Chapter Twenty-Two
After his Potions NEWT, instead of going to Hogwarts Harry headed to his Uncle Frankie’s pack location. He hadn’t been there since meeting his birth father and he felt bad. Arriving at the edge of the forest where the majority of the Werewolf Packs resided, Harry shifted into his wolf form and ran the muddy path to the Pack area.
On his seventeenth he was given a Pack House, a small two-story cabin that he hasn’t spent any time in yet or even seen since receiving it. He knew which one it was, he had been around when they were building it and had even helped at times.
At the time he had assumed he’d move into it after school, maybe not every night, but it would have given him privacy for his Heats, and he wouldn’t really be alone when his Papa was gone. Now though it was looking like he’d be moving into Potter Manor with his mates, going from one parent’s house to the next.
Harry wasn’t sure how he felt about that. Not about moving in and living with his birth family, but more so moving in and living with his birth family while also staying with his mates. Or he assumed he’d be staying with them since they hardly slept away from each other when Harry was with them overnight. Maybe his Pack House could be another escape along with their old place.
Charlie and Ariel were definitely going to have to get used to him sharing a bed with two people they consider to be their uncles. They know in theory that they would be together as a couple eventually, but seeing it will be quite a shock, he was sure.
Maybe he should ease into the moving aspect, spend weekends with them for a few weeks then slowly add on a few nights until his brother and sister are comfortable.
It would be something Harry had to talk about with his mates and James.
“Well look who the moon called home.” Harry turned and grinned seeing his honorary Uncle William, an alpha and second in command of the Pack. He was just a few years younger than Frankie, his black hair just now getting gray much to William’s displeasure, but Frankie’s delight.
“Hi, Uncle, Will.” Harry greeted, hugging the man, “How’s Mary and the cubs?”
“They’re all fine. How are you? Frankie has been keeping us up to date since March. A birth family, siblings, and your mates all in one package.”
“Yeah, it was a lot all at once, but it’s good…or it’s getting good I guess.”
“That’s good to hear. When are you going to bring them over for us to meet?” William asked, turning and walking with Harry deeper into the Pack Area.
There were groups of people around, some waving at him in greeting, the younger cubs were in various groups playing together. There was a group near the training ring play-wrestling, there was another group near the pond in the far corner of the area probably catching toads or frogs or even fish for shits and giggles. There was one boy that was in the shallow end, his shirt off and his entire body covered in wet mud as the kids cheered him on. The older cubs were around too but Harry didn’t see many of them yet.
“Probably this summer. They work at or go to Hogwarts, so they’re gone most of the year with little breaks.”
“We were told one of them is Lyall’s son. Is that true?”
“Yes. Remus is one of my mates.”
“How is that? How is he?”
“He got his first Rut last month.”
“Poor guy getting his first rut at his age.”
“Says the man who didn’t get his first rut until he was forty-three.” William laughed, nodding at Harry’s words, “have we had any new members since I’ve last been here?” Harry asked, noticing two hours in the process of being built off in the back. The back was for newer members or lower pack members. One house was almost completed and the other was probably just a few weeks behind it.
“Oh yeah just a few months ago. A woman and a young man around your age actually. He’s also a Lycan.”
“Another Lycan? Really? Is he here today?”
“Yes, I think he’s in the school House or maybe out with a few others doing perimeter watch. He’s really stepped in, been a Lycan for a little over six months before we found him. He wasn’t going to join until he heard we had another Lycan in our group, if you see him, he’d been wanting to meet you.”
“I’ll keep an eye out.” Harry said as they stopped just outside his new house. It was between and behind Frankie’s and William’s, its mulch laid path to the steps cutting between the small grass area between their houses. Its position didn’t go unnoticed when it was being built, but no one questioned it.
“There it is.” William said.
“How’d you know I wanted to see it?”
“Because I’ve known you since you were adopted. Go on. Come find me before you leave, okay?”
“You got it Uncle Will.” Harry walked down the mulch path to the steps, he pulled the key he was given on his birthday out and unlocked the door the muggle way.
Houses were built muggle friendly because not every werewolf was magical, not many muggles survived the attacks, but the ones who did needed a place to go. If they go to a pack, they learn about wizards and witches almost immediately. The houses were built by magic, but almost everything could be turned on and run without magic.
His interior was built with a Lycan in mind, and it was obvious. There were no sharp corners, almost no doorways, everything was pretty open and even the stairs were spaced in a way that he could go on them as human or wolf without tripping to feel like he was climbing up a mountain.
