Found Family

Harry

After the Battle of Hogwarts, Harry just wanted to live normally and finish school with his friends. But of course, because he’s Harry Potter, his life could never be that easy.

As if getting recognized in public with his friends wasn’t enough, he now had to deal with running into his (former?) enemies.

As Draco Malfoy and Enzo Berkshire approached, Harry braced himself for the worst. He had expected an argument at the very least, but what Draco said was more shocking than any other interaction they’d ever had.

“Potter, since we will essentially be roommates for 8th year, I guess I’ll have to play nice.”

“What are you talking about Malfoy?” Ron answered.

“Yea, Harry is staying with Sirius and Remus for 8th year and can apparate to Hogsmeade before classes.” Hermione said.

“Don’t tell me your guardians didn’t inform you of our new arrangement? Who am I kidding, of course they didn’t. I am to live at Grimmauld Place along with Enzo, Mattheo, and Theodore for the following school year. Dumbledore has threatened to expel us if we don’t agree to live with you.”

“Apparently Dumbledore has done this to most Slytherins, or at least the ones with convicted death eaters for parents. He doesn’t want us to taint the school any further, so our only options are to leave school or stay with any order members who will take us in.” Enzo added.

“Dumbledore wouldn’t do that. There must have just been a mistake, or maybe the dorms haven’t been fixed yet since the war ended only a month ago. There is no way that Sirius would agree to this without talking to me.” Harry replied.

“As I understand it, Dumbledore didn’t leave much room for discussion, and Sirius and Remus couldn’t refuse. We had already been told we were moving in before he had even talked to them. Dumbledore seemed very sure they would agree either way. I don’t like the situation any more than you do, Potter, but we have no other option until our parents get out of Azkaban. Mattheo has no family left, so he has to stay at Grimmauld until he graduates.”

“But why would Dumbledore think that they would say yes?” Harry asked.

Draco looked around before stepping closer whispering in Harry’s ear, “Because he told us about Remus’ lycanthropy,* and he was planning to blackmail them into taking us in if they didn’t agree on their own.”

Shivers ran down Harry’s spine, and he couldn’t tell if it was from the closeness or the actual words that Draco spoke.

“I have to go,” Harry said, “now.”

As he walked away from the group, he couldn’t help but think that this would be a long and eventful school year.

Sirius

He had meant to tell Harry about the new arrivals, he really had. But no matter how hard he tried, Sirius couldn’t find the time or the words to talk to his godson. Nearly two weeks after Dumbledore’s visit, he still hadn’t been able to have a conversation with Harry.

It seems he hadn’t needed to.

Just days before the boys were scheduled to move in, Harry approached both Sirius and Remus.

“Hey Haz, how was shopping this morning?” Remus inquired.

“Were you two ever going to tell me that four people are moving into our house, or were you just going to wait until they are actually here and let me figure it out on my own? Either way, thats not our biggest problem at the moment.” Harry said in a rush.

“Harry I promise I was going to talk to you about it, I just didn’t know how you would react,” Sirius answered. “I probably would have reacted better if I hadn’t been told by Draco in front of my friends and in public.”

“What exactly happened?” Remus questioned.

“Draco and Enzo approached me while I was walking in Diagon Alley with Hermione and Ron. At first I thought he was going to hex me, but he said that since we will be sharing a house for 8th year he had to play nice. Naturally, I asked him what he meant, and of course he had to act like I was an idiot. Anyway, he said that Dumbledore had told them about Remus being a werewolf, and that he was planning to blackmail you both if you didn’t agree to take the four of them in on your own. He’s also forcing all Slytherin students with death eater parents to stay with order members.”

“Oh I am going to kill that man.” Sirius muttered

“It’s fine Sirius. I’ve dealt with this my whole life, and quite frankly, Dumbledore’s words do not affect me anymore. What I won’t tolerate is the discrimination against students of any particular house, especially not because of the faults of their parents. I will arrange a meeting with the Headmaster, but before then, we will help the boys get moved in.” Remus replied.

“But uncle Moony, they hate me. And I made a fool of myself in front of Draco earlier and ran off. No wonder he thinks i’m an idiot.”

“Harry, it’s not fair to anyone to hold grudges and keep going back to the past. Everyone has to move on. Voldemort is gone, and you all will have school to focus on in a couple of weeks. Why do you care what Draco thinks, anyway?”

“I don’t!” Harry blushed, “I just don’t want to live with someone who thinks of me as just an insufferable Gryffindor with no brain.”

“I’m sure he doesn’t think that, Haz,” Sirius said, “From what little Narcissa and I talked about after my trial, Draco had wanted to be your friend from the very first day of first year. I’m sure you two will work everything out, and I need you to try and bond with the other three boys, too.”

“I can’t promise anything, Padfoot, but I’ll try. I just think that the house isn’t exactly teenager friendly, especially the library. Last time I went in there I got pelted with books for making too much noise.”

“I’m working on deactivating all of the spells Walburga and Orion put on the house, and Moony is redecorating so it doesn’t look as depressing.”

“Ok, let me know if you need any help. I’m going to start working on the bedrooms.”

“Kreacher can clean them up for you and you can focus on decorating.”

“It’s ok, really. Kreacher doesn’t do anything I ask him to anyway, so I’m going to clean the muggle way. It’s way more fun.”

After Harry left, Sirius and Remus exchanged glances.

“He likes Draco, doesn’t he?”

“I wouldn’t be surprised. I mean the way he talks about Draco reminds me of James talking about my brother all of 6th year. I’m still not over that by the way.”

“I know, pads. Come on, let’s get to work.”