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The thing about having two overprotective godfathers is that they take the threat of a Dark Lord to their godson very seriously. (Sirius intends that pun, much to Remus’ fond exasperation.)
Harry learns this at the end of his fifth year when Sirius and Remus throw Voldemort through the Veil in the Department of Mysteries during the fighting. There is a tense moment where Sirius almost falls into the Veil, but at the last moment he gets jerked to the side by a spell from Remus. Because of this Harry never chases after Bellatrix in his grief and rage. So Voldemort enters the fight that still takes place in the really weird room with the Veil that whispers to Harry. As the snake-like man’s wand turns to Harry he finds himself shoved behind his two godfathers who start to duel the man who killed his parents.
He hears a snarl of rage and then he sees Voldemort flying through the air and he vanishes as he passes through the Veil. Harry feels instantly relieved at seeing the man vanish and then he freaks out because that almost happened to Sirius. So he hugs his godfather from behind tightly to reassure himself Sirius is still here and alive.
The vanishing of Voldemort takes the wind out of a lot of Death Eaters who did not expect their Master to just up and die again. Bellatrix falls to the ground and screams before she tries to scramble to the Veil. She gets stunned and bound by a vicious looking Tonks. The rest of the Order springs into action and they may have taken advantage of the stunned surprise and rounds up all of the Death Eaters for the Aurors.
The Hogwarts group watches as Fudge and the Aurors arrive looking stunned to see a bunch of prominent purebloods decked out in Death Eater garb bemoaning the fate of Riddle. Fudge tries to blunder his way through excuses, but Susan Bones’ aunt Amelia, and head of the DMLE, is not amused. So as the teens try to watch Fudge and his cronies get torn a new one, a portkey gets shoved onto them and whisks them back to Hogwarts to receive healing from Madam Pomfrey.
Harry later learns Madam Bones wants all of their statements. She gets them two days later much to the annoyance of the headmaster who for some reason really doesn’t want Harry to give one. But Sirius, with Professor McGonagall, keeps Dumbledore busy by yelling at the old man and scolding him for his absolute negligence with Harry. Harry himself isn’t sure what that means exactly, he just lets Remus keep a kind hand on his shoulder as Madam Bones and Kingsley get his statement. As Madam Bones wraps up her time with Harry she tells him Wormtail was captured and Harry feels himself begin to tear up hearing Sirius has officially been exonerated.
The next thing Harry learns, with his godfathers shoving their way into the headmaster’s office, is Trelawney had made a prophecy about him. Apparently he is the one to defeat Voldemort who would be back because the crazy wizard made provisions to stay alive through something called Horcruxes.
Both of the Marauders scoff and inform Dumbledore they already know about the Horcruxes, and they have already taken care of them.
The usual twinkle in Dumbledore’s eyes dim as he demands how the Marauders know about them. But they refuse and say that to keep their godson safe they did their research on how to defeat Riddle while Dumbledore and his followers twiddled their thumbs protecting something that didn’t need protecting in the first place. The headmaster’s gaze briefly flickers to Harry, primarily the man’s gaze lingers on his infamous scar. He knows what his scar is and he feels faint and ill and he really would like to not have part of Voldemort in him.
Sirius coolly tells Harry to leave and go see Flitwick. So he does and as the door closes he hears Sirius and Remus tear into Dumbledore, verbally, about trying to sacrifice Harry for the ‘greater good.’ He finds his Charms Professor waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs and he is led to the professor’s office and they take the Floo to Gringotts.
Harry finally learns his godfathers have been very busy working with the goblins. Apparently a Sirius who is miserable being locked up in his childhood home had his misery channeled into determination, directed by Remus, to figure out how to stop the war before it got worse and Harry really got dragged into it. If only Kreacher hadn’t betrayed Sirius, as the man had figured out the Horcruxes after stumbling upon the locket and taking it promptly to Gringotts to be destroyed.
Sirius’ account manager leads them to a ritual room and a few hours later Harry leaves it Horcrux free and blood adopted to Sirius. He might be floating with how happy he is because he has a dad now. Well he technically has three dads if he thinks of it, his birth dad James, Sirius, and Remus.
This day by far beats the day Harry learned he is a wizard.
He bets to himself he could probably cast a Patronus charm that produced multiple guardians at once. (He totally tries it out in Flitwick’s classroom who gets so excited he promptly bottles the memory and sends it off to the OWL instructors. But Harry doesn’t notice this as he pets Prongs, Padfoot, Moony, and a doe that might be his mum.)
The rest of fifth year passes by in peaceful chaos. Sirius hires a lawyer to cheerfully sue the Daily Prophet for the slander of Harry, and cease and desist orders roll out to the publishers and authors who are making money off of the fictitious books about him. All of Hogwarts does not know what to do with this continuous influx of new gossip, and they talk about what they are all learning as each day really brings something new in the papers, and Harry dodges the headmaster with the map and his cloak. He even avoids telling his friends the full truth because Horcruxes are disgusting pieces of magic.
All of the Slytherins with Death Eater parents are quiet and Harry feels a bit of pity for them. It is not easy having your world yanked out from underneath your feet, especially when you grew up only knowing one belief about the world and never had it challenged until now. Maybe they will grow and rise up above this new set of challenges. He gets a bit of respect from the snakes when he scolds students for going after the Slytherins, and for just ignoring them and giving them space. It doesn’t seem hard, and Harry knows he could be petty and get some weird revenge in for all of the grief Malfoy and his friends gave him. But Harry is tired of the stupid fighting and he wants to just finally become a normal student.
