Chapter 7: Puppy Love.
*************************Grimmauld Place, London*************************
10:00 am
July 31, 2012.
The front parlor of the old house resembled a mustering field for some small army. Piled in a large stack in the middle of the room, were at least six packs, several brooms, a couple of small training brooms, and one large, ginger kneazle sitting atop the pile like some triumphant victor at king of the hill. Running about the periphery of the mound, three, four-year-olds and one, single, fire-headed five-year-old were bouncing off the couch and chasing each other in some nameless game. Elliot jumped behind a chair, with Harriet and Emilia in hot pursuit. He ducked sideways suddenly, almost causing Emilia to crash into Dobby, who was trying to do something with the pile.
"Em, don't squash Dobby," Hermione said absently, as she sidestepped her other running child.
"Ok, mum." Came a soft, childish version of her voice in response. Hermione laughed as her daughter tumbled over the arm of the chair, landed behind Elliot and tagged him. "You're it."
"You know, love, Molly would probably think we let them do what they want." Harry observed as he wrapped his arms around her. He watched his daughter dodge Elliot with a move that he knew was unconsciously magic assisted and sighed slightly. Unlike her parents, she knew she was a witch from the moment she could understand the concept, and being Hermione's daughter, that was pretty early. And in many ways, she was Hermione writ small. She didn't look exactly like her mother, her hair while curly to the point of being bushy, was the jet of her father, and her eyes were a deep green, liberally flecked with gold. But the rest was pretty much the same; her face duplicated her mum's almost exactly with the exception of the usual, minor, childhood scars, and a faint, almost invisible one on Hermione forehead, a souvenir of the battle with Voldemort.
"We do Harry..." Hermione smiled; then shrugged, "more or less anyway." She waved at the kids, "this is harmless. And they need to burn off the energy anyway, do you want them running about the camp wildly?" She inquired pointedly. Harry shook his head, agreeing with her silently. "Where are Ron and Luna anyway?" Hermione asked, with a slight case of exasperation creeping into her voice.
"Hell if I know." Harry replied unthinkingly. Then ducked as Hermione swiped at the back of his head.
"Watch your language, Harry James." Hermione growled and Harry looked sheepish as he nodded.
"Daddy's in trouble," singsonged a childish soprano. Hermione nodded and grinned at her daughter. Emilia laughed, then screamed as her brother snuck up behind her and tagged her. He ran off up the stairs, with her, Elliot and Harriet in hot pursuit.
"Not too much I hope," Harry growled lowly as Hermione spun in his arms to face him. He lowered his lips to hers, she playfully moved them aside at the last minute to receive the kiss on the cheek. Harry's face fell, until her fingers wrapped themselves into his hair and pressed her lips to him.
"Not too much," she agreed, muttering against his lips as their bodies molded to each other's. Their tongues danced as the kiss grew deeper, and they did not break apart as a CRACK shattered the silence of the room. Hermione's hand swept an owl figurine from a nearby table as they backed up; it fell to the floor with a crash. Her back hit the wall of the room just as a familiar voice rang out.
"OI...there are children in the house." Ron said with more than a trace of humor in his voice, as he walked up with his blond-haired wife in tow. Both he and Luna were dressed in Cannons' away jerseys, while England had not made it to the QWC this year; one of the Cannons' normal beaters was playing for the upstart Australian team. Even after knowing Ron for years and years and having gone through everything they had together, neither Harry nor Hermione had the heart to tell him how utterly horribly the bright orange jersey clashed with his hair, which was worn long and in a tail these days. Not that either of them really cared for such things, but some combinations were almost too much even for their studied indifference.
"They're upstairs," Harry replied slightly breathlessly, as Hermione nibbled on his neck, "and besides, where were you? We got stuck with all the kids all last night and all day today." Hermione nodded into Harry's shoulder in agreement. No one noticed as Winky briefly appeared and waved her hand over the figurine. It leapt back together; she replaced it, and vanished without a word or sound. Her and Dobby were actually going on vacation together as soon as everyone left for the World Cup. They had both turned down Harry's offer of seats of their own for the cup.
