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Chapter Text

“Are you sure I can't convince you to stay another year, Professor Scamander?” Dumbledore smiled sadly over his desk. It was just after the end of year feast, the sky still holding a bit of the June sunlight. Its pale beam through the window cast a strange light over the various glass trinkets littering the Headmaster's desk. Xanthus Scamander stared at these, rather than looking up.

“I really am sorry, Headmaster,” Xanthus ducked his head further, letting his hair fall in front of his eyes.

“Alas,” the old man said, leaning back into his chair, one hand stroking absently at his beard. “The students really love you, you're the best defense professor we've had in years.”

“I've tried,” he said, though he winced at the words. He knew he was abandoning the students to mediocrity. Many of the older students still vividly remembered the British civil war. They were eager to learn to defend themselves and let down at every turn. Xanthus knew he was letting them down now, but that's just what he generally did, wasn't it.

“Yes well, I understand you have a life in -” a large barn owl came swooping in front of the Headmaster’s face, dropping a letter into his lap. “America.” He finished, as he picked up the letter.

Xanthus waited patiently for the Headmaster to read it. Dumbledore let out a long sigh when he was done, folding the letter tiredly and standing to his feet.

“Unfortunately, our meeting has been cut short,” He came around to clasp Xanthus’ shoulder genially. “I am, apparently, desperately needed at the Ministry.”

“I understand, and I really am sorr-” at that moment one of the many glass artifacts strewn about Dumbledore's desk started rocking about, flashing random colors and chirping loudly, like a bird. Xanthus looked perplexed at the little object as it rocked its way towards them.

Dumbledore, for his part, let out another sigh, looking at the letter in his hand as if it had just said something horribly offensive to him.

“Professor Scamander, I'm sorry to ask, but could I perhaps get you to do a task for me, I appear to be needed in two places at once.”

“Um, sure,” Xanthus replied, well aware of how thin the British Ministry stretched the Headmaster after his year of teaching here.

“Thank you,” The Headmaster smiled broadly at him, though it still looked a bit sad. “There is a young boy living with his muggle relatives who's care falls directly into my responsibility. It isn't safe for just anyone at the ministry to know his location, so I've been charged personally with handling any incidents of underaged magic.”

“It isn't safe, sir?”

“Harry Potter,” the Headmaster said simply.

Xanthus looked at him in confusion for a bit, feeling like he had heard the name.

“The boy who lived,” Dumbledore supplied, looking faintly amused at Xanthus’ confusion. When Xanthus still couldn't place the name, Dumbledore actually laughed aloud. “Sometimes we forget that what feels like our whole world doesn't even stretch past our little island. The boy who defeated Lord Voldemort, as a baby.”

“Oh! Yes, now I remember the name,” Xanthus said, finally putting it together. “I was wondering why the ministry wouldn't know his location. Are there still people after him?”

“I'm afraid so,” Dumbledore sighed.

“Surely he didn't actually defeat the man though? It must have been something his parents had done?” Xanthus asked, bewildered that anyone would put so much on an infant.

“Is that generally the American sentiment?” Dumbledore arched a brow at him, smirking at something he'd said.

“Um, yeah, I suppose,” Xanthus rubbed his neck awkwardly, he suddenly felt he was speaking of something Dumbledore had a much more thorough understanding of. Which was most things, really.

“Well, I haven't the time to speak on it more as I've already delayed too long. I shall simply say that magic works in mysterious ways, if it didn't, it would be called science,” The Headmaster winked at him. He summoned a parchment and quill to him, scribbling down a missive which he handed to Xanthus. “Head to that address, there are strong blood wards around the house so be careful what magic you cast. You shouldn't need to obliviate his relatives, but it would be good to check he was at home for his bout and hasn't done anything that needs a magic reversal.”

“Of course sir,” Xanthus replied, taking the paper. “He'll be five?”

“Six,” Dumbledore replied, now fastening his traveling cloak about his shoulders. “He was about a year and a half old, not newborn, but good guess. You can floo from my office here. Head to Arabella Figg’s place, she's a squib that lives nearby. Thank you again for this Professor Scamander.”

Xanthus watched as Dumbledore held his hand out to his phoenix, which gave a shrill cry before the bird and Headmaster both burst into flames and vanished from sight.

4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey

Well Xanthus had no idea where Surrey was, but luckily he didn't need to. He grabbed a bit of floo powder and threw it into Dumbledore's hearth, which burst into green flames.

“Arabella Figg's,” He said and stepped through and then promptly jumped back at a loud yowling and hissing sound. He had trodd on the tail of a large gray cat laying in front of the other end of the fire. An older woman came toddering into view, frying pan raised threateningly.

“Sorry ma'am!” He raised his hands to show he wasn't holding his wand. “Dumbledore sent me.”

She huffed and lowered her pan, instead placing both hands on her hips.

“He did, did he? Well figures, no matter how many times I tell him he needs to check on the boy himself, always sending his lackeys, never actually coming.”

“Well he is, uh, quite busy,”

“Yes, yes, much too busy for the children under his care,” she grumbled.

Xanthus ducked his head, letting his hair fall in front of his face again. Though aimed at Dumbledore, he felt the jab doubly so himself.

“Well, he lives across the street, there,” the woman pointed through her lacy curtains at the well manicured lawn across the street. A white picket fence lined the walkway and a nice car parked in the drive. It looked incredibly no-maj. Xanthus cringed inwardly, he didn't have much experience with these types of no-maj.

“Thank you,” He said, as she shuffled him to the door.

“You'll be able to apparate back to Hogsmeade.” It wasn't a question.

He suddenly found himself on the street, the door closing behind him; the woman still muttering about Dumbledore's neglect.

He took in a deep breath then walked awkwardly across the street and rapped lightly on the door.

It was flung open by a thin, horse faced woman with a pinched expression. Her expression soured to outright horror as she racked her eyes over his thick teaching robes. He rubbed his head, realizing he should have perhaps found some no-maj clothes.

“It's been dealt with,” she said sourly, immediately trying to close the door in his face. He stopped it reflexively, making her expression turn, impossibly, even worse.

“Um, I've been asked to check-”

“Yes -- on my nephew. He did - something - it's been dealt with. Now leave,” she spat.

“Petunia, dear? Who's at the door,” a loud voice rang from inside.

“No one!” She yelled back, before turning to face Xanthus again trying to close the door.

“I must insist -”

“You must do no such thing,” she said. “I agreed to take in the boy but only if we were left alone by your… kind. No one else saw anything, thank goodness, so there is nothing for you to do. Now. Get. Out.”

She successfully slammed the door in his face, leaving him bewildered on the doorstep. He wasn't sure if he should go or not. It felt wrong to return to Dumbledore without even having checked on the child himself. He pulled out his wand and did a cursory scan of the wards. They were thick, Dumbledore wasn't kidding. He couldn't disillusion himself, it would trigger as a threat. It didn't block an animagus transformation, but the no-maj certainly weren't going to let his animal into the house.

He noticed that they had left the window next to the door open though. He twisted his hands in his robes awkwardly, before walking away. He found a house with a large hedge a street down and ducked into it, preparing to apparate. He'd just tell Dumbledore that the magic hadn't needed any cleaning. It was likely just making a toy float. His own son… well at least last he saw him, was obsessed with making anything and everything float.

Something stopped him as he turned to apparate though. He just… well maybe it was his morbid thoughts of letting everyone down today or maybe it was the old woman's jab. Something told him that, for once, he shouldn't run away.

He dithered longer in the bush. A car door slamming nearby made him jump into action. He transformed; shrinking down, his arms and legs pulling in, his skin and robes bursting into short gray fur. A wiry hairless tail stretching outwards. Where there was a man a moment ago, now an opossum hid under the hedge. He waited longer under the bush, waiting for the last of the sun to set. He wasn't honestly sure if he was actually waiting for dark or just dithering longer, but eventually, when he had no more excuses, he crawled back to number 4 privet drive.

The downstairs window was closed when he got back, but one of the upstairs windows was open. So he climbed up the gutter and jumped roughly to the sill. Peering inside he found a room full of toys. It seemed like a playroom, and had building blocks and army men strewn about the floor. He pushed through the screen on the window and jumped to the floor. He landed lightly and sniffed about. The room didn't smell very used, but he got the vague scent of sugar, grease and human boy. He followed the smell through the open door into the hall. Stairs climbed down in front of him and the hall extended to his left. He could hear voices at the end of the hall, so he crept that way.

He passed two more rooms. One was clearly the master bedroom, a large man with a thick mustache lay sprawled on the bed, watching one of those no-maj light and sound boxes. The room across from this was clearly a guest room. It smelled of cleaning supplies and not people and it had that colorless impersonal edge that guest rooms have. At the end of the hall though, Xanthus peered in to find a lively little boy’s bedroom. The woman from earlier, Petunia, was sitting on the bed telling a boy there a story. Toys were strewn about the floor here also, and stuffed animals crammed around the bed.

The boy was periodically interjecting about his mom telling the story wrong, to which she laughed and corrected herself. Slowly she started from a standard fairy tale but as the boy added airplanes and guns, it morphed into a story of their own creation. He seemed lively and animated and it made Xanthus’ heart ache. Rolf was about this age, but he hadn't seen his son in almost a year. Not since coming to teach at Hogwarts. He considered sneaking away now as he had certainly checked on the boy, but stopped short when the kid interrupted the story again.

“Mom! You forgot the Tank, remember the Prince was traveling in a Tank!” He said animatedly.

“Oh, of course Dudley, how could I forget?” She laughed despite there having been no Tank previously in this tale.

Then Xanthus realized. Mom? Had she fully adopted him? That would be nice but what about Dudley? She kept calling him Dudley or Dudders or Duddykins and wasn't that an odd nickname for Harry? Was this Harry?

Suddenly Xanthus felt the need to search the rest of the house. He crept back to the stairs and crawled quietly down them. The walls were lined with pictures of the same blond boy as he grew. There wasn't another boy in the pictures, so surely this was Harry. Except that picture was definitely Petunia holding the baby at the hospital, newly born. As he got to the bottom of the stairs he was hit by the acrid scent of urine. Animals recognized it better than most other smells.

It seemed to be coming from the cupboard under the stairs. Crawling up to the door, he could hear sniffling behind it. A dog? Or puppy perhaps, untrained?

No.

That hiccup was distinctly human. A young human. He sniffed under the door and got a strong smell of urine and human child.

A door upstairs shut, making him jump in the air in surprise. He rushed to hide under the couch, waiting for the woman to come check on this child. Maybe he was hiding, she'd find him for bed. Was there a bedroom down here?

There was some chatter upstairs as the man discussed the news, before a door closed and muffled the sound. The woman wasn't coming down. Xanthus waited.

He waited some more.

Wasn't she coming?

Eventually the sound of snoring could be heard from upstairs as the man had fallen asleep. Still he waited, but all the while the sniffling and shuffling in the cupboard went on.

Finally he gave in. Exploring the downstairs he realized there wasn't another bedroom. He came back to the cupboard. He should be able to transform back into a human so long as he didn't intend to harm any of the residents here. Which he didn't, so he silently shifted back.

“Harry?” He asked stupidly at the door, which he noted was locked from the outside. The sniffling abruptly stopped.

“Who…?” The boy whispered then cut himself off, clapping his hands to his mouth by the sound of it.

Xanthus unlocked the cupboard door and opened it cautiously. The inside was dark but from the street light outside, he could see a small boy tucked onto a thin cot. There appeared to be crayon drawings on the wall, although he couldn't make them out.

The boy stared up at him with startled green eyes and Xanthus knew instantly this was Harry Potter. He remembered that the boy was supposed to have a scar, and there on his forehead was a peculiar scar. He also knew it was Harry because the broken crayons and other little items around the cupboard had shuddered with magic when he had surprised the boy by opening the door.

“You're Harry, right?” Xanthus asked the boy. He whispered quietly as to not wake the no-maj, but tried to sound kind.

The boy nodded, still staring wide eyed up at him.

“What are you doing in here, Harry?” He asked.

The boy shrugged and then winced. Xanthus noticed Harry was holding his left arm rather delicately. Xanthus pulled out his wand, which the boy looked at curiously. He muttered a diagnostic and found the shoulder dislocated. Well, that was a problem. Fixing dislocations hurt, even with magic.

“Your shoulder hurts, huh?” He asked.

Harry nodded, looking away, shame faced.

“Don't worry, I'll go get your aunt and -” suddenly the boy leapt forward, grabbing Xanthus' robes with his good hand. He shook his head “no” vigorously over and over.

“You don't want me to get your aunt or uncle?”

“Please,” the boy whimpered, “please don't.”

Xanthus frowned.

“Where is your bedroom?” Xanthus asked, a sinking feeling of dread filling his stomach. The boy pointed back into the cupboard behind him.

Xanthus closed his eyes, stomach twisting.

This was bad.

This was very bad.

He was not prepared for this.

What the hell was he supposed to do about this?

Why hasn't anyone done anything? Did Dumbledore know? Has no one checked on him?

Suddenly the old woman's mutterings felt a lot more meaningful.

When he opened his eyes the boy was still looking at him.

“I won't get your aunt or uncle,” he whispered. The fear leaked out of Harry immediately, his eyes returning from terrified to curious once more.

“You peed because you were locked in, huh?” Harry looked away in shame. With a thought Xanthus waved his wand to clean the cot and boy. The smell of urine vanished instantly. Although a vague musk of it still wafted from the cupboard, which meant this wasn't the first time this had happened.

The boy looked around in amazement, lifting his blanket with his good arm to inspect it.

“How'd you do that?” The boy whispered excitedly.

“Magic,” Xanthus smiled. This did not have the effect he was expecting. The boy recoiled as if hit, going wide eyed and terrified again.

Oh no. No no no. Nope. No.

There was nothing worse than suppressing a young witch or wizard's magic. His father told him enough stories about Obscuras to know that any child that reacted like that could not be left.

“There is nothing bad about magic, Harry,” Xanthus whispered softly. “You did magic today, didn't you?”

The boy, for his part, didn't lie. He nodded shakily but he looked as if he might cry.

“What magic did you do?”

“Theft,” Harry looked down.

“Theft?”

“Stole food.”

“When was the last time you ate?”

“I had school lunch yesterday,” Harry said simply.

Chapter Text

Xanthus Scamander’s life was defined mostly by a series of bad decisions and then running away from the consequences.

Tonight's bad decision was kidnapping the savior of the British Magical Community. It was pretty high up there. He wasn't sure how he'd run away from the consequences yet, but he was sure he'd manage it. Facing the consequences would have solved almost as many problems as not making the bad decisions in the first place… but Xanthus knew better than to assume he'd start now.

The thick blood wards around Harry wouldn't allow him to simply pick up the boy and leave. Harry had to leave of his own volition. It was eerily easy to convince the child to leave with him. He hated to think of how easily the boy would have gone home with someone dangerous. Perhaps someone dangerous wouldn't have been able to approach, he'd never felt personal wards as strong as these. They were personal wards; the thick air of blood wards lingered on the boy even as they walked down the road away from 4 Privet Drive.

Xanthus found a secluded location, ducking between someone's tree and hedge, then bent down to talk to Harry again.

“I am going to apparate us to where I'm staying, it might feel pretty uncomfortable, like you're being squeezed really tightly, but it will only last a second,” He said.

“Okay,” Harry said shyly.

Xanthus offered his offhand to the boy, who took it.

“On the count of three,” Xanthus said. “Three… Two… One…”

He apparted them to Hogsmeade. Harry took in a deep breath and then coughed next to him. Xanthus bent down again to rub his back. Harry was so small. He seemed smaller than Rolf and last Xanthus had seen his son, he'd been a year younger than Harry.

“Did we… teleport?” Harry looked around at their surroundings, his face flushed in awe. Then, all of a sudden, he winced and ducked his head. Scared.

“Yeah, pretty amazing right?” Xanthus said, trying to sound a bit excited. Trying to coax back the awe. Harry's fear of magic scared Xanthus. He needed to make magic seem exciting.

Harry smiled shyly back up at him, it looked like Harry was searching his face for something. Xanthus smiled kindly.

“Do you wanna see something cool?” Xanthus asked.

Harry nodded.

Xanthus cast a feather light charm on Harry, then picked him up in the air and dropped him. Letting Harry float softly to the ground. He did it again. On the third time Harry actually giggled and some of the tight anxiety twisting Xanthus' gut loosened at the sound.

Harry started jumping on his own, awed by how high he jumped and how slowly he fell. Xanthus led them up towards Hogwarts.

“I'm an astronaut,” Harry said, jumping next to him and giggling softly. Xanthus had no idea what that meant, but smiled anyway.

They were approaching the iron Hogwarts gates when Harry cried out. He had tipped a bit forward and reached out with both arms to catch himself. Although he landed lightly, he must have jarred his hurt shoulder.

Xanthus cursed silently to himself. He'd almost forgotten about the shoulder. Harry didn't complain about it at all. He hadn't wanted to fix it right away and associate Harry's first magic with apparition squeezing and pain.

He stopped, helping Harry up.

“I can fix your shoulder,” he said gently, “but it will hurt for a second. Is that okay?”

“With magic?” Harry asked shyly, holding his shoulder with his other arm.

“With magic.” Xanthus nodded.

“Okay,” Harry said and then scrunched up his face hard in preparation for pain. Xanthus cast the healing charm quickly, there was a small pop, and Harry's shoulder was back in place. Amazingly, Harry didn't even whimper.

Instead the young boy raised his previously hurt arm in wonder, then moved it around in circles.

“It doesn't hurt at all!” He said, his eyes again wide in awe. Xanthus let out a breath of relief.

“Magic is pretty cool, huh?” He asked.

Harry nodded vigorously.

Xanthus led them through the wrought iron Hogwarts gate as Harry moved his arm around more and more vigorously. Xanthus had an idea as they reached a patch of open lawn. He used to do it for Rolf.

“Harry, give me your hands,” he said, smiling and offering out both his hands. Harry hesitated slightly before putting one hand in each of his. Xanthus picked the boy up by his arms, which was easy with the feather light charm still in place, and then began to spin.

Soon Harry was spinning out around Xanthus, his feet flying in the air around him. Both Xanthus and Harry were laughing as they spun, until Xanthus finally tripped and flopped to the ground. Harry floated slowly down next to him, giggling madly.

More of Xanthus' Obscuras fear leaked out of him as he laughed next to the boy. Eventually they both got to their feet and made their way to the castle. Xanthus debated on taking Harry straight to Dumbledore or not. Harry needed food, but the elves could bring something to the Headmaster's office. So, dread filling him again as he prepared his speech to defend having kidnapped the most famous child in Britain, he led them to Dumbledore's office.

Unfortunately or fortunately, Xanthus was really not sure which, Dumbledore was still gone at the ministry. So instead he led Harry back to his personal quarters.

Harry, for his part, wandered around with a look of absolute wonder. His head on a swivel, trying to take in everything. The moving paintings dozing on the wall, the gargoyles in front of Dumbledore's office. The floating torches and candles. He didn't even jump when a suit of armor shifted to scratch an itch, instead just watching in amazement and then peering into the gaps to verify that there wasn't a person in the armor.

Sitting the boy down at his coffee table, he called for a school elf to have some soup delivered. He figured it would be easiest to digest. Harry thanked the elf shyly for the soup, which made the elf bow very low before popping away.

Xanthus had to tell the boy three times that it was okay to eat before he did, but once Harry started Xanthus had to slow him down so he wouldn't choke.

He was going to usher Harry next into the bath, but Harry fell asleep at the coffee table. So instead he transfigured his couch into a bed and carried Harry over to it.

Xanthus had trouble sleeping that night. He kept listening for sounds coming from the next room. Harry slept silently and through the night. When the first early morning sun started to peek through his window, Xanthus felt like he hadn't slept at all. He got up and finally gave into the urge to check on Harry, who was still sound asleep. They had stayed up quite late last night for a six year old, and coming to Hogwarts was definitely an adventure for him.

He dithered for a bit next to Harry, unsure what to do now. The students would be leaving for the Hogwarts Express today and he had an international portkey to catch mid morning after the train left. He needed to speak to Dumbledore soon. Before breakfast preferably.

Finally he decided to just run to Dumbledore's office while Harry was asleep. He jogged there in his haste and was relieved when the golem let him inside.

Dumbledore, it seemed, had just arrived back from the ministry. Xanthus walked in just as Dumbledore was taking off his traveling cloak and he looked like he hadn't slept all night. Despite this he smiled as Xanthus rushed in.

“Trouble Scamander?”

“Um, yes,” Xanthus says lamely. Dumbledore cocked an eyebrow at him so he continued. “Well… you see… It's about Harry.”

“Harry, was there trouble cleaning up?” Dumbledore asked, sitting at his desk. Xanthus awkwardly sat on the edge of the chair on the other side.

“No, but… well it's the no-maj… um, muggles I mean, that he lives with,” Xanthus tried. “Well, to be honest Headmaster, they are going to turn the boy into an Obscuras.”

Dumbledore looked startled.

“Harry was terrified of magic, and the muggles kept him in a cupboard.” Xanthus tried to sound firm. He was no good at firm though. His stomach twisted uncomfortably as he sat so he hunched a bit, letting his hair fall forward. “So you see… you see… I…”

His throat locked up.

“Power he knows not…” Dumbledore mumbled under his breath. “An Obscuras you say?”

“Well he's not one yet,” Xanthus said. “I don't think.”

“Hmm,” Dumbledore looked troubled. Which should mean that now was the time to tell him that Xanthus had already taken the liberty to kidnap the boy. The words didn't come. Instead they sat there in silence for a bit. Xanthus' stomach twisting as he tried to get the words through his tight throat; Dumbledore clearly deep in thought about something.

Finally Dumbledore sighed.

“Unfortunately Professor, that is just a risk we'll have to take,” Dumbledore looked troubled. Sad.

“Risk?” Xanthus spluttered.

“Harry Potter cannot leave the protection that living with his aunt provides him,” Dumbledore sighed. “He may be happier elsewhere, but the danger is just too great. Dark witches and wizards regularly scry for his location. There is just nowhere else for him to go. Plus I have faith in the boy.”

“Faith?” Xanthus said stupidly. This was not the reaction he had expected. Dumbledore of all people should know how horrible an Obscuras is. Not just for others but for the poor child. Dumbledore's own nephew… and didn't Xanthus' father also suspect that Dumbledore's sister may have been…

“I'm sorry to have put such a heavy burden on you Xanthus,” Dumbledore said, standing and indicating for Xanthus to do the same. “It was unfair to get you involved really. Please strike the matter from your mind. I shall deal with it.”

“But,” Xanthus tried.

“Don't worry, Harry is more important to us than you know. Than anyone really knows. He'll be taken care of,” Dumbledore said as he steered Xanthus from his office.

“Have a good trip back to America,” Dumbledore said and suddenly Xanthus was being shuttled downward by the moving stairs. He stood blankly in front of the gargoyle for a while. He couldn't leave. He had to tell Dumbledore that he already had Harry. Here. In the castle. He stood around longer until signs of student life could be heard echoing through the halls.

Finally he gave up and jogged back to his quarters.

No one ever said Xanthus wasn't good at running from his problems… or that it didn't cause him more problems. He thought as he took in the small child eating breakfast at his coffee table.

“The little, er, person with the pointy ears brought it,” Harry said pointing at the food as Xanthus entered. “Is okay if I eat it?”

“Yes, please eat as much as you can,” Xanthus said, heart twisting.

Two hours later, Harry's hair had been charmed a ruddy brown like Xanthus' own and he had one of Xanthus' bandanas tied around his forehead. He managed to sneak Harry to Hogsmeade in the school wide rush to get out and now they were standing quietly holding an old tire. Harry Potter was, apparently, coming to America with him.

His father was going to kill him.

If his ex-wife didn't get to him first.

Chapter Text

It was startlingly easy to get Harry through American customs. He's flagged instantly for having two people on the portkey when it was only registered for one. But he knew old man Davis at the portkey office from his time as an Auror. Luckily for him, Davis hadn't met his real son in many years.

“You know I only have my son in the summers now,” Xanthus said, hoisting Harry higher on his hip where he carried him. Harry had buried his face shyly into Scamander’s shoulder. He hadn't asked Harry to do so, but it worked in his favor here.

“Ah, nasty business with Perchina, that,” he nodded. “Had Rolf visit you in Britain, then?”

“Yes, we've returned together,” Xanthus replied, he knew his smile looked strained, but Davis seemed to think this was in reference to his ex and nodded sadly at him.

“Well this summer will certainly be better than the last, eh?” Davis patted Xanthus heartily on the shoulder opposite from Harry.

“I would hope,” Xanthus ducked his head.

Xanthus and Harry quickly made their way to an apparition point. With a pop, the stone walls of MACUSA new york were replaced by a forest of lush maples.

“I don't like teleporting,” Harry mumbled into his shoulder.

“Sorry, I didn't warn you,” Xanthus replied. Patting Harry on the back.

“DUCK!!” A voice called off to Xanthus' right and without thinking he threw himself at the ground, using his body to cover Harry from view. A great beating of wings blew his hair wildly overhead.

“Wow,” Harry whispered from where he peaked out at the crook of Xanthus' neck.

“Mary! Mary! Leave them!” The unmistakable voice of his father called, coming closer. “Oh silly girl, come off it.”

There was a thump just to his right.

“Mary,” his father huffed, much closer now. There was some shuffling nearby and Harry pushed up to get a better look. Xanthus wrapped a hand over his head protectively but didn't push it down.

“Alright Xan, you're safe to get up,” his father said, so Xanthus pushed himself up to sitting. Harry sat up on the ground in front of him, looking over in wonder.

Not five feet from them, a huge Griffin stood. Its massive paws dug into the ground. Harry, who was terrified of old Davis at the portkey office, was now eager to approach the eagle headed lion. His father was gently petting the huge beast between the wings, cooing lightly to it despite being out of breath.

“Father, I told you I'd be coming weeks ago,” Xanthus said, in exacerbation. It was clear the apparition had bothered the Griffin, but it shouldn't have been nearby since his father knew he'd be apparating.

“Well, Mary just got a bit away from me, didn't you dear,” He said, now stroking the great beak.

Xanthus stood slowly, helping Harry to stand. Harry, still staring, hardly even noticed being pulled to his feet. He certainly didn't seem to care a bit about being covered in dust and twigs.

“And who's this young lad with you then?” His father asked, coming around to their side of the Griffin and giving Harry a friendly smile.

Harry startled at his father's attention and hid himself behind Xanthus' leg, trying to look small.

“No worries, lad, she won't hurt you now. Come on, have a pat.”

Harry looked up at Xanthus, nervous and fidgety. Xanthus smiled, trying not to let out a laugh. A huge Griffin was five feet from them. Muscled lion body impossibly bigger than any lion, huge eagle wings and beak the size of Harry's head. All that, and it was his shy old man that scared the boy. His father clearly thought it was the beast.

“It's alright,” Xanthus said encouragingly, “that's just my dad.”

Harry hesitated a moment longer, before the desire to get closer to the monster in front of him won out and he crept up. Face once again split in wonder. He reached out carefully and very gently touched the feathers of the great bird wings.

“That's it lad,” Newt said warmly, “This is Mary.” He patted Mary's beak, keeping her from looking too intently at the boy. “And I'm Newt, Newt Scamander. Xan’s old pop. What's your name?”

“Er, it's Harry, sir,” Harry said, stepping closer to the Griffin, as if it could hide him from Xanthus' dad.

Newt looked up at Xanthus, curiously bewildered. It was clear he didn't connect ‘Harry’ to Harry Potter though, by his expression. His father, being British himself even if removed now, would no doubt instantly know who Harry Potter was. Unlike Xanthus.

“Would you like to ride her?” Newt asked, smiling.

Harry's eyes went wide, and then, ridiculously, he nodded his head. Newt came around and hoisted Harry onto the beast's back, setting his legs behind the wings.

“Wait, father, I don't think -”

“Oh nonsense, he'll be fine,” Newt said, pushing Xanthus back a bit as he situated the boy. “Now hold on here, just where her wings connect to her body. Yes, just like that.”

Then, before Xanthus could figure out the words for let's not put the boy I just kidnapped into horribly dangerous situations where he could fall to his death at best and be eaten at worst, his father patted the Griffin on her haunches and she launched herself into the air. He watched in horror as absolutely nothing bad happened. Mary flew the boy high into the air, circled three times, and then flew back. Landing with a huge gust of wind in front of them.

Newt patted her happily on the beak.

Harry, hair windswept and cheeks pink, gave Xanthus the biggest smile he'd ever seen on the boy. He didn't flinch away at all when Newt came to pick him up, instead he giggled happily. Trust his father to immediately enchant the most skittish child Xanthus had ever met by putting him on an actual monster.

“Thank Mary for the ride,” Newt said, putting Harry down.

“Thank you, Mary,” Harry said and hugged the beast around the leg.

Newt patted the Griffin off, who stared at Harry with one cocked bird eye longer than Xanthus would have liked, before she took off again. Harry laughed at the gust of wind and waved goodbye as she flew away.

“What is she?” Harry asked, turning to Xanthus, his face lit up. Then suddenly, his face crumpled. He winced and looked down at his feet, curling up a bit. Xanthus blinked. He met his fathers eyes and saw an identical look of confusion.

“That was a Griffin,” he answered, reaching his hand out for Harry. “There are lots of really amazing magical creatures here in this forest. My dad protects them. This is his reserve.”

“Do you know what a reserve is, Harry?” Newt asked.

Harry considered this for a second, before shaking his head no.

“It's a place where animals, or magical beasts in our case, live in order to be protected.”

“If you see any magical beasts make sure to ask my dad what they are and if it's safe to approach them, okay?”

“Okay,” Harry said, hiding his face again in the robes around Xanthus' legs.

“I get the feeling, Xan, that you've been doing your own creature rescuing recently?” His father asked him, indicating to Harry with a nod of his head.

“He needed rescuing before he became a creature,” Xanthus gave his father a significant look, which Newt seemed to get. Because he smiled sadly and nodded.

“Harry,” Newt said, bending down to be level with the boy, “A Unicorn here just gave birth to a foal last week, would you like to meet him?”

“Unicorns are real?” Harry asked, awed.

“Very real,” His father replied. Harry perked up, and once Newt pointed in the direction to go, he was off, running down the path through the trees. Xanthus shared a chuckle with his dad, before they followed after.

At least, it seemed, Harry and his father would get along. Maybe he could leave Harry here; just another lost soul for his father to heal up. Like so many others.

Chapter Text

Harry woke slowly, blinking at the early morning light. A rooster was crowing outside. He sat up suddenly, heart pounding, looking around. A thick quilted blanket tumbled onto his lap. He calmed down when he noticed farmhouse walls and the blurry bookshelf next to him. He was still here. It still wasn't a dream.

He wasn't used to waking up to the sun. His cupboard had always been dark, no matter what time of day. Here he could sleep as long as he wanted, no one came rapping on the door. No one demanded he help with breakfast or dishes or anything.

It was weird.

He wasn't good at sleeping past the sunrise though. Even though he never hurt in the morning and was warm and the bed felt like a cloud. It was all very hard to believe.

If it was a dream, he didn't want to wake up. It was probably a dream. That's why he didn't hurt; you didn't hurt in dreams. All his bruises were gone and his shoulder didn't hurt.

Plus there was magic. Magic only existed in dreams, like when he used to dream about flying motorcycles and people who could change into animals. Now there was a cool old flying truck and amazing animals. Although they didn't make the truck fly very often; apparently it was “finicky”.

Harry pushed the quilt off himself and padded over to the trunk at the base of his bed. It was full of the old clothes of someone named Rolf. Harry was used to wearing someone's hand-me-downs but unlike Dudley’s old clothes, these actually fit him. They were all weird dresses though. Which would have made Harry feel weird except everyone here wore weird dresses. Even the guys.

They didn't look like his Aunt Petunia’s dresses either. They weren't flowery and they weren't tight on top.

Also they were magic. He could feel it when he put them on. If he got too hot mid day, the clothes were cool and at night they were pleasantly warm.

Everything here seemed to be magic. He opened the door and peered around the corner. As he did so, the candles along the railing for the stairs down all burst to life. He smiled. The candles were cool. If he closed the door, they'd go out and when he opened it again they lit up. He'd first discovered it going to the bathroom one night, which he was allowed to use whenever he wanted. After he got back from the bathroom he had opened and closed his door over and over again just to watch the candles light back up.

Harry crept quietly down the stairs and through the living room over to the kitchen door. Hearing voices inside, he ducked behind the door frame and looked in. There were two women in the kitchen. One had the same red-brown hair as Xanthus, but it was tied up in a neat bun. She had been introduced as Xanthus' older sister “Oh” which was a weird name. The other woman had perfectly white hair cropped short. She was the oldest woman Harry had ever seen, but Newt had laughed and said she wasn't that old. Except Newt was definitely the oldest man he'd ever seen so he didn't know what to make of that. She told Harry to call her Grandma Tina and even Xanthus referred to her as Grandma Tina. This made no sense because she was Xanthus' mom and also she wasn't Harry's Grandma. So he had just avoided calling her anything at all.

“It's ridiculous!” the younger woman huffed over a mug she held tightly with white knuckled hands. “As if all magical creatures are the same! As if they aren't basically human! As if they don't already have their own community that MACUSA could just help fund!”

“Calm dear, you wont stop the bill working yourself into a frenzy,” the old woman said from where she had busied herself by the stove. Harry could smell frying sausages from the door.

“Course not, that's why I'm ranting here,” the woman huffed, and then sighed. “Do you think I will? Be able to block it, that is?”

“Of course,” the old woman turned and smiled. “It is absolutely ridiculous. Just don't make them feel too stupid for pushing it or their pride won't let them change their minds.”

“Yeah yeah… politics…” the woman downed the rest of whatever she was drinking then stood suddenly. “Wish me luck!”

Then she was at the door. Harry jumped back, falling on his butt. The woman also jumped, pulling out her little stick and pointing it at him.

“Oh Circe! You scared me Harry!”

“Sorry,” he cried, curling up and covering his head instinctively. He missed the look of concern that the two women shot each other.

“Hey, hey,” she said gently, bending down and putting her stick away. “It's okay. I bet I scared you too, so we're even. Let me help you up.”

Harry found himself being hoisted up to standing, the “Oh” lady smiling at him. The old woman was also standing at the door. She rubbed her hands on her apron before offering one to Harry.

“‘Oh’ has to get to work early today, why don't you join me in the kitchen for some breakfast,” the old woman said, leading Harry into the kitchen to sit at the small table there.

“Have a good day today Harry,” the younger woman said, waving, before she left the room.

Harry waved shyly back at her. Then jumped when a plate of sausages and eggs clattered in front of him. The old woman smiled and poured him a very tall glass of orange juice.

Harry hesitated a bit before eating. He had the feeling it was a trick. Like he'd eat for days and then they'd get mad at him for having eaten so much and taken so much of their food. Or tell him that he owed them a lot and make him do something really unpleasant. Except he couldn't imagine what sort of unpleasant thing they'd make him do. He kinda hoped it happened soon, it was nerve wracking not knowing what was coming.

Harry finished his breakfast and watched as the old woman magic’d her way around the kitchen. She served two more plates of food by levitating the food onto them rather than touching the hot pan. Then she cast some “spell” onto the plates in a language Harry didn't recognize. It sounded magic though.

She then used magic to clean the pan and put away the unused ingredients. Harry noticed that the kitchen didn't have a fridge at all. She just put the raw meat in a cupboard after casting another spell on it. The stove was weird too. It didn't have spirals on top, it was just a metal box full of fire that had holes on top. People could start or stop the fire with their sticks.

She then sat at the table, sipping from a steaming mug.

Harry kicked his feet and alternated between watching the sun rise over the trees from the kitchen window and keeping an eye on the woman.

“Are you liking it here, Harry?” She asked him eventually. Harry stopped swinging his legs and looked at his hands.

“Er, yes ma’am,” he said.

“What's your favorite thing so far?” She asked.

“Er, flying ma’am,” Harry said. It was true. He'd never felt anything like it. When Mary had launched herself into the air with him on her back. The wind in his hair, the ground far below him. It had been the coolest thing that had ever happened to him, and he'd teleported three times now. Flying was way cooler.

“Did Xanthus lend you a broom?” She asked, sounding puzzled.

“Er no, I haven't done any cleaning. But I can! I can clean!” He said, eager to prove he wasn't just a burden.

“Oh no dear,” she laughed. “We use magic brooms to fly.”

“Oh,” said Harry. He wasn't sure if he was relieved or disappointed. He couldn't imagine using a broom to fly. “That doesn't seem… very comfortable.”

The woman laughed some more. There was lots of laughing here. All the people laughed a lot. Harry wasn't sure he liked it. He wasn't sure if they were laughing at him. At least Xanthus' laugh was quiet, muted. It didn't sound mean. He wasn't sure about this laugh.

“Well, how did you fly then?” The woman asked him, wiping tears from her eyes.

“Er, on Mary, ma’am,”

“The Griffin!?” She didn't sound very happy about it, so he shrunk down in his seat as he nodded his head.

“And you weren't scared of Mary?”

“Oh no!” He says enthusiastically. “She's amazing!”

This seemed to be the correct thing to say, because she smiled at him.

“Tina! Tina!” Harry jumped as the front door to the house slammed open in another room and Newt yelled in.

“In the kitchen dear!” The woman yelled back. “There's breakfast here for you!”

“No time! I need the medkit! It's not in the barn!”

Harry could hear clattering in the other room. He slipped off his chair and snuck up to the kitchen door. The living room was in disarray. Actually disarray was an understatement. It seemed like every item in the room was floating around in the air. Old man Newt was standing by the door frantically examining each item as it floated by, looking around wildly. His white hair stuck up on ends.

Harry looked back at Tina in alarm. She rolled her eyes at him, then opened the kitchen window and pointed her little stick out of it.

“Accio medkit!” She said firmly. Nothing happened, but she didn't seem concerned. If anything she still looked amused despite the fact that the living room looked like it was actively in a tornado. A moment later a large leather bag came hurtling into the window. She caught it deftly.

“Newt! I've got it here!” She yelled. There was a series of thumps and crashes as everything in the living room fell to the floor. “Here Harry dear, why don't you take this to him?”

Harry clutched the bag to his chest as he made his way across the living room. He had to run a rather winding route through the debris. Petunia would have thrown an absolute fit at the mess.

“Excellent, thanks Harry,” Newt said distractedly, running outside. Harry, still holding the bag, supposed this meant he should follow. So he did.

Harry followed Newt to the Truck. It looked old, like the kind of truck that Vernon would whistle at and call “vintage”. It only had two front seats, but yesterday when Newt, Xanthus and Harry got in there still seemed like plenty of room to sit somehow. Xanthus wasn't here now though, so Harry felt like he was swimming in the seat.

Newt didn't make him put on a seatbelt, but he did so anyway. Aunt Petunia always yelled at him if he didn't.

Then they were off, bouncing and bumping over the uneven dirt road, deeper into the forest. Harry held the leather bag tightly as he was jerked from side to side. Newt seemed to have no fear of going fast or hitting things, as he blasted down the road. Skidding around a tight turn, Harry was pushed all the way over. He slammed into the Truck door, but it didn't hurt. The metal door somehow felt cushioned.

This was definitely a dream.

It was a fun dream though. Harry laughed as Newt dove them down a steep incline, making Harry's stomach lurch all funny before they climbed up a hill on the other side.

Then they were skidding to a stop.

“Stay in the Truck, Harry,” Newt said, then grabbed the bag from Harry's lap and left. Closing the door behind him. Harry unbuckled his seatbelt and stood up on the seat to watch Newt out the Truck window.

Newt pulled out a strap covered in whistles from his pocket. Harry had seen it before. The last time Newt used it the whistle hadn't made a sound at all. This time when Newt put one of the whistles in his mouth, it made a weird deep rumbling purr, that Harry felt more than he heard.

Newt proceeded into the woods very slowly, his hands stretched out in front of him non-threateningly. He stopped suddenly. Harry could just barely see him through the trees. A huge shape approached him, it seemed to come roughly to Newt’s waist. Harry could make out short tan fur, but not much else. Newt held very still, then suddenly the creature collapsed and Newt went down with it.

Harry cried out and clambered to the driver's side window to get a better view. He opened the window with the little crank handle that made it go up and down and then stood on the edge to get taller and look out.

From here he could barely see Newt sitting up, he seemed to be doing something with his hands but he didn't seem hurt at all. Harry let out a sigh of relief and sat back down in the seat, rolling the window back up. He didn't want Newt knowing he had misbehaved.

A while later, Newt came back out of the trees. In front of him he had a floating stretcher and on it was a huge cat. It looks like a mountain lion, but it has six legs instead of four. There was a bandage wrapped around a large portion of its body and one of the back and middle legs.

Harry watches from the back window as Newt lowers the stretcher into the Truck bed. The metal walls of the Truck bed seem to stretch around the cat, so that it had plenty of room to fit.

“Okay Harry, it's okay to come out now if you want to say hi,” Newt says quietly, looking up to meet Harry's eyes through the glass. “You don't have to, if you don't want to though.”

Harry looked away at the eye contact but he hurried to scramble out of the Truck. He didn't want Newt to think he didn't want to see, because he really really wanted to.

He came walking around to the back of the truck, the back hatch was open but he couldn't see very well over it. So Newt lifted him up so he was standing in the Truck bed.

“Blink your eyes at her very slowly Harry, like this,” Newt slowly closed his eyes and then slowly opened them again. “For cats, this means you won't attack. Go on.”

Harry did so, looking at the big kitty's eyes and slowly blinking at it. The big cat slowly blinked back, and Harry assumed that's a good sign. He blinked slowly a few more times and then reached out and gently pets the big cat between the ears. His hand was tiny compared to the cat's huge head.

“Alright Harry, let's get this poor wumpus back to somewhere we can keep an eye on her.”

Newt lifted Harry off the bed and then closed the hatch. They drove much more slowly and carefully on the way back.

“Wumpus are incredibly smart, Harry,” Newt said as they reached a smoother section of road. “They can even read your mind.”

“So she knew what I was thinking?” Harry asked, and then having realized he asked a question Harry ducked reflexively. It was just so hard not to ask questions here. There was so much stuff he didn't know. But he knows he's not supposed to ask questions. He really should know better.

“Maybe, were you thinking anything bad?” Newt asked, taking in Harry’s cowering.

“Just that she's pretty,” Harry said, looking down at his hands. He didn't understand why he wasn't getting scolded. He hadn't been scolded once for asking a question. Maybe they understood he didn't know anything but at some point they'd expect him to know and it wouldn't be okay to ask anymore. Also it had been a stupid question really. Did she know what he was thinking, of all the questions, that was basically just repeating what Newt said back to him. As if Harry didn't believe him.

“It's very rare for a wumpus to get hurt,” Newt continued. Harry looked back up at him curiously. “We don't actually have wumpus on our reserve.”

“But…” Harry started, looking back at the wumpus behind them.

“Yeah, strange isn't it? Like I said, they are incredibly smart and very very fast. I bet you this wumpus was hurt somehow and it made its way here because it knew it would be safe. Pretty crazy isn't it? It looks like it traveled some ways to get to us.”

“Will it be okay?” Harry asked. This seemed like a safe question. Newt seemed to really really like all the animals here.

“Yeah, she'll be okay now, we'll have to keep an eye out for anyone trying to get to her, but no one will get past Mary so don't you worry.” Newt said, winking at him.

Harry had a lot more questions. He felt like he'd already wasted his questions though. On stupid ones too. He wanted to know how the wumpus knew to come here. Who would hurt a wumpus. How did Newt know the wumpus was here or injured if the wumpus didn't live here normally. If the wumpus could talk or talk in your mind if it could read minds. And all sorts of other questions.

He didn't ask any of them though. Instead they drove the rest of the way back in companionable silence. Newt watching the road and Harry keeping an eye on the hurt wumpus in the truck. The wumpus turned her head and looked at Harry. They kept eye contact. Harry wondered if he could ask the wumpus things. If he could ask her who hurt her so they knew what to watch for. Or if she was okay or in any pain. He didn't like the idea of her being in pain.

She slow-blinked at him. He slow-blinked back.

Chapter Text

Xanthus was nervous all morning. Yesterday his father had the harebrained idea of sticking a child within clawing distance of a full grown wumpus. Now he can't keep Harry away from it. He'd spent all morning petting the large, very dangerous predator.

In retrospect, he was amazed that he and his brother and sister made it to adulthood.

Yet somehow, he was supposed to reassure his already skeptical ex wife this afternoon that Rolf would be safe here for two whole months. He was already bad at convincing his ex of anything, let alone something he didn't entirely believe.

So he was pacing back and forth in front of the hearth. It was still a few hours before the green flames were supposed to flare. He found being anywhere else unbearable though.

His mother had her knitting floating in the air to her right, clicking away and a book in her lap as she curled up on the couch. A crochet blanket tucked around her. She made no comment on his fidgeting, even as he sat then stood, then sat and stood and then paced around the room.

He had a suspicion that she was there so that he didn't put his foot in his mouth. Or more likely, so that he didn't just say nothing if Perchina decided to take Rolf back with her.

He ran through a thousand speeches in his head. None of them are very good. He knew that if he didn't have something rehearsed then he won't say anything at all though. So he kept trying.

Around midday Harry shyly came in from outside. He unlatched the door slowly and quietly. Closing it behind him with as little sound as possible.

Xanthus was so nervous though that he noticed it instantly.

His mother's knitting stopped. Apparently she can read and knit at the same time but not read, knit and hold a conversation.

“Xan, will you make Harry some lunch? It's about that time,” she said, not looking up from her book.

“Oh, yeah,” Xanthus said, rubbing the back of his head distractedly.

“That's okay,” Harry murmured, “I'm not that hungry.”

“Nonsense dear,” his mother replied. “Also you'll be helping Xan out, he's a nervous mess. Could you keep him company for lunch, to help him feel better?”

Harry just nodded in response. Xanthus wasn't sure if his mother could see that or not but she made no further comment. He beckoned Harry to follow him into the kitchen. The boy climbed up onto one of the kitchen table chairs as Xanthus rummaged around the cupboards and drawers.

His parents' organization was always a mystery to him. The problem was his mother liked to try out new organization systems from time to time to see if they made things quicker. He never got the memo on what the new system was though. It didn't help that if you turned the handle on all the cupboards and drawers they'd have completely different contents when you opened them again.

Eventually he found some leftover rice preserved in a bowl, next to some tortillas and other grains and bread. This seemed to be the grain cupboard. Then he found some beans a few cupboards over and finding not much else decided to fix up some burritos.

He kept making burritos until he had enough to feed the whole house, his sister Eau included. Then he stood and ate, fidgeting from side to side. Harry ate his burrito slowly, eyeing him with concern. Xanthus had the feeling that Harry would hide behind his hair the same way he did, if Xanthus didn't always put a bandana around the boy's forehead.

“Er, I could stay in the barn,” Harry suddenly said very fast. “And I don't need to eat this much, I could eat much less. I really could. I can work too and I don't need all these dresses, one is fine. I can clean or if you don't want to see me, I am good at being out of the way, you don't even have to know I'm here.”

“Huh?” Xanthus said stupidly, startled and confused by the boy's rapid fire declaration.

“So I'm not in the way,” Harry said. “So you don't have to worry about fitting me and your real son.”

Xanthus blinked a few times as his brain swapped gears suddenly from panic about seeing Perchina again for the first time since all the court proceedings to the cowering little kid in front of him.

“What? Harry, you aren't in the way,” Xanthus said, crouching down next to Harry's chair. “Why would you think you're in the way?”

“Well, your son’s coming today right?” Harry asked. Xanthus nodded. “You're nervous ‘cause you have to take care of two kids ‘cause now I'm here. I'm taking his room and eating his food and… but I don't have to! I could -”

“Harry,” Xanthus interrupted, taking the boy’s small hands in his own. “You aren't taking Rolf's room, the room next to yours is already set up for him. We have plenty of food. Taking care of two kids isn't a problem at all, you don't have to worry. I'm not going to cast you out just because Rolf is here. You're important too.”

“But you're nervous…” Harry said, looking away.

“Not because of you or Rolf, I…” Xanthus paused. “I just, well… I'm not very…”

He sighed, but then looking at Harry who looked so dejected he knew he had to find the words. He took a deep breath and tried again.

“Rolf is with his mom right now,” He said, catching Harry's eye as he explained. “His mom and I don't get along anymore. She really really doesn't like me. I'm really scared she will take Rolf away and he won't stay here, but she won't take him away because of you, Harry. She'll take him away because of me, because she thinks I'm no good.”

“You are good though,” Harry said fiercely, sitting up straighter and glaring at him, as if daring him to contradict him. Xanthus smiled. Harry was such a contradiction of bravery and shyness. Confidence and fear.

“Thank you Harry,” Xanthus said warmly. “I'm just bad at a lot of things and really let Perchina down…”

“Oh codswallop,” His mother huffed as she came into the kitchen and picked up a burrito. “You just don't stand up for yourself, no backbone. That's not a sin and that girl knew it when she married you. Don't know why she's acting all surprised now.”

“She doesn't like you because you're shy?” Harry asked.

“Well, I think it's a bit more complicated than -” Xanthus started but his mother interrupted him through a mouth full of burrito.

“That's exactly right, Harry,” she said. “And if we aren't careful she really will take Rolf back with her, even though doing so would be completely illegal.”

She said the last bit directly to Xanthus, staring him down as if to remind him of the fact. Not that he could forget it. He knew full well the only reason that he had any custody of his son at all was because he let Eau represent him completely. She'd put it down hard in the contract that he'd get his time with Rolf, for which he was incredibly grateful. Half of his pre-morning speeches were mostly just some iteration of ‘you have to leave him, our contract says so.’

“You can't let her!” Harry said to his mother in alarm.

“It's not my battle, kiddo,” she sighed, giving Xanthus a sad look. That look she gave him whenever he did something wrong. When he'd gotten fired from the Aurors or when Perchina announced her intention to divorce or when he'd run away to Britain. The look that clearly said she thought she had failed him. That he wouldn't be like this if she'd done better.

He looked away, letting his hair fall in front of his eyes. He could vaguely see Harry giving him a determined kind of look from where he sat. Then, rather randomly, he remembered some of what Harry said.

“Harry, you know this isn't a dress right?” Xanthus said, tugging on the sleeve of Harry's robe.