The moment the train rolls into London, Sirius and Remus may have, legally, snatched Harry off of Platform 9 3/4. They take him on a wild tour of Europe and he loves every second of it. He gets to see new places, eat new foods, meet new people, and he gets to enjoy every moment with the two people who would literally burn the world down for him.
His OWL scores get mailed to him in Austria and he blushes furiously under the praise of Sirius and Remus. He blushes even more once he sees he has essentially been given an O+ NEWT for his Defense score because he had produced four unique Patronus at once.
Harry’s sixteenth birthday is spent in Amsterdam and Sirius and Remus almost bury him alive under a mountain of presents. He totally doesn’t cry as he carefully unwraps each gift.
When Harry shops for school supplies in August he learns that Snape is not returning to Hogwarts now that he is no longer needed as a double agent. Instead Andromeda Tonks takes up the position and Harry can actually take NEWT Potions with his EE score he got on his OWLs. He also gets named captain to the Quidditch team and he writes to Katie Bell that she’s his co-captain and he will not take a ‘no’ from her. He gets a few owls from his friends wanting him to come spend the last of the summer at the Burrow, but Harry politely declines because he is going to spend every free day he has with his dads.
They’ve got family that they love and got to grow up with, they don’t really get it. Neville does, thankfully, who writes to Harry and the two bond over being godbrothers. (Harry didn’t know this until recently and he feels super bad, even though no one had told him, that he didn’t know. Neville doesn’t seem to mind at all, bless his soul.) Luna also writes to Harry and sends him pictures and clippings from the Quibbler. He keeps them because he has a room to decorate in a beautiful small manor that’s out by a small forest and has a small pitch to fly around in.
Sixth year is Harry’s first normal year at Hogwarts, and that’s saying something as he still gets amazed over magic. It is hard for Hermione and Ron to adjust, at first, that there will not be a crazy adventure. But Harry thrives at not having to look over his shoulder wondering what till try to do him in this year. He and Katie build up a new Gryffindor Quidditch team and while they don’t win the Quidditch Cup they have fun. His grades also improve immensely as he applies himself because he has parents he does not want to let down. He is fairly certain Sirius wouldn’t mind, but there is something about Remus’ disappointed stare that Harry wants to avoid at all costs.
Eventually Hermione and Ron learn to enjoy themselves as well. Ron joins the Quidditch team as Keeper and he soon grows out of his nerves after Ginny heckles him enough. Hermione joins study groups and thrives as she studies with like-minded individuals.
Harry’s last summer as a student is spent with his dads and he occasionally visits friends. He knows he can go off and have sleep overs, but he’s still determined to make up for lost time spent with the last of the Marauders. Sirius walks him through how to become an Animagus and Harry finds out he is a small black cat. He likes it and he really can’t wait to show Professor McGonagall. (Madam Bones kindly promises to keep his ability under wraps until he shows his head of house.) Remus teaches Harry Arithmancy and Ancient runes and Harry devours the books and homework. So he writes to the professors of those courses to see if he can sit in on their classes when he has free periods and they graciously give him permission.
He’s almost a little sad this is his last year at Hogwarts because for once Harry is excited to learn and excited to go to school.
***
Seventh year rolls around and Harry begins to listen to his friends and classmates begin to talk about their futures post-Hogwarts. He realizes he doesn’t know what he wants to do, but he knows he does not want to be an Auror after hearing about what the job entails from Tonks. (This happened over one of the many joint family dinners of the Marauders and the Tonks’.)
He brings this up with his dads one night over their traditional weekly mirror call. He tucks himself away in his bed with silencing charms and braces himself for being vulnerable.
“You can take all the time in the world to decide, Harry. I think you of all people deserve the time to figure out who you want to be,” Sirius tells him kindly, Remus nods along beside him.
“But what if I never find what I want to do?” Harry asks quietly.
“Then you just bounce around jobs that interest you. You don’t have to stick with one job for your entire life,” Remus assures him.
“You don’t?” Harry asks curiously.
“Nope, and that’s okay,” Sirius adds on. “I’m finally free to live how I want and I don’t know what I want to do.”
Harry sags with relief. “Okay, yeah, then maybe I’ll just see what interests me and go from there.”
Following a written letter from Remus, Harry goes off to see his head of house and realizes he has yet to show her his animagus form. So he starts off their meeting with showing her his cat form and he swears he sees her looking a little misty-eyed. She somehow finds a way to discreetly add fifty points to Gryffindor for his achievement and he preens and glows at impressing his professor. Then they sit down over tea and Harry confesses he does not in fact want to become an Auror. Professor McGonagall listens kindly and agrees that while it is a respectable job, it is one that Harry does not need to do as he does not need to save anyone as it should never have been his job.
They talk about how Harry enjoyed teaching the DA and he wonders if he wants to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts, curse or not, and she advises he observe which classes he enjoys the most. He does not have to be locked into teaching Defense because of fifth year and there are other options, as she and Flitwick would like to retire at some point. (She says this casually while handing him a biscuit.) She tells him to reach out to people he trusts to see how they discovered what they wanted to do after Hogwarts.
