Carry On

“Okay daddy, just get comfortable,” Lily motioned to the long couch even as she took a seat in a wooden chair. Harry nodded and dropped down to the motioned place. Harry’s eyes couldn’t stop moving about the office that they were in, taking in the small personal touches that shone against the streamlined look of everything else.

There were no photographs, not on the walls and not on the desk standing at the other end of the room in front of a fantastically large set of patio doors. The curtains were all sheer and gauzy, and all of the plump furniture was much the same. Harry rubbed his fingers over the fabric, and couldn’t decide if it was soft or that faint abrasive quality that gauzy fabric had. Everything was very white with purple accents.

Purple pillows. Purple knitted blankets. Purple rugs. There was a chandelier with even purple accents in the cubic zirconia. It either sparkled like diamonds or glittered like amethysts.  

… why so much purple? Why not red? It was a nice Gryffindor color…

(Not that he could judge much, after seeing purple hair in the mirror for so long, Harry could admit to himself he would feel strange seeing his normal black hair… not that he couldn’t adjust, but it’d be like looking in the mirror and seeing a different face—which, notably, he has done… several times.)

After a moment he focused on his daughter, who was soothing a knitted blanket over her legs. The sky was dark outside, but the chill wasn’t bad enough to warrant a blanket to Harry—but to his fragile daughter, Harry didn’t think the same could be said. Harry reached out, paused, and let his hand hover in the air as he waffled with indecision to finish the reach or to pull back.

Lily glanced up, and took the hand with a smile.

Harry felt the ball of anxiety in his chest ease. The last time he had reached out…

“Are you ready, daddy?” She asked.

“… more or less. Really. I’m ready to be a whole person.”

Lily’s hand tightened, “… it’s not a matter of being a whole person or not.” Lily lowered their hands, until they rested on her knees. Lily placed her other hand on top as she exhaled a sigh. “… It’s more like… setting a broken bone? No… that’s not quite right. Like… like a phoenix on burning day.”

“Burning day?” Harry asked, quirking a grin. He remembered that first panic with Fawkes on the first burning day he had ever witnessed.

“Yes… It’s like restoring the natural order of things. You’re not a lesser person before a burning day. But things are a bit off and need to be righted.” Lily calmly concluded.

Harry minutely paused before he nodded.

“Before we start… I have a question, Lily…” Harry minutely hesitated. Although much like a scab, it was either pull it or let it fall off in time. It would be coming off regardless, and for Harry it was always best to do it now rather than wait.

“… did Ginny force the three of you in to this mafia life?” It had been wearing at him for a little while, the longer he was interacting with his children. The more times he saw those faces…

“.. No, mum didn’t force this on any of us. We went willingly in to this… especially me. This was all I have ever had.” Lily hummed as she leaned back. She let go of Harry’s hands, and Harry slowly pulled away as well.

A pause, “I was wondering about that… I have… I have this memory—of all of us. On the platform. I was waving goodbye to all of you as the Express takes you to school and I…” Harry trailed off, because he knew Lily would understand. He had this memory of her leaving him for Hogwarts. Something that couldn’t have ever happened. Harry was taken out of the picture long before Lily was at an eligible age for Hogwarts.

“… you do? …It’s a common phenomenon, really. At least with memory meddling.” She paused, and at seeing Harry’s blank look, she added, “it’s why those that do memory charms only implant a basic idea. Once the idea is implanted, the mind will make a story around it. Say that you charm away someone’s memory of a super important exam, and implant the idea that they missed it. From there, the mind will… absorb the fact that they ‘missed’ the exam. The mind will make its own excuse as to why this happened. Human beings look to inject reason in to their lives. To put everything to order. Missed an exam? Probably sick and slept through it. Or called out sick. Or some other event of equal importance would have happened.” Lily kept her eyes raised, and Harry eventually looked away.

Harry took a deep breath, “… this… this memory thing we’re going to do… it’s not going to fix that, will it?”

“… no. No, it won’t fix the lies we tell ourselves. Our memories are inherently biased and full of untruth. The fact that you are watching Skull’s memories through the eyes of ‘Harry’ means that you will only notice what you, as Harry, can perceive from the life that you as Skull perceived.” Lily paused, and then added, “… from mum’s complaints, I know you never mastered the mind arts. And even then—you wouldn’t have used them as Skull. Nothing is going to be crystal clear. And the only things that will be noticed are things that Skull noticed and bothered to remember.”

While the simplification did help. It left Harry with a bit of a pressing… problem. If he was going to get such an altered view of Skull’s life, was it even worth the trouble?

“I know what you’re thinking,” Lily said after a moment.

“… Really?” Harry crossed his arms and leaned back.

“You’re wondering if it’s worth the trouble to do this, especially when you’ve cut ties with the Arcobaleno.” Lily answered easily.

“… I wasn’t thinking about the Arcobaleno.”

Lily cheekily responded with a, “you are now.”

Harry shook his head and looked away.

“… did you ever complete the list?” Harry asked, and didn’t go in to more detail than that.

A short, quick breath from Lily told him that she understood.

“… Yes. I did. I went everywhere I ever wanted… even if I didn’t get to bring everyone with me to all of the places. It was…. It was enough.” Lily whispered this.

Harry hadn’t wanted the travels to be ‘enough’. Never just ‘enough’.

“… I’ve even taken you to some of these places. We’ve gone to Spain, the Caribbean, and Galapagos.” Lily listed off, still with that voice that was soft with more than just old age, but less wounded the longer she spoke about it.

“… wait. Galapagos… the turtle island?” Harry uncrossed his arms and turned to look to Lily again.

Lily smiled gently, “they’re tortoises, we even brought a few back. Whenever you’re ready you can come and meet the one you’ve taken to. You named him George, I believe. I feel like he has been a little lonesome since your visits have halted.”

Harry snorted, “does Oodako get jealous?”

“… A little bit, from what I recall you make sure to leave him in his tank.” Lily hummed.

Harry dropped his head in his hands, “that… is just ridiculous.” Harry shook his head and chuckled to himself. It was ridiculous that this was his life. Some days, if Harry hadn’t been conditioned from such a young age to roll with the punches, he was sure he would just wallow all day in bed and drink himself to death.

(Harry had always assumed that life would calm down after Tom—it hadn’t, obviously. But now he was at this weird moment where he couldn’t decide which situation was worse… )

Lily took a breath, and Harry looked up from his hands and the floor to visually take in what she wanted to say. “It is. Worth it, that is. Dad, we have an enemy at our gates… and let me be… frank.” Lily sighed to herself, “Frank Longbottom was very trusted amongst us. And while he was never directly responsible for your care… he was very much.. a friend to you.” Lily admitted.

