Prints in Ink
Tuesday, 3 November 1998
“Alright, Nev, checklist,” Harry said, standing in the middle of the newly repaired living room in the Shrieking Shack with his hands on his hips, looking more like a dad than ever.
Neville was laying on his back a few steps from where Harry stood, half exhausted from the amount of magic and straight up manual labor they’d done over the last two days. They were both covered in a fine layer of dirt, and it wasn’t clear whether it was left over from that afternoon’s herbology lesson or from the general grime of the Shack. Neville huffed and rolled enough so he could reach his back pocket to pull out the folded sheet of parchment, “wards?”
“Check,” Harry said, flopping to the ground and joining Neville in staring at the ceiling, “we strengthened the wards around the forest and Luna talked to the centaurs before warding a section of the forest for us to run, Bill and I re-worked the wards around the Willow at lunch so we can get in and out throughout the night but there’s no chance of Lavender getting to the school.”
“Perfect,” Neville said, grabbing a pen he’d stolen from Hermione out of his pocket to check off the task, “upstairs bedroom?”
“Fixed. Susan added a dresser so Lavender can store clothes out here without having to just throw them on the floor and Hannah had the idea to stock the bathroom with medical supplies which I don’t think was on our list, but it’s done nonetheless.”
“Genius that one,” Neville said with a grin.
“Yeah, yeah,” Harry said, reaching out to shove Neville’s head, “we get it, next.”
“Oh, so you can go all moony eyed over … Moony,” Neville laughed at his own joke while Harry rolled his eyes, certain that one had gotten nearly as much milage as the Sirius/serious bit, “but when I comment on Hannah’s clear genius it’s too much?”
“I promise I will listen to you rant about Hannah Abbot’s sheer excellence all night, just as soon as you finish reading off this checklist.”
“I’m holding you to that,” Neville said with a grin, “alright, has anyone talked to Sinistra?”
“I did, I gotta say, for an astronomy professor, it took her a touch too long to figure out why our entire year might want to avoid having class tomorrow night.”
“Give her the benefit of the doubt,” Neville said laughing, “I’m sure she was ready to excuse Lav and then got thrown when you asked if all 30 of us could skip.”
“I offered to have us attend a different night and she told me to tell everyone to study the effects of the full moon on lycanthropes for our assignment.”
“You’re joking,” Neville said, laughing harder.
“I am not, Nev, I am dead serious. She said, and I quote, ‘have everyone write me a sentence or two on the effects of the full moon on lycanthropy and I’ll see you lot next week,’ I asked if I could just write ‘it makes them turn into wolves,’ and she told me there was no need to turn in any parchment because that got me full marks.”
“I think she’s my new favorite professor.”
“Don’t tell Mary that,” Harry said, laughing as well.
“I won’t if you won’t,” Neville said with a grin as he looked back to his list, “I think that’s about everything, we just need to decide if we’re asking McGonagall for permission or forgiveness.”
“There’s no shot in hell she didn’t know what the Marauders were doing every month, I vote forgiveness.”
“You’re probably right,” Neville said, smiling over at Harry, “alright, let’s throw a couple more scourgifys at this place and get out of here.”
After they made sure the Shack was clean, they headed back through the tunnel and up toward the castle. At the base of the Willow, they found a small fox with its paw on the knot to still the branches.
They looked at for a minute to try and figure out if it was Hermione, Seamus, or just a random fox and then they heard a bark, which didn’t exactly help because if it was Seamus the dog they were hearing could’ve been Dean and if it was Hermione it could’ve been Ron. They were saved from having to try harder to figure it out by the terrier coming into view at the edge of the forest.
Harry grinned and darted over to pick up the fox before Hermione had a chance to transform back, “oh look at you, ‘Mione, such a cute little fox, look at her, Nev.”
“Adorable,” Neville said with a laugh as he waved Ron over.
Ron transformed back and started to say something but was interrupted by Harry, “ouch! ‘Mione that hurt!”
“Did she just bite you?” Neville asked, trying to stifle his laughter.
“Yes,” Harry said, pouting and shaking his hand. Hermione had transformed after she hit the ground and was now standing next to Harry with a self-satisfied smirk.
