Nearly

”Wait, wait, I forgot the chocolate —”

”Moony, just leave it —”

”Shh — you’ll wake him up —!”

Harry Potter smiles to himself as his fathers’ muffled voices can be heard from the other side of the door and he wriggles back under the duvet and burrows his face into his pillow, squinting one eye open until he can see the doorhandle turn and then he quickly pretends to be asleep. 

”Okay, ready?” Remus Lupin whispers. 

There is a small pause, and then both wizards begin to belt out the first slightly-off-tune bars of Happy Birthday To You and Harry allows the grin to stretch his face once more, then makes a show of stretching and blinking his eyes open. 

Sirius’s singing morphs into a bark of laughter and he squeezes down next to Harry on the bed and proceeds to ruffle his already messy hair. Remus finishes the song by himself and then levitates the cake to hover in mid-air in front of Harry so that he can blow out the eleven candles. 

Both men clap their hands and Sirius slings an arm around Harry to hug him close to his side. Harry beams up at him happily, although without his glasses on Sirius is only a blurry blob, but there’s still no mistaking the brilliant glint of his teeth as he grins back. 

Remus carefully levitates the cake to balance on top of Harry’s dresser and then leans over to give the boy a hug, kissing him fondly on the cheek before retreating again. 

”Eleven years”, he mumbles. ”Can hardly believe it…”

”Yeah, our boy’s got big”, Sirius agrees and hands Harry his glasses. ”Go on, runty, open your presents!”

”Sirius”, Remus admonishes seriously. ”Don’t call him that!”

”I’m not that short for my age”, Harry protests feebly, but the small pile of presents at the foot of the bed is already stealing his attention and he eagerly scrambles over to rip into the first one. 

”Of course you’re not”, Remus says, then throws Sirius a warning glare. 

Sirius only grins back, ”Nothing wrong with being the runt of the litter—”

”There’s no litter!” Remus snaps. ”Now stop it, or he’s going to think you’re serious and develop insecurities…”

”All right, all right”, Sirius says. ”I’m only teasing, Harry.”

”I know”, Harry says and smiles at him over his shoulder, ”Whoa!”

Harry stares in wonder at the broomstick-shaped present at the bottom of the pile, then turns his wide-eyed stare on his fathers. 

”You haven’t even opened it yet”, Sirius says with a grin. 

Harry shakes himself out of his shock and immediately starts tearing the wrapping paper off, gasping as the brand new broom is revealed to be the new Nimbus 2000 and lets out a delighted squeal, before launching himself at Sirius who laughs as he hugs him back, ”I think he likes it!”

”Thank you, thank you —!” Harry yells happily and launches himself at Remus in turn. ”Thank you so much!”

”You’re welcome, Harry”, Remus says fondly and hugs him back. 

”But — ” Harry starts, then immediately cuts himself off, and looks guiltily between his two fathers. 

”But?” Sirius prompts and smiles kindly at him. 

Harry looks down at the brand new broomstick and fingers the golden letters morosely, ”But the letter from Hogwarts said —”

”First-years aren’t allowed their own broomsticks?” Sirius supplies for him and Harry nods miserably. ”Well, you’ll just have to be extra careful to keep yours a secret then, won’t you?”

Harry looks up with a soft gasp, barely daring to hope… Sirius grins at him, and Remus gives him a pinched smile as well when Harry turns to him, but there was no mistaking the stern glance he gave his husband just before and Harry realises his daddy didn’t like the idea of Harry breaking a school rule at all, but that his dad must have somehow convinced him to get the broom for him anyway.

”There is one more present for you as well”, Remus says, changing the subject. ”When you and I go to Diagon Alley to get your school supplies, you may choose a pet to take with you to Hogwarts.”

”Really?” Harry says excitedly. ”I can choose whatever I want?”

”Well, you remember what the letter from Hogwarts said —?”

”Yeah, I know, I know!” Harry says quickly. ”No hippogriffs or dragons, I get it!”

Remus rolls his eyes, but the smile on his face remains stubbornly in place, even though he tries to smooth it out, ”I swear, you become more and more like your dad every day…”

”You say that like it’s a bad thing!” Sirius says and loops his arm around Remus’s waist to pull him closer, and plants a quick kiss on his lips before letting him go again. 

”Dad…” Harry moans and slaps a hand over his eyes. 

