The Heist
Never has Harry been more excited for Christmas. The whole break has been a dream. Mum and Dad are even better than he could have hoped and seeing Padfoot and Moony happy and in love without the cloud of fear and sadness that seem to cover them is beautiful.
Aunt Nia is the first awake and she wakes Harry by jumping on top of his bed laughing when one of the decorative pillows explodes into feathers.
"Your accidental magic is rather fond of blowing things up. Did I tell you about before your thirteenth birthday in the original timeline you blew up Aunt Marge. Like a balloon, she floats halfway across London before the ministry gets her down. It's brilliant." She laughs as Harry gets his glasses and slowly processes being awake. It's early, just past dawn and usually when Harry would be getting up for his morning run anyway, his dad and Padfoot have been joining him but Sirius will only do it in dog form. Sometimes Dad runs as prongs and Harry can't stop himself laughing.
"Uncle Moony says it's excess power that floods out when I don't use enough. I'm supposed to Meditate over Summer when I can't practice." He responds a little embarrassed. He has blown another of stuff up over summers and Ron and Hermione don't have the same problem controlling their magic. He'd asked Remus after accidentally shattering a mirror when Mum fell down the stairs. She caught herself quickly and blamed light-headedness because Mini Harry and Sookie spent the rest of the day tending to her.
"Excess power? I'm not surprised but didn't think you'd admit it. Finally coming to terms with being a badass superhero?" Harry rolls his eyes as he sits up noting the breakfast tray on his bedside. Chocolate chip pancakes and hot cocoa with mini marshmallows.
"Still not as powerful as you. Mums been doing research on you, did you know in old time irish cultures you'd be considered a God. Tuatha Dé Danann, the original Fae. The original Speaker of Fate was one of the first, and the title is passed down from mother to daughter." He says before digging in the pancakes.
Nia scoffs stealing some of his cocoa. "So I'm Irish, makes sense I guess I am pretty white. But I don't know about Godly. Maybe a few generations back but the power must have diluted over time. All I do is talk. Literally I'm useless in a fight. I just talk in circles with a hint of magical suggestion to help everyone listen to me. Except Moony, doesn't work on Werewolves, or vampires or Veela. Magical creatures that they are."
"That's a pretty awesome power though." Harry says with his mouthful and Nia shrugs.
"I guess, scary though. To think people do as I say because they don't have a choice. I don't want to do that to you kids."
"Which is why I trust you with it. You're a good person, or Fair Folk. And I love you. Thank you for bringing me along, and for taking me in. I know you're young and could be doing more fun things than raising a kid that's not yours."
"Hey, what's more fun than keeping you out of trouble? Who else would steal a car because they missed the train and fight a troll in a bathroom. It's an honour to be Alfred to your Batman. And I love you too, Hero. Happy Christmas."
"Happy Christmas." He smiles and Nia jumps out of bed offering a hand before they both head down to the family dining room.
Mum and Dad are awake and Kissing. They do that a lot but the mistletoe above their head is a good excuse this time, especially since it's enchanted.
"Child present keep it PG." Nia warns them and they break apart bashfully. They both come to hug Harry and with him a Happy Christmas as Remus and Sirius follow each Kissing Nia on a cheek before hugging Harry as well.
Remus is the first at the tree naming himself the giver of gifts as he sorts through the pile for a gift to each of them. Nia and Harry made up the gifts for the Marauders before they came, for Dad Nia made a scrapbook of moving images from Harry's school. Quidditch matches hospital wing visits, classrooms Harry's fallen asleep in because he's been up all night. Harry spots muggle Studies, history of magic and to his horror, potions. His favourite though is from the first Christmas at hogwarts, there are two photo's the first is of Harry in his new Weasley sweater unwrapping the Cloak with a confused look on his face. The second trying said cloak on as he spins around as a floating head.