Harry leaves feeling lighter and begins to send off letters to people he knows and trusts not to go running to the papers to divulge his secrets.
A month into term Harry is no closer to knowing what he wants to do. He has a list of things to do after Hogwarts that he keeps tucked in his journal and he edits it as he goes. But he is enjoying himself until he is walking down to Hogsmeade and catching up with Hermione, Ginny, Neville, and Ron.
“Mate, I cannot wait for when we go off to be Aurors. This year better fly by!” Ron crows, holding hands with Hermione as they walk ahead.
“Er, about that,” Harry says. He ruffles his hair as he looks away. “I’m not actually sure what I want to do.”
“What do you mean?” Hermione asks. She glances over her shoulder at Harry with confusion written across her face.
“Well now that I don’t have to off Voldemort, fighting dark wizards doesn’t sound appealing.” Harry hesitates as he chooses his next words. “Being an Auror feels like what wizarding Britain wants me to do.”
His two best friends seem to be at a loss as if they had never considered him being anything but an Auror. Neville, however, nods in understanding.
“Makes sense, any way we can help?” He offers cheerfully.
“I’m sure I’ll think of something, but if I do need your help I’ll let you know. Thanks, Nev!” Harry swings and arm around the boy’s shoulder as he gives him a grin.
Ginny sidles up to his other side. “Maybe you should consider professional Quidditch like me! We could go pro together!”
“Maybe, I’ve got all year to think about it and Moony and Padfoot say that I don’t have to stick with one career if I don’t want to. So I’ve got a lot of options open to me.” Harry glances to Hermione and Ron who are ahead of them.
“Well, I can help you look up careers, Harry. We can make a day of it!” Hermione calls back.
“Thanks, Hermione, but I think I want to do this on my own.”
If Hermione seems put out by Harry declining her help, he never sees it. As much as he appreciates her offer he knows it would derail and be out of Harry’s control. He worries it would circle back to what everyone expects him to be as an adult.
Everyone wants to go to Zonko’s, which is in the process of being bought by Fred and George, so Harry lets them get ahead before he wanders off.
He wonders if it is rude of him to ditch them, but he wants a break. Neville he knows will understand. Harry heads off to find one of the quieter cafes in the village. He wishes he had known about these options instead of the typical student haunts. They are so much better to hear oneself think and just enjoy a meal. So he orders himself a lunch and tea and pulls out his journal that has his list and stares at what he has so far.
“Mind if I join the famous Boy Who Lived?” A voice asks in falsetto.
Harry looks up to see George Weasley grinning at him while fluttering his eyelashes at him.
“I dunno, you seem like a disillusioned fan,” Harry quips.
“Oh woe is me, how will I get into the famous Harry Potter’s knickers now?” George bemoans as he dramatically drapes his arm across his eyes.
“I wish Fred was here, I knew he was my favorite twin for a reason,” Harry deadpans. This gets a snicker out of the twin who sits down.
“You shouldn’t lie, Harry, I feel like that’s a rule somewhere about silent investors.”
Harry only rolls his eyes. “Whatever helps you sleep at night.”
George only grins widely at him as he props his chin atop his hands. “Can I ask what you’re working on?”
“Oh, just trying to figure out what I want to do after Hogwarts. I’ve got a list of ideas and I’m not sure where I want to start or what I want to do.” Harry flips the journal around so George can read his scribbled penmanship.
The server comes by with their food and he digs into his food as he waits to hear the other boy’s thoughts. George eats as he reads and makes little humming noises of consideration. Eventually he closes the journal and returns it to Harry who pockets it.
“Quite a list you’ve got there, Potter. So do you need a sounding board to bounce ideas off of or just a friend right now?” George asks him, refilling their water glasses.
“Maybe both?” Harry returns with a small smile. “I didn’t realize there is a lot you can do and I’ve also realized I can pick up my muggle education too and go to university.”
“Okay, so what’s got you most excited right now?”
“Learning. I can work as hard as I want on my studies now and I’ve got two dads who care about my work. But now that I don’t have to worry about potentially dying each year, I’ve finally gotten the chance to actually focus and enjoy what I’m learning.” Harry twirls his straw around in his water.
George leans back in his chair, arms folding. “So do you want to narrow your focus on your learning or keep it general?”
“I hadn’t considered that. But Charms, Potions, and Transfiguration sound interesting. I’m also playing catch up on Arithmancy and Ancient Runes, which I think I like Arithmancy more so I’ll probably only study Ancient Runes casually.”
“Alright, could you juggle doing muggle coursework with that after Hogwarts? What do you even learn in muggle courses?”
“Well there’s maths and sciences, the arts and music, and then there’s languages. I was pretty good with maths before Hogwarts. But there’s a lot you can learn once you go to university. You can study medicine, more advanced sciences, business, finance, and so much more.” Harry sighs as he stares wistfully out the window.
“I can see how you’re feeling a little lost as you now have the problem of having a lot of things you are interested in,” George says eventually. “Well, maybe you just take it one goal at a time? Start working on what you’re passionate about, and then when you feel ready you move on to the next thing that interests you.”