“It's not?”

“No, it's a robe,” Xanthus said, smiling. “Witches and Wizards wear robes. Sometimes they wear open faced robes with pantaloons but mostly they just wear robes.”

“What's the difference?”

“Difference?”

“Between a robe and a dress?” Harry asked, curiously. Then he ducked his head shyly, trying to pull back his hands.

“I'm not mad Harry,” Xanthus said before answering. “Um… the cut of the fabric I guess?”

Honestly he wasn't entirely sure he could remember what no-maj dresses looked like. They always looked very different from robes to him though, when he had the occasion to be around them.

“Would you prefer an open faced robe?” He asked Harry.

“Er, no, I'm fine,” the boy said. Xanthus wasn't entirely convinced but decided it was probably better to ask for forgiveness rather than permission when it came to getting things for Harry.

When lunch was well and truly over, the three of them made their way back into the living room. His father ducked in only long enough to grab a whole armful of burrito before fleeing back into the reserve. Xanthus thought that if there was anyone in this world more afraid of Perchina than him, it would have been his father.

His mother sat back on the couch and pulled Harry up with her. She summoned a crochet hook and started teaching the boy how to crochet.

“But you do it without hands,” Harry said, pointing to where her knitting had restarted, hovering in the air next to them.

“You'll be able to do it without hands too, but first you have to learn how to do it with your hands,” she said, showing him again how to loop the yarn over the hook.

Soon Harry was crocheting a very nobbly and misshapen something while his mother tucked herself back under her blanket. Xanthus, for his part, continued fidgeting restlessly.

Harry seemed less scared now that he knew Xanthus' nervousness had nothing to do with him. Instead, he now seemed concerned for Xanthus. Harry kept sharing little looks with his mom whenever Xanthus' fidgeting got particularly noticeable.

An hour later, Xanthus nearly toppled over the back of his chair when the hearth burst to life with green flames. He stood to his feet quickly as two people came stepping out of the fire. Then had to catch himself again as a blur of brown haired boy pelted itself into his arms, almost knocking the air out of him.

“Daddy!!” The vice grip around his neck yelled shrilly directly into his ear.

He squeezed the boy back with almost equal desperation, blinking to keep the tears behind his eyes from spilling out. He gave up and buried his head in the mess of reddish brown curls, breathing in his little boy. Merlin, he'd missed him.

Eventually it became clear that Rolf was not going to let go and Perchina was not going to leave until she'd had a word with him. So he gathered the boy into his arms and stood, Rolf still squeezing tightly around his neck.

“Thank you, for bringing him,” he said roughly. It was hard enough to talk at the best of times, but talking while close to crying was a struggle.

“He's staying with you here?” She asked, her hands folded in front of her.

Xanthus nodded, looking at her feet. She sighed.

“Have you found a job yet?” She asked.

He shook his head no.

“You'll need a job eventually, you know,” she said firmly.

He just shrugged. She sighed again.

“Xanthus, it doesn't have to be like this. I'm not a dragon, I'm not going to breath fire at you,”

He looked up at her through his hair. She looked sad and exasperated and annoyed. Which was how she always looked really.

“Look, I agreed to leave Rolf with you for the summers but I thought you'd have your own place for him,” she said. “I just don't know how safe it is here. You have some savings, I know you do. You could just rent a place for the summer and I could bring Rolf there.”

“It's great here! Super safe!” Harry said suddenly from where he was sitting, crochet forgotten. His mother's knitting had stopped too.

“Whose this?” Perchina asked.

“This is Harry, we've adopted him,” his mother said firmly, putting a hand on the boy's shoulder. His bout of bravery held strong as he stared Perchina down. It was the most Xanthus had seen Harry stand up to another human being but he could tell underneath the firm look, Harry was terrified.

“Harry who?” Perchina asked.

“Scamander,” his mother said at the exact same time Harry said “Freak.”

All the adults startled at Harry's declaration. Xanthus was happy Harry hadn't said “Potter” but the alternative hadn't really been better.

“Yes, well,” His mother said softly, “you can see why we adopted him, can't you?”

Rolf had unburied his head from Xanthus' neck and turned to look at Harry. There were tear tracks down Rolf's face but the existence of the other boy seemed to have stopped his crying.

Perchina looked back and forth between Harry and Rolf a few times before she seemed to crumple. She stepped right up to Xanthus, making his breath catch stupidly, as she bent down to kiss Rolf on the cheek.

“I'll miss you kiddo,” she said sadly. Rolf reached out, grabbing the front of her robes and pulling her in.

“Don't go,” he said.

“Sorry Rolf, it's me or your dad, and you said you missed your dad didn't you?” She asked.

“Want both,” the boy said thickly.

“Sorry sweetie, you have to pick,”

This flared a heat of fire in Xanthus' gut. Rolf shouldn't have to pick, what a horrible thing to say. Making him feel the guilt of having to say no to one of his parents. Also what kid wouldn't choose their mom, especially one he'd seen for the past year with no signs of his dad. His stomach twisted uncomfortably as he tried to speak, but even the hot flare of anger didn't help him get words out.

Instead his poor kid turned his head back into his neck and let go of his mom's robes. It broke his heart. Perchina smiled sadly at him, kissed the boy's head, which made her hair brush against Xanthus' face. His nose filled briefly with the familiar scent of lilac and fire wood.

“Bye Rolf,” she said. “Xanthus.” Then she turned and stepped back through the fire and was gone.

Chapter Text

Harry did his best to stay out of the way for the next few days. He didn't know what Rolf was like, but it was pretty obvious Rolf wouldn't like Harry. No kids ever liked Harry. Also if Harry took up Xanthus' time there was no way Rolf wouldn't get mad. The first night Rolf had arrived he'd spent the whole time clinging to Xanthus, telling him about his year.

So Harry had avoided them both. It was pretty easy. He woke up naturally before both of them, ate breakfast and was out on the reserve before either woke up. He'd skip lunch or Newt would bring him something when he brought stuff out for some of the magical creatures. He'd eat dinner after the others ate, which was also easy because that's what Newt tended to do, and then he'd sneak off to bed when everyone was distracted.

He'd managed to go three whole days with only seeing Rolf from afar. Today though, his plans failed completely.

He woke up with the sunrise and roosters, per usual. There was a parcel on the foot of his bed when he woke up with a note on top that said “for Harry”. Apprehensively, he opened the parcel to find some strange trousers that bunched up around the ankle and hip but were otherwise rather baggy, and a ‘robe’ that was closed on top, but opened around the waist so it was only long in the back. They seemed new, which made him nervous but it seemed rude not to wear them, so he put them on.

Newly clothed, he opened his door a crack as quietly as he could and slipped out. Then immediately jumped into the air as he stepped on something squishy and warm.

“Found you!” The squishy warm thing said, sitting up and rubbing its eyes.

Rolf Scamander looked like he'd slept in front of Harry's door all night. He had a thick quilted blanket curled up like a cocoon around him. He smiled at Harry, seeming not the slightest bit concerned that he'd just been stepped on.

They stared at each other for a second; Rolf blinking the sleep from his eyes.

Then Harry booked it.

He ran as fast as he could around the corner and down the stairs.

“Wait!” Rolf cried, scrambling to disentangle himself from his blanket. A moment later Harry could hear the pattering of feet down the stairs behind him.

He ran for the front door, but it was still latched, so he turned sideways and dived behind one of the bookshelves out of view.

Unfortunately, Rolf had seen all of this and came running directly up to him.

“Found you again!” He said happily. Then reached down and poked Harry's shoulder, giggling slightly.

Harry looked up at him like a deer in headlights, entirely unsure of what he should do next.

“Dad says you've never been on a broom,” Rolf said. Harry didn't say anything to this, so Rolf continued. “And Grandma Tina says that you really like flying.”

Harry did like flying, so he nodded.

“So let's go flying after breakfast!” Rolf said happily, reaching out his hand to Harry. Harry just stared at it. “Come on! It will be fun! I promise!”

Harry very much doubted this. Anything that was likely to be fun for Rolf, like with Dudley, was very unlikely to be fun for him. He couldn't really refuse though, so he just nodded slightly at Rolf, who beamed at him.

Rolf dragged Harry to the kitchen for breakfast, where Newt and Tina were already awake. A large bowl in the corner was clanging about as a whisk beat at some batter inside it. The stove fire was already lit as Harry could see flames occasionally wicking out the tip. It was hard to tell who was cooking. Since everything was done with magic, they didn't have to touch the food. Tina did a lot of the cooking generally but unlike Uncle Vernon, Newt often cooked breakfast and Xanthus cooked a lot of the other meals. The only person in the house who didn't cook was Xanthus' older sister and Rolf. And Harry. Which was weird.

“Yay! Pancakes!” Rolf said, bouncing happily in his seat.

“You're up awfully early Rolf,” Tina said, smiling at him. She was sipping from a mug, leaning against the counter where she'd been talking to Newt. Newt flicked his wand and the whisk stopped and a ball of batter jumped from the bowl, as if on its own, into the frying pan on the stove. Harry supposed Newt was cooking then.

“I caught Harry!” Rolf said happily. Harry winced, remembering what getting ‘caught’ by Dudley generally meant.

“I see that,” the old woman laughed. “Remember Rolf, no rough housing with Harry, we don't want him to get hurt.”

“I remember!” Rolf said. He didn't seem bothered by this.

Harry suddenly had the awful thought that if Rolf hurt him, he might wake up from this crazy dream and then he'd be back at the Dursleys in his cupboard. The thought made his stomach drop. He regretted not being more careful coming out of his room this morning.

Newt served Rolf and Harry each half of the first pancake. Which would have made Dudley throw an absolute fit, but Rolf didn't seem to notice. Instead he happily smeared butter over his pancake and fingers, and then poured on maple syrup. Thinking this was perhaps his last day in this dream, Harry risked taking a bit of maple syrup for his own pancake.

It was very good.

Harry and Rolf each had one more fluffy pancake. Dudley would have eaten three more, especially if it meant Harry didn't get any, but Rolf declared himself full after just one and didn't seem to care how much Harry ate. Tina spelled both their hands and faces clean, which felt weird. Kinda tingly and tickly.

“I want to go flying with Harry today on the brooms, can we? Can we?” Rolf said, having jumped down from his chair and bounced over to grab Tina's robes.

“Once your father wakes up,” she said.

“Yay!” Rolf said, and then suddenly he was running up the stairs yelling “Dad! Dad!”

Harry looked at Tina in alarm and she just laughed.

“It'll be a while before Xanthus' is awake enough to handle two kids on broomsticks, why don't you come say hi to Wilma with me while I collect the eggs, hmm?” Newt said to Harry.

Harry nodded enthusiastically, jumping from his chair in his eagerness to get outside before Rolf came back down. Newt chuckled and led him out the door.

Wilma was the name Newt had given the injured wumpus now living in his barn. The wumpus still didn't walk much, mostly laying in the hay. Harry crept cautiously in as Newt went off to the coop. Wilma was awake and staring at him as he entered. He slow-blinked at her and she slow-blinked back. So he approached and sat down next to her, gently petting her head.

“I might not see you again,” he said, sadly.

She looked at him, with her wide amber eyes.

“I'm worried I'll wake up,” he said. “from this dream. I've been dreaming for an awfully long time, but you wake up if you get hurt. I'm not very good at not getting hurt.”

He looked at her sadly, then realized he was staring and slow-blinked again. She moved one massive front paw and flopped it onto his lap.

“I want to see you again though,” he said. “Maybe I'll dream about you again, like I always dream about that motorcycle. I'd like that.”

He tried to smile at her, but he found he was crying. It was so nice here, he really didn't want to go. She wrapped her other paw around his back and grabbed his waist to pull him in. Then she started licking his face. Her tongue was sandpaper sticky and his skin clung to it as she licked. He couldn't help laughing when she moved to lick the side of his head, making his hair stand straight up on end.

“Don't eat the boy,” Newt called into the barn from the door, “Xanthus would kill me.”

The wumpus kept licking Harry's head, unconcerned.

“I'll be back to get you for flying,” Newt said, then left.

Harry got to spend much longer with Wilma than he expected, given how eager Rolf had been that morning. Eventually though Newt came and collected him. He trudged his way after the old man, feeling a bit like he was being walked to his own execution.

Newt didn't lead him inside, instead he led him around the barn and down a path Harry hadn't taken yet to a big clearing with a little shed at the edge of the trees. Rolf and Xanthus were already standing by the shed, both also in open front robes.

“Harry! Harry!” Rolf yelled, waving wildly as they approached.

Harry waved shyly as he got up to them.

“Sorry it took so long!” Rolf said sheepishly. “I uh, fell back asleep.”

Newt and Xanthus shared a smile as Rolf blushed a bit. Rolf rallied fast though, thrusting a broom to Harry. Who took it on reflex.

“That's the best behaved broom,” Rolf said. “It's the newest. It's your first time flying so use that one.”

Harry didn't know what to make of this. He somehow doubted it was the best behaved broom however, maybe Rolf had done something that would make the broom kick Harry off.

“Okay, watch me,” Rolf said, swinging his leg over the broom and sitting back near the bristles. “You just kick off the ground like this and then point the handle like this.”

Rolf did as he said and kicked off the ground, the broom jumping into the air. He turned around in a few circles and then looked at Harry expectantly. Xanthus just watched them from the shed, his magic stick held in his hand.

Harry got on the broom awkwardly and then kicked off the ground. He rocketed into the air making Xanthus push himself off the shed in surprise and Rolf do a big whoop.

Suddenly all his apprehension about Rolf trying to trick him or hurt him didn't seem to matter much. So what if the boy attacked him if he got to do this first?

Harry squeezed his legs around the broom and made it spin in circles one way, then the other way. Feeling brave he did a loop the loop making himself fly all the way upside down before coming back up to hover. Rolf flew up to him, cheering loudly. Harry didn't even feel worried about Rolf trying to push him off his broom, he felt confident somehow that he could dodge.

“Wow Harry,” Rolf said next to him, “Are you sure you've never been on a broom?”

Harry nodded.

“It's amazing though, right?” Rolf said. He was grinning ear to ear and he did a quick little circle all the way around Harry before coming back to hover.

Harry grinned and nodded again.

“I'll race you to that tree!” Rolf said and zipped away. Harry flattened himself to his broom and flew after him, catching up fast. He beat Rolf to the tree, and felt a bit stupid for having done so. It probably would have been better to let Rolf win.

“Nice Harry!” Rolf said, unexpectedly as he caught up and then held his hand up for a high five. Harry shyly reached up and smacked it. Rolf grinned at him.

“Tag, you're it!” Rolf said and then dived. Harry took a moment to process this and then dove after him.

They flew around wildly like this for what felt like hours. Xanthus at some point got on a broom and flew off to the side. Rolf tried to include him in their games but he just shook his head.

“I need to be ready to catch you, if you fall,” he said.

“I won't fall!” Rolf huffed, but they let him go after that.

By the time they got down for lunch Harry's sides hurt from laughing and steering the broom. He was sure he had never had that much fun in his life. It was pretty hard to talk when pelting around wildly in the air, so when they reached the ground Rolf started yammering at him a mile a minute.

“That was amazing!” Rolf said, grabbing Harry's hand to lead him back to the house. “I'll teach you Quidditch next time, it's hard to play with two people but we could throw a quaffle to practice or have dad charm something for a snitch or something. We could take turns being keeper and chaser. Did you like it!? Do you wanna do it again!?”

“Yeah I did, er, I do,” Harry nodded.

“Great!” Rolf said brightly. “I'm so glad you're here!”

Harry smiled shyly and realized suddenly that he believed it.

“Er…”

“What? What?” Rolf asked, excitement pouring out of him despite the fact that both he and Harry were out of breath still from flying.

“Do you wanna,” Harry tried. Rolf nodded at him, waiting as patiently as the excited boy could for him to get the words out. “Do you wanna ride in the Truck with me tomorrow? When, er, when Newt goes to check on, er, stuff.”

“Yes!” Rolf exclaimed, like it's the best idea he's ever heard. “Dad, Dad! You come too, okay?”

“Course kiddo,” Xanthus said and ruffled both their hair.

Harry ducked but he couldn't stop himself from smiling. He smiled the whole way back to the house as Rolf dragged him back to it, listening to the other boy yammer on and on about anything that caught his fancy.

He smiled that night when going to bed, looking out the window.

This was the best dream ever.

In this dream, he made a friend.

Chapter Text

“Xanthus, did you kidnap Harry?”

Xanthus spit out his coffee all over the newspaper in front of him and spluttered.

“Mother,” he said, looking up at her with wide eyes. “Why… why would you think I had… I mean… what?”

She arched a brow and stared at him. Making him squirm.

“Well, for one, you suddenly applied for the British news when you got here,” she said, indicating the coffee stained Daily Prophet.

“I lived in Britain all last year, mom,”

“You’ve never read the paper, but now you seem to look for something in it every morning,” she continued.

“I'm just being thorough,”

“AND you sigh in relief everytime you don't see it.”

“Mother, it's been well over a month since I brought Harry here, surely if I kidnapped him and was looking for some sign in the paper, it would have been there already?” He said, trying to sound even.

“Are you saying that to me? Or trying to convince yourself?”

She looked at him steadily over her own coffee. He tried to keep eye contact but failed almost immediately and looked down.

“You've told us nothing about who he is, where you found him, how you found him. Even his surname. He clearly knows nothing of magic but I am curious how you stumbled upon a no-maj boy while sequestered in a castle surrounded by an all magical village?”

He looked steadily down at the stained paper in his hands.

“Also, his hair has been charmed a different color, and you've magically fixed that bandana to his head. Most importantly, no one would give you a child through proper legal channels.”

“Mother, please,” Xanthus said, putting his head in shaking hands, elbows resting on the table. Leaving the paper in his lap.

“Xan,” She said, imploringly. “Xan, look at me.”

He didn't.

She sighed and came around the table, lifting his hands from his eyes.

“Xan, dear, please,” she said, looking at him sternly but not unkindly. “He's been here over a month, as you say. He and Rolf get along famously. He's clearly here to stay, but we haven't discussed it at all. What happens when Rolf goes back to Perchina next month? Are you going to be responsible? If you're leaving him with Newt and I, I think we ought to at least be told what happened to him.”

“Mom, I…” he tried, looking between her eyes as if he could somehow portray what happened without words.

“Xanthus, did you kidnap him?”

“Yes,” He said.

“Oh Xanthus…”

“I found him locked in a cupboard sitting in his own waste,” He told her. “Mom, it was this big house but they kept him in the cupboard all the time. Worse though, he was terrified by the very word ‘Magic.’ They punished him for accidents… it was… I couldn't leave him…”

“And you tried to report it but got lost in the confrontation?”

He winced. She knew him too well.

“Now tell me why a missing no-maj boy would be in the Daily Prophet?” She asked.

“Mom, please,” he tried.

“Why is his hair charmed? Why the bandana? Who is he?” She asked.

“He's… Harry… Harry Potter,” He mumbled.

“Dear, I'm eighty seven, speak up,”

“Harry Potter,” He said more firmly.

“Hmm… Potter is a wizarding name. There were some Potters in America but I think they've all married into other lines now. I never was good with remembering all that, being half,” She said curiously. “Why was a wizarding boy punished for magic?”

“Orphan,” he said simply. “Parents died in the war, given to a no-maj family.”

“Really? MACUSA would never put a wizarding boy with no-maj, not after poor Credence and New York.”

“Yes, that's why I took him,”

“You think a magical relative will notice though? Why check the papers? Xanthus you've been acting more paranoid than someone who’s stolen a boy from no-maj. Even if they did report it, it wouldn't reach magical papers, surely?”

“He's, well he's kinda… Um…” He gave her a pained look. “Very, um, very famous.”

“Famous?”

“Harry Potter is the boy that they were touting around for having ended their war,” He told her.

He saw the recognition hit her instantly. She let go of his hands and stood up, walking to the window. Outside it, Rolf and Harry were running around the barn in big circles laughing loud enough to carry inside. They were playing some kind of weird tag variation except Rolf was pretending to be something that roared. Everytime he roared, Harry laughed hysterically which just encouraged Rolf more.

“Newt visited Britain after the war was over, you know?” She said, quietly, still looking out.

Xanthus nodded.

“Lost his brother in the war,” She said. “Theseus was a brilliant fighter, Voldemort killed him personally. He could hold his own against Grindelwald but was killed by that monster. Newt felt we should have been more involved, I felt like we'd already had our war. We fought about it.”

Xanthus sorta knew all this, although generally he wasn't home for the heaviest part of the British war. He was an auror with Perchina then. His awareness had mostly been in case he'd have to join the fight. America had resisted though, saying it was a foreign matter and they shouldn't mettle.

“So Newt went to visit, after. I knew he felt guilty and that he blamed me a bit,” She continued. “When he came back, he told me the oddest tale. The whole country is scared to say Voldemort, did you know?”

“Um, yeah, stuck my foot in it a few times at Hogwarts. Made a little girl cry, even,” He said.

“Right, well, Newt seemed to buy into it some. I think because of Theseus. Made Voldemort seem more scary than Grindelwald. Well, he came back and told me that Britain had been saved by a little baby. I tried arguing with him, it sounded ridiculous, but he was sure it was the kid. Felt like we should give a toast to the boy.”

Xanthus nodded.

“And now you're telling me, that baby is running around my barn after having been abused by no-maj his whole life?”

“Um… yeah… I guess,” He said, lamely.

“Circe, Xanthus, you've really outdone yourself this time.”

Xanthus ducked his head, looking down. His mother turned away from the window and walked back over to him. She put a hand on his shoulder and smiled.

“I'm proud of you son, but I do wish you were a little less scared of talking to people and a little more scared of the consequences of kidnapping Britain's golden child. I'll tell your father and Eau… dunno if I should tell Eau, might risk her job. Well… I'll figure it out. You go out and have fun with your boys, while you have them,” she said, patting him a few times.

Xanthus fled. He was out the door before she could change her mind.

“Dad! Dad!” Rolf came barrelling into him moments after he opened the door. Harry fast on his heels, although Harry hung back once he'd caught up. Harry shifted from foot to foot as if he wasn't really sure what to do when Rolf was hugging Xanthus. Xanthus ruffled the hair on both their heads. Harry smiled shyly at him.

“What have you boys been up to?”

“I'm a dragon! Roar!” Rolf said. “Harry has to catch me to steal my scale and then I have to steal it back!”

Rolf held out a rock to Xanthus, it was a bit blueish but mostly just a normal dirty rock.

“You wanna play?” Rolf asked.

“Or,” Xanthus' dad said, coming suddenly around the corner. “We could all four of us go on a campout!”

“Dad, isn't it a full moon?” Xanthus asked, looking up as if he could see the moon in the bright summer sky. He couldn't of course.

“Yep, exactly,” His father responded.

“Yeah!” Rolf said, dropping his rock as he ran over to his grandfather. “Can we have a fire!? Can we have s’mores? Oh, oh, what about sausages in the fire?”

“Sure, sure,” Newt chuckled.

“Father, I don't know about this, we could wait a day and it would be much safer,” Xanthus tried.

“Nonsense, there aren't any werewolves near the reserve, I'd know,” Newt said confidently.

“Werewolves are real?” Harry asked. Xanthus had figured out that Harry cringed when he asked questions but it had taken him a while to put it together. So far the only questions they'd gotten him comfortable asking were ones about magical creatures. Which was probably his father's work more than anyone else's.

“Yep,” his father said. “Now you boys go pack up a change of clothes and anything else you wanna bring. Your dad and I will go get the camping stuff.”

“Okay!” Rolf said and grabbed Harry's hand before dragging the smaller boy all the way to the house. Harry didn't seem to mind Rolf dragging him around.

Xanthus mostly helped his dad levitate and attach an old truck canopy to the back of his truck. The 1956 Dodge Power Wagon didn't actually have a factory canopy and the truck was so old that parts were hard to come by, so his father had made a canvas canopy for it. It reminded Xanthus a bit of a carriage as the ribbing holding up the canvas could be seen through the fabric.

The back of the canvas canopy had five zippers running down the side. Newt Scamander was known worldwide for his amazing abilities with and knowledge of magical creatures. His lesser known but no less impressive talent with extension charms was on full display on the truck and canopy. Each Zipper opened the door into a new space.

The outermost zipper just opened to the normal truck bed. Which would of course stretch to fit almost anything but looked entirely innocuous.

The next zipper opened to a large, single room library that Xanthus knew carried much of his father's travel references and many books to entertain his mother in case she got dragged along. The room was so big and references on magical beasts so sparse, that many of the bookshelves were empty. There was a large couch by a fire that Xanthus knew was entirely there for his mother to sequester herself at when his father was out galavanting around, doing who knew what.

The third zipper opened to what felt like a whole house. There were four bedrooms, a kitchen, bathroom and living room connected by a central hallway that the canvas door opened into. Xanthus had never seen anyone else expand a space so much. There were trunks that contained a room or two, but nothing like this. The wild part was this back truck house was absolutely nothing compared to Newt Scamander's old briefcase. Xanthus had tried for years to pick his father's brain about expansion charms and while Xanthus was very good compared to most, he got nowhere close to his dad. His dad had always shrugged and said he “just needed the space.” As if that explained everything.

His father checked all three of these spaces to make sure the magic was still stable and in working order. He walked around the rooms in the house and cleaned a couple of runes around the base of the walls but called it good. He didn't check the last two zippers. Xanthus had always been told never to open them. When he was a kid he had tried once, but the zippers were stuck down. He wasn't entirely sure if his Father just hadn't gotten around to enchanting them and didn't realize how ominous he sounded when he told Xanthus not to touch the zippers.

Sleeping in a fully furnished bedroom was not what no-maj considered camping but Xanthus preferred it. How many calls he'd been sent to as an auror because a magical beast had found a no-maj tent… Well there was a reason he no longer looked at his father's creatures with the same wide eyed wonder that he had in his youth. That Harry had now.

Although he found himself loath to kill the boy’s notion of them. Not when he was already so scared of everything else. Also, above all else, he trusted his father. Those magical creatures may be vicious, but if Newt said they wouldn't hurt you, they wouldn't hurt you… with him around.

Rolf and Harry came running out of the house, each holding a rucksack. His mother came walking sedately out behind them, holding a picnic basket.

“Have a fun trip, boys,” She said, handing off the baset to his father who reached out the door for it. Xanthus knew from experience the basket could carry an insane amount of food and was likely well stocked.

“Woah,” Harry said, having climbed up the tailgate with Rolf to stare around the inside of the truck.

“What?” Rolf asked him, entirely unfazed by the house inside the trunk.

“It's so big,” Harry said. He was staring at the doors curiously, like he didn't quite believe they'd open to real rooms. Xanthus could see the boy's face scrunch up as he wared over whether to ask or not.

“Go explore,” He told them, and they scrambled inside.

Rolf ran around opening all the doors and doing a loop around each room. Harry wandered after him, mouth dropped slightly open as he looked around in amazement. Harry kept coming back to the canvas door and peering outside then back inside. Once he came out to try and pat the outside and inside of the truck at the same time.

“The ceiling isn't even cloth,” Harry said to him on his third time leaning out. His eyes seemed to be stuck wide as he said this.

“You wanna see the library?” Xanthus asked, instead of answering.

“I thought I checked all the doors,” Harry said and then ducked back inside the truck to check all the doors again, clearly looking for the library. He poked his head back out. “I don't see a library.”

“Come here,” He lifted Harry out of the back of the truck and closed the zipper for the living room, leaving his Dad and Rolf inside. Then he unzipped the Library and set Harry back down inside, ducking his head under the canvas to do so.

Harry just spun slowly around in circles, his mouth gaping.

“This isn't real,” He said eventually, looking at Xanthus like he'd just told him about a weird magic truck rather than having let Harry run around inside one.

“It's Magic,” Xanthus smiled, then helped Harry back down and reopened the door to the living space. “Rolf! Grandpa Newt! Ready to go?”

Rolf came running down the hallway and launched himself out the door to wrap his arms around Xanthus' neck. Newt came clambering out after, much more nimble than he had any right being for someone born before the turn of the century.

All four of them sat in the two front seats, which stretched to accommodate them as each person got in. Rolf demanded the window seat and stood to dangle his head out the window as they drove.

His father drove them through the forest and followed the road as it began to climb up the mountain. Harry was perfectly content to sit in his seat and watch the forest go by. Xanthus didn't think he'd ever seen the boy look bored and he certainly never complained.

Rolf however… well Rolf was a normal six year old kid. He got bored.

“I'm bored,” Rolf complained, about forty minutes into their drive. Xanthus smiled a bit at the proclamation. There were a lot of things kids did that were annoying but he hadn't found a single one of them anything but endearing since Rolf got here. It was probably a combination of missing his son so much and noticing the stark contrast to Harry. Rolf felt safe enough and comfortable enough in his life to complain, and something about that made Xanthus feel good.

“Still got a ways to go, kiddo,” His father said.

“I'm bored,” Rolf repeated. “Are you bored Harry?”

“No,” Harry said, shaking his head.

“Oh,” Rolf said, looking put out. It clearly wasn't the answer he was expecting. Then declared confidently, “Yeah, I'm not bored too.”

Xanthus and Newt chuckled together.

Rolf held it in for longer than Xanthus expected, but by the time they finally arrived at their destination all of the other occupants were very well informed about Rolf's boredom with the drive. They finally drove to a stop at the beginning of a huge meadow dotted with little flowers and edged on one side by the mountain's cliff. The second the truck stopped, Rolf threw the door open and rushed out.

“Don't get too close to the cliff!” Xanthus called after him.

Harry slid out of the car much more carefully and looked up at Xanthus with concern. He ruffled Harry's hair and smiled at him.

“Go on then,” Xanthus said. Harry smiled shyly before running off to follow Rolf.

He watched for a while as his son and Harry ran around the field. Partially to make sure they didn't get near the edge but mostly because their laughter made him smile.

“Xanthus, can you get the fire?” His father asked from behind him. He watched a moment longer before turning towards their camp, to make it one. They were parked near the treeline on the far end of the meadow farthest from the cliff. He spelled a wide circle clear of plants for the fire then summoned some logs to place around the area. With a spell he enlarged a couple of them for better seating. Then he cast a fire at the center and stoked it larger.

“Rolf! Harry!” He called them. They came running up to him a moment later, red faced from sprinting. “Why don't you go search the forest for some sticks to use for cooking and some wood to feed the fire?”

“Can’t you transfigure cook sticks?” Rolf asked.

“It's more fun this way, it's like a scavenger hunt. Try to find the best ones,” He said, not mentioning that he also didn't need the wood for the fire. He knew they'd enjoy throwing it in and poking at it. He watched them run off into the woods, Rolf in the lead.

“I'll show you what we're looking for, Harry!” Rolf said importantly as they ran off.

Xanthus pulled out the picnic basket from the kitchen, noticing that his father was nowhere to be found. He rooted through the picnic basket for campfire foods and waited for his wayward family to return.

Soon the boys came tottering out of the woods, arms stacked with sticks and branches. Twigs and moss stuck to their hair and robes. They laughed as they deposited their prize by the fire.

“Dad!” Rolf said, clambering into Xanthus' lap with sap covered fingers.

“Yes, kiddo?” He asked, helping him up.

“Marshmallows!” He demanded happily, holding out his already sticky hands. Xanthus laughed, wrapping his arm around Rolf’s head and knuckling his hair. Rolf pushed him off, giggling and protesting.

“We have to trim your sticks first,” He told Rolf as the boy wriggled off his lap.

Rolf selected a few long sticks to bring to Xanthus while Harry hung back looking a bit lost.

A few hours and far too many burning marshmallows later, Harry was laughing gleefully as he and Rolf poked at branches in the fire. Both their faces smeared in sticky goo and sausage grease. Newt had joined them a few marshmallows in and was now sitting on the ground, head leaned back against an enlarged log, snoring loudly despite the boys’ ruckus.

“Alright boys, time for bed,” Xanthus said, as the boys started lagging.

“Noooooo,” Rolf said, coming and sitting next to Xanthus, leaning against his leg. “Not tired.”

“Rolf,” Xanthus warned lightly.

“Please, wanna watch the fire, please Dad?” Rolf said.

“Alright, a bit longer then,” Xanthus gave in, resigning himself to carrying the boys to bed.

Rolf settled in happily, his sticky hands tangled in Xanthus’ robes, head resting on his leg as he watched the fire. Harry stood off where Rolf had left him, fidgeting the stick he'd been catching on fire in his hands.

“Harry, come on then. You too,” Xanthus said, patting his other side. Harry hesitated a bit, taking a few steps forward slowly as if to check it wasn't some trick before coming over to sit on the other side of his legs from Rolf. He didn't cling to him as Rolf did, instead leaning back against the log and wrapping his hands around his knees pulled up to his chest.

Xanthus shot a cleaning spell at both the boys. Rolf didn't even twitch but Harry jumped slightly and touched his face with his hands. Xanthus enjoyed the little pleased smile on Harry's face.

They watched the fire a while longer. The deep night sky began to lighten as the full moon rose overhead, casting an ethereal light across the trees and meadow. Rolf fell asleep quickly against his leg, but Harry stayed up, seeming unbothered by the late hour, content to sit in silence with Xanthus and the fire. Xanthus reached out and placed a hand on Harry's shoulder affectionately. Harry jumped a bit, looking up at him in surprise. He smiled at Harry and to his surprise Harry leaned into him slightly more.

“Do you hear that?” Harry whispered almost so quietly Xanthus couldn't hear him. Xanthus perked up to listen and noticed a rustling in the grass behind him. He and Harry both turned to look out across the meadow.

In the bright full moon light, he could barely make out some rustling in the grass. Harry stiffened, clearly seeing it as well. Xanthus pulled out his wand just in case.

They watched stiffly, Xanthus' hand on Rolf's shoulder in case he needed to wake him. Then suddenly the two of them jumped. Eyes. Many large wide eyes caught the moonlight. Pairs of eyes dotted around the meadow, flashing here and there. Wide but distinctly non predatory. Suddenly Xanthus chuckled, startling Harry next to him.

“Mooncalf,” He whispered to Harry. He should have known. His father always had a reason for excursions like this. In fact he'd likely been napping all evening so that he could spend the night with his wayward mooncalf colony. He had kept them for ages in his expanded inside habitats but discovered that they, like many creatures, languished in an artificial habitat. Especially a habitat without moonlight for their full moon dance. So he'd found a place for them on the reserve but Xanthus had never seen it himself.

Knowing he was seeing magical creatures, Harry stood up to get a better view. He looked at Xanthus with some question on his face.

“They are quite safe,” Xanthus said. “If you go out slowly they might not even run from you.”

Harry beamed at him and climbed over the log. He carefully started to sneak out into the meadow.

“Don't go too far,” Xanthus warned. Watching as the boy looked around for a set of eyes to sneak after.

He tried to keep his eyes on Harry as best he could, but the boy was truly a master of keeping a low profile. So instead he anxiously watched the area where he thought Harry was. Sure in his knowledge that the mooncalf could do him no harm.

“No!” Harry shrieked suddenly, making Xanthus jump to his feet. Then Harry cried out in pain and Xanthus' blood ran cold. He picked up a groggy Rolf at his feet and dumped him in Newt's lap as his father woke in confusion.

Unable to get out a word to his father, he launched himself over the log and raced to where he thought Harry was. He lit his wand brightly as he went, revealing around him many small mooncalf. Their big eyes and long necks peering up at him. He jumped over two of them in his haste, skidding to a halt as he finally came across Harry.

Harry was holding his arm to his chest and Xanthus' heart stuttered when he noticed blood soaking Harry's robes. Despite the injury, Harry was standing as if guarding an injured Mooncalf limping behind him. In front of Harry was a large dog sized creature with bull horns, spines running down its back and a wide, wide mouth full of teeth on its frog-like face.

The creature lunged and Harry moved as if to try to meet it. Xanthus blasted it out of the air before it could reach Harry, watching as the horned creature tumbled into the grass. Xanthus ran to put himself between Harry and the creature. When it came snarling up Xanthus tried stunning it and let out a breath when it worked. He scanned the area for more threats before turning to Harry.

“Come on Harry, we need to get you back to look at that arm,” He said gently. He could see blood slowly dripping from the sleeve but Harry wasn't even crying. Instead he looked determined.

“No,” he said.

Xanthus stared, dumbfounded. He was fairly sure it was the first time Harry had ever refused to do anything he'd asked. He certainly wasn't expecting Harry's first rebellion to be in defiance of being healed up.

“The mooncalf,” Harry said, his voice thick in pain, as he pointed at the injured creature behind him.

Xanthus sighed.

“Father!” Xanthus yelled back towards the fire. Luckily Newt came running only a moment later, clearly already on his way.

“Rolf's in the truck,” He said, before being asked, he held his wand out searching around for threats. “What happened?”

“Harry, my father will take care of the mooncalf, okay?” Xanthus said to Harry, instead of answering his father. His father nodded, bending down to the creature. Harry hesitated for only a moment before nodding and allowing Xanthus to steer him back towards the fire.

“I stunned what attacked him there, come tell me immediately if I need to be worried about his arm,” He told his father before he left, pointing to where he'd seen the creature fall. He dearly wanted to tear Harry's robe sleeve here and have a look at his arm, but getting to a safe place first was important.

He helped Harry into the truck, where Rolf was waiting impatiently, tears of worry streaking his face. Xanthus thanked the stars when Rolf didn't make a fuss, letting Xanthus spell off the sleeve of Harry's robes to examine the wound.

It was clearly a bite, he could see the blood smeared puncture marks of the teeth. Rolf cried harder upon seeing it, but Harry did not. Instead, the boy stared sort of perplexed at his arm.

“It hurts,” he told Xanthus, looking up, a look sorta like wonder in his eyes.

Xanthus nodded sadly, spelling off the blood first to make sure there wasn't anything in the wound.

“Don't touch it Harry,” he said, startled as Harry actively poked his arm, wincing from the pain.

“It hurts,” Harry repeated. He didn't sound like he was complaining though. It wasn't a whine or a plea for Xanthus to make it stop hurting. Harry stated it matter-of-factly, as if the fact was important.

“I bet it hurts,” his father said, making all three of them jump. “Bit by a Hodag. Nothing weird about Hodag bites Xan, you can heal it up. I'll go get him a potion for the pain.”

His dad climbed in over the tailgate and placed his hand firmly on Harry's good shoulder as Xanthus started muttering a flesh mending charm.

“It's not a dream,” Harry said. He seemed to be squeezing his arm with his good hand even as the bite knit back together. “It still hurts… It's really not a dream. It's all real…”

“I'm so sorry Harry, I know that was a bit of a nightmare, you'll be better in a second,” Newt said, coming back with a potion as Xanthus continued his charm. “You were very brave though, that mooncalf is safe thanks to you.”

Harry shook his head ‘no’ violently, finally starting to cry.

“Not a nightmare,” he said, thickly through his tears. “Not a dream. It's all real. All of it.”

When his arm was finally healed up, Rolf carefully came up and pulled Harry into a hug.

They cried themselves to sleep. Rolf slept looking distraught and restless. Harry, however, slept with a smile on his face.

Chapter Text

Since the hodag attack, Rolf had taken to sometimes sneaking into Harry’s bed at night. Rolf told Harry that on other nights he went to sleep with his dad.

“It's lonely, sleeping alone, I don't like it,” Rolf said when Harry asked why he kept sneaking in. “Don't you get scared?”

“No,” Harry said. “I like it when you come, though.”

So, a few weeks after the campout, Harry wasn't surprised when he heard the door to his room click, and Rolf clamber up onto the bed. Instead of curling up, to go to sleep though, Rolf turned to look at Harry seriously in the dim light of the newly waxing moon.

“I go home tomorrow,” Rolf said sadly.

“Yeah,” Harry said.

“Are you coming with me?” Rolf asked.

“I don't know,” Harry said. “I don't think so.”

“I wish you could come,”

“I wish you could stay,” Harry replied. He honestly didn't really want to go with Rolf, he wanted Rolf here. Rolf insisted that his mother was super cool and that she caught bad guys for a living and was very nice. Harry wasn't so sure though. He didn't think he'd like living with someone who made Xanthus feel bad.

“You should come with me, you know,” Rolf said seriously. “You're basically my brother now.”

“I am?” Harry said, surprised.

“‘Course you are,” Rolf said.

“I don't think your mom thinks that,” Harry said.

“Dad does though,” Rolf replied confidently.

“You really think so?”

“Course, this is your home now isn't it? You're not just visiting.”

“I dunno,” Harry said, shuddering slightly at the thought that maybe he was just visiting for the summer like Rolf. Maybe he'd have to go back to the Dursleys to go to school with Dudley. To get chased around by his cousin's friends and locked in the cupboard again. “Maybe I have to go back.”

“Nah,” Rolf said confidently, “I asked Grandma Tina, and she said this was your home now.”

“Really? So then I'm probably not going with you.”

“But I want you to.”

“Your dad's here, isn't this your home too?”

“This is Grandma and Grandpa's home, Dad's just visiting. I want Dad to come home with me…”

“Will he!?” Harry said, alarmed by the idea that Xanthus might leave and abandon Harry here. Harry liked it here. He liked Newt and Tina, especially Newt but he didn't like the idea of being here without Xanthus. It felt wrong somehow.

“No…” Rolf said miserably. He sniffed and Harry realized Rolf was crying. “I just want him to. I don't understand why he left.”

“Your mom doesn't like that he's shy,” Harry said, confidently. He remembered Grandma Tina saying that just before Rolf got here.

“My mom… she’s really mad at dad, I don't think it's ‘cause he's shy though, I dunno, I just want them to stop fighting. I don't want to only see my dad for the summers. I want to see them both all the time. You could come too, and I'd have a brother. I don't wanna go home tomorrow but I miss my mom.” Rolf said, through hiccups and tears. Harry wasn't really sure what to do to make him feel better, so he just grabbed Rolf's hand and held it.

Rolf just cried for what felt like an hour.

“I want my dad,” Rolf said eventually, sitting up to get off the bed.

“Okay,” Harry said, letting go of Rolf's hand. Rolf grabbed it back immediately though.

“Can you come too?” Rolf begged.

“Er, I dunno,” Harry said. It seemed weird going to Xanthus' room and probably waking him up.

“Please, it's my last time seeing you till maybe next summer,” Rolf pleaded.

“Okay,” Harry said, but only because Rolf looked so dejected.

Rolf crawled out of the bed and reached for Harry to do the same. He hesitated a bit, then followed. When they opened the door the candles on the railing burst into flames. Rolf led Harry down the hall to one of the other doors and opened it with a creak. Harry winced at the noise, it felt loud in the nighttime quiet.

Rolf pulled Harry in after him but he let go to clamber onto the bed.

“Huh?” Harry heard Xanthus murmur sleepily from the head of the bed. “That you, kiddo?”

“Yeah,” Rolf said, not at all quietly.

“Thought you were sleeping with Harry,” Xanthus murmured, pulling up the covers for Rolf to climb into bed.

“I am,” Rolf said. “He's here too.”

“Hmm?” Xanthus sat up a bit to look over to the door, Harry could see the moment he was spotted and shrunk down a bit.

“Harry,” Rolf said, patting the spot next to him on the bed. Harry just looked at Xanthus though, suddenly very nervous.

“You can join us if you want, but you also don't have to,” Xanthus said, pulling up the blankets for a spot for Harry.

“No, I don't want him to go,” Rolf cried.

“Rolf,” Xanthus said sternly. “Harry might not be comfortable sleeping here, you don't want him to be uncomfortable do you?”

“No,” Rolf sniffed. “Why wouldn't he be comfy?”

“Harry's never had anyone to cuddle up with when he's scared, he's not used to sleeping with other people.” Xanthus explained. Harry supposed this was true. It felt weird when Xanthus said it though.

“Harry sleeps with me,” Rolf said.

“You're special,” Xanthus said. This seemed to please Rolf who smiled and looked at Harry shyly.

Harry didn't really know what to do. Rolf was sad and he didn't want Rolf to be sad anymore. All of this was the best thing that had ever happened to Harry, but Rolf was especially good. He was open about how much he liked Harry in a way that no one had ever been. He was fun and clever and had lots of fun games to play and he always wanted Harry to play them with him. He sometimes had tantrums but they were nothing compared to Dudley's and Rolf never took them out on Harry.

Rolf said this was Harry's home. Home. A real home.

A real home that would be awfully quiet after tomorrow with Rolf gone.

It was Rolf's last night here. He wouldn't sneak into Harry's bed again, or try to convince Harry to sneak down and get midnight snacks from the kitchen. This was it for a whole year.

Harry found that he was crying. Silent tears streamed down his cheeks as he tried to keep quiet. He just stood at the edge of Xanthus' bed and cried. He didn't know what to do. He didn't want Rolf to go.

Suddenly he was being gathered up into Xanthus' arms and hugged.

“I don't want Rolf to go,” he braved, crying into Xanthus' shoulder.

“I don't wanna go,” Rolf started crying again. Harry felt Xanthus scoop Rolf up so that he had one boy in each arm. They clung to each other crying into Xanthus' nightgown together.

“I'm so sorry,” Xanthus whispered. He leaned back against the headboard and pulled both boys in close. “I'm so, so sorry.”

Harry realized Xanthus was crying too. Which made him even more sad.

Harry was the first to stop crying, although it was hard to tell Xanthus' was crying at all. He wiped his eyes on his sleeve and hugged Rolf and Xanthus tightly, hoping it would somehow make it better. It made him feel better when they hugged him for some reason.

“Can you both come for my birthday this year?” Rolf sniffed eventually. “And maybe I could come for Harry's birthday?”

“I don't have a birthday,” Harry said sadly. It would have been great if he did, if it meant he could see Rolf. Harry found out at school that almost everyone had a birthday except him. He decided it was just probably another way he was a freak and didn't think much about it. It was sad now though.

“Harry,” Rolf said, making Harry look over at him. Rolf wasn't actively crying anymore, his face was still wet with tears but he mostly looked perplexed. “Of course you have a birthday. Everyone has a birthday.”

“Not me, I'm a freak, ” Harry said, shaking his head. Then feeling like he was letting Rolf down, he added “I'm sorry.”

“You do have a birthday, Harry,” Xanthus said roughly. “You've just never been told what it is. I'll find out what it is and we'll have a party.”

“Promise?” Rolf demanded, looking up at his dad.

“Promise.” Xanthus repeated.

They laid there for a while in silence, all cuddled up together. Harry liked it but he still felt a little scared, like he was intruding or doing something wrong. Rolf's breathing evened out and Harry realized he was asleep. He peaked up at Xanthus, but looked away when Xanthus looked back, meaning he was still awake.

“Xanthus,” Harry whispered quietly, trying to muster his courage.

“Yeah, Harry?”

“Am I visiting too? Do I have to go back too?”

“No, you aren't visiting, you don't ever have to go back,” Xanthus said.

“So this is my home?” Harry asked.

“Yes, this is your home,” Xanthus said, but then jumped a bit, making Harry sit up. “Sorry Harry, didn't mean to surprise you, just noticed a magic thing, nothing to worry about.”

He kinda sounded worried, but he pulled Harry back into the hug. Rolf slept undisturbed.

“It's okay that I'm here?” Harry asked, braving more questions. Something about the night made Harry feel like he could ask.

“More than okay,” Xanthus said. “We love having you here. Grandpa Newt adores you. We all adore you Harry.”

“I meant here, here,” Harry said.

“Oh, yes, it is also more than okay that you're here. Even when Rolf goes back to his mom, if you're ever scared or lonely or want a hug, my door is always open. Perchina says I'm supposed to wean Rolf off sleeping with his parents but I figure you've got six whole years to make up for, so you come whenever you want.”

“You didn't really stop Rolf either,” Harry pointed out. He felt more than heard Xanthus chuckle.

“No, I didn't even try.”

Xanthus scootched all three of them down in the bed so that he wasn't sitting up anymore. Rolf murmured slightly but didn't wake. Harry reached out and grabbed Rolf's hand over Xanthus' chest and cuddled in. Trying to soak in the warmth of it all.

He always felt like the other shoe was going to drop but maybe the other shoe dropping was Rolf having to leave. Which was terrible, but maybe it meant that this was safe. This was real. He didn't have to worry about what it all meant.

Harry woke the next morning before either Rolf or Xanthus. He found himself using Xanthus' arm as a pillow. Xanthus' other arm was thrown over his eyes to block the first sun. Rolf was completely sideways on the bed. Both of his legs were thrown over Xanthus' stomach and his head was dangerously close to hanging off the edge.

Harry carefully extricated himself and slid off the bed. He headed to the bathroom first then back to his bedroom for day clothes. He had his head in his trunk rooting for socks when a tapping sound made him jump and smack his head on the lid. Rubbing the sore spot, he looked up.

He saw the blurry outline of something colorful at the window. He walked over to it curiously. When he got close he realized it was some kind of big colorful bird. He opened the window and it flew in, landing on his shoulder and holding out a letter to him in its beak.

He took it, confused. The bird eyed him for a second then flew off back out the window.

To Harry Potter, the letter said.

Harry stared at it, it took a while to make the letters out. He always had trouble reading, he didn't understand how others got it so easy. If the letters were really big he could read them but small they all kinda looked the same.

Harry opened the letter, hoping the inside wouldn't be too hard to read. He'd never gotten a letter before. It was kinda exciting but mostly confusing.

It was more confusing once he opened it.

Instead of words, there was just a large picture taking up the thick parchment. It was a skull with a snake coming out of its mouth. The snake writhed and moved even though it was ink on parchment.

Weird.

At least he didn't have to read a bunch of words. He hated the idea of admitting he couldn't read well to the Scamanders. They might not like him if they knew he was dumb.

“Harry!” Rolf came running to the door, still in his nightgown.

“Huh?” Harry looked up from his letter.

“We've gotta stick together all day!” Rolf said, coming in to grab Harry's hand. “It's my last day.”

“Aren't you going to get dressed first?” Harry asked.

“Oh yeah,” Rolf said looking down. “Well after I get dressed then! Don't forget!”

Then Rolf ran out of the room and over to his own. Harry stared at the weird skull picture again. Maybe he should ask Xanthus about it? He didn't want to distract from Rolf's last day though. Maybe it was a magic thing he was already supposed to know about. There were a lot of those.

He folded the letter back up and put it in his trunk then headed downstairs to the kitchen.