”Come on”, Remus says. ”We’ll eat the cake in the kitchen — I’ve made some hot chocolate, as well…”

”Coffee for me”, Sirius says and gets to his feet, his arm automatically shooting out to catch Harry when he trips over the duvet and almost falls face first to the floor. ”Careful… Maybe it’s time you start drinking coffee, as well…”

”I doubt that’s the answer”, Remus mutters. ”How you can be so graceful in the air, Harry, is beyond me…”

”He doesn’t need to use his two left feet when he’s flying”, Sirius says. ”Come on, runt…”

They have birthday cake for breakfast, Harry and Remus washing it down with strong hot chocolate and Sirius rolling his eyes at them fondly while nursing his cup of black coffee. 

”Well, Moony, I really should get going”, he says after glancing at the clock. ”Croaker will have my head if I’m late again… Harry, I’ll try and get back in time for your birthday dinner, but I might need to go — well — I might not get back until late, in which case I promise to look in on you and say good night.”

”Okay, I understand”, Harry says and nods, trying to smile encouragingly so his disappointment won’t show. 

”But I’ll try my hardest to make it back in time”, Sirius says again and strokes the side of his head gently. 

”Just be safe”, Remus intones. ”We’ll still be here waiting for you tomorrow, so there’s no need to get careless.”

Sirius says nothing, just smiles and leans in to peck his husband on the side of the mouth. 

”Go”, Remus mutters. ”We’ll see you when we see you…”

Sirius curls his arm around him and pulls him into a quick hug, murmuring something that sounds like I love you into his shoulder before pulling back again and giving Harry a hug as well. 

*

”Here we are, the Leaky Cauldron”, Remus says and steers Harry towards a tiny, grubby-looking pub squeezed in between a record shop and a bookstore and Harry blinks in the sudden dimness once inside. 

The pub is almost dark, lit only by a few candles and for a famous place, which apparently it is, because Harry remembers both his fathers talking about it on several occasions even if they’ve never brought him along before now, it’s very shabby. He steps a little closer to Remus subconsciously searching out the sense of security from the man’s warmth and smell. Remus smiles down at him gently and puts a comforting hand on his back, steering him passed a small group of old witches drinking sherry and up to the bar where a little man in a top hat is conversing with the old barman — or they were conversing at least, except at the sight of Harry, they both fall silent… in fact, Harry notices, the entire pub seems to have gone still and silent, and every eye is on him. Remus hand rubs tiny circles over his back and Harry relaxes a little, but not nearly enough. 

”Good Lord”, the barman says in a breathless wheeze. ”Is this — can this be —?”

”Good afternoon”, Remus says politely.

”But bless my soul, it’s… Harry Potter!”

”Yes”, Remus says patiently, hugging Harry to his side in an unconscious display of protectiveness and Harry willingly snuggles closer. ”It is. And we wish to access Diagon Alley, if you please.”

”Ah, yes, of course”, the old barman says, stumbling to a halt halfway around the bar, suddenly aware that Harry had shrunk back to hide behind his father. ”I’m sorry, I only meant — it’s such an honour —!”

”Of course”, Remus says calmly. ”But I’m afraid Harry is a little shy. If you wouldn’t mind…”

”Ah, yes, of course, of course…” the barman says, looking a little flustered and quickly moves back behind the bar again. 

A pale young man wearing a weird, purple turban suddenly moves out into the dim candle-light from a shadowed corner, wringing his hands nervously, one of his eyes twitching. 

”P-Potter!” he stammers. ”I c-c-can’t tell you how p-p-pleased I am t-to meet you!”

”Professor Quirrel, isn’t it?” Remus says and extends his hand for the other man to shake, and he does after a brief moment of hesitation. ”Harry, Professor Quirrel will be your Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts.”

”N-not that you n-need it, eh, P-P-Potter?” Quirrel says and laughs nervously. 

Harry looks up at Remus uncertainly, and notices the smile on his face looks a bit forced now. 

”Yes, well”, he says swiftly. ”We must be going — lots to buy, you know!”

”Oh of c-course”, Quirrell says with a slight nod. ”I’ve g-g-got to pick up a new b-book on vampires m-myself…”

He trails off, looking slightly terrified at the idea and Harry feels a stab of pity for some reason. How someone as scared-looking as Quirrel could have become a Master of Defence Against The Dark Arts, he can’t understand. Glancing at his daddy again, he detects a similar look of pity on the man’s face and hides a smile when he offers Quirrel a rather gentle smile and bids him a good afternoon. 

