A BIRTHDAY
Alice, Nathan, Theo and Harry quickly got used to life at Black Manor.
The Manor, contrary to Grimmauld Place, was big and beautiful: it had marble staircases, carpets from any part in the world, and the decorations all around exuded richness. Apparently it was so great to impress the very few people who were granted access. The Black family was so incredibly paranoid that this didn’t tend to happen often. So when the four Hogwarts-aged children entered the house they were the joy of the house elves who lived there.
at first Alice Nathan and Theo were really weary of one alleged mass murderer Sirius Black, but it was a fear quickly overcome as he magicked off the suit he had been wearing and it revealed some jogging trousers that had obviously been used for everything but jogging, and a black t-shirt that proclaimed in big white letter “FOUNDER OF THE WHITE SHEEP CLUB”
“I can’t believe you actually did this, how did Andy like it?” had asked Harry, still carrying his trunk
“She threw it at my face” he admitted smiling “But Dora appreciated it” Harry laughed
“Uh I bet, did she want one?”
“Bold of you to assume I hadn’t already made one. Andy accepted hers after Ted wore the one with ‘I married a White sheep and I am proud of it’” Harry laughed again
“I would have paid to have seen it. Wait, do you have a pevensie?” Sirius just raised an eyebrow
“I’m seeing it later than. So rooms?”
seeing godfather and godson be so calm and playful with each other already had them more at ease. When, later that night, Sirius offered the twins some firewhiskey and Harry was the one who told him no, they fully understood that the only responsable one in the house was Theo, and he was sipping his own glass, so that was saying something.
Days at the Manor were peaceful: the kids woke up and did some homework (under Theo’s iron will mostly). Sirius usually would wake up around midday to have lunch all together. In the afternoon they played outside or went to visit friends, mainly the Weasleys, Theo even went to Blaise’s sometimes. The dinners were especially fun as Harry taught the house elves and the human inhabitants of the house recipes he learned throughout the years. It was the most pleasant summer any of them had had in a very long time.
The first time they had gone to the Weasley household Molly had been very distrustful: she thought that Harry would not have found a suitable environment with Sirius, nor the Slytherins.
Then she saw him healthy for the first time after leaving him with his caretaker and didn’t say another word on the subject. When Nathan asked her about the clock and told her that her kids were incredibly lucky to have a caring mother such as her, the Weasley matriarch was completely sold: she welcomed them with open arms.
Their visits at the Weasleys were always fun: Ron and Theo usually played chess with a wide eyed Percy at their side, usually muttering something along the lines of “what the fuck”; Harry Ginny and the Weasley twins played a lot of Quidditch, often inviting Cederic Diggory as well (Ron took it as his personal duty as best friend to tease Harry in the most subtle ways possible); The Carrow twins instead usually hung out with Luna and Percy (when he wasn’t marveling at Ron’s chess skills), and she taught them to make beautiful flower crowns and told them all about being trans.
It was fun for everyone and Mrs Weasley’s dinners became bigger than ever (yet)
Of course Harry had plans in motion. One of those, that he had extensively discussed with both Ron and Hermione, was his entrance into Wizarding high society.
Sirius wasn’t pleased, of course, but he conceded and with some help from Andromeda he attended his first ball on the 25th of June. Birthday of none other than Draco Malfoy.
His actual birthday was on June 5th but his father insisted, so they threw him a big party each year.
The invitation had arrived to Sirius, as he is the head of the Black family, Lady Malfoy’s family. and they replied.
They dressed the part and bought Draco a present. Nathan marveled at the suits while they were getting ready, and Harry promised to bring him to buy one (Nathan’s squeal of delight was priceless). Theo wished them luck, and into the floo they went.
