Nothing Normal Ever Happens on Halloween
Saturday, 31 October 1998
Harry woke up slowly. It was a Saturday, so they didn’t have training, and he didn’t have quidditch today, so he got to sleep in. However much one could sleep in with a 6-month-old baby.
He felt fingers brushing through his hair and heard a soft voice whispering how loved he was which was an odd thing for Theo to say, he normally just said how much he loved Harry, but there was something else off about it.
… That voice didn’t sound like Theo.
It was a voice he’d heard though, in dreams and when dementors were near and in the forest as he walked to his death. It was a voice that almost sung with the lilt of a midlands accent and hummed with an intrinsic love.
“Mum?” Harry whispered, his voice breaking. He must still be dreaming, he decided. Dreaming was the best option because otherwise he’d been dropped in a different dimension, or someone had done something ridiculous with time travel.
“Hello, love,” Lily’s voice responded.
Alright, his mum never responded in dreams. The options for what was going on were quickly narrowing down to the absurd.
Cracking one eye open, Harry almost sighed in relief when he saw his mum’s ghostly form, it was a sight he recognized. Here, but not quite. Soft around the edges. Simply an apparition. But the question remained, “how are you here?”
“It’s your day,” another voice said. This one wasn’t as familiar, but it still felt like home.
“Dad?”
“Yeah, Haz, it’s me,” James responded, his smile evident in his tone.
“What do you mean it’s my day?” Harry asked, no longer quite whispering.
Theo stirred beside him and Harry blinked away the last bit of sleep. Looking around the room, he saw his parents, all three of them, and Sirius.
“Padfoot,” Harry said with a grin.
“Padfoot,” Sirius echoed with an identical grin.
Harry noticed James was about to say something, likely complaining about how Harry had followed after Sirius instead of James. Harry, still insanely confused, decided to intervene, “could I possibly get dressed before one of you explains what the hell is happening? Also, if you haven’t noticed, I’m not alone.”
“To be entirely honest, kid,” James said, looking over at the second person in his son’s bed, “I hadn’t noticed that until right now. Care to introduce us?”
“I think I’d prefer to know what is going on before I drag Theo into it.”
“Too late,” Theo muttered, “why are you talking to yourself?”
“You can’t see them?”
“No, I cannot. But I’ve known you long enough to know that whatever insane thing that’s happening right now is one, real, and two, just another day in the life of Harry Potter so just let me know when I need to get involved.”
“I’d probably take offense to that if it weren’t entirely true,” Harry said with a sigh, “alright, can you guys go to the living room while I put on clothes?”
“Of course, Harry,” Lily said, dragging Regulus, James, and Sirius behind her.
As Harry was pulling jeans and a sweater out of his closet, he glanced at his watch, saw that it was 6 in the damn morning, and noticed the date, “Halloween, of course. Nothing normal ever happens on Halloween.”
“You’re a wizard, love,” Theo grumbled, still half asleep, “it’s Samhain. You should know that; it’s a pretty important day for Death.”
“The veil,” Harry realized, “that’s why I can see them. I wonder why you can’t though.”
“I’m not a sodding demigod, now go talk to whatever ghosts invaded our bedroom and let me sleep.”
“Yes, darling,” Harry said with a smile, going over to press a kiss to the top of Theo’s messy hair, “sleep tight.”
Theo mumbled something that sounded vaguely like I love you in response as Harry made his way into the living room.
“I can see you because the veil is at its thinnest today, right?” he asked as he closed the bedroom door behind him.
“I think so,” Sirius said, “James thought you might be able to see us during the ritual tonight because he remembered some Peverell rituals that allowed them to actually speak to the spirits instead of just feeling their presence, but we didn’t quite realize you’d be able to see us all day.”
“Okay,” Harry said, trying to sort through that information, “hey, Hadrian,” he called out, “care to weigh in?”
Death materialized next to Harry wearing brown slacks and a green sweater, his warm brown eyes alight with mischief and his dark brown hair as messy as ever.
“Who’s this?” James asked, “and why does he look like a Potter?”
“Hadrian Ignotus Peverell,” Death said, holding his hand out to James to shake, “you might know me as Death.”
That got quite the reaction.
James’ response cut through the chatter, “Haz, care to explain why you, me, and Death look like triplets?”
“First off, I don’t look nearly as much like a Potter as everyone insisted I did when I was younger. There’s at least a little Black in me. Second, he started the Peverell line,” Harry answered, “it’s a rather long story but he’d probably tell you some other time if you asked, he sort of likes talking.”
