Chapter Nineteen
-Saturday-
Remus, Sirius, & Harry
Saturday morning Harry found himself bundled in one of Remus’ sweaters and a spare blanket that smelled like his mates while he sat outside on the small back porch area while he studied his Potions Book. Every so often Harry stabbed a piece of cut up fruit with a fruit pick popping it into his mouth without looking up from his reading.
“There you are.” Harry looked up with a piece of mango halfway to his mouth and saw Remus stepping out of the house closing the sliding door behind him, “You smelled so much like Sirius I passed by you at least three times.”
“Probably because your husband decided I was part of the mattress and in fact did not need to breathe in anything other than his hair last night.” Harry said
“Yeah he does that sometimes.” Remus wrapped his robe around himself a little tighter as the wind picked up, “I would ask if you’re hungry, but apparently you are not.” He stepped towards him then grabbed his wrist and brought the mango to his mouth, pulling it off the pick.
“I just had the house elf bring me the fruit and I cut it up myself. I woke up pretty early.” Harry stabbed a cantaloupe sphere and popped it into his mouth, “Sirius still asleep?”
“Getting dressed.” Remus moved to sit beside him and grabbed his own fruit pick then stabbed a raspberry, “Have you thought more about Severus’ offer?”
“Well on one hand it would give me a reason to be at Hogwarts with everyone next year, but on the other hand I really don’t want to be around Lily that much, but on that point it could help build…something to make James happy so…yes I’ve thought about it, but no I haven’t decided.”
“Well don’t do anything if you don’t want to.”
“I won’t.” Harry said just as the door slid open again and Sirius stepped out.
“I see everyone is eating without me.” Sirius said, using his fingers to grab a few cut fruit before sitting down with the fruit in his other hand.
“There were picks right there Sirius.”
“I washed my hands, Moonpie.” Sirius said dismissively
“It’s hard to imagine that you’re almost forty.” Harry said looking at the man beside him
“Excuse me, but we do not speak that word in this family.”
“You only got what? Two and a half years left?”
“Speaking of birthdays.” Remus interrupted before Harry could rile Sirius up any more, “What do you want for yours?”
“Mine? Pretty sure mine passed months- You mean the July one.” Harry realized
“What did you do for the other one?” Sirius asked
“Went out for lunch, bought some books, spent the day with my Papa. Papa and I don’t really do gifts in that sense. Papa brought home presents so often that I guess I got used to them.”
“Well if you think of something let us know. James apparently came up with an idea and didn’t tell us.” Sirius told him around a ball of cantaloupe.
Harry grimaced then flicked his wrist and a napkin appeared between his index and middle finger towards the man-child. Sirius only stared at it.
“It’s a napkin. You use it typically around your mouth especially since you’re so uncivilized you have to speak with food inside of it.”
“I know what a napkin is.” Sirius said taking the thing as if it offended him, “How’d you just…make it appear like that?”
“What? This?” Harry did it again with a much more dramatic flourish however, “Magic.” Remus started laughing quietly as Sirius scowled at him.
“You’re hilarious Harry. Truly.” Sirius deadpanned
“Have you all decided where you’re going for your trip?” Remus asked
“Neville suggested Cape Town. There’s a Botanical Garden there that is one of the most biodiverse. It’ll be in the middle of July and we’d be back a few days before the 31st so we’d have enough time to adjust. I told Charlie and he said he’d run it by Hermione and Ron and they’d run it by their parents. Everyone except Charlie and Neville will be of age by then so it shouldn’t really be an issue and-”
“You are still underage.” Sirius reminded him, making Harry roll his eyes.
“My Identification Card says otherwise.” He reminded him, “I would ask if you’d like to come, but Charlie not so kindly reminded me you two helped raise him and it’d be, in his words, too much like having a parent around.”
“It’s okay. It’s for you guys anyway, time to enjoy your birthday together.” Remus told him. Harry nodded then looked back down at his book, “Do you need help with anything?”
