing. Harry thanked her earnestly.
“My last gift is kind of silly because it’s something I found in the house,” she said. She handed him the last present and he opened it reverently.
Inside he found a framed canvas of his family’s crest. It featured a griffin and a lion in opposite corners, followed by a stag and a ceramic pot in the other corners. It was accompanied by a script that read, ‘ Novissima autem inimica destruetur mors’ .
“It’s your family motto. I looked it up and it translates to, ‘The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death,’” she said.
Harry was blown away. “Where did you find this?” He asked.
“The canvas was rolled up in one of the offices,” she said. “All I did was get it framed, really.”
Harry loved it. “It’s great, Luna,” he said. “Thank you!”
It was several hours later and Harry and Luna were getting ready to go and visit Sirius at Saint Mungo’s with Remus. Mrs Figg was going to go and visit Mundungus to finalize some plans. Harry didn’t understand why she was working on Christmas, but he wasn’t going to stop her if that’s what she wanted to do.
They’d already exchanged gifts with Remus and Mrs Figg. Harry had gotten several more books, including one that went into great depth on bowtruckles written by none other than the famous Newt Scamander. Harry had gotten Remus a butt load of all sorts of chocolate treats as well as some new robes. He’d given Mrs Figg the candied pineapple that he’d picked out several months ago as well as some new quills because he’d noticed hers had been getting dull.
It had been a magical Christmas so far and Harry didn’t think anything could ruin it.
They traveled via floo to the hospital and got checked in by the welcome witch at the front counter.
“Oh, you three are here to see Sirius Black?” she checked.
Remus nodded and said, “Yes, is that alright?”
“Oh yes,” she said. “You just missed the last visitors, Andromeda, Ted, and Nymphadora Tonks were just here but they left a few minutes ago.”
Harry thought Remus looked surprised. There must be some history there, he reckoned.
“Sirius has been moved to the fourth floor for prolonged exposure to dementors. He’d originally been on the first floor but they weren’t quite sure how to help him,” she said. “He’s in room 402, near the nurse station.”
Remus chuckled and said, “And I bet he’s being a complete hound with the nurses.”
The welcome witch chuckled and put her hand on Remus’ arm. Harry and Luna shared a look and then laughed at Remus’ expense.
Harry checked the hospital’s map and saw that the first floor was reserved for creature related injuries, which made sense since dementors were classified as creatures. He saw that the fourth floor was for spell damage. He wondered why Sirius had been moved up there.
When he brought up his question the welcome witch said, “The spell exposure team had some treatment that they thought would better help Sirius than the creature team since they mostly dealt with exterior wounds.”
Remus said, “That makes sense. They probably know better how to treat Sirius internal, mental, and emotional injuries.”
The welcome witch nodded. “You can go up and see him now if you’d like, but there’s no rush,” she said as she batted her eyelashes at Remus. Harry thought she was laying it on pretty thick.
“Remus, when did you say your girlfriend was stopping by?” Luna said, trying to help Remus out of his predicament. Harry glared at her. He’d been having fun.
The welcome witch frowned at that, sat back down, and pulled out a ‘Witch Weekly.’ Harry bit his fist to stop from laughing and Remus smacked him in the back of his head lightly.
Harry’s shoulders shook as he held in his laughter the whole way to the lift. He guffawed loudly as soon as the lift doors had closed.
“So immature,” Remus said. “So much like James.”
They rode up to the fourth floor and walked out towards the nurse counter. Harry saw Neville and Madam Longbottom talking with a nurse at the counter. “Hey Neville, are you visiting someone today too?” Harry asked.
Neville’s eyebrows shot up in shock as he saw Harry and Luna. Harry noticed the boy begin to blush and stammer.
Madam Longbottom rolled her eyes at her grandson and held out her hand, clearly expecting a proper greeting.
Harry obliged and kissed her hand. “Madam Longbottom,” he said simply.
Madam Longbottom bowed stiffly and said, “We’re here to see my Frank and his wife Alice, Neville’s parents,” she said.
“Oh,” was Harry’s elegant reply.
Remus helped cover for Harry and asked, “How are they doing, Madam Longbottom?”
“The same as always, I’m afraid,” she said. “But it’s good for Neville to visit them. He has so much to live up to.”
Neville blushed even deeper and looked down at his feet.
Madam Longbottom looked unimpressed.
“Are you here to see Sirius, then?” she asked them.
“Yes, Madam Longbottom,” Remus said. “We were hoping to wish him a Merry Christmas.”
Madam Longbottom nodded and said, “Terrible business what happened to that man. It’s such a shame that Crouch is going to get away with the flop.”
Harry nodded at that, a grimace on his face. He was still angry that Crouch hadn’t got so much as a slap on the wrist. He’d make the man pay.
Madam Longbottom must have seen the look on his face because she said, “See that Neville? That’s the look of someone that will see things through,” she said pointing at Harry. “You’d be wise to spend some time with Mr Potter here, maybe some of his courage will rub off on you.”
Neville blushed and stammered, “Yes gran.”
Harry felt sorry for the boy. Madam Longbottom sure was overbearing.
“Well we’ll just be going then,” Remus said. “It was good to see you both. Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas,” Madam Longbottom said.
The trio quickly checked in with the nurse, who directed them to Sirius' room with a blush. Sirius had definitely been up to his wily ways. From what Harry had read in his father’s journals, the poor nurses didn’t stand a chance.
They walked into Sirius’ room and Harry had expected to see a dirty and mangy man laying in bed. What they found instead was a well groomed and happy looking one. His hair had been cut and his beard trimmed nicely. He was still skinny as could be, but Harry was happy to see some color in his cheeks. They were obviously taking very good care of him here.
Harry watched as Remus walked in and hugged Sirius fiercely. The two men held onto each other for what felt like ages but Harry had no intention of interrupting. He looked at Luna and noticed she had tears in her eyes. He wondered what the auras in the room were telling her.
After a long while, the two men leaned back out of their hug, but each left their hands on the other man’s shoulders as they looked each other in the eyes. No words needed to be said in a friendship like theirs, Harry guessed.
Together, they said, “It’s so good to see you.” and then they laughed.
These men were not merely friends, they were clearly brothers. Harry felt himself start to tear up as he thought about the implications of such a deep relationship being wounded by distance and deceit for nearly a decade. They didn’t deserve what happened to them. It was terrible and Harry vowed to never let something like that happen again to the pair.
Harry looked up and saw Sirius watching him with a knowing look. “I know that look,” Sirius said. “I saw that look on your dad’s face many times during the war.” A smile grew on the man’s face as he asked, “Who’s going to suffer your wrath?”
Harry smiled and said seriously, “Barty Crouch, Lucius Malfoy, and then Lord Voldemort… maybe a few others.”
Sirius looked deeply into Harry’s eyes. “There is no way you’re ten years old.”
Harry and Luna laughed, although Harry wasn’t sure why Luna was laughing. He looked at her curiously.
“Harry’s an old soul. He’s been through too much to be a lowly ten year old boy,” she said.
Sirius inspected the young girl. “You must be Luna Lovegood. You look just like your mother… What are you doing with this mangy old man and that scrawny little kid?”
Remus laughed before Luna could answer. “Are you remembering all the times you tried to get Pandora to even look at you?”
Sirius laughed and said, “And I managed to get her in a broom clos-” before Remus smacked him in the chest. “Oh right,” Sirius said, looking apologetically at Luna. “Er… yes. I never could get her to take me seriously.”
Luna just giggled and said, “I like you, Sirius Black.”
Sirius beamed at that, showing his still yellow stained teeth.
“Harry and Mrs Figg found me in Hogsmeade after mum and dad died,” she said as if it were the most normal thing. “They took me in and we’ve been together ever since.”
Harry nodded, smiling fondly at Luna.
“Bit young to be shacking up, don’t you think, Harry?” Sirius said. “Your dad would be proud but your mother would be-”
“It’s not like that!” Harry said defensively, interrupting the man. “Luna’s like a sister to me.”
Sirius’ eyebrows shot up. “You went and made this beautiful girl your sister?” he asked. “You fool.”
Luna smiled brightly at Sirius' compliment. Harry thought it was rather gross for a man his age to be talking about a 10 year old girl like that.
“I’m only joking, Harry.” Sirius said. “I can’t help but tease the two of you… It’s in my nature.”
Remus shook his head. “You haven’t changed a bit, Padfoot,” he said. “The poor nurse outside blushed when I mentioned your name, you know.”
“Oh, which one?” Sirius asked excitedly. “I hope it was the blonde one.”
Remus just shook his head and said, “At least learn their names first, Sirius.”
Harry interrupted, “Hey, if you two are done… Do you know when you’ll get out of here, Sirius?”
Sirius frowned. “They aren’t sure. I haven’t really been able to cast much magic just yet,” he said. “They want to make sure my magical core hasn’t been damaged before they release me and it might take a while to heal me if it has.”
“Oh okay,” Harry said. “Well I hope it’s soon. You’re welcome to stay with me if you need a place.”
Sirius smiled. “That’s kind of you,” he said. “And I might take you up on that.”
Sirius looked at Remus, “Andy was here and she said that I inherited the family home and whatever gold they had left that they didn’t give away to the dark lord.”
“Oh is that why Andromeda came?” Remus asked. “Was she asking to be reinstated into the family?”
Sirius shook his head, “No, she just wanted to see me,” he said. “I offered and she declined. Said she wanted nothing to do with the Black family.”
Sirius looked like he was trying to remember something and was struggling. “Oh. Her husband, Ted, is a lawyer and he offered to help me go after the ministry for what they did to me,” he said with an evil glint in his eye. “I’m tempted to take him up on it… not that I likely need the money.”
Harry agreed that he should.
Sirius yawned mightily after that.
Harry didn’t necessarily want to leave but he figured Sirius probably needed to rest.
“We should go,” Remus said. “We’ll visit again soon.” Harry and Luna both echoed Remus’ promise to come back and visit.
They wished each other a Merry Christmas and then they left Sirius to get some rest.
Chapter 14: Chapter Fourteen: The Key
Chapter Text
Purple steam fogged his glasses as he stood over a bubbling cauldron. He made a mental note to learn the impervious charm so it would stop doing that.
Harry stirred in the final ingredient and lowered the temperature. He was nearing the moment of truth for the 6th time that morning. He’d been attempting this potion all morning with near abysmal results.
The potion was supposed to allow the drinker to glide through the air and had been mentioned in one of the books Luna had gotten him for Christmas. Harry hoped it would be useful for traveling under his invisibility cloak without leaving footprints or making noise.
He reckoned he could always just use a broom, but this would be more practical than carrying a brim around.
The accompanying image in his book showed a person gliding forward a few inches off the floor and he was curious how he would control his movements.
He watched as the potion gradually changed from purple to silver, before shooting off small sparks. The book indicated this would happen when the potion was complete. All his other attempts had turned a dull gray or had simply remained unchanged so this was a good sign.
He turned off the heat. Luna walked in while he was waiting for the cauldron to cool enough for him to sample the potion. Harry noted that she was using the hair dye he’d gotten her for Christmas and her hair was pink this morning.
“Hey Harry, are you almost done? The Weasley’s and Susan will be here soon,” the pink haired girl said.
Harry had decided to invite almost everyone he’d met at the Bones party, save for Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle. He’d received polite and formal looking letters from Daphne’s parents and Theo’s father stating they had a conflict and couldn’t make it.
Traci, Hannah, and Neville had all sent their own less formal responses stating they couldn’t come.
Only Susan had been able to accept his invitation but he wasn’t too sad about that and he was looking forward to getting to know her better. He just hoped that everyone got on alright.
Harry nodded to Luna and said, “Just about done. Do you want to try this with me?”
Luna looked at him skeptically, one eyebrow raised in suspicion.
Harry rolled his eyes in response with a huff. He dipped a metal spoon into the cauldron and then swallowed a mouthful of the silver liquid. It has a bland taste, of which he was grateful since a lot of potions simply tasted awful.
A few seconds later, he felt his heels raise off the floor followed by the balls of his feet and finally his toes. He thought he might lose his balance for a moment, but he managed to remain upright as his body adjusted to the change as if it were completely natural.
He simply started moving in whatever direction he leaned towards. He found that the harder he leaned, the faster he’d go, but his body wouldn’t let him lean very far and he couldn’t go very fast.
After she could tell there wouldn’t be any unwanted side effects, Luna repeated his actions and was soon floating around the lab just like him.
Harry laughed as Luna squealed as he tried to chase her around the lab. It was a fruitless pursuit, however, as neither could go faster than the other.
He eventually felt his body lower to the floor. He was impressed by how natural the whole experience felt, but noted the drawbacks of the potion. If he were discovered, he’d most certainly be caught.
Luna landed shortly after him and then waited for him as he cleaned up his potion mess. The pair left after that and saw Mrs Figg greeting a pretty red headed girl near the floo.
“Susan!” Luna yelled as she ran to greet her friend. Harry continued to walk towards the floo, watching happily as Luna and Susan hugged.
Harry was preparing to greet Susan the traditional way but she waved him off and pulled him into a tight hug.
“Thanks for inviting me, Harry,” she said, still hugging him. “I was dreading spending the rest of the holiday alone while Auntie Amelia worked.”
She finally released him with a jump as if she suddenly realized what she’d done and Harry noted her red cheeks as she looked away awkwardly.
“You’re welcome anytime,” he said with what he assumed were equally red cheeks. He didn’t understand why he kept reacting this way around her.
Susan’s eyes widened and she asked, “Really? Anytime?”
Harry heard Luna say “Harry likes to move fast. He invited me to move in after only a few hours of knowing me and we shared a bed for several weeks before he kicked me out.”
Susan’s jaw dropped in surprise.
He coughed before waving his hands. “It’s not like that,” he interjected, sending Luna a glare.
He looked to Mrs Figg, hoping for some help but she was covering a smile with her hand. He supposed it was too much to hope for.
“Oh come on!” He shouted, throwing his hands into the air. “Someone please set things straight so I don’t look like a weirdo!”
Luna burst into laughter. “Honestly, you’re too easy, Harry,” she said. “It’s almost not even fun to tease you anymore.”
She then informed Susan on what actually happened.
Susan laughed and said, “Alright then, that’s not so bad.”
She put her hand on Harry’s arm and said, “Are you sure it’s not a problem? We did just meet.”
Harry nodded. “Luna’s a tremendous judge of character,” he said and continued with a glare, “despite any other faults she might have.” He smiled and continued saying, “so if she likes you then that’s good enough for me, but I think you’re pretty great from what I’ve seen.” He felt heat rise in his cheeks and then put his hand over his mouth before he embarrassed himself further.
He noticed her hand was still on his arm. She looked at him with a sweet smile and said, “Just let me know if I ever become a bother.”
Harry doubted very much that would ever happen but he told her that he would.
Thankfully, the floo flashed green just then and Ron stepped out of the fireplace. Harry noted, with jealousy, that the boy clearly had no trouble with the floo.
He nodded to Mrs Figg and then walked over to Harry. Susan removed her hand from Harry’s arm when Ron approached and Harry frowned at the loss.
“Hey mate,” Ron said with a smile. He looked around at the entry hall and whistled appreciatively. “This is a really big house.”
Harry was saved from responding as the rest of the Weasley’s came through the floo one by one.
Each of them came and greeted Mrs Figg, Luna, Susan, and Harry. He noticed that Susan’s hair was actually quite different from the Weasley’s copper-like hair since hers was a darker shade.
They all exchanged pleasantries and looked around in awe of his grand home. Ginny actually came over and approached him. “I’m sorry for how I acted before,” she said.
Harry was impressed at the directness from the shy girl and said, “Don’t even worry about it.” She graced him with a bright smile at his easy acceptance of her apology.
A balding man, who was clearly Mr Weasley, came and shook his hand with a kind smile. “Thanks for what you did with the rat, Mr Potter, I don’t think you understand just how much it means to Molly and I to have that creature away from our family,” he said with a serious look that almost seemed foreign to the man’s gentle features.
Harry looked the man in his eyes and said, “It was my pleasure. Besides, it was the only way to free Sirius.”
There were many questions from the group about how he knew Sirius was innocent and since Luna was the main reason, he let her tell the group what she’d found.
Harry took over when it came time to explain about his trip to Azkaban. He chose to omit the interference from the guards.
All of the Weasleys and Susan seemed impressed at his tale.
After that, Harry took them on a tour, choosing to focus more on what he’d learned about his family than any of the expensive features.
Ginny and Susan fawned over Auggie when they got to Luna’s room, which Harry noted was as messy as ever. He saw Mrs Figg subtly kick a pile of underwear under the bed without anyone but Mrs Weasley noticing. Mrs Weasley simply smiled politely, completely unbothered.
Ron and the twins took turns holding Ratatoskr, who seemed pleased at the attention. Harry noted that Susan also took a turn shaking the twig creature’s hand. The bowtruckle then gestured he wanted to be picked up, which she obliged with a smile by putting him in her front robe pocket.
When they got back to the living area, Ron asked, “Why don’t you take the master suite?”
Harry considered whether he wanted to give a genuine response or make something up but decided there was no harm in being honest.
“Because sleeping in my dad’s old room makes me feel closer to him,” Harry answered.
Both Ginny and Mrs Weasley looked at him with kind sad eyes when he said this. Susan just nodded, and Harry was happy to see she didn’t have a look of pity on her face. As a fellow orphan, she knew exactly how he felt and probably didn’t care for pity.
Ron looked confused at first before it dawned on him. “Right, sorry.” He said somewhat awkwardly. Harry simply smiled, not bothered at all by the question.
The kids spent most of the afternoon just chatting and hanging out. It was colder here in the north than at the Burrow and there was snow on the ground. Mrs Weasley cast strong warming charms on all of them so they could go outside comfortably. The adults chose to stay inside and Mrs Weasley offered to help make dinner.
Remus arrived home just in time for dinner. Harry ran from the dining room where everyone was gathering to greet the man.
“Hey Remus,” Harry said. “Any luck with Silvie?”
Remus looked at Harry with a worried look and said, “No, I’m afraid not.”
“You’ll find her, Moony,” he said.
Remus simply nodded, obviously still bothered, but didn’t say anything.
He shook himself out of it and added, “I did manage to stop by the Magical Menagerie for this,” he said while removing a rolled up parchment.
Harry examined it and found the contents to be satisfactory. “Thanks Remus!” He said. He pulled Remus over to the dining room but Remus resisted.
Harry looked quizzically at the werewolf. “Come on, Remus, we talked about this. Join us for dinner.
Remus had insisted that Harry tell anyone that would regularly be spending time here with Harry that Remus was a werewolf. He’d said it was the responsible thing to do and didn’t want to cause problems later on if it got out.
Harry had no problem just keeping it a secret, but agreed to Remus’ terms. He didn’t want to be friends with anyone that was too small minded to look past a condition that only affected someone once a month anyways.
Remus held firm and shook his head. “Are you sure I’ll be welcome?” He asked.
“Of course you’ll be welcome. You live here for Merlin’s sake,” Harry replied. “If they don’t like it, they can leave, but I have a good feeling that this group won’t care about your furry little problem.”
Harry pulled the man along and Remus followed along.
“Hey everyone, this is Remus Lupin, one of my dad’s best friends. He lives here and just happens to be a werewolf, but that won’t be a problem for about five more days,” Harry said bluntly. He figured it was best to rip off the band aid and act like it was totally normal to live with a werewolf.
Harry looked around the room and watched as everyone processed what he said. It was almost funny to watch. The Weasley twins looked at each other and shrugged.
Mr Weasley shared a look with Mrs Weasley before standing and walking over to Remus. He offered his hand to Remus, who accepted it with surprise and they shook hands in greeting. If any of the Weasley kids were worried before that, their patriarch’s acceptance of the werewolf removed it.
Susan smiled and waved the man over, offering him a seat next to her. Harry opted to sit across from Remus.
The rest of dinner went on as if nothing noteworthy had happened.
After dinner, Harry excused himself briefly so he could grab the book on Runes that Mrs Figg had bought him during the summer.
When he’d returned to the dining room, he quickly found Percy standing near his parents and walked over to them.
“Hey Percy,” he said while pulling out the scroll Remus had handed him earlier. “I wanted to give you something so you could replace your pet. This is a certificate to the Magical Menagerie that you can turn in. It should cover any pet you find there and the supplies you need.”
Percy tried refusing the gift but Harry was adamant that he replace the older boy’s pet. His reasons for doing so weren’t entirely altruistic. He figured the boy would eventually find a job in the ministry and work his way up and it would be good to have a connection inside.
Percy eventually accepted the gift and then Harry pulled out the book on Runes and said, “I also wanted to make sure you knew that my interest in Runes was genuine. I’d like to lend you this book that I’m sure you’ll find interesting. You can give it back on the train to Hogwarts and we can pick up where we left off on our conversation.”
Percy eagerly accepted Harry’s offer and then proceeded to bombard him with information on the subject. He didn’t relent for nearly half an hour and Harry was starting to wonder if he’d gone too far and that maybe he should find another ministry shoe in to warm up to.
Eventually, Mr and Mrs Weasley rescued Harry by announcing that the family needed to return home. Harry was supremely grateful for the announcement.
Harry and Luna said goodbye to all of them as they left through the floo. Harry noticed that Fred’s hug with Luna lasted nearly twice as long as anyone else’s.
Susan reluctantly announced her departure with a frown as well but she smiled when Harry reaffirmed she could visit whenever she wanted.
When everyone left, Mrs Figg excused herself so she could go to bed. She let Harry know his training would resume tomorrow and not to stay up too late.
Harry nodded and bade her goodnight. Luna and Remus stuck around and Harry remembered he’d wanted to ask more about Silvie.
“Are you worried about Silvie?” He asked.
Remus looked thoughtful and sighed. “I shouldn’t be since she’s with a large pack, but she usually sends correspondence more frequently than this.”
“Maybe we should go look for her,” Harry offered. He hoped Remus would say yes and let him come.
Remus shook his head seriously. “A werewolf pack is not a safe place for the boy who lived,” he said. “Many of the werewolves, even the ones that I’d consider good, would be tempted to use you for their own benefit.”
Harry didn’t know what Remus meant by that. “How would they use me?” He asked.
“They’d want to turn you into one of them,” Moony said. “A werewolf boy who lived would be a political masterpiece for the werewolves. How could the ministry continue with its prejudiced views if the savior of the wizarding world was suddenly one of them?”
Harry nodded. So many people wanted to use him, even the Guild, and he’d let them because it served his purposes. He wondered if being a werewolf would be so bad if it helped Remus.
“No,” Remus said firmly. “I can see the wheels turning and the answer is no. It’s not worth it, trust me.” Remus began pacing. “I’d never forgive myself if you were cursed with this affliction,” he said. “It’s so painful… even with the wolfsbane potion.”
Harry nodded in response. He didn’t relish the idea of being a werewolf and having to transform against his will once per month. He didn’t want to worry about injecting someone else either.
Harry pondered the problem a bit before saying, “If you need to leave for a bit to make sure she’s okay, I’d understand.”
He didn’t want Remus to leave. It felt really good to have the werewolf here so he could see him everyday, but he didn’t want to hold the man back if he needed to leave.
Harry looked up at Remus and saw the man was frowning, considering Harry’s words. He finally spoke after several long seconds. “I have been considering it but everything with Sirius and the rat has kept me here,” he said. “I don’t want to leave Sirius now that he’s free, but I am worried Silvie and her daughter, Tabatha, are in trouble.”
Harry understood how Remus likely felt. “Sirius might be in the hospital for several more days… maybe even longer,” he said. “He’ll understand.”
“What about your training?” Remus asked.
Harry thought he was grasping for excuses at this point. Harry could practice on his own and said as much.
He added, “Don’t werewolves have heightened senses? You could probably track her in no time.”
Remus nodded and said, “Yes, but she’s in a large pack. I can track the pack but it’ll be hard to distinguish her scent from the rest and I might not pick up on it if she’s not with them.”
Luna interjected just then. “You can take me and Loki with you,” she said. “I can help you find them by reading the auras.”
Harry jolted at her request and he saw Remus do the same.
Remus recovered before Harry and said, “I can’t take you with me. It’s not safe and if I do go, I’ll be roughing it in the wilderness the whole time.”
Luna just grinned and said, “I had a dream that you and I went camping like daddy and I used to. I think I’m meant to go with you. You’ll need me.”
She then skipped away and said over her shoulder, “I’ll just get packed up and then you and I can leave in the morning,” as if the argument were already settled.
Harry just laughed. That was the most Luna-like thing she’d done in quite a while.
Remus didn’t look convinced that it was a good idea. Harry, if he was honest with himself, was also worried it was a bad idea but he wasn’t the boss of Luna and he trusted Remus could protect her.
“The full moon is still days away,” Harry said. “I’m sure you’ll be fine.”
Remus sighed heavily and started pacing.
“Luna won’t take no for an answer at this point and she can help,” Harry added. “Do you have anything of Silvie’s?”
Remus stopped and nodded at that.
“Good, Luna will be able to read the object and then track the residual aura in an area Silvie was in,” Harry said. “You’ll probably be back before New Years with her help.”
“I’ll have to be if we are going to avoid my furry little problem,” Remus said.
Harry trudged into the kitchen slowly the next morning. His muscles ached fiercely after the few days off from exercise. Luna, Remus, and Mrs Figg sat around the small table with toast and tea.
Remus looked back and forth as Mrs Figg and Luna argued.
“I don’t see why you can’t wait until after the full moon to go search for your girlfriend.” Mrs Figg said gruffly to Remus.
“Because we’ll be too late by then,” Luna said. “I have this feeling that we need to go now or something bad will happen.”
Mrs Figg threw her hands in the air at that. “We shouldn’t be making these kinds of decisions based on a feeling!” She shouted back.
Luna crossed her arms defiantly. “I had a dream that Moony and I went camping and now I feel like I’m meant to go and we need to go now. Why don’t you trust me?” She asked.
Mrs Figg’s eyes softened just a fraction. Harry doubted anyone else noticed because it was replaced by a steely look a second later.
“I do trust you, but this isn’t safe,” she said. “I beg you both to reconsider.”
“Maybe she’s right,” Remus said to Luna. “We should wait until after the full moon.”
Luna screamed out in frustration. “It’ll be too late by then! I just know it!” She shouted.
Harry, who had been silent until then finally spoke up. “I think Luna’s right,” he said. “Luna can read auras and everything I’ve read has said aura reading falls under the branch of divination magic.” He paused to breathe. “Maybe she can see or at least discern some of the future.”
Mrs Figg looked at Harry sharply for interjecting. He reckoned he might have just lost some points with her for his comment. Luna’s look made up for it. She was smiling brightly at him and he thought he saw tears forming in her eyes. She was taking this all very seriously. He wondered if she was leaving out anything that she might have guessed or dreamed about.
He watched as Mrs Figg noticed as well and then deflated. “Oh alright, you can go. But if you don’t get back before nightfall on the 31st then I’m calling the aurors.”
The atmosphere still thick from the earlier argument, they finished breakfast in silence. Harry hoped they would all be safe on their journey and that Silvie and Tabatha were okay.
Luna and Remus left soon after that and Harry and Mrs Figg continued lessons as normal. After lessons, he practiced magic on his own. Without a partner, he focused on things he could do on his own like the warming and impervious charms.
Mrs Figg left to run an errand with 'Dung that would take several hours, leaving Harry alone for the first time in ages. Harry was surprised at how empty he felt without Luna’s presence.
He had always been on his own before he’d found out he was a wizard and he remembered that not long ago he’d almost wished to be on his own, away from even Mrs Figg again. So much had changed in the last six months.
He was starting to regret not going with Remus and Luna, the consequences of being recognized by a werewolf be damned.
He decided that maybe he’d chance an expedition out of the house with his invisibility cloak. Maybe he’d get lucky and run into Malfoy or Crouch.
He walked to his room to fetch the cloak from its hiding place. As he entered his room he noticed an owl in the window with a letter in its beak. When the owl saw Harry, it dropped the letter and flew away.
Harry grumbled at the bird’s rudeness and bent down to pick it up. He recognized the blank wax seal instantly.
He ripped open the envelope with excitement. His pulse quickened as he read the letter that was in the familiar handwriting of the Guild Leader.
‘My newest Fledgeling,
Your Wolf and Moon have arrived safely to their destination and your Mentor is occupied.
I have an urgent request.
Travel to where I last met you alone for further instruction.
GL’
p.s. The knob on the tree is key
Harry stumbled out of the floo in the Three Broomsticks, but he didn’t let that get his spirits down. Instead, he walked on as if he’d traveled through the floo without any issue. He nodded to Madam Rosmerta as he sat at the counter and ordered a butterbeer. She grinned at him and placed a fresh bottle in front of him. He sipped on it, savoring the taste and the pleasant feeling he got as he drank it.
As he sat there, he watched as a group of wizards that looked fresh out of Hogwarts called over a young serving girl. The girl rolled her eyes and then walked over. One of the wizards pinched her bum when she walked by and his two friends laughed as she yelped in surprise.
Harry, who has been itching for an excuse to steal something grinned. He snuck off to the bathroom, which was luckily vacant, and he quickly withdrew his invisibility cloak and put it on.
He snuck back out into the lobby and found the group of wizards that had been causing trouble and crept over to their table. He crouched low and walked slowly so he didn’t make any noise.
He could see a money pouch hanging from each wizard's waist. He was tempted to try and lift them off each of the wizards but was worried he’d be caught. Luckily, the serving witch came back out and they became distracted as they started saying crude things to her as she walked by. He lifted each of the coin pouches off of them one by one without them noticing.
He wandered off back to the bathroom and removed his cloak. He opened the coin pouches and found that they were rather light on coins. The bags were less than full of sickles and knuts. He emptied the coins into one bag and then attached it to his waist and then exited the bathroom.
Back at the counter, he ordered another drink and finished it slowly, hoping the group of wizards would attempt to leave soon.
He kept an eye on the group of wizards and watched as they each realized they no longer had their coin pouches. They looked around in panic and then started to leave without paying.
With a smirk, he called loudly to Madam Rosmerta, and watched as the wizards hesitated. Madam Rosemerta walked out a moment later and refilled his drink. She looked over at the group and saw the three wizards standing there awkwardly.
“You three all set, then?” she asked as she looked over their table. Her eyes widened as she realized they hadn’t left any money on the table. The result was spectacular as the whole lobby watched and listened as she berated the wizards for attempting to steal from her establishment. She loudly demanded they either pay or get to work in the kitchen scrubbing dishes by hand without their wands or she’d call the aurors. They had no choice but to comply and they walked sullenly into the back room and got to work.
The bright smile on the serving witch’s face far made up for the light coin he’d managed to steal from them. He emptied their coin from the pouch as a tip and then walked out.
Harry stood in front of the whomping willow as he stowed his invisibility cloak inside an expandable pocket within his robes.
The wind blew freezing cold air around him causing his cloak to billow. He imagined he looked like a stoic hero standing atop the hill with his cape in the wind.
The tree swayed in the wind as if it were a mundane tree that wouldn’t attack anyone that got too close. Harry knew better and raised his wand and shot a stunner at a knob that rested just above the opening within its roots.
The tree sagged slightly, which indicated to Harry that it was safe to venture forth. He took a few tentative steps forward, waiting for any indication that the tree might attack. When none came, he rushed forward and slid down into the depths below its trunk.
He breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that he wished someone had told him about the knob before. Last time had been a very close call.
He crawled through the secret passage to the shrieking shack and wondered what the Guild Leader needed from him. He hadn’t expected her to call on him so soon as Mrs Figg told him not to expect anything until he was at Hogwarts. He supposed she couldn’t be right about everything all the time.
Before long, he found himself lifting the trap door and climbing up into the first level of the house. He focused his magic and expanded his consciousness, inspecting the area for signs of magical beings in the house. He got a ping off something above him and quickly climbed the stairs.
He opened the door and found an empty room. He knew someone was here, however, and inspected the room with his magic. In the corner opposite the bed, he got a ping. He pointed his wand in that direction.
“Very good,” a silky voice said. “You’re learning from past mistakes.” A figure appeared as they removed an invisibility cloak and stowed out away. The room was dark so he couldn’t see very well at first. A woman stepped out of the shadows and Harry recognized her from his initiation ceremony.
“Is this your true form then?” He asked before he could stop himself.
She shrugged. “Everything is a mask, my fledgling. Is the way you present yourself to the world really your true form?” She asked. “What about your actions? Do they tell the world who you really are?”
Harry thought about what she said.
“I guess our words and actions could also be used as a mask of sorts,” he countered.
“Precisely,” she said. “Everything is a mask. You can even hide your true self from yourself if you’re not careful. Perception is a tricky thing and self perception is not safe from manipulation.”
Harry was thoroughly confused and even a bit worried. “How do I protect myself from illusions then?” He asked. “Is it even possible to know who I truly am?”
“Maybe,” she said seriously. “But does it even matter? What is so dangerous about an illusion?”
Harry thought hard but was honestly stumped. It didn’t feel good to be tricked, even if he was tricking himself, but he didn’t know how to explain why.
“Perception and illusion are tricky,” she continued. “We all see things differently. You and I could stare at the same thing for days or even years and when we were asked to describe it we’d answer differently. Is one of our answers more accurate than the other?”
Harry thought he was beginning to understand.
“Both descriptions would be true and both would be false at the same time,” he answered.
The Guild Leader smiled broadly.
“Reality and illusion are a dichotomy ruled by perception and swayed by thought,” she said.
His brain was beginning to hurt as he struggled to wrap his head around that statement.
“To answer your question directly,” she said. “This is the body I was born with and not the result of a potion or a spell.”
Harry nodded.
“Now let’s move on to why you’re here,” she said.
Harry held his breath as he waited for her instruction. He began to feel pins and needles across his skin.
She removed a key that looked similar to his own Gringotts vault key. “I need you to place this in your Gringotts vault for safe-keeping.”
Harry was immediately underwhelmed. “That’s it?” He asked, not bothering to hide his disappointment.
She tilted her head to the side as she studied him. “Well yes,” she said. “Not everything I ask you to do is going to be dangerous and exciting, you know.”
“Why do you need me to do this?” He asked. “Is it yours? Will it get me in trouble?”
She laughed wickedly at his questions. “I won’t say why, but it is mine and yes, it might cause trouble.”
“Why me?” He asked.
“Because no one will expect a Guild Fledgeling to be honored with such an important item like this one,” she answered.
Harry put two and two together. If she were giving this to someone low ranking in the Guild, it meant the deception was for someone else in the Guild or at least someone that knew about the Guild. “So you’re hiding this from someone in the Guild?” He checked.
She smiled and said, “My, you are sharp. I’m so glad I accepted you into the Guild.” She paused and then added, “I suppose that makes me at least equally smart or more so.”
Harry figured he didn’t actually have much of a choice so he extended his hand and accepted the key from her.
“I suppose no one is to know I have this?” He checked.
“Naturally,” she answered.
“Well at least there’s that,” he said. “I’ll have to sneak away from Mrs Figg to deposit this.”
“That’s the spirit,” she said in response. “The sooner, the better.”
A moment later, she disappeared with a crack. He supposed it was too much to ask for a ride home.
He grumbled and climbed back through the secret passageway.
When Harry climbed out of the passageway he pushed on the knob to disable its protections. As he lifted himself upright, he noticed what looked like Professor Dumbledore approaching from a distance.
He quickly darted into the forest before the old man spotted him. He wrapped his invisibility cloak around himself and watched from the tree line.
As Dumbledore got near the violent tree, he stopped and inspected the ground. From there he followed Harry’s footprints with his eyes until he was looking right at where Harry was standing.
Harry wasted no more time and booked it into the forest. He didn’t run too far in because he didn’t want to get lost. He kept running along the edge towards the gate.
His exercise regimen was paying off and he was able to run the whole way back to the gate without issue. The hard part has been not letting his invisibility cloak snag on any branches as he ran.
He got to the gate and found it shut. He tried opening it but it didn’t budge. The headmaster must have triggered them shut to prevent his escape. He didn’t know what he was going to do now, but he didn’t want to get stuck here.
He thought quickly and remembered how he’d opened the locked display case at Borgin and Burkes. He focused and sent little magical probes out, searching for the source of the lock. He was quickly overwhelmed by ambient magic.
Instead of giving up, he tried to get used to it so he could look for anomalies. His head ached as it became overstimulated by the constant barrage of magic. There was simply too much here. He would need to find a way to solve that problem before school started or he’d never be able to use his focus at school.
Just as he was about to give up, he picked up on something different. There was a magical signature running in a line from the gate and up the path towards the school. He pushed through the pain in his head and sent a spark of magic down into the line, hoping to trigger a reaction.
He heard the gate open with a creak as he did so and then ran through the small gap. Just as he cleared it, he felt the ward line and then the gate slammed back shut.
He glanced back at the gate as he ran towards Hogsmeade and saw Professor Dumbledore arrive at the gate. He was surprised that the old wizard had gotten there as fast as he did. Harry continued running and didn’t look back again.
He could tell that Mrs Figg was still not home, luckily, so he didn’t have to explain anything to her. He walked briskly to his room and started the shower.
He washed off the grime of the day and reflected on everything that had happened that day. His conversation with the Guild Leader has been interesting and it made him want to learn more about illusion, perception, and other mind related subjects. Even though she’d told him there was no protection against illusion, he just had to check for himself. There was probably a book in the library about the mind arts. Hadn’t Olivander said his wand was particularly capable of Occlumency?
He wished Luna were here because she’d probably have an interesting and perceptive thought on the subject.
He thought about how the Guild Leader was clearly worried about other members in the Guild working against her. She must be desperate to hand her vault key over to a Fledgeling like him. It reinforced his worries that he’d be in constant competition with the other members of the Guild. He didn’t mind a little competition but he didn’t like the idea of having to look over his shoulder all the time.
Finally, he thought about Remus and Luna. The Guild Leader had said they’d arrived safe and he was grateful for the news. But the Guild was clearly monitoring their movements and most likely his own. He wondered how much they knew about his life and goals.
He guessed it didn’t matter much since he wasn’t really doing anything that would jeopardize his position in the Guild. He’d just been studying, practicing, and working towards making a name for himself. He’d hoped to outgrow the boy who lived nonsense. He just wanted to live a life that his parents and grandparents would be proud of.
Well that, and to dish out some well deserved justice to those that had somehow escaped what they deserved. It simply wasn’t acceptable that he’d had to suffer while the people responsible were out there living without consequence. With the Guild’s help, he’d see them all receive the justice they deserved.
Chapter 15: Chapter Fifteen: The Fool Moon Part I
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Harry woke the next day to Mrs Figg knocking on his bedroom door. He got up with a grown, still sore from the day before. He spent the morning doing sprints, push ups, sit ups, and pull ups out on the patio and backyard. It was freezing outside and the cold air was hard on his lungs. He really hoped all the exercise was worth it.
Dripping in sweat, he went to the bathroom for a shower and to get ready for the day. He looked at himself in the mirror. He was beginning to notice some changes to his physique. He was taller, a lot taller than he’d been while still at the Dursleys. He was still thin, but he had some lean muscle coming in and that was new to him. He’d always been deathly thin and short and that was all beginning to change. He supposed the potions Healer Juniper had been providing were doing their part and all the exercise was helping.
He’d been able to run a pretty long distance when he tried to escape Professor Dumbledore the day before so he figured that as much as he despised working out, that it had its benefits.
He headed out of the bathroom and back towards the kitchen for breakfast. He had some questions about the Guild that he’d hoped Mrs Figg would help answer. Honestly, he should have asked her long ago… before joining. He’d been so focused on following in his mother’s footsteps that he’d neglected to properly investigate whether or not the Guild was a good fit for him. He supposed it was too late now and he was ready to hope for the best, but he was tired of being in the dark when it came to the inner workings of the Guild.
He found Mrs Figg taking the kettle off the stove for their morning tea. She poured him a cup as he sat down at the breakfast table. The pleasant aroma of green tea filled his nostrils as he took a sip. He felt like it was the perfect tea to start the day as it helped clear his mind so he could focus and absorb the lessons Mrs Figg would throw at him throughout the day.
“Any word from Remus or Luna?” he asked Mrs Figg as he put his cup down on the table.
Mrs Figg shook her head and said, “No, not from Remus or Luna.” She took a small sip of her tea and then continued. “I asked the Guild to keep tabs on them though and they reported to me that Remus and Luna arrived safely in Italy.”
Harry nodded, trying to show surprise that the Guild was keeping tabs on them. He didn’t want to give away that he’d talked with the Guild Leader the night before.
“How does that work then?” Harry asked. “Can I make requests of the Guild like you can?” He knew that the Guild had resources and that they were meant to be used by the Guild members to complete their missions and he’d been promised to have the Guild’s support should he need it, but where was the line?
Mrs Figg nodded and said, “There is a currency of sorts, actually. Not like galleons, sickles, or knuts but…” she fished through a bag and removed a couple wooden disks and passed them to him.
He inspected them and found that they were rather thin, and about 50 millimeters in diameter, but he doubted he’d be able to break them. They were lined with runes and when he probed them he found that they felt similarly to the robes he’d worn at his initiation.
“You earn these by completing tasks for the Guild, and then you can trade them in for gear, spells, potions, or intel from the Guild,” she said. “But you can also trade them for special favors from other Guild members”
“How do you get to know other members in the guild?” he asked. “I thought everyone’s identity was kept secret.”
Mrs Figg hummed and said, “For the most part that is true and a lot of people use nicknames or call signs.”
“What about 'Dung and Healer Juniper?” He asked, wondering how Mrs Figg knew them by name.
“'Dung and I joined around the same time and we were put on a team. Our mission required us to go undercover as husband and wife,” she answered. “But he’s a specialist now and most members know him by name.”
“And Healer Juniper is also a specialist, I’m guessing?” Harry asked.
Mrs Figg smiled and said, “Yes, exactly. Healer Juniper is a medical specialist and Mundungus’ specialty is forgery and counterfeiting, though he is a more than decent thief as well. Both of them use their specialties day to day and it is impractical for them to remain unknown. They're both dead useful and that allows them some added protection. Anyone working against them would be wildly unpopular in the Guild.”
“Are you a specialist then as well?” he asked.
