Let's Try That Again Chapter 1 to 10 (Patreon)

1.

Harry sipped his drink and rubbed the back of his neck. It was too late to take a nap, but too early to go to bed. This was the first year all of the kids were in Hogwarts. He and Ginny would have the house to themselves. In fact, to celebrate Ginny had bought him a special vintage of whiskey.

His eyes were getting heavier with every passing moment. He moved to put the glass down only to realize he couldn't move his fingers. Harry's head flopped to the side. His tongue felt thick in his mouth. Pulses of darkness threatened to overtake his vision.

"Harry." Ginny spoke from somewhere in the room. "Can you hear me?"

A spike of worry mingled with hope pushed against the darkness. He could see her moving nearby. She kneeled in front of him.

"Damn it, Harry." She yelled at him. "You weren't supposed to drink that until Christmas."

He vaguely felt her shaking him.

"I had it all planned out." She let go, letting him slump forward. "It would be a charmed card saying it was from Ron. I'd take a picture of you holding it up." Ginny kicked the chair. "Hold it together, Gin. This can still work."

Harry stood up as he watched as his wife stomped out of the room. The flood of numbness was gone. What should have been a moment of relief was soured when he looked down. His body was crumpled on the floor.

"That was disappointing." A woman said from behind him.

Harry turned to face the source. A young woman stared back at him. She looked familiar in the sort of way as someone he saw going about his day. An accidental shared look in the lobby, pressing the elevator button on a hurried morning. He wouldn't spare a second glace on any normal day.

"I know you." Harry said slowly.

"We've worked closely for a long time." A coy smiled played on her lips as she nodded.

Their eyes met. A flash of their interactions in the past rushed through his memory. She was there for his parents, she took Quirrell, she watched as Harry stumbled away from the basilisk, she glared at the dementors. Time and time again, she appeared in his life.

"Death." Harry stated.

"Nice to see you again, Harry." She smiled back at him.

"Again?" He asked.

"You were almost mine more than you know." She walked around him, sitting in the chair by his body. "There are the big ones, of course. Getting bitten by the basilisk, facing down a horde of dementor, and all those times with Riddle and his minions. But it's the little ones that everyone forgets. You have no idea how many times you almost died during Quidditch. Or how often the basilisk venom running through your veins saved you from being poisoned. This isn't the first time that your beloved wife has tried to dose you."

"When was the first?" He asked.

"Your honeymoon." Death replied. "It was going to be a tragic accident. She is really sold on the tainted gift idea."

They were interrupted as Ginny entered the room. She had a wand he had never seen before. A few small spells later had a charmed gift tag affixed to the bottle. She then removed all aspects of her magical signature from the bottle. Ginny went through the process with practiced ease.

"Why?" Harry asked.

"She's been dosing you with love potions for years." Death hopped up, she patted him on the shoulder. "Memory altering ones too. The kids are yours, but not hers. She didn't want to ruin her figure."

"Who's the mother?" Harry asked.

"Hermione." Death stated.

Harry's heart sank. "She stole that from us?"

"No." Death started to walk away. "She was in on it."

Harry turned to look at her. "What?"

"Her kids are yours too." Death said. "A little blood magic and their hair turned out red instead of black."

"Ron?" Harry asked.

"He's clueless." Death waved a hand at him to follow. "He'll probably be dead within a year. I think they're trying to pin this on Ron, and have it come out that he discovered the truth about you and his wife." She shrugged. "It's not the most elegant plan, but it fits Ron."

Harry followed her for a bit. He realized a moment later that the room wasn't big enough for the distance they had traveled. Pulling himself back to the present he found that they were in a different kind of study. It was a mashup of the Gryffindor common room and the break room at the Ministry during his training days. Death flopped down into a comfy chair.

"What happens now?" Harry asked.

"That is up to you, oh Master of Death." She giggled. "You can move on from this mortal coil, or I can send you back."

"Send me back, how?" Harry sat in a chair facing her. "Going back to a murderous wife and someone I thought was my friend isn't something I find appealing."

"I would hope not." She rolled her eyes. "I can send you back to any moment you have died before."

"You said I had almost died." Harry narrowed his eyes at her.

"Almost died." She wiggled her fingers. "Dead for a moment or two. Same difference."

Harry sighed. "Fine. What are my choices?"

"That's what I like about you, boss." She hopped up. "You roll with the punches. Think on your feet."

Harry lifted his glasses and pinched his nose.

"Look here." Death pulled a book from a nearby shelf. "These are your options."

Harry opened the book. Instead of a list like he had expected each was a snapshot in time. The first was him as an infant, the air around him was tinted the telltale green of the killing curse.

"No thanks." He flipped to the next page.

"I cut out the little moments." Death added. "It would be a waste to send you back to that time you almost choked on oatmeal."

"A waste?" Harry asked. "That sounds fine to me."

"I might make this look easy, but it takes a lot out of me." Death huffed. "The Deathly Hallows channel a small portion my power. Such a small moment would have devastating consequences."

"How?" Harry asked. "I'm choking on oatmeal one moment, and the next I'm fine."

"I'm sending your essences, your soul as it is now, back to a point in time. Not only that, but dying has removed all those blockages, potions, and compulsions. And, that chunk of Tommy Boy is going to burst once you head back. Shoving all of that into a mostly full you would, for lack of a better analogy, pop you like an overfilled balloon."

"I get what you're saying about potions, but compulsions and blockages?" Harry asked.

"One second." Death turned back to the nearby bookshelf. She flipped through some before pulling out a scroll that looked like it was about to flake away. "Here."

Passive Magical Core Syphon - Horcrux (Tom Riddle)
Core Output Limiter - Spell (Albus Dumbledor)
Loyalty Compulsion (Weasley) - Potion (Albus Dumbledor)
Loyalty Compulsion (Dumbledor) - Potion (Albus Dumbledor)
Cynicism Compulsion (Lordship) - Potion (Albus Dumbledor)
Love Potion Poisoning - Stage One - Potion (Molly Weasley)
Love Potion Poisoning - Stage Three - Potion (Ginny Weasley)
Family Magic Limiter - Spell (Albus Dumbledor)
Active Magical Core Syphon - Spell (Albus Dumbledor)
Residual Memory Damage - Spell (Albus Dumbledor)
Compounded Memory Damage - Spell (Hermione Granger)
Emotional Focus - Contempt - Aura (Albus Dumbledor)
Emotional Focus - Dismiss - Aura (Albus Dumbledor)
Emotional Focus - Impulsive - Spell (Albus Dumbledor)

"Holy fuck." Harry whispered.

"Yeah." Death nodded.

"Can you explain some of this?" Harry asked.

"Like what?"

"Most of it." Harry leaned back in his chair.

"The horcrux was blocking your magic." Death pointed at the item. "There was a constant part of your magical core that was fighting against it. As you can see, Dumbledor didn't help things. His spell not blocked more of your growth but actually stole some of it. It's impressive spell work honestly. A little slip up would have made it so you didn't have access to your magic."

Harry gave her a blank look.

"Here." She pointed at the other list. "All of the effects by Dumbledor were done with master level implementation. His potions left no residual damage, his limiters didn't raise any alarms, and his auras are so subtle that no one would even question it. You aren't the first person he's done this too. This type of proficiency only comes from a lot of practice. The only reason he left any memory damage was from due to Hermione poking around."

"What is an emotional focus aura?" Harry asked.

"It's like a cloud that surrounds you." Death explained. "Anyone who come in contact with it will have their contempt and dismissal enhanced. It won't make someone who was in love with you suddenly hate you. It locks onto those small doubts, those little annoyances, and feeds them."

Harry blanched. A flood of moments in his life rushed to the front of his memory. Every time teachers and neighbors just ignored the signs when he was at the Dursleys. How often the entire student body of Hogwarts turned on him for any reason. The blatant loathing Snape held for him, and how no one did anything about it. As much as he hated to admit it, he could understand the Ministry wanting to discredit him. They were scared but sending dementors after him and allowing Umbridge to torture students was so far beyond that.

"Fuck. Shit. Jesus." Harry muttered.

"Fuck, shit, Jesus is right kid." Death booped him on the nose. "Any other questions?"

"All of that will be gone when I go back?" Harry asked.

"Yep."

"And how do I stop if from happening again?" Harry looked up at her. "Dumbledor will notice something has changed. He will want to fix it as soon as he could."

"You're the Master of Death." She stood up, spreading her arms. "You are beyond mortal men."

Harry looked up at her.

"Fine." She grumbled. "Now that you have properly activated your privileges as 'the master of death' you will be protected from such meddling. Just say your Potter Family Ring has mental shields."

"The 'master of death' stuff will stop Legilimency?" Harry asked.

"Hard to read the mind of a dead man." Death grinned.

Harry put the scroll down. He began to flip through the options again. The next choice after his baby picture was the time he choked on the snitch. It was tempting, but he did not want to deal with Quirrell again. Oddly enough, the next choice was a moment after killing the professor. He showed it to Death.

"The specter of Tom hit you full force." Death explained. "For a moment, you were mine."

Harry nodded. He turned the next page and laughed. Young Harry was hanging from the door of a flying car. He had forgotten about that. Second year was tempting. He could stop the basilisk before it got too far. However, death did say the venom running through his veins had actually prevented him from getting poisoned.

He looked at the next point in time. It was one he remembered well. The younger Harry held the diary in his lap, Fawkes sat on his shoulder. A tear was suspended in the air between the phoenix and the open wound on his arm. He slipped his finger onto the page, bookmarking it for later.

The moments after that were moments that stuck out in his mind, but slightly altered. A dementor held him by the shoulders, Remus had him by neck, the dragon was faster than he expected, the gillyweed didn't kick in fast enough, then the killing curse hit him instead of Cedric.

Harry took a deep breath. He tore his gaze from the book, trying to bring himself back to the moment at hand. It didn't help much, he was dead, looking through the worst moments in his life.

He flipped back to the basilisk.

"This one." Harry showed death.

"Are you sure?" Death asked.

Harry nodded.

"Brace yourself." Death raised her hands with her palms open toward him. "It was nice to finally meet you. Just do me a favor."

"What's that?"

"Don't hurry back." Death smiled at him.

2.

Harry sat on the cold stone floor in the Chamber of Secrets. The freshly dead basilisk lay nearby, and Ginny was just beyond it. Fawkes sat on his shoulder. He could already feel the tears touching the wound on his arm. Last time, this was where the phoenix took him back to see Dumbledor. There was a couple of things he needed to do first.

