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Harry took an apprehensive look at the clock. Sirius should be back soon from St. Mungos and Archie had pointedly asked Uncle Remus to accompany him to Quality Quidditch Supplies and would therefore be out of the house for the next few hours, uhhing and ahhing over the brand new Nimbus 2000.
The look on Sirius’ face went beyond ‘kicked puppy’ straight to ‘my soul is being sucked out by a Dementor’ at that slight – and a slight it was, for Archie was still barely on speaking terms with his dad after their last argument about Archie’s future schooling. It was a mess that left her feeling extremely discomfited. Typically those two had the type of idyllic father-son-relationship that seemed a bit unreal at times.
She did not remember them ever being so at odds. Before now, on the extremely rare occasions that they argued, the storm would have passed the next day and they would be back to being horrifyingly in sync. Not so this time.
She was not the type to get involved in messy emotional situations, knew with certainty that she was unequipped and unqualified to handle those with grace…and in other circumstances that was fine, because Archie would be right there to smooth things over for her and find soft, kind, funny, consoling words where hers tended to be awkward or a bit too cutting. Since Archie was for once part of the potion and his words had not been enough, this option was not available to her.
Harry…had very few people in her life and did not feel any need to change that, but for those she loved she would swallow poison without a bezoar at hand.
And who else did Archie have to speak up for him when his dad was on the other end of the rope? Neither her parents nor Uncle Remus had intervened at this point, so the burden fell to her. Archie was worth it. She had to try at least.
The floo notice went off and Harry mentally squared her shoulders.
“Uncle Sirius?” she called out.
“Harry?” he asked surprised, having followed her voice to the kitchen where she was waiting for him. “Are you waiting for Archie? He and Remus are off to Diagon and between the new broom and the sweet shop they will have to pass by, they are unlikely to return soon.”
“I know. I was actually hoping to speak to you.” She gestured to the chair across from her.
“…OK?” Sirius took a moment to reply, as if his brain needed time to process that yes, his rather reserved niece was actively searching for a conversation. He sat down heavily. “Is everything alright?”
“No. It really isn’t.” she said bluntly.
A rapid blink then – “How can I help?” the worry for her in his voice made a bit of warmth bloom in her chest and she softened towards him slightly. She reminded herself that she was doing this for Sirius as much as she was doing it for Archie.
“By evaluating your priorities. I am fine, it’s you and Archie that are not, and I have bitten my tongue long enough. I love the two of you to bits and seeing you both hurting is not my idea of prime entertainment.”
“…Is this an intervention?” Sirius questioned flummoxed.
“Yes.”
“Harry, I appreciate what you are trying to do, I really do, but this is between me and Arch and I am only doing what is best for him. Neither of you might see it yet – and I understand that it is upsetting for you to be separated, you are as thick as thieves –“
She interrupted him right there. “Don’t pull me into this equation. Archie wants to go to AIM, I decidedly do not. Their Potions Track is horrendous. We will go to separate schools one way or another.” She sighed at Sirius startled expression. “I know Archie’s reasons for wanting to go to AIM. Please explain to me your reasons for sending him to Hogwarts.”
She was pretty sure she knew why, but it was important to let him have his say and let him feel like she was seriously (hah) considering his point of view. That was just common courtesy. Saying your thoughts out loud also had a tendency to put things into perspective.
Her uncle looked at her with consideration and thankfully decided to humour her. He was probably more sick of the tension than anyone else and willing to do just about anything bar actually giving in to get back into his son’s good graces. Maybe he was hoping to get her on his side so she could talk up Hogwarts to her cousin, or maybe he just wanted someone to talk to, she was not sure, either way, he gave in to the conversation.
“Hogwarts offers him the best education. He will make so many friends there – friends that will not be half the world away after graduation. Hogwarts…is something else, the castle, the grounds… I made so many of my fondest memories there and I know Archie will too. I want him to know the same happiness, the sense of wonder and excitement I experienced… how could I deny him that? And besides, it is his legacy, the Blacks have always been down for Hogwarts, I will not deprive him of that.” He looked at her sadly. “I am so sorry you cannot go little fawn, you deserve all that too.”
She had made sure to nod in understanding with every point he made, acknowledging his words.
“I do. But if wishes were basilisk scales…well. This is not about me. Let’s start from the top of your list.” She ascertained. “The education. Considering that is what a school is supposed to be about, it is certainly the most important topic here.” That made Sirius smile slightly and mumble something about her taking after her mother and Uncle Remus.
“There is no denying that Hogwarts education is top notch, some of the most accomplished Masters of their fields are employed there –“ “Exactly!” ”–but can you tell me in all honesty that Archie would get the best education there?”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“It means that Archie’s heart is set on becoming a healer. He will not waver in his focus, he has made up his mind a while ago. AIM offers the best healing program in the world. You know that, uncle.”
Sirius looked a bit pained, both of them aware exactly what pushed her cousin onto this path. “Hogwarts also has a healing elective and after he finishes school, he can take up an apprenticeship at St. Mungos.” “Yes, that’s an option, but it doesn’t compare now, does it? Not when he could have specialised classes instead of a general elective and be a fully-fledged healer once he graduates, instead of spending another few years learning.”