“… What.” Harry blinked.

“… we have a power structure here, dad. And mum and the boys… and even me—we couldn’t always focus on you. We always had a ‘handler’ on you, whose job it was to make sure your welfare and health was accounted for on the daily. Mezzaluna Lovegood was your… latest one.” Lily rubbed her hands together, looking to create warmth with friction.

Harry tugged his wand from his sleeve and tapped her hands. Lily slowly eased her hand rubbing until she stopped. She flexed her fingers and murmured a soft thanks.

“… Can you continue?” Harry asked, and got a nod from his daughter.

She quirked a smile, “I forget, sometimes… how much you’ve forgotten. I’m sorry that it’s been so… piece by piece.” She took a deep breath, “Mezzaluna had two children, a boy and a girl. The boy, the older of the two—he was added to Liliana’s guardian group. Her Cloud.” At that moment, Lily turned her eyes and focused on Harry’s still purple hair. A moment and they locked eyes once more. Lily held his gaze with full confidence. And seemed to actively seek it out.

“… due to this, Frank has always had an… access to you, that most people usually don’t. From what everyone has understood of the situation, Frank used Liliana as a distraction while he used the wizards of Britain to abduct you and Colonnello.” Lily clasped her hands together in her lap, although she didn’t drop her gaze. “No one ever saw a problem of you being alone with him. We hope that nothing… irredeemable, happened, previous to the abduction. But to learn that, you need access to what you can.”

Harry slowly, eventually, nodded.

That… was reason enough.

“… he used Liliana?” Harry asked, thinking back to a short few hours ago and Liliana’s guilty whisper, claiming that this was all her fault.

(Was it truly? In more ways than one?)

Lily sighed, “… Frank left, abruptly, a year before the abduction. He would send messages to Liliana, claiming he was still alive and needing time. He was periodically sighted in Russia. Or India. There were assumptions made… And on the day of the abduction, he convinced Liliana to find us and sue for his return. That he was ‘ready’… and then he didn’t show up to the meeting. And your watchers were all murdered.” Lily spoke calmly, but Harry could see the grit of her teeth.

Harry had a feeling that there might be more to this whole backdrop of tragedy. Even with that feeling, Lily had given him the essentials. There might be more there… but Harry had a feeling it would only start to kindle a rage in his chest, the more he hears the specific details to the hurt that had been dealt.

“How will this work?” Harry shifted to sit on the edge of the couch, more than willing to shift the conversation that they could actively work on and change, rather than stick to the past. Harry paused paused and returned back to a more relaxed pose upon Lily’s head shake and small hand motion to settle back.

“Unfortunately, the first part will be difficult. It involves you moving the memories from the pensive back in to your own head. There is a large amount of memories here, and it will take time. And will cause disorientation. Only someone with a wand or staff, or some other obscure enchanted item that we don’t have, can do such a thing.” Lily looked to the pensive, which had been happy to sit and glow on the end table next to the arm of the couch. Harry shifted over and leaned against the arm to peer at the pensive.

The pensive itself was near brimming with the silvery substance.

“… have you considered…?” Harry trailed.

“If this is everything? … yes, it has been considered.” Lily murmured.

“Do you think…?”

“It will be hard to tell, all things considered. You will automatically create memories to bring order to any gaps… Those that notice the nature of such things are rarely the person that has been afflicted.” Lily confessed.

“… so it’ll be a life of lies?” Harry tapped his wand on the rim of the stone bowl.

“It’ll be what we can make of it. If nothing else… we do have a huge backlog of your missions, photographs… and you bragged about a ‘library of diaries’—although such a thing has never been located upon Carcassa grounds.” Lily said.

“… diaries?” Harry frowned. He didn’t much seem the type.

“From what I understand, one of the other Arcobaleno convinced you to do so when it was noticed how forgetful you could be…” Lily trailed.

Which of the Arcobaleno could force Harry to write a journal?

…. Probably Reborn. Harry sighed.

“I was so forgetful that man made me write everything?” Harry grumbled to himself, because of course it would be Reborn. In fact, Harry could feel that curling resentment in his gut. Still, if it was that man that was making him so such a thing, “…then they’re probably at the mansion… maybe even under the floor boards.” Because that had always been a favorite hiding place to Harry.

Harry sighed, those were lost, then. “Shall we carry on, then?”

Lily nodded, and motioned for Harry to fully face the pensive. Harry tucked his feet up after toeing off his boots. “After you finish placing them back… you’re going to use Legilimency on me.”

“… how is that going to help me?” Harry barely even held the scoff back at that one. His children were old, frail, and honestly Harry was even more concerned about using magic on Lily because of what she had admitted to. To the plague.

“Well… we don’t exactly have the time to teach you occlumency. Having you come in to my head… hopefully we can have a meeting of minds, so to speak. You shuffling through my head might help put order in to your own.” Lily offered.

There was so much ‘might’ and ‘maybe’ in that statement, Harry flinched lightly at the thought, even as he pressed back in to the couch. Harry grimaced, “… this sounds like one of those, ‘making the best of what we have’ moments… this has ill effects on you, doesn’t it?” Harry eventually stated.

“… side effects are minimal.”

“… I refuse to hurt you.”

“Daddy…”

“No, I refuse. I’ll take these memories and I’ll… I’ll clear my mind.” It figures that Snape would haunt him, even in to his adult years and more decades after that man’s death than Harry cared to count for. Harry pinched the bridge of his nose, minutely flinching before remembering that he didn’t wear glasses anymore and could no longer stab himself in the eye with them.

Lily frowned, and opened her mouth. Harry raised a hand, motioning for her to stop.

“… It’s not worth the risk.” Harry firmly stated.

“But.”

Harry grinned, “no butts.”

“… You know, I don’t even feel bad about my ‘frank’ moment, now.” Lily said, with a brief moment of unblinking stare. “You have done that one far too often.”

“It’s a fave, I have to admit.” Harry looked to the pensive, even as he admitted that.

“It’s all because of Albus’ nudist phase, wasn’t it?” Lily grumbled.

“Yeah—Gin always cracked up whenever we got a butt joke after that.”

Lily hummed, Harry glanced to her before he stuck the tip on his wand in to the pensive. He fished for a memory and hooked one up. He pulled his memory out, and he blinked at the short strand.

“… so, we’ll be putting all of this back in my head…” Harry frowned.

Why did this situation seem very, very familiar?

“… yes.”

“Have to do it myself.” Harry added, squinting at the bowl, and then glancing around the office. It was warmly lit, which made the office seem comfortable enough. But what was it about this situation…?

