Chapter 3
Nanook arrives and gives them a little eyebrow raise before he was sighing and motioning the three wixen forward and towards his office where the rest of the Weasleys were.
“Harry! Hermione!” Molly Weasley beams and embraces her pseudo-children tightly. Ginny and Ron share an exasperated look, as the two groups moved to greet one another.
“Hello mother, nice to see you too,” Ron teases his mum who swats him from her place still hugging Harry.
Harry usually had issues with strangers touching him. He sometimes even flinched if Ron or Hermione moved towards him too fast. It didn’t happen often but when it did; Hermione and Ron always made sure to slow down and try to calm Harry down from his bouts of anxiety. He hated when he was touched without permission. But Mrs. Weasley had always been the exception to Harry's rules.
“Hi Mrs. Weasley,” Harry smiles, always soft for the women who showed him the most care in the world- after Hermione though of course. No one would ever come near Hermione’s place of importance in Harry’s life.
“Come, come inside dears. We’re just waiting for Bill and our solicitor.” Molly beams, wrapping her arms around all three of her troublemakers.
“But you could’ve used Harry’s and mine, Mrs. Weasley,” Hemione says as she takes a seat beside her brothers.
Molly simply shakes her head. “I would’ve yes, but the solicitor we’ve been using is family. He’d get very offended if we went with someone else at the last minute,” Ron seemed a bit confused over this, likely never having met the lawyer before.
“Oh, yes. Family is the most important thing.” Hermione nods sternly, her eyes growing a bit wary of this family member.
“How have things been?” Arthur asks, moving to stand behind his wife, as a pillar of comfort.
Hermione, Ron and Harry then proceed to rant, comforted by the fact that Ron’s family would never betray their trust. They told them about the reporters and the Ministry trying to get in their good graces and how Rita Skeeter had nearly been scorched to death by an irate Ron when her animagus form kept bugging them.
It hadn’t taken but a day to have the woman brought up on charges of stalking and minor exploitation. Because regardless of Harry’s emancipation, Hermione and Ron were certainly still considered minors in a court of law.
It was a couple minutes later when two men strolled inside and then absolute chaos erupted.
Hermione had been the first to move and Harry, Ginny and Ron followed her instantly, never second guessing their companion. She had the strange man disarmed and at wand point in seconds, with Ron doing the same to Bill and Harry casting a protective ward over the three of them and Ron’s parents. Ginny had cast a containment spell so strong it left her eldest brother stunned. It all ended with the two men being threatened by four wixen and multiple baffled onlookers. They'd always preferred the aspect of surprise to that of strength, because regardless of how powerful a wizard was, they could always be disarmed if taken off guard.
Harry was staring at Hermione whose eyes were set and her jaw was clenched.
“Antonin Dolohov,” She demands, “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t accio your eyeballs into my fucking hand right this second. I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt for Ron and Ginny’s sake,” Her voice was short and curt, eyes smouldering with rage.
“What the-” The redhead, most probably William Weasley, was gaping at them, looking like he barely even knew his baby siblings anymore.
Harry's eyes did in fact notice the way the death eater had shifted to stand in front of William, a hand grasping the other’s wrist tightly.
Ron was not faltering despite the horror-struck way his elder brother looked at him.
“Hermione!!” Molly squeaks, but wasn’t stupid enough to touch the traumatized children on the defensive. “They’re- they’re very much safe,” She stutters, just as shocked as the rest of them were.
“Yeah, no ,” Ginny drawls, wand never wavering as the magically draining containment ward drew on her magic. “We saw you at the Ministry,” Ginny snaps, not even looking at her eldest brother. “I was a centimeter off from blasting a reducto in your bloody face.” Ginny looked like the idea of missing the mark on this death’s eater’s timely murder was more annoying than anything she’d been through. Truly the goblin-based training all six of them had received over the years was the reason behind their increased bloodlust. The goblins took much pride in that fact.
“What!?” William demands, entirely alarmed, looking at his parents for assistance. The Weasley patriarch and matriarch looked just as horrified as their son.
“GINERVA WEASLEY!” Molly shrieks her eyes wide.
“It's kill or be killed, mum,” Ron deadpans and was gazing at the death eater, analyzing what he could see. The way the man hovered in front of his brother was extremely telling. It also didn’t help that Bill was clutching the man closer to him, his brother’s panic hidden to all but him and that Dolohov man perhaps.
Ron could also sense a heightened level of anxiety in his best friend, that wasn’t usually present when Harry was fighting. It was honestly terrifying how calm Harry could be when dark spells were on his lips and knives were twirling in between his fingers.
From his peripheral vision, Harry kept glancing between Bill and Dolohov, a slight look of confusion on his face appearing for a second before his expression flattened out.
Ron didn’t know much about what his elder brothers got up to. He didn’t know the details but when they wrote to him -if they ever did, he was the forgotten sixth son after all….nothing special- he only got a general overview of what was going on in their lives.
“Is he your mate Bill?” Ron asks, voice cutting. His brother blinks a bit before glaring.
“Yes, he’s my bonded dominant Ron, so stand down!” Bill demands, trying to move forward but the grip his mate had on Bill’s wrist tightens, and it makes the eldest Weasley come to a standstill, staring up at the very tall man in confusion.
“Hmmm in that case brother, apologies in advance,” Ron drawls and the second he finishes speaking his friends move. Hermione and Harry have their wands aimed at William now and Ginny and Ron keep their wands on Dolohov, seeing as their brother was a major conflict of interest.
Ron wasn’t the only one who was suspicious of the way the two in front of them were behaving. Ron suspected some sort of mental link or connection, and seeing how Harry and Hermione both had their eyes narrowed, he believed his friends thought the same.
“What the fuck ,” Bill whispers. He had never been so blindsided in his life. And why were these kids, two of which were his siblings, acting like soldiers? There was no hesitation in any of their moves and it was battle confidence that Bill had to have trained in him for years before he could have.
“Ahem-“ A goblin coughs and Bill almost has another aneurysm because that was Ragnok, one of the most lethal, intelligent and terrifying solicitors in the industry. Even his mate had admitted to admiring the goblin on more than one occasion. “If the young heirs and young lord could please calm down, this can all be explained rather easily.”
“Ragnok,” Hermione says in a sickly sweet voice that made some apprehension show on the normally emotionless goblin.
