Chapter Text
“IT’S HERE! IT’S HERE!”
Severus groaned at the cry, snuggling a little closer to Lily, who chuckled.
“Is that our big child, or our little child?” She asked softly.
“Don’t know.” Severus mumbled back, blindly searching behind him, feeling that side of the bed was cold, “I’m sensing it’s the big child though.”
“Mmm, and how much do you want to bet that Sirius will be paying us a visit today?”
Severus just groaned at that, hearing the door slamming open and two pairs of feet rushing into the room.
“It came! It came!” Hari moved to their side of the bed, holding out a letter proudly in front of him, “Look!”
Mr H Potter
Third Bedroom, West Wing
Potter Manor
Knutsford
Cheshire
“I guess we’re going to Diagon Alley today then?” Lily teased fondly, moving to sit up in bed as Severus groaned beside her. Not even James climbing back into bed behind him and nuzzling at the back of his neck would spur him to move before he was ready, “Go on then, read it out.”
Vaguely, Severus heard the door open again, as a smaller figure tiptoed into the room, climbing onto the bed and sitting on the edge of it.
“Look Gus-Gus!” Hari beamed at his little brother, “I got my letter!”
Gus-Gus (otherwise named as Gushvin) peered at the letter for a moment, before beaming and gesturing for Hari to open it, moving a little further up the bed to snuggle into Severus’s side, dark eyes watching closely.
Opening up the letter, Hari eagerly started to read it out.
“Dear Mr. Potter, we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31. Yours sincerely, Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress.”
He was practically bouncing by the end of it, “I’m going to Hogwarts.”
“Like there was any doubt.” James chuckled, “Why wouldn’t they want you there?” He then reached out and ruffled Gus-Gus’s longish, dark hair, “Only another four years before you get a letter just like that.”
“I know.”
“Let him get through the four years of tutoring first.” Lily sighed, sitting up and pulling Gus-Gus into her arms, watching as Hari climbed onto the bed to show her the reading list, “It’s bad enough that I’m going to be losing one of my children today, I don’t want to think about the day I have to put them both on the train.”
“Muuum.” Hari groaned.
“I know. I know.” Nudging at Severus to get him to sit up as well, “It’s a mother’s prerogative to despair over her children growing up though. Now, go and get changed and let’s have a little trip to Diagon Alley.”
“Yes!” Hari was off the bed in seconds, racing out of the room.
Gus-Gus got up a lot slower, looking a little uncertain even as James pulled him into a hug of his own.
“What’s with the worried look?”
“...It’s going to be loud.”
“It is.” James admitted, “But I’m sure if you ask one of us really, really nicely, you can sit on one of our shoulders.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
........................
As soon as they stepped out of the floor, Severus was lifting Gu-Gus onto his shoulders, smirking when Lily grabbed the back of Hari’s jacket to stop him from just running off.
“He gets’ that off of you.” he leant over to whisper to James, who smirked and moved closer until they were arm to arm.
“He gets it off Padfoot.”
“I didn’t realise he was in our bed as well?”
James shuddered, “It would be like shagging my brother.”
“Language.”
“Gus-Gus, don’t repeat what I just said.” James cleared his throat a little nervously as Lily turned to look at them, as though sensing something was untoward, “Speaking of Sirius, where are we meeting him, Remus and the twins?”
Before either Lily or Severus could answer, a stunned silence surrounded them.
“Don’t even start.” James snapped, before anything could be said, “I know what the Daily Prophet says, but it’s all rubbish. Hari did not kill Voldemort; we left the home before we could be betrayed, and Dumbledore killed Voldemort. Nothing more, nothing less.”
“Albus Dumbledore is the one who says Hari Potter is the Boy-Who-Lived! He survived the Killing curse!” Called out a customer of the Leaky Cauldron.
“No-one survives the Killing Curse!”
Feeling Gus-Gus tensing up on his shoulders, Severus rubbed his hands soothingly on the seven-year-old’s legs, hoping to prevent a melt-down before it happened.
“Look.” Lily’s voice, despite it being quieter than James’s, still rose above the hustle and bustle of the pub, “Surely, the people who were there, know what happened best?”