“… I read as something almost less than a squib.” Lily admitted.

Harry nodded.

“…. Oh.” He remembered what this seemed like. “… no inferi lingering in a lake, right?”

“… what?”

“Nothing.” Harry added, closed his eyes, and pressed the tip of his wand to his temple. He gave the wand a small twist and a little sliver of power. Even with his eyes closed, he felt them roll a bit before he blinked open his eyes. Little flashes of white lights sparking in the corners of his eyes. Harry shook his head to clear the slight fuzz that was there.

… Well, he wasn’t pulled in to that memory. It had been a short strand.

“Well, this doesn’t seem so bad,” Harry admitted, and then grimaced. He glanced to Lily and found that they were definitely sharing a similar expression.

Lily tangled up her fingers in her knitted blanket, “we don’t have to do all of them in one go…”

“… if I pause, will I create more false memories than if I just kept on?”

“… never proven, but probably yes.” Lily admitted.

The door closed, and Harry turned his head to see James leaning against the door. Harry paused and waited for him to say something. The silence lingered for a moment before Harry broke it. “Come to observe?”

“… I was waiting outside.” James admitted, shifted on his feet for a moment before he moved and sat down next to Harry on the couch.

James raised a hand, briefly, as if to reach out to Harry—but pulled away too quickly before Harry to catch that offered hand. Instead, James reached in to his sleeve and pulled out his wand. Harry remembered it, for the unique handle designs.

“.. James…” Harry murmured.

“If you need it, I can help.” James didn’t raise his eyes from his wand.

Harry clenched his hand tightly around the handle of the Elder wand. No—neither of his children were going to help him with this. Harry just needled to bumble through and stick the memories back in his head. Harry reached out and placed a hand on the back of James neck, and pulled his son in to his shoulder. James stiffened minutely… and, slowly… relaxed.

“I won’t need it. Put your wand away.” Harry said, shifting and placing his cheek against the top of James’ head. The hair was so thin up here. Harry closed his eyes, and wrapped his arms around James firmly.

It took time, before James reached up and placed a hand on Harry’s arm.

James had always been less tactile than his siblings.

Harry took a deep breath before he eased away. James briefly raised a hand up to his eyes, and looked away. Harry rubbed James’ shoulder for a moment, before he turned back to the pensive. Harry picked up a longer strand of memory this time.

Power through it. Get all of it done now, and then he could get wrapped up in clearing his mind and sorting everything in to some semblance of order. Harry placed a hand on the rim of the pensive, closed his eyes, and pressed the memory to his temple with his wand.

Colors flashed before his eyes. Harry ignored it for now as he blindly reached out and pressed another memory to his temple. A ringing sang in his ears. Harry blinked, and squinted at the pensive. He blinked away the double vision—he felt…

… like he could craft things from leather? What? That was terribly random.

(Considering Skull, though… the man had worn a lot of leather…)

Harry was rather content with just having this ‘knowing’ sensation rather than getting sucked in to a full memory experience.

“Dad…?”

“I’m fine.” Harry had always just let the memories roll over his senses back when he was casually just shoving them inside his head. It took some time to get through so few…

… the pensive was really full.

Harry debated on if he could do more than one at a time—there would probably be repercussions for that. Harry frowned and took a single memory out and pressed it to the space next to his eye.

… Harry could taste treacle tart on his tongue. And before his eyes… He blinked—and there was a very young Liliana. And… and he could remember teaching Liliana how to make treacle tart. Although what they made was never as good as the store. Harry smiled faintly before he shook his head. Liliana had been cute as a child, more smiley.

Another memory.

Another.

And then—

(Skull looked up from the sweetly feminine hand resting on top of his scarred ones. The smile on Luce’s face was so at ease, so beautiful. That it was directed at Skull sent warmth through his heart, sweeping through his whole body.

She spoke, “We’re not a great fit, in the future. But we’re okay to exist as we are now. In the same sphere. Fate… has other plans for you, Skull.” Luce’s voice softened the longer she spoke, and Skull strained to hear it as much as he wanted to deny having ever heard such words.

Skull didn’t want what fate had planned.

He wanted… a home.

He wanted to belong.

Especially when—and he caused such trouble for everyone! Skull feared the day that they turned their backs on him, because he was the last one that was unbonded in their group.

“That future is not for you.” Luce whispered. The world distorted in tears. Skull was no longer warm.

Skull would tear himself apart piece by piece and build himself up again if that was what needed! He would become a brand new person, just for Luce! Why couldn’t she…

“Not for you, and not for me.” She added, like painful nails to the coffin. She briefly squeezed his hands, and pulled back.

Skull’s hands shot forward, and he held on tight. Skull opened his mouth to beg, but all that came out was a panicked whistle. He shivered, closed his eyes against the tears, and pressed his face in to her hand and wished for the warmth that he had felt just moments ago. He was the last one! Everyone else was already linked together, why couldn’t he have that?

Was this karma? For whatever it was he had done before the accident? Karma from his child? Retribution?

“Why… why!” Skull eventually sobbed, he needed to know what was wrong so he could fix it.

Skull did not function well on his own. Or at all. He needed them.

They were all he had now.

The hand shifted like it was going to pull away, and Skull tightened his grip to bruising. He didn’t want to give this up! Luce shifted, and sat down in the chair next to Skull, instead of across the small table. Luce reached out with her free hand and soothed Skull’s hair back. Each stroke ached.

“… You’ve been burned, Skull. And you haven’t quite… recovered.” Luce whispered, before she pressed a kiss to his forehead. Skull shivered, and eventually loosened his grip on the hand she had captured.

“… burned?” He gasped through barely repressed sobs. He was calming down, he was. It just… took a while. He felt things so intensely that it always took him more time than others to settle. Luce was patient. She had always been so.

She hummed. “… yes. It must have been intense, the bond that you had. I can feel it… the age—I can feel how much you ache. You’re searching for the other side of your bond. And attaching yourself to me, now… will just send you in to discord.” Luce explained as gently as she could. An arm slowly eased around Skull’s shoulders, and he took the time to let go of her hand and bury himself in her arms.

He shivered—he had been burned? He couldn’t recall meeting a sky before he had met Luce. This had to have happened before. In the BEFORE, before.

“When the memory of that person fades… well, perhaps not that—when the scars lessen. When you ache less in your soul—perhaps the next Arcobaleno sky can bond with you…”

“… the next?” Skull blinked wetly, and almost pulled away.

Luce tightened her arms, “silly me. Ignore that—we can still set down a… bond of intent. It’s like setting a claim. A full bond, at this time… is improbable for you—not impossible… but you’ve been so… damaged.”

