The Golden Trio

Part 4

Chapter 4: Family lifeJust a short description of the war they had fought in their own dimension. The events follow canon until the end of the deadly hallows (with the exception that they learn a little more spells and curses). They lost the battle of Hogwarts and the war continued for three years. Harry, Ron and Hermione gathered the DA and when the Order was defeated six months later, were they the only resistance left.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - .Harry stepped out from the fireplace and immediately took in the room, automatically moving so his back faced the wall. Years of war had taught him never to expose his back to windows or doors. With no one in the room he relaxed somewhat and started to look around more closely.He was in a nicely decorated living room. Paintings, muggle and magical shared the walls with family pictures, in the middle of the room stood two lime green sofas. A dozen shoes were thrown at the floor in front of the door, which seemed to lead out to the garden.He couldn't help but think how normal it all looked. They had never been touched by war or death. This is my life how it could have been, should have been. He didn't feel sad though, he had had his life and he had accepted it. This was not his life and he was not going to pretend it was – that would be deceiving himself.Although when he sensed someone enter the room he turned around and smiled, determined to pass a long as the son in this family. It was his, apparently, sister who gave him an annoyed frown."Where did you go? We needed someone to count the points.""Sorry I forgot.""You forgot, you mean you sneaked away with the floo, even though mum said you weren't allowed. Hmm what should I do with this information?..." she trailed of and looked at Harry mischievously, the unveiled threat clearly visibly.Harry gazed back unfazed, he had been threatened by Lord Voldemort, the darkest lord in centuries, threats by a fourteen-year-old girl was nothing."Do what you want; you're not able to prove anything."She stared shocked at him clearly not anticipating him retorting, it made him wonder what kind of person he was in this dimension."Why else would you ask me about the address?""So I didn't make a fool out of myself later."She shrugged dismissively and turned around to leave."You are always looking like a fool, don't see why you bother. By the way mum wants you to come out, because if you apparently have not been floo travelling, you have been moping about in your room the entire afternoon."Harry decided it was safest to remain silent, and followed her because he wasn't sure he would find the way by himself. They entered the garden and he saw his...family, sitting in some garden chairs."I found him, he had forgotten," his sister drawled the last part."Again!" said Lily in an exasperated voice."Perhaps we should buy you a Remembrall to your birthday," suggested James with a grin."That way you get something else than sweaters and puzzles," Harry stared at him disbelievingly and couldn't help but blurting out."Can't I get a broom?""Why would you want a broom, you have refused to fly one since the accident in your first year," asked James puzzled."What! Um I mean I would like to give it a try again. You shouldn't let your fears hinder you, because they are nothing but fears.""Why Harry, that was very insightful for you," a voice said from a chair. Harry hadn't given much thought on who it was before, but the voice gave him a start. Numbly he turned around. Nothing could have prepared him for the sight of his honorary godfather.Remus recoiled slightly at the look of horror Harry gave him but gave him an forced smile, as though he was use to seeing Harry look at him like he was about to rip his throat open.Harry struggled to regain control over his emotions, he had known that people he had known and seen die would be alive here. Somehow seeing his dead parents and the sister he never had, hadn't been difficult, in a way they were just strangers. But seeing Remus, his Remus, almost released all the grief inside of him.It is not your Remus, he chided himself. His Remus was the last Marauder, he was the only adult Harry could turn to during those fateful month after Dumbledore's death. He was the one who had fought against Wormtail, a fight that in the end had claimed both their lives.But still he looked so like his Remus. He even had the worn expression and tired smile whenever he looked at Harry. He filed that away for later as he finally managed to regain his ability to speak."Oh thank you," he whispered. Okay almost regained his voice.Remus slumped in his chair and sighed in defeat."I should go, it's late," he said and started to get up."Moony," said James in a comforting voice and put a hand on his shoulder."Its okay, I can't force him to like me," Remus said with a sad smile.He gave Lily a hug and his sister a small kiss on her head. Harry frowned when Remus made no attempt to approach him. Instead he offered a small smile before he disappeared through the doors.Harry who was busy trying to figure out Remus strange behaviour didn't notice James livid face. He stalked forward and grabbed Harry's arm."Kitchen now!" he growled. Harry, startled out of his reverie, flinched and reflexively raised his arms to defend himself. In the commotion no one notice though."James it's not his fault," screamed Lily and ran after them."I don't care, he have hurt Remus one time too many, its time I put a stop to this stupid behaviour."He dragged him to the kitchen and threw him in a chair."I am sick and tired of your childish behaviour. Remus would never admit it but