“Not unless you can tell me what you remember your Potions NEWTs covered. Don’t think of it as a student seeking help, more like…your young, sweet, dashing, intelligent sort of boyfriend seeking comfort in his trying times.”
“Mmm…Young, sweet, dashing, intelligent sort of boyfriend you say? Sirius, do we have one of those?”
“You know I think we have something like that, but he wouldn’t dare describe himself in such a…modest way.”
“Says the man who cares more about his hair than what he eats.”
“Harry, you know we can’t tell you what is on the NEWT test.” Remus interrupted what he knew would soon start a bickering contest between the two.
“But I’m not your student.”
“It just wouldn’t be right and it could have changed over the years.”
“It was barely twenty years ago.” Harry said, “Just….which potions should I focus on more.”
“I can’t remember.” Remus lied as he stood up, “Tea?”
“Fine.”
Harry waited for Remus to enter the house before he turned to Sirius. Sirius looked at the glass door before he reached for Harry’s potion book only for Remus to come right back out and drag Sirius with him.
“TRAITOR!” Harry shouted after them before pouting and resuming his studying.
*****
“Whoa…what happened here?”
Sirius stopped just inside the library finding books, parchment, scrolls, and multiple color coded journals laying on the floor and any surface Harry found. Harry was sitting in what seemed to be the only empty spot in the room, his almost shoulder length hair was pulled into what Sirius assumed to be a knot held slightly together by a hair elastic though most of the hair is falling around his face.
“Harry?”
“What?” Harry looked up wide-eyed and looking a little dazed as if he had been staring at something for far too long, something Sirius didn’t doubt considering Harry had been in here with no interruptions for four hours now.
“What is all this?” Sirius asked.
Harry frowned clearly confused before he looked around himself then he looked back at Sirius.
“My class notes, study guides, class books, research books, you know stuff like that why?”
“For the rest of your classes?” Sirius asked
“No this is all for Potions.” Sirius’ eyes widened as he looked at the library, or what used to be the library.
“All of this is for one class?”
“I know it’s not a lot, but I didn’t take much notes on the Wolfsbane and more creature focused potions, but I know them like the back of my hand practically so it’s fine.”
“Not…a lot? Harry, this is more notes than I took in my entire seven years of Hogwarts for all of my classes combined.” Sirius told him, “Is this everything?”
“First year through now.” Harry confirmed
“You have notes from first year?”
“Of course. Now did you need something or can I get back to it?” Sirius slowly backed away from the room then found Remus in the sitting room.
“Moony, have you seen what Harry has done to the library?” Sirius asked
“Considering I’ve been refilling his mug of tea every hour? Yes. Why?”
“That’s a lot of stuff for one class.”
“His school has a longer curriculum than Hogwarts .” Remus told him
“It can’t be that longer.” Sirius argued
“Sirius. They teach fifth years what we cover for seventh years. They have two years worth of stuff we can’t touch due to the Ministry. Maybe more because they cover more things. Besides, you don’t know how he studies and learns. Maybe taking detailed notes helps him.”
“So we have to just let him spiral in there alone?”
“He’s fine. He wanted to be alone. Probably because you kept shooting him looks like you were worried he would…I don’t know…combust or something. Just sit down and relax, don’t you have your own work to focus on? That is the reason we are here after all.”
“Fine.” Sirius grumbled, but sat beside his husband and focused on his test prep schedule for the last few weeks of school before Hogwarts’ scheduled NEWTs time. Though he did occasionally look at the Library concerned.
**
It was dark when Sirius woke up. Remus and Sirius had gone to bed a little late, but also without Harry who had promised to come up when he was done. Sirius lifted his head and looked behind him, finding the pillow on his other side was untouched. He laid his face into his pillow and groaned before he untangled himself from Remus and got out of bed.
He found Harry in the kitchen, a mug of fresh steaming tea in his hand, his elbows on the countertop as he stared down at a book.
“At least you’ve moved.” Harry looked up from his book and gave him a small sleepy smile.
“I was getting to bed.” Harry told him, “I have like…ten more pages.”
