By his own hand

Chapter thirteen

Sirius and Remus kept an eye on Evan and his friends as they partied. They laughed at some of the things the teenagers did or said. They did pull a couple of pranks on the teenagers. Sirius and Remus explained about how they with two other friends who had died used to pull pranks all the time and were known as the Marauders.

When a few began to fall over due to how much they drank, Sirius and Remus began to confiscate the teenager’s wands. None of them seemed to care. They were just having a great time.

‘You know Sirius, the things Evan learned outside of magic should be something that the students of Hogwarts should be offered.’

‘I thought the same thing. They have quidditch, gobstones, the choir or clubs like charms and transfiguration. There is no other activity if someone wants to do one for fun or to keep fit. Even though most pureblood children are taught to play a musical instrument, they could work on that for Hogwarts. There is plenty of room to set up a room where people could learn to play. Even things like the dance that Evan and his friends do, they could go to lessons, just maybe not at Hogwarts.’

‘I think if Minerva were to see how they dance she would have a heart attack. Some of their moves could be considered suggestive, but they aren’t, it’s just dance moves.’

‘I know what you mean. The first time I watched Harry, after a few months of lessons, I was shocked. I thought about what my old hag of a mother would have done if I danced like Evan.’

‘You slipped again Sirius, you said Harry.’

Sirius sighed, ‘I hardly slip anymore. I try to always remember to say Evan.’

‘You had Harry on your mind for fourteen years, then all of a sudden it’s Evan. You know there is a story you could tell Evan if you or even I slip and say Harry.’

‘What story?’

‘The truth, or at least part of the truth. Harry was your godson who suffered, a lot and took his own life. Sometimes something Evan does will remind you of Harry.’

Sirius’s brow furrowed as he thought about what Remus said. After thinking and watched the teenagers slowly pass out, he thought Remus’s idea could just work, in case he slipped and said Harry in front of Evan.

The following morning, late morning, Sirius and Remus handed out hangover potions and handed back the teenagers wands. Once they were all feeling better they sat out on the veranda to enjoy a big breakfast supplied by the house elves.

Just before Evan’s friends left, Sirius finally got to see just who Evan was interested in. He thought his son/godson had good taste in girls. Evan had kissed the girl goodbye but made arrangements to meet up during their next dance lessons. Even though it was the holidays, all the friends that took dance lessons loved their classes so they were going to continue them through the holidays.

During the holidays, Hermione and Neville spent a lot of time together. Hermione did get to meet Augusta Longbottom. She almost burst out laughing but held it together until she was out of the room. Neville blushed because he knew what Hermione was laughing at. When the boggart Snape ended up in his grandmother’s clothes and hat.

Neville got to meet Hermione’s parents, but what he liked was he got to speak with some people who helped teenagers. Even though Neville wanted to work with plants, it didn’t mean he couldn’t help kids part time. Hermione had already decided she was going to become a psychologist, but one that dealt with teenagers. After Harry had killed himself, it wasn't long after that they found two students who needed help, from then on, they found more. Hermione felt good about herself when a couple of students spoke to her in private. None of them had suffered like Harry, but as far as she was concerned, if they needed help, she was going to do all she could to help them.

Due to what she had been doing over the last few years at Hogwarts, Hermione realised that if she wanted to work with troubled kids then she would need to go to university, which meant she had to return to her muggle education. She was going to take muggle books with her when she returned to Hogwarts. She would do her magical classes and homework then begin to study her muggle subjects. She had decided to use the money Harry left her for university, and there would still be a lot left over.

After Evan’s all left, he showered then sat on the beach staring out over the water.

‘Remus,’ Sirius called.

‘What’s up Sirius?’

‘Look at Evan?’

Remus turned to stare down at the teenage boy, ‘Okay, I’ve seen him sit like that plenty of times. What’s got you so worried?’

‘It’s how he sat when he first woke up and was well enough to get out of bed. Yes he sits there a lot but not with his knees up and his arms wrapped around them, like he is now and like he did then.’

‘Do you think something happened with his friends?’

‘I don’t know, but I don’t think so. They all seemed fine and all were friendly when they said goodbye.’

‘You’ll drive yourself crazy if you try to guess, just go down and talk to him.’

‘What if he wants time alone to sort out whatever it is that’s bothering him.’