He held up the sword and willed it away. This time he wasn't going to part with it. Once he was strong enough, he walked over to the Sorting Hat. Tucking it under his arm he turned his attention to Ginny. He was tempted to just leave her there. She had dosed him with love potions, tried to kill him multiple times, and actually succeeded once.

Harry sighed. That was future Ginny. Right now, she was just a scared child.

Something dripped across his eyes. Harry wiped it away to find his hand touched a thick slime. He looked at his hand to see it covered in a tar-like substance. It took him a moment to realize it was the horcrux. Another realization followed quickly after.

He could feel his magic. Sure, ever since he had held a wand he felt it, but the difference was drastic. It was even stronger than before he died. His magical power thirty years in the future was like a meandering river, now it felt like a tidal wave that hit with each heartbeat. Harry pushed his mental shields into place. Years of training helped him tap his magic back down. Masking his signature, or completely hiding it, was a helpful tool when hunting down rogue wizards.

"Fawkes." Harry turned to the bird. "Could you give us a lift out of here?"

The phoenix chirped in reply. It hopped over to Ginny, grasping her with one claw before awkwardly flapping back to Harry. He smiled at the bird; it bonked its beak against his forehead. In a flash of fire, they vanished.

Only to appear in Dumbledor's office. Lucius Malfoy stood nearby, for a moment a look of pure terror flashed across his face. Years of Pureblood training kicked in instantly, hiding the emotion behind a mask of annoyance. Dumbledor looked at Harry expectantly, trying to appear as though he had planned this all along. Harry noticed that Ginny wasn't with him. Somehow Fawkes had dropped the girl off elsewhere.

It was like… Magic.

"It was a basilisk." Harry stated. "I've taken care of it. The enchanted diary too."

Harry placed the diary on the desk in front of Dumbledor. The two wizards stared down at the boy. He was covered in dirt, grime, blood, and basilisk saliva.

"Well done, my boy." Dumbledor smiled at him.

Harry felt the pressure of magic pressing against his mind. It wasn't a full spell, just a gentle compulsion.

*This is Malfoy's fault. All Slytherin were evil*

He wanted to slap Dumbledor. Sure, the man thought that Harry was under his control, but that was just lazy.

Harry looked at Lucius. He did his best to glare at the older man. It was then that Harry noticed a familiar shape standing nearby. There, hiding just out of view, was Dobby. Harry felt a swell of intense emotion. The crazy elf was alive!

Of course, none of it had happened yet. Hedwig, Fred, Tonks, Remus, and Sirius. They were all alive. He tuned out the rest of the conversation. Harry didn't look away from Dobby. It was only when Lucius stormed out of the room that he started to pay attention.

Harry chased after the blond wizard.

"Mister Malfoy." Harry called out.

Lucius turned on his heel, glaring down at the boy. "Mister Potter."

"You don't know, do you?" Harry asked.

"Know what exactly?" Lucius looked bored.

"He never died." Harry said.

Lucius squinted, studying him. "Who?"

Harry sighed. "Tom Riddle. Voldermort. Your old boss."

"I have no idea what you are talking about." The older Malfoy started to turn away.

It was odd. Last time he was sure that Lucius had drawn his wand. It had to have been the influence of the aura. Annoyance, anger, and indignation enhanced to blind rage.

"He gave you the diary for safe keeping." Harry called. "You're in danger. Your entire family is."

Now Lucius spun to face him. Still, he had yet to draw his wand. "Are you threatening me, boy?"

"No." Harry's voice turned cold, letting just a taste of his true power loose. "You will address me as Mister Potter or Harry when we are speaking."

Lucius blanched at the sudden flood of magic pressing against him. "Forgive me, Mister Potter. I allowed my emotions to get the better of me."

"Thank you." Harry inclined his head. "We should continue this conversation somewhere private, and after I've had a shower."

Lucius nodded.

"Meet me at Kings Cross at the end of the year." Harry walked by Lucius. "Surely you must know somewhere we can speak that respects privacy."

"Of course." Lucius was beginning to regain his composure.

"Before I forget." Harry stopped just behind the man. "I find myself in need of a house elf." He looked at Dobby. "This one will do."

"Pardon?" Lucius cocked his head to the side as he stared at the boy.

"Your elf." Harry repeated letting another bit of power out. "As payment for my warning, and a show of good faith. Give him to me."

"Certainly." Lucius croaked out. "Dobby, I release you of your service to House Malfoy and bequeath you to Harry Potter, Heir of House Potter."

Dobby looked from Lucius to Harry. The elf let out a loud screech as he pulled Harry into a tight hug. A swirl of magic surrounded them. When it faded, Dobby stood straighter, his skin had a healthy sheen to it, and his ears had shrunk slightly, but looked more solid.

"Dobby is proud to serve Great Harry Potter." The elf hopped up and down.

"I will take my leave." Lucius stated.

"I look forward to our next meeting." Harry watched the older wizard walk away. He turned his attention to Dobby once they were alone. "Dobby, you work for me, you are not my slave. As my employee you are to be paid for your time as well as given days off and regular breaks." Harry looked down at the dirty pillowcase the elf wore. "You will need a proper uniform too."

Dobby sprang forward, wrapping Harry in another tight hug. "Great Harry Potter is truly a great wizard."

"Let's discuss your pay." Harry managed to choke out. "One galleon a day."

"Agreed." Dobby shook his head. "Seven galleons a year."

"What?" Harry snapped.

"Seven days in a week. Dobby knows this." Dobby nodded sternly.

"There are more than seven days in a year." Harry countered.

"Mister Harry Potter cannot trick Dobby." The elf crossed his arms. "Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. That's seven. No more days than that in a year."

Harry rubbed a hand over his face. It didn't help the headache that was starting to form. Instead, it smeared the grit and grime across his skin.

"I need a shower." Harry grumbled.

"Dobby can take you to the shower." The elf said.

"No thank you, Dobby." He chuckled. "I do have an assignment for you. Go to my trunk and try on my clothes. Shrink them to fit you and set aside the style you feel most comfortable in. Then I can work on creating your uniform."

"Dobby cannot have clothes." The elf yelled.

"Dobby." Harry glared at the elf. "You are my employee. Employees have uniforms and a strict dress-code they must abide by. Failing to follow this will result in punishment. You are a representative of House Potter, and I will not have you walking around in rags."

Dobby's ears drooped. "Understood, Great Harry Potter, sir."

"You will need pants, socks, shoes, and a shirt." Harry stated. "I should have a style or two of each for you to try on. Set aside something comfortable that still allows you to accomplish your daily tasks."

Harry took stock of where he was in the castle. It was quite a walk back to the Gryffindor tower, but that was where his clothes were. The prefect bath was closer, plus a soak sounded wonderful.

"First." Harry stopped the elf. "Bring me a fresh set of clothes once I'm done with my bath."

"Of course, Harry Potter sir." Dobby popped out of sight.

"We still need to discuss days off and breaks." Harry muttered.

He trudged along until he came to the prefect bath. The password was the same, which made him wonder if it ever changed. If not, he knew where he was going to go from now on. Harry stripped off his clothes, dropping them on the floor as he went. He didn't like making more work for the house elves at Hogwarts, but right now he was too tired to care.

Harry started the water to fill this tub then headed to the showers. Soaking in a tub the size of a pool sounded amazing, but he didn't want to be surrounded by a cloud of filth. He finished washing up just in time for the tub to fill. There had to be some sort of enchantment for it to happen so fast. Not that he was complaining.

He let out a long sigh as he settled into the hot water. Harry basked in the feeling for a long moment. He could was tempted to take a nap. With his luck that would lead to him drowning. Technically, he had died twice already today.

That thought sobered him right up. Ginny had poisoned him, Hermione had helped, and at some point, Molly Weasley started dosing him with love potions. The multitude of manipulations and betrayal from Dumbledor were honestly much more dangerous, but the others were personal. These were people he counted as friends, family really.

He needed to make some changes, but he had to be smart about it. Dropping Hermione as a friend and cutting off the Weasleys would cause too much of a fuss. This upcoming summer was when the Weasleys went to Egypt. He could use that as an excuse to distance himself from them. It could work with Hermione too, depending on how much she decided to write.

At what point had Hermione turned against him? Was it always like that? What caused it? Would it still play out that way with the auras were removed? Lucius not drawing his wand was already a change.

He could figure out all of the emotional stuff later. Right now, he needed to focus on what he could do. He could capture Wormtail, that would change quite a few things. Sirius wouldn't see the picture and escape. But he still needed to get Sirius out safely. Knowing what he knew now, he wouldn't put it passed Dumbledor arranging an accident.

Oh no, Sirius was supposed to be released, but a rogue dementor kissed him instead.

Fudge probably wouldn't even cause much of a fuss. Sirius not getting a trial would look horrible once it came to light.

Sirius needed to escape, so Harry could get him somewhere safe. While that is happening, he could get someone to try to find the trial notes for Sirius. Then he could work toward getting his parents will read which would name Wormtail as the secret keeper. Once that came out, Harry could present the traitor, alive and well.

The problem being, how could he get Sirius to escape? Seeing the picture was what drove him to try. Which was odd, since he could have left at any time.

"Fuck." Harry growled.

Sirius was a very… passionate man, a nudge to follow his urges would have been all too easy for a master like Dumbledor. A bit of compulsion to chase after Wormtail, then another dose to keep Sirius feeling guilty enough to stay in prison. Only seeing Wormtail again would kick in the initial drive.

He would have to let things play out as they did the first time. Once Sirius had escaped, and Harry was back at school, then he could capture Wormtail.

"Great Harry Potter sir." Dobby said softly.

"Yes?" Harry turned to see the elf holding a stack of clothes.

"These are for you." Dobby set one pile on a nearby stool. "These are the ones that Dobby likes." The elf stepped closer, showing off the clothes he had picked out.

Harry smiled so wide it hurt his cheeks. Dobby had taken the uniform command literally. There the elf stood in Harry's quidditch jersey, pants, and shoes.

"Great choice." Harry laughed. "Pop over to Madam Malkin's. Order four uniforms in your size. One for daily use, one for warm weather, another for cold weather, and one for formal events."

"Anything else, Harry Potter sir?" Dobby perked up at the praise.

"Could you pack up my things and get them ready to go?" Harry asked.

3.

Harry stepped out of the Prefect Bath feeling refreshed. There wasn't much he could do right now. This summer was when things would really kick off. All he could do now were side projects. His first stop off was the Room of Requirement. The diadem sat in the center of a table waiting for him.