“Heiress Dagworth-Granger,” Ragnok responds with a polite nod and Bill felt like his entire world was shifting on its axis, both at the very much extinct noble name and the way the goblins seemed to respect the group in front of him. Well goblins did only seem to respect strong warriors. The stronger the better in their opinion.
A knife was drawn from her sleeve and the girl whirls on her heel, the knife pointed threateningly at Ragnok who looked like this was an everyday event. It was a flawless move, practiced and efficient.
“Did you betray us?” She asks calmly. But the way her eyes blazed in anger promised pain depending on the answer.
Whereas Hermione was the best at hand-to-hand combat, and as such was utterly terrifying in any duel she was challenged to, Harry took more to impalement arts. Regardless of how far the target was, he hit the dead center every bloody time. At the Ministry there were quite a couple people found with daggers impaled in their eyes. It didn’t help that the seemingly harmless Potter Lord could actually perform creation magicks at an expert level. Harry liked creating daggers from nothing and throwing them at people. Ginny found it hilarious.
Ronald was their strategic mind. Nothing happened around him that he couldn’t detect beforehand or plan to evade. As such the three, who had been trained by goblins, were known to be a lethal team and as such, intelligent creatures were always wary of lethal beings. Case in point, the careful looks Nanook and Ragnok were giving them.
Antonin was very much intrigued by the way the four seemed to mould and meld, each person’s action resulting in someone else’s in such an elegant and normal manner, Antonin would have suspected they'd formed a mating legion had they been older. The Potter and Weasley boy had moved the second the girl did and moved to stand in front of her, defending her sudden blind spot. The Weasley heiress had stepped back to defend the girl’s other side and the boys’ backs. Her gaze remained heavy on him.
Antonin was rarely caught off guard and this whole event was as shockingly impressive as it was amusing.
“The goblin nation does not betray its friends,” Ragnok says loudly, eyes never wavering. His own walking stick had turned to a sword as per their customs towards a potential dueling request.
Hermione raised a brow, and Harry was almost fed up at this point.
“Let the man speak, Hermione,” Harry murmurs and Hermione straightens immediately, with an instant hum of acknowledgment.
Antonin's gaze narrows on that, finding Potter's command over them interesting.
“Understood,” She replies to Harry and then Ragnok was sighing.
“The man is one of a few employed by the goblins and the Ministry to be a spy. The Unspeakables required informants to record Voldemort's movements and any obscure magicks used on the dark side in order for them to retaliate as needed,” Ragnok explains purposely leaving out what the Goblins needed spies for. The teenagers knew they wouldn’t really get an answer to that question though.
“Proof,” Ginny demands and Bill decides that this was his life now and it was fine. His siblings and their friends were obviously traumatized and he’d had no clue what was going on. Bill felt a flash of guilt, he should’ve been in England, here, with them. He should’ve protected them so that Ron and Ginny who used to look up at him with wide eyes of happy innocence wouldn’t be glaring so coldly at him now. Both sides were unrecognizable by the other.
Ragnok blinks before sighing and whispering something to Nanook who walks out of the office quickly.
He returns only seconds later with papers. Hermione was the one to move up and examine the parchments, still protected by Harry and Ron who had moved with her, step by step.
Hermione grimaces once, before she slaps the papers down, and gives a terse bow to Ragnok who replies with a similar bow.
“Dolohov is clear,” She states and at her words, Bill watches the three children calm in seconds, retreating to their comfortable stances and acting like the whole thing hadn’t occurred. Bill hadn’t realized how intense the aura of magic that had been aimed at the two of them until he was able to breathe properly again. Harry Potter had brought out his magical aura so inconspicuously, neither Bill nor Antonin, judging by his mate’s obvious shock in their bond, had noticed until the Potter boy’s magic had retreated back into the confines of his body.
God damn the kid was powerful.
No wonder the goblins had felt intimidated enough to get Ragnok of all people in the room, if not working for the boy.
Not if he had enough magical prowess to make his magical aura as invisible as it was currently. One would think the Potter heir to be nay more than a squib if Bill and Antonin hadn’t experienced what they had. Pure unadulterated pressure, that was what they had felt. And it had been aimed at their lungs specifically. Potter’s magic had been stopping the give and take of oxygen so slightly, they probably wouldn’t have noticed until they had been forced to attack and then it would’ve been too late to act.
Bill walks towards his mother, eyes sort of unseeing in his upset state. Antonin was much the same but kept a steady arm around his fellow dominant mate, refusing to allow Bill to take a single step away from him. The bonds between their other mates were tightly strung like a stiff bowstring. It was painful to endure but Bill was silent as Antonin took the reins in trying to calm their mates down from raiding the only magical bank in Britain.
The fact that Bill and Antonin had almost been attacked wasn’t something their mates were really okay with. And it seemed as if Antonin was trying to calm down their top dominant enough so that he wouldn’t send someone after them.
“Sorry Bill. We had to make sure,” Ron muses, seeming not at all sorry. It seemed Ginny had seen the brief flash of anger, hurt and confusion on her elder brother’s face because she sighs, crossing her legs at the knee. She gave her brother an irritated look.
“There’s only so many times one can almost die before they start to defend themselves,” Ginny states, trying not to grumble. She felt like a child under her brother’s gaze.
Bill’s whole face shuttered in horror before it went entirely blank. “What!?” He hisses, his glare turning on his parents who appeared just as stunned. “What do you mean by that, Ginny? Why did no one tell me anything? Ron?” He whirls on his younger brother who gives Bill a weird look. Ron was glancing warily between his brother, Hermione and Harry. Because Harry was acting weird and Hermione had that look in her eye. It was a look that meant Hermione knew something they didn’t and she didn’t like it one bit.
“Ron!” Bill exclaims trying to get his brother’s attention. Ron sighs, moving to stand up, watching from his peripheral vision as Hermione lunges to grab Harry by the arm and settles him beside her.
“Bill, I don’t know why you’re so shocked. Why do you think we’re suing the school?” He asks, raising a brow at the eldest Weasley who flounders at being confronted head-on.
“Is- Isn’t it because Ginny was possessed by a cursed item in her first year?”
Ginny makes a so-so motion with her hand. “That’s only partially why,” Ginny answers and Bill turns to look at his mate. The man who had accompanied Bill remains silent but the way their eyes flickered made the hypothesis that they could communicate mentally all the more possible.
Harry stares almost blandly at the scene in front of him. The potential fight hadn't been a big deal to him. Fighting was normal. He’d been fighting his entire life so it wasn’t anything new.