“That’s what you get for treating me like a cat,” she said, throwing one arm around Harry’s shoulders and the other around Ron’s as he and Neville approached.
“I think we might be a little too tall for us to walk like this now,” Ron said with a laugh.
“Oh fine,” Hermione huffed, moving her arms down to wrap around the boys’ waists.
“I thought you two were with Teddy,” Harry said, looking around as if his 6-month-old son had just been stashed in the grass somewhere, “where’s he at?”
“Pansy and Draco stole him,” Ron said, “so we came out to see if you two needed any help.”
“Where did they take him?” Harry asked, “and was anyone else with them?”
“They’re just in our common room and Blaise, Astoria, and Ginny were there,” Hermione said, “do you think me for an idiot, Potter? I wouldn’t leave my godson with only Pansy and Draco? He’d end up with his hair slicked back wearing something that costs an average year’s salary.”
“Have I told you lately that I love you, Hermione.”
“Not often enough.”
“I’ll work on that,” Harry said with a laugh.
“I’m feeling rather left out of this Golden Trio situation,” Neville said from behind them, “but I’m also deeply impressed with you three’s ability to walk like that without ending up in a tangle of limbs.”
“This is literally how we walk with Luna, Nev. But get over here, we can’t have you feeling lonely,” Harry said, laughing as he dragged Neville over by the collar and threw an arm around his shoulders.
“I feel like Dorothy,” Hermione said.
Harry looked side to side and let out a laugh, “should we skip and sing?”
“Oh, absolutely,” Hermione said, “but first we have to figure out who’s who.”
“Neville’s the Lion, obviously,” Harry said.
“I think Ron’s the Scarecrow and you’re the Tinman,” Hermione added.
“I’ll accept that.”
“What is happening right now?” Neville asked.
“Keep up, Nev,” Harry said, pulling his arms off Neville and Hermione’s shoulders and linking their arms instead.
Hermione did the same thing with Ron and then shot a grin at Harry, “ready?”
“Ready.”
They both took a comically large breath before launching into an incredibly off-key rendition of We’re Off to See the Wizard as they skipped forward, dragging Ron and Neville behind them.
“What is happening?” Neville asked again.
“By this point we should know to stop asking questions and just go with it,” Ron yelled over the chaos of Harry and Hermione’s singing.
“Hey!” Neville yelled, interrupting Harry and Hermione right around “if ever, oh ever, a wizard was,” on their fourth time through, “I have a great idea.”
“That has never once led to anything good,” Hermione said, coming to a total stop and turning to look at Neville.
“Rude,” Neville said with a pout.
“She’s not wrong though,” Harry said, patting Neville on the shoulder.
“She rarely is, actually,” Ron added.
“Back to my idea,” Neville said, “we should take them to go get tattoos.”
“What? Right now?” Harry asked, “it’s a Tuesday night, we have school tomorrow. Also, I have a kid.”
“You also have a Theo,” Hermione pointed out.
Harry and Ron turned to look at Hermione in unmitigated shock.
“Are you actually suggesting …” Ron said, trailing off.
“Are you actually suggesting we go along with Neville’s insane plan to go get tattoos at,” Harry paused, glancing at his watch, “8:30 on a Tuesday night?”
“We went at midnight last night, Haz,” Neville said.
“Hold on,” Hermione cut in, turning toward Harry, “you went to get tattoos without me?”
Harry looked at Ron with one eyebrow raised and asked, “how is it that everyone thinks the two of us are the reason we’re surrounded by unending chaos?”
“She’s perfected her innocent bookworm face,” Ron said with a laugh before turning toward Hermione, “I’m in. Where should we go?”
“Then let’s apparate to Islington, there’s a parlor down the street from Grimmauld Place.”
“That’s where we went,” Neville told her.
“How do you know about it?” Harry asked.
“Sirius told me.”
“When the fuck did Sirius have the opportunity to tell you about the local tattoo parlor?” Harry asked.
“That month before you showed up between 4th and 5th year was strange, mate,” Ron said with a slight shudder.
“I can nearly guarantee you had a better time than I did,” Harry said, though he sounded amused rather than angry this far removed from that summer.
“Okay,” Neville said, calling them all back to attention, “are we doing this?”