He summoned his sword and sliced it in half. The blade slipped through the diadem, as well as the table that it rested on, with ease. Three horcrux down already, four to go. The sword vanished as he stepped back out into the hallway. He could get to the locket once Sirius was back. The cup was in the Lestrange vault, but the goblins were a wildcard. That left the ring and the snake.

Last time, Dumbledor couldn't resist the pull of the ring. It led to his death, which Harry was fine with. Unfortunately, that would mean he would have to wait a few years for Dumbledor to finally do something. Harry wasn't sure he could take the old man in a fight, even with access to the entirety of his magical power.

Of course, that was his Gryffindor side talking. Running headfirst into danger was going to get him killed. Harry needed to be patient, to plan things out. He had to wait to capture Wormtail until next year. That little voice in the back of his head that pushed him into action was silent. Harry hated to admit it, but Dumbledor knew what he was doing. He had never once thought to question the impulse to jump to action. It was as much a part of him as the color of his eyes. People knew him for acting first and thinking later.

Harry knew there was a list of people who needed to die. Not just for revenge, but to better the world.

He stopped.

Shit.

For the greater good and all that? Was this how it all started? His choices were clearly the best. But then how did that differ from him killing the basilisk, or Quirrell, or Voldermort? He wasn't trying to manipulate things to give himself power. He didn't have a personal agenda to push, or an ideology to force on the world.

Harry was cleaning up a mess that Dumbledor had made. After all, he was the chosen one. Now it was his turn to actually have some choice in his life.

Dumbledor needed to die because he played with people's lives. Voldermort needed to be put down because he was a rabid dog with less sense. Umbridge needed to die because she was pure evil. The Death Eaters wouldn't go without a fight. He had spent quite a few years after the war hunting them down. In fact, things would go a lot easier now with all that he knew and since they wouldn't be expecting an attack.

Once they were all dealt with, he would be done. His life would finally, truly be his own.

"Harry, mate!" Ron yelled.

He looked up to see the gangly redhead running toward him.

"You did it!" Ron yelled. "You saved her."

Harry nodded, allowing Ron to pull him along. He had been wandering around without paying much attention, out of habit he must have found his way closer to the infirmary. It was one of the places in Hogwarts that he could get to while half-dead, that he knew from experience.

He paused for a moment, seeing the petrified students. That was something he had forgotten about. Dumbledor had sent everyone home before the students had fully recovered. He felt a small tug of worry when he saw Hermione.

Harry closed his eyes and took a deep breath. There was no telling when her betrayal started. Not only had she been his best friend, but she had stood beside him when even Ron abandoned him. Then again, Ron seemed to do that a lot.

His train of thought was interrupted as a swarm of red hair surrounded him. He felt arms pulling him into a tight hug. From what he could hear, it was Molly, but the sweater and her chest muffled things.

"Misses Weasley." Harry managed to say. "I need to breath."

"Of course, Harry Dear. Thank you, thank you so much for saving my little girl." Molly pulled him in for another hug. "The thought of her alone with that monster. You brave boy."

Harry took a step away and was finally able to see the entirety of the Weasley family had gathered. Even Bill and Charlie had shown up. They wouldn't be introduced for a couple of more years, but he could vaguely recall them last time. To be perfectly honest, with all the Weasleys in one place it was easy for one or two to get lost in the shuffle.

"She needs a mind-healer." Harry said. "A cursed item was draining her. It was using her as fuel. There is no telling what that was like for her. Everyone saw she had been acting strangely through the year."

"There's something different about you." One of the twins said studying him.

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good." Harry shot them a devious smile.

The pair went rigid for a moment. Molly pushed them out of the way, giving the duo a hard look.

"Harry, my dear." Molly pulled him into another hug. "Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me. To our family."

Harry let his mind wander as she continued to hug him. This was a life debt. They had to know. The Weasleys weren't influential Purebloods, but they were still Purebloods. He could call it in right now and demand payment. The only choice they would have would be to hand Ginny to him. She would become his property for all intents and purposes.

The thought of being saddled with Ginny for another lifetime wasn't appealing. He had no idea how long it would take her this time to find the right poison to do him in.

"Mister Weasley, Misses Weasley." Harry slipped out of yet another hug. "This is a family moment. Even though you have been incredibly kind to me, I will step away. The Farewell Feast is only a few hours away and I need to pack my trunks."

Molly studied him for a moment.

"Thank you, Harry." Arthur spoke up in the momentary silence. "Once we get settled in at home, we will send an owl. We don't want you to have to spend one moment more than you must with your Aunt and Uncle."

Harry gave a practiced smile and nodded. He had forgotten about his aunt and uncle. That was an issue that needed to be handled right away. He wasn’t going to allow them to treat him like they had in the past.

Before Molly could recover, Harry dashed out of the infirmary. At first, he headed toward Gryffindor Tower. He slipped into an empty classroom once he was far enough away. Harry slumped into the nearest desk. Dealing with Molly Weasley was emotionally draining. Not to mention that holding in his newly unbound magical energy was starting to wear him out.

He took a deep breath and let it out. As he did so he let a bit of his magical power loose with it. Instantly he could feel his energy return. The soreness in his muscles and the tender patches where Molly had gripped him were gone. Dozens of little aches and pains that he had acquired through his childhood had vanished. His vision, however, was blurry.

Harry took off his glasses and began to wipe them on his robe. His vision sharpened once they were clear of his face. It didn't take a genius to figure out that his magic had healed him. Not only that, but it also healed him on a level much grander than it ever had before.

Suddenly not having his glasses would cause unwanted questions. He poked out the lenses before setting them back in place. After the war he had seen a specialist that made some enhanced glasses for him. They weren't on the same level as Moody's eye, but they were still impressive. Harry made a note to see the specialist again… for the first time.

Harry took a moment to set a shield over his magical output. It allowed him a little bit more room to work with. He took a couple of deep, calming breathes before stepping out into the hallway. There was a feast to attend.

4.

Thankfully, the feast was without drama. Slytherin won the house cup, which he didn't care about. It was funny to see the entire Gryffindor table react so loudly though. For a moment he thought that the evening was going to devolve into a massive food fight. If they twins had been there, it probably would have.

The next day Harry stepped onto the Hogwarts Express. He found an empty cabin before settling in. There would be time for making new friends in the coming year. Right now, he had to focus on what he could accomplish this summer. It wasn't until he saw Lucius Malfoy waiting at the station that he remembered setting up a meeting with the man. The regal woman standing next to him Harry recognized as Narcissa Malfoy nee Black. She had always been an attractive woman. Right now, she was a beacon of cold beauty.

Draco stopped before his parents. He looked to his father, who motioned for the boy to join his mother. Harry approached once the pair had split off.

"Shall we?" Harry asked.

"Of course, Mister Potter." The stiff posture and sneer had returned. "I know somewhere we can chat without prying eyes."

The man must have convinced himself that their previous meeting had been a fluke. Clearly, Harry Potter was not as powerful as he felt in that moment.

Lucius led him away from the station. They didn't cross the barrier. Harry had a brief thought about his uncle waiting for him on the muggle side of things. He dismissed the idea, turning his full attention to Lucius. The man didn't take Harry as a true threat.

It was a certainty that Lucius had some sort of trap planned. The pureblood wizard didn't even bother to look back at the boy. Harry took the initiative. He disillusioned himself and crafted an image of himself a few feet away. The false Harry followed his actions flawlessly. Its only downfall was that it couldn't interact with the world around it. It was an image and nothing more.

Lucius led him to an ornate set of double doors. A doorman stepped out, looked Lucius over, and opened the doors without a word. The real Harry followed off to the side while fake Harry stood directly behind the older wizard.

The interior of the building was a mixture of an old fashion gentlemen's club and a smoking lounge. Lucius led them to a private meeting room. Once the door closed, the blond wizard spun on Harry. His wand pointed right between the eyes. Of the false Harry, that is.

"Talk, boy." Lucius commanded.

Harry flicked his wand, casting a silent disarming charm. He caught the dislodged wand as he dropped the invisible charm. Lucius gawked at the sudden change of events.

"Tommy boy left you the diary for safe keeping." Harry stepped around Lucius to find a row of comfy looking leather chairs. He picked one facing the door and sat. "What you may have not known was that the diary was the first of seven horcruxes."

Lucius dropped into a chair across from Harry.

"You not only failed in a simple order, but you also allowed a soul anchor to be destroyed." Harry spoke slow and clear. "Tom isn't dead. He had six other horcrux set. He remains on this mortal coil until all of these are destroyed."

"Why are you telling me this?" Lucius asked breathlessly. "I could turn you over to the Dark Lord. Your capture would certainly solidify a place among his scholars."

"If he didn't decide to just kill you, that is." Harry countered. "He's coming back. I've already fought him again. He had possessed Quirrell, and I was able to kill him, momentarily."

"Again." Lucius said. "Why are you telling me this?"

"You need to protect your family, and yourself." Harry stated. "When he gets a body again, you know he's coming for you. If not to outright kill you, then to ruin you while you serve him. He'll drain your vaults dry and set you up for the fall. You need to keep your family safe." Harry paused. "This isn't completely altruistic. The more you step away from him, the more resources he will lose. We both know that if he comes back, it won't be good for anyone. How many pureblood lines did he end last time?"

Lucius sat back in his chair, rolling the thought around as Harry waited. Malfoy studied the boy in front of him for a long moment. Lucius nodded.

"If you need my help, don't hesitate to contact me." Harry stood. "Otherwise, stay out of my way and I'll stay out of yours."

He smiled and apparated silently to Privet Drive. Harry wasn't looking forward to coming back, but part of it was curiosity. In the past he had never had the chance to study the protections that were supposed to be in place. Once the war was over, he had no desire to ever come back.

Harry appeared across the street across from the house so he could get a good look at the wards. He let his magic loose, feeling his very being relax. A slight bit of focus brought the wards into view.

He ground around him began to shake the longer he studied. There were layers of mail blocking wards, as well as a network of obscuring spells. Anyone, muggle or magical, looking in would see a perfectly normal family. Not only that, but it also had a lingering effect. No one would consider the Dursleys to be anything but your average suburban family, for at least a few days afterwards. Underneath all of it was a modified compulsion spell that repeated the phrases 'different is bad' and 'magic is wrong'. It wasn't keyed to anyone, meaning that even he would feel the need to shy away from speaking about magic while there.