But the way his whole stomach had dropped the second he laid eyes on the two men in front of him, made layers and layers of uncontrollable nerves build up in his chest. He was confused but it was okay because Hermione had that look in her eyes, the one that said she knew what was going on. So he’d have answers as soon as they were alone.
They were very handsome men. Antonin Dolohov, the death eater spy, had soft brown hair in hues that could soothe just about anyone who glanced upon it. His eyes were much the same, hooded, mysterious and similar to coffee beans in color, a seemingly rich brown that hardened to the darkest of blacks when he was threatened. Dolohov also had bloody massive muscled arms. He had a slightly long face with an extremely chiseled jaw and neatly combed mustache on his upper lip. The man was handsome and massively tall- basically a huge wall of muscle. Harry wondered who needed that much muscle, although the eldest Weasley seemed just as muscular albeit much more lithe. William Weasley was tall, thin, absolutely gorgeous, with bright blue eyes and had red hair like the rest of the Weasleys. Harry had never seen eyes that shade of blue before and it was akin to staring at a bright, sunny sky. He wore his hair long and it was up in a clumsy ponytail. Instead of the fancy robes Dolohov was wearing, the eldest Weasley was wearing robes made from dragon-hide, a consequence of his job, Harry was sure.
Harry could tell with a mere glance that they were magically powerful. They had a heavy magical aura that surrounded them, around Dolohov more so than the eldest Weasley. In a battle against the two, Harry was certain they would win, given their surprise attack and the containment wards Ginny was so good at casting. However, if one-on-one, with a battle on fair and equal footing, Dolohov would decimate them. Harry knew creature and magical inheritances made one’s power almost double in strength and the magical abilities he had now were nothing to scoff at. But he could always do better…be better. That way no one could hurt him again.
Ragnok stands, causing all eyes to turn to him. “Duke Dolohov, the case files are here. Please make sure to inform yourself of the general aspects of this case, as it will be a part of a much larger case. One that Lord Potter-Black is leading.” Ragnok nods at the young lord who gives him one right back, bright green eyes hard. Harry blinked at the mention of Dolohov’s title. That was a surprise.
If it surprised Dolohov and the eldest Weasley that the Potter child had taken on his lordships so early, neither man said a word.
“We came to get interviewed regarding the events of second year. Will that still be happening?” Harry asks, eyes on Ragnok who nods. “Indeed. Once Solicitor Dolohov has finished we can interview you one by one. Your witness reports will be vital in this case.” Ragnok muses and Harry blinks in surprise when Dolohov shuts the case file with a loud slap.
“Well then, shall we begin?” Dolohov muses to the surprise of all but his mate who rolls his eyes. William Weasley still looked halfway to a panic attack but he still gave a shaky smile. “Ant has natural occlumency shields. It’s given him a photographic memory,” The redhead explains, seeing as his parents were curious as well.
It was awkwardly silent for a couple seconds before Bill started whispering frantically with his parents. Harry eyes him for a second before he turns and his eyes clash with Dolohov’s. It felt like he was punched in the gut. Harry blinks, tilting his head in confusion at the feeling but Dolohov seemed to watch him, just as intrigued in him as Harry was in the Duke.
Harry makes sure not to react when Antonin moves to follow Ginny and Ragnok out of the room at the goblin’s beckoning. Harry prepares himself for a long wait, his mind swirling with possibilities. The way Hermione’s grip seemed borderline obsessively protective, Harry had a feeling she’d come to same conclusions he just had.
It was weird. There was something between the three that made Harry wonder if there was some sort of spell cast. But no, there was no signs of the clunky dark miasma of an imperio, nor was there the suffocatingly sweet scent of a love potion or spell. Having mage senses heightened by the goblin’s and Black training, curtesy of Kreacher and grandma Walburga, made detecting spells easy. It also made warding, the act of creating wards and even teaching warding to others all the more simple. The act came quicker to Harry than breathing now. And as such, he shared his knowledge and expertise with his most trusted friends.
Most of the things they knew were often shared between the three. There wasn’t anything selfish about the skills they had. It was all shared. Like Harry’s wandless magic, his mage sight, Hermione’s keen intellect and duelling prowess and Ron’s skills in not only strategy, but his high affinity for blood magicks and blood runes.
So it was because of this, that Harry could tell there were almost invisible ropes between the three of them, the ropes were just firmer, sturdier and thicker between Dolohov and Weasley. The ropes were almost potential between the three and now Harry wasn't stupid. Hermione had spent ages teaching him just how smart he could be. Well she’d done that, all the while cursing the Dursleys up and down, due to her suspicions that had never been confirmed, but that memory always amused Harry and kind of scared him. Hermione Dagworth-Granger could be downright terrifying when she wanted to be.
Harry knew he’d almost undergone a creature inheritance at the ministry. He knew Hermione had managed to suppress it given Harry would have actually died if his inheritance had come in while they were in the middle of Horcrux-annihilating dark, blood-based ritual.
Hermione hadn’t suppressed it entirely. That would have killed him. It was more like she was able to postpone his inheritance to a later date. So maybe what he was seeing and feeling right now were potential mating bonds? At least that was what he could deduce.
Harry knew who he’d be avoiding now, once his inheritance finally settled.
Ginny had returned skipping over to the three of them. Her eyes were almost manic in their concealed anger and she took the spot beside Harry, the one Ron had emptied for his younger sibling. It seemed the youngest Weasley wasn’t in the mood to talk much except to say that the lawyers wanted to talk to her parents next. Molly and Arthur stand slowly, and Molly comes to give her two youngest kids a warm hug that is reciprocated. The Weasley elders leave the room and everything goes silent again as they all wait for their turn next.
A tiny wiggle in the helm of his robe sleeve, makes his eyes flicker over to where his baby familiar was resting. The little one had hatched much too early and had bonded instantly to Harry as the first being it had laid it’s eyes on. The bond had only latched onto Harry due to his ability as a Parsletongue. The baby was still clueless about anything and everything. Basil could barely even speak to him. And yes he named his baby Basilisk, Basil. Harry had panicked okay? It didn’t help that Ron had laughed so hard at it, he’d started full-out crying. Funny thing was that Ron absolutely adored Basil and treated the tiny snake like one would their own child.
