Found Family - 4 (Patreon)

NOTE:
There will be spicy chapters, but I'm going to post them separately from the main story. That way it doesn't take away from the flush.

He desperately wanted to kick down the door and drag Quirrell to the Veil after a thorough beating. Unfortunately, he had no idea what would happen to the parasite. Tom would vanish into smoke like he did the first time around. It pained him to do, but he would wait for the soul trap to do its job without interference. Harry was glad to find out that the safety of the wizarding world hadn't been on his shoulders in his first year, but it was also a painful reminder of his naivety at the time. It did slightly adjust his opinion of Dumbledore.

His original plan had been to knock over Malfoy manor, but he couldn't do that with Iris as an apprentice. It would be too dangerous for her to tag along. Iris was currently passed out on the couch in their rented room. A full tummy of good food was enough to knock her out for a short nap. She would need some time before she could get accustomed to regular meals of decent portions. Harry found himself watching her sleep. He was going to do his best to give her a good life. Hedwig was sleeping close to the couch to keep an eye on her. She seemed to like him well enough, but Iris was her person.

Harry idly tapped his fingers on the table as he tried to think of good targets. They didn't need any more gold, but anything they stole would be less the Death Eaters could use. The places actually worth hitting were not somewhere he could safely take her. Oddly enough, the places not worth robbing could be even worse. Desperate Death Eaters suddenly face-to-face with their shortcomings were a dangerous bunch. There was also the fact that Voldemort liked to use the less important minions to do the dirty work. That way he wouldn't lose anything important if they were caught or killed.

It was a shame that the Greengrass family wasn't on the list. They had stayed neutral in the war, which was the best that a Pureblood family could do at the time. Standing against Voldemort meant going against everyone they knew including business partners, allies, and family friends. It also meant that at the end of the war their businesses and connections were either dead, missing, or in Azkaban. They had some interesting wards, animated golems, and plenty of books that he had been able to pick up when they had to auction stuff off to pay their debts. He wasn't sure how he felt about them.

A small smile crossed his face. Parkinson Manor, that was a perfect target. He had forgiven Pansy after the battle. She was a scared kid, and he wasn't going to hold that against her. However, her parents were proud Death Eaters that provided monetary support, supplies, and her mother was decent in a fight.

He had experience with their manor as well. Decent wards, good loot, and, most importantly, no house elves. Lord Parkinson had a habit of killing the creatures when he was in a bad mood.

Getting a House Elf wasn't as simple as going down to the House Elf Emporium to pick up a few. They were creatures of symbiotic magic. It required a connection to the family through a blood ritual that took considerable power. Most families didn't have enough juice to do it on their own, especially if the House Elf wasn't willing. It was crazy how much information about the creatures had been lost or discarded due to negligence.

He began to sketch the manor ground from memory. It wasn't as impressive as it sounded. He had spent a lot of time during his stretch as an Auror near the place. The manor had been claimed by the Ministry in payment of their debts. Old laws put in place by Pureblood families meant that they were able to remain in the manor as long as the family line continued. They still had the house. Everything of value had been liquidated and their accounts were emptied, but there were other handy laws and loopholes for them to avoid the worst of it.

Harry sat beside Iris. He idly ran a hand through her hair. She muttered something in her sleep as she leaned into his touch. He scooted closer and she moved to use his lap as a pillow. His heart ached as he watched her sleep.

He would give the plan with the Stone a chance while he hunted the down and destroyed the other horcruxes. Was the term for multiple shards horcruxes? Horcruxi? It could be just horcrux as the plural as well as singular.

Harry shook his head. He was tired. Iris had the right idea. He leaned his head back on the couch and closed his eyes. A life full of conflict kept him dozing rather than settling into a deep sleep. He continued to run a hand gently through her hair to make sure she knew he was still here.

Iris stirred as the motion of his hand stopped. He moved it to the back of the couch, so it didn't get too heavy on her head. She was confused a moment as she woke. Her heartbeat spiked for a moment before she remembered where she was. Slowly, silently, she sat up then looked at his face.

"Harry," Iris whispered.

He woke fully at his name but stayed still with his eyes closed. She didn't sound upset or scared.