There was something in her tone, that suggested saying ‘yes’ was really the only option that they had.
There was a brief pause, before people started to look away. Anyone who had gotten up to try and congratulate the Potters, quickly sat back down.
“Bloody Dumbledore.” James muttered, as they headed to the Diagon Alley entrance, “What does he think he’s playing at?”
“It’s all a game of chess to him.” Severus sighed, “We’re all pieces on his board, to be moved at his will. Sacrificed at his will.”
Lily and James paused, glancing at each other, before turning to their husband.
“If he causes any problems for you, you let us know immediately.” James ordered softly, “No matter what it is.”
“I know.” Severus chuckled, “Between myself, Sirius and Remus, I think Albus will find it a little difficult to manipulate his way into Hari’s life.”
“That won’t stop him from trying.” James mumbled, looking up just in time to avoid bumping into a man wearing a purple turban, “Ah, sorry I- Quirrell?”
“Ah yes.” Severus cleared his throat, “Professor Quirrell has returned from his sabbatical as the new Defence teacher.”
Professor Quirrell nodded, looking like he’d rather not think about the prospect. Understandable really, considering the rumours that the position was cursed. No Defence teacher lasted more than a year.
“You’ll be g-getting all your equipment, I suppose?” The Professor smiled nervously at them, “I’ve g-got to p-pick up a new b-book on vampires m-myself.”
He looked terrified at the very thought.
“Well, good look with that.” James forced himself to smile, “And good luck for the school year.” Placing one hand on the small of Severus’s back, he gently pushed him forwards until they were finally in the small, walled courtyard.
“I don’t remember him being that scared.” Hari frowned, vaguely remembering the old Muggle Studies professor from when he used to visit Hogwarts, “What happened to him?”
“Vampires if the rumour is to be believed…” Severus answered, “…and a hag.” He chuckled, “Albus told me in person that I wasn’t getting the Defence position, despite having never asking for it.”
“Patronising old fool.” James muttered, tapping at the bricks, stepping back as they all folded out of sight, giving them access to Diagon Alley.
“James!”
Looking over to the Magical Equipment Shop, they saw Sirius and Remus waiting there, Teddy already rushing over to his cousin, followed more sedately by his twin, Lycidas.
“What kept you all?” Sirius frowned.
“Apparently Hari is… the Boy-Who-Lived.”
There was a pause of silence, before Sirius burst out laughing, leaning heavily against Remus, who simply braced as he continued his conversation with Lily.
“The Boy-Who-Lived from what? Being moved from one cot to another?”
“I know! But Dumbledore- “
“- Ugh, say no more.”
No one had any love loss for Dumbledore in this group.
“Alright sprogs, let’s go get you all some spends for Hogwarts!”
With Teddy and Hari rushing on ahead, Lycidas talking about what subjects he was looking forward to with Lily and Gus-Gus deciding that he wanted to be on James’s shoulders instead, it looked like the perfect family outing.
They ignored all the gawping from the other visitors to Diagon Alley.
They entered Gringotts, only to narrowly avoid bumping into another familiar figure.
“Professor Snape!” Hagrid greeted cheerfully, before spotting the others and greeting them just as easily.
Severus could help but smirk a little at the enthusiasm. Hagrid was devoted to Dumbledore, but he didn’t have a malicious bone in his body unlike some other loyal followers he could name.
“How have you been Hagrid?” Lily asked, looking just as amused at the half-giant's eagerness.
“I’m good! Just preparing for the new school year. “Hagrid then puffed up a little, “On a secret mission for Dumbledore I am.”
“Ah.” Lily’s tone betrayed nothing, “Then we won’t keep you for long. Have a good day Hagrid.”
“You too Mrs Potter!”
Hagrid lumbered away as Lily turned to the other two, “I don’t like the sound of that.” She sighed, “I really don’t like the sound of that.”
“We’ll find out more at the beginning of year staff meeting I’m sure.” Severus tried to reassure her, “Let’s just get the money and sort out the rest of the school supplies.”
She huffed but relented anyway.
…..