That was it. Nothing to actually protect or hide him. There wasn't even something as simple as a monitoring charm. No wonder no one knew when he had known he had left after blowing up Marge, or when the Dementors attacked, or when Fred and George literally busted him out. There was no reason whatsoever for him to come back here for all those years.

Years as an auror had trained him in many things. Ward breaking was one such thing that he had a knack for. It made him wonder how much better he would be if he had studied it in school. Focusing his magic into blade, he sliced through the wards, carefully deconstructing it. As tempting as it was to simply smash through it, the sudden release of magic was too easy to track.

The air around him crackled with energy as he strode across the street. He took a deep, calming breath to get his magic back under control. There was no way he could face his aunt and uncle. Accidentally blowing up the house was an actual option with how much power he now had. Harry braced himself, then opened the door to the house.

"Who is it?" His uncle yelled from the kitchen. "Boy, is that you?"

Vernon Dursley stomped out of the kitchen, heading straight for Harry. His approach slowed as he got closer to the boy.

"Where have you been?" He barked. "I wasted my afternoon going to that train station and you weren't there."

The older man stopped out of arms reach. Vernon didn't feel the usual urge to hurt the boy. Sure, it was annoying that he had wasted a trip into the city, but it wasn't that big of a deal. He had managed to swing by the office to pick up some paperwork, so it wasn't a total waste.

He scrunched up his brow as he studied the boy. Harry was underweight, dressed in rags, and simply waiting for something. Vernon didn't like the boy, but they did get a monthly payment of ten thousand pounds. That alone was worth having Harry around. The kid was quiet, well behaved, and worked his ass off around the house. He was a freak, like his parents, but he didn't rub it in their faces. In fact, he didn't do any of that freakish stuff around them.

"Sorry." Harry said. "It won't happen again."

"See that it doesn't." Vernon grumbled.

The old man walked back toward the kitchen. Something had changed, like a headache had finally stopped.

"Tomorrow, we're taking you to the store." Vernon called over his shoulder. "You look like a transient dressed like that."

Harry watched his uncle walk away. There was a warring storm of emotions brewing in his chest. A mixture of relief and confusion was swirling around a molten core of anger. His uncle wasn't suddenly a saint, but he wasn't abusive either. Vernon had raised his voice and that was it. No hitting, screaming, or threats. On top of that, his uncle wanted to get him new clothes tomorrow.

It was all because of Dumbledor. The nights he went hungry, all the broken bones, and all the beatings. Without the aura Dumbledor had placed, none of it would have happened. The hostility and anger weren't caused by the spell, it could only magnify the feelings already present. A small exposure had made a composed Pureblood draw a wand on him, ready to cast the killing curse while inside a school and near the Headmasters office. How could Vernon and Petunia stand up to years of constant exposure.

He was going to kill Dumbledor. Forget bettering the world, this was revenge pure and simple.

Harry took another long, slow breath. He was going to have to rethink his entire approach to his family. This one interaction had thrown him for a loop.

Aunt Petunia stepped out into the hallway from the living room. She came to a stop, mid-step as she saw Harry. A myriad of emotions flashed across her face in a matter of moments. She took a shaky step toward him, then another. Harry tensed as the woman practically ran at him. She wrapped him into a tight hug and sobbed.

Her sister had once been her best friend. She had idolized her, and as much as she hated to admit it, begged to be magical just like her. Lily was dead. Her sister was dead. Here was her nephew, the last little bit of her sister still in the world. What was she doing to him? How could she treat him like this?

"I'm sorry." She sobbed. "Oh, dear Harry. I am so sorry. You have her eyes. My God, why did I never tell you that before?"

Petunia grabbed him by the hand and pulled him upstairs. She stopped in front of 'his room', her progress can to a sudden stop as she looked at the door. Petunia took in the locks and the pet door. She turned to face Harry again, pulling him into another tight hug. She burst into the room, pausing for a moment as she saw Dobby waiting inside.

She took a moment to compose herself. "Hello."

Dobby tilted his head to the side as he looked at the woman.

"Do you work for Harry?" She asked.

Dobby nodded.

"Could you help me move Harry's things to his new room?" Petunia asked. "This simply won't do a moment longer."

Harry stared at his aunt. He had seen many things over the years, but this had caught him completely off guard. Dobby looked to Harry. He nodded. The elf disappeared, as did his things.

"This will be the new guest room." Petunia said. Her words came out faster than usual. "I'll have your uncle get rid of this junk. It would go faster if Dudley and you helped. There's no rush."

She led him downstairs to the guest room. "Marge won't be happy, but she never is. The bed down here is bigger, nicer too. We'll need to get you some new bedding. Curtains too." She scrunched up her nose as she opened the door. "It needs to be aired out too. Smells like old dog and cheap perfume."

Harry nodded; his brain couldn't form words just yet.

"We'll have to make a trip to the store tomorrow." Petunia crossed the room, opened the window, and pulled the curtains down. "Will this be big enough for your owl?"

"I think so." Harry managed to say.

"Do you want to sleep upstairs tonight?" Petunia asked. "We can keep the window open to let it air out. By tomorrow night we should have it ready for you."

"Thank you, ma'am." Harry said.

"No." Petunia snapped. Her hands slapped over her mouth. "I'm sorry, dear. No ma'am. No miss. Aunt Petunia, or auntie. I will not answer to anything else."

She squeaked as Harry's trunk and clothes appeared in the closet. Dobby settled next to Harry.

"Thank you." Petunia knelt down to speak to Dobby. "We haven't been properly introduced. My name is Petunia Dursley, I'm Harry's aunt."

"Dobby be Great Harry Potter's elf." Dobby said slowly.

"It is nice to meet you, Dobby." Petunia wiped the tears from her eyes. "I'm sorry, I must look a mess. I've never met an elf before. Do I curtsy?"

"No." Harry smiled. "You're doing great. Dobby works for me. Kind of like a butler."

Petunia smoothed her dress as she stood. She stepped forward and grasped the sides of Harry's face. Petunia kissed him on the forehead.

"You wonderful boy." She held him tight. "You have done so much for us. Suffered. My dear. I am so sorry. Please, I know I don't deserve it, but I will work toward earning your forgiveness."

Harry cleared his throat, trying to clear the sudden tightness that had settled in it. He rubbed his eyes, trying to figure out why his glasses were fogging up. His fingers came away wet.

Petunia finally let him go. "I'll get started on dinner. Or would you prefer if we ordered out? We could have a welcome home dinner."

Harry shrugged.

"This is going to be Harry's new room." Petunia turned to look at Dobby. "It needs to be prepared, as you can see. Is there any chance you'd be able to help?"

Dobby looked to Harry. Harry nodded.

"Dobby will take care of it." The elf nodded.

The front door opened then slammed shut.

"Dudley is home." Petunia said.

Harry stepped out into the hall. Dudley looked at him.

"Hey, Harry." Dudley said before heading up the stairs. "When did you get home?"

"A few minutes ago." Harry answered.

"I'm going to order take-away." Petunia said. "What did you want?"

Dudley stopped at the top of the stairs. "Pizza sounds good. You, Harry?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah, pizza sounds good."

5.

Harry found himself sitting at the dinner table with his aunt, uncle, and cousin. He honestly couldn't remember if this had ever happened in his previous life. His head was spinning, he desperately wanted his wand within reach, and the fact that no one was talking made it all the more awkward.

"How…" Vernon started. "How was your year?"

"Me?" Dudley asked.

"Yes." Vernon nodded quickly. "And Harry too."

"Pretty boring." Dudley shrugged his shoulders. "The weather was shite through football season and there wasn't enough interest to get ruby going."

"Language, Dudley." Petunia gasped.

"Sorry, mum." Dudley blushed.

"What about you, Harry?" Vernon finally managed to look at him.

"Thank you for asking." Harry said carefully. "I know how much talking about magic makes you uncomfortable."

Vernon shook his head. "No, no. I asked about your year."

The man paused, seemingly shocked by his own words. Petunia and Dudley looked at Vernon as well.

"Harry." Petunia turned to look at him. "Something changed, hasn't it?"

Harry nodded. "I don't know how much you were told about the 'protection' that was placed around the house."

"Not much." Petunia whispered.

"I learned something new recently and was able to take a closer look." Harry explained. "There wasn't any sort of protection in place."

Vernon blanched; Petunia gasped.

"Instead, there were spells in place to compel anyone in the area to think being different was wrong, and that magic was evil." Harry explained. "There was something similar cast on me as well. Spells to make people focus on negative feelings around me and to doubt everything I said." Harry cleared his throat, trying to clear the lump that was forming. "Today, I was able to remove those spells."

Vernon sat back in his chair. Petunia wept openly. Dudley stared at his cousin.

"I can already see how you're changing." Harry continued. "You obviously can too."

"Harry Hunting. My friends and I…" Dudley said.

"It wasn't you." Harry whispered. "At least not all of it. The spells can't create something from nothing, but with how long you were exposed, even the littlest things would become so much more." He paused. "It wasn't just you. The spell cast on me affected everyone around me, the wards around the house served to amplify it."

"I broke your arm." Vernon choked out. "How many times? Four? No, more than that. I'm a monster."

"I smashed your hand with a pan." Petunia sobbed. "Your head, I left razor marks all over your scalp."

"This was magic?" Vernon looked up at Harry.

Harry nodded. A familiar feeling of dread began to form in the pit of his stomach.

"Who did this?" Vernon growled.

"Albus Dumbledor." Harry replied.

Petunia gasped. She sprang from her chair and wrapped Harry into a hug. He had no idea she was so affectionate.

"That was the man who sent you here." Vernon said. "I remember the note."

"He was the one who put the spells on me too." Harry continued.

"Why?" Petunia held him tightly. "Why would he do this?"

"The wizard that killed my parents." Harry's voice came out muffled. "We're connected. I'm the one who has to kill him. I think Dumbledor was setting me up to die while doing it. That way he'd get me and Riddle out of the way without having to put himself in danger."

Vernon stood. Harry tensed as the man walked over to him.

"This was a lot to take in. We can speak more in the morning." Vernon cleared his throat.

Harry watched as his uncle hurried out of the dining room. His aunt was still holding him in a hug.

"Mate." Dudley whispered. "Um… I… I am so sorry. I'll talk to my mates. You're my cousin."

"Thank you, Dudley." Harry smiled at him.

"Maybe we can talk more tomorrow?" Dudley asked. "This magic stuff sounds wicked."

Harry nodded. "Do you think you can get your mum to let me go?"

