Curse of Fate

Title: Curse of Fate
Author: Mistress Nika
Rating: PG-15 (Yes, 15. That's somewhere between PG-13 and R)
Summary: Thousands of years into the future, vampire Harry only wants to join his loved ones in death. However, his curse of immortality is absolute. Therefore he sends himself back into the body of his infant self, vowing to this time refuse eternity. When do things ever go according to plan? Unexpected changes to the timeline, people who aren't as they once were and more send his life spiraling out of his control.
Pairings: Harry/Lucius(main), possible Harry/Severus, possible Lucius/Severus, possible Harry/Lucius/Severus, Sirius/Remus, Theo/Hermione, possible Theo/Blaise, possible Hermione/Ginny, Draco/Luna, possible one-sided Harry/Luna on Luna's part, possible Hermione/Pansy, Cedric/Eleanor(OC), past Harry/Ginny
Warnings: AU, het, slash, angst, language, violence, time travel, VampireHarry, DarkLordHarry
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

---

Chapter Eleven:
Blaise turned the envelope his mother had handed him over curiously. It was made of thick, heavy parchment with a gold ribbon hanging from the eleborate red seal, a family crest of a rearing lion clutching a sword by the hilt in it's claws.

"Aren't you going to open it?" his mother asked with a kind smile.

He nodded absently and broke the seal, pulling out the parchment within.

"Mister Blaise Zabini," he read aloud, "You are hereby cordially invited to the tenth birthday celebration of Harry James Potter. Location: Leonis House, Aurum Village. Date: July 31. Time: 2:00pm. Gifts will be opened at 4:00pm. Dinner will be served at 6:00pm with dancing to follow. Guests may stay overnight. All guests who are not will be expected to leave by midnight. All guests will be subjected to secrecy and nonaggression charms upon entering."

Blaise looked up at his mother in confusion. "Harry Potter wants me at his birthday party? I don't even know him."

"Your father and I recieved invitations, as well as your brother. I spoke with Narcissa Malfoy and Emogene Parkinson and they recieved them as well. It seems he's inviting all the pureblood families with children around his age."

"Why the secrecy and nonaggression charms, though?" Damon, his elder brother asked, entering the room, book in hand, as his mother spoke and sitting beside Blaise on the couch.

Adeline turned to face her eldest. "Considering who the boy is, I should think he's allowed his secrets. All it means is that we won't be able to speak of what occurs at the party with anyone who wasn't there. Imagine the stories that would appear the next day in the Prophet, true or not, if he didn't use secrecy charms. As for the nonaggression charms, completely understandable and most likely very necessary...considering I believe he invited both the Malfoys and the Weasleys."

"Sweet mother of Merlin!" Damon exclaimed, the thick tome he had placed in his lap falling to the floor with a thunk. "He wouldn't have a house left by the time they got through with each other!"

-SCENE BREAK-

"NO!"

"Now, Millie. Calm down."

"NO!!" A shoe sailed across the room and nearly struck the petite woman in the head. "He can't go! I don't want him too!"

"Millie," the woman said with a long suffering sigh, "You don't have a choice. He's only five years old. We can't leave him alone."

"Leave him with the house-elves!" the girl shouted angrily. "I don't want him at my party!"

"I will not leave my child in the hands of house-elves and it is not your party. It's Potter's and you will behave, Millicent."

"You can't make me!" the child screamed, stomping her feet on the floor. "You're not my mother!"

The woman glowered and drew herself up to her full height of only five foot two. Despite her seeming fragility, short stature and refined mannerisms, she was a force to be feared. She was rather imposing with her icy blue eyes, dark blonde hair pulled up into a severe bun and high collared dress. Of course, this was all lost on the child currently throwing a temper tantrum on the dining room floor.

"I will tell you who I am, young lady. I am Madam Estrella Parkinson-Bulstrode. I am your step-mother and you will obey me or be punished." she said frostily.

"You can't punish me!" the girl yelled, seemingly unaffected. She kicked her foot out, flinging her remaining shiny black shoe at the woman who gracefully plucked it out of the air with practiced ease. "I want Daddy! DADDY!! DADDY!!"

"Millicent, stop this!" Estrella demanded. "Your father isn't here and I will not allow him to baby you this time! You have a choice. Either we all go to the party, Roderick included, or none of us go."