Since Basil was a baby Basilisk, the little one couldn’t control his abilities at all. And since the snake came to the size of a couple inches, Basil never left Harry’s side, wound around Harry’s wrist as if he was a bracelet. Hermione had said the sound of Harry’s pulse likely lulled the baby to sleep. Basil couldn’t really kill anyone with his sight just yet, but his venom could. They’d had to check using a couple of rats and it gave Ron some unhinged pleasure watching all the rats die. Ron despised Peter Pettigrew almost as much as Harry did.
Basil’s gaze could only stun so far. And it lasted a couple hours before it faded. Luna had made the baby a little, red bandana that Basil wore around his eyes. Harry was immune to Basil's gaze as they were bonded but Basil was still dangerous to everyone else.
“Is Basil alright?” Ginny murmurs, after Ron had stepped up in front of the three and Hermione’s privacy ward shot out of her fingers lazily.
Harry rolls his eyes but props up his legs on his chair, allowing for a bit of hidden space right under his knees and near his chest.
::Is my Harry okay?::
Basil’s tiny head pokes out from Harry’s sleeve and Ginny has to smother a squeal. Hermione’s face softens when she sees the snake. Basil was their common child. It wasn’t uncommon to find Hermione singing the ABC’s quietly under her breath late at night, in an effort to teach the snake how to understand English. She’d even read little children’s books to Basil, who loved curling up in the crook of her neck by her pulse point. Or even Ron, holding Basil calmly by the middle as he taught the Basilisk how to play chess and let Basil even practice his little attacks on the live chess pieces. Ginny had taken to trying to teach the snake spells ever since she realized Basilisks could absorb magic spells cast at them. She believed the magic had to go somewhere and had been using the wandless teachings Harry had taught them all prior in an attempt to heighten the young snake. It hadn't worked so far.
::I’m okay. Did you have a nice nap Basil?:: Harry hissed quietly at the snake who was all but beaming at his human.
::Basil nap was good::
“Harry, if I kill you, do you think the familiar bond will snap to me?” Ginny honestly asks, using her pinky to tickle Basil under his snout.
Hermione sighs, grumbling under her breath, “I would’ve done that already if the bond worked like that,”
Harry snorts at his friends, “I feel so loved,” He chuckles, but he understands their plight. Basil was very cute.
“He’s been sleeping a lot lately,” Hermione muses after giving him a soft flick for his sass, “Do his magic levels look alright?”
Harry eyes his snake consideringly. Basil lit up like an excited lightbulb, from all the excess magic he was siphoning from Harry. “He’s okay, He’s still a baby you know. Babies sleep a lot,” Harry tells Hermione whose eyes flickered dangerously for a second. Great, she was going to end up buying so many books on baby snakes now.
::My Harry, okay?:: Harry would’ve kissed Basil’s snout if they’d been alone but he still pats the little one on his head as gently as he could. Hermione was teaching Basil manners, it appeared.
::I’m okay. Thank you for asking. I love you Basil,::
::Love? Hmmm… Basil loves his Harry too:: Yeah they were still working on his words. It was going okay though. Basil gives a tiny yawn that has Ginny nearly seizing from how adorable it was.
::Basil sleep now:: Basil nods and then goes and wounds himself back around Harry’s wrist.
“I seriously hate you for finding Basil first,” Ginny pouts, making Harry laugh.
“Don’t be dumb. He could only bond with me because I’m a Parseltongue,” He murmurs, gently petting Basil to sleep and casting a warming charm on his sleeve, to keep the baby warm.
The privacy wards go down and Ron moves to sit at Harry and Hermione’s feet, uncaring of the glances he receives from his brother.
“Alright?” He asks and the three of them nod, making a wide grin spread on Ron’s face.
“This is not normal,” Bill demands as he gets up, stalking towards the four of them. “What is going on!? I’ve only been gone two years and got back a couple months ago.” Bill pleads, dragging his chair closer to where Ginny was.
“It’s the trauma, Bill. You’re going to have to deal.” Ginny says flatly. “You weren’t here and we don’t blame you for it, you had work, your inheritance and your mateship all to deal with. We had to grow up you know,”
The redhead looked devastated, reaching out hesitantly to grab Ginny’s hand who latches onto it. Ron does the same when he offers. “I’m sorry I didn’t know,” Bill croaks, engulfing the two into his arms. Hermione and Harry watch Ginny melt into the arms of her elder brother. Ron didn’t, but he did pat Bill’s back twice, a sign of the forgiveness Bill never asked for.
The three separate before Ron stands slightly and smiles, “Bill these are my bestest friends in the world, Hermione Dagworth-Granger and Harry Potter,” Ron introduces them to one another in an attempt to start over.
“Well met,” The pair say with respective wizarding curtsies and bows. Bill straightens at the welcome of a Heiress and Lord of multiple houses.
“Well met, Lord Potter-Black, Heiress Dagworth-Granger. I am Lord Weasley proxy Prewitt.” Bil states. The titles he held were surprising but the two hid it well.
Harry had thought Mr.Weasley had retained the Lordship, but it seemed as if it’d been passed on. Harry wasn’t the only one who thought so though, seeing as his best friend was gaping at his brother.
“Since when!?” Ron demands and it made Ginny and Bill laugh. Hermione and Harry managed to hide their amusement at the last second.
“Since I decided to take it on. It was just sitting there you know. Dad isn’t one for politics and neither are the twins so they made me their proxy.” Bill explains and Ginny’s eyes narrow in thought.
“The twins are both Lord Prewitt right? Because of the magical twin inheritance rule?” She asks and Ginny seriously must’ve grown in her brother’s eyes, if the impressed look Bill gave her was any indication. Bill would likely have a stroke if he discovered the extent of knowledge Ginny had now.
“That's right,” Bill muses, a hand ruffling Ginny’s hair like it was a habit. It must’ve been too, because Ginny would have cut Ron’s hand off if he did that to her.
Bill looked up, a gentle smile on his face, his eyes meeting Harry’s. And there it was again, that invisible thread. Harry looked away immediately, his gaze falling to Hermione, because those sky-blue eyes looked much too curious for comfort.
Harry never thought he’d be grateful to hear Molly Weasley’s shrieks of anger. If her children were any indication, you never wanted to get a Weasley mad; bad things would happen as a result.
“How DARE you insinuate I was neglectful of my children!!” Molly was screaming and Ron sighs.