“No, not really, but I’ve been a member for a long time and I’ve worked my way up,” she answered. “Most people underestimate me since I’m a squib and that’s still true in the Guild.”
“Are you pretty high ranking now then?” Harry asked. He still wasn’t sure how the reporting structure worked. “Could you ever become a Guild Leader?”
Mrs Figg smiled and shrugged, “I am doing alright in the Guild. I primarily fill the role of coordinator but every now and then I get to do some field work, like I am right now with 'Dung.” Mrs Figg got up from her table and beckoned Harry to follow her. “Let’s go find a board to write on so I can explain this properly.”
The duo walked out of the kitchen and towards one of the offices they’d been using for lessons occasionally. Mrs Figg approached the chalk board and started to draw everything out. “Remember, the Guild of Shadows has branches all across the globe. The London branch is fairly small at the moment as we’re still recovering from the war. At the top of our branch we have the guild leader,” she said and then she drew two lines from the Guild Leader. “Below her we currently have a Spy Master and a Master Thief. During the war, we also had a War Master, but he disappeared.”
Harry thought about what she said. It made sense that the Guild would be flexible and fill roles as they were needed. Developing a specialty provided protection and could help you climb the ranks if you wanted to. He wondered what it would be like to be a Master Thief. The title sounded thrilling to him. He shook himself out of his daydream and continued to listen as Mrs Figg explained.
“Coordinators and mentors report to them. I report to the Spy Master. We mostly collect intel, trade information, and do research,” she said.
Mrs Figg drew a big box below the Master Thief and Spy Master titles and titled it Specialists. “Beyond these two, the lines are a bit more blurred amongst the guild members. They don’t really belong to just one of the groups and work to support the Guild overall. They might be assigned to a team or even a solo job from either group.”
Harry nodded that he understood.
“Below the specialists we have a bunch of ranks for undeclared members of the Guild, including Fledglings,” Mrs Figg explained. “They do most of the grunt work and can choose from a myriad of tasks or jobs to work on while they decide whether or not they want to specialize. Many members are happy staying at this level.”
Harry thought for a moment. He already knew he wanted to be a Master Thief and he couldn’t imagine being content staying in the undeclared levels of the Guild. He imagined his family magic would make him a useful security expert since he’d already used it for that twice.
He looked at Mrs Figg and found her watching him shrewdly as he thought. She took a sip of her tea and asked, “Why do you ask? Do you need help with anything?”
Harry had mostly just been curious but as soon as she asked, he thought of Voldemort’s horcruxes and he mentioned them to Mrs Figg.
“Ah yes, laddie,” she said. “We’ll want to be very careful discussing those, even in the Guild.”
Harry thought he understood why. Every member, himself included, likely had their own motives and were simply using the Guild as a resource.
Mrs Figg continued, “Normally, I’d say this kind of thing should only be talked about with the Guild Leader but her price is likely going to be very high…”
Harry hesitated. He wanted to deal with the horcruxes now but he wasn’t sure he would be able to pull off enough jobs for quite a long time.
“Is there anyone else you trust?” He asked.
Mrs Figg was silent for a long time as she contemplated his question. Finally she answered, “No, at least not right now, but we may be able to work around that problem if we are more discreet. Instead of asking the Guild for direct help we could simply ask around for smaller things once we know more of what we’re looking for.”
Harry nodded grimly, they didn’t exactly have a lot to go off of but since it didn’t seem like Voldemort was an immediate threat, maybe they could take their time. He wanted to be ready though, just in case that changed. He guessed he’d just have to train harder so he could get to the skill level he needed sooner rather than later.
Today was the day that Remus and Luna were supposed to return. Harry hoped they were successful.
Remus had told him that the werewolf pack Silvie was with was pretty nomadic and they stayed away from society as much as possible. So he knew that it was pretty hard to send messages, but he was still a bit annoyed that he hadn’t heard anything.
He distracted himself with his morning workout, but when he got to the kitchen for breakfast he could tell that Mrs Figg was feeling just as anxious.
They ate in silence, neither able nor willing to bring up just how worried they both were. If they didn’t hear from them by this evening then Mrs Figg was going to call the aurors for help.
Mrs Figg sighed heavily and said, “No news is good news, I guess. No use in worrying until we need to.”
They got to work on lessons but Harry was still distracted. His notes were sloppy and disorganized and there were several ink splots on his parchment.
Harry didn’t even bother to do any spell-casting that afternoon. He was far too distracted by then and Mrs Figg didn’t bother encouraging him.
Time crawled as they both waited, hoping that the floo would turn green and Remus and Luna would step through the floo.
Eventually, the sun began to set and Mrs Figg flooed to the ministry. Harry didn’t want to go with her and chose to stay home in case Luna and Remus arrived.
He camped out in front of the floo and waited. He tried to distract himself by listing all the spells he knew, their incantation, and wand movement. He then moved on to potions, their ingredients, and properties.
He looked outside and saw the night sky. The full moon peaked out from behind the clouds. It was too late. Finally, he heard the floo flare and he jumped to his feet, hoping that at least Luna would floo through.
Instead, Susan stepped through. She looked surprised to see Harry standing there expectantly.
“Susan!” Harry yelled as he pulled her into a desperate hug . “I wasn’t expecting you. Luna…” he trailed off.
Susan returned his hug fiercely. “I heard,” she replied. “My aunt has gone with a task force to try and find her. I thought maybe we could wait together?”
Harry nodded in return. “I don’t know that I’ll be very good company but you’re more than welcome.”
Susan laughed and said, “I don’t know that I’ll be any better but it’s so nice to have someone to worry with instead of doing it on my own.”
Harry paused. This worrying was probably a common occurrence for Susan since her aunt was in law enforcement. It was still fairly new to Harry. He never really worried when Mrs Figg left, but he figured she could take care of herself. Luna, on the other hand… he was really worried about.
Harry offered her one of the books that he’d grabbed from the library to distract himself with. She accepted one on enchanting and they sat together reading. Harry was pleased to note that it wasn’t awkward sitting there in silence with Susan and that he found her presence comforting.
His own book wasn’t very distracting and he continued to struggle to focus. Susan adjusted herself so she was sitting besides him. A few moments later her head fell onto his shoulder and he could hear her breathing begin to slow into a rhythm. He’d assumed she’d fallen asleep. A moment later, he felt his eyelids begin to droop and seemingly against his will, he followed suit.
In what seemed like an instant, he thought he heard the floo and he shot awake. He noticed daylight streaming through the nearby window so he must have fallen asleep for several hours. Susan grumbled at his interruption and then woke up as well. They looked at eachother and blushed at having fallen asleep next to each other.
They didn’t have long to be embarrassed as Mrs Figg walked out of the fireplace with a serious look.
“Harry, Susan, I’m sorry but I have some very bad news,” She said to the pair.
Harry’s pulse quickened. “Is it Luna?” he asked. “What about Remus?”
Mrs Figg shook her head sadly. “Remus, Silvie, and Tabatha are at Saint Mungos getting some help… Remus is in bad shape.”
Harry’s throat constricted with emotions at the news. “What about Luna?” he asked again.
With a sigh, Mrs Figg continued, “Luna was taken.”
Harry heard Susan gasp at the revelation. He was confused. Who would have taken Luna and why? Remus had said the pack of werewolves were good people and that they mostly wanted to be left alone.
“What do you mean she’s been taken?” he finally asked. “Who would want to take Luna?”
“He took her,” Mrs Figg said despondently. “He was scoping out the pack for children and he took her.”
Harry’s thoughts were racing. He looked at Susan and saw that she was confused. She had no way of knowing who Mrs Figg was talking about. Harry thought he did but he hoped he was wrong.
“Who took her, Mrs Figg?” Harry asked again. He could hear the thickness of his emotions in his voice.
“He took her, Harry.” Mrs Figg repeated. “Greyback took her.”
Harry saw red as his ears registered her words. He started pacing to try and use up some of the hot energy he felt coursing through his body. It didn’t help.
“I’ll kill him,” he said simply.
Susan backed up at his words, shocked.
Mrs Figg noticed and shook her head, “He doesn’t mean it, Susan, he’s just upset.”
Harry snarled at that. He did mean it. He wanted to kill him.
“You’re not strong enough to face off against Fenrir Greyback, Harry,” Mrs Figg said simply.
He deflated. He knew he wasn’t strong enough. He knew he wasn’t ready. He was never ready. No matter how much he trained and studied, he was still just a 10 year old kid that had years and miles ahead of him. How was it even possible that Fenrir Greyback remained free anyways? Wasn’t the DMLE doing anything about him? Tears of frustration leaked out from behind his eyelids and he wiped furiously at them.
“Someone has to do something if the ministry is too inept,” he said. Harry was so completely done. Voldemort, a wizard decades older than him, killed his parents when he was a baby and some of his followers remained free to this day while Sirius had been erroneously imprisoned for almost 10 years. And now Fenrir Greyback, a known dangerous werewolf had kidnapped his first and best friend. The ministry was less than useless.
“Is my aunt okay?” Susan asked quietly.
Harry felt bad for a moment that he’d not even been a little bit worried about Susan or Amelia Bones, but then he reminded himself that it was probably the DMLE’s fault that Fenrir Greyback was free in the first place. This was the Ministry’s fault. They were too corrupt to be of any actual use.
“Yes, your aunt is just fine. She’s filling out paperwork at the ministry as we speak,” Mrs Figg said.
Harry scoffed. “I bet they can’t even get the paperwork right.”
Susan glared at him and said, “I think I’ll go home. Thanks Mrs Figg.” She walked over to the floo and threw some powder in. “This isn’t my aunt’s fault, Harry,” she said. “You shouldn’t be angry at the few people in the ministry that are actually trying to do something about evil men like Greyback.”
Harry instantly felt awful for how he was acting. He wanted to apologize but she walked through before he could reply.
He sunk to the floor in defeat.
“She’ll forgive you, lad,” Mrs Figg said as she sat down next to him.
Harry wiped away his tears again. “What are we going to do about Luna?” he asked.
“I don’t know that there is anything we can do,” Mrs Figg said. Harry didn’t know whether to curse or bless her for her blunt honesty.
“How bad is Remus?” Harry asked, trying to think about something other than Luna.
Mrs Figg shook her head. “He looked absolutely wrecked when I saw him… Silvie and Tabatha were scraped up but nowhere near as bad as Remus. He must have taken the brunt of things.”
Harry was relieved that Silvie and Tabatha were okay. Remus would be devastated if something had happened to them. He hoped Remus would make a recovery.
“What about the Guild?” he asked. “Can they help?”
Mrs Figg shook her head again, sadly. “I did send a message to them through 'Dung,” she said. “But… I’m not sure what they can do for us besides provide information.”
Harry yelled in frustration. Just how was this single werewolf capable of outrunning the ministry and the Guild, Harry wondered.
“Greyback is well protected,” she continued. “As a werewolf, he’s stronger than most people and is resistant to spells. Beyond that… he’s not only got many loyal followers, but he’s hidden himself in a very complicated cave system on the continent.”
Harry thought deeply. He might not be strong enough to kill Greyback, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t sneaky enough to rescue Luna. He kept his thoughts to himself, however. He knew there was no way that Mrs Figg would let him try anything.
Before Mrs Figg could guess at his thoughts, he changed the subject. “Can we go visit Remus? I’d like to make sure he’s not beating himself up about all this,” he said.
Mrs Figg got up off the floor with a grown. “It might be too early, but I’ll call and find out… we could at least introduce ourselves to Silvie and Tabatha if Remus isn’t well enough just yet.”
Harry nodded. “I’m going to go make some tea to calm my nerves. Want any?”
Mrs Figg nodded in response and he left her at the fireplace.
As he walked to the kitchen, he thought of what he might need to sneak into Greyback’s cave system. He had the cloak and he had several vials of that floating potion. He also had the Hand of Glory to use to help him see in the dark, but he’d have to check that he could use it under the cloak… he’d never forgive himself if he burned a hole in his Dad’s old cloak.
He’d seen some other potions in the books he’d gotten for Christmas that might be helpful. There was a potion in there that helped the user see in the dark as well as elevate his other senses so he could hear, smell, and see better in general. Those would be useful. And, so long as the area wasn’t riddled with ambient magic, he could always rely on his family magic to trace out the area.
He removed the kettle from the stove just as Mrs Figg walked in. He poured them both a cup of tea and sat at the table.
Mrs Figg looked worried, he noticed. She probably didn’t want to set me off again with whatever she’d learned from her floo call.
“What is it?” he asked, bluntly.
“Remus isn’t well enough to have visitors just yet,” she said, taking a sip while looking at him warily. “The welcome witch said that…” she trailed off. Her hands were shaking as she attempted another sip of her tea. She took a steadying breath and finished, “They think he might not be able to walk again.”
Harry was confused. He’d always just assumed that magic could fix anything. The thought that Remus was in bad enough shape that even magic couldn’t fix him had him worried. He was starting to second guess his plans. He shook himself out of it. It was out of the question. He’d not be able to live with himself if he didn’t at least try.
“But he’ll live, right Mrs Figg?” he checked, ignoring the quiver in his voice.
Mrs Figg nodded. “They think so,” she said.” But it will be a rough recovery.”
Harry couldn’t even fathom what it would be like to wake up and not be able to walk again.
“What about Silvie and Tabatha?” he asked. “Did the welcome witch say whether or not they’d take visitors?”
Mrs Figg nodded. “They agreed to a visit from us, but they’re pretty tired. They had a long night with the full moon and all.”
“So later, then? Tomorrow?” he asked.
“Tomorrow,” she said.
Harry woke early the next day. He’d spent the previous day in his potions lab attempting to make some potions that he thought might be helpful for his mission. He was serious about trying to help Luna. He couldn’t rely on anyone, so he had to do it himself. He’d even managed to successfully brew quite a bit and he felt confident that they’d work well enough.
He wasn’t sure how he was going to get information on Greyback from the Guild. He was sure they’d have a file on him and they might even know where the cave system was, but he had no idea how he was going to get there. Maybe he could convince Silvie or Tabatha to tell him. He’d have to be careful how he approached it though. He didn’t want to hint that he was planning anything and Mrs Figg would be sure to catch him if she heard he was asking for details.
They weren’t planning on visiting the hospital for a few more hours. It was still pretty early and Harry wasn’t sure what he was going to do to pass the time. He walked out of his room and stopped outside of Luna’s doorway. Poor Luna. No one had said it out loud yesterday, but he put the dots together. If Fenrir had Luna then he’d definitely bitten her and even if she did survive, she would likely be a werewolf from now on.
His stomach churned into knots as guilt crept into him as he remembered how he’d encouraged Mrs Figg and Remus to let her go. It was so foolish of him. He never should have suggested she go. He walked into the room. He should at least make sure Auggie had what he needed. As he walked into the room, he saw one of Loki’s toys and that is when it dawned on him that Loki had gone with her. He felt even worse as he realized he’d not given the cat a single thought yesterday. He doubted Loki had survived the night.
Tears built in his eyes at the thought. Not even a year old and he’d been obliterated by a werewolf. It wasn’t fair. None of it was fair. He shook his head. He walked on towards Auggie, who gave a mournful cry at Harry. “I know, Auggie, I know,” he said. “I miss her too.”
Auggie cried again and Harry felt goosebumps raise on his arms like they had the day he’d met the bird. “Do you know?” he asked the bird. “Do you know if Luna’s going to survive this?”
Auggie just looked at him and it felt like the bird was looking directly through him. He shivered at the encounter. Auguries sure were creepy birds.
He filled his food and water and then made sure the window was open. He turned to walk back out of the bedroom and caught sight of a loose piece of parchment hanging out of Luna’s nightstand drawer. Luna’s room was a mess so he wasn’t sure how it had even captured his attention, but he felt a pull towards it, so he walked over and opened the drawer to inspect the parchment.
He unrolled it and found a well drawn picture that Luna must have done. The drawing showed Luna and a wolf sitting at a campfire. The full moon was displayed overhead and off in the distance Harry saw some mountains and what looked like a cave of some sorts. Harry got the chills at the implication that Luna might have somehow known what was going to happen and had gone anyway.
He flipped the parchment over and he saw Luna’s untidy scrawl that read,
‘The Fool Moon
I walk calmly like a fool towards my future
My dreams whisper all will be well
But show me violence and a blood red moon
I await my Hero to save me from the bell
That tolls so loudly that it rocks my every suture
My Knight may find me deep within the fountain
That lies upon the mystic mountain’
Harry gasped. She might not have known but she sure as hell had guessed and had gone anyway. He didn’t understand why. He put the drawing back into the drawer and closed it. He’d ask her about it later when he’d found her.
The poem on the back seemed riddled with clues, but they weren’t very helpful if he were honest. Maybe it would be more clear after he talked with Silvie and Tabatha.
When he finally made it to the kitchen, he found that Mrs Figg was already awake as well. She was sitting at the table looking over some parchment.
“Good morning Mrs Figg,” he said.
Mrs Figg looked up and quickly put the parchment away.
He was extremely curious to know what she was looking over. He wondered if it was from the Guild. Maybe it was Greyback’s file.
“What’s that?” he asked while pointing at the bag she’d just put the parchment away in.
With a sigh, she said, “None of your concern.”
“Will it help us find Luna?” he asked in a biting tone? “Because then it is very much my concern.”
He didn’t think she’d actually show him, but if he didn’t put up a fight then she’d get suspicious.
She shrugged, “It might help ME to figure out how best to help Luna. YOU,” she said pointing at him, “Will stay out of it. You’re not ready.”
Harry glared at her and said, “The last couple times I left things to the adults it hasn’t exactly gone well for me, has it?”
She flinched but recovered quickly. “I’ll remind you that Sirius is free and Wormtail is dead.”
Harry nodded, but added, “And who captured the rat?”
She sighed, “This is not even remotely close to the same thing and you know it.”
Harry just grinned at her. She knew he had won the argument.
“It’s not up for debate, lad,” she said. “You’re too young to square off with a full grown werewolf.”
Harry sneered. She was right. Good thing he wasn’t planning on getting caught in the first place.
She secured her victory by ending the argument and asking, “You ready to go to the hospital?”
He glared again at her change of subject but nodded that he was ready.
“Good,” she said. “I have some things to do later so we need to go now.” She had emphasized that she had something to do, not him, when she said it.
He just turned around and walked out towards the floo. She might be right, but she also wasn’t. He would be the one to rescue Luna. Adults waited too long to act, spending too much time going over all the details.
They flooed through to the hospital. Harry was too distracted to notice that he’d flooed successfully and hadn’t even tripped. He walked over to the welcome witch and spoke before Mrs Figg had the chance just so she could see he was fully capable of something.
“We’re here to see Remus Lupin, Silvie…” he paused, realizing he didn’t know Silvies and Tabatha’s last name.
“Silvie and Tabatha Mayer,” Mrs Figg took over. Harry rolled his eyes at the smirk on her face.
The welcome witch looked between the two of them. Clearly not sure who to answer. She settled on Mrs Figg as the adult and said, “Remus still isn’t well enough for visitors. They’re doing the best they can but he was very badly injured.”
Harry interrupted, “Is he going to be okay?” he asked.
The welcome witch nodded in understanding. “He will live,” she said. “The healers are confident that he’ll wake up soon but he’ll be here for quite a while recovering.”
“Thanks,” he said.
“Silvie and Tabatha are ready to meet you, though,” she said. “Tabatha was especially excited when we told her you’d been asking about them.”
Harry and Mrs Figg walked towards the lift and rode up the one level in silence. They were greeted by a nurse and then shown to Silvie and Tabatha’s room.
The nurse knocked on the door and then opened it. Harry and Mrs Figg followed after and the nurse introduced them to the recovering werewolves.
Silvie looked to be in her late 20’s and was quite beautiful with curly chestnut hair and an athletic figure. She had a few scars around her neck and shoulders but they didn’t really detract from her beauty.
Tabatha was young and small. Her hair matched her mother’s and he noticed they had the same brown eyes with amber specs. He reckoned that Silvie must have been pretty young when Tabatha was born.
The nurse left and Silvie was quick to speak. “I’m so sorry about Luna.”
Tabatha nodded her agreement.
Harry wanted so badly to be polite and to treat Remus’ friends with respect but he was still so angry. Instead, he spit out the one thing he’d been dying to ask them.
“What happened?” he said shortly.
Both werewolves flinched at his tone and he quickly raised his hands in a placating manner. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m just worried about my friend.” He cleared his throat and finished, “Can you please explain what happened?”
Silvie nodded and gave him a smile full of pity. He hated it, but he didn’t want to be rude again so he just waited.
“Remus and Luna found me in the group, but Tabatha here had been missing for almost a whole week. I was frantic when Remus arrived,” she said. She took a deep breath and continued with her story. “Tabatha left on her own one day to collect some stones from a nearby stream even though she knows she’s not supposed to.”
Harry watched as Tabatha’s face grew red in embarrassment and guilt.
“That’s when the bad man took me,” Tabatha said. He knocked me out with a spell and when I woke up I was in a cage but we were still outside.”
“I tried looking for her for days. Some of the other werewolves helped, but…” she frowned angrily before continuing. “A lot of the werewolves wanted to just look the other way and didn’t want to get involved with Greyback.”
Harry frowned. He thought they were all being a bunch of cowards and was growing tired of people not stepping in when they could.
“They’re right to be afraid of Greyback,” Mrs Figg said. “He’s strong and his pack is growing in number all the time.”
Silvie looked a bit angry at her words and said, “I think they’re a bunch of cowards, but you are right that he’s strong.” She looked away, out towards the window nearby. “Poor Remus,” she said.
“Did you see what happened to Remus?” Harry asked. “Can you remember what you see when you’re transformed?”
Silvie chuckled. “Normally, we only remember small glimpses of the night’s events when we’re transformed. It’s like a dream. As soon as you wake up, the memories drift away,” she said. “But I have been on Wolfsbane and I remember everything… even though right now I wish I didn’t”
Harry grimaced. He thought it must have been really bad then and he decided not to ask for details right now.
“Remus is strong. I just know he’ll survive,” Harry said, trying to reassure Silvie and Tabatha.
Tabatha nodded as if she agreed but Silvie had a haunted look in her eyes.
Just then, there was a light knock at the door and then a healer that he hadn’t expected to see walked through the door.
“Healer Juniper!” he said excitedly. “I didn’t know you were helping with Remus.”
Healer Juniper smiled kindly at him and said, “I’m not really part of Remus’ team, but I heard you were here and I wanted to stop in for a word with Mrs Figg.”
Mrs Figg looked surprised at the news. “You need to talk to me?” she said. “Whatever for?”
“It’s probably best that we have this conversation in private,” said the Healer.
Healer Juniper led Mrs Figg to the door and Harry made to follow but was stopped. “You should stay and talk with these two,” she said. “I only need to talk to Mrs Figg.”
Harry frowned. He hated being left out but maybe he could use Mrs Figg’s absence to ask for information that could help him find Luna.
He nodded in understanding and walked back over to the two werewolves that were watching from their beds. He tried to be polite and smile at them but he was so worried about Luna and Remus that he just couldn’t quite bring a smile to his face. He sat there in silence until Tabatha interrupted his thoughts.
“You must be really worried about your friend,” she said.
Harry nodded. “I hate this,” he said. “I feel so useless.”
Silvie nodded to show her understanding.
“I just want to understand how Luna was captured,” he said. “What happened?”
Silvie took a shaky breath and exhaled slowly. “We don’t really know. Remus and I were making a plan to go look for Tabatha and before we knew it, Luna had wandered off.
“Remus was beside himself with worry. The werewolf pack I travel with isn’t dangerous… I mean… They don’t want to hurt anyone. That’s why they travel in packs on the outskirts of society, but it’s still not exactly safe for a human to wander around.”
Tabatha took over the explanation from there. “I don’t know how Luna knew where to find me, but she wandered into our camp during the early morning,” she said. “It was like she knew exactly where to find me and when the best time would be. Everyone was asleep and they didn’t notice Luna at first. She walked over to my cage and unlocked it with a key.” Tabatha paused. “Come to think of it, I don’t know where she got the key. It’s like I said, she somehow knew where and when and how to rescue me.”
Harry wondered just how much Luna knew about what was going to happen that night. Did she know that she’d get captured and had gone anyway? He didn’t understand why she’d do that, but everything Tabatha was saying indicated that she did.
“So she unlocked your cage and the pair of you got away?” he checked.
Tabatha nodded. “We got pretty far, but all of a sudden Luna shoved me forward and told me to run as fast as I could and not to stop, so I did,” she said with a disgusted look on her face. “I wish I would have stayed and helped her.”
Harry shook his head and said, “It’s good that you listened to Luna otherwise you’d probably both be captured right now.”
Silvie climbed out of her bed and went to Tabatha to comfort her daughter.
“How did Remus get hurt then? Did you make it back to camp?” he asked.
Tabatha nodded. “I did make it back to the group and I found Mum and Remus right away,” she said. “But when I told them what happened, Remus ran off and we didn’t see him again until much later.”
Silvie took over, “Remus couldn’t find her but he did pick up on her trail. He came back to camp to recruit help, but no one would agree to go with him.”
Harry was disgusted at the lot of them for refusing to help. How was it possible that a young 10 year old girl had more courage than a pack of werewolves, he wondered.
“Remus didn’t want to wait another night and so we left Tabatha with a trusted friend and then he and I went to the nearest magical village, just outside Corvara, for supplies. Remus left a message with a wizard friend of his… I think it was meant for Mrs Figg or the aurors that he suspected would show up.”
That made sense to Harry. It was probably how he and Luna had arrived in Italy in the first place. He wondered how hard it would be to find out how to contact him so he could floo through.
“We went looking for Luna together,” she said. “We were able to pick up on their trail, and we found their camp, but it had taken us a long time and they’d abandoned it by then. The moon had come out while we were there and we transformed into our wolf forms.”
Harry nodded along as she shared her story. He was grateful they’d had wolfsbane and were able to keep control of their werewolf forms.
“We made our way to a nearby cave and we were ambushed.”
She didn’t go into detail, but he could tell from the look on her face that it had been bad.
“Remus took the brunt of it. Greyback was particularly vicious in his attacks,” she said in a shaky voice. She had a look in her eyes that told him that she was remembering the event.
“Thanks,” Harry said. “For telling me and for going with Remus to try and save Luna.”
He was grateful that at least Remus had found someone that was equal to him in bravery. He was tired of cowards and self serving wastes of space.
Silvie nodded and said, “I’m just sorry we failed. I feel awful that we’re meeting this way. I was excited when Remus said you’d invited us to move in.”
A part of him wanted to leverage her guilt for more information on Remus’ friend in the village, but he didn’t want to risk damaging their relationship.
“Oh, I’m excited for you and Tabatha to move in too,” he said instead. “Remus gets a silly grin on his face whenever it gets brought up.”
“You mean we’re still welcome?” Tabatha asked.
Harry was confused. It wasn’t their fault that Luna had been captured. Why would he have changed his mind? They must have been through some things to think he’d go back on his offer. He supposed he’d started off pretty gruffly and maybe that’s why they thought he’d reconsidered.
“Of course you’re still welcome,” he said. “Besides, when we get Luna back she’s going to need family by her side that understands what she’s going through.”
Both Silvie and Tabatha jumped out of bed at this. They ran over and tackled him into a tight hug.
A long whistle came from the doorway just then and Harry looked up to see Sirius leaning against the door frame with a smirk on his face.
“I knew you had it in you, Harry,” he joked. “But I was not expecting to walk in on such a beautiful view.”
Harry saw Silvie blush as she realized her hospital gown was open in the back. She quickly covered herself.
“You must be Sirius,” Silvie said as Tabatha snickered.
Sirius' smile grew, obviously happy to hear he had a reputation. He bowed respectfully and said, “At your service.”
He turned to look at Harry and said, “Not going to lie, when I heard you were here, I was hurt that you didn’t come visit me first but now I understand why.” He wiggled his eyebrows teasingly at Harry.
Harry rolled his eyes at that. He knew Sirius wasn’t actually offended. “I was going to come see you next, Sirius,” he said. “I figured you would still be asleep after a long night of tormenting the nurses.”
Sirius cackled at that.
“Did you hear about Remus, then?” Harry asked.
Sirius nodded solemnly. “One of the nurses told me as soon as he arrived,” he said.
Harry caught Sirius up on Luna and Greyback.
Sirius cursed harshly and Harry watched as Tabatha’s eyes grew as she registered the new word with a grin. Silvie glared at Sirius but didn’t say anything.
“We can’t just sit here,” Sirius said. “We have to do something.”
Sirius began to pace. “Is the ministry out looking?” He asked.
Harry shook his head. “I don’t know,” he said. “But I doubt they’ll be any help.”
Sirius nodded his agreement. “Bunch of useless paper pushers,” he said. “Maybe I should take Amelia up on her offer to join the DMLE so they have at least someone willing to do something.”
Harry hesitated. He hadn’t known that Madam Bones had been here. “What are you talking about, Sirius?” He asked.
“When Amelia found out I intended to sue the ministry she stopped by for a visit, begging me to reconsider,” he said. “She seemed to think I could do more good by working for her. Said I could fix things from the inside.”
Harry kind of agreed with her. No one would take the job of ensuring justice be served more seriously than a man that had been treated so unjustly.
“You think it’s a good idea?” Sirius checked.
Harry nodded and said, “Yes, actually.” He ignored the voice in his head that was saying how useful it would be to have someone he trusted on the inside.
Sirius grew silent as he contemplated his decision.
Harry began to wonder again how he was going to get to Italy and rescue Luna.
“Hey Sirius, out of curiosity…” he said with some hesitation. Sirius was pretty irresponsible but Harry wasn’t sure whether or not this would work. He decided to push through and hope for the best.
“How would you get to Italy?” He asked. Silvie looked like she was going to interrupt but she hesitated. Sirius was looking at him shrewdly.
“Why do you ask?” He said. “You’re not thinking of facing off against Greyback are you?”
Harry shook his head, no. “I’m only 10 years old, Sirius. If Remus couldn’t do it then I sure as hell can’t.”
He wasn’t technically lying. He didn’t intend to face off against Greyback.
Harry continued, “I’m just curious what you would do if you were going to try and rescue her.”
Sirius looked thoughtful, but Silvie interrupted. “We shouldn’t be talking about this,” she said.
From what Harry knew about Sirius, telling him he couldn’t or shouldn’t do something just made him want to do it more.
“This is all hypothetical, right Harry?” He checked.
Harry nodded.
“Well I’d either floo to the ministry and use their international floo to get there or I’d take a portkey,” he said. “A two way portkey would be safest so I could travel back more easily.”
“And how would you get one of these portkeys?” Harry pressed.
“Well you could request one from the ministry or you could procure one from a less than reputable person in Knockturn Alley.”
Silvie has obviously had enough because she huffed and said, “That’s enough, Sirius. Harry doesn’t need any bad ideas floating around in his head.”
“Don’t worry, you two,” Harry said. “I have no intention of traveling to Italy to fight Greyback.”
They looked at him skeptically.
He wasn’t lying. He wasn’t going to fight Greyback. He was just going to sneak around him and rescue Luna. Fighting Greyback was the last thing he wanted to do.
He decided to change the subject.
“Any chance you’re getting out of here soon?” He asked Sirius.
Sirius smiled and said, “I’m actually released right now.”
Harry was gobsmacked. “Why didn’t you say so?” He shouted.
Sirius laughed and said, “Because this way is more fun.”
Harry punched him in the arm and Sirius laughed again as if it didn’t hurt but Harry saw him rubbing his arm a while later when he thought he wasn’t looking.
“You’re coming to live with me, right?” Harry checked.
Sirius nodded. “At least for now,” he said. “I did inherit my parent’s home and I should probably check in on it at least… I doubt it’s safe to live there right now.”
Harry laughed happily.
“What about you two? When will you get released?” He asked the two werewolves.
Tabatha smiled excitedly. “We should be released tonight or tomorrow,” she said.
Harry grinned and they spent some time just talking about nothing.
Mrs Figg arrived much later with a weird look on her face. He wanted to ask her what Healer Juniper had wanted but she shook her head subtly when he started. He would have to ask her later when they were alone.
Notes:
A/N: I wrote and rewrote and rewrote this chapter. Not sure I love it but it's probably as good as it's going to get. It's pretty long and I didn't get everything I wanted in so it's going to be at least a two parter.
I'm dying to know what you think.
~WayfinderWolf
Chapter 16: The Fool Moon Part II
Chapter Text
A/N: bit of a long chapter but I didn't want to break it into three parts. Enjoy!
Sirius had flooed home with them when they left the hospital so Harry didn’t get a chance to talk to Mrs Figg about what happened with Healer Juniper and she left the house to run her errand shortly after that.
He showed Sirius around the house, highlighting any changes he’d made since Sirius probably knew the house better than he did. He offered Sirius the master bedroom but he declined and said he’d just stay with Remus in the guest wing.
Harry didn’t feel like arguing so he let it go.
They ate lunch and Sirius treated him to stories of his dad when he was growing up.
After that, Sirius left to check on his family home and to grab a few things that he hadn’t been able to bring with him when he’d run away. Harry offered to go with but he’d been waved off with excuses of safety.
Harry didn’t put up much of a fight. He needed to go to Gringotts and deposit the Guild Leader’s key and probably withdraw some gold to pay for a portkey. He should probably stop by Remus’ room and try to find out more about Remus’ contact in Italy.
He wanted to be back in case Silvie and Tabatha were released so he’d have to hurry if he didn’t want to be stopped.
Harry hadn’t spent much time in the guest wing period, and even less since Remus had moved in because he was usually so busy. He walked down the hall and into Remus’ room, which was pretty spacious even after being filled with all of the werewolf’s stuff. Harry concentrated on his breathing and sent out his magical probes to scout out any objects that may have the magical signature of the man.
He ignored the pings that resembled anyone he already knew. After some time, he thought he picked up on something near the desk. He wandered over and inspected a pile of letters and envelopes. Eventually, he came across one letter from someone named Maurilio. Harry thought the name sounded Italian to him so he opened the envelope and found a magical photo and letter from the man. The magical photo was of Remus, Silvie, and Tabatha that all waved kindly at him. In the background was a large mountain covered in trees. On the back of the photo were the words Corvara 1989.
He scanned the letter and found that it described Remus' visit to the village with an invitation that the group visit again in the future. Harry assumed this is what he needed. He had the name of the village and the name of his friend, Maurilio Salvoni. He hoped the two pieces of information would be helpful enough.
Harry walked down the Alley and into Gringotts Bank with a respectful nod to the goblins, who simply ignored him.
He was about to approach the counter that he and Mrs Figg had used to request access to his vault the first time, but there was a buzzing in his right ear that wouldn’t quit. He looked to his right and saw a door that he didn’t remember before. On the door was the same symbol that he’d had burned into his hand at his initiation into the Guild of Shadows.
Intrigued, he walked towards the door and tried the handle. He didn’t know why, but he was surprised that it was unlocked. He walked through and found himself in a small barren room. The door snapped shut behind him suddenly and he found himself in the dark. He tried the door but it wouldn’t open. Was this some sort of trap for Guild Members? Did the Goblins have some sort of relationship with the Guild? He felt himself begin to panic and he tried to calm himself with his breathing exercises.
He wasn’t sure that he could handle the ambient magic of the place but he decided to concentrate and expand his consciousness. It was, of course, a mistake, as he was suddenly overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of magic in the bank. He quickly shut it off, but continued to concentrate on his breathing in order to calm himself.
After what felt like ages, a red light appeared in the room seemingly from a distance much further than Harry had originally thought fit the size of the room. He decided to walk towards the light since it was the only way he was likely to get out of here. He thought about putting on his invisibility cloak but didn’t want to give away that he had it, just in case it turned out he wasn’t in danger.
He walked for a while and found that his eyes were adjusting to the red light and he was able to make out much more of the room than before. He also thought he could hear running water and it was starting to stink a bit. He walked through a small archway and found himself in a cavernous room that was filled with red, blue, and purple lanterns. He saw a large pool that was fed by a small waterfall. The spectacle was mesmerizing at first and he missed the fact that he was no longer alone. There were a few witches and wizards down here wearing robes that were fitted with cowls to hide their faces. He suddenly felt very exposed and lifted his hood which unfortunately didn’t have a cowl. Besides the people, there were also some goblins and he thought he saw a few house elves.
He wondered why Mrs Figg had never mentioned the place. He considered briefly that she might not know about it, but quickly dismissed it. Mrs Figg knew pretty much everything, he reckoned. “What is this place?” he whispered to himself in utter disbelief as he took the sight in.
“This is the Guild Market,” a raspy voice said just behind him. “I assume you’re a member of the Guild at least… else you wouldn’t have gotten in.”
Harry spun and found himself nearly eye to eye with a goblin that was baring his sharp teeth in what he hoped was a friendly smile.
Harry nodded and said, “I am.”
“And you just found this place on your own?” the goblin checked.
Harry nodded again, but didn’t say anything.
The goblin laughed at that and said, “You’re either very lucky or very resourceful.”
Harry ignored the comment. He'd gotten lucky.
Thinking of all he still needed to do today, he asked, "How do I get out of here?”
“I only answer one question for free, wizard, “The goblin said. “The rest will cost you.”
Harry fished out a few sickles from his coin pouch and handed them to the goblin.
“Oh there are a couple ways depending on where you want to go?” the goblin answered with an evil grin.
Harry thought for a moment before saying, “I just wanted to visit my vault and withdraw a few galleons.”
“Then you’ll want to use that door there,” the goblin said while pointing his long green finger at a door not too far away.
“Out of curiosity,” Harry said. “What is this place used for?”
The goblin raised an eyebrow at the question but didn’t answer.
Harry huffed and withdrew a few more sickles and handed them over.
“Members buy and trade services and goods here. It’s a market, like I said,” the goblin answered with a chuckle.
“I know that, but what kinds of things can I buy here and do I have to have those Guild coins or will galleons do?” Harry asked in frustration.
The goblin held out his hand waiting.
Harry grumbled. “I shouldn’t have to pay you more since you didn’t really answer my question.”
The goblin remained silent until Harry gave in and handed a few more sickles over. He’d have to remember to be more specific with his questions going forward.
“Guild members usually prefer to use Guild coins but you might be able to pay in galleons, it will depend on the witch or wizard,” the goblin said. “You can buy almost anything here really, but the Guild merchants mostly sell rare or illegal items down here. Otherwise you might as well be up in Diagon.”
Harry nodded and hummed. “So if I needed a portkey or access to an international floo?” he asked.
The goblin nodded and pointed at someone across the pool of water. “You’ll want to talk to Henry there.”
Harry raised his eyes in shock that the goblin had used the man’s name but Harry considered he might be a Specialist.
Harry nodded his thanks and excused himself from the goblin.
He walked around the market, trying to discern what each vendor sold. He saw some potions ingredients as well as some animal parts that he knew were expensive. He assumed a lot of them were simply illegal or at least restricted, but he didn’t know for sure. He did stop and look at a display of potions but the merchant refused gold and only wanted to deal in Guild coins, which he didn’t have.
After the potions merchant, he overheard someone talking about dealing in magical creatures. He was intrigued at this and wondered how he could get away with raising illegal creatures at home.
Just before he got to where the goblin had pointed earlier, he became distracted by a booth that was displaying some robes and other gear.
He asked the merchant about the gear and was pleased to hear that they’d accept galleons. The cowled robes, he’d learned, were enchanted to absorb kinetic energy and distribute them more evenly. Basically, if he were punched, the blow would be distributed to a large area instead of the point of impact. It would reduce the chances of severe injury.
They sounded really cool, but they were extremely expensive. He decided to purchase a black set anyway once he learned they’d adjust to his growing body. They should last a very long time as long as he didn’t damage them too extensively.
He also bought a wand holster for good measure. It wasn’t enchanted in any significant way and he could probably have found it in a shop in Diagon, but it at least matched his new robes.
Lastly, the merchant offered a pair of very fine boots that were enchanted to dampen the sound of his footsteps. Harry reckoned they would come in handy and they also adjusted as his body grew.
He found a small vacant alcove and put on his new equipment immediately. Fully equipped, he felt ready to conquer the world. Or at least, ready to rescue Luna. The world would have to wait.
As he exited the alcove he found his target and headed towards him. The man was sitting at a bar at what Harry assumed was some kind of makeshift tavern. Much of the market, he’d noticed, seemed pieced together, like it had evolved over time instead of being built with this specific purpose in mind.
He tapped the man on the shoulder and was about to announce himself, but the man turned in the blink of an eye and then gripped Harry’s arm and heaved Harry off his feet before flipping him over and throwing him to the ground.
Harry was rather glad he’d stopped and put his new robes on. He felt the impact, but rather than it being directed at his back, it moved all through his body as promised. He was positive he’d have had the wind knocked right out of him otherwise.
He got up with a groan and found that no one was even glancing in their direction. They’d all gone back to whatever it was they were doing before as if nothing had happened. It made him think that Henry probably reacted this way frequently.
“You shouldn’t sneak up on people like that,” Henry said.
Harry brushed off the remaining dust and said, “Sorry, it’s a habit.” He made sure his cowl was still covering his face.
Henry laughed at that and said, “Seems to be a pretty common habit in the Guild.”
“Do you end up throwing people like that a lot then?” Harry checked with some exasperation.
“Yes,” was Henry’s reply.
“Could you teach me how to do that?” He decided to ask.
Henry shrugged, “I could try but I don’t know if you could learn it. It’ll cost a Guild coin either way.”
Harry shook his head. He wanted to get this exchange over with.
“I’m told you can get me transportation out of the country,” he said.
The man nodded. “Aye, I can but it’ll cost you a lot of Guild coins.”
Harry sighed. He was afraid of that.
“Please, I’m a new member and I don’t have any Guild coin,” he said. “But perhaps we can work something out?”
Harry really hoped the man could be reasoned with.
“No,” the man said.
Harry didn’t want to give up but he didn’t know what else to do. He hadn’t originally planned on the Guild’s help anyways.
Harry turned and started to walk away. He’d have to find another way.
“Wait,” the man said so quietly that Harry almost thought he’d imagined it.
He turned back around and faced the man.
“I've heard about you. You’re new so that means you’ll be attending Hogwarts next year?” The man asked.
Harry nodded, curious where this was going.