"I . WANT . DADDY!!" the child screamed at the top of her lungs.

With another sigh, Estrella pulled her wand and proceeded to silence and bind the girl. "Now, you lie there and think about what you've done." she said, bending over the girl's stiff form and staring into her angry eyes.

-SCENE BREAK-

Draco was a very bright boy. He'd been practicing magic since his father bought him his wand at seven. His tutors had always remarked on how intelligent he was and how quickly he caught on. At ten, he was now able to perform most of the basic spells second year students could. Of course, being the Malfoy heir, he also knew things that would never be taught at Hogwarts. Despite maintaining the appearance that everything came easily to him and that he could manage spells on the first try, which he could most times, he spent much of his free time studying. He might even go so far as to call himself a closet bookworm, though he'd never admit it out loud.

He knew from the first moment the owl delivered the proper little invitation on the expensive parchment with the family crest that it was far from innocent. He could put two and two together. Harry Potter was in deep. He had no reason to suddenly hold a celebration like this and he especially had no reason to invite several Dark families which included publicly suspected Death Eaters, even if it had never been proven. More suspicious was the fact that, while most families had politely declined the invitation as it wasn't made with the proper amount of warning, each one which held a Death Eater had accepted without hesitation. Then there was the matter of the small figure in black robes he'd seen during the meeting. Small, as if it were a child.

He was almost certain that person was Harry Potter.

It made sense.

Why the Death Eaters were following him was still a bit of a mystery. He had come up with explanations ranging from Voldemort being the boy's real father instead of James Potter to him actually being the Dark Lord reborn.

Whatever the case, he would have to be careful. He may be a child, but he was a Malfoy.

-SCENE BREAK-

"Boy-Who-Lived Birthday Bash." Dumbledore read aloud from the Daily Prophet. "Boy savior...tenth birthday...prominent purebloods invited..."

He put the paper down with a sigh. It seemed no matter where he turned lately it was news of either Harry Potter or the return of Voldemort.

He had been hopeful when each and every Weasley recieved an invitation. However, Bill was currently entombed in Egypt, unraveling some ancient curse. Arthur and Molly had both suddenly dropped everything they were doing when Charlie, just out of school, was whisked away to play babysitter by some dragon keepers in Romania. The elder Weasleys had immediately chased after him, intent on bringing him back, away from such a dangerous job. They had taken all of their younger children with them and couldn't return in time for the party. Therefore, they were forced to send a negative reply and their apologies to both Harry and himself.

None of the other members of the Order had recieved invitations as none of them had children Harry's age.

Honestly, he didn't know what had gotten into that Dursley woman! Letting Harry play lord like this was ridiculus! Most disadvantageous to all parties involved, especially Dumbledore himself.

-SCENE BREAK-

Harry sat behind his desk, going over papers and plans into the wee hours of the morning.

The invitations had been sent and replies were coming in everyday. The Malfoys had accepted immediately of course. The invitations were a mere formality when Lucius had helped him plan the party. The Bulstrodes were amongst the few who had graciously refused. Apparantly, Millicent was being punished and wasn't allowed to attend any social functions for the next three months. The Weasleys were in Romania, minus Bill, and couldn't make it back in time. The Zabinis had sent a polite reply back at once, thanking him for the thought and accepting his gracious invitation. Erik Lovegood thanked him as well, but claimed that with the recent death of his wife, neither he nor his daughter were feeling particularly celebratory. Harry sent his sincerest condolences to them.

The Longbottoms were apparantly still under Fidelius. Every owl he sent failed to reach them and when he inquired, he found that Augusta Longbottom was taking no chances. With three of the Death Eaters who tortured Neville's parents into insanity reportedly on the loose, she wanted all the protection possible for her grandson. Even if he were to get an invitation through, it was doubtful she would allow Neville to come.

The Parkinsons, like the Zabinis, were planning to attend. As were the Notts, Crabbes, Goyles and Bells.

He had invited several more families, but with the relatively short notice, no others had sent an affirmative reply. In pureblood society, social plans of this magnitude were made months in advance, not weeks.

With not a single Light family in attendance, Harry altered his plans a bit, allowing the fugitive Death Eaters and Sirius to attend, as well.