you hurt him every time you look at him like that! And I won't allow my son to treat one of my best friend like this," James ranted in a furious voice."What is it I have done?" asked Harry irritated even as he tried to fend of his own suspicions."I am talking about all the time you look at him as though he is about to attack you. Or those times you shied away when he tried to touch you. He is your godfather and you treat him like dirt," shouted James oblivious to Harry's shocked face."I am afraid of him?" whispered Harry, still unwilling to believe it at the same time fighting the urge to run after Remus.James stopped his rant and sighted when he saw Harry's upset face and misread his expression."I know that you are afraid of him, and it is nothing wrong to fear something, but you have to understand that Remus is no one you have to fear. He would rather die than hurt you, and that's not only because he is your godfather.""I know," whispered Harry and shamefully lowered his head. Either it was shame for his counterpart or his actions today he didn't know.James raked his hand throw his unruly hair and sighed."I know that this is difficult for you but can you please try?" Harry nodded and James gave him a tired nod.It was first when Harry reached his room when James's words registered in his head.Remus is my godfather?he thought with a happy grin. Somehow the thought filled him with a warm feeling, like he had regained a long lost friend.Not that he didn't like Sirius, no the man had been like a father to him; the first person to call family, and he still loved him. But their time together had been so short before he had fallen through the veil.It was Remus who had supported him through the war. He was just his honorary godfather but somehow he had been Harry's true godfather."I must apologise to Remus," he murmured to himself. That reminded him how he had gotten into this mess and his first ever argument with his father; his counterpart was terrified of Remus.Harry sighed, knowing fully well how sensitive Remus was about his lycanthropy. He had barely accepted the wolf within him – he didn't need others to condemn him. It was enough he did it to himself already.My counterpart is a fool, a week pathetic cowardly fool. I bet he got along well with Wormtail. He thought tetchily to himself. And were the hell is Wormtail, is he a traitor in this dimension, he raked his hand through his unruly hair, vaguely recalling James do the exact movement during his scolding. It was so much they didn't know in this place.He suddenly wished that Ron and Hermione were here with him. Hermione, always frank and honest, always possessed by an unwavering determination. And Ron, the ever cheerful one, he had never lost his humour, even though it had become a tad more morbid and sarcastic at the end of the war. Snape and Malfoy wouldn't stand a chance.He sighed and stared out threw the window, trying to figure what they were doing know. When they were together nothing seemed impossible. They were a team and worked as such. When separated every task was a mountain to climb and the smallest success seemed impossible.Ron was probably trying to avoid exposure in his family, a difficult task considering that his brothers were Fred and George, pranksters extraordinaire and Ginny. Harry sighed again, poor Ron, he had taken the death of his family hard. To see them alive and walking, his own family but still strangers.He remembered how he himself had reacted to see Remus alive – Ron must have it ten times worse. But still Ron had one advantage over Harry. Ron knew those people, he knew how to act to avoid suspicions.Harry didn't have that luxury – hell he hardly knew how to act in a normal family in the first place, courtesy of the Dursleys.Hermione were also in the situation of having her dead family returned to her, but knowing her she would focus on the more serious matters. Like find information. And as if he could see Hermione frowning at his inactivity he started to search for a library.Potters residence in Godrics Hollow didn't have a library, but it did have an office. An office with the walls filled with bookcases.Although Harry's excitement over the books soon turned to frustration as he recalled why it was Hermione who did all their research. Those books told absolutely nothing.He resisted the urge to throw the book out the window and slumped in a chair. He had found the basics about Voldemort's rise to powers and his little war and demise at the hands of Neville Longbottom – The boy-who-lived. Basically the story Hermione already had told them.There was no information on the Order or Wormtail. Who had been secret keeper? Did the prophecy exist? Were Snape a spy? So many questions and no way to find the answers. It was so frustrating to not knowing anything.It's just like fifth year all again, and just like then I have no way of finding information! He didn't think they would appreciate his sudden interest in the Purity war, nor his strange knowledge of classified information.He let his eyes roam over the desk and his eyes landed on a Daily Prophet. For a moment he just stared at it, thinking how much he loathed the newspaper. After a while he reached for it, feeling as if he made a huge sacrifice only by touching the vile thing.His eyes caught the headline and he absentmindedly bit his lip as he tried to remember if this had happened in his own timeline. When he couldn't remember it he settled for reading the article.Werewolf attack in Northampton – five muggles dead and two missing!Yesterday morning a muggle postman (the muggles means of delivering letters) made a gruesome discovery whilst