"Oh, we were having sex." Luna replied casually for the both of them. As one, Harry and Hermione turned and glared at Ron. Luna did not seem to notice, "we thought since the kids were in the same tent as us, we might not get the chance, or at least Ron said so."
Harry worked a tongue around the inside of his cheek, he glanced helplessly at Hermione who sighed; "You wanted to take them." She pointed out, needlessly. Ron was curiously quiet; perhaps he had read the muggle quote about wizards and their being quick to anger. Or maybe he just had learned discretion in his thirteen years since he had first boarded the train to Hogwarts. Her eyes grew calculating, "we don't have to apparate with the kids, they could portkey with Ron...the match doesn't start until tomorrow." Harry chuckled as Hermione waved at the repaired owl figurine, with a whispered, "portus" it glowed blue and shook for a second. She levitated it over to Ron. "Your turn with the kids...brother." Ron just nodded, knowing better than to object, not that he would have anyway; he loved Harry and Hermione's twins as if they were his as well.
Ron stepped back and walked to the stairs. "OI, GET DOWN HERE." He yelled, and almost immediately a thundering beat of steps answered his call as four small children ran down the stairs, only tripping and falling once or twice on the way. Harriet, Emilia, Horatio and Elliot looked at him expectantly, the twins only giving their parents the quickest of glances. "We're going to go ahead kids, Em, Horry, your parents will catch up." He pointed at the pile, "Grab hold of the pile." The kids did not argue, Uncle Ron was notoriously soft on them; they would probably get ice cream out of this. With a mouthed, "you owe me," Ron, Luna and the kids vanished in a fall of color.
"Where were we?" Harry whispered, his eyes flashed for a second, and Hermione felt the house wards shift to where they would only let Harry or her in or out, no one else. She grinned, almost shyly as she leaned back in.
"Something about kids and Ron's sex life or lack thereof, when I get around to reading that new creative curses book." Hermione smiled as she pressed her lips to his. Harry groaned slightly as Hermione bit his lower lip lightly. She bit off a moan as his tongue danced with hers. A minute then two passed, as hearts thumped and air soon become an issue. They broke apart, Hermione's fingers tracing the bottom of Harry's shirt. A small, half grin danced on her lips as she jerked his shirt up and off his body.
Hermione's fingers lightly traced the muscles of his stomach as Harry's hands slipped between them and started working on the buttons of her shirt. Her shirt fell open and his lips fell to her neck. Hermione's back lightly thumped against the wall, as her fingers found the button on Harry's jeans. Her eyes were dark with concentration as she flicked her fingers and Harry's pants vanished. "We loose more clothes that way." Harry observed amusedly, Hermione giggled, as Harry's fingers disappeared down the front of hers.
"Yeah...d..damn..." Hermione squeaked out, "w..wandless...ma..magic" Her eyes were dark as she shakily unbuttoned her pants. She sighed, and ran her lips along his neck, as Harry took over and slid her pants down her hips. "Now what Mr. Potter?" She asked breathlessly, but before she could say another word, they were in their bedroom.
"Oh this." Harry replied as he eased her back onto the bed. His hand cradled her head as he eased her down onto the pillows. Eyes met and a conversation passed in a glance. They smiled knowingly together, as Harry's fingers trailed lightly up her leg and teased her lightly. A low, soft purr came from her throat as their lips met again.
A small, very, very practiced movement later; they slid together, and began to move. Her hips rolled, "Hermione...." Harry hissed, she giggled. "Come here." His thumbs swept wet bangs out of her eyes as she lowered her lips to his. She pulled back, her damp bangs falling back over her face as she rocked back and forth.