The Lestranges were coming, complete with Rabastan's two children who had apparently been in the custody of their mother during his stint in Azkaban. Auror Michaels and his wife had tentatively agreed and Petunia and Dudley were also coming.

Harry was now trying to think of the best way to let his aunt know that not only would Sirius Black be present, so would various other nefarious persons including escaped Death Eaters. He prefered to wait until the party since the secrecy charms would prevent her from telling anyone, as well as protect against the information being taking forcefully from her mind. However, he didn't want to give the woman a heart attack by springing it on her like that.

He sighed and pushed away from the desk. He had two weeks left to decide and right now he had other things to do. Grabbing his cloak, he made his way quickly to Gringotts.

-SCENE BREAK-

Goldfarb stared incredulously at the boy wizard sitting calmly opposite him.

"Let me get this straight," he began slowly. "You want to purchase eight Barghest from Gringotts to protect your lands."

Harry nodded. "Exactly."

"Lord Potter, do you have any idea what the Barghest would do to a wizard?" Not waiting for Harry to answer, he continued on. "They are monstrous goblin-dogs with huge teeth and claws that could rip a grown man apart like tissue paper. People have been known to die unexplained deaths after merely glimpsing them. I could not, in good conscience, allow Gringotts most vaunted client to fall victim to them."

Harry merely smiled. "I know very well what they are, Master Goldfarb. I could summon my own, but I would prefer captive-bred dogs. They're generally tamer and more docile than the wild ones. I intend to use them to guard a village and can't be around to constantly keep control of them. Despite their weaker nature and physical strength in comparison, captive-bred ones will not disobey orders even if their master isn't nearby."

The goblin's eyes gleamed. "You can summon Barghest?" he questioned eagerly.

"Yes." Harry replied simply.

Goldfarb leaned back in his chair and stroked his beard. "Very well," he began after a moment's contemplation. "If you're certain you can control them, I offer a trade. Four wild Barghest summoned by you to enrich our breeding stock in return for eight of ours."

"It's a deal."

-SCENE BREAK-

It was late evening the next day when Harry wandered into the Magical Menagerie in his guise of Aaron.

"Why, hello there," the witch behind the counter beamed at him. "Here for your Hogwart's pet? Bit early, aren't you? Didn't think letters had gone out yet."

"Hardly," he replied with a sneer, conviently displaying his fangs. The woman paled and went very still. "I'm currently in the market for rare, exotic and preferably very large serpents, at least one of the water variety."

"I- I-" the woman stuttered, backing subconsciously away as he approached the counter. "I don't think we keep snakes larger than twelve feet here." she explained hesitantly.

Harry almost laughed as he heard her inner mantra of 'Don't make the vampire mad. Don't get fired. Don't give him reason to kill you. Don't blow the possibly very lucrative deal. Don't get killed. Don't get fired.'

"However," she continued, "I can take a note of what you're looking for and have one of our foreign agents look into it. You would of course have to pay the agent's finder's fee and the transport cost which will increase as the size and danger of the snake involved does."

Harry had to admire the woman. She held up well under pressure. "That's fine. Just make a note of anything overly dangerous, venomous or likely to eat wizards. Any constrictors over twenty feet are good as well."

"Yes sir." she replied, dutifully writing down the details. "Should they be a certain temperment?"

"No. Anything will do. When you find something, send notice to the London Owl Post Office under the name Aaron Mordant. I'll pick it up there."

"Yes sir. Will that be all?"

"No. I think I'd like a cat as well." he answered with a wink. "Large and exotic, of course."

The woman looked horrified. "Surely you don't intend to keep these large snakes together with the cat!"

"No, no." he quickly assured her. "I don't intend for any of my animals to take up the habit of eating one other."

Looking mildly pacified, she motioned to a back room. "Most of the larger cats are back there. Call me when you've made your choice."

Harry chuckled as he made his way into the curtained off area.

Wizards tended to think only in spells and wards when they choose to protect their homes. Most invaders would be completely stunned to break into a wizards' house and come upon something so common as a guard dog. That was his reasoning in his current jaunt to Diagon Alley.

If someone tried to approach his home with less than honorable intentions, they would encounter the Barghest first and foremost...unless it was daytime. Barghest as guard dogs was a stroke of genius, in his opinion. However, they had a serious aversion to the light and vanished like spirits, back to their den, with the rising sun. Should the intruder make it past the wards, they would come upon several different scenerios depending on which direction they came from.