“Then there is something you can do for me,” Henry said.
Harry shook his head. “I won’t be going to Hogwarts for several more months. I need your help now. I can’t wait,” he said.
“That’s ok, I’m willing to risk it,” Henry said desperately. “I just need you to pass on a message to my son when you see him.”
Harry was confused. “Why don’t you just tell him yourself?” He asked.
“It’s not that simple,” the man said. “I’m not welcome… I’m a wanted criminal and I spend most of my time down here these days. I suspect my owls are being intercepted because I never get a reply."
“Oh,” Harry said eloquently.
Henry ignored him and continued desperately. “I need you to find Kent McDougal and tell him I didn’t do what everyone says I did. He needs to know I’ve been framed.”
Harry nodded and agreed to his request.
“Thank you,” Henry said. “I’m going to hold you to your agreement.”
“I promise to pass on your message as soon as I can,” he replied.
“Now tell me where you need to go,” Henry said.
So Harry told him about the village in Italy and the man he thought might be able to help him.
Henry nodded. “Alright, this is going to take time. My contact in the ministry is going to have to look all this up discreetly and it’s going to take some coin.
“How long?” Harry asked. He couldn’t afford to wait long but he didn’t know what else to do. “I can pay,” he added, handing over his coin pouch.
Henry accepted the coin pouch from Harry. “Normally, this kind of thing takes a couple weeks, but I should be able to expedite it with some added bribes.” He counted out the coin quietly. “Find me here in two days,” he said finally.
Harry nodded and shook the man’s hand before walking away.
Harry flooed into his entry way at his house. He paused and listened to see if he could discern if anyone was home. He didn’t hesitate too long because if anyone flooed home now they’d wonder why he was standing in the entry way.
Instead, he rushed off to his room.
He headed back to the kitchen to start on dinner. He didn’t know when or even if anyone would be joining him tonight but he wanted to be a good host in case they did. Plus, he needed the distraction. His nerves were on edge. He had to wait two whole days to act on his plan. That also meant he had to hide his intentions for two whole days. He hoped Luna would be okay for that long. From what he’d heard about Greyback, she likely was at least being fed. The werewolf would want to make sure that Luna had been successfully infected and that she’d survive her first transformation. That meant Harry had at least a month to rescue her, but he absolutely did not want to wait that long.
If Luna was going to transform into a werewolf, she would be surrounded by people that cared about her when it happened. At least the ones that could safely do so.
Harry heard the floo and he stuck his head out the kitchen doorway to see who had arrived. He was pleased to see Mrs Figg. He waved her over. He wanted to ask what Healer Juniper had wanted. He also wanted to know why she hadn’t told him about the Guild Market, but he would have to wait until after rescuing Luna to bring it up.
Mrs Figg entered the kitchen and started to help with dinner without a word. The two worked in silence for a moment before Harry asked, “What did Healer Juniper want then?”
Mrs Figg sighed and answered, “Guild business.” She stopped chopping and looked at him before adding, “It’s nothing to do with Luna, if you’re wondering.”
Harry nodded. He was wondering, but he assumed that would be the case. The Guild had a lot of things in the works at any given moment so Luna probably wasn’t a priority, even if they did know about it.
“Silvie and Tabatha said they could be released from the hospital any time now,” he said. “Are you sure you don’t mind them being here?”
Mrs Figg hesitated for a moment. It was just a moment, but it was enough to tell Harry that she probably wasn’t completely comfortable answering. “I am nervous about having werewolves in the house,” she admitted. “But, I would never presume to make decisions about who lives here. It is your house after all.”
“We’ll take the proper precautions, Mrs Figg,” he said with an understanding smile. “Besides, I didn’t tell you why I told Remus to invite them here.”
Mrs Figg arched her eyebrow and said, “You mean that you asked Remus and Silvie to take care of the magical creatures and greenhouses while you’re away at school?”
Harry threw his hands in the air in exasperation. “Honesty, is there anything that goes on in this house that you don’t know about?”
Mrs Figg chuckled, but looked at him seriously. “I don’t know, is there?” she asked.
Harry couldn’t stop the gulp he took at both her question and the look on her face. He was entirely sure that she did know he’d left for most of the day. Either that or she was using this as a tool to get something out of him.
“Remus told me. He actually checked in with me to make sure I was comfortable with it,” she said. “Unlike somebody,” she added with a smirk.
“Sorry,” he said. “I should have thought to check with you.”
Mrs Figg placed a hand on his shoulder and looked at him seriously. “It’s no matter. This is your house after all and I’m glad that you’re filling it with people that obviously care about you.”
Harry smiled. Mrs Figg wasn’t very affectionate most of the time, but moments like this let him know she did care about him.
For a moment he considered telling her about the Guild Leader’s key but something stopped him. He didn’t know why, but he decided to keep it to himself for now.
“I miss Luna,” he said. “What’s being done to get her home?”
Mrs Figg raised her eyebrow at him with a questioning look. He pushed away the thought that she knew what he was planning. There was no way she knew that, despite her seemingly knowing everything.
“We’ll have to leave it to the aurors, I think,” she said. “You were particularly hard on them in your rant, but they are doing everything they can to find her… they just have to deal with international laws… The Italian ministry was rather upset that they hadn’t been notified before the British aurors crossed into their territories.”
“Why didn’t Madam Bones inform them first?” Harry asked.
“Because time was of the essence and she thought it would be better to ask forgiveness rather than permission,” Mrs Figg said. “She was more concerned about Luna than she was anything else.”
Harry felt worse knowing all the nasty thoughts he’d had and said out loud in front of Susan that day.
“I should probably apologize to both of them,” he said.
Mrs Figg smiled and nodded her agreement.
“It’ll be fine. Use this as an opportunity to learn from past mistakes,” she said. “You’re still quite young and are going to make many more mistakes that will probably have a bigger impact. Best you start learning humility now.”
Their conversation was interrupted when someone arrived through the floo. Harry walked out of the kitchen to see who it was and found Silvie and Tabatha standing in the entryway with wide eyes. Tabatha’s mouth was opened in surprise.
When they noticed Harry, they collected themselves but still looked on in wonder.
“Remus had said you lived in a large house, but this is amazing!” Silvie said.
Harry chuckled. He remembered feeling similarly when he first moved in. It was a very far cry from the cupboard under the stairs. “I’m still getting used to it too. I have started thinking of each part of the house as separate places entirely,” he said. “It helps.”
Tabatha interjected then. “Remus said you used to live with your aunt and uncle?” she checked.
“Yes, and my bedroom was about the same size as the fireplace there,” he said.
Silvie laughed until she realized he hadn’t been joking.
“But then I was rescued by Mrs Figg and I learned I was a wizard. This is my family home,” he said. “Come on, I’ll show you around.”
Harry was somewhat surprised the next morning when Mrs Figg arrived to wake him for lessons. He groaned and thought some unkind thoughts about Mrs Figg being inconsiderate, considering the situation with Luna.
But he got up and did his exercises as he was supposed to. The lessons today would be a nice distraction since he would have to wait until tomorrow to visit the Guild Market again. He prayed that an opportunity would present itself so that he could leave unnoticed.
After his exercises, he went to the kitchen for breakfast. He was somewhat surprised to see Sirius there with Mrs Figg talking.
“Sirius, when did you get here?” he asked the older man.
Sirius looked up from his tea, his eyes red and irritated.
“You look like death warmed over, Sirius, what happened?” Harry checked.
Mrs Figg chuckled at that and then busied herself at the stove.
Sirius looked irritated and then thoughtful.
“You sounded just like Lily just then, you know,” Sirius said with a sad smile. “I got to my parent’s home and reacquainted myself with some bad memories. One thing led to another and before I knew it I blacked out.”
Harry frowned but wasn’t surprised based on the things he knew about Sirius already. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you, Sirius,” he said.
Sirius looked surprised and then confused. “It’s not your job to take care of me, Harry,” he said. “It’s the other way around.”
Mrs Figg brought over two plates of food and placed them in front of each of them. “Eat up,” she said. “Merlin knows you need it, Sirius.”
The group ate together and Harry watched in amusement as Mrs Figg forced Sirius to drink a bunch of water. She obviously knew what she was doing because Sirius looked a lot better after breakfast.
She then ordered him to go take a shower and get cleaned up so he and Harry could practice some spellwork.
Mrs Figg moved on to lessons with Harry while Sirius got cleaned up and ready for the day. They covered a myriad of subjects and Harry was grateful for the distraction as he digested the information. The day went by quickly and Harry didn’t see Silvie and Tabatha until lunch time.
“Hey Silvie,” he said. “Hey Tabatha. Sorry I missed you earlier. Did you two settle in okay?”
Tabatha nodded and said, “Sorry, we’re just not morning people in general but the beds were so comfortable after the hospital beds that we decided to have a lie in.”
Harry chuckled, “No worries. Don’t feel obligated to match my schedule,” he said. “Mrs Figg has me on a strict regimen.”
“I’ll remind you that you asked for it, laddie,” Mrs Figg interjected. “And look at how much you’ve improved since I met you on Privet Drive.” She looked towards Tabatha and whispered, “He was a sad scrawny thing back then, if you can believe it.”
“Hey!” Harry yelled to the room’s amusement.
“He’s still skinny,” Sirius said from the doorway with a smirk.
“I could take you, you mangy mutt,” he replied with a glare.
The room laughed again to his annoyance.
“Everyone’s out to get me,” he said under his breath before biting into a sandwich.
Truth be told, he was happy to be teased on occasion. It was still a vast improvement from his life with the Dursley’s and it made everyone else happy for some reason.
Harry and Sirius excused themselves and the pair worked together on Harry’s spellmanship. Sirius, it turned out, was a more than adequate dueler back in the day. He put Harry through his paces, focusing on accuracy rather than power.
“It doesn’t matter how much power you put into a spell if it doesn’t hit its target,” Sirius said. “Wizards and witches waste a lot of energy throwing spells around that don’t manage to do anything useful.”
He then made Harry cast the stinging hex at a moving target until he could hit it 10 times in a row without missing. It took Harry several hours, but he felt like he’d learned a valuable lesson and his aim had improved drastically.
Harry was pretty exhausted for the rest of the day. He excused himself to his room after a quick dinner, but told Tabatha she was welcome to come by later if she wanted.
Harry woke up the next morning before Mrs Figg’s knock the next morning. He got up and got dressed and sat at his desk while he waited for her inevitable knock.
He was stressed. Despite staying up later because he’d been hanging out with Tabatha, he hadn’t slept well. Images of a caged Luna filled his dreams and he felt guilty for the laughs and jokes he’d shared with everyone.
Today, he’d hopefully be able to act on his plan, which in reality was not really a plan, but an outline of one. He’d at least gathered supplies that he thought would be useful. They rested beneath a floorboard in his bedroom, packed and ready to go.
As soon as the opportunity presented itself he would be gone.
Mrs Figg knocked on the door, and he got started on his daily work out, but to conserve energy, he kept things light.
When he walked into the kitchen, he tried to act natural. He breathed hard, as if he were out of breath.
The first thing he noticed was that Mrs Figg wasn’t there, but Sirius was.
“What’s up?” He asked, gesturing to the empty kitchen. “Where’s Mrs Figg?”
Sirius took a sip of his drink, which Harry recognized as coffee, and said “She had to go meet someone from the hospital… that healer that she knows.”
Harry really wished he knew what was going in there.
“Is everything alright?” He asked.
Sirius shrugged, “As far as I know, yes.”
Harry nodded. Sirius looked tired and he thought he might be able to persuade him to go back to bed if he tried. That would certainly provide the window he needed to leave.
“Alright then,” Harry said. “You look like death, Sirius, another rough night?”
“You could say that,” Sirius said. “Sorry pup, I’m trying.”
Harry patted him on the back to try and console him. “It’s fine,” he said. “Actually, do you mind if I do some potion work this morning? I was too tired yesterday.”
Sirius hummed at that. “Sure, pup,” he said. “But if Mrs Figg asks, we went over several transfiguration theories this morning.”
Harry nodded his agreement and then left to shower. He couldn’t believe his luck. He thanked whatever God was behind it, and got ready.
Harry desperately wanted to leave right away but he still needed more information if he was going to be successful. He needed to go to Mrs Figg’s quarters and look for any Intel she’d gotten from the Guild of Greyback’s location.
He put on his invisibility cloak and crept through the house and into Mrs Figg’s quarters. He knew Hermes was likely here, so he’d have to be quiet.
Mess Figg’s rooms were kept very neat and tidy. There were no signs at all of anything out of place and that made things difficult. He focused and sent his probes out to see if he could pick up on anything.
He sensed a few items that he was familiar with from her house, including the obelisk statue that buzzed. He felt his magic bounce off her bedroom door just as before.
He thought it made sense for Mrs Figg to leave sensitive materials there where it was safest, so he headed there next.
He tried the doorknob but found it locked. He tried to sense for a stream of energy running anywhere nearby that he might be able to trigger, but he found nothing.
He cursed quietly in frustration.
“You shouldn’t be here,” Hermes said to him mentally.
Harry jumped, surprised. He hadn’t sensed Hermes anywhere and wasn’t expecting the cat to sneak up on him.
Harry turned and looked at Hermes and noticed the collar around his neck. His probes sensed nothing around the cat, it felt just like the initiation robes had.
“You can take off the cloak,” Hermes said. “I already know you’re here.”
Harry sighed and lowered his hood.
“Please don’t tell Mrs Figg,” he said.
Hermes' tail twitched in amusement. “I should tell her, you know,” Hermes said. “She was rather cross with me for giving you the locket so you could find her last time.”
Harry flinched. “I’m sorry, I didn’t think…” he said. “I shouldn’t have told on you.”
“No, you really shouldn’t have,” Hermes said.
Harry didn’t know what to say to convince Hermes not to tell Mrs Figg that he’d been sneaking around or even about the cloak. He really should have known better than to have worn it here.
“What are you doing here?” Hermes asked.
“Nothing,” Harry said quickly. “Just curious.”
Hermes' eyes flashed.
“So you’re not here looking for ways to rescue Luna and Loki?” Hermes checked.
Harry glared at him. “No, I’m not,” he lied. “Sorry about Loki,” he added quickly.
“I doubt that Loki is dead,” Hermes said haughtily. “He most likely got away. He is my son after all.”
Harry didn’t agree with him but he didn’t see the point in arguing.
“It’s too bad that you’re not here for that,” Hermes said. “Because I was hoping you could stop and pick me up some catnip while you’re there.”
Harry laughed. “You’re willing to send me to my death for a small chance that I’d pick you up some catnip?” He asked incredulously.
“It happens to be a particularly potent variety of catnip,” Hermes said dryly. “Besides, I don’t think you’ll die.”
“You don’t?” Harry asked.
“No,” Hermes said seriously. “Now please focus. Do you promise to bring me some catnip if I tell you where to go?”
Harry laughed and agreed.
He walked through the dimly lit passageway into the Guild Market and then walked towards the tavern area he’d met Henry last time.
He found Henry sitting at the bar just like last time. However, instead of tapping on his shoulder, he walked over and sat down next to him.
“I’m glad you’ve learned your lesson,” Henry said while he placed a package in front of Harry.
“What’s this?” Harry asked.
Henry explained, “It’s your portkey back. It’ll deliver you to the Diagon portkey location… you know you should lose it after you’ve used it. Destroy it if you can, otherwise it can be traced.”
Harry nodded. He was relieved that Henry had been able to procure one so quickly.
“And how am I traveling to Italy?” He asked.
Henry chuckled. “That’s trickier. We couldn’t create a two way portkey because those are heavily monitored and we didn’t want to create two portkeys because that would more easily be noticed.”
Harry was a bit worried that this was about to become more complicated.
Henry continued. “So we created a temporary international floo link from a random fireplace nearby in Diagon. International floo is also heavily monitored so we thought it best to use a random fireplace in case it gets flagged.”
Harry nodded. It made sense.
“Where do I have to go?” He asked.
Henry handed him a torn piece of parchment with an address on one side and a floo address on the other.
“Go to that address and use the floo on the second floor. Don’t worry, we took care of the tenant.”
Harry raised his eyebrow at that. “What’s that supposed to mean?” He asked.
“It means don’t worry about it,” Henry replied gruffly. “You should go before the connection gets noticed.”
Harry glared a bit at the non answer but nodded and left.
“Don’t forget your end of the deal!” Henry called.
He rushed out of the market and the bank.
Outside, Harry approached the building with his invisibility cloak on. He was also wearing his new Guild robes and boots.
He had a bad feeling, despite Henry’s statement that he had nothing to worry about. If anything, it had made it worse.
He tried the front door and found it unlocked. He entered the building as quietly as possible and looked around quickly.
The drapes were shut, blocking out any light from outside. The room felt muggy and cold. The building was silent but he kept his cloak on just in case.
Directly in front of him were the stairs and he climbed them straight away. Each step creaked despite his best efforts.
On the second floor, he walked down a long hallway, checking room after room for a fireplace. He didn’t find anything until he got to the very last room.
The drapes were shut in here as well and Harry got chills that he didn’t think came from the cold. It felt like something bad had happened here and Harry wondered just how Henry and his mysterious partner had chosen to take care of things. He certainly hoped that whoever owned this house hadn’t been killed.
Harry removed his invisibility cloak and threw some floo powder inside the fireplace. He gave the address and stepped through.
The world spun around him as he traveled and he began to feel nauseous. This trip felt longer than any floo travel he’d done before.
Just when he felt like he might be sick, it finally ended and he fell out the fireplace at the other end, sending dust everywhere.
He coughed on the ground and got up to investigate his surroundings. From the state of things, it appeared that he’d arrived in an abandoned building.
It was cold and dark and he noticed several pieces of broken furniture. It reminded him a bit of the shrieking shack, honestly. Besides broken furniture, there were some dismantled pieces of farm equipment as well.
He decided to wear his cloak again. He might not take it off for the duration of his trip just to be safe. He didn’t want to be noticed if he could avoid it.
The tricky part would be figuring out where Greyback’s hideout was without asking questions. He decided to try and find it on his own, but if it came down to it, he’d find Mauricio and ask for his help.
He walked out of the house and looked around. There was nothing but weeds and overgrown fields for miles. It looked like he had arrived in the middle of nowhere. Overwhelmed, he suddenly wished he’d not left his home today at all.
Harry took a deep breath. Hermes told him that Greyback’s cave system was not terribly far from Corvara, which was the town that Silvie had mentioned.
He found a worn stone path not far from the farm house and started walking, hoping that it led to civilization.
It felt like ages later that he’d finally arrived in a small village. His bones ached from the trek. He remained under his cloak and tried to find more information.
He focused and scoped out the area for signs of magic. He was pleasantly surprised to pick up on something familiar not too far away. He barely dared to hope for what he thought he was sensing.
The path took him down a small dirt road that led close to the mountain. It was rather cold here and he was somewhat grateful that he had to walk so much because it was keeping him warm.
He saw a small house on top of a hill in the distance and approached it. Harry expanded his consciousness and brushed against a familiar presence and waited.
“Harry?” A familiar voice echoed in his head.
“Hey Loki,” he replied nonchalantly. “How’s it going?”
Loki’s mental voice became rushed and frantic. “How’s it going? You’re really asking how’s it going?”
Harry chuckled.
“Where are you?” Loki asked. “How did you get here?”
Harry told him.
“Amazing!” Loki said. “Mrs Figg and everyone else are going to be furious, you know?”
“I know,” he replied. “I just don’t care. Is it safe for me to approach the house?”
It was silent for a while.
“No, I don’t think so,” Loki said. “I’m pretty sure he’d tie you up until Remus was well enough to come get you.”
Harry sighed. He’d been hoping for a chance to get warm by the fire and it was getting dark.
“I can take you to the werewolf camp,” Loki said. “They won’t mind you being there and I know at least one person that Remus seemed to trust besides Silvie.”
“No, I already know where to go,” he replied. “I don’t want anyone to know I’m here.
“Alright,” Loki said.
“Let’s go,” Harry replied. “It’s ruddy cold out here and my warming charms aren’t doing much good anymore.”
A moment later, he saw light shine out from an open door in the distance and then he saw Loki run outside.
Loki jumped into his arms when he got close enough and Harry held on tight. “It’s so good to see you,” he said. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”
Loki purred loudly the whole while.
Harry started walking down an old hunting trail that the locals hadn’t used in decades. He explained to Loki that they had a long hike ahead of them.
Harry shared with Loki that Hermes had told him where to go. On their hike, Loki shared that Luna had had a vision of sorts and that she felt compelled to accompany Remus. She’d told the cat that she knew that many people’s futures were relying on it.
Harry was curious who’s future other than maybe Tabatha’s that Luna could be talking about. He still felt hesitant to believe in divination but there seemed to be some truth to it, he reckoned.
Luna had told Loki to head to Mauricio’s house so that he could assist Harry in his journey. How she knew that he’d arrive and find Loki, he didn’t know.
Harry didn’t know how he felt about all of it. Why did Luna believe in him? Was it only because of her vision or was it more than that? Did all of this mean that he couldn’t fail? What if he did something wrong and messed it all up?
He supposed that for now, he’d just do his best to rescue Luna. He would sneak in and portkey her out as soon as he found her.
Harry walked along the path for over an hour before he reached a fork in the path. The sun had set long ago, but the snow on the ground made it easier to see. In front of him, a few yards ahead, he saw a giant small hut, just like Hermes described.
According to Hermes, he was to walk behind the hut and towards the mountain wall and then turn left. He was to place his right hand on the wall until he found the entrance hidden behind an illusion.
Before walking around the hut, he checked inside. There were many herbs hanging from the ceiling and shelves with bottles full of herbs on the wall. He took a jar of catnip as promised and put it in his bag.
Back outside, Loki lied on his left shoulder beneath the invisibility cloak so Harry could do as Hermes had said. If anyone saw him, all they’d see was a floating hand caressing the wall. His boots did dampen the sound of his footsteps, but the snow still crunched beneath his feet. He would be heard for sure, so he swallowed some levitation potion for good measure.
It took a very long time, but it was worth it if it helped him remain undiscovered. He eventually felt his hand slip through the wall. He paused outside and inspected the illusion. He wasn’t sure if it was only because it was already dark outside, but it seemed flawless. There was no seam and the natural wall fed right into the fake one. It was an impressive bit of magic.
Harry withdrew the potion that enhanced his senses and swallowed some. It tasted bitter and vile and he shivered as it went down his throat.
“You’re lucky you’re a cat and can see in the dark,” he said. “That potion is awful.”
Harry waited for the potion to take affect. It was subtle, but he was pleased when he noticed his vision adjust quickly to the darkness. He tried to ignore the muggy smell he hadn’t quite noticed before. It smelled like wet dog.
He could hear what he thought might be a stream of water running somewhere close by, followed by several drips of water falling and crashing to the ground.
Once he fully adjusted, he moved forward.
The path was wide in some areas and narrow in others. He hoped that he didn’t run into anyone whenever the path narrowed… he’d have nowhere to hide.
As he got deeper, the smell of wet dog worsened and began to mingle with other horrid smells. Loki has been quiet for the most part but he began to be irritated by whatever he was smelling.
Finally, the levitation potion began to wear off and he lowered to the ground slowly. He’d be more noisy now but he could at least run if he needed to.
As he got deeper, he began to hear ruckus laughter. They were close. His senses were still enhanced so he was wary of using his focus and becoming overwhelmed. But he was also curious if the potion would effect that as well.
He reached out with his consciousness for any sign of Luna. His magical probes wandered far in wide in every direction. He sensed several magical signatures all around further down the path and he thought he picked up on some high above and further below him. None of it felt very familiar and he began to worry.
As he got closer to where he thought the werewolves’ living quarters were, he started to wish for the potion to wear off. It was loud and stinky down here and every move he made was beginning to irritate him.
He thought he saw light flicker ahead and he came to a stop and listened. He could hear a large group talking and laughing nearby. He crept closer to the light and peaked around the corner.
He noticed some wooden steps down to his right and a stone path to his left that overlooked the room.
From where he stood he could see a large cavernous room below him that was filled with people wearing worn out clothes and sitting on old broken and poorly repaired furniture.
Some of the group were speaking what he guessed was Italian or another language. Definitely not English. He thought he picked up on some English but it was hard to make out exactly what was being said.
It didn’t look like there were any paths below so he continued to creep along the ledge. His foot hit a loose stone and it fell down into the large room. He paused and watched as a few people stopped talking and looked up at where he stood.
After a moment, they looked away from the empty space and continued their conversations. Harry very slowly and carefully continued down the path.
He found himself back in another narrow passage that sloped upwards. It remained narrow for quite a long while and that made him nervous.
He heard voices up ahead and tried not to panic. Instead he scaled the wall and shimmied up so that his legs were spread on opposite walls. It was extremely difficult to do with the cloak, and he had to bend over awkwardly in the cramped space, but he managed. He held the excess fabric of his invisibility cloak up with his mouth and held Loki in his arms.
He saw the two approaching. The one in front held out a lit wand in front of him. He hoped they didn’t look up, because they’d definitely see him despite his cloak since he wasn’t covered from below.
He watched them walk beneath him and he froze, holding his breath until they were out of sight.
He dropped to the ground as quietly as possible and then continued on his path as quickly as he could. He didn’t want to have to do that again if he could help it.
His potion began to wear off but luckily his eyes had adjusted to the dark. He welcomed his remaining senses returning to normal.
At the end of his path was a wooden doorway. Freezing air slipped through tiny spaces between the wood slats.
He reached out with his magic to sense beyond the door. He picked up on a few people spread out but they were nowhere near the door. The door opened with a loud creak and he hurried through, letting the door shut behind him.
A clear night sky revealed itself to him. A large waning moon shone brightly, its rays reflecting off the snow covered ground. He must have missed something, a hidden path or room that had somehow escaped his attention. He was considering going back inside, but he heard footsteps approaching him.
“That you, Thomas?” A gruff voice called from the distance. “You’re a bit early, you know, but I don’t mind you relieving me a bit early?”
He mentally cursed and glanced around for a hiding spot. Snow covered the ground except for some footprints heading in a few directions. He saw a large tree off in the distance. He could climb it and scope out the area better from higher up, but he didn’t know how he’d climb it without being noticed. Whatever he did, he had to act fast.
He darted forward, trying to step into the existing footprints so he didn’t give himself away. He found himself nearby some large bushes and dove inside for cover. A moment later, a figure walked towards the cave entrance he’d just walked through with a torch in his hands.
“I could have sworn I heard the door,” the voice said. “Should’ve known better. Thomas is always late.”
Harry watched the man walk back to where he came from.
Harry poked his head out of the bush and looked around. He saw several watchtowers scattered around what looked like a large natural courtyard. High walls were raised around in a large square shape. At least now the man’s statement about being relieved, made sense. These men were on watch, protecting the werewolf fortress.
He reached out with his magic again, to try and figure out just how many people there were out here. He counted six, all spread out, alone. That was something at least. He could try to take them all out one by one or he could simply avoid them.
He remembered he’d been told that the cave system was extensive. That must mean there were more caves nearby and the people in these towers were keeping watch for all of them. He sighed. This was hard and he wished he had more information to go on. He began to seriously doubt that he’d be able to find Luna.
He tried to remember everything that he’d learned about Greyback and his hideout. And then he remembered Luna’s poem. It had said something about finding Luna beneath a fountain. He needed a better view of the place if he was going to find it quickly.
He looked up at the watchtower. Was it worth the risk of alerting everyone else? If he had to, could he take on at least one of the watchmen, if not all of them? He’d prefer to get in and out completely unnoticed.
“What are you thinking, Harry?” Loki asked mentally.
Harry told him.
“What if I climb one of the towers and then tell you what I see?” Loki offered.
Harry hesitated. He didn’t like risking Loki’s life like that.
“What about your black fur, won’t it stick out?” he asked.
“Couldn’t you change it white for me?” Loki replied.
Harry shook his head and said, “I haven’t learned how to do that yet. Besides, I think it’s best we stick together in case one of us is noticed.”
Loki jumped out of Harry’s arms before he could stop him and ran off towards one of the towers.
Harry sighed in frustration and waited.
“I think I see a well not far from you,” Loki said mentally. “It’s not exactly a fountain, but…”
“Hurry back,” Harry replied.
Harry caught himself holding his breath as he waited in anticipation for the cat to return. ‘I’m going to age a year in one night due to stress,’ he thought to himself.
A moment later, Loki jumped into the bush and climbed under the cloak.
“I think they might have seen me,” Loki said. “We might want to stay put for a few minutes.”
Sure enough, Harry watched as one of the watchmen climbed down from his post and then started walking towards their hiding spot.
Harry tried not to move or make and he held his breath as the guard stalked closer. He got so close that Harry could see the amber flecks in his eyes.
Harry struggled to hold his breath. His lungs urged him to suck in a breath. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could withstand.
Luckily, the guard became distracted as someone slammed the door shut as they exited the same cave Harry had just left.
“About time,” a voice said in the distance. “I’m starving. Please tell me ya lot left me some mutton.”
The guard that has been practically staring him down turned and walked towards the voice.
Now was his chance. The guards would be distracted during turnover. He climbed out of the bushes and Loki told him where to go.
The well hadn’t been far from his hiding place. A was right. It wasn’t exactly a fountain but he didn’t think he was going to find a fountain on top of a mountain anyways.
Harry peered inside, but it was too dark to see just how far down it went. He grabbed a pebble from off the ground and dropped it over the edge.
He counted for a few seconds before he heard a ‘plop’ as it struck water. He didn’t really know how to gauge just how deep the well was, but it seemed deep. He wondered for a moment just how literal Luna’s hint had been.
He heard snow crunch beneath someone’s feet as they walked and it sounded like they were heading in his direction. Panicked, he made his decision and jumped into the well.
Harry winced as Loki dug his claws into his shoulder. Harry extended his arms and legs to try and slow his fall. The walls were slick, but he managed to stop after some time. He turned his head to look up and saw the faint outline of the night’s sky. He’d fallen further than he thought.
He shimmied down the well until he could no longer see any sign of the opening above. The well was very deep.
He figured it was probably safe enough to light his wand so he cast a quick lumos. He could see the water's surface just a few feet below him and noticed it was pretty shallow. It was clearly no longer a functional well.
He straightened himself and then tucked in his arms and legs and fell the rest of the way. His legs were a bit jarred from the impact but he recovered quickly from that. Freezing water splashed around him and he shivered.
“A warning would have been nice!” Loki chided.
Harry just chuckled at the now drenched cat and then he cast a drying charm he’d learned.
He saw a small tunnel opening and dropped to his hands and knees so he could climb through. It was very tight in some places and he wrestled his fears that he’d get stuck. There was no way he’d be able to climb back out. The only way out was through.
The tunnel eventually sloped back upwards and then he saw flickering light up ahead. Excited, he climbed more quickly and then slid through the opening.
His body toppled over as he fell several feet before landing on his back. His cloak fell off of him. Luckily, his robes distributed the blow evenly. It hurt like hell but it wasn’t as bad as it would have been otherwise.
He got up with a groan and looked around. There were cages upon cages of kids staring at him with large scared eyes. He noticed that nearly all of them were much younger than Luna or even Tabatha.
“Holy hell,” he said out loud before he could stop himself. He counted quickly, ‘one, two, three…’ and then he spotted Luna and instantly lost count.
“I knew you’d make it, Harry,” she said weakly with a small grin.
Harry took her in. He noticed a bloody bandage wrapped around her exposed thigh. ‘That must be where Greyback got her,’ he thought. Her robes were torn so badly that he’d originally thought she was in just her underwear. Dirt and dried blood covered just about every inch of her.
“Luna,” he whispered softly as he approached her cage. He wrapped his fingers around the bars. “I’m so sorry,” he said.
Luna laughed quietly. “It’s not your fault, Harry.”
Harry looked around and saw all of the children watching their exchange with interest.
“We need to free them all,” she said firmly.
Harry hesitated. His portkey would take them all to diagon alley. ‘What a sight that would be,’ he thought.
“I have a portkey but it’ll take us to Diagon,” he told her. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
Luna nodded. “It’s late, right?” She checked.
Harry nodded, “How did you know?”
“Greyback,” she said. “He likes to wish us good dreams every night.”
Harry scowled, and Luna continued her thought.
“We might not be noticed,” she said. “Tom won’t say anything. We can floo home and then get this lot the help they need.”
Harry hesitated. He’d only come for Luna. All these kids just complicated matters.
“I don’t believe this,” Luna said angrily. “What happened to the caring boy that helped me cure Auggie?”
“I…” Harry started, but stopped. Why was he hesitating? He didn’t actually know. He’d been so angry at everyone for their lack of action but here he was doing the same thing. He refused to be like them, weak and selfish.
“You’re right of course,” he said. “Let’s free them quickly.”
He waved his wand and said, “Alohamora!”
Loki ran into Luna’s arms as soon as she was free. Harry smiled.
He started unlocking the remaining cages. He counted 12 cages, including Luna’s, in total as he went.
Most of the children rushed out of their cages and hugged their rescuer, but a few were more reserved. They looked at him with distrust, unable to believe he was actually helping them.
The majority of them spoke to him in languages he didn’t understand. Only one or two thanked him in English.
He gestured for them to gather around him and he removed the portkey, an old boot, from his expandable bag. He gripped it and then instructed them to do the same.
Once everyone was holding on, he gave the keyword and then they vanished in an instant.
The entire group landed roughly with a thud at the portkey point. Loki sprawled out of Luna’s hands and then shook himself with a hiss. Portkey travel clearly didn’t agree with him.
The children groaned and sniffed as they brushed off the painful landing.
Harry looked around at the empty alley. It was very late and no one was out.
“Hurry,” Harry said. “We don’t want to be found here.”
The group followed his lead as he walked towards The Leaky Cauldron.
Once inside, he ran to the floo, threw some powder in, and gave the address. The werewolves traveled through one by one, then Luna and Loki, and then finally Harry.
Harry spun out of the fireplace with a thud.
He got up, brushing himself off, and then turned.
An angry Mrs Figg, Silvie, and Sirius stood there looking down at him.
He gulped. He suddenly wished he was back on the mountain. Somehow that seemed less daunting than facing his family right now.
A/N: Please tell me what you think!
Chapter 17: Repercussions
Chapter Text
Harry looked up into the eyes of his family.
Mrs Figg and Silvie looked more concerned than angry. Sirius looked betrayed.
Harry looked at the children scattered around his entry way.
"Before you start, I think we should help this lot," he said while avoiding their gaze, suddenly extremely grateful for the buffer.
Mrs Figg rushed towards Luna and pulled her into a long hug.
Silvie looked unsure, and he reckoned she wanted to hug somebody but didn't know how well it would be received.
"Is there a healer we can call?" She asked the group. "These kids have all most likely been infected with lycanthropy."
Harry nodded and went to the floo to call Healer Juniper while Silvie led the group to the kitchen.
It took a long time for her to answer but she eventually came into the room. He was confused when she walked in, still in her pajamas, with messy hair, and then he remembered it was the middle of the night. She quickly agreed to come through once he explained what was going on.
Harry withdrew from the fireplace and waited. Healer Juniper came through shortly after.
"Lead the way," she said simply.
Harry led her to Silvie in the kitchen.
"He's got a nasty infection," she said as she led them to a young boy. Harry noticed the boy was sweating profusely and he barely held in his gasp when Silvie uncovered his lower half.
One of the boy's legs was red and inflamed. A nasty cut ran from just below his knee down to his ankle.
Harry looked down at the boy. "You're going to be okay," he said even though he didn't believe it.
The boy nodded as if he understood, but said something Harry didn't understand. He just smiled at him briefly and then excused himself.
He watched as Sirius walked around, bringing food and drink to all the children. Harry wanted to help but Sirius seemed to have it covered. He found Luna comforting a group of kids. Healer Juniper cast several spells as she worked and Silvie comforted the others as they waited. He felt awkward and useless here. He wasn't a healer or a medic and he was out of his depth.
Healer Juniper had finished her rounds and was gathering the children and Luna to take to the hospital.
Harry walked over to Luna and asked, "Are you okay?" He knew it was a dumb question but he didn't know what else to say.
"Yes and no," she answered with a shrug.
Harry put his arm around her and pulled her in close. "You smell really bad, you know," he said teasingly.
"I know," she answered with a chuckle. "Thanks for saving me."
"Anytime," he said. "But I couldn't have done it without your help. We'll have to talk about that soon."
She nodded. "Promise me you'll come visit later."
"Naturally," he replied and then pulled her into a hug. "Promise not to get kidnapped in the meantime."
She smacked him in the back of his head. "Idiot," she said.
"We need to go," Healer Juniper interrupted. "This one is in really bad shape," referring to the boy with the infected leg. "Some of these kids have already transformed at least once, but they still need looked over. There may still be time for the rest to be cured as long as the curse hasn't intermingled with their magical core."
Harry released Luna and waved goodbye. She walked over to Healer Juniper and Mrs Figg who was going with. They left with an emergency portkey.
"You need to get cleaned up, yourself," Silvie said gesturing at Harry.
"Yeah," Sirius said. "You smell like a wet dog that rolled around in his own…" Silvie smacked him before he could finish.
"Ouch!" Sirius shouted with a glare.
He looked seriously at Harry and added, "We'll have a talk later."
Harry nodded and excused himself. He did stink and he was very sore. A hot shower sounded wonderful on his aching body.
He walked into his bathroom and removed his filthy clothing. In the mirror he saw that his face was dirty and there were a few scratches scattered across his body that he hadn't realized he'd gotten.
He got in the shower and washed away the filth. As he stood under the water, he reflected on the day. It had been incredibly hard. He could barely believe all that he'd endured and accomplished.
He'd probably walked, hiked, climbed, and crawled several miles in the freezing cold. He'd broken into a very secure and very secret base and snuck past a large pack of werewolves.
And he'd done it all without anyone noticing. Not a single soul knew that he'd been there, aside from his family. 'Fenrir Greyback himself, probably hasn't even noticed that the kids he'd taken are gone yet.' He thought with satisfaction.
Harry opened his eyes slowly and screamed. Tabatha was standing to the side of his bed, staring at him. When he shouted, she jumped and then a small yelp escaped her mouth.
"Sorry," she said. "Mum asked me to come wake you for dinner."
"And you decided to stare me awake?" He asked incredulously.
"You just looked really peaceful and I didn't want to wake you," she answered quietly.
Harry's stomach grumbled loudly and he looked at the clock on his nightstand. It was mid evening. He'd slept the day away, which was no surprise really.
He got up and the pair walked to the dining room. On the way there he asked, "Any word from Luna or Mrs Figg?"
Tabatha nodded and said, "Mrs Figg is back, but mum shooed me away so I don't know anything."
Harry nodded. "We'll find out together then," he said as they walked into the kitchen.
He saw Sirius, Silvie, and Mrs Figg standing together as they cleaned up dinner. He was hesitant to speak since he knew he'd have to answer for his actions.
Tabatha gave him an apologetic look and then announced their arrival.
Harry sighed as Sirius and Mrs Figg turned and looked at him. Harry could tell they were still angry with him.
He sat down at the table and watched in trepidation as Sirius and Mrs Figg walked over.
It was odd seeing Sirius acting so serious.
"You promised you weren't going to try and face Greyback," Sirius said with an accusing tone.
Harry sighed. "I shouldn't have tricked you, Sirius," he said. "But I didn't lie. I had no plans to face Greyback…" he hesitated. "I only planned on sneaking in and finding Luna."
"He shouldn't have been able to trick you so easily, "Mrs Figg interjected. "You need to be more responsible, Sirius."
Sirius' eyes tightened in anger. "He's ten years old," he said defensively. "How was I supposed to know he was so resourceful?"
Mrs Figg chuckled at that. "Fair enough."
Sirius looked back at Harry and took a deep breath. Harry thought Sirius looked rather old and weary and when he thought back on how worried he'd been when he'd been waiting for Luna and Remus, he'd remembered how much he hated the worrying and dark thoughts he'd experienced then, and he suddenly felt worse for doing the same thing to them.
"I am really sorry for worrying you, Sirius," he said finally.
Sirius nodded and offered a small smile. "Just don't let it happen again."
Mrs Figg glanced at Harry. "I'm still wrestling with my thoughts on the matter," she said. "I'm both impressed and incredibly concerned that you managed so much behind our backs."
She paused for a moment. "You're a talented young man, laddie," she said. "But this could have been a huge disaster and we'd have had no way of helping."
"I'm sorry," he said. "I was just so worried about Luna and I was tired of waiting for everyone else to handle it."
"That's not a very good excuse, Harry," Mrs Figg said. Harry noticed that Sirius didn't look like he agreed.
Mrs Figg noticed too and glared at him.
Sirius gulped and then said, "Silvie probably needs some help."
And then he walked away like a dog with its tail between its legs.
Harry was impressed at how Mrs Figg was able to scare Sirius with just a look.
Mrs Figg chuckled quietly, a distant look in her eyes. "Some things never change," she said. "I used to get after Sirius and your father in the summers for one thing or another."
Mrs Figg shook the memories away and continued her interrogation.
"How did you do it?" She asked. "How did you find Luna and who helped you get to Italy?"
Harry told her about finding the Guild Market and his deal with Henry.
"Foolish boy," she whispered and shook her head. "Of all the people in the Guild, he's the absolute worst."
"He seemed alright, honestly," Harry said. "A bit rough around the edges."
Mrs Figg just shook her head. "How he became a member, I'll never understand," she said. "He is as subtle and thoughtful as a brick to the face."
She opened her purse and removed a copy of this evening's Prophet. "This arrived tonight," she said with a pointed glance. "It has Henry written all over it."
Harry glanced at the headlines, noting that there didn't seem to be anything about werewolves or Greyback. And then a small article caught his attention.
'Murder in Diagon?' he read. 'Earlier today, Aurors were dispatched to an apartment in Diagon Alley after a concerned citizen complained about a terrible smell coming from a neighboring building. The Aurors reportedly found a dead body in one of the bedrooms. While there was no trace of foul play, the deceased was still quite young and was known to be healthy by friends and family...'
Harry wasn't able to read any longer.
"You need to be more careful who you deal with," Mrs Figg said sternly.