Harry thought about it for all of 45 seconds before he said, “oh, alright, let’s go.”
“One second,” Hermione said, pointing her wand toward Neville and Harry, who each took a step back on instinct. She rolled her eyes and said, “you two are covered in dirt, just let me straighten you out before we go in public.”
They both looked down at their black slacks and white shirts that had both turned more of a shade of tan over the last few hours and looked back up to Hermoine and nodded.
“Can you put my tie in your bag?” Harry asked Hermione, “also do you have any idea where my wallet is?”
“Yes and it’s in your back pocket where it always is.”
“What would I do without you?”
“Die, probably.”
“That’s entirely valid,” Harry said, laughing as he linked their arms again and turned toward the gate.
“Harry where are you going?” Neville asked.
“Gate,” Harry responded, helpfully pointing at said gate, “to apparate out.”
“Did you forget we’re two of 5 people who can apparate inside Hogwarts grounds?”
“You know what, I did,” Harry said before wrapping his arm tighter around Hermione and asking, “Islington Tube Station?” at her nod, he turned on his heel and disappeared
Neville held his arm out to Ron with a dramatic bow, “may I?”
“Why thank you good sir,” Ron responded, linking their arms and letting Neville apparate them away.
They landed in an alley around the corner from the tube station.
“You are the embodiment of chaos, Hermione Jean Granger.”
“This was Neville’s idea, Harry James Potter,” Hermione said, “also, apparently you already did this last night so I really don’t think I’m the problem, but thank you.”
“Lead the way, oh Queen of Chaos,” Neville said gesturing toward the street.
“Theo is going to kill me,” Harry said in a matter-of-fact tone, “just so you all know.”
“Something tells me that Death wouldn’t actually take you,” Ron said, “so I think you’re safe.”
“I hate that you’re probably right,” Harry said with a sigh, “alright. What are we getting, people?”
“What did you two get last night?” Ron asked.
“I got his paw print,” Neville said.
“And I got antlers.”
“How, exactly, does Theo put up with the two of you?” Hermione asked.
“Great question,” they said together.
“What are you going to get today?” Ron asked.
“I’m really not sure,” Harry responded.
“You should get the one you wanted to get after Cedric died,” Hermione said.
“Oh yeah,” Harry said with a warm smile, “I forgot about that. Good idea.”
“What was it again?” Neville asked.
“A sun, moon, and star because Ced and I always said my sun, my moon, and my stars, but after reading my parent’s journals it sorta has a double meaning.”
“What do you mean?” Ron said.
“Everyone said my dad the sun was like the sun,” Harry told them. “It was in mum’s journals and Regulus’ letters and even in Sirius’ journals. Regulus literally called him mon soleil.”
“And the moon and star?” Hermione asked before she answered it for herself, “Remus and Sirius, of course, that’s perfect, Harry.”
“Regulus is a star as well,” Harry added, “and he kept calling me mon etoile the other day.”
“That’s adorable,” Neville said, grinning, “I thought you’d get something for Teddy, though.”
“I guess we’ll see how busy this place is,” Harry said with a laugh, “who says I won’t end up with multiple tattoos tonight.”
“You really can’t complain about other people being the embodiments of chaos when you say shit like that,” Ron told Harry.
Harry very maturely stuck out his tongue and asked, “what are you lot getting?”
“I’m just along for the ride,” Neville said, “also, Harry, did you show Theo the one you got last night?”
“Nope,” Harry said, popping the ‘p’, “he was asleep when we got home and was distracted with Teddy when I got dressed this morning.”
“Just in case you want it,” Neville said, “I’ve got his paw print too, told him I was cataloguing our prints to add to the Map in case we ever figure out how to update it.”
“Genius,” Harry said with a laugh.
Hermione paused and dragged them into another alley right as the tattoo parlor came into view and pulled a sheet of parchment and an ink well out of her bag, “Ronald, transform, I like that idea.”
Harry watched the end of the alley to make sure they weren’t being watched as Ron transformed.
“Your turn, ‘Mione,” Ron said.
“We’ll have to come up with something for the three of us to get,” Harry decided, throwing his arm around Ron’s shoulder and heading back toward the street.