He doesn't remember a photo being taken but Nia just said Sookie is a Ninja when he asked. For Lili another sketchbook but this one is of Harry's drawings. He's no prodigy but you can tell who everyone's supposed to be and he thinks he's gotten pretty good at drawing hands. There's the picture he drew in front of the mirror of Erised's first year. The Quidditch match against Slytherin where he beats Malfoy with a broken wrist. He gets Malfoy's dumb face when the snitch is next to him perfectly. Sirius and Padfoot doing various to doglike for a human or too human like for a dog things.
For Moony after some begging Snape conceded to making an extra batch of wolfsbane potion, not enough for the whole time he's alone but it's something.
Lily takes the gift for Harry before Remus gives it to him, she hugs him tightly as she hands him the gift, a shoebox shape covered in Snitch wrapping paper. It's not shoes, it's heavier than that, he has to catch the snitch to tear the paper but it doesn't take long.
It is a shoebox filled with pages upon pages of letters. "Mrs Potter, James' Mum kept every letter she was ever sent. Kind of a pack rat but your dad inherited the trait. That's every letter he ever sent me or about me, I have some as well, not nearly as many but they're all in there." Lily explains and Harry grins, picking the top letter from the pile. James' handwriting at eleven is far nicer than Harry's now.
2/9/71
Mum. I got Gryffindor! I knew I would, the rest of the new Gryffindors are pretty awesome as well. I met Sirius Black and he got Gryffindor too. His Mum sent a howler; she's just as much of a cow as you and Dad say. Sirius is cool though. Peter got Gryffindor too, took a while though I thought he'd end up a Puff honestly. Then there's Remus Lupin, he's quiet but nice. I haven't spoken to the girls much yet but there's a Muggleborn girl named Lily. Her hair is almost the same dark red as my tie and she's got brilliant green eyes. I think I'm gonna talk to her today, maybe after Flying lessons so I can show her how cool I look flying. I hope you and Dad don't miss me too much, I'll write again at the end of the week.
Love James.
6/9/71
Mum. She doesn't like Quidditch. Who doesn't like Quidditch? It was that slimy Snake she was talking to messing with her head. Has to be. I said as much and she called me an 'arrogant toerag' you should have seen her. Her eyes were so green they glowed like fiendfire, green fiendfire though. I know I've seen green fire somewhere before and her eyes look like that. She's beautiful. I think I'm going to marry her. I know that'll break us for the sacred twenty eight but I don't really care. She's a better witch than any pureblood I know. Maybe she likes flowers, I'll get her lilies, singing lilies I have to go, thankyou for the candy I'll write to you next week.
Love James.
Harry tackles both his parents in a huh as Nia opens her own gift, it's a book. The same one Lily was reading in the library. Multi coloured post it's stuck out all available sides with notes in his Mothers messy scrawl.
"The adventures of Merlin, as told by the Bard of Camelot." Nia's confused, which is a rare delight.
"I read everything I could on Fae both magical and muggle. The Bard or Camelot is never named and appeared then disappeared as though she never existed but she mentions lineage to the tuathe de dannam. An ancient Irish race of almost godlike Fae. From what I can tell the Bard was Merlin and Arthur's guardian the same way you're Harry's. I put a post it on all the relevant notes." She does a quick skim of the first few pages and their notes with a raised eyebrow.
"This would be sweet if you didn't do the research because you were suspicious of me," she jokes before smiling at Lily more earnestly. "Thank you Lily."
Lunch is amazing, Sookie's ham tastes like candy, it's so sweet and they spend the evening in the Forest. Prongs and Padfoot are running around with Patronus Prongs who to Harry's delight is slightly taller. It's the perfect day and Harry doesn't want it to end. After he's sent to sleep he opens Nia's book she let him borrow. Harry's never read a wizarding version of Merlin and with someone like Nia in it. He wants to discuss it with Hermione when they get home.
It's not at all like the muggle version. Merlin is younger, sixteen or so and Arthur is already the crown Prince. The Bard of Camelot is Merlin's sister. It's dramatic and a bit romantic; his mum's notes around the Bard usually note her tendency to be in the right place at the right time. Her sway with the king and relationship with Morgana Lefaye. It paints a fitting picture but something isn't sitting right.
