Golden Trio and Co.
Sunday, 3 January 1999
“We’ll be at the Potter Villa in Gibraltar. It’s British Territory so I can apparate to and from without triggering international travel laws, not that I’d care about the legality of getting back here if either of you need me. Also, I have Fawkes and I really don’t think he obeys the laws of travel … or physics, for that matter. Just remember I can get back here nearly instantly, just send a Patronus and I’ll -”
“Love,” Theo said, cutting him off. “Everything will be fine. I promise I won’t hesitate to ask you to come home if we need you as long as you promise to have fun with your friends without worrying about us every second of the day. Also, Andromeda will be here.”
“Okay,” Harry breathed. “Am I forgetting anything?”
“Did you talk to Kreacher about moving Draco’s stuff into the Lord’s bedroom at Grimmauld?”
“Fuck.”
* * *
“Kreacher?” Harry called as they apparated into the entry hall of Grimmauld Place.
“Lord Black,” Kreacher greeted.
“Not Lord Black anymore, Kreacher. Remember?”
“Master Reggie’s son will always be Lord Black to Kreacher. Mistress Cissy’s son can be Heir.”
“Kreacher, I asked Draco to be Lord Black. He didn’t take it from me,” Harry rolled his eyes when Kreacher gave him a skeptical look. “I’m also the Lord of the Houses Slytherin, Peverell, and Potter. It was too much, I needed Draco’s help.”
“So now Lord Black is here to ask Kreacher if he can help move Lord Black’s things out of Lord Black’s room so Heir Black can take it?”
“Please, Kreacher?”
Kreacher thought about it for a second, tapping a foot against the ground and a finger against his chin. Harry was about to the point of genuinely begging when Kreacher finally let out a long-suffering sigh and said, “on one condition.”
“Let’s hear it.”
“Master Draco gets a new elf, Kreacher serves Master Harry and his family. Kreacher will serve all four houses for Master Harry. And,” he paused, thinking hard, “no one except Master Harry and Little Master Teddy and maybe Lord Nott if he’s being nice will stay in Master Reggie’s room.”
“That’s like three conditions, but sure, Kreacher, if that’s what you want I can make that happen.”
“What do you mean if I’m ‘being nice’?” Theo asked. “I’m always nice.”
Kreacher just shrugged and turned back to Harry, “will all of Master Harry’s things be going to Griffin House or should Kreacher leave some here?”
While Theo was trying to figure out what Kreacher could possibly mean (spoiler: Kreacher was just being a little shit), Harry tried to think through what he even had left in the house. Most of his things were at school or Potter Manor, but he also didn’t want Kreacher to think he was abandoning the House of Black, so he decided, “why don’t you move everything here that’s mine, Teddy’s, or Theo’s into Regulus and Sirius’ rooms. Leave Orion’s dress robes and House Black robes in the Lord’s Suite so Draco can go through them, though. Also, if we have time before the 10th we should go out to Raven’s Keep and see what state it’s in.”
“Kreacher thought of another condition.”
Harry pinched the bridge of his nose and said, “what is it?”
“Kreacher gets to be there to wake the portraits”
“Harry would like to know what the fuck Kreacher’s talking about.”
“The portraits,” Kreacher repeated as if Harry were particularly dim.
“What portraits?”
Harry had a moment where he was sure he was about to be confronted by a portrait of a shrieking Bellatrix or, worse, a 16-year-old Regulus who’d just been abandoned by Sirius, Marked, and then dumped by James.
He wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or disappointed when Kreacher explained that the most recent portrait was of Orion and that Sirius and Regulus had never sat for theirs.
“Why do you want to be there?” Harry asked.
“Kreacher would like to see the look on Master Orion’s face when he realizes Master Reggie had a child with a Potter and a Muggleborn,” Kreacher declared, looking downright maniacal.
“Christ,” Harry muttered, “sure, Kreacher, you can be there to see the worst day of Orion Black’s life. Should be fun for everyone involved.”