Ohh...god.... Harry...Hermione managed. Her heart thumping in her chest as sweat glistened in the light of the candles lining the walls. Harry felt her quivering, as his stomach muscles clenched, his hands fell to her hips, guiding her, helping her. A vast warmth filled both their bodies and minds, and a moment later, Hermione froze, quivering, shuddering. Only to be followed in instant as Harry crashed with one last thrust.
Panting Hermione raised her head slightly and brushed her bangs from her eyes. She smiled contentedly as she rolled to her side and curled into his side. With a soft sigh, Hermione wrapped her leg between his and kissed his shoulder. "Happy Birthday Harry." Harry grinned at her and closed his eyes, his arm pulling Hermione more firmly into his side.
*******************Diagon Alley, London, The Leaky Caldron******************
1:15 pm
Sirius Black sat in an isolated side booth in the slightly shabby Wizarding tavern and gateway to Diagon Alley. With a slight nod, Tom sat a pair of chilled bottles of beer down on the table, and with the tiniest of shudders he added a small, shot glass filled with a steaming red liquid. "Will there be anything else sir...mum?" Tom paused at the second as be backed up, just a hair.
A fire lit in Sirius' deep gray eyes as he opened his mouth to respond, only to shut it abruptly at a small, delicate looking hand on his. "No Tom." A soft alto whispered with an air of utter tranquility. A pair of liquid, violet eyes regarded the hunchbacked, toothless bartender from under a pair of long eyelashes. Honey-blond air was drawn into a long plait and pulled forward over her left shoulder. The young woman looked to be about twenty-five, with a dancer's body. A small gold crucifix hung around her neck, and three earrings hung in her left ear, two in her right. A short, dark blue t-shirt was worn over a pair of jeans with the knees torn out. She slowly smiled up at the owner of the bar, revealing a pair of ivory white fangs. At this moment, they were protruding just enough to be noticeable. He hurriedly excused himself with a muttered comment about checking on the other patrons. "Sirius," The vampire looked over at him, her eyes going soft as hers met his, "it's ok." She sighed as she picked up the shot of blood, and slammed it in one gulp. She gave a little shudder and took a sip of her beer, "if you insist on making this work, you'll have to."
"But I don't want to." Sirius objected and winced as he watched those violet eyes fall, "No...that came out all wrong Cordy. I'm sorry; I just can't stand how they look at you. Like you are going to go wild and kill everyone one here, it's not right." The animagi growled as he shot a lethal look at the back of the bartender. The pair of them had started off at a normal table, but after several, non-covert, dark looks they had adjoined to a semi-private booth. The occasional dark glances Sirius still got from passers by was bad enough, even after he had long since been proven totally innocent of the betrayal of James and Lily Potter. He had been there when Peter Pettigrew was killed, but that had occurred about sixteen years after he had been first accused of that act, and in the end, the rat had met the cat, or kneazle rather. Crookshanks still got a happy look every so often on his squashed face. "We could go back to Grimmauld Place, no one would mind."
She sighed and shook her head. "No, Sirius, I...I couldn't I mean I know you live with them...but it's the...I mean it's Harry and Hermione Potter for Merlin's sakes." Cordelia started to get up, almost escaping the booth before Sirius could grab her arm. She sat back down with a slight huff. A purple glare met his, "do you really want to see how strong I am Padfoot?" She snapped, in a soft, dangerous voice.
"Do you want to see if you are stronger than a grim...my powers are partially present in both forms too, Fangs." He replied heatedly with a quiet whisper. He sighed heavily, and gave her an apologetic smirk; "Sorry Cordelia...It's just that when I found you in Budapest last year...after so long, after I thought you had died, I mean..." His eyes looked wet, and took a deep draw on his beer. Over at the side in the main part of the tavern, an entire family came in through one of the floo fires. They headed to the entrance to Diagon Alley with barely a glance for Tom. Sirius looked slightly forlornly at them, for the briefest of moments he could imagine himself with a family, with a family with the girl across from him. He had done so before. "Cordy, when we where together at Hogwarts, I...I, when you left so suddenly that summer before our seventh year, no letters, no explanation, we thought that you had been killed. I never knew that..."