The whole Scamander family came together for Rolf's last day. They made cinnamon rolls for breakfast. Rolf and Harry were allowed to put the icing on the rolls and lick the spatulas clean. Then all six of them went out to play light-tag at Rolf's request.

Light tag was one of Harry's favorite games. Apparently Newt had invented it for his kids when Xanthus was young. He charmed fake wands to shoot out colorful beams. The little sticks that everyone used to do magic were apparently called wands; kids couldn't use wands though so Newt made fake ones for the game. If you got hit with a beam your skin would change color to indicate how many times you'd gotten hit. If you turned green you were out and the last person still in won. Every once in a while the fake wands would shoot a green beam which would instantly turn someone green and get them out.

Harry liked the game because he was really good at it. He wasn't particularly good at hitting people with the beams, but he was very good at not getting hit.

He normally only played with Rolf though. He thought that Newt and Tina wouldn't be very good because they were so old. He didn't know any adults who would have been able to play this game back from when he lived with the Dursleys except for his school gym teacher. Age did not seem to matter here though. He found out that Newt was over ninety years old a few weeks ago, which was very very very old.

Yet somehow, after ages of running through the trees, shooting and dodging beams, Newt stood as the victorious winner.

Eau, who had been knocked out of the game first, came out of the house shortly after with food for a picnic. Everyone laid around for a while, out of breath and exhausted. Except for Rolf who seemed to have endless energy. He begged Harry to fly with him so they got brooms and flew around overhead as the rest of the family sat around the picnic blanket.

Harry looked down from his broom at the Scamanders, their skin still slightly green from the game. Except Newt who was somehow only orange. There was something strangely magical and absurdly funny about all those adults sitting around with green skin while Harry actually FLEW through the air on a BROOMSTICK. He couldn't help it, he suddenly started to laugh and laugh.

“What's so funny?” Rolf said as he flew up to Harry's side.

“Magic,” Harry laughed. Rolf just looked more confused so Harry tried again, pointing downwards he said. “They're all green!”

Rolf looked down and seemed to also decide this was hilarious because he burst into giggles. They started laughing so hard that flying became difficult. So they slowly lowered to the ground, clutching at each other more than their brooms as they descended.

“What's so funny?” Xanthus asked. He was mostly returned to his normal color except for some reason his nose which was still a very bright green. Seeing it, Harry laughed harder which only set Rolf off more. So they just rolled on the ground rather than answering.

He was home.

This was his home.

In his home people turned green and flew on broomsticks. He laughed some more.

Unfortunately the picnic couldn't last forever, nor the day. So all too soon, they were sequestered inside around the hearth. The air was much more somber now. Rolf had clambered onto Xanthus' lap and he was clinging to his father desperately.

“Can't you come with me? Dad? Please come home,” Harry could hear Rolf crying into Xanthus' shoulder. He thought the others could too, but they seemed to be politely pretending they couldn't. Eau and Newt both slipped out saying a whispered goodbye to Rolf as they left. Leaving just Tina, much like when Rolf's mother had arrived.

“I'm sorry, I'm so sorry,” Xanthus kept repeating to Rolf's pleas. Harry felt guilty because he was happy Xanthus wasn't leaving. He didn't want to lose both Rolf and Xanthus.

Then the time for Rolf to leave came and Xanthus stood and brought Rolf to the fire.

“Do you wanna say goodbye, Rolf?” Xanthus asked but Rolf just cried harder so Xanthus squeezed him tight. He threw some kinda powder into the fire, turning it green.

To Harry's great dismay, instead of Perchina stepping through, Xanthus and Rolf stepped in and vanished. He must have made his distress known because Tina came over and put a hand on his shoulder.

“Just floo, Harry,” Tina said.

“Is Xanthus… is he… going back after all?” Harry asked.

“No dear, he's just dropping Rolf off.”

As the minutes ticked by, Harry started to become more and more worried this was not true. Perhaps Rolf had convinced Xanthus to stay after all. Maybe Perchina had forgiven him. He can't really imagine anyone hating Xanthus, he was too good. Maybe she figured that out.

It was nearly an hour later that the fire flared green and Xanthus stepped through. Harry jumped up when he did but then stood there awkwardly. Xanthus looked… sad. He came and gave Harry a quick shoulder squeeze before heading upstairs. Tina sighed heavily.

“Well, maybe it's best we get to bed, hmm?” she said. So he followed Xanthus upstairs to bed.

He tried to sleep. He really did try. He just couldn't.

He kept expecting Rolf to click his door open and slip in, even though he knew Rolf was gone. Something about knowing he wouldn't come made him uneasy though. So he tossed and turned and couldn't sleep, even though he was in a real bed in a real room that was his. The other shoe had dropped, Rolf was gone.

Eventually he gave up and crept out of his room. The candles were already lit when he opened his door. He stood in the hallway, hesitating. He didn't know what to do now. He could sneak a snack like Rolf often convinced him to, but it felt so wrong. Dangerous. On his own, without Rolf doing the actual snack theft. Xanthus said he could come sleep in his bed if ever Harry wanted and he did want that. But then he'd be bothering Xanthus and Xanthus probably didn't need any more bothering today. So he stood there in the hallway.

As he stood there, he realized he could hear voices from downstairs. Not really thinking about it, he crept down to the top of the stairs to listen in. He could hear Xanthus' deep voice and Tina talking in the living room.

“I got her to agree to let me come for Rolf's birthday and for him to visit for Harry's, but I don't know when Harry's birthday is,” Xanthus was saying. “I feel like I'll just ruin his birthday by visiting. It'll be so awkward.”

“If you don't go, she'll use it as ammunition against you,” Tina said. “I'm sure she already did last year when you missed Yule. I was even a bit appalled by that.”

“Yes well-”

“Also we've just missed Harry's birthday. End of July, I wonder why he didn't say anything. Poor kid must have been so disappointed when we skipped it,” she said.

“He didn't know,” Xanthus said.

“Didn't know?”

“He doesn't know his birthday, thinks he doesn't have one.”

“Ugh, everytime I think it can't get worse, I'm glad you took him Xanthus.”

“Yes well...” Harry moved down to listen better. Xanthus sounded worried… Did he regret taking Harry?

“Well?”

“It's probably nothing,”

“Just spit it out, Xanthus.” Tina sighed.

“He asked if he had to go back, like Rolf, and I told him no, this was his home now and… well… the blood wards around him just snapped. I put a monitoring spell and I felt them snap.”

“What blood wards?” Tina asked.

“I asked Dumbledore about him. I meant to tell him… tell him… you know-”

“That you took the boy.”

“Yes, that,” Xanthus said. “Well I told him about the no-maj but he said something about Harry needing to be with them to maintain his protective wards. Mom, I've never felt such strong wards. They were… something else. They've lingered all this time so I thought Dumbledore just mistook them but…”

“Dumbledore doesn't mistake things, unfortunately,” Tina said. “In all our dealings, whenever we didn't understand what Dumbledore did it always came out he had a good reason.”

“Do you think I should have listened? Left him?” Xanthus sounded angry, he didn't yell but he sounded mad. It was a quiet anger but it made Harry uncomfortable. He'd never heard Xanthus sound angry before.

“No, no, I can't in good conscience say that, just, hmmm” Tina replied. “Just that this means taking Harry may be even more dangerous than we already thought. If Dumbledore was willing to let him suffer such abuse, then he must have thought the alternative worse.”

“What could possibly be worse?”

There was a long pause. Harry wasn't sure if maybe there was whispering or not but next Xanthus spoke, he sounded very worried.

“Mom I-”

“Don't panic Xanthus, I was head auror and I didn't retire because I lost my touch. You were an excellent auror-”

Xanthus scoffed.

“Well… you were an excellent auror in the field and that's what matters here. Your father dueled Grindelwald personally. We'll keep him safe.”

“I didn't mean to put you in danger,” Xanthus said. He didn't sound angry now.

“Nonsense Xan, your father wanted to contribute to the British war, now he can, can't he?”

“I hope it doesn't come to that.”

Chapter Text

Xanthus stayed up long after his mom went to bed. He stared blankly at the fire. It hurt to give up Rolf after having him so long and also what felt like no time at all. Perchina had been… particularly unpleasant. Rolf hadn't wanted to let him go and ended up throwing a full tantrum.

Now, here in the quiet, he'd prefer a fully tantruming Rolf to no Rolf at all. Last year when he'd left. Fled. Ran with his tail between his legs. He just couldn't handle any of it. He felt ashamed now but Rolf had just been jumbled up in his fears and regrets. Another thing he'd somehow ruined for himself. He had dreaded facing his own son. Scared of the shame and disappointment he'd find in that face more than any other.

Stupid of him. Even faced with Rolf's full disappointment today. His son's upset over his ruining the family. It had all been in love. Just his son's wish that he too could be in his life.

It hurt.

But it wasn't a pain worth missing Rolf's sixth birthday or any other holiday. It hurt to be missing any of it. It hurt knowing he was missing tomorrow and the next day, holiday or no.

Xanthus stayed up late, watching the last coals of the fire. The late summer days were still hot, but the nights were cooling. Finally, in darkness and the chilling air, he sighed and got up to head to bed. The candles along the railing ignited to light the way.

At the top of the stairs he found Harry, asleep, curled around the banister. He bent down and picked up the boy. Rolf always slept through such movements but Harry jerked suddenly, grasping at Xanthus' robes.

“Xanthus?” Harry said, blearily.

“Do you want your room?” Xanthus asked.

Harry hesitated then shook his head no into Xanthus' chest so he carried Harry into his own room and laid him down. He brushed the boy's hair aside and kissed him on the head by habit. His bandana was still on, he had forgotten to remove the sticking spell for bed earlier. He removed it now and set it on the side table, revealing the lightning scar on Harry's forehead. Harry blinked at him sleepily.

“I'll be back in a sec,” Xanthus said, grabbing his nightgown and going to the bathroom to change. When he came back he was surprised to find Harry still awake, Rolf would have been out.

“Still wanna sleep here?” Xanthus asked, not wanting to make Harry uncomfortable. The boy nodded, pulling the blanket up to cover most of his face.

Xanthus slipped into bed. Harry shifted to give him room so that they lay awkwardly side by side. Xanthus chuckled lightly and opened his arms to the boy.

“Come on then,” he told Harry. Who looked at his open arms for a moment before rolling in and throwing his arms around Xanthus' chest, knocking some wind out of him. Xanthus hugged the boy tightly and they fell asleep cuddled up together. Taking comfort for both their aches at Rolf's absence.

They didn't sleep long.

A loud bang and flash of white light woke them both with a start. Xanthus sat up, one arm wrapped protectively around Harry listening for some clue as to what happened. Another bang, closer to the house this time, made him jump into action. He grabbed his wand and ran to the door of his room, looking out. Eau was also looking out her door, they made confused eye contact. His parents slept on the ground floor. He held his finger up to his lips at both Eau and then Harry behind him. Harry sat up, twisting the sheets nervously in his hands.

He crept down the stairs, his wand outstretched. He got to the bottom of the stairs the same time his father came running into the living room from his bedroom, somehow already fully clothed, not in his nightgown like Xanthus. Newt gave him a hard look. The kinda look Newt rarely gave. One that meant this was serious, whatever this was.

Then the front door exploded.

Wood shards went flying into the room and the concussive blast from whatever caved in the door hit Xanthus hard. He instinctively threw up a protego shield even as he felt himself lift off his feet and slam hard into the stairs behind him. He felt the wooden shrapnel from the door and wall that he'd been too slow to shield hit him in sharp lancing pains across his body, mostly his arms that he'd thrown in front of his face.

Years of being an auror, or perhaps having been raised by Tina Scamander, Xanthus acted fast. His body was still in shock from the hit, back hurt and wind forced from his lungs. He knew he couldn't stand himself up yet, so summoned the couch in front of the hearth to block himself from view.

He heard two deep voices at the door yelling curses and saw the couch shake on impact. The ceiling flashing bright red and purple from the spells cast. He finally managed to pull air back into his lungs just in time to throw himself to the side as the couch also exploded.

He dived forward, rolling up onto his feet then threw himself sideways again to dodge a curse coming his way. He managed to take cover behind one of the many bookshelves on the wall. Xanthus looked out to take stock in what was happening.

Two men in dark, hooded robes and white masks stood in the door. They were throwing curse after curse towards his father who had transfigured something (probably the love seat as it was missing) into an actual stone wall for cover. His father looked much less worn than himself, as he stood tall fighting back. Two against one, he was mostly managing to counter and block the curses thrown his way rather than cast back.

Xanthus threw a stunner and incarcerus out from behind the bookshelf at the figures. They blocked it but the distraction gave his father time to counter attack, suddenly putting the attackers on the defensive. Between his spells and his fathers, the robes figures had to fall back, ducking behind the walls on either side of the blown out door.

Then the window to the left of his father blew up, sending glass flying across the room. Xanthus and Newt both managed to shield in time. Newt had to duck as spells came raining in from where the window once was.

There were more than two, then.

The men at the door used the opportunity to attack again. They had just started to send in curses, when one of them screamed in anguish. Xanthus looked over to see the injured wumpus, now mostly healed, standing in the door on top of one of the figures. Its sharp teeth dripped blood.

The wumpus jumped away a second later as the other man cast curses out at it. Then he slumped to the ground as a red light hit him from outside the door. A second later his mother stood over the man, having somehow come up upon him from behind.

Xanthus had no idea how she had gotten outside. Like his father, she was fully dressed in dueling robes. As if it was the most natural thing in the world to wake up to an attack, take time to dress for the occasion, and somehow get outside to circle around the attackers before Xanthus even got down the stairs. All at nearly ninety.

She peered in at the scene inside.

“Xanthus, get Ha- get the boy, now!” She ordered, her voice the one that he and his siblings had dubbed ‘head auror’ as a joke as kids. It certainly didn't seem like a joke now.

Xanthus ran, taking the stairs two at a time. Pausing only briefly as an orange spell flew in front of him from where his father was dueling through the window. He ran into his room and grabbed Harry with his offhand. Harry grabbed onto him instantly, looking frightened but also strangely determined. Tears ran down the boy's face, but he made no sound.

He peered around his door, wand first, to make sure it was still safe upstairs. Eau was still here, she looked determined, her wand up and ready. She beckoned him over and he quickly snuck to her room. She led him to the window, which opened out onto the front roof of the house.

“Take the truck,” she said, pointing to where it was parked beside the barn.

From here he could see how the fight had progressed. There were more robed figures out here. His mother was dueling three in the yard, he could hear fighting to his left where his father dueled and there was another he could see only by the flashes of color from curses lighting up the trees in distance, possibly chasing the wumpus or having encountered one of his father's many other strangely helpful monsters.

“I can't just leave them,” he said, watching wearily as his mother slowly lost ground, backing away from her three attackers.

“They'll be fine,” Eau scoffed. “Now get out of here so I can use the high ground to help them without drawing attention.”

“Right,” Xanthus said. He handed Harry to Eau while he climbed out the window onto the roof and then took the boy back. Harry came eagerly, clearly discomfited by being held by anyone other than Xanthus.

Together they crept across the roof towards the barn. Xanthus silently cast a feather light charm on Harry as they got to the edge. Not being able to cast it on himself, he judged the distance to the ground wearily.

As teenagers, his brother Xenophon would frequently jump the roof to sneak out and get into trouble. Xanthus had never been much for making trouble though, so he'd only done it himself a couple of times.

“Jump after me, okay,” He whispered to Harry, who nodded silently back.

Then just as he was taking a breath to jump, the house shook violently from some other part of the fight and both Xanthus and Harry lost balance. Xanthus just barely managed to land, letting his feet buckle and roll to minimize damage. He turned to catch Harry, who slowly floated down behind him. He felt his ankle spike in pain as he stepped. He must have twisted it.

Luckily, adrenaline drowned the shooting pain in his ankle quickly as he grabbed Harry and ran despite the pain towards the barn. He skidded around the corner, only to almost smash face first into one of the attackers.

They stood staring at each other in surprise for a second. Then they both acted at once. The attacker shot off a curse just as Xanthus dove to the side. His offhand pulled Harry close to him as he shot his own curse back, which swung wide. He landed on his wand shoulder with a pang of impact. He scrambled to his feet quickly, putting Harry down and shoving the boy behind him.

He shielded the next curse thrown their way, then summoned an old scrap of corrugated roof from some past project that leaned against the barn to block the next. Xanthus didn't recognize the spell but he could tell it was dark. The next spell bounced off the roofing strangely and the attacker had to duck her own rebounded curse. Xanthus used the opportunity to send the roofing flying at her and back himself up to the truck.

Harry had already run to the truck and opened the door. Xanthus didn't think he could get it started without taking out this attacker.

Luckily the wumpus chose that moment to reappear. It came crashing down on the masked figure apparently from the barn roof. Xanthus watched the woman crumple under the beast before turning to pull himself into the driver's seat.

He turned the key, which his dad always left in the ignition and thanked the stars when it started right up. He pressed in the clutch pedal with his bad ankle and shifted to first gear, then hit the gas as he released the clutch.

The truck jerked and then sputtered and died.

He cursed aloud.

“You have to let off that pedal slowly,” Harry said calmly, pointing at the clutch. “That's what Newt says.”

Xanthus didn't trust himself to respond, so he just shifted back into neutral and started the truck again. As it was starting he spotted another robed attacker, likely split off from his mother's duel, coming around the barn through his side mirror. He cursed again and was about to hit the clutch and shift when the pedal and stick moved on their own.

Suddenly, through no power of his own, they were driving. Sending gravel out behind them at the attacker and peeling away down the road.

“Did you do that?” Xanthus asked. Harry just shook his head, his face an odd mix of relieved, confused and worried. They booked it down the road, the truck having shifted itself into high gear to go faster.

Then, after quite a bit of distance, the Truck started to lag. Slowing down steadily and Xanthus suddenly got the sense that he was supposed to drive. So he took the wheel and hit the gas to speed the truck back up. Which it did happily.

He drove them down the dirt road through the reserve. After he almost didn't turn with the road, he slowed down some. It was still dark outside, and the headlights only did so much to illuminate the path.

Harry looked anxiously out the window, sitting on his knees to get a better look at what they were leaving behind. They couldn't see the house or barn anymore though. Nor could they see the eery flashes of curse lights. It was just darkness. Darkness and the trees around them turned gray by the headlights as they slid past.

They had made it out.

Chapter Text

The early morning light just barely illuminated the wood as Xanthus finally connected to a main road. The road ran north/south, but he didn't know where it led. He turned south, not wanting to deal with crossing the border. He knew they were vaguely close to Canada but not how close.

The smooth pavement helped calm his nerves some, and it seemed to help Harry too, as the boy sat down in his seat and stopped craning his neck to look behind them. They were still surrounded on all sides by trees.

The sun slowly rose to their left, illuminating the sky with a foggy pink glow. Finally casting the world again into color. Some of the forest trees had their first fall leaves, speckling the canopy here and there with yellow and orange.

Still they drove.

Xanthus could feel his foot throbbing as it started to swell. Luckily it wasn't the one he needed for gas, so he did his best to maintain a constant speed and reduce shifting.

His arms and chest and face began to sting and throb as well. His white nightgown was stained red around the many holes that littered his sleeves. He winced as he pulled out the larger wooden shrapnel from his arms, but had to leave many of the smaller splinters for now.

Luckily, Harry looked physically unharmed. He had stopped crying, although it was hard to tell because the boy never made a sound while crying. He'd wiped his face clean with his sleeves, leaving muddy streaks along his cheeks. Harry alternated between sneaking Xanthus’ wounds worried looks and gazing out the window as the forest drifted by.

Xanthus knew he should comfort the child. Knew he should say something. Do something. At least tell him it was safe now. It didn't feel safe though and Xanthus was loath to lie. He tried to say something but his throat closed on any attempt. He could hardly force air past it if he was trying to talk so he gave up.

They drove on in silence.

The sun was nearly overhead, having long ago chased away any lingering shadows, by the time their road connected with a larger one. This road had other cars and trucks driving in both directions at a fast pace. Not too many, but certainly not none. This was good for losing any pursuers, if there were any, as witches and wizards were notoriously bad at identifying cars and their differences. They certainly looked mostly the same to Xanthus. His brother always despaired at his ignorance in the matter.

It did present a different problem though. Merging into traffic.

Normally the act drove Xanthus completely anxious, and eventually Xenophon and Newt had both given up having him drive on roads with other vehicles. Today, however, the throb of his now very swollen ankle somehow grounded him. He didn't have the time or luxury to sit at the intersection and panic, so he waited for an opening and merged in, as if he did it every day.

Shifting down to stop and up to pick up speed was brutally painful. His ankle protested in sharp spikes of pain as he pressed the clutch with each shift. When he was up to speed for the traffic of the current road, he was sweating a bit. The copper flavor in his mouth meant he'd bitten his lip to bleeding in the endeavor.

Harry put his hand on Xanthus' arm, looking at him in concern. Xanthus took his other hand off the wheel and placed it over Harry's. He squeezed it comfortingly. He didn't trust himself to try a smile. Grinning bloody teeth at the boy probably wouldn't be much comfort.

They drove on. This road spilled onto another even larger road now heading due west. As the sun set, it's bright light shone straight into their faces, but luckily the windshield tinted darker to keep from blinding them. Xanthus wasn't sure if all no-maj cars did that or if his father had charmed it that way.

“I can look directly at the sun,” it was the first thing Harry had said all day. Xanthus jumped a bit and looked over as Harry was moving his head around, squinting through the windshield at the sun. Well that probably meant his dad had charmed the truck then.

“Magic,” Xanthus managed to choke out, his voice hoarse and thick with effort.

Harry looked over at him, concern still marring his young face. Xanthus cleared his throat.

“Sorry Harry,” He forced. “I can't talk.”

He tried to emphasize the can't. Not like when his mom was talking to someone else and couldn't talk. Not like when Eau was studying and couldn't talk. Not like when Xenophon was conjuring sparks of color over his head as he lay in bed doing nothing at all but couldn't talk. It wasn't that he didn't have the time or that he didn't want to make the time. He just couldn't talk.

“That's okay,” Harry said. He slid closer on the long front seat to press himself gently into Xanthus' side. Xanthus used his left arm to steer as he opened his right arm to Harry. Harry was careful of anywhere Xanthus was injured as he lay his head against Xanthus' side. Xanthus gently hugged Harry into him. They drove like that, pressed together gently, for the rest of the day.

Eventually the sun started to set, casting again color into the sky, so Xanthus pulled off the busy road, following a sign for a campground. They drove along another forest road a ways, until they found a muggle campground around a lake. Many campers had already set up around it.

Xanthus drove into a spot tucked away from the rest and finally parked the car.

Harry sat up gently and Xanthus heard the boy's stomach grumble. They hadn't eaten all day.

He closed his eyes, ashamed.

He was distracted by the pain radiating from his body. His thoughts entirely on getting as much distance between them and their attackers as possible. He forgot about food. If it was just him that would be okay, but not with Harry who he knew was far too used to going without.

He opened the door and carefully lowered himself out onto his good leg. Then used the side of the truck to limp around to the back. Harry met him there. He opened the canvas canopy to the house and helped Harry inside, then struggled to clamber over the tailgate himself. Harry hovered around, concerned.

Xanthus used the hallway to limp himself down to the kitchen. He let out a sigh of stark relief when he spotted a bowl of fruit, magically preserved, sitting on the kitchen table. He cast a spell to split an apple into slices and handed them to Harry, who took them but didn't eat as he sat in the chair across from him. His look of concern was back.

Xanthus hadn't managed to put on shoes in all of the commotion and ridiculously the injury he healed first were the blisters on his feet from holding the pedal of the truck down all day barefoot. It was the easiest magically. He then examined his ankle.

It was definitely broken. Which was a problem. Strains and dislocations were much easier to fix. He knew the charms to heal a broken bone but they went wrong very easily. He could heal the bone at a bad angle which would require him to re-break his ankle to fix it. Not pleasant. Worse case scenario he'd heard of people vanishing the bones if they really got the spell wrong and that would require a magical fix. He didn't want to take Harry anywhere near the magical community right now, so that wasn't an option. He had never been that bad at casting healing charms, but generally you weren't supposed to heal your own wounds. The pain often made you mess up.

His dad kept a store of healing potions somewhere in the kitchen and bathroom, but he didn't know where. He didn't want to break the potions summoning them into the closed cabinet door. Also pain potions may take away pain but they certainly didn't make you think more clearly.

He set his foot gingerly back down and took another apple from the table and took a bite. Food might help.

Harry finally ate a slice of apple only after Xanthus had eaten a few bites of his own. After that, they both quickly finished their fruit. It definitely wasn't enough.

“Can-” Harry started then stopped himself. He looked down at his lap, twisting his hands in his own dirty nightgown. “Can I… er… can I help?”

Xanthus smiled. He was definitely loopy. His first thought was about how adorable Harry's still thick British accent was.

Harry looked even more confused by his smile, but also a little hopeful. Harry could help too. He could at least search for where the potions were. The problem was communicating that.

“Ca-” his throat stuck. “Po-”

It was no good. He shook his head, giving Harry that bemused smile he'd give Perchina when this happened. She'd always give him a very unamused look back. Harry however, just looked thoughtful.

“Can you write?” Harry asked. Xanthus shrugged unsurely, the answer was… sometimes.

Harry went running down the hall and out the back of the truck, which sent alarm bells through Xanthus. Harry shouldn't be outside by himself.

He struggled to his feet and hop-lunged himself down the hall to stick his head out of the canvas. He heard the truck door opening and leaned out to look around the side. Harry's legs were standing on the step below the door as he rummaged around in the truck for something. He came back out a moment later holding his father's notebook and self inking quill that he took field notes with. He smiled when he saw Xanthus, holding up the objects. Then closed the door and climbed around to get back inside.

Xanthus moved aside and then decided to just lower himself to the ground where he was. Harry clambered in and handed Xanthus the notebook.

“Can you, er, write, er, big please,” Harry said nervously. Xanthus nodded as he opened to a free page. He took the quill out and put it to the page. It blotted horribly and for a moment he despaired that his hand wouldn't move.

He looked up and caught the worried look in Harry's eyes. Then steeling himself, he wrote in large letters.

HELP FIND POTIONS

He handed the book to Harry who he noticed squinted at the writing despite its size. When Harry looked up at him, he mimed drinking something then pointed to Harry's arm where he'd been bit by the hodag. To his great relief, understanding lit up Harry's face.

“Where-?” Harry cut himself off, possibly thinking it was dumb to ask where to look, when Xanthus had charged him with searching. Xanthus pointed at the bathroom, wishing his voice would let him say that it wasn't a stupid question. That Harry could ask. His voice stuck though and Harry hurried off to the bathroom.

Xanthus closed his eyes and breathed for a second as he heard Harry moving around the bathroom. Even in a rush the boy managed to be quiet. Poor kid.

He opened his eyes and took his shaking wand to start pulling splinters out of himself. He realized he had been hit with a pretty nasty spike of wood in his left abdomen. It had bled all over his nightgown, but luckily seemed to have stopped bleeding. It was just a flesh wound but if it had been a few inches right, it may have been fatal. He vanished the wood right out of the wound and managed humm his way through a healing chant. It would have been better if he could sing the words properly, but it knitted together enough he wasn't bleeding at least.

Xanthus was a veritable master of nonverbal casting. He'd been praised highly for it as an Auror and it had gotten him a lot of promotions. He could be counted on to go on many stake outs and stealth missions. He never made a sound.

Eventually they figured out it wasn't some masterful skill. It was a necessity. Because he was broken.

Even he'd managed to forget for a while, how much of a weirdo he really was. Until it had all come crashing down.

He hummed a few more charms over his left arm before Harry came back.

“Er, I found some… but, er, there are a lot,” Harry said, holding up two different potions, one in each hand.

Xanthus beckoned him over and took both potions from him. He swallowed a mouthful of one. A blood replenisher, he didn't feel like he needed much more than a swig but as he felt the coppery tang of the potion hit his mouth and throat he immediately felt some lightheadedness lift like fog clearing in his brain.

He set the potion down and drank all of the other one. Pain potion. Relief hit him like water washing away mud. A cool tingle spread out from his stomach, radiating up and out, followed by a warm wave of heat and then he was completely pain free. He set this bottle down on the floor too and stood.

He was still careful to keep weight off his ankle as much as possible as he limped his way to the bathroom, Harry leading the way. There was a floor to ceiling cabinet across from the toilet, the middle shelf full of potions. Xanthus wasn't entirely sure how Harry had reached them. There was skelagrow here despite being a restricted potion. It was comforting to see it, in case he messed up his ankle. Still best wait till he could verbally cast such a finicky spell.

None of the other potions helped much though. So instead he pulled out some bandages from the shelf below the potions. He wrapped his ankle tightly with some self splinting bandages and then took a few small plasters to place over the larger shrapnel wounds that he hadn't managed to knit up.

He tested the bandage on his ankle, knocking on it to check it had hardened before standing delicately on it. He closed the bathroom cabinet and ruffled Harry's hair, smiling. Harry smiled shyly back up at him.

Together they made their way back into the kitchen. Time to check what food they had.

Luckily the kitchen was well stocked, although just as hard to find particulars as his parents’ actual kitchen. Xanthus found some eggs and sausages and fried them while sitting at the kitchen table. Thank the stars for magic.

They ate in silence. Xanthus held his head in his offhand as he ate. The weariness of the day and the pain potion catching up to him. They both finished their plates and then sat for a bit.

“Are they dead?” Harry asked, finally, his voice quiet.

Xanthus mouthed “who” at him. Well really he tried to ask who, but no sound came out, so he just mouthed it instead.

“Newt and Tina and… and Eau and Wilma,” Harry said.

Xanthus shook his head no, confidently. Although he honestly had no idea who Wilma was. Probably a magical creature. It sounded like the kinda name his dad used for magical creatures. A somewhat normal name. Unlike the names he used for his kids.

“You're sure?” Harry asked hopefully.

Xanthus nodded, smiling at him.

He noted again the dirt covering Harry’s face and nightgown. He didn't think any of the rooms had any robes or nightgowns that would fit Harry, and he wasn't up for a scavenger hunt, so he spelled the dirt off and set him to bed in the room he had used when camping. Eau’s old room.

He sat himself by the canvas door. Locking it and setting alarms. He slept fitfully, half trying to keep watch, half trying to sleep. Sometime in the night Harry came over with a blanket and pillow and curled into Xanthus' side to sleep on the floor with him.

They rose the next day well after sunrise. Xanthus felt tired, but the pain potion was still in his system so at least he skipped the soreness that was bound to be there. The potion shouldn't have been in his system, meaning he had taken too much.

He limped his way to the kitchen and made more eggs and sausages because he knew where those were. He also found flour and yeast so he set a bowl to mix dough for bread for lunch.

Harry ate mechanically, looking tired and worried, so Xanthus made a funny face at him. Harry looked at him perplexed, which just motivated him to make a different face. Four faces later, with his thumbs sticking into his ears, his fingers wiggling and quite cross-eyed, Harry laughed. Xanthus smiled brightly at him.

He shot a temperature control charm at the dough, so that it would keep the right temperature as it rose. Then limped into his dad's room to find something else to wear. He shrugged into an old robe he found there. Completely out of style, but no robes would be in style for the no-maj he intended to stick to, so it didn't really matter if his collar had a frill. Harry, however, seemed to think this was hilarious. He kept looking over and giggling. Xanthus ruffled his hair.

When they exited out back, Xanthus cast some revealing charms to make sure no one waited in ambush. Finding nothing, he tapped his wand on the side of the truck, changing its color to a plain silver and the canvas to a light tan. Hoping, like himself, their pursuers would mostly recognize cars by color.

Then they drove.

Xanthus had no goal in mind, so he drove west, following the flow of traffic down faster roads. Stopping only for lunch and dinner and when Harry had to pee.

It was three days before his throat released its lock and he could talk again.

“Good morning,” Harry said, with a sorta false cheer. It didn't sound entirely ingenuine, at least.

“Morning,” he croaked back. He sorta started, surprised that it works. Thank the stars for Harry, who just smiled.

“No more eggs,” the boy said, as if nothing had happened. Which was good, the surest way to kick him back into silence was to suddenly make a big deal of him speaking. Something Perchina never quite worked out.

“We've potatoes for a hash,” he responded croakily. He summoned said potatoes and charmed them to grate themselves over a plate.

Then he took a deep breath and finally finished healing up his well scabbed cuts. Then he fried the shredded potatoes and served them, before cutting open his leg cast. His ankle was a very angry purple and throbbed painfully. Harry looked at it in bemusement as he ate.

“Ankles aren't supposed to be purple,” Harry said. Xanthus laughed.

“Nope,” Xanthus said. “Definitely not.”

He took a deep breath and cast the bone mending charm, making sure to pronounce it carefully and not mess up the complicated wand movement. His ankle made an uncomfortably loud cracking noise as it straightened itself, followed by a shooting pain and then relief. The purple immediately began to clear, receding as if it was being sucked into a point, then vanished completely.

He stood and tested the weight. Much better. Looking back, his awkward obsession with his older brother was incredibly cringe worthy and embarrassing. So many pre-teen moments he wished he could erase from his memory. Trying to copy his brother as he learned healing charms, however, was something he definitely didn't regret.

They had managed to find a camping spot without anyone else last night, so Xanthus decided to conjure some chairs by the little stream they camped near and spend the day there. He needed a day without driving. They had been stuck driving past field after identical field for days and he was ready for a break.

It was a hot day, approaching the last hot days of the year, and he waded into the stream to feel the cool water over his freshly healed ankle. He sat, letting the water soak into his robes. Harry looked at him like he was crazy from the bank.

Xanthus laughed.

“Come on, Harry! The water is nice.”

Harry, also still barefoot, carefully dipped his toe into the water. He pulled it back up, giving Xanthus such an affronted look that Xanthus laughed till he fell backwards into the stream, laying down completely in the water. It felt good, like the water was washing away the last few days.

He heard a splash and lifted his head to see Harry carefully walking along the rocky stream up towards Xanthus' head. Harry looked very concerned for him. So Xanthus sat up and before he could think better of it, splashed water all over Harry.

Harry spluttered indignantly. Xanthus gave him a mischievous smile and threatened to do it again. Then suddenly they were splashing each other with water; Harry's squeals of laughter a better balm for his soul than the water ever could be.

They spent all morning splashing around in the water, running up and down the stream chasing after each other. Xanthus picked Harry up and spun him around now that his leg could take the weight. They had more splash wars, then picked up rocks and tried to compete for who could make the biggest splash when throwing them.

By lunch they were completely drenched.

They ate a lunch of fresh bread and ham. They had run out of lettuce and cheese yesterday.

They spent the afternoon letting the sun dry them off. Xanthus, enjoying his new found speech, told Harry about the time when he was a kid and Xenophon had wanted to sneak out with his friends so he'd tricked Xanthus into dressing up like a Forest Draco, which are creatures with long legs beneath a body of bushy leaves, by spelling a bush onto his upper body and setting him running through the woods. His father had chased him for three hours before he had figured out he wasn't actually a magical creature in distress. He played up his father's antics to get Harry laughing.

They were well dry before the sun started setting. Xanthus rummaged around the library, pleased to find a section of kids books from his childhood. He pulled out a few that seemed age appropriate for Harry and another book for himself. He knew Harry would never complain about being bored. He would sit in silence all evening watching the sunset. Just as he watched the fields go by, yellow in the late summer, without a peep of complaint when driving. That doesn't mean he wasn't bored though.

Harry took the books shyly, looking a little nervous.

“In case you're bored,” Xanthus said.

“I'm not bored,” Harry said. Xanthus smiled at him.

They spent the evening in silence, Xanthus pretending to read while watching Harry. Who he realized soon was also pretending to read. At first the boy squinted harshly at the pages but eventually he seemed to give up and just keep the book open as if he was reading.

Xanthus was about to say something when a raven came swooping down with a loud cry and landed on the arm of his transfigured chair.

“Xanthus!” The Raven cried loudly. Xanthus nodded once. The raven then hopped around and cried “Harry!” To which Harry, copying Xanthus, also nodded. The Raven hopped back to face Xanthus.

Then the raven began to speak in a voice that was a very strange, caw-like imitation of his mother.

“I've told the raven not to deliver this, if anyone except Harry is around. If it has failed, shoo it off,” The raven paused, closing its mouth and cocking one bird eye to Xanthus as if daring him to shoo it off. “We are all safe. Newt took a hex but it healed up fine, no harm done. The attackers were mercenaries. They claim they were hired to dress as death eaters, but they may have just been death eaters. Hard to say, wouldn't let me interrogate them. Claimed I'm too close and retired.” The raven managed to somehow portray just how ridiculous his mother found this. “Most of them escaped. The rest have been shipped to England. Dumbledore is involved now. Harry can't go back to his relatives now. They were… found. Dumbledore wants him, but Newt swore he'd take responsibility for Harry. So he's officially ours now. Which is to say yours. You can't come back yet, we are trying to find a way to keep him safe here but they know he's here. We don't know how they are tracking him but if you keep moving and stay out of wizard spaces you should be safe. That truck has so many anti tracking wards from Newt fighting poachers of magical creatures. The rest of the magical trackers we can think of can't lock on if he keeps moving. There is a uh… coven of sorts in the cascades that is friendly with Newt. They aren't druids, well some are. Many were trained formally but… well it doesn't matter, they have some wild protections. It might be safe. Wizards and witches can't enter because they've managed to ward off wands somehow. You might be safe there. You won't be able to take your wand out of the truck. They are protective of their way of life. We'll owl you a token of friendship along with some no-maj funds. Might have already arrived. Didn't want to send a letter, too easy to intercept. Tell us if you're safe or if you need anything else. Newt says there are some coins in the glovebox for a return message. Love you. Tell Harry we miss him.”

The raven clacked its beak closed and then cocked it's head, looking at Xanthus impatiently. Harry was staring, mouth slightly open.

“Was that really Tina?” Harry asked.

“Yep,” Xanthus smiled. “We often use ravens to send messages here, much more reliable than owls. If you ever see a raven you can call it over to send a message. You have to pay them, though.”

He got up, the raven ruffled indignantly at the motion, and went to search the glovebox for some money. He grabbed two sickles, which was a huge overpay of a raven but they were asking for complicated protections and ravens had a tendency to not deliver the full message if you underpaid them.

He handed the sickles to the raven, which eyed them speculatively, then bit each one. It scooped them into one claw then looked attentively at him.

“Tell my mother but if anyone else is around unless they're a Scamander, the following: Um… we are glad everyone is safe. We are both doing good, except we don't have shoes. I don't know how you dress so fast under attack. I don't remember them training that in the aurors.” He chuckled slightly. “Uh, anyways… I'll pay you back when I have access to my accounts. We'll head west. Tell us if anything changes.”

“Do you have anything to add?” He asked Harry. “Anything you wanna say to Grandma Tina or Grandpa Newt?”

“Er,” said Harry. “I'm er, glad you're okay.”

He kinda whispered the message, shyly. Xanthus suddenly wanted to hear how the raven would relay their message. If it would relay the shyness in a raven croak.

“Alright, that's all,” he told the raven. It hung around a bit longer, looking at him like he'd forgotten something then flew off.

Once the raven had flown into the sunset, he grinned at Harry. His family was safe. He assumed they were but knowing gave him a happy dizzy lightness. Harry didn't grin back though.

Poor kid. Just when he'd settled down somewhere, he was uprooted again. Violently. Harry was an incredibly tough child, but all this wasn't good for him. Xanthus being such a screw up certainly wasn't helping.

He pulled Harry into his lap and hugged him.

“Want cookies for dinner?” Xanthus asked after they'd sat there a while in silence.

“Yeah!” Harry said excitedly, pushing up off Xanthus and looking at him with hopeful eyes. He seemed like he was trying to judge if this was some cruel trick or not, making Xanthus chuckle.

“Let's go then.”

Chapter Text

Harry didn't mind the driving. It was fun watching all the things go by and Xanthus let him stick his face out the window till his cheeks went numb. He liked to make a game of counting how many cars he saw. He liked the forest but the fields were fun too. Sometimes there were cows and sheep.

Xanthus taught him how to tell which direction they were going based on the sun. Now that Xanthus was talking again, he made a game of quizzing Harry about the direction they were going. Then he started to make a game of other things. He'd quiz Harry with maths but it was fun unlike school, because Harry didn't have to try to distinguish the little numbers from each other on paper.

“Eight blue cars,” Harry said, having spotted another one. He stopped counting black and silver cars, they were too common.

“So how many blue and red cars have you seen together?” Xanthus asked.

“Er, eight and… twelve… so…” Harry counted in his head, twice to be sure. “Twenty.”

“Good job Harry,” Xanthus said, making Harry feel all warm. “You wanna know a shortcut?”

“Er, yeah,” Harry said.

“What's two and eight,” Xanthus asked.

“Er, ten,” Harry said quickly.

“Much easier, right?” Xanthus said. Harry nodded. “So if you have eight and twelve, you can make twelve two plus ten, then you have ten plus two plus eight, which is then ten plus ten. Twenty.”

Harry looked at Xanthus perplexed.

“Uh… it's a bit easier to show with paper,” Xanthus said, sounding a bit embarrassed. Harry shook his head. He preferred not to use paper, so he decided to think about it a lot.

They lapsed into silence and drove on.

They spent three days like this. Xanthus told Harry they were looking for a town, but he didn't like any of the towns they drove past. He kept getting off the main road to drive through them, then they'd drive north or south for a while, taking slower, more winding roads. Harry liked these roads best. They didn't make his face numb which wasn't as fun, but they had more things to see. The farms had different animals, like sheep with really long necks that Xanthus said were llamas.

Xanthus seemed to be concerned with the fact that they'd run out of vegetables, but Harry thought these were the least tasty foods so he didn't mind. The day after the raven arrived, an owl flew up and delivered a package. Harry was amazed and learned that apparently owls delivered letters and packages, while ravens never did, instead they only delivered messages aloud. When Harry asked why, Xanthus just shrugged.

Eventually they found a town that Xanthus said was acceptable and drove around it randomly for an hour even though it wasn't very big. They eventually pulled up to a store. Xanthus had cast a spell to dye both his and Harry's hair a dirty blond and had stripped his old nightgown to make a new bandana for Harry.

Still Harry couldn't help but feel ridiculous walking into the store in a nightgown and no shoes. Which was, if anything, better than Xanthus. Who wore long robes with ruffs that made him look an awful lot like he was pretending to be a girl. His uncle had very nasty things to say about boys who looked like girls. He already would have hated Xanthus just for having long hair.

Luckily the first store they entered was a clothing store. It wasn't the clean and tidy department stores that Aunt Petunia brought him to, where the racks contained the same shirt over and over or piles of the same pants. This store had racks and racks of colorful mismatched clothes. Some of them looked a bit worn.

The clothes were all normal clothes, not the weird robes that all the Scamanders wore. Harry watched wearily as Xanthus started looking through the dress section, frowning.

“Er, Xanthus, those are girls' clothes…” Harry whispered.

“Oh, uh, Harry, could you help us pick out normal clothes? Like the clothes your no-maj family wore? I'm a bit lost…” Xanthus grimaced, dropping the dress he was looking at back into the rack.

So Harry looked around the store for both of them. They started first with shoes, then Harry found a number of jeans and shirts for both of them. He was even able to pick out a denim jacket like some of the cooler older boys at school had.

Xanthus also tried to get him to help him with the money, but the money looked nothing like the pounds he was used to so he wasn't of much help. Xanthus also bought a few bandanas.

The store clerk was a teenaged girl, who wore a bright pink outfit and had her feet kicked up over the counter. She chewed gum as she watched them with curiosity.

“Not supposed to serve people with no shoes,” she said, eyeing their bare feet and strange attire.

“Once we have these, we’ll have shoes,” Xanthus said, putting the trainers Harry had picked out on the counter.

“Why’re you in dresses?” She asked as she started to ring them up.

“It was a dare,” Harry said, when it became clear Xanthus wasn't going to answer.

The girl rolled her eyes and lost interest. Which Harry supposed was a good thing. They fled with their purchases the second they could and clambered into the back of the truck.

“That was much cheaper than I expected,” Xanthus said, eying the remaining cash. “Or I got the conversation wrong.”

“They were used clothes,” Harry said.

“Oh, good luck I guess,” Xanthus said, then he took all the clothes into the bathroom and dumped them in the tub. He set the water on to start filling it.

Harry just watched curiously as the clothes became very wet. He wasn't sure what Xanthus was doing till he added soap and then charmed clothes to suddenly start swishing around. He was washing them. Harry supposed he hadn't seen a washer and dryer since he got here.

“I couldn't find a washboard,” Xanthus said. Harry had no idea what this meant.

“You cleaned my night dress when I was wearing it with a spell,” Harry pointed out.

“It's hard on the clothes and I have to know how they got dirty to know how to clean them. I don't know how these got dirty, so I can't clean them well,” Xanthus explained.

Harry sat on the toilet and swung his legs as he watched the clothes churn. He didn't really understand what things could or couldn't be magicked, but that was okay. It was kinda cool watching the clothes wash themselves in the tub. It was still magic, even if it was a different kind.

Eventually, clad in their newly purchased and magically dried clothes, they made their way to two more stores. They bought socks, underwear and food, the latter of which contained an unfortunately large quantity of vegetables.

Harry thought he would be more pleased to be able to wear pants. He always felt a bit weird in the robes, like it was all a big practical joke and someone was going to come out and laugh at him, saying he was ridiculous for believing it. Going around in a night dress certainly hadn't helped the feeling. Yet the next day, as they drove back towards where Xanthus last thought the main road was, Harry felt a bit uncomfortable. He'd gotten used to not having anything rub on his legs or hug around his waist. Xanthus looked even more uncomfortable, shifting in his seat now and then.

They managed to find one of the big main roads again. Harry watched as tractors rolled big balls of wheat into bundles. Many fields were already cut low and dotted with rolls of hay. Normally he liked watching the tractors.

He felt uneasy.

Something about the normal clothes. Knowing that Xanthus was uncomfortable and it was his fault. It was all his fault. Not just the clothes, but the fact that they were attacked. The fact that they had to run. He was the reason Xanthus was driving in the middle of nowhere for days on end. He was the reason Xanthus couldn't go home. That Tina and Newt were still in danger. Why Xanthus had gotten so hurt and bloody. It was all because of him.

“Hey Kiddo,” Xanthus said softly, reaching over and squeezing Harry's knee. “You okay? What's got you crying?”

Harry reached up to his face and realized he was crying. He wiped his eyes roughly. It wasn't fair to also make Xanthus worry, on top of everything else.

He shook his head roughly.

“You don't have to talk if you don't wanna, I'm the last person to make anyone do that,” Xanthus said, still squeezing Harry's knee. “But I'd like to know what's on your mind. Maybe I can help?”

“Can't help,” Harry choked out. “It's my fault.”

“What is, kiddo?” Xanthus sounded so concerned.

“I'm sorry!” Harry wailed, feeling great tears slide down his face. “I'm so sorry!”

Xanthus looked so startled and it just made Harry cry harder. He tried to keep quiet. He knew others didn't like it when they could hear him cry but for some reason he just couldn't help it.

“Hey, hey, it's okay,” Xanthus said softly. “I can't think of anything you've done wrong, Harry.”

Harry looked away, because he knew this wasn't true. He tried to count the bundles of hay that they passed out the window to calm down. He could only get to four before another wave of sobs hit him though. So he gave up and curled his knees into his chest and hid his face in them.

Xanthus moved his hand to Harry’s back, rubbing big, gentle circles there.

Harry felt the truck stutter as Xanthus shifted down a gear and looked up to see that they were pulling off the main road. Xanthus followed the exit onto a small farm road. They drove north on this road for a bit, Harry could see huge fuzzy brown horned cows in one of the fields they passed. He sat up to get a better look at them.

“Buffalo,” Xanthus said. Harry jumped a bit and looked at him shyly.

They pulled off onto some gravel on the side of the road. Xanthus stopped the truck and got out, Harry could hear him unzip the back canvas. The Buffalo walked up to the fence, looking curiously at the truck.

They were huge.

Xanthus came back a bit later and opened Harry's door. He picked him up and brought him around to sit on the tailgate which was flopped down, the canvas open to the normal truck bed. No house in sight. On the truck bed were two plates of sandwiches.

They sat and ate their sandwiches with the Buffalo sniffing big puffs of breath a few feet away over the fence.

“Are they magical?” Harry asked Xanthus.

“Nope, just really big,” Xanthus smiled. “They almost went extinct, so there are some hidden magical sanctuaries.”

“That fence doesn't seem big enough,” Harry said, watching the wooden fence groan as one of the Buffalo shifted.

“Probably not,” Xanthus chuckled.

They finished their sandwiches and Harry brought his knees back up to his chest and watched the Buffalo, chin resting on them.

“Wanna try telling me why you're so sorry?” Xanthus said, shifting over to wrap an arm around Harry's shoulders.

“You were attacked ‘cause of me,” Harry said, feeling the wave of sadness hit his chest and push against his eyes again. “You can't go home ‘cause of me.”

Xanthus pulled Harry into his lap, holding him tight. He could feel Xanthus' head resting on his own as Xanthus rocked them back and forth gently.

“That's not your fault, Harry,” Xanthus said softly.

“But, it happened ‘cause of me, didn't it? Tina said I was dangerous,” Harry didn't want Xanthus to lie to him.

“It’s not your fault, it's the fault of the people who attacked us. They are the ones who did it, so they're to blame.”

“But, they wouldn't have… if I wasn't there?”

Xanthus sighed deeply.

“I'm going to tell you why they really attacked, okay? But it's going to be a… well a lot to take in.”

Harry nodded, although he didn't know if Xanthus was looking for a reply. He seemed to be thinking.

“It has to do with your parents.”

Harry sat up to look at Xanthus. Of all things, he certainly didn't expect that. He knew his parents were bad people, but he didn't think they were that bad.

“Your parents… uh… defeated a really bad man. They saved so many lives by doing so. They are, or should be, considered heroes,” Xanthus said “They died doing it. They were very, very brave. All of Britain is at peace because of what they did.”

Harry blinked. Harry wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but that certainly wasn't it.

“Some of the bad men are unhappy that the war is over,” Xanthus continued. “So they want revenge, which means that yes you are IN danger, but you are not a danger yourself. None of this is your fault. Do you understand? None of it is your fault.”

“They attacked because of my parents?”