Malfoy Manor was just as grand as Harry remembered, a little less gloomy perhaps. the absence of a psychopathic megalomaniac will do that to a place. They were welcomed by a house elf who took their coats and pointed them towards the main ballroom. they were fashionably late (“no, Sirius, we are just late”) so most of the guests had already arrived but Heir Malfoy was still greeting the latecomers
“Greetings Lord…” his voice failed him when he met Harry’s eyes. he gaped at them like a fish out of water
“Sup Draco?” said Harry with a smirk. Poor Malfoy bleached at the breach in etiquette
“Sorry, sorry.” Harry said raising his hands “Greetings to you Heir Malfoy, We wish you a happy birthday” he said handing Draco his gift. Draco just nodded.
“Happy birthday oh nephew of mine,” Sirius told him, after throwing him his present, disregarding each and every etiquette rule “tell me where am I most likely to find Cissy dearest?”
“Cissy?” he mumbled confused
“Your mother” Sirius clarified with a smirk that told Harry trouble
“Do NOT go bother your cousin Sirius, I swear I’ll make you grow antlers again” threatened Harry.
“I just want to talk” Sirius answered with the tone of someone who was going to do the exact opposite
“Sirius…” Harry started
“Over by the buffet” interrupted Draco, to avoid a scene between the two “She will be over by the buffet” he repeated
“Why thank you nephew of mine!” he told Draco then ruffled Harry’s hair and went towards the buffet with a cheeky
“Enjoy your evening kid, I sure as hell will enjoy mine”
Both Harry and Draco watched him go with twin grimances
Harry sighed “Let’s see how long does it take him to get us kicked out”
“We can’t do that” said Draco, sounding resigned and slightly terrified.
“Oh?” asked Harry, tilting his head confused
“He’s head of my mother’s family so he has power over... everything technically”
Harry made a weird expression “As Hermione would say hurray for the patriarchy” he said sarcastically “I’ll be around for when you’re done talking with annoying old men and political ploys waiting to happen” he continued, leaving the blond to watch his rapidly moving back.
The evening had been quite pleasant: Harry danced with Millicent and Pansy, he introduced himself (rather he was introduced by Diggle) to the Minister of Magic who judged him a charming and smart young boy (let’s see how long this will last). he also had himself introduced to many important, or soon to be important people in high circles. He had never been the best at this but Ron had had him memorize faces and names so he knew who he had to get on his side, mostly whose opinion on him mattered.
That is how he became aware of very privy information: Moody had refused the DADA post, and Albus Dumbledore had no one to ask, so the Minister (whose interest was to control the old coot) oh so kindly gave him an option (the only one willing apparently): One Dolores Fucking Umbridge. This year would be interesting. The official who was talking about this was in a conversation with one of the Board Of Governors, who in turn was complaining that the Triwizard Tournament was going to be hell in terms of paperwork. so Umbitch and the Tournament, thought Harry, sipping his drink.
which he almost choked on as Neville Longbottom of all people took him aside
“Harry what are you doing here?” he asked looking bewildered
“Enjoying the party?” he said sarcastically between coughs
“At Malfoy’s party? the one where you need a very exclusive invitation to be allowed in?” asked Neville
“I’m Lord Potter, Nev, my guardian is Lord Black, of course we got an invitation” Neville seemed taken aback
“Why did you think I snuck in?” sassed Harry, but Neville looked sheepish, so Harry outright laughed.
Neville swatted him “It would not have been the worst thing you’ve done”
“Yeah but” he had to stop because he was still laughing so hard “Of all places this would be your idea of sneaking in?” Neville looked a little red, so Harry tried to stop laughing but he couldn’t. So Neville ended up laughing too.
Once they finally stopped Neville turned grim “I should go back to my grandma, she’ll be wondering where I am” but he looked so put out by the mere idea of it that Harry took him by the arm and marched him out of the secluded room they had been talking in and towards the ballroom. The Vulture hat was incredibly easy to spot so he went straight towards her. Neville tried to stop him but Harry kept going
“Greetings to you Lady Longbottom” He said with confidence
Augusta Longbottom turned towards them and her heart broke in a thousand tiny pieces when she saw what was happening: she remembered this exact scene, many years before, enacted by two other men with the same surnames.