“Well she was,” He grumbles and plops down in the chair Harry had been in prior. “Someone is bound to get left behind with all the kids she has,”
“Ron,” Ginny warns, eyes flickering warily to Bill and back.
But all Bill does is smile sadly, “It’s okay. I know what you mean. I’m the oldest you know.” He says like that was enough of an explanation and maybe it was. Harry had heard how the eldest children, and only children usually had much more stress and anxiety due to all their parents' hopes being placed on them. It was really sad to see sometimes.
Dolohov strolled inside, looking slightly annoyed and Harry had no clue why he could see said annoyance, seeing as the man’s face was entirely emotionless. “Bill, love, could you come take care of your mother. Ragnok looks ready to kill her,”
Harry almost flinches at the man’s pet-name for Bill and he swallows heavily, suddenly just wanting to go home. Bill heaves out a sigh before walking towards his mate with a sheepish grin, the two disappearing around the corner.
“What’s going on?” Ron snaps the second they were out of earshot. Hermione scowls at him, before placing up a privacy ward.
Hermione and Harry stare at one another before Hermione sighs at Harry’s allowance and she explains. “I suppressed Harry’s inheritance at the Ministry, you know. So we think it’s his creature side acting up. They could be his potential mates.” Hermione states, crossing her arms with a huff and Ron’s eyes widen in surprise.
“Wasn’t expecting that,” Ginny drawls, leaning back in her chair. She was all of a sudden munching on an apple she’d pulled out of literally nowhere.
“I can sense the sarcasm and I don’t appreciate it Ginny,” Harry grumbles, making his friend crackle.
“Harry, it’s the Potter luck you know. You need to expect the unexpected. I would have thought you got that by now,” Ginny answers, devouring her apple. Harry glares at her making Hermione snicker.
“Well Bill is a good guy, you know.” Ron nods, “He’ll take care of you at least,” Ron murmurs, making Harry’s face light up red.
“Ron, shut up!” Harry demands, smacking the boy on the shoulder.
“What!? It’s true!” Ron grins back.
“I’m not telling anyone anything. I’m not being with anyone right now. I just want to get through school,” Harry demands. “I might even transfer to Beauxbatons, you know. Fleur and Gabrielle invited me,” He perked up at the thought. A normal school semester for once. He could even study properly and not have to take most of his exams in secret like how he did most of his O.W.Ls here at Gringotts, seeing as Dumbledore had wanted him dumb and subdued. He did his O.W.Ls in Runes, Arithmancy, Dark magicks, Light magicks, spell-crafting, and wizarding history. He needed most of those O.W.Ls if he wanted to take all the N.E.W.Ts he did. He had no clue what he wanted to do in the future, but he was very good at spell creation and enchantments, so perhaps something to do with that.
There had been so many compulsions and potions on Harry and his friends, the goblins had been furious. The healers had been stunned they were even still functioning under all of it. They believed it was due to their uninherited creature sides that they all survived so long - especially Harry.
“Beauxbatons?” Hermione asks and then thinks on it for a second, “Hmmm they’re not as fickle-minded as in Britain and they do practice the dark arts. It could be good.” She says seriously thinking about it.
“It might knock those elitist arseholes down a peg or two, seeing their beloved heroes leave Britain,” Ginny looked delighted.
Hermione must’ve heard people returning because the privacy ward came down and she started discussing how her O.W.Ls went, even giving some advice to Ginny who looked disgusted at the mere mention of the horrid exams.
“Ragnok apologizes and mentions that due to some unseemly circumstances, your witness reports shall be postponed to tomorrow,” Antonin Dolohov repeats in a monotone voice. The man seemed entirely annoyed and completely done for the day.
Harry had never gotten up faster. “Sounds fine. Good day Duke Dolohov,” Harry says, giving the Lord of house a courtesy wizarding bow before speeding out of the bank. It had gotten too suffocating in there and his chest kept twinging in pain. He didn’t like it at all.
Hermione followed after him, just as fast, trying to hold in her giggles. “Harry!” She chortles, “I’ve never seen you move so quickly before,” She snickers, “The poor man was baffled,”
Harry sends an unamused sneer at her, “The whole thing was suffocating and I need a nap,”
“I swear you’re worse than Basil sometimes mate,” Ron waves a hand towards Harry’s wrist and Harry scowls.
“Don’t be rude. Both Harry and Basil are adorable,” Ginny tries to squeeze Harry’s cheeks which he just swats away.
“You owe me some ice-cream Weaslette,” Harry points to Ginny who snorts.
“As long as you eat anything, I’ll buy you all the food you want,”
Harry’s eyes narrow, his mouth twisting in distaste but he whirls around to illegally apparate home… and ends up smacking straight into someone’s chest.
“Ow,” Harry grumbles, hand clutching his nose and Basil hisses in distaste.
“Apologies, apologies,” A gruff voice genuinely says, the man’s arms had gone up and around Harry, one arm wound around Harry’s waist and the other grasping his wrist. Harry was held tight, likely to prevent him from falling because the man in front of him was just as buff as Dolohov -if not more- and with Harry being unhealthily underweight, he would’ve definitely hurt something from the fall.
Harry glances up, nose red and screwed up in annoyance. But his whole mouth dries at the face in front of him. It wasn’t just any face either - it was the face of a god. Surely, Harry was dead now because no human could be this beautiful. This person definitely had creature blood. There was no doubt about it.
He was definitely male as his muscular arms wrapped around Harry's waist and pulled him against a strong chest. Strong cheekbones, a straight nose, and a powerful jaw defined his face's physical features. His lips were soft and generous, full petal-soft lips, and he had long eyelashes that framed striking aqua, blue eyes. It helped to counterbalance the harsh angles of his face. The man’s hair was long, silky smooth, and a striking, deep auburn color. It seemed to float in the air around him making him all the more ethereal. Harry didn’t know how said hair was floating but it was. Maybe it was an enchantment; like how Snape’s cloak was always so fluttery and Dumbledore’s stupid eyes seemed to twinkle. Harry was aware of how wide his eyes were and he didn’t find it in him to hide his stunned state.
Piercing blue eyes stared into his own for a long moment and Harry couldn’t actually breathe because all the breath was sucked out of Harry’s lungs. Harry blinked, shaking his head. He was very, very confused at his reaction. The man seemed to cradle him with a gentleness that belied his muscular build. Harry swallowed heavily as the man gently released him back towards his friends who were almost as enthralled as Harry was. Ron latches onto Harry tightly, moving them backwards.