Harry had no clue how to react when Kreacher clapped his hands and skipped off in glee.
“Your elf scares me.”
“My elf scares me too,” Harry responded before shaking his head and turning to Theo, “do you know where all the former Malfoy elves are?”
“I think most of them are still at the Manor, a couple might be at Raven’s Keep.”
“Okay,” Harry said, running a hand down his face before looking at his watch. “Okay, this can wait until I get back. Send me a Patronus or, I guess, just send Kreacher if you run into any issues sorting the house out or if anything happens with Teddy. We’ll be back on Wednesday.”
“Alright, love,” Theo said, pressing a kiss to Harry’s forehead, “I’m just going to stay here and help Kreacher for a bit while Teddy’s taking his nap. Have fun with Ron and Hermione and I’ll see you soon.”
“I love you,” Harry said, pulling Theo into a tight hug.
“I love you too,” Theo responded, stepping back to give Harry a kiss goodbye.
Harry checked his bag to make sure he had everything and then turned on his heel and apparated to the Burrow where he was immediately engulfed in a hug.
“Hi, Molly,” he greeted once the air had rushed back into his lungs.
“Harry, dear,” she greeted, patting his cheek, “how have you been?”
“I’m doing well, ready to spend a little time with just Ron and Hermione, though.”
“Well, they’re right upstairs, I hope you three have a good time.”
“Harry!” Ginny’s voice called from the top of the stairs.
“Ginny!”
Her head popped over the banister on the top floor, “is there a reason you’re going to Gibraltar and leaving me behind?”
“Because if you come I have to invite Blaise which means Pansy and Draco come which means Daphne, Greg, and Tracey show up as well and then we’d have to invite Neville and if Ron, Neville, and I are there then we need Seamus and Dean as well and then that means Lavender and Parvati are coming too?”
“I think you forgot Theo.”
“Well, someone would have to stay here with Teddy.”
“Just bring Teddy,” Ginny suggested with a shrug.
Harry sighed and rubbed his eyes, pushing is glasses off-kilter, “we’re leaving in 10 minutes, you can come but we’re cutting it off at Gryffindors because Theo, Pansy, and Greg have plans over the next couple of days and Draco’s in France.”
“I heard no reason Blaise couldn’t come.”
“Fine,” Harry said, throwing his hands up, “I’ll send him a note with the floo address.”
“I’m already here,” Blaise said, his head appearing next to Ginny’s.
Harry sighed, “and is it safe to assume both of you are already packed?”
Blaise’s grin was answer enough.
“And Theo knows you’re here and let me walk into this blind?”
Blaise just continued grinning.
“This day is going to drive me insane,” Harry muttered under his breath. “Alright, let’s go. Where are Ron and Hermione?”
“Coming!” Hermione called down the stairs.
“The floo address is Clay Cottage, I’m going first, wait for me to add you all to the wards and send a Patronus otherwise it’ll spit you out into the back room of the shop on the ground floor instead of into the actual villa.”
“What sort of shop is it?” Ron asked.
“…Pottery.”
“Wow,” Ron laughed, “little on the nose?”
“To be fair, it opened far after the villa was built and the Potters don’t own the shop.”
“I think a potter owns the shop.”
“You’re not cute, Zabini.”
“I think he’s pretty cute,” Ginny said with a grin.
“I’ll leave the both of you behind.”
“Okay, I’m being nice now,” Ginny said, holding up her hands in surrender.
Harry hugged Mrs. Weasley goodbye and headed through the floo where he found Neville and Theo sitting in the living room.
“How.”
“We’ve sworn fealty to the House of Potter, so the wards let us through,” Neville explained with a shrug, “Hannah’s locked outside though.”
“I thought you’d be busy getting your parents moved back into Longbottom Manor?”
“They told me to take a break so here I am.”
“And you?” he asked, turning to Theo.
“Turns out Kreacher can sort of just snap his fingers and get the whole house sorted and I thought the look on your face when I just showed up would be funny, I was right.”