The front was the least protected. After all, he didn't want to discourage visitors completely. There only the wards protected him. Of course, they were particularly nasty wards in varying increments depending on how far the intruder managed to penetrate. They were also keyed to intent. A simple visitor from the village would have nothing to worry about. However, should someone approach with intent to harm, the wards would activate. Standard house wards for any wizard with just a bit more juice than normal.

Should they approach from the rear, they would encounter several very large and intimidating snakes, all with protective enchantments on them to guard against a magical attack. From the right side, they would happen upon the den of his as yet undecided large cat. The left side housed the Barghest kennel. Completely dark and sealed off, it would be suicide to interrupt the sleep of the goblin-dogs. Should they make it inside, well, let's just say that loyal house-elves don't appreciate uninvited guests intent on causing their master harm. A handful of them had dangled Rabastan from the ceiling for several hours after a misunderstanding, all the while beating him about the head with fresh fish they had grabbed from the kitchen.

Glancing over the room, he was surprised at the selection. All manner of felines, both magical and not, prowled their cages, eying him warily. A female lion in a magically enlarged enclosure growled at him menacingly as he stopped to study her. She was sleek and powerful, a truly wonderful specimen, but she, along with most of the others, seemed to consider him a more dangerous predator than they. They were wary, cornered animals not used to feeling like prey.

Continuing on, he came to a cage containing a rather relaxed looking white tiger nursing a litter of very odd cubs. Though they were white with the stature and general body type of a tiger, they were spotted black rather than stripped. Their eyes were an eerie reflective gold and atop their heads were tiny nubs where it appeared horns would be growing in.

"How curious." he wondered aloud.

He was quite surprised to hear an answering female voice reply, "Indeed."

His eyes darted around the room, looking for whoever had managed to sneak up on him, but found no one. The female tiger, however, was looking at him intently. He stared back. "Did you speak?" he asked, half convinced he was hearing things. Even with all the knowledge he possesed, he had never encountered anything like this.

"I did." the tiger replied calmly, still staring at him with crystalline blue eyes.

"Do you speak to people often?" he inquired, having a sudden flashback to the boa at the zoo.

"Occasionally." she replied. "Not since I came here. The large stupid man captured me, endangering my unborn children. The ninny who works here annoys me, so I don't speak to her either. No one has ventured back here looking for a pet since I arrived."

"I see." Harry said, blinking a few times in confusion. "May I ask what you are? Though you appear to be a tiger, you are obviously much more, as are your children."

"Yes," she replied again, stretching a large paw out in front of her lazily. "I am a nature spirit in possession of this body. My children are half breeds. Not quite spirits, but nor are they normal animals." Her whiskers twitched and she flicked an ear as she studied him carefully. "You are in search of guardian creatures." she stated bluntly and Harry nodded in affirmation. "I was once the protector of a great witch, loyal and kind yet powerful and hardworking. My children were born to be guardians of powerful beings, such as yourself. Though young, they will grow fast and strong. I can see into your heart, young one, and I deem you worthy. You may choose one or all to be your guardians, if you wish. Though, they will have to age a bit more before I allow you to take them."

"I am honored, great one," he replied humbly. "But I have no wish to seperate you from your children. I must confess, they are not exactly what I was looking for. I was searching for a guardian for my home, not myself and I need them to be able to protect it right away. I don't believe I have the space they would require either."

She seemed to turn her nose up at his words and replied haughtily, "Regardless, I have chosen you. Go and tell the vapid woman that you're taking us all, now."

Harry goggled at her in disbelief. "All? But- I just told you-"

The tigress seemed to soften a bit and there was a hint of amusement in her next words. "This is an opportunity you cannot afford to pass up, young wizard. You have been chosen for great things. Prophecys have been made about you. People will worship at your feet. You are destined for great things. I can see it, hanging about you like a mantle, draping your frame in power and knowledge."

"You can?" Harry whispered, somehow awed by this intriguing creature.

"Yes." she replied. "That is one of the many gifts I possess. I see no details, only that you are important. Not since the breaking of your predecessors have I seen one like you."

"Breaking? Predecessors?"

"The four who were to lead the magical world. My mistress and her friends were chosen to bring peace and stability to the magical world, but as their friendship fell apart, so did their fates. Now, what was once their's has reawakened in you, their decendant."