”Come on, Harry”, he adds and steers Harry towards the opposite corner and through a small doorway leading into the back of the pub. 

”Is he always that nervous?” Harry asks quietly and Remus chuckles. ”Yeah, ’fraid so… He’s got a brilliant mind, so they say. As long as he was just learning about the Dark Arts through books, he was fine. But then he took a year off to get some real, first-hand experience and he’s never been quite the same…”

”Why, what happened to him?” 

”They say he met some vampires in the Black Forest. I don’t know. It’s probably just rumours and gossip. I’m sure he’s an excellent teacher. Now —”

Harry stumbles over the threshold and blinks in the sudden daylight as they enter a small, walled courtyard behind the pub. There is nothing here except a dustbin and some weeds. Harry looks at Remus again, who simply smiles back and continues to steer him over to one of the walls. 

”Stand back, Harry, there’s a good lad…” Remus says and gets his wand out. 

Harry watches eagerly as his daddy taps the wall three times and gasps in astonishment as the brick quivers suddenly then begins to wriggle. Before he knows it, the entire wall is rearranging itself, creating a hole in the middle of it that keeps growing larger and larger until they’re staring at an archway leading to a cobbled street on the other side. 

”Wow…” Harry breathes. 

”Come on”, Remus says and steers him through the archway and round the corner. 

Harry gasps again as Diagon Alley finally comes into view. He has always wanted to come here, but his fathers have always given him vague excuses. After experiencing The Leaky Cauldron, Harry now has some idea of why and feels a little more understanding, but all the same… He is finally here! 

He stares in wide-eyed excitement at the different shop windows, the glimmer of a stack of cauldrons outside the nearest shop catching his attention. 

”Yeah, you’ll be needing a cauldron”, Remus says. ”Come on…”

”Won’t we need to go to Gringotts first?” Harry says hopefully, wanting to see the Wizarding Bank with his own eyes, the goblins who run it in particular, but Remus shakes his head and steers him over to the cauldron shop instead. 

”Your dad went and made a withdrawal yesterday, to save us some time”, Remus says. ”Do you have your list?”

”Yeah”, Harry mumbles and gets the Hogwarts letter from his inside pocket and unfolds the second piece of paper. ”Ehm it just says ’1 cauldron, pewter standard size 2’…”

”All right —”

”Standard size 2, you say?” an elderly witch says in a boomingly loud voice from behind the counter as they enter the tiny shop. ”First Year Student, I take it? Well, I have just the cauldron for you, if you’ll follow me…”

After the old witch has handed Harry his first cauldron and Remus has paid for it, they make their way out into the cobbled street again. Remus squints in the sunlight and looks across the street to a shop called Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions. 

”We might as well get your school robes, Harry… before we go to Ollivander’s to get your wand, then I think we’ll have a spot of lunch, before we pick up your books at Flourish and Blott’s, what do you say?”

”And my pet”, Harry says, worried that his daddy might have forgotten his promise, but at the man’s amused smile, he realises he’s being teased. 

”Of course, we’ll get your pet”, Remus says and steers him over to the Robes Shop. ”Harry, would you mind terribly if I went and got some supplies while you’re being fitted?”

”What? Why? I mean, why can’t I come with you?” Harry asks anxiously. 

”Just trying to save some time, thats all”, Remus says casually, but he avoids Harry’s eyes and quickly opens the door Madam Malkin’s and holds it up for Harry. ”I won’t be long. You’ll be fine, you’re in safe hands, Madam Malkin is a sweetheart, you’ll see…”

”Okay”, Harry says dully and slips inside the shop, his belly fluttering nervously as Remus waves to him through the glass door, before disappearing from sight. 

”Hogwarts, dear?” a squat, smiling witch in mauve robes says. ”Got the lot here — another young man is being fitted up just now, in fact… Well, come on, come on…”

She waves Harry in and he quickly stumbles after her into the back of the shop where a boy with a pale, pointed face and white-blonde hair is standing on a footstool while a second witch is pinning up his long black robes. 

Madam Malkin guides Harry up onto a second footstool right next to the other boy and puts a long robe over his head that she then proceeds to pin to the right length. 

”Hullo”, the boys says coolly. ”Hogwarts, too?”

”Yeah”, Harry says and gives the boy a nervous smile. 