Harry stares at George who is watching him with a smile and something else that is soft and warm in his gaze. “Is it really that easy? Remus said that too and I feel like there’s another shoe just waiting to drop. What do I do if I don’t know what to do and I feel restless?”
“Well you can come help out at the shop, we wouldn’t say no to an extra pair of hands helping us make our products.”
“Are you sure you want me around that?” Harry knows how particular the twins are about who can be around their products, and he doesn’t blame them because that’s their hard work they pulled off after chasing for years.
“We can train you up on the easier stuff, and I think you sell yourself far too short.” George winks at him. “But maybe that’s because you are short.”
“Excuse you, I actually have grown a bit,” Harry snarks. He has actually, but he’s still shorter than Ron and Neville has sprouted up too and is taller than Harry. Now that he thinks of it he wonders if he’s still shorter than the twins.
George only smiles at him and they soon talk of other things. Harry asks him about the shop and how expanding is going. It’s nice talking and for once something weird isn’t forcing Harry to be the center of attention and conversation. He spends his entire time in Hogsmeade with George and he doesn’t regret it for a second. He feels a bit more secure in his future and that’s all that matters.
***
Harry, not so subtly, dodges his friends inquiries where he spent his Hogsmeade. He isn’t surprised, then, when the Hogwarts rumor mill spits out the idea that Harry had met up with his secret lover. It makes him laugh so hard he writes to George to tell him about it.
The responding letter he gets makes him almost choke on his coffee as he cackles. Neville stares at him in amusement and pats his back before he goes back to chatting with some of their year mates.
So what you are telling me, dearest Harry, is that we need to up this rumor and so it is my solemn duty to continue to be your secret paramour. I expect to see you at the back of Zonko’s on the next Hogsmeade trip for an adventure. You’re McGonagall’s favorite (don’t let Hermione know that) and so I bet if you let her know you’re off with me she’ll let it fly.
XOXOXOXO
Your most handsome secret boyfriend
He keeps the letter sealed in his journal. Something about it makes him all fizzy inside with happiness and he wants to keep this moment with George just to himself.
He tells his head of house after his next Transfiguration class and she peers at him over her glasses before nodding. “Do tell Messer Weasley to be on his best behavior, Mister Potter.”
For some reason Harry blushes at that. “I will, professor, I think he just misses causing chaos at school.”
“If this is the only chaos he brings, besides the products he and his twin have invented, then I suppose all will be well.” She smiles at him. “Now, have you had much progress in thinking about your future?”
Harry updates her about his journal and his list. She nods along and seems proud at how George helped him feel more assured in what he wants to first work on. She once more provides him a list of mentors who would be happy to take him on as a teacher. He pockets the list with a smile.
Things are looking up for him and he can’t wait to tell his dads about it.
***
On the next Hogsmeade weekend, Harry cheats and uses invisibility cloak to dodge his friends and all of the curious students who want to see if they can see who he is meeting with in the village. He sneaks up on George who is leaning against the building.
“Boo,” Harry whispers into the other boy’s ear.
He enjoys seeing George flinch. “Bloody hell, Harry, not how I imagined going out,” George breathes out. He turns to stare at where Harry is standing. “Room for two under that cloak or are you gonna come out?”
Harry pulls off the cloak with a grin. “Sorry, I couldn’t help it. Will we need to be incognito for wherever we are going?”
“Maybe for once we head out into the Alley, as I imagine you don’t want people finding out you’re not where you’re supposed to be.” George offers his arm to him. “You side along before?”
“Yeah, my dads have popped me around enough.” Harry holds onto George’s arm tightly. He knows how to apparate now, he didn’t have his license yet, but he is still terrified of being spliced.
George nods. He spins quick and Harry feels the pop and rush and he soon sees a cozy, and slightly chaotic, living room.
“Welcome to the humble abode, do you want a tour?” George offers him. Harry nods because he can admit he is a little curious to see how two mad inventors live.
It turns out they can live fairly neatly. The kitchen is tidy for the most part with a stray cup and a plate left out. Both of the bedrooms have that nice lived in feel and Harry imagines it is far easier to have a neat bedroom now the twins didn’t have to invent in their shared room. Fred’s room has the appearance of organized chaos and favors Gryffindor colors. George’s room seems eerily organized in its almost Ravenclaw blues, but when Harry glances at his desk he finds piles of paper and multiple ink wells. The living room, where Harry first arrived in, is probably his favorite as it has a worn couch and two mismatching chairs. There is a giant bookshelf that is crammed full of books and games and Harry wants to stop and look at what they have.
But George steers him out and instructs him to put the cloak on. Harry follows behind him until they get right to the edge of the Leaky’s notice me not charms. He tucks his cloak into his bag and follows George out into London.
To his immense surprise he finds out that their destination is a bookstore of all places.
“I’ve already got a lot of books for fun reading,” Harry tells him with a tilt to his head.
“Yeah, but I learned that you can get other things to read. Things that you might be interested in for your future.” George raps his knuckles on Harry’s forehead fondly before ruffling his hair, making him scowl. “Now do you want to wander around until you find something interesting or go to the sections you do know you’re interested in?”
“Let’s go with interest first.”