“Shut it, brat,” Death said, ruffling Harry’s hair, “but to answer your question, you can see them because of the Stone. When you lead the rituals tonight, everyone who joins you will either be able to speak to or actually see the spirits who visit. I’m honestly not sure which, the Stone will sort of super power the ritual though. And I’m guessing if someone were to touch the Stone now they’d be able to see whoever you’re seeing. Also, you absolutely look like a Potter, it’s really just the nose that’s different, but think whatever you need to think.”
“Alright, I’m officially getting someone involved,” Harry said, heading toward the front door.
“Isn’t your boyfriend in your bedroom?” Sirius asked with a shit-eating grin.
“We haven’t reached Theo levels,” Harry said, shooting a glare at Sirius that wouldn’t have looked out of place on a rather small puppy.
He returned a minute later dragging a half asleep and hastily dressed Neville behind him, “touch my Peverell ring and tell me what you see.”
“What has gotten into you, Haz? You’re being weirder than normal.”
“Shut up and touch the ring.”
“Alright, alright, calm down,” Neville said, reaching out toward Harry’s ring and looking around the room, the second he made contact with the Stone his breath caught in his throat, “woah.”
“Anything you’d like to say, Nev?”
“Sorry for insinuating you’d had a psychotic break.”
“Thank you.”
“Hello, Neville,” Lily greeted with a warm smile, “it’s lovely to see you.”
“You as well, Mrs. Potter.”
“Lily, please,” she said, waving her hand.
“Alright,” Neville said, shaking his head, looking like he was trying to physically process what was happening, “Sirius,” he said with a nod, “good to see you while I’m not also trying to fight a dozen Death Eaters.”
“You too, Neville,” Sirius said with a grin.
“And I assume you’re James Potter and Regulus Black?”
“Right in one, Nev,” James responded, “nice to see the new Prongs.”
“Happy to take up the mantel,” Neville said with a grin, adjusting to the insanity rather quickly, “someone has to keep the Padfoots of the world in line.”
“Oi!” Harry and Sirius yelped in unison.
“I’m rather certain it’s the Moonys who keep everyone in line,” Remus said, stepping into the room with Tonks at his heels.
“You’re all wrong,” James said, “it’s the scary redheads and the Rosier witches.”
“That feels more accurate,” Harry said, smiling at his dad, “we’d be dead several times over without Ginny and Luna.”
“Be real, Haz,” Neville said, “you wouldn’t be here for Ginny and Luna to keep alive without Hermione.”
“Valid,” Harry responded with a nod before turning toward Remus and Tonks, “you see Teddy?”
“Yes,” Tonks said with a warm smile, “I can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done for him, and everything you’ve done for my mum. I can’t imagine where the two of them would be without you lot. She’d have taken care of Teddy, of course, but she wouldn’t be as full of life as she is with all of you around.”
“I don’t know where we’d be without her,” Neville said, “she’s the one who pushed Harry to get healing and into doing a full inheritance. We’d be much worse off without her.”
“Then I’m glad you all have each other,” Tonks said.
“Can we meet that boyfriend now?” Regulus asked.
“Boyfriend?” Remus asked.
“There is a man in Harry’s bed,” Sirius said, “which is odd considering last I knew Harry was taking a girl to the Yule Ball.”
Remus, Harry, and Neville all just stared at Sirius in silence with looks of shock on their faces.
“Wow,” Neville said after nearly a full minute of silence while every other ghost in the room looked between them, “you weren’t lying, he really was out of it those last couple of years.”
“Padfoot,” Remus said with a sigh, “he was dating Cedric.”
“Diggory?” Sirius said in confusion, “as in the other Hogwarts champion?”
“This is insane,” Harry said, turning to Neville.
“Just now,” Neville responded, “it just now got insane?”
“No, it’s been insane, I’m getting the man from my bed now. Death, can I take my ring off so Neville can keep talking to these guys while I get Theo?”
“That shouldn’t be a problem,” Death said, “just don’t give it to just anyone and make sure you have it on for the ritual tonight. I mean, we can recall it if it gets lost but today is probably not the best day for random people to test out the power of the Stone.”
“Good point,” Harry said, shivering slightly at the implications of that statement before slipping the ring off his hand and passing it to Neville, “huh, I can still see them.”
“How many times do I need to tell you that the Hallows are just physical manifestations and you hold their full power in your core?” Death said with a long-suffering sigh.
“You have never once told me that.”