Harry rolled his eyes but was obviously struggling not to smile, “where’s Teddy?”
“With Andi.”
“Any other surprise guests?”
“Not that I know of.”
“Wonderful,” Harry said, pressing a kiss to the top of Theo’s head as he walked to the Lord’s office where he guessed the ward book would be stored. “I’m going to add everyone else to the wards and then one of you can explain whose idea this was.”
Harry disappeared and a minute later Hannah came through the front door, a few seconds later the floo lit up and Blaise, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione stepped out.
“Where’s Harry?” Ginny asked.
“Probably trying to decide if he’s annoyed or not,” Neville said with a shrug.
“I was just setting my bag down,” Harry said, ruffling Neville’s hair as he walked back into the room. “I’m not annoyed; I was just confused. Now, what do we want to do first?”
“The three of us are going to get tattoos,” Ron said, slinging his arm around Harry’s shoulders, “and none of these tagalongs are invited.”
“We’ll go to the shops and get groceries,” Hannah said. “Thanks for letting us all invade your vacation.”
“No problem,” Harry said, sending her a warm smile. “The more the merrier, especially if you’re offering to do the shopping.”
* * *
“Do we know where we’re going?” Harry asked as the trio exited onto the street.
“Vaguely,” Hermione responded.
“Then lead on,” he said with a laugh. “Sorry everyone crashed our trip.”
“I’m the one who invited Ginny,” Ron said. “I thought she could use a break. She’s been flying non-stop all break and hasn’t talked about anything but quidditch scouts and professional tryouts.”
“And then everyone else sort of just appeared?” Harry asked with a knowing smile.
“Pretty much.”
Harry let out a laugh as he slung his arm around Ron’s shoulders, “s’alright, mate. We’ll have fun.”
“And this way you won’t feel like you’re third-wheeling us.”
“Great point. And can I just say thank you again for not sorting your shit out until we were no longer living in a tent together?”
“And can I just thank both of you for never acting on your crushes on Draco?”
“I was wondering when that was going to come up,” Hermione sighed.
“You once called him a ‘loathsome cockroach,’ ‘Mione, forgive me for not realizing that meant you had a crush on him,” Ron said, face turning red from how hard he was trying not to laugh.
“I’m almost certain she’s called you worse.”
“That’s entirely possible.”
“It’s odd how you’re shocked about her crush on Draco but not mine,” Harry commented.
Ron and Hermione just looked at each other before bursting out laughing.
“It can’t have been that obvious.”
“Harry,” Hermione said once she’d caught her breath, “Cedric once cornered me to ask if you two had something going on.”
“And I know for a fact the twins had a betting pool running on the pair of you,” Ron said, still laughing slightly, “though I must say Theo is a much better match.”
“You and Draco are far too similar,” Hermione said, continuing Ron’s thought. “You’d kill each other after a week. Not to mention the fact that you’re related.”
“Glad we’re all in agreement,” Harry said, rolling his eyes before his expression turned serious. “Do you really think Theo’s a good match?”
“Harry what’s this really about?” Hermione asked, getting right to the point.
Harry sighed and slowed to a stop, “it’s all happening fast, I know. We only got together in September, and he’s already moved into my quarters at Hogwarts and my rooms at Grimmauld and Griffin House and we’re raising Teddy together and I’m already catching myself fantasizing about the ring I’ll buy when I propose but it all just feels so right, so perfect.”
“And, what? You think you don’t deserve it? You think it’s too good to be true? You think people will judge you for it?”
“I don’t know,” Harry shrugged. “All of the above?”
“Well, you do deserve it and so does Theo and, more importantly, Teddy deserves to have as many people around him who love him unconditionally as possible, and Theo is one of those people. And nothing is too good for you, Harry. You saved all of us, you spent your entire life saving people with no one coming to save you and you deserve someone to share your burdens with. We try, Neville tries, but no one else gets through to you like Theo does. And for the last point? Honestly, fuck whoever wants to judge you. You deserve happiness and safety and comfort and excitement, and Theo gives you all of that.”