Harry thought about what Henry had said about taking care of the tenant. He had suspected that something bad had happened, but he'd never guessed that Henry had murdered anyone. He instantly felt guilty. A man was dead because of him.
Harry's thoughts reeled as he processed the information. He had no way of knowing that Henry would do something like this. He'd never asked Henry to kill anyone but he still felt guilty. "I'm sorry," he said numbly. "I didn't know."
"I know, laddie," she said while placing a consoling hand on his shoulder. "If it's anyone's fault, it's mine for not being more open with you. You shouldn't blame yourself for the thoughtless actions of others."
He felt better at her words but he doubted that he'd stop feeling guilty any time soon.
He was also a little worried that he'd somehow be linked to the floo and portkey manipulation if they investigated much further and said as much to Mrs Figg.
"I'll have 'Dung look into it," she said. "He'll fix any loose ends."
Harry nodded.
"Tell me the rest," she demanded.
Harry told her about everything he remembered, but left Hermes out of it. He couldn't tell if she noticed the many holes in his story, but she didn't call him out on it.
She did seem particularly interested in Luna's poem and telling Loki where to wait. "Divination is often written off as a fruitless branch of magic, but we shouldn't ignore this," she said. "Luna might be a prophetess…"
"What's a prophetess?" He asked.
"I'm no expert exactly because it's not very well understood, but a prophet or prophetess is essentially an agent of Fate," she said. "They get glimpses of information from the Fates and then work so that important events play out as they should."
Harry thought about how weird Luna's actions were surrounding her trip with Remus. Looking back, he realized that she had seemed almost desperate to go. It matched up with what else he'd found in the poem and drawing, as well as leaving Loki to guide him. He would need to ask Luna about it before he formed a proper opinion.
"Did Luna tell you anything about her abduction?" He asked.
Mrs Figg sighed and said, "She couldn't tell me much because the healers had to involve the Aurors. We had to invent a story to explain how she'd been rescued… the official story is that Luna escaped along with the other children thanks to a mysterious stranger."
Harry was relieved. He didn't want anyone to know he had been involved.
"She did tell me that some of those kids had been locked up for months and had already transformed," she said. "He was keeping them cashed until he could break their will to do anything but follow orders."
"What's going to happen to all those kids?" He asked.
Mrs Figg shrugged and said, "For the kids that haven't transformed, it'll depend on whether or not the healers are able to cure them. For the others, it'll depend on their families. Sometimes people infected with lycanthropy are exiled. They're as good as dead to their families."
Harry frowned. He thought that was wrong and he didn't understand how people could be so cruel to their families. He supposed the Dursleys were like that in some ways, even if they'd reluctantly let him live in their house.
He wondered if the werewolf pack that Silvie had traveled with would take them on but then he remembered how they'd looked the other way when Tabatha had been taken. Maybe somewhere else would be better. Somewhere far from Greyback's lair.
He checked back in, mentally, and noticed Mrs Figg giving him a knowing smile.
"If you're thinking what I think you're thinking," she said. "Then I support you 100 percent. It would be a good look for the Potter Scion… At least in the more progressive political circles."
Harry hummed at that. On the one hand it would certainly help improve his image to the general public, which could be useful for masking his more nefarious activities. The better he looked to the public, the less likely he'd be suspected of any alleged wrongdoing. But it would be a lot of work and it could be dangerous, not only for himself but to Mrs Figg and Sirius as well.
"We might not need to do anything," he said, reminding himself and hoping that the parents would do the right thing. "But if we do, we'll need to make sure we're all safe here."
Mrs Figg nodded. "We will at that. Fenrir won't take kindly to any interference."
Harry, who hadn't thought of that and was mostly thinking of the dangers of living with a bunch of werewolves, sighed deeply. Things just kept getting more and more complicated. He couldn't help but think that things would be much simpler if he was just a thief and not the only remaining Potter, and a famous one at that.
There was a silver lining in all this though, he realized. A grin began to spread on his face.
"What is it you're thinking, lad?" Mrs Figg asked warily with a worried frown on her face.
"We should move against Malfoy's investments," he replied, making his thoughts known. "Specifically the ones that supply potion ingredients. We're going to need a whole lot of Wolfsbane if we're going to do this."
Mrs Figg was quiet for a long time and he was starting to get uncomfortable. Maybe he shouldn't have suggested it so soon after his latest adventure.
She continued to study him for some time before finally breaking the silence.
"I can see that I won't be able to talk you out of this," she said. "And now I know that if I don't help you, you'll just do it anyway…"
Mrs Figg shook her head in exasperation but the small smile she tried to hide told him it was all for show.
"I think Feona was working on something," she finally said. "I'll reach out and then you and I will work on something together. Maybe this way you'll learn not to rely on the likes of Henry."
Harry nodded solemnly at the reminder. It wasn't a mistake he'd ever want to make again.
He saw Silvie and Sirius heading their way and indicated to Mrs Figg that they should stop their conversation for now.
"Glad to see you're awake," Silvie said. "Hungry?"
Harry nodded and she got him a plate of food. He noticed Tabatha watching him from across the room with an apprehensive look on her face. He waved her over to join them.
"Mrs Figg was just saying that the kids are captured and kept in cages until a full moon so Greyback could infect them."
Silvie nodded. "Yeah, that's his MO. Once they're infected, he keeps them caged until they either transform or they die."
"You mean that Luna might still not make it?" Harry checked. Mrs Figg had said that not everyone that's infected with lycanthropy was able to survive but he'd forgotten.
Tabatha started to cry and Harry flinched. He went to apologize but Silvie waved him off.
"Yes," she said. "We won't know until the next full moon when she transforms. Apparently the healers think that Luna will make it, but some of the other kids are in a rough state."
Harry was relieved that Luna at least had a good chance and that she would have her family with her.
"Do we know where these kid's families are?" He asked. "Is there anyone we can reach out to?"
Mrs Figg answered, "The Healers and Aurors have already reached out to the Italian Ministry of Magic to coordinate all that. We'll just have to wait and see."
Harry let the rest of them know of his plans to open his home to the children if they wanted it. Silvie got a little emotional and then pulled him into a tight hug.
Tabatha looked the happiest he'd ever seen her. "I always wanted more brothers and sisters," she said with a bright smile.
Sirius was extremely supportive and offered to help in any way. "Remus will be so proud when I tell him," he said.
Harry was eager to hear if there had been any changes in Remus' condition. "Has Remus woken up yet?" He asked.
Sirius nodded and said, "Very briefly while you were asleep. I just had time to let him know that Luna had been rescued and was in the hospital and then he fell back asleep."
Harry noticed Sirius glancing apprehensively at Silvie. Harry guessed she was still struggling with everything.
"The Healers said that it looks like Remus will live but that he most likely will never walk again.
Harry grimaced. Greyback must have really done a number on Remus if even magical healing couldn't repair the damage. Dark thoughts of revenge and murder drifted into his mind and he'd suddenly wished he'd had the chance to face the wicked werewolf. Next time, he'd make sure Greyback paid for his transgressions.
Harry was reading in the library several days later. He'd been taking any free time he had to study and practice spells he thought might be useful.
Since Luna was still in the hospital, he had a lot of free time. One of the first spells he'd looked for was the color changing spell. It was still outside his capabilities, though. He'd also found a spell that would basically make the object or person invisible but it would probably be years before he'd achieve it.
It was frustrating having access to all this information but lacking the skill or power to perform more advanced spells. It was helpful to have goals though and he'd keep practicing.
He'd become more interested in enchanting objects since his visit to the Guild Market. He wanted to create objects that could perform magic autonomously like his robes, but enchanting required even more knowledge on magical theory and the main subjects.
It would probably be years before he could make anything, but he wanted to get started on the foundation now instead of waiting until third year for electives.
Today, like most days, he was attempting to study runes in the library. He'd brought Ratatoskr with him and the bowtruckle was very distracting since he kept pulling books off the shelf and rearranging them in a way that still made no sense to him, but was obviously meaningful to the stick creature.
Harry pulled out a rune set that he'd found with some of his grandparent's things and poured them onto the coffee table. As he sorted them all, Ratatoskr climbed down from the shelf and climbed up onto the coffee table.
True to form, the bowtruckle started picking up the runes and sorting them. Harry chuckled to himself and got back to reading while his little friend entertained himself.
The book he'd found was incredibly interesting as it not only explained what each rune meant, but also how they were used in several branches of magic. Objects could be enchanted, spells created, wards erected, potions enhanced, and even plants could benefit from a well placed runic sequence.
He was enthralled with thoughts of how he could start using runes right now before even starting Hogwarts. Potions and Herbology were the obvious place to start exploring how to incorporate runes, but maybe there were other ways as well.
He placed the book down and saw Ratatoskr placing a final rune down next to a book. He did a double take as he looked over the runes. He looked through the rune book and turned to the section on translation.
From his reading this week, he knew that some runes had a corresponding letter in the English alphabet. There were fewer runes than letters in the alphabet so some runes represented multiple letters and even abstract ideas, but you could decipher what was meant with a little context.
He glanced at the runes and could see that they translated to the word 'Book'.
He glanced at the table and found several other items that Ratatoskr had labeled correctly with the runes. "I can't believe it!" He shouted in excitement. "You can read and understand runes!?"
The bowtruckle shrugged and then nodded as if it was nothing. Harry just laughed. He'd read nothing about Bowtruckles understanding runes in any of the books on magical creatures.
From what he'd read about Norse mythology, it made some sense that Bowtruckles might have an affinity for Norse runes. Odin had been gifted the knowledge of Runes while hanging from the World Tree after all. Harry reckoned that Bowtruckles could have played a part in that and it got left out of the story. How it remained undiscovered all this time was a complete mystery, but maybe Ratatoskr's ability was simply unique.
Harry wanted to check with Sirius if he knew anything about Bowtruckles affinity for runes, but his godfather was applying for the Aurors Corp and was spending a lot of time with Amelia Bones.
Harry had started several letters to Susan, but he kept throwing them away. Words were hard, he decided, and he struggled to know where to start apologizing. He knew he needed to, but it just seemed impossible. Luna would probably know exactly what to say, but she wasn't here.
Maybe he should just call Susan and invite her over so he could apologize in person. But did he get her a gift first or was his apology enough? Was he making this into a bigger deal than it was? Not really having friends before made it hard for him to know what to do. Friendship was hard and he didn't want to mess it up now that he finally had friends.
He probably needed to go visit Luna again soon anyways and he could ask her. Silvie and Tabatha went to the hospital regularly to sit with Remus or visit Luna, and Harry had gone with them a couple times, but he just wanted to talk to Luna alone about the whole prophetess thing and couldn't really do that. At least he could bring up his conundrum with Susan.
He decided to go and find Silvie or Tabatha to see if they wanted to go to the hospital. The bowtruckle screeched in protest as Harry packed up the runes and picked up Ratatoskr.
"Calm down," he said. "I'll leave you my rune set so you can keep playing while I'm gone.
Ratatoskr calmed down after that.
Harry, Silvie, and Tabatha arrived at the hospital. Rather than floo, Silvie side along apperated them ask into the lobby. He still wasn't sure which method of travel he preferred. Both made him feel ill from spinning and contorting body parts. There had to be a better way.
They waved to the welcome witch as they walked to their destination. They'd been there often enough that they knew their way.
When they entered the floor that both Luna and Remus were on, Harry had a very good feeling. Something just felt right and he couldn't explain it.
As they walked by the nurses station, they were stopped.
"Oh good, you're here!" A man said. "Mr Lupin is awake and just finished talking to the healers. I was just about to floo call."
He followed them to Remus' room and let them in. Harry stood behind Silvie and to the side a bit. Tabatha was on the opposite side. He watched the smile grow on Remus' face as he took them all in.
"Mr Lupin, you have visitors," the nurse said.
Remus nodded his thanks and the nurse went to leave. "Please let me know if you need anything," he said as he closed the door.
Harry felt awkward and he felt heat travel to his face as Silvie rushed to Remus and jumped onto the bed, straddling the man. They started passionately kissing and he shared a look with Tabatha, expecting the girl to be embarrassed like he was, but she seemed unphased. Happy even.
He supposed she might be more used to seeing affection than he was, but this seemed a bit extreme.
Harry continued to watch quietly as Tabatha approached Remus and gave him a big hug.
"Harry!" Silvie said once she realized that Harry was still standing away from the group. "Please, come join us."
Harry was kind of surprised at the invitation. He was happy that Remus had found and built a little family of his own but he wasn't quite sure where or if he fit into it. He felt like an outsider peering in on something that didn't quite belong to him.
He walked over beside the man's bed and then Tabatha pulled him in as if it were nothing. He was surprised at her strength, but supposed it probably came from the wolf within.
All doubts surrounding his place in the family were being squished out of him by the collective werewolves' strong embrace.
Their hug was interrupted by a voice in the doorway. "This is why we heal, lass," the voice said.
Harry turned and saw two witches in Healer Robes standing in the doorway. The one who spoke was much older than the young witch that looked like she was fresh out of Hogwarts. He guessed that maybe she was in training.
"We're sorry to interrupt," the healer said. "We've brought you a wheelchair, Mr Lupin, so you can start getting used to it."
Harry frowned. "Does that mean…" He trailed off, not able to complete his question.
Remus nodded. "I can't feel my legs and the healers can't repair the damage fully, though they did their best. I am at least not in any pain."
"Mr Lupin has a very good attitude about the whole thing and that will take him very far in his recovery." The older healer said to Harry. "Do you mind if I explain everything to your family, Mr Lupin?"
Remus shook his head and gestured for them to go ahead.
"Like Mr Lupin said, he can no longer feel or move his legs. The damage to his spine was very extensive and we aren't able to reverse the damage," she said. "However, we will keep looking for ways to heal him. I don't want to give false hope so we are promising nothing except that we won't give up."
"Thank you, Healer Rosemary," Remus said. "In the meantime, I'll make good use of the wheelchair you brought me.
Harry saw the younger healer smile. "You and I will be getting to know each other very well then," she said. "I'll be helping you with your physical therapy.
"I look forward to it, Healer Goldstein," Remus said.
Harry saw Silvie frown and he guessed she might be feeling a little jealous. He knew she shouldn't worry because Remus was absolutely smitten by her. He doubted very much that anything would change that.
The two healers left and Remus looked sharply at Harry. "I'm sorry about Luna," he said. "We'll find her soon."
Harry went to reply but Silvie snorted and said, "Sooner than you think. Harry already rescued her."
Remus' eyes widened and his jaw dropped. "Harry did?" He asked surprised. "How-"
"The kid is very resourceful but I don't think he's actually told us in detail how he managed it." Silvie interrupted.
Harry began to panic. Somehow, no one had actually asked for details except for Mrs Figg. He hadn't actually come up with a good cover story.
Desperate for a way out of this, he said, "The official story is that a mysterious stranger rescued Luna and the other kids and I'd like to keep it that way so let's hold off until we're home and can talk freely."
That should at least buy him some time. Remus looked like he was processing a whole lot. He started and stopped talking several times before finally asking, "Other kids?"
Tabatha explained that there were several kids kept in cages in Greyback's lair and that they'd been saved alongside Luna. She then added that Harry has offered sanctuary to any that needed it, which caused Remus to get all teary eyed.
"You're a very good person, Harry," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "Your parents would be very proud of you. I know I am."
He avoided Remus' eyes and looked away.
Harry thought of the man he'd basically sentenced to death in Diagon Alley. He doubted they'd be very proud of that.
"It's nothing compared to what you tried to do for Luna," Harry said. "I'm sorry that it cost you so much."
"I'm not," Remus said. "It's my fault she was there and I shouldn't have let her out of my sight."
Harry shook his head. He suspected that Luna's actions were more premeditated than anyone realized. He just needed to confirm it.
"Luna is actually a few rooms over," he said, changing the subject. "We are going to visit her next if you want to join us?"
If Remus noticed the change of subject, he didn't say anything. Harry hoped that Remus would assume Harry just felt awkward receiving praise.
"Help me into the wheelchair?" Remus asked Silvie. "Let's go see our Luna."
Harry smiled brightly at Remus' words. He led them out into the hallway and then over to Luna's room. Remus had little trouble with the wheelchair and even tried racing ahead of Harry.
He thought it was a little out of character for Remus, but figured the man was trying to make light of the situation so that no one would feel bad for him.
Harry fell behind as the others raced ahead. He heard voices down a short hallway to the side and he didn't like what he heard.
He waited at the end of the corridor before it turned so he could listen in.
"-the mutts should just be put down. Why are we keeping them alive?"
Harry saw red as he understood what he was hearing and who they were talking about.
"We'd be doing the world a favor by slipping a bit of poison into their food," a second voice said.
The first voice chuckled and said, "Where would you get poison, ya dummy? They don't just give out keys to the potions closet to people like us."
"No, but that dickhead, Stevens, is a lazy waste of space and he gives me his keys so I can fetch him stuff every now and then."
Harry heard a gasp after some silence.
"Forget the poison, I bet they've got some good stuff in that closet that we could put to better use."
Harry peaked around the corner and saw two men in sanitation robes cleaning up one of the rooms.
He turned the corner and acted as if he hadn't heard them. "Excuse me, I'm looking for-"
"What do we look like?" The pimple riddled man with greasy black hair interrupted. "An information desk?"
"Yeah, get lost ya runt," the other man said.
Harry ignored them and walked into the room. He acted as if he was interested in what they were doing. "How did you get jobs at the hospital?" He asked. "It looks interesting."
"If cleaning up people's shit and puke seems interesting to you then why don't you come over here and give us a hand?" The black haired guy asked with a smug smile. His companion chuckled. He noticed that one of them had a badge and a key ring full of keys and an idea formed in his head.
"Sure!" Harry said in a cheerful demeanor, ignoring their obvious disrespect. He walked over to them.
When he got close, he saw that the keys were barely secured by a loose lanyard hanging out of his pocket. 'Too easy,' he thought as he bent down to look at the mess while gently lifting the keys from the greasy haired goon. Neither noticed and Harry smirked as he grabbed a towel and cleaned up a spill on the ground.
He righted himself and said, "Thanks, that was easy."
He left quickly while they were still looking at each other in confusion.
Back in the corridor, he rushed over to a closet labeled 'Potions - Restricted Access". He tried a few keys with no success. He'd need to hurry or else someone might show up. Remus and the others probably realized he wasn't with them by now.
Finally, a key worked and he slipped in.
There were several shelves full of random items. Everything was labeled.
A glass cabinet in the corner was locked. 'Restricted - Healer Use Only', he read. Inside were several interesting potions.
He swiped a couple labeled 'High Strength Pain Reliever - Hallucinogenic' as well as some 'Draught of Living Death'. He was about to inspect a few other bottles, but he heard footsteps outside the door.
A moment later, the door knob jiggled and Harry tensed. There were not a lot of hiding places. He quickly scanned the room for a spot and the only viable option was a cabinet and he would really have to contort his body in order to fit. It was a gamble at best, but he was out of options. He opened the door and crammed himself into the tight space before closing the door behind him.
He held his breath and listened as someone walked into the Potion's closet. He willed that they wouldn't need to access his cabinet. His heartbeat was pounding in his ears as he waited for them to leave. The tight space made it difficult to breathe and he was beginning to panic a bit. 'Come on!' he thought. Then he began to have doubts that he'd remembered to close the restricted potion cabinet and he worried it would give him away. Finally, after what felt like ages, he heard the closet door shut and he opened the cabinet door and slid out. He took several deep calming breaths. 'That was too close,' he thought.
He went back to the restricted cabinet and took several doses of Wolfsbane and some other potions that looked interesting. Next to the cabinet was a bookshelf with some books on advanced potions that included some recent discoveries that obviously weren't covered in the outdated Potter Library. He grabbed them too and slid them into his expandable bag.
He felt a little bad for stealing from a hospital, but it was for a good cause. He didn't have enough Wolfsbane for everyone and he didn't know where else to get some on short notice. Besides, who knew who else at the Hospital was thinking thoughts like the two sanitation wizards he'd run into openly talking about killing patients. He'd prefer not to take those chances.
He listened at the door to make sure no one was outside the room. When he was sure no one was there, he opened the door and snuck out.
As he walked down the hall, he formulated his excuse for his disappearance.
When he made it back to the room the two men had been in, he peeked inside and found them still there. He quickly removed his wand and cast two quick stunners. He watched them fall to the floor and then walked into the room.
He uncorked two pain reliever potions and poured a little bit out of both before putting one in the hand of each man. He then put the keys back in the one man's pocket and quickly left the room.
With any luck they'd be discovered by a nurse or a healer and then dealt with.
He made his way to Luna's room and walked in.
"Hey, sorry I got separated, but I had to use the restroom," he said as he walked in while thinking that he ought to start coming up with better excuses.
"You were gone for ages," Silvie said. "Did you fall in?" She asked with a wink.
Everyone laughed at that, including Harry.
Harry looked over at Luna and saw her raising an eyebrow at him. He shrugged subtly and smiled at her.
The unsaid conversation went unnoticed by the group and the conversation picked up to where it was before he'd interrupted.
"So what did you think of Corbin?" Tabatha asked Luna while wiggling her eyebrows. "All the girls at camp think he's the cutest."
Luna laughed. "Honestly, I didn't really notice," she said. "I did meet a rather handsome owl while I was there, though."
Tabatha scoffed and Silvie chuckled.
When there was a lull in the conversation, Harry interrupted and asked, "When do you get to come home? They're not keeping you here until the full moon are they?"
Luna laughed and said, "No, I get to come home soon. They've determined that I have lycanthropy and it can't be reversed."
Harry frowned. He has still been hoping that Luna might escape being a werewolf even though he knew it was unlikely.
"It'll be okay," Tabatha said. "It hurts to transform, but you get used to it. Plus, with the potion it's not so bad as long as we're all still careful."
Remus nodded. "Part of the reason we visit the pack is so we don't have to transform alone. It's better to have other werewolves with you so it's a good thing you'll have us."
Harry could tell that their words of encouragement were helping, and the fact they were leaving out that Luna might not even survive her first transformation did not go unnoticed to him. Naturally, he kept it to himself. She was going to survive.
Chapter 18: The Agent of Fate
Chapter Text
It was several weeks later and Harry and Luna were walking through the forest. Harry was hoping for some time to talk to Luna about everything that had happened. He was grateful to have Luna home again. It just wasn't the same without her. He hadn't really needed anything from the forest, but it was a good way to get Luna alone since Tabatha wasn't allowed to come with. Tabatha was great, but that two years' age difference felt quite substantial to him. She'd taken to following him and Luna around everywhere they went. If he was honest with himself, Tabatha tended to follow Luna around and not him, but it was still annoying.
Once they were far enough in, Harry felt comfortable broaching the subject. He had been thinking for a long time about how to bring it up and had decided to just be blunt. Luna was blunt, so he figured she'd appreciate it.
"Luna," he said. "I've been wanting to ask you something about the whole thing with Greyback."
Luna stopped walking for a moment at the mention of the werewolf, but recovered quickly. "Oh," she said. "What exactly do you want to know?"
Harry could sense that Luna was on edge, which was odd for the girl. She was being very secretive so he'd have to be more careful how he approached this, which he hadn't really planned for.
"I'm mostly wondering about the poem and the drawing I found in your room," he said. "The one about a fool and a moon."
He waited with bated breath for Luna to respond.
"Oh that," Luna laughed. "I thought you were going to ask me about…" she trailed off.
Harry stopped walking then and Luna did as well.
"About what?" Harry asked. He wondered if Luna thought maybe he wanted to know more about how she'd been captured and what Greyback had done to her. He shuddered. He would listen if she wanted to talk about that, but he'd prefer to be spared the gruesome details.
Luna hesitated for a moment longer before saying, "Nevermind, Harry."
She pulled his hand so they could keep walking towards the fairy nest and he followed.
"I'll tell you what happened, but you have to promise not to interrupt, or laugh," she said. Harry nodded his agreement.
Luna took a deep breath. "I had a dream a couple nights before Remus brought up his plans to go looking for Silvie. In the dream, I met a woman in bright white robes in a forest. She told me that she was Fate, and that I'd been chosen to become one of her Agents."
Luna hesitated for a moment to test whether or not Harry would try and interrupt. Satisfied that he was taking this seriously, she continued. "She told me that an Agent of Fate was granted the ability to see certain events in the future, but in exchange they had to work with Fate to make sure the event played out correctly."
Harry wondered if that was the cost or if it was something else. He was dying to ask her, but didn't want to interrupt.
"My Aunt May, my mother's sister, told me stories about Fate and I admit that when the woman in my dream mentioned that I had been chosen, I was ecstatic. She told me that in order to become an Agent of Fate that I'd have to go with Remus and then she showed me what was going to happen to me if I did go."
Harry gasped. His suspicions that Luna knew what was going to happen were confirmed.
Luna paused for a time at his gasp, but finally continued. "Yes, I knew what was going to happen to me. The visions were… explicit. I felt every bite and scratch as if they were happening. I felt the humiliation of being kept in a cage, the hunger as I waited for my next meal, and the fear that I would never escape.
"But then she showed me being rescued by you. She showed me that not only would I be freed, but all the other children being held captive. She showed me hope. Somehow, knowing that you would come and rescue me and everyone else made me feel better. She told me that my choosing to go would set things in motion that needed to happen. She told me that I could be Fate's tool to make sure that you came and rescued us. So I agreed and I forced my way with Remus."
Harry didn't like it. He didn't like being manipulated. He didn't think he could have done what Luna had done.
His distaste must have shown on his face because Luna sniffed and asked, "You don't agree with my choice?"
Harry shook his head. "I don't know, Luna. It doesn't seem to be worth it to be an Agent of Fate. To be controlled by Fate like that…"
Luna laughed at that. "We're all controlled by Fate, whether we like it or not," she said. "At least this way, I get to be part of something bigger than myself. I get to be useful."
Harry paused at that.
"Do you think that Fate hasn't already used you for her own ends?" Luna asked.
Harry shrugged. He preferred to think that his fate was in his own hands and not in the hands of some mystical being.
"Being an Agent of Fate is a great honor, Harry," Luna said. "Fate is crafty. She doesn't have to show you the future to get what she wants, but she chooses to have Agents from time to time because she trusts them."
Harry didn't like it and he didn't think he would have chosen the same thing, but he understood where she was coming from. He wanted to be useful too. He wanted to make his family proud and he wanted to be important. That was why he joined the Guild of Shadows after all.
It couldn't have been easy knowing that she'd become a werewolf and then allowing it to happen just so things would play out the way Fate wanted them to. There was strength in her knowing and choosing it anyways and his respect for Luna grew.
"Mrs Figg knows about the poem and the picture, and about you leaving Loki to guide me," Harry said. "She said you might be a prophetess."
Luna shrugged. "That is another word for an Agent of Fate," she said. "Different cultures call them different things, but they're all the same thing. The woman in my dream called it an Agent of Fate, and I like that more anyways."
Harry nodded. It made as much sense as it could, he supposed. He had a lot more questions but he suspected that the more he asked, the more questions he'd have. Fate, Destiny, whatever you wanted to call it, it was confusing.
He decided to just ask one more question. "Has Fate called since your dream?"
Luna nodded, a small smile growing on her face. "Yes, my first night in the hospital," she said. "She said she was proud of me and that I'd done well."
Harry smiled. Even if he didn't really understand all of it and didn't like what he did understand, he was still happy for his friend.
"She also told me to tell you something," Luna said.
Harry felt his eyebrows raise against his will.
"Don't put the Guild Leader's key in your vault, Harry," Luna finished.
He had basically forgotten all about the key, distracted by the Guild Market and his mission. He hadn't ever actually put it in his vault.
"Is this going to be a thing?" he asked in frustration. "Is Fate going to use you to tell me what to do now?"
Luna huffed in return. "I don't know," she said while folding her arms across her chest. "Maybe."
"What if I ignore it?" he said. "I don't want some… deity telling me what to do."
Luna laughed. "What makes you think that Fate hasn't thought of that and knows that by telling you what to do, that you'll do the opposite, thus doing exactly what they intend you to do?"
It was maddening and he yelled in frustration.
Luna came and patted him on the shoulder. "Just do what you think is right. I'm just passing on the message… I've done my part."
They had made it to the fairy nest a while ago, but had stopped to finish their conversation, but when Harry went to harvest, he found that the fairies had abandoned it. He reckoned they had finally gotten fed up with him stealing their eggs and whatnot.
"They've left," Harry said. "Oh well, we didn't actually need anything anyways."
"Oh darn," Luna replied. "Auggie was looking forward to some fresh fairies."
Harry laughed. "Told you that, did he?" he said.
"Shut up," Luna said, without any real bite. "Auggie and I have a bond."
"You and just about every magical creature have a bond." Harry replied. "It's a miracle that Ratatoskr hasn't switched sides already." He said all this with a fond smile. He wasn't actually upset about it. It just meant that he'd found a very good friend in Luna. Magical creatures were excellent judges of character after all.
Luna just stuck out her tongue at him.
When they arrived back inside, they were met by Susan and Amelia Bones who looked to have just arrived via the floo. Harry wasn't expecting this and started to panic. He hadn't actually ever sent Susan a letter to apologize.
"Hi Harry," Susan said while looking him and Luna over. "I'm guessing you didn't know we were coming today?"
Harry recovered quickly and performed the required niceties. The rituals, though annoying, were helpful for buying time. "No, but you are both most welcome," he said. "Susan, I owe you and Madam Bones an apology."
Madam Bones raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow at his admission. "Oh?" she asked. "Whatever for?"
Harry stepped back and looked at both of them, forcing his embarrassment aside as he admitted his murmurings about the effectiveness and capability of the Auror Force to the Head of the DMLE.
Susan was beaming at his apology. Madam Bones simply smiled and said, "You wouldn't be the first to voice such opinions, and you most certainly won't be the last."
She looked him over with a calculating look and said, "Your apology is appreciated, but not necessary. You were experiencing some very powerful and very real emotions, I'm sure. I am, in fact, quite impressed by your willingness to accept responsibility for any potential offense."
Harry glanced at Susan, waiting for her response.
Susan smiled brightly and said, "It's no problem, Harry, I understand where you were coming from."
Susan walked over and gave him a brief hug and a peck on the cheek and he felt heat rise to his cheeks quickly. He thought he saw a blush forming on Susan's cheeks as well, but she turned away and greeted Luna before he could be sure.
"Ah, Amelia and Susan, you're here!" Harry heard Sirius say behind him. He turned and saw the man descending the stairs. Harry had never seen him look so put together. He was dressed in fine charcoal robes, his hair and beard were trimmed to perfection.
Harry watched with envy as Sirius performed the pure blood niceties as if they were second nature. Harry could do them well by now, but the way Sirius did them made them look normal.
"I asked them to meet me here so I could treat them to a nice dinner in the city and maybe do some shopping. Would either of you care to join us?" Sirius asked him and Luna.
Luna declined politely and Harry was tempted to do the same since shopping wasn't really his thing, but he had missed both Sirius and Susan and accepted the invitation.
He hadn't noticed before but Susan and Amelia were both very well dressed as well and he suddenly felt very self conscious of the dirty robes he was wearing.
"Do we have time for me to get changed first?" He asked, gesturing at his robes. "I've just come from the forest."
Sirius answered with an easy smile and said, "Oh, yes, of course. Actually, that gives me an excuse to brew some of that cocoa that Mooney gets from the continent… Amelia?"
Sirius escorted Amelia to the kitchen and Susan walked with Harry and Luna back to their rooms.
"They seem to be hitting it off," Harry said to Susan.
Susan smiled and said, "Oh yes. I don't think I've ever seen Auntie so happy actually."
"Sirius has really cleaned up," he said. "It was looking pretty rough there for a while so I'm glad to see him doing so much better."
Harry departed to his room and Susan and Luna went to say hi to Auggie.
Harry changed quickly into his nicest robes and then fruitlessly attempted to tame his hair. He debated on whether or not to bring his 'Adventure Kit' as he'd started calling it.
It contained his Kenetic Guild Robes, his invisibility cloak, useful potions, and some joke supplies from Zonkos. He hadn't brought it with him to the hospital and it would have been dead useful.
Ultimately, he doubted he'd get any use out of it tonight with Sirius and Amelia so close, and it would be hard to explain if he got caught with it, so he decided to leave it behind this time.
He did bring his wand though, just in case.
Later that night, Harry and Susan walked hand in hand behind Amelia and Sirius. They'd just finished shopping and decided to stop at Fortescues for some ice cream.
Dinner had been phenomenal and he'd never experienced anything like it. Sirius had let him get whatever he wanted and refused to let Harry pay for anything.
The group sat and happily ate their dessert.
"So, Susan, what are you most looking forward to at Hogwarts next year?" Sirius asked.
Susan paused thoughtfully. "I think I'm most looking forward to making some new friends and I'm really excited about Charms."
Sirius smiled genuinely and said, "Ah, Charms was one of my best subjects," he said.
Amelia didn't quite manage to hold in her laugh at that.
Sirius turned and gave her a hurt look. "You doubt me?" He said in mock outrage.
"Not at all," she said placatingly. "You're very ummm… charming."
Susan and Harry laughed at their antics.
"You're lucky these two are here," he said while gesturing to him and Susan. "Or I'd show you just how charming I can be."
Susan giggled and Harry saw a small blush appear on Amelia's cheeks. Sirius smirked in triumph.
Amelia cleared her throat and quickly changed the subject. "What about you, Harry," she said. "What are you looking forward to?"
Harry thought about it for a while and answered, "I'm looking forward to a lot of things like finding the secret passageways and exploring the castle. I like Potions, and I really want to learn about Enchanting."
"A true Potter, then," Amelia said with a smile.
Harry grinned back.
"My, my, isn't this touching," a snobby voice said whilst slurring his words. "Two orphans and their guardians. Madam Bones, I'm surprised to see you in the presence of Black… especially after his brother murdered your family."
Harry tensed at the words and noticed that Amelia and Susan had too. He turned and looked at the looming figure of Lucius Malfoy standing next to his wife, Narcissa, who seemed to be trying and failing to lead the man away.
Sirius went to stand and remove his wand but Amelia placed her hand in his arm to call him.
"Mr Malfoy," Amelia said calmly, "I'll have to ask that you refrain from bringing up such a sensitive subject in front of my niece."
She placed a fake grin on her face and added, "Besides, I do recall that you were there and under the imperius at the time. Such a shame that you lacked the backbone to resist such a curse, else my dear brother might still be alive."
Harry watched with satisfaction as Mr Malfoy flinched at her words.
"You dare!?" The man said, outraged.
Madam Bones raised her perfectly manicured eyebrow. "You brought it up, Malfoy."
"We're sorry," Narcissa interjected. "My husband had too much to drink and has apparently forgotten his manners. Please excuse us."
And she led him away towards The Leaky Cauldron. Harry suddenly wished that he'd brought his kit. A drunk Malfoy would be an easy target.
"I'm sorry you had to hear that, Susan," Amelia said with a worried glance.
Susan's eyes looked unfocused for a moment before she shook her head and responded numbly with, "It's not your fault, Auntie."
"Foul git," Sirius muttered.
Susan looked at Sirius and said, "Was he telling the truth about your brother?"
Sirius looked sad and nodded. "Yes, my brother, like most of my family, joined the Death Eaters. I don't know whether or not Regulus killed anyone or if they just used him as a scapegoat. He died before the end of the war and was never convicted. My brother was soft. He was twisted by my parents into joining. I always hoped he had managed to stay out of things for the most part but maybe I was wrong."
"I wouldn't put much stock in the words of a Malfoy," Amelia said. "They're a slippery bunch."
Harry nodded his agreement.
"What is the Imper… the curse you mentioned?" Harry finally asked. He'd spent a lot of time reading in the library but it didn't ring a bell.
Amelia looked at Sirius and Sirius nodded.
"The Imperius Curse is one of the three Unforgivable Curses," Amelia said. "It essentially gives the caster complete control of their victim. They can force them to do terrible things."
That sounded terrible and he said as much, but added, "It sounded like there was a way to fight against the curse?"
Sirius nodded. "An exceptionally strong willed person could fight back, but it's rare."
"Which is why Malfoy was able to use it as an excuse to escape prison." Amelia said.
Harry was busy processing the information. Still stuck on the thought of being helpless while someone controlled him. When Amelia's words finally registered he asked, "You mean you don't believe it?"
"Not for a second," Amelia and Sirius said at the same time. It helped break the tension and they all laughed, even Susan.
With the mood lightened, Harry was reminded that he'd wanted to ask Sirius about Bowtruckles and Runes. It wouldn't hurt to ask someone as accomplished as Madam Bones as well.
He told the group what he'd seen Ratatoskr do and then asked them if they knew anything about Bowtruckles understanding Runes.
"Not that I know of, but I didn't take Runes." Sirius said. "Magical creatures sometimes have weird abilities, but they're usually only apparent when they've bonded with a witch or wizard."
Amelia nodded her agreement. "That's all I really know as well. I took Runes, but I don't recall ever learning that Bowtruckles had an affiliation with them."
He wondered if maybe Olivander would know. He glanced at the wand shop but the lights were out. He'd have to ask another time.
Harry woke up the next day to sunlight shining through his windows. Mrs Figg had been busy with one thing or another for weeks now and hadn't been waking him up early or conducting lessons for him and Luna.
He rolled out of bed with a groan and started doing push ups. Mrs Figg might not be there to wake him up, but he could still exercise. He didn't want to get rusty. Besides, after cramming himself into the cupboard at the hospital, he wanted to add contortion to his regime.
After his workout, he was sure to stretch so that he'd be able to maintain his flexibility. Afterwards, he headed downstairs and walked to the kitchen for breakfast. He was greeted by Sirius and Luna, who were sharing a plate of bacon.
Harry walked to the fridge and found that it was surprisingly empty. Mrs Figg did the shopping and obviously hadn't been able to go recently.
"Has anyone heard from Mrs Figg?" He asked.
Both Sirius and Luna indicated that they hadn't.
Harry hoped she was okay. Maybe he should go and visit Hermes. He usually knew where she was, and maybe he'd be in a better mood since Harry had delivered the catnip.
He made his way to Mrs Figg's quarters and opened the door.
"Mrs Figg!" He called. "Hermes, are you there?"
He waited a moment and was about to investigate when he heard Hermes in his head.
"Yes, Harry?" The deep voice said.
Harry replied mentally, "Have you seen Mrs Figg? I'm worried about her."
Hermes chuckled. "You should be," he said.
"What do you mean? Why?" He asked the cat.
"Mrs Figg is away… doing Guild work," Hermes finally answered. "She probably won't be back any time soon, but she is okay. I'd know if something had happened to her."
Harry felt the mental connection break. He still didn't understand. Should he be worried about her or not? Stupid cat.
Harry left after that and entered the kitchen.
"Mrs Figg is going to be away for a while so we should probably go grocery shopping soon… Do either of you know how we do that?" He asked Sirius and Luna.
They both looked at him blankly. That was a no.
Harry was circulating some sort of plan. He'd been grocery shopping tons of times in the muggle world. He'd just need to convert his gold into muggle money and go out. It had been a while since he'd gone muggle anyways.
He was interrupted from his thoughts when Sirius said, "I'll just send Kreacher. He does all the shopping for the Black family home."
Harry was confused. "Kreacher?" He asked.
"He's a house elf. Mad as can be after being left alone with no one but the portrait of my dead mother, but still capable enough," Sirius said. "He'll hate that I'm making him do this!" He added happily.
Harry was even more confused now but at least the problem was solved.
"Can I meet him?" Luna asked.
Sirius looked hesitant for a moment. "He's not really fit for meeting decent people," he said.
"Please?" Luna said while pouting. Harry thought she looked a bit ridiculous but it was working on Sirius.
"Never could say no to a pretty bird," Sirius said. "Kreacher!"
Harry heard a pop and a small, wrinkly, and ugly creature with large eyes and an even larger set of droopy ears appeared in his kitchen.
More off putting than his general characteristics was the grimace the creature held on his face.
"Nasty Master calls Kreacher to this awful place?" Kreacher said in a miserable, raspy voice.
"Yes, your Master," Sirius said while emphasizing the word. "Has summoned you to introduce you to Harry Potter and Luna Lovegood."
Kreacher looked dully at Harry and Luna.
"Hi Kreacher," Luna said while holding out her hand. "I'm Luna. It's nice to meet you."
Kreacher looked at Luna in confusion. He seemed to be torn between two emotions, but Harry couldn't guess what they were. He blamed the wrinkles.
Harry decided to follow Luna's lead since she tended to have a way with magical creatures and said, "Hello Kreacher, my name is Harry Potter. Welcome to my home."
Kreacher inhaled sharply at his words. He took in several deep breaths as he looked between Harry and Luna in confusion.
"They are treating Kreacher with respect and kindness, like master Regulus always did, but they are's being a nasty half breed and nasty blood traitor. Mistress would not approve," Kreacher said to himself miserably.
Harry was confused but was starting to put everything together. The Blacks were a traditional pureblood family. They were a nasty intolerant sort and they'd obviously twisted the house elf's mind.
Harry glanced at Sirius to gauge his reaction. Sirius just looked at the elf in disgust. An obvious reminder to his home life before he'd run away.
Harry decided to push a little harder to break through to the elf.
"Would you like some tea?" He asked the elf kindly.
Sirius barely managed to hold in his laugh. Luckily, the elf didn't notice.
"Tea?" Kreacher rasped. "You are offering poor Kreacher tea?"
"Oh, and biscuits. We have a little bit left," Luna said as she dug through the pantry.
Kreacher broke down crying. "Masters are too kind to Kreacher and even after Kreacher was so rude. Master Regulus would be ashamed!" The elf cried into his hands.
"I think you broke him," Sirius said with a wicked grin.
Luna put her hands on her hips and scowled at Sirius. "Maybe if you were nice to him, he wouldn't be so shocked," she said seriously.
Sirius looked taken aback at Luna and was about to reply, but Harry interrupted. Harry knew he would likely blow up at anyone that told him he should have been nicer to Dudley or something. It wasn't quite the same thing, but it was close enough. He would need to diffuse the situation.
"Hey Sirius," Harry said. "I think I get it. I know I'd be mad if someone told me to be nice to Dudley after all he did to make my life miserable, but maybe Luna has a point even if she should maybe be more empathetic towards all you went through."