”My father’s next door buying my books and my mother’s up the street looking at wands”, the boy says in a rather bored, drawling tone of voice, but it sounds a bit forced and well, rehearsed, Harry thinks and stifles a smile. ”Then I’m going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don’t see why first-years can’t have their own. I think I’ll bully father into getting me one anyway and I’ll smuggle it in somehow…”

Harry is reminded of his own broom back home and feels a flutter of excitement in his belly. He glances over at the other boy, catching his curious, steel grey eyes briefly before he quickly looks away again, pretending to be bored once more. Harry smiles to himself, if only he could tell this boy… He would be so impressed with Harry if he knew… if he realised that Harry had similar intentions of smuggling a broom into Hogwarts, that they had that in common… Maybe they could even become friends…

”Have you got your own broom?” the boy asks. 

”Yes”, Harry says immediately, allowing some of his excitement to seep into his voice. 

”Really… Play Quidditch at all?” 

”Ehm, a bit, you know at home with—”

”Yeah, me too”, the boy interrupts. ”Father says it’s a crime if I don’t get picked to play for my House, I’m that good…”

Harry huffs out a chuckle, and gives the boy a wry smile. If it wasn’t for the eager glint in the boy’s eyes, Harry might have thought he was just as arrogant as he pretends to be… But he’s not, he’s just trying to impress me, he thinks and feels that flutter in his belly again. He’s trying to impress me of all people… and he doesn’t even know who I am, so it’s not like with those people in the pub.

”Know what House you’ll be in?” the boy asks after a moment when it becomes clear that Harry isn’t going to praise his supposed Quidditch skills. ”I mean, no-one really knows until they get there, but I just know I’ll be in Slytherin. Everyone in my family have been, you know.”

The fluttery thing in Harry’s belly sinks like a stone, as the possibility of friendship starts to shrink. Slytherin, he thinks numbly. The only thing he knows about Slytherin is that his dad’s whole family had been in that House, everyone but his dad who broke tradition and got Sorted into Gryffindor where he met Remus, and Harry’s real dad James, and his mother Lily… Harry’s entire family have all been Gryffindors, and his fathers are always saying Harry is a typical Gryffindor as well… 

Harry isn’t sure how much the different Houses see of each other, except when they have shared classes together, but he somehow thinks it’s unlikely that a Gryffindor can be friends with a Slytherin. 

”Imagine being in Hufflepuff”, the boys continues. ”I think I’d leave, wouldn’t you?”

”Mmm”, Harry mumbles, avoiding the boy’s silvery eyes now. 

Suddenly the bell above the shop door jingles and both boys turn to look up to see Remus appear around the corner, grinning at the sight of Harry in his new robes. Harry gives him a small smile in return, but his heart isn’t really in it. He catches the worried frown on his daddy’s face before he looks away. 

”Harry?” Remus says. ”Everything alright?”

”Yeah, fine”, he mumbles, then taking a deep breath he looks up at the blonde boy, intent on introducing him to his daddy, but the unimpressed sneer on the boy’s face stops him and he frowns, following his line of sight. 

Remus tries to catch his eyes again, the worry line still present on his brow. Harry glances from his face to his slightly worn robes, noticing the patches where they’ve been mended as if seeing them for the first time, and he realises what the blonde boy had been looking down his nose at… Bristling, Harry straightens up and turns back to let the boy know exactly what he thinks of his stuck-up opinions…

”That’s you done, dear!” Madam Malkin says, interrupting him. 

Harry shuts his mouth again with a snap and hops down from the footstool. 

”Well, I’ll see you at Hogwarts, I suppose”, the boy says behind him, but he doesn’t turn to look at him again and he doesn’t reply. 

Remus watches him uncertainly as he stomps past him and disappears into the front of the shop. He pulls the robes off angrily and dumps them on top of the counter, waiting for his daddy and Madam Malkin to come, so they can pay up and leave the shop already. 

He stands off to the side, fuming silently as Remus pays for the robes. Madam Malkin waves good bye to him and he gives her a quick wave back, still scowling to himself. 

”Harry, hang on”, Remus says when they exit the shop and grabs his arm gently when he tries to walk off down the street. ”Stop — hey — look at me…”

Harry huffs and stands still, his fists shoved into his pockets. He refuses to meet his daddy’s eyes, horrified to feel his own eyes fill with tears. 

I will not cry over that stupid boy, he thinks furiously. To think I ever wanted to be friends with him.