“Really?” Death said, cocking his head, “I could’ve sworn I had.”
“You mean to tell me that the reason I can do wandless magic so easily is because I, what, absorbed the power of the Elder Wand?” Harry said, sounding like he couldn’t decide if he was annoyed or exhausted, “and I can turn invisible on demand? You know what, now is not the time, we’ll talk about this later.”
“Of course,” Death said, looking rather sheepish.
“Did our son just … scold Death?” Regulus asked, sounding like he was trying not to laugh.
“He’s insane,” James said, “that’s the only explanation.”
“You’re not wrong,” a new voice said, “though he’s rather good with a sword so I put up with him.”
“Oh good,” Neville sighed, “Godric joined the party.”
Tonks, Remus, Lily, James, and Regulus whipped around before James slowly turned back toward Neville who was looking rather unimpressed by the appearance of the revered Founder.
“It isn’t enough for you to yell at us from a frame every morning, you had to show up in ghost form too?”
“I assumed Sal would be here too,” he said with a shrug, as if that explained everything.
“Oh, I am,” Salazar said, shimmering into existence at Godric’s right, “I was just being respectful of the family reunion.”
“They’re our family,” Godric said, “the boys are literally our heirs you dunce.”
“You know what,” Salazar said, “somehow -”
“You’d forgotten that,” Godric said, sounding entirely exasperated, “yeah I assumed.”
Before Salazar could come up with a retort, Harry came into the room holding Teddy with Theo following behind, “oh lovely,” he said with a sigh, “Godric and Salazar are here. Just what we needed.”
“Oh shush, Hades,” Salazar said with a smile, “you love me.”
“It’s more the knife-crazed psychopath I’m worried about.”
“I’ll behave,” Godric said, raising both hands in surrender.
“What is happening right now,” Theo said, still rubbing sleep from his eyes.
“Your boyfriend has scolded both Death and Godric Gryffindor this morning,” Neville said, looking at his watch, “and it’s only 6:30.”
“Nothing about that surprises me,” Theo deadpanned, “can I have Teddy now?” he said reaching toward Harry, “and can one of you two idiots give me a full explanation? I know it’s something to do with Samhain and the veil but beyond that I’m lost.”
“What if I hold the kid and give you the ring?” Neville responded.
“Are we bartering Teddy time right now?” Theo said, “does the fact that I’m his favorite give me anything?”
“You are not his favorite,” Harry said, “I am, and you know this.”
“You don’t count,” Theo said waving him off, “you’re his Da of course you’re his favorite. This is between me and Longbottom.”
“Theo I promise you want the ring, you can hold Teddy once you’ve adjusted to our current predicament,” Neville said, “and I’ll concede that Teddy usually prefers you to me as long as you side with me the next time I have this exact argument with Draco or Hermione.”
Theo was quiet for a moment while he thought it through, “deal,” he decided, reaching out for the ring, “am I getting an explanation yet because -” he paused, seeing the group of ghosts in the sitting room, “ah, good morning.”
“Good morning,” they all chimed back.
“I’m Theodore Nott,” he said, deciding to go with the most normal response to the situation he could think of, “it’s nice to meet all of you.”
“I’m Lily,” Lily started, “this is James, Regulus, Sirius, Remus, and Tonks, and from what I gather, that is Godric Gryffindor, Salazar Slytherin, and Death.”
“Huh,” Theo said, looking at Death and then Harry, “you really do look alike.”
“What would possibly possess me to lie about that?” Harry said.
“There is so much happening right now I had to pick something to focus on.”
“Fair,” Harry said, sinking onto the couch with a sigh, “Neville can you still see them without the ring?”
“I can, oddly enough,” Neville responded before settling onto the couch next to Harry and reaching out for Teddy, “hand over the kid, Nott and I had a deal.”
Harry passed Teddy over before looking at Theo and patting the spot next to him, “can you see them if you set the ring down?”
Theo passed the ring over to Harry and then shook his head, “no, I can’t.”
“I think this situation can officially be categorized as Weird Shit that Happens to Harry Potter,” Harry started.
“Subcategory: Inexplicable Magical Twin Powers,” Neville finished with a nod.
“You’ve created subcategories?” Sirius said with a laugh, “that’s a new development. Last I heard that phrase, it was just Hermione complaining around Grimmauld.”
“We started in 6th year,” Neville explained, “though no one has ever actually written any of them down so it’s not the best system.”