Dudley laughed. He stood and grabbed his mother gently by the shoulders.

"Come on, mum." Dudley said. "Harry needs to breath."

"Right." Petunia let Harry go. She placed a kiss on his forehead. "Right."

"I think we all need to get some sleep." Harry offered.

Petunia nodded.

"I'll put away the leftovers." Harry said.

"I can help." Dudley looked around the kitchen. "Where are the containers?"

"Cupboard beside the fridge, bottom shelf." Harry answered.

This sparked another sniffle from Petunia. Harry stood up. For the first time in his life, Harry hugged his aunt. She practically collapsed onto him.

"It's okay now." Harry whispered. "It wasn't you."

He let her go. Petunia hurried out of the room. He could hear her heading upstairs.

"Um." Dudley walked over to the table holding a couple of plastic containers. "I'm not really tired. Do you want to play some games? I got a Nintendo in my room."

"Sure." Harry nodded. "That sounds fun. You'll have to show me how to play though."

The containers disappeared from his hands, a moment later the fridge opened, and the pizza-filled boxes were set in place.

"Wicked." Dudley said. "Can you do that to my room? It's a mess."

"I didn't do that." Harry said. "Dobby!"

The elf appeared. Dudley let out a little yelp of shock and hopped away from the new arrival.

"Sorry." Harry chuckled. "Dobby this is my cousin, Dudley. Dudley, this is Dobby, he works for me."

"H-Hello." Dudley stuttered.

"Does Harry Potter need Dobby?" The elf asked.

"Thank you for putting away the leftover."

"Dobby is happy to serve." Dobby smiled broadly.

"It's a little scary for my family when you do it without them seeing." Harry continued. "When possible, please stay visible. To Dudley and Petunia, for now. We'll see how Vernon takes it and go from there."

"Of course, Great Harry Potter, sir." Dobby turned to the table and began tidying up.

"Did you still want to play some videogames?" He turned his attention to Dudley.

"Sure." Dudley whispered.

"Dobby, would you like to come with us?" Harry asked.

"Dobby doesn't know what these games are, but Dobby is very excited to learn." The elf hopped happily in place.

"We have to wait until tomorrow for my new bedding." Harry explained. "I'm going to be sleeping in my old room tonight." He paused. "I wonder if we could make a trip to Diagon Alley tomorrow too."

6.

Dobby turned out to be a very fast learner. The elf thoroughly trounced both boys in Street Fighter 2 and had grown quite attached to Zangeif. Harry, Dudley, and Dobby stayed up late into the night taking turns playing through Super Mario World. Technically, Harry was in his forties, but this was the most fun he had ever had with his cousin. Harry fell asleep on the floor to the sounds of Dobby muttering about ice stages.

He woke up the next morning to find he had been tucked into his bed. The smell of freshly cooked bacon drifted through the house. Harry changed into some fresh clothes before making his way to the kitchen. Aunt Petunia was at the stove. A plate piled high with pancakes rested on the counter beside her. Next to it was one with bacon and another with sausage.

Dudley and Vernon weren't down yet. The most surprising thing was the stack of mail waiting for him in the living room. They were neatly sorted into stacks. Maybe he had been a little impulsive taking down all of the wards.

"Good morning, Harry." She gave him a broad smile. "Take a seat, it's just about done."

"I can still help." Harry took his place at the table. "I enjoy cooking."

"That would be wonderful, dear." Petunia put a plate of pancakes before him. She kissed him on the top of the head before getting back to the stove. "Eat up. We have a long day of shopping ahead of us."

Harry sighed. He knew he needed new clothes, and he looked forward to sleeping in his new bed, but an entire day of shopping sounded tiresome. Out of habit he reached for his coffee cup, only to find it wasn't there. He had taken to drinking it his first year as an auror. Tea was great for a slow release of caffeine, but coffee had that punch he needed to wake up.

"Aunt Petunia?" He turned to look over his shoulder at her.

"Yes, dear?" She asked.

"Is there coffee?" He asked.

"Coffee?" Petunia blinked. "They let you drink coffee at school?"

"Kind of." Harry chuckled. "Dobby!"

"Yes, Harry Potter?" Dobby popped into being next to him.

Petunia jumped at the sound. Dobby turned to look at his aunt. The little elf's face went hard.

"Dobby is to be doing the cooking." The elf turned back to Harry and waggled a finger at him. "Dobby is a good elf, Dobby be doing the cooking, cleaning, and gardening."

"Thank you, Dobby." Harry said. "I'm more than happy to let you take care of the cleaning, but I enjoy cooking and gardening. Plus, we're in a muggle neighborhood, we can't have people seeing."

"I'm sorry, Dobby." Petunia spoke up. "I didn't realize you wanted to cook. If you would like, you could handle dinner tonight."

"We're going to have a lot of bags from shopping to bring in and sort later." Harry added. "I saw how good of a job you did with the mail."

This seemed to mollify the elf. Dobby nodded. "Dobby sorted them by name, removed the charms and curses, and gave Mistress Hedwig plenty of water and treats."

"You are an excellent house elf, Dobby. That wasn't why I called you." Harry continued. "Do you think you could make me a pot of coffee?"

"We don't have a coffee maker." Petunia cut in.

Dobby shot her a look. "Dobby will."

The elf disappeared. Vernon came in a moment later. He gave Harry a nod as he sat down. The man had the morning paper tucked under his arm. It was something so small, but it hit Harry deeply. He had countless memories of being yelled at over the morning paper. To go get it, blame for it being wet, missing, or late. His uncle had got it on his own since all the spells and compulsions were removed.

"Once we're done with breakfast, we'll head to the shopping center to get you sorted." Vernon said. "Dudley should be down shortly. Don't mind if he tags along, do you?"

Harry shook his head. "Not at all."

Petunia froze. She opened her mouth to speak but was silenced when a new kettle appeared on the stove. A jar of ground coffee beans rocked into place on the counter next to it. Harry smiled as a freshly poured cup slid into place before him.

"Thank you, Dobby." Harry said.

"That was the… elf?" Vernon asked.

"Yes." Harry nodded. "That isn't what it was about, but I should have mentioned him. Dobby, would you come here for a moment?"

"Harry Potter calls?" Dobby appeared next to him. "Does Harry Potter not like the coffee?"

"It's great, Dobby, thank you." Harry patted the elf on the shoulder. "Dobby, this is my Uncle Vernon. Uncle Vernon, this is Dobby. He works for me. He's basically a magic butler." He turned to face Dobby. "In the past my family and I have not had the best relationship. We are working to fix that. There were spells and compulsions in place for them to treat me poorly. I'm going to look into setting up protection so it won't happen again, could I have you keep an eye out for any sort of changes?"

"Of course." Dobby nodded his head. "Dobby will protect Harry Potters new family."

"Thank you, Dobby." Harry smiled at him.

Dobby glared at the food on the table, then disappeared.

"That will take some adjustment." Vernon shook his head. "What was it you wanted to talk about?"

"I'm going to setup some wards as protection to prevent others from influencing us again." Harry cut in. "We can't let Dumbledor know we're free of his meddling."

"Isn't he the headmaster of your school?" Dudley asked.

"Yes." Harry nodded. "Unfortunately, moving to a different school would bring too much attention. He would have us all charmed more than ever before to follow his every command. We have to play this safe for now."

"I don't like the idea of having to deal with that bastard at all." Vernon growled.

"Vernon, language." Petunia gasped.

"I don't either." Harry admitted. "Right now, he's too powerful. He holds a high office in the British Magical Government, as well as the international one too. There are quite a few people who don't even think to question him. He has people loyal to him installed in the government, law enforcement, and those among the general populous."

"How does one man hold so much power?" Vernon asked.

"People think he killed the magical equivalent of Hitler." Harry said.

"Did he?" Dudley asked.

"Kill? No. But he did capture him." Harry said. "What people don't know is that they were partners, romantically as well, and that Dumbledor only took action because their side was losing."

"They're side?" Petunia asked.

"He has made sure no one alive knows of his involvement." Harry continued. "Dumbledor has carefully crafted the story of his greatness. Don't get me wrong, he is a powerful wizard. The way he constructed the wards around this house, and the spells he used on me, were masterful. It would take years for me to be able to defeat him in an all-out fight."

"Harry." Petunia grabbed his hand. "You shouldn't have to defeat some powerful wizard."

"We'll be safe here once I get new wards in place." Harry patted her hand.

"Are you sure about setting up new wards?" Petunia asked. "You said you had just started learning about the protection magic."

"My professor says that I'm a natural." Harry lied. "I have books that I can reference as well. If nothing else, I can hire someone to get everything in order."

"Okay." Vernon took a deep breath. "Send the letter once you've got the protection settled. How much will this cost?"

"I'll cover it." Harry said.

"Unacceptable." Vernon cut back. "This is a family expense. Besides, we can use the monthly allowance to pay for it."

"Pardon?" Harry narrowed his eyes at his uncle.

"Ever since you were dropped on our door." Vernon said. "Ten thousand pounds a month."

He had been dressed in rags, given scraps, and forced to sleep in a bed that wasn't fit for an animal, and they were getting thousands of pounds a month. His magic flared, causing the dishes on the table to float. Harry had to take a series of deep breathes to calm himself. He concentrated on lowering the plates slowly.

Petunia and Vernon shared a long look. The woman moved faster than Harry had thought possible. Petunia picked him up from the chair and pulled him into a bearhug. He could feel hot tears dropping onto the top of his head.

Harry froze. He had been hugged more times in the last twenty-four hours than he had in the first twelve years of his life. Harry was still adjusting to the sudden hugs from Petunia, but this was too much for his brain to process. She was a lot stronger than he had expected.

"Let's all of us have breakfast, then we can head in to do some shopping." Harry said.

Harry wasn't sure if he had ever regretted his words as much. A quick trip for some new clothes and bedding turned into an all-day event. Petunia insisted on getting him multiple outfits for every season. She seemed to get more affectionate as the day went on. Harry had to clean her lipstick off his cheeks more than once. Dudley then made sure he had the right sort of 'real' clothes. Even Vernon helped him get a couple of business formal type outfits.

It got even worse when they moved on to the bedding. Harry was happy with updating to some simple colors, he stuck to gold and red. Petunia was all too happy to oblige. She picked out sheets, blankets, comforters, pillowcases, and new pillows. Dudley dragged him into a couple of different sports shops for some posters, then a comic store for some more. When he realized Harry had only read the occasional discarded issue, it turned into an hour-long dive into various comics.  Vernon, as it turned out, was an avid reader. He pulled Harry into a bookstore, and they came out with a stack that would make Hermione drool.