"What Sirius?" She asked resignedly, "that I was a trueborn Vampire? Of course not, I was still hiding it, I still could until I came of age. And when I was revealed as one, would you have wanted to be with me...huh? A blood-sucking creature of the night...my kind kill humans Sirius."
The marauder dropped his head to his hands, and shook it. Cordelia O'Connor watched him, her metaphorical heart beating heavily. Sirius looked up, one hand snaked across the table to grasp hers; while his other caressed her check softly. Reflexively she rubbed against the hand. Sirius looked into her eyes and chuckled. Her eyes grew wide, her pupils darkening, until he shook his head and placed his finger over her lips to cut off a response. "Cordelia...love, my best friend is a werewolf, he eats people too, by definition. His children, who I love as my own, are wolflings." Her mouth dropped open in shock. It was unusual to say the least that anyone would admit of their, or their friend's children were half-blooded werewolves.
Without a pair of werewolf parents the children of a werewolf wouldn't become wolves themselves, wouldn't be cursed with the transformation, no in the rare cases that a werewolf would reproduce with a non-lycan the children would be normal. It was almost unheard of, bordering on legendary, that the kids would have the speed and strength of their werewolf parent, and a couple of other identifying characteristics, but not the curse of the transformation. Sirius nodded, "and Harry and Hermione let their kids play with them all the time." He laughed again, his normal, bark-like laugh.
"Have you ever bitten a human, Cordy?" He asked suddenly. She started to speak, he shook his head, "that wasn't in combat. Who wasn't already trying to kill you first? I know you have fed in combat," Grey eyes grew hard, "I have tasted blood in combat, Lupin has tasted blood in combat, you have never hunted a human for food just because you were hungry, have you Cordy? Death Eaters don't count love. I don't care if you use a wand, a blade, a gun or your teeth, they come after you, you defend yourself."
She looked embarrassed, hurriedly she took a gulp of her beer. "No Sirius, I haven't...I always got mine from a blood bank...it's just that, the urge, it's always there. Do you know how it is to look over at that child, and know, deep inside that she would taste heavenly..."? With a sudden, convulsive squeeze the empty shot glass she had picked up to gesture with, shattered.
"I was told by a wise wizard," Sirius remarked reflectively, as he waved his wand over the broken glass, it leapt back together, "that it is our choices that define who we are, not our powers."
Cordy snorted, "yeah Dumbledore told me that right before I left school."
"Well Harry told me that, but...he heard it from Dumbledore, when they thought I was dead." Sirius replied as he got to his feet. He pulled her to her feet; she came unresistingly. With a small grin, he lowered his lips to hers hungrily. Cordelia let out a soft moan as his tongue teased her lips open. She let out the tiniest giggle as he acted as if he hurt his tongue on her fangs. "We are going to Grimmauld right now to meet the family." He said firmly, his look booking no debate; she sighed and nodded into his chest. At 5'6" she only came up to his chest. With a soft CRACK, they vanished.
*********************#12 Grimmauld Place***************************
Hermione took a sip of tea as she rubbed her still wet hair with a towel. A loose camisole and a pair of baggy workout pants completed the outfit as she walked from hers and Harry's bedroom. With a contented sigh, she tossed the towel over her shoulder and snapped her fingers. It vanished before it hit the floor, banished to the laundry basket in the basement. She looked up happily as Harry followed her from the room, he was wearing a loose pair of jeans and an old, decrepit Lions sweatshirt. Harry sat down on the couch and held out his arms, mutely. Taking the hint Hermione curled up next to him, almost purring as loudly as Crookshanks in her happiness. "Happy birthday Harry." She repeated softly.
"If I get treated like that every birthday..." Harry leered, she giggled, and together they lay back down on the couch. Softly Harry's fingers traced up under the hem of her top, lightly playing over the muscles of her stomach and periodically jingling her belly-button ring, only to cause a soft giggle with each jingle. He was feeling rather sated, for now, so there was nothing really meant by the action other than her being in his arms. "Love you Mione."