He really hoped that by distracting each of them from their anger before it could set in that it would fizzle out and they'd all be able to move on.
He was wrong.
"You get it!?" Sirius said in disbelief at the same time that Luna said, "I need to be more empathetic!?"
They continued to shout and Harry sat there and took the abuse. At least it wasn't being directed at themselves or Kreacher.
Kreacher was looking at all of them with wide eyes, his mouth ajar. Harry just locked eyes with the elf and smiled kindly. Family members sometimes fought, and that was okay, normal even. He just wanted Kreacher to understand that maybe the Blacks had been wrong about half breeds and half bloods or blood traitors.
Kreacher seemed to realize what he'd done and smiled in return. It looked like a painful torturous smile, but it was genuine. They sat there and smiled at each other while Luna and Sirius berated him for what he'd said.
Harry handed the house elf a cup of tea and they sat there and drank it.
When Sirius and Luna finally realized that Harry and Kreacher were just sitting there drinking tea together, completely unphased by all the yelling, they stopped.
"You're impossible, Harry Potter," Luna said. Her cheeks were red and her hair was all over the place.
Sirius was taking in deep breaths and he still had a scowl on his face, but he wasn't saying anything.
Harry poured two more cups and handed one to each of them. "Feel better?" he asked with an arrogant smile.
"Quiet you," Sirius said as he took the cup. He looked at Kreacher seriously for a long while as he drank his tea. The elf looked at Sirius warily.
"Kreacher," Sirius said. "I will try and be… nicer… going forward as long as you will try and refrain from insulting my friends."
Kreacher nodded and said, "I will try, Master."
"Thank you," Sirius replied. "We were wondering if you'd be willing to stock the kitchen for us?"
Kreacher perked up at this. "You is wanting Kreacher to do more work?"
"Yes… please, Kreacher," Sirius said, barely remembering to add the magic word.
Kreacher vanished with a pop, his tea cup left spinning on the table before finally coming to a stop.
"That was something else," Harry said, still grinning.
Sirius looked at him with eyes that held just a twinge of sadness in them, as if he was remembering something from long ago. "Sometimes, I'm still amazed at how it's possible that you seem to have equal parts James and Lily in you."
Sirius ruffled his hair and added, "They'd be so proud of you."
Later that afternoon, Harry was helping to prepare dinner. Remus was supposed to come home today and they were going to have a small party to celebrate that Luna and Remus were home.
When Remus came home, Harry had been concerned that the man wouldn't be able to get around very well. After all, there were a lot of stairs at Potter Manor.
Remus rolled right to the stairs and then floated up and over them in his wheelchair. Magic might not be able to solve every problem, but it solved a lot of them.
A few moments later, the floo flared green and Amelia, Sirius, and Susan arrived. Harry greeted them and then they made their way to the dining room.
Remus and Sirius spent a good amount of time sharing old memories of their time at Hogwarts.
"Actually, I think I caught your parents snogging in a broom closet my first year as prefect," Remus said to Susan with a smirk. "They'd have been in their seventh year then."
Amelia, who Harry had learned was a few years younger than her brother, laughed and said, "I think I remember that night. I was in third year and caught them returning to the common room. Nathan was rather cross at being lectured by a fifth year, and Rachael thought it was so funny."
Susan smiled brightly at the story. Harry knew how much the stories about his parents meant to him and could only assume that Susan felt the same way.
They talked well into the night before Amelia and Susan returned home. Remus still seemed reluctant to turn into bed, but Silvie and Tabitha turned in for the night.
That left Harry, Luna, Remus, and Sirius who decided to enjoy a cup of cocoa while they talked. The conversation started off with more stories of Hogwarts, but when Sirius touched on one of their full moon adventures, Harry was reminded of a question he had.
"Hey Remus, do you know how your injury is going to affect your wolf form?" He asked.
Remus took a sip of his cocoa before answering. "The Healers speculated several outcomes. They assume that my injury will transfer over to my wolf form, but they aren't sure. It's not well documented."
"Will the transformation complicate your recovery?" Sirius asked.
Remus shook his head and said, "Actually, they have theorized the opposite. My wolf form, being magically strong, might actually help me recover… there is a small chance that I'll regain the ability to walk after my transformation."
Harry perked up at that. "That's interesting," he said. "I hadn't thought of that."
Remus smiled. "I'm trying not to get my hopes up. Actually, I need to talk to you about something, Luna. I'm hoping to go deep into the forest here for my transformation. The ambient magic might increase my chances."
Luna nodded along. "With this being your first time, it'll be really good for you to transform with other werewolves, and I was originally planning on taking Wolfsbane, but it might be better for me to let more of the wolf out.
"How do you feel about your first transformation occurring without the use of Wolfsbane?" He asked.
Luna seemed to be thoughtfully considering everything. "I think I'd like to experience the transformation fully so that I can better appreciate the potion in the future."
Remus nodded solemnly. "I'm glad to hear you say that," he said.
"What about Silvie and Tabatha?" Harry asked, curious.
"They're planning on taking the potion to help keep us in line," Remus said.
Harry nodded. He was glad there would be someone to keep an eye on things. "The next full moon is in a couple nights," Harry pointed out. "Are you ready?"
Luna frowned and said, "Not really. I'm just glad I won't be alone."
Harry hoped he'd someday be able to be there for her too, but he nodded to add his agreement to her statement. He was grateful that Luna had Remus, Silvie, and Tabatha.
It was a couple days later and the full moon was tonight. Harry woke up and performed his routine. Mrs Figg had not been heard from and Harry was contemplating a visit to Hogsmeade and then Mundungus in Knockturn to see if he knew anything.
It wasn't abnormal for Mrs Figg to be busy and gone all day, but it was not like her to just vanish without notice.
Harry contemplated inviting Luna to come with him, but she had been incredibly irritable the day before. She'd nearly bitten his head off when he'd accidentally bumped into her as he was walking down the hallway.
Besides, he was planning to use the invisibility cloak to do some stalking. Maybe he'd run into Lucius Malfoy or some other former death eater.
Harry gathered his gear and put it in his expandable bag. Ever since his little adventure to Italy, everyone has been too busy and distracted to care much about how he spent his time. Sirius was too busy with Auror training and Remus had been in the hospital, which distracted Silvie.
So he was surprised when he made it all the way to the floo and Remus stopped him.
"Going somewhere, Harry?" The man said from the kitchen doorway.
Harry paused, barely containing the guilty jolt his body wanted to make when he was caught doing something wrong.
"Oh, hey Remus, I didn't see you there," he said awkwardly. "I was just going to see if I could find Mrs Figg since she's been gone so long."
Remus looked thoughtful. "Sirius mentioned something about that." He scratched his chin and added, "Normally, I'd offer to go with you but I have a raging headache."
Harry nodded, relieved that he wouldn't have to make up another excuse.
"I hate sending you off alone but I doubt anyone here will be very good company today," Remus said.
Harry thought for a moment for something to put Remus at ease and then it came to him. "Don't worry, I'm going to start at Honeydukes because they're a business partner of mine that Mrs Figg has been working with. Want me to pick anything up?"
Remus looked hesitant at first but Harry could tell he was sold at the mention of Honeydukes. Remus had a bit of a problem when it came to chocolate and Harry wasn't above exploiting it.
Remus promptly listed off several things for Harry to pick up and then Harry resumed his journey.
Harry flooed directly to Honeydukes since he'd been given an open invitation to do so if he ever needed. The apartment was empty so he headed downstairs.
The shop was absolutely swarming with customers. He didn't think he'd ever seen it so full and he wondered if the full moon had any correlation with increased chocolate sales.
He managed to get Mr Flume's attention briefly while he made his purchase and was told that they hadn't seen Mrs Figg for several weeks. Harry nodded his thanks and went on his way.
He was concerned, of course, but there were still other people for him to check with. Hopefully, Feona Greengrass was in and had seen her more recently.
He made his way over to her shop, passing several cart vendors offering random trinkets. He walked inside her shop and found Feona stocking a display case.
"Hey Feona," he said with a smile. "Long time, no see."
Feona turned and looked him up and down before smiling and saying, "Too long, I'd say. You look like you've grown a foot since I saw you last and you've filled in nicely… you no longer look like a skinny runt."
"Oi! He replied. He didn't think he'd been that bad.
Feona laughed and said, "What brings you to my shop anyways?"
Harry explained that he was looking for Mrs Figg.
Feona looked surprised. "Oh, yes, she was here just yesterday actually. We were going over the list of ol' Lucie's suppliers."
Harry let out a breath of relief. He was relieved at least someone had seen her recently. But what was she doing, he wondered.
"She hasn't been home in several weeks as far as I know. Maybe she's just getting in after I've gone to bed and leaving before I wake up," he said.
"Well, I'll let her know you're worried when I see her next," Feona said. "She seemed alright to me, happy even."
Harry thanked Feona and then asked if he could use her floo.
He traveled to The Leaky Cauldron and from there went out to the Alley.
First stop was Olivanders to ask about Ratatoskr's ability to understand Runes. Then he'd head to Mundungus' shop.
When he got to Olivanders, he saw the man was busy with a customer so he decided to wait a while at Fortescues.
He sat at a table and enjoyed a cup of coffee while he waited for the people to leave Olivanders.
He was only there for a couple minutes when he saw Theodore Knott walking through the alley alone. He waved politely when the boy spotted him. Theo hesitated for a moment before walking over towards him.
"Hey Theo," he said. "How are you?"
Theo grinned and said, "I'm doing alright. Bit bored if I'm being honest."
Harry smiled. He hadn't been sure where he stood with Theo since he hadn't heard from or seen him since around Solstice, but the easy way they picked up as if it were only yesterday, put him at ease.
"Yeah," Harry said. "I feel like time has slowed to a stop the last couple weeks." It wasn't true, exactly, but no one really knew that. "Is that why you're wandering the alley?"
Theo nodded. "Yeah, my dad has business on the continent so I've been left to my own devices for the last couple weeks."
Harry thought that kind of sounded nice, but he wouldn't trade his friendships for anything now. He wondered just what Theo's dad was up to. All he knew was that the Knotts dealt in dangerous creatures and had a dark reputation.
"What are you doing here?" Theo asked him.
"Everyone was busy today, so I thought I'd just do some exploring around Diagon," he replied. There was no point in giving away his secrets too freely unless Theo might know something about Bowtruckles and Runes.
Theo nodded. "I'm heading over to look at the new brooms if you want to join me," he said.
Harry thought about it for a minute. He liked Theo and didn't want to offend him by blowing him off, but he didn't want to get sidetracked. Deciding he would rather be on good terms with Theo, he agreed to go with him.
The pair left the ice cream shop and walked together towards the broom shop.
Harry hadn't spent anytime flying yet and knew relatively nothing about brooms. He had been worried that Theo would make fun of him for it, but when he broached the subject Theo said, "Don't worry, I haven't spent a lot of time flying either and I doubt very many kids our age have."
Harry was relieved.
When they got to the shop, they saw a group of people gathered around a display case that featured a brand new broom.
"Oh, this must be the new Nimbus!" Theo said excitedly. "I read that most of the professional teams have purchased these brooms."
Harry looked at the broom, if you could call it that. It was unlike any broom he'd ever seen though it had the general shape of one. It was very finely polished and looked relatively comfortable for riding. The bristles at the end were held by a very fine bronze sleeve and there were fine bronze braces attached where Harry figured the rider could rest their feet.
As he looked even closer he saw several runic sequences running up the length of the broom. The braces and sleeve also had runes etched on basically every surface.
"Do those runes mean anything or are they there simply for aesthetics?" he asked Theo.
Theo raised his eyes at Harry and said, "I don't know, never really thought about it."
Harry felt a bit like a nerd and blushed.
Theo laughed and said, "Don't worry about it. Let's go ask the store owner…"
The store owner was actually thrilled at the question and unloaded a wealth of information on how brooms were made. Harry learned that they did in fact use runes in broom making. Besides the runes, he was interested in what the store owner said about how different kinds of materials were better for some things than others. There were other factors as well that were closely guarded secrets.
Harry was thrilled to learn something new and even though Theo didn't seem all that interested, he didn't make him feel bad for his curiosity.
Theo left shortly after that, however, saying he had already made plans to catch up with an old friend.
Harry made his way back over to Olivanders and, seeing that it was free of customers, he entered.
The room looked much the same as it did last time. He wanted to reach out with his magic, but knew that it would be too overwhelming. He knew he needed to figure out a way to dampen the unpleasant effects of his ability soon. Otherwise he'd never be able to use it at places like Hogwarts.
It didn't take long for Mr Olivander to show up. "Mr Potter," the old man said. His eyes seemingly pierced into his soul. "It's a pleasure to see you here."
Harry smiled at the old man. Olivander was a bit strange, but Harry found it endearing. He greeted the wand maker and sat at the counter.
"Do you have time to answer some questions?" Harry checked. "I don't want to be a bother."
Harry glanced around the room swiftly, noticing that it looked much the same as last time.
"Not at all," Mr Olivander said. "I can make time for you as long as you keep sending me the high quality wood you've been sending."
Harry, who had tried hard to live up to the high standard his grandfather had set, was very glad to hear that Olivander was satisfied with what Harry had been sending him.
"I just had another question about Bowtruckles," he said.
Harry watched as Mr Olivander's eyes grew as he explained about Ratatoskr and the runes.
"Fascinating," the man said when Harry was done. "I've not heard of Bowtruckles having an affinity for runes, but it's definitely something you should keep exploring while at Hogwarts."
Harry felt himself deflate a bit at the man's answer. He had really been hoping for something, anything really, as an explanation.
Mr Olivander must have picked up on his disappointment because he added, "Sorry I couldn't be more help."
Harry nodded in response and said, "Thanks anyways. I'll just have to keep searching for the answer and you were the first person that came to mind."
"I'm honored," Mr Olivander said. "But I'm afraid that wand making has been my sole focus in life since I was about your age."
Harry couldn't help but wonder just how long ago that had been, but he kept that question to himself.
He said goodbye and made his way towards Knockturn Alley, noticing right away that the streets seemed busier than normal. Harry didn't hate crowds, in fact he loved how easy they made it for him to disappear into anonymity when needed.
He slunk from group to group. There wasn't a particular reason to be inconspicuous but it never hurt to practice.
Before he knew it, he was at the entrance to Knockturn. He'd considered putting on his cloak, but decided against it. If he was to become a Master Thief, he would need to be more than a boy with an invisibility cloak. So he turned with a flourish of his robes in a way that he hoped resembled Lucius Malloy.
Harry had always liked acting like different people. It was like putting on a different mask than the one he usually wore. Ever since his conversation with the Guild Leader, he'd understood the importance of this particular skill. What he portrayed into the world, people would believe. Right now he needed everyone in the dark alley to believe that he belonged and wasn't to be messed with.
Lucius Malfoy wasn't a man that Harry liked, but he respected the air of authority and pride that surrounded the man. He'd use it when needed.
Harry worked hard to seem indifferent to those around him, as if he were better than everyone. It was challenging to keep the satisfied smirk off his face when he noticed someone reconsider approaching him.
'Dung's shop came into view and Harry quickened his step. He tried the door and it opened with a creak.
The shop looked much the same as always. Dusty, disorganized, and full to the brim of equal parts interesting and mundane looking items.
A few seconds passed before Mundungus seemingly appeared out of nowhere. "Ah, lad, it has been a while." The man said with a smile. Harry guessed he had sensors set up to detect visitors.
Harry approached and greeted the man. "Hey, 'Dung, is Mrs Figg here?"
To Harry's delight, 'Dung nodded with a grin. "She's in the back. C'mon, follow me."
Harry followed the man down a hallway and into the back room.
When he walked through, he saw a slightly disheveled Mrs Figg organizing a bundle of papers. She didn't look very good if he was being honest. She had heavy bags under her eyes, which he noticed were bloodshot. She clearly hadn't slept the night before. He looked around the room, noticing the multitude of stacked pages, books, and folders scattered about the room.
"Mrs Figg?" He asked with some hesitation.
Mrs Figg started at his interruption. She looked up at him with her hand over her chest. "Harry? What are you doing here?" She asked.
"I came to check on you," he said while leveling her with a flat look. "I haven't seen you in ages."
"I've been busy investigating Malfoy and cleaning up your mess," she replied. "It's not been easy, I might add."
"Well that's mostly been me cleaning up your mess, lad," Mundungus interjected while ignoring Mrs Figg's glare. "We've mostly been busy with something far big-"
Mrs Figg had thrown a book at 'Dung to shut him up.
"What's that for!?" He said indignantly.
"You have a big mouth. Harry doesn't need to know," she said.
"Know what?" Harry asked, hurt. "Why can't I know?"
Mrs Figg sighed. "It's not like that, lad, it's just that this is rather sensitive and if someone were to find out what we're up to…" she trailed off.
"I can keep a secret," he answered. "I know-"
"Not from a legilimens," she interrupted.
Harry halted. He had read about legilimency and occlumency in his family library and he knew she had a point. It reminded him that he'd had a question about that…
"How is it that a legilimens can't find out about the Guild then?" He asked. He figured there was a reason and he didn't expect that it would sway Mrs Figg's decision at all.
"The magical vows you swore seal the secret from legilimency," she answered.
"Then I'll just swear another vow," he answered smugly.
"No, you won't," she said, folding her arms. "It's a foolish habit to get into, swearing magical vows left and right."
Harry glared. It drove him mad to have secrets kept from him like this.
"We could just teach him legilimency," 'Dung offered.
Mrs Figg stopped briefly at that.
"You could teach me?" Harry asked. The books he'd read had indicated that the skill was incredibly rare these days.
"Not me, no," the man said. "The Guild has resources though… once you have enough Guild coins at least."
Harry smiled. It was something to work towards at least.
"You'll have to do a lot of jobs or pull off something huge to afford the Guild's training," Mrs Figg said. "It'll probably take a few years."
Harry frowned at that.
"Don't fret," 'Dung said. "We're a ways off from acting on this information… still in the investigative stages."
Mrs Figg nodded at that. "It would be nice to have another member we trust helping us," she said, her rigid bearing softening now that the argument seemed to be over.
Harry smiled at that, relieved that Mrs Figg did in fact trust him and was just keeping it secret out of necessity.
"I'll work hard," he promised.
Mrs Figg laughed at that and said, "Of that, I have no doubt. You're the hardest working 10 year old I've ever met."
Harry laughed at that and Mundungus slapped him in the back with a smile.
"What about Lucius?" Harry asked, changing the subject.
Mrs Figg looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Keen, are you?"
"I'm bored out of my mind," he answered plainly.
'Dung chuckled at that and Mrs Figg had to work to hide her grin.
Mrs Figg handed him a bit of parchment and Harry read it over. It was a large list of names and addresses.
"Is this all of his investments?" He asked.
"Just the potion ingredient investment properties in England, I'm afraid," she said.
Harry was shocked. "Just how wealthy are the Malfoy's if this is just the potion ingredient properties?" He asked.
"In England," 'Dung added with a chuckle.
Harry glared at the reminder and groaned. "This is going to take forever…" he complained.
"Just a bit of hard work," Mrs Figg said. "You'll be busy, at least… not bored, I hope."
He huffed. Mrs Figg had a way of weaponizing his words.
A/N: Thank you for reading and reviewing!
Chapter 19: The Press and The Pilfering of Potion Parts
Chapter Text
Harry met Sirius in the main hall the next morning as they'd planned. Remus and Luna would be returning from the forest this morning after Luna's first transformation and Remus' first post injury and they wanted to be there for them.
Sirius rose and gestured for Harry to follow him into the kitchen. "I know Remus has a cache of hot chocolate hidden away around here somewhere."
Harry laughed and reached into his bag to fish out his Honeydukes purchase. "I just finished picking up some stuff for Remus, actually," he said.
Sirius whistled appreciatively at Harry's haul but shook his head and added, "For all the years I've known Remus, he's had a secret stash of the really good stuff tucked away…"
"Honestly, I'm fine," Harry said. "We can just use the normal stuff."
"Where's the fun in that?" Sirius asked. "Besides, it annoys Remus when I find his hiding places and that's half the fun."
Harry watched as Sirius searched high and low. "Wouldn't he keep it in his room?" Harry tried.
"Nah," Sirius answered over his shoulder as he reached up to the very top shelf. "He stopped hiding his chocolate stash in his room when he caught me going through his underwear drawer one summer."
Harry laughed at that. Sirius might not be the most responsible adult, but he sure knew how to have fun.
"A-ha!" Sirius exclaimed finally. Harry turned and watched as Sirius went to grab a tin of cocoa that was hidden behind some spices on the top shelf.
"Go and fetch some blankets… I'm guessing they're going to need them."
Harry nodded and collected the blankets from a closet In the hall. From the corner of his eye, he saw Hermes run down one of the corridors. He instantly wanted to follow the cat and see where he was going, but it would have to wait.
He made his way back with the blankets and Sirius met him just outside the kitchen with a breakfast tray. Together, they exited out into the courtyard.
Harry instantly noticed how foggy it was. Steam seemed to roll off the ground as the sun's rays hit the frosty grass, indicating to him that winter was near its end.
The pair scanned the grounds for any sign of the werewolves that had been loose in the forest all night.
He was so focused on the tree line that he jumped when an ugly large bird flew over his head.
"Auggie?" He asked no one in particular as the bird flew towards the forest.
A moment later, Loki joined him and Sirius.
"They're close," the cat said mentally. "Luna and the others are fine. Brilliant even… just wait till you see…" the cat trailed off.
A short while later, four figures walked out from the tree line. Harry heard Sirius gasp in surprise and he wondered what was wrong, but when he looked at Sirius he saw a large smile plastered on the man's face.
Confused, Harry went to ask Sirius what he was grinning at and then it dawned on him. Remus was walking!
"It worked!?" Harry asked Sirius in shock.
Sirius barked a loud laugh and said, "It looks like it."
Sirius ran down to the group and met Remus with a mighty hug.
Harry ran after Sirius and was about to hug Luna, but stopped himself in case she was injured.
He needn't have worried though because a moment later, Luna wrapped her arms around his torso in a bone crushing hug and lifted him up off the ground as if it were nothing.
"Whoa," Harry said lamely as he rubbed his ribs gingerly. "You're really strong, Luna."
Luna and Tabitha shared a smile and chuckled before Luna added, "Looks like you have some catching up to do, Harry, if you're going to keep up with us."
Harry grumbled. "It's really not fair. I've been working so hard and you surpass me in one night just because you're a werewolf."
"We could always fix that for you," Tabitha said grinning.
Silvie glared at her and the small girl quickly added, "Only joking of course."
Luna smirked and then patted Harry on the head. "Relax, I'm really only this strong close to the full moon. I'm sure you'll be stronger than me again in a couple days.
Harry had forgotten about the moon's influence on a werewolf's abilities and felt better after Luna's reminder.
"I'm glad you're okay," he said to the group. "More than ok by the look of things," he added to Remus.
Remus grinned. "I just hope it lasts," he said. "There is a chance that I'll only be able to walk for a few days before my injury returns."
Harry nodded thoughtfully. "So this could be similar to how Luna's really strong right now but isn't as strong when the moon really starts to wane?"
"Exactly," Remus said. "We'll just have to wait and see."
Silvie put her hand on Remus' lower back in support. "I sure hope so. The transformation seemed… more brutal than normal."
Remus nodded. "It was. It hurt almost as much as it did when Greyback broke it… at least it passed quickly and we were able to enjoy the rest of our night," he added.
Silvie grinned and blushed.
"If you're not careful, there will be a fresh pack of wolves in the forest," Sirius said." When werewolves mate in wolf form it makes baby wolves, you know."
"I really didn't need that image, thanks, Sirius," Harry said.
Luna and Tabatha just grinned sheepishly and Sirius released a bark of laughter.
"I don't even want to know how you know that, Sirius," Remus said. "Besides, Harry here is the one responsible for the increased werewolf population in the forest, not me."
Harry paused at that, he hadn't heard anything regarding his offer to house the new werewolves at Potter Manor. It had been so long that he had assumed they'd been taken in by their families.
"Any word on the werewolf kids, then?" He asked Sirius since the man spent so much time with Amelia.
"Amelia's been in contact with the Italian Ministry and the Hospital has been in contact with the families," Sirius said. "We should have news soon, I think."
Harry's thoughts drifted as the others continued talking. He would have to start hitting Malfoy's Investments soon in order to make sure they had enough Wolfsbane ingredients. Kreacher had stocked the kitchen and prepared the guest rooms.
They were as ready as they could be, he guessed. At least they would be once he pilfered the potion ingredients. He felt a grin grow on his face as he thought of the folder full of potential marks hidden in his room. This was going to be fun.
Harry spent much of the day reviewing Mrs Figg's work. The contents of the packet she'd given him was spread out all over the floor. Rather than give him something like the Winter Solstice packets, which were neat and organized, she'd given him homework. All the information was there, but he would have to work to finish each profile and come up with a plan for each mark.
He could just wing it, of course, but he knew that Mrs Figg would be disappointed in him if he did that.
Harry got up off the floor and walked over to the table to checkon Ratatoskr. The stick creature looked to be in a similar situation as he sat scratching his head amongst a spread of runes. Harry chuckled at the creatures antics and wished he understood what the heck he was trying to accomplish.
He returned to his own brainstorming. He still needed to work out how he was going to travel to and from each mark. The wizarding world had plenty of options but they each had drawbacks. He walked to the chalkboard he'd moved in and began to write down each method.
The floo was heavily regulated, his own being an exception. There were also usually wards to prevent unauthorized visitors from simply walking through and he had read that tampering with them often resulted in the floo shutting off, thus trapping the culprit inside the fireplace. He crossed out the word 'Floo' on his board.
There were also portkeys to consider, but they were also heavily regulated. He knew he could get one from Henry at the Guild Market, but he didn't have a way to buy one and he didn't want to owe Henry another favor. He was a bit wary after what had happened with Henry. So portkeys were out as well, at least for now.
He wished he could just aperate, but that was far outside his skill level. He could probably ask 'Dung to side along him but the man was very busy and probably wouldn't want to hang around waiting for him while Harry had all the fun. No, that was out as well.
Harry was about to start writing out his next idea, but was interrupted by a knock on his door. He paused as he considered the ramifications of someone seeing all his plotting, but he was put at ease when Luna announced it was just her.
He opened the door and saw his friend standing outside his room with a dreamy smile on her face.
"Hello Harry," she said brightly before skipping past him into the room. She ignored the mess and simply sat on his bed and pulled out a book. He grinned. It felt like old times and like none of the events over the past few months had happened at all.
He shut the door, making sure to replace the locking charm, and returned to his board.
There had to be a better way, he thought. Besides the fact that all of these methods were restrictive and heavily monitored, they simply made him ill.
He jumped as Luna's voice interrupted his thoughts. "You are absolutely covered in wrackspurts," she said matter of factly from behind her book.
He sighed and explained his problem. "There just has to be a way for me to get in and out without being traced," he added.
Luna glanced at the board and hummed. Harry watched as she got up from the bed and walked over so she was standing next to him. She grabbed the chalk from him and wrote on the board, but he couldn't see what.
When she moved out of the way, he saw two more additions: Broomstick and Knight Bus.
He pondered on those options for a moment. The Knight bus was cheap, for one, and he was pretty sure it could take him wherever he needed. But if an Auror thought to check in with the driver… he might be remembered.
He brought up his concern, but Luna was quick with a solution.
"You could always disguise yourself with some charms or a potion," she deflected.
He shook his head. "Polyjuice is beyond my abilities I think and I don't know any spells that can change my appearance."
Luna shrugged and added, "We could always disguise you the muggle way then and I still have some hair coloring potion that you could use as long as you buy me more later."
He had to admit she had a point.
There was just one more problem. He didn't want to take the Knight Bus directly to each site in case there was an investigation and so he'd end up walking long distances in unknown places at night. And he wasn't sure whether or not it was normal for a young wizard to request a ride back in the same night.
He returned to the board and considered her other addition, Broomstick.
An image of the smooth darkly stained wood, the polished brass, and the engraved runes that he'd seen in the shop in Diagon Alley appeared in his mind and he felt his smile grow in anticipation.
The answer was a combination. He'd take the Knight Bus somewhere nearby but not too close and then fly the rest of the way by broomstick. After his job was done, he'd fly back directly home.
He turned and hugged his friend in thanks.
There was another knock at the door. Harry rushed to hide the papers and Luna erased the board. A moment later, Harry walked over to the door. Habitually, he took a deep breath and cleared his mind before he finally opened the door and found Silvie standing where Luna stood not long before.
"I've made dinner, if you two want to join," she said, not commenting on the locked door or suspicious behavior.
Harry didn't want to look a gift horse in the mouth so he just nodded and agreed to come down.
From outside the kitchen, he could hear Sirius and Remus laughing at something. When he walked into the room he saw Healer Rosemary and Healer Goldstein standing in shock as Remus walked around the room, his wheelchair discarded nearby.
"Ah man, did I just miss the grand reveal?" Harry asked disappointedly.
Sirius looked abashed and said, "Sorry pup."
Healer Rosemary recovered first. "This is outstanding!" She said. "I have to admit that I hadn't actually put much stock in the theory…"
Remus nodded. "Me neither, actually. There is still a chance that this is temporary… at least near the new moon."
Healer Goldstein nodded at that. "It makes sense since that's when a werewolf is at its weakest."
The adults continued to discuss the different outcomes of Remus' recovery. He was interested, but he just didn't care to speculate on the unknown. They'd just have to wait and see how things went in the coming weeks. For now, he was content that Remus could at least walk around near the full moon.
He was interrupted from his thoughts when he heard the floo flare just outside the kitchen. He watched as Luna poked her head out for a moment and then left the room to greet whoever had arrived.
A moment later, Madam Bones, Susan, and a stranger walked into the kitchen. He watched as Sirius went to pull Amelia into an embrace, before stopping himself. The man he didn't know raised an eyebrow at Sirius faux pa, and scribbled something in his notepad, which caused both Amelia and Sirius to flinch slightly.
Harry didn't want to be rude, so he got up from his seat and greeted the newcomers. When Harry reached out to shake the strangers hand, the stranger reciprocated with a firm grip and said, "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Mr. Potter. Merlin knows I've been trying to schedule an interview since I'd heard from several reliable sources that you'd returned to the magical world…"
Harry maintained a polite smile, but only just. This man must be a reporter, he reckoned. He'd known it was only a matter of time and it was part of the plan to announce his return and his intentions to house several young werewolves. He shouldn't be surprised, but it had been something he'd not been looking forward to and had been placed firmly in the back of his mind.
He noticed Sirius avoiding eye contact. Surely he had known and had failed to send any warning his way. He quickly returned his attention to the reporter and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you Mr…"
The man flinched and answered, obviously embarrassed. "Cox, Mr Barnaby Cox, with the Daily Prophet." Harry observed the man's cheeks begin to burn. "Sorry for rambling there, Mr Potter, I got a bit excited."
Harry didn't want to be on the man's bad side if he was going to be writing about him, so he quickly worked to put the man at ease. "Please, call me Harry," he said, still smiling politely, but feeling a little out of his depth. He wished Mrs Figg were here. She'd drilled the plan into his head along with tips and hints to help navigate the reporter's questions, but that had been several weeks ago and he was worried he was going to botch it up.
He chanced a glance at Luna and Susan and found them both looking right at him. He ever so slightly tilted his head at the door, urging them to get the hint to help him out. Luna nodded slightly that she understood and then said, "Mr. Cox, what do you know about the Rofgang Conspiricy? Daddy always said…"
Susan led Harry out into the hall while everyone was distracted by Luna's question.
"You ok?" She asked him.
Harry nodded. "Yeah, it's just no one told me I'd be doing this today and it's been ages since Mrs Figg and I prepared…" he trailed off, realizing he might have said too much.
Susan didn't find it weird and simply placed a hand on his arm and said, "Well at least you've prepared some. Auntie sometimes tests me on how I should respond if anyone asks me anything about the ministry or her work."
Harry took a deep breath. "I think I'll be okay," he said finally. "Thanks, Susan."
The next morning, after his workout, Harry walked towards the kitchen, deep in thought. He had pushed himself a bit further this morning than he usually did as he worried anxiously about his new responsibilities and what the Daily Prophet would write about him.
After Harry had gone back inside to face the reporter, he had been informed that six of the werewolf children had died during their first transformation and that only two had been accepted by their families. That meant that four had been abandoned, but the Italian ministry was grateful for his offer and had approved the transfer of the children into his care. They would arrive in a couple of days.
The full weight of his choices had hit him like a ton of bricks. He was now responsible for four children. Well, partially responsible at least. The children were now wards of the Potter estate and he was the last Potter… but he had Mrs Figg, Remus, and Silvie as well as Sirius and even Madam Bones had offered her support. He wasn't alone, but he still felt the burden and it was a lot for a ten year old.
The interview had gone well. At least he thought it had. Maybe his mind would change after he read the article.
He walked into the kitchen and found Silvie sitting alone at the table. She smiled and waved him over when she saw him.
He sat down and loaded his plate as Silvie poured him some tea.
Silvie let him eat in silence, but he could feel her eyes on him occasionally. When he finished eating, she spoke up. "You eat like a werewolf after the full moon, you know," she said with a smirk.
Harry chortled at that and said, "I may have pushed myself a bit hard this morning. I was starving."
"Why are you working so hard anyways?" She asked. "You work like a man possessed."
Harry thought for a moment before answering. He trusted Silvie, but he wasn't sure he was ready to be so open. But hadn't she proved herself? Hadn't she insisted that he be part of her family? She wasn't just a guest in his house, really. Not anymore. And if she was going to stay, then she deserved to understand the risks.
He looked her in the eyes and admitted something that he wasn't sure he'd even admitted to himself until this moment. "I'm scared," he answered.
She looked a bit shocked at his admission but didn't say anything. Instead, she gestured at him to elaborate.
"I'm scared of Voldemort returning, of his followers seeking revenge, and now Greyback, sure…" he trailed off… "But I think that more than anything I'm scared of failing… of shaming my parent's memory."
Silvie nodded thoughtfully. "You do have a lot on your plate, Harry, but you're a good, kind, talented kid. I don't think you need to worry so much about shaming your parent's memory."
Harry was touched at her praise, but honestly didn't know how to react. The Dursley's had never praised him. He didn't know what to do with it.
"I don't want to discourage you from hard work," she added. "Just don't forget to have some fun every now and then."
He nodded. "Speaking of fun," he said. "Do you know how to fly a broom? I've been thinking of getting one."
Silvie became thoughtful at that, her mouth turned down in a frown. "I used to love to fly," she said sadly.
Harry was concerned at the sudden shift in her demeanor. "What changed, if you don't mind me asking?"
Silvie drank her tea for a moment before answering. "My wolf within doesn't like to fly. She prefers to stay on the ground."
Harry paused. Her wolf within… just how much of a hold did the wolf have on a person, he wondered. Did it really start and end at the full moon?
"I guess I didn't realize how much being a werewolf changed a person, even outside of the full moon," he admitted.
"Everybody is different and every wolf within is as well," she said. "It's not all bad though. A lot of inner wolf traits are quite positive… I met a man that was the worst bully before he got Lycanthropy. The wolf within made him the kindest person." She shook herself out off her thoughts and added, "But that doesn't mean I can't teach you how to fly once you get a broom."
Harry smiled at that. He'd been looking forward to flying ever since he'd seen the broom in Diagon. But… He couldn't help but wonder how Luna might change… he hadn't noticed anything just yet. She had been her regular aloof, yet insightful self the day before.
"Thanks for being so open with me about your fears, Harry," she said. "I don't think you realize how unique your treatment of werewolves is, but it means a lot to me that you trust me and Remus so much."
Harry shrugged. "We're family now, Silvie," he said. "Besides, I spent most of my life being treated badly for being different, so I get it."
The tender moment ended when Luna walked in, chipper as can be. She skipped over and threw Harry a copy of the Daily Prophet.
He looked down and read the headline, 'The Boy Who Lived Returns!'
He wasn't sure he could read any more of it.
"How bad is it?" He asked Luna.
The blonde girl chuckled. "It's not bad at all. Barnaby was very honest in his description of you and didn't embellish or demean your Werewolf Foundation at all."
He breathed a sigh of relief at that.
"He even mentioned me and my opinion on the Rofgang Conspiracy," she added with delight.
He smiled at that. He was really glad that Mr Cox hadn't taken any liberties or disparaged any of his friends. Maybe he could send something to the man as thanks. It couldn't hurt to have an ally in the press.
Later that day, Harry was getting ready to leave for a quick shopping trip with Luna. They stood outside the fireplace, waiting for Sirius to join them so he could escort them around. He didn't think it was necessary, but the older man had insisted that it was.
After what felt like ages, Harry saw Sirius walking towards them from the guest wing.
"About time," he grumbled under his breath.
Luna giggled but didn't say anything.
"Well let's go. What's taking you so long?" Sirius said with a wink when he arrived. Luna laughed at the joke and then spun away in a flash of green. Harry shook his head and quickly followed after. He didn't want Luna to get too far ahead as she was prone to wandering.
He spun out of the fireplace and just barely managed not to fall on his face. He quickly dusted himself off and turned to look at the crowded room where he quickly noticed everyone was openly looking at him. He hated it, instantly, but tried not to glare.
Harry heard the floo flare and he turned to watch Sirius step out of the fireplace calmly. The crowd quickly began to return to their conversations when they saw Sirius. Harry supposed traveling with a once convicted felon had its advantages after all.
They left the bar and traveled to a few shops so that Luna could browse. Harry had wanted to just buy his broomstick and leave immediately, but he knew Luna had been cooped up and needed the outing desperately.
She picked out several outfits and some new robes. He noticed instantly that everything she'd picked out was rather high end and pricey, but he didn't say anything. She'd always liked clothing but she had usually gravitated to the more run of the mill clothing. Nothing like the stuff he was currently holding for her.
Maybe Luna's inner wolf has expensive tastes. He reckoned that if this was the only change in Luna's personality, it was an easy one for him to accept. He just hoped his vault could handle it.
After Luna finished shopping for herself, she began picking out things for Harry to try. He started to grumble, but Sirius placed a calming hand on his shoulder and whispered, "Trust me, pup, this will go a whole lot smoother if you just let her do her thing."
He heard Luna chuckle from a few racks over. She'd obviously heard what Sirius had said with her enhanced hearing.
He sighed and nodded his head, accepting his fate. Some of what Luna had picked out, he'd even liked and he'd most likely never pick it out for himself so he lumped it all in as a win.
As they went from shop to shop, he noticed more people looking at him and then looked away when they noticed Sirius. He didn't get it. He'd been here several times now and no one had even acknowledged him, but now it seemed he was noticed and acknowledged everywhere he went. It was not a good thing for an aspiring thief.
He was definitely going to need some disguises in the future.
They eventually made their way to the broom shop and Harry quickly asked the store owner if he could buy the new Nimbus. He tried to ignore the way the man nervously held his hands as they shook and the tremble in his voice when he responded.
He was suddenly reminded of the ring that Malfoy Senior had been wearing that day early in the summer. It had caused everyone in a certain radius to feel uncomfortable and flee. Something like that would be dead useful right now, except he wouldn't necessarily want people to flee in fear… at least not all the time. Maybe there was something that could exude calmness instead.
As if he'd summoned the man by merely thinking of him, he heard the familiar drawl say something behind him. He was ashamed he'd let his guard down and hadn't noticed anyone approaching.
"Ah, Mr Potter, I see you're taking your bitch out for a stroll," he said as a sneer. "It's a shame your parents didn't live long enough to teach you that animals ought to be leashed, however. Instead, you've offered them beds in your home as if they're equal."
Harry saw red at the man's words and desperately wanted to remove his wand from the holster hidden beneath his robes, but Sirius' hand on his shoulder tightened momentarily.
Luna seemed unbothered by the man's words. She simply cocked her head at an angle as if she were inspecting the blonde man.
"That's enough, Malfoy," Sirius said in a dangerously calm tone. "Another comment like that and I'll be forced to respond…" Sirius grinned wickedly. "And I think we both know you're not up to dueling a Black without two or three masked goons to watch your back."
Lucius grimaced first and then smirked in response. "I simply wish to enlighten the boy to the error of his ways. Such a shame that a once revered and respected pureblood family is tarnishing itself by mingling with dark creatures."
Harry interjected then, not wanting Sirius to get into any trouble. "That's very kind of you to think to warn me, Mr Malfoy," he said with false sincerity. "I imagine you've learned the cost of associating with the scum of magical society first hand and know what you're talking about."
Lucius sneered down at him and said, "It seems I've arrived too late to repair any damage." He shook his head sadly as he turned to walk away. "It's such a shame."
Harry wanted to get the last word in and so added, "Luna's worth ten of you, Malfoy."
He didn't get to see if Malfoy would respond because Luna tackled him at his words. What he assumed was meant to be a hug, was transformed into an assault as her werewolf strength toppled him to the floor. "Oops, sorry Harry," she said with embarrassment, perched on top of his chest.
"Grrroff!" He wheezed.
Luna quickly stood and then pulled him to his feat easily. She then gave him a hug, more gently this time and said, "Thanks for what you said. He's mean."
The group gathered their things and made to leave but were stopped by the store owner.
"Not all of us agree with the likes of Malfoy, lad," he said. "I for one think it's very kind that you've opened your home to those in need."
Harry blushed and whispered his thanks.
"I'd wager that there's more of us that think it, but the likes of Malfoy make it difficult to voice it without fear of retribution," the man added.
Harry nodded. He wished he could do something to speed things up but he'd have to be careful in order to avoid detection. If he timed things right, he'd see Malfoy homeless and destitute, but if he moved too quickly, it would all be for nothing.
"Thanks for saying so," Sirius said. "I'm really proud of the person my godson is becoming."
The man looked warily at Sirius but then nodded his head and shook Sirius's hand.
The trio waved goodbye and left. The stares followed him out of the alley, but he was determined to get used to it. He would cast this illusion proudly so that he could do what was needed in the shadows. The celebrity status and the attention that came with it was just going to be a part of his journey to become a master thief.
A few days later Harry sat in his room going over a few of his completed folders. The werewolf children would be arriving the next day and he was weighing the pros and cons of acting tonight out waiting until things had settled.