They made it home around dinner time to find a large meal waiting for them. Dobby had pulled out all the stops for his first night cooking for them. The elf packed away the new clothes and made the bed while they ate. Harry was too tired to think by the time he fell into his new bed.

7.

Harry woke up early the next morning. He felt a warm weight pressed against his side. Looking down he discovered Petunia cuddled up against him. At some point in the night, she had joined him in bed. She had even managed to slip under the covers with him. He stared at her for a long moment, trying to process what he was seeing. After a moment, he slipped out of bed, leaving her there to sleep.

There was a fresh set of clothes hanging on the back of the door and a steaming cup of coffee waiting on the kitchen table. A nice breakfast was already complete with slight shimmer in the air above the dishes let him know they were under stasis charms. It wouldn't be going cold any time soon. From experience he knew that after a couple of hours it lost a bit of flavor, but it should be fine for now.

He finished his cup of coffee and gave the growing stack of mail a passing glance before heading outside. Setting new wards were too important to put off any longer. He started by walking the property, marking it in his mind. Once that was completed, he began to work on the spells and charms he wanted to place. Harry started with a simple set of protection wards. They would track any unmarked magical signatures that entered or exited the area. Then he set about layering obscuring and confounding charms targeted to Death Eaters he knew of, Dumbledor, and his most loyal minions. It wasn't on the level of a Fidelius charm, but it didn't need to keep everyone away. With that layer finished he started working on a more complex set. These were targeted for defense against compulsions. It wouldn't hold up against the Imperius curse, but anything short of that would get pushed off.

Once that was all finished, he headed back inside for breakfast. Dudley looked up at him as he sat at the table. The boy looked half asleep.

"I've got new wards in place." Harry said as a fresh cup of coffee appeared before him. "Thank you, Dobby."

Dudley grunted something that almost sounded like 'morning'.

"Why are you so tired?" Harry asked.

"Dobby wanted to play more videogames." Dudley yawned. "I had him turn down the sound, but he's just so loud."

Dobby gave a small blush as he stood next to the table.

"Dobby is sorry, Dudders." The elf said. "Videogames are the most fun Dobby has ever had."

"We'll get you your own TV and system where you don't have to keep Dudley awake." Harry patted the elf on the shoulder.

Dobby hopped around the room making loud, happy noises.

"Dobby." Harry said firmly. "You're being too loud."

Dobby stopped, his shoulders slumped, and his ears drooped. "Sorry, Master Harry Potter, sir. Dobby will be quiet now."

"Oh, stop it." Harry shook his head. "You don't have to be silent, just turn it down a little. It's early."

Dobby perked up. He continued his hopping dance around the room, this time mouthing the yells instead of letting them out. Harry chuckled as he finished off his food.

"Now." Harry wiped his mouth off as he stood. "I need to look through some mail."

Harry braced himself as he sat down in the living room. He floated the first stack of letters over and began to sort through. Very quickly he came up with three piles: fan mail, official business, and other. The first two categories were easy to spot, but the third was tricky. Once the war was over and he had moved into his own home these types of letters started to appear. They look like official documents, but they were actually business proposals. In his previous life he hadn't paid much attention to them. He had been happy with his little piece of things and was more than rich enough to worry about things. This time, though, it didn't hurt to look.

First, he opened the fan mail. That pile got separated into another subset of stacks: fan mail, love letters, and book fan mail. Someone out there had taken the opportunity to write a series of books about his life. He had read them once the war was over. They were great stories but in no way did they have anything to do with his actual life.

"Dobby." Harry called.

The elf walked into the room. His large eyes scanned the letters with a hungry look.

"I have a job for you." Harry didn't wait for the elf to speak. "I've sorted my mail into different categories." He took a moment to point them out. "Could you please set the rest of them in the same way? Let me know when you're done. I need to write some responses for these. Make a list of names so I can send them out." He turned to look to Hedwig. "I'm sorry, girl, but this is going to be too big of a job just for you."

Hedwig ruffled her feathers and pointedly looked away from him.

"Don't be like that." Harry said. "I'm going to make enough copies to send out to each of these letters. You'd drop from exhaustion before you got through the first stack. I care too much about you to let something like that happen."

Hedwig turned her head slightly to look at him.

"You are my girl, Hedwig." Harry cooed. "You know that. If I could, I'd have you carry every letter I ever write. Actually, that's not true."

Hedwig hooted.

"I would want you with me." Harry smiled at her. "When you weren't hunting, you could ride around on my shoulder. You'd live a life of luxury like a queen deserves."

Hedwig settled down, preening ever so slightly.

"Do you want to come with me while I write the letters?" He asked.

Hedwig hopped off her perch and glided to rest on his shoulder. She took extra care not to squeeze too tight as her claws were deadly.

"I love you, Hedwig." Harry leaned his head against her.

She nipped at her hair.

"Come on." Harry laughed. "I've got letters to write."

He returned to his new room. Petunia was gone and the bed was made. He wasn't sure if she did it or if Dobby got to it first. This new Petunia certainly was an adjustment. He paused in front of his desk to give Hedwig a chance to decide where she wanted to go.

Hedwig hopped off his shoulder and settled nearby. Harry arranged three pieces of parchment. He set to work getting a standard reply written for each category. Hedwig would listen to him read the drafts out. She would give a little hoot if she liked them or nip at his hand if it wasn't good enough. Once they were complete, he tucked them into a pocket and returned to the living room.

"Dobby, do you have the list ready?" He asked.

"Right here, Harry Potter." The house elf held up a long sheet of parchment.

Harry sighed. He poked his head into the kitchen to find Petunia drinking a cup of tea.

"Aunt Petunia?" Harry said.

"Harry dear." She turned a bright smile to him, she waved him over.

He stepped in, knowing what was coming. She pulled him into a hug. Harry wasn't sure if he imagined it, but he could have sworn her hands drifted a little lower than they should have.

"I need to make a trip to Diagon Alley." Harry took a step back, but she didn't let go. "I don't know how long it will take. I'm going to be sending a lot of mail and setting up a few filters to slow things down."

"Thank you for letting me know." Petunia kissed him on the cheek before finally letting him go.

Harry took a step back. He gave her a little wave before disappearing with small pop. A moment later he appeared in the designated area in Diagon Alley. Harry tucked his glasses in his pocket and took a quick look around. There were a decent amount of people roaming around, but it wasn't as crowded as the school rush. Luckily, he blended in with the crowd easily enough. He was dressed in fresh muggle clothes, wasn't wearing his glasses, and didn't have any of his usual group with him. Spotting his black hair among the horde of Weasley gingers was almost as iconic as his scar.

It was a short and uninterrupted walk to Gringotts.

"Excuse me, master goblin." Harry inclined his head. "I have need of mail services. I also need to speak with my account manager."

"Name?" The goblin at the desk asked.

If there was one thing that Harry had learned through his life was that the goblins were not to be annoyed. They had proven themselves a powerful force multiple times through history. Plus, there were three types of people never to piss off: those who controlled the money, those who made the food, and nurses. Some people would say doctors, but they were wrong.

"Harry Potter. Lord of House Potter and heir of House Black

The goblin didn't even blink. He held out a silver dagger. "Drop of blood."

"Don't let it touch you." Harry held up his hand.

The dagger blurred, stabbing into the outstretched palm, and back in a moment. Harry watched as the wound on his hand closed instantly. A line of blood slid up the length of the knife. The goblin studied the blade.

"They will be with you shortly." The goblin turned to face the next customer.

It was dangerous to claim all titles, but he needed access to hit family vault. The influence wouldn't hurt either. Usually, a wizard couldn't claim their lordship until they were at least fifteen years of age, but there were exceptions when they were the last member of their bloodline. It was yet another thing he had learned after the war and one of the many, many things Dumbledor had kept from him. He could trust the goblins to keep it quiet. They didn't care about wizard politics.

"Mister Potter." A familiar voice said.

Harry turned to see Ragnok. He had to school his face and remind himself that this was the first time that they had met.

"Master Goblin." Harry inclined his head. "Are you my account manager?"

"Yes." The goblin studied Harry for a long moment. "We have needed to speak for quite a while now. You have not replied to any of my messages."

"That's one of the reasons I'm here." Harry smiled. "There was a mail blocking ward on my home. It's been removed, but I have a lot of responses to send. Fans that have gone years without a word, business that need to be handled, and others as well."

"Understood." The goblin turned, motioning for him to follow.

Ragnok paused, once they were alone in the office. "There is a cloud of death around you."

"I was recently bitten by a basilisk." Harry shrugged.

"I do not enjoy jests." The goblin narrowed his eyes at Harry.

"Saved by phoenix tears." Harry rolled up his sleeve to expose the jagged scar on his forearm. "I've been told my blood is just as deadly now."

"Do you know where the corpse is?" Ragnok leaned forward to examine the scar.

"It's in the Chamber of Secrets under Hogwarts." Harry fixed his sleeve. "I would be glad to show you where, if you could recommend a team to harvest it."

"I will have a team assembled." Ragnok wrote a note on a piece of parchment that folded itself up and zipped out of the room. "Now, what can I help you with?"

"A few things." Harry said. "I need to claim my lordship, close out all keys to my vaults other than my own, and claim my heirship of House Black. Once that is done, I need to have my parents will read."

"I will have the Lord Potter and Heir Black rings brought at once." Ragnok wrote another note. "I can handle your vault key presently. Your parents will has been sealed and will require some time."

"Understood." Harry nodded. It wasn't a shock, another one of Dumbledor's little things. "There is another issue I would like to discuss."

"Go on." Ragnok waved a hand.

"Defeating Tom Riddle, or Voldermort as he likes to be called, created a number of horcrux." Harry explained. "One is currently in the Lestrange Vault. By right of conquest, it's mine."

The goblin studied him for a moment. "If it is located in the Lestrange Vault, then we will bring it here shortly." Ragnok paused. "You understand it needs to be destroyed. We do not meddle in wizard affairs, but that is not magic we will allow to remain."

"I've destroyed three already." Harry summoned his sword. "One was located in my forehead, the other was a diary, and another had been placed in the Ravenclaw Diadem. Riddle has placed a horcrux in an artifact from Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. The Hufflepuff cup, is the one in the Lestrange vault. I will be disposing of them shortly."

"May I inspect your sword?" The goblin asked.