"Me too." She muttered softly, nesting into the hollow of his shoulder. "Are we bad parents if we don't go meet up with Ron until tomorrow. I mean he can watch them tonight...he is their godparent after all."
"No, not at all." Harry agreed. His gaze grew calculating, "and besides he deserves it after leaving us with all four of the hellions, all last night and this morning." Absently Harry reached up and picked up his wand from the end table, he flicked it over their heads in an odd pattern, and an instant later, both of the them felt the house wards shift to their normal, limited access mode.
Similar wards were in place at Godric's Hollow, the Burrow and Ginny's apartment. Like all of the families' defensive wards, they had three settings. The first allowed only authorized, read, family members to apparate in. The second, a privacy mode that depending on the location; locked out any but the casters. The first and second, merely bounced any unauthorized apparation away from the house, causing them to reappear at a random site away from the intended target. The third however...had never even been tested. Harry and Hermione had created it in the dark days right after Neville had been injured, the lockdown setting would allow the authorized people to enter, but any others wouldn't survive the experience.
None of these thoughts crossed her mind as Hermione nodded, "yeah he does, but Luna probably doesn't." She shrugged, "how about we take a nap since you were up all night with Em, and we apparate out there tonight before dinner? The sprogs would love to have wieners and marshmallows over the fire with their daddy."
"Ok"
CRACK, an apparation sounded out, a slight chime from the house wards announcing it. Crookshanks' ears perked up from his perch on the top of the couch above Harry as all three sets of eyes, green, brown and yellow looked towards the door to the room. A moment later, a soft voice came through the door. "Are you two decent?" Sirius asked through the door, amusement dripping from his tone. He knew. He always knew. Hermione rolled her eyes. She started running through ideas on which small, slimy animal to turn Sirius into, as she sat up, pulling Harry with her. Harry was muttering imprecations on Sirius' character as he realized his birthday nap with his girl was being interrupted.
"More so than you." Harry shot back as the door creaked open. Sirius walked in, slowly. His right hand trailed behind him, and a breath later, Cordelia came in on his arm. Hermione turned slightly and gave Harry a significant glance. Isn't he a little old to be bringing his girlfriend over to meet the parents?
Honestly hush...Harry could feel the happiness belie her false anger at him. Together they rose and walked over to the pair. Magical senses flared as they approached, Ok, then...
Sirius trusts her, good enough for me...for now. She's trueborn Mione, means...
That's she's a Homo Nocturnous, not an undead. Bram Stoker should have done his research better. The purebloods can stay out under the sun; it just hurts their eyes is all. Hermione extended her hand, "Hermione Potter, and this is of course, Harry." Bemused, Cordelia took it automatically, the last wizard that she had met; besides Sirius that accepted her unconditionally was Albus Dumbledore.
Harry held out his, "Yep, I'm just Harry, her punching bag." Hermione stuck her tongue out at him, "you must be Cordelia; Sirius has told us so little about you." Harry smirked at Padfoot. The grim gave him the smallest of glares as Harry shook her hand. Cordelia looked at each of them, Sirius came up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. With a brief, annoyed gesture she shrugged them off. Only to throw him an apologetic glance an instant later. "Would you like something?" Harry asked cordially, "beer? Tea? Something to eat?"
Cordy looked at him and with a measuring look, she replied. "I wouldn't mind a touch of blood, if you happen to have any?"
Harry looked utterly unperturbed; he nodded and stepped out of the room. A moment later he came back with a small shot glass filled with a dark red liquid and three butterbeers in chilled bottles. Dobby and Winky had already left on their vacation, so Harry was playing the role of host. Harry handed her, her drink and tossed Padfoot a beer. He crossed over to Hermione and sat down on the couch where she had resumed her seat. "So Cordelia." Hermione began, her voice almost assuming the tone of a parent interviewing one of their children's first dates. "When did you meet Sirius?"