It's well past midnight as Harry reads and re-reads looking for whatever isn't right. The Bard and Morgana are captured by a dark Sorceress trying to turn them against the crown. She feeds the Bard poison and makes Morgana watch her suffer. 'It's called the draught of despair, it makes you relive all your worst memories until you're lost in your own mind begging for the quiet of death' the Sorceress tells Morgana and Harry's blood goes cold.
Harry doesn't knock before storming into Nia's room and slamming the book on her desk. She wakes with a start and glares at Harry blindly without her glasses.
"Hero? What time is it? I'm not supposed to be up till dawn."
"Did you know the drought of Despair works on you?"
"What are you talking about?" She is half asleep and clearly isn't with the program but that'll only help in making her tell the truth.
"While direct magic has little to no effect, indirect magic such as potions and cursed objects can weaken the Tuatha de danann." Harry reads his mother's pink post it, as Nia gets out of bed and puts on a robe.
"Huh, I suppose that's fair, wouldn't want me to be too overpowered." She quips and Harry see's red.
"Do not dance around this. Did you know?" He's barely keeping his cool and she can hear it in his tone because she finally meets his eyes.
"Not for sure but, it makes sense. It doesn't matter."
"Like hell it doesn't, the draught of despair is used to torture people in times of war," surprisingly Harry remembers this titbit from history of magic.
"This is a time of war and I'm not people, I'll be a bit depressed for a few days but I'll be fine." She responds carelessly as though not being a wizard makes torture any more okay.
"You don't know that." Harry demands and Nia goes behind a changing screen with her mission outfit. All black except her pastel pink shape changing pendant. Regulus explained the necklace itself had no magic but Nia's will turned it to a talisman. A terrible idea forms in Harry's head but he can't stop it. He can't let her drink poison for him.
"What happens to the Bard? She survives."
"She's in a coma for two seasons!" Harry yells through the changing screen.
"Two seasons, what a posh way to say six months."
"Nia!"
"Harry, I understand your upset but it needs to be done and better me than Remus or James, you'll take us home and Sirius and Remus can be dad's while I take a much needed nap. It'll be fun." She comes out looking a little bit like a burglar. Then again they are going on a heist.
"What about class? I'm not the only kid that relies on you. What about Malfoy, and the twins, they told me about the bartender in their band. I know that's you trying to help Malfoy since he won't talk to you. You can't do this." He tries to reason with her but it's going nowhere.
"Do you have a better idea? It has to be done Harry," she's sitting at her dresser facing him and Harry feels the pull of suggestion to let it go.
"I don't have a better idea, but I have another one. I'm sorry Amelia Rosalie Hope." It's as though she's been hit with petrificus totalus. Nia sits there staring g at him with betrayal and hurt in her eyes.
"I can't let you drink poison for me. I had to watch you die in the Chamber before Fawkes got there you were dead and I won't let you do that again. I can't save my parents but I can save you." Harry takes the pendant from around her neck and puts it on flipping it like he's seen her do a million times. Putting on her face feels like putting on a cloak. They're about the same height so it's not a huge change. His glasses are wrong so he takes her and gives a final apologetic kiss to Nia's hair.
Harry goes into Nia's notes reading everything he hadn't managed to overhears around the house, Sirius and Reg are going to get into a fight and 'accidentally' end up at Grimmauld fighting through the old house getting the attention of death eaters and keeping the coast clear for Nia, Dad and Moony to collect the locket. Harry, Dad and Moony. Dawn comes and Harry does his best to act like Nia would.
"It's too damn early for this." He bemoans as they all wander down to breakfast.
"Where's Prongslet?"
"Sleeping. He didn't last night storm into my room at three am to yell at me. I suggested he sleep in today." Harry lies smoothly, lesson one of Fae studies. The best lies are truths from different perspectives.
"What'd he yell at you about? You two are usually joined at the hip."