delivering letters at Nilstone road. Upon noticing that one of the houses sported a broken and open door he decided to investigate further. He entered the house while calling out for the young family he knew lived there.Inside he found the bloodied corpses of Mr and Mrs Treample, both viciously cut and stabbed to death. Upon discovering what the muggle assumed was a brutal robbery the man ran over to the neighbours to get help – only to run into the same scene. The elderly pair who lived there had been attacked by what looked like vicious animals and had both bled to death.Muggle police was called to the place but by then aurors had already arrived – having been alerted of werewolf activity in the area. Auror Jenkins was one of the first to witness the horribly scene."It was awful, I have nightmares of it...all the blood...we found the pair in the kitchen...or at least most parts of them...there was obvious signs of fighting...there was so much blood," says auror Jenkins in a shaking voice as we ask him what he found.Of the three children were only one found – ten year old Jaden was found beheaded in the garden. His body was badly injured and it appeared that someone had eaten parts of it. The two other children, Marie and Isaac, both five years old were nowhere to be found; leading aurors to suspect that it is Greyback who is behind the heinous deed."It is typical Greyback, he goes in killing the parents and older children and turning the younger ones to raise them in his pack," said auror captain Rudiger Rowle referring to similar cases when Greyback has been involved."We know that Greyback and his pack are guilty of at least fifty different attacks, possible more, but we haven't been able to catch him yet due to him always changing locations," continues Rowle.Werewolf attacks have been steadily increasing in the latest years which are what spurred the ministry's stricter policy on Dark creatures.Minister Crouch is the leading force behind the Werewolf Registration Act which was passed two months ago and the new Act of Specie Oriented Lawsuit.According to minister Crouch the werewolf problem have been unresolved for too long leading to suffering for the wizarding public."We have been lax in our control over Dark creatures and now we are paying for it," says Minister Crouch when asked to comment on the recent werewolf attack. "We have been allowing them freedom to roam our country and breed freely. Right now we have a large werewolf population, a population who have no qualms about killing innocent people. There is no motive in their actions, they could attack anyone anywhere. They don't care about if you are magical or not, no one is safe."Minister Crouch is optimistic to the new werewolf bill, meaning that it is the only way to ensure the public's safety."Our voters have the right to go to sleep at night without fearing an attack of a vicious monster, this act will enable us strike swift and hard against creatures like Greyback," finishes Minister Crouch before leaving.More information on the attack in Northampton – see p 12More information on Greyback – see p 15-21More information on the new Act of Specie Oriented Lawsuit – see p 25-28By Sebastien SpavinHarry quickly went on to read about the new act – which unavoidably had him swearing loudly within moments."What a fucking load of bullshit!" he grumbled angrily, feeling the urge to relieve his anger on something – preferably on the incompetent minister."Harry!" came the appalled voice of Lily who had apparently walked past outside the door at that moment. Or she had been standing spying outside, supplied Harry's mind before he dismissed the thought. "I will not have such language in my house," she said sternly as she gazed into the room."Be happy that I'm only swearing," retorted Harry, feeling not in the least intimidated by her intrusive glare. He was prepared to dismiss her before he caught sight of the article again and the urge to comment on it became to strong. I need to rant about this. "It is just that this article..." he frustrated shook the Daily Prophet in his hand. "This article...argh it's just insane. How can they be so fucking stupid!" finished Harry, unable to find any word to appropriately describe the article.Lily on the other hand stood completely still, looking bewildered at her son who waved a Daily Prophet around, cursing like she had never even seen Sirius do. To tell the truth it made her a bit uneasy. Harry had always been a timid and soft spoken child, to see him with such anger and contempt – for a fleeting moment she felt that she didn't knew her son."What article are you speaking about?""The Act of Specie Oriented Lawsuit!" hissed Harry, before seeing her expression and managed to rein in his temper. His face relaxed and he smiled bitterly, his eyes still glowing angrily in a promise of destruction should that smouldering anger ever be let free."Oh, but I think it is quite enough as it is, I know that many wizards wants to feel safe but you have to remember that there is many werewolves who is innocent. Think of Remus..." said Lily placating as though Harry was upset that the law wasn't enough."I am not for the Act, I'm against it! How can they think that this will solve the werewolf problem, it will only make it worse," said Harry in a tired voice before continuing. "Werewolves have been ostracised from society for so long, they are being refused jobs, marriage and are met with prejudice everyday, it's no wonder that there is contempt.""What brought on this change? Last time we were discussing the werewolf act you liked it, saying that it was a good way of protecting people.""I didn't see