"Harry," Her voice dropped lower to barely a whisper. "Dad?"

A scar that he had long thought healed over tore open at the word. That desperate hope in her voice lanced straight through his heart. Petunia and Vernon made it very, very clear that they were not his parents, and he had never made the mistake to call them mom or dad.

"I'm here," He pulled her into a hug. "Dad's here."

The choice had been made. Dad it was. They fell asleep with her curled against his chest. Harry slept deeper than he had in years.

§

They had slept until midnight, which was a little alarming, but he felt better rested than he had in a long time. Iris literally skipped around the room making sure to call him 'Dad' as much as she possibly could. A pet name for her would come in time. He wasn't going to force it.

There wasn't anything they could do at this hour. Unfortunately, they weren't tired enough to sleep any longer. It gave him time to do a few things he wanted to do before they robbed Parkinson Manor.

"Great," He smiled at her. "Let me see your wand."

She did without asking.

"Thank you," Harry took it, ran the tip of his finger from end to end, then handed it back. "No more trace. You can do magic whenever and wherever without the Ministry knowing."

Her eyes went wide as she stared at her wand.

"Also," He booped her on the nose. "Don't give you wand away so easily. We can come up with a code word to make sure you know it's safe. A few phrases we can use to tell each other something is wrong, you need help, or if things are fine." He winked at her. "Constant vigilance."

She giggled.

"Now," He twirled his wand along his fingers. "Do you want to learn some magic?"

He held out his wand. Then paused. When was the last time he had used the incantation or proper motions for a spell? A small smile tempted the side of his mouth. This was going to be a learning experience for both of them.

"We will start with Lumos. It was an important charm to learn due to its simplicity. Lumos was one of the more versatile spells out there in magical development," He sent a little spark of magic through the wand each time he spoke the word. "We can practice the minimum amount of power needed, and how to overpower it. Once you have that down we can work on other aspects." He smiled at her. "Give it a shot, this is the motion."

She watched intently before trying. The tip of her wand glowed on the second try. Her third attempt was bright enough to blind them both if Harry hadn't been ready. She looked at him sheepishly.

Iris was a fast learner. His teaching muscles weren't as atrophied as he had feared. It helped that she wanted to learn. They stayed up for a few hours practicing magic until they got tired enough to go back to sleep. Iris could detach the orb of light from the end of her wand before they finished.

§

"Here's our cover story," Harry knelt in front of Iris. "We just moved into the area and are meeting the other magical families."

They were dressed in nice mixture of muggles and magical clothing that weren't too fancy. Each wore a robe over a t-shirt and jeans complete with some enchanted sneakers. He didn't want to give the wrong impression by showing up in custom spider-silk robes.

Iris nodded, "Why do we have to change our hair?"

"One," Harry ran a hand along his head changing it into a dirty blond in a tidy cut. "You're famous and we don't want them to freak out." He ran a hand through her hair changing it to the same color. "Two, the person I'm looking for will flee if he sees me like this. People keep confusing me for James Potter. That won't help our cause."

He conjured a mirror to show her. Iris held up her hair to take a closer look.

"I don't even look like me," Iris chuckled.

Harry winked at her, "That's the plan. How do we prepare for popping?"

"Breath out," Iris replied with a nod. "The first instinct is to take a deep breath."

They appeared down the road from the Burrow. He couldn't help the bright smile that crossed his face. The Weasleys weren't perfect, but they felt like family. His relationship with Ginny didn't pan out, but they moved on after a few awkward dinners. Not to mention he could see Luna's house in the distance.

He held out his hand which Iris gladly took. They started to stroll down the road. He pointed out Molly's garden, listing her various potion ingredients.

"What are those?" Iris pointed to the little shapes digging in the soil.

Harry grumbled, "Gnomes."

"Gnomes?" Iris squinted as she tried to get a closer look. "Gnomes are real?"

Harry nodded, "They're pests. Magical equivalent wild rabbits. They sneak into gardens to nibble on things and poop on stuff."

"Ew," Iris scrunched her nose.

He drew his wand, "Exactly."