So Harry and George spend an afternoon wandering around the bookstore for a few hours. Harry finds a few books of interest in maths and science. He kind of wants to see if he can find overlap with Arithmancy and Potions. George finds a book on business and he ends up paying for all of the books because he brought muggle money, and Harry didn’t as he didn’t know they were going muggle. Harry promises to pay him back, but George just messes his hair up further with a smile and tells him it’s nothing. It’s not, though, because he’s helping Harry find his feet and his direction of where he wants to go.
They then go find lunch and Harry introduces George to the wonders of curry. Two years of living with his dads have introduced Harry to a lot of different kinds of food to enjoy. Currently he has a love for all things curry. They find a little Thai restaurant and Harry explains the system to let the cook know how spicy you want your food to be. George starts out low, which Harry figures is good as he learned the hard way that trying something with medium heat had him sweating and losing his sense of taste quickly.
At the end of their hang out George gets a mischievous look that makes Harry take a step back once they’re safely in the twins’ living room.
He grabs onto Harry and pulls him into a tight hug and Harry realizes he’s still the shorter one. They apparate back to Hogsmeade and Harry stares at George, wondering what the prankster has done or is planning to do. He only gets an innocent smile that isn’t really innocent. With a suspicious look, Harry bids the twin goodbye and makes the trek back up to the school.
He soon realizes what George did upon joining up with the other students and running into Ginny, Luna, and Neville.
“You snog someone recently, Harry?” Neville asks with a smile that is bordering a laugh.
Harry runs a hand through his hair as he wonders what George did to him without realizing. “No, why?”
“Your hair says you have been,” Luna says airily.
His hand drops down to his side quickly, even though he really wants to run his hand through it nervously. He thinks about what George could have done and recalls that over the course of the day the other boy had constantly ruffled his hair. And as they apparated, hadn’t George once more ran his hand through Harry’s hair? His lips are a bit red too from the spicy curry he ate for lunch, which really adds to the just been snogged look. A blush crawls up his neck as he realizes George had every intention to keep up the rumor that Harry has a secret partner.
***
Sure enough the Hogwarts rumor mill runs at full steam over the latest development of Harry’s secret love. He gets a letter from George the next day that he stuffs into his journal to read later. He does not need people trying to read over his shoulder at all. Part of him knows that makes people more curious about his mail, but he doesn’t want to share this new development in his friendship with the prankster.
When he finally turns in for the night he reads the letter and it makes him smile.
To my dearest, specky love,
Did you enjoy my present to keep that delightful rumor going? I hope the rumor mill exploded from seeing your hair. I would apologize, but I feel like you’re having fun too. (Tell me if I’m wrong and I read the room wrong, yeah?) Have you started reading your books yet? Fred is geeking out over mine and stole it from me. So I think I need to take him to that bookstore so he can get his own.
How bout next time we meet up on a non-Hogsmeade weekend?
XXX
Your still handsome secret boyfriend
Harry wakes up early to send George a reply. He imagines the twin might be a bit anxious to just to be assured that Harry doesn’t mind the shenanigans. He really doesn’t. But he is curious to know what a non-Hogsmeade weekend would entail.
Forge,
You’re fine, if I minded I wouldn’t have shown up for our bookstore trip. It is fun for the rumor mill to be focused on something so harmless as I think it has helped those who had Death Muncher parents not be in the spotlight. So let’s keep this going as I’m enjoying myself.
What does a non-Hogsmeade look like then? Are we going to give the school the illusion that my secret boyfriend is one of the students? Because everyone is trying to figure it out and at this point no one has a good guess.
Your specky boyfriend
Classes and life move on and winter break soon approaches for everyone who still have no idea who Harry is secretly seeing. Hermione and Ron give up around November and they grumble that Harry is being so secretive. But he is allowed to have secrets. They don’t have to share everything with each other. If those two want to because they’re dating, then they can go right ahead. Harry likes having this fake secret that is a secret. Neville finds it all hilarious. Luna pitches in ideas to make the rumors more salacious. And Ginny seems to have recovered from being down for a bit over Harry being ‘off the market.’ (He wonders if she has finally gotten over her crush on him. It wouldn’t have worked, Harry thinks as the comparison of her to his mum is very off-putting and he can’t help but suspect she sees him as the ‘Boy Who Lived.’)
George unfortunately is unable to make it up for a non-Hogsmeade visit due to the acquiring of Zonko’s happening a lot faster than he anticipated. They do still meet up on Hogsmeade weekends where George side alongs Harry back to his flat. Sometimes they just spend all day talking while George tinkers on some inventions. Or they go off into muggle London to explore and try new foods. Each time Harry arrives back with the other students everyone wonders where he holed up because no one could find him. Professor McGonagall smiles quietly when no one is watching and Harry blushes at bit when she shoots him a knowing look.
But just because George hasn’t been able to come up to Hogwarts for the ‘non-Hogsmeade weekend,’ it does not stop him from sending ridiculous gifts between normal Hogsmeade weekend. Harry receives a giant bouquet of flowers, a stack of books on subjects Harry is interested in, and a nondescript hoodie that could belong to anyone. Letters are always included and Harry always hides those away instantly in his secure journal.
He tells George that he wears the hoodie out in the common room and sometimes to the Great Hall on the weekends to give the students something to speculate on. Part of Harry actually makes a show of inhaling the scent left from George, and part of Harry finds that he likes whatever George uses as he secretly enjoys shoving his nose into the fabric of the hoodie.