Harry nodded. He placed the blade on the desk in front of the goblin. Ragnok leaned forward. The thin fingers of the goblin traced patterns in the air above the weapon.

"Do you know what sword this is?" Ragnok asked finally looking up.

"The Sword of Gryffindor." Harry replied. "I pulled it from the Sorting Hat to kill the basilisk."

"Interesting." Ragnok muttered. "It has another name: Caliburn." The goblin paused. Upon seeing that Harry did not know what it mean he continued. "It's also known as Excalibur."

Harry stared blankly at Ragnok. "You surprise me, Master Ragnok. I didn't know goblins made jokes during business transactions."

"It's no joke." The goblin replied.

"I thought Excalibur was a myth." Harry sat back in his chair.

The goblin stared at him blankly.

"Merlin and Morgan le Fay are credited as being one of the first magical users in Europe." Ragnok said. "Why would Excalibur be a myth?"

"Does that mean I'm a distant relative to King Arthur?" Harry asked.

"There are many reasons why you would be able to wield Excalibur." Ragnok leaned back in his chair. "We would need an inheritance test to be sure."

"For a fee." Harry added.

"For a fee." Ragnok nodded.

Harry thought for a moment. He was saved from having to make the choice by the arrival of a group of goblins. One held two boxes that he knew from his first time around held the rings for Potter and Black. The group that followed carried a thick glass box with the Hufflepuff Cup inside.

"The rings." Ragnok tapped the desk.

The other goblin set them on the desk. Harry opened the boxes. He slipped the Potter Lordship ring on as well as the Black Heir ring. Once that was completed, he plucked the sword from the desk and stalked over to the glass box.

"Is this box important?" Harry looked over his shoulder at Ragnok.

"Enchanted glass to help contain the tainted magic anchored in the artifact." The goblin replied.

"Take the fee from my vaults." Harry sliced through the box and the cup in one stroke.

I could get used to that. It's a shame that swords aren't practical these days.

A puff of black smoke jumped from the cup. It screamed as it disappeared.

"Three more to go." Harry dismissed the sword. "Now, about that Inheritance Test."

8.

"Unlike a normal Inheritance Test." Ragnok waved a hand at a golden bowl sitting on the desk between them. "This will take seven drops of blood and seven days. Once completed the results will reach much farther than the standard test."

Ragnok produced a thin silver dagger. He offered it to Harry. He took it and held his hand over the bowl. The blade pierced his finger painlessly. Exactly seven drops of blood fell into the bowl. The tip of the dagger glowed, sealing up the puncture with nary a tingle. His blood swirled around, spread along the inside, and covering much more surface than seven drops should have. Ragnok placed another gold bowl atop the first, creating a perfect orb.

"I look forward to hearing from you in a week." Harry offered the blade back to the goblin. "Thank you for your time, Master Ragnok."

"And yours as well, Lord Potter." Ragnok stood.

Harry walked back out into the lobby. He took a look at the time to see that it hadn't hardly been an hour. That left him with plenty of time to explore. It was nice to see the Alley again before the worst of the war. Businesses that he didn't ever remember were open and thriving. If there was one place, he definitely needed to visit it was the bookstore. So many texts were outlawed or simply gotten rid of once things picked up. Tom's people weren't the only ones limiting the available knowledge. The ministry was quite proactive in removing any sort 'improper' material.

He stopped in the doorway when the sounds of a struggle came from inside. Muffled curses, an odd sort of growl, and the occasional tearing of paper made him smile. Third year, Hagrid was now the Care of Magical Creatures teacher and that meant the Monstrous Book of Monsters.

Harry strode into the shop. The clerk looked up as he entered, giving the stack of books in front of him just the opening they needed to attack. Harry moved quickly, stroking the spines on the books closest to the clerk. They settled down with a contented purr. He moved on to the rest as the clerk watched in stunned awe.

"How?" The clerk managed to whisper.

"Stroke the spines." Harry tapped the side of the crate. "The instructions are on the box."

The clerk leaned over to see a piece of parchment glued to the crate. It was a bit hard to make out since it was upside down. The clerk blushed as they noticed a large arrow pointing to the floor with text reading 'This Side Up'.

"Oh." The clerk cleared their throat. "Thank you for the assistance."

"No problem." Harry smiled. "I can't imagine what that would have been like once students got their copies."

The clerk blanched. "What can I do for you?"

"Hogwarts Third Year books." Harry picked up one of the, now content, books and began to pet it. "I was going to take a look around as well. Do you have any charmed bags? I'm planning on getting a lot."

"No." The clerk slowly shimmied away from the crate. "There is a luggage store just a few shops over. They have bags, satchels, and trunks with all sorts of charms."

"I'll go grab one while you get my order together." Harry continued to stroke the furry book. "Do you mind if I take this one with me? I'll be right back."

"Go ahead." The clerk sighed once they were a safe distance from the crate. "That one is yours, on the house."

"Thank you." Harry smiled. He plucked a galleon from his pocket and flipped it to the clerk. "Seems you dropped this."

The clerk caught the coin. They looked from it to Harry and then back at the gold piece.

"I'll get right on that order." The clerk pocketed the coin.

Harry petted the book as he walked to the baggage store. It wasn't all that different now than it was in the future. Once it was rebuilt anyway. Harry grabbed a new trunk with decent storage with a linked satchel. Anything he put in the bag would be organized into the trunk. It only worked with things that could fit through the opening, but it was still incredibly convenient. With that done he returned to the book store.

The clerk smiled at him as he entered. They gave a small wave to the stack of books on the counter.

"That was fast." Harry gave an appreciative nod.

"You saved me from death by a thousand papercuts." The clerk chuckled. "You're my new favorite." They held out their hand. "Morris Morrison, at your service."

"Harry Potter." He shook it.

The clerk froze. His eyes traveled to Harry's forehead then slowly grew.

"Mister Potter, sir." Morris straightened up their hair. "Please, forgive me. I didn't mean any sort of disrespect."

"Morris." Harry sighed. "Stop."

The clerk froze. Harry reached over and plucked a stray piece of paper that had tangled in his hair.

"Call me Harry." He fed the little slip of paper to his book. "Potter, if you must, but don't freak out. I'm here, alone, and trying to keep a low profile."

Morris nodded. "Got it."

"How much was it?" Harry motioned to the books.

"On the house for you Mister Potter, sir." Morris practically shoved the books at him.

"Morris." Harry tried not to glare at the clerk. "I'm not a 'sir', I'm not even thirteen yet. Take a deep breath."

Morris did. His face slowly began to turn red.

"And let it out." Harry shook his head.

The clerk did.

"Feel better?"

Morris nodded. "Sorry about that. I've read all of your books. Last year I was too busy running around for that fraud Lockheart that I totally missed you coming in."

"Oh." Harry sighed. "The books. They are complete and total fiction." He paused. "I don't actually know who wrote them. Fun read, but not true at all."

"You were trained since birth by the ghost of Merlin?" Morris looked at him hopefully.

"Sorry, no." Harry shook his head. "That would be wicked though."

Morris seemed to shrink just a bit. "You aren't betrothed to a Veela princess, are you?"

Harry shook his head.

"That makes sense." Morris sighed. "You're not even a teenager. Veela allure wouldn't do anything for you yet."

Harry patted him on the shoulder. "Sorry, mate. I'm just Harry."

Morris took a deep breath. He straightened up his posture and put his salesman face back in place.

"You said you were looking for some other books." Morris stepped out from behind the counter. "What can I help you find?"

"Spells, information on lordships, and history." Harry counted them off. "Etiquette would be a good idea as well. Do you have anything on Hogwarts that isn't written for Hogwarts students?"

"Follow me." Morris was in his element now. "I hope that bag has plenty of space."

9.

The bag was enchanted, Harry knew that, but he swore it felt heavier. Morris had turned out to be an excellent resource. He guided Harry to everything that he had asked for and more. Books on Pureblood Etiquette, the History of Magical Britain, spell books of all sorts, three different studies on Hogwarts, some on wards that Harry had never seen before, and even a travel guide written by Stephen King. His stories were actually tales of caution, but Muggles loved it as fiction. There were dozens of books that had disappeared in the future. Harry got them all.

Luckily, the trunk was enchanted too. He was able to carry it without any issues. He continued on with his school shopping. Last time he had done it while he stayed at the Leaky Cauldron. He didn't plan on running away this time around. The trip went by quickly once he finished in the bookstore.

Harry sighed as he pulled the trunk toward the Leaky Cauldron. Diagon Alley had protection up to prevent unauthorized travel. It wasn't as intense as it was in the future, but it was enough to be annoying.

He strolled through the tavern without making eye-contact with anyone. Only someone looking for him would recognize him without his glasses and his scar no longer inflamed. Harry stepped out into Muggle London and paused. A dark shape loomed just on the side of his vision.

Harry turned to see a large black dog watching him. It sat in an alleyway, staring at him. A mixture of feelings swelled within his chest. As much as he wanted to rush over and hug Sirius, he couldn't. He didn't have a solid plan on what he was going to do this year. Explaining everything to Sirius, especially freshly escaped from prison, would not help matters at all.

Plus, the old dog would appreciate a good prank.

Harry bent over slightly and patted his legs. "Come here girl."

Sirius cocked his head to the side. He looked around to see if there were any other animals in the area.

"Come on, girl." Harry cooed as he slowly approached. "It's okay. Do you have an owner?"

Sirius let out a little woof and slowly took a step closer. He was certain this was Harry, but there was something not quite right. Sirius wrote it off as the fact that he hadn't seen his godson since Harry was in diapers. He stayed in character, cautiously sniffing the outstretched hand before leaning in for a pet.

"Good girl." Harry moved in closer, using both hands to pet him. "No collar? You're all skin and bones. What's a fancy lady like you doing all alone?"

Sirius let out a small growl.

"Sore subject?" Harry paused. "Would you like to come home with me? You'd get a bath, some good food, and a nice warm place to sleep."

Sirius forgot himself for a moment and hopped up, licking Harry across the face. Harry laughed.

"Okay, okay. That's enough." Harry stepped away. "This is going to be loud. I need you to stay calm."

Sirius settled back on his haunches. Harry pulled out his want. A moment later the Night Bus appeared with a loud crack. The attendant and driver were a couple of wizards that Harry had never seen before. They looked like he should still be in Hogwarts.

"Night Bus, Day Service." The wizard said in a sing-song voice. "We charge extra for pets and familiars."