“It’s- It’s alright,” Harry finally manages to say but a loud shout was heard from the direction of the bank.
“Kosul, over here love,” It was Dolohov and Bill and Harry whirls away, tugging Ron after him, with a face so red, Harry was getting annoyed at how hot it suddenly became.
“Never coming back here, I swear to merlin,” Harry grumbles while Ron struggles not to laugh.
“Mate, that was one stunning guy though. You were staring for a solid minute,” Ron snickers, and bursts out laughing when Harry punches him in the chest.
“Arse,” Harry grumbles and decides to apparate home without them.
“Awww Harry come on!” Ron was still laughing even after Harry’s disappearance. But Ron kind of wanted to beat those three men up now that he was thinking hard about it.
Harry had placed Basil in his incubator, and tucked him all warm and snug in the blanket he’d knitted for his snake. After years of being cold and undressed, he finally learnt to knit. After he’d realized his new clothes were surprisingly sturdy and warm, it registered in him that he’d been actually enchanting the items he knitted with his magic. It’d become especially helpful when he still lived at the Dursleys and had to repair Dudley’s old clothes again and again.
The blanket had Harry’s magic entwined in it and Basil loved it. It helped Harry immensely, because he wouldn’t risk Basil if he was doing anything dangerous and Basil still couldn’t go an hour without Harry, otherwise he’d die from withdrawals.
So Harry fed his snake parts of tiny frozen rats and then put Basil down for another nap. Basil would be up and active more during the evening and night.
He managed to shower and change, before walking over to Hedwig and giving his familiar a couple treats, kisses and headpats. Hedwig proceeded to piggy-back on top of Harry’s head, while he made some tea, trying to erase all memories of the day from his mind. Every time he thought of it, he cringed.
And every time he cringed, Hedwig would peck him on the head. She was one of his familiars after all and could understand him wholly.
It was so embarrassing! Why couldn’t he have acted normal and not stared like a stalker?! Although they were staring just as much so that helped ease the sting of self-consciousness he was feeling.
The whole situation was so weird and he didn’t know why he was so drawn to the three men. Maybe they were potential mates for his creature side, but Harry had more control than that.
He’d just avoid them all. That was the best plan for now.
At least he hoped it was.
His sleep was almost nonexistent. He couldn’t sleep at all, and kept waking up. Nightmares plagued his sleep and even Hedwig had been concerned. His sleep had been getting better, slowly but surely. Today was probably one of his bad nights and it sucked.
He sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes and groaned. He felt nauseous from the lack of sleep and his whole body ached with muscle pains. Harry shoves the blankets off of him, moving Basil away from his place around Harry’s neck. The baby moved around so much in his sleep, Harry was always afraid of hurting him. Even when Harry put Basil in his incubator. Basil always preferred to spend the nights with him.
He plants a little kiss on Basil’s head, soothing away Basil’s whine of distress. He places the snake gently on his blanket before stumbling to the washroom.
His eyes were bloodshot and his hair had puffed up like crazy. He looked insane and Harry was not about to brave the intensity one would need to be able to deal with his bird nest of hair.
He stared at his face sullenly for a second ignoring the magical mirror telling him he looked like shite.
Harry turns on the facet, gathering enough water in his palms to splash water on his face. He looks up and nearly ascends out of his body from the absolute terror-shock he gets. His eyes were flickering; back and forth from an avada green to an actual glowing emerald.
Before Harry could even swear out in confusion, a ripple of pain shot through his whole body.
Harry doubled over, hands clutching his stomach. He curls into himself, choking on a pained scream. It had come out of absolutely nowhere. Tears ran down his face and Harry had to stop himself from cursing up a storm because his inheritance was making itself known. It was refusing to be suppressed any longer.
He was hot, so hot, and the pain was blinding. He couldn’t see anything other than white. It was all consuming and Harry’s mouth opened in a soundless scream. He could sense Hedwig flying into the washroom, in a ball of nerves and feathers.
Tears flowed freely down his face, and an inhuman cry ripped from his lips. Harry felt a heavy cloud of magic descending on him. It was thick and suffocating and so, so, cold. Shivers wracked through his body, the heat disappearing and being replaced with a cold so freezing it actually burnt.
Harry’s body contracted violently but all Harry could do was lie there, and take the pain. ‘Just another beating, just another beating…’ He repeated again and again in his head. Tears ran down his face, with little whines and whimpers falling from his lips. He couldn’t use his voice as it had gone hoarse a while ago from crying out.
It took Harry ages before the pain was suddenly too much for him to take and he passed out.
It felt like it’d been hours, but someone was embracing him tightly and there was beautiful sad and mournful trills sounding in his ear. Harry groaned heavily and turned his head, eyes filling with beautiful, artistic flames. “Fawkes?” Harry asks and then realized he hadn’t been able to say it out loud. All that had come out of Harry was a disgruntled chirp.
“Hello Harry.” Fawkes spoke into Harry’s mind and Harry was prepared to freak the bloody hell out. Because Fawkes was talking to him and Harry was certainly dead. His inheritance had killed him.
Fawkes winces at the thought, “Well you could say that, yes. But as you are a creature, you have become immortal, Harry. For creatures only physical attacks may kill them. And it is even the same for Phoenixes, but when we molt we die and then come back to life again, thus is the cycle of rebirth.” Fawkes explains gently, nudging Harry with his beak. Harry suddenly realizes that he was tiny, like centimeters tall tiny and he was staring up at Fawkes. Fawkes was huge!
The phoenix seems to laugh and the centuries old bird was holding Harry in between his large stunning wings that Harry could stare at for ages and ages. His eyes were wide in awe and Fawkes laughs again.
“Thank you young one. The compliments to my feathers bring me pride,” He says. “Now, you must get up. A nice warm bath will do your sore muscles nicely,”
Fawkes nudges him forward again and Harry hops slightly, realizing he had turned into a baby phoenix. Looking around the entire bathroom and his bedroom was engulfed in glaciers and glaciers of ice. Huge swooping icicles impaled furniture and Harry pales a little at the amount of destruction he sees.
“My familiars! Basil and Hedwig won’t survive in the cold!” Harry squawks in horror trying to hurry to his familiars.
Fawkes grabs him by the scruff of his neck and flies up and towards the sink, which fills with scalding hot water with a glance from the elder phoenix. “Your familiars are fine. I transported Hedwig and little Basil and his incubator to another room. They will remain safe until you learn to transform back.”