(He’ll worry about what those implications mean at a later point when he feels ready.)
Now though the school has determined Harry is seeing someone no longer at Hogwarts. The rumors get more wild and Harry dutifully updates George on all of them. What kind of fake boyfriend would he be if he didn’t? A terrible one.
***
When school lets out in December, Harry spends his winter holidays with his dads. He tells them about the latest fake rumors and they get a kick out of it. They watch him with a knowing smile as he recounts every silly rumor and every silly, but thoughtful, gift and letter George sent him. He really wants to ask them what they are smiling about. They wave him off and just say they’re happy that he’s happy.
He stares at them suspiciously and wonders if this is some prankster understanding thing he just doesn’t get.
But then Christmas day rolls around and he thinks he might need to question his dads a bit more closely on what they were smiling about as if they knew something he didn’t. He might have an inkling now.
All of his gifts from his friends and his small family have been wonderful. And then he gets to George’s gift, which has been wrapped up in clashing pink and green paper that sparkles. His eyes hurt just staring at it. Harry unwraps it quickly because he would like to stop staring at the wrapping paper. (He also wants to see what his friend sent him.)
Inside a plain box are two items, a bag of coffee beans and a mug. The mug is cozy looking with its deep blue coloring and constellations. But it is the bag of coffee beans that makes him pause because this isn’t just any old regular bag of coffee.
He had mentioned during one of their lunches they had in London about a coffee he had fallen in love with in Amsterdam. George had asked him about what he had been drinking and Harry had fallen into a long rant about coffee and how he had developed an appreciation for the drink during his trip around Europe. There had been a little shop that sold their own beans in Amsterdam that Harry absolutely loved and regretted not buying some bags to bring back home. George had hummed with interest and voiced that it had been too bad and maybe Harry would just have to go back and visit the shop.
Harry swallows as his throat feels tight and something in him feels tender and warm like he might cry.
“Pup, everything okay?” Sirius asks quietly.
He looks up to see his dads watching him with concern. “Yeah, uh, it’s just George remembered the cafe I told him about. The one we all really liked, you know?”
“He got you something from there?” Remus smiles kindly at him as he joins Harry on the couch.
“Yeah, he got me some of their coffee.” Harry looks to see if there is a letter too and he feels a bit put out when he doesn’t find one. “It’s super thoughtful and my gift to him feels silly now.”
“What did you get him?”
“Oh well I made him something.” He rubs the back of his head. He hadn’t known what to get George at all as it seems like he has everything he wants. “You can get these little muggle projectors that shine stars in your room. Dudley had one before he broke it. And I thought what if I made a magical version?”
His dads stare at him with proud smiles. Remus pulls him into a side hug and ruffles his hair.
“Harry did you make a pocket version of the enchanted sky in the Great Hall?” Sirius asks excitedly.
“Er, I guess? It only projects the stars onto the walls and ceiling of the room you set it up in.”
“I’m sure George loves it, you made him something and that is just as thoughtful,” Remus kindly tells him.
Harry blushes furiously and mumbles something before he untangles himself and goes off to put his presents away. He writes thank you letters to everyone as he figures it is best to get it done now before he forgets. Hedwig nips him affectionately before she flies off. The rest of his winter break passes peacefully. He visits his friends and he goes out exploring London with his parents.
Soon he finds himself sat back on the train to Hogwarts catching up with everyone and talking about NEWTs. Now that they are in the last half of their final year, everyone starts to worry and stress out about their exams.
He sits listening to everyone listen to Hermione who stress builds a study schedule and draws up a color coded group study schedule. He gets asked to help tutor in Defense and he agrees. He laughs a bit uncomfortably hearing everyone tease him that that NEWT will be a walk in the park for him. If only they knew that he doesn’t have to take the exam since Flitwick mailed off the memory of his multi-Patronus. He plans on taking the exam for it as he wants to earn it fairly in case someone tries to claim he is using his ‘Boy Who Lived’ title.
***
Valentines creeps up after a blurred January of studying and tutoring. Harry stares blankly at people who ask him about his secret boyfriend or girlfriend.
“I imagine as Valentines is on a Tuesday this year that we might celebrate it on the weekend before or after,” he tells them slowly after he remembers he and George let the rumor mill go wild in the first half of the year.
“But they haven’t written you of late?” A nosy fifth year asks him, almost a bit hopefully as if they have a chance at dating him.
“Well I have NEWTs this year and they’re kind of important. Besides, mail can be delivered at all times of the day and not just at breakfast.” Harry turns and walks off before he snaps or hexes the curious students.
Part of him feels a bit sad that George hasn’t sent anything fun to rile up the crowds. They have been exchanging letters, but George’s letters arrive at night and from the handwriting he seems tired based on the messier penmanship and rambling contents. Harry still enjoys those and he writes back and tries to think of helpful things for the twins who are running at full steam with opening their Hogsmeade branch.
The weekend before Valentines is the Hogsmeade day. Everyone chatters excitedly about who will go to Madam Puddifoots and who will get caught snogging. Harry listens with half an ear as he stares at his list.
The list has evolved a lot since it first started in September. Now Harry has an idea of what he wants to do after school and he has written letters to the people Professor McGonagall told him about. The Arithmancy and Charms Masters he has talked to have him the most interested as he told them about his pocket star projector. They wrote back asking him questions and asking if he wants to apprentice under them as they are both very excited at the idea of having him as a student. He needs to talk to his head of house about this as he thinks he has found something that really interests him.