Remus sighs softly and crouches down in front of him, rubbing his hands over Harry’s arms as if trying to warm him up, ”What happened?”

”Nothing”, Harry mutters, his voice thick with suppressed emotion. 

”Don’t lie, Harry. If you don’t want to tell me, that’s fine. But don’t lie to me, please…”

The tears finally spill over then and Harry scrunches his face up miserably, a small sniffle turning into a whimpering sob and before he knows what’s happened he’s burrowed into Remus’s arms and is crying quite freely into his shoulder. 

Remus holds him and shushes him gently, ”Shh… It’s okay, shh, come on sweetheart, it’s okay…”

”I’m sorry”, Harry hiccoughs against his shoulder after a while.

”Don’t be sorry”, Remus chides gently. ”Come on… Let’s go get some lunch, and maybe an ice-cream for afters, what do you say?”

Harry nods, then ducks his head and wipes his face with both hands. 

”Come on”, Remus says again and stands up, putting his arm around Harry and leading him down the cobbled street. 

They buy lunch in a small almost hidden-away café that Harry didn’t see the name of and Remus finds them a secluded corner booth, and makes sure Harry has the seat with the back to the rest of the room. He smiles gently at Harry when he glances up, meeting his eyes for the first time and blushing for acting like a little child and crying like that, out in public no less… For a brief moment he wonders if the boy from the shop had seen him break down, or he’d seen Remus comfort him, but then decides he doesn’t care. He really doesn’t care what the boy thinks. 

”Daddy”, he says in a small voice. ”I think you’re the best dad anyone could have.”

Remus blinks in surprise, and then a look of understanding flits into his eyes. He doesn’t say anything though, just smiles back. And Harry is grateful for it, because he doesn’t think he could tell him about the boy in the shop and the ugly look on his face when Remus had walked in. 

”Okay”, Remus says decisively, as they’ve both finished up their meals. ”We’ll go get ice-cream at Florean Fortescue’s first of all, then we’ll get your wand at Ollivander’s before we go to Flourish and Blott’s, and finally we’ll head to the Magical Menagerie for your last birthday present, how’s that sound?”

”Great”, Harry says with renewed excitement and grins. 

*

Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC, the peeling gold letters above the door to the narrow wand shop says. As they step inside, a tinkling bell can be heard from deep within the shop. Remus gives Harry an encouraging smile, before he takes a seat on the single spindly chair in the middle of the floor. 

”Good afternoon”, a soft voice suddenly speaks from the gloom next to Harry, who jumps and swivels round to stare at the two pale eyes floating out of the darkness, followed by a lined, old face and messy, white hair as the old wizard steps out of the shadows. 

”H-hello”, Harry says awkwardly. 

”Good afternoon, Mr Ollivander”, Remus says politely. 

Mr Ollivander doesn’t even glance at Remus however, he keeps staring at Harry with an intensity that is making the boy feel uncomfortable. 

”Ah yes…” the man says, in an even softer voice. ”Yes, yes. I thought I’d be seeing you soon… Harry Potter… You have your mother’s eyes. It seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow, great for Charms work…”

Mr Ollivander takes a swift step closer to Harry, who tenses up further. 

”Your father, on the other hand”, he continues, and Harry frowns uncomfortably, shrinking away slightly as the old man seems to loom ever closer. ”Favoured a mahogany wand, eleven inches, pliable, a little more power and excellent for Transfiguration — well, I say your father favoured it — it’s really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course, not the other way round.”

Mr Ollivander is now standing so close to Harry that they are almost nose to nose, and Harry notices immediately when the man’s gaze flits to the scar on his forehead. 

”Ah… and that’s where —”

Mr Ollivander reaches up and touches the lightening bolt shaped scar on Harry’s forehead with a long, crooked finger and Harry flinches back. There is a sudden creak behind them as Remus jumps up from the spindly chair and then clears his throat pointedly. Mr Ollivander retreats his finger, but doesn’t move away. 

”I’m sorry to say I sold the wand that did it”, he murmurs. ”Thirteen and a half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in the wrong hands…”

”Yes, well —!” Remus interrupts loudly. ”We really must hurry you, we still have a lot of stuff to buy!”

”Remus! Remus Lupin!” Mr Ollivander exclaims, as if he hadn’t seen him already. ”Cypress, ten and a quarter inches, unicorn hair core, wasn’t it?”