Skull tightened his arms around her middle and squeezed his eyes shut. He just knew that his makeup was going to be smeared all over Luce’s collarbone after this cry-fest. He felt guilty. And ashamed. What had hurt him so much that he would lose this thing that even the other Arcobaleno coveted? Skull was never good enough. Not at anything.

Anger flickered, for only a moment—before the shame snuffed it out.

… perhaps… Skull was to blame for this.

Would he ever know?

“… please… don’t…”

“Shhh… I won’t leave. You have me, Skull. As much as we can. Never fully boded… but it should be enough. The others won’t be able to tell the difference.”

… Skull never wanted a bond to be just ‘enough’.

The others may have never noticed, but Skull certainly noticed that ‘enough’ was never quite ‘right’. )

Harry blinked back to himself, and quivered for a moment on the couch. His head was cradled in a lap. In fact, Harry blinked heavily and looked up at Albus. Harry blinked a few more tears away. Albus gave a shaky smile and brushed away a few tears.

“Here, it’s time for another dose, dad…” Albus helped him sit up minutely to drink that half-mouthful. It was hard to swallow, but Harry managed before he laid back down. Harry glanced around, and spotted Lily and James sitting next to the couch, murmuring softly over a handful of reports.

“… What…?” Harry croaked.

“You were overwhelmed by a strong memory. It left you comatose for some time. What happened…?” Albus asked, looking more hesitant than curious.

“… As Skull, I was really sensitive, wasn’t I?” Harry asked.

Albus nodded immediately, not even having to ask what Harry meant by ‘sensitive’. “You were very quick to cry, but it always seemed very cathartic for you.” Albus added, resting a hand over Harry’s sternum as he spoke. Harry reached up and pressed his hands on top of Albus’s own.

Harry blinked a few more tears, and nodded.

… he felt… less heavy, perhaps?

But that just left him mulling over what he had seen. He had been rejected from a Sky before? But who? “.. what happened to my memories of my other lives?”

“Destroyed. Your memories of Harry Potter were never removed because of how intrinsically they were tied to basic knowledge skill sets. But everything else was always considered… extra—by the Unspeakables.”Albus explained, and Harry closed his eyes as he nodded.

Maybe he had met a Sky in that time between Harry and Skull? Right?

Harry raised his hands and wiped at his eyes before he sat up. He picked up his wand from the floor next to the couch and turned to the pensive once more.

No one stopped him.

(Reborn loomed over Skull, a heavy knee digging in to Skull’s stomach even as Reborn’s fingers pinched harshly in to Skull’s cheek. Reborn was radiating deadly intent, and seemed larger than life. Too large, and the man leaned even closer.

“Who dared do this to you?”

“… it doesn’t matter.” Skull whispered, voice distorted by the strong pull on his cheek.

The pinch tightened. Reborn obviously thought otherwise.

“I… I… I don’t know.”

Tighter.

“I’m an amnesiac. I really don’t know! You don’t think I wouldn’t have taken out my own pound of flesh if I knew?!” Anger burned—futile and as always with no outlet that Skull could lash out at.

“You don’t have to take out a pound of flesh. I’ll deliver their whole corpse at your feet. No one… past or present, gets to hurt you like this.”

“… well, I don’t have a past. So you don’t have any corpses to deliver, senpai.”

“Worlds. Greatest.” Reborn breathed. “Even if it takes the rest of our lives I’ll find them.”

“What if they’re already dead?”

“Then in the afterlife I’ll hunt them down and lay them at your feet. And all of us can take out as many pounds of flesh as we desire.”)

Harry’s hands trembled as he fished for more. The world was alight in colors behind his eyelids as he pressed memory after memory to his temple. Only a handful were really able to throw him out of the present. Send tears to his eyes. He felt each instance so keenly…

(Skull sobbed bitterly in to the handle of the pistol Reborn had forced in to his hands. Had forced that terrible trigger pull. The echo of the kick back still shook through him. Only two shots. But his ears rang. His body shook.

First shot.

Then the double tap.

It ached. It ached and Skull didn’t know how to stop it. He had just taken a life. And there was no way to give it back. No way to rectify such a thing.

Reborn’s touch burned.

“… he deserved it.”

“No one deserves it.”

“… you’ll find out, eventually, some people do.”)

Harry used his sleeve to mop at his face—

(—one day, Skull placed the muzzle to the temple of a woman with the blood of thousands of children on her hands, looked her in the eye, and pulled the trigger.

Skull didn’t cry.)

A potion. A flash of sun.

(“Y-y-yuni! Please don’t cry! The glorious Skull-sama will get you a different picture book!”

“I.. I… I am so s-s-sorry Skull. I… it’s just… dragons are so scary!”)

A potion. “Dad, you have to eat. Empty stomachs are no good on this potion. Hallucinations, remember?”

(“Great Leader Skull-sama… can I ask you a question?” Skull grinned up at the sky, his eyes still closed as he absorbed the warmth of the sun. It was such a pleasant afternoon that when Liliana had asked for a picnic, he couldn’t help but agree.

“Of course, subordinate!” Skull cheerily prompted Frank to speak.

Frank was such a serious, round faced little boy! He was curious, but Skull didn’t mind. Not many asked him about how to mend leather, or how much a piercing could hurt. Not many people asked him questions like Frank, expecting Skull to actually know the answer.

“… thank you… it’s just… if you… if you had the power to change the world for the better… but have to wade through the blood of thousands to do so… would you do it?” That was... surprisingly heavy. But Frank was the type to think such deep thoughts, wasn’t it?

Oh wait, he had to answer this right? “… uh.. uh… Of course! History is filled with sacrifice for the betterment of the world! Skull-sama would always consider the world!”

“… thanks.”)

A potion.

(Skull froze the moment he saw him. The man with the ridiculous sideburns. The man was languidly stretched in a chair to seem careless.

But Skull could feel it.

He knew better.

No, it was the fact that this man that Skull had seen this man once at that long ago circus that gave birth to Skull… the fact that he was here in this den of monsters… A flash of Skull’s mentor’s face burned behind his eyes.

Skull, while slowly shuffling to the table, got his boot stuck on an edge of rug, and he was too out of it to catch himself as he landed on his face at the feet of the man that had disappeared the moment she had been dead to a single bullet to the back of her head.

--did this man…?—)

A potion.

“Dad, it’ll be okay… please stop… don’t cry.” James. Hands in his hair. Harry didn’t dare turn his eyes from the pensive. It was half full now. Only so much left. The latent knowledge about the Carcassa compounds rippled in his mind. Knowledge of places Harry had never seen but Skull had adored ached in his heart.