Inventing, Harry realizes, helps him feel a bit closer to his mum and dad. He has their journals and notes from their school years and he can just see how smart they were and how they thrived tinkering with magic. His dads now are similar and it feels like a family thing.
So as everyone who has permissions slips head off to Hogsmeade Harry wanders off through the halls. He and George haven’t made any plans and he doesn’t want to be amongst the students either being lovey dovey or hounding him about his love life. He also feels like there might be reporters lurking about and he really isn’t keen on becoming the latest gossip article in Witch Weekly.
He sets off for the Room of Requirement after an hour in the library. He wants to see if the Room might have anything useful that he can use. He’s halfway there when a hand grabs onto his arm and yanks him into a side passage.
Harry blinks and then quickly lowers his wand when he sees George grinning at him with fond amusement.
“Did you think I was going to kidnap you?” He asks with a chuckle.
“Sorry, reflexes I guess,” Harry answers. He wills himself to not blush and to not mess up his hair or try to flatten it.
“I was surprised to not see you down in Hogsmeade.” George nudges him to start walking.
“Didn’t really feel like going, and I wanted to do some research in peace. I love Hermione, I do, but I want to work on my little projects on my own.” Harry thinks he catches a frown on the other boy’s face, but it’s gone before he can fully tell. “What are you doing up here? Isn’t your Hogsmeade branch opening soon?”
“Fred kicked me out, so I figured I’d track you down. But if you’re busy I can go back to bothering my twin.”
“Oh you can keep hanging out with me, I don’t mind.” Harry gives him a crooked grin. “As long as you don’t mind wandering through the world’s largest lost and found.”
“Sounds like fun.” He can’t tell if George is being sarcastic or not. But he figures it must be genuine if he’s still following.
It ends up being fun. They roamaround the place for a few hours. Harry finds a few books of interest and he takes them. George also finds a few things to take back to tinker with at his shop. Dobby pops by at some point with food for them and they sit and chat. They update each other on their projects.
“That little star maker you made me is brill, by the way.” George gives him a lopsided smile. “Not sure if I thanked you or not for the gift.”
“You’re welcome, I feel like it pales in comparison to what you got me,” Harry says softly and fights his blush to not be too pink.
He only gets a wider grin. “Gifts are never meant to be compared, especially when they’re thoughtful gifts. One of the things I do miss about the Burrow and Hogwarts is seeing so many stars at night. Living in a city definitely drowns most of them out.”
“Yeah light pollution is a thing, muggles have like vacation spots where you can go see things like the stars and the northern lights.”
George asks him more about that and how he made the little projector with magic. This ends up opening a very long conversation where they lose track of time without realizing it. They get dangerously close to dinner, when everyone comes back to the castle, when Harry helps George sneak back out. He’s a little disappointed nothing happens after George disappears under the witch statue that connects to Honeydukes. But what could George have done to help the rumors keep going?
He wonders if he needs to have the talk with his dads and those knowing smiles they had over the winter holidays.
Harry is halfway down to the Great Hall when he decides he wants to eat dinner alone. So he changes course and takes a different set of winding passages down until he reaches the kitchens without having to take the main staircases.
As he eats he wonders if he maybe missed some signs of George being interested in him or if he’s the one reading into things when there is nothing to read. He has one failed relationship that never really became a relationship from his disastrous fifth year. George also has been treating the rumors like some great prank. So maybe Harry doesn’t have anything to talk about on his weekly mirror call. Maybe he’ll just talk about his possible apprenticeships.
When he goes to bed it is with a slightly heavy heart and unease. He closes his eyes after he turns on the prototype star projector. He probably should have talked to his dads about his crush on one George Weasley.
***
Tuesday sees the halls filled with eager and nervous and dejected students. Owls flit about delivering more gifts from family, friends, and long distance partners.
Harry watches Ron present Hermione a lovely Valentines gift of a necklace with the charm a book that can be changed to reflect any book cover. Other students exchange gifts and letters. Some even approach Harry and give their letters to him and he accepts them kindly. They seem relieved that he doesn’t ridicule them and he wonders what that says about humanity if that’s a fear of knowing it could happen.
Harry can feel the curious gazes of the students on him who are still invested in his ‘love life.’ He kind of regrets letting them all think he has been seeing someone.
But then Hedwig comes flying in and regally lands before him with a package to deliver. He can’t help but stare at it in surprise. Not once during his time with George this last Saturday did they talk about Valentines or their fake relationship. So he is fairly certain this is a gift from his dads. He relieves his owl and feeds her some bacon.
The curiosity he felt before has become far more intense and obvious. Part of him wants to open the gift from his dads there and another part of him is extremely self-conscious right now. He makes the executive decision to leave. There’s enough time for him to go back up to the Gryffindor common room before his first class. He is also fairly certain Professor McGonagall won’t mind too much if he is a little late.
The trip up is fast and he soon drops down on to his bed and carefully opens the gift. It’s a small wooden box with a door. He stares at it curiously and wonders what his dads gave him. There is no note or letter of any kind hidden amongst the wrapping paper. The little box painted in Gryffindor colors is a mystery to him. He opens the little door and finds a small folded note. He picks it up to read to see if he can find out what this thing is supposed to do or be.