”Yes”, Remus says shortly. 

”Yes, well, now — Mr Potter”, Mr Ollivander says and pulls out a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. ”Which is your wand arm?”

”Er — my right, Sir”, Harry mumbles. 

”Well, hold it out. That’s it.” 

Mr Ollivander measures Harry’s right arm from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and finally around his head. Harry peers curiously at Remus, who just gives him an encouraging wink and sits back down on the spindly chair. 

Mr Ollivander is moving along the shelves, pulling out narrow boxes and offering Harry different wands to try. What he's waiting for, Harry isn’t sure, but he’d no sooner given a wand to Harry than he snatched it right back, muttering to himself, ”No, no, definitely not”

The pile of tried wands is growing higher and higher, and so far, nothing has happened when Harry has held one of them. Despite this, Mr Ollivander seems to get happier and happier as he moves eagerly down the rows of shelves, ”Tricky customer, eh? Not to worry, we’ll find the perfect match here somewhere — I wonder, now — yes, why not — here”, he thrusts yet another wand at Harry, describing it quickly as he’s done with all the rest, but Harry is barely even paying attention to him anymore, ”Holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches —”

Suddenly, Harry feels a warmth in his fingers and he grips the wand gently. He gasps, and looks up at Mr Ollivander who grins back at him, his yellow teeth almost glowing in the gloom. 

Harry glances over at Remus as well, and at the man’s encouraging nod, he raises the wand and gives it a swish. A stream of red and gold sparks suddenly shoot out of the wand tip like fireworks and Harry beams. 

”Oh, bravo!” Mr Ollivander exclaims. ”Oh, very good, very good indeed… well, well, well… how curious… how very curious…”

He keeps muttering to himself as he puts Harry’s wand back in its box and wraps it with brown paper.

”Sorry”, Harry says. ”But what’s curious?”

”I remember every wand I ever sold, Mr Potter”, Mr Ollivander says and fixes Harry with another intense stare that makes Harry’s stomach clench. ”And it so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand gave another feather — just one other — and it is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand, when its brother gave you that scar —”

Harry swallows thickly, but before Mr Ollivander can tell him any more, Remus has moved forward to pay for the wand and is soon ushering Harry out of the shop again. 

*

They finally make their way from Flourish and Blotts, all of Harry’s school books shrunken and stored safely inside his new cauldron along with his wand and potions supplies. Remus had bought the potions supplies while Harry was getting fitted, and when Harry asked him again why he’d not been allowed to accompany him to the Apothecary, the man had been just as evasive as the first time. Harry’s mind is whirring with questions, not just about what his daddy hadn’t wanted him to see in the Apothecary’s, but about what Ollivander had let slip before Remus interrupted him… And once in a while the pale, blonde boy from Madam Malkin’s flicker by again as well, making his belly flutter once more, but for what reason, Harry doesn’t know, it’s not like he likes the boy anymore…

At the sight of the Magical Menagerie, Harry’s mind finally slows to a stop and he can focus again. There’s not much room inside, every inch of wall covered by different sized cages and it’s both smelly and noisy, the occupants of the cages all squeaking, squawking, jabbering or hissing, but Harry couldn’t have been more excited. He’s always wanted a pet, but his fathers always told him he was too young, and that a pet was a big responsibility… 

”Remember, you can only choose an owl, a cat, or a toad”, Remus reminds him as he stares around eagerly. 

”Oh, daddy, look”, he says, pulling on Remus arm eagerly and pointing to a snowy white owl perched on a peg on the wall. ”She’s beautiful!”

”Yes, she is”, Remus agrees and chuckles as the owl blinks her eyes open and hoots affectionately at Harry who beams. 

Suddenly a tiny meow can be heard and Harry twirls around, searching for the source of the sound and gasps when he sees the tiniest kitten, curled up inside an over-turned hat on the counter. He carefully scoops it up, marvelling at how tiny and soft it is. The kitten opens its mouth and meows again, but it’s more of a pitiful squeak than a proper meow. Harry gently holds it against his chest, and it immediately snuggles close and starts to purr. 

”Oh…” Harry breathes, and carefully manoevers the little ball of fur into one hand, so that he can use his other to stroke its head. ”Oh, daddy, isn’t it the cutest thing you’ve ever seen?”

”A cat?” Remus says uncertainly. ”Are you sure, Harry? An owl would be more useful…”

Harry looks over at the snowy white owl again and feels a pinching sensation in his chest. He can’t choose. He’s fallen in love with them both. 