A few precise motion lifted a cluster of the critters into the air. The entire thing reminded him of a silly movie with a group of invasion rabbits floating in a containment tube. Except they were humanoid covered in a layer of fur and twists of hair that looked like a pointed hat under layers of dirt. It was an act of mercy that they didn't have external breeding organs. He had no desire to see that.

Molly Weasley hurried out of the house to stare at the floating gnomes. They couldn't hear what she was saying. Her body language was that of frustrated confusion. She scanned the area to see who had levitated the gnomes. Her eyes landed on Harry and Iris.

"Hello," Harry waved stopping at the small gate at the edge of their property.

The fence was low enough for Iris to be able to step over it. Its purpose was to work as the first layer of wards around their property to alert them to visitors. She looked younger than he remembered. He had to remind himself that he wasn't seeing her through the eyes of a child. It was rude to ask someone their age, especially a woman, and considering how witches and wizards aged there was no way he could tell how old she was. She looked around forty at the oldest.

"Hello," Molly smiled as she walked over to them. "Are you the one that saved my garden?"

Harry returned the smile, "I would hate to see it ruined by pests. It's clear you've put a lot of work into it." He squinted. "I'm guessing you've got someone with a talent for potions. You or one of the family." He chuckled. "Where are my manners? My name is Harry, this is my daughter Iris."

Iris absolutely beamed at his words.

"We're new to the area and wanted to introduce ourselves," He explained.

"Come over and meet the family, dears," Molly said without a second thought. "Molly Weasley, you can call me Molly. My husband, Arthur, is at work at the moment, but I'm sure he would love to meet you too." She turned a caring smile to Iris. "I've got a girl your age if you'd like to meet her." She gave an exaggerated gasp when she saw the leather wand holster on Iris' wrist. "Oh dear, a wand? Are you starting Hogwarts this year?"

Iris nodded, "I just got my wand." She dropped her voice to a whisper that wasn't quiet at all. "My dad taught me some spells."

"That scoundrel," Molly teased. "Did he let you ride a broom too?"

Iris rolled her eyes, "No. He said we don't have enough room."

"We don't," Harry chuckled. "Our property needs some work after the war."

Molly nodded, "Where are you staying now?"

"A flat in Diagon Alley," He replied. "The place won't be ready until after Christmas."

"Oh my," Molly gasped. "Even after this time?"

Harry nodded again, "The curses are not to be underestimated."

Molly brushed her hands off. She turned to go back to the house only to notice the gnomes again.

"What am I going to do with these?" She huffed.

"Would you mind if I transfigured them?" Harry asked.

"I suppose," She shrugged. "We have tried just about everything short of killing the things. They keep finding a way in."

Harry directed them to hover around the edge of the garden bed. A quick flick of his wrist turned them into actual garden gnomes complete with little tunics and hats.

"Sweet Merlin," Molly looked from him to the gnomes. "How long will that last?"

"A month," He replied. "They will guard from other pests and weed the garden once the spell wears off." He smiled. "Domesticated gnomes. They'll eat any bugs they find too. You will need to provide a 'compost' bin for them."

Molly's mouth dropped open at his explanation, "You're serious?"

"Nope, Harry," He teased.

"You and Arthur are going to get along like a house fire," Molly rolled her eyes. "Did you dears have breakfast? You're both so thin."

The two followed Molly into the Burrow. Harry had to brace himself as a lifetime of memories flooded him as the scent hit him. They had stepped directly into the kitchen. Family dinners, games of cards, chess, important conversations happened in this room. It made his heart ache. Iris squeezed his hand. He smiled at her.

"Girls!" Molly called. "We have visitors!"

Girls?

He still recognized them even though they weren't the people he knew. The twins were tall, thin with bright eyes. Their hair was a little longer than the twins he knew. Next was the incarnation of sometimes best friend. She was taller than Iris, a bit gangly, and had some dirt on her chin. Leading the way was a girl a little taller than the twins, but with stiff posture, a superior look, and second-hand robes that were impeccably maintained. Finally, came a cute little boy with a tangle of bright red hair and sharp blue eyes who practically leaped behind Molly.

"Girls," Molly leaned a little closer. "And gentleman."

The twins rolled their eyes.

"Who is this?" One of the twins asked.
"New neighbors?" The other added.

"New in town," Harry replied. "I'm Harry, this is Iris."