Happy Valentines Day!
I bet you thought I would forget because I have been so busy being a successful businessman with my average looking twin. (I’m implying that I am the handsome twin. I know we are identical, but humor me here.)
Anyways have you ever heard of vanishing cabinets? Essentially you could put objects, or even people, in one and then exit through the other cabinet that was linked to it. They’re rare and sort of illegal. Your pocket projector made me think of what we could make ‘pocket’ versions of…Okay I suck at explanations. But send a note back that you got it. Just write something like ‘oh George you handsome, intelligent man, I have received your most thoughtful gift.’ And I will send you something back right away!
Now hurry up you git as I imagine by the time you get it I am worrying that it doesn’t work and that I’ll look like a right utter prat.
Harry can’t help but laugh at the letter. He quickly writes a quick note and sticks it into the little cabinet. He closes the door and he hears something soft like a click. He opens it again and sees the note is gone, which is amazing. But he doesn’t know when he’ll know that George has sent something. So he closes the door to wait. A small chime echoes a minute later and Harry quickly opens the door.
He stops at the sight of a cup of coffee. He belatedly realizes this cabinet is the perfect size to send a coffee cup through. But why on earth would anyone make a pocket vanishing cabinet the right size for that? Harry remembers how he felt on Christmas day and he wants to cry.
There is another note as well, but Harry first drinks the coffee and revels in how it is a perfect drinking temperature and it is brewed from his favorite coffee bean that George got him for Christmas. He drains the whole cup and then snatches up the note. It has a message scribbled onto the back of his.
Now I can send you anything that you want through this pocket vanishing cabinet! So whenever you need a pick-me-up I’ve got you. Anything I can send you that you want right now?
It isn’t a something, but more of a someone that Harry wants. He glances at his watch and sees he has about ten minutes to get to Transfiguration. With a shaking hand Harry grabs a clean sheet of paper to write on.
Unless you can fit in this thing, I doubt you can send yourself.
He folds it up and shoves it into the cabinet and closes the little door. Then he grabs his bag, tugs his bed curtains close and charms them to stay secure so no snoopy roommates can take a peak. He sprints to class and wills his blush to either disappear or turn into a look of exertion from trying to not be late.
He slides into an open seat next to Ron with a minute to spare. Everyone asks him where he went and he lies on the spot that he had a last minute chat with his dads via the mirrors. No one questions it because Harry’s consistency of talking to his dads is legendary in the common room at this point.
The rest of the day passes in a slow blur. Harry’s nerves build and knot with each passing minute and he wonders if he’ll find anything in the pocket vanishing cabinet when he gets back to his dorm room after dinner. He could go check during his free periods or even at lunch. But he is worried that his sort of confession will be rejected or George just won’t respond to it. He can’t imagine George being mean about it. Harry is just very aware of the fact this could ruin the close friendship the two have and he doesn’t like the idea of loosing it.
Dinner finally arrives and he doesn’t want to eat. Food sounds nauseating. He should have asked his dads about their knowing smiles at Christmas, he should have talked to them about his crush on their last mirror call, and then maybe he wouldn’t feel like a ball of nervous energy.
He pushes his food around to make a show of eating when everyone around him goes quiet. The Great Hall has actually gone quiet now that he thinks about it.
“Okay, yes, I can’t fit into the pocket vanishing cabinet. But would it have killed you to wait and see if I’d write back?” A voice demands.
Harry turns slowly in his seat to see George Weasley out of breath and staring at him like he is something precious. A blush breaks out across his face as he realizes what the other boy has said.
“I, uh,” Harry says lamely. Because what can he say as he is aware that everyone thinks he is secretly seeing someone.
“On your feet, Potter.” George demands and Harry complies without question. “Hey Professor McG, I’m borrowing my boyfriend for the night so I can treat him to a proper Valentines dinner. I’ll have him back by curfew!”
Professor McGonagall gives him her pursed lip look, which means she is actually smiling. “Very well, Messer Weasley, please do not besmirch Mister Potter’s honor.”
George throws a jaunty salute, then he grabs Harry’s hand and drags him out of the Great Hall. Harry follows along, staring down at their joined hands and they haven’t held hands before and he really likes it.
They slide into the secret passage that leads to Hogsmeade and they get a few feet before George turns to look at him.
“You are the most wonderful, maddeningly infuriating person I have ever met. I honestly thought I didn’t have a chance and then you write that.” He runs a hand through his hair. “I know I started this thinking it would be a lark, a prank, but I like you Harry. I like you a stupid amount.”
“I like you too, I didn’t realize how much until Christmas and then this weekend when you left and you didn’t do anything to keep the rumors going and I was actually sad about that,” Harry confesses and feels his blush burn stronger as he gets a wicked grin.
“Well that won’t do, that won’t do at all,” George murmurs.
He leans in and Harry discovers that kissing is nice, really nice. He finds himself pressed up against the wall as they kiss slow, almost tenderly. Harry likes it and he wants more. His fingers curl into hair to pull George closer till they are pressed so close he wonders if by the end of it all the Hogwarts rumor mill will really have something to talk about.
He really, really wants to give the rumor mill something to talk about because it is finally real.