Several wild cart rides later, they all stood blinking in the sunlight outside Gringotts, all three pre-teens went to move in different directions. Hari headed to the Quidditch shop, Lycindas to the books and Teddy to the Creature Menagerie. The adults all looked at each other and sighed, before grabbing them and pulling them back to the rest of the group.
“Robes first.” Lily stated firmly, looking up at Gus-Gus, “Do you need any new clothes?”
“No thank you Mummy.”
They all entered Madam Malkin’s shop, as the smiling witch beamed at them.
“Hogwarts? All three of you?” She clapped her hands together, “There’s some space at the back, we have quite a few there already getting ready for their fitting.”
They moved in that direction, only for Hari to freeze with a barely muted groan.
“Draco.” He sighed, ignoring the warning look he got from his mother, the blond boy sneering back at him.
“Hari…Edward” Draco sneered, “Lycindas.”
They could be civil, even if they hated each other.
“Hey Draco.” Sirius broke the tension, “Where’s Lucy and Cissy?”
The blatant disrespect for Lucius and Narcissa made Severus roll his eyes, even as Draco glared at the other man.
"My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street looking at wands, then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms.”
Severus made a mental note to make sure one of these brooms didn’t end up shrunk and in Draco’s luggage. Looking over at Remus, he saw that he was clearly thinking the same thing.
“First years aren’t allowed brooms.” Gus-Gus gently pointed out, shrinking back a little when Draco glared at him. Thankfully, Draco seemed to think better of starting anything, looking back the other three eleven-year-olds.
“Let me guess, you all want to be in Gryfinndork?”
“I think I’d prefer Ravenclaw.” Lycindas shrugged, “And Teddy was talking about Hufflepuff because it’s close to the kitchens.”
“That’s not the only reason!”
Draco didn’t look overly impressed with those answers, "Well, no one really knows until they get there, do they, but I know I'll be in Slytherin.”
“Lucky you.” James muttered in Severus’s ear, who tried not to wince at the thought of Lucius Malfoy’s son in his house.
An awkward silence fell over the room as Lily decided to take Gus-Gus out to look at some new clothing, leaving the fitting supervision to the four men (namely Severus and Remus). When they were done, she was then quick to make them leave the store, taking them out for ice cream in the hopes that it would ease some of the tension that had filled them.
The three eleven-olds were quiet as they ate their ice cream, the adults all looking at each other, before Lily was clearing her throat.
“Boys…is everything okay?”
“Why is Malfoy even still allowed to go to Hogwarts?” Teddy muttered, allowing Gus to have a spoonful of his ice cream, “He’s a bigot! A complete bigot.”
“Because everyone is allowed to go and have an education.”
“By why at Hogwarts?!”
“Because Lucius pays the school a lot of money so they can’t say no to him.” Severus stated, smirking as Sirius and James chuckled at the comment, as Lily rolled her eyes.
“You are meant to be a positive influence Sev.”
“Apologies.”
Still, it was enough to distract the boys, and that’s what mattered.
They went to buy the school books (Lycindas buying more than what was needed and Gus getting a few), then the potions store where Severus talked Hari out of buying a solid gold cauldron (“We’ve been over this, remember? Brewing times?”)
“Just your wands left.” Severus resisted the urge to sigh in relief, already very tired of the crowds, “And then there is the matter of your birthday presents.”
“An owl?” Hari bounced up and down a little in excitement, “Can I have an owl?”
Lily chuckled, “It is the most practical pet I suppose, although…imagine Albus’s face if you rocked up with a snake?”
“It’s like you want him to make our lives hard.” Severus groaned.
With him teaching potions, and Lily occasionally helping with the Muggle Studies course, they were right under Dumbledore’s beady gaze, and he might make their lives hard should his so-called Chosen One not act the way he wanted.
Lily didn’t say in response, but there was a certain look in her eyes that indicated that she didn’t actually care too much about what Dumbledore thought.
Twenty minutes later, they left Eeylops Owl Emporium, which had been dark and full of rustling and flickering, jewel-bright eyes. All three boys had an owl, and all three of them were clearly excited because of this.
“Just wands left!” Sirius clapped his hands together, “The best part about this whole trip!”
Wand shopping.
What could possibly go wrong?