"You mean the Founders?" he questioned eagerly. "You were the guardian of one of the Founders?"

"Indeed." she replied simply.

As he went to question her further, the curtain to the room was pulled aside causing the other cats to hiss in discontent.

"Found anything?" the clerk asked, sticking her head in. Seeing him before the tiger's cage, she smiled. "Ah, pretty, isn't she? She has an even temperment too. Gentle, unless you try to take one of the kittens. I'd say they need another month or so before they're ready to be weaned, so if you want one, you'll have to wait a bit."

Harry shook his head. "I'm taking them all, now."

-SCENE BREAK-

He supposed they made quite the strange sight as they made their way down Diagon Alley, heading for the floo at the Leaky Cauldron. Just the large white tiger walking calmly by his side was enough to send people scrambling back out of his way. In his arms, he carried a covered box with warming charms placed on it holding six oddly marked kittens snoozing away. The three foot snake coiled tightly around his neck, darting in and out of his long red hair, constantly tasting the air and seeming to look everywhere at once with avid enthusiasm completed the oddity.

He had been unable to resist Penelope, or Nellie as she had insisted.

Just as he was making his way out of the store, a hissing voice grabbed his attention. Or begged and pleaded for it, more precisely.

'Hey! Over here! Look at me! Pick me! I'm over here! Look at me! Look! Look! Pick me! Me! Me!'

Harry glanced around in confusion before his eyes landed on a tank that held a single snake. It seemed almost as if it were...bouncing. It was raising it's front body up a couple inches and letting it fall back in rapid succession, almost flinging itself against the glass in uncontainable glee when Harry noticed it and walked over.

'Yes!' it cried happily. 'Over here! Me! Pick me! Take me! Get me out! Pet me! You know you want me! Look! I'm a pretty snake!' It then did the strangest thing he had ever seen a snake do. It rolled along the bottom of the tank as if it were having a seizure, writhing back and forth and whiping it's body around so much it knocked over the fake tree and collapsed a wooden enclosure. 'See! I'm so pretty and wonderful! Take me home with you!'

It was then he realized that, in some odd way, it was trying to show off. It's unmarked greenish-blue scales did shimmer nicely in the light.

"Ah, you don't want that one." the store clerk insisted, noticing his attention and shaking her head sadly. "Touched in the head, it is." Harry couldn't contain his laughter as she explained in more detail. "We've had a few wanting her. She's a Blue Racer from North America. Non-venomous and small enough to be a good child's snake. However, everytime anyone shows any interest in her, she starts acting like that. Most think she's got some strange sickness and will soon be dying a horrible death. The one person who didn't seem put off by it refused to buy her after they took her out and she attacked their four year old. She made a beeline for the child and wrapped herself around the poor girl's head. Took three people to pull her off. That snake's absolutely mad."

Said snake had stopped it's performance and was laying upside down half across the fake tree with it's forked tongue poking out and watching him intently. Unless one looked closely, she seemed to be dead.

Harry chuckled. "I could do with some entertainment." he remarked. "I'll take her."

As if understanding his words, the snake flipped over and began it's odd bouncing again, butting it's head against the glass, demanding to be let out.

She wasn't exactly crazy. She was just a little...enthusiastic.

The moment he reached in to pick her up, she slithered up his arm to his neck and wrapped tightly around it, letting out the snake equivelent of a happy whoop. He felt his airway constrict and let out a choaked hiss of, 'Let go, you idiot! I can't breathe!'

Thankfully, this seemed to shock her enough to get her to let go and he carefully unwound her from his neck. She immediately began bouncing again.

'Puppy's a snake boy!' she hissed happily. 'The Fox will be so jealous his Nellie got a snake boy as her puppy!'

'Fox? Puppy?' Harry wondered, deciding that maybe she really wasn't all there.

As they entered the Leaky Cauldron and total silence decended, his belief that the store clerk had been right was reinforced. He had to quickly shift the box with the kittens to his right hand in order to snatch Nellie out of mid air as she leapt with an angry hiss at a patron who was eating boiled sea serpent.

"Sorry." he muttered in apology to the startled woman. "She's not right in the head."

-SCENE BREAK-

It was now less than a week until Harry Potter's birthday and the Order was no closer to their goal of getting him back under their control.