“So, you two really do like him? You’re not just pretending?”
“Harry, mate,” Ron said, wrapping his arm around Harry’s shoulders and starting down the sidewalk again. “We love him, we think he’s great for you but, more importantly I think, we like him for him. Even if he weren’t with you we’d want to be friends with him. He’s a great guy. Is he terrifyingly skilled with a knife? Yes. Does he love Teddy with everything he has? Also yes. So really I think he’s the whole package.”
“I like your definition of ‘the whole package.’” Harry laughed. “Thank you.”
“Course,” Ron said with a smile. “Now, where are we getting these tattoos?”
* * *
The trio came back into the villa two hours later to Hannah and Blaise cooking while Neville, Theo, and Ginny were playing a rather rowdy game of exploding snap.
“Let’s see them,” Neville said, looking up when they walked into the room. They held out their right arms to show the trinity knots inked right above their elbows on the inside of their arms.
“Oh, cute!” Ginny said, standing up and grabbing Hermione’s arm to get a closer look.
“Like it?” Harry asked, sitting down practically in Theo’s lap.
“I do,” Theo said, pressing a kiss to Harry’s cheek.
“Is that five now, Harry?” Neville asked.
“Six,” Theo corrected.
“Six? Which am I missing? You have the antlers, the paw prints, the footprints from the Map, the sun, star, and moon, and then that one,” Neville said, counting them off on his fingers. “I see you shirtless in training nearly every morning, how’d I miss one?”
“First, the implication that you’re spending enough time studying Harry shirtless that you’d notice if he got a new tattoo is hilarious,” Theo said, “second, I’m fairly certain I’m the only one who sees Harry undressed enough to see the last one.”
“Harry…” Hermione started, “… is he saying what I think he’s saying?”
“You mean is he saying I have a tattoo on my arse?” Harry asked with a crooked grin.
“…Yes.”
“Yes.”
“Yes you have a tattoo on your arse?”
“Correct.”
“I’m really not sure whether to ask why, when you got it, or what it is…”
“I’ll answer in order Blaise over there is more of a dick than normal during truth or dare, a couple weeks ago, and it’s a snitch.”
“The Muggle tattoo artist in Inverness was incredibly confused about why he wanted a ball with wings tattooed on his arse,” Blaise said with a grin.
“Wait when were you playing truth or dare when we weren’t around?”
“After Susan’s birthday party,” Theo explained, “all the Slytherins slept in Harry’s living room.”
“I keep forgetting you’re a Slytherin,” Ginny said.
“I wear green robes every day, do you just keep thinking I’m accidentally wearing Theo’s clothes or what?”
“It might surprise you to find out that I spend very little time thinking about your clothing,” Ginny teased. “Also, I think you should get a Hungarian Horntail tattooed on your chest.”
“I’m not giving any of your rumors credence, Ginevra.”
* * *
“Harry?” Theo said softly, checking to see if he was awake as he laid down next to him in bed.
“Yeah?” Harry muttered back, his voice thick with sleep.
“Are you awake?”
“Mostly.”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Of course,” Harry said, blinking his eyes open and rolling over to give Theo his full attention.
Theo smiled softly and laid his head down on Harry’s chest, “are you mad I’m here?”
“Of course not, my love,” Harry said, wrapping his arms around Theo and pressing a kiss to the top of his hair. “I want you by my side every minute of every day. I’m glad you came."
"Are you sure?"
“Yes,” Harry said, squeezing Theo a little tighter.
“Can I ask you something else?”
“Anything.”
“Will you come visit Nott Manor with me?”
“Of course,” Harry promises, running his fingers through Theo’s hair. “Where is it?”
“The Isle of Sky.”
“When do you want to go?”
“I don’t know,” Theo said, pressing his face against Harry’s chest. “I just don’t want to go alone.”
“Theodore, I’ll promise you this, for as long as you walk this Earth and for as long as your soul exists in whatever lies beyond, you’ll never have to go anywhere alone.”