“Yes. I didn't want you to know, because I don't want you to feel unsafe. I'm going to protect you. I promise no one will hurt you,” Xanthus said.

“What about you?” Harry sniffed.

“I'll keep myself safe too, I used to catch bad men for a living… I know I don't seem super tough... But I can-”

“You're tough,” Harry said confidently. “And nice and good and… I don't want you to hurt ‘cause of me.”

“Not because of you, because of some bad people,” Xanthus repeated but smiled at him. That didn't really make sense though. His parents weren't heroes, they were drunks.

“My parents… they didn't die in a car crash? They weren't drunks?” Harry asked. Xanthus spluttered.

“No, I don't even… drunks? No, definitely not,” Xanthus said. “Your parents are heroes. Voldemort was a very bad man and they stopped him. I'm sorry you had to find out like this… but you should never, ever be sorry, you should be proud. Proud that your parents did such an amazing thing and they did it for you. They saved so many lives for you. So you never ever have to be sorry, okay?”

Harry nodded. He did feel a bit warm knowing his parents didn't die in a crash. That they didn't abandon him. They died to save him. Which also kinda felt like his fault.

“The attack wasn't your fault, it was the bad guys fault. They are the ones who did it, they are the ones to blame, besides,” Xanthus said. “Now we can catch more of the bad guys which makes everyone safer.”

“Tina and Newt will be okay?” Harry asked.

“They're super tough and a bit bored. This just gives them some excitement. They love it.” Xanthus chuckled.

“What about you? You have to drive around and wear trousers and can't go home…”

“No-maj drive around for fun in America, it's called a road trip,” Xanthus said. “No wonder you're worried, we haven't done any road trip things yet. The east coast is a bit boring, but we've just reached the interesting bit.”

Xanthus picked Harry up and put him on the ground, closing up the back of the truck. They got back into the cab but instead of starting the truck, Xanthus opened the glovebox and started rummaging around inside. He pulled out an old, battered booklet that was almost as tall as Harry's whole torso.

“Map,” Xanthus said happily. “Do you remember what the last state sign we saw was?”

“Er, no,” Harry said, not knowing what a state sign was.

“Me neither. Well first step, finding out where we are, then we can find where we are going.”

Finding out where they were involved a lot of trying to read signs on the side of the road. They apparently had numbers on them that told you which road you were on. Then you had to find that road on the map. Unfortunately Harry couldn't make out the sign and he certainly couldn't make out any numbers on the map. Everything was tiny and just blurred together.

So Xanthus ended up doing all of the navigation. He had to pull over a number of times, but eventually he seemed to figure out where they were.

“North Dakota,” He said, happily. Which meant nothing to Harry. “We can probably camp at Bear's Lodge and then backtrack to Mount Rushmore tomorrow.”

This also meant nothing to Harry, so he just watched curiously as Xanthus found a road he was looking for and steered them south. As they went their surroundings became more arid and rocky. Less farmland.

It was dark by the time they reached their destination, which seemed to be a campground with a number of no-maj campers. Xanthus looked excited about having reached their destination, but Harry couldn't see much. He was happy to see Xanthus so excited though.

The next morning, Xanthus was up as early as Harry for the first time ever.

“You're going to love this,” Xanthus said cheerily, eating his breakfast quickly. Harry followed suit, bemused.

Apparently the thing that had Xanthus so excited was a huge earthen spire that jutted out of the ground. Harry heard the no-maj calling it Devil's Tower but Xanthus called it Bear’s Lodge. They hiked all the way around it. Xanthus talked about the history of the tower. Apparently a huge bear had clawed the mountain down to the spire that stood now. The top of the tower was supposed to be protected ground, safe from any danger.

“Mostly it just looks cool,” Xanthus said, grinning.

It just seemed like a big rock to Harry, but Xanthus was so giddy that he smiled along. There were little creatures living in mounds along the road that Harry quite liked. Xanthus called them prairie dogs, and they liked to stand on their holes and chirp cutely.

“I haven't been on a road trip since I was a kid,” Xanthus said happily over dinner that evening. “It's changed a lot, there is a lot I want to show you. Next Summer we can take Rolf to things we want to see again.”

“So road tripping is… driving around to look at big rocks?” Harry asked.

“Partly,” Xanthus laughed. “There are lots of things to drive to see. Tomorrow we'll see huge rocks the no-maj carved, but there are more than just rocks. There are hot springs and geysers in Yellowstone.”

Harry still wasn't sure what any of that meant or what road tripping was, but Xanthus was definitely excited by it. It was hard to feel like a bother when Xanthus looked so happy.

He braved sneaking into Xanthus' room that night, which he hadn't done since that first night after the attack, when they slept on the floor by the door. Xanthus welcomed him easily and Harry fell asleep curled in his arms feeling better than he had in days.

Chapter Text

Xanthus woke the next morning surprised to find Harry still cuddled up against him. He looked down to find the boy wide awake. He pulled Harry into a tight hug before stretching and sitting up.

“Morning, Harry,” Xanthus said roughly.

“Good morning,” Harry mumbled quietly.

“Ready for Mount Rushmore?”

Harry smiled shyly at him and Xanthus chuckled. While Xanthus had never met an easier seven year old kid to entertain, Harry didn't seem all that enthusiastic about landmarks. Xanthus hoped he'd appreciate the memories of it later, especially if they were to come back, which he'd like to do with Rolf.

The trip to Rushmore was fast, barely hopping a state line. Harry seemed to enjoy the drive at least, which meandered through dry pine forest instead of the farmland that had previously marked their drive. The boy sat on his knees to get a better view of the trees.

Then they were at the monument. They ate lunch in the parking lot that viewed the carvings after Xanthus had baked the bread he mixed that morning.

“Who are they?” Harry asked, swinging his legs off the tailgate.

“Muggle leaders,” Xanthus said. He felt a bit sheepish as he realized he had no idea who they were. He just thought it was cool that no-maj could carve something so big without magic.

Taking another bite of his lunch, Harry stared seriously at the faces as he chewed. His young brow slightly furrowed in concentration. Definitely squinting.

“They have funny hair,” Harry said.

Xanthus laughed and grinned at Harry, who smiled shyly back. After that, they drove to see the Crazy Horse carving progress.

“This is going to be a man?” Harry asked, as they walked around to view it.

“Apparently, and a horse I think,” Xanthus said. It was incredible how diligent no-maj were to work on a project so long. “When I came here with my father, it basically just looked like a rock. Now you can kinda see where the head and arm will be. See how there's a hole all the way through the rock now? That's below his arm.”

Harry squinted and cocked his head.

“It still kinda looks like a rock,” Harry said.

“You’ll be able to see the progress they make if you come back,” Xanthus said. Harry seemed to consider this and stared at the rock longer. As if trying to commit it to memory.

At this point, Xanthus was nearly positive Harry needed glasses. It felt a bit silly bringing him around to things to look at when he didn't know how well Harry could see anything. He wasn't entirely sure what to do about it though. He didn't know how no-maj acquired glasses and he didn't think it was safe to go to a magical shop. He saw a no-maj man walking by with glasses and half considered walking up and asking, but the thought filled him with a churning ball of anxiety, so he didn't.

He should be able to get over his anxiety, if it meant helping Harry. You were supposed to be able to do anything for your child. He wondered if he'd be able to do it for Rolf. He didn't think so, and he didn't know if that made him feel better or worse.

They wandered back to the truck.

“Look,” Harry said, pointing to the grill on the front of the truck. A large wasp was picking its way across the grill. Harry scrunched up his face watching it, he looked more fascinated than disgusted though. “Eeeew. I didn't know bees ate bugs.”

“That's a wasp. They eat other bugs, while bees eat pollen from flowers,” Xanthus said. They got back in the truck and drove off. Harry watched as the wasp flew out of view. Xanthus used the rest of the drive that day to tell Harry everything he knew about bugs, magical and non-magical. Harry was enraptured, which Xanthus thought was pretty funny, given how shy Harry normally was. It seemed Harry's adoration of creatures extended even to bugs.

Xanthus consulted his map a few times to make sure they were on track to Yellowstone. He figured you probably didn't need glasses to enjoy geysers or at least Harry could swim in the hot springs. Also Yellowstone wasn't rocks and was known to have a number of creatures, magical and otherwise, that Harry would enjoy.

They camped in a small national forest that night, making a fire and eating dinner outside. Harry kept asking him questions about bugs and then to his horror went to start searching around for bugs in the ground. He seemed to have given away his horror though, because Harry quickly stopped bringing them over.

“Is it bad to touch bugs?” Harry asked.

“No, no,” Xanthus said, hurriedly. “It's an irrational fear.”

“Irrational?”

“It means there is no reason for it, lots of people just don't like it for no reason at all,” He explained, then added. “My father would happily hunt for bugs with you. It doesn't bother him one bit.”

Harry looked a little sad at this. The boy gazed out into the wood with such a look of forlorn, he hardly seemed seven.

“You should go pick out more bugs,” Xanthus encouraged.

“Don't you not like it?”

“Yeah, but if you don't do it then you might end up not liking, it like me. That would be rather sad, wouldn't it?”

Harry just shrugged at this, but he went back to digging through the undergrowth.

Xanthus watched in amusement as Harry rooted around. The boy occasionally found something and then clearly warred with himself on if it was okay to show Xanthus. Xanthus gave in and called him over anytime he noticed this. He was watching Harry poke at something with a stick when a raven flapped down and landed in Xanthus' knee.

“Xanthus Scamander,” the raven said in a caw like imitation of someone that didn't sound at all familiar to Xanthus. “Newt sent word you're heading our way. I shall meet you at Lake Kleattam, Washington the day after the full moon. Bring your token. I shall have something you'll recognize, to know this isn't a trick. Leave your wand behind.”

The raven cocked an eye at him, then hopped to his other knee.

“I've heard word from my friends in the Teanaway, they say they'll send word to meet you,” this was unmistakably his father's voice. Newt rarely sent messages, he always sounded a bit off when he did. “Erm, tell Harry Wilma is all better and off to the wilds again. Also he'll be able to see Mary soon, I sent her ahead. Figured she might help. Erm… yeah…”

Harry had come over to listen to the raven. He reached out reverently to stroke the Ravens feathers. The raven seemed to tolerate this, holding still and eyeing Harry speculatively.

“Thank you,” Xanthus said, not really sure what to respond to either of his messages. Ravens were weird and he could have responded to both of them. If he sent two messages, the Raven would get it to them promptly somehow, despite the receivers being on opposite sides of a huge country. He just didn't know what to say.

“Thank you,” Harry called out as the Raven flew off. Xanthus squinted up at the sky. He wasn't sure what moon it was, as it hadn't risen yet.

Xanthus and Harry stayed up late to wait for the moon. By the time it rose, Harry had fallen asleep in Xanthus' lap, his head still tilted towards the fire where he'd been watching it.

To Xanthus' dismay, the forest lit up with the bright light of an almost full moon. Tomorrow was likely the full moon, meaning he only had two days to drive the rest of the country. Definitely no time to see Yellowstone.

It took some time to find the lake on the map in the morning. Kleattam lake didn't exist but Teanaway was a river and there were a few lakes near it. One sounded similar, so Xanthus decided to head for it first. It was not too far off one of the biggest highways that spanned east/west across the states. With the hours lost that morning, he figured he'd have two full days of driving ahead of them.

They'd slowed down their driving since the first haul out of the reserve. Even in those first days, he'd taken a meandering route across backroads, assuming it would make them harder to follow. Now it was just a hard freeway haul for two straight days.

A few days ago, he came to the realization that Harry was never going to be able to go to school. It just wasn't safe. So he had been trying to use the drives to teach him things. It was definitely not ideal. Especially without getting Harry some kind of glasses for any paper based work. At least he could use the freeway haul to engage with Harry more though. Since otherwise it was a rather tedious drive.

The other blessing of their two day journey was that at least there was varied scenery. Smatterings of forest and farms broke each other up throughout the drive, rather than just a single vast farm the entire way.

Still, by the time Xanthus turned off the highway into the little town that he hoped preceded the lake he was aiming for, it was a relief to be done. It was late when they arrived, the freshly waning moon just peaking into the sky.

Xanthus drove through a small town into forest, then hit an even smaller town before driving through forest again. Harry slept, sprawled out across the front seat, his head pillowed on Xanthus' leg. Xanthus carded one hand through the boy's freshly spelled reddish brown hair. He figured matching the standard Scamander hair might make whoever he was meeting more at ease.

Eventually he could see moonlight reflecting off a lake through the trees on his left. He drove until he found a public access road cutting towards the shore. It wasn't a campground, but pockets of dirt parking and picnic areas with lake access. Despite being nighttime there were a large number of cars, trucks and even what looked like a no-maj bus painted with flowers parked here. There were, however, no people. He couldn't see where all the people for these cars might go, either.

He stopped the truck in an open spot and peered around out the window. It felt off, all the empty cars. He didn't know if it was the good or bad kind of off. He didn't know if he wasn't supposed to have his wand yet. It felt absolutely wrong to go outside the truck into this unknown without his wand. His spine clenched and stomach turned in discomfort at the thought.

Then a great beating of wings sounded overhead. Wind churned the water and blasted dried pine needles into the air. Harry sat up at the commotion, looking alarmed. When he registered where he was, the boy relaxed a bit, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and then peering outside.

“Mary!” Harry yelled, suddenly excited. Before Xanthus could stop him, Harry flung open the door of the truck and ran outside. Xanthus grabbed his wand instinctually and opened his door to scramble after. The second he touched his wand, however, his hand burned in agony. He dropped it instantly. The pain dulled but continued, shooting hot stabbing pain up to his shoulder. He clutched the arm to his chest and fell sideways out of the now open door.

He landed with a thud, just in time to see Harry flinging his arms around a giant griffin just where the feathered neck turned into a lion body. Xanthus tried and failed to get to his feet, as pain continued to shoot through his arm. His vision blurred slightly.

He tried to get up again, this time grabbing at the truck door. He swayed, slamming the door shut and then suddenly, the pain stopped.

He must have cut off his access to his wand and thus cut off the curse. His mother may have described it as such, but that was no ward. He shook out his wand arm and then stilled as the griffin turned to eye him intensely.

He approached the griffin cautiously. It was definitely his Father's griffin. She had a nasty scar along her left flank. The injury that Newt had rescued her from. He reached up and stroked her beak as his father always did. At the very least if she was going to attack, now she'd attack him and not Harry.

The griffin pulled its head out of his grasp but instead of attacking, she turned so her side was to them and bent low on her paws. Not unlike a cat loafing.

“Oh!” Harry said, excited. “We can ride her.”

“Uh…” Xanthus said. That did not seem like a good idea but he could not think of a better one. Harry was already climbing on, rather expertly he noticed. Now he suddenly had to wonder how many times Harry had flown around on the griffin's back on the reserve without him knowing.

He climbed on more carefully, reaching around Harry to grab onto the base of the giant wings where the boy's hands also rested.

Mary stood to her feet the second he was on and then in one great feline leap, launched herself into the air. She flew them over the lake and then, near the middle, circled low and landed. Except instead of landing on the water, she landed a few feet off the water. Just stood in the air as if on solid ground.

A man with a deeply lined face and long brown and gray hair tied back behind him stood a few feet away. He wore a thick, hand knit wool jacket that ended near his knees and stood with his hands clasped behind his back.

“Do you have your token?” The man asked, smiling. Xanthus recognized his voice from the raven’s imitation of it a few days ago.

“Uh, yeah,” Xanthus said, filling a bit with dread as he felt his throat tight at the words. Now was not a good time to go mute. He quickly rummaged in the pocket of his no-maj jacket and pulled out the token his parents’ owl had delivered to him. It was a piece of carved wood with some kind of rune Xanthus didn't recognize although he knew all the nordic ones most western wizards used. It had colorful thread wrapped around parts of the wood with dangling ends tied to many little bells.

“Ring it,” The man said. Xanthus did; the little bells making a small tinkling sound.

Instantly the ground below the Griffin's feet appeared, turning to dirt and rocks between thick roots. Following the roots, a giant cedar tree stood towering over them with thick spidery branches. Standing at the base of the tree was a woman, whose skin was the same flaky red bark of the ceder. Instead of hair, thin branches cascades off her head behind her, thick with scale-like cedar leaves. She wore nothing at all, but the bark smoothed out the features of her body.

In front of her, a huge, long table appeared. Then tablecloth. Then all of a sudden food. The table groaned under a massive feast. At least fifty chairs appeared around the table and at each place setting a plate of partially eaten food. The feast was made up of fall crops. Salmon, berries, potatoes, squash, pumpkin, pies and bread. It seemed as if a number of people had been eating here only to suddenly leave after having only finished a third of their meal. Pitchers of drinks littered the table, with half full goblets of wine and another clear golden liquid.

“Wow,” Harry said, gazing around mouth open. For once, Xanthus wasn't much better.

He helped Harry off Mary’s back and stood with him on the solid dirt ground. The man from before, stood next to the woman, his grin wider and eyes crinkling merrily.

Xanthus waited, expecting perhaps that more people would materialize on the chairs. They did not.

“Your seats are here,” the woman spoke in a croaking voice that did not match her feminine image. She gestured in a long sweeping motion with her arm towards two chairs on Harry and Xanthus' side of the table. The plates in front of these chairs were empty of food, and the utensils placed neatly on the side.

Xanthus cautiously made his way over, sinking awkwardly into the high backed wooden chair. He noticed all the chairs around the table were mismatched. Some high backed and delicately carved, some more like stools, others thick wood with peeling paint as if left out too long in the weather. Harry's chair had a weaved basket seat framed in old wood.

The man moved to stand across the table, bringing with him a pitcher of wine. He poured Xanthus a full goblet, then selected another pitcher to fill Harry's with the clear gold liquid that Xanthus could tell was sparkling as it fizzed when poured.

“Er, thank you,” Harry said shyly. The man beamed at him.

They sat awkwardly.

“Eat,” the woman creaked.

Xanthus served some fish and potatoes onto their plates, while Harry took a drink from his goblet.

“Ich,” Harry spluttered, putting down the liquid quickly. His face scrunched in disgust, which quickly morphed again into wonder. Without thinking Xanthus picked up Harry's goblet to try it, suspecting perhaps alcohol. Harry had yet to object to any food or drink served to him. It had been months but he still ate everything with an air of one amazed they were allowed to eat at all, so it was weird to see him reject something so quickly.

It wasn’t alcohol. Instead a strong sweet ginger flavor hit him, leaving behind a hot burn that had nothing to do with spirits and everything to do with an excessive amount of ginger. As he lowered the goblet from his lips, he noticed that suddenly he was surrounded by people. All the chairs suddenly full, and even more sat around the little island with their plates in their laps by the water.

He could see them, but he couldn't hear them. The people laughed and spoke animatedly at each other, but despite their lips moving and heads thrown back in merriment, he could hear no sound. The people seated immediately around them were looking at them in curiosity. The woman across from him smiled kindly as he made eye contact, which he quickly averted.

He turned to Harry, who had stuffed a potato in his mouth to wash out the flavor of ginger. Harry clearly didn't know if he should be shy or amazed by all the people suddenly surrounding them. He swallowed and turned to the woman on his right. He clearly answered some question she asked him, shrinking back slightly as the boy did when being directly addressed. To Xanthus' horror, though, he couldn't hear Harry anymore either. Whatever the boy said, came out as silence to Xanthus.

“Eat,” the cedar woman repeated. It felt weird, the word echoing in the silence of all the people.

Xanthus took a bit of salmon and ate it. It was good, flavorfully seasoned with herbs he couldn't immediately recognize. As he swallowed, the world burst into sound. He had to close his eyes against the deluge to reduce the sudden sensory overload.

“It wasn't so bad, stop fretting..”

“Did you see his face!?”

“What are your plans for-”

“I can't believe-”

“Oh look, he finally ate something.”

“Don’t eat that!” “A little dirt never hurt anyone.”

“Watch this!”

“You okay, dear?” This voice was much closer, an older woman sitting next to him. Xanthus opened his eyes and blinked at her. She had white hair fixed up in a bun with sticks and a brightly colored shawl that went nearly to the floor.

Xanthus tried to respond and despaired when his throat closed against the attempt. So he just sat gaping like a fish for a second before wincing and nodding.

“Oh no, I still can't hear him,” the woman said, turning to the man that had greeted them and poured their drinks. He was standing between two people on the opposite side of the table still.

The woman to his right and directly across from Xanthus, was young but heavily scarred. She looked tired and leaned heavily into the woman on her right. She didn't seem like she was intentionally leaning away from the man though, but instead seeking comfort in her companion.

Xanthus couldn't tell what gender the person to the man's left was. They had short cropped hair and a hard jaw. They had hard muscles obtained only from hard labor but otherwise had a sort of feminine physique. This person was looking at Xanthus with polite concern.

“Strange,” the man said, his mischievous smile turning slightly concerned. “You can hear us, can't you Xanthus?”

Xanthus nodded. He tried to speak again, but he was just too overwhelmed. Nothing came out.

“Try eating some more,” the old woman said, nudging his plate. “Looks like you could use some food anyways.”

Xanthus smiled at her shyly. This was a very inconvenient time to stop talking. Which was basically always true he supposed. If it was ever fine not to talk, Xanthus found that was when he was most able to. Luckily for him, Harry came to his rescue.

“Oh, sometimes Xanthus can't talk!” Harry said, sounding a bit pleased to know something others didn't. He then turned to address Xanthus and asked shyly “Is that it?”

Xanthus nodded, feeling both sheepish and greatful.

“Oh, poor dear,” the old woman said, patting his arm gently. He let his hair fall in front of his eyes. He took another bite of his food, hoping perhaps it would be less weird that he wasn't talking if he was eating.

“Could you snap for us? Just to make some sound so we know you're all settled in magically?” The man across from them asked. Xanthus snapped rather flatly, he wasn't the best at snapping but it did at least make a sound. The man smiled broadly at the noise and addressed them again. “Good, good. Welcome to our community. Eat now and we'll talk more after the feast.”

He then left and returned to his chair next to the cedar woman.

“I'm Patty and this is Daciana,” the woman holding up her scarred companion across from them said. She had her arm wrapped around the woman and ran her hand up and down her arm comfortingly. The scarred woman, Daciana, nodded in greeting but said nothing.

These were just about the only names that Xanthus remembered because the second Patty had started it, people around them jumped to state their names. Many talking over each other for their introduction.

“Margret,” the old woman to his left said, shaking his hand.

“Ana,” the younger woman to Harry's right, introduced.

“Alex!” “River.” “Dina!!” Three people at once to the left of Margaret all yelled and he had no idea who had said which.

Many people reached over the table, to shake his hand or wave, their neighbors forced to grab their goblets to save them from toppling as arms were extended. People who were sitting around the ground came over occasionally to introduce themselves, clapping Harry on the back or patting him on the shoulder.

Harry, for his part, seemed more amazed than scared. The boy certainly wasn't used to the attention but he clearly hadn't decided yet whether it bothered him.

Finally it seemed the introductions were at an end and they were left to finish their meal. Ana, a girl just out of her teens with dark curly hair cropped short on her head in a way that resembled Harry's natural hair, kept plying them with food and pies for dessert. Sitting next to Harry, she kept him in a steady conversation that Xanthus had trouble following with everything going on.

“You’ll love it here,” He could hear her telling Harry. “You can learn magic any age here, don’t have to wait for a stuffy school. Here watch!”

Xanthus looked over curiously just in time to see Ana belching a small amount of fire into the air.

“Woah!” Harry clapped excitedly.

“You can do it too! It’s just the ginger beer. Drink it, let the burn build and then,” She took a big swig of her goblet then paused and after a moment blew out a slightly bigger flame.

Harry eyed his goblet skeptically. It was clear his desire to do magic was warring with his first encounter with a food he couldn’t pretend he liked. Harry picked up his goblet and sniffed it. His nose wrinkled in disgust. Then he took a deep breath and chugged it before Xanthus or Ana could stop him.

“Woah there,” Ana said as Harry scrunched his face up and drank.

Harry put down his goblet, eyes scrunched closed for a moment. Then he opened them with a look a bit like wonder and breathed out some fire. The boy lit up in excitement, holding his goblet up to Xanthus clearly begging for a refill, but too busy spitting out little puffs of fire to ask. Xanthus smiled and refilled Harry’s goblet.

“Holding your breath makes it worse, you know,” Ana informed him. “Means you can’t taste the sweet, only the burn.”

Harry and Ana went on talking like this and Xanthus was pleased Harry seemed entertained. He could use a bit of fun after all the driving and impromptu lessons.

Fortunately, with Harry’s focus taken and the old woman next to him, whose name he had already forgotten, content to chat with the man next to her, Xanthus was allowed to eat in silence. Patty’s attention seemed to be focused on the scarred woman leaning on her. Daciana, Xanthus reminded himself. Trying to repeat the name over and over in his head. It was one of the few he still had a hold of. Patty murmured quietly to her and stroked her hair. The two women were about the same age, only a little under Xanthus' age, except that Daciana was prematurely gray and the scars made her look older. They certainly weren't mother and daughter. In fact they looked like they had no familial relation at all. Patty was tall, with long fingers and long muddy blond hair tangled with bells and colorful threads. Daciana was short and muscular, although seemed to lack any natural fat. The few hairs that were not gray on her, were black.

The person next to Daciana, across from Harry, was quiet in a stoic sort of way. Xanthus realized they hadn't introduced themselves yet, having said nothing at all in the bustle to be known. They leaned relaxed into their chair, their hands clasped contentedly on their stomach, their legs kicked out in front of them. As Xanthus caught their eye from looking, they inclined their head and finally spoke.

“Aspen,” they said, which Xanthus took as their name. Their voice and name did nothing to clarify them. He nodded back.

Finally, wine drunk, food eaten, fire belched (in Harry’s case), the feast started to wind down. The cedar woman, who had no chair and had not sat for the entire feast, reached her arms up and out in front of her. As she did so a huge root, thicker than most normal trees, pulled itself out of the ground. The table shook as the ground moved out of its way, then the water in the lake churned as the root breached its surface. Soon the huge root bridged itself all the way across the lake to the shore where they had parked.

Laughing and chatting, people began to make their way back across the root. Often two at a time to keep each other balanced against their wine induced stumbling. Xanthus watched as a man stumbled onto the root and fell into the lake. The crowd around the shore burst into laughter, a few bending to clutch their sides. Someone walked over to pull him out, back up onto the root. They helped him, dripping and stumbling, the rest of the way across.

“Well,” Patty said, addressing Xanthus for the first time in a while. “I believe it was decided that you'd come home with us. If that seems agreeable to you?”

Xanthus nodded his head, not even trying to speak. Patty stood, trying to help her mostly dozing companion up.

“I can walk. I'm not an invalid,” Daciana complained, pushing herself to stand. She winced as she did so, as if the action hurt, but she didn't sway. Aspen got up after them, silently, and followed them as they walked to the cedar woman. All three said some sort of goodbye to the woman before coming around the table to Xanthus and Harry.

“Goodbye Harry,” Harry’s talking companion said. “I'll see you soon, no doubt.”

Patty and Daciana were stopped by folks to chat a number of times before they could reach the root. Being asked about projects, after health or who was riding home with whom. Patty was friendly and kind and rather good at getting short answers to help move them along.

The five of them made their way across the root, which was less treacherous than Xanthus assumed. The root was flat on top, looking well walked, as if it was a path traveled for many years.

“You drove, I presume?” Patty asked as they reached the shore. Many of the cars now were turned on or driving slowly out of the picnic area.

Xanthus pointed to their truck.

“Excellent,” she said. “You can follow behind me. I've got that blue wagon.”

She pointed to a buslike car with a big W decal on the front, although it wasn't the actual bus. Xanthus was relieved. It was distinct enough from the rest of the cars that he felt he might actually be able to pick it out.

It took a while to get through the traffic of people leaving. Xanthus made sure to tail Patty's car carefully so that he didn't get lost. The bright moon helped illuminate the road back. They drove through the nearest little town and then into the next. They barely entered the town when Patty led them off the main road, up a smaller street lined with mismatched houses that all bordered the woods behind them. They went a few blocks up and parked in front of a slightly lopsided house there. Twisted branches wrapped with colorful threads and bells dangled along the roof line over the deck.

“We've got a spare room upstairs,” Patty said, as they parked. “Do you mind sharing?”

“We can sleep in the truck,” Xanthus said, his throat thick and words rough, but at least now they came out. He almost sighed in relief. He supposed a feast wasn’t as bad as a death eater attack, but with his luck his throat wouldn’t think so.

“You needn't do that,” Aspen said. “I can bunk in the craft room, if you want two rooms.”

Xanthus chucked and beckoned them around the back of the truck, unzipping it to reveal their home.

“Woah,” Aspen said. “Wizards are capable of interesting magic sometimes, aren't they?”

“This wasn't cast with a wand,” Patty sniffed.

“Convenient though,” Aspen said, gazing around inside.

“Well, why don't you drive round back and park next to the trailer there. You'll have more privacy coming in and out. Jack lives in the trailer, so don't be alarmed if you see him. Heidi lives in the garage. They'll be home later, no doubt,” Patty instructed.

“Join us for breakfast,” Daciana said as she pulled her head out of the truck along with Aspen.

“Our household is generally known as the outcasts,” Patty said, shaking Xanthus’ hand again.

“So of course it’s the most popular in town,” Aspen scoffed.

“There are lots of folks who like to drop in,” Patty smiled.

“Don’t be alarmed, if you can see them and they can see you, they’re our folk. So long as you're within our borders.” Daciana said.

“Rundown tomorrow. Sleep now,” Aspen yawned. “Good night.”

“Goodnight,” Harry said shyly. Xanthus blinked, his brain still trying to filter the conversation.

They drove around and backed into the yard behind the house.

“You okay?” Xanthus managed to ask, as they both prepared for bed.

“Yeah,” Harry said. “Are you? I thought you wouldn't talk for a long time.”

“I'm fine,” He responded, flushing a bit at the shame of making Harry worry. “You don't have to worry about me, kiddo.”

“Are we staying here a while?” Harry asked.

“Dunno. I think so,” Xanthus said. “I wanted to show you more of the country but it's going to get cold soon anyways. This way we can go on a proper road trip with Rolf next summer. They all seem nice enough… Are you okay staying here through the winter?”

“Yeah! That woman was a tree,” Harry said. “One of the men had hooves, and another was really really short but had a big beard.”

“Does that bother you?”

“No, it was really cool! I got to breathe fire!” Harry said excitedly.

They went to sleep after that. Their first night no longer on the run.

Chapter Text

“Harry! Harry!”

Harry stood up, wiping his face with his huckleberry stained hands. He looked around, but didn’t see who was calling him. The only person around was Aspen, who was slowly pouring glittering water from a decorated gourd onto the huckleberry bush they were both harvesting. As the water hit the bush, new berries swelled to ripeness.

“We’re over here!” Aspen called as they stood and stopped pouring. Harry looked at them, confused but Aspen just shrugged. Harry quickly picked the newly grown berries into his basket.

The sound of rapid crunching and crashing preceded a young girl and boy bursting through the trees into view.

“There you are!” The girl said. Harry recognized her as one of the kids he’d been introduced to. Her name was Kitty and she had short brown hair, cropped rather unevenly on her head. Her haircut was apparently due to an “incident” but Kitty forbade the other kids from talking about it so Harry didn’t know the details. She came running up with the boundless energy that always permeated her. Harry had thought that Rolf had energy but he was nothing to Kitty. Her brother, Weld, was a bit younger than Harry and was following along behind her more sedately.

“Er, Hi,” Harry said. He’d been here two weeks but he still felt a bit awkward around the other kids.

“We’ve been looking EVERYWHERE for you,” Kitty scolded, putting her hands on her hips. “There are a lot of huckleberry patches to search, you know.”

“Er, sorry,” Harry said, looking down at his basket full of berries.

“Nevermind,” She said airily, waving her hand as if to waft something away. “Let's go catch lizards! It hasn’t been this hot in AGES. Might be our last chance.”

“Er,” Harry said, looking over to Aspen awkwardly.

“Aspen will let you go, won't you Aspen? Only Harry’s been harvesting ALL DAY, he should get to play now,” She turned to Aspen, her hands on her hips as if scolding the only adult there for overworking Harry.

“Let's finish this bush, then he can go,” Aspen said, smiling at Harry. He smiled back.

“Fiiine,” Kitty said. She sat heavily on a patch of pine needles, pulling down Weld with her, who squeaked in surprise.

Aspen started pouring the magic water again while Harry picked berries as they grew and ripened. It didn't take long for the water to begin to trickle and then drip empty. The water made a tinkling chime like noise as each of its last drops hit the huckleberry leaves. Aspen took the big wicker basket from Harry and the second it was out of his hands, Kitty was up grabbing his wrist and pulling him through the wood.

“I’m so excited for winter,” Kitty talked non-stop as they ran through the trees. “I’m soooo excited to take you sledding on the coal hills. Have you ever been sledding?”

“Er, no,” Harry said.

“Oh! You’ll love it!” She squealed, spinning in a circle which took both Harry and Weld in a wide orbit around her as she dragged them after. Weld giggled slightly. Harry just blinked in surprise. “I’ll miss summer though, we might not even see any lizards or snakes. I haven’t seen any for a while but it's so hot! There’s gotta be some!”

She led them through the forest around town rather than going through.

They got sidetracked climbing the large boulders dotting the ridge north of town and sliding down their sides. The rocks, though huge, were flattened and grooved from years and years of others doing the same.

Harry liked sliding on the rocks, and he was happy they weren’t going through town. He didn’t like the town. The shadow people gave him the creeps. There were a lot more shadow people than there were real people.

Kitty, set on lizard catching, didn't let them get sidetracked for long before she led them down the ridge to a series of huge slag hills along a trail near the north east edge of town. The hills were made up of piles and piles of flat rocks, little bits of coal and gravel. Although a couple tenacious pines grew here and there along the sides. There were little bits of rusty metal sheets and other odd metal scraps here and there. Kitty immediately began turning up metal and rocks to look underneath.

It was quite hot. Much hotter than any of the other days Harry had been here and he could feel the sun beating down on him as he rooted around in the gravel. Kitty, for once, was quiet. Believing that talking too much would scare away the lizards. Instead she gesticulated wildly to try to communicate to them.

Harry and Weld gave each other bemused looks. Weld shrugged and smiled at him. They kept looking.

The second a lizard or snake was found, however, the silence was gone.

“Here! Here!” Kitty called and they all ran over just in time to see a tail slide under a piece of metal. They flipped it up and chased the lizard as it ducked for cover again, lifting that rock until finally Harry was able to catch it in his hands.

It bit him.

He didn’t drop it though. Kitty had insisted that none of the lizards or snakes around the hill were poisonous and not to drop any if they bit you. It calmed down after biting him and seemed to glare determinedly at him.

“Woah!” Weld said, coming up to have a look.

“Can I hold him?” Kitty asked, holding out her hands.

The three of them let the lizard crawl across their hands and arms, laughing as he got close to their sleeves. He seemed to just sit and stare at Harry regularly.

“I think he likes you,” Kitty said, watching as the lizard tilted its head to stare at Harry.

“Oh oh!” Weld called from a little ways off. “Look!”

Kitty and Harry came scrambling over, Harry clutching gently at the lizard.

“Let me gooooooooos,”

Weld held out a snake in his hands where he’d caught it below the rocks.

“Nice catch!” Kitty said, coming close to look at it.

“Do you talk?” Harry asked.

“You talk?” The snake said, ceasing its struggle and looking directly at Harry.

“SSSSssssssssshhhshsss,” Kitty hissed and then laughed.

“Why are you all hissing?” Weld asked, clutching the snake to his chest.

“We’re speaking snake,” Kitty giggled.

“Are you magic?” Harry asked.

The snake shook its head no.

“Did you understand Kitty?” Harry asked.

The snake shook its head no.

“Woah! Wait Harry are you actually talking to it? I was just pretending!” Kitty asked. Both Kitty and Weld looked up at Harry, wide eyed.

“Er, I guess?” Harry said, looking up at them. “It asked to be let go.”

“Oh,” Kitty said, sounding sad.

“Er, sorry for catching you,” Harry said to the snake.

“You should be. You aren’t going to eat me?” The snake asked.

“No! Definitely not! We just wanted to look at you,” Harry said.

“Why?”

“Er, cause you’re very pretty,” Harry said. Honestly, he wasn't entirely sure why he was suddenly catching lizards and snakes but the snake was very pretty. Its scales were neat with a strip of yellow on top and on its stomach. The lizard was neat too, with criss crossing stripes of browns and grays.

The snake flicked its tongue out a few times.

“I refuse to mate with you,” It said, finally.

“Oh, er, that’s okay. Most people don’t wanna be mates with me,” Harry said, thinking of the kids back at his school with the Dursleys.

“What’s it saying now?” Kitty asked.

“Oh, er,” Harry said, looking up from the snake. He found talking to it kind of entrancing. “It doesn’t want to be my friend.”

“Rude!” Kitty said. “I do feel a bit bad about catching it, though, knowing that it talks an’ all.”

“Are you sure you aren’t just pretending?” Weld asked.

“Er, yeah,” Harry said. “Should we let them go then?”

“Yeah, suppose so,” Kitty sighed.

Harry gently pet the top of the lizards head. It didn't talk to him, but he still liked it. It kinda did feel like it liked him, which made him feel special in a way. It probably didn’t really like being caught though. He placed the lizard down on the rocks, it raised its head to look back up at him.

Harry looked over just in time to catch the tail of the snake slipping under one of the big rocks. The lizard didn’t immediately run away. It kept looking fixedly at Harry. Even as Kitty started pulling him away. He didn’t really want to go. He wouldn’t mind just sitting next to the lizard.

“Goodbye,” He said as he was pulled away.

“Well… maybe mom will take us swimming,” Kitty mused. “She refused earlier but maybe she’s changed her mind. Come on.”

Kitty grabbed Weld’s hand too and started dragging them off the hill. She had to let go as they slid down some of the slag rocks, but they followed along anyway.

Unfortunately, going to Kitty and Weld’s house involved walking through town. The first block didn’t have anyone but after that was the main road and as they approached a large shadow sped past. Kitty ran across the street, letting the shadow blow right through her, but Harry waited. There were two more shadow cars behind that one before there was a long enough gap for Harry to cross.

“I keep telling you,” Kitty said as he reached her side of the road. “They won't hit you, they can’t touch you.”

Harry just shrugged, then sidestepped to let an eerie shadow man walk past. Kitty rolled her eyes.

“Oh, come on,” She said, grabbing his hand again to tug him along. Luckily they only saw one more shadow person on their way to the house.

Kitty’s mother hadn’t changed her mind about swimming.

So instead, Kitty set up a sprinkler in the backyard and they spent the rest of the afternoon jumping through it. Xanthus showed up about fifteen minutes after they started and came to check on them. Harry smiled and waved, but Kitty enthusiastically dragged Xanthus into the sprinkler. He followed along, looking about as bemused as Harry. He then picked Kitty up and dunked her in the sprinkler as she squealed and laughed.

This somehow kicked off Xanthus chasing them around the yard to catch them and dunk them in. Harry thought that Kitty and Weld let themselves get caught on purpose.

“Did you have fun today?” Xanthus asked that night. He was sitting on Harry's bed as Harry cuddled into his side.

“Yeah,” Harry said. “I like helping out and picking berries. Magic water is neat.”

“What about hanging out with your friends?” Xanthus asked.

“Friends?”

“Kitty and Weld.”

“Oh, they aren't my friends,” Harry murmured, hiding his face in Xanthus’ side.

“Why not?”

“They haven't said so.”

“Friendships aren't always declared, Harry.”

“Most people… er beings… don't want to be my friend.”

“Beings?”

“I talked to a snake today, it said it didn't want to be friends,” Harry said.

“You talked to a snake?” Xanthus started. “Could Kitty and Weld talk to it too?”

“Er, no, just me,” Harry said.

“That's a very rare magic, Harry,” Xanthus said.

“Is that bad?”

“Oh, uh, no. Not at all. My dad desperately wishes he could do it,” Xanthus ruffled his hair affectionately. “How about I start reading, yeah?”

“Yeah!” Harry said and settled in as Xanthus' started reading from the book they'd been making their way through each night. Harry liked Xanthus reading to him. Xanthus and Patty said they were doing something that would make it easier for Harry to read but he wasn't so sure it was that simple. It seemed weird to fix dumbness with magic. Maybe it could, though. For now, Harry let the words wash over him in Xanthus’ deep, calming voice.

Suddenly it was morning. Harry blinked awake. He could never stay awake through a whole chapter. Although judging by the fact that Xanthus was sprawled out next to him over the covers, still in his day clothes, with the book flopped open on his chest. Xanthus couldn't either.

They had breakfast in the main house that morning. Harry never knew who would be at Patty’s house at any given time. When they came in for breakfast, only Aspen was awake, already dressed in stained and patched overalls and beginning to mix batter. Xanthus helped prepare breakfast as Harry sat, swinging his legs at the kitchen table. Xanthus helped most mornings and many evenings with cooking but he still looked completely lost cooking without magic. He kept searching for his wand with his hand without realizing or expecting things to at least fly to him. When they didn’t he would pause, blink and then go and retrieve it manually.

In his first week, there was an incident with flour that seemed to have put him off attempting to summon things without a wand. Aspen seemed to find his regular confusion just as funny as Harry did, occasionally catching Harry’s eye and smiling as Harry giggled slightly.

A few more folks came in, talking to Aspen briefly about plans for the day, stealing a pancake and then leaving. It wasn’t until the pancakes were all cooked and both Xanthus and Aspen had finished eating that Patty and Daciana drug themselves into the kitchen, sitting heavily at the table. Aspen quietly got up and handed them steaming mugs of coffee. The two women slumped into each other as they sipped their coffee.

“It’s already mid-morning, drama queens,” Aspen sighed.

“Mid-morning!?” Daciana sounded scandalized by the very thought. “This isn’t mid-morning.”

“Solidly morning,” Patty grumbled.

“Perhaps not early, or the crack of dawn,” Daciana conceded. “But nowhere close to mid-morning.”

“Just morning,” Patty repeated.

“Alright, alright,” Aspen said. “I give in. Still it wouldn’t hurt you to wake up at a solidly morning kinda hour more often you know.”

Both women glared blearily at Aspen over their mugs. Aspen rolled their eyes.

“Thanks for waking yourselves at such a torturous hour for foraging,” Aspen teased. “I really do need more hands for the end of season if we’re going to get through winter. Especially if you’re stealing my best gatherer.” She pointed at Patty in mock offense. Patty stuck out her tongue.

Another full mug of coffee and several pancakes later, both women were in much better spirits. Although they still yawned between sentences.

“Harry, you’re with me this morning,” Patty said as the other three all got ready to leave out the back door.

“Oh?” Harry said, looking at Aspen questioningly.

Patty had explained to Harry and Xanthus on their first day there, that everyone in the community contributed to food in some way. The muggle market was outside of their barrier and it was hard to get supplies from it. So instead the community tended to grow, hunt, fish and gather most of their food. Magic helped make the process easier and more consistent of course.

He liked to spend his mornings harvesting berries with Aspen, who seemed generally in charge of organizing the blackberry and huckleberry harvest. In fact as far as Harry could tell, Aspen seemed to be in charge of most things related to the forest. Lots of folk came in and out of the house or sought them out in the woods to ask them questions.

Harry liked Aspen. They were quiet and calm, like Xanthus, but also always seemed to have a light smile. He just couldn't imagine Aspen hurting him, even though Aspen had lots of muscles and was always a little dirty they just seemed too peaceful. He honestly preferred helping out more than playing with the other kids. Maybe if Rolf was here, he'd prefer to play, but there were a lot of kids all at once and he just couldn't shake the feeling that they'd turn on him soon.

He didn't know about Patty or Daciana. They seemed nice, but he didn't see them much.

“Patty needs you for some of her magic today,” Aspen said as she distributed baskets.

Harry watched in apprehension as the others gathered in the backyard. A number of other folks joined them, many carrying gourds. Patty came up to look out the window with him.

“Sorry for keeping you from the woods,” Patty said, placing a hand on his shoulder. He ducked shyly.

“S’kay,” Harry murmured.

“Come on then, let me show you what we’re up to,” Patty said. Harry followed her into the front room where a small loom and spinning wheel sat, with many colorful bundles of wool and yarn. “Your headband is almost done, but the magic is finicky. It’s more enchantments than I normally weave in. I need you to pick a border color and help me spin the yarn for it and tassels and also help choose your talismans.”

On a little table by the spinning wheel, there were a number of small ornaments. Wooden beads, carved runes, tiny brass figures of animals and fey that moved around on their own, a couple beads of some kind of colorful crystals that glowed lightly. Harry was pretty sure there was a little handful of bones and so some things carved from bone. There were even little flowers, sprigs of pine, tiny cones and other little plant bits all preserved in glass.

Patty sat Harry down on a little stool next to the spinning wheel and handed him a big basket of wool. Some of it was dyed many colors, while some was just varying shades of gray and brown.

“Pick a wool to go along the top of the headband,” she said pointing to the loom. On it was a long square of fabric that was patterned with many deep colors. It wasn't like the fabric Harry was used to, because it wasn't perfect. The yarn was nobbly in some places and there were occasional tiny gaps in the weave. He liked it though. He liked that the pattern wasn't printed on, but woven in.

Harry reached into the basket Patty had handed him and felt the wool. It was warm and soft to the touch. He picked up twisted bundles and kept looking at Patty, trying to figure out if this was a test, but she didn't show any reaction to what he lifted out. So he chose a green colored wool. None of the wool was dyed really bright colors like most clothes, instead they were all a bit muted in color. Harry found a green that was pretty clearly green though and liked it.

“Perfect!” Patty said, taking the wool. Suddenly Harry felt a bit suspicious that it was a test and maybe he'd passed but it still made him nervous not knowing.

She set up the wool on the spinning wheel and began to pedal her foot to make it spin. Harry watched as the wool twisted itself into yarn and wrapped around the spool in the middle of the wheel.

“Here, give me your hand,” she said and took Harry's hand. She guided it up to the yarn and wrapped her fingers around his so that he was feeding the wool in under her hand. He didn't feel like he was doing much, she still seemed like she was doing most of the work, but he could already tell the yarn was lumpier and less smooth.

“Er, sorry,” he said, as it lumped again.

“Nothing to apologize for. Now repeat after me,” she said and then said a bunch of words that Harry didn't at all recognize. They didn't sound English at all. He blinked at her.

“Er….”

“Hmmm, you know Harry, us magic folk. Especially us magic folk that used to have wands. We feel like magic has to be sacred and old and mysterious or it isn't magic, and that's sorta true. You can never make too much sense of magic or it will change right out from under you. Also we all, as humans, magic or no, want to feel cool and whispering english over and over can feel silly. So I tend to enchant in old faroese, but I am just speaking my will into the yarn and fabric.”

“Oh,” Harry said, perking up to listen. This was the most anyone had really said when explaining anything magical. Except for Newt explaining magical creatures.

“Really, so long as you know in your heart you are doing magic, then it doesn't matter what language you use. Sometimes you can skip the words entirely, they are just there so that your heart knows magic is happening,” she continued. “I'm going to tell you what to say in English and I want you to repeat it over and over while I say the words in faroese. I just want you to hold in your heart and fingers the knowledge that together we are binding magic into the yarn. Do you think you can do that?”

“Er,” Harry said, looking at the slightly lumpy yarn they were still slowly spinning. He didn't really know if he could do that. It seemed more complicated than drinking that ginger drink and spitting fire back out, but maybe it was like the yarn spinning where he really wasn't doing much, it was mostly Patty guiding his hand. “It's not just me? We’re doing it together?”

“Yep, together,” she smiled.

“Okay,” he said nervously.

“Alright, let me think of how to phrase this….” She hummed and just focused on the wool for a minute. “With this yarn of pine, eyes shall see clearly each of its needles. With this wool of shetland, cloth shall keep warm in cold and cool in heat. With this spin, we turn away evil and create lasting protection. With this weave, we hide away that which beneath to remain unseen. No one may take from us this work and undo our knots…”

She smiled at Harry's very bemused look.

“Like I said, more enchantments than I normally try to weave in. We'll go through it one at a time,” she said.

Patty walked him through each phrase until he could recite the entire thing. Then she began to chant along with him in a language he didn't understand. Soon his own words felt like a chant, repeated so often and the sounds of them both speaking started to blend together in an odd echo. He almost felt as if the sound wasn't coming from their mouths anymore, but instead emitted as one from somewhere between them. His fingers buzzed with each rise and fall of their words as if he was touching a speaker.

There was an odd cadence. A swelling of sound then a decay. Their voices rising and falling in waves. He found himself rocking unconsciously on his stool as he spun.

They chanted and spun and chanted and spun and time lost a bit of meaning and the light cast on the floor through the window moved across them at a rate Harry could almost observe if he had any room to observe anything.

Then suddenly his voice cracked and the chanting came to a crashing halt, making him jump where he sat. They stopped spinning.

He realized, suddenly, that his throat was raw and cracked and dry. He tried to say something but it was painful and it felt like the skin of his throat was stuck together from wear.

Patty handed him some water. He drank it eagerly, some of it spilling out of the cup on either side of his cheek. He could feel it running down his neck onto his shirt but didn't care. The water hitting his throat was like its own kind of magic. He didn't think he'd ever been so thirsty and the Dursleys had made him go without for a whole day sometimes.

Patty was also drinking deeply, he noticed as he finally lowered the water.

“That was amazing, Harry,” Patty said, her voice sounding hoarse and raw. He realized that this was how he was used to Patty sounding, in the evenings at dinner when he saw her. He just thought she had a deep voice, like the old lady down the street that Aunt Petunia said smoked too much.

“I… er…” he started and then coughed. He didn't really know what to say. That had been real magic. Real in a way that he could feel in his fingers. In his bones. There was no way to describe that except magic and he knew beyond a doubt that it wasn't just Patty. HE had done magic.

“You're very strong, Harry,” Patty continued, examining the now thick spool of yarn. “You lasted way longer than I would have ever thought and… that was powerful… look.”

She pulled the yarn out a bit and ran it through her fingers. Harry bent over it. It looked like yarn… except… there was just something off. Like out of the corner of his eye, at the part he wasn't looking at, there was a shimmering, almost as if shapes were forming out of the yarn but if he turned to look they were gone.