‘Again that is guessing and it will keep you guessing until you speak to him.’

Sirius sighed but he nodded. He knew Remus was right. He would keep guessing and his guesses would get wilder and stranger then end up completely wrong.

Sirius walked down to the beach and sat beside his son, ‘Is whatever this is something you can talk to me about?’

‘Yes, but I’ve been working it all out in my head before I spoke to you. I need to figure out a few things.’

‘Is it about that girl, or one of your other friends?’

‘No, it’s got nothing to do with them,’ Evan turned to face his father, ‘During the night I woke up. With the amount I drank I thought I would be out until lunchtime today. I don’t know why I woke but I felt like I had to come here and sit at the water. I was sitting here for about an hour before finally going back to the tent to sleep, even if I didn’t think I would sleep. The alcohol basically let me sleep.’

‘Okay, so you felt like you had to sit here, just like you’re doing now. Did you figure out why?’

Evan nodded, ‘When I came here after my shower, it was mainly to decide if I should say anything or if I should keep it to myself. I mean it’s not hurting anyone. But the more I thought about it the more I realise I would have to tell you. We have a great life…dad and I have great friends. I know what I want to do now I’ve finished school and the future looks great. You’ve helped me become the person I am now and who I want to be as I get older. I don’t want anything to ruin what we have.’

‘Is this about Caroline? I mean if dating her is upsetting you then I’ll stop.’

‘No, no, Caroline is nice and she’s able to put up with you and your pranks. No this is more about me than you but it includes you as well. Before I tell you what this is about, I want you to tell me something. With your lessons you explained about the war with Grindelwald and Voldemort. You explained about the people that died due to Voldemort and his death eaters and you explained that you and your friends help fight them. But there is something you didn’t say. You never said he died or was killed, you said he was vanquished. I sort of get confused as to what you meant. Did he die?’

Sirius sighed, ‘At the time, this is around the time you were a baby, he was beaten and vanquished, but he never technically die. His soul was ripped from his body which fled. A few of us knew he wasn’t truly dead but he had no powers or body so we weren’t worried about him.’

‘Did he get his power back?’

‘Um, you could say that. It took years but he was able to perform magic again, that was after he got a sort of body. From what I found out he possessed things like snakes for years. But someone must have found him which is how he got a body. It’s not like our bodies. From what I was told it looked like a deformed child’s body.’

‘So he’s out there again?’

‘He was, but he was taken care of. I told you about Albus Dumbledore. He defeated Grindelwald. Well, with the help of a few people he was able to capture what was Voldemort and the death eater that was helping him. Because he didn’t technically die the first time, Albus worked out he used some type of dark ritual to keep his spirit on this plain and not move on to the afterlife. For months after he was captured Albus and the ones that helped him found the items which kept Voldemort from truly passing on. The moment the dark items were destroyed, Voldemort was sent through the death veil in the department of mysteries.’

‘So he is finally dead?’

‘Yes. Evan, why are you asking about this?’

Evan turned to stare out at the ocean, ‘I realised why I don’t go in the water.’

Sirius was confused. They went from talking about Voldemort to why Evan wouldn’t go swimming.

‘I’m confused and worried so just tell me what is going on.’

‘I realised why I don’t go in the water because I remember that Vernon Dursley tried to drown me. It got so bad for me that I couldn’t even have a bath, I only had showers,’ Evan slowly turned to face his father, or as he now remembered, his godfather, ‘I remember everything.’

‘We never told you the truth because we thought you would try to kill yourself again. We were so scared. When it looked like you would never remember we decided to just let Harry Potter rest in peace and give Evan Black the life he deserved.’

Evan nodded then moved over closer to Sirius, he wrapped his arms around him and held him tight.

‘Thank you…dad.’

Sirius sucked in a sharp breath then tightened his hold on his son. Evan/Harry wasn’t blaming them for keeping the truth from him. He realised they did it all for him.

As Evan, as that is who he was and who he wanted to be, held his father, he felt the love. All his life he wanted to feel the love from a parent. Even though his real parent’s were dead, he had a father now, one that gave up his life to give Evan the chance of a new life. Even though he now remembered his life as Harry, he would never again think of himself as that boy or the life Harry had lived. He had everything he wanted right here on this beautiful beach. He had family.