Dumbledore was furious. He'd sent Arabella Figg to Petunia Dursley's in the sensible belief that Harry was living with her, only to find that the boy was instead living alone in one of the Potter mansions! Petunia seemed wholly unconcerned. Mrs. Dursley was obviously an unfit guardian for the boy.

Since then, he had sent several people to the mansion with express orders to bring the boy to Hogwarts, willing or not. Not one had succeeded.

That was why every available member was currently congregated in his office. They had to find some way to reach him, for his own safety of course.

Elphias Doge sat in a corner, his white hair still standing on end from his encounter with the proximity wards at Leonis House. He was looking slightly nervous and no one could blame him. Being randomly electrocuted was sure to put anyone off their game. Of course, it could have been the fact that he had been carried, smoking and twitching, off the property and down to Aurum's resident Healer in the teeth of a Grim. The poor man was convinced he was going to die any day now.

Three more, who were also certain of their early demises, were sitting with the doomed man. They had been sent the night after Doge had returned and were promptly chased away by two of the largest, most vicious, most absolutely terrifying dogs the wizarding world had to offer. They had reported to Dumbledore, shaking and crying, of the Barghest that seemed to protect the village.

Emmeline Vance led the next team, this time entering from the back during the day. They had crept silently through the trees and had the house in sight, certain that they would succeed, when they came upon a lake. As they started to skirt around it, a large creature rose up from the water, towing over them impressively and blocking out the sun. Water cascaded off the serpentine body of the biggest snake they had ever seen. The monster pinned them with yellow eyes and hissed threateningly before lunging forward in attack. All five had disapparated immediately, their screams of terror echoing behind them.

They were running low on people willing to make a try at the boy. Not even the Aurors were unaffected by the stories brought back by the others.

"What we need," Dumbledore began, looking over those assembled, "is someone who is both intelligent and powerful, stealthy yet brave. Someone who can get past the wards, doesn't believe in possible omens of death and has no fear of snakes, no matter how large." His eyes landed on the figure leaning against the back wall, arms crossed and cloaked in shadows. "Someone with...unique ablities."

"No." Severus said simply, pinning the headmaster with his dark gaze.

Everyone turned to look at him curiously.

"Now, Severus-"

"No." he insisted. "Wards, Grim, Barghest, giant snakes... Call the boy protected and move on. I'm not going off on some fool's mission."

"Severus, we must-"

"Leave the boy alone." he said, glaring at the vaunted leader of the Light. Pushing off from the wall, his arms fell to his sides in a deceptively relaxed position. He strode forward, now holding everyone's rapt attention.

It was rare that Severus Snape spoke during meetings, except to give his report. No one truly trusted him. He was Dark and a Death Eater. Most believed that he was lieing about not being summoned by the Dark Lord and was actually a spy against them. That, however, didn't stop them from respecting his power, nor his intelligence. They may not like him, but they listened when he spoke.

"If the boy wants to play lord, let him." he continued, not taking his eyes off the headmaster. "He'll learn soon enough that no mere child can stand against the Dark Lord. If he survives, he'll come crawling back on hands and knees, begging you to protect him. Until then, leave him alone." When Dumbledore started to protest, he snapped, "If you want him here so badly, send an owl. Request a meeting. Stop sneaking around his home in the dead of night trying to kidnap the boy like some common muggle criminal!"

Dumbledore paused. "Why didn't I think of that?" he wondered aloud, considering the possibility that the boy would agree should he simply ask to meet with him.

Severus threw up his hands in a rare display of aggravation. "Idiot," he hissed disdainfully, turning on his heel and storming out of the room.

-SCENE BREAK-

It was now the day before the planned party. Harry had sat Petunia down one evening and carefully explained to her that his godfather was innocent. He had then introduced the modest squib to the escaped convict. In a shocking turn of events, they had gotten on quite famously. Sirius said she was a bit stuck up, but no more so than most of his family and he'd dealt with them until he was sixteen. Petunia was thoroughly enamoured of the dashing rogue, Sirius Black. Harry was convinced they only got on so well because Petunia listened with rapt attention to all of Sirius' stories and laughed at all of his jokes. He guessed the story of how the Marauders, with him in the staring role of course, had magi-glued all the Slytherins to their seats during the welcoming feast was funny, the first twenty times you heard it. He had stopped laughing somewhere around the second week of his return. Remus claimed he stopped laughing ten years ago. Poor Petunia seemed to deflate a little after she had seen a rather chaste kiss between the two men, but still tended to hang off his every word.