“Wow, okay, well I don't think either of us could do anymore if we wanted to, which is fine because we made way more than we needed to,” she laughed happily. “The only thing left is for you to pick out eleven talismans. Five will go along the top near your hair. Then three will go on each end, so note that when you tie the headband, the ends will probably fall around the back of your neck so don't pick anything that's going to be uncomfortable there. Hand them to me in sets of five and three, those are magical numbers and it's good to keep them together.”

“There are magic numbers?” Harry asked as he got up to look at the table with all the odds and ends. His legs were rather shaky under him and his feet tingled as he stood.

“Yep, really all numbers have a magical significance, but three, five and seven are generally significant. You'll be better off choosing a number that matches your exact purpose but if you have many purposes or don't want to mess it up, you can't go wrong with those. Seven is considered the best, but nothing in magic is quantifiable so sometimes it isn't any better,” she explained.

Harry drank in her words like he drank in the water. He wanted to know everything he could about magic.

“Do these, er, talismans have magical significance?” He asked, looking over his options.

“Oh yes, lots,” She said. He looked at her, waiting for her to continue, but she didn't. He must have looked distressed because she chuckled and said “It's most important that you pick these with intuition. I find people often choose exactly what they need if they choose based on intuition. If you know what they do, you'll pick what you think you need and not what you'll actually need.”

“Can I touch them?” Harry asked, Patty nodded. Harry bit his lip in concentration as he looked back over the ornaments.

He started picking them up and turning them over in his hands. There was a little brass lizard that looked a lot like the one he caught yesterday, it clung to his finger when he tried to set it down, so he kept it. The crystals felt cool when he touched them, kinda tingly, but they felt too flashy. Too fancy for someone unimportant like him.

The next talisman he chose was a little glass flower that changed colors. It was pretty and he just kept wanting to look at it, entranced, so he picked it. A lily he later learned.

He didn't want to pick any of the bones. He didn't like that something had died to make them. There was a whole snake skull and it made him sad to look at it. He kept looking at the bones though. Like when he tried to concentrate on anything else, he just couldn't. So he braved reaching over and touching them. He picked up a weird bone, more like a little cone that was a bit nobbly on the edges, and his chest filled with warmth. It was like being hugged by Xanthus just from picking it up. Patty said it was an antler found in the woods, and Harry felt better knowing nothing had died for it.

He picked a little gold four point star and an iron moon as his last talismans. Patty seemed surprised when he handed her the moon.

“This is the talisman Daciana always choses,” Patty said, holding it up. “I can never get her to pick anything else.”

“Should I pick something else?” Harry asked, concerned.

“No, the north star and moon are a very strong combination, I just don't like Daciana typecasting herself, I think it's excellent for you,” Patty said, holding the five talismans. “Which do you want centered?”

He pointed at the lizard.

“Transformation and survival,” she said. “That will serve you well.”

He shrugged, feeling a bit sheepish. He'd picked it because he felt bad letting it go after it grabbed his finger.

He chose six wooden runes for the end tassels. He had no idea what they meant but they looked cool and Patty smiled knowingly so he supposed it wasn't a bad combination. They had just stood out.

Patty let him go after that. It was late afternoon when they were done. The shadows were already long as the sun was beginning to sink earlier and earlier in the days. Xanthus and the others seemed to still be out in the last big berry gathering. Apparently there wouldn't be any more berry gathering after today. Instead they were going to spend tomorrow making jams and preserves.

Harry debated on wandering out to go help, but he was bone tired. His throat was still raw and his fingers felt hot and sore, so he crawled into the truck instead. He got himself some water and went to lie down. He fell asleep as soon as his head hit his pillow.

Chapter Text

Xanthus watched as Harry looked around the kitchen in wonder. Harry had been wearing his new headband for about a week, but his wonder over seeing properly hadn't seemed to lessen yet. He looked at everything with fascination and now eagerly participated in reading exercises each night. Apparently the poor boy had thought he was just dumb and had no idea that his vision was off. It gave Xanthus a warm feeling everytime he noticed Harry really seeing something for the first time. Even if it was just the weird wooden pepper shaker Aspen was using.

Another side effect of the new headband, Harry now looked the part for this new community. He just looked like he belonged. The pattern matched many of the sweaters, shawls and shirts that people wore here most often. Plus the style, a long cloth over almost his entire forehead that he tied low on his head with long tails draping down his back were similar to a few other folks here. Xanthus thought the headband would look especially good with Harry's natural hair color, the roots of which were beginning to grow out because Xanthus couldn't refresh the hair dying spell without his wand.

Xanthus couldn't do much without a wand. At this point Harry's new headband was not the only thing making him fit in better than Xanthus did. Harry could simply do more magic than Xanthus could here. Young and adaptable, in the month they'd been here, Harry had sought out and soaked up everything he could about magic. A very different kind of magic to what Xanthus was used to.

When they had first arrived, Harry had stuck to him like a shadow but within a few days it had started to feel like the other way around. Harry had taken a liking to Aspen pretty quickly and had begun helping them forage in the forest for berries and now other plants. Aspen of course loved Harry. Strangely hard working, eager yet quiet, Harry was easy to love.

Aspen had seemed about as disappointed when Harry had swapped to following Patty around as Xanthus had been when Harry had first started following Aspen. Harry was eager to learn any magic he could, and Patty had taught him real magic. He spent the next two weeks doing a bit of foraging with Aspen in the early morning but running back to the house mid-morning to try to be there when Patty woke up. Even after his headband was done, he had started trying to help with Patty’s other projects.

In what Xanthus suspected was a bid for his attention, Aspen had started teaching Harry how he could use “chanting” to do magic in the forest. Xanthus had accompanied them to the clear stream that trickled up out of the ground that Aspen used for the magic water that accelerated plant production, and taught Harry how to enchant it in the gourds. Xanthus couldn't get it, but Harry picked it up instantly. It seemed a bit like just talking in a weird cadence. Chanting. Not actually casting a spell at all. At least Aspen chanted in a known magical language, Harry seemed perfectly able to do it in English. Xanthus couldn't do it in latin and didn't know the weird germanic language that Aspen used. It also took a long time, Xanthus was amazed the boy had the patience for it.

To get as much time with Harry as possible, Xanthus always accompanied him and Aspen in the morning to forage and he spent the evening giving Harry lessons. Reading and writing. Math. A bit of history. He wanted to start on some basics of herbology and potions but hadn't gotten to it yet. Harry learned plenty about plants in the mornings with Aspen anyways. Even Xanthus was learning.

He actually liked foraging now that berry season was over. It was more varied. They hunted around for a number of things, although Aspen generally had a goal for the day they'd stop if anything else was spotted. Xanthus followed Harry out of the kitchen and enjoyed watching him hunt around for tubers as they walked. Harry seemed especially keen on searching around now that he could see well.

The goal for the day was pine nuts, it was apparently their season. Xanthus was still having a hard time distinguishing the pines that had pine nuts from the other trees, so was content to carry the ladder.

They spent the morning together but soon enough Harry was eager to run back to the house and get back to Patty. Xanthus was cutting seeds from an odd lingering nettle patch after Aspen had made sure he knew the female nettles from the male ones. He stood to watch Harry run back. Xanthus struggled not to follow. Not because he didn't want to help forage, he actually liked it. It was quiet. Peaceful. No one expected him to talk. No one expected him to interrogate anyone… It wasn't the foraging. It just made him nervous leaving Harry for too long. It didn't feel safe.

“You alright?” Aspen asked and Xanthus jumped.

Xanthus shrugged.

“He's fine, you know,” Aspen said, even when Xanthus didn't respond. “It's safe here or we wouldn't have risked taking you in. He's at an age where he should run free and from what I understand this is probably the only place he'll be allowed to do so, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Xanthus said, feeling a bit sheepish.

“C’mon, I bet you could work on your wandless wizard magic trying to summon those cones,” Aspen said, shouldering him in a friendly manner and pointing at a pinyon with upturned branches high in the air, all loaded with cones. The ground around the pinyon was wet and Xanthus supposed Aspen had helped it along to get so many cones.

Xanthus gave them a wry smile, and then reached out his hand. He tried to focus hard on summoning the cones. He could easily summon things wordlessly, he barely needed to touch his wand. Completely wandlessly however… he furrowed his brow in concentration and tried to channel the feeling of magic down his arm, willing the cone to come to him. The branches of the tree shook and for a second he thought he had it, but then he realized it was just the wind. He dropped his arm.

“Summoning charms are pretty hard without a wand, I'd be better off trying levitating something light fist,” Xanthus said.

“Nonsense, I was part of the collateral damage with the flour so I know you can summon things,” Aspen said. “Anyway, I don't think my ladder will reach the top of this beast so nothing to lose from trying.”

“Uh, right, sorry again about that,” Xanthus said, flushing from just the memory of it. He ducked his head and let his hair cover his eyes.

Aspen just patted his shoulder with one gloved hand and went back to harvesting from the patch of nettles they'd found.

Xanthus took off his glove, hoping that might help, and tried again to summon the cone he'd picked out. He kept trying as Aspen started clipping away behind him. He kept trying as his fingers started to seep in the early fall cold. He kept trying as his muscles started to ache from holding up his arm for so long. He kept trying as Aspen finished their foraging.

“Aren’t wizards supposed to use gibberish words to cast spells?” Aspen asked from right next to him, making Xanthus jump.

“Oh, uh, it's not gibberish, but I suppose I forget to use incantations a lot,” Xanthus said, suddenly feeling a bit dumb for trying to not just try to wandlessly but also wordlessly summon something.

“Accio pine cone!” Xanthus tried, even going as far as to carefully trace the wand movements with his finger for the summoning charm. Aspen and Xanthus both had to duck and throw their arms over their heads as the cone came hurtling towards them, which shook the tree violently sending more cones and needles raining down on their heads.

“I knew wizarding magic was violent, but to think you’d weaponize even the trees,” Aspen teased, laughing as they brushed needles from their hair and clothes. They started picking up cones from the ground and putting them in the basket set aside for them.

“Are you not a wizard?” Xanthus asked, curious. “I’ve seen you do a fair amount of magic.”

“Druid, born and raised,” Aspen said.

“Oh, sorry,” Xanthus said, suddenly feeling wrong somehow for casting a spell at all. He didn’t know much about Druids but it seemed wrong to taunt them with spells when they weren’t allowed to learn.

“Oh, nevermind that, if I weren’t a druid then this community would be completely lost, I’ve taught half the folks here how to get by without a wand.”

“Really?” Xanthus asked. He didn't really know how the magic here worked. It was curious.

“Yup. I have to say though, I haven’t seen many who could cast any spells without their wand, I’m impressed,” Aspen said, not looking up from their task.

“Most of the people here are witches and wizards, aren’t they?” Xanthus asked.

“Most were, but really they’re druids now, except their children are allowed to go to an institute of course,” Aspen said.

“Uh, right,” Xanthus rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

“Well, get to it, wizard,” Aspen said, saying the word wizard in a teasing emphasis. “Summon the rest, would you?”

“I thought it was too violent?” Xanthus said.

“We’ll just have to get good at dodging,” Aspen laughed.

Xanthus summoned another pine cone and Aspen had to throw their body to the ground to avoid getting hit.

“You did that on purpose!” Aspen laughed from the ground before grabbing a pine cone from next to them and throwing it playfully at Xanthus. Xanthus summoned another pine cone, trying to aim it back at Aspen but ended up smacking himself square in the eye, knocking himself onto his butt. Aspen roared with laughter from where they lay on the ground.

Xanthus grinned sheepishly, ignoring the sting and feeling of swelling. He stood and focused on summoning the rest of the cones, trying to reduce the speed they hurtled towards them. He succeeded at the former, not so much the later. Aspen gathered the cones into baskets, seeming to enjoy the challenge of dodging around, occasionally throwing their own cones at Xanthus just to mess with him.

He arrived back at the house with a swelling black eye, a welt on his left shin and somehow a bruised shoulder blade. He blamed the last one on Aspen for distracting him.

Aspen wasn’t much better, having welts up and down their arms. They were, however, in much
better spirits, laughing off the whole endeavor as great fun.

“I appreciate the elevation of druidic magic here, don’t get me wrong, but it's pretty fun to see some real wizarding magic, I haven’t seen much of it,” Aspen said as they walked back. They both had a small limp. He thought he was generally excellent at dodging. He'd been a good field auror after all, but it definitely hadn’t helped his case that the cones primarily attacked him as the summoner.

“With a wand it's much more controlled,” Xanthus said. “I could have plucked every cone and had them dance around however I liked. Certainly less painful.”

“The way some of the witches and wizards here talk, the only wizarding magic is for attacking, they don’t talk much about the rest,” Aspen said.

“We certainly like our duels,” Xanthus mused. “But most witches and wizards go their whole lives without needing any battle magic.”

“Druids don’t see much else from wizards, other than battle magic I suppose,” Aspen said.

“I suppose they wouldn’t,” Xanthus winced. He remembered having to go try to enforce new laws in a few druidic communities as an auror. He’d never had to arrest anyone but he’d heard stories of it.

The backyard of the house bordered the forest, so they walked straight out of the woods and up to the back door. The house had a tiny mudroom by the door which was mostly just a landing with stairs down to the basement and a door to the kitchen. They set their baskets down in the kitchen and then moved to the living room to start a fire and warm their fingers.

“Xanthus!” Harry came running up to him just as he sat on the couch. He felt the last of his unease leave him as he picked Harry up and put him on his lap.

“What have you been up to?” Xanthus asked.

“Enchanting,” Harry said happily, his voice was slightly hoarse as it often was for an hour or so after he finished. “We are making a baby blanket. It will keep the baby from getting sick and help it sleep.”

“Harry is a natural,” Patty said, croakily, as she came into the living room also. “Sorry for not starting the fire for you Aspen, not used to it being cold yet.”

“You’re just lucky I got home first,” Aspen said. “Daciana would have been less pleased, especially this close.”

“Daciana is already off,” Patty sighed sadly and sat down next to Xanthus and Harry on the couch.

“Aspen?” Xanthus asked, suddenly thinking of something. “Do druids normally teach kids magic this young?”

“Hmm?” Aspen hummed, looking up from the fire, which was a woodstove and not a proper wizarding fireplace. “Oh yes, children are the most adaptable. Druids tend to have specialties and kids are expected to try everything and figure out what they like, but Patty’s enchanting isn’t proper druidic magic.”

“Oh?” Xanthus asked. Harry was resting his head on Xanthus’ shoulder and he realized the boy had already fallen asleep. “It’s not going to hurt him, to be doing it so young is it?”

“Oh no, nothing like that,” Patty said. “We don’t give kids wands because it's too dangerous. Wand magic is volatile and dangerous, they can hurt themselves messing around. Very easily set things on fire or blow stuff up by just waving it around in the air. There is no harm in actually doing magic young. Also wands are expensive, don’t want them breaking or losing them, do you?”

“I hadn’t thought of it,” Xanthus said, feeling suddenly like it was probably something he should have thought about. “You said ‘we’, so you’re a witch then?”

“I was,” Patty said. “Had my wand snapped, so not much of one anymore.”

“Snapped!?” Xanthus exclaimed, jerking Harry awake.

“Mhm,” Patty simply hummed in affirmative. Not at all sounding like a witch talking about her wand being snapped. Xanthus could hardly imagine. He was struggling enough as is with his wand just temporarily gone, but completely snapped… Not to mention anything that would result in a wand being snapped couldn’t be good circumstances. In fact, they were generally quite criminal circumstances, either as victim or perpetrator. Xanthus must have been staring because Patty added. “Don’t worry, I’m not a murderer or anything. Daciana got bitten and I was criminal by association. Newt promised such things wouldn’t bother you.”

“Oh uh, yeah, uh, I mean no. I mean it doesn’t bother me. Isn’t tomorrow the full moon?” Xathus asked.

“Yeah, Daciana has already gone. There is a pack somewhere in Montana that a lot of werewolves go to transform, don’t go sharing that mind you,” Patty said. “We have a feast after every full moon to welcome them back, and because we have to refresh the enchantments every so often anyways so it's a good time for it.”

“Oh speaking of,” Aspen said, now straightening from the woodstove, fire dancing inside it. “Margret wanted to know if you’d be willing to help cook for the feast Xanthus? I may have accidentally praised your cooking in front of her.”

“Oh, sure,” Xanthus said. “I don’t mind.”

“I could help,” Harry piped up.

“Do you want to help me husk the pine nuts now?” Aspen asked. “I can teach you magic to open the cones and grow the nuts.”

“Yes!” Harry said excitedly, jumping off of Xanthus’ lap, his tiredness completely forgotten. Xanthus laughed and followed after into the kitchen.

Xanthus still felt like Harry should be hanging out with the other kids more and having some real fun. Not working all the time. Watching him now though, his face lit in wonder as Aspen showed him how to make the cones grow and bloom in their hands, Xanthus wasn’t sure he’d ever seen Harry as happy and satisfied as he had been these last few weeks. He supposed having some purpose probably helped the boy feel more secure after such a horrible upbringing, but he wished he could make Harry feel that way without him having to work. He wished Harry would just know it.

The next two days were a whirlwind of cooking. Xanthus definitely had not understood what he was signing himself up for when he agreed to help. That huge feast he'd seen when Harry and he had arrived, well he was learning the whole thing was cooked by hand. He'd been missing his wand for weeks but nothing like he missed it the last two days.

It was so slow and tedious cooking everything by hand. Especially having to mix all the dough for the bread and pies. Or keep the pie dough chill or bread dough warm. It was all so much more finicky when you couldn't just set a temperature charm.

Not just slow. By the time the feast was finally completed, he felt like his arms were going to fall off from all the mixing, kneading, chopping and stirring. All of which he'd normally cast a spell for. He was happy he didn't have to transport the food, leaving that to other volunteers. Also driving, he didn't know if his arms had it in him, but Patty's wagon had enough seats so she drove by Margret's where he was cooking and picked him up to take him to the feast. Harry was already in the back, holding a bowl so enormous the boy could barely look over it.

It was apparently more food, some kind of strange mint pesto Aspen made.

When they arrived at the parking area, just before sundown, a number of others were trickling in. Xanthus noticed a couple of shadow cars and shadow people lingering around the shore.

They were strange. Complete invisibility was an incredibly rare and finicky magic. Intangibility was unheard of. Xanthus couldn't think of a single spell that allowed someone to walk through something. Squeeze impossibly small, sure. Stretch or shift to dodge something magically fast, sure. Actual, true intangibility. It wasn't a thing. Yet here they were, reinforcing magic that gave them both. By eating.

Xanthus may desperately miss his wand and miss his access to magic. He would, however, never again think that witches and wizards had superior magics. No matter how much that was the general consensus, it didn't change that they knew of nothing that could produce even half of these effects.

“Are these all no-maj? It seems cold and late to hang out by the lake,” Xanthus asked Patty as they walked down to the lakeshore, where Xanthus could see the huge branch bubbling up to the surface.

“Some maybe,” Patty said. “Most will be returning friends. Those who left our borders. I used to try to figure out which one was Daciana. She's so short I thought I'd be able to pick her out but I've never succeeded. All the shadows seem to be the same height.”

“Do you know how it works? Why we can see them but they can't see us?” Xanthus asked.

“Oh, I've no idea, Aspen?” Patty said, turning to relay the question to Aspen, who was balancing the giant bowl on their head.

“Oh it's old, old magic,” Aspen said. “Requires a full ritual and the right trees to be in the circle which can take decades to ensure. It's long, considered quite vulgar these days and very illegal by wizarding law. Probably because they can't enforce anything here. They don't like losing power do they? Most druids couldn't pull this ritual off. We’re lucky because we have a real dryad.”

“The cedar woman?” Harry asked, per usual listening with rapt attention whenever anything magical was mentioned. Xanthus had mentioned to him that the woman was probably a dryad but he was surprised Harry remembered.

“Yes, you must always be very respectful to her,” Aspen instructed seriously. “Dryads are very rare and rarely helpful. They live a long time and it only takes being betrayed once for them to never want to help again. I don't know how our Archdruid befriended her, I've never asked.”

It didn't match up at all with what Xanthus knew of dryads, although he didn't know much. The general knowledge on dryads was that they were old, strong and dumb. Much like if a tree could gain will. Certainly not sentient, intelligent or interesting beyond making sure not to cross one if encountered. Don’t try to cut down a dryad tree. If angered, use fire to defend yourself. That was standard knowledge. His father had told him all this information was wrong after a trip he took once, but not really what the right information was. So Xanthus had generally classified dryads as completely unknown.

They walked across the root with a number of other people. He noticed that many of the shadow people were rowing boats nearby. The boats, strangely, weren't in shadow. They were little carved wooden boats, with colorful threads weaving bells along the sides. They jingled as the boats moved forward in jerks, clearly set by invisible rows.

The table was being set up, and Xanthus saw that it was actually many smaller tables all placed together. People were all busying about, putting down the table cloths, setting out food and decorations. Putting chairs about. There was a lot to do but as everyone came together, setup happened fast.

When the feast was all laid out, everyone stood back as if to admire their work. It was a beautiful spread. Not just good food but pretty. With wicker horns and baskets, large old silver platters. It looked iconic, especially for something transported on laps in cars from many different houses.

Then Xanthus saw why they actually stepped back. The dryad raised her arms high, closing her eyes. She shook her head sharply, whipping around the branches that were her hair. At the same time the branches high overhead in the massive cedar shook. The chiming of many bells, hanging wooden flutes and ornaments accompanied the jostling leaves and strange green sparkles cascaded down from the canopy onto the feast.

As Xanthus sat with the others at the table, he looked up to see the many bells and wind chimes tied into the cedar branches. He had missed them the first time.

There were a lot of things with wood, threads and bells, he'd noticed, in the community. Margret and Patty's house both had them. He wished there was a way to study this kind of thing but books weren't written about druidic magic. It was all passed down orally and generally looked down upon.

“Harry, why don't you sit with the other kids,” Patty said after Harry had served himself a plate. Xanthus noted Harry had almost overfilled his goblet of ginger beer.

Instead of sitting at the table, there was a huddle of kids and some of their parents sitting on some roots by the shore. Many of the younger kids were running around the circle enthusiastically. Harry did not look particularly keen on the idea of joining them.

“C’mon, I'll come too,” Xanthus said. He still wanted Harry to have some fun sometimes and getting to know the other kids was probably his best bet at making that happen.

“Okay,” Harry murmured.

The feast was good. Better than last time. The food was about the same but it was all less overwhelming now that he'd seen it set up instead of magically appearing in full swing with no warning. Harry seemed to forget his nervousness when the kids started a contest to see who could belch the most fire.

“We make the ginger beer for the kids,” a woman next to him said. “Not only is it not alcohol but it keeps them entertained.”

“Leo, don't look at people when you breathe fire, over the lake! How many times do I have to tell you,” he heard another adult scolding off closer to the gaggle of kids, all generally pointed out towards the lake.

It was interesting watching the shadow people appear and get greated back into the community. A few people he noted seemed to have been gone a long time or weren't expected to be arriving. The air was cool but not as cold as it should have been. It was also brighter than it should have been, with no discernable source of the light.

He ate and observed. Occasionally talking to people or checking on Harry, but mostly just sitting to the side. It was pleasant in a way that many large gatherings usually weren't for him.

The feast lasted a long time, yet he didn't feel all that tired when the root rose back up to let them back. There was something mellow and constant in the air that made time feel weird. Harry didn't seem to agree though. Xanthus had to carry him back across as he was nodding off. He was asleep by the time they reached Patty's car. It was rare for Harry to fall asleep with people around, he was normally too wary. Xanthus considered it a good sign of Harry settling in.

The next three days were so uneventful by comparison to the frenzy before the feast, that Xanthus didn't notice at first that there was anything wrong.

He, Harry and Aspen went out foraging in the morning before Patty woke up, per usual.

Harry left to go back to learn Patty's weird enchanting magic, per usual.

Xanthus fretted over Harry for a while after he left, per usual.

Xanthus managed to mess up his wandless magic, per usual, and absolutely covered himself and Aspen with a deluge of mud. This was not usual, he really wasn't sure how he'd mucked his spell up so bad. He wasn't even aiming at the ground. It did however manage to erase his usual, constant worry about Harry from his mind temporarily.

When he and Aspen got back, caked with mud, they dropped their baskets and by mutual silent agreement both went their separate ways to shower. Xanthus went to the truck and took a long hot shower because not only was the mud gross, it was also cold.

He dressed, went back up to the house and decided to start on dinner as an apology to Aspen. He served dinner as various folks trickled in. Daciana had to go get another table as people were coming to sit.

Jack and Heidi, who Xanthus didn't know that well, were in an animated argument about potions and what implications they had on magic. He didn't know them well, sure, but well enough to know that this was very usual.

Patty came in to sit next to Daciana, kissing her right on the lips, which was bold but not entirely out of place.

It wasn't until a little after Patty had started eating that he realized.

“Patty, where's Harry?” Xanthus asked.

“What do you mean? Wasn't he foraging with you today?” She looked up, putting down her fork.

“He left to enchant with you, ages ago,” Xanthus tried to keep down the dread rising up in his gut.

“Oh no,” Patty said standing, food forgotten. “He never came back today, I thought he stayed with you.”

“Did he go off to play with Kitty?” Daciana offered. The whole table was silent now. No one was eating.

There was a pause.

Then everyone scrambled to action at once, suddenly talking over each other in a flurry of ideas.

“Everyone stop!” Aspen yelled, which was so uncommon for their usual soft spoken manner that everyone stopped at once. “Xanthus go search the truck, make sure he's not just napping. Jack go run down to Robin’s and see if Harry's with her kids. Patty go search the house, he might have gotten side tracked and someone needs to be here if he comes back. Daciana, Heidi, you're with me, let's retrace his steps, see if we can't find any signs of where he went.”

“Right,” they all chimed in, looking worried at the already dark sky outside. Fall was hitting fast. Xanthus said nothing, panic coursing through his arms like shots of hot adrenaline. Making everything clench and tingle. His heart sounded louder than the others’ voices.

He ran for the back door to the truck, throwing open the canvas and clambering inside.

“Harry!” He yelled, running first to Harry's room, then to his. “Harry, are you here!?”

He was not in the truck. Xanthus popped briefly back into the house but at the sight of Patty shaking her head no, ran back out without a word.

“Harry!?” He yelled as he ran back through the woods, to where he hoped was the foraging spot they had left him at. Aspen was already there when he got there. He didn't stop to wait for them either. It was clear they didn't have him.

Xanthus spent the whole night searching for Harry. First running around in the woods, then searching around some of the kids’ favorite spots in town. By the time he got back to Patty's near sunrise, it felt like the whole community was awake and searching for him.

“We have to search in shifts,” Patty was saying, but it felt like she was talking underwater. “You need to rest. You're doing no good…”

Xanthus just shook his head. Harry was gone and he was what, supposed to sleep?

He spent the rest of the day hunting through the woods. Aspen came to try and relieve him sometime around midday, having apparently gotten a few hours of sleep themself around sunrise. When he refused they joined him in the search.

He woke up in his bed in the truck.

“You passed out,” Patty said, in a sad ‘I told you so’ sorta voice.

“Harry?” Xanthus managed to croak blearily. Patty just shook her head. He threw the blankets off himself but she put a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

“Drink. Eat. Then search. You'll just pass out again if you don't,” she handed him a tray of food and a goblet. “He's still in our borders, we're sure of it.”

“How do you know?” He asked.

“We know,” she said simply.

He ate fast and chugged the water till he coughed, spilling much of it down his still dirty robes.

He found Aspen setting up a complicated shrine just inside the forest. Tying threads of bells intricately around the branches of a tree which hung over a platter of foods. Pancakes of all things along with some fruits and nuts.

“What are you doing?” Xanthus asked.

“Asking the forest for help,” Aspen said, not pausing from their task.

Xanthus couldn't help the prickle of annoyance that ran up his spine. He had to tell himself that just because he didn't know the magic, didn't mean it wasn't real. He left them to it and searched.

Then searched some more.

Scoured the town again.

Checked the woods.

Climbed around the boulders near the ridge in the middle of the night.

Checked the streams Harry learned to enchant.

He kept searching. Everywhere he could think of, anywhere in between and many places he had no reason to suspect at all.

By the next morning Harry still hadn't been found.

Chapter Text

“Do you think Patty is awake yet?” Harry asked, eying the sky speculatively. She never woke up at a consistent time and he hated accidentally going early and waiting around when he could help Xanthus and Aspen more. Harry liked being in the woods far better than sitting around on the couch. It was always awkward when someone he didn't know came by while he was waiting.

“Mmmm,” Aspen hummed thoughtfully, also looking at the sky. “Probably, I didn't notice them up too late last night.”

“I'ma go check,” Harry said quickly. He'd just finished clipping his seeds into a basket.

“I can walk you back,” Xanthus said, standing from his nettles.

“That's okay,” Harry said, he didn't want to be more of a bother. He already felt bad leaving them, let alone being distracting. “I know the way!”

He started running through the woods. He knew the woods quite well now. Knew how to stick to the pine brushed paths rather than getting blocked by brambles. It was so much better than Surrey. There were still some pockets of fall wildflowers sprinkled about in patches of light that shone through the trees. He could run around as much as he wanted and didn't have to worry about watching for cars or Dudley.

He was climbing over a large log about halfway between where they'd been harvesting and the house when he heard Xanthus calling out to him.

“Harry! Harry!” He heard Xanthus yelling. “Harry, where are you!?”

“Here!” Harry yelled back.

Oddly, Xanthus' voice was coming from the north even though they'd been harvesting east of the house. Xanthus didn't know the woods as well as Harry, he might have gotten lost. Harry clambered up onto the fallen log and started walking along it north towards Xanthus.

“Harry! Harry!” The call repeated.

“Here! Xanthus! Can you hear me!” Harry yelled back. He felt a bit sheepish yelling, he wasn't used to being so loud.

Xanthus apparently couldn't hear him, because he kept calling his name. Harry started to worry as he realized Xanthus was moving away, further north. He didn't want him to get lost in the woods. He picked up his pace, running along the log and jumping off the big root ball at the end. He landed and kept running towards Xanthus' calls.

He had to run for a while before he finally caught up. Harry skidded to a halt, completely out of breath as he heard his name being called just off to his right.

“Harry! Harry!” Xanthus' voice called loudly. Except as Harry broke through the bushes on his right, he was brought not to Xanthus but instead face to face with a huge animal. It was like a moose or huge deer with many crisscrossing antlers tangled in a wide fan above its head. Harry only came to the animal's knee, its long legs holding up a huge body.

There was something wrong with its face though. Instead of having the long snout of a deer or moose, its face was flat and its mouth incredibly wide. Its lips looked almost human. It turned to face Harry, opening its mouth so wide it could have swallowed Harry whole.

“Harry! Harry!” It yelled loudly in a perfect imitation of Xanthus' voice. Harry jumped, backing up into the bushes. The animal pawed the ground and walked closer until its strange flat face was right in front of Harry. It sniffed at him, then raised its head and ate some of the leaves above his head, chewing loudly on them.

Harry didn't know what to do.

He held still, trying to quietly sink into the bush. The creature bent down and sniffed him again, its giant mouth chewing cud, grinding its teeth sideways. Then, to Harry’s relief, it turned and started walking away. It only got a few paces however before turning back and looking at him.

“Follow?” It said, this time in Aspen’s voice.

“Er, follow you?” Harry murmured shyly. He wished Newt was here.

The moose nodded its head, dragging its large antlers through the branches of the pine above it. Harry very hesitantly stepped out from the bush and began to follow the creature, making sure not to get too close.

They took a meandering path, the moose creature occasionally stopping to eat at some foliage. Harry had to hop the same small stream twice as their zigzag path crossed it.

Eventually they stopped, the moose having found a small clearing of grass, began to graze on it. Harry debated on asking why he was here but hesitated.

The moose slowly grazed its way to the other side of the clearing, brushing past a short, thick tree in the middle.

“What's this, you've brought me?” A very deep, creaking voice sounded just as Harry passed the tree. He jumped and looked over. There wasn't anyone there.

“Hello?” He whispered, looking around for the voice.

“A strange creature you are,” the voice said and Harry gaped as a knot in the tree became a wooden mouth. Then the tree shook violently. Its roots pulled from the ground to become strange woven legs. Its branches split off its trunk and became arms. The tree shrank slightly, a strange face growing out of the bark. Until before him, instead of a tree, there was a gnarled approximation of a man.

The creature reached out one branch-like arm, its twig fingers elongating as he grasped Harry's chin and turned Harry's face side to side.

“Er,” Harry murmured, not really sure what to say and not really liking being grabbed.

“Strange. You look like a boy,” the creature said, its knotted mouth turned up in a long smirk.

“I am a boy,” Harry said.

“No, no, I think not,” the creature said.

“I'm not a girl,” Harry said, slightly more adamantly, feeling himself blush. He hadn't thought his hair was that long yet.

“No, you're most certainly not a girl. Yes male perhaps but not human are you?” It asked.

“Er, I'm a wizard,” Harry said. He wasn't sure if wizards weren't human. Xanthus said he was a wizard but not everyone was. Like his aunt and uncle who were normal.

“Perhaps,” it pulled Harry's face closer to its own. Harry tried to pull away but the branches of its fingers had grown to wrap around his head.

“Could you let me go, please?” Harry asked.

“What are you?” It asked again, ignoring Harry's request and turning his head from side to side uncomfortably.

“I don't know,” Harry said honestly. “I'm a freak.”

“Perhaps,” the creature said, letting go of Harry's head so suddenly Harry fell back, landing hard on his backside. “Curious, curious.” It turned to look at the moose. “You've outdone yourself this time my friend.”

The moose creature pawed the ground and huffed.

“What do you want with me?” Harry asked, starting to feel scared.

“Nothing, nothing,” it said, its deep voice a rumbling that Harry could feel through the ground. “Oh no, it is what you want, little creature.”

“What I want?” Harry said. “I'd like to go home now.”

“Home?” It said, its smirk widening. “But you will never have a home, will you? Not while your foe yet survives.”

“Er,” Harry said, feeling his stomach twist in dread, not over the creature but its words. He had almost forgotten that every day he stayed with the folks here, he put them in danger. They weren't fighters like the Scamanders. In fact they all hated violence. Was it really only a matter of time till they had to leave again. Would there be another attack?

“There is darkness in you,” the creature said. “A deep darkness, hidden behind cloth and trinkets.”

Unconsciously Harry reached up to his forehead. The creature’s smile widened, impossibly, larger.

“Yes, yes, you know, deep down,” it said. “You know.”

Harry pulled his hand away from his forehead quickly. Harry really didn't know, but his stomach kept twisting in dread anyway.

“Yes, yes, but still much we don't know,” it said. “What power do you have, I wonder? What are you? Let's find out.”

“Er, no thank you,” Harry said, scrambling to his feet and backing away.

He ran. Pelting as fast as he could back through the forest, jumping over logs in his haste to get away. He didn't worry about where he was going, he just ran away. Taking as straight a route as possible to put as much distance between himself and the creature as he could. Branches scratched his face and tore at his sleeves as he pushed through them.

Then suddenly he came bursting into a clearing.

The clearing.

In the middle was the moose creature and the tree man, except instead of a man, it looked more like the moose. A gnarled branchlike imitation of the moose, its antlers branches with leaves cascading down from the tips. Harry had burst into the clearing from the opposite side he'd left it from. Somehow he'd made a great circle and came back around.

The creature grinned at him, its long mouth stretched wide.

He ran again, turning and racing back into the trees. He was breathing hard, his stomach beginning to stitch from landing hard over and over. He kept running anyway. He tripped and tore his knee and jeans, but scrambled to his feet, ignoring it to keep running.

Then Harry was back, bursting unexpectedly into the clearing from his original entry. The tree creature was a man again, it sat in the middle of the clearing, its branched legs rooting into the ground everywhere it touched so that he looked like a strange gnarled torso perched on a long pile of roots.

Harry fell to his knees, panting hard, completely drained. He felt tears welling up in his eyes, so he covered his face as if perhaps it would all end if he couldn't see it anymore.

“What… what do you want with me?” Harry hiccuped as he cried.

“Oh dear child, dark child, shhh,” it said, the ground rumbling with its voice under Harry's knees. It was suddenly standing right in front of him. “I want to help you.”

“Help?” He asked.

“Yes, yes, help,” it said. Harry jerked as he felt the weight of its gnarled hand rest on his shoulder. He peaked through his fingers to look up into its twisted grin. Harry crawled backwards away from it, trying to get back to the bushes he'd just run through. The creature let him go, ever smiling at him.

He stood and ran back through the bushes he had just run through, but instead of running into the woods, he ran into darkness. He turned around. Behind him was a circular opening of light, covered by bushes. In the center stood the creature, backlit so that its face was in shadow.

“There is a cauldron in this cave and many ingredients. To pass my first test, brew a potion to grow your strength and move the boulder,” it said.

“I don't know how to brew potions,” Harry said desperately. He'd seen Newt brew a replacement healing potion and Jack brew something in the kitchen of the house once, but that was it. He knew nothing about potions.

“This is the challenge I must set, it seems, so perhaps this is where you learn,” the creature said. “There is a little trickle of water to drink from and fill your cauldron, so you have until you starve to death.”

Then its arms grew long, wrapping around something out of sight. It pulled and a great boulder rolled in front of the opening and cut off the last of the light.

Harry stood in complete darkness. He could hear the sound of his heart hammering loudly and his breath coming in quick tired pants. There was nothing else. How was this helping him? Why did he have to take a test? He didn't know anything about potions.

He sat and cried.

He was in his cupboard again. That's what it felt like. His cupboard. He'd forgotten how horrible it was. Maybe it didn't seem so horrible at the time, but now, looking back, knowing what else there was. It was horrible.

He stood up. At least he could stand up. He started to feel around the ground, it was stone, not dirt. There were little wooden bowls on the ground full of things. He felt around for them, a few had dried leaves but he stuck his fingers in one and it was strangely wet and squishy so he stopped feeling around inside the others. He crawled his way to the cave wall and felt around the wall with his hands. He found a wet patch of wall, where water streamed lightly down it. Then he found the seams of the boulder blocking the opening. He tried shoving it but it didn't budge.

How was he supposed to make a potion when he couldn't even see? Even if he did know how to make potions, which he didn't, they involved cutting and stirring. He supposed they involved fire. Maybe he could light a fire. He didn't know how to make a fire, everyone else always did it for him. He also couldn't do that in the dark either.

He turned to try to listen at the boulder, to see if he could hear anything outside and as he did so one of the little wooden runes that dangled off the back of his headband behind him caught lightly at his shirt. He jumped in surprise before he realized what it was. He grabbed at the end of his bandana and held it in his hand tightly. It felt like a lifeline. A reminder that he wasn't back at the Dursleys'.

Then he realized. He had magic. His headband had a lot of magic. Magic around fixing his eyes so everything wasn't blurry anymore. He didn't even know things were blurry till he'd put it on the first time.

He remembered enchanting it. He'd said the words over and over and over for hours. It was the first chanting he'd ever done and the thick magic of that moment was a memory he thought he'd never forget.

“With this yarn of pine, eyes shall see clearly each of its needles,” he whispered but it sounded loud in the still cave air, echoing slightly off the hard stone walls. He cleared his throat, closed his eyes and ran his fingers along the thread holding in the wooden talismans. “With this yarn of pine, eyes shall see clearly each of its needles.”

He repeated it again and again, trying to match the careful cadence that Patty always had. He could hear his voice answering back at him. He tried to match it. Squeezing his eyes shut and willing new meaning into the thread. He chanted it over and over and then finally he felt it. The trance. The weird passage of time. The strange weight of magic and heaviness of his words. He kept chanting until he couldn't. Then, his throat raw and cracked, he carefully opened his eyes.

He could see.

He would have sighed in relief but sighing seemed like it would hurt, so instead he rushed to the trickle of water in the wall and held his face up to it and drank. When his throat stopped burning and he felt a bit queasy from having drank so much, he turned and looked at the room.

It suddenly hit him that, so long as he had his headband, he'd never have to be in the dark again. The Dursleys couldn't take his headband off of him, it was spelled so that only he could untie the knot. No matter how much they hated it, if he ever had to go back, they couldn't take it from him. Which meant he'd be able to see in his cupboard. He'd never have to sit in the dark again.

First though, he reminded himself grimly, he had to not starve to death here. He was already getting hungry. He'd spent ages fleeing the wood creature and its clearing just to arrive right back, probably most of the day. Then he'd chanted which always took hours, even if it didn't seem like it. So it was probably the middle of the night about now.

Okay. Focus. Potions. What did he know about potions.

Newt and Jack had used a couldron. They boiled water and then they chopped up stuff and put the stuff in and stirred and then put more stuff in. He didn't know what the stuff did or what the stirring did but he did know it was a little gross. Jack had put a whole salamander in his potion, and then he drank it afterwards. Harry wasn't squeamish but that was gross.

In the middle of the room there was a big stone cauldron. It stood on four carved feet and below it was a bunch of dried sticks and twigs set for a fire. All around the cave floor were hundreds of little wooden bowls. Harry started moving about to look in the bowls. Dried leaves and flowers and beatles and yes, whole salamanders and, oh gross, eye balls. He hoped that was not the squishy wet bowl he put his hand into. At least they didn't look like human eyes. More bowls of animal parts, and lots and lots of bugs. Some stuff he couldn't identify at all. There were some bowls with various tree bark and there were bowls with different hairs or clumps of fur. Some shimmered and some kept vanishing, some tufts of fur moved slightly in the bowl. Harry didn't like that much.

He started organizing the bowls. He'd pick one up, examine it and decide whether it seemed strength related. Unfortunately nothing really seemed strength related. It was all bugs and plants and animal parts and none of those really seemed strong. Maybe some of the fur, but he didn’t know what animal the furs were from. He set aside some claws and some horns but that didn’t seem good enough.

Harry was standing, staring at his sad collection of bowls, when suddenly a light wind picked up in the cave. Harry jumped and looked around. There weren’t any cracks or crevices for wind to come from. What’s more the wind knocked over one of the bowls but only one. Harry walked over to it. It was a bowl of tree bark. It looked exactly like the bark of the dryad that was at the feasts. The one Aspen said made everyone invisible and intan-something, the thing that made it so they could walk through the shadow people and shadow cars.

Maybe he didn’t have to make himself strong to get out. Maybe he could make it so he just walked through the rock. He picked up the cedar bowl and set it aside and then went walking around the bowls to see what might help with that. He picked out a bowl of little wings that were so see through, he could barely tell that they were there. He grabbed a bowl of fur that kept blinking in and out of existence. He stared uneasily at some eyeballs for a while, before deciding to use them. He felt queasy at the decision but he just felt wrong leaving them out. Like a weird tingly discomfort in his spine when he tried to walk away. He grabbed a bowl of weird black berries that gave off a sadowy smoke similar to the shadow people. He picked out a few more bowls of odd things that seemed transparent-ish and collected them around the cauldron. Then he stared at them.

He realized, rather uncomfortably, that he had to pee. There wasn’t anywhere to do so though. The water left through a little hole in the rock but he didn’t want to pee where he drank. That was gross. He was suddenly glad he hadn’t eaten in a long time, at least he only had to pee. He tried to ignore the feeling and focus on the potion instead. He danced from side to side to distract himself as he looked about. Regardless of how to put in the ingredients, he still needed to start the fire.

He tried looking around for something to start the fire with, but it was no use. He had to pee too bad and he just couldn’t focus. He could feel tears welling in his eyes again. This really was just like the cupboard. He very carefully went where the water drained out and was relieved when it didn’t make the whole cave smell like his cupboard used to.

He went back to the cauldron, but he couldn’t focus. He started to cry again. How could he have already forgotten how horrible his cupboard was. How could he have already forgotten what it was like to be hungry and tired and damp and in the dark. To fear when he had to use the bathroom. He hated it.

He realized he’d fallen asleep only because he recognized that he was waking up. He didn’t know how long he slept for. Nothing had changed about the cave. It was still dark. He didn’t know if it was light outside or not. His elbow hurt from sleeping on it funny against the hard stone floor and his head hurt from crying himself to sleep.

He went around again, trying to find something to start a fire. There wasn't anything. Desperately he went to the cauldron and picked up one of the twigs. Maybe he could start a fire with magic?

He focused on the twig in his hand. Willing it to light.

Nothing.

He focused more, scrunching his face and straining with concentration. His stomach rumbled and twisted to remind him how hungry he was.

He threw the stick across the room in anger. It clattered loudly in the quiet cave air as it hit the wall. Then, as it hit the ground, the stick burst into flame.

Harry rushed over to it, picking it up and rushing it to the cauldron. He threw it into the kindling underneath and cheered as the fire spread. Then he put his finger and thumb into his mouth to suck on them where they started to hurt. He'd burned them. His mouth was too hot though so he ran over to the little stream and put them into it, carefully watching the fire from where he stood.

Once his fingers only burned a bit, he went back to poke at his fire. There was a pile of wood along one wall of the cave and he slowly added sticks to keep his fire burning. It was nice. The warmth of it helped soothe some of his cold ache.

It took a long time for the water in the cauldron to start bubbling. He knew a watched pot never boiled so he tried to look at the cauldron as little as possible but it didn't speed it up. He must have looked too often.

He tried to line up the order of his ingredients he wanted to put into the fire. It was hard because a breeze kept picking up from nowhere and jerking them around and, much to his dismay, would also splutter the fire. He finally found an order where the wind didn't seem to object.

He decided not to stir his potion. Everytime Newt and Jack had stirred their potion, it had turned colors or gotten foggy. He wanted his potion to be clear. He felt like it should be clear for going through things.

He started with the bark. Putting it in whole so it didn't cloud the potion. He cut the wings and a few other things. Always waiting till the potion cleared and started bubbling again before adding the next ingredient. At one point he tried to add something and the wind knocked it clean out of his hand. He had to run to pick it up again. He waited before trying again.

It took a long time. Sometimes the potion wouldn't start bubbling again for ages and he just had to sit around adding more wood to the fire.

It was a good thing he was good at ignoring being hungry. Whenever he noticed it though, it made him sad. He realized that he'd really started to believe he wouldn't have to be hungry anymore. He swore he'd be extra good to Xanthus when he got back so that he never got sick of Harry and sent him back.

Eventually, the potion was “done”. He'd added all the ingredients. It didn't look magic. It looked like boiling water. That seemed kinda good though, because none of the ingredients were visible in the water.

He blew out the fire and waited for the cauldron to cool. That took a long time too.

Then, he drank the potion.

It was definitely NOT water.

It tasted acidic and slimy and foul. It stung his nose unpleasantly and he could feel it slide down his throat. He forced himself not to gag. As it hit his stomach, he felt a strange tingling spread out from his core all the way to his fingers and toes. He pinched his eyes closed and fought the urge to throw up.

Then, when his stomach settled some, he walked over to the boulder and put his hand up to it. Then… through it! He actually skipped in excitement before pushing the rest of himself through it. It was dark inside the boulder and he had a brief fear he'd get stuck inside before he fell out into the clearing again.

It was nighttime now. He felt like it should be the next day but maybe he wasn't inside as long as he thought he was.

The creature was there.

It looked gnarled and twisted. Not like a man or animal or tree, other than its branch-like body. It was just a combination of too many arms and a weird uneven face.

“You cheated,” it said.

Harry said nothing, he clutched his arms tight around himself and tried to seem small.

“Test number two,” it said as it grew and shifted back into the approximation of a man. “If you cheat and have help on this test, I shall kill everyone in your little town. I'll kill Xanthus and Aspen. Patty and Daciana. All of them. And they are all so removed from the world that no one will even know.”

“No! Don't!” Harry said, standing up taller, his hands balling into fists. He wouldn't let him. He didn't know how he'd stop him, but he wouldn't let it hurt them.

“Then pass my tests,” it said and gestured in front of it. Suddenly the ground moved and shifted, roots grew upward and started criss-crossing over each other. Until, there in front of the creature, was a strange square grid, outlined in roots. In the center of the grid, there were large smooth rocks, one in each square. They formed a diamond. The rock in the center was different though, it had crystals in it, like a geode. There were also rocks around the edge of the grid. These rocks were a darker color than the center rocks.

Harry approached, feeling apprehensive but determined. He wouldn't let the creature hurt anyone. He'd pass his stupid test.

“You cheated your last test, so it gave us no answers. Let us see if your power is in wits, instead,” the creature said. Its deep voice made the rocks shake slightly where they sat. “It is a simple game, if you are the center rocks you must get your king,” He gestured to the geod. “To a corner square on the board. If you are the darker rocks on the outside you must prevent the king from reaching the corner. If either side traps a single enemy rock between two of their own, that enemy rock is removed. Rocks can move up or down in straight lines as long as they don't cross another rock. No diagonals. No hopping rocks. Simple enough, yes?”

It didn't seem simple at all. Harry didn't really understand what was happening. He stared at the board. He counted the squares. It was nine long and nine wide. There were five dark rocks centered on each edge and another dark rock in the second row or column right in the middle. In the center there were thirteen rocks shaped in a diamond. He counted.

“It's not fair,” he said. “Middle has thirteen rocks but edge has…” he counted again “twenty four.”

“Then you shall be edge first, it should be easy to defeat me then,” the creature grinned.

It was not easy. In fact it was impossible. Harry didn't see how he was supposed to put a single one of the creature’s rocks between his own, yet the creature kept doing so somehow. He tried really hard, thinking and thinking.

The sun rose. The dawn casting a pink hue on the test.

He lost.

The creature didn't seem displeased, if anything it was gleeful.

They switched sides, Harry playing the middle with the geod now. He did exactly as the creature had done, but it didn't work. The creature captured rock after rock. The only reason it wasn't fast was because Harry delayed so long to make decisions.

It was late in the day when he lost again. Dread had been filling him with each inevitable step towards defeat. When the creature finally surrounded the geod with its rocks, the geod shattered violently.

“Disappointing,” the creature said.

“I won't let you!” Harry said, panic welling up in him. He'd failed. He'd failed and now Xanthus was in trouble. Xanthus couldn't be hurt because of him. He was good and took Harry in and fed him and cared for him. No one had ever cared for Harry like that, not ever and now Xanthus would be killed for it. Killed because Harry was too dumb.

He wouldn't let it. He wouldn't.

Harry felt tears welling up in his eyes. He put himself south of the creature, which he was pretty sure was the direction of the house, and threw out his arms as if to create a blockade.