She collected herself quickly “Heir Potter, we have not been properly introduced, I believe”
“no we haven’t. But me and your grandson have been roommates at Hogwarts for the past three years and I would like to catch up with him, if you do not mind being without his undoubtedly marvelous presence” he said, using all the forms Neville and Susan had taught him.
someone on her right snickered, but heir Potter turned to him
“Sir do you have something funny you would want to share with the ballroom?” he asked raising an eyebrow. Harry’s tone was deadly, he had been to war after all, Neville was looking a little red, but the men coughed and sputtered something along the lines of “nothing”
“So, Madam Longbottom, can I take Neville for the night?” she had wanted to say no, Neville’s social skills were atrocious, he had to practice. but some voice in her head, that sounded suspiciously like her husband, told her that Heir Potter was the one he would have to interact with one day, what better way to socialize? and if Potter was already this protective of him… Neville’s eyes were full of hidden hope. Augusta sighed
“Very well. I shall be going home in an hour, either come back with me or make your own way with the floo, now off you go” Neville’s eyes shouldn’t have been so surprised, madam Longbottom thought with some remorse
“Thank you Madam” said Heir Potter, before scurrying away
“I can’t believe that worked” said Neville
Harry smirked “You should have a little faith in me”
“I saw you after we got that firewhiskey, Harry, do forgive me if I don’t fully trust your judgement” Harry went to answer but wisely kept his mouth shut.
They chatted the rest of the night, danced again and overall it was fun.
When Neville had to leave, Harry made a point to ask him, in front of his grandmother, where he would be seated at the World Cup
“I’m...not going” he said, obviously sad. Harry feigned surprise
“But why? literally everyone is going! Dean and Seamus are coming together and I know for sure that Ron, Hermione, Luna and Cederic are coming, come on! you have to come!” He said.
Madam Longbottom raised an eyebrow and just said “we’ll see.” and flooed to Longbottom Manor. Neville looked at Harry with wide eyes once again
“How does she already have a soft spot for you I will never know”
“If I can get you to the Cup with us I really don’t care” said Harry honestly
Neville seemed to hesitate “You really want me there?”
“Of course man!” Harry said, rubbing the other’s arm “You’re my friend! Of course I want you there!” Neville smiled and thanked him for trying. and he left.
Harry stayed more time still. He chatted with Pansy and Millie, even got to talk to Draco for a few minutes. He caught up with Sirius over two hours after Neville had left. His godfather was drinking something and looking perfectly respectable, talking to Nott and Carrow.
When he finally left them they went home after telling a house elf to send their regards to their hosts
“What was up with them?” asked Harry, worried
“They wanted to know about their kids. how they ‘were coming up’ ugh” Sirius collapsed in the armchair “It was the worst conversation I ever had to have. told them that they would grow up to be fine members of society but that they needed a bit of work” he said the words as if they were poison in his mouth “They believed me I think”
Harry nodded as he sat on the couch “Well look at the bright side, that will not be the worst conversation you will ever have to have”
“And what would be worse, and how is that the bright side?”
“You need to talk with Remus” Sirius got up to leave
“Pads you can’t keep going like this! He needs you, you need him. He was probably confunded you know this, please give him a chance!”
Sirius sighed and closed his eyes “Fine” Harry cheered “Sometime soon”
“Eh, it’s the best I can ask for really,” Harry said.
“Well I’m off to bed. Also you’re helping me bring Neville to the world cup”
“Neville? Longbottom?”
“Yeah, why?”
“I do not want to have any more interactions than I absolutely have to with Augusta Longbottom” he shivered “That woman is terrifying”
Harry smirked “I bet, but I will be bringing Nevill to that cup, I promise” Sirius sighed again
“You’re worse than your father. We’ll talk about this in the morning. Night Prongslet”
“Night Pads” Harry answered.
He stayed in the armchair for some time, thinking of all the plans and of all the problems that this next year was going to bring