Entering the house, he took five steps and immediately to his left was the kitchen, straight ahead was a little dining nook, the stairs beside that, and to his right was the sitting area. A fireplace was dominating the space and beside that were two built-in bookcases on either side. There was no furniture yet, the only reason he knew where the dining nook was because there were built-in shelves with glass doors on the two walls encasing it with the back glass door directly across from the front food.
The shelves were for his tea sets, the ones for the season or the ones he wanted to display whenever he wanted. He knew one of the doors in the living room led to a room with more shelves and the other would lead to a simple bathroom.
The back door leg to a simple porch that didn’t have a set of stairs. Back inside he headed upstairs and found the standard two bedrooms, one smaller with a connected bathroom and the other obviously the master bedroom. Pulling the attic stairs down from the hall he knew this was where most Omegas put their nest and being up here, he couldn’t help, but to agree that it felt right.
The house was simple just like everyone else’s were. Simple, but his. All his.
Back downstairs he looked at the living area and tilted his head at the empty space. He decided he would try a cream or tan couch first, something light when it was time to move in and furniture shop. As much as his Papa loved his new velvet couch, Harry was not the velvet type.
Unless it was a purple velvet robe that was hugging Sirius’ torso just right. Then and only then was he a fan of Velvet. Speaking of, he should definitely find a way to make Sirius wear that robe again. Preferably on a day when they plan on kissing Harry.
Shaking his head clear of those thoughts Harry turned to look at other aspects of his new house picturing what he would want to try. He was excited for this new step, sure he wouldn’t live here permanently, but this was going to be his first place he could decorate completely. A place he owned and had all to himself. A place he wouldn’t have to move out of after so many years. This was his until he died, and he couldn’t wait to make memories in it no matter how little they might be.
Harry spent Friday night with his Uncle Frankie, sleeping in a bedroom he hadn’t slept in for months if not a year at this point. Most of Saturday he spent with his Uncle Frankie, that evening they both headed over to the house to spend dinner and the night with his Papa. Sunday Harry spent studying for his NEWT on Monday. He wasn’t too worried about his Magical Families NEWT or his Magical Literature, it was his Transfiguration NEWT he was most worried about.
Transfiguration has always been his worst subject. The one class he had to work extra hard at to get more than an Acceptable at times. Learning it was his birth father’s best subject irked him, now more than ever since he decided to actually have a real relationship with him. He wanted to make his dad proud, his new real dad proud, not his old one.
With that in mind, after his Magical Families NEWT Harry headed to Hogwarts and found James in his classroom with a group of what looked to be first or second year students. His dad was sitting at his desk looking over papers as the students looked down at their books and journals, studying most likely. Knocking on the open door he waited for James to look up and give him a surprised smile before waving him in as he stood and opened the connected office door.
“What are you doing here on a NEWT day?” James asked, smiling at him once the office door was closed, but spelled so he could still watch the students.
“I wanted to come by and ask if you think you’ll have time this week to help me study for my Transfiguration NEWT. It’s not really my best subject, but it is yours.”
“Yeah! Of course. I’d love to help you.” James said, “I have one more class after this, but after that it’s Remus’s classes so just give me an hour? I can even ask him if he’d be willing to cover a few oddly timed classes for me to help you a little more over the week.”
“Great. Thanks. I’ll be in the family suite when you’re done.”
***
“Minerva!” James shouted down the hall as he practically ran to her office knowing she had a free period right now, “Minerva!” James opened her office door and stared at her with wide pleading eyes, “Minnie please you have to save me.”
“James, I’ve already told you I cannot save you from yours and Sirius’ little prank wars you two have as two grown men.” Minerva said without looking from her desk.
“No, you need to save me from Harry. Please. He’s taking his Transfiguration NEWT Friday and for the past three days he’s been making me quiz him nonstop and I can’t do it anymore. Minnie, please tell me you have time to take over tomorrow. Please. I will cover your classes, any of them, just please don’t make me help him study another day. I can’t do it.”
Call him dramatic all you wanted, but James swore if he had to do a pop quiz for Harry one more time, he might actually kick him out of Hogwarts and he knew if he did that Sirius and Remus would never forgive him. Although maybe they would considering they’ve been accidentally woken up at four AM by Harry two times now practicing his Transfiguration spells.
“Slow down what do you need?” Minerva asked, looking up at him now.