“I won't let you hurt them!” Harry said again. He stomped his foot and tears shook from his eyes and to his surprise, the grass around his feet burst unto flames.

Suddenly there was fire rushing out towards the creature. It spread outwards across the clearing but mostly rushed forwards. The roots of the game were quickly overtaken and for one brief moment, Harry thought maybe he'd won after all. Surely fire would stop a wooden monster?

Then the land around the clearing churned. The fire spread fast through the dry late fall grass but great chunks of earth rose up underneath the flames and then collapsed back into the cracks and holes. As the ground rose and fell, the fire extinguished as the earth smothered the flames. When it was done the grass and flowers were gone, replaced with chunks of raw dirt uprooted from the ground, which was now uneven and lumpy.

“Disappointing,” the creature said, entirely unhurt by the fire. “Normal accidental magic. No, no, you didn't even intend to make it, did you? Fire was clever perhaps but we've just proven you’re not extraordinarily clever. Not much learned from this… another test then!”

Then the ground under Harry shook again, he stumbled to keep his footing as he was shot into the air. A great tree grew under him, taking him in its bows high into the sky. He clung desperately to the tree tip, scratching his face and arms on its bark as he slid ever so slightly downward. Looking out, his tree was far higher than any other he could see, towering high above everything else. The clearing looked small below him and he could not see the creature at all.

“Please stop,” Harry begged, tears streaming down his face. “Please, let me go. Don't hurt anyone. Please.”

Then, suddenly there was a voice in the wind. Not the deep voice of the creature, but a softer one. It had the feel of the sound of wind through the branches of a tree, creaking but gentle.

“Leshy, Leshy hear my prayer.
What you've done is not fair.
I have dibs on he,
who you've taken from me.
Do you see not, the charms in his hair?”

Harry looked out in the direction the wind blew from and saw that, even impossibly tall as he was, his tree was not the tallest. East of them, and far away, was a huge cedar tree that even from here Harry could tell loomed higher than the tree he clung to.

“Oh great tree,
Why keep he,
So cursed with bane
In your domain?”

Harry could feel the rumbling voice of the creature, the “leshy” he supposed, in the very trunk of the tree he held. His chest vibrated with the deep sound and he could almost see the forest leaves shake with it, cascading back towards the cedar.

“Many dark creatures here,
I allow free to roam.
If not then you, I fear,
Could not call this place your home.”

The cedar woman said through the wind, her voice ruffling Harry's hair gently as it passed over him. His tree swayed uncomfortably.

“Oh great tree,
Hear my plea,
For more of the future
Do I see.”

The leshy responded. Harry slid slightly as the vibrations in the bark shook his hold. The tree he clung to was almost entirely bare of branches. There were none between himself and the ground and he didn't know how to shift to get to one.

Suddenly the bark in front of him morphed and twisted and the wide leshy grin stretched around the trunk. It opened its mouth to say something but Harry had let go in surprise.

He registered first that the grin was getting farther away, then that he was falling.

Falling.

He was too far from the tree to try to grab it. He managed to turn in the air so that he could see the ground rushing up to meet him. Then there was a jerk at his navel and the rush of wind bellowing at his ears stopped.

He was floating.

He lowered slowly to the ground, watching as it very slowly came up to meet him. His feet gently settled down, so that he barely stumbled as his weight came back to them. It was just like when Xanthus made him light and threw him. He looked around, hoping that Xanthus was here. He was not.

No one was here. The leshy was gone. The giant spindly tree was gone. He couldn't see the cedar tree anymore because the forest blocked it from view.

He looked around, suspecting another trap from the leshy. Seeing nothing, he carefully made his way out of the clearing. The sun was low in the sky now. He made sure to carefully keep it on his left so that he could go south to town. He checked it constantly to make sure he wasn't circling back to the clearing. Every chirp and creak made him jump. He kept his head on a swivel and avoided touching any trees.

It was getting cold. He shivered and clutched his arms close to his chest to keep warm. Slowly he started to recognize more and more of the forest. Which was good because he was also losing sunlight. The sky was a deep purple and the forest was cast in twilight gray.

He recognized a patch of nettles they had clipped seeds from and followed a little deer path down to one of the main paths through the wood. When he hit it, despite his hunger and cold he ran. He couldn't get lost now. He knew this path. So he ran as fast as he could back towards the house. Towards the truck. Towards Xanthus.

He ran directly into something standing in the middle of the path.

“No!” He cried, not the leshy. Not here. Not when he was so close. He covered his face with his tree scratched hands, pressing his palms into his eyes. He couldn't do it. He couldn't face it again.

“Harry?” A hoarse voice said. Xanthus’ voice. Another stupid trick.

Then warm arms wrapped around him. Warm, soft, not tree arms. Harry was pulled into a solid, but still soft, very human, very warm chest.

The chest shook and Harry realized it was crying. Harry was being held in a crushing hug and it was hard to look up but he wiggled his head out from the chin pressed against it. He willed his headband to let him see in the darkness, like it had in the cave. Xanthus' face swam into view. Clear as day. He was dirty and disheveled. Tears streaked his face. There were bits of pine and moss in his hair, but he was not made of wood. He was real.

Harry pressed his face back into Xanthus' and cried too.

“Xanthus' did you find something?” He heard Aspen's voice and footsteps approaching. Then Aspen cried out. “Oh thank the stars! Harry!”

He was being enveloped in another warm hug, it was tight but brief. Aspen stood and yelled out, “We've found him!! We've found Harry! Jack, can you hear me?”

“You found him!?” Jack's voice called back.

“Yes! We've got him! Tell the others!” Aspen yelled. Then put a hand on Harry's shoulder gently, he looked up to see Aspen's other hand on Xanthus' shoulder. “Alright you two, let's get you up and back inside.”

Harry was lifted into the air as Aspen helped Xanthus to his feet. Xanthus shifted his grip to hold Harry securely to him. He didn’t unburry his head from Harry's hair, and Harry could feel Aspen leading them down the path. Harry tried to cling just as tightly back to Xanthus, but he was tired. His hands, arms and face hurt from the tree scratches and ached from clinging for his life not hours earlier. He hadn't slept much and he'd eaten nothing. He felt like he used to feel at the Dursleys, he realized. He wasn't used to feeling this way anymore.

Aspen led them the rest of the way down the path, one arm wrapped around Xanthus to guide him. They were still a ways from the house and it was completely dark by the time they were back. Aspen led the way with a lantern.

The backyard of the house was a sea of little lights as people gathered there with their lanterns. It was bustling with conversation and noise. More people trickled in as Aspen did.

“Look! That's them! He was found!”

“Oh thank Merlin!” “Thank the stars!” “Oh great tree!”

“Is he okay? Is Harry okay?”
“Where was he?”
“Where'd you find him?”
“Is he hurt?”
“Did he get lost?”
“What happened?”

“Alright, alright, settle down everyone,” Aspen said, stepping forward to keep back the tide of concerned people rushing towards them. “Harry needs peace and food right now. Thank you all so much for searching, really, we appreciate it. We're having a bonfire in… two, no, three days to thank you all. Please come back then and celebrate Harry's safe return with us. Is Daciana or Patty around?”

“I'm here,” Daciana said, coming forward. “Patty's still out searching. We're sending people out to call off the search but not everyone has been reached yet, a lot will just have to find out when they get back on their own.”

“Can you take Xanthus and Harry to get them some food and help them clean up? I wanna address everyone out here with what I know. I'll be along later,” Aspen said quietly.

“Oh, yeah, sure, c’mon you two, let's go to your truck, it will be more peaceful than the house right now,” Daciana said, taking Aspen’s place and leading them through the crowd. Many people patted Xanthus or Harry on the shoulder as they passed. Harry tucked himself deeper into Xanthus' grip.

“It's the next zipper,” Harry said as Daciana unzipped the library zipper first and looked very confused. She closed the library and then opened the house zipper. The candles in the hallway burst to life, filling their truck home with a friendly familiar light. It was rather cold inside though, not much better than outside. Daciana climbed in first and reached out to take Harry.

“Come on you two, it's just for a second, promise. Harry's not going anywhere,” She managed to coax Xanthus to loosen his grip and Harry reluctantly let himself get transferred over so that Xanthus could climb into the truck. Harry quickly squirmed over once Xanthus was inside and Xanthus just as quickly pulled him back into his arms.

They made their way to the kitchen, where Daciana sat them down and opened the kitchen stove to try to start a fire.

“Wood?” She asked. Xanthus just shook his head so she left and Harry could hear her calling out to request some wood.

When she left Xanthus pushed Harry back so that he could see his face. His hands were warm and comforting as they pressed into Harry's cold cheeks. Harry could feel Xanthus' thumb brush against the scratches on his face.

“Are- are you- where?” Xanthus' voice was thick and hoarse and talking sounded like a struggle. It made Harry feel better because he just couldn't imagine the leshy or the moose faking not talking. Xanthus looked frustrated and worried and upset and his face was dirty. Harry could see the streaks on his face from Xanthus' crying. He was real.

“Don't talk,” Harry said, seriously, putting his hands over Xanthus' mouth. Xanthus removed one hand from Harry's face to grasp both of his small hands instead. He pressed a kiss in Harry's palms where they met his face. Harry jerked in surprise. He'd seen Xanthus kiss Rolf’s forehead on a number of occasions but he'd never kissed Harry.

Xanthus pressed his forehead into Harry's hands, which were still grasped in his own. It felt like Xanthus was trying to convince himself Harry was real too.

“Did they trick you too?” Harry asked.

“Who?” Daciana said, sounding alarmed as she came in with a bundle of wood and kindling and dried starter.

“The leshy and wide mouthed deer thing, they could both sound like Xanthus, did they sound like me to you?” Harry asked. Xanthus and Daciana both looked alarmed. Xanthus dropped Harry's hands and opened his mouth to say something. He made a kind of choking sound so Harry just covered his mouth again.

“Oh merlin and morgana, a leshy? Here?” Daciana swore. She seemed torn between starting the fire and going and relaying the news. In the end the fire won out and she set to building one in the stove. She started talking to Harry as she worked. “Were you with the leshy the whole time?”

“Er, yeah,” Harry said. “I followed the deer and it took me to this weird branch creature- man- thing. I tried to leave but kept coming back. The cedar woman called him a leshy. She told him to let me go. Then I fell but then I floated and then I came back and this time I made it. Oh! He said he was going to kill everyone if I didn't win his game and I lost! You have to be careful!”

“Oh shh, shh, it's okay Harry, he was lying. Leshy don't attack like that, he was just trying to trick and frighten you. You're safe now, I promise,” Daciana said, turning away from the now small fire to put a comforting hand on Harry's head. They were interrupted by a soft rapping on the metal tailgate. Daciana squeezed his shoulder and smiled again before leaving to check who it was. Harry and Xanthus both turned to see also.

“Margret cooked a veritable feast for them,” Aspen said from the opening. They held up a huge silver platter piled high with food but Daciana backed away from it.

“You'll have to carry that in on your own, sorry,” Daciana said.

“Oh, Daciana, I'm so sorry, I wasn't thinking,” Aspen said, then balanced the platter in the tailgate carefully and climbed in. It looked like someone else helped steady the plate from the other side. Daciana backed into the kitchen to let Aspen in.

“Have you eaten at all Harry?” Aspen asked, setting down the food. He shook his head no. “Alright, best start with something light then, there's stew here.”

They handed him a wooden bowl with stew that was partially spilled over the side from transport. Harry drank it gratefully, feeling the warmth hit his gaping stomach.

“You eat too,” Aspen ordered Xanthus firmly, and forced a piece of bread into his hand.

“Aspen,” Daciana said from where she was stroking the fire. “It was a leshy.”

Aspen jerked up to look at Daciana.

“You're sure?” They asked Daciana.

“The cedar woman called him a leshy. She said… er… leshy, leshy… er… its not fair he took me, er, cause she has dibs and I have, er, trinkets in my hair…. or something…” Harry said, touching the lizard centered on his headband reverently. Then added urgently. “It said it was going to kill everyone here!”

“Don't worry, it was just tricking you,” Aspen said. “Leshy will say anything to get what they want. Anyways the cedar woman will protect us. Daciana, make sure they eat and clean up. I'm going to go talk to the Archdruid.”

Aspen left after that. Harry wasn't sure he felt better about Aspen brushing him off. Aspen seemed to know everything but they didn't know there was a leshy in the woods so they weren't always right.

“Eat up,” Daciana said, sitting at the kitchen table with the fire burning merrily in the stove. The room was small enough that it heated fairly quickly. “It looks like Margret baked her famous brownies, eat up so we can all have one.”

Harry ate. He was so hungry that it was hard to think about the leshy and not the food in front of him. He made sure Xanthus ate too, which made Daciana chuckle. After brownies, Daciana herded them into the bathroom. Here they had a problem as neither Harry nor Xanthus seemed willing to let go of each other.

“It does not sound like you're showering in there,” Daciana said from the other side of the door after a while. She knocked and opened the door back up. “Did you fall asleep already?”

“I don't want to be alone,” Harry said.

“I thought you'd shower together?” She asked, looking genuinely perplexed. “I showered with my parents till I was much older than you, there's no shame in that. Especially after something so scary. This way your dad can make sure you aren't hurt anywhere.”

“Xanthus isn't my dad,” Harry said sadly. He disentangled himself from Xanthus and moved to the other side of the door. It hurt to say it. It felt, sometimes, like Xanthus was his father. That he liked Harry just as much as he liked Rolf. He wasn't though. He was just stuck with Harry and all Harry did was make him worry. Like now. “You shower first.”

Xanthus looked desperately like he was trying to say something but Harry closed the door. The faster they showered, the faster he wouldn't be alone. He pressed his forehead into the door and cried. Daciana squatted down next to him, putting a hand on his shoulder.

“Hey foundling, I didn't mean to cause upset,” she said, rubbing his back. “I don't know your situation, but I do know Xanthus loves you very much. I can understand why you might not want to shower with him, but I can tell he considers you his son.”

“He already has a son,” Harry sniffed. “He's just stuck with me.”

“I don't think that's true, Harry,” she said. “You haven't seen him these last few days. He has missed you so much. We were all worried, but not like Xanthus. Xanthus was worried like a father who's lost his son.”

“Sorry for making you worry,” Harry said. Daciana sighed and hugged him.

Xanthus showered fast and Harry followed after, dressing into his normal nightgown. Daciana was gone when he was done showering but Xanthus was sitting by the door.

“Harry, I-” Xanthus choked out, “I- whu-”

He seemed to deflate, thumping his head back against the wall behind him.

“I'm sorry I made you worry,” Harry said. Xanthus shot up, hugging Harry close. Harry collapsed into him. No matter how bad Harry felt about making everyone worry and putting Xanthus through so much, it didn't change how safe he felt being wrapped in his arms.

Nothing in his new life was quite as good, he realized. Everything was amazing. Not being hungry all the time. Not aching all the time. Being able to go places. Magic. No one yelled at him or called him names. He didn't have to run from Dudley all the time. All those things were amazing, but none of it was quite as good as being wrapped up in Xanthus' arms. Having felt like he was just at the Dursleys again: hungry, hurt, dirty and scared. He came back and he got all the good things back all at once. He could compare them all and filling his stomach, getting clean, nothing was as good as his first hug. As Xanthus picked him up and squeezed him tight.

Harry cried into Xanthus' shoulder. Xanthus was done crying though. He carried Harry to bed and cuddled them up under the covers, holding Harry close he rubbed circles in Harry's back till he fell asleep. Safe. Home. Home no matter what the leshy said. Even if they had to run again. He knew his home would run away with him.

Chapter Text

Xanthus woke with Harry gone and panicked. He threw off his covers and ran to the door, he tried to wrench it open but his forward momentum slammed it shut again. He struggled for a second to get it open, then threw himself into the hall, calling out.

“Harry!?” He yelled.

“Xanthus?” Harry said, peeking out into the hall from the kitchen.

“Thank Merlin,” Xanthus gasped, running over and pulling Harry into a hug. He could feel his own heart pounding hard as it came down from the rush of adrenaline from finding Harry gone.

“Sorry for making you worry,” Harry whispered.

“Hey, it's my job to worry, that's what… that's what dads do,” Xanthus said. “And you didn't do anything wrong.”

“I lost,” Harry said.

“Now you're found, you came back all on your own, you've nothing to be sorry for. I'm sorry Harry, it's my job to keep you safe, it's my job to find you. I would never have stopped looking, I swear,” Xanthus said.

“No, I lost its game,” Harry said. “It said it would kill you if I lost and then I did.”

“You couldn't sleep could you?” Xanthus asked. What nightmare food. As if Harry didn't already have enough.

Harry shook his head no.

“Harry, nothing is going to happen to us, I promise, okay?” Xanthus said. Harry nodded but he didn't look convinced. “Alright let's get some breakfast, we need to make up for your missed meals.”

“Daciana said you didn't eat either,” Harry said.

“Don't worry about me, Harry,” Xanthus said as he set about starting some breakfast.

“Why not?” Harry asked.

“It's my job to worry about you, not the other way around,” Xanthus said.

“Why can't I worry about you just cause you worry about me?” Harry asked.

“Because you're a kid Harry, you shouldn't have to worry,” Xanthus said. He served some eggs and toast and sat next to Harry to eat. Harry chewed on his eggs for a while, thinking.

“If I'm not supposed to, you shouldn't do worryable things,” Harry said.

“Worryable isn't a word,” Xanthus said on reflex, then he found himself completely stumped by the proclamation. “Uh, I suppose you're right… I am so sorry, Harry.”

They ate a large breakfast, but when Xanthus opened the hatch of the truck, he discovered the sun hadn't risen yet. Both tired, they went back to bed.

“Wake me up if you can't sleep, Harry,” Xanthus said as he started to doze, exhaustion hitting him fast and hard. “Or have a nightmare.”

“I won't be a bother,” Harry said, sounding rather small.

“You're never a bother,” Xanthus said, pulling him in tightly. “Not ever. Please wake me, Harry, please. It will make me feel better.”

“Okay,” Harry murmured.

The next morning, which was to say in the actual morning rather than the middle of the night, Patty greeted them with breakfast served to their truck.

“Figured you could do with a break from cooking,” she said as she entered with the food.

“You're up early,” Harry said, taking a roll happily.

“Haven't actually slept yet,” she said. “I was out searching most of last night, only found out you were safe about an hour ago.”

“I'm sorry,” Harry and Xanthus said at the same time.

“I prefer to sleep all day and now Aspen can't tease me for it. So really you've just given me an excellent excuse. I plan to milk it for at least a week,” Patty said, grinning. Xanthus watched as Harry smiled shyly back and felt some of his own tension release. He knew Harry was going to be mortified by how many people were out searching for him.

Xanthus didn't leave Harry's side for the next week. Fortunately Harry didn't seem to mind, also wanting to be with Xanthus. Harry had a sudden eager interest in potions, so they spent much of the week in the library. Xanthus helped Harry read and taught him about potion basics. Even the most basic of potion books were filled with words too big for a seven year old to read, but they went through it together, if slowly. Harry didn't seem deterred by the difficulty of the subject.

The rest of the household visited regularly, except for Aspen who they hadn't seen at all. The only break to their reclusion came part way through the week. The whole town, it seemed, came by for a huge bonfire that Patty hosted in the backyard.

Xanthus and Harry came out to help the household with setup. Everyone was extra friendly as they stacked wood by the fire. Frequently coming over to ruffle Harry's hair.

“Can I start the fire?” Harry asked, as they set up the kindling.

“Sure,” Daciana said.

“How?” Harry asked. Daciana smiled and brought over a little box full of weird sticks with black numbs on one end. She showed Harry how to strike them against the side of the box to make them burst into flame. Xanthus had never seen anything like them.

“What if I don't have these sticks?” Harry asked, as he struggled to push the sticks hard enough into the side of the box. “How do I start a fire then?”

“It's pretty hard to start a fire without a wand,” Daciana said. “So we use non magical methods mostly. If you rub a stick against another one fast enough then it will get hot enough to start a fire. I think Aspen knows how to do that.”

“Where is Aspen?” Xanthus asked. Aspen had barely left his side in the search, but he hadn't seen them since it ended.

Daciana exchanged a look with Patty.

“Aspen's not hurt?” Harry asked in alarm.

“Oh, no, Aspen is fine, just doing some magic with the Archdruid so you never have to worry about anything like this happening again,” Daciana said, ruffling Harry's hair affectionately.

“Magic so the leshy can't hurt you?” Harry asked.

“Exactly,” Daciana said. Harry seemed pleased with the knowledge but soon became distracted by the fire again.

“I started a fire without a wand,” Harry said. “I wanna be able to do it whenever I want. You don't know how?”

“I know the spell for it,” Daciana said. “Doesn't do you much good without a wand. Kids can do accidental magic a lot, but it's not reliable.”

“Don't listen to her,” Jack said suddenly as he came over to drop another bundle of firewood down. “How'd you start the fire?”

Xanthus watched Harry thinking hard for a bit, then he picked up a stick and threw it hard into the fire pit. Nothing happened.

“You threw a stick?” Jack asked. Harry nodded, looking sheepish. “What else did you do? Did you throw anything else, did you throw it at something? Did you say anything?”

“Er,” Harry said, looking a little overwhelmed. He picked up another stick and fiddled with it a bit, his face screwed up in concentration. Eventually he seemed to have a thought and he threw the stick this time at one of the big rocks that rimmed the fire pit. The stick, much to everyone's surprise, burst into flames. It bounced off the rock onto the grass on the outside of the fire pit, which was luckily wet from them having watered it down in preparation for the fire, but there was a collective lunge as people instinctively moved to put out the fire. Harry looked a bit sheepish but also pleased.

“Nice!” Jack said. “What was different? Did you think anything different?”

“I threw it at a rock like in the cave,” Harry said.

“Jack, don't rope Harry into your weird magic experiments,” Daciana said, giving him an unamused sort of look.

“But Harry loves learning about magic,” Jack said. “Don't you Harry?”

Harry nodded.

“Alright, do it again then?” Jack said, then stuck his tongue out at Daciana childishly, which made Harry giggle lightly. The sound was a balm to Xanthus' nerves. Harry hadn't laughed much at all since he'd returned.

Harry picked up another stick and threw it again at a rock. It burst into flames. Jack cheered loudly, which made Harry grin.

“Do it again!” Jack said. Harry eagerly did as instructed. Soon Jack was picking up sticks and trying to mimic him, without much success.

“C’mon Xanthus,” Jack said. “You try too.”

“Uh,” Xanthus said, rather startled by the inclusion.

“Aspen says you're a dab hand at wandless magic, an actual warlock. Let's see it,” Jack said.

“Aspen exaggerated, I assure you,” Xanthus said, but he picked up a stick anyway. They continued throwing sticks to try to light the fire with them. Harry, with intense concentration, managed to get the hang of lighting every stick. Jack got one and cheered and danced around after his success, but couldn't get another. Daciana actually kept the fire going, poking Harry's flaming sticks around so they actually started the fire.

Soon people began trickling in. Everyone wanted to greet Harry and Xanthus. Giving them pats on the back, telling Harry how glad they were he was safe. Soon Kitty and Weld arrived in a flurry of energy, hugging Harry between them in a death grip.

“I was so worried!” Kitty said. “Mom wouldn't let me search for you!”

“Are you okay?” Weld asked more sedately.

“I'm okay,” Harry said, giving Xanthus a startled and confused look over Kitty’s shoulder. Xanthus laughed aloud at his face.

“Wanna show your friends the magic you just invented?” Xanthus asked.

“You invented magic?” Kitty said, pushing Harry out so that his shoulders were gripped in her hands.

“Er,” Harry said, still looking confused. Instead of explaining, he picked up a stick and threw it at a rock. It burst into flames.

“Ooooh, neat! I wanna try!” Kitty said. She grabbed two sticks from the woodpile and absentmindedly handed one to Weld. “How do you do it?”

“Er, you have to throw it at a rock and imagine it sparking when it hits,” Harry said.

“You didn't tell me the last bit!” Jack said with mock scandal in his voice. He grabbed a stick too.

Xanthus watched in amusement as the four of them threw sticks at the fire. Surprisingly, Kitty and Weld picked up the skill quickly. Rather than being put off, Jack seemed ecstatic that they were able to do it despite his own failures.

More people arrived, but fortunately for Harry, the presence of the other kids seemed to make it so the adults didn't want to interrupt their fun. So the new arrivals were less likely to swarm him with well wishes as they approached the fire.

People brought food and instruments. A couple folks sat around on logs near the fire tuning strings on guitars and fiddles. A couple people rapped absentmindedly at hand drums as they chatted with those around them.

Patty started handing out goblets full of wine, mead or juice. Xanthus tried the mead just because he'd never had any before and immediately regretted it. It was quite foul.

Eventually Patty stood up on a log to address everyone, holding her goblet high. The kids stopped throwing sticks to listen, although Jack didn't. Patty gave him a look.

“Welcome everyone!” Patty said. “We cannot thank you enough for your help! Thank the sun, moon and stars, Harry is safe and sound!” There were cheers. “And everyday, I thank the great tree for giving us such an amazing community. Where everyone rallies to find a lost child, rather than sitting at home and giving best wishes and condolences. I am so grateful to everyone of you for making that true!” More cheers. “Now for more serious matters. We've tried to spread the news far and wide, but just in case you missed it, there is a Leshy in the forest.” A few people muttered in surprise but most people nodded. “Aspen is dealing with it, but in the meantime always provide a food offering before entering the woods and if you cannot then repeat the old blessings ‘I have dibs on me’ as that is apparently the traditional way to ward one off. Don't ask me why, Aspen told me to tell you, so that's all I got.” A couple people chuckled. “Please enjoy the bonfire, make music, be merry, for we are all safe and sound and whole. Together we will remain so.”

Everyone toasted and Xanthus took another reluctant swig of his mead before gagging and conveniently losing his goblet amongst a handful of others placed in the grass. Music did start up, at first in a rather halting and fumbled fashion, but it picked up quick enough. Kitty pulled Harry and a few other town kids into a silly dance as it started. Some folks cheered and clapped them on. Xanthus smiled as Harry seemed to lose his melancholy trying to keep up with the other kids’ movement. As far as Xanthus could tell, there was no rhyme or reason to the kids' dance moves but Harry hadn't seemed to pick that up and was concentrating hard on figuring out what he was supposed to do.

It took a while for the adults to join the dancing, but to Xanthus' surprise, many did. There were people chatting around the edge of the fire. Many took turns throwing wood in, to make the fire bigger. A fair few were dancing by the musicians, who traded out regularly.

Suddenly Xanthus found Jack pulling him over to the kids dancing. Kitty cheered when she saw them, pointing him out to Harry, who smiled and waved.

“Jack I- dancing isn't- I'm really not-” Xanthus tried as Jack grabbed his hands and started to wiggle dance next to him. Xanthus' arms flopped lamely as Jack pulled them up and down.

“Nonsense!” Jack said loudly over the music. “Dancing is just moving your body to the beat, however that is, that's dancing. Close your eyes, don't think about it so much!”

It was hard not to think about it. Jack was actually quite good at dancing, his body moved in rhythm easily and seamlessly. He felt very much like a wet noodle next to him. Xanthus hadn't paid much attention to Jack up to this point. He was young, perhaps early to mid twenties and quite fit. He had long straw blond hair that he always tied up messily. Like Daciana, he had a number of scars decorating his face and body, which were often on display as he didn't seem to like wearing shirts. Xanthus knew he was a werewolf and a potions master and was teased relentlessly by the house for behaving like a child, but that was about it. So he really wasn't sure how to behave here.

Luckily Harry came to his rescue. When was Harry not rescuing him these days really.

Harry reached up and took one of Xanthus' hands from Jack, and started dancing around with it like Jack was. Which doesn't seem like it would help, but there is no universe in which dancing around with your kid is weird. Xanthus had danced around his living room with Rolf many times. So he started to move. He knew he looked ridiculous. Dancing around with a kid was about being as ridiculous as possible, but somehow that was a lot better than trying to dance and look cool like Jack somehow managed.

It also helped that Harry seemed ecstatic that Xanthus was dancing with him.

Which also meant that he couldn't figure out how to stop dancing.

So he just did, watching the fire and the kids and Jack in a weird spinning blur of music. Until finally the stitch in his side meant that he couldn't keep going no matter how much Harry liked it. To his dismay, Harry followed him over to the log he collapsed on.

“You can keep dancing, Harry,” Xanthus panted. “I'm just old.”

Harry shook his head no, and then stood in that awkward way that Xanthus was starting to recognize as Hardy wanting to cuddle but not knowing how to ask for it. He opened his arms and Harry crawled onto his lap immediately. Harry leaned into his shoulder and turned his head to look at the now quite large bonfire. Xanthus rested his chin on the top of Harry's head, slowly catching his breath.

“See, you can dance,” Jack said quite some time later as he flopped down on the grass in front of their feet looking utterly wrecked. Harry giggled at his dramatics, making Jack grin at them.

“That definitely was not proof of dancing skill,” Xanthus said, bemused.

“There was music. You moved. Thus, dancing,” Jack said simply between big gulps of air, which were immediately knocked out of him as five kids led by Kitty came running over to dogpile him.

Xanthus and Harry watched in amusement as Jack tried to stand and wrestle the kids off of him as they squealed and held on tight to his limbs and neck before he gave up and collapsed back down. Kitty sat on his chest triumphantly and turned to face Harry.

“So, Harry,” Kitty said very seriously, not a hint of being out of breath or any acknowledgement that she sat on a human throne. “What happened?”

Xanthus stiffened instantly, ready to ward off the question but to his surprise, Harry actually answered.

“There was this moose, deer thing, with a really really wide mouth, and it could sound like anyone,” Harry said, throwing his arms out and holding up gis hands to gesture how wide the mouth was. “Except I didn't know that's what it was, I just heard Xanthus calling for me so I tried to find him by following his voice.”

“A Leucrotta,” Xanthus realized aloud. The kids looked at him, so he continued. “That sounds like a Leucrotta. They are herbivores, won't hurt you unless you hurt them but they are tricksters, like to get people lost.”

“Oh,” Harry said. “Well, I followed it and it led me to this big clearing with a weird tree in the middle. Then the tree turned into a man and…. and…”

“You don't have to talk about it, Harry, we won't push you,” Xanthus said, very pointedly directing the last part at Kitty who looked abashed. He hadn't pushed Harry to talk about it yet. It didn't seem important to make Harry instantly re-live something traumatizing just to satisfy his own curiosity.

“No, it's okay,” Harry swallowed hard. “Well the leshy said some weird stuff about wanting to help me but it was really creepy and I didn't like it. So I ran away. I ran and I ran but then suddenly I was back. Then I ran away again but I just kept coming back.”

“Why did you go back?” Weld asked, the kids were on tenterhooks and Xanthus had to admit Harry wasn't horrible at story telling for a seven year old. Rolf wasn't even half as coherent. No sense of linearity.

“I didn't mean to,” Harry insisted.

“It was the leshy,” Jack interrupted from where he lay under the pile of children. He had his arms winged out as his hands rested behind his head. He was looking up at the stars as he spoke. “Leshy are masters of their woods, they can twist them however they like. It made Harry's straight line curved and not even following the sun or stars could have kept Harry on a straight path away.”

“How horrible,” Kitty gasped.

“I didn't like it,” Harry said, nodding solemnly. It took everything in Xanthus not to snort at that, no matter how serious the conversation it was just such a simple and straightforward thing to say. What an understatement. The earnestness of children. He could see Jack crack a sad smile.

“What happened then?” Kitty asked.

“Did you just try to run away for three days?” Weld asked

“Is that how long it was?” Harry asked, looking at Xanthus.

“Three days, two nights,” Xanthus nodded.

“Oh,” Harry said. “Well, I tried to run away again but then the woods was a cave and the leshy blocked me in. He said I had to brew a strength potion to get out. The cave had a cauldron and ingredients and stuff. I don't know anything about potions though, but it felt like something helped me so I made a potion that let me walk through the rock like we walk through the shadow people.”

“You what!?” Jack said, trying and failing to sit up.

“Er, I made a potion to walk through the rock,” Harry said nervously.

“Don't mind him,” Xanthus said calmly to Harry.

“Yeah, Jack's dumb,” Kitty said enthusiastically. “What happened next?”

“Er, well… I got out and then the Leshy… well…” Harry looked at Xanthus with some unreadable expression. Xanthus smiled softly back. “It said if I lost its game then it would kill… er… Xanthus.” Xanthus suddenly realized that Harry was trying not to scare the kids by saying ‘everyone’ or something along those lines. That he picked Xanthus because that would probably be less scary for them. He closed his eyes. This kid… he never ceased to amaze Xanthus. “But… I lost.”

The kids gasped in horror, looking at Xanthus with concern.

“Luckily for me,” Xanthus said lightheartedly. “Aspen is making sure that won't happen, and we all know nothing is tougher than Aspen.”

The kids all nodded solemnly. Harry continued.

“Then, I accidentally lit the whole field on fire trying to stop the leshy, but the leshy beat the fire and then it took me waaay up high into a really really tall tree and the cedar woman told the leshy to let me go. But then I fell anyway, but instead of dying I floated. Then I ran away and found Xanthus,” Harry said.

“What did you eat?” Weld asked curiously.

“Yeah, you didn't eat its food did you? Mom says never ever to eat strange creatures' food,” Kitty said.

“Er, no, I just didn't eat,” Harry said.

“You didn't eat!?” Kitty exclaimed.

“For three whole days?” Weld asked.

“Er, yeah, being hungry isn't so bad after the first day, it just stops bothering you so much after that,” Harry said with the certainty of someone who had fasted many times before. Xanthus hugged Harry slightly tighter, wishing he could take away all the past hunger but especially this one. Harry shouldn't ever have gone hungry in Xanthus’ care.

“When did you sleep,” one of the kids Xanthus didn't know asked.

“In the cave,” Harry said. “I was up all the second night trying to win the game.”

Conversation after that turned to lighter topics. Mostly the other kids, not really having a solid understanding of the severity of the situation, began sharing their own mild adventures as if they were just as interesting. Such as once getting separated from their mom, or seeing a bear in the distance, or how long they had gone without eating or how late they had stayed up at night.

Jack managed to extricate himself and join Xanthus on the log, while Harry slid down to sit on Xanthus' feet.

“Do you think he really made an intangibility potion?” Jack whispered.

“If you'd asked me before I got here, I'd say no, it was probably something else. Like molding the stone or squeezing through a crack. Might still be that,” Xanthus mused. “Now though, I think it's possible.”

“No one's ever managed it before,” Jack said, sounding awed. “Is it okay if I ask him about it later?”

“He's been keenly interested in potions since he got back, which I guess we know why now,” Xanthus said. “I've been reading with him about them but its slow going. His vocabulary isn't really there for learning potions yet.”

“He'd probably do better hands on,” Jack said. “I don't mind him joining me for some simpler, safer brews. There are always a few mild potions I brew a day, if you don't mind him joining me?”

“Oh, can I!?” Harry said suddenly, apparently having heard them whispering.

“I suppose,” Xanthus said. He was honestly still loath to let Harry out of his sight. He didn't want to suffocate the boy, but also he'd be damned if he ever let something like this happen again.

“You can come too, if you want,” Jack said, bumping shoulders with him amiably.

Xanthus didn't take Jack up on the offer immediately, not feeling quite ready to venture out yet. Instead they stayed sequestered in the library, fire roaring, reading or playing the weird game the leshy made Harry play. Xanthus wasn't very keen on the idea of replaying the game but Harry seemed determined to learn it.

They were in the library, when Aspen finally came by. Harry was in Xanthus' lap, slowly stumbling his way through an introductory potions text.

“Aspen!” Harry said excitedly, running to the truck entrance when he noticed them.

“Harry, alright then?” Aspen said, ruffling Harry's hair.

Harry nodded.

“Are you okay?” Xanthus asked.

“We were worried!” Harry said.

“Oh, I'm fine,” Aspen said, clambering into the library. They gave Harry a tight hug. “Can't tell you how glad I am to see you though.”

“Where were you?” Harry asked.

“I went to talk to the leshy,” Aspen said, sitting down on one of the armchairs by the fire. Harry looked very stricken at the thought. “Don't worry, there are very particular rituals that you can do to safely talk to a Leshy, and we had our dryad to help us. She wants to talk to you and apologize for not coming to your aid sooner.”

“That's okay,” Harry said shyly. “She doesn't have to apologize.”

“Well, regardless, the leshy won't bother you anymore,” Aspen said. “It has no intention of attacking anyone else either.”

“Really?” Harry said hopefully.

“Really,” Aspen said.

“Do we know why Harry was taken? The things it made Harry do seem very odd,” Xanthus said.

“Leshy are very odd, they are seers and seers are always very hard to understand. Most seers don't understand themselves and leshy definitely fall into that category,” Aspen said. “The leshy insisted that if it didn't give Harry these exact three trials then something bad would happen. It couldn't specify if that bad thing was to the leshy or to Harry. It just knew that it must make Harry try to do those things, it seemed as perplexed as you.”

“But it wont do it again?” Harry asked.

“Right, it won't do it again. It would know, since it can see the future so it knows it won't need to interfere again,” Aspen said. “Now I'd like to talk to you privately, Xanthus, about some of the other things I learned from it.”

“About me?” Harry asked.

“Yes,” Aspen said. “You've had enough worry though, I don't think you need to have anymore.”

“But I'll worry if I don't know,” Harry said. “Is this about me being not human?”

“Not human?” Xanthus asked. Aspen gave Xanthus a look that he didn't understand, clearly trying to tell him something but he didn't know what.

“It said I wasn't a boy or human or something but I thought… maybe wizards aren't human?” Harry asked hopefully, looking between Aspen and Xanthus.

“They are,” Aspen said, before Xanthus could figure out how to respond to that. “And you’re probably human, Harry, but not being human isn't so bad. Werewolves aren't considered human anymore, they’re too changed, but that doesn't really mean anything does it? Jack and Daciana are still great right?”

Harry nodded solemnly.

“Maybe it is best if Harry heard too, if that's okay?” Aspen asked Xanthus.

“Yeah I… while I wish I could shield him from… all of it, I think… well, I just don't think it's possible really,” Xanthus said. He did wish he could shield Harry. Give him all the fun he had missed. All the hugs he never got. All the security a kid deserved, but not knowing was dangerous and Harry was in enough danger. Besides, he was a tough kid. Xanthus wished he didn't have to be, but he was.

“Right,” Aspen said, then paused to think. “There's a lot of… fate magic tied up around Harry.”

“Fate magic?” Harry asked. He seemed to have forgotten his concerns about the leshy with the word ‘magic’.

“Yeah, mind you, it's very hard to talk to a leshy. It's hard to talk to any seer, really. They're all different in their own ways but they're never easy to understand. Leshy are particularly… hard. So I don't know everything and a lot of this is kinda guessing or filling in the blanks. There aren't any centaurs in our forest so I couldn't consult any other seers. We don't or perhaps didn't have any here so… well the point is, this has a bit of guesswork.”

“But what is a seer? What's fate magic?” Harry asked, not to be distracted.

“I'm getting there,” Aspen laughed but Harry recoiled as if struck.

“Sorry,” Harry said, shrinking into himself. Aspen and Xanthus exchanged confused looks before Xanthus realized. Questions.

“Hey kiddo,” Xanthus said, pulling Harry into his lap, he had been standing by Aspen. “I love all your questions, you know that right?”

Harry hesitated before nodding his head.

“I've been so happy you're asking so many,” Xanthus said. “Aspen is also happy you're asking questions, right?” He gave Aspen a pointed look.

“Right, of course,” Aspen looked rather confused. “I love curiosity.”

“Exactly,” Xanthus said. “Aspen wasn't mad you were asking questions, they were just taking a while to answer, and it's okay to be impatient for an answer. It's okay to keep asking. Can you promise that if you have a question you'll ask it?”

Harry hesitated again before nodding very small. Poor Aspen looked so confused. Xanthus couldn't blame them. It has taken him and Newt ages to figure out the question thing and he still didn't know why it was a thing. Well, why other than the no-maj.

“So Aspen, what's fate magic?” Xanthus asked pointedly. Harry looked up a bit nervously.

“Fate magic is a very obscure, very poorly understood aspect of magic that deals with the future,” Aspen said.

Harry perked up a bit but still looked nervous.

“Do you have a question, Harry?” Xanthus asked. Harry looked like he did but he shrunk back again, shaking his head no. Xanthus took a deep breath in and out, making sure not to sigh audibly even though he wanted to. He hoped Harry wasn't back to square one on questions. He decided to just lead by example. “Aspen, what do you mean, it deals with the future?”

“Well… fate magic either predicts or sometimes, very rarely, can even dictate the future. It is very powerful and very very hard to break,” Aspen responded, seeming to have caught on at least to their question answer back and forth.

“What do you mean, hard to break? Break what?” Xanthus didn't know if Harry had this question but he just wanted to keep asking example questions.

“So if fate magic says something is going to happen in the future, preventing that thing from happening is so hard it's sometimes considered impossible,” Aspen said.

“Is it impossible?” Harry asked quietly. Xanthus gave him an affectionate squeeze and smiled at him. Aspen smiled too, although they still looked a little confused.

“We don't really know, we like to think it isn't,” Aspen said and then added. “Thank you for asking.”

Harry smiled shyly, and when Xanthus and Aspen kept looking at him expectantly, he asked “Why do you want it to be possible?”

“Because we don't like to think the future is set in stone. That it can't change. It makes things feel too… pointless or inevitable,” Aspen said.

“Is it?” Harry asked.

“Is what?” Aspen asked, smiling encouragingly. Harry paused to think. He didn't seem discouraged by not having the immediate answer, he just seemed like he was thinking really hard.

“Is the future set in stone?” Harry asked. “Like everything is always going to happen the same way, no matter what you do? Like I'd always say this and you'd always say, er, what you say next?”

“No, fate magic is rare and only ties itself up to specific outcomes and… this is a good question Harry, let me think,” Aspen leaned back in the chair and looked up at the canvas ceiling. “Fate will say something will happen, but often not when or how. So that something will happen, for sure, or at least it will be very very hard to make it not happen at all… but when it happens or how it happens can be changed. A lot of people think the best thing to do is try to make the things happen when you want or how you want rather than trying to make it not happen at all. Does that make sense?”

“Er,” Harry said. “Yeah.”

“You can ask more questions if it doesn't,” Aspen said, but Harry just shook his head.

“So Aspen,” Xanthus said pointedly. “What's a seer.”

“Good question, Xanthus,” Aspen started, but Xanthus interrupted them.

“Of course it is, all questions are good questions,” He said, shooting Aspen an apologetic look for interrupting.

“Yeah, you're right, thank you for asking a question,” Aspen said. “A seer is a person or creature who has some insight into fate magic. They can sometimes see the things that fate has dictated will happen so they are called a seer. Because the thing they're seeing can happen in many ways or at different times, they often don't see it very well or understand it very well or can't communicate it very well. Which is to say they are frustrating to talk to.”

“So the leshy can see the future?” Harry asked.

“Yes, not very well but also better than almost any other kind of seer, they are very powerful,” Aspen said.

“So,” Xanthus said, finally getting to the question he has been dying to ask since Aspen first said it. “There is fate magic around Harry? He's destined to do something?” He hoped it was that he was destined to do something and not that something was destined to happen to him.

“Yes,” Aspen said. “The leshy says the fates gave the humans a prophecy and it's thickly woven into the magic around Harry.”

“Did the leshy tell you the prophecy?” Xanthus asked.

“Sorta? Probably not in its original form,” Aspen said. “Harry is destined to face a great foe, one he has already been marked by. He will have powers unknown to the foe and… well this is what I was nervous about telling you with Harry around.”

“I can handle it,” Harry said, sitting up straighter and looking determined. Xanthus sighed. Terrified of asking a question. Not even remotely afraid that he will have to fight some horrible foe. It was a very Harry outlook on the situation.

“The leshy says that neither you or the foe can die unless… unless one of you kills the other,” Aspen said, looking rather pained and apologetic. “Which means, on the plus side, you are basically invincible.”

“Invincible?” Xanthus asked, confused.

“Harry can only die if his foe kills him, so no one and nothing else can kill him. Fate will always make it so any other situation will spare him. It's not good to take advantage of fate in that way. Superstition says it punishes those who do by making worse fates, but it doesn't change the fact that Harry is safe except from this one thing,” Aspen said, trying to sound encouraging.

“So I couldn't have starved, in the cave?” Harry asked.

“Exactly,” Aspen said.

“That doesn't sound so bad,” Harry said. Xanthus and Aspen exchanged looks. Probably best to encourage that outlook, even if it certainly wasn't what Xanthus was thinking. In fact, he was starting to get a horrible suspicion that he knew what this foe was.

“You said the foe already marked Harry?” Xanthus asked.

“Yes, his scar,” Aspen said, pointing to the headband on Harry’s forehead. The little metal lizard in the center looked over at them, as if responding to the attention. “It's also the source of the leshy’s confusion around what Harry is. It has a lot of dark magic. A lot and very dark and… alive. A kind of magic that makes Harry look… sorta non-human. At least to the leshy. I don't think Harry is non-human though.”

“What is it?” Harry asked, reaching up and touching the lizard.

“We don't know,” Aspen said. “Leshy are known to abduct those who are cursed so it might be a curse, they are also known to just take children though. It's not common, but it happens. Which leads me to the other thing I wanted to talk about and maybe it is good that Harry is here for this. Those who return from a long encounter with a leshy… sometimes change… often they become seers themselves or people without magic have sometimes been known to gain magic.”

“No-maj can gain magic?” Xanthus had never heard of such a thing.

“Yep, generally they are picked up by the druids if it happens later than life and wizards if it happens earlier. Harry wasn't with the leshy for long, so nothing may change at all, but keep an eye out. If you get any weird dreams or see strange things while you're awake or anything, make sure to tell me or Xanthus, okay Harry?”

“Okay,” Harry said.

“So Harry has some unknown power that Voldemort doesn't know and some unknown power from the leshy?” Xanthus asked.

“Could be the same one. The leshy had no clue what the power was,” Aspen said, then asked. “Voldemort?”

“The foe,” Xanthus said. “Or at least I'm fairly certain. He gave Harry the scar and his followers are after us. I thought he was dead but I know very little about the British war, I could be wrong.”

“I suppose there is a last bit to the fate, that was very hard to get from the leshy,” Aspen said. “Which might be relevant to where this guy is? Maybe? I didn't really understand this part and I don't think the leshy did either. Something about life being very hard for both of them until one of them is dead, or something like that. I’m not sure of this part, so don't put much weight in it.”

“So perhaps very injured or something?” Xanthus mused. Aspen shrugged.

“That's the guy that killed my parents, right? And they beat him? He's not dead?” Harry asked.

“I don't know for sure, Harry,” Xanthus said, looking at him seriously. “I didn't tell you this before because, well I thought it was frankly a bit unlikely, but all of Britain thinks you killed him and not your parents. You're… famous for it.”

“Me?” Harry asked.

“Seems more likely now,” Xanthus said.

“Does that mean it's already happened?” Harry asked Aspen. “Like is it over?”

“No, the fate still exists on you,” Aspen said. For some reason Harry looked pleased by this, although Xanthus had no idea why. He didn't feel pleased at all. In fact he's sure once this all sunk in, he'd feel horrified.

Harry seemed strangely happy for the rest of Aspen's visit. Once they left, he picked up his potions text with renewed vigor.

“Are there potions that help you fight? I know there is a potion that makes you super strong, the leshy wanted me to make it. Maybe I need to learn how to do that. Or maybe something else. I bet Voldomert knows about potions though,” Harry started babbling.

“Voldemort,” Xanthus corrected. “And Harry, I don't think you should focus so much on him.”

“Why not?” Harry asked, flipping through the pages of the book, clear just looking at the moving illustrations.

“You're just a kid, you should have fun,” Xanthus said. “You can worry about Voldemort later.”

“I dunno, I don't want him to kill me,” Harry said rather matter of factly.

“He's not trying to kill you right now,” Xanthus said.

“So I have lots of time to learn how to beat him,” Harry said, looking determined.

“I suppose,” Xanthus said, feeling uneasy. Harry was right and he hated it. It did make sense to train Harry now and that… was horrifying. Harry had already gone through enough. He deserved a carefree childhood at least. Xanthus felt like all children did, he certainly wanted that for Rolf. Just splitting up with Perchina he felt was cruel and that was nothing compared to what Harry had gone through. Would go through.

As the information slowly began to sink in more and more, Xanthus could feel a dread rise up in him. As if coming from his very bones. His muscles ached with the dread of it all.

He had to train Harry to defeat a dark wizard that many considered more powerful than Grindelwald.

How horrible.

Could he even do that? He certainly didn't know how, but he also wasn't going to let Harry roll over and die.

The more he thought about it, the more angry he got. Harry deserved better. In fact, training to defeat Voldemort or not, Harry was going to have fun. Xanthus would make sure of it. Like his dad helped train them with the game he made. Dodging colored lights was a rather blatant effort to help Xanthus and his siblings learn how to dodge spells. Even the green was for the killing curse. He wondered if he could get his dad to owl those sticks, they weren't actually wands. He could get Harry to play it with the other kids. It had certainly helped him as an auror.

“You're very quiet,” Harry said, looking up at him. Concern seemed to be draining some of the determined energy out of Harry.

“I'm just thinking of ways to help you,” Xanthus said. “We can train you to beat Voldemort Harry, because you're going to win, but you have to promise me something.”

“What?” Harry asked, looking less concerned and more determined again.

“We'll have fun while doing it,” Xanthus said.

“Fun?” Harry asked.

“Yep, promise we’ll keep having fun.”

“Okay! Promise!” Harry said, eagerly.

Chapter Text

Green.

Harry threw himself on the ground and watched the forest floor light up as the green light flew overhead. He then had to roll to the side to dodge as two more red shots hit the ground where he'd just been. He stood behind a tree.

“Hey! No fair!” He heard Kitty yell shrilly from where she'd just been attacking Harry.

“I got you, you're out,” another girl said. Harry didn't remember her name and but he'd seen her enough that it was too embarrassing to ask now.

“You got me from behind! That's not fair!” Kitty said, Harry peered around his tree just in time to see her stomp her foot angrily. Kitty was green from head to toe and looked ridiculous. He stifled a giggle as he raised his fake wand and aimed it at the girl who had gotten Kitty out.