“You actually have zero.” Sirius said, reaching for the book and sliding it towards him. Harry opened his mouth, probably to protest, but Sirius wasn’t hearing it, “You have been awake for probably twenty hours give or take. It is time to sleep.”
“Ten more pages.” Harry said straightening
‘No.” Sirius shook his head and closed the book then held it in his hand, “Bed.”
“Sirius, it'll take me like five or ten minutes to really look over the content.” Harry reached for the book, but Sirius held it away from him first putting his arm further away then he raised his arm above his head when Harry moved closer, “Okay now you’re not playing fair.”
“Don’t worry I’m sure you’ll hit a growth spurt one day. Until then however this is completely fair.”
“Or I could just turn into a wolf and take the book and possibly your entire arm if I feel like it.” Harry said
“That would be unfair. Now come on, let's get to bed.” Harry stood there looking between Sirius’ face and the book, “Harry I will force you into that bed with us if I have to.”
Harry however only smirked and leaned his hip against the countertop then with his arms folded he challenged Sirius, “Do it.”
“What?”
“Do it.” He said again grinning, “Force me. I’d love to see it.”
Sirius stood there for a moment, opened his mouth a few times, then he spun around and walked out of the kitchen with the sound of Harry’s laugh following him. Walking into the bedroom he found Remus was sitting up and rubbing his face with his hands.
“Where were you?” Remus asked around a yawn
“Finding Harry….then running away from Harry.” Sirius said, climbing into bed and leaning over to set the book on Remus’ bedside table, “He’s not allowed to have that until breakfast by the way.”
“Why were you running away from Harry?”
“Because.” Remus waited, but Sirius was very determined not to speak of it as he got the covers situated. Harry walked into the room a minute later looking far too pleased with himself.
“What did I miss?” Remus asked
“Nothing to worry about. It was clearly an empty threat.” Remus looked ready to ask, but then he shook his head.
“I- you know what, I don't care, I'm going back to sleep. You two behave. I’m going to start enforcing a no talking in the middle of the night rule if this keeps up.” Remus laid back down and pulled the covers up to his neck then within two deep breaths he was asleep.
“How does he do that?” Harry asked as he curled up behind Sirius, his arm around his waist and his leg over Sirius’ with his face finding its usual place against Sirius’ neck.
“No idea.”
“Oh and Sirius?” Harry said suddenly
“Yeah?” Sirius asked, feeling drowsy.
“I know what I want for my birthday.” Sirius did not like the sound of Harry's voice and he swore he could feel Harry’s smirk against his skin.
“Oh yeah? And what’s that?”
That was definitely a grin against Sirius’ back.
“A kiss.” Harry said leaning over just enough to press a small one to Sirius’ jaw before he was laying down again, “From both of you.”
“What?” Sirius asked, shocked, but by then Harry’s soft growls were in his ear, “Moony.” Sirius hissed pushing on his husband’s shoulder, but he stayed asleep and Sirius laid there wide awake.
****
Sunday morning Sirius was the first one awake as he was sandwiched between his husband and Harry. Usually Sirius being the middle worked out since Sirius was normally the last one awake between the three of them, but this time Sirius had to wiggle his way out of the arms and legs holding him in place. Finally out of the cocoon of his mates’ limbs he headed downstairs to have the house elf start breakfast.
Remus was the next one awake, waking up only thirty minutes after Sirius.
“So do I want to know what happened last night?” Remus asked as he went about making his own plate of breakfast
“You do, but not about that, about what happened after you fell asleep.” Sirius said
“What do you mean?”
“Harry told me what he wanted for his birthday.” Remus looked at him confused.
“That’s good isn’t it?”
“Sure it would be if he asked for something I could buy, but no.”
“I am getting the feeling you are being a little dramatic. What does he want?” Remus asked as he filled the kettle up and put it on the stove while biting into his toast.
“A kiss.” Remus choked, coughing up a chewed up piece of toast, “Now who’s dramatic?” Sirius taunted smugly
“What?” Remus asked around a cough
“He asked for a kiss. From both of us.”