“Harry is taking his Transfiguration NEWT on Friday and it’s his worst subject according to him and he has this obsession of getting a high school on everything and I’ve been nonstop quizzing him since Monday. Can you do it tomorrow? Please?”
“You’ll have to cover my fourth and possible second year class after lunch. They’re doing some practice quizzes of their own, but I can help him study if you need a break.”
James practically sagged in relief, falling into a chair and groaning.
“Oh thank Merlin. I couldn’t do another day, Minnie, I just couldn’t. I know this is his way of bonding and all, and I love that he’s finally reaching out and making an effort, but my head hurts. My brain hurts. My eyes hurt.”
“Tell Harry I’ll meet him tomorrow after Lunch in the old Transfiguration classroom just down the hall. You can show him where it is.”
“Yes. Thank you. You’re the best.” James stood up and turned to leave only to turn back around, “However, since you mentioned mine and Sirius’ prank war-”
“No.”
“But-”
“James, you may be thirty-seven and a professor, but I will still give you a detention if you make me.” James stood there for a second, debating whether he should risk it, but then he quickly turned and high-tailed it out of there.
Thursday, no one saw Harry until they came back from dinner in the Great Hall, and he was fast asleep in Remus’ and Sirius’ bedroom, the door still open and two journals still in the bed beside him.
“Just think tomorrow is his last one, and he can finally relax.” Sirius told James as Remus went about getting Harry more comfortable in their bed.
“Thank Merlin for that. I don’t think Harry could have gone another week even if he had to.” James said worriedly as he stared at his son still dead to the world even after Remus had wiggled the blankets free to cover him with.
“So, Remus and I were talking, and we wanted to take Harry out as a sort of congratulations for finishing his NEWTs tomorrow night or Saturday.” Sirius said watching James move around the couch to sit in a chair.
“Yeah? Henry and I were talking about that too. Maybe like a dinner at a nice restaurant and-”
“No James I mean Remus and I wanted to take Harry out alone together sort of like a date.” Sirius said, glancing over at Remus as he closed the bedroom door and walked towards him. James stared at them for a minute before he sat up straighter, his eyebrows pulling together.
“I thought you were going to wait until he turned seventeen or graduated at least.” James said.
“Well, we have to come to accept the fact that to Harry he is seventeen. July thirty-first doesn’t mean anything to him, James. He’s only going to be there for Charlie and for you, for us all, but to him it’s just another day.”
“It may be just another day to him, but it’s not to us.” James said, “it’s not to me.”
“James it’s just a date, a first date at that and not even a proper one it’s more of a celebration dinner. Just not as family, but as a couple.” Remus said, trying to placate James a little.
“A COUPLE?!” James shouted, his eyes widening as he stood up from his chair, “Since when have you three been a couple?”
“James, he sleeps in our bed every time he’s here. You just saw him in it.” Remus said, “Would you rather we not consider him as part of our relationship, but instead of our Omega Mate who is in our bed? Because believe me that’s a lot worse.”
“I just- I thought you were waiting until after his birthday and graduation. Like in August.”
“So did we, but the last couple of weeks changed our minds, especially when he told us how he felt about the thirty-first. James if our omega mate hadn’t been Harry, even if he was still a 16 or 17 year old we would have taken him out on at least two dates by now, if not more. We stand by what we said to you in the beginning, we won’t do anything sexual until he is legally and rightfully 17 and until he’s ready. You know we won’t.”
“James…Harry is compromising a lot to appease you and all of us as a family. He is changing a lot to accept everyone into his life and everything else. It’s time we all start compromising as well and that starts with you letting us take him out on a date.” Sirius said.
James didn’t say anything at first, he stared at them then turned his head to stare at the unlit fireplace but turning back and nodding.
“Fine, but you have to run it by Henry too.”
“We already did, and he told us to tell you that you could go over there when we take him out so he could distract you with a game night do over whatever that meant.” Sirius told him watching as James relaxed and seemed almost excited.
“Sounds good. I’ll owl him and let him know I’ll be there probably Friday night or Saturday morning depending on when you take Harry out.”
“We are planning on Saturday night, he might be too tired Friday, but if that changes, we’ll let you know as soon as we can.” James nodded at Remus’ words as he pulled out a sheet of parchment and started writing his letter, or at least that’s what they assumed he was doing, “We’re going to go to bed early, spend time with Harry even if it is just him sleeping. Knock if you need us.”
“Okay.” James said, waving his hand in their direction, Sirius and Remus shared a look, but otherwise didn’t comment and instead just headed to their room.