He shot out and hit her right in the shoulder, just as she stuck her tongue out at Kitty. It was just a red light so it wasn't enough to get her out but she changed color. She spluttered and looked over as Harry dodged back behind the tree. He could hear Kitty giggling madly.

Then suddenly he felt a cool tingle and his hands turned green. He looked around startled and caught Aspen winking at him from behind another tree.

He walked back to the backyard with Kitty, who seemed to immediately cheer up as they walked. He wasn't sure Kitty could hold onto sadness. Weld and two other kids were already sitting around, slowly losing their green color. They were eating hand pies and Kitty dragged Harry over to grab one from her mom, who was sitting on a log chatting with a man Harry didn't know.

He thanked her quietly before scurrying over to the other kids. Kitty's mom made him nervous.

Three other kids came stumbling out of the woods soon after, all green.

“Just Xanthus and Aspen left,” Weld said.

“Aspen definitely wins then,” Kitty said confidently.

“Xanthus is really good at this game,” Harry said, feeling a prickling need to defend him.

“Yeah, but Aspen is like the master of the woods,” Kitty said confidently.

They were both wrong. Aspen and Xanthus came walking out of the woods amiably, both a solid orange.

“You can't give up!” Kitty said, running up to them.

“I can too,” Xanthus said.

“It was definitely a draw,” Aspen nodded.

“I don't believe you,” Kitty pouted.

“There are hand pies, you two!” Kitty’s mom called from where she was sitting, holding up a basket.

“Thanks!” Aspen called, jogging over.

“I can't believe you’re playing games that promote wands, Aspen, you of all people,” Kitty's mom muttered, loudly enough for them to all hear.

“It’s quite fun, actually,” Aspen said, then turned to Xanthus. “Another game tomorrow?”

“Um, yeah, if we aren't keeping you from foraging?” Xanthus said, looking rather awkwardly away from Kitty's mom.

“Foraging season is basically over, too cold. I'm mostly out looking for potions ingredients for Jack now,” Aspen said, between mouthfuls of pie.

“Can I help?” Harry asked, coming up to join them.

“I thought you'd abandoned Patty and I for Jack now?” Aspen teased.

“Potion ingredients are part of potions,” Harry said, matter of factly. “Jack doesn't have all the things I used for my potion.”

“Well, I always love your company Harry,” Aspen said. “But don't be disappointed if you don't find what you're looking for.”

“I won't!” Harry said.

“You're sure you're okay? With the woods?” Xanthus asked, looking nervous.

“Yup!” Harry said. “We've been playing light-tag in the woods.”

“Not very deep…” Xanthus said.

“It's okay,” Harry said. “The leshy wont come back.”

Xanthus smiled weakly, but Harry felt confident. Even if the leshy came back, it couldn't kill him.

Kitty’s mom and the other man by the fire took the rest of the kids home. Kitty promised to come back for light-tag soon, although her mom didn't look too pleased. Harry waved them off before joining Aspen inside the house with Xanthus.

“Are you sure you don't wanna join us, Xanthus?” Harry heard Aspen saying as he came inside. He stopped to listen.

“I… yeah… it's not really…” Xanthus stuttered.

“I think it would do you a lot of good,” Aspen said. “It's not just fun, not that fun isn't its own kind of healing, but it really does help work through things, and you've been through a lot… I know I don't know… well any of it really, but I can tell that it weighs on you. I really think it would help.”

“I’m just not a party person, Aspen… and certainly not… well a party of this, uh, nature,” Xanthus said.

“It really is more than a party, it's like… group healing,” Aspen said.

There was an awkward silence after that, so Harry decided to enter.

“Ready to go?” Harry asked, eagerly.

“Weren't you going to help Jack with a bruise salve today?” Xanthus asked.

“He won't be awake for ages,” Harry said. “He's worse than Patty and she isn't up yet either.”

Aspen laughed before standing and grabbing some baskets.

“Alright, come on then,” Aspen said.

Harry found that he kinda enjoyed foraging more, now. There were so many different things to look out for. Rather than just a couple of in season plants, they were also looking for bugs, droppings, bones and more. They moved around a lot and Harry enjoyed crawling under logs and digging in the ground for roots.

It helped that Xanthus brought one of the fake light-tag wands and Harry had to keep on his toes to dodge random lights here and there. Anytime he was bored he'd have to jump behind a tree, giggling, as a burst of light came his way. He only got hit a few times and one of those times Xanthus had sneakily handed off the wand to Aspen to shoot.

Xanthus insisted on walking Harry back to the house rather than letting him go back himself like he used to. Even though Aspen and Harry thought it would be fine. He felt bad making Xanthus follow him around, but he also felt a bit warm knowing that Xanthus worried about him.

“Why don't you wanna go to Aspen's party?” Harry risked asking as they walked back.

“Oh, uh, you heard that?” Xanthus asked.

“Sorry,” Harry said.

“Oh no, I'm not mad, just… well it's not a kids party,” Xanthus said.

“I know,” Harry said. “Jack already told me it was for grown ups only.”

“Did he?” Xanthus asked, sounding concerned. “What else did he say?”

"That's it,” Harry said. “I'll be okay, if you wanna go, you don't have to worry about me.”

“Oh, that's not… I mean… I don't think you should be alone, especially because-- ooof,” Xanthus stumbled on a root, so Harry stopped to wait for him. “I realized recently that, uh, Rolf's birthday is coming up…”

“Are we going?” Harry asked eagerly. “We promised we would.”

“Uh, well… I think it's too dangerous for you to go,” Xanthus said, looking sad.

“Oh… yeah…” Harry said.

“Sorry Harry,” Xanthus said, reaching over to squeeze his shoulder. Harry took a deep breath in and let it out. It seemed like a silly thing to want to cry over, compared to the leshy, or the Dursleys, but… he missed Rolf. Kitty and Weld just weren't the same.

“Well… you should still go to Aspen's party,” Harry said, trying to sound confident.

“I'd rather hangout with you,” Xanthus said.

“Isn't it really late? I'll be asleep,” Harry said. The more he thought about it, the more important it felt for Xanthus to go. Xanthus had been so worried since the leshy, he'd barely left Harry's side. Harry liked that but… it didn't seem fair to Xanthus. He was trying so hard to make sure Harry had fun but Harry could tell he wasn't having fun or at least he was still worried and thinking a lot. “Please go?”

“Harry?” Xanthus said, sounding concerned.

“Please?” Harry said. “I'll just sleep, you should go.”

“It's not really my kind of party Harry, I've… it's complicated… they're doing some… stuff… that is normally not allowed and…” Xanthus sighed. “I have no idea how to explain this…”

“You don't have to do that stuff, you could just hang out and come back when you're tired,” Harry said.

“I suppose,” Xanthus said.

“So you'll go then?” Harry said, perking up.

“Alright, alright, I'll go for a bit,” Xanthus said.

“Yay!” Harry said, skipping a bit in excitement as the house came into view. He skipped all the way to the trailer that Jack stayed in, and rapped on the door.

Jack, predictably, was barely awake as he opened the door. He was in patched up baggy pajama bottoms and no shirt. Half of his hair was tied up but the other half had fallen out in a tangled mess and red pillow creases marred his skin. He rubbed his eyes and yawned.

“That time already?” Jack said, leaning against the door. Harry looked up at the sun, which was already dipping low in the sky. Jack followed his gaze and huffed. “Yeah, yeah, alright, I'll meet you there.”

Harry smiled and skipped into the house, turning left to climb down the stairs into the basement where Jack kept his potion lab. Xanthus stayed behind to talk to Jack, but Harry liked to challenge himself and get out everything needed for the potion before Jack got there. He carefully laid out all the ingredients needed for bruise salve and waited.

Jack eventually came down, although he didn't look that much more awake. He was still in his pajamas and still wore no shirt. His har had been brushed back up into its tie and the pillow creases were mostly gone.

“Wrong flower, we want the yellow flowers, not purple,” Jack said with yawn, pointing at one of the ingredients Harry had layed out.

“The recipe said wolfsbane flowers,” Harry said, picking up the dried flowers and putting them back in their jar.

“Yep,” Jack said. “But annoyingly, aconite and arnica are both called wolfsbane even though they are unrelated. We want arnica, which is the yellow flowers.”

“Why are they called the same thing?” Harry frowned, feeling a bit like he'd been tricked.

“No idea,” Jack shrugged.

“That's dumb,” Harry said as he laid out the dried yellow arnica flowers.

“Yup,” Jack said cheerily, ruffling Harry's hair. “Now, what's the difference between crushing and grinding?”

“Er, crushing is for bigger pieces,” Harry said, trying to recall what Jack had said yesterday about it.

“Yup, here,” Jack handed him a large mortar and pestle which Harry struggled to lift. He set it gently on the ground, before looking up at Jack, confused.

“I get to do it today?” Harry said. Jack dumped the yellow flowers into the mortar bowl and nodded. Standing back.

He watched as Harry crushed the flowers, instructing Harry on when to scrape out the small pieces before continuing to crush.

“Nice!” Jack said eventually, shifting through the crushed flowers. “See how these ones are very powdery, we don't want to use those. Hard to perfectly crush something, so afterwards we have to sift out the stuff that's too small or too big.”

Harry helped Jack through the rest of the potion and then afterwards, when he moved onto more “picky” potions, as Jack called them, he had Harry sit with a mortar and pestle and practice crushing vs grinding vs powdering some sticks. He came over occasionally to give pointers.

It was kind of boring. Unlike chanting where you could feel the eb and flow of magic and time lost meaning, Harry was very aware of every minute he sat on the floor with the pestle in hand. He ended up bouncing his legs or moving in circles around the mortar to stay focused. Fortunately Jack didn't scold him for fidgeting.

Finally Jack called him off.

“Alright, kiddo, time for breakfast,” Jack said, coming over and inspecting Harry's piles.

“Breakfast??” Harry said, looking out the small basement window where he could see the first couple stars poking out in the darkening sky.

“Well dinner for you I suppose,” Jack chuckled. “Besides, gotta get ready for our party.”

“Do you want help?” Harry said, getting up and stretching out some of the stiffness from sitting on the hard floor.

“Nah, can't make you help with a party you can't come to,” Jack said.

“How come I can't come?” Harry asked as they climbed the stairs out of the basement.

“We are taking some… er magic… stuff that can stunt brain development,” Jack said, poking Harry in his head. “And we can't have it stunting your growing noggin.”

“What about your brain?” Harry said, concerned.

“Mostly done growing, actually for adults it can help our old noggins learn again, that's why we do it. Also it's fun,” Jack smiled.

“Oh,” Harry said. “I didn't know there was magic that made a difference with age.”

“Oh there is loads of it,” Jack said. They came off the stairs into a bustling kitchen. Daciana, Aspen and Xanthus were all cooking, while Patty seemed to be roaming the house with cushions making comfortable spots to sit wherever there was hard ground. A number of other adults Harry didn't know were lingering around chatting, already sitting around on the cushions in the living room. One of them was strumming casually on a guitar, filling the house with a gentle strumming music.

Harry ate dinner with the house, before leaving out back with Xanthus to the truck. The cold night air felt sharp on his face from the warm house. The truck was also quite cool, but Harry kinda liked it that way. Xanthus helped Harry get ready for bed and then came to tuck him in.

“Are you sure you'll be okay on your own? I really don't have to go,” Xanthus said, brushing Harry's hair back into the pillow.

“You should go,” Harry said. Xanthus sighed and then kissed the top of Harry's head.

“Okay, but I might come right back here,” Xanthus warned. “I really don't think it's my kind of party.”

“As long as you try to have fun,” Harry said seriously. Xanthus chuckled.

“I have plenty of fun with you,” Xanthus said. Harry just shook his head. “Alright, well I'll try. No promises. Goodnight kiddo.”

“Goodnight Xanthus,” Harry said, feeling happy to have won.

Xanthus left, the candles in the hall flickering out as Harry heard him leaving. The zip of the canvas closed. He was alone.

It was hard to fall asleep. He realized he hadn't slept alone since the leshy and he hadn't been left alone since then either. It was quiet. It felt off. Like a cold creeping tingle up his spine. He cuddled deeper in his blankets trying to escape it.

He did sleep a bit, but it was fitful. Tossing and turning. A weird creeping dread filled him slowly each time he woke alone.

He tried to push it down. He turned over and tried to sleep more. He slept a bit but everytime he woke up it was worse.

He turned over again.

Maybe Xanthus was back now? It had been a while.

He crept out into the hall, feeling eary with the quiet.

“Xanthus?” He called. Nothing. He crept into Xanthus' room but it was empty. He went to the canvas and unzipped the door.

He could see light from the house windows and hear the mumble of conversation coming from inside. They were still partying? It was so late.

Harry sat down and took a few deep breaths. He could wait. He could.

He couldn't.

He was scared. He didn't want to be alone.

It was stupid. He should be okay now. He shouldn't need someone around all the time. He couldn't even die, even if there was some monster in the woods or the truck. If it wasn't his personal monster he was safe. He shouldn't be scared.

He was, though.

He felt tears prick his eyes and angrily swiped them away. There wasn't anything to cry about. He should be asleep. It was his idea that Xanthus even go to this stupid party. Xanthus clearly hadn't wanted to go, he only went because Harry insisted. Because Harry said he'd be fine. He should be fine.

Maybe he could just go in and get Xanthus.

He stood and poked his head out of the canvas looking up at the house again. The warm light and chatter made it seem much more inviting than the cold truck.

Harry climbed over the tailgate and down into the yard. There were two people sprawled out on the grass in the backyard, looking up into the sky. They were mermering quietly with each other. Harry didn't recognize them so he crept by, they didn't seem to notice him.

The kitchen was hot as he entered. He looked around, a couple people were sitting in the corner piled together, eyes closed. One of them was giggling lightly. Harry snuck past them too, making his way to the living room, where he ran straight into Aspen, who was coming into the kitchen.

“Oof, sorry, wait…. Harry?” Aspen asked. They blinked at him, looking confused before squatting down to sit at Harry's level. “Hey, what's wrong? You're not supposed to be here.”

“Sorry,” Harry said, looking down, feeling tears prick his eyes again. He knew he wasn't supposed to be here… he just…

“Hey, it's okay,” Aspen said. They spoke slowly. More slowly than usual, and Aspen already spoke rather slow. “Let me take you back, huh?”

“Xanthus?” Harry asked quietly. Aspen winced and looked over. Harry followed their gaze. Xanthus was laying on his back near the front room, he was staring up at his hand as if it was fascinating. He had a big goofy grin on his face. Harry didn't think he'd ever seen Xanthus grin like that. So open and full of wonder and happiness. Xanthus laughed and smiled with Harry, but there was always a weight to him. Except now, Xanthus looked… free.

“Xanthus will be very worried if he sees you right now Harry,” Aspen said, sounding rather urgent despite the slowness of speech. “We all ate some stuff really bad for kids, he'll panic if he thinks you ate some.”

“But I didn't,” Harry said.

“Good,” Aspen said happily, and then just sat there, not saying anything.

“Oh, Harry,” Jack suddenly said. Harry looked over. Jack was laying in some cushions by the door between the kitchen and living room.

“Oh, I was just taking Harry back outside, don't worry,” Aspen said to Jack, suddenly coming back to themselves.

“Nah, don't worry about it, Harry won't eat anything, right Harry,” Jack said.

“Er, right,” Harry said.

“You scared kiddo?” Jack said, eyeing him closely. Harry swallowed and nodded. “Aspen, I'll take care of him, don't worry.”

“Don't want Xanthus to see him,” Aspen said, looking at Xanthus again. Jack sat up a bit to look at Xanthus and giggled.

“Xanthus can barely see his own hand right now, don't worry about it,” Jack laughed. “Come sit by me Harry.”

Harry looked up at Aspen for permission but Aspen was still staring at Xanthus.

“Aspen,” Jack said, getting Aspen’s attention.

“Right, sorry, I took too much for this,” Aspen sighed, rubbing their hands over their face.

“Don't stress, I won't let the kid take anything, he'll be fine, go on, relax, you need it,” Jack said, reaching out and pushing Aspen off. Aspen smiled at him and then wandered off. Harry watched them go.

“C’mon kiddo,” Jack said, patting the cushion next to him. Harry came over and sat. Jack fixed him with a very serious, but mildly out of focus look. “Promise you wont eat anything.”

“Promise,” Harry said. Jack nodded and then layed back down. He wrapped one arm protectively around Harry where he sat and threw the other arm over his eyes.

Harry immediately felt better. Or at least all the creeping fear went away. Now he was just confused.

Everyone was being so weird.

It was late he supposed, maybe that was why everyone was just laying around. He leaned back into Jack, taking comfort in his warm presence. After a while Jack gasped audibly, Harry jumped from where he'd been falling asleep.

“I've just realized,” Jack said suddenly, opening his eyes and stretching his arm out above him so he could look at his hand. “Harry, I've figured it out.”

“What?” Harry asked, concerned.

“What magic is,” Jack said. “I figured it out.”

“Really?” Harry asked, sitting up with interest.

“Don't listen to him, he's full of it,” Heidi, the other woman who lived at the house said from where she was laying a few feet away. Harry looked over, her eyes weren't even open.

“No really, listen,” Jack said. “It's all stories.”

“Stories?” Harry asked.

“Yeah,” Jack said. “Magic happens ‘cause we think it will. We tell a story… why something will work… or how it worked for someone before or… or like with potions we tell stories about what the ingredients mean… kids can do magic because they believe more stories. You see?”

Jack turned his head to look at Harry, his face was split into a wide grin, his eyes slightly out of focus.

“Er,” Harry said. “So if we believe it will work… it will?”

“Exactly!” Jack said excitedly. “Except adults are told a lot of stuff about what won't work and they believe them, so they won't, but you are like a clean slate. You could do anything, if you told a story about why and believed it.”

“Don't pressure the kid with your wild theories, Jack,” Heidi said lazily.

“No, no, it makes sense,” Jack said. “Doesn't it?”

“I suppose,” Harry said. Thinking of all the kids lighting sticks on fire but the adults not being able to.

“Don't know how to use that though,” Jack said lazily, throwing his arm over his face again. When he didn't seem like he was going to say anything more, Harry settled back in.

“You okay, Harry?” Jack said, suddenly. “Not scared anymore?”

“No,” Harry said.

“Good. Tell me if you need something. I can do stuff if you need, promise,” Jack said.

“Okay,” Harry said. Harry fell asleep against Jack, lulled by the warmth and quiet mumbled conversation around him. His last thought before he fell asleep was: what a weird party.

He woke up in his own bed.

Harry found Xanthus still asleep in his bed, so he crawled in to join him.

“Sorry Harry, we were up till the sunrise, I'm going to… sleep more…” Xanthus mumbled.

“That's okay,” Harry whispered, snuggling into Xanthus' embrace. “Did you have fun?”

“Mmmhmm,” Xanthus murmured. “Thanks for making me go. Were you okay?”

“Yup,” Harry said.

“Good,” Xanthus mumbled, and then he was asleep again.

Three days later, Harry desperately wished he had said something else. That he'd told Xanthus he wasn't okay, actually. He couldn't sleep alone. He couldn't be alone. He was scared.

But he didn't.

So now he was alone. He breathed in the cold night air of Xanthus' room. He'd crawled in here when he couldn't sleep in his own room. It didn't really help. If anything it just made it more obvious that Xanthus was gone.

This time there was no party. He couldn't sneak up to the house and know that Xanthus was in the same room. Even Jack was gone.

Harry watched as the canvas roof lit up with the morning sun. There were no windows in the truck but the canvas didn't block the sun completely, giving the whole ceiling a faint glow in the daytime.

“Harry?” Aspen called from the door. “You still sleeping?”

Harry curled up tighter in his blankets. His eyes burned but he couldn't cry anymore.

“Oh Harry,” Harry felt the bed dip down and then Aspen’s fingers card through his hair. He curled into them, pressing his face into the side of their leg. “Did you sleep at all?”

Harry shook his head no. Aspen sighed sadly.

“Do you want some breakfast?”

Harry shrugged.

Harry felt Aspen squeeze his shoulder before the bed sprung up as they stood. Aspen leaving made him feel hollow again, but he couldn't get himself to follow. He pulled the blankets over his head.

A while later he felt the bed dip again, as Aspen returned. He curled up around them again.

“I've got some food here for you, could you eat it?” Aspen asked, gently pulling the blankets off Harry's head. He smashed his face further into Aspen's leg to hide it. They sighed.

Aspen started rubbing circles on Harry's back. They just stayed there for a while. Aspen rubbing Harry's back as he pressed his face into their leg.

Eventually the embarrassment for bothering Aspen so much began to creep in, slowly washing away anything else Harry was feeling. He forced himself to sit up, pulling the blankets tight around him. There was a plate with toast and jam in Aspen's lap. He reached out and took a piece of toast, feeling sheepish and small.

“Thank you,” he whispered.

“You're welcome, I'm happy to help while Xanthus is gone. You know you can come to me right?” Aspen said, still rubbing his back. Harry shrunk into himself slightly.

“I won't be a bother, promise,” Harry said.

“You're not a bother,” Aspen said. Harry didn't believe them though. That's what Xanthus had said. “Actually Harry, there is something I've been looking forward to doing with Xanthus gone.”

“What?” Harry said, curious despite himself.

“I wanna teach you a magic Xanthus isn't allowed to know. No wizard is allowed to know, only druids,” Aspen said.

“But I'm a wizard,” Harry said.

“Not yet, not till you get your wand,” Aspen said.

“Does this mean I don't get a wand?” Harry said.

“No, you can still get a wand, but you have to take an oath not to share it with any wand wielders, can you do that?” Aspen asked.

Harry nodded.

“Even Xanthus? You won't even show him?” Aspen asked.

“Xanthus left,” Harry mumbled.

“He's coming back,” Aspen said. “He'll be back in a few days with Daciana and Jack. You'll see him at the feast.”

Harry doubted it. Why would he come back? Wouldn't he stay with Rolf. Rolf was his real son.

“So, do you promise?” Aspen asked.

“Promise,” Harry said.

“Great, get dressed and meet me outside. It's very exciting magic. You'll love it,” Aspen said.

Harry got dressed quickly, driven lightly by a creeping curiosity, but mostly by the need not to keep Aspen waiting. Especially after they'd spent so long just sitting with him already.

He scrambled out the back, where Aspen stood waiting. They smiled when they saw him and then turned to walk towards the woods. Harry followed.

“What do you know about wizards and druids?” Aspen asked as they walked through the trees, their breath coming out in cold puffs.

“Er, wizards have wands?” Harry said.

“Basically that's it, actually,” Aspen laughed, finding something about his answer funny but he didn't know what. “So why is someone a wizard and someone a druid?”

“Er, I don't know,” Harry said.

“Wizards and druids aren't actually different. It's just that wizards are allowed to go to a wizarding institution and druids are not, mostly based on who was in power when those institutions were created. If you don't descend from a nobleman who lived a thousand years ago, then you can't go to a wizard school so you can't get licensed for a wand and are thus a druid.” Aspen explained.

“That's dumb,” Harry said.

“I agree,” Aspen laughed. “The exception to the rule is folks born with non magical parents. They need a way to be introduced to magic, so they get to go to wizarding schools. A lot of magic people, wizards and druids both, are bitter they get to go even though plenty of magical folks like druids who cannot. I think they should get to go, I just also think druids should too, if they wanted.”

Harry nodded along.

“Mind you, this is all considered politics, not everyone would explain it like I am. Plenty of people think there is an actual difference between wizards and druids,” Aspen said. “But I'm explaining all of this so that you'll understand how important it is that you keep this magic a secret.”

“I won't tell,” Harry said.

“I know, but I still want you to understand,” Aspen said. They paused talking for a while to scramble over a large log. “The other important part of this is that only wizards are allowed to be in the government in many magical countries, the US and Britain included but the laws that are passed affect druids. You've heard a lot of people here complain about the violence of wand magic, right?”

Harry nodded.

“Well druids often only see wizarding magic when wizards raid a community to enforce some law they are breaking. We are breaking a lot here but are counting on wizards not being able to get in unless invited, so a lot of people are very scared of wizards and wands. Wand magic is fast and much better at fighting, meaning wizards can keep their power and druids can't fight back. All our magic tends to be slow or have many steps. They involve rituals or multiple people and the government often outlaws especially powerful druidic magic.”

They stopped in front of a huge fir tree, its needles a lush green. Aspen turned to look at Harry.

“Not all druidic magic is slow though. Some of it is fast and powerful and wizards can't know about it,” Aspen said.

“Because they'll hurt people with it?” Harry asked.

“Because they'll make it so we can't use it, and this magic regularly saves our lives and I want to teach you in case it can save your life, but you can't tell anyone,” Aspen said.

Harry nodded.

“Now I trust you, you know that right?” Aspen said, Harry nodded. “But I am not allowed to teach this, unless I do another, also secret kind of magic and this magic is going to hurt. Is that okay?”

“I don't mind pain much,” Harry said.

“You never seem to, you're a tough kid,” Aspen said. “However this is pretty spooky, in fact a lot of druids won't learn this magic because they wont do this… I have to… I have to cut your tongue. Is that okay?”

“That's okay,” Harry said, feeling more excited about the magic than worried about the pain.

“Okay, hold out your tongue and close your eyes. This is going to hurt a lot, but try to keep your tongue out, okay.” Harry nodded, sticking his tongue out and squeezing his eyes shut. He dug his fingernails preemptively into his palms, he always found the pain of doing so distracted him from the pain he knew was coming from Uncle Vernon or Dudley.

He felt Aspen's finger press his tongue down first, then heard Aspen take a deep breath. The sharp pain on his tongue was followed immediately by the coppery taste of blood. Aspen cut into his tongue three times, clearly making some symbol but in the pain and blood Harry couldn't work out what symbol.

“I tie this tongue to never speak of anything learned while the sun hangs in the sky today. May this binding never break for any who wield a wand. I release this binding for any others who have first had their tongues bound as I do now. I complete this tie,” Aspen said, and then Harry felt a large leaf being placed over his cut tongue. It eased the pain lightly but not much.

“Okay, keep the leaf over your tongue and don't speak,” Aspen said. “You can spit out the blood but don't spit out the leaf. You can kinda just let it drool out, if that helps.”

Harry did, tipping his head down and letting his saliva and blood drip out. It was very unpleasant. Aspen handed him a handkerchief, which he held up to his lips.

“You okay?” Aspen asked.

Harry nodded. It hurt. It hurt a lot and the blood was very unpleasant. In fact he felt a bit like he was choking because his body didn't want to swallow it. It was better than cutting his cheek on his own teeth after Vernon had smacked him though.

“Okay, so I can teach you how to do this tongue tying if you want, although I'm not sure how much good it will do you, but first, the magic that I brought you here for. Watch,” Aspen smiled, walking up to the fir tree in front of them. They pressed their hand onto the trunk, and then, into it. The bark grew up around their arm as Aspen kept stepping forward. Then around their shoulder, their back and head. Then they were gone. The tree stood, unblemished, as if nothing had happened.

Harry looked around, running up to the tree and around it, but there was no sign of Aspen.

“Pretty cool right?” Aspen said, except instead of their voice coming from the tree it came from a ways off, behind Harry. He turned around and looked. “Over here!” Aspen called, and Harry spotted them. Just their head, which was growing out of the bark of a completely different tree. Harry ran over as Aspen stepped out of the tree, walking free and completely unchanged. The tree looked no different.

“It's called tree walking,” Aspen said, as Harry approached. “You can walk between any connected tree but connections can stretch miles and miles. It's fast, just as fast as many wizard methods of transportation and often our only way to escape persecution, so try to keep it a secret, yeah?”

Harry nodded.

“Alright, I'm going to take you with me on a few tree walks before you do it on your own, take my hand,” Aspen held their hand out and Harry took it eagerly. They pushed their other hand into the tree they had just walked out of, steadily walking forward into the bark. Then finally all that was left was their hand, holding Harry’s. As his hand was pulled into the bark, it first felt as if he was just scraping his knuckles on it. Like it wasn't going to work.

Then he remembered what Jack said. Magic is stories we tell ourselves, we have to believe it will work. He pushed his hand in, rather than just getting pulled in, trying to expect the bark to wrap around his hand. Then it did.

It felt… weird. Both warm and cold, and a little tickly as if water was trickling around his hand in veins. His arm followed and then suddenly his whole body was surrounded by the strange, partially warm, partially cold feeling with trickling lines running down his body.

He realized he couldn't breath in, but before he had time to panic, he was being pulled out again, he took a gasping breath as his face emerged from the tree. The cold air stung his cut tongue.

“Good! Normally it's a lot harder to pull someone through their first time, did you feel the path we took?” Aspen asked.

Harry shook his head no. He hadn't felt anything other than getting pulled in and pulled out.

“Okay, this time focus on your feet. They connect to the roots of the tree, see if you can feel any of the paths you could take,” Aspen said. “Oh and take a deep breath, I'm going to leave us in slightly longer, but not too long.”

Harry nodded. Aspen started pulling them into the tree they had just walked out of. Only as they turned to press into it, did Harry realize it wasn't the tree they had originally entered.

As the bark approached his face he took a deep breath in.

Again, the tingling darkness of the tree. Harry tried to focus on his feet but that only made him realize that it didn't feel like he had feet. In fact it didn't feel like he had arms. He couldn't even identify where Aspen was holding him or if Aspen was holding him. He didn't like the idea of having lost contact with them, he didn't know how to get out of the tree on his own. Except that he was supposed to be focusing on his feet.

Fresh air. Aspen had pulled him out again. He could suddenly feel his heart pounding in his chest from his panic, which only made him realize he couldn't even feel his own pounding heart when in the tree.

Aspen waited for him to catch his breath.

“Did you feel the path?” Aspen asked.

Harry shook his head no. He hadn't felt anything. Anything other than the tingling, trickling water like veins of warm cold flowing down him. Nothing else.

“Ready to try again?” Aspen asked. Harry hesitated. He wasn't sure he was… Aspen smiled. “It takes some getting used to. We can wait.”

Harry sat for a second, taking in the light filtering in from the fir needles overhead. Most of the deciduous trees were completely bare now. After his heart finally settled down to a normal pace, he stood and held his hand out to Aspen, who smiled and took it.

They walked into the tree again. Harry tried harder to focus on his feet, this time focusing on the tickling feeling of the little streams over his body. He followed one down except instead of ending where he felt like his feet should be, he could keep following it as it wound its way down, down and then sideways out far, far away until it started to rise again. Then suddenly it felt like he was being yanked back, pulled down to follow that same path again up and then down again and out into fresh air.

He didn't have to gasp for breath this time but he did stumble as he stepped out.

“Yes! Great job Harry, I had to pull you back from a different tree, did you feel?” Aspen asked.

Harry nodded.

They spent the rest of the day tree walking. It was long and cold and tiring but at the end Aspen trusted Harry to walk between two close trees all on his own. Aspen also showed Harry the rune they had cut into his tongue and the leaf they'd sealed it with in case he ever had to bind someone's tongue.

He hoped he didn't.

They tree walked together back to the house. Aspen insisted they not get too close because Patty and Heidi weren't allowed to know about tree walking. Neither were Daciana and Jack but they were gone. Harry led them back, pulling Aspen along this time. Except it took him three tries to find a tree that was close to the house.

“That's the biggest problem,” Aspen said as they walked back to the yard. “Getting lost and finding yourself in some random forest and not knowing how to get back. Don't do it on your own for a while okay?”

Harry nodded.

“What do you think? Is your tongue up for some food? You haven't eaten much today,” Aspen said, leading them into the truck, rather than the house.

Harry shrugged.

“Yeah, reasonable, I am sorry, it's just the only way I could teach you. I had my tongue cut too, I was a bit older than you though,” Aspen said, rooting around in the pantry. “The sun is down now, so you can take out the leaf. I'll fix you something to drink and then get you a new leaf just for comfort.”

Harry drank some sweet flavored milk. It hurt to drink but his stomach was rather pleased regardless. Aspen had him rinse his mouth before they gave him another leaf, which soothed the pain a lot more then the first one.

Aspen shepherded him to bed, and then read to him until he fell asleep. When he woke up, Aspen was asleep sideways across the foot of his bed snoring lightly, still in their overalls. Harry felt warm knowing they had stayed.

He may have driven Xanthus away, but maybe he wouldn't drive Aspen away.

Maybe.

Chapter Text

Xanthus apparated back to the forest on the side of the freeway near town, then walked a mile to the large parking lot outside the no-maj grocery store.

He waited there for about an hour before Patty's van came driving in. Patty wasn't at the wheel, instead Daciana slid out and waved at him. She looked exhausted. Jack and three other folks he'd only met a few days ago when he drove out with them, also got out. He followed them into the store where everyone loaded up on big bags of sugar, peanut butter and other large cheap staples the community couldn't grow itself. As everyone was scrounging up what cash they had, Xanthus’ paid for it all. Earning him some shoulder slaps and a hair ruffle from Jack. It wasn't much money compared to what it would have cost him to live without the community.

They drove from there to the lake and sat by the shore, watching evening slowly turn to night.

“How was your kid's birthday?” Jack asked as they sat and waited.

“Rolf was happy I came,” Xanthus shrugged.

“But not you?” Jack asked.

“Things are… awkward… with my ex,” Xanthus said.

“I thought Rolf was coming back with you?” Daciana said, sitting down on Xanthus' other side to join them.

“Shouldn't you be napping?” Jack asked, leaning over to look at Daciana. She shrugged. Even her shrug looked sluggish.

“Uh… no, I just promised I'd see him for his birthday,” Xanthus said. “I only have him in the summer.”

“How old is he?” Jack asked.

“Just turned seven.”

“Older than Harry then,” Jack said. “Is that why things are awkward with your ex?”

“Xanthus isn't Harry's dad,” Daciana said just as Xanthus said “Harry's older actually.”

“Nah,” Jack said.

“Nah what?” Daciana laughed.

“You're both pulling my leg,” Jack said.

“Harry turned seven in July,” Xanthus said. “And I… uh… got him at the end of June.”

“How did you get him?” Daciana asked.

“But he's tiny,” Jack objected.

“Uh…” Xanthus said. Those were basically the same question but he didn't know if he should answer. Admitting he kidnapped Harry didn't seem like the best choice. He was saved as another group of wayward folks arrived and came up to them.

“Alright, Daciana?” One of them said as they approached. “Rough moon?”

“Pretty decent actually,” Daciana said. “Just drove the whole way back, myself.”

“Didn't wake one of us,” Jack grumbled, but he smiled at Daciana.

“About that time, I think,” another man said as he joined them. He pulled out a little belled charm, like Xanthus originally used on the island. Xanthus pulled out his own charm as Jack and Daciana did the same. When he rang it, he was suddenly able to see the little wooden boats all moored on the shore.

They all clambered in, two or three to a boat, and pushed off towards the island and feast.

Xanthus was eager to see Harry. He hadn't liked leaving him behind, and still wasn't sure it had been the right choice. He had promised Rolf he'd be there for his birthday and after just vanishing all of last year... It didn't feel right to miss it. He had missed Rolf and it was a deep balm on his heart seeing his little boy grow up. The balm was dampened by Harry's absence, and by the lies.

He told Rolf and Perchina he had given Harry away. Rolf had not been happy, but it seemed safer that way. If everyone thought Xanthus didn't have Harry, then his family wouldn't be targeted.

Xanthus had also decided he couldn't leave Harry for yule, and it hurt to know that he wouldn't see Rolf again till late June. Perchina hadn't missed the chance to share what she thought of a father who wouldn't even come around for the Holidays. It didn't help that lying about Harry meant his excuse was rather thin.

He took a few bites of his meal and drank deeply from his goblet before looking around for Harry. It took him a while to spot the boy. Sitting on the shore with a plate and goblet next to Aspen, tucked away from the rest of the community a bit. Xanthus took his plate over.

“Harry,” he said, as he approached. Harry jumped a bit, spilling his drink and peered up with wide eyes. To Xanthus' surprise, Harry just waved shyly and went back to looking at the water. He looked over and met eyes with Aspen who gave Xanthus a pained kind of smile.

He took a seat next to Harry, who continued to sit quietly.

“You okay, kiddo?” Xanthus asked, he reached over to run his hands through Harry's hair. Now having an inch or more of solidly black roots and red-brown ends.

“I'm fine,” Harry said, but he ducked his head out of Xanthus' hand. He let his hand fall lamely at his side. He watched as Harry picked at the food on his under-full plate.

“I'm going to go check on Daciana,” Aspen said after a long while of awkward silence. Harry looked alarmed at the proclamation, turning and giving Aspen a scared kind of look. Aspen smiled sadly at Harry. “I'm not going far, promise.”

Aspen squeezed Xanthus shoulder, turning that sad smile on him as if they were trying to tell him something. He didn't know what though. He didn't know what had happened while he was gone.

Harry pulled his knees up to his chest as Aspen walked away, abandoning his food completely.

“Do you not like the food, Harry?” Xanthus asked, although the notion seemed strange given that Harry was never picky about food.

“It's fine,” Harry said. He didn't sound angry. It wasn't the kind of ‘its fine’ that Perchina would give him when she actually meant that it wasn't at all fine but she'd be just given up with him. He didn't really sound sad either. He sounded… small.

“Did something happen? Are you sure you're okay?” Xanthus tried again.

“I'm fine,” Harry said.

“You should eat more,” Xanthus said.

“Okay,” Harry said quietly, immediately picking up his plate and eating. He looked like he was eating rotely. Like chewing was hard.

“You don't have to eat, if you aren't hungry,” Xanthus said. “Did you eat before you came?”

Harry shook his head no, always looking out at the water and not at Xanthus. He put his plate back down.

Xanthus picked at his own food for a while, the boisterous sound of the feast behind him felt dull and washed out compared to the quietness between Harry and him.

“Do you want me to get you some ginger beer to breathe fire?” Xanthus asked as some of the other kids breathing fire caught his eye.

Harry shook his head no.

“Are you sad because you couldn't see Rolf?” Xanthus tried after a while.

“No,” Harry said. “It would be dangerous. I understand.”

He still said it with very little emotion. Just dullness and quietness. Like everything else he'd said.

Eventually the feast wrapped up, Harry and Xanthus both having finished less than half of their plate. Aspen came to collect them to walk back with the house and when they walked up Harry looked rather relieved.

Daciana looked dead on her feet as she walked across the roots. Patty walked close behind her, looking concerned. Jack lagged back to greet Harry as they walked.

“Ready to learn more potions or has Patty stolen you back while we were gone?” Jack asked teasingly.

“We can do potions,” Harry said in that same dull voice. Jack looked up at Xanthus with concern then over to Aspen who gave Jack that same pained smile they had given Xanthus.

They all piled into Patty's van when they reached the shore. Xanthus wasn't entirely sure how Patty, Harry and Aspen had gotten to the lake, but they all went back together. The werewolves who drove in with them seemed to drive back separately.

Both Daciana and Jack fell asleep, making the drive back quiet. Harry stared out the window the whole way.

When they arrived back at the house, Aspen gave Harry a little shove to get him to follow Xanthus back to the truck.

They got ready for bed in silence.

“Do you want to come sleep with me?” Xanthus asked as Harry made his way to his room.

“No, that's okay,” Harry said, before shutting the door and leaving Xanthus standing in the hall.

When he woke, Harry was gone. Not in his room, the kitchen or the library when Xanthus got out to check. Panicking he ran to the house, only to find Harry sitting happily at the kitchen table. His legs swung cheerily where they dangled from his seat as he spoke to Aspen in between bites of jammed toast.

“Oh, good morning Xanthus,” Aspen said as he opened the door. Harry looked over and Xanthus immediately noticed that his legs stilled. Harry quickly looked down at his plate, where he put his toast down.

“Good morning,” Xanthus said. “I was worried when Harry was gone.”

“Sorry,” Harry said quickly

“Xanthus,” Aspen said, looking at Harry with that same pained look. “Would you mind if Harry and I went harvesting on our own this morning, there is something I want to talk to him about.”

“Oh, uh… sure, I suppose,” Xanthus said, caught a bit by surprise. He noticed Harry cheer up a bit at the prospect and his gut twisted in response. Did Harry not want to be around him anymore?

“Thank you,” Aspen said. Then turned to Harry and seemed to note that Harry was just picking at his toast. “Ready to go?”

“Yes,” Harry said quickly, jumping to his feet and running to the door.

Aspen followed after at a more sedate pace, leaving Xanthus standing in the kitchen.

It was hard to breathe.

He watched as Harry and Aspen disappeared into the forest before sitting heavily at the table. He sat there till Patty woke up.

“Morning Xanthus,” Patty said sleepily as she shuffled into the kitchen, rooting around the pantry for something. “Er, Afternoon I suppose. Where's Harry?”

“With Aspen,” Xanthus said, his voice sounding hoarse even to his own ears. He cleared it.

“Oh,” Patty said. “I was hoping it would be better now.”

“What?” Xanthus asked.

“Well… tell you the truth, Harry kind of just…. shutdown when you left,” Patty said. “Aspen managed to do something to get Harry to open back up to them but I don't know what. He won't talk to me at all, basically, one word answers at best. I thought when you came back he'd cheer back up, we thought it was because you left.”

He didn't know if he felt better or worse knowing that Harry was acting weird for Patty too. Harry always seemed so comfortable with Patty, eager to ask her questions about everything and anything after she taught him her chanting. He propped his elbows on the table and rested his forehead on his fists.

“You okay,” Patty said, coming and sitting next to him.

“I don't know what to do,” he said.

“Yeah, even Aspen seems lost and that's a hard thing to do. Although Aspen still had more success then the rest of us, so…” Patty sighed. “I'm sure you'll figure it out. That kid loves you something wicked.”

“He doesn't even want to be near me,” Xanthus said. “A week ago he wouldn't leave my side.”

Patty shrugged helplessly.

“Want me to fix you something to eat?” She asked.

He shook his head no.

The next few days weren't much better. Xanthus got to accompany Harry and Aspen out harvesting, but it was a quiet, muted affair. Harry didn't run ahead or jump over logs. He walked sedately with them, keeping a healthy distance between himself and Xanthus. He refused to be read to at night, instead choosing to read on his own. He went back to brew potions with Jack but even Jack expressed concern, telling Xanthus that Harry had been quiet and seemed very uneager to brew now.

Eventually Xanthus found a moment where Harry was off with Jack, and Aspen had come back early from harvesting so that he could talk to them.

“Do you know what's wrong,” he asked as Aspen was dropping their harvest from the baskets onto cloth laid out on the kitchen floor.

“I…” Aspen said, pausing their task. They looked more pained than Xanthus had ever really seen them. Even when searching for Harry when he was missing, Aspen had looked more determined than anything else. Giving off a calm air for those around the.. “Not really. I have a suspicion, but I don't know…” they sighed. “I thought it might have been something I did… but I did it to cheer him up and he swears it's not that… it did seem to cheer him up but only for me for some reason.”

“What did you do?” Xanthus asked.

“Taught him magic,” Aspen smiled. “Kid loves magic, it was all I could think of. He wouldn't sleep or talk or eat.”

“That bad?” Xanthus asked.

“Can I ask you something?” Aspen said. “How'd you get Harry?”

“Uh…” Xanthus said.

“I don't mean to pry,” Aspen said. “There are lots of bets going around the house, everyone has their own wild guess and I meant to just let it be but… I just have a feeling it's related to whatever is going on with him.”

“I don't really… its… uh…” Xanthus stumbled, looking down so that he didn't meet Aspen's eyes.

“You're not his dad right?” Aspen asked.

“Well… I am now,” Xanthus said. “But no, not technically. Not really in any legal sense at all. We aren't related. The foe he is supposed to fight killed his parents, when he was a baby.”

“How long have you had him?” Aspen asked. “Ever since then?”

“Oh no,” Xanthus said. “I only got him in June and it was kinda an accident that he's in my care. What were my mom's words… something like: no one would give me a kid intentionally… or something like that. It just, kinda, ended up this way.”

“June? You haven't even had him a year?” Aspen looked surprised.

“Uh, yeah,” Xanthus said. “Which is to say, I have no idea what I'm doing. I raised my own kid till he was five but… Rolf and Harry are nothing alike and I certainly wasn't raising Rolf on my own.”

“Well you aren't on your own now, either,” Aspen said. “I don't know how much this helps but Harry's been talking a lot about trying not to be a burden. He didn't seem to think you'd be coming back so I thought he'd be excited that you did but… I dunno, maybe he thinks you'll leave him still… or something. Do you really see yourself as his dad now?”

“Yes,” Xanthus said without hesitation. “Almost more than Rolf, though I feel horrible thinking it. It's just that I feel like I have no control over what happens to Rolf at all, but with Harry… it's just me and him. No one can take him away from me… or I suppose a lot of people will try but I won't let them. I guess Rolf already got taken away and I know he's still there and I'm still his dad but… he feels gone. He's felt gone since before I ever met Harry. I dunno, it's all messed up.”

“I don't know what's happened to Harry before you got him but he's a lot more mature than he ought to be, so maybe you should tell him all that,” Aspen said. “Mostly the not letting him go part and the being his dad now.”

“He doesn't even seem like he wants to be near me,” Xanthus said. “I don't wanna force myself on him.”

“You're not,” Aspen said. “I think he still desperately wants to be near you.”

“I guess I'll try…” Xanthus said.

It wasn't until the next night that he was able to make much progress though.

Xanthus lay in bed kicking himself for yet again not saying anything to Harry that might fix the situation. Staring at the canvas ceiling, his mind spun through possible conversation after conversation before he gave up and got out of bed.

He walked down the hall to Harry's room and rapped lightly at the door.

“Harry? You awake?” He asked softly.

“Yeah,” Harry said quietly.

“Can I come in?” Xanthus asked.

“Okay,” Harry said.

Xanthus opened the door and walked in, leaving it slightly a jar behind him. He sat at the head of the bed, next to Harry's shoulder. Harry was burrowed into his blankets, his head completely covered. It looks like he had been like that for a while rather than because Xanthus had come in.

Xanthus rested a hand on the blankets over Harry. Then, after a moment's hesitation, he laid down and pulled the bundle of blankets that was Harry into him in a hug.

Harry was a stif bundle of blankets for long enough that Xanthus was worried he was overstepping, no matter how many times he'd done this before. Then, finally, Harry relaxed and cuddled into Xanthus' chest. His small hands, which had been tightly holding the blanket around him, reached out and grabbed the front of Xanthus' nightgown.

Xanthus' heart clenched in a painful sort of relief as Harry finally seemed to accept his presence.

“I'm worried about you,” Xanthus whispered into the top of Harry's head as he rubbed circles on his back. He felt Harry stiffen almost instantly against him, so he gave him a tight hug.

“You don't have to worry,” Harry said.

“But I'm worried anyway,” Xanthus said. “Something is wrong and I don't know how to fix it.”

“Nothing's wrong,” Harry said quickly.

“Well something has changed,” Xanthus said instead. “I miss eating breakfast with you, reading with you, cuddling and talking. You seem like you don't want me around.”

“I want you around,” Harry said very quietly.

“Really?” Xanthus asked before he could think better of it. He desperately wanted that to be true.

Xanthus could feel Harry nodd his head, yes, against his chest. Then Harry let go of Xanthus' nightgown to hug him properly.

“Please don't leave me,” Harry whispered very quietly.

“I won't,” Xanthus said. “I already told Rolf I wasn't coming for Yule. I'm not leaving again.”

Harry squirmed around to look up at him, green eyes barely visible in the bundle of blankets.

“But… but Rolf's your son,” Harry said.

“Yes, he is,” Xanthus said. “But so are you.”

“I'm not…,” Harry said, looking more confused than resistant as his messy head of hair emerged some from the blankets.

“You don't have to think of me as your dad,” Xanthus said. “I would never force you to, but that doesn't change that I think of you as my son.”

“You do?” Harry asked.

“I do,” Xanthus confirmed. “I love you a lot kiddo, and I am happy I somehow stumbled upon being your dad.”

“But… what if… what if I'm annoying? Or… talk too much? Or…. Or…. Aren't I… a burden?” Harry mumbled.

“You aren't a burden Harry and nothing you could do would make me leave you, nothing,” Xanthus said.

“But you did leave,” Harry whispered so quietly, Xanthus almost didn't hear him.

“I know,” Xanthus said, a sinking feeling in his gut sharply accompanying the realization of what was wrong. “I'm sorry, but I came back. I'll always come back. Sometimes parents have to go away for a few days. Sometimes they do it for work or because they need to fo get something but it doesn't happen often and we always come back, if we can and nothing you do is going to change that. You could be the most annoying, horrible little kid and I'd still come back.”

“Why?” Harry asked.

“Because I love you. Because that's my job. Because it's not your responsibility to keep me happy, its your responsibility to be a kid and it's my responsibility to be here for you no matter what,” Xanthus said.

“What about Rolf?” Harry asked quietly.

“I'd do the same for Rolf if Perchina let me, but you don't have a Perchina to keep me away,” Xanthus said. “We'll still see Rolf in the summer, both of us.”

“Isn't that dangerous?” Harry asked.

“I'll keep you both safe,” Xanthus promised.

They were quiet for a while, just laying there. Harry had his face pressed into Xanthus' sternum, the blankets now less cocooned around him.

“Will you stay here tonight?” Harry asked very quietly.

“Yes please,” Xanthus said, pressing his chin into Harry's hair. After a few more minutes Xanthus realized his toes were freezing in the cold night air, and rearranged them so that he could slip under the blankets. Harry fell asleep with Xanthus arm as his pillow. Xanthus stayed up late just brushing Harry's black and brown hair with his fingers.

Xanthus was such a mess. It really was his fault that Harry was upset. He shouldn't have left him but… skipping on his promise to Rolf… they both deserved far better. Poor Harry felt like exactly what Xanthus needed… but Harry should be with someone who wasn't such a screw up. Not that Xanthus was ever going to let him go now, he was too selfish.

***

“Dad!” Harry called from the top of the snow covered coal hill. He had a wooden sled in hand, his cheeks were a bright pink and his breath came out in big puffs of mist. “Watch this!”

Xanthus stood to the side as Harry took a running start to jump onto his sled. He tried to land on his feet but immediately fell over backwards into the snow, the sled careening off down the hill without him. Xanthus wandlessly summoned the sled back up to him. Harry sheepishly walked down to retrieve it.

It had been months since Xanthus had convinced Harry to start calling him dad, but every time he heard it, it made him feel warm inside.