“Oh Harry” Sirius’ smile was on the rueful side. “Sometimes you are so mature, I forget how young you are. There is no need to rush. School is not just something you speed through – it is a time you are meant to enjoy, a time you will learn to treasure, time to just be a kid.”
“What does being a kid have to do with the quality of your education? That was what we were discussing. Because no matter the opportunities he will later on have here in Britain, the fact remains that the overall healing instruction is superior over in the States. There is a reason AIM healer graduates are in such high demand and get job offers all over the world.”
Which was, now that Harry thought about it, probably another unvoiced motivation for Sirius to send Archie to Hogwarts. Before her uncle could answer that, she decided to continue on, after all, there was no use arguing a point that she suspected he knew was valid but did not want to acknowledge quite yet. Better to come back to it later.
“As for the social aspect of future friendships, that one is probably your best argument.” She could give him that. Sirius eyes widened. “I…it is?” “Of course. I know that some of Mum’s old friendships suffered for the distance and not being able to meet up easily. As far as I know Archie has no plans to permanently leave the country, so that is something that he might face in the future as well.”
“Yes!” Sirius nodded a bit frantically. “I am not saying he would not make great friends at AIM, but they would always be far away. You cannot just meet up after a long day or just because. Having friends close and ready to support him whenever he needs them too…he deserves that.”
“Of course he does.” Harry concurred. “But there are a lot of what ifs here and the situation is not nearly as cut and dry as you make it out to be.” Ignoring his grumbling about how he should have known better than to trust her easy agreement, she continued. “First, Archie will actually have to make those friends you are already concerned about. Not that I am saying he won’t, we are talking about Archie, I will be very surprised indeed if he does not have half the school in love with him after his first year.” That made Sirius smile proudly, just like she expected.
“Secondly, have you considered that there will be Brits about? Muggleborns and halfbloods naturally flock to AIM, it is one of the better known English-speaking institutions open to them. Besides which, school is not the only place to find life-long friends. He will undoubtable amass a heap of them wherever he goes, during Summer-Quidditch-Camp or later at his work place and he will always have me.” At that last bit Sirius’ smile turned softer, now more for her than for his son. Complementing her cousin was always the easiest way to get her uncle inclined to listen.
Which meant that now was the moment to strike; she had to hit him fast, hard and below the belt.
“Lastly…” A small, calculated hesitation, a look down as if hesitant and not capable to maintain eye-contact – Sirius leant forward, softened from her previous words. Suddenly, as if she had shored up her courage in true Gryffindor fashion, she gazed at him intently, unblinking, with a slight frown, unsure und searching –
“Do you regret being sorted into the House of the Lion with Dad and Uncle Moony?”
Shocked silence, then: “What?! No! Never!” Pure unadulterated dismay painted his features. “Where does this come from? I thought we were talking about Archie? Why ever would you think –“
“You talk about how ‘the Blacks have always been down for Hogwarts’, about basically continuing tradition like it is important to you, but before you, Blacks have also always been down for Slytherin. They have strongly supported Pureblood-Elitism. How else am I to take your insistence on following a beaten path? How else am I take such a stance from someone who has appeared to do his best to buckle tradition himself?”
“Harry, that’s not fair…” Sirius whined woundedly.
“Hypocrisy isn’t either.”
Her uncle looked lost for words. She had hurt him with her argument, she knew that. She regretted having to upset him, but she did not regret a single thing she said. Still, this was no way to end this. Carefully she took his larger hands into her own small potion-stained ones.
“Uncle, if there is one thing I have always respected a scallywag like you for, it is your determination and courage to be unapologetically yourself.” And she did. She tried to convey as much of that admiration with her gaze.
Then Harry squeezed his hands gently before untangling them from her own and got up from the kitchen table. One last look at her uncle, one last parting comment and she was flooing back to Potter Place to give him time to think about their conversation.
“Ask yourself this: is this about Archie’s future? Or about your past?”
A few hours later the door to her room was thrown open and a body flung itself through, tackling her to the ground. Arms wrapped around her in a suffocating manner.
“THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!”
“It worked then?”
“YES! I get to attend AIM!” The overdramatic diva had loosened his hold on her only to grab onto her shoulders and shake her excitingly. “How did you do it?! Did you threaten him with poison? Did you brew some mind-altering potion?” Archie’s eyes were sparkling. She ignored the sheen of happy tears out of courtesy.
“I told him the truth: that you are a delicate bloom that will not receive enough sunlight sheltered inside Hogwart’s mighty walls, and so shall slowly wither away, salvation but the tiniest UV-radiation away.”
“Well” he sniffed “my beauty is of course comparable, but my might much too magnificent and more in line with an ancient oak tree for my father to have accepted such a comparison –“
“An ancient oak tree? More like an aging oshagrass –“
“Seize thy slander!”
“Acknowledging your shortcomings is the first step in overcoming them.”
After one last theatrical sigh (he was giving this to her for too easily and quickly) he went back to hugging her. Now, thankfully, much more gently. His head settled comfortably on her left shoulder.
“Really, Harry, you are the best. I can never thank you enough for this.”
“This? No Archie, this is not something I ever need thanks for.” She murmured quietly into his ear and cuddled just a bit closer to her best friend, her cousin, her brother. They would be physically separated sooner then she would like; she had her own path to follow and a tentative plan laid out, but never once did she doubt that they would have each other’s back.
Archie and Harry were a team.
Always.