“For his birthday?” Sirius nodded, “Well we should have seen that one coming.” Remus grumbled
“What?” Sirius asked
“What? It’s not like we’re going to be his first kiss. He did have at least one boyfriend before us.”
“Yeah I guess.” Sirius mumbled, “But still…I feel like you should have more of a reaction about this.”
“He’s sixteen - seventeen, whatever. He’s a teenager, Sirius, and an Omega. He wants to feel connected with his mates. If I remember correctly you demanded I kiss you at least five times everyday no exceptions even when we were arguing.”
“Fair point.”
“We do actually have to get him a real gift though.” Remus said, taking the kettle off the stove and pouring the steaming water into his mug.
“Obviously Moony. Is Harry still asleep?”
“Oh yeah he’s not waking up anytime soon.” Remus told him with a laugh, “When I left the bathroom he was spread out on the bed hugging your pillow on one side and mine on the other and had something between a snore and a growl going on.”
“I found him in the kitchen with probably a caffeinated laced tea and a book. He swore he only had ten more pages left, but I took it away from him. He tried to get it back and when he didn’t stop I told him I would force him into bed with us. Do you know what he did?”
“Hhhm?” Remus hummed around his mug already chuckling
“He dared me. Challenged me. Folded his arms across his chest and told me to do it.” Remus started laughing, tried to hide it in his tea, but ultimately failed as he set the mug down, “I didn’t know if I was turned on or pissed off.” Sirius laughed
“I’m surprised you didn’t kiss him then.”
“It crossed my mind for a second, but then it registered that the little fucker actually challenged me and I couldn’t follow through so I got pissed and walked away. Lessson fucking learned.”
“I believe your exact words were that you ran away.” Remus reminded him earning a bacon strip thrown at his face, “Well next time don’t threaten him with something you’re not going to do, especially if it's something he knows you’re not going to do.”
“Oh fuck off.” Sirius grumbled.
-Saturday-
James & Henry
The few times James had been to Henry’s house it was mostly to the main floor and he hardly ever ventured from the main living spaces. He had been given the customary tour, but at the time Harry had been in his Heat and so they didn’t go near certain areas of the house. It was why James was surprised to find out Harry’s house was built on a hill, the main floor was actually the second and the second floor was actually the third. The stairs to the bottom floor were hidden behind a door James had assumed was for a storage closet or pantry.
The bottom floor consisted of another living area that also contained a bar and a round table near a bookshelf that had muggle and wizard board and card games.
“Oh and come look at this.” Henry said
He led James down a small hall that led to a set of double doors that opened up to a large room that at first glance seemed empty. At second glance with the lighting coming in from the floor to ceiling window on the far wall that looked out to the large yard James realized it had tons of toys.
“It’s Harry’s old playroom.” Henry told him, “He used to spend so much time here.”
“It looked like he had every toy that came out in the 80s.” James said, stepping into the room and looking around.
“He was a very spoiled boy.” Henry spoke softly as he looked at a colored spot on the wall.
“I can see that.” James spotted a few drawings still on the table and looked at them, seeing stick figures on brooms, some badly drawn magical creatures, and many drawings of werewolves and full moons.
“Do you want one?” Henry asked teasing
“Yes.”
“Take some. I have plenty.”
“Really?” James asked, looking back at Henry, finding him already staring at James with a soft smile.
“Of course. Pick your favorites. I have a scrapbook of some of my favorite drawings and coloring pages he ever gave me.”
“I would love to see that.”
“Next time. Come on Frankie will be here soon and if I don’t have the Firewhiskey on ice by the time he gets here he’ll never forgive me.”
James followed Henry to the main area, Henry went about getting an ice bucket for the Firewhiskey for Frankie and two bottles of Firewhiskey to the table.
“Why does he like it chilled?” James asked
“I don’t know, but if he asks, trust me, you do not want to try it.”
“I’m a Gryffindor I can’t back down from a challenge. Just ask Sirius. He and I never backed down in school.”
“Fine, do it, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. So which game first?”