"That's fine." Harry handed the wizard the fare. Sirius followed closely as they found a spot.

The day service swapped out the beds for dining tables.

"You missed breakfast service." The attendant said. "It's still an hour before lunch. I could get you some tea if you'd like."

"No thanks." Harry shook his head.

The attendant shrugged before take a spot behind the driver. Harry spotted a newspaper nearby with the picture of the Weasleys on the front. He picked it up. The Weasleys in the photo seemed to recognize him. They waved excitedly. Ron especially.

Sirius growled as he noticed Scabbers. The attendant looked up at the sound.

"It's okay, girl." Harry petted his head softly. "It's just a moving picture. They're not really here."

"Is she going to be a problem?" The attendant asked.

"She'll be fine. The picture moving upset her. " Harry played at covering Sirius' ears. "I don't think she's all that smart."

Sirius huffed and looked away. Harry had to stifle a laugh.

"Here we are." The driver called out.

Harry looked up. Sure enough, they were outside the house.

"I didn't even feel it moving." Harry blinked as he stood.

"You shouldn't." The attendant shook his head. "The driver on the night shift is a few years past retirement if you ask me."

"Practically drives itself." The driver spoke up. "No clue what that barmy old man does to it."

"Thanks for the ride." Harry placed two galleons on the table as he left.

Harry led Sirius around to the back of the house. They were hidden by a decent fence and the neighbors' hedges. As much as the people in the area loved gossip, they were desperate to avoid it. He pulled out one of his new spell books. It was focused on daily magic. Harry didn't plan on setting up a magically automated dishwasher, but it was always a good idea to have some unexpected spells handy. Most people only thought the 'powerful' spells could hurt people. In truth, with the right application, anything could be deadly. The Killing Curse was scary because it couldn't be blocked by magical means. Dodging it, or physically blocking it would work, but most wizards didn't think like that. Years as an Auror had showed him there were a lot of small things that magical folk overlooked.

Once he found the right page Harry drew his wand. He created a low, wide bathtub from the ground. Harry looked to Sirius.

"You need a bath before I take you inside." Harry motioned to the tub. "It will be quick."

Sirius sighed and climbed into the tub. He thumped down into a sitting position. Harry smiled. He held out his wand and summoned some water. The warm, clean liquid flowed over Sirius. Harry swore he saw the old dogs' eyes roll back in his head.

Harry created a brush from the nearby grass.

"I can't create soap yet." Harry began to run the brush through the tangled hair. "I could summon some, but that means it comes from somewhere. Can't risk anyone seeing it."

Sirius was lost to the wonders of a nice warm bath.

"You need a name."

Sirius snapped to attention.

"You certainly are a pretty girl." Harry cooed.

Sirius chuffed. Harry stopped his brushing.

"Oh, you're a boy." Harry tried to sound natural. "I'm sorry. It was hard to tell under all this matted hair."

Sirius glared at him. Harry stifled a laugh, focusing on brushing the tangled knots. He lifted up a foot.

"You certainly have big feet." Harry worked some water between the pads. "Your feet are like all pads." He stopped. "That gives me a great idea for a name."

Sirius perked up.

"You've got big, padded feet." Harry continued. Sirius held his breath. "I'll call you Slippers."

Sirius' mouth dropped open. Harry coughed.

"Dog breath." Harry shook his head. "Nah, Slippers isn't right." He went back to cleaning Sirius. "Name. Name. Name. You kind of look like a Grim, but that's a bit on the nose. Midnight would work, but again, on the nose. Could go with something ironic like Tiny, or Snowflake."

"Oh, Harry you're back." Petunia opened the backdoor. She stopped mid-stride as she saw the dog in the tub. "What is that?"

"It's a dog." Harry replied. "He followed me home. I want to keep him. With Dobby around it shouldn't be any trouble to take care of him. I can take him with me to school too. It would be nice to have some extra protection."

"You're settled on this?" She slowly approached.

Harry nodded. "I'm trying to come up with a name for him."

"Oh?" Petunia came to stand beside him. "He's a regal looking fellow." Sirius gave her a doggy-smile. "How about Prince?"

Sirius gave a small bark in appreciation.

"I don't want to give him a big head." Harry replied.

Sirius looked at his godson and sighed.

"He makes me feel safe." Harry let the joke drop for a moment. "How about Rook? Like the chess piece."

Harry looked to his godfather. Sirius nodded.

"Rook it is." Harry smiled. "Welcome to the family. Let's get you dried off and some food in your belly. I can feel your ribs."

10.

Rook/Sirius took to muggle life relatively well. Harry had his fun teasing him, so he made sure to give him actual food. No kibble or canned stuff, that would have been too much. At night Rook/Sirius would sleep nearby or at the bottom of his bed.

At those times Harry took to telling him his life story. The previous version. He was going to leave out the death and time travel. In fact, he wasn't sure who he was going to tell or if he there was anyone he trusted. Previously, he would have said Hermione, but she was in on the plot to kill him.

He told his godfather about his life growing up. Harry had to take care to leave out some parts. He couldn't risk Sirius doing something rash to his relatives. Things with them were steadily getting better. Sirius was very interested about his years at Hogwarts.

Harry made sure to spend a lot of time telling him about Hogwarts. It was hard, talking about his 'friends' hit a sour note. He had avoided them once he was out of the chamber. There were just too many questions that he didn't have the answers to when dealing with them. How was Ron affected? When did Hermione start her plotting? Had they been spelled?

Instead, he focused on his classes. He mentioned the house rivalries, quidditch, and the classes he liked. Harry couldn't help but smile when Rook/Sirius perked up at the mention of the twins' pranks.

The next week fell into an easy groove. He started running in the mornings, using Rook/Sirius as an excuse. In reality, he needed to get healthier. Now that he was eating regularly, and his magical power weren't being blocked, he needed to be more in tune with his body. It helped guide the newly unlocked power coursing through him.

Morris had guided him to a treasure trove of books. Harry learned spells, solidified his ward work, began to learn rune crafting, and was able to study the history of the magical world. The last time around he hadn't given much thought to the history of the magical world. By the end of the war most of the books on it had been removed or heavily edited.

The previous night Harry had fallen asleep reading Spells for a Traveling Wizard. It was a book he would have killed to have in his previous life. He snapped awake at the sound of a bird squawking.

Harry froze, halfway to sitting, as he took in the sight before him. Hedwig was guarding the window from an owl that desperately was trying to enter the room. Every move forward was blocked either by a swift peck or a smack of the wing.

"Hedwig." Harry moved over to her. "They're just doing their job."

She turned to look at him.

"I know." Harry sighed. "It's your job, but they didn't know that."

Harry snatched a treat from the tray nearby and held it out to the owl. Hedwig gawked at him as he took the letter from the owl.

"They have had a hard morning." Harry held her gaze. "This is an urgent letter from the goblins."

Hedwig looked away, suddenly finding the backyard more interesting.

"Rook." Harry strode over to his dresser to pick out clothes for the day. "Want to go for a trip?"

The large dog hopped up. He let out a happy bark.

"We're going to Gringotts." Harry explained. "It's a bank run by goblins. Be on your best behavior. I'd rather not start a war with them because you decided to pee on the furniture."

Rook/Sirius grunted. Harry hurried to the kitchen. Dobby was hard at work at the stove. There were four plates of eggs, bacon, sausage, and some freshly made hashbrowns waiting at each spot. Another spot on the floor for Rook was set as well. Each one shimmered ever so slightly to show they were under a stasis charm.

"Dobby." Harry crossed his arms and glared at the elf. "Today is your day off."

"Yes, Harry sir." Dobby did his best not to look at the wizard. "Today I get to do what I want. Dobby wants to cook." He pointed to the stack of pancakes, waffles, and omelets on the counter nearby. "Dobby is cooking like Harry sir does, no magic. Harry sir was right, this is fun."

Harry tried, and failed, to suppress a smile. "What are you planning on doing with the leftovers?"

Dobby stopped. He looked at the stack of food. His face scrunched up.

"Dobby… will…" the elf drew the words out as he looked around the room. His bright eyes saw the letter Harry was holding. "Deliver the food to…" He squinted. "Gringotts. Yes, Dobby will deliver the food to the goblins at Gringotts."

"You're cooking breakfast for the goblins?" Harry crossed his arms.

Dobby nodded, making sure not to look anywhere near the boy. "Harry sir was not to bother Dobby on his day off."

"That is true." Harry smiled. "As it turns out, I have some business with the goblins today." He eyed the plate of food. "It looks delicious, but I don't think they'd be happy if I was late."

Dobby snapped. A freshly baked biscuit zipped over to the plate. An egg, a slice of cheese, and a few pieces of bacon slipped inside. It was nearly wrapped up in a napkin. Harry plucked the breakfast-to-go from the table and tucked the sandwich in his pocket. He had taken the time to charm all of his muggle clothes with expanding storage and small protections.

"Well, Rook." He looked to the dog. "Ready to find out where I come from?"

The dog cocked his head to the side.

"I'll explain on the way." Harry headed out to the street. "We're taking the Night Bus. I'm not doing any sort of magical travel on an empty stomach."

Rook woofed in support.

The bus pulled up a moment later. Harry smiled at the attendant. It was the same duo as the last time.

"Welcome to the Night Bus, day service." The attendant recited. "Where are you headed?"

"Gringotts."

The driver and the attendant snapped awake once they heard his voice. It paid to be nice to people in the service industry.

"Right this way." The attendant guided him into the bus. "Anything you need? Tea, coffee, bowl of water for you companion?"

"We're fine this morning."

Harry slid into the plush seat as Rook hopped up on the other. The attendant spared a look at the dog.

"She's certain looking healthier."

"He." Harry corrected. "Under all that hair and grit, he was a boy."

"Rather handsome one too." The driver chimed in.

Rook/Sirius looked over at Harry with a satisfied doggy-grin.

"Don't say that." Harry laughed. "You'll give him a big head."

Rook/Sirius scoffed.

"Didn't get to introduce ourselves last time." The attendant said. "I'm Stephen Laurie and this here is Hugh Fry."

"Nice to meet you." Harry nodded to each. "This handsome devil is Rook. I'm Harry Potter."

The bus swerved.

"You're serious?" Stephen asked.

"No." Harry shook his head. "That's my godfather. I'm Harry."

Rook/Sirius jolted at the joke.

"You're really Harry Potter?" Hugh asked.

"Yes." Harry nodded. "Don't get weird about it please. Keep quiet and you're looking at a tip every ride."