He had planned to tell her his story of unexplainedly having the memories of a First One and pretending to be Voldemort, but she had refused to listen. She still wanted little to nothing to do with the magical world and said it was his business and she didn't need to know. All she wanted to know was that he was safe and happy.

After visiting with Healer Alston, Petunia had confirmed that Dudley was suffering from a rare magical illness usually seen in muggleborns. It seemed that he was not exactly muggle. Had it been caught earlier, the boy may very well have ended up attending Hogwarts. He had been born a wizard, but being raised to hate magic had put a subconscious block on his magic. Part of the problem was his diet, but the other part was that, without the outlet most magical children had with accidental magic, it was actually building up within him and adding to his already heavy body. He was currently taking potions daily to cleanse the excess magic from his system and was dropping pounds rapidly. However, with the potions washing the magic out of him, there was a good chance the boy would end up a squib like his mother. It was doubtful that, even if he retained some of his magic, he would ever be a fully trained wizard.

Dudley had pouted for nearly a week after finding out he had the potential to do magic all along and was now being turned into a squib to save his life. Petunia was still kicking herself for letting Vernon force that fate onto her son. All she had ever wanted was to do magic like the rest of her family.

Harry sighed and picked up the third letter he'd recieved in two days, all from the same person.

Dumbledore wanted Harry at Hogwarts. The first letter had been very grandfatherly, explaining that he only had Harry's best interests at heart and would like to meet with him...at Howarts. Like a good little boy, Harry had replied that his aunt had warned him not to talk to strangers. Dumbledore wrote back right away, criticizing Petunia, saying she was an unfit guardian, that he was a good friend of Harry's parents and his aunt didn't know what she was talking about. Harry replied that if Dumbledore continued to harass him, he was supposed to report him to the Ministry. His latest reply had reverted to the kind hearted grandfather figure, still insisting that he meet with Harry, though he was willing to come to his home personally if only he would lower his wards.

Dipping his quill into ink, he started his reply.

-SCENE BREAK-

Albus Dumbledore was furious. The latest letter from young Harry Potter had arrived and it was even more painful to read than the others.

"Dear Professor Dumbledore,

"I think you're trying to kidnap me. I don't know why the headmaster of a school is so interested in me, more so than the rest of the wizarding world, anyway. You say you were my parent's friend, but my aunt says not to trust you. My godfather was one of their best friends and he says I shouldn't either. He says you're a bad man and would try to take me away from him. I believe him, so I have to ask you to please leave me alone now. I'm not going to your school when I turn eleven anyway. Aunt Petunia says I'm going to Durmstrang or I'm going to be home schooled since I already have a good tutor. I know I'm just a kid, but I'm also smart. I'm not lowering my house wards and I'm not going anywhere with you. Uncle Remus wants to say something now, so I'll give him the quill.

"Professor, I tried to reason with you once and discovered that you prefer your own version of the truth and will do anything to make it a reality, no matter the cost. I cannot forgive you for the suffering you have inflicted upon Sirius, Harry, myself and countless others. I'll say this once and only once. Stay away from my godson. You've done more than enough. If you ever try to take him away from me again, I promise that you will feel the full fury of the werewolves. Harry is pack and we look after our own.

"-Remus Lupin, Tutor of Leonis House, Alpha of the Lupin Pack
"-Harry James Potter, Lord of Leonis House, Lord Potter, Heir to the House of Black, Lord Gryffindor, Prince Ravenclaw, Heir of Slytherin, Scion of the Lupin Pack"

Albus Dumbledore did not whimper. Not a bit. Well, maybe a little, because the only response he could drag up was a pathetic imitation of a growl which ended up sounding far too much like that hated whimper for his liking.

He was certain that all the titles added onto Harry's name, which had not been present on the other letters, were added by the werewolf for effect. It was his way of saying that the boy held great power that had nothing to do with his magical strength nor his reputation as the Boy-Who-Lived. If Dumbledore were to go against Harry, even with him being only a child, most of wizarding society would support the young Potter heir. One of those titles alone was enough to ensure he was well respected by the more affluent of purebloods; that is, those who held the reins of power in the government.