it from the werewolves' perspective... never mind. I'm going out for a bit, I'll be back for dinner," he got up from the chair and touched her gently at her shoulder. He wasn't comfortable giving her a hug or anything else remotely affective but he felt the need to reassure her.Just when he was about to disappear down the stairs her voice called after him."This...you are acting so differently, why?" her forlorn voice sounded like she wanted to say more, maybe try to describe in a better way what had happened to her sweet little boy. Harry didn't need more words to know what she meant, he had after all stolen her son away and taken his place – like an impostor.He felt his insides twist at this thought; he had thought Lily being the impostor who had taken the place of his mother when in reality it was he who had stolen their child away. He winced at the though of her ever knowing the truth. And still they have the right to know, I can't just take his place, allowing them to live in a lie, only using them to keep up my façade, he thought darkly before dispelling the thoughts to the deepest part of the mind, not having the strength to deal with them now."Nothing Mother, just being a teenager and all that lot, expect angsty temper and unexplainable actions from now on, but remember that I'll...always will be the same." It sounded incredibly false and hypocritical in his mind, but what he first had thought to tell her felt even more so. 'I love you' was to much a strong emotion to throw around lightly, especially when he at the moment couldn't claim any truth to it.Dinner that evening was a tense affair, James was still sour about Harry's treatment of Remus, and Lily was annoyed at James because he had blown up on Harry. She also kept throwing glances at Harry who appeared perfectly at ease when inwardly he was twitching at the strained dinner conversation.I'm in unfamiliar territory.His sister, who he had learned was named Rose, seemed oblivious to the chilly atmosphere."He is a child James! You can't expect him to be calm and rational about things," said Lily in a forced calm voice. Harry picked in his food. At first had he been happy about how Lily had stood up to him, but it had quickly disappeared when he noticed how she treated him.The only person to treat him like a toddler had been Umbridge in his fifth year. And here again was his supposed mother cuddling him and speaking to him, Harry Potter war hero and saviour of the wizarding world, in that patronising voice, like he was a four years old – too stupid to understand.And what really bugged him was that he couldn't retort."Hello! I'm the same age as him and I'm not afraid of Remus.""I know darling, but you have always been a very outgoing girl," said Lily fondly to her daughter."Remus is the last thing to fear, he would never hurt anyone," stated James. A memory suddenly flashed before Harry's eyes.Tonks screamed as the spell hit her in the chest and pinched her against the store. Diagon alley was temporarily transformed into a war zone, buildings burning and screaming people trying to run for safety. Harry heard an enraged roar behind him and turned around to see Remus sprinting towards Tonks, wand forgotten in his hands."Leave her alone you bastards! Or I'll rip you to pieces!""Oh look seems like the werewolf is not so tame as Dumbledore seemed to think. Do you need a collar and a muzzle, beast," a Death Eater jeered then proceeded to kick the barely consciously Tonks.Remus growled and suddenly went rigid before he fell down on his knees. He gave off an anguished scream and started to change. His limbs became longer, he grew blank silvery fur and his face lengthened into a wolf's snout.The werewolf Moony got up to his feet and his wild inhuman eyes swirled between Harry and the Death Eaters before he settled on the Death eaters. He barred his teeth and gave a bone-chilling howl as he charged towards them.Harry couldn't help himself, he glanced at the moon. It was shining brightly over the destroyed alley, a brightly shining half-moon. He hadn't more time to contemplate it before someone attacked him from behind and the battle were up and going again.When he had time to glance back at where he last seen Tonks he saw Moony, a screaming Death Eater in his mouth. Moony shook the man back and forth in a wild rage before a plop was heard when the arm were ripped off and fell to the ground with a splashing sound. The trembling Death Eater cradled his stumped arm and tried to crawl away from the werewolf. He didn't get far until Moony bit at his throat; the man managed a terrified yell before his throat was ripped open.Harry forced the memory out of his head and focused on James."I agree with you Ja..Dad, I shouldn't fear Remus. I will apologise next time I see him."James beamed at him."That's my boy!""Only if you truly mean it Harry, he will know if you don't," said Lily in a prim voice and stared sternly at him."I mean it," said Harry with so strong conviction that they were slightly taken aback. Harry noticed and smiled sheepishly at them. "I just thought how it must have been in Remus position, it's not his fault after all.""My baby boy is growing up!" said Lily happily. "This warrants celebration, I will get some ice cream," she continued and went for the kitchen. James and Rose did high five to each other.Lily comes back in with the ice cream. James and Rose happily poured up gigantic portions and started to shoves the food in their mouth in the same manners as Ron. Harry smiled at the memory and started in on his own portion with more proper manner. At least Hermione had managed to beat in some etiquette in him."So