“Maybe take a running start onto your knees first,” Xanthus suggested with a smile. Harry smiled brightly back at him before running up the hill again, sled in toe. Harry had to jump out of the way to dodge Weld speeding down. He laughed as he tripped and fell into a soft pile of snow. Xanthus watched as the snow almost completely covered him. By the time Harry extricated himself he looked more like a snowman than a kid, but he smiled brightly. Continuing to trudge up to the top.

“Dad!” Harry yelled again as he reached the top, letting Kitty slide down as he waved at Xanthus as if he wasn't already looking. “Watch this!”

Chapter Text

Rolf sat on his trunk, fidgeting his legs anxiously as he waited.

“He's late,” His mom said, her arms crossed and face pinched.

“I know mom,” Rolf said.

“Your father seriously needs to grow up, Rolf, this is ridiculous, honestly,” she said, pacing back and forth across the living room floor.

Rolf didn't say anything.

There was a light rapping on the door a moment later. His mom stood up straighter and marched to the door, yanking it open.

“Uh, sorry I'm late,” his dad said quietly where he stood in the door. His hair was slightly longer than last time Rolf had seen it, now cast in front of his face to hide it from view. Like it often was when other adults were around.

“Dad!” Rolf yelled, jumping off his trunk and hurtling himself into his dad's arms. He felt himself get lifted into the air before he was spun around, his legs dangling out behind him. He laughed, burying his face in his dad's weird no-maj shirt.

“You're supposed to come by floo,” his mom said sternly from behind him. “In fact you are supposed to tell me where to floo so I can bring him over.”

“Rolf is old enough to apparate now,” his dad said. Rolf pressed his ear into Xanthus' chest, taking in the deep way it rumbled when he talked.

“Barely, and that's not the point, I'm supposed to see where he's staying,” his mom said.

“You're not actually,” his dad said.

“What!?” His mom sounded mad now, speaking in that very rare clipped tone she used when Rolf had done something really wrong… or when his dad was around.

“That's not part of the agreement,” his dad said, his voice shook slightly but Rolf could feel him standing up taller. “Nowhere does it say you have to inspect where I live. I'll take Rolf's trunk now.”

Rolf looked up at his dad. He'd never really heard him talk to his mom like that, he looked over at his mom. He was about eye level with her from where he sat in Xanthus' arms. She looked… very mad.

She didn't say anything though, she just summoned his trunk so that it landed hard at their feet.

“Do you wanna say goodbye?” His dad asked softly as he placed Rolf back on the ground. Rolf looked anxiously at his mom, whose face immediately softened as she looked at him. He walked into her arms where she hugged him close, soft and warm.

“I'll miss you,” she whispered in his ear.

“Me too,” he sniffed, trying not to cry.

“Don't pick up too many bad habits,” she teased.

“Don't work too hard,” he said back. She chuckled and then sniffed.

“I'll do my best,” she said, letting him go. He walked back to his dad, who grabbed his hand tightly.

“Have you apparated before Rolf?” His dad asked.

“Yep!” Rolf said, although he didn't really like apparating, it made him feel like a big kid being allowed to side-along.

“Alright, take a deep breath,” his dad said, and then they were twisting on the spot and getting sucked into that tight nothingness. Squeezed on all sides, impossibly small. And then it was over. They were suddenly in a gravel parking area surrounded by woods. Rolf let out the air he was holding and took another deep breath and looked around. There were no buildings and the only car there was Grandpa Newt's old canvas backed truck.

His dad picked up his trunk and lugged it over to the truck. Rolf followed him over.

“I have a surprise for you,” his dad said, pausing outside the truck. “But you have to promise not to tell anyone about it. Not a single person. Can you do that?”

“Yeah,” Rolf said curiously.

He unzipped the canvas door and stuck his head in the truck.

“Harry!” He called. “We're back!”

“Harry? But you said-” Rolf started but before he could finish Harry came running to the door so fast he slammed into the tailgate. His hair, now quite long, flew out in front of him as he came to a sudden stop. Harry hurriedly pushed his hair back behind him, which Rolf saw was held back roughly by a thick knit bandana with little moving trinkets woven in. It didn't do a perfect job holding back Harry's hair, because the boy just had so much of it. It was the same color as his own hair, but way thicker and messier.

When Harry had extricated his face from his hair, he beamed at Rolf.

“Rolf!” Harry said, climbing over the tailgate with a practiced ease and jumping down to the ground. “I missed you.”

Rolf blinked at him for a second, before throwing caution to the wind and throwing his arms around the other boy. He suddenly felt tears pressing hard on the back of his eyes.

“I thought you were gone!” Rolf wailed, squeezing Harry tightly. He had captured one of Harry's arms in his hug, so Harry could only hug back with the other. “I thought I'd never see you again!”

“Me too,” Harry said quietly, resting his cheek on Rolf's forehead, which made Rolf step back and look at him.

“Wait! How'd you get so tall?” Rolf asked. In fact Harry really did look quite different. Last time Rolf saw him, you could make out all his bones. His cheeks were sharp and pointy and you could feel his ribs when you hugged him. He used to be way shorter than Rolf. Now he wasn't chubby, not like some of the boys he knew, but he was… softer. His face was rounder and his cheekbones less obvious. He was taller and despite summer having barely started he was already a bit tan rather than the pasty color Rolf remembered. He looked older and younger at the same time.

“I am older than you,” Harry laughed. He really laughed. Not just giggled shyly, but open mouth laughed.

“No way,” Rolf said, smiling widely at Harry's expression.

“Yup!” Harry said.

His dad herded them inside after that. Rolf picked out a room to be his, across the hall from Harry, and the three of them set about unpacking his trunk.

“Da- er, Xanthus,” Harry said, as they made their way into the kitchen for a post-unpacking snack. “Will you tell me where we are going now?”

“We're going on a road trip,” his dad said.

“I know that,” Harry said, rolling his eyes.

“Well Rolf doesn't,” his dad said.

“Oh, yeah,” Harry said, turning to Rolf and beaming. “We're going on a road trip, but Xanthus wouldn't tell me where our first stop is until you got here. We've basically just driven for a week straight to come get you.”

“Four days,” his dad said, he was at the stove for some reason flipping the toast-with-egg by hand rather than by magic.

“How come you're here?” Rolf asked, which was what he was much more curious about then where they were going.

“Oh, er… do you not want me to be?” Harry said, his face falling. Suddenly looking a lot more like the shy boy Rolf remembered.

“No, no! I mean yeah! I mean I do want you to be here!” Rolf said urgently. “I missed you, but dad said you were gone.”

“Oh, I didn't know,” Harry said, looking up at his dad, who flipped the toast-eggs onto a plate and put them in front of the boys, sitting down.

“I'm so sorry,” his dad said, looking at Rolf in that shy and pained sort of way he often looked at his mom. “I lied.”

“Lied? Why?” Rolf asked, bewildered on why he would want to make Rolf think Harry wasn't around anymore.

“Oh, because it's dangerous?” Harry asked his dad. Who nodded solemnly.

“Some very bad men are after Harry and I was worried that if everyone knew he was with me, they might go after you. So I told everyone he wasn't with me anymore. Which is why you have to pretend you only saw me this summer, okay? No one can know Harry was here,” his dad said, taking his hand and giving him a serious look. “Can you do that?”

“So I have to lie too?” Rolf asked.

“Keep it a secret, yes,” his dad said.

“Otherwise Harry's in danger?” He asked.

“Yes, you both are,” his dad said. “I'm sorry to ask you this.”

“That's okay, I can keep it a secret,” Rolf said. His mom didn't really know Harry anyway so he doubted she'd care. He just wished that he had been told earlier.

“Thanks Rolf,” Harry said.

They drove the rest of the day, all piled together in the cab. Rolf told them all about his year, while his dad and Harry listened with rapt attention. He told them about his mom catching a really important bad guy and about school and some of the kids in his class and some of the quidditch games he had played. Harry admitted that he hadn't flown since the last time he saw Rolf so Rolf begged his dad to let them go flying, but he didn't get any promises.

They had a big dinner to celebrate Rolf being there and baked some cookies together. Then they all piled into Harry's room to read a bedtime story. His mom had been too tired for bedtime stories lately and his dad normally didn't read them, so he was happy for the change. He refused to go back to his own bed when the story was over, and cuddled into Harry, still feeling relieved that he was there.

“You can call him dad, you know,” Rolf said. A while after they'd heard his dad's door click as he went to bed.

“Hmmm?” Harry said sleepily.

“I heard you almost call my dad ‘dad’ instead of Xanthus, you've done it a few times. I don't mind,” Rolf said.

“You're sure?” Harry asked quietly, sounding kinda scared.

“That would make you my brother, right?” Rolf asked.

“Er, yeah, I guess… if you want,” Harry said.

“I always wanted a brother or sister, but my parents started fighting before I could have one,” Rolf said. “Most of the kids in my class have a brother or sister or both, but not me.”

“I had a mean cousin once,” Harry said. “He didn't like to share.”

“I can share,” Rolf said.

“I missed you,” Harry said quietly. “I have some friends at… the place we stay but… they aren't the same.”

“Right,” Rolf said. “Because they're just friends.”

“Just friends?” Harry asked.

“They’re not family,” Rolf said. “My friend Max fights with his sister all the time. They yell at each other and try to get each other in trouble, but if anyone messes with Max’s sister he gets really mad. I asked him and he said siblings are different. They are more important than friends even if you fight and stuff. I want that too.”

“You wanna fight?” Harry sounded confused.

“No silly, I want… to be important… I guess,” he said, feeling a little sheepish. Maybe Harry didn't want to be his brother.

“You are important,” Harry said confidently, but then hesitated. “I don't know if I'd be a very good brother.”

“That's okay,” Rolf said. “I don't think it's something you have to be good at… do you wanna try?”

“Being brothers?” Harry asked.

“Yeah,” Rolf said.

“I'd like that.”

The next day they found out their destination by arriving at it. They drove through the woods until they reached a town that was cut clean in half by a huge waterfall. It was so loud they could hear it before they ever saw it. His dad parked and led them up to the fence where a bunch of other people were standing around looking over.

It was huge. A thundering wall of water that stretched on and on. He could see people on the other bank but they were so far away they were small.

“This is Niagara falls!” His dad yelled to them. Then pointed at the people on the other side. “Over there is Canada.”

“Is this the biggest waterfall ever?” Rolf asked, amazed. Harry climbed up on the fence a bit, his arms leaned back away from the edge rather than over it.

“Uh… I don't know,” his dad said, scratching his head sheepishly. “It's close.”

They had a picnic near the falls, eating sandwiches and watching the water and the birds.

“I wish I could fly over it!” Rolf said. “I bet I could touch it on my broom.”

“Would it hurt to touch?” Harry asked.

“Why would it hurt?” Rolf asked.

“It's a lot of water,” Harry said. He turned to their dad. “Would it hurt?”

“I dunno,” his dad said. “Probably. Definitely if you got really close, it would knock you right off your broom. It would be very wet before you could touch it.”

“Can we try?” Rolf asked eagerly.

“No,” his dad chuckled. “Too many no-maj at the very least.”

“What about at night?” Rolf asked.

“No, sorry,” his dad said. “You could still be seen and it's still dangerous.”

“Not for me,” Harry said.

“You can still get hurt,” his dad said, in a way that made it sound like this was a common discussion.

“Where are we going next?” Harry asked.

“We just got here,” his dad laughed. “You already want to go? Don't like rocks or water?”

“Er, no,” Harry said shyly, “I mean it's cool and all… are we staying long though?”

“Nah, we'll leave tonight,” his dad said. “We are heading west.”

“We just came from there,” Harry said.

“Yeah, but now we can stop at all the cool places and Rolf's never been.”

“Oh! Can we show him the big faces?” Harry said excitedly.

“I thought you didn't like the big faces,” his dad said.

“They were cool,” Harry said sheepishly. “And I can see now.”

Rolf ate his sandwich quietly. He felt… left out. Harry had gotten his dad all year and Rolf only had the summer. They just seemed so comfortable and Rolf didn't know what they were talking about.

“Well first we are going to go see some cool rocks,” his dad teased. Harry stuck out his tongue, which was something Rolf had never seen Harry do. His dad turned to Rolf. “You at least like cool rocks, don't you Rolf?”

“Of course!” He said quickly. He wasn't really sure if he did like cool rocks, but if it made him closer to his dad, then he wanted to.

“Good,” his dad smiled. “Now I have a rock buddy.”

It turned out, three days of driving and lake swimming campouts later, Rolf did like cool rocks.

They drove through a slow winding road surrounded by cliffs of rock that were striped with all different colors. Reds and yellow and even purple-ish bands of color lined the rocks in layers. His dad called it the badlands.

“Be careful of rattle-snakes,” his dad said, as they climbed out of the truck onto the hot rocky ground. There weren't any plants in sight. “They rattle their tails in warning and are very poisonous, don't approach them. They don't try to attack unless you get too close. Maybe tell them we're friendly, if you see one Harry.”

“Okay,” Harry said.

“Come here for a sec,” his dad said, and gathered them close. He discretely pulled out his wand and taped them each on the nose. Rolf felt the cool wave of a sun protection spell tingle across his face and down his neck. Harry jumped lightly when his nose was tapped. He looked just as curiously at his dad's wand as he had a year ago, which was a bit odd.

“So, what are we here to see?” Harry asked. His dad gave a big exaggerated sigh.

“Rocks, Harry,” his dad teased, gesturing about at the colorful cliffs around them.

“They're really cool,” Rolf said, looking up at his dad who smiled and ruffled his hair.

“Exactly,” his dad said, and started leading them down a path into the badlands.

“Er, right,” Harry said, suddenly sounding much more British than he had in days. It made Rolf realize that really much of Harry's accent was gone now.

Rolf skipped up to hold his dad's hand, even though it was hot and their hands almost instantly became sweaty to the touch. Harry lagged behind a bit, peering around in the shadows of the rocks at the ground rather than looking up at the cliffs themselves.

They climbed up a bit and were actually able to get to the top of one of the cliffs. They didn't really look like normal cliffs from up high. Many of them were just spindly spires or slopes of color.

“Look! There is a hole straight through that one,” Rolf said pointing, feeling pleased when his dad squatted down next to him and looked over where he was pointing. A broad grin on his face.

“It kinda looks like a quidditch hoop,” his dad said, “bet you could fly straight through it.”

“Can I!?” Rolf asked.

“No,” his dad chuckled. “Tell you the truth we don't even have brooms in the truck, I'll see if I can get Grandpa to send us some.”

“We could have stopped by, we were nearby at the waterfall, right?” Harry said.

“Too d-” his dad started.

“Dangerous,” Harry interrupted sadly. “Right. Sorry.”

“Harry it's -” his dad started sadly, but suddenly Harry was grinning madly, looking around like he just noticed something very exciting.

“Rolf, watch this!” Harry said before running and jumping straight off the edge. Rolf yelled in surprise as Harry fell out of view. His dad grabbed his wrist sharply as he ran to the edge to try to see what happened to Harry. They both looked over in time to see Harry's fall slow down midair so that he floated softly to the ground.

“Cool!? Right!?” Harry yelled up from the ground where he stood grinning at them.

“Stay right where you are!” His dad yelled, honestly looking more angry than Rolf had really ever seen him. “Come on, Rolf.”

He followed his dad down a gravelly scramble where they half walked and half slid down the side to cut back to the ground faster. It was actually quite fun but he held back his giggles. His dad didn't seem in the mood.

They rounded the corner to find Harry standing looking sheepish but still grinning lightly.

“What were you thinking?” His dad said, sounding both mad and scared.

“It looked fun,” Harry said. “You don't need a broom to float.”

“You could have been seriously injured Harry, you cannot just jump off of cliffs. I know you can't die from it but you can still break your-”

“Kitty and I float off the swings all the time,” Harry said, his sheepish grin now completely gone. He was looking at his toes instead of up at their dad.

“What if a no-maj had seen you? What if it had failed this time?” His dad asked, although he didn't really seem like he was expecting an answer.

“I checked for no-maj,” Harry mumbled. “I just wanted to show Rolf what I could do…”

His dad sighed, putting his face in his hands and rubbing it. Rolf could see tears dropping onto Harry's shoes from where his brother stared at his feet. He supposed this was one of the differences between having a friend and a brother. His dad would never scold a friend. Although, honestly, Rolf couldn't remember his dad ever scolding him either. It was always his mom who scolded him, his dad never did. Although he'd never jumped off an honest-to-spirits cliff, so…

“Come here,” his dad said eventually, opening his arms for Harry to slump into. He pulled Harry into a tight hug, pressing his cheek into his messy hair. “Sorry Harry, that just really scared me.”

“Sorry,” Harry murmured thickly into his shirt.

“How about after this, I’ll find us a swimming hole with something we can jump off and you can teach Rolf to float like you taught Kitty on the swings,” his dad said, rubbing circles in Harry's back. “And you promise not to go jumping off of cliffs for fun?”

“Really?” Harry asked, looking up with excitement shining in his teary eyes.

“Promise?” His dad asked.

“Promise I won't jump off of cliffs,” Harry said.

“You can if there is water at the bottom or you have to,” his dad said. “You make the same promise, Rolf.”

“What? I'm definitely not jumping off any cliffs!” Rolf said feeling bewildered. “That was scary!”

“You'll change your mind when you learn how,” Harry said excitedly, reaching out of the hug to grab Rolf's hand. “You'll see!”

His dad sighed again.

They didn't immediately find a swimming hole, instead they camped just off the badlands in a field with a number of other no-maj campers. They had to wait for some mountain goats on the road on the drive to the campsite. His dad wouldn't let them get out of the car to get closer to the goats.

They cooked outside in a little metal grill setup for campers. His dad cooked sausages and some asparagus while Rolf convinced Harry to join some other kids in the campground in a game of tag. Harry seemed uncomfortable asking the other kids to join but ended up being really good at tag. No one could catch him.

“I bet you could all try to catch him at the same time and you still couldn't catch my brother,” Rolf said, feeling an odd welling of pride and bragging as some of the kids sat to catch their breath.

“Er, I'm sure I'm not-” Harry started, before another kid interrupted with a “you're on!”

Which was how he had suddenly roped Harry into getting chased by five other kids around the field at once. They all stopped when there was suddenly a great rumbling in the distance. They looked over in time to watch some thick dark clouds on the horizon light up.

“Oh shut up you big baby,” an older boy said as one of the little kids began to cry. He kicked the kid, who turned out to be his brother because his mother immediately came stomping over with a look of fury on her face. The rest of the kids exchanged wary looks and the group broke up back to their own camps by silent agreement. They could hear the mom yelling at her older son as they sat to eat dinner.

“We can really see the storm coming from miles off,” his dad said as he ate, pointing out at the clouds. They were steadily rolling across the sky towards them, thunder occasionally rumbling in the distance. As they watched the clouds roll closer, they could see a big sheet of rain underneath making the dry ground turn dark.

“I kinda thought when it rained, it rained everywhere,” Harry said. “Or maybe it got lighter and lighter until it stopped raining. I didn't know there was an end to the rain, like a wall.”

“Sometimes it just peters out, depends on the place, we can see the storm because it's so flat here, nothing to slow it down,” his dad said. “We should probably head in soon.”

“Noo! I wanna feel the rain!” Rolf said, feeling excited as he could see the wall of water coming closer and closer.

“Well, alright then,” his dad smiled, cleaning up dinner and then retreating into the back of the truck to watch them from a dry place.

Rolf grabbed Harry's hands and they ran up to the edge of the storm and then tried to outrun the wall of rain. It overtook them quickly, drenching them with cool heavy rain almost instantly. It felt like suddenly getting thrown into a shower with his clothes on. Rolf laughed and danced around while Harry looked up into the sky and spun around in circles smiling and then sputtering as water got in his nose. This made Rolf laugh some more.

“I thought I had two boys, not two wet dogs,” his dad laughed as they squelched their way over the tailgate back into the truck. Thunder shook the floor and lightning flashed overhead.

“Dogs can be boys,” Rolf said grinning. Harry barked which made Rolf devolve into giggles again, mostly at the sheepish look on Harry's face as if he wasn't quite sure if it was okay to bark. The boy who jumped off a cliff that morning with a grin, nervous about barking. Rolf tried to bark back but it mostly came out as a choking sound around his laughter.

His dad herded them into the shower and left them to get cleaned up. They peeled off their wet clothes and then Rolf started a brief soggy wet clothes fight till his dad called in to ask what they were doing. They dried off grinning and dressed in their nightgowns. Which felt like a relief after having to wear no-maj pants all day.

All three of them cuddled up in his dad's bed. The thunder and rain made it so they couldn't read so instead they blew out the candles and just cuddled up and listened to the thunder and watched the canvas roof light up in the lightning.

Rolf woke up suddenly as the truck shook roughly. He sat up, confused and found his dad already sitting.

The rain had stopped sometime while he was asleep.

He could hear some shuffling outside, then he saw the canvas buckle slightly and the truck leaned to the side before being dropped back down on its wheels with a thump.

His dad grabbed his wand and crept down the hall towards the entrance. He wordlessly cast some spell and then unzipped the door. It made no sound. He threw his head out the door, wand first and then paused. And then laughed.

“Rolf! Harry! Come here!” He said, laughing. He lowered his wand and used his other hand to cover his face in mirth.

Rolf and Harry hurried curiously up to the door. Rolf peered out, with Harry to his left, then stood back in shock. All around them were huge beasts. Massive furry brown hoofed creatures with horns, their shoulders, neck and head impossibly large, looming almost taller than the truck.

“Buffalo!” Harry said happily.

One of the Buffalo got too close as it walked by and nudged the truck, rocking it to its side. The Buffalo seemed to enjoy rubbing its side on the truck as it passed, as if scratching an itch on its side.

They watched as the herd of Buffalo wandered through the campground under a clear starry sky. Not a sign of a cloud in sight. The only evidence of the storm were the squelched muddy foot falls of the Buffalo as they passed.

It took two days of aimless driving before they found a place to swim. His dad gave in and asked at a grocery store for some local advice. They ended up hiking up along some train tracks until they found a rickety old bridge that crossed over a deep lake underneath.

His dad hiked down to the lake shore to watch them from below as they stood on the edge of the bridge.

“That's pretty far…” Rolf said as he peered down to the water below. He didn't get dizzy flying up on his broom but he felt a little dizzy looking down at the lake.

“Yep, it's great!” Harry said. “Anyway, we aren't trying to jump in like the local kids, we're trying to float! Xanthus said we have to keep an eye out for no-maj kids if we're floating so look before you jump.”

“I don't even know how to float,” Rolf said, feeling a bit like he didn't need to learn if it meant he could just swim normally by the shore instead of jumping off the bridge.

“Oh that's easy,” Harry said. “Or well, it's easy for us. Adults have trouble with it. Jack only did it once and he hurt himself the next time he tried but we were jumping off the swings and not using water. Anyway, you just take a deep breath and imagine yourself getting lighter, like the air is lifting you up. Watch!”

Then he jumped. No preamble or hesitation, Harry just jumped off the edge. Rolf watched as he rushed towards the water and then suddenly slowed, until he slowly lowered in with hardly a splash. Harry waved up at him and then swam out of the way, beckoning for him to jump.

Rolf looked nervously over the edge.

Then backed up away from it.

No way was he going to jump. He couldn't do it.

“Comeon! You can do it! It's just like flying!” Harry yelled from where he was treading water. Rolf looked down at him. Honestly, Harry didn't look like the best swimmer, he was doggy paddling hard to stay in place.

It was just water. It was just water. It was just water.

He jumped.

Then screamed the whole way down.

He didn't have time to think about taking in a deep breath or floating or anything before he was suddenly hitting the water. His feet hit first and then he was plunged deep, deep, deep into the water. Everything was water. He clapped one hand over his nose to keep water from getting in and began desperately swimming up. What if he’d dived too deep? He was still swimming and swimming. What if he didn't make it back up. He could feel his lungs burning and his heart pounding.

He broke the surface and gasped for air. Harry doggy paddled over to him, a huge grin on his face.

“That was brilliant!” Harry said, a hint of his accent peaking through. “You didn't float but that looked awesome! I wanna do that!”

Now that his head was above water and his body was flush with excitement, he couldn't help but agree. They swam to the shore, took a brief breather and then went up again.

It took five tries before Rolf managed to float. The first time he did it, he floated starting about half way, got excited and lost it, meaning that he ended up belly flopping into the lake. It wasn't from very high but it still hurt. They all laughed pretty hard about it. Meanwhile Harry was trying desperately to not float and not having nearly as much luck. He seemed to do it reflexively so no matter what he tried, he'd always slow down before he hit the water.

Rolf managed to float a few more times properly before some local kids showed up and they had to stop completely. What with Harry being unable to not float, they couldn't really keep jumping.

They drove to Bear’s Lodge after that. A huge spire of rock that a giant bear had carved out of a mountain. Apparently his dad and Harry had seen it last year. Rolf happily walked around the spire with his dad, admiring the weird clawed rock. Harry grinned at them as he trailed behind. Rolf managed to bully his dad into a ride on his shoulders even though he was “getting too big” for it now.

They saw “the faces” Harry had mentioned the next day. Huge no-maj faces carved out of the mountain. Harry said they were cooler when he could actually see them. Whatever that meant. Apparently the rock that was supposed to be a guy on a horse didn't really look different from last year.

They went to Yellowstone after that. There was a river where hot springs dumped straight into it, making it have patches of warm and cold water. Harry had never been to Yellowstone and Rolf felt better knowing he was doing new stuff with his dad too. They spent three days swimming there and driving around looking at geysers. Rolf especially liked the elk that would walk right up to the truck. His dad teased Harry for liking the geysers.

“So you do like some water things,” his dad said. “Maybe someday we'll find you a rock you like too.”

Harry just stuck out his tongue at him.

After Yellowstone they drove through Glacier National Park and did a long hike up to some lakes. Harry tried to jump in and immediately regretted it.

“It's freezing!!” Harry said after Rolf laughed at him for his high pitched shriek.

“It's literally ice water Harry, that's what glaciers are,” his dad chuckled, taking pity on him and discreetly hitting him with a drying charm. “I keep telling you, just cause it won't kill you doesn't mean it won't be unpleasant.”

Rolf put his hand in the water and quickly pulled it back out as it was so cold it almost felt burning.

“I can't believe you just jumped in this,” Rolf laughed while Harry shivered despite being dry.

“At least we didn't have to fish him out,” his dad said. “Cold water can send people into shock.”

They hiked out after that, just so Harry could get warm from moving. He was still shivering when they got back to the truck so they all cuddled up together with a book.

The rest of the summer was a blur of driving, hot weather and campouts. Harry turned eight in the desert of Arizona surrounded by huge cacti and sporting a terrible sunburn after they had forgotten their protection charm one day.

They drove through a weird park with giant fake dinosaurs. Apparently the no-maj had no idea how dinosaurs looked.

It felt like no time at all before he and Harry were running through the waves of the warm ocean water in Florida. They were going to spend the next few days at Disney World. His dad had been bullied into buying passes by a no-maj a few weeks ago. None of them honestly had any idea what to expect. It was apparently some no-maj approximation of flying or something. Using metal boxes. It was supposed to be fun but Rolf wasn't really looking forward to it.

As they got closer and closer to the east coast instead of the west coast he became more and more aware that he was heading home.

The summer was ending even though it felt like it had barely begun. Disney World just felt like an awful reminder that the summer was ending and it wasn't worth it.

…

Okay. Disney World was very worth it, Rolf decided.

In fact he was probably wrong about everything no-maj if they could make something like this.

It wasn't at all like flying. There was something incredibly exhilarating about being strapped into something and having no control over where it went. They were barely tall enough to ride Space Mountain, but they got back in line for it three times. They only rode Maelstrom once because it was apparently made pretty recently so lots of people wanted to try it.

Rolf kinda thought his dad might have confunded one of the attendants to let him onto another ride he was a hair short for but he couldn't tell for sure.

There were some really weird parts of Disney World too. There were lots of people dressed up in weird animal suits and everyone flocked around to get pictures with them. They felt like the only people in the park that didn't understand what they were there for. Everyone seemed to know their names.

At one point a giant duck in shorts even hugged him. Harry laughed and laughed until the duck hugged Harry next and they both had to run away in giggles.

There were weird fake animals and plants that moved super strange. They honestly fascinated Rolf and his dad kept having to keep him from trying to touch them as they went through the rides.

Harry and Rolf ran around the park till they couldn't anymore.

By the time his dad apparated him and his trunk back to his mom, he was honestly too tired to put up much of a fuss. He had one last whispered warning about not telling anyone about Harry before he was home.

His mom let him sleep in her bed for once that night as he told her all about Disney World. He had a suspicion that she'd take him again if only to show that his dad wasn't the only one that did fun things.

He was right.

Chapter Text

“Xanthus! Ha-aaa-” Jack yawned widely as he waved them over to the shore of the lake. “Ary” he finished, then yawned again.

“Jack drove this time,” Daciana said, although she looked almost equally tired.

Xanthus and Harry closed the truck door and walked down to join them and the other werewolves on the shore. Jack hugged Harry and then stood to pull Xanthus into a hug that felt stronger than Jack looked capable of at the moment. Almost to prove the point, Jack half collapsed into Xanthus, pressing his face into his shoulder and pretending to snore loudly. Harry laughed as Daciana rolled her eyes.

“This is why I normally drive,” she said fondly.

Jack dramatically slumped to the ground and sprawled out there. His fake snores turned to honest deep breathing in moments, but he didn't get to sleep long before a few more stragglers arrived and it was time to get in the boats.

“Ooof,” Jack woke with a huff as Harry sat on his stomach, giggling.

“Time to go!” Harry chirped, bouncing slightly on Jack's stomach, eliciting more exaggerated huffs.

“I missed you too, kid,” Jack said, pushing Harry off onto the ground. He stood and without warning grabbed Harry and hoisted him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Harry giggled madly as Jack spun in a circle then made to get in the boat with Harry still draped over his shoulder.

Xanthus rushed up to steady the boat so Jack didn't topple them both into the water. He got into it after them.

“If you two topple us into the lake…” Xanthus warned as Harry kicked and the boat shook. Jack just grinned at him, he opened his mouth to retort and yawned instead. He slid Harry down into his lap. Harry went head first and then crumpled so that his feet flopped over and Xanthus had to throw his arms up to avoid getting kicked in the head. Harry ended up sprawled between them, giggling as the boat rocked worryingly.

Xanthus was glad to reach the island, mostly dry. Harry skipped happily up to the table while Jack stumbled out of the boat.

“Carry me!” Jack moaned dramatically, slumping into Xanthus. He rolled his eyes but threw an arm around Jack as they walked up to the table after Harry. Harry quickly served himself some food and eagerly ate some, vanishing a moment later from sight.

“You're too nice to him,” Daciana said, gesturing to Jack as she came to join them in serving themselves some food. “If you're too nice to the strays, they won't leave. How do you think we ended up with him?”

“I could not brew your wolfsbane,” Jack said somewhat testily as he extricated himself from Xanthus’ side to serve himself some food.

“I'm teasing,” Daciana said lightly.

“I'm tired,” Jack said. Daciana rolled her eyes again.

“I'm never letting you drive again,” she said.

“Honestly you should get someone who didn't transform last night to drive you back,” Xanthus said, pouring himself a goblet of wine.

“We've thought about it,” Jack yawned.

“But we have to leave right when we can, it's not really safe for them to hang around close enough,” Daciana said. “Most of the folks there can't get wolfsbane.”

“Couldn't they sleep in the van?” Xanthus asked.

“Might wreck the van,” Daciana said and then took a bite of her food. They all paused for a moment to eat and drink deeply from their goblets. Xanthus smiled as everyone came suddenly into view and the now welcome sound of merry conversation washed over him. He learned last year that this was probably the best feast they'd get, right at peak harvest season with still a hint of summer crops.

He looked over to see Harry buried in a hug with Aspen as Patty ruffled his hair. Patty spotted them and walked over to hug and kiss Daciana.

“It's good to have you back Xanthus,” Patty said. “We missed having you around.”

“Missed Harry, more like,” Jack scoffed. “I know you lured him back to chanting in the spring but I call dibs for po- po- oo-tions… okay… I've eaten… wake me up when it's time to go.”

“You have to eat more than that,” Daciana scolded as Jack put down his plate.

“I'll get him to eat something,” Xanthus said as Jack dramatically threw himself down by the shore.

“No you won't,” Patty said. “You've got too many people to say hi to.

Sure enough, the rest of the night was a whirlwind of hugs and greetings. Kitty and Weld both climbed all the way up his arms in greeting, after having already tackle-hugged Harry to the ground. Harry just laughed as they used Xanthus as a jungle gym while their mom scolded them, trying to get them to come down.

Xanthus thought he might be overwhelmed but he wasn't. It was nice getting such a warm greeting and he was more used to the hubbub of the feasts now. It really did feel like coming home.

By the time they woke Jack and headed back to shore, Xanthus was feeling warm and welcome. The cold weariness of leaving Rolf wasn't gone, but it didn't hurt quite so much. He just wished he could bring Rolf here.

True to his word, Jack called dibs on Harry, spending most evenings teaching him brewing. Xanthus decided to follow him. He wasn't the best at brewing but he had needed it some for getting into the aurors. He helped out with the medium difficulty potions while Harry did the easy ones and Jack did the challenging ones. No way Xanthus would ever be able to brew wolfsbane.

Apparently if you let any powdered aconite in instead of crushed aconite, the whole potion was ruined and if you didn't put enough in the potion didn't work but if you put too much in it would poison the drinker. The quantity, of course, was based on the potency of the plant so you couldn't just use a scale to measure it, instead sprinkling a bit at a time. If that wasn't bad enough, you also couldn't follow a recipe for how to stir the potion, you had to judge based on the color and texture if you needed to change directions. Needless to say Xanthus mostly watched in awe as Jack concentrated over his brew talking them through it. His demonstration did seem to make Harry more eager to practice powdering vs crushing and cutting ingredients precisely.

They spent the mornings with Aspen, per usual, especially during the busy berry Harvest that they came back for. It had been a hot spring so the berries had bloomed early and had mostly run their course by the time they returned this year. But there were still some big patches that bloomed later in the shady parts of the woods. Aspen bemoaned losing her best helpers during the best season for harvesting.

“You'll have to bring Rolf here next year,” Aspen said as they were walking back. “So I can put you to work in the busy season.”

“Harvesting all those nettles wasn't the busy season?” Xanthus asked, referring to the hot spring making all the nettles flush at once.

“Can we?” Harry said at the same time.

“Can we what?” Xanthus asked.

“Can we bring Rolf here? I wanna show him the woods and the slag piles and we could go flying here, we didn't fly at all this summer and Rolf was disappointed but there are no no-maj here and he could play light-tag and Kitty would love Rolf,” Harry said excitedly, all in one breath.

“Sure, I suppose he could come here actually,” Xanthus said.

“He could come visit in the winter and come sledding!” Harry suggested.

“He can't come in the winter,” Xanthus said sadly. “I can visit him but… we didn't put anything in that made it so he could visit me. Sorry kiddo.”

“Oh… well the summer then,” Harry said.

They played light-tag regularly now. Most of the local kids came by three times a week to play and some of the younger adults had gotten into it. Jack always played now, even when he had to wake up earlier than he'd like. Xanthus went over each game afterwards with Harry to talk about mistakes and strategies and ways to improve. Harry was becoming very good at dodging, so they had started working on his aim. They started playing night time games twice a month as the sun set earlier and didn't conflict so much with the kids' bedtimes.

Xanthus had also started trying to incorporate other schooling. Namely non-magical schooling. It was going less well…

“Do I have to?” Harry said one evening, flopping over onto his back from where he’d been laying on the ground. The ink dipped quill in his hand splattered a line of black across his shirt and library floor as his arm swung out to his side.

“Do you have to, what?” Xanthus asked, looking up from the book he'd been reading.

“Do this,” Harry said, gesturing sloppily to the parchment rolled out on the floor where he'd been copying notes from a potions book.

“Yes,” Xanthus said simply. “Your handwriting is atrocious and you need to be able to write quickly.”

The exercise was mostly about practicing writing. He realized recently that he'd been neglecting that part of Harry's education when Harry had gone to write something and it had been really slow.

“Why? It's not magic.”

“It will help you learn magic in school,” Xanthus said. “Also it's just important.”

“Why?” Harry said. Xanthus put down his book and looked at Harry, who had somehow managed to smudge ink all over his face. The hand holding the quill was a complete mess. He realized Harry basically never protested anything. He gave Harry a task and he did it, but if Kitty was anything to go by, Xanthus had gotten very lucky with Harry.

“What do you want to do when you grow up, Harry?” Xanthus asked.

“Er, I dunno,” Harry said, sitting up. “I dunno what there really is to do. I mean, I'm doing grown up work with Aspen now, aren't I?”

“I suppose,” Xanthus said, feeling suddenly uncomfortable. “But, uh….. if you go somewhere else you won't be able to make a living. You should think of something to do as a wizard.”

“What do wizards do?” Harry asked.

“Well, you could be a healer, care for magical beasts like my dad, be an auror like I was, help make laws, grow magical plants, be a potions master like Jack, be an enchanter to make things like this truck, all kinds of options,” Xanthus said. “But every single one of them requires being able to write well. The only things that don't require it are things that don't involve much magic, like harvesting with Aspen. Don't you want to do something with lots of magic?”

“I don't write for potions,” Harry said.

“Jack had to write lots to get to be as good as he is, he needs to be able to take notes if he's experimenting and write letters to communicate with other potions masters, plus he wrote a lot about potions to help him learn them in school,” Xanthus said.

“I haven't had to write essays to learn potions, I've just been learning them.”

“Because you aren't good enough at writing, so you're learning slower than you could be,” Xanthus said although he felt a bit guilty saying it. Honestly Harry was learning just fine, it turned out that one on one attention from a potions master beat out essay writing any day but Harry wouldn't have that kind of attention in school.

“Oh,” Harry said. He looked mutinously at the parchment. “I don't like it, my fingers hurt and it's boring.”

Xanthus chuckled and kneeled down next to Harry, inspecting what he had written. The page was covered in ink blots and the letters were honestly ilegible.

“Some people do writing as art,” Xanthus said, getting up and looking through the books on the lower shelves. He pulled out a calligraphy book his mom had made them use as kids. He brought it back down next to Harry. “I had you taking notes from the book so you'd learn potions faster, I thought it would motivate you but I think it's frustrating you. Maybe instead just try to write some letters like you're doing art.”

“I'd rather learn potions,” Harry grumbled.

“Humor me,” Xanthus said, opening the book to detailed instructions for the letter A. Like most magical books, the pictures were animated. It showed the slow stroke directions over and over.

Harry looked like he might actually refuse, but sighed and dipped his quill.

“A little less ink when you dip,” Xanthus instructed. Harry glared at him, which made Xanthus smile. One day soon Harry was going to actually say no and he was going to have to figure out what to do. It felt like progress… no matter how unprepared he was for when it actually happened.

Much to Xanthus' surprise, Harry kept up his lettering practice. Xanthus didn't schedule it too often just in case, but he started encouraging Harry to take notes about things he was learning in between. His handwriting was slowly becoming legible although he still wrote very slowly.

Xanthus was starting to become concerned about what else he was supposed to teach Harry. He'd asked Kitty's mom but she'd sniffed at the idea of preparing kids for school. She was hoping Kitty and Weld wouldn't go. He hadn't intended to offend her but they'd somehow gotten into a row over the importance of letting the kids go to school and choose if they didn't want to use a wand later. She hadn't let Kitty and Weld play with Harry for the entire month of January.

“Her husband was a wizard,” Jack said as they sat around in the house kitchen one evening. They had done a night game of light-tag and Kitty and Weld hadn't been allowed to join again. Many other kids came, but Xanthus hurt everytime Harry looked around for them and came away disappointed when they weren't there. They were definitely Harry's closest friends here.

“Who?” Xanthus asked.

“Kitty's mom,” Jack nearly whispered Kitty's name, looking around to the living room where Harry, Aspen, Heidi, Daciana and Patty were all bundled up by the fire.

Xanthus blinked at him.

“It's why she's so anti-wand,” he said.

“She's not a witch?” Xanthus asked.

“Nope, not a druid either, but her kids are magic. She came here to hide from him, so he wouldn't take them away, he threatened to obliviate her of even knowing she had kids,” Jack said. “I don't know how they ended up here, but lots of folks here are a bit anti-wand as a defense mechanism. You know, it's okay I can't use it, cause it's bad anyways. I think she really clings to that.”

“That doesn't mean-” Xanthus started.

“I know,” Jack said. “I agree with you. We all do. Patty has a son at Ilvermorny, he spent a few years here before he went. They should have the choice, I agree, but her husband was a piece of work and she's just scared.”

“Even more reason then,” Xanthus said. “They should be able to defend themselves.”

“He'll be able to find them if they go,” Jack said. “I think, she thinks, if they chose to go. They'll never come back. She doesn't want you making it cool to do wand magic. Surely you of all people know what it's like to have your kid taken from you?”

Xanthus nodded. He'd never trade Rolf's magic for having his son back though. How could he take something from his son for something that Xanthus wanted… except Perchina was a great mom. What would he do if he had to pick between Rolf's magic and his safety?

He looked over into the living room, where Harry had fallen asleep on the floor. A knit blanket was tangled in his legs and his mouth hung open. Would he trade Harry's magic if it saved him from his fate? Somehow, he didn't think Harry himself would make that trade.

He rubbed his eyes tiredly.

“I'll… I'll go apologize,” Xanthus said. “I still don't know that I agree but… well, it doesn't really matter what I think.”

Jack smiled at him. The younger man got up and squeezed Xanthus' shoulder affectionately.

“Maybe tell her a bit of your own predicament with Harry. She's a mom. She'll understand,” Jack said. “Looks like your kid needs to head to bed and I better get back to my brew. Good night.”

“Night,” Xanthus said. He hefted himself from his chair, feeling sore from where he'd thrown himself into the ground during light-tag and limped his way into the living room. Daciana and Patty were cuddled in their own little world ever so slowly approaching impropriety, while Aspen was also dead asleep. Xanthus lifted Harry into his arms, stumbling slightly at his weight, and whispered a goodnight to the women. They didn't hear him but Harry mumbled back to him, making him smile.

He carried Harry across the heavily snow covered yard, but the chill air woke the boy up by the time they reached the truck so he was able to set Harry down on the inside of the tailgate. They cuddled up together that night, something that was becoming more and more rare. Xanthus didn't know at what age Harry would be too old to sleep with his dad, but he wasn't looking forward to it.

The next day he left Harry with Aspen and trudged across town to talk to Kitty's mom.

“What do you want?” She said defensively, folding her arms and scowling the second she opened the door.

“To apologize,” Xanthus said. She looked at him cautiously before stepping aside and letting him in.

“Xanthus!” Weld yelled, noticing him from where he ate breakfast on their rickety dining room table.

“Is Harry here!?” Kitty asked, running excitedly to the door and peering outside.

“No,” their mother said sternly before Xanthus could say anything. “He won't be here until both your rooms are spotless, so if that's what you want, then get cleaning.”

Weld immediately abandoned his breakfast to scramble upstairs, but Kitty just stomped her foot.

“But mom!” She whined.

“No buts,” her mom said. Kitty huffed and stomped her way up the stairs. Clearly intentionally slamming her foot with each step so that they could hear her making her way up.

“You were saying?” She said, leading Xanthus over to the cluttered dining room table. The table itself was on the far end of the living room, rather than a proper dining room. It was opposite the wood stove, which crackled merrily on the far wall.

“I just came to apologize,” Xanthus said, feeling very awkward. “It wasn't my intention to push your kids towards school. Harry has to go bu-”

“No he doesn't-” she started angrily, narrowing her eyes at him. He held up his hands in placation.

“No wait, listen,” he said, almost heaving a sigh of relief when she did pause to listen. That never worked on Perchina. “Harry is wrapped up in some kind of fate magic. He HAS to defeat a dark wizard. I would do nearly anything to make it so that wasn't true, but it is. It's not a choice, it's not something he or I or a governing body of any kind chose. It just… is. It would be a death sentence for Harry not to go to school. That's why he has to go. That's why I am teaching him how to dodge spells with that game you don't like, but that doesn't mean Kitty and Weld have to go. That's between you, not me. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to butt in.”

“Does he really have to…” she looked rather shocked and maybe a bit ill.

“Yes,” Xanthus said. “For what it's worth, you might do well to join our games too.”

“Me!?” She went back to looking appalled by him.

“Wizards can't hurt you, if they can't hit you,” Xanthus said simply. “I'm going to start experimenting with non-natural disarming soon I think. I figure your whole family could benefit from that too?”

“Someone told you,” she said. It wasn't a question.

“Not much,” Xanthus said. “Just that you have your own wizard to worry about.”

“He can't get here,” she said sternly.

“And I hope everyday that stays true,” Xanthus responded. “But surely you can't expect your teenagers not to make stupid choices even if they don't go to school at eleven. I figure, better over prepared than under prepared.”

She looked at him wearily.

“Plus if you join in, maybe the game won't look quite so much like wand prep,” Xanthus said. “Aspen plays.”

“I'll think about it,” She sighed. “Just… just don't go telling my kids they gotta go to school… I feel like they'll wanna go with Harry and… I dunno.”

“Harry will probably be going to Hogwarts, in Britain. Not Ilvermorny here. Their dad might not be able to find them at Hogwarts… but… well, you can always tell them they won't go to the same school if they're already expecting Ilvermorny.”

“I just don't want them to grow up,” she huffed. Her tone was sad but playful and it eased the tension for Xanthus' spine.

“Believe me,” Xanthus said. “I know.”

Xanthus was by no means an expert in non-magical disarming. It was taught as a last ditch effort for aurors but not really focused on. He added a condition to light-tag that if you lost your wand, you lost the game also and taught everyone the basics. No one really had any success until the spring, when their hands were no longer in bulky mittens and gloves making it easier to actually grab wrists and wands.

Much to his surprise, Kitty's mom seemed dedicated to getting it right. She joined basically every game now and never fired her light stick. Her enthusiasm for the alternative win condition made the kids try it more often too. Harry, arguably the fastest kid, was having a lot of success sneaking up behind people and just running up to grab their wands before they knew what was happening.

Which made Xanthus realize Harry was getting too comfortable with this one stretch of woods. After that he started changing locations for their gathering all around town. They had open field light-tag in the big park south of town regularly, and occasionally changed to mid-street games. The rest he moved around the forest, even going as far as the lake shore to start changing things up. A lot of the kids complained about losing the strategies they'd worked up for the old stretch of wood, but most liked the novelty.

“So, uh… no Harry tonight, huh?” Jack said, more awkwardly than Xanthus thought he'd ever heard the man. They were walking back up from the park, both still tinted red from the game. Harry was doing a sleepover at Kitty and Weld’s house. It was the third sleepover he'd done and Xanthus was feeling much less worried than he had the first two times. Jack swung his arms awkwardly and kicked at a small patch of lingering spring snow.

“Uh, yeah,” Xanthus responded, giving him a puzzled look.

“Do you want to…” Jack started but trailed off. Xanthus couldn't tell if he was blushing as his whole body was a patchwork of unnaturally bright red and orange but he was behaving as if he was. He looked away, not meeting Xanthus' eye.

“Want to?” Xanthus prompted.

“Uh…” Jack said and then took a deep breath in. He squared his shoulders and turned to look Xanthus in the eye with a winning grin that Xanthus could tell was surface thin. “We could have our own kinda sleepover.”

Then he winked at Xanthus.

Xanthus gaped at him. Jack visibly deflated as he didn't respond, his eye contact faltering before he completely looked away.

“Look,” Jack said to his feet as they walked. “I know you have a kid… and not Harry but like a kid you get from… well… which means you probably aren't interested in… uh… dudes so… it's fine if not… but…”

Xanthus' brain very slowly caught up to what Jack was actually suggesting as the man stumbled through his words next to him.

“How old are you?” Xanthus asked before his brain had entirely caught up to what was happening.

“Uh, twenty three,” Jack said, he seemed to have been caught off guard by the question, and looked at Xanthus' confused.

“Jack,” Xanthus said, sounding pained even to his own ears. “I'm way too old for you.”

“Why? How old are you?” Jack asked.

“Thirty seven,” He responded.

“That's not too old,” Jack said defensively.

“It most definitely is,” Xanthus said.

“No offense, old man,” Jack said ‘old man’ in a light teasing voice. A real teasing voice, unlike the forced one he’d used for his initial proposition. “But I probably have way more experience in this regard than you do.”

“Undoubtedly,” Xanthus agreed, he nodded solemnly, thanking his still blotchy orange skin for covering any hints of a blush. “That doesn't change that you should be with someone way closer to your age.”

“Not like there's a lot of those around,” Jack said.

“So it's okay if I'm your only option?” Xanthus said, feeling a sting despite himself.

“Yes,” Jack said, before he seemed to catch up to what he and Xanthus had just said. “I mean no, I mean… it's not just because you're my only option, I mean you're not…”

Jack trailed off and they walked in awkward silence for a block. Instinctually walking around a family of shadow folk strolling the opposite direction. Xanthus could feel the tingling discomfort of the moment creeping up his spine into the back of his neck. As the silence stretched on, the anxiety of the weirdness built in his neck and shoulders making him feel stiff and heavy.

“Are you even interested?” Jack asked quietly after a while. “If you just don't like me, I'd rather just know then hear excuses.”

Xanthus opened his mouth to answer and to his horror the only thing that came out was a light choking sound. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to try again.

Nothing.

Why?

He got frustrated and stopped walking. He ran his hand through his hair, which caught in the damp tangles built up from throwing himself at the ground over and over in light-tag. He sighed and gestured helplessly at his throat.

“Wait really?” Jack said, looking dumbfounded. “Did I do that?”

Xanthus blinked at him and then shrugged. He had to admit he expected a worse reaction than that. Something along the lines of ‘what a convenient time for you to be unable to answer.’ A response he'd heard many times before.

It was pretty rare that he lost his voice these days. He’d lost it after he'd gotten a bit turned around in the woods that fall. He'd panicked and really thought he was lost. By the time he stumbled back to the house, not very long later, he was completely unable to talk. He hadn't admitted to anyone why he'd choked up that day. No one had even noticed he'd gone missing, because really he hadn't even been