Harry relaxes only to chirp in distress when Fawkes literally drops him into the sink, and almost lets him drown.
Harry sputters, moving his tiny feet to get to the surface. He is bombarded by Fawkes tossing in a soap bar that Harry could use as a stand. Harry shoots the bird a glare, “You could have killed me!”
“Don’t be silly of course not,” Fawkes scoffs then softens, “I’m sorry I couldn’t have been there for your inheritance. I only sensed there was a new phoenix who needed help after your transformation,” Fawkes was truly apologetic but Harry didn’t see why. Fawkes hadn’t known Harry would be a phoenix. It wasn’t his fault. “Thank you, young one. But you are only a chick and a phoenix inheritance is rare for a reason. Barely anyone survives through the transformation. The ones that do, usually have an elder phoenix there to help. It usually mitigates nearly all the pain,” Fawkes sounded heartbroken and the truth shocked Harry enough that he grew silent, a lump growing in his throat.
Harry slumps to a seat on the bar of soap, his featherless wings drooping. “Oh,” Harry says softly.
“I am here now, chick. And I’ll teach you everything I know,” He tells Harry soothingly, a wing coming down to gently settle on Harry’s small head, an offer of comfort.
“Thank you Fawkes,”
Harry and Fawkes worked together to get Harry back to his human form. Fawkes told him after a molt he should only show his phoenix form to those he absolutely trusted as it was then Harry would be his most vulnerable.
Harry stares at his reflection in the mirror, a tad horrified and very much in shock. His face was clearer than it had ever been before, pure white skin that was nearly glowing. And Harry’s hair had become the smoothest of silk, running down his back all the way till his waist. Fawkes was snickering off to the side and Harry clenched his eyes shut, hoping this was all some sort of nightmare. He was exhausted and honestly just wanted to sleep.
Harry grabbed one of the headbands Hermione used whenever she slept over and simply stuffed his hair into it best he could.
“That is such a crime….your lovely hair…” Fawkes was judging him so hard for randomly stuffing his newly acquired headache into the messiest of hairstyles. Harry didn’t really care though. It had taken ages to turn back to his human form and then ages more to make the featherless wings he had on his back disappear into his body, which was one of the most painful things he’d ever had to do. His fingernails had been transformed into talons that had annoyed Harry so much, Fawkes had been forced to help Harry get rid of them temporarily so that he wouldn’t keep scratching himself.
Harry stared around warily, “So I'm basically an Ice Phoenix?” He asks, already knowing he was but just needing the confirmation. Two whole rooms had just experienced the ice-age, if he wasn’t an ice phoenix there was something wrong.
Fawkes hums in agreement. Since Harry wasn’t a phoenix anymore, he didn’t have to speak in his head for Fawkes to understand him. He could just speak normally, and Fawkes would answer him as usual.
“Those icicles are filled to the brim with magical energy though. You’ll either want to destroy them, ward them drastically or set them aside in a blood-based vault. Even the smallest of those icicles will be worth thousands of galleons when they reach room temperature. They won’t melt like normal ice. They’ll become magic crystals.”
Ah. Harry had just become a millionaire again. Lovely.
“That is slightly concerning,” Harry says slowly, eyeing up the actual glacier of ice that was almost five times the size Harry was.
“That magic crystal specifically could potentially go for fifty million galleons, wizarding currency,” Fawkes looked impressed despite himself. “It seems, Harry, that you become one of the rarest phoenixes alive. A magical ice phoenix. I myself am a normal fire phoenix, you see. So you can imagine my shock, yes?”
“Fawkes, I don’t think there is anything normal about you,” Harry admits, making the bird laugh.
“Thank you Harry,”
With Fawkes telling him to leave his sudden fortune alone until he ate and had a nap, Harry hurried out of the rooms to find his beloved familiars.
The second he opened the door, a distressed and furious Hedwig descended on him. The owl landed on his shoulder, hooting her displeasure and pecking at his head, showing him just how worried she’d been.
Harry engulfs his friend in a hug, whispering apology after apology, trying to soothe her ruffled feathers.
Basil slithers up Harry and Hedwig’s forms using scent to distinguish where he was going. ::You scared Basil. Please don’t leave Basil,:: Basil’s voice was shaking and Harry was shocked to see the snake trembling in fear. Basil slithered up Harry’s shoulders and wound tightly around Harry’s neck, refusing to leave. Not that Harry wanted that, he simply sat with his familiars, gently caressing them, hugging them close.
They didn’t move away from Harry for a long, long time.
Harry woke up in bed. Hedwig was asleep majestically on top of his head and Basil was resting in the crook of his throat.
Fawkes was standing guard to the side, resting on a perch that Harry had no idea where it even came from.
Harry extracted himself gently from his familiars, casting a quick tempus. It seemed like his inheritance had occurred early in the night because it was around eleven in the morning right now, which was later than Harry usually got up. But Luna was always saying that Harry needed more sleep. And no one ever ignored Luna’s advice. That would be the height of idiocy.
Harry wrinkles his nose as he stares in the mirror. He didn’t need glasses anymore. It was as freeing as it was strange and Harry wasn’t sure if he liked how different it made him look. His facial features were a bit sharper, his face changed to look more attractive to the mate he’d one day bond to. Harry also wasn’t sure if he’d be keeping the waist long hair. Any mention of cutting it made Fawkes squawk in utter horror and Harry hadn’t known how hard it’d be to not laugh at seeing such an expression on a phoenix.
He'd woken, changed clothes, and sat to see if he’d be able to consult any books in the Potter library about his new inheritance.
The inheritance was supposed to be painful, and Harry couldn’t even liken it to a cruciatus curse which seemed like nothing if he was to actually compare the two. Harry had suffered the curse, so he had sound validity. At least he knew why it’d been so painful, due to Fawkes’ teachings. Harry was just a stubborn piece of shite, wasn’t he?
There was nothing in the Potter manor. So next he’d have to check the Blacks and then the Peverells because if there was some obscure branch of magic then the Peverells were involved in it. The utter amount of necromancy books the Peverells had was unbelievable.
He quickly found one of the scent blockers the Potter family had available in the dozens and clasped it just below his shoulder on his left arm. At least this would hide his creature inheritance from any creatures as it wouldn’t land him in yet another scandal.
Harry then left to deal with his destroyed room, using his magic to create an expandable bag before summoning every last piece of room temperature crystal into the bag.