If he was being honest with himself, which he always tried to do, he was itching to do something. It had been ages since he had stolen anything and longer still since he'd done anything meaningful.
He put the folders away and packed up his freshly stocked adventure kit. Several potions had been added, along with a few bottles of bluebell flames to help keep him warm. The jars had been etched with runes that Ratatoskr had picked out that would help the flames last longer and provide more heat.
His broom training session hadn't exactly been necessary since it turned out that he was a natural flyer. Silvie had hooted loudly and bombarded him with praise as he took his first spin around the property. It had, however, pointed out just how cold the night air was and that had needed to be addressed. He'd been frozen stiff by the end of the night, but he'd enjoyed himself immensely. He hoped tonight would be different.
He stood outside Luna's door, hoping to catch the girl before she turned in. She'd be furious if he woke her up. He could see light from beneath the door, so he knocked. A moment later he heard Luna shout at him to come in.
When he walked in, the first thing he noticed was that her room was very clean. The usual piles of clothes had been put away nicely. He couldn't help but wonder if this was another inner wolf change or something else.
Luna sat cross legged on her bed, dressed in an overly large t-shirt that was currently stretched over her knees. There was a large tome open on the bed in front of her.
"Anything good in there?" He asked.
She lifted the book so he could read the title. "Arcane Magic and Forgotten Rituals," he read before adding with a chuckle. "If Sirius caught you reading that, you'd be in so much trouble."
"Sirius is the one that gave it to me," she said smugly as she sat up straight and stretched. "Need help with your disguise?"
Harry was annoyed that she knew. "How…" he started before she cut him off.
"The house tells me things all the time, Harry, remember?" she said.
"Oh, right," he said. "Well yes, if you don't mind then."
She got up from her bed and he followed her over to the vanity.
He handed her the supplies she'd need and she got to work right away.
"Be careful tonight, Harry," she said, breaking the silence.
"I will, I promise," he replied. "Did Fate happen to say anything about all this?"
Luna scoffed. "I thought you didn't want Fate interfering with your life?"
"I don't. I was just wondering…"
Luna looked at him as she brushed out his wig and then shook her head. "Things have been silent as of late."
Harry nodded stiffly. He was nervous. He'd stolen before. He'd broken into places before, all without magic. Of course, the places he'd broken into and the people he'd stolen from hadn't had magic either and these new places did and he was still learning while the people he was stealing from were fully trained… of course he was nervous. He'd be crazy not to be.
Out of nowhere Luna hugged him and he felt himself melt into it before he returned one of his own. "Thanks Luna.
He broke contact and looked into the vanity mirror. He still had black hair, but it was long and was pulled into a ponytail that completely exposed his forehead. The lightning shaped scar was concealed by make-up that was spelled to be impervious to the elements and sweat.
Someone that knew him well might still recognize him if they got a good long look, but as long as he was fast, and stayed out of sight, he'd be fine.
He nodded and said, "I'm as ready as I'm going to be, I guess."
Harry stood in the tree line of a forest, beneath his invisibility cloak. He'd flown over the forest from a nearby village that he'd been dropped off at by the Knight Bus. The trip had been uneventful, save for the nauseating ride. Magical Transportation desperately needed a rework in his opinion.
His first mark was a wealthy merchant by the name of Gideon Saxton. According to the file he'd compiled, the family had grown its wealth by buying up potion supplies and then holding onto them while working to pass legislation to restrict the sale and manufacture of it. They then slowly sold it at a premium to the public and then used a loophole to become manufacturers. They'd created the deficit in the market and then ensured they were the only ones that could sell it to make themselves rich.
Malfoy's ancestor had helped pass the legislation under the condition that he become part owner of the company, thus ensuring that his family get their share of the pie for generations.
Harry looked out at several barns that served as warehouses for the family. He hadn't seen a soul so he guessed they were protected by other means. He walked towards the nearest building while simultaneously sending magical probes out. The ambient magic of the grounds lit up brightly in his mind's eye.
He felt for any wards or triggers that might detect intruders, but didn't find any on his path. As he got closer, his probes began to bounce off the walls of the building. The doors to the barn were on the opposite side from him and faced the house.
The magical probes moved upwards, hoping to find a gap somewhere near the roof, but found none. The building was well secured. He paced while looking at the ground and a thought came to him. It was a long shot, but he checked anyway. Magical probes crawled deep into the ground, but they were stopped. The wards were impervious and went far below the surface.
Walking around the barn until the house was in view, he noticed no lights were on inside. He inspected the doors to the barn and found a smooth recess in one of them that looked like some sort of object might fit inside. He guessed that once the right object was placed, it would unlock the door.
There was no other choice, he'd have to find the object. Maybe he'd find more information inside the house. It was risky, but he couldn't think of a better way.
'Surely,' he thought to himself, 'If the barns were protected then so was the house, but maybe a window had been left open somewhere.'
He sent probes out, looking for weak points or entries that had been neglected. He continued to walk around outside the large home until he finally thought he'd found something. High above, near the roof, he sensed an opening. It was small, maybe too small, but he pulled out his broom and flew up to inspect it.
What he found was a somewhat damaged attic vent. He thought he might be able to fit if he removed a few of the already loose boards. He pried them away and gently placed them inside so they wouldn't be found. He removed his invisibility cloak and wrapped a scarf around his mouth and nose before he slid into the tight space and crawled inwards.
Now inside, he was able to send more probes out to inspect the interior of the building. It was a bit more overwhelming than outside, but he'd have to manage. He sensed a few people in what he guessed were bedrooms. He'd avoid them if possible.
Instead, he made his way towards the floor below and to what he guessed were some offices. He put his invisibility cloak back on and withdrew his hand of glory. He placed one of his bluebell flame bottles in its hand. Blue light spread out around him, allowing him to see clearly a few yards in front of him.
Prowling from room to room, he grabbing a few trinkets here and there just for fun, but he didn't find anything helpful.
He sent a few more probes to mentally map the area and proceeded to other areas of the home, further from the bedrooms. The hallway was very well decorated, full of paintings and furniture. He felt the hair on the back of his neck stick up as he neared the end of the hallway and he stopped suddenly.
The probes inspected the area and didn't find anything at first. He focused more closely and eventually found an extremely thin magical line barely the size of a hair running across the carpet just in front of him, which he almost stepped on. He was lucky to have somehow picked up on something at all. His probes surrounded the hair thin line and inspected it. Whatever it did, it felt menacing and harmful and not the kind of magic that simply sounded an alarm.
He wondered what would happen if his probes simply broke the line for him. He didn't want to risk an alarm going off. It would be even worse if they triggered the spell.
Following the line with his probes, he found that it eventually made its way back to the bedrooms. He might be able to disable it if he got closer, but encountering a fully trained wizard seemed more dangerous than simply cutting the line.
He made a mental note to study even more and headed back towards the bedrooms. A fully trained wizard was only dangerous if he was caught so he'd just have to be extra cautious.
Surprisingly, none of the bedroom doors seemed to be spelled against intruders. Gideon must have thought the piece of magic at the end of the hallway was more than enough.
He opened the door to the master suite as carefully as possible, making note of the snoring coming from the couple as they lay in bed. He crept over to the nightstand and gently lifted the witch's wand before moving to the wizard's side of the bed to do the same. The threat neutralized, he released the breath he'd been holding.
The dangerous line of magic led him to a very large closet. He followed the line and noticed it went further, behind another wall and could sense that there was a smaller room hidden behind a wardrobe.
'Rich people and their large manors and their hidden rooms,' he thought to himself before remembering he was rich himself and lived in a manor. He shook the thought from his head and felt around the wardrobe for a switch that might reveal the room entrance. Finally, he found something and pushed and the false wall opened to reveal the hidden area.
Stepping in, he found himself in a tight space that was mostly taken up by a large stone dais. On the dais was a large tome and a few small stones etched with the Saxton family crest.
He was going to open the tome, but he felt his family magic warn him away from it. It didn't seem to have a problem with him picking up the stones though. He thought they were roughly the right size and pocketed them.
Turning quickly, he shut the doors behind him as he exited the main suite. In the hall again, he made his way back to the attic. A doorknob jiggled and then a door opened in front of him. He quickly stopped and moved to stand against the wall, making himself as thin as possible.
A boy with brown hair that looked to be about his own age stepped out into the hallway. When the boy got to about where Harry was, he stopped and turned his head and looked right at the spot that Harry was standing beneath his invisibility cloak. He held his breath and willed the boy to keep going.
Finally, the boy shook his head and walked down the hallway that led to the main post of the house. Harry breathed another sigh of relief and proceeded towards the attic. But, before he knew it, the brown haired boy ran back towards him.
Harry, who was still under his invisibility cloak, barely had time to wonder how the boy knew he was there before he was tackled to the ground. Harry fumbled for his wand as the boy proceeded to land punch after punch all over Harry's body. The blows were a mere distraction as his robes absorbed and redistributed the energy equally over his body. Not that the boy was very strong. In his opinion, he needn't have worn his Kinetic robes at all. Finally, Harry was able to grip his wand and he shot off a stupify which luckily found his mark.
Realizing that the fight had been rather loud, he acted quickly and pulled the boy back into his bedroom before shutting the door. He heard heavy footsteps coming his way as he pulled the boy into his bed and pulled over the covers.
The doorknob jiggled and Harry ran to the window and removed his broom from his expandable bag as he jumped out.
He flew quickly up and over the roof, back towards the barns and out of sight. Luckily, the boy's bedroom was on the other side of the house so he wouldn't be seen. He landed in front of the closest barn's door and quickly inserted one of the stones. He would have to act quickly to escape unseen.
The warehouse door opened automatically and he stepped in. Harry scanned the room and noted the crates full of potion ingredients stacked in nice neat rows. There was no way everything would fit in his expandable bag, so he focused on the ingredients he recognized and knew would be helpful and dumped fistful after fistful into the empty jars in his bag.
His bags were full and there was no time to check the remaining barns anyways so he simply removed a few more jars of the bubbling purple liquid and tossed them into the center of each barn.
He straddled his broom and took off into the night. He turned and looked over his shoulder as he flew away over the forest and saw several large pillars of purple smoke billowing into the sky. A satisfied smirk broke out on his face as he flew away, towards home.
Chapter 20: A House of Wolves
Chapter Text
Harry shivered as the cold wind blew across his face. He noted that the jars of blue bell flames were beginning to wear out and he could no longer feel his fingers. Luckily, he could see his family home on the horizon as he flew over the surrounding forest. From high above, he was finally able to appreciate just how large his property was. The woods spread in every direction and he doubted that he'd ever be able to discover all of their secrets in this lifetime.
He began to descend as he approached his house and landed gently on his balcony before removing his invisibility cloak and tucking it away as he walked into his bedroom. He kicked off his shoes and was about to peel off his sweaty clothing when someone cleared their throat. He jumped and turned and found Mrs Figg sitting on a chair in the corner of the room.
He wondered just how long she'd been sitting there and whether or not she'd seen him remove his invisibility cloak.
"Well don't leave me hanging, lad," she said with a grin. "How did it go? Who did you decide to hit first?"
Harry smiled in relief and shrugged off his embarrassment. His secretive nature had taken over and he'd gotten defensive before he remembered that she'd been the one to start him down this path.
Harry watched her face carefully as he told her that he'd started with Gideon Saxton. Her face remained blank, but he thought he detected a slight widening of her eyes for a moment. She said nothing, so he told her everything, save for his interaction with the Saxton boy when he'd somehow been noticed beneath this cloak.
Mrs Figg nodded and hummed at all the right moments as he told his story. When he finished, she spoke up, "Well I imagine having that invisibility cloak of yours helped immensely…"
Harry tensed at the mention of the cloak but he knew it was pointless to try and lie about it. Instead he chose to say nothing.
"I caught your father with that cloak a time or two," she said with a fond smile. "I'm glad you found it.
She pointed at his face and said, "Are you going to tell me how you got that bruise on your cheek then?"
Harry's eyes furrowed in confusion before he gingerly touched his face, feeling for the bruise. He sighed in frustration as he felt a slight pain on his left cheek.
"The Saxton boy somehow found me even though I was beneath the invisibility cloak," he explained. "He tackled me to the ground and started punching me. I didn't even realize he'd landed a blow on my face to be honest."
Mrs Figg simply nodded. "You were probably being too loud and he heard you. Many witches and wizards begin to feel invincible under an invisibility cloak and become a bit negligent."
Harry nodded at that. He'd definitely felt invincible under his cloak.
"Hand it over then," Mrs Figg said simply.
Harry paused. She couldn't possibly mean his cloak... "Hand over what?"
"The cloak, lad," she said. "You'll never learn to properly sneak while you have that as a crutch to fall back on."
Harry hesitated for a moment. He didn't really want to give up something that had once belonged to his father, especially something that was dead useful.
"Mrs Figg, surely you don't expect me to complete ask these jobs without my cloak-"
Mrs Figg cut him off. "That's exactly what I expect, lad. It's the only way you'll truly learn to move without making a sound."
Harry huffed. "But it's too dangerous-"
"Of course it's dangerous, Harry. It's even more dangerous if you get caught up relying on a tool that can be lost, damaged, or stolen." She took a deep breath before continuing her rant, her hands flailing in the air. "In a few years, after countless jobs done with the use of a cloak, what will you do if you suddenly find yourself without it? You'll be so used to the easy way you were able to complete your tasks that you'll likely overestimate yourself and wind up captured or killed!"
He withdrew his cloak from his pouch, savoring its coolness as the material slid through his fingers. "When do I get it back?" he checked while he handed it over.
Mrs Figg hummed as she took it from him and said, "Complete a few more missions without it and I'll set up a trial here. If you can steal it back from me without me noticing, then I'll consider the lesson learned."
Harry sighed. He still didn't like the idea, but he knew she had a point and was looking after him, even if he was frightened at the prospect of completing the next few jobs without his invisibility cloak. He would just have to practice extra hard so he could get it back soon.
Harry approached the kitchen later that day, around lunch time. He'd showered and slept the morning away, without interruption.
He walked into the kitchen, hoping to get a bite to eat and say hello to whoever was still home. He wondered slightly if Mrs Figg would still be around or if she'd gone back to work with Dung.
He found Luna sitting at the table, a blank look on her face and a plate of sandwiches in front of her. He sat down opposite her and helped himself to one of the sandwiches. "Hey Luna, did you make these? They look quite good." he said.
Luna snapped out of her trance-like state and looked at Harry confusedly. "Sorry, what did you say?"
Harry chuckled and repeated what he'd said.
"Oh, no Mrs Figg made those," Luna answered simply as she grabbed one of the plate. "They are quite good, aren't they?"
Harry nodded as they ate in silence. When Harry finished he asked, "Did I miss anything interesting this morning?"
Luna grimaced at that. "Sort of," she said. "Sirius and Mrs Figg got into a row. He didn't like that she just waltzed back in like she hadn't been gone for weeks without saying anything."
Harry hummed at that. He figured it might be a sore point.
"Oh, then there was the morning's edition of the Prophet that you'll probably want to check out," she said whilst handing over the paper from further down the table.
Harry looked over the front page, noticing the typical Ministry drivel covering 80% of it. Then he saw what Luna must have been referring to, a small article hidden in the middle of the page. "Fire destroys one of Britain's largest stocks of potion ingredients, prices on restricted ingredients are speculated to skyrocket."
Harry guffawed at that. "They didn't mention how the fire got started."
"Maybe they think it was an accident?" Luna suggested.
Harry shook his head. "I doubt it. The Saxton boy noticed me and we got into a bit of a scuffle before I pilfered their ingredients and started the fires."
Luna hummed at that. "Maybe they're trying to save face. Don't want to admit that someone was able to break into their home."
"That makes sense," Harry said.
Just then, the door opened and Tabatha and Silvie walked in. Harry folded up the paper and set it aside.
"Hey Harry, hey Luna," Tabatha said brightly as she joined them.
"Hey Tabatha," Luna said, "What are you up to, today?"
Tabatha took a bite of sandwich and answered whilst still chewing her food. "Jus' f'n'shed helping mum set up the classroom," she muffled.
Harry chuckled and Silvie gently cuffed the back of the girl's head and said, "Don't talk with your mouth full of food, it's rude."
"Thanks again for letting us convert one of the offices into a classroom, Harry," Silvie said. "Werewolves don't always get a good education, and Remus is excited to be teaching."
Harry shrugged off her thanks. It was no big deal. "Remus is a great teacher," he said. "They'll be lucky to have him."
Silvie nodded her agreement.
Tabitha ate quickly and then said, "Luna, do you want to come to Diagon with me and mum? She's going to be getting dinner supplies for lessons, but you and I can go get sweets!"
Luna readily agreed to the trip and the trio left shortly after. They'd invited him along but he was still put off by the last shopping trip so he declined. Instead, he headed to Mrs Figg's quarters to ask her what she knew about the Saxton family tome he'd come across.
He didn't find her or Hermes immediately, so he checked her bedroom. He knocked on the door and waited. After a few moments, he guessed she wasn't home. He hoped it wouldn't be too long before she turned up again.
Somewhat dejected, he headed to the library hoping to find the information he'd been looking for.
Several hours later, Harry was walking grumpily towards his bedroom. His head hurt from all the reading and he hadn't even found anything remotely useful. He massaged his temples and rubbed his eyes as he walked. Still tired from the previous night, he wanted to go to bed right now, but the werewolves were supposed to arrive tonight and he wanted to welcome them when they did.
He walked into his bedroom and over to his supply stache. He removed a potion and drank it quickly. He soon felt his headache vanish and his energy was renewed. He breathed a sigh of relief and then noticed an unopened letter resting in his bed.
He walked over and inspected it, making note of the bare wax seal that was the trademark of the guild leader. Somewhat shocked at the unexpected letter, he opened it with fervor.
He scoffed as his excitement quickly turned to disappointment and maybe a touch of uneasiness.
The words, 'Good work with the Saxton estate," sat plainly upon the parchment. Nothing else, not even a signature, was present.
He scoffed and was about to bunch up the piece of parchment and throw it away when it suddenly burst into flames. He threw the burning parchment in shock and it landed on his bed. He rushed to try and scoop it back up before it damaged anything, but the parchment burned quickly and he discovered a wooden disk in its place.
He inspected it and soon noticed it wasn't just a wooden disk, but a guild coin, his first guild coin in fact. He was so excited by it that his concern that she knew he'd been the one to do it was cast aside.
His excitement was short lived, however, as anxious thoughts began to swirl. He was thoroughly confused by several things.
First, how did she know? Second, why was she paying him for something he wasn't hired by the guild to do?
On top of that, Mrs Figg and Dung had always acted somewhat fearful about the guild leader and he'd been a bit scared in almost every encounter with her, but she'd never actually done anything to earn that fear… besides being the leader of a very secret and unscrupulous group of spies and criminals, he guessed.
Maybe the letter wasn't even from the guild leader anyways, but that would be concerning because it meant someone else in the guild had figured out that he'd been the one at the Saxton Estate last night. His thoughts continued to reel as question after question circled his mind.
He took several calming breaths to try and regain control of his thoughts. Reflecting on what he'd read about Occlumency, he employed the practice of imagining an object and focusing on it. He chose an image of a single flame surrounded by blackness.
As he imagined the flame swaying in the black void, he felt himself relax. Finally, he recovered from his slight panic attack and was able to think clearly.
It was no use speculating on anything. Instead he focused on what he knew. Someone in the guild, likely the guild leader, somehow knew or had guessed that he'd been the one responsible for the Saxton's woes, and they had paid him for it. That had to mean they were happy with what he'd done at least, so he needn't worry.
That's what he told himself at least, as he tried to ignore his feelings of trepidation. Before he could start back down the trail of anxious thoughts, a knock sounded at his door.
"Harry… is everything okay?" Luna said cautiously as she opened the door and walked in. "I saw a large flock of wrackspurts fly down the hall when I came through the floo and then the whole vibe of the main suite felt off… and then it was starting to feel normal again and then not… it was very disorienting."
Harry shook his head at her words. His head started to hurt again as he tried to process everything. He could barely imagine how hard it had to be for Luna to see and feel all the things the people around her were experiencing.
"How can you feel and see all those things and not go crazy?" He blurted out.
Luna laughed, "Thanks Harry, but most people do actually think I'm crazy."
"Well they aren't exactly paying attention then are they?" He replied. "But how do you deal with it exactly?"
"It's not that bad. I do get a feel for what others are going through but it's diluted and mostly manageable unless there are really big emotions like you must have been dealing with. You didn't answer my question by the way…"
Harry shook his head. "I'm okay now," he said. He then explained the letter and his reeling thoughts.
Luna looked thoughtful for a moment and then said, "I don't want to worry you, but I think you're right to be concerned, Harry."
Harry watched as she walked over and wrapped her arms around him. "We'll just have to make plans for every possible situation that might pop up," she added. "It'll be fun, I think."
Harry chuckled at that. Luna was odd about a lot of things but he really appreciated her oddness at this moment. If anyone could plan for the unknowable future, it was Luna Lovegood. "Good thing I have an Agent of Fate by my side," he said.
"Too right," she answered. She shifted and tilted her head slightly. "But it'll have to wait because the other werewolf kids just arrived with Susan, Madam Bones, and Sirius."
Harry followed Luna as they exited his room and the main living suite of the manor. They rushed down the stairs and headed to the entry hall and ran into Sirius.
"Hey kids, I was just on my way to find you… how did you know we were here?" He asked.
Harry looked at Luna and they shrugged, each with a mischievous grin on their face. "Not telling!" They said together before running around the man and over to the dining room where everyone was waiting.
Harry looked in and found a group of kids sitting at the table. There were three boys about the same age, which Harry guessed was around six or seven years old and one girl that looked to be his own age. The boys were too busy talking and laughing amongst themselves and didn't notice him and Luna enter the room. They had somewhat curly brown hair and looked pretty healthy. He was impressed that their demeanor seemed generally happy and they didn't seem bothered at all to have been abandoned by their families.
The girl was much more perceptive and Harry saw her glance his way quickly before averting her gaze. He honestly didn't remember really noticing her during the rescue.
Harry glanced further down the table and found Susan looking at him with a small anxious frown. He waved and bowed slightly in greeting. Madam Bones stood off to the side at first but then spoke up.
"Children," she said loudly and clearly, easily getting their attention despite their loudness. "Allow me to introduce you to your host, Mr Harry Potter."
Harry approached the group and each of them immediately stood up straight. He thought they seemed almost afraid. "It's nice to meet you, sir," they all said together as if they'd practiced it. He found it all rather off-putting if he was being honest.
"Oh, none of that please," he said easily. "It's just Harry."
They looked at him with blank stares, clearly unsure what to do now that whatever training they had received was not paying off.
He coughed awkwardly and gestured to his blonde companion and added, "I'm sure you remember Luna."
That seemed to be the trick as the three boys leaped out of their chairs and rushed to tackle Luna. Harry smiled at their antics and laughed heartily when Luna was knocked off her feet.
He noticed the black haired girl hadn't gotten up and was looking sadly at the group. She noticed him looking and quickly schooled her features into an expressionless mask.
Harry wanted to be friendly and make sure she felt welcome, but he didn't want to force anything and she didn't quite seem to want any attention.
Susan walked over and gave him a hug in greeting, the smell of perfume permeated his senses. It was quite nice. After their hug, Susan remained at his side, nestled in close. He felt heat rise to his cheeks at her closeness, but he didn't do anything to change the situation.
He noticed Remus, Silvie, and Tabatha walk in after Sirius, each of them wearing large smiles as they observed the antics. A short while later, Mrs Figg walked in as well.
Remus walked over and helped Luna untangle herself from the younger boys, before he helped each of them to their feet.
"Alright, enough of that," he said kindly. "My name is Remus Lupin and I'm a werewolf like each of you. What are your names?"
The boys answered at once, talking over each other. Remus gently corrected them and they tried again.
One boy answered respectfully, "It's nice to meet you sir, my name is Tobias Strange."
Another boy followed suit and told everyone, "My name is Caleb Hunt."
The last boy looked a bit intimidated by everyone looking at him expectantly and he made a strange peep sound, which the other two boys found extremely funny and started laughing.
The last boy glared at them and cleared his throat. "My name is Aldo Abate," he said clearly.
The girl, who was still sitting at the table, stood and turned towards Remus and said with a curtsy, "Hello sir, my name is Astrid Ivarson."
Harry noticed a slight redness on her cheeks that wasn't there before. He guessed this was likely all very new to her like it had been for him.
Remus smiled at the group and then introduced all the adults. They had a pleasant dinner and Harry was able to learn more about the new additions.
Caleb and Tobias had been some of the longest held captives amongst the entire group. They'd transformed a few times already but had adamantly refused to cooperate with Fenrir and his gang and so had remained chained in order to teach them a lesson.
Aldo had been captured shortly after Luna and had transformed for the first time the same night as Luna.
"What about you, Ast-" Harry started to ask before he felt Luna kick him sharply in the shin. He cursed loudly and then started to cough to cover it up.
The three boys snorted and whistled appreciatively at his cursing. Sirius was practically beaming in delight and even Madam Bones was hiding a grin.
He looked wildly at Luna. "What was that for!?" He whispered.
Luna gestured at Astrid with her eyes."I don't know what you're talking about, Harry," she said dreamily.
Harry thought Astrid looked a bit nervous. Her knuckles were white from the tense way she was flexing them. Her gaze shifted from side to side as if she were looking for an exit. He noticed the three boys sharing a knowing look amongst themselves, but they stayed silent.
Harry started piecing things together. He didn't recognize her and didn't recall seeing anyone his age besides Luna that night. She was obviously stressed and Luna's interference meant she'd picked up on the emotions and likely had a very good idea what it all meant… but he was still very curious and a bit frustrated that she'd stopped him. He needed to know what Astrid was hiding.
He felt Susan elbow his side and he shook himself out of his thoughts. He looked around and saw everyone looking at him expectantly.
"Sorry… what did I miss?" He asked the group.
Luna sighed in an exaggerated tone. "And they say I'm the one with my head in the clouds…"
Everyone laughed at that, even Harry.
Susan gestured at the new additions and said, "They want to know what the plan is and what's expected of them now that they're here."
"Expect of them?" Harry checked.
"Yeah, like jobs and stuff," Caleb said.
Harry paused. He hadn't really thought about anything like that. He scanned the group. Caleb and Tobias had furrowed eyebrows as if they were ready to challenge anything he demanded.
"I mean…" he started, "Just clean up after yourselves and mind your manners. Remus has lessons planned and Mrs Figg might be helping out now and then so be sure to mind your manners with them."
They looked blankly at him. They clearly weren't expecting that. "Unless you want something to do?" He checked with a cheeky grin.
"You really did invite us here," Astrid stated skeptically, "For nothing in return?"
Harry nodded. "Yeah, pretty much."
Susan nestled in a bit closer at that and Sirius laughed merrily. Mrs Figg spoke up for the first time all night. "Harry here, is made of different stuff than most people, lass. You're not likely to find another opportunity like this so I hope you don't do anything to jeopardize your position here."
Harry paused at the blunt warning. Knowing Mrs Figg, she had likely picked up on everything he had noticed about the girl, and more. Or she already knew everything as she was prone to do. Either way, her warning confirmed to him that he should be wary about the girl being here. He couldn't help but wonder exactly what the girl was so anxious about, but his guard would remain up until he knew for sure that she wasn't here for some nefarious purpose.
He felt Susan's elbow budge into his side again and he was pulled in his thoughts once again only to find everyone looking at him again.
"Sorry… what?" He said, somewhat embarrassed this time.
"Honestly!" Luna shouted in exasperation. "Maybe I should move rooms because I think I'm starting to rub off on you."
Everyone laughed at that and Sirius interjected that maybe he should consider moving into the actual master bedroom since it was further away.
But Harry liked his room. He liked that his dad had once used it and how everything was set up. He'd created a hiding spot beneath the floor for his adventure gear and Ratatoskr's little nest. He shook himself out of his thoughts once again and turned and asked Susan to catch him up again.
Susan grinned at him and he felt his heartbeat quicken as his attention was drawn to the shape of her lips and the tiny dimples that appeared on her cheeks. He wasn't sure if it was the closeness or what, but her freckles were becoming extremely distracting. She whispered in his ear, each word sending a shiver down his spine as they tickled his ear, "They asked if you would give them a tour of the property," was all that she said but he felt blood rush to his face at their closeness despite the mundane words. It wasn't like she was confessing her undying love for him or anything like that. What was wrong with him?
He cleared his throat, trying to distract himself from his confusing emotions. "Er, right. Yeah that is a great idea," he said. "Let's go."
Harry showed them around while the adults stayed behind to prepare dessert and plan for tomorrow.
The tour started in the entrance hall. They stopped by the library and the potions lab, adding warnings that the potions lab was off limits unless they were supervised until Remus said otherwise.
Next, he showed them where Mrs Figg's, his and Luna's rooms were and then they walked back across the main hall towards the guest wing. Remus, Silvie, and Tabatha's rooms and the classroom were on the main floor. Sirius technically had a room there as well, but he didn't seem to be using it much lately.
As the group ascended the stairs, Harry announced, "And this is your part of the house." It was a large suite with several bedrooms to choose from. There was a nice communal living room and a couple bathrooms so they had plenty of room and places for privacy if they wanted to be alone.
"I think we've thought of everything, but if you need anything, just ask," he said, making note of their shocked expressions.
"We can go over the grounds later since it's gotten dark, but you can check them out from the balcony if you want," he added with a yawn.
The three boys thanked him earnestly and ran to claim rooms. Astrid looked like she was about to thank him as well, but instead she scoffed and walked away to do the same.
He shook his head and turned to Susan and Luna. "Did I do something wrong?" He asked them.
Susan shot a judgmental look at Astrid as she walked away and muttered, "So ungrateful…" under her breath.
Luna shook her head and said, "I think she's just overwhelmed, Harry. She has a lot of conflicting emotions and plenty of nargles clouding her thoughts."
Susan shrugged and said, "Let's go check on dessert."
Harry nodded his agreement. He was tired and ready to end the night.
Luna said, "You two go on ahead. I'll let this lot know to come down for dessert in a bit."
Harry and Susan walked hand in hand the whole way back to the entrance hall. When they got to the kitchen, Susan stopped them before they could go in.
"I just wanted to say that I think what you're doing for the werewolves is very… noble," she said. "And I guess I just wanted you to know that I think you're pretty great."
Before he could respond, she quickly kissed him squarely on his lips and then quickly escaped into the kitchen.
Harry stood there for a moment, his mind and heart racing as he tried to process the new experience. Today had been a very weird day.
A/N: please read and review
Chapter 21: The Ritual
Chapter Text
Time moved quickly the following couple weeks. Harry trained each morning like normal, but his afternoons had been busier as he spent time getting to know the new additions.
Tobias was very much the leader of the trio and Harry had instantly taken a liking to the boy. He was smart, witty, and quick to wrangle in the others when needed. Harry had noticed that he regularly had a book with him and found him in the library frequently.
Caleb was more laid back and liked to cause mischief, but Harry could tell he was smart too and he never went too far with his jokes. He seemed to be very interested in the forest and Mrs Figg had gotten after him more than once for sneaking into the forest.
Aldo was quiet and shy and preferred playing inside. He had an active imagination and was quite good at building blanket forts and inventing elaborate stories for his little adventures.
Harry was perplexed by Astrid. She was quiet and often skipped lessons with Remus. Mrs Figg had invited her to lessons with Luna and Harry, which had become more sporadic, but she'd so far declined. Harry rarely saw the girl at meals or anywhere else for that matter, but Mrs Figg had apparently seen her in the library at night. Harry was secretly impressed that the girl was so sneaky and elusive.
He was also busy planning for his next heist and had completed the file on Randolph Ferguson, who owned several kinds of magical creatures and had been summoned to the ministry numerous times to answer for allegations of inhumane living conditions and cruel methods of controlling the creatures. Each case had been dropped after Malfoy or another of the Pureblood Elitists had stepped in.
He wanted to act now, but there were still several obstacles. One of which was figuring out how he was going to release all of the creatures. He didn't exactly feel right about lighting the place on fire like he had at Saxton's place. He wondered if he could find a way to transport all of the creatures home, but he wasn't sure how feasible it would be to have some of the creatures here and it would be pretty obvious if he acquired a bunch of creatures just as a prominent member of society lost his. He would need to bring someone else in on this, but he didn't know who.
It would probably be best to save it for later and focus on someone else for now, he reckoned.
Harry stood in front of his board, Ratatoskr sitting on his shoulder, and looked everything over. He'd added several Prophet articles that were pointing out that the Wizengamot was looking to reform some of the potions ingredient laws due to the decrease in certain ingredients. The traditionalists were blocking that of course. One of the articles speculated that one or two individuals might be scrambling for an opportunity to take Saxton's place as the sole proprietor of rare potions ingredients and that didn't sit well with him at all.
Maybe he should pay them a visit. They weren't exactly part of the original package, so he didn't have a ton of information on them but it couldn't hurt to scope them out and wait for the opportune time to send a message. He was at a bit of a dead end as it were anyways.
The news article had a picture of both men. The article also mentioned that one of the men, Benjamin Truset, lived in a small hamlet called Feldcroft that he knew was close to Hogsmeade. It was a good starting point.
He was itching to get out and perhaps he'd go visit the Flumes or Feona Greengrass and see if they knew anything that would point him in the right direction.
He carried Ratatoskr to his tree and then quickly grabbed his adventure kit from its hiding place in the hollow beneath his floorboards.
As he exited his room, he thought he saw the blur of someone passing into the reading nook. A bit paranoid, he placed a locking charm on his door and then quickly followed after the escaping figure.
When he entered the reading nook, he didn't see anyone initially, so he focused and sent out his magical probes. They pinged on something that felt wild and frightened behind the large ornate chair in the corner of the room.
Hesitantly, he crept over to the corner and peered behind the chair. He found a girl with her knees tucked in tight against her body.
"Astrid, what are you doing?" He asked.
"Eep!" The girl exclaimed whilst curling herself into an even smaller ball.
Harry chuckled, "It's alright, you can come out."
The girl didn't budge at first but Harry waited patiently until she unfolded herself and crawled over the back of the chair. She plopped into the cushion with a huff and then looked at him defiantly.
"Why are you sneaking around?" He checked.
Astrid furrowed her eyebrows at him angrily. "I'm not doing anything wrong," she said. "I just want to be left alone."
Harry was frustrated. She seemed to hate him and he hadn't even done anything except give her a place to live.
"What's your problem?" He asked.
"I don't have a problem," she said. "I just don't like you."
Harry folded his arms. "You don't even know me."
She gestured to the room around her. "This tells me all I need to know. You're just some rich kid with a savior complex that thinks he can solve the world's problems by throwing his money around."
Harry couldn't help the laugh that escaped his lips.
"Why are you laughing?" She asked angrily.
He didn't really know why he laughed. There was a part of him that was frustrated by her assessment of him. A part of him that wanted to defend himself and find a way to prove her wrong. He wasn't sure why.
"No reason," he responded as he turned to walk away. He wasn't about to correct her or try to make her think any differently. He shouldn't care what she thought about him anyway, especially since it fit so perfectly with the image he was trying to display to the world.
"Just stay out of this part of the house unless Luna or I invite you here," he said as he walked away. He looked back over his shoulder, "Don't count on an invitation from me anytime soon."
"As if I'd want your invitation anyways!" She yelled as she shoved past him.
Harry wanted to shout after her and get the last word, but he couldn't think of what to say.
"Smooth, Potter, real smooth," he heard Sirius say.
Harry turned and looked at Sirius, but didn't say anything. He hadn't even noticed the man enter the suite. He was losing his touch.
"Need something?" He said shortly.
Sirius laughed and said, "Oh you are so much like your father."
Harry glared at the man but it only caused Sirius to laugh even harder.
Harry just walked away. He wasn't in the mood.
Harry spiraled out of the floo into the living area of the Flume's apartment.
"Mrs Flume!" He shouted. "Are you home?"
He heard shuffling in the distance and a moment later Mrs Flume walked into the room.
"Oh Harry, dear, I wasn't expecting you," she said as she gave him a hug.
Harry smiled politely and said, "Sorry, is it a bad time?"
"No, not at all. Would you like some tea?" She replied.
Harry accepted and joined her in the kitchen. He caught her up on recent events at Potter Manor and she provided an update on how things were going amongst the group of Merchants that were working with him.
It turned out that Mr Malfoy was still pressuring merchants to sell their properties or take small loans at high interest. Whenever anyone in the group caught wind, they'd get a visit and if they seemed like a good sort and needed help then they'd be told to reach out to Mrs Figg and she'd write up a contract.
Harry's investments had grown significantly and he'd helped quite a few people get out from under Malfoy's thumb.
"But what really brings you here?" Mrs Flume asked.
Harry put his finished cup of tea back on the table Ava said, "Have you heard about Saxton?" He checked.
"Oh, yes it's been all Feona's been talking about for weeks."
Harry nodded. "I was wondering if you knew anything about Benjamin Truset? He's been trying to take over Saxton's contract to trade restricted potions ingredients. Mrs Figg's been too busy and asked me to ask around for her."
Mrs Flume shook her head. "I've never met him myself, but Feona mentioned she's tried doing business with the man in the past. She could probably tell you more."
Harry thanked Mrs Flume for the tea and use of the floo and then excused himself. "I'm sure you have more important things to do so I'll just get out of your hair," he said.
"Oh you're always welcome, you know that." She said as she hugged him goodbye.
Harry waved to Mr Flume as he walked through the shop. The man was busy managing a flock of customers out Harry would have stopped to say hello.
As he walked through Hogsmeade, he was able to guide just how many merchants he'd helped. Several shop owners stopped him to say thanks and he had to refuse free stuff from the majority of them.
He finally made it to Feona's shop and entered.
Her shop was packed with customers, but he was able to make eye contact with the older witch and she gestured to him to head on up to her office. He climbed the steps up to her apartment and then entered her office to wait.
As he looked around the small room, he made note of several news articles that had been snipped out. Most of them were about Saxton, but a few others had meeting minutes from important Wizengamot and other governing bodies. Feona was clearly trying to keep up with recent events and maybe even planning something.
Feona walked in a few moments later. She skipped the pureblood niceties and went in for a hug.
"Harry, it's good to see you," she said. "You've been busy."
At first, he worried she was referring to Saxton, but then he remembered Barneby Cox's article and he nodded and updated her on things at home.
"Four werewolves is a huge responsibility, Harry," she said. "I hope you're not spread too thin."
Harry chuckled. "I've got loads of help. I barely do anything since Remus and Silvie are there and Mrs Figg when she's not busy."
Harry gestured to the newspaper articles and added, "But it looks like you've been busy."
Feona nodded enthusiastically. "Oh, yes. If I ever find out who's responsible for what happened to Saxton I'll kiss them!"
Harry fought to keep the blush off his cheeks. Feona might be much older than him, but she was quite attractive and the thought of getting a kiss from her was almost enticing enough for him to give it away that he was the one she needed to thank.
Instead, he tried to keep a neutral expression and said, "Whoever that is would be fortunate indeed, I think."
Feona smirked at him. "Thanks Harry," she said with a wink. "Daphne mentioned you… more than once I might add… when I visited her a few nights ago. You made quite the impression."
Harry blushed and sputtered, not sure what to say to that which caused Feona to laugh with glee.
Harry changed the subject. "Actually, back to what we were talking about with Saxton…" he waited for Feona to stop laughing before he continued, "Mrs Figg sent me to see if you knew anything about Benjamin Truset?"
That sobered her right up.
"He's a pompous ass if I've ever met one," she said. "He's only gotten worse since Hogwarts and now he's trying to buy out Saxton's license and completely ignored me when I tried to convince him not to."
Harry nodded. "It's so messed up that only one person has held the rights to sell certain potions ingredients."
"Right!?" She exclaimed. "And with Saxton out of the way, it's the perfect time to correct that mistake but Truset has a lot of influence and I'm worried we'll lose our chance."
"Me too," he said. "Mrs Figg wants to pay him a visit and see if we can make a deal of some sorts."
Feona looked very hopeful at that and then told him everything she knew about the man. Where he lived, who he spent time with, and his likes and dislikes during school. Feona was a gold mine of information since they were in the same house in school.
By the end of the night, his hand was cramping from everything he wrote down. He told her it was so he could pass it on to Mrs Figg.
"I hope you're able to make a deal, Harry," she said at the end. "It'll make a huge difference to a lot of people."
Harry said goodbye and Feona was kind enough to let him use the floo home.
Harry spun out of the fireplace at a higher than normal speed, but managed not to lose his balance. He noted pleasant smells coming from the kitchen and deduced that he'd arrived home just in time for dinner.
He wiped the soot from his robes as he walked towards the kitchen. He opened the door and found Silvie working away at the stove and then he noticed Remus sitting at the table reading the newspaper.
He smiled and walked towards the man to greet him and then noticed that Remus was sitting in his wheelchair.
"Hey Remus. Everything ok?" He asked while gesturing to the wheelchair.
Remus nodded grimly. "Tonight is the new moon," he answered succinctly. "My old injury resurfaced a few hours ago."
Silvie, who was standing at the stove turned her head and added. "I told him he ought to stay in his wheelchair this morning, but did the man listen?"
Harry noticed that Silvie's voice was steadily rising as she talked. She began to gesture wildly in frustration.
"Of course he didn't listen!" She practically shouted. "And then there we were walking down the stairs and he collapsed and fell… poor Tabitha was beside herself with worry."
Silvie turned back to the stove and Harry saw her shoulders rise and fall as the woman cried. Remus backed up in his wheelchair and approached Silvie to console her.
Harry excused himself to give the couple some privacy. He slipped through the open door and practically tripped over Loki as entered the main entrance.
"Oof, sorry Loki," he said as he recovered. "I haven't seen you in ages."
Loki looked completely unphased at almost being stepped on and simply sat preening himself.
"The manor is very large and I've been exploring," the cat said mentally.
Harry supposed that was true. He hadn't spent much time exploring the house, honestly. Since the new arrivals had gotten here, he'd mostly spent his time in his room, the offices that Mrs Figg and Remus used as classrooms, the library, and the Potions Lab.