"The Bard of Camelot. Thanks Lily because he needed to know all the things I'd do to keep him safe."
"Didn't the Bard sleep with king Uther?"
"That's just subtext. It's also implied she warmed the Lady Morgana's bed."
"I let Harry read this book why is there sex in it?" Harry asks suddenly not wanting to continue the Bards adventures.
"It's rumours and subtext. The Bard wrote the book so she wouldn't put anything incriminating about herself In." Lily responds with an eye roll eating a croissant.
"Time for us to go dear brother, would you like to go first?" Sirius says suddenly watching the grandfather clock in the corner. Regulus smirks his answer looking more than a little like Draco and stands walking to the opening in front of the fireplace. Sirius meets across him and bows politely his brother matches and they both take out their wands before Regulu's smirk turns into a grin and he uses his non wand arm to throw a punch right into Sirius' nose. Harry watches in horror as the brothers trade hits and curses and until Reg tackles Sirius into the fireplace with a handful of powder and shouts "Grimmauld Place."
Remus offers Harry a hand, he closes his eyes, holds his breath and takes it.
Harry takes a deep breath when his stomach stops churning and smells the ocean. He opens his, or Nia's eye's and sees a cloudy dawn over waves crashing into rocks. It's cold and windy and everything about this place feels wrong.
"This is it, James states, swallowing his nerves as he takes out a knife and cuts through his palm. The cave inside Is dark with one sad little dingy holding a sing empty lantern sitting in a black pool. In the centre is an island made of white crystal. Wizard made in the same way as the Camp-fire, the cave feels like a dark world version of the basement of his home. The thought gives him a strange feeling but he pushes it down and tries to think what Nia would do. Diffuse the tension probably.
"Anyone got a light?" He asks and Nia's voice cracks poorly disguising his fear. Remus casts a lumos toward the lantern and Harry wishes he didn't as the bodies floating in the water become visible.
"We don't have a lot of time." Is all Remus says as he makes his ways towards the dingy. Harry and James follow dutifully behind and Harry finds himself thankful for his and Nia's small frames. He's thankful there isn't a lot of talking. James's eyes watch the water for any sudden movement and Remus counts the bodies in the water.
The crystal is not comfortable to walk on and poked Harry's feet even through Nia's boots.
"Thirteen, they aren't set to trigger till the water is touched by hand. But we should still be ready thirteen angriest two and a half isn't ideal."
"We don't touch the water then. Are you ready, Hope?" James asks, looking into not Harry's eyes. Oh Merlin this I'd a bad plan, panic is about to set in as he looks at the clear liquid. Nia was willing to do it for you. And with magic that works on you the healing time is much quicker. And there's nothing bad once they get home so he'll have time. It'll probably be enough to tell Hermione the truth if she ever forgives him. James is still waiting for an answer.
"Not really, let's do it anyway. Cheers." The first shell felt like ice daggers through his heart and he remembered his cupboard. It's a long time ago he's maybe two and with every breath another shard of ice stabs his chest.
The second cup the ice turns to acid and the cupboard door opens. Uncle Vernon doesn't look like himself as he breaks Harry's tiny bones. His eyes are red as blood and he doesn't have to move to break an arm, a rib all while Harry's throat and heart burn.
He doesn't feel the third cup but he recognises the seen, his nursery on Halloween. Lily's screams and Voldemort's laughter and a flash of green. This one at least he's familiar with reliving, until the scene doesn't end, Voldemort's shadow on the wall shows him raising an arm. Another flash of green and a brilliant white fight back pushing the green back onto Voldemort and leaving Harry untouched until a sliver of darkness found it way through the light and pierces his forehead. He can feel the lightning or whatever it is shatter shards into his mind and latch on. This isn't right.
"What in Merlin's name, Harry?" James's voice faintly flutters behind the ringing in Harry's ears and he wonders what terrible thing he'll learn about himself next and reaches for the shell. James pulls it from his grasp and points a wand his way. The Darkness is a nice surprise and an old friend.