He was coming apart. Tearing himself apart and building himself together again.

Like Skull had always sworn he would do, if needed.

What skull had wanted…

(Skull sobbed in to her hair. Such a little thing. So softly curled in to his arms. Her small hands and small feet. Skull cradled her against his chest—and wailed. Long and hard and loud—because this wasn’t fair!

Why was his daughter dead-dead-dead—

Skull sharply inhaled the scent of her hair. Frantically searching for that soft vanilla scent… and all he got was something rotten.

His baby, only a handful of years old, and the sole reason why he had taken up with the Arcobaleno…

Only three years old and the cancer had taken her. She had been born so sick and had lived so strongly and so shortly…)

“Should we move him to his room?”

“No, the disorientation won’t help. Let’s get another blanket.”

“How many more potions?”

“One more days’ worth.”

“—looks like only a few more memories, now.”

(Skull wanted to save them. Every child he came across that was left in the streets from all around the world. Surely the Carcassa was so much better than starving to death, unwanted in the streets?

When Skull offered a hand, and didn’t explain to the children dying in the streets…

Skull ached, because every time those starving eyes locked on to his own when he offered that hand… and stayed there, every time they took it. And every time, Skull begged his boss to find them a good life.

Sometimes, he saw their faces again as guards. And other times… he didn’t.

He burned for them, in either case.)

There. The last one. Harry set his wand on the table and clutched at the blankets around his shoulders. He was so, so cold. He wrapped himself up, and leaned in to the body next to him. They were humming a song. It was soothing.

It helped keep him calm as the cold grip of memories clawed at his ankles.

(“Hey Lal! My gun isn’t shooting any more!”

“… what the fuck, have you never cleaned this piece of shit!”

“.. .y.. you have to clean it?”)

“… Skull?”

(Skull pressed his face firmly against the pillow in front of himself. He ignored the hand rubbing circles in to his back. It was Mammon’s voice. Although even when trying to ignore it, Skull couldn’t ignore the soothing fact that the touch was helping him calm down.

“I’ll give you a bit of advice… for free.”

“... you never do free,” Skull murmured sullenly in to the pillow.

“If you continue on, you’ll bring down revenue. This will be better in the long run. Write a diary. Log your daily activities. Make a planner so you always know what you’re supposed to be doing. It will reduce your panic, and make sure you don’t forget your duties.” Mammon said matter of factly. Even when speaking, the soothing circles of a hand rubbing against Skull’s back never ceased.

“.. I’m sorry for getting distracted.”

“… We also should have noticed your… memory problems, some time ago.”

“… true. It’s been what, a few decades?” Skull sighed.

“… don’t push it.”

Skull sighed again and pulled the pillow away. But he didn’t look up.

“A diary… huh.” Skull mumbled to himself. And then blinked as one dropped in to the space in front of his face. A moment later and a simple black ball point pen was added to the mess. Well, either there happened to be a diary nearby with his name embossed on the cover, or Mammon had planned this for some time.

“Write,” Mammon demanded.

Skull complied. )

Harry moaned as he was pulled up to a seated potion. Harry immediately started to sag, but gentle arms around his person gathered him up. Harry shivered as his body warmed up considerably. Like a heated blanket being applied to chilled skin.

(“Colonnello! I’m… I’m not… I feel scared. I don’t know where I set my diary—and I can’t remember what I’m supposed to be doing… and I feel like eyes are watching me!” Skull heaved, trying to fight off the panic as he squatted inside of a locked toilet in the restaurant.

A sigh over the phone, “okay. Where are you?”

“Um.. Um… That t-terracotta coffee place. The one Reborn likes?”

“… ah. Right. I know the one. At least you remembered that I’m currently in Italy this time.”

Skull quivered, letting out a shaky smile even as he squeezed his eyes tight to fight off the tears. “Y-yeah… last time, I called Mammon and found out they were in France and everyone got upset and Rebornyelledand—”

“Hey, nothing wrong with a call. We just worry because you sound so upset.” Colonnello added.

“… I’m sorry.”

“… just do the breathing thing. The one Yuni told you about.”

“Right… yes.”

Time quivered, and sooner than later Colonnello picked the lock and sat with Skull in the bathroom for a time and waited for Skull to calm. When the tears stopped coming and Skull stopped shaking, they left the bathroom and sat for a coffee before they stepped outside for Colonnello’s car.

They made it to the doors and then—darkness.

Nothing there.)

Harry moaned—his body felt like it had been steam cleaned. He felt so at ease and relaxed. Harry didn’t feel so relaxed very often, and he took a moment to truly relish the sensation. This was the feeling that he treasured, when the world was organized and set to right and Harry could be at peace for a while.

Harry swiftly jumped to full consciousness as he was rudely hauled in to someone’s arms.

… who the hell had the gall to pick him up?

The list was short.

Harry blinked and felt his eyes track to the bright green in his vision, illuminated by afternoon light.

Leon.

Harry looked down from the brim of a Fedora. And locked eyes with Reborn.

Silence.

“… they’ve been forcing an unidentified liquid substance in to you. And you’ve been barely conscious. I’m taking you to safety.” Reborn explained into the long, drawn out silence.

Harry felt too relaxed, too safe, and too tired to even feel upset at the presumption.

“It’s medicine.” Harry gently corrected.

“… it’s sedation.”

“Do I look sedated?”

“You look stoned.”

“… you’ve seen me stoned?” When had that happened? (Approximately three years ago—brownies.) Reborn closed his mouth and absolutely refused to answer that one—but for once Harry didn’t need an answer because the information was already in his head.

“I’ve cut ties with you.” Harry reminded.

“I refuse to cut ties with you.”

Harry squinted, “that’s not how that works.”

“World’s greatest.” Reborn shot back as he shifted his arms. Harry reached out and grabbed Reborn’s shoulder. Hard.

“I’m not sorry I shot you.”

(I am so, so sorry.)

“That’s fine. You missed.” Reborn narrowed his eyes down at Harry.

“… bullshit, I did not,” Harry hissed.

“You did,” Reborn flately returned as he turned and faced the office door. Harry glanced around the room. Empty. Where were his children?

… or… or was this a hallucination?

Harry squirmed.

It felt real.

“…Did not.” Harry sulkily added, because he didn’t miss. Reborn had gone down, damnit! The guilt churned angrily in his stomach.

“You did—you never hit when you don’t want to,” Reborn reminded Harry, and Harry couldn’t refute that. Because he knew for a fact that Reborn was the one that indeed had taught him to use a gun (even if the asshole never taught him how to clean one…).