Besides his room and the potions lab, the other tenants always seemed to be around and he was beginning to feel a bit smothered in his own home. Remembering the secret room he'd found at the Saxton Manor, he realized there might be something like that here that he'd overlooked. Maybe the Potters had a mysterious tome as well.
Before he could ask Loki if he'd found anything interesting, the cat ran off to do cat things.
He'd decided to see if Mrs Figg was home since he'd originally planned to ask her about the tome anyway. Every time he'd seen her since she'd taken his cloak, she'd been busy or other people had been around.
Luck was on his side it seemed and he found her in her quarters. As usual, she was poring over several rolls of parchment, her reading glasses perched at the end of her nose.
"Hey Mrs Figg," he greeted from the doorway.
Mrs Figg glanced up and smiled as he entered. She gestured for him to enter and said, "Good to see you, lad."
Harry sat and a moment later, a cup of tea was placed in front of him. He sipped as Mrs Figg cleaned up a space on the table and sat down opposite him.
"What can I do for you, Harry?" She asked politely. "It's been quite some time since we shared some tea and just talked, hasn't it."
Harry nodded his agreement. They had both been very busy since they'd moved into the manor.
"I wanted to ask you about something I'd found in Saxton's manor," he admitted.
He told her about the tome and the warning his magic has sent him as he'd reached for it.
Mrs Figg sipped her tea for a long while before she answered.
"Do you remember what we talked about family magic over the summer?" She asked.
Harry nodded, thinking about the conversation. "That some families have magic abilities that pass from generation to generation?" He answered.
"That's the simplified theory," she said with a smile. "It's a bit more complex and vastly unstudied and unknown to most of magical society…" she trailed off taking another sip of tea. "But there are legends out there…"
She stopped herself again and shook her head.
"Sorry, lad," she said. "You're not going to like this one bit. I don't know how you keep finding yourself in these situations…You have a knack, a special touch you might say, that seems to lead you into situations you aren't ready for. Merlin knows why you picked Saxton first and how you survived the night…" she trailed off.
Harry frowned, his eyebrows furrowed. "You're not going to tell me what you know, are you?" He grumbled.
Mrs Figg smiled apologetically. "Not yet," she said. "It's dangerously close to my project, you see. I'll tell you when you've learned to shield your mind."
Harry crossed his arms angrily. It wasn't fair.
"What about the Potter Grimoire?" He checked.
A hungry look flickered on her face so briefly before she replaced it with a blank expression that he wasn't sure he'd seen it at all. A moment later, she shrugged nonchalantly. "There is no evidence that it exists. These things are extremely rare, lad." She paused for a moment and then added, "I'll admit that I spent my fair share looking for secrets in this house and never saw a hint or mention of a Potter Grimoire, but if you do find it then it should be safe for you."
Harry frowned. He had hoped for something more substantial. "And if I come across another Grimoire?" He asked.
Mrs Figg laughed. "It is incredibly unlikely… I don't know how you found the Saxton one to be honest."
"I have a special touch, remember?"
Mrs Figg nodded and sobered up a bit. "That you do. It's very good that your magic warned you not to touch it…"
Harry hummed. "So if I somehow come across another one I should just leave it alone?" He checked, watching Mrs Figg carefully.
"Trust your instincts, Harry," she said solemnly. "Trust your magic."
Harry nodded at that. He could tell that Mrs Figg wanted to tell him what she knew and that she was only keeping it secret out of necessity. He wasn't mad at her, just the situation.
He decided to change the subject and caught her up on his next target file and his conundrum with the magical creatures.
She seemed eager to appease him and told him that she'd reach out to a contact of hers for help, free of charge.
A somewhat feral grin appeared on Mrs Figg's face as he told her about his conversation with Feona and his plan to deal with Benjamin Truset.
"Part of me wants to warn you against getting too involved in the politics of it all, but if we could correct the sociapolitical injustice that was carried out, it could have a vastly positive impact on magical society, not to mention how much it will help Feona in particular…"
Harry tuned her out when he stopped understanding the words she was using. He could sense that there was an injustice playing out and that was good enough for him. He didn't need to understand the details.
A moment later, he noticed she was waiting for him to respond to sobering she said.
"Sorry?" He said.
Mrs Figg shook her head and sighed. "Nevermind lad, you should get some rest until you're ready to act against Truset."
Harry nodded and thanked Mrs Figg before excusing himself. As he walked away, he thought of the look of desire that had flickered on her face for mere microseconds. He sensed that Mrs Figg knew something extremely important about family magic and maybe his own family's magic in particular. He would just have to earn his way to uncovering her secrets.
Harry had found Luna and Tabatha shortly after his conversation with Mrs Figg and the trio had gone down to dinner together. Tabatha was still a bit sad after witnessing Remus collapse down the stairs so Harry and Luna did their best to cheer her up. Now he layed restlessly in his bed, unable to sleep.
A part of him had really hoped that the Potter Family had a Grimoire, but there wasn't really any evidence that there was one. Beyond that, he still needed to find somewhere private to set up so that he could be left alone when he needed it. If Mrs Figg hadn't found anything, then he doubted very much that he would be able to. Unless… A thought came to him. He had his family magic and it helped him find secrets all the time. Maybe he just needed to reach out and explore with his magical probes.
He sat up in his bed and focused as he prepared to send out little probes to inspect his family home. It would be challenging to find anything since the home was imbued with his family magic. Everything would nearly feel the same so he'd really have to focus to determine if anything felt different or special.
Thinking that maybe it would help if he was closer to the area he was inspecting, he walked out of his room and into his grandparent's old room.
He hadn't spent a lot of time there since he'd moved in so it was possible that he'd missed something. He meditated and focused on his magic as it inspected the room. Several minutes went by and he didn't feel anything particularly interesting, which he found odd. He wasn't an expert in his family magic by any means, but the room felt oddly clean of magic, almost as if someone had intentionally cleared it. The ambient magic was there, sure, but the room felt peculiarly absent of character compared to what he'd felt every other time he'd used his skill.
Harry's mind began to race with thoughts as he tried to understand what that could mean. He opened his eyes and looked around the room and his gaze landed on a bookshelf that held his grandfather's old journals. Harry had read many of his father's journals by now, some of them multiple times, but he hadn't really read much of anyone else's. Besides, while his father didn't seem to have inherited the ability to sense magic, his grandfather certainly had. Perhaps there were hints inside that could help him better understand how to use the family magic.
Figuring that his investigation wouldn't be fruitful, he decided to shift his focus to research instead of blindly looking around the house. He grabbed a handful of journals and returned to his room to begin reading them.
Harry read all through the night, unable to sleep even though he knew he'd likely pay for it later. His grandfather's journals were interesting and full of grand ideas for inventions and potions that he didn't fully understand.
Additionally, they provided Harry with a keen insight into Fleamont's values and beliefs politically. The man was incredibly practical and while he valued much of the traditional pure blood values, he trusted that magic and nature knew what they were doing when they gifted someone with the ability to use magic that didn't have ancestors that could do the same.
When Harry came across one particular entry, his heart began to race.
'… James has invited a girl from school over for tea. He is trying to play things cool, but I can tell that he is nervous for our approval. I don't believe the concern is fair, considering we've already welcomed his werewolf friend, Lupin into our home. I'll admit I had my reservations about the friendship, but when I met the werewolf, my magic practically soared with approval. Euphemia welcomed him right away, of course.
Sirius is another fine example. His magic practically screams Black, which is very rarely compatible with the Potter magic, but there is certainly something different in Sirius that many of the Blacks lack and I assume our family magic picked up on that when James and Sirius met.
James may not have inherited the family magic in the same way I have, but it has certainly guided him towards highly favorable bonds. I can only assume it will do the same when he meets a prospective spouse…'
Here was confirmation about the family magic and it meshed well with his own experiences, while adding to it. He couldn't help but be intrigued by his grandfather's description of Sirius and Remus' magic and the bonds made with James' magic. There was clearly more to the Potter Family magic that he hadn't yet discovered.
Eager to discover more, he continued to read through the night. Surprisingly, he didn't come across any entry that explained his first impressions of Lily. In fact, the latest journal seemed to end before James' final year at Hogwarts was complete. Perhaps it was stored somewhere else.
Harry eventually found a journal that seemed to have been written when James was around nine or ten years old, close to when Harry had discovered his gift with the family magic, and began to read through it.
'I've set up the Potter test, just as it was set for me, my father, and the Potters before that. Euphemia is not enthused with my desire to test James, but it is tradition. I've had to promise to her emphatically that my love for our son is not conditioned on him passing this test. I'd be thrilled if he passed, because it would mean I could show him so much more about what it means to be a Potter and grant him access to my workshop, but I will of course love the boy regardless. He is my son.
'I wiped all traces of magic from the room and placed several magical objects with strong magical signatures throughout the room. When James arrives, I will place a blindfold on him and then we will go through the ritual exercises to prepare his heart, mind, and magic to become one…'
Harry was confused at the last statement. What exactly did it mean to prepare his heart, mind, and magic? Harry had meditated and he felt like he understood how his mind and magic worked together. But everything he'd experienced with his family magic so far had felt mostly mental.
But then he thought about his experience with the horcrux in his scar, Healer Juniper and Luna… his feelings for Luna changed after that experience, almost instantly to a more sibling-like dynamic. Maybe that has something to do with it?
After several minutes of thinking, he just kept coming up blank. Maybe he could talk to Luna about it in the morning. Harry looked outside and could just see the faint light of dawn appearing on the horizon. Deciding it wouldn't hurt to get a little sleep, he put down the journal and went to sleep.
Harry was jolted awake by a crash. His heart racing, he scanned his room for signs of the disturbance and quickly identified the source of the noise… A potted plant had fallen off the shelf.
A second later, he saw Hermes jump onto his bed. "Ah, good, you're awake," the cat said nonchalantly.
Harry grumbled. "Why did you have to knock the plant off the shelf?"
Hermes' tail flicked and he said, "I have no idea what you're talking about." The cat began to lick its paw and continued, "I've been waiting patiently for you to wake up just as I was instructed by Mrs Figg."
Harry sighed. "Sure…"
He watched as Ratatoskr climbed down his tree and went to tend to the plant on the ground.
"Arabella told me to tell you that guild work came up and that she'll most likely be gone for several days," Hermes said.
Harry nodded and rubbed his eyes. "Is that all?" He asked.
"She also asked that you catch a portkey back to Italy to fetch some more catnip. She's run out."
Harry threw the blankets off of him, sending Hermes flying before the cat landed gingerly on his feet. "Alright, get out," he said grumpily. "I've had enough of you."
Hermes sniffed derisively and then sauntered out of the room, his tail held high.
Harry shook his head and then flicked his wand at the broken pot, while saying "Reparo!"
Ratatoskr ran out of the way as the pot mended itself and then he cast a levitation charm on it and placed it back on his shelf.
Sighing, he got up from his bed and collected the soil from the ground and placed it back in the repaired pot. He'd seen Remus and Sirius cast a single spell to do all of that by magic, but he didn't know how and had to do each spell separately. One day, he promised himself.
He glanced at his watch and saw that it was just after 9AM. He was surprised Hermes waited as long as he had, honestly.
With a sigh, he bent down and picked his friend the bowtruckle up from the floor and then put him back in his tree before heading for the shower.
Luna was most likely awake, but she probably wouldn't appreciate it if he came to bother her whilst stinky.
After getting ready for the day, he ventured over to Luna's room and knocked.
"Come in!" He heard Luna say from behind the door. He turned the door knob and walked in. He found Luna doing a handstand in the middle of the floor, several books were spread out around her.
"What are you doing?" He asked unsure if he wanted the answer.
Luna collapsed to the floor before righting herself and turned to face Harry. "I was trying to determine if there was a correlation between the moon cycle and certain weather patterns at the time of conception and the effect it might have on the gender of fairies."
Harry scratched his head. "Why?" He asked simply.
Luna frowned and cocked her head. "Why not?"
Harry didn't have an answer for that and so he shrugged concedingly. He looked around the room and noticed that Luna was back to her usual messy self. There were piles of clothes and dishes all throughout her room. It was oddly comforting.
Returning to his original purpose and told her about his discovery just hours before.
"Do you know what my grandfather might have meant by preparing the heart, mind, and magic?"
Luna, who had been listening intently as Harry explained what he'd learned, nodded and said, "Yes."
Harry sighed. "And can you tell me?"
Luna got up from her spot on the floor and then walked over to her bookshelf. She ran a finger across each spine as she searched the shelf until stopping and removing a black book with several precious stones laid into the cover. "Arcane Magic and Forgotten Rituals," he read. "Hey isn't this the book that Sirius gave you?"
Luna nodded. "I had been asking him about family magic one night and then one day he brought this book and told me I could find what I needed."
Harry frowned. "But isn't the stuff in here a bit dark?"
Luna nodded again, "Well yes, some of it, but most purebloods still practice a lot of these rituals in secret. They don't think it's a big deal."
Harry shook his head. From what he'd read and what Mrs Figg and told him, most rituals were considered dark and were illegal. That didn't mean much to him, if he were being honest, but it felt somewhat irresponsible to give this book to a young girl.
Luna stood next to him and then flipped the book open. She flipped through the pages quickly and Harry had a hard time keeping up. It was clear to him that she knew what she was looking for.
Every once in a while he'd see a picture depicting agonizing pain or gruesome acts, but mostly the book seemed harmless.
Finally, she stopped on a page that read. 'Magic, Might, and Ménage.'
"Here we go," she said. "Traditional pureblood families sometimes use this ritual to help tune a young witch or wizard's magic, mind, and heart. It is believed that by doing so, any latent magical abilities will be unlocked."
Harry nodded at that. "Okay," he said. "But why the mind and the heart?"
"Because magic responds to a witch's or wizard's thoughts and their desires. The two lead the third," she responded.
Harry thought about that for a while. It did align with most of what he'd learned and experienced about magic, like when he cast reparo this morning he had to visualize what the object used to look like and he had to want it to be repaired. In that case, the two had led the third, but there had been times where it seemed his magic acted on its own as well, like when it warned him of danger at the Saxton home or helped destroy a horcrux without him understanding what was going on.
He voiced his opinion to Luna and she smiled brightly. "My mother told me once that books were good for things that could be understood and taught, but that nature was the best teacher for everything else. My mother taught me that Magic is a natural entity and while it wants to do what you want it to do, it wants what it wants as well."
It didn't really make sense to him, but a lot about magic didn't exactly make sense so he was willing to give Luna the benefit of the doubt.
He returned to the ritual. "So this ritual is supposed to help the three be attuned?" He checked.
"Right," she said. "The attunement helps magic flow and work more easily since all three factors are now working together as one. Otherwise there might be an imbalance. The imbalance can be overcome but it comes at a cost."
Harry nodded. "Fatigue?" He guessed. "Yes, and other worse things, like soul damage or even disfigurement."
"Soul damage?" He asked.
"Yes, if you force your magic to do something it doesn't want to do, it could damage your soul. It's bad, obviously. Attunement with your magic will help prevent it because you'll have more of an understanding of what your magic wants and as you and your magic grow together, you'll have more of a desire to do what it wants. It's a special bond."
Harry was flabbergasted. None of the books he'd read described magic in this way. Everything he'd read had been so logical and sterile. But this… "Magic is a natural entity," he said.
Luna smiled, glad that her message was sinking in. "Exactly!"
He digested the new information and reflected on what he'd experienced with his own magic and his ability to sense and decipher what other's magic might do. He thought about what Fleamont had written about Remus' magic and Sirius' magic. It all seemed to boil down to what Luna had said. Magic was a natural entity. Some people were born with the bond and some were not. There was one final piece he was trying to make sense of.
"Do you think we are sharing the same magic or do we each get our own?" He asked. And with Family Magic, if my family was still alive, would we share that bond with one magical entity or would we each get our own?"
Luna looked deep in thought. "I don't know," she said finally after several seconds of silence. "I've always thought of magic as infinite, but maybe it's not. Maybe that's why not everyone can have it. And maybe that is why your dad didn't have the ability, but your grandfather did and now you."
Harry was beginning to develop his own opinion on the subject. To him, magic was like the ocean. There was a lot of it, but not an infinite amount. And not every fish could thrive in it. To him, family magic was beginning to feel like a part that existed in that ocean. It had a mind of its own and there were limits to how many people it could be bound to. It wasn't a perfect example, but it was close.
"So being attuned would have helped my father unlock his ability to use the family magic?" He said, returning to the original topic.
"That's probably what your grandfather believed, yes," she said.
Harry reflected on what his grandfather had said about wiping the area of magic. "Do you think the ability to cleanse an area of magic is like a special ability or something anyone could learn to do?"
"Hmmm," Luna said. "That's a good question. I think someone would need the ability to sense magic to come up with the idea, but I think anyone could probably figure out how."
Harry agreed. "I can sense magic because of my family magic and you can sense magic because of yours. I wonder how many people could do it?"
"My Father told me once that most older witches and wizards eventually develop the ability," Luna answered.
"That makes my family magic feel less special," he admitted.
"I don't think so," she said. "You've told me that you've been able to do more than just feel and interpret… that it seems to lead you and then you can do things with it that other people, like me, can't."
"But you can interpret magic too and your family magic leads you as well, like with Sirius," he said.
Luna nodded. "I think our family magics are similar but different. Maybe we'll both discover more about it as we grow."
Harry hoped so. He felt like there was more to find. More to unlock. But maybe at least new and interesting ways to use it. He definitely wanted to try the ritual to see if it made a difference. His grandfather mentioned a workshop in his journal, and he desperately wanted to find it. Maybe the attunement would help him with that.
He asked Luna if she'd help him with the ritual and she happily agreed with the condition that he help her with her own ritual after. The two both read the instructions. A ritual was a lot like a potion, he decided. It required ingredients and things needed to happen in a particular order.
Luna let him know that there were a lot of complex elements, but she felt confident she could make sense of it all. Afterwards, he would just have to copy what she did and it should all work out for both of them.
"You should know that performing rituals is sort of like an agreement you make with magic. You shouldn't make the agreement in bad faith," Luna said.
Harry paused at that. "What am I agreeing to?" He asked. "It's not like my first born or anything, right?"
"Nothing like that, at least not for this ritual…" she said trailing off. "It's more of a promise that you don't intend any ill will towards magic."
Harry was confused. How could someone have ill will towards magic? He voiced his confusion.
Luna sighed. "Remember how I said that magic is a natural entity?"
Harry nodded that he remembered.
"And how magic wanted to do what you want it to do but that it also wants what it wants?"
Harry agreed.
"Well, there are rituals that sort of tip the scales more in the favor of forcing magic to do what you want and to ignore what it wants."
"Oh," was his reply. "So I'd be promising not to do rituals like that then?"
Luna nodded. "And a bit more than that, I guess… you're promising to help magic achieve its desires ahead of your own."
Harry frowned. "But what if it wants me to do something awful like murder someone?"
Luna laughed at that. "When have you ever felt like magic has wanted to cause anyone harm?"
Harry could think of a few times that he'd felt a certain malevolence surrounding magic. He said as much.
"Think about it, Harry. Was that magic inherently wanting to do harm or was it simply agreeing to do so or being bound to do so by a witch or wizard?"
He didn't understand how he was supposed to feel the difference to be honest. It was all so confusing. What was it that Mrs Figg had said… "Trust your instincts, trust your magic," he murmured.
Luna cocked her head at that.
"Something Mrs Figg said recently," Harry answered. "Alright, let's do this. I agree to the terms."
Luna nodded and said, "I'm going to need some augery feathers, two griffin claws, and two empty vials."
Harry left to get the ingredients while Luna drew a circle in chalk on the floor.
He tried to walk quickly, but not run, because he didn't want anyone to wonder what he was up to. With any luck, he wouldn't run into anybody.
Luck seemed to be on his side and he made it all the way to the potion lab and back with nothing more than a glare from Astrid, who was entering the library.
He opened the door and entered quickly, making sure to lock the door behind him.
Luna was sitting on the floor just outside of the ritual space. She'd drawn a white circle on the floor and had lined it with candles that had been lit. The circle was large enough for him to lay down inside without him touching any of the edges.
She invited him to lay down in the center and then she proceeded to draw three runes inside the circle. After the runes were drawn, she placed the augery feathers and griffin claw on two of the three runes.
"I'll need some blood," she said calmly.
"Blood!?" He exclaimed.
"Yes, just a vial full. Sit up," she commanded.
He obliged, embarrassed by his outburst. He trusted Luna. Besides, his grandfather had done this.
Luna grabbed his hand and extended his arm before piecing the crook of his elbow with a sharp knife. She placed the vial beneath and filled it with his spilling blood. Once it was full, she cast a quick healing spell on his arm and he watched the cut heal. "Good job," he said.
Luna smiled and put the vial of blood on the final rune.
"Lay back down and close your eyes," she said.
Harry did so and then she told him to repeat the words, "Mind, might, and magic" over and over again.
Harry felt kind of dumb, but he did what he was told. He wanted this to work. He wanted to discover the family magic secrets. He wanted to find his grandfather's workshop. He wanted to be better at magic. At his family magic. He wanted to do what previous Potters had done. He wanted to be connected to them. He wanted to make them proud.
He began to feel magic swirl around him as he repeated the words. It was the warm familiar magic he associated with his home. Then he began to feel other magic join the fray. The new magic felt more wild and yet somewhat familiar. The magic swirled around him as he chanted and he felt warmth begin to feel his heart. Then he began to feel something cool within his head. The two sensations swirled with the magic and then joined as one. The hot and cold mixed into a comfortable warm sensation in his throat.
He heard an ethereal voice fill his mind that said, "Well met, Potter Scion, I am magic and I heed your call."
Harry didn't know what to say so he remained silent.
"Do you promise to always strive to do my will?" It asked.
Harry wanted to say yes, but he was afraid of what magic might ask of him.
"How will I know your will?" He asked.
"Fear not, for you will know."
'Trust your magic, Harry," he heard Mrs Figg say.
Renewed, he said, "I promise to strive to do your will!"
"Good," magic said. "Then I will help you discover your family's secrets. I will set you on the path to unlock your full potential. But know that should you defy me, I will remove your bond with magic. You will be cast out of your family and sent back to the mundane world. Do not trifle with me or you will regret it!"
"I promise!" Harry cried. "I promise!"
Harry felt something deep within him snap into place. It felt painful at first and then comfort eased in. It reminded him of the relief of popping a stiff knuckle.
"Well that didn't exactly go the way I thought it would," he heard Luna say.
"What do you mean," he asked.
"Just that magic doesn't typically show up and talk to people face to face. She was quite beautiful, you know."
Harry's eyes snapped open. Magic was a woman?
"You looked ridiculous with your eyes slammed shut, by the way," she added.
Harry couldn't help but laugh. It had all been so intense and he couldn't believe he'd kept his eyes shut. He'd just had the experience of a lifetime and Luna was cracking jokes at his expense.
"Well, it's your turn now so I'll get to see her then," he said smugly.
Luna shook her head. "Somehow, I don't think my ritual will go exactly the same way, besides I'm not really in the mood… maybe another time."
"But I thought you wanted to go after me!" He said.
Luna shrugged. "I've changed my mind. I think you've just ruined ritual magic for me by setting the bar so high."
"Luna! You can't mean that."
Luna looked down at her shirt. "Oh bother, you've bled on me. I need to change my shirt, it's time for you to go."
Harry crossed his arms defiantly. "I'm not leaving!"
"Suit yourself," she said as she began to pull her shirt up over her head.
Harry cursed and left the room while wondering why weird things kept happening to him and why he couldn't just perform a simple ritual like a normal wizard.
Chapter 22: The Cellar
Chapter Text
A/N: I just want to give my profound thanks to everyone that has reviewed, followed, and favorited.
When I started this fanfic, I had originally planned on Harry getting right to Hogwarts and starting the story there. That clearly hasn't happened as I've tried to add some complexity and didn't want to rush. However, I've decided that each school year will be its own fanfic and this one, which has laid the foundation of this series, is coming to a close within the next few chapters. It's been just over one year since I posted chapter one and we're very close to the end of Book 0. Thanks for sticking with me on this story. I've really appreciated it.
Harry wandered out of the master suite as he headed to the kitchen. He was still confused about his experience with the ritual and he didn't feel any different, except now he was starving after skipping breakfast.
He met Astrid as she exited the library and he offered her a small smile, which she met with a scowl.
"Are you following me?" She asked in an annoyed tone.
Harry chuckled in response and raised his eyebrow. "Do you really think I have nothing better to do?"
Astrid rolled her eyes in response. "I honestly hadn't given what you do in your free time a second thought. Us lowly peasants are too busy toiling away in exchange for your scraps!"
Harry didn't know what she meant by that. He hadn't exactly asked for them to lift a finger around the house, save for picking up after themselves. It seemed like she was determined to hate him simply because he was rich.
The pair had been walking together as they exchanged barbs and now found themselves outside the kitchen.
Astrid had clearly not realized they shared the destination as they walked and had hoped to lose Harry as she entered the kitchen. She now stood awkwardly as she realized her mistake. With a huff, she stormed off towards her living quarters instead.
Harry called after her, "Hey, don't you want some food? I don't mind sharing my scraps!"
"I'd rather starve than eat with you! Besides, unlike you, I've gone without food before!" She yelled back before entering her living quarters and slamming the door.
Harry huffed in frustration and shook his head. Harry barely managed not to jump when he heard a voice behind him say, "Wow, she really doesn't like you."
He turned and found Sirius in the kitchen doorway wearing a smug smile.
"I don't know why. I haven't even done anything but every time we talk, she gets me all riled up," he said.
Sirius chuckled. "She probably just needs more time to adjust. You're a great kid, Harry, she'll come around."
Harry looked up at Sirius, then. "What, not going to keep making fun of me?"
Sirius laughed, "I would never!" He rubbed his knuckles on Harry's head and added, "Besides, it wouldn't be a fair exchange seeing as how you're so…" he trailed off and gestured to Harry in general.
"Hey!" Harry declared. "I could take you any day, old man!"
The pair carried on with their teasing and then sat together at the table to eat. It was nearly dinner time, but no one else was in sight.
"How has work been? You've not been around very much so you must be busy," Harry said.
Sirius nodded. "Sorry about that, pup," he said. "I've been working long hours… some rich old pureblood family was robbed. It's been quite the hubbub, really, because whoever did it destroyed a large stockpile of potions ingredients. I have to go back tonight to finish going through the inventory that was turned in."
Harry nodded at that, "The Saxton's," he acknowledged.
Sirius gave him a look. "How did you know?" He asked.
"I read the Prophet, Sirius," Harry laughed, trying to mask his nervousness. He shouldn't have said anything.
"You're the strangest 10 year old I've ever seen," Sirius chuckled.
"Where is everyone?" Harry asked, changing the subject.
Sirius raised his eyebrows at Harry. "Oh, right, you weren't around," he said. "Silvie and Tabatha went to Saint Mungos with Remus to get his situation evaluated. They won't be back until tomorrow."
Harry nodded solemnly at that. "It's too bad about Remus' injury. I had really hoped for a full recovery."
Sirius nodded his agreement. "The boys are off exploring, I think. Aldo said something about hunting for a demiguise he thought he saw. Apparently Caleb doesn't believe him."
Harry had wondered about the creature and was relieved to hear it was still around.
"What were you and Luna up to, today?" Sirius asked.
Harry contemplated the merits of telling Sirius the truth. On the one hand, Sirius grew up in a pureblood household and might even have family magic of his own. He might be able to help guide Harry even further on his path to understanding his own family magic. On the other hand, Sirius might accidentally reveal his secret. He trusted Sirius but the man was so irresponsible.
Still, his father had trusted him and he was his Godfather, so he decided to confide in the man.
"Do you know any privacy spells?" He asked.
Sirius raised both eyebrows at that before smirking and taking out his wand. "You're looking at a Marauder, Harry, I know all of them. This one fills the ears of anyone in the vicinity with a buzzing sound."
Harry watched as Sirius waved his wand and said, "Muffliato!"
Harry grinned and after getting a promise from Sirius that he wouldn't share this secret with anyone, told him about the ritual and Magic appearing before him.
Sirius sat silently as he listened and once Harry finished, he said, "Interesting, very interesting."
The man stood up then and started pacing, clearly deep in thought.
"I know the ritual, having done it myself as a kid. My family always performs it on our 9th birthday you see. Nine is a magical number and so my family believed it should strengthen the likelihood that we inherit the family magic, or a share of it."
"A share of it?" Harry checked. He and Luna had speculated that family magic might have to be shared and Sirius seemed to be confirming his theory.
Sirius nodded. "Yes, there is a legend in magical history that certain gifts, certain abilities you could say, were gifted to families by Magic herself. The gifts seem to dilute as they're shared with more people."
Sirius stopped pacing and said, "My family's magic is the ability to transfigure our body into something else. My family has proudly stated that the first Metamorphmagus and Animagus have come from our family."
"But can't anyone learn how to become an animagus?" Harry checked.
Sirius nodded, "Yes of course, but that doesn't stop my family from boasting that we were the first. A Black is more likely to achieve it, however, thanks to our family magic.
"The metamorphmagus ability is still unique to my family, however. I have a cousin that is one. She's the first in nearly two hundred years, I think."
Harry nodded. "Do you think that Magic actually showed up or am I just going crazy?"
Sirius looked him in the eyes and said, "You're not crazy, Harry. Your account matches what the legends say. It is clearly a rare kind of event, however. Do you feel any different? James confided in me that he hadn't inherited the family magic like Fleamont had, but I'm not fully aware what the Potter family magic entails."
Harry explained that he'd actually been able to use the Potter family magic to sense magic for a while now and that he was hoping the ritual would help him get even better at it or add to it in some way.
Sirius nodded his understanding. "I performed the ritual myself a second time just as we decided to become animagi. It's what helped me to figure out what my animal was. Your father helped with the ritual, in fact and we joked that the Black family had adopted him because he also learned his animal form very shortly after. Peter took ages… filthy rat."
Harry was digesting Sirius' words very carefully. Last night, in Fleamont's journals, he'd read about his family magic and forming bonds with others. Did that mean the Potter family magic used those bonds in some way? Maybe his father did have a portion of the family magic afterall and had used his bond with Sirius to borrow the Black family magic. He wasn't sure he wanted to share that bit of info just yet and decided to focus on another part of what Sirius had said.
"You can do the ritual more than once?" Harry asked.
Sirius nodded. "Oh yes. While the ritual is mostly used these days for unlocking family magic, some wizards and witches use it more regularly to simply feel closer to Magic. It's kind of like a religious practice, if that makes sense?"
Harry understood. It had been a pleasant experience, if a bit strange, and it was one he could see himself doing more of.
There was just one more thing he wanted to ask Sirius about.
"Sirius, I had one more-" he started, but then the door slammed open and three boys walked in.
Sirius waved his wand and cancelled the muffliato spell.
"Hey boys!" Sirius said loudly. "How did your little excursion through the house go? Did you find the demiguise?"
Sirius and Harry listened as they shared the details of their adventure. Harry was still distracted by his conversation with Sirius and kept getting lost in his own thoughts. Sirius was far better at carrying the conversation and even gave them some ideas to try trapping the creature.
Harry saw Astrid waiting outside the door, clearly not wanting to come in while he himself was still there. He got up from his seat with a sigh, not wanting to fight any more with the girl. He exited the kitchen and returned to his living quarters to remind Luna to eat.
Later that night, Harry sat up in his bed, frustrated. He'd checked his grandparent's room again and had found nothing. There had been no change in his family magic. Or maybe he was simply looking in the wrong place.
He blew out some air in a huff and got out of bed. He was feeling restless and annoyed at the lack of progression. Perhaps tonight would be a good night for him to go out and visit Truset.
He smirked at the thought and then dug into the hiding place beneath the floorboards to gather his things. He'd been able to restock the potions he used and he still had the bottles that Ratatoskr had etched runes into. He would just have to recast the blue bell flames and they'd be good as new.
One thing caused him to hesitate and that was the fact that all the adults had left the house. If anything happened while he was gone, Luna and the others would be on their own. He reckoned the chances of that were low, however, and he'd be back before dawn.
As he packed his bag, he heard what he assumed was Ratatoskr rummaging around his tree. He turned his head and saw the stick creature sliding down the tree trunk like a fireman descending a pole. Harry finished packing just as Ratatoskr arrived next to him.
"You want to come with me?" Harry asked.
Ratatoskr nodded and Harry picked the creature up. "It might be dangerous," he added.
The stick creature simply folded his arms and rolled his eyes in response.
Harry chuckled at that and said, "Fine, but no complaining."
The duo slipped out of his room and into the family room. Light flickered beneath Luna's door, a sign that she was still awake as well, and he considered letting her know he would be back before dawn but he reckoned she already knew and he needn't bother.
He needed to hurry anyway.
Creeping down the stairs from the Master Suite, he entered into the main hall and towards the floo. The room was dark, practically pitch black thanks to the darkened moon outside.
He didn't want to be seen in Hogsmeade, but he didn't know how else he could get there quickly without using the floo. He wished he could dissaperate, but that was several years away.
Throwing in some floo powder, he cried, "The Three broomsticks!"
He spun in a flash of green until he popped out of the fireplace at his destination.
Barely managing to stagger to a stop before falling on his face, he noticed the room was dark and vacant of patrons, but he heard someone call from a back room that they'd be with him in a moment.
He quickly left the bar and couldn't help but chuckle as he thought of how annoyed they'd be when they arrived and he was already gone.
The cobblestone road outside was barely visible thanks to the now dim lights that lined the road. It was a good night to travel unseen but he still wished he had his invisibility cloak.
He removed his broomstick from his bag and straddled it easily before taking off into the sky. It was still cold in the night sky, but decidedly warmer than his last flight. Still, he was glad he had his bluebell flame jars to help him stay warm. He placed one in his Hand of Glory to help light the way around him.
It took him nearly fifteen minutes of flying before he descended into Feldcroft.
Feldcroft was notably smaller and even darker than Hogsmeade, he was happy to note. He hopped off his broom whilst still holding the Hand of Glory and crept down the path to his destination.
The houses here were quite quaint but he could hear families laughing together inside as he walked by. He paused to let the feeling of jealousy slide by. It wasn't their fault he didn't have what they had, after all, so he could still be happy for them.
In the distance, on a hill overlooking the tiny hamlet, was a large manor that he knew was his target. Surprisingly, he saw light spilling out onto the grassy yard from several large windows. He'd have to be more careful as he got closer, lest he be seen.
He flew up into a nearby tree and made himself comfortable. He could just wait until the lights dimmed and then he'd make his attempt to enter the home. He felt Ratatoskr shift from within his robe pocket and then the creature stuck his head out to scope out the area.
"We're going to have to wait a bit," he said out loud. "Might as well get comfortable."
Harry mentally went through the Intel he'd received from Feona. Every once in a while, his thoughts would be interrupted by someone walking by the window. He tried to distinguish who it was, but they were simply too far away.
Time moved slowly and he felt himself start to nod off in boredom but then quite suddenly the lights went out and he became alert.
He waited a few more minutes to be sure everyone had turned in for the night and then began to focus his magic and sent out some probes.
The building and grounds were vibrant with magic and he soon began to feel overwhelmed, but he pushed through until he could comfortably decipher whether or not there were any wards to be wary of. There were wards he was more familiar with, like anti-apparition and a few muggle repelling charms. He supposed they were far enough away from Hogsmeade that there might be muggle villages nearby so that made sense.
A few wards seemed to be the sort to set off an alarm and a few that stunned or immobilized anyone that triggered them. The building was quite secure. More so than Saxton's had been by far. Harry couldn't help but wonder if Truset was more vigilant to begin with or if he had recently increased security because of what Harry had done to the Saxtons.
Whilst the anti-apparition wards were large and likely anchored to the house, it simply wasn't safe or practical to set up stunners or immobilizers in a large area. They were typically scattered around the perimeter or more localized areas instead.
He contemplated his next move. Remus had been rather forthcoming with his knowledge on wards when Harry had asked him during lessons one day. The man had told him that wards wouldn't be covered until he was well into Hogwarts, but Harry had insisted. Being able to detect magic had helped Harry understand more complex subjects a little easier and he surmised that he had a better understanding of magic than most people.
Most wards, he knew, had to be anchored to something. If he could find the anchor, he should be able to lift the wards without setting them off. Of course, if the person setting the wards was competent, they would ensure the anchor was well protected.
Harry sent minuscule probes to inspect the area and was not able to detect the anchors. 'What a bummer,' he thought to himself.
Remus had said that alternatively, a ward could be broken if it was simply overpowered, but he was only 10 years old and didn't have a lot of power.
Ratatoskr was placed back inside his pocket and then he descended the tree and walked around the property as he checked out the wards. He noticed that most of the wards that would incapacitate him were paired with an alarm ward as well. He guessed that if he set off a stunner ward that it would also trigger the alarm. He continued scouting the area, hoping to find a fault in the layout.
Sure enough, the warder had gotten sloppy towards the back end of the property. There were two stunner wards that didn't touch an alarm ward.
He prepared to flee if his plan failed and then sent a strong probe of magic to set off the ward. He saw several flashes in the distance in front of him as the wards attacked his probe. He kept at it until he noticed the flashes begin to become less vibrant, a sign they were weakening.
Eventually, his probe was able to move freely without setting off the wards. Although he was more exhausted, he rushed forward past the wards and entered the property.
Once he was safe and hidden from view, he uncorked an energy potion and took a swig.
Feeling revitalized, he scoped the area for any other wards that he might have missed before he continued. He was relieved to find none, and a little surprised. The Saxton house didn't have the wards all over the property , but the wards around the buildings and house had been a whole lot stronger. He supposed Truset just didn't have the resources the Saxton's did.
The coast clear, he cast an alohomora on a nearby window and then climbed in.
He found himself in a small formal dining room. The light of his blue bell bottles reflected off several portraits lining one wall. He flinched, expecting to be caught, but relaxed as he remembered that, thanks to the Hand of Glory, only he could see the light and the portraits remained asleep. Moving lightly, he made his way out of the room and into the hall and out of view of the portraits. Once clear, he focused and sent a multitude of magical probes to map out the area. In his mind's eye, he traveled the hallway and inspected each room remotely.
It seemed that Benjamin Truset lived alone and was sleeping in his bed upstairs. Harry was free to move around on the main floor.
He roamed the house, carefully, using his magical probes to search for wards or traps. He picked up several random objects that looked valuable and interesting as he searched the house. His intentions were simply to scope out the house and look for intel that might be useful, but that didn't mean he couldn't help himself to a trinket or two.
Eventually he found himself entering a large study. Opposite of the door was a large ornate desk with a few chairs sitting in front of it. It looked like this was a place that Truset did business. In the middle of the room stood a large crate.
Suddenly, lights flared to life around the room and he heard a voice off to the side say, "What do you think-" Harry reacted quickly and sent a freezing charm in the direction of the voice. His heart racing, he saw that a magical portrait had gone unnoticed by his probes. The subject of the painting stood frozen, mid speech. Harry guessed the room was spelled to light up when it sensed a presence and had alerted the portrait.
He mentally thanked Remus and Sirius for the target practice they'd made him do so many times and let out a relieved breath as he looked around the room. Noticing an unfinished letter laying on the desk, he started reading.
It seemed to be a letter to Truset's mother that lived on the continent. Benjamin was sending a magical portrait to her so that they could communicate more quickly without using the floo. It looked like his mother was getting too old to crouch down on the floor to make the call. Benjamin had the twin frame, which Harry guessed he had just frozen. The man, it seemed, was not a great business man or practiced politician and was calling on his mother regularly for advice. Harry smirked.
Harry reckoned the other magical frame was what was in the crate in the center of the room. He hated to steal something that was going to be helpful for an old lady, but an idea was forming in his mind that he thought might be the solution to his problems.
Her shared his idea with Ratatoskr and the two got to work.
The next morning, Harry woke up to the sun shining brightly in his room. He'd left Truset's the same way he'd entered and had returned home without issue with a little time to get some sleep.
He sat up in his bed and stretched before getting up from his bed and walked towards the window. He still sometimes looked over his property and the woods in awe, in complete disbelief that it was all his.
It was nearly the end of spring now and birds sang happily as they flew through the air. He watched as they performed their aerial dance and contemplated life. A lot had changed in the last year and he'd changed from the meek scrawny boy in the cupboard and found family and friends along the way.
His reminiscing was interrupted when he noticed a small figure walking briskly out of the woods. Whoever it was, they were too far away for him to make out, at least with his natural eyes. He focused his magic and imagined himself flying down towards the mysterious figure.
As his consciousness got closer, he was finally able to make out who it was. He ended the magic and frowned. What was Astrid up to, he wondered.
A knock sounded on the door and then Luna walked in before he could answer.
"I sensed you were about to come look for me so I saved you the trouble," she said as she approached.
"I-" he started before she cut him off.
"Astrid spends a lot of her nights in the woods, these days," she said.
"Wh-" he started again.
"I don't know why," Luna answered. "She's still incredibly conflicted and constantly uncomfortable."
Harry paused a moment before he decided it was safe to talk. "You d-" he said before being cut off yet again.
"I can't read minds, Harry, just emotions," she said.
Harry laughed in exasperation at that. "Sure seems like you can read minds to me, Luna!"
Luna shrugged and said, "I know you, Harry, you're easy."
He shook his head at that. He'd be worried about how easy she could read and understand him, but it was Luna and he trusted her absolutely.
"I don't understand Astrid and that makes it hard for me to trust her. I don't remember seeing her that night," he said.
Luna nodded. "I know, we talked about this."
They had talked about it and Luna had refused to say anything to confirm or deny his concerns.
"I have a feeling that we should give her the benefit of the doubt," she said. "At least for now."
Harry huffed. He didn't like it at all. Still, if Luna insisted then he'd follow along.
"Fine," he said.
Luna shook her head. "You could try being more understanding, Harry."
"What do you mean?" He asked angrily. "I've not done anything to her except open my home."
Luna sighed. "Yes, you did that. But how do you think she feels in a strange place, abandoned by her family, and placed at the mercy of someone she doesn't know. How would you feel?"
"Lucky," he snapped.
Luna glared at him. "You of all people would not feel lucky, Harry Potter."