The blond looked at her appraisingly. She knew intellectually that Hermione could destroy her with a gesture if she so desired, but still she was amazed at the acceptance that both of them showed. Of course the fact that both of them were not even trying to mask their magical signature, could be a gentle warning that was not lost on the vampire, but it could just be, and from their reputation probably was, merely the fact that this was their home and they didn't feel the need to. Cordelia gave Hermione a small smile, which caused her fangs to appear once more, "I actually was dating Sirius for a while at Hogwarts...I knew your parents Harry, but I left the summer before my seventh year. Dumbledore allowed me to take my N.E.W.T.s in a private session."
"So why haven't we heard about you?" Harry asked curiously from next to Hermione. His arm had snaked around her shoulders, without any thought involved whatsoever.
Cordy sighed; she took a seat in an easy chair at Harry's gesture. Sirius stood behind her, and when his hands rested on her shoulders this time, she did not move them, but rather relaxed into his embrace. "It was thought that my nature wouldn't become fully evident until later." Her violet eyes glanced to the floor, "The hunger started earlier than usual for me, usually it doesn't fully bloom until after one reaches their early twenties, for trueborns like myself. But an incident that summer caused me to fully release my nature too early. As you know, certain emotional events can trigger magical potential and as vampires are magical creatures..."
Harry and Hermione nodded, Hermione gave her a small, but genuine smile, "that's ok, you don't have to..."
But Cordelia shook her head, she glanced up at Sirius who mouthed, "its your decision." She looked back at Harry and Hermione, "no, if I am to be with Sirius, who seems determined to be with me...I can't seem to loose him, he's like a bad case of fleas on a shaggy dog." Everyone laughed including Sirius. Cordelia waited until her joke had faded, "my family was one of the few who resisted you-know...damn it, Voldemort's call. Our line was an old one, and we had insisted that, Humans were not our natural prey. Others objected."
She stared at the wall, as if it were a window to some past time, "This was during Voldemort's rise to power, he was looking to attract followers and allies with special powers, Dementors, werewolves, and the like. He had come to my father, demanding that he serve him, and brought friends..." A harsh hiss erupted from her throat, like the one Crookshanks let out in a fight. "My father refused, said that he had no place in this war, especially not on the side of one who would destroy everything. I remember the noise mostly...or lack of it. Finally the door to the room I was in opened and someone stood there, he raised a wand to me, and I just remember everything going red. A moment later, I looked down and his throat was ripped out. And I could taste the blood in the air, I hungered for it and fed off him."
She looked down at her hands, "when we first go over, not counting the ones that are changed, that is a different process entirely, we are wild, uncontrollable. It's worse when you are younger. If the change happens when you are older, when the hormones aren't raging...you can control it. But when you are young, the slightest thing could set you off, and I knew it. Dumbledore found me that night, and I was lucid enough to insist that he couldn't have me at school. I had friends, and..." she glanced up at Sirius, "others that I could not stand to think I could hurt in a fit of rage, so I left. Dumbledore helped me relocate to Budapest, and found me a home with others in similar situations. I was there until Sirius ran into me on a trip last year. He kept visiting me, until he convinced me to move back to London." She looked up, to see Harry and Hermione nodding. Harry stood and flicked a wand at the door. It glowed white for an instant, Cordelia hadn't noticed as she leaned forward in her chair.
Mione, we need to know. You know the reports we have gotten. Harry's frown was soft, confined to his eyes mostly, enough so that Hermione was probably the only person who would notice it.
It'll break his heart if she is...
You think I like this any better than you, you know what Sirius means to me...to both of us. The briefest of inclinations of her head graced her neck as together they turned back to the witch, vampire, whatever.
Sirius did know them, quite well. Or rather, he knew James and in the end, many of James' unconscious mannerisms were his son's. "What Harry, I know that look, what?" He growled. Softly, he padded around the chair, subtly placing himself between Harry, Hermione and Cordelia.