Harry passed the ring back to Theo so he could join the conversation, “well, Happy Samhain, I guess. Are you guys our only guests or is anyone else coming?”
“Wait,” Theo whispered, “do you think you can call specific people?”
“I think so,” Harry said, reaching out to intertwine their fingers, “why don’t we try later when it’s less crowded.”
“Alright,” Theo said, clearing his throat.
“I think we’ll leave you to it,” Salazar said, “we talk to you every day in some form so it’s not as important that you see us today.”
“Alright,” Harry said with a nod, “it was good to see you sort of in person though.”
“Of course, Hades,” Salazar said with a smile, “we’ll use this chance to wander the grounds with a bit more freedom than the veil usually gives us.”
“See you Monday morning,” Godric said with a nod before turning toward the group of ghostly adults, “Neville and Hadrian are both wonderful young men, you should be very proud.”
The two founders then shimmered out of existence leaving an openly shocked Harry and Neville in their wake.
“Did he just…” Neville said before trailing off.
“Say something nice?” Harry finished, “yeah, I think so.”
“Weird.”
“Several ghosts and Death have invaded our sitting room and the thing you’re most shocked about is Godric being nice?” Theo said, looking at the pair like they’d lost the plot.
“Yes.” they responded as one.
“Wait you live here too?” Sirius asked Theo.
“What do you mean?” Harry asked.
“He said ‘our sitting room,’” Sirius explained, “like he lives here too.”
“I guess it just slipped,” Theo said, shifting uncomfortably in his seat, “I don’t actually live here.”
Neville and Harry both shot Theo exasperated looks, “he totally lives here,” Neville said.
“Yeah,” Harry agreed, “when is the last time you were in your dorm?”
Theo thought about that for a minute before seemingly deciding not to answer and just shrugging.
Harry just grinned and pressed a kiss to Theo’s cheek before turning back to their ghostly guests, “so, anything you want to tell us or any questions you want to ask? Apparently, we have all day.”
“So, you dated Cedric Diggory?” Sirius asked.
Everyone just turned to stare at him.
“You’ve been dead three years, you appear in my bedroom where you find me asleep with a different person in my bed, you met Death and two founders this morning, I’m raising Remus’ son, and the question you want to ask is whether I dated Cedric Diggory?” Harry asked, looking like he couldn’t decide whether to laugh or scream.
“My older brother’s never been one for tact,” Regulus said, looking entirely exhausted, like he’d spent his entire life and afterlife dealing with this same shit.
“We have the same issue with Harry,” Neville said.
“I am not that bad,” Harry responded.
“You told our friends about how you walked to your death and that Draco was the master of the Elder Wand for the better part of a year without realizing it. Then, instead of answering any questions, called Neville ‘Lord Gryffindork’ and made a joke about stealing another dragon from Gringotts,” Theo deadpanned.
“I’m sorry,” Remus said, “did he just say another dragon?”
“We should go to Grimmauld Place,” Harry announced instead of responding to … any of that.
“That’s a good idea,” Neville said, accepting the change in direction, “you can’t get to everyone and all of their loved ones, but you should at least get to Andromeda and Narcissa. Andromeda would love to see Tonks and I’m sure you could call Ted too and you know how much Narcissa wants to talk to Regulus. She was out of sorts when she found out you were his son and she’d never known.”
“You’re right,” Harry said, looking up at his parents, “one of you needs to tell her you forgive her for not finding me as a kid and raising me, she won’t listen when I tell her it’s not her fault. I genuinely can’t tell if she’s actually that upset about how I grew up or if she’s also projecting her guilt about not getting Regulus out on me.”
“I’ll get Teddy dressed,” Theo said, reaching out toward Neville, “unhand the cub, Prongs.”
“Fine,” Neville said with a sigh, passing Teddy over before turning to Harry, “you should warn Kreacher.”
Wincing, Harry said, “I’m about to get attacked by a deranged house elf aren’t I?”
“He’s less deranged recently,” Neville hedged, “and he really likes you … so the attack might be one of love rather than violence?”
“I’m not entirely sure that’s better,” Harry said as Regulus and Sirius looked on in amusement, “Kreacher?” Harry called.
A moment later, the elf appeared in front of Harry. Bowing his head, he greeted, “what can Kreacher do for Lord Black?”
“Are Narcissa and Andromeda home?”
“Yes,” Kreacher said with a nod, “they is gossiping, sorry, not gossiping, they is discussing friends in the sitting room.”
Laughing, Harry said, “we’re going to head over soon, there’s some people who want to see them.”