The room was still destroyed but it wasn’t looking like Antarctica incarnate anymore.
The bag was promptly warded with every ward and protective spell Harry knew, before he proceeded to lock it with his blood. Not even a nuclear bomb would be able to get into that bag now.
Slowly he began to fix his bedroom, readjusting furniture and mending the floors and ceilings. Some things were beyond help and he’d need to purchase them anew. But the damage cost wasn’t as bad as Harry had been expecting.
He sighs when it got to the point where this was the best it was going to get today before wandering back to the guest room he’d chosen for the night.
Everyone was still fast asleep and Harry decided right then and there that he needed a nap. So he burrowed under his blankets, eyes closing shut. And then everything was no more.
Harry woke up and almost had another heart attack. There was a face staring down at him and he jerks back, floundering to get his wand.
He groans when he realizes just who exactly it was by the twinkling laughter. “Lunaa, you can’t just use your abilities to break into houses you know,” He grumbles, turning over in his sleep.
Luna plops down on the bed beside him, picking up an irritated Hedwig and hand-feeding the owl some treats she’d pre-prepared. “Don’t be silly Harry. It’s five pm on a Saturday. Not one of us has seen you and the wards have locked everyone out, courtesy of Fawkes being extra protective. So you can guess why we got worried, yes?” Luna smiles charmingly and Harry just gives her a stink eye for waking him up.
But then her words register and he sits up so fast he gets dizzy, “What?! The wards are always open to you?” He asks, turning on Fawkes who looks away inconspicuously,
Luna hums, looking very amused, “Don’t blame him for locking us out Harry. Phoenixes are rather protective of any young they see, especially a baby phoenix. Your creature form is very cute by the way,” Luna beams at him and Harry sighs just accepting that this was his life now.
“I brought you a book!” Luna states, grabbing Harry’s arm and pulling him up, “And Hermione , Ginny, Ron and Neville are waiting outside the wards very angrily,” Luna prompts skipping over to detach a very traumatized Basil from Harry’s neck. The snake whines at the separation, wiggling to get back to Harry but only when Harry hisses at Basil that he’s okay and plants a delicate kiss on the snake’s head, does the baby clam down enough to be held by his aunty Luna.
Basil calms down even more when Luna waves a lit up purple hand over Basil’s tiny body, communicating with him the way only Luna could.
Harry was kind of dreading letting his friends into the wards. He wasn't even going to ask how the hell Luna had managed to get inside.
He closes his eyes connecting with the Potter wards, eyeing the indestructible ward Fawkes had placed. Harry startles before looking at Fawkes, “Could you just let them in? I don’t want to touch such a great ward. I might ruin it,” Harry was horrified at the thought.
Fawkes looked amused, “You’ll be able to do the same with some practice Harry,” The phoenix informs him and then a wave of magic is felt throughout the manor, shifting something in the wards.
Seconds later all four of his best friends were tearing through the house looking for him.
“In here guys,” Harry calls and a flustered Hermione slams the door open, keen eyes taking in the image in front of her.
“Bloody fuck, Luna,” Hermione grumbles and slams a bag of galleons into Luna’s awaiting hand.
“Thank you,” The blonde girl sings, smug, and Hermione pouts, jumping onto Harry’s bed and sending him a glare.
“Stop betting on me, idiot,” Harry snarks, making Hermione just mock his expression in front of him. Ronald and Ginny race into the room a second later only to collapse when they realize there wasn’t any danger.
“Forget to send a patronus, did you?” His sister in all but blood seethes, “I just about DIED from fear,”
Harry gives her an unimpressed look, “Sorry Hermione. I’ll just make sure to remember to send one after I’ve nearly died from another inheritance alright?” He deadpans, and Hermione sticks her nose in the air.
“Well good!”
“Was it that painful?” Neville had grabbed a coffee apparently from downstairs and came strolling in like everything was normal. “What?” he asks when everyone started to stare at him in disbelief, “Luna said everything was fine. You’d be an idiot not to believe Luna,” He sniffs, taking a hearty sip and succumbing to the loveseat in the corner of the room. Hedwig flaps over to her second most favorite person, who naturally always had owl-treats as a way to bribe her.
“Stop feeding Hedwig sweets, you’re going to make her sick,” Harry sighs, moving to change out of his wrinkled clothes.
Hedwig sends him a very much betrayed look but Neville completely ignores him, cooing over the majestic, white bird.
“You’re a phoenix then,” Ron heaves out, after recognizing Fawkes. He was also not stupid enough to bet against Luna, but apparently Hermione liked to fight Fate.
Harry nods at the statement, “Bloody almost died. Apparently barely any people survive the inheritance and those that do have a phoenix present,”
“Good thing Fawkes came then didn’t he?” Ginny says curious and Luna shakes her head.
“Fawkes came after the inheritance, Harry suffered alone,”
“Luna, I’m feeling very much stalked here,” Harry admits, only half-teasing.
“Well deal with it. When you can go a year without almost dying then we can have a chat about boundaries. Until then, I’m going to babysit you.” Luna affirms with a hard nod.
“I’m with Luna, sorry Harry. You haven’t earned freedom yet,” Neville was grinning crookedly and Harry scowled at him.
“Of course you side with your girlfriend,”
“Its hilarious how you expected anything different,” Ginny was filing her nails, and wasn’t even looking at him.
“Nev is my godbrother,” Harry pouts, plopping down beside Hermione in sweats and a hoodie, because anything else was too painful for the wounds on his back.
“You have better hair than we all do, bloody hell Harry,” Hermione ignores any semblance of conversation to hover above him and put his hair up in a proper ponytail. That had gotten Luna and Ginny’s attention and all three girls went about styling his new head of hair.
“I tried cutting it all off and it just regrew.” Harry was pouting aggressively. Ron barks out a laugh.
“Mate, your magic is going haywire right now. You’ve just had an inheritance. Your hair isn’t going to listen to you,”
“Besides Ginny might actually kill you if you ever mention cutting your hair again, you know,” Luna says in her dreamy voice and Harry loved Luna as much as he hated her because sometimes she used her abilities to lie and absolutely fuck with people. She was chaos incarnate.
And Ginny, the actual little shite, begins to cackle.
“I want to leave,”
“You’re not going anywhere without us for the next twenty-hours,” Hermione states calmly and Harry sighs when all five of his friends agree.