“How do these game nights work?” James asked
“We pick a game, make up rules to get us wasted, then regret it in the morning. It’s pretty simple. Harry has been begging to be part of game night, but I told him not until he finishes school. Do let him fool you. I let him have one glass of wine, maybe two. He does have rules.” Henry told him
“Well then I’m fine with whatever.”
“We usually forget about the game an hour in, by then we’re telling stories and drinking more than we’re playing.” Henry said as he looked at the many games, “Well Wizards Chess is a given.”
“Why do you have Muggle games?”
“Some of them are fun and others I sort of just…acquired I guess. I don’t know. Frankie brought some over, I got some on my travels, Matteo didn’t pack much when he left, Harry went through this Muggle phase where he was interested in a lot of Muggle stuff like Footie and action figures. He thought it was hilarious that muggle boys thought dragons were fake.”
“Of course he did. That’s probably where he started to like knowing things other people didn't.”
“You know I never thought of it like that, but now I think you’re right.”
“Of course I am. I may not have raised him, but I did help create him. I know my own traits. I just gave up after I learned that being smart took work.”
“Oh you poor baby.” Henry teased
“Actually since we’re on the topic of Harry.” James said watching Henry look through the games, he already had three out on the table.
“What about him?”
“Harry sort of…told me a few things about Matteo.” That got Henry attention as he stopped his search for whatever game and instead turned to look at him.
“Harry didn’t tell me he opened up to you. And trust me that would be something he would tell me.” Henry said
“Well…he sort of yelled at me…again.”
“That makes more sense.” Henry said with a nod, “What did he say?”
“I don’t know if I should…tell you.” That also got Henry’s attention
“Excuse me?”
“It’s just…what has Harry told you about Matteo and his relationship when he was in school?”
“Everything.” Henry immediately said before he sighed, “I mean there are a few things I know Harry hasn’t said yet, he has this like…invisible weight whenever Matteo is mentioned like he’s holding something back. But that’s just how he is. He opens up when he’s ready…once he knows what to say. But we talk about everything. So whatever he told you I probably already know about.”
“Harry mentioned a few things and I don’t know if I should tell you because on one hand you really need to know about it and on the other…if Harry hasn’t told you…well…”
“Okay I can…understand that.. A little.” Henry said, folding his arms, “look if I don’t know it then I’ll pretend you never told me.”
“No you won’t.”
“Oh fuck it’s bad? He told you something bad and hasn’t told me? What kind of fucked up bullshit is that?” Henry complained, “Okay. Just tell me. We, James Potter, are co-parents and co-parents don’t hide things about their son from the other so lay it on me.”
“I don’t know if I agree with that logic, but fine. I’m telling you but you have to promise you won’t say anything.”
“I promise.” Henry pulled James to the couch and sat them down facing each other, “I won’t say anything to Harry until he tells me himself. You have my word.”
James stared at him for a moment then nodded and spilled. He started from the beginning then told him everything that was said, implied, and hinted at. By the way his expressions changed from curious excitement to a mix of anger and shock and…James decided Plotting a Murder was now an expression. At least one Henry could make. When Frankie arrived he didn’t ask any questions, only joined in on the murder plotting and the drinking.
“I am going to split him open, pull out his intestines, shove them down his throat, and kill him.” Henry said as he paced the floor.
“Love that. Love the creativity.” Frankie said pointing at Henry clumsily, “How about instead of down his throat we shove them up his ass so far up he chokes on them.”
“Yes! Perfect!” Henry said with a wild glee in his eyes, James forgot until that moment Henry was a Black, “We should keep him at the Pack and on the Full Moon taunt him with the fire and make him think we’re going to cook him.”
“Let’s make him into a rotisserie thing, you know? The spinning thing over the fire.”
James stared at the two friends in shock. He had stopped drinking after five glasses and a very detailed plan to kidnap Matteo was plotted. He figured one of them had to be sober to make sure no one snuck on and actually murdered the man. So for once James was the mature one, the responsible one. The one who made sure both men got to bed and did not leave the house drunk and on a murder mission.