Harry pushed at Reborn’s shoulder, “you fell down!”

“Played dead until I heard you drop the gun,” Reborn spoke absently as he came to a stop in front of the office door. Harry reached out and placed a hand on the door, and got Reborn’s eyes to fall on him before the hitman could contemplate how to leave while still carting Harry around in his arms (with plenty of blankets included).

Harry was reluctant to ask, but… Reborn was rather mellow (which gave more credence to hallucination) and even Harry knew this was a perfect time to get this settled. “…. Have we done this before?”

“Yes. More than once.” That tasted like honesty.

“…how many times…?” Harry asked.

“It’s more habit than chance now… but I am deeply sorry I shot you.” Reborn didn’t look away when he apologized, and the apology hung in the air like a miasma. Harry didn’t like it. It felt wrong.

“… you never hit unless you want to.” Harry murmured.

“Yes.”

“You shot me.”

“In the leg.” Reborn didn’t correct, so much as add.

“That doesn’t make it better,” Harry hissed.

Reborn smirked, one corner of his mouth drawing up sharply. “It doesn’t make it worse.” True, but still annoying.

“You always hurt me. One way or another,” Harry accused, recalling all of those ‘training’ sessions that Reborn had done to him. All those times he stood behind Skull and made him pull the trigger at a moving target. Had shaped and cut and had welded Skull in to the Mafioso that could actually function and survive the world that they lived in.

“… I am neither nice nor kind.” Reborn admitted, and Harry wished the man would look away.

“But you could be—if you wanted to. If you wanted it enough. You just don’t want to be nice to me,” this wasn’t like his screaming match at Colonnello. This was more personal. This was a direct accusation on Reborn’s character.

Reborn had been their underboss. The one that gave the orders. Reborn was the one that had reported to Luce. And everyone else had reported to Reborn. Reborn was the one responsible for making sure they could complete their missions. Reborn had been the one that had looked to Skull, seen him lacking, and then burned away Skull’s weaknesses.

… Colonnello had been an ally… who had helped him through his panic.

Reborn had been the one to desensitize him to panic and to give him the strength to work through it.

Harry stared up at Reborn’s face, even as he felt things slowly, ever so slowly… start to sink in to place.

“…there are only so many people in this world that I can interact with as the person I am. Unchecked. Unbound. Unlimited. To interact with as I truly am and as I’m meant to be. Violent. Strong. The greatest… And you’re one of the few people that can survive me and keep coming back.” Reborn murmured, his voice dropping low. But his words, even whispered—Harry felt his skin prickle at the intensity. Reborn had always been intense, but having it directed like this…

“… but why do I keep coming back when you hurt me?” Harry spoke more to himself, and waited to see if the answer would come to mind.

It didn’t.

But Reborn did.

“… I never asked. But you did. You have. Kept coming back. Why do you think so?” Reborn asked, head tilting to the side. Leon mimicked Reborn in the head tilt, and it was so absurd that Harry couldn’t help but minutely quirk a smile before he forced it away.

Harry took a moment to really think. Trying to find that answer that was needed for this question. “… I don’t know. Maybe I’ll never know… we’ll never know. You’ll never know. The me as I am wants to stay as far away as possible.” Harry shifted, squirming even more to get the hitman to just drop him.

Reborn’s grip tightened to the point of almost pain. “Then the you as you are… why do you keep calling?” Reborn then shifted his head to show off the Bluetooth in his ear. Harry frowned deeply, even as he stilled his squirming.

“… I did not call you.” Harry said.

Reborn sighed, before he turned on his heel and padded back to the couch. Reborn blatantly turned his gaze to the end table where the pensive had once sat. Harry couldn’t help but look. There, on the table… was the phone Liliana gave him. Reborn shifted his hold enough, leaning over so Harry could reach out and pick up the phone. Harry obliged with a sigh and lifted the phone to his ear. “Now what…?” Harry asked, and grimaced when he heard his own voice through the speaker of the phone.

“Are you going to answer me?” Reborn pressed. Eyes narrowing the longer the silence pulled on.

“… I don’t know.” He really was too tired at this moment. His energy was zapped. His stomach felt fragile. All of his limbs felt like he had had his bones vanished. He just wanted to lay in bed and sleep until he felt strong enough to get up again.

Reborn looked away and turned to the door once more, “then until you can answer such a question, I am taking you to a safe location. You’ve been showing signs of instability for so long, this relapse has been… unwelcome.”

Harry groaned. “It’s not a relapse. It’s medicine.”

Silence.

Harry cracked open an eye and encountered the full force of Reborn’s incredulous stare.

“… shut up.”

“I didn’t say anything.” Reborn looked to the door, and then minutely tensed. Harry looked to the door, and blinked as he spotted Albus. Harry smiled, because Albus was always a welcome sight. The smile faltered, though. Because Albus wasn’t looking at Harry, but at Reborn.

“… How did you get in here?” Albus whispered.

Reborn shifted his weight to the balls of his feet, “through the window.”

… really? Harry turned and looked to the windows of the room. And soon enough spotted the one with the faintly moving curtains.

(Windows were more than an exit, apparently…)

“… wait, were you just walking around and peering in to all the fucking windows!” Harry hissed, trying his best to sit up, struggling as Reborn grit his teeth.  Harry groaned, this Arcobaleno nonsense really has to end. “I’m serious, Reborn. I’m not Arcobaleno—and I refuse to be kidnapped by a hanger-on!”

“Wishful—“

“If you say wishful thinking one more time I am going to shoot you in the dick!”

“… you’d miss.” Reborn hissed, and then dropped Harry.

Harry shouted, and landed hard on the floor. He flailed and wiggled frantically to untangle himself from the blankets, and soon got to his feet. He took a few steps from Reborn, and checked to the right to see to Albus. Albus wasn’t there, though. The door was still cracked open. Harry swept his gaze to Reborn, and put his hand to his sleeve for his wand.

Oh, not there.

Harry looked to the table.

“… are you looking for this?” Reborn asked, and held up the Elder wand.

Harry tensed, shifting his weight to his bare toes even as he bent his knees. Reborn held the wand by the tip, and he waved it back and forth in the air in slow arcs. His eyes never left Harry.

“… why did you pick that up?” Harry asked.

“I’ve seen it before, in Germany. Of all the things that has changed in the last few weeks, you’ve continually had this. What is this supposed to be, a wand?” Reborn mocked.

“Well… yes.” Harry answered.

The waving froze.

“… what is it?”

“A wand.”

“No—what is it.”