Harry glanced at him; his eyes were soft as he gazed on his godfather. Cutting his eyes to Cordelia, "Cordelia, here is the situation. What has Sirius told you about what he does for a living...what we do?" He leaned forward in his seat, knowing Hermione had conjured her wand into her wand. Soundlessly and behind the couch where it couldn't be seen. "I would like to know a bit more of your history as well, where were you during the last twenty years since Sirius last saw you?"
"HARRY!" Sirius snapped, only to stop as Cordy laid a pale hand on his, he looked down.
"No Sirius, they deserve to know. I knew my baggage would always cause an issue, that's why I never wanted to meet them, oh, I did, but I was afraid rather." She gazed into Harry's eyes, deliberately meeting them, after a second she chuckled, "I can see, your natural powers of Occlumency are formidable. Even to a Vampire."
Harry watched as she stood, and stepped in front of Sirius. She turned her back on Harry and Hermione for a minute as she rose on her toes and whispered something in Sirius' ear. He didn't look happy, even after her lips met his softly. He did sit down in the chair she had vacated a moment before. Harry sat back down next to Hermione as Cordelia sat back down as well, this time on Sirius' knee.
"Ok Harry," She replied calmly, "I know that from your history and Sirius' as well, you have learned to be weary of "friends" betraying you." She turned and gave Sirius a tiny, tight smile, "I never trusted Peter, even before my nature fully bloomed; I knew something was wrong." A deep breath. "That was one of the reasons I never came back Sirius..." Her lip trembled as she lost herself in his gray eyes, " When I heard you were in Azkaban, and when I heard what for, I couldn't believe it. But all that evidence was there. So I stayed away. And then, later when you were found to be innocent, and then you died, and I blamed myself again, I thought that if I had said something then..."
"James would have never believed you, luv." Sirius said softly, "I never thought it either, never thought it even a possibility, or Voldemort would have never gotten James and Lily."
"Snuffles," Hermione interjected softly, her right had was still dangling behind the back of the couch, still clutching her wand. Her gaze flicked to Harry's and back. "You didn't know." Her lip twisted wryly, "what is it with the men in my life and their guilt complexes?" She asked rhetorically, Cordelia shrugged.
"So I kept far away, I ran across occasional people I knew, but most of them did not travel in your social circle, Sirius so I didn't worry about word getting to you. And to be perfectly honest, I didn't think you would want to see me." Padfoot looked hurt, but only briefly as she reached down and grabbed his hand. "I know better now, baby." Her eyes flicked back to Harry's and as they met his, he saw her violet irises glow for a heartbeat and he abruptly, almost fell into her mind as she dropped every barrier to her thoughts. Harry stopped himself from plunging into those depths, the act was almost enough to wipe any doubt, but more importantly a certain; implanted memory leapt the space between them. "I know what you and Hermione need to ask. No, I am not one of the vampires Malfoy has recruited...I am however one of the ones Dumbledore has."
"We know," Hermione, replied as she pulled her wand from behind the couch and casually dropped it on the couch.
"You knew?" Sirius and Cordelia asked together, for two very distinct reasons.
Harry shrugged and waved at Hermione, "Yes, actually we were sure the instant you opened your mind to be examined." She smiled, "Harry found the memory Dumbledore implants in all of his new agents ever since Mundungus betrayed us. It does...bad things if you betray the Order. Only direct family members don't get it. You are an Order member right?" Cordelia nodded, amazed despite herself.