The Family Head of an ancient, noble house like the Potters was highly respected, even by those of differing views. Add on to that, the title of Lord came with several other titles and positions of power, including a seat in the Wizengamot and a say in all Ministry affairs.

The line of Godric Gryffindor had no minimum age restriction for claiming the title of Lord, whereas Ravenclaw and Slytherin did. However, the fact that he had the title of Prince Ravenclaw indicated that he was the only surviving relation capable of claiming the title and his claim could not be usurped. The fact that he held the title of Heir of Slytherin indicated that at least one other of Slytherin blood remained, but he was presently the heir apparant and it would take a coup of sorts to wrest the title from him. By the age of thirteen, he would have risen to the position of Prince Slytherin, as per the age restrictions. At fifteen he would gain the title of Lord Ravenclaw, followed the next year by Slytherin.

Since Sirius Black, the present Head of the Black family, had no children, Harry, as his godson, was his legal heir. At the age of fourteen, should Sirius still be imprisioned or on the run, Harry would be able to claim his title for himself.

The title of Scion of a werewolf pack was given to the child, whether werewolf or not, of the pack leader. Should the Alpha be killed, it would be the Scion's job to take over until a new Alpha could be found. Usually, if the child was indeed a werewolf, they would take the title themselves. As Remus was Sirius' bonded mate, a fact that had not been made public, Remus was legally also the boy's godfather. To the werewolves, that was as good as blood.

The fact that Remus Lupin had found Harry Potter was cause for great concern. He had obviously taken over in Black's stead as the boy's primary caregiver and Albus could only hope the boy was still human. It wasn't unheard of for a werewolf to turn whatever human children they had and he wouldn't put it past Lupin to not register the boy with the Ministry if he had.

-SCENE BREAK-

It was noon on the thirty-first and Sirius Black had just rolled out of bed. The three residents of Leonis House had stayed up until dawn the previous morning to celebrate Harry's birthday. He would have spent the entire day in bed, wrapped around his lover and catching up on his beauty sleep, but Harry expected him to help with the last minute preparations for the party. Not to mention his lover had vacated the bed three hours ago.

Crawling out of the warm cocoon he'd made of the blankets, he grabbed a change of clothes and headed for the bathroom. He spent ten minutes just standing under the hot spray, trying to wake up enough to function. When he finally made it downstairs, he found himself alone in the dining room. When asked, the house-elf who brought him his lunch informed him that Remus was out and Harry was napping.

Finishing his lunch, he wandered into the ballroom to see what was left for him to do. A note was pinned to the door, written in Harry's hand, explaining that Remus was out buying brooms for the party, he was sleeping so as to be well rested and that he, Sirius, was to put the fairies out and start setting up the spells.

"Oooohhh, fairies!" Sirius grinned and almost skipped into the room. After levitating the fairies into the best positions around the large room, he began casting the secrecy spells along with a few more Marauder worthy ones that he was sure Harry, being the son of a Marauder, wouldn't mind. Harry had decided to forego the nonaggression spells seeing as most of the guests would be Death Eaters, Dark witches and wizards, those who were neutral and their children. Quite frankly, he was afraid it was going to devolve into a Death Eater meeting toward the end.

Sirius had already spoken with Lucius Malfoy, as the man was around quite often, but this was the first time he would be seen by the others. According to Harry, they thought Sirius to be the Dark Lord's right hand man, which would give him special privileges. He was to act completely normal, except for the fact that, when only around other Death Eaters, he was to call Harry "my lord." Sounded entirely reasonable to him.

The man working the counter at Quality Quidditch Supplies in Diagon Alley was facing a dilemma. He had a policy of not selling to werewolves. However, standing before him was one of the most dangerous, most powerful and most influential werewolves in the world, who was also rumored to be a Death Eater, and he was asking to buy twenty of his newest brooms. He would have to be a fool to turn him down, werewolf or not.

As he rang up and shrunk the man's purchases, he wondered exactly what need he would have for so many fine brooms.

"Alright, let them go!" Harry instructed, checking the main tether one last time.

Remus released the brooms and they all hovered just off the ground, tied down by thin ropes acting as a leash.

Harry had several games in mind for his younger guests and after all, who didn't like a little Quidditch?