He uncrossed his arms and turned away from Luna. His thoughts returned to his life on Privet Drive. He'd been forced into a home that he was uncomfortable in. He'd always felt like an outsider, but he'd been treated like one too. He hadn't treated Astrid or the boys like that.
Still, he hated having no control over his life. It's what had driven him to stealing, after all. That and boredom, he supposed. Stealing had given him a purpose, in a way. Maybe that was what Astrid needed, to find her purpose.
"She hates me though," he said.
"I don't think that's true," Luna said. "I think she's jealous."
Harry scoffed.
"Think about it," Luna said. "You have everything she's lost or never had. Friends, family, money, and an easy life."
"I don't have an easy life," he said.
Luna chuckled. "Obviously, I know that. She doesn't."
Harry stood there and considered her words. Maybe he just needed to give Astrid a little more time to come around. Maybe they could become friends eventually.
"Alright, fine," he conceded. "I'll give her a break."
"I knew you'd come around, eventually," Luna laughed. "Sirius is going to be so mad."
Harry's eyebrows furrowed. "Don't tell me you two bet on this?" He checked.
"Ok, I won't," Luna said as she skipped out of the room.
Harry lost himself to his thoughts as he prepared dinner. He'd spent most of his day relaxing and going through his grandparent's journals for hints about the family magic. He hadn't found anything substantial, to his utter annoyance.
Remus, Silvie, and Tabatha were supposed to have come home by now, but he hadn't seen any sign of them returning. He had thought about calling on Kreacher to make dinner, since Sirius had basically given him permission to do so whenever he wanted, but decided against it. He liked cooking and he hadn't done it in a while.
His thoughts turned to the crate he'd found at Truset's and to the plan he'd come up with. He desperately wanted to check on the outcome of his and Ratatoskr's actions, but he wasn't sure how to go about it without incriminating himself. If it all went well, he'd hear about it soon enough.
He was in the middle of dicing mushrooms when he heard the kitchen door open. He looked over his shoulder and found Astrid standing stiffly, her eyes were practically popping out of their sockets and her jaw had dropped open.
Harry looked away, not wanting to get in another fight. He was too tired. A moment later, he heard Astrid pull a chair out from the table and sit down. With a heavy sigh, he decided to attempt some conversation.
"I'm making pizza. Is there anything that you'd like me to leave off?" He asked.
"A-" she started. Her words got stuck in her throat and she coughed to clear it out. "Anchovies," she finally answered timidly.
Harry nodded. "I don't care for them either," he said.
He heard the chair scoot and a moment later Astrid stood beside him. "I didn't know you could cook," she said.
Harry nodded. "I used to cook for my muggle… family before I found out I was a wizard." He had paused and nearly choked on the word family as it passed his lips. He knew better what a real family was now.
He chanced a glance towards Astrid and saw the girl was frowning in confusion. He wasn't sure he really wanted to talk about his life with the Dursleys, particularly with her right now.
Making an excuse he said, "I need to get something from the cellar." He walked away and collected himself. He didn't really need anything from the cellar and now he was in a bit of a predicament if he didn't want to be caught in a lie.
At the top of the stairs, he began to feel uncomfortable. He suddenly realized that in the almost year-long period he'd lived here, he hadn't ever gone down to the cellar before.
A pressure grew within him as he descended the steps. It was odd. He'd never been afraid of the dark, really, having spent so much of his time in the cupboard under the stairs. In fact, he quite enjoyed the dark most of the time. At the bottom, he turned and looked into the dark abyss and dread filled his entire being. He bolted back up the stone steps and was relieved to see that Astrid was nowhere in sight. His pride still somewhat intact, he grabbed a crate of butterbeer from the pantry and made his way back to the kitchen.
He was relieved to see that Luna had arrived and was conversing with Astrid. He made eye contact with his blonde friend and she gave him a quick wink. She must have felt his discomfort at being alone with Astrid and had come to the rescue. He wondered if she'd sensed his fear just moments ago but she appeared unconcerned so he guessed not.
He continued preparing dinner while trying to ignore the nagging feeling he had that something important was in the cellar, but he couldn't think of a time he was more terrified.
He also thought he could sense Astrid looking at him every now and then but whenever he checked she'd be looking the other way.
Dinner was a mundane affair. The boys shared some of their recent exploits to everyone's delight. To his surprise, they'd ventured far and wide both in and outside of the house. They'd assured him that they hadn't entered the forest at all. He glanced at Astrid at the mention of the woods and he noticed a small guilty look in her eyes for a moment before it disappeared. Remembering his conversation with Luna, he chose not to comment.
Instead he asked if they'd ventured into the cellar at all and they each shrugged and nodded nonchalantly. "Yeah, a few times. It's pretty boring though," Caleb said.
Harry was surprised at that. He'd been terrified.
After everyone finished eating, Harry got up to put dinner away, but Astrid, to everyone's surprise, got up first and offered to take care of cleaning up.
Harry didn't know what to do. She'd made it clear to him that she thought he was a spoiled rich brat and he was tempted to prove her wrong by insisting he'd do it, but Luna shook her head just slightly and he decided to drop it.
He thought he heard Astrid breathe a sigh of relief when he simply nodded and offered his thanks.
A moment later, he heard the fireplace flare and he ran out and caught Tabatha coming through, followed by Silvie pushing Remus in his wheelchair.
"Hey Remus, everything alright?" He checked.
Remus nodded and attempted a smile. Harry thought it looked genuine, but it definitely didn't reach his eyes.
Silvie interjected then, "The healers think that Remus' body will go through a bit of a cycle, mirroring the moon's."
Harry thought for a moment about what that might mean. Silvie must have sensed his confusion and clarified. "Basically, when he transforms into his wolf form, his spine will be repaired and he'll be able to walk up until around the new moon where his body will weaken and his injury will resurface."
Harry frowned. He'd really hoped Remus would fully recover.
"It's better than nothing," Remus said.
Harry smiled at the man, impressed by Remus' optimism and courage. He doubted he'd handle the news half as well if he was in Remus' place.
"I've made dinner if you're hungry, although I think Astrid might have cleaned it up already."
Remus sighed dramatically and looked up at Silvie. "I told you we should have come straight home instead of going out for dinner. Now we've missed out on Harry's famous cooking."
Tabatha chuckled at Remus and said, "Good thing we saved room," before giving Harry a side hug and entering the kitchen.
Remus rolled on to catch up with her.
Silvie sighed and shot him a wink. "Thanks a lot, Harry."
Harry just chuckled and shook his head at the family's antics.
Harry was sitting up in bed trying to meditate. The book he'd found in the library said that clearing your mind with meditation was the first step to learning to occlude the mind, but that to truly master the art you needed someone that could perform legilimency. He didn't have that and wasn't likely to find anyone able and willing for years to come, but that didn't mean he couldn't prepare now.
His meditations had been so far unsuccessful, especially tonight. He tried to focus his thoughts on his breathing but that kept straying away towards the dark cellar and the problem with the painting he'd found at Truset's.
He had come up with a plan, but it was risky. As much as he wanted to handle everything himself, he knew it wasn't practical. Mrs Figg was too busy with her own problems so he couldn't rely on her. The Guild might help, but he needed to save his Guild coins to hire a legilimens, so that wasn't an option. That left one person that might be able to help and luckily they had some skin in the game.
Frustrated that his thoughts had strayed once again, he got up from his bed, threw on a robe, and walked to the balcony.
He stared out onto the dark grounds, looking for nothing in particular. The night clouds were fascinatingly both dark and light at the same time as they amplified the small amount of light from the sliver thin moon. Cool air billowed across his skin and he closed his eyes as he took the sensation in.
His thoughts again turned to the cellar as he remembered the terror he'd felt as he tried to descend the stairs and then a different memory surfaced. One that involved a silvery blond ponce and a manipulative ring.
His eyes snapped open as a realization struck him. The cellar must have been charmed to ward people off the same way Malfoy's ring was. The question now was, who had done that and why? The only way to find out was to enter the cellar, he reckoned.
He felt goosebumps raise on his arms at the thought and he grinned. Whatever secret was down there wouldn't stay secret for long.
A/N: Please read and review. Sorry for the cliffhanger!
Chapter 23: Chapter Twenty-Three: Mrs Figg's Return
Chapter Text
A/N: Wow, so sorry that it's been so long since I posted a new chapter. Life has been busy, and I've had some hesitation in continuing with one of my ideas. It's taken some reworking to move forward.
Harry stirred his metal spoon in frustration. He'd just gotten back from another fruitless morning in the cellar. Its secrets remained secret. Taking solace in his potions lab, he tried to calm himself. Brewing potions whilst angry was likely to result in explosive results, after all.
It had been nearly two weeks since he'd discovered that there was something in the cellar eluding him. He'd confirmed it by taking Luna down there with him. She'd not felt the feelings of dread and fear that he had. No one in the house reacted to the cellar like him, and Luna couldn't even sense his growing trepidation as they descended the steps.
He'd spent nearly every night and early morning in the cellar, persevering through his fear, searching out with his magic, but he kept coming up empty. He'd hoped that the repeated exposure to his fears would at least lessen them, but it did not. Each night was the same, and was a battle of conquering his fears.
About the only interesting thing to happen in the two weeks was a letter from the Guild Leader instructing him to throw a Summer Solstice party. He'd wanted to refuse immediately, but Mrs Figg had insisted he throw one and invite all the children and their parents that he'd met at the winter solstice. He had conceded, but insisted that the Weasleys be added to the invite list.
Mrs Figg agreed and then went to Sirius, which to Harry's surprise, had taken the whole thing very seriously. Apparently, it was an important pureblood tradition to throw a huge summer solstice party before going off to Hogwarts. There was a bunch of maneuvering involved between purebloods to decide which families were going to host an event. Often, several parties would be held, and folks would have to decide which one to attend. It was a huge ordeal, and hosting a party could either raise your standing or could be a total disaster if no one showed up.
Sirius and Mrs Figg had worked together to coach him on what to write in his invites and then had decided how best to decorate.
To his relief, not only had several people already responded with agreements to attend, but the Malfoys, Crabbs, and Goyles had all rejected his invitation, stating that the Malfoy's were hosting their own event. He was still waiting to hear from the Knotts and Greengrasses, but he wasn't surprised.
Harry shook out of his thoughts and returned to his potion. He sighed in relief as the bubbling liquid turned a potent green, just as described in his potions book. At least he didn't have to add a faulty potion to his list of annoyances. He smiled and filled a couple of vials full and placed them in the cabinet for later.
Mrs Figg would be proud of his progress in potions, he thought. He'd come a long way from his first attempts in the bedroom of her house back in Surrey. In the past two weeks, he'd only seen her once, and just for a moment, though she'd promised to be back by the full moon to keep him company since Sirius was still working long hours on the Saxton case. It was a small miracle that the aurors had made no progress, and he felt a little guilty that Sirius was working so hard on the case, but he was grateful that he had nothing to worry about from the Ministry for the time being.
Tonight was the full moon, and Luna and the others would be entering the forest so they could transform in peace without worrying of harming a human being. Mrs Figg should be here soon and he was hoping to ask her if she'd heard from her contact that she'd promised could help him relieve Randolph Ferguson of the magical creatures he was "caring" for. The man should not be allowed anywhere near animals if the allegations were true. So far the man had gotten off scot free because he was close with the pureblood traditionalists like Malfoy, McNair, and Nott.
SMASH!
Snapped out of his thoughts, Harry jumped and nearly dropped the cauldron he'd been cleaning.
SMASH!
He rushed out of the potions lab, still gripping the cauldron, and into the hallway, and came face to face with the interruption. Caleb and Tobias were running down the hall towards the back door. He wondered for a moment where the crashing had come from, and then he realized they must have jumped from the banister on the 2nd level.
"You'll pay for this!" He heard Astrid yell from the banister near his ward's living quarters. He turned and looked towards the girl and held back a laugh.
"What in the world is going on?" Someone said as they left the kitchen. Harry turned again and saw Silvie's curly hair bounce as she ran. "Is everyone okay?"
"Those monsters won't be when I get my hands on them!" Astrid declared, chest still heaving in anger. "The little mutts wrote all over my face with a marker while I was sleeping!"
"Oh dear," Silvie said, and then covered her mouth with her hand. She looked concerned, but Harry suspected she was covering a grin.
Before he started laughing again, he heard Luna call as she descended the stairs, a book in hand. "Harry's probably got something in his potions lab that can help," she said brightly, "Don't you, Harry?"
Harry paused. He did have some cleaning potions that would probably do the trick. Mrs Figg had insisted he keep things in stock so she'd have a way to clean… not that she'd been doing much cleaning lately, he mused.
"Harry?" Luna asked again.
"Oh… er… yeah," he said, "I do."
Harry looked back towards Astrid, who looked horrified at getting help from Harry. The girl had been acting more odd than usual since he'd made pizza a couple of weeks ago. He rarely saw her, and she hadn't joined them for meals since.
"Well, come on then," Luna said, gesturing for Astrid to come down the stairs.
Harry saw Silvie looking hesitantly at the kids, obviously worried at the outcome, but she shook her head and left them. Harry appreciated that none of the adults tried to coddle any of the kids and left them to work things out for themselves. Though he had to admit that sometimes the adults were too absent, and they all got away with an awful lot. He couldn't help but wonder if it was common amongst magical families. It certainly wasn't normal in the Muggle world.
Astrid eventually made her way towards the group, and Harry found himself holding the door to the lab open for the two girls. He knew it probably annoyed Astrid, but that just made him want to do it more.
She huffed as she walked by and then he caught Luna's glare. 'You promised you'd try, remember?' She seemed to be saying with her eyes. He sighed and nodded a nonverbal apology and then said, "I'll go get the potion."
The two girls found a seat at one of the tables as he searched through the cupboard of finished potions. When he approached them, he had to try really hard not to laugh. The boy's work was really quite good. They'd drawn round glasses like the ones he wore and had even drawn a lightning-shaped scar on her forehead. He was impressed that they'd managed so much and had obviously drawn things they knew would irritate the girl the most.
Instead of sharing his appreciation for their work, he dipped a clean rag into the potion and then tried to hand it to Luna, but she shook her head. "I don't want to risk my hands being contaminated. It might scare off the humdingers," she said.
Harry knew she was making the creatures up immediately, but didn't say anything. Instead, he moved towards Astrid's face, pausing for a moment, and asked, "May I?"
She huffed and rolled her eyes before grabbing the rag out of his hand. "I'm not completely helpless, you know?" she said. Harry just shook his head. 'I'm such an idiot,' he thought to himself. 'Of course she can do this herself.' He turned to hide his blush for a moment and then put the potion down on the table.
"You missed a spot, just there," he heard Luna say, pointing to the girl's forehead.
Astrid tried again, but kept missing the mark. Luna shook her head again, and Astrid groaned in frustration.
"Harry, please help Astrid get the last of the marker off her face," Luna said sweetly.
"I don't need-" Astrid started to say, but then stopped at a look from Luna. "Alright, fine," she said, handing the rag back to Harry.
Harry took the rag and started to rub away the remaining mark. He couldn't help but notice just how tense the girl was at his touch. He tried to hurry, just as uncomfortable as the girl.
"There," he said finally. "It's all gone."
Astrid looked down at the ground and started to say something, but Luna smacked her on the arm, causing the girl to glare. Luna gestured towards Harry, clearly trying to communicate without saying anything. It was painfully obvious to Harry that the two girls had probably had a similar conversation to the one Harry and Luna had about trying to be friends.
Astrid looked up to meet Harry's eyes and tried again. "Thanks."
Harry nodded in response. "No problem," he said plainly.
Astrid left quickly after that, leaving Harry and Luna alone in the potions lab.
"That was super awkward," Luna said with a laugh.
Harry just leveled her with a look. "Humdingers?"
Nonplussed, Luna laughed. "Do you think she at least bought it?"
"Not at all," Harry said, shaking his head. "You're a terrible liar."
Luna shrugged. "You'd be surprised," she said before hopping off the table and walking towards the door. Before he could fully consider what she'd just said, she added, "Come on, Sirius just got home and he brought company with him. Red-headed company." She said the last part whilst wiggling her eyebrows and Harry blushed.
Luna left, and Harry waited a moment to regain his composure. These girls were going to kill him. Even Astrid was starting to look cute, and he didn't even like her. At least Susan was good company.
He stepped into the entrance hall and was pleased to see Susan already walking towards him with a bright smile on her face. Luna was trailing after, just a few steps behind, and Astrid had already vanished.
Susan greeted him with a hug and a quick kiss on his cheek. Surprised, but pleased, he glanced down at her with a small grin. He wasn't sure when exactly they'd gotten to this level in their relationship, but he wasn't exactly complaining. He liked Susan, and she was very, very pretty.
"Sorry," Susan offered softly, "I'm just excited to see you."
Harry was about to say that he didn't mind at all, but he was interrupted by a loud, slow whistle from Sirius.
Both Susan and Harry groaned in embarrassment. Before Sirius could tease them further, Amelia slapped his arm and said, "Oh, leave them be, Sirius."
Sirius, not put off for a moment, just smiled and then said, "Yes, boss, whatever you say."
Amelia scowled. "I told you not to call me that when we're not at work."
Sirius smiled mischievously. "Except in the bed-"
"Sirius Black, you scoundrel! You shouldn't talk like that in front of this lot!" Amelia shouted. Harry couldn't tell if the redness in her cheeks was from embarrassment or anger. Sirius looked like he couldn't tell either.
Harry coughed to cover his awkward laugh.
Luna giggled.
Susan looked just as mortified as her aunt.
Sirius recovered quickly. "Let's go get lunch, you lot, I'll take you to that place we like in Hogsmeade, and we can get that chocolate cake you like, Amelia."
Harry guessed the man was used to talking his way into trouble and then back out of it again. He wasn't sure whether Sirius's offer for lunch and dessert was going to be enough to get him back in Amelia's good graces.
"If you think your bribe of dessert is enough to-" Amelia started.
"And then we can drop by that jewelry shop around the corner," Sirius interrupted.
Harry watched in complete disbelief as Amelia paused and then nodded her agreement. He had not thought that would work. He supposed he had a lot to learn about women.
Sirius went to let Remus know what they were up to. When he was finally out of earshot, Susan rounded on her aunt. "You aren't going to let him off the hook that easily, are you?"
Amelia chuckled. "Of course not, but it's a start. You can't let men like him get away with too much too often, but you can't wall them off for long either, or they'll become discouraged."
Luna and Susan nodded as if they understood. Harry just stood there, confused. It seemed he had more to learn about women than he thought.
He suddenly realized they were going to be in Hogsmeade, and he needed to pay a private visit to Feona, if possible. He'd have to come up with an excuse to get away. It was time to confirm whether or not his stunt with Trusset's package had worked.
Lunch had been a pleasant affair all things considered. Amelia had calmed down considerably. Sirius seemed to sense he wasn't out of the woods just yet and was on his best behavior.
Harry, Luna, and Susan took turns saying things to try and get Sirius to slip up, but the man seemed to take it as a challenge and persevered.
Harry's opportunity to slip away came after dinner when Sirius and Amelia left to visit the jewelry shop. He silently signaled to Luna, hoping that she understood. She stared at him blankly, clearly not getting it.
Relief came in the form of Theodore Knott, who arrived shortly after Amelia and Sirius had walked away.
"Hey Harry," the boy greeted, nodding at both Luna and Susan in turn. Susan nodded curtly back. Luna just smiled.
Harry turned and shook his hand, "Hey Theo."
The group paused awkwardly, adjusting to the new dynamic. Harry knew Susan and Theo ran in very different circles. Susan's Aunt Bering and Auror and Theo's dad was a somewhat notorious suspected Death Eater.
Harry liked Theo, though, and was willing to give him a shot, despite it all. Susan looked put out at Theo's arrival, and Luna must have sensed the girl's discomfort.
"Susan, have you picked out a dress for Harry's party yet?" Luna asked.
Susan's eyes bulged. "No, I haven't. I bet there's a shop here that has some…"
Susan looked hesitantly at Harry, clearly not wanting to leave him on his own with Theo, but Luna managed to drag her away.
"Meet me at Honeyduke's when you're done!" He shouted at them.
Luna waved that she had heard him.
He glanced at Theo, curious if he'd give any sign to his intentions of attending or not. "My da' plans to attend the Malfoy's Solstice, but I'm close to convincing him to let me come to yours without him."
Harry was surprised that Theo would attempt to go against his father's wishes, but he had to admit he was pleased to hear that Theo might be able to come.
"I hope you can come, but I'll understand if it doesn't work out," he said.
Theo nodded. "Listen, I didn't mean to scare those two off," he said. "I am headed to meet with some friends. I'd invite you, but…" he trailed off with a shrug. "Sorry."
Harry released a relieved breath. He wasn't sure how he was going to escape without being rude, but Theo had managed it for him, and he'd unknowingly helped him with Luna and Susan, too.
"Cheers," he said with false bravado, "I have somewhere to be anyhow." He clapped Theo on the back and said, "I hope I'll see you at the Summer Solstice."
Theo waved goodbye, and they parted ways. Annoyed at his feelings, he headed towards Feona's shop. He was somewhat hurt that Theo felt uneasy about him meeting his other friends. It was an odd sensation for Harry, feeling both relieved and rejected simultaneously. He had to remind himself that a year ago, he had no one in his life at all to make him feel this way. He wasn't sure if that was a soothing thought or not.
He shrugged it all off. He couldn't lose focus now.
Feona was helping a customer when he arrived, but he got her attention quietly, and she signaled him to head upstairs.
His heart raced as he climbed the stairs, wondering if he'd find what he had hoped to find.
He'd left a whole lot up to chance with his plan, if you could even call it that. Mrs Figg would be furious with him if she knew.
He peeked around for any sign of the painting but he didn't see anything, at least not out in the open. Of course, she was an intelligent witch and if she did have the painting, it wouldn't be anywhere easily found. He tried a couple of the doors on the way to her office, but they were locked.
Discouraged, he entered the office, his mind racing for ways to get the answers he was looking for without giving himself away. If Mrs Figg would kill him for his foolish plan, she'd certainly kill him if he gave himself away.
He scanned the desk for any sign of his note, but all he found was a bunch of parchments of inventory and budgets.
He sat down with a sigh. This was going to be harder than he thought. He was such a fool, and he had no right being a member of a secret organization.
His thoughts were interrupted as Feona strode into the room. "Harry, lad, to what do I owe the pleasure?" She asked, smiling brightly.
She was in a good mood, but was it because she'd received his 'gift' or was it something else?
"Oh, I was just getting a bite to eat with my friends and thought I'd stop by," he said.
She cocked her head, a curious expression on her face, and asked, "And you ditched them just to visit me? You could have brought them, you know."
Harry paused, trying to come up with a good excuse. Was she suspicious of him, or was she just being curious? He couldn't tell.
"Oh, I know, but they wanted to go robe shopping and that just sounded boring," he answered.
Feona smiled wickedly, "Ah, these friends of yours are… girls?"
Harry smirked. He would let her tease him if it helped his cause.
He nodded. "Luna and Susan Bones, but you know I only think of Luna as a sister."
Feona sat at her desk and rested her elbows, her hands forming a steeple as she looked at him speculatively.
Harry swallowed, wondering if his plan had worked at all. He couldn't just come out and ask her if she'd received a mysterious package without giving himself away. He needed to know that the runes Ratatoskr had used to divert the package had worked. He needed to know that Feona had received his instructions to use the paired painting to sabotage Trusset.
He felt sweat start to form on his brow as his nerves began to take over. He had been so stupid. She probably suspected him at this point after he'd asked so many questions about the man. He should have kept the painting and used it himself instead of bringing someone else in. He didn't have the time, though, or the know-how, he mused.
"I'm honored that you'd go out of your way to escape a pretty young witch like Susan Bones to chat with an old witch like me," she said.
Harry chuckled. "You don't give yourself enough credit," he said with a blush. Feona was a very attractive witch after all. Not that she'd care what a ten-year-old boy thought about it. She just liked to tease him.
Feona laughed and smiled a genuine smile. "I like you, Harry." She stood up and walked over to a cabinet. "Tea?" She offered.
He nodded, relieved to have a minute more to think.
Harry sat in silence as he waited for Feona to prepare the tea. The only sounds were those of spoons and china tapping into each other.
"So how's our friend, Mrs Figg doing?" She asked, breaking the silence, whilst placing a cup of steaming tea in front of him.
Harry frowned and answered, "She's been busy, and I haven't seen her much. But I have Sirius and Remus, so it's been alright."
Feona nodded in response. "Has she said anything about Trusset since you passed on my notes to her?"
Harry shook his head no. "Why?" He asked, hoping Feona would get to the point.
"Just curious," she said with a shrug.
Harry was getting nowhere, but he didn't dare push further. Maybe it would be safer to just assume she'd gotten the painting he'd stolen from Trusset and was using it as he'd explained in his anonymous letter.
He finished his tea and decided to change the subject. "How's Daphne? Do you know if she'll be attending my Summer Solstice party?"
Feona smirked. "One witch not enough for you, Harry?"
Harry coughed on his own spit, and Feona laughed.
He heard her mutter something under her breath that sounded like "Too easy," and he scowled, which just caused her to laugh even more.
"The witches at Hogwarts are going to have so much fun with you, Harry," she said cheerily. "And no, I don't know whether or not she'll be allowed to come, but I do know that she'd prefer you to Malfoy. Her parents might too, honestly, but it could cause problems."
Harry nodded in understanding.
"I should probably get back downstairs, Harry," Feona said with a regretful tone. "Thanks for stopping by."
Harry gave his goodbyes and made to leave.
"Tell Mrs Figg that I got her message and her gift," she said in a whisper as they walked down the steps together, causing Harry to nearly stop in his tracks.
So she had gotten it after all. Harry was relieved to hear that his plan had worked, even if Feona had vibe to the incorrect conclusion about who the gift was from, but now he really was going to be in a world of trouble if Mrs Figg ever found out. He should have known that Feona would suspect her instead of him. He was just a ten-year-old boy after all.
"I don't know what you're talking about," he muttered quietly.
"Sure, Harry," she said with a smile. "Just tell her I'm putting it to good use."
And then she walked away, leaving him to gape after her.
'Bollocks!' He thought to himself. He was really, truly screwed now. Mrs Figg would know one way or another what he had done, best it came from him instead of it being a surprise from Feona.
He walked down the path towards Honeydukes, perplexed by the dichotomy of emotions he was feeling.
"Harry! There you are!" He heard Sirius say with relief. "Why'd you go off on your own?"
Harry shook himself out of his thoughts. "What?" He said. "Oh, I was with Luna and Susan, but then Theo showed up, and then Luna and Susan wanted to go robe shopping, and then Theo had to leave, so I decided to go visit Feona Greengrass, she's a friend of mine and Mrs Figg."
Harry noticed how Sirius's eyes flashed at the mention of Theo, and he was prepared to defend his friend, but Sirius didn't say anything else about him.
"I'd rather you had stayed with Luna and Susan next time, okay?" The man said.
Harry shrugged. Sirius hadn't said explicitly that they needed to stay together. He shouldn't be in trouble.
"We need to go," Sirius said. "Amelia and I have a new lead on the Saxton case, so we're leaving straight there, and you and Susan are going home; she's staying over."
Harry didn't know where to start with that.
He started with the most obvious and safest question. "It's a full moon, Sirius, are you sure that's a good idea?"
"They have wolfsbane, and they go pretty deep into the forest. Besides, Amelia knows the risks, and she's fine with it," Sirius said.
"Wait, you have a lead on the Saxton case?" He tried. That was worrisome.
"Yeah, the kid, what's his name? He said he remembers something… don't know why he's only sharing it now, but we have to go find out what he knows," Sirius answered.
Harry tried not to react to the news. This was bad. Really really bad.
He tried not to panic. He couldn't let anything show. He pulled on his perfect Harry mask and said, "That's great news, Sirius. I hope you figure it out… you've been putting in a lot of overtime. Does this mean we'll get to spend more time together?"
He felt guilty instantly. He needed the distraction. Anything to explain any weird behavior he might have let slide through the cracks. It made his stomach turn to use guilt against Sirius. He knew the man was there as often as he could be, and honestly, Harry liked the dynamic they had.
Sirius frowned, "Sorry, Pup, I know I've been really busy lately… yeah, I should have more time once this case is solved. I promise we'll spend more time together."
Harry felt awful. But it was the only way. He didn't have much of a choice.
Harry nodded. He needed to change the subject.
"Susan is spending the night? It'll be just the two of us?" He checked.
Sirius laughed. "Making your move, Harry? That's my boy!" He ruffled Harry's hair playfully and then added, "No, Mrs Figg will be home tonight, so no shenanigans!"
Harry blushed but was glad that the diversion had worked. He knew he was easy to tease, but he could use that to his advantage, too, when he needed.
"Right, she should be home now, I bet," he said, ignoring the feeling of trepidation he was experiencing as he contemplated telling Mrs Figg about what he'd done with Trusset and Feona. But maybe Susan would provide a buffer, and he could put it off a bit longer. He could only hope.
Sirius and Amelia dropped off Harry, Luna, and Susan before dispersing to the ministry to prepare for their investigation.
The trio stood in the entrance hall for a moment before Luna whispered something to Susan that made the girl blush and giggle. Before Harry could ask what was so amusing, the duo ran off, leaving Harry alone in confusion. Girls were weird like that.
It was just his luck that the very person he was trying to avoid spun out of the floo in a splash of green flames a moment later.
"Ah, Hello lad, it's good to see you're well. I hope you've been keeping up with your studies?" Mrs Figg asked.
He hadn't. He'd been so absorbed in the mystery of the cellar that he'd hardly put any effort into studying.
"Of course, Mrs Figg," he lied. "How is your research going?" He said, trying to change the subject. She wouldn't tell him what she was about.
Her eyes narrowed. "You're lying. That was a pretty pathetic attempt too, I might add," she said. "We both know I won't tell you about that until you can occlude your mind."
He sighed. "I've been busy with-" he started before stopping himself. He had just been about to admit to his search for something he'd learned about in his grandfather's journal. Something to do with a workshop and the family magic. He wasn't sure he trusted Mrs Figg with the secrets of his family magic. She seemed to be hiding something from him, and he remembered the greedy look in her eye when he had brought up the family grimoire.
"With Trusset," he finished. And then he sighed again. He hadn't wanted to admit this either, but it was the only thing that popped into his mind that would excuse his hesitancy. "I messed up."
She stopped him there and then looked around suspiciously. "Let's go to my quarters for dinner tea and catch up.
They walked together silently. His heart raced as his thoughts turned to his impending doom. When they got to her rooms, he told her what he'd done. He told her about using her as an excuse to ask Feona about Saxton and Trusset and the ingredient shortage, about his breaking into Trusset's house and diverting the magical painting that the man planned to use to connive with his mother and get her advice on politics and managing the family business. He told her about how Ratatoskr had etched runes into the crate to confuse the delivery owls so they'd take it to Feona instead. He explained about the instructions he'd left with Feona to use the painting to plot against Trusset, emphasizing that he'd left it all anonymously.
Mrs Figg listened raptly and didn't interrupt even once.
Finally, when he had paused long enough, she asked, "I think I know the problem, but why don't you go ahead and tell me what you think you messed up."
Harry paused. She didn't seem upset.
"I stopped by Feona's today-"
Mrs Figg sighed heavily, cutting him off.
She took a large sip of her tea before continuing where he left off. "She suspects that you… no, not you… that I had something to do with the painting showing up at her apartment?" She checked.
Harry nodded.
"Tell me where you think you went wrong," Mrs Figg commanded.
Harry swallowed and answered. "I shouldn't have gone to see Feona today. I should have checked with you before doing anything…" he trailed off. Those were both blunders, but he knew it went beyond that. "I should have planned better," he finished.
Mrs Figg nodded. "You hardly planned at all. It seems you were winging it every step of the way!" She shouted, causing him to flinch. "And to top it off, you just had to check on your work… if you'd planned, if you'd bothered to confirm your runes worked at all the way you wanted them to…"
He knew she was right. He'd messed up.
Mrs Figg paused for a long while, deep in thought. "It's not ideal that Feona suspects that I have something to do with it, but it's not the end of the world," she said finally. "It at least tells us that Feona is willing to play a little dirty."
Harry let out a relieved breath, but the relief was short-lived as Mrs Figg rounded on him. "Don't think you're off the hook. This was very sloppy work… When I report this to Guild Leader, she'll probably kick me off the project I'm on so I can keep a closer eye on you."
He had been about to interrupt, to deny what she was saying, but she wasn't having any of it.
"It's as much my fault as it is yours, more so mine, really," she said. "You're so mature for your age that I convinced myself selfishly that you didn't need me, but I was clearly wrong."
Harry shook his head. He didn't understand what she was on about.
"I'm coming back home, my part in the mission be damned… the Guild Leader did warn me, Healer Juniper warned me, hell, even Mundungus warned me, but I ignored them." She muttered to herself.
Harry tried to piece everything together, but she continued in a biting tone.
"You need me here. The Guild needs me here to watch you more closely and to train you better," she clarified. "The Guild Leader will be thrilled to know she was right, yet again, but it's going to cost her dearly to lose me… why couldn't you have just…"
Harry flinched. He'd let everyone down. He didn't understand exactly how badly, but it was clear he'd messed up and now Mrs Figg was going to be pulled off her mission to babysit him.
She stood up and ushered him out of the sitting room.
"I'm sorry, Mrs Figg," he said pleadingly. "I didn't mean to mess up so badly."
"I know, lad, it's not too late for you yet, we'll just have to iron out these bad habits you're forming before they get away from us," she said in a calmer but still frustrated tone.
And then she started walking back towards the entrance hall. "I'll need to inform the Guild leader right away so we don't lose traction on the mission… and I might be able to spin this in a more favorable direction if we can get the Guild to install some surveillance wards, then we can monitor the situation with Feona more closely without confirming her suspicions. I'll be home before Remus and his pack come back from their night in the forest."
Harry stopped in shock at the revelation of surveillance wards, but Mrs Figg kept walking briskly towards the floo. He didn't get a chance to ask if there were any surveillance wards in his house because Mrs Figg had already vanished in a flash of green flame.
He shivered at the thought that he was being monitored. He valued his privacy too much.
Harry walked sullenly out of Mrs Figg's suite. That had gone horribly and he felt awful that Mrs Figg was quitting her mission because of him. He grimaced in embarrassment as he thought of what the Guild Leader would think of him now. He'd have to make up for it at his Solstice party somehow.
Entering the main hall of his house, he was suddenly unsure what to do with his time. He was a bit tired of all the giggling that Luna and Susan had been doing since Sirius' announcement that Harry and Susan would be home alone all night.
He didn't feel like brewing or reading either. He contemplated stopping by the cellar and giving that another go, but he didn't want to make his mood worse than it already was, especially since he'd probably be entertaining Susan tonight. It'd be rude to leave her on her own all night, he reckoned.
At that moment, Loki climbed down the steps from the master suite, his tail flicking in annoyance.
"What's the matter?" Harry asked the cat while simultaneously scooping him up in his arms. "Are the girls bothering you?"
Loki shifted out of Harry's arms, using his claws to climb onto Harry's shoulders instead.
"Ouch!" Harry exclaimed, but he calmed when Loki started purring gently. It wasn't common these days as the cat usually preferred Luna's company to his own.
"The hormones radiating off those girls and their incessant giggling are driving me mad," Loki said mentally.
Harry noted that Loki's voice had shifted and was becoming deeper and more like his father's, which Harry had always liked.
"Yeah, I need a break myself," was his own reply. "I was thinking of going to the greenhouse if you'd care to join me."
Loki gave his ascent, and the duo left for the back patio. It was still somewhat bright out, but the sun had started to descend and just barely peaked over the trees of the forest off in the distance. Harry reckoned there were still a couple of hours of sunlight left.
He headed towards the greenhouses, but something off in the distance caught his eye. A small figure was walking towards the forest line. Harry squinted, trying to make out who it was.
"It's just Astrid," Loki said simply.
"How can you tell?" Harry asked. "Can you see that far?"
"No, I just recognize her aura."
Harry tensed a bit at that. "So you and Luna bonded."
It wasn't a question. Loki had told him of his intentions to ask Luna to bond with him as her familiar. The bekanako had said that the bond might enhance his own magical abilities, and it sounded to Harry like it had worked. It was still a sore topic for him since Loki had originally been his pet and friend first.
Loki purred soothingly before answering, "Yes, it happened a while ago, and I have just started to be able to sense auras and the emotions behind them, though the human emotions are difficult to understand."
Harry nodded in agreement at that. "Ain't that the truth?"
He shook his head and added, "I'm happy for you, Loki."
Loki responded by brushing his head up against his own, and then Harry opened the door to the nearest greenhouse.
He was pleased to see that the plants were thriving. He and Luna had planted a large variety of magical and mundane plants. He had been surprised to learn that magical and non-magical plants could thrive together. There was hyssop, mint, and calendula growing alongside shrivelfig, puffapod, and wormwood, and those were just a few.
He hadn't been down here in a few weeks, but he guessed that either Remus or Sylvie was helping to take care of things.
Loki jumped down and began sniffing and rubbing up against several of the plants. Harry couldn't begin to guess why.
He trimmed a bit of wormwood and placed it in a jar he kept in his robe pockets. It was used in several useful potions he'd brewed in the past few weeks, and he needed to restock.
He continued to work in the greenhouses alongside Loki, who insisted on following him from greenhouse to greenhouse. Harry wasn't complaining. He enjoyed the cat's companionship.
Before he knew it, the sun had begun to set, and he heard Remus calling out from the house, "Harry! Astrid!"
He'd forgotten all about Astrid leaving for the forest. The young werewolf needed to take her Wolfsbane before transforming. He'd be furious if someone got hurt tonight because she'd neglected her potion.
Harry and Loki left the greenhouse, and Harry shouted back, "I'm coming!"
He turned to Loki and asked, "Any sign of Astrid?"
Loki just meowed, which he originally took to mean no, but then Astrid came running up the sloped grass towards the house near him. Harry couldn't help but admire how fast she was and he was even more impressed at how silent she had been. He hadn't heard her approach at all. How was she doing it?
Before he knew it, she'd passed him, and she stuck her tongue out at him cheekily as she did.
Was she actually playing with him? He wondered.
He stuck his own tongue out and ran after her, but he couldn't come close to matching the young werewolf's speed. He blamed it on the fact that tonight was the full moon and that was when a werewolf was at its strongest.
She laughed as she reached the patio and raised her arms, pumping her fists as she did. "Behold the winner! Tell me how great I am!"
Harry huffed and puffed as he breached the stone patio. He didn't have the strength to say anything.
"You're in a good mood," he barely managed to say between his wheezing.
She shrugged in reply. "I enjoy the full moon, transformation, and all. And the forest is quite beautiful at night."
Harry agreed to that.
Remus opened the door then and rolled out in his chair with a goblet of what Harry guessed was Wolfsbane. "Here, drink this quickly."
Astrid groaned at that. "Come on, Mr Lupin, I don't need that stuff. I want to let loose tonight, please?" She begged.
Harry wasn't used to this version of the girl. She'd been so sullen whenever he'd run into her, except when he'd made dinner, and even then she'd been pretty quiet.
Remus seemed to be considering it, to his surprise. Harry was worried that someone might get hurt if they had to rein in an out-of-control werewolf.
The man glanced at Harry for a moment and said, "There are enough of us taking it that we should be able to control the situation tonight, but it's your house and they are technically your wards so I'll let you decide."
Astrid glared at that, clearly not liking that Harry got the final say. He was pretty uncomfortable himself.
Despite the discomfort, he was torn. He really didn't want anyone to get hurt.
On the other hand, he'd want to have a say in whether or not he took a potion once a month for the rest of his life.
Astrid was still looking at him, her glare replaced by hopeful eyes. It was clearly very important to her. He couldn't make the decision for her. It wasn't right. If Remus said they could handle it, he believed him.
Rather than just say yes, he said, "It's up to you, Astrid, I don't want to force you to do anything you don't want to do, just be careful, alright."
"Yes!" She exclaimed. And then she rushed over and hugged him tightly, popping his back in several places and practically lifting him off the ground. She let go and kissed him right on the cheek.
He blushed.
She grinned.
Remus cleared his throat.
"You'll want to get a head start," he said to the girl. " Please go to the cleaning we used last month."
She nodded and ran towards the woods. "Thanks!" She shouted over her shoulder at them.
Harry turned towards Remus. "I hope I made the right call."
Remus was beaming. "I'm very proud of you, Harry. You're a very good person."
Harry blushed even deeper than when Astrid had kissed him.
Remus called over his shoulder, "Come on, you lot, we ought to be heading into the forest!"
Harry said goodbye and wished everyone a safe night in the woods as they walked past him. Caleb, Tobias, and Aldo gave him high fives on the way, and Luna hugged him. Finally, Sylvie gave him a motherly kiss on his forehead and then pushed Remus ahead of herself.
Susan came and stood next to him, and the pair watched the pack enter the woods in comfortable silence.
When the pack finally disappeared, Susan faced him, her hands on her hips. Then she leaned up and planted a kiss right on his lips.
Harry guessed she'd seen the kiss from Astrid and was feeling jealous. He didn't know why, but he felt the need to defend himself. He hadn't kissed the werewolf girl back after all.
Before he could say anything, though, she kissed him again.
"Mine," she said firmly. Her eyebrows formed an angry V-shape, but she had a smile on her face that told him she wasn't angry, at least at him.
His blush deepened.
A/N please review
DInfinity on Chapter 1 Fri 24 May 2024 02:32AM UTC
Last Edited Fri 24 May 2024 02:32AM UTC
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WayfinderWolf on Chapter 1 Fri 24 May 2024 02:58AM UTC
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JustTed on Chapter 15 Sat 29 Jun 2024 05:57AM UTC
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WayfinderWolf on Chapter 15 Sat 29 Jun 2024 02:31PM UTC
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JustTed on Chapter 16 Sat 06 Jul 2024 03:38AM UTC
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TeaGrannie mcmlxiii (Guest) on Chapter 16 Sun 07 Jul 2024 02:36AM UTC
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SeraphimBlue on Chapter 20 Thu 15 May 2025 11:31PM UTC
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