Remus watches him silently for a moment, then sighs, ”No, Harry… You can’t have both, you have to choose one…”

Harry looks down at the kitten again, unconsciously pouting. 

Remus sighs again, ”You’re only allowed to bring one pet to Hogwarts, Harry.”

The kitten turns its head back and yawns, then blinks its cerulean eyes open and stares up at Harry, who immediately looks up Remus with a pleading look. The man swallows another sigh and glances over at the amused looking witch behind the counter, then frowns at Harry with a stern look. 

Harry’s pout grows, and Remus frown falters. 

”Harry”, he tries to reason. ”You are not allowed two pets at Hogwarts. That’s the rule. It’s not up to me, I can’t change —”

”But she can stay at home with you and dad”, Harry says eagerly. ”And I can see her during the holidays!”

”Your dad will love that…” Remus mutters. 

”Oh, he won’t mind, look at her, she’s adorable! He’ll love her, you’ll see! Look, she loves me already — look —”

Remus reluctantly glances down at the tiny creature in Harry’s hand. The second pair of pleading eyes seems to seal the deal, because he sighs again and nods. 

”Fine. You can get both. But I’ll leave you to explain this to your dad.”

Harry just beams happily, and nuzzles the side of the kitten’s face lovingly. He can’t see why anyone would have a problem with keeping such a cute creature, and besides, his fathers always joke about being dog people, but they’ve never even had a dog as far as Harry knows, not even before Harry was born. 

As he suspected, not a lot of explaining is required in the end. Sirius surprises them both by welcoming them home to a finished dinner and takes one look at Harry carrying the kitten in one hand and the owl cage in the other and immediately turns to look at his husband with an exasperated look. 

Remus cheeks flushes a faint pink and he gives Sirius an apologetic look, but the other man just shakes his head and smiles fondly. 

”I’ve already named the owl Hedwig”, Harry announces proudly putting the cage down on the table. ”Because she’s just mine, but since the kitten will be all of ours, we should come up with a name together!”

”That was Harry’s idea, as well”, Remus tells Sirius in an under-tone and gets a quick kiss in response.

After a short but passionate discussion, the family decides on the name Selina for the cat and after much begging and imploring puppy dog eyes from Harry, Selina is allowed to sleep in Harry’s bed with him. Remus tucks Harry in and then carefully moves Selina out of the way so that he can sit down in the side of the bed. He smiles down at Harry and gently strokes his head.

”I can’t believe how fast you’ve grown up, Harry”, he says thickly. ”What will I do without you when you go away to Hogwarts…”

Harry frowns in concern, but Remus chuckles and shakes his head then, ”Don’t mind me, I’m just being my sentimental self…”

”I’ll miss you too, daddy”, Harry says. ”But don’t you think it’s a good thing I got two pets, though? This way, I’ll have Hedwig to keep me company while I’m away, and you and dad will have Selina!”

Remus chuckles again, ”Yes, you’re absolutely right. Good thinking, Harry…”

”You really think I’ll be sorted into Gryffindor?” 

”I don’t know, Harry. But it doesn’t matter. All the houses have their good qualities. Whichever one you get sorted into, you’ll do great.”

”Even if I’m sorted into Slytherin?” Harry says nervously. 

”Is this about what the Malfoy boy said?”

Harry blinks in surprise, no idea that his daddy had been that perceptive or that he’d known who the blonde boy was even. Remus gives him a gentle smile. Harry swallows, then nods. 

”Well, I’m sure he didn’t mean most of it… He looked rather nervous to me, he was probably just trying to impress you.”

”That’s what I thought at first”, Harry admits shyly. ”I thought he was kind of… But then he turned out to be stuck-up and mean.”

Remus nods, ”Well… If you are both sorted in the same house, I’m sure you’ll get to know each other better and you’ll realise that there’s a different side to him.”

”How do you know?” Harry says suspisciously. 

”There always is”, Remus says simply and shrugs.

”And if we’re not sorted into the same house?”

”Then… You won’t have to worry about him regardless, will you? Either way, it will be fine.”

”I guess…” Harry mumbles, still not convinced.

He scratches Selina behind the ears, her purring soothing him more than anything. Remus smiles at him again and leans down to kiss him softly on the forehead. 

”Sweet dreams, Harry… I’ll see you in the morning.”