“I think maybe the scars we all have from seven years of ‘adventures’ counts,” Hermione said.
Harry let out a loud laugh and looked back over his shoulder to Neville, “what if I got the sun, moon, and star on my arm and the wolf print over my heart?”
“I like that,” Neville said, “but I think you should add a smaller print next to Theo’s because no matter how much we try to argue with him, Teddy is absolutely going to end up being a wolf.”
“You’re right,” Harry said with a sigh, “but no one can tell Theo we said that.”
“Deal,” Ron and Hermione agreed as Ron pulled the door of the shop open to let them all in.
* * *
Two hours later, Harry and Neville apparated the group directly into Harry’s living room where they found Theo on the couch reading a book. He looked up when they appeared and raised one eyebrow, “where have you four been?”
“Muggle London?” Harry responded, sending Theo his most innocent smile.
“Doing what?”
“Getting tattoos,” Harry said, folding immediately.
Neville whooped and held out a hand toward Ron who groaned and slapped a galleon into Neville’s palm.
“Told you he couldn’t make it a full minute without telling him,” Neville said, smirking at Ron.
“Yes, we get it, you’re the Harry whisperer.”
“Did you just say you were getting tattoos?” Theo asked, looking between Neville and Hermione as if they were the responsible ones of the group.
In response, Neville unbuttoned his shirt and showed Theo his left shoulder which now featured a massive paw print.
Theo rolled his eyes and looked to Harry, “and where’s your tattoo for him?”
“Same spot,” Harry said with a grin.
“Great,” Theo said, trying and failing to hide his amusement at the situation, “you two are ridiculous. Harry, go say goodnight to your son and go to sleep. You’re still recovering from Saturday and we’re going to be up all night tomorrow. You three, go to bed. I don’t know what I was thinking befriending Gryffindors, you’re all exhausting.”
“Harry’s actually a Slytherin,” Neville informed Theo.
“You know what I mean,” Theo said, shoving Neville toward the door, “go to your own room now.”
Hermione took over from Theo and pulled both Neville and Ron toward the door, “goodnight,” she said, keeping her voice soft to not wake Teddy, “see you tomorrow.”
“See you tomorrow, Hermione,” Theo said with a smile, “you’re still my favorite even though I’m 90% sure you orchestrated this adventure.”
“He knows me so well,” Hermione said, mock-swooning, “lock him down before I take him off your hands, Potter.”
“Get out of my apartment, Granger,” Harry said with a laugh.
When the door shut, Theo turned toward Harry and pointed at his shirt, “show me?”
Harry smiled, “you know,” he started, “I didn’t only get one.”
Theo raised an eyebrow at that, “how many did you get?”
“Two.”
“Two?”
“Two,” Harry confirmed, “but I also got one last night in the middle of the night when Neville broke into our room and dragged me to Islington.”
Theo started to ask where that bright idea had come from when his breath caught as he saw Harry’s chest. He stepped forward and ran a careful finger alongside the new ink and looked up into Harry’s eyes, “is that mine?”
“Yeah,” Harry said, softly kissing Theo’s cheek, “it’s for you and Teddy.”
“So, you finally admit he’s going to be a wolf?”
“That’s what you’re taking from this?” Harry said, chuckling.
“Yup,” Theo said with a grin, leaning in to press a kiss to Harry’s lips, “that’s what I’m taking from this. Now, what are the other two?”
Harry turned his left shoulder toward Theo to show him the antlers, “for Nev and my Dad,” then he held up his left forearm where right above the top strap for the fang holster, a small sun, moon, and star were etched into his skin, “this one’s got a bit of a double meaning,” he explained, pointing to the sun, “James,” then the moon, “Remus,” then the star, “Sirius and Regulus.”
“What’s the other meaning?” Theo asked.
“For Ced,” Harry said with a sad smile, “we always said we were each other’s everything, my sun, my moon, my stars, it was the last thing he said to me Saturday night after he talked to you, and I’ve been thinking of getting it for a few years.”
“It’s beautiful,” Theo said, running his thumb across Harry’s cheek, “but this one,” he said, laying his hand over Harry’s chest, “is my favorite.”
“Mine too,” Harry said, pressing a soft kiss to Theo’s forehead, “mine too.”
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