Chapter Text26 th August 1995
Remus winced as Harry made another sharp turn in the sky and rubbed his head wearily.
"…and then the shark turned pink with purple polka dots." Sirius said, finishing the tale of scuba-diving in the Great Barrier Reef with aplomb – or at least Remus thought that was what the tale was about.
"Very nice, Pads." Remus said absently.
Sirius snorted loudly, finally dragging Remus's attention back to his old friend and away from Harry's flying. "You weren't listening, Moony."
"I was…" Remus caught Sirius's knowing look, "alright, alright, I wasn't listening! How can I listen when Harry is up there doing that?!"
"Flying?" asked Sirius dryly.
"Have you seen the acrobatics he's doing?!" Remus argued, turning away from the window and pacing back to his seat in front of Sirius's desk. "He's going to fall and…"
"And turn into Snitch and be perfectly fine." Sirius completed. He looked at Remus speculatively. "So, what's going on with you, Moony?"
Remus lasted for all of a second before he gave a frustrated cry and collapsed into his seat. "She's driving me mad!"
Sirius's lips twitched and Remus's eyes narrowed on his oldest friend. Sirius remained silent and expectant.
"I swear the last couple of weeks she's just trying to make me go grey!" Remus complained plaintively. "I mean, the food cravings are weird enough, and she can't sleep except on her back, so don't get me started on the snoring – or the need to visit the loo every five minutes, but then she keeps insisting on going for long walks around the Estate and into the Alley! She's bought out every shop! She can't possibly need anything else!"
Sirius calmly got up and walked over to the side cabinet. He poured a single glass of whiskey and brought it back to Remus.
"Drink it, Moony." Sirius ordered briskly.
Remus frowned but he followed the instruction. The warmth of the alcohol hit the back of his throat before flooding through the rest of him. He grimaced a little at the taste.
"So, Dora's very pregnant and she's driving you mad because you're in overprotective Moony mode." Sirius summarised sitting back down.
"That's…" began Remus indignantly before catching sight of Sirius's knowing grey eyes and deflating, "fairly accurate."
"Look, you only have another month." Sirius said soothingly. "And you'll have a wonderful baby boy at the end of it."
"I might not survive another month." Remus protested grumpily.
Sirius coughed to hide a laugh.
"I'm sure as my best friend you're supposed to be more supportive!" complained Remus. "Honestly? If she's not driving me nuts with her independence, it's her cravings or her suggestions for names!"
"I thought you'd settled on John Theodore?" queried Sirius with a touch of bewilderment.
Remus didn't blame him. They had settled on the name before Sirius had left for Australia but then…
"Dora decided it was too boring." Remus said tersely. "She wants to call our son Ziggy!"
Sirius wasn't quite quick enough to disguise the bark of laughter but he waved an apologetic hand and gestured at Remus. "What can I do to make it better, Moony?"
Remus sighed. "You're doing it." He admitted. It was good just to talk to Sirius face to face. "I missed you these past couple of weeks."
"The holiday was good." Sirius said. "For both me and Harry."
Remus nodded. He could see it had been in the healthy glow of Sirius's skin, the peaceful look in his eyes, and the good weight he'd put on.
"So is Simeon coming to Britain?" He asked, changing the subject away from his impending parentage and Dora's strange pregnancy quirks.
"Yes." Sirius said. "He wants to come closer to the family. But Anna wants to stay in Australia until the baby is born so they won't move until next Summer."
Remus nodded, remembering how chaotic his and Dora's move to the farm and back had been. "Makes sense."
"How about you?" Sirius pointed to the window where Harry's flying antics with some of the younger members of Remus's pack continued. "Pack settled in?"
"Yes, although they're pleased we're still keeping the farm as a second sanctuary until things get settled politically." Remus said.
"Patrick doing better?" Sirius asked.
Remus smiled at the mention of his beta. "He's doing very well. The prosthetic is great. He's getting better every day." And getting closer with Sian. Remus was almost certain they were sleeping together. "I've been invited to an Alpha meeting in Paris early next month. I think Gregor and Robert are keen to make the alliance permanent."
"Good." Sirius said. "Stability can only be a good thing, right?"
Remus nodded. "But it will mean my duties to the pack will take precedence at times and…"
"And we should really discuss whether it's appropriate for you to stay as our steward." Sirius finished.
"I'm staying." Remus said firmly, a stubborn glint appearing in his eye. "I just need help." He gestured with the empty glass. "If I was yours and Harry's steward only, it would be fine, but I also look after the Wenlock and the Malfoy estates, and now…"
"Nott's and Dumbledore's." Sirius winced.
"Well, to be fair, Albus only really left a lot of books. His personal wealth wasn't all that much." Remus allowed.
Sirius pointed at him. "What's your proposal?"
"Patrick can cover the paperwork and most of the duties associated with my Alpha duties and I get a secretary to assist him." Remus immediately began. "There's a young werewolf, Kevin, who has just joined us. I think he and Patrick would be a good team. That takes care of my pack's day to day needs."
"Clara still helping you with the steward duties?" Sirius asked.
Remus nodded. "I want to put her in charge of the Black estates under my supervision."
Sirius inclined his head in agreement.
"I'll retain the Potter estates personally." Remus stressed. He didn't want to put Harry's future into anybody else's hands.
"That still leaves all the others." Sirius said dryly.
"Christopher Wenlock begins his service at the beginning of September." Remus reminded him. They'd had a meeting with the Wenlocks just before the trip to Australia. While their mother was still frosty towards Sirius and Harry, the kids were respectful and pleased to be included in the discussions of their future. "I'd like to put him in charge of looking after his own estates, mentoring him in that so he learns. The aim would be that once he has shown he can be a good steward, we'd expand his duties to other estates."
"And in the meantime?" prompted Sirius.
"I'd like to hire someone else to be the steward for the Malfoy and Nott estates." Remus concluded. "I have a candidate in mind." He passed over a single piece of parchment.
"Viktor Krum?" Sirius's voice was heavy with surprise and incredulity.
Remus smiled smugly. "Krum took a curse which means he's healing for the next year and out of Quidditch. He wants to stay in England and continue his courtship of Natalie Warren – it wouldn't surprise me if they announced an engagement. They've barely been separated since the battle."
"Hmmm." Sirius placed the parchment down. "So, you stay as steward, delegate more to your deputies and supervise two juniors? This right?"
"Wenlock and Krum both took Estate Management at Durmstrang. Wenlock was being groomed by his father to take over eventually and knows most of the Wenlock estate. Krum similarly has been taught by his father in regards to his own estate." Remus said firmly. "Neither are starting from scratch."
"Fine." Sirius gave in with a huff.
"I would have thought you'd be more pleased I've found a solution that allows me to stay on." Remus said, a touch aggrieved.
Sirius sat forward, leaning on the desk and clasping his hands. "Remus, you and I both know that you only took the job because you wanted to help me and help Harry, and the steward's position gave you a way of doing that and earning your keep – your words not mine." His grey eyes pinned Remus's gaze and he was unable to look away. "I would have happily have had you simply live with us as our friend and Harry's honorary Uncle Mooey, but you and I both know your pride wouldn't have accepted that."
Remus flushed because Sirius was right.
"And back then I could see you needed a reason to feel needed, to have something solid that gave you an excuse to be in Harry's life." Sirius continued. "But that was then. Right now, you're family. You're a member of the House of Black because you're Dora's husband. You don't have to create a reason to stay in our lives; you'll always be a part of the family. Merlin, you would be even if you weren't married to Dora and didn't want the steward's job anymore."
"I know that!" Remus felt compelled to say.
"Then why are you so determined to stay on as steward?" asked Sirius. "You can't tell me you wouldn't rather be writing books or teaching or both! If you took on the pack fully, and took a paying job as the Pack's Alpha – which you could because I know we set the terms of the trust for the Pack to ensure the salary was included – you could do that."
Remus sighed and slumped back in his chair. He gathered his thoughts into some kind of order before he looked back to Sirius and caught his gaze again. "I know in my heart that you'd never turn me away, that I don't need to your steward to be part of your lives. I know that. I also accept that there are other jobs I might prefer to do."
"But?" prompted Sirius gently.
"But last year I promised you I wouldn't walk away this time and…and not being your steward? It feels like walking away." Remus stopped there because the lump in his throat wouldn't let him continue.
Sirius sat back and nodded slowly. "Alright but we'll review this when Harry graduates from Hogwarts."
The relief almost turned his bones to jelly.
Remus gave his own swift nod of agreement. "That sounds fair."
Sirius gave a low hum.
"When do we find out about his exam results?" Remus asked, changing the subject.
Sirius shot him a look which told him he knew exactly what Remus was doing, but he cleared his throat to answer. "Tomorrow. We have a meeting with Minnie just before the memorial match."
Remus glanced out towards the window where Harry was still flying. "Will he play?"
"I'm not sure." For a moment, Sirius's face showed his worry and concern. "He'll play if he's ready." He glanced back towards the portrait of his grandfather. "Some things just take time."
Remus frowned wondering if he'd done the right thing to push Sirius to make peace with his grandfather's memory.
Dobby popped in right beside him and it took all of Remus's control not to shriek like a startled teen. He glared at the elf.
Dobby glared right back at him. "Miss Dora be wanting something called Weetabix dipped into peanut butter sauce. Mipsy panicked called me."
"It's a muggle cereal." Sirius offered helpfully.
Remus got up knowing his day was going to be spent hunting down his wife's latest craving in a muggle supermarket. "Tell Mipsy I'll take care of it, Dobby." The elf assigned to the Estate was wonderful with the Pack but she was always nervous about telling him anything that might even hint she was criticising Dora.
Dobby popped out and Remus turned to leave. He was almost at the door when Sirius called out to him. He turned back inquisitively, one hand on the door.
"I'm glad you're staying, Moony." Sirius said simply.
"I love you too, Pads." Remus said. He cleared the threshold and started to close the door. It was almost closed when he heard a soft sigh and…
"Time to wake up, Grandfather."
Remus closed the door and smiled.
o-O-o
Because he'd been watching him closely, Harry saw the moment when Dougal attempted to evade a bird and slipped from the broom.
He immediately dived after the falling boy and managed to get alongside him within seconds. Harry reached out and grabbed Dougal, pulling him onto Harry's broom. Dougal clung onto him tightly as the broom lurched. Harry focused on keeping control as they descended. He was relieved when he steered them down without incident.
Dougal was shaking as he clambered off Harry and he lowered himself to the grass with evident relief.
Harry summoned the runaway broom which Dougal had fallen from. The broom zoomed through the sky and stopped beside Harry, hovering in mid-air a couple of feet from the ground.
Dougal looked at the broom with horror. "I'm not getting back on that!"
"You should." Harry insisted firmly. "You over-adjusted when you evaded the pigeon; that's why you fell. You just need to get back on and get over it."
"I fell!" Dougal pointed out fiercely. "I would have been a pancake if you hadn't caught me!"
"But I did," Harry said, "and that's why you should always have someone with you until you get really competent; you're still learning." He dismounted and sat down beside the younger boy. "You can't let this get to you. I have this friend, Ginny? She fell off a broom last Summer. It was a really bad fall and she broke her arm. But she didn't let it stop her. She kept flying and she helped her team win the Quidditch cup."
Dougal lowered his head, his blond bangs falling into his eyes. "I'm scared." He muttered in such a low voice, Harry almost couldn't hear him.
He searched for the right words to say. "It's always scary," he began, "when you fall or something goes wrong and you get hurt. Because when you get up and have to face doing it again, you know how it felt when it went wrong, when you got hurt."
"So why do it again?" Dougal asked.
"Because if you don't face your fear and get back on the broom, you're letting yourself be constrained by it and you're denying yourself an experience which you love and enjoy." Harry said. "The fear will have won."
As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Harry's whole body vibrated with a realisation, an epiphany. Wasn't he doing the same as Dougal avoiding the Quidditch pitch? Yes, he'd almost died but he'd survived.
He'd lived and he deserved to fully live.
And maybe that was the thing he should focus on.
Dougal gave a heartfelt sigh and pushed off the ground. He reached for his discarded broom with a stubbornly determined look. "Alright. I'll go up again but…"
"I'll be with you." Harry promised, scrambling to his own feet.
The thought stayed with him as he and Sirius wandered into Hogwarts to get the results of the exams Harry had sat earlier in the Summer. Harry couldn't help but notice the bustling school preparing for the memorial match.
"You alright?" asked Sirius. "You've been pretty quiet since we got back from the Estate yesterday."
"Just thinking about things." Harry said as they moved through a restored corridor; its pristine walls and floor gave no sign of the battle that had been waged within it.
"Anything I can help you with?" Sirius asked.
Harry shook his head. "Something I have to work out for myself." He smiled at Sirius. "But thanks."
Sirius smiled back at him as they approached the gargoyle. "This have anything to do with you bringing your broomstick with you?"
Harry flushed he'd hoped Sirius wouldn't have noticed the shrunken broom in his robe pocket.
"Maybe." Harry gave a half-shrug and turned to the gargoyle. Before he could say the password the gargoyle moved granting them access.
He and Sirius continued up the stairs.
Sirius knocked sharply on the door before they entered.
Minerva sat behind her desk and to the side were Flitwick, Sprout, Babbling and Moody. The latter two Professors were new Heads for Gryffindor and Slytherin. "Come on in, Harry; Sirius." She waved and a set of chairs sprang up for them.
Sirius ushered Harry into one and took the other. "Well, how'd he go?"
Minerva smiled warmly at Harry. "Welcome back to Hogwarts and Gryffindor, Mister Potter."
Harry grinned back at her. He'd thought he'd done enough to secure his place in the school but it was good to know for certain. "Thank you, Professor."
Sirius clasped his shoulder for a moment. "Well done, kiddo."
"Now, we need to cover your lesson plan for this year." Minerva said tapping the parchment in front of her. "You've achieved Outstanding passes in your Defence Against the Dark Arts OWL, your Charms and Transfiguration."
Harry bit his lip. He hadn't realised he'd sat his OWLs! He'd thought they were just end of year exams.
"Your practical in your Defence OWL is also noted as an Outstanding grade at NEWT level." Minerva continued. "But we need to bring up your theory knowledge before you could sit that."
Harry darted a glance at Sirius who looked torn between glee, pride and shock.
Sirius took a breath and seemed to pull himself together. "Independent lessons then?"
Moody nodded. "You'll be taking your Defence with me, Potter."
Harry gave the old auror a smile. He liked Moody and he couldn't think of a better Head of House for Slytherin in the wake of the battle.
"And independent lesson plans with both Professor Flitwick and myself." Minerva said. "We'll obviously cover your Charms and Transfiguration lessons." She gestured. "You may have heard that I have appointed Miss Warren to the position of Associate Transfiguration Professor and as such she will only take the lower years. I'll retain schooling of the NEWT classes until she secures her Mastery."
Harry nodded in understanding.
Professor Babbling smiled happily at him. "I am also thrilled to say you also passed your OWL in Runes with an Outstanding. Do you wish to proceed to the NEWT class?"
"Please." He really enjoyed Runes and he was looking forward to the class. Hermione had also passed her OWL and would take the NEWT with him.
"The other classes will be taken with your year group." Minerva said. "On those classes combined, you came an overall fourth in your year, Harry, which given the…the distractions you faced is a remarkable achievement."
Sirius beamed at him, the picture of a proud father.
"You'll move back into the dorms and be required to wear the usual school uniform." Minerva continued.
Harry nodded. He'd expected that and, while the idea of moving back into the dorm did worry him, he figured Ron and Neville would support him through it.
"With one addition." Minerva concluded.
Harry frowned at her.
Her lips twitched and she tossed a badge to him.
He caught it automatically just like he had caught every snitch. He opened his fist and in his palm lay a shiny prefect badge.
"But…" he began.
"You and the four students who participated in the spell are being made Special Prefects." Minerva said briskly. "It recognises the service and the bond you have with Hogwarts. Of course, the other usual house prefects will receive their badges today. They received special letters this morning."
Harry wondered if Hermione had get one. She had been slightly despondent when the usual school letter had arrived without a badge attached to it. Luckily Minerva had been there to explain that the prefect positions would be announced with the memorial.
"I would also encourage you to try-out for the Quidditch team." Babbling said. "It would be good for Gryffindor to retain the trophy."
"And on the subject of Quidditch," Minerva said briskly, rising, "we should make a move and start to get things organised for today's match."
"Perhaps I could have a word with Harry while you are gone?"
Harry froze at the sound of Albus Dumbledore's voice. His eyes flickered up and left to the portrait he'd missed when he'd entered.
"Albus…" began Minerva in an exasperated remonstrative tone that told Harry she had warned the former Headmaster from making demands and had been ignored. The other Professors were also shooting looks of disapproval at the portrait.
"It's alright." Harry said before she could really get going.
Minerva looked at him sharply. "Are you certain, Harry?"
He nodded. If he was going to get back on the broom, he wasn't going to do it half-heartedly. He'd quite enjoyed talking with his Grandpa Black.
Sirius's hand landed warm on the back of his neck. "Do you want me to stay?"
Harry shook his head.
Sirius squeezed gently and let go.
"Actually, Sirius, I'd like to speak with you on something." Minerva said. "Why don't we use your old rooms? Harry can join you there when he's done."
Sirius nodded. "Lead the way."
Within moments, Harry found himself alone in the office.
"I am sorry, my boy," Dumbledore's portrait said, "I did not mean to put you on the spot."
"Yes, you did." Harry replied evenly. "If you really didn't mean to, you wouldn't have done it."
"Perhaps," Dumbledore said quickly, "but I felt it was important we speak after what happened. When you didn't come to see me after the funeral I believed I should take the next opportunity."
"We have spoken." Harry corrected the portrait. "I spoke with you through the Veil in my dreams. You told me you were ready for your next adventure especially as you wouldn't have lived long with the injury you took; that I shouldn't feel guilty; that dealing with the aftermath of a war was tough."
Dumbledore's portrait seemed completely taken aback. "Extraordinary."
Fawkes flashed into the office and flew to land on Harry's shoulder. He trilled at him gently. Harry let the bird soothe him.
"I'm the Master of the Hallows." Harry said, rubbing Fawkes's head. "I'll always be able to call them and use their powers."
"That amount of power…" cautioned the portrait.
"Is dangerous." Harry nodded. "The wand and the stone will cease to work when I die." He knew that like he knew the shape of his own hand. It just was. "Their purpose will have been served."
"Purpose?" questioned Dumbledore.
Harry wasn't unaware their conversation was gathering attention with the other portraits.
Hogwarts stirred, the dragon opening her eyes and staring out into the office. "The portraits are compelled to keep the Headmaster's secrets. They will not speak of anything you say to anyone else."
Harry raised an eyebrow. "I'm not the Headmaster yet."
"Yes," Hogwarts said dryly, "you are and have been since you appointed the four who woke me. You just haven't assumed the position formally yet."
Harry accepted that. He guessed she would know better than anyone else.
"I died." Harry said starkly.
Fawkes let out another soothing trill.
"I don't remember much of it." Harry continued. "Just…overwhelming sense of peace and my parents' love mostly." He hesitated and forced himself to say the rest. "And Death."
Dumbledore's portrait had finally lost his twinkling eyes. "You spoke with Death?"
"Not exactly." Harry closed his eyes. "I stood with Death on every battlefield, I was the Raven on his shoulder, the dead around us and the Grim at our feet. I was in every moment of time, every possibility that was and will be." He opened his eyes and looked at Dumbledore. "It's my past and my future."
"Death's Champion." Hogwarts said solemnly.
Harry nodded. "I thought it was just about Riddle but…but it's more than that. Plans and actions put into motion centuries ago."
He felt the surge of butterflies in his stomach again because there were glimpses of the future he could only just sense; things to come that he'd Seen. Things he'd been denying and blindly ignoring as his body healed and his mind tried to make sense of it all.
But he was done being afraid. It was time to get back onto the broom.
Harry tilted his head towards Dumbledore. "I want to thank you. Both for Sirius and for me – we wouldn't be here if you hadn't stepped up."
The portrait Dumbledore looked pleased. "You are more than welcome."
Harry turned back to Hogwarts as Fawkes remained a stalwart weight on his shoulder. "Hogwarts."
"Yes, Headmaster." The dragon replied in parseltongue, an amused understanding flitting across her reptilian features.
"What can you tell me about Avalon?" Harry asked.
The dragon stirred, wings stretching out for a long moment before settling again. She looked at Harry almost approvingly. "There is a tale of a Once and Future King…" she began.
Harry sat back to listen.
It was much later when he left the office. He hurried to his and Sirius's old quarters, certain that Sirius was probably worried. He wasn't wrong. He found Sirius in his old room, looking out of the window at the busy rebuilt Quidditch pitch. It was teeming with people.
He saw Sirius's relief at the sight of him written as bold and brash across Sirius's face before his father managed to wrangle his expression under control.
"Good talk?" asked Sirius.
"Yeah," Harry smiled sheepishly, "I got talking to Hogwarts." He sat down beside Sirius in the window seat. "I asked her about Avalon."
Sirius's eyebrows rose and he peered at Harry speculatively.
"I carry Merlin's legacy." Harry said. "Hermione now carries Morgana's. I don't think that's a coincidence."
"No." Sirius agreed with surprising solemnity. "Probably not." He gazed at Harry with silver eyes that suddenly saw too much. "When you…" he stopped as though he was unable to actually say the words, "when you…how long did you spend with Death?"
"A second." Harry said. "An eternity." He gazed back at his father. "And you were always there beside me."
Sirius reached over and cupped his shoulder. "And I always will be." His lips twitched. "Whether magic tethers me to you or not."
Harry leaned into the touch, relaxing for the first time in what seemed forever. A movement outside the window caught his eye – the Gryffindor banner had been raised and was flying high from the North corner of the pitch.
Sirius patted his shoulder and slipped off the seat. "Try not to give Remus a heart attack with the tricks you do."
Harry grinned, contentment that Sirius just knew what Harry intended rushing through him in a wave of pleasure that Sirius knew him. He shooed Sirius from the room and called Dobby – there was a uniform he needed to put on.
He was more than a little surprised he didn't meet anyone on his way to the pitch – the corridors and staircases of Hogwarts silent and echoing with his footsteps. He jogged down the pathway, not slowing at the line of students waiting at the new players' entrance to the pitch. He saw the faces of some light up, some grinned knowingly, as he passed them. He got to the front of the line where Ron goggled at him with an open mouth and Draco rolled his eyes expressively.
Harry ignored them and nudged a widely-grinning Ginny. "Can I cut in, Gin?"
"You have to loan me your broom for my try-outs next year." Ginny retorted, her brown eyes shining with a familiar Weasley mischief.
"Done." Harry said breezily.
She stepped out of the line with an exaggerated step and ushered him into it with a sweep of her arm. She was giggling as the Gryffindor Chasers pulled her back into the line by them.
Ron finally closed his mouth and motioned at him. "I thought…"
"Have to get back on the broom sometime." Harry said with a shrug.
Ron looked at him but seemed to think better about whatever he'd been about to say. "Well…just make sure you get the Snitch."
Draco sniffed. "Don't expect me to go easy on you, Cousin."
Harry just grinned back.
"Right, then!" Ron turned to the waiting lines. "Don't forget the rules! Full team out at the start. Seekers stay on, two players change at the whistle on both teams! Players can swap roles about but you should try and play the positions which are coming off! Beaters will swap out first, then Chasers, then Keepers! Any questions?"
There was a snicker of laughter further down the line but everyone nodded, faces slightly anxious but eager to get going.
"And NOW," Lee Jordan's voice sounded over the pitch, "let's welcome the players to this Hogwarts' Memorial Pick-Up Match!"
And the game was on.
o-O-o
Theo watched as the first set of players took to the sky. He almost smiled as Harry was announced as one of the Seekers. He'd known the other boy wouldn't let his fear dictate his actions for long. After all, Potter was nothing if not a Gryffindor. Beside him he could see Blaise handing over a galleon to a smugly satisfied Neville while the Patil twins smiled at their antics.
On his other side, Ted Tonks gently poked him. "Alright, Theo?"
Theo nodded. Ted was a comforting solid presence. He was so unlike Theo's Father in so many ways that it was a blessing, and yet Theo knew Ted cared about him already; saw him as a son already. It was evident in everything Ted did to make Theo welcome; to ensure he had all he needed. Theo might have felt guilty for the affection he already felt for the other wizard but he knew his own father would want nothing more for him than to be safe and happy. Benjamin Nott had given his life to make that happen after all.
If he understood Ted, Theo was at a bit of a loss about the women in his new family. Dora was a constant surprise. So unlike the pureblood women Theo had been socially exposed to with his father's set of friends, yet so funny and kind and smart…she was a character. She was also settling into a big sister role with him so fast, Theo was hard pressed to remember when she hadn't been part of his life.
He was looking forward to the baby; to being an honorary uncle even if he wasn't certain the latest name for the baby boy would stick. Remus hadn't looked all that happy at the idea of calling his son Romulus and Theo couldn't blame him, but Dora looked equally unhappy at John.
Andy was a revelation. She was at the same time the epitome of a pureblood lady and the antithesis of one. She had the manners and style of a lady but her kindness and her generosity were astounding to Theo. He barely knew what to do with her maternal care. He had never truly had a mother figure before. But he figured he could quickly come to love it and her.
No, Theo was pleased. Harry and Sirius had welcomed him to the House of Black and already he felt part of the family.
His eyes strayed to the sky to where Harry was already leading Draco on a merry chase and smiled. Harry Potter was destined for great things; Theo was sure of that. The defeat of Riddle was only the beginning.
And Theo would be part of it, helping him, supporting him.
Theo missed his father but his future was something he looked forward to living.