“It’s a fucking wand you asshole! Now give!” Harry snarled, and thrust his hand forward. Harry watched with relish as the wand snapped out of Reborn’s hand and stung in to his own grip. Harry tightened his hand around the handle and firmed his shoulders as he faced Reborn.

Reborn slowly looked from his hand, then to Harry.

“… Magic.” Reborn intoned.

Oh wait, Reborn didn’t know about magic…

“…. No?”

Reborn’s poker face was holding firm once more, but Harry just had a feeling that Reborn was mentally shooting bullets at his person. “… So, all of this… was magic?”

“… not necessarily?” Harry unfortunately asked rather than stated.

“Hey, are you two assholes done!” Came a voice from the open window, and Harry jumped before he zeroed in on Lal. Harry gritted his teeth at her scowl, but then paused when he noticed that her eyes full of murder were directed at Reborn. “Your dramatics always ruin our plans!”

Reborn, dramatic?

Preach.

“You’re too serious,” Reborn stated even as he placed his hands on his hips and turned to fully face her.

… didn’t this man realize that Albus wasn’t going to just sit on the fact that Reborn was here? Harry blinked and took a little step back as the two got in to a staring match. It was all for the better then, that these two losers were completely relaxed and stalling. It was also completely bewildering that they would do this on an infiltration mission.

“—and for the last time, stop dilly-dalliying!” Lal hissed.

Reborn rolled his shoulders and turned to Harry.

Harry froze with his hand on the door handle of the office.

“Skull—“

“Not Skull—“

“I’m not calling you Harry Potter—“

“It’s my name—!”

“It’s too plain!”

“… Wow, discount Voldemort.” Harry blinked.

“… what.”

“Bye!” Harry flopped out of the office. And right in to Liliana. Harry scrambled to catch her by her elbows, stopping her from toppling or falling in to the bodies behind her. Harry blinked, holding Liliana up as he noticed Fabian, amongst more people wearing Carcassa purple suits. Heavily enchanted and ready for battle suits.

“… Hi.” Harry blinked at the group.

Fabian blinked back.

Liliana stood up, “Harry, wh—“

“Eep!” Harry scrambled as his feet left the floor, and his body was hauled back in to the office by the back of his shirt. Harry looked up and found Reborn, although Reborn was focused more on Liliana and her guardians as they followed them in to the room.

Well, this was the strangest standoff Harry had been in. He wasn’t even a part of the standoff. In fact, he was pretty sure he counted as the ‘princess’ in this scenario.

“Reborn,” Liliana hissed, “let him go.”

“Why? This one is one of mine.” Reborn didn’t even bother to hiss. He sounded bored. But Harry could feel the grip on his shirt tightening.

“No, he is Carcassa! He is mine, because I am boss!” Liliana swiftly asserted, even as her guardians fanned out behind her in a loose horseshoe.

A touch to Harry’s shoulder, and Harry turned to see Lal. The woman had a rifle in hand, and her usual serious expression back on her face. Another hand to his back, and Harry turned further and found the familiar hood of Mammon.

“… are you all here?” Harry couldn’t help but ask, even though it obviously gained the attention of everyone in the room.

“Of course we’re here. “ Reborn actually grouched with that murmured retort.

Harry dropped his face in to his hand and gave one big, long sigh and flicked his wand upward—

Levicorpus!

Harry twisted his wand, and sent them all dangling in the air by their ankles. The Arcobaleno, that is. Harry reached out and casually picked up Leon before the chameleon dropped to the floor.

He faced the Arcobaleno, ignoring Liliana hesitating by the door.

(Harry wasn’t a princess!)

Lal hadn’t let go of her gun, but she looked more stunned than anything else as she shifted her body about.

Mammon… was rather motionless, actually.

“… so, you guys are here to ‘rescue me’.” Harry didn’t move his fingers in air quotes, but from the squinting of Reborn’s eyes, he was rather sure that the hitman could hear it. “I don’t need rescuing from my kids, you idiots!”

“… kids?” Lal asked slowly. The word drawing out long and confused.

“I’m his great granddaughter.” Liliana stepped up next to Skull, unquestioningly following Harry’s lead in the conversation. Because if the Arcobaleno were this dedicated to finding Harry, then it really was best to just throw this in to Arcobaleno’s face and let them have their peace so they could go their separate ways.

Reborn, perhaps theatrically, looked between Harry and Liliana.

“…. “ Reborn didn’t have to speak a word, but Harry could hear that silent ‘bullshit’ that the man was not saying. Harry couldn’t deny that Liliana and himself looked very close in age. With her being a bit younger.

Liliana put her hands on her hips, “… he doesn’t even need to speak to be a dick.”

“For someone that doesn’t have a dick, you seem fixated.”

Wow, that was petty.

Harry waved his wand and countered the spell. The three of them all landed on their feet.

“… perhaps we should have a nice sit down?” Harry offered. The ache in his body, and the chill that was setting in—he didn’t have the energy to deal with this. But he would talk at them, if only to make them go away.

Liliana put her hand on Harry’s shoulder, “you need to take your last dose. Albus is in the infirmary.” Liliana mentioned, and Harry grinned. He could understand that he had lost some time, but if it was one dose left and then he was free from the dragon potion, all the better!

Hands on his neck, bodily hauling Harry away from Liliana. Harry rolled his eyes and set Leon on Reborn’s shoulder, since the hitman was so close. “It’s medicine!” Harry didn’t even bother to stop the Skull-pitched whine that came out.

Reborn minutely froze before he shook his head. “No, if there are no testers, you’re not drinking it.”

“You don’t get to decide what I do,” maybe if Harry said it enough, Reborn would understand that.

“Skull—“ Lal murmured.

“Not Skull!” Harry hissed, and kicked Reborn in the shin.

The man didn’t even flinch. Harry barred his teeth at his poker face.

“Why aren’t we leaving?” Colonnello called from the window as he crawled his way in to the room. Harry closed his eyes and took a deep, calming breath. This wasn’t happening. Goodness. He was hallucinating. This had to be a hallucination.

The standoff was continuing. Harry had thought it was over already!

Harry raised the wand, and squawked as Reborn snatched his wand hand and pointed the tip far away from his person.

“… Really?”

“… Yes.”

“… the wand makes it easier, doesn’t leave me powerless.” Harry gave a warning before he could think better of it. Sometimes Harry really hated the fact that he gave Reborn so many warnings, outs, and safety checks.

A knock on the door. Harry tugged on his wand hand and found no give. Harry shook his head and turned to look to the door. Hopefully it as Albus—

Dark hair, bright red Chinese shirt—

Harry froze as his eyes locked on to Longwei’s face.