"Yes, Dumbledore inducted me about a year before I met Sirius again, he was wanting someone to watch over the vampire situation. I agreed. I still felt guilty over staying out of the Voldemort war for the most part. And yes, there are still rumors in certain parts of Knockturn Alley and their overseas counterparts that you aren't really school teachers"
Harry looked a touch grim at that news but nodded knowingly anyway. "Rumors we can deal with." Cordelia realized instantly what was said, and what wasn't. Harry got up from the couch and paced to the window. Muttering a spell under his breath, the visage of muggle London became a projection of the Quidditch World Cup stadium, the image coming from hidden viewing orbs situated about the camp and stadium for obvious security purposes. He watched the brooms of the Australian team flash by as they practiced some complicated move. "Padfoot, how would you and Cordy like to come to a campfire this evening? We'll apparate there at about five thirty if you would like to come, I'm sure the kids would love to see Uncle Sirius and Aunt Cordy." His eyes twinkled as he turned back to the pair and Hermione laughed at the expression on Sirius' face.
Sirius glanced at Cordelia and after getting a shocked, silent agreement; he nodded with a faint grin on his face. "Excellent," Harry replied with a yawn, "now if you excuse us, Hermione and will get back to our nap. I'm afraid the kids will keep us up all night."
***********Encampment, Quidditch World Cup, Somewhere in England************
8:30 pm
At the small complex of tents that demarked the Weasley and Potter families shared campsite, a small impromptu party was going on. As the adults sat back against several conjured logs, the kids along with their new Aunt Cordy, were trying to make s'mores the muggle way. Unfortunately there seemed to be great difficulty in this task, as Cordelia had never done such a thing and the kids, were being themselves. They thought it great fun to drop the s'mores in the fire and watch as Cordelia would try to get them out. She was smiling though, so it was all good.
As to the rest of them, Harry, Hermione, Ron, Luna, Sirius, the twins and an arrived for the party only, Lupin and Tonks, they were sitting back sipping butterbeers and munching on a birthday cake for Harry that Hermione had caused to appear. It was extremely fortuitous that the QWC had been held a couple of weeks early this year due to the forecasting of an odd storm front that was predicted to strike the area in the end of August according to the weather mages at the Ministry. As Lupin and Tonks engaged the twins in a conversation about the possibilities of their opening a shop in Russia, Harry glanced over at Sirius, who was sitting across from him and Hermione, gazing with an odd expression at Cordelia as she laughed at the Potter twins' antics.
"You know, that just encourages them," Hermione remarked absently to Sirius, she was stretched out next to Harry on the ground with her head on his lap. Her eyes glinted in the firelight as she gazed over at her kids and the blond witch fondly. Harry smiled down at her as he absently played with a lock of her hair; he took a sip of his beer and nodded in agreement.
"Yeah I know," Sirius replied. He stretched out to his full length with a little groan and sighed, "but they're happy...all of them."
"What's wrong Padfoot?" Harry asked quietly, even though he could read the reason in Sirius' eyes. He had worn it himself, especially when he didn't think he would live this long, especially not long enough to have a family with the woman curled up with him.
"She's too good for me Harry," Sirius replied softly, he took a drink of his beer and ran his hand through his hair as he turned away from the fire to look at Harry and Hermione.
"So," Harry philosophized, "Hermione's too good for me. But she was crazy enough to love me anyway. Witches are all crazy Snuffles." Hermione rolled her eyes but didn't deign to comment verbally or mentally. Harry knew her however, "I never said I was sane either Mione." She smiled up at him and he bent over and kissed her. "In the end, if you love her, really love her, you'll never feel you're worthy of her Sirius."
"And she probably feels the same," Hermione added in a whisper that only carried to the three of them.
"Mummy?" Emilia's tired voice said quietly as Hermione's flicked upwards. The girl had staggered over from the fire; she was rubbing her eyes as she came closer.
"Yes, Honey?" Hermione asked.
The little girl came up next to her parents and sat down heavily, she looked up at Harry; "can I sleep with you and daddy?" Hermione nodded, and without another word, her daughter curled up next to her, Emilia's head was propped against Harry's leg just like her mother's. Harry grinned over at Sirius; the old Marauder smiled in return.
A/N: There we go, a smidgen early for your update since I gave ya'll an extra chapter this last week, but hey. Next
Chapter...the Quidditch World Cup...