have you both decided who you want to invite to your birthday party?" asked Lily. "Its not even two weeks left.""I have many I want to invite," squealed Rose excitedly. Harry tuned her out as she started to ramble names, occasionally paying attention when he mentioned someone he knew."Neville off course and Ginny, I guess that I can invite Fred and George too they are funny on parties. You should have seen them after we had won a Quidditch game they...""Are you not going to invite Ron?" asked Harry, eager to hear anything about his boyfriend."Ron?" she scrunched her face in concentration. "Ron?... isn't he one of Ginny's big brothers?""Yes he is," said Harry impatiently."I cant really put a face to the name...wait isn't he the one with bad temper, he who tried, key word tried, to curse Malfoy and he ended up belching snails?""Yes I guess so but that is hardly any of his better moments.""I'd say," snorted Rose. "It was absolutely disgusting, why, do you want to invite him?" she asked incredulously."Well we started talking last year and we got along quite well," lied Harry while putting a spoonful of ice cream in his mouth."What am I hearing! Have you finally got a friend, that's wonderful, off course you must invite him," said Lily and hugged him from behind. Harry squirmed uncomfortably and hoped she would dismiss it as him being an angsty teenager. "And I don't want to hear you talking about his misfortune with the snails at the party," she said sternly to Rose."But I wanna know, as a marauder I command you to tell me everything about all the students misfortunes," said James in mischievous voice. Lily glared at him. "Um I mean in a strongly supporting way to...um know how to treat him properly at the party," he trailed of uncertainly and offered a meek smile to Lily."James you are supposed to be the adult here why..." started Lily but seemed to deem it a hopeless case, making Harry guess that they had had this argument many times before."Well it was in our second year, Neville would have his first Quidditch training. You remember how he got on the team.""How did he manage that?" asked Harry but he had a suspicion."What do you mean how, everyone knows...""After all Hogwarts gossip system is the most efficient there is, or at least it was in our time, don't you agree Lily flower?" said James and gave his wife a kiss on the cheek. She rolled her eyes and laughed."How can I forget, the entire school knew within one hour that I finally had agreed to go out on a date with Potter. I still suspect that it was Sirius who started it.""I'm hurt that you would accuse my best friend of such traitorous deeds!" said James in mock hurt. "It could have been Alice you know.""One word: Marauder.""Hello back to my story!" shouted Rose gaining the attention once again. "As I was saying Neville got the post on our first flying lesson, you know when he caught your wand Malfoy had nicked from you. Caught it in a dive, McGonagall saw and got him on the team, bet she saw a chance to finally get the Quidditch cup from Snape. But of course you were in the hospital wing when that happened.""Your first and only time on a broom, I just hope that Rose will be able to get on the team before she leaves Hogwarts, we have to keep the Potter tradition alive," said James in a severe voice, laded with impendent doom."Don't worry dad, Neville helps me train so I will be ready when they hold try outs. I'm sure I will be a Chaser.""That's my girl, now we were speaking about the Slugboy," Rose giggled and Lily glared at James."Well it was during the first training of the year, Malfoy had managed to buy his way on the team and Snape had given them permission to use the field.""Of course Snape would favour his own house," grumbled James, Lily frowned at him but made no comment, partly agreeing."Well we started to argue and Malfoy insulted the Weasley's, we were about to retort when this Ron guy, drew his wand and tried to curse him. However his wand backfired and he hit himself, hence the snail belching. Ginny had to escort him to the hospital wing. Filch hounded him for weeks about the slime trail he had left in the halls."James howled with laughter and Harry glared at him, resisting the urge to hex him for laughing at his boyfriend."I don't think you should laugh at his effort to defend his family," he said in an icy voice. James and Rose immediately stopped laughing and watched him, surprised at the venom in his voice."You're right Harry, they shouldn't laugh," said Lily as she repressed a shudder down her spine. His voice had been so cold, ruthless and for a second she knew that she never ever wanted to be his enemy."I don't like the way this conversation is taking, I'll go to bed now," he said in a reserved voice. And without deigning them a second glance he went up the stairs.Still irritated he entered his room and glanced around, his eyes fell disapprovingly on the open window and the door without a lock. Anyone could break into his room at any time.He really wished that he could use his wand, he really felt vulnerable when he didn't warded his room. He could as well sleep in the middle of the street and he would feel equally safe.Instead he was forced to reduce to using a muggle trick he had seen on the TV once. He took am empty bottle of butter beer and balanced it on the door handle.He watched his work satisfied – it wouldn't keep anyone from entering but at least he would be warned. If someone opened the door, the bottle would crash to the floor, it was enough, since the war he was a light sleeper.Tired he crept into his bed, dutifully practiced his Occlumeny for thirty minutes before drifting to sleep.