“How many? Kreacher will make breakfast.”
“Only Neville, Theo, and I will be eating,” Harry said, “the people were bringing don’t exactly eat.”
Kreacher looked at Harry like he was deciding whether or not he needed to check his Master into St. Mungo’s.
Seeing Kreacher’s look, Harry said, “Kreacher, would you like to see Regulus?”
Kreacher looked excited and then angry, like he thought Harry might be playing a prank, before a look of realization settled over his features, “Lord Black is Lord Peverell as well.”
“Yeah,” Harry said, “Regulus is here if you want to talk to him.”
“Is Master Sirius here too?” Kreacher asked, to the total shock of everyone in the room, living or dead.
“He is,” Harry said, deciding not to ask why.
“Kreacher would like to speak to Master Sirius and Master Regulus,” he said, “how does Kreacher do it?”
Harry held the ring out toward Kreacher, “just touch this stone and you should be able to see them. If it doesn’t work, I’ll figure something else out or, at the very least, serve as translator.”
Kreacher slowly took the ring from Harry’s hand and gasped as the ghosts came into view, “you didn’t say Mistress Dora was here too,” Kreacher said, glaring at Harry, “you must go home, Mistress Cissy and Mistress Andi will be very mad if you don’t.”
“That’s why we’re going over, Kreacher,” Harry said, “I just thought you might want to talk to Regulus first.”
“Lord Black is too kind,” Kreacher said before taking a deep breath and turning back to the ghosts, “Kreacher is sorry, Master Reggie. Kreacher could not save you and could not destroy the locket, it was many years before Lord Black came and did it for me. Kreacher failed you.”
“No,” Regulus said, tears in his eyes, “you didn’t fail me, Kreacher, I failed you. I rushed into the cave without actually thinking it through. I forced you to watch me die and I stuck you with a task you couldn’t complete, it was awful of me, and I am so sorry.”
Kreacher nodded and held it together for all of four seconds before he ran at Regulus’ legs and held on as tightly as one possibly can to an only semi-physical apparition.
He then turned to Sirius, “Kreacher is so sorry, Master Sirius. Kreacher did not do a good enough job protecting you as a boy and Kreacher was tricked into sending you to your death. You are a good boy, Master Sirius and Kreacher hurt you.”
“I forgive you, Kreacher,” Sirius said, kneeling in front of the elf, “I should’ve been kinder to you. You’re a good elf.”
At that moment, Theo stepped back into the room, “love, you should put the ring on while you travel to make sure it doesn’t get lost, do you want to send Kreacher ahead with Teddy or floo with him?”
“Kreacher what do you think?” Harry asked.
“Can Kreacher take Heir Potter?” Kreacher asked, “the Potter elf keeps taking him, so Kreacher never gets him.”
“You’ve even got the elves fighting over you, cub,” Theo said, grinning down at Teddy and tickling his stomach, “look at you!”
Teddy giggled in response and grabbed at Theo’s hands before being passed to Kreacher who popped out of the room with a look at Harry that said get your ass home before I rat you out to your two terrifying aunts.
“Alright,” Harry said, clapping his hands, “let’s take this party to Grimmauld Place.”
“Can I borrow a jumper?” Neville asked, “you literally dragged me out of my bed.”
“Go ahead,” Harry said, waving Neville toward his room, “I’m going now though otherwise I’m going to get yelled at.”
“Draco,” Theo said, “you have to get Draco.”
“Fuck,” Harry sighed, “it was so much easier when I only had to worry about Ron and Hermione, Kreacher! Can you come back please?”
“What can Kreacher do, Lord Black?”
“Wake up Draco, Ron, and Hermione and ask them to please come to Grimmauld Place at their earliest convenience. Thank you.”
“Lord Black should be going now. Mistress Andi and Mistress Cissa are confused.”
“And I’m sure you did nothing to confuse them,” Harry said, sending a mock glare at the elf.
“Kreacher wouldn’t know anything about that,” he said with a slightly terrifying grin, “Kreacher is a good elf.”
“Go away,” Harry said with a laugh, “we’ll leave now, thank you Kreacher.”
Neville stepped out of Harry’s room in a stolen maroon jumper and asked, “did you ever expand the wards to allow me to apparate into Grimmauld?”
Harry thought for a moment, reaching out to the Black Magic, “yeah, you’re good.”
“See you there,” Neville said with a nod before turning on his heel.
Harry grabbed Theo’s hand and took a deep breath before doing the same.