LongweiFonLongweiFonLongweiFon—

His heart trembled.

--go over there be close listen be obedient listen listen follow obey—

His body got a little shake, but Harry couldn’t look away.

Fon’s eyes were locked to Harry.

His mouth was moving.

But all Harry could hear was ringing and this terrible wrenching painpainpain—

--listenobeylistenobeylistenobeylistenobey—

Harry couldn’t breathe. His chest ached.

Hands on his neck. A stronger shake.

Someone standing between him and LongweiFon but Harry didn’t need to see him to know that he was there. He needed to go over there. Fall on his knees and kiss his feet and—

KILL IT

RIP

KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL

TEAR

KILL KILL KILL KILLKILLKILL

KILL

BURN IT

BLACK BLACK BLACK BLACK

Harry gasped and jerked up. He fisted his hands on the sheets and swiveled around. “What…. What…” Harry stared at the infirmary around himself, breathing hard.

“… Dad…” Albus called.

Harry jerked to lock eyes on to Albus, and found his son sitting in a chair next to the bed.

“What… what…” Harry stuttered over the word.

What just happened?

“Fon’s not dead,” Albus started off, and Harry’s heart…. Gave a little clench.

“No one is dead,” Albus continued on.

“That’s not what he wants to know,” Reborn’s voice was icy, and Harry jumped to realize that he wasn’t alone on the bed—and that a warm hand was on the back of his neck. He turned and looked up at Reborn.

“… you had a negative reaction to Fon and tried to kill him.” Albus murmured. “We fed you the last dosage after you were knocked out. The effects should be now be dissipated.”

Harry croaked, “… why did I…?”

“… you’ve always reacted negatively to controlling influences when you knew about them.”  Albus said. The hand on the back of Harry’s neck tightened.

“… Who… who knocked me out?” Harry asked, a hand reaching out to Albus.

“… James did.”

“… spell?”

“… Yes.”

“Is he okay?” Harry whispered.

Albus hesitated, “… he’s taken ill.”

“I want to see him.” Harry immediately stated, kicking at the blankets. Reborn reached down and yanked them off. Harry froze—his clothes were shredded and bloody. That… was a lot of blood.

“… most of its yours.” Reborn offered.

Harry reached down and ran his fingers over some of the biggest shreds. They looked more like acid burns in some areas. His heart didn’t calm down, and continued to thud away in his chest. Harry briefly closed his eyes and took several breaths. When he felt like his heart wasn’t going to escape, he opened his eyes and focused on Albus.

“… I thought… the blackouts would stop.”

Albus looked sad, “… we can’t account for unique circumstances.”

Harry firmed his spine and nodded before he eased off of the bed. Reborn at his side a second later.

Harry turned and looked up to Reborn.

“… Have I always been like this?” He asked, even when he didn’t want the answer.

“Yes. In varying degrees, but yes.”

The world was turning slightly. Harry wobbled before he straightened up again. “… how bad?”

“Memory lapses. Extremely forgetful. You often temporarily forget names and faces that you’ve known for years. You usually remember within a few days. You’ve been prone to dangerous behavior such as jumping from varying heights for the rush….” Reborn trailed, and eventually decided to remain silent.

“… so, when I started jumping out of windows and running away from you lot…”

“… It was pretty normal. You were never so consistently competent, though. You usually never try so hard.” A pause, “I always assumed you let yourself get caught.”

Reborn reached down and took Harry’s hand.

“You’re Arcobaleno—we take care of each other. Even in the worst of times.” Reborn insisted after a brief squeeze to the hand.

Harry closed his eyes and sat on the edge of the bed, before he could topple over. He thought back, then, over all their interactions.

‘Lacky, I don’t know what they did to you. But we will fix it.’

‘… do you really not remember…?’

‘Are you remembering?’

‘Do you remember our history?’

‘I’m not letting you go.’

And then those damning words that Harry himself had said. ‘All I wanted was help—did you ever help me?’ The words tasted sour, the memory of it singing in his ears.

That wasn’t the worst of all he had said, was it?

‘You made my motorbike crash, didn’t you?’

‘If I did?’

“Then you’re the absolute worst.’

‘I could live with that.’

Harry used his free hand to rub at his face. Oh, the guilt was going to eat him alive. All of this time, the Arcobaleno must have been worried out of their mind. Although they had a funny way of showing that they cared… but at the same time it didn’t seem too unreasonable when it was obvious that they seemed used to Skull letting loose violent outbursts.

The Arcobaleno were violent criminals—they weren’t going to be perfect saints when placed before a unique case of mild insanity. They were going to grouch. They were going to sigh. And yell. And complain. And perhaps hit too hard in response to being hit first.

“… senpai…” Harry murmured.

Reborn reached over and ruffled Harry’s hair.

“Your… son, said you should be able to safely see Fon now… would you want to?” Reborn asked. Harry blinked at the floor and then looked over to Albus.

“… how long have I been out?”

“… ‘bout six hours.” Albus offered.

“Is Fon okay?”

“He isn’t bleeding or broken.” Reborn offered. Harry squinted his eyes and let the look of displeasure crawl over his face. “… he is okay.”

“Then I want to see James.” Harry decided.

Albus nodded, before he paused and looked to Reborn. “… Only family in the main house.”

It took a long moment before Reborn let go of Harry. When he did, Reborn crossed his arms over his chest. Harry nodded and took to his feet once again. Harry looked to Albus, and offered his son a hand. Albus gratefully took the help to get to his worn feet. Reborn stepped ahead and opened the door.

Harry found that Lal and Colonnello were stationed in the hall outside. Next to Fabian. It had been dead silent before they stepped out, and it remained there even after Harry and Albus stepped in to the hall.

“… How the hell did you lot even find this place?” Harry couldn’t help it, he needed to know this one.

Reborn smugly closed the door, “World’s greatest.”

“… I am so tired of that line.” Harry groaned.

“Yuni,” Lal offered, her deadpan face locked on Reborn to see the moment the smug look flatten to indifference.

Albus, who was holding on to Harry’s arm, leaned in and whispered, “this place isn’t warded against muggles… it’s warded against thieves and those who wish to do harm.” Harry nodded to show that he heard the information, and as much as he wanted to poke at the flaw in the wards he needed to admit that magic was a dying thing. And perhaps there were more wards that Albus wasn’t listing.

Harry ruffled his hair, and moved to shuffle along the hall. The entourage could follow. It was time to go see James. Magic had consequences, after all. And his son was old and frail.

In his heart… he was a little afraid.

Harry didn’t care for the feeling.