"He's my dad," She said proudly.

"We met a couple of days ago," Harry added.

"How?" The youngest girl asked.

"We were separated in the aftermath of the war," Harry squeezed Iris' hand. "We only found out about each other a couple of days ago."

"How?" The same girl asked once more.

"Rhonda," Molly gasped. "We don't ask those sort of questions to people we just met."

"Mooomm," She pouted. "I told you to call me Ronnie. Rhonda makes it sound like I'm an old woman."

"This in Ronnie," Molly motioned to the girl. "Winnifred, Georgene, Perseveranda, and our little boy, Magin."

"Fred," One twin said.
"Georgie," The other said.

"And I prefer Percy," The taller stated.

"Gin," A soft voice said from behind Molly.

"He's our little prince," Fred said.
"Poor boy is outnumbered," Georgie added.
"Six to one," Fred gave happy sigh. "He's doomed."

"Girls!" Molly snapped.

Iris giggled.

"Do you have any siblings?" Ronnie asked.

Iris shook her head.

"Not that we know of," Harry paused. "I think you might have a godbrother, we'll have to check."

"I have a brother!" Iris squeaked.

"Might," Harry cautioned. "I have to check if I'm remembering it right. If I am right, then yes, you have a godbrother."

Iris bounced in her spot.

"It's not that exciting," Ronnie muttered. "I would love to be an only child."

"We would too," Fred flicked her little sister's ear.

"Oi!" Ronnie stomped her foot.

"Ladies," Molly put some iron in her voice. "Be nice to your sister."

"I didn't do anything," Georgie replied.

"Do you have any pets?" Iris asked. "I got an owl for my birthday."

"An owl is a practical pet," Percy nodded in approval.

"Practical, of course," Fred teased.
"No better compliment from her," Georgie winked.

"I've got Percy's old rat," Ronnie's shoulders slumped as she spoke.

"A rat?" Harry asked. "My friend had a pet rat when I was your age. What's his name?"

Ronnie brightened under the attention.

"Scabbers," Ronnie replied. "Do you want to see him? He's really old."

"Oh?" Harry could feel his heartbeat increasing. "Could we? Is that ok?"

Ronnie ran back upstairs to get her pet.

"We found him years ago in the garden," Molly explained. "Poor thing was missing a piece of his paw. Percy insisted we nurse him back to health."

"Do you have any strange dreams about him?" Harry asked. "My friend swore his rat would build a little house when he was sleeping."

"No," Percy shook her head. "He doesn't sleep with us. We set him up with a little box of his own. He hates to cuddle too, but he's a good listener."

Harry smiled at her. At least it sounded like this Wormtail was just a traitorous coward. He would have killed Pettigrew slow and painfully if there had been a single sign of child abuse. There were other ways to get Sirius released.

Ronnie came back downstairs cradling the rat. Harry recognized the animagus the moment he saw him.

"This is Scabbers," Ronnie whispered holding the rat out. "He sleeps a lot these days."

Iris looked at Harry in a silent question. He nodded.

"Do you like Quidditch?" Ronnie asked setting Scabbers on a nearby seat. "The Cannons are the best."

Fred and Georgie laughed. Percy sighed.

"My dad told me about it, but I've never seen it," Iris replied.

The entire Weasley brood, including Molly and Percy, looked absolutely scandalized.

"Poor dear!" Molly clutched her chest. "No quidditch?" She shot a rather sharp look at Harry. "We have some brooms in the shed. Let's fix that this very moment."

"Could I try to fly?" Iris asked Harry.

"If Misses Weasley says it's ok," Harry nodded to the woman.

"Molly, please," She corrected. "Girls, would you like to show Iris to the shed?"

"YES!" The replied as one.

The group rushed outside with Gin at their heels. Molly watched them go with a gentle smile. It slowly faded as she turned her attention to Harry.

"I did not want to make a scene in front of the children," Molly said evenly. "I wasn't always a housewife, you know. I can tell when someone is lying to me."

Harry nodded, "Sorry about that. The truth is a bit hard to believe and I didn't want to panic anyone."

The wand appeared in Molly's hand in an instant.

"Please don't make me clean bloodstains off my kitchen floor," She glared at him. "The stains never fade."

Harry beamed at her. There were things about Molly Weasley that people somehow forgot once they saw her in 'mother' mode. Molly Prewett not only was the second youngest person to ever become a Potions Master, but she was a renown duelist before she was married. The Blacks were known for their deadly spells and penchant for madness. The Prewets were known for their passion. There wasn't much that could stand between a Prewet and their goal. Pity those who tried.

"I have not come here to today to harm you or your family," Harry said. "I thought of your family when I wanted to introduce my daughter to a magical family. She was raised in the muggle world until we met. This is all new to her."

Molly didn't lower her wand, "Thank you for the thought. Now, who are you really?"

"My name is Harry," He said. "That is my daughter, Iris. Iris Potter."

Scabbers let out a shrill squeak and hopped to his feet. Harry pointed at the animagus, freezing it in place.

"This," He nodded to the floating coward. "Is Peter Pettigrew."

A silent spell swirled around the animagus forcing him back into human form. Molly stifled a scream as her family pet suddenly became a man.

"Peter Pettigrew?" Molly whispered. "He's dead. Died fighting Sirius Black."

"And yet, here he is," Harry stated. "Don't tell your children. I'll replace him with a proper magical rat. They will never know the difference."

"He has been in my house for years," Molly's eyes went wide. "With my girls!" Her wand was suddenly pointed at Pettigrew. "Verit Tantum Loqu."

A powerful truth spell. Harry smiled. Molly deserved more credit.

"Did you ever touch my girls," She growled in a hard voice.

"No," Pettigrew squeaked. "Not once."

"Did you ever touch me?" She pressed.

"No," Pettigrew answered. "I don't like women."

"What about Arthur," There was a mixture of confusion and concern in her voice.

"No," Pettigrew replied. "I don't like men."

"What do you like?" Molly asked.

"Does that matter?" Harry chuckled.

"Rats," Pettigrew replied.

"I did not need to know that" Harry pinched the bridge of his nose.

Molly twisted her wrist to the side. Pettigrew went limp.

"He was in my home for years," She glared at the animagus.

"May I take him to the DMLE?" Harry asked. "You will need to give a statement. I'll wait until after school begins to keep the kids out of it."

"Yes, thank you," Molly nodded.

Harry pointed at the unconscious wizard. Molly took a step back as the man returned to his rat form then continued to change into a stuffed animal version. He plucked the felt rat out of the air and placed him in a pocket.

"You're rather handy with transfiguration," Molly stated.

"Thank you," He replied.

They stood in silence for a moment.

"May I help you prepare lunch?" He asked.

"That sounds nice," She replied. "Harry Potter? I don't recognize the name. James didn't have any siblings and you're too old to be their child." She looked at him for a moment. "I can see the resemblance if I ignore the hair. Your eyes, though. They don't fit."

Harry chuckled, "Lady Magic makes the rules and changes them whenever she wants."

Molly nodded. He had spent many nights after the war with her in this kitchen. Countless nightmares had him at the table nursing a cup of cocoa. Molly would listen to him. She wouldn't offer empty platitudes promising everything would be fine.

"To put it simply, I'm not from here," He answered.

"Fair enough," Molly sighed. "You seem awfully familiar with my kitchen."

Harry laughed, "I spent a lot of time in a Weasley kitchen where I'm from."

"Hm," Molly continued to prepare lunch with him as she thought. "You're not a time traveler, unless you have done more than change your hair with transfiguration."

Harry shook his head, "Not a time traveler."

"Another world, then?" Molly asked.

"You're good," Harry chuckled.

"MOM!" Ronnie burst into the kitchen. "MOM! You have to see what Iris can do!"

Molly glanced to Harry to find the wizard smiling. He waved a hand at the partially prepared meal setting everything in stasis. Ronnie was too busy trying to pull her mother outside to notice the casual use of wandless magic. They stepped outside to see Iris riding a broom like she was born to do it. The family loved quidditch here even more than his version. Their brooms weren't top of the line, but they were well maintained. They were also older models of quality brooms probably purchased at a discount.

Iris made them look like top-of-the-line racing brooms.

"She's amazing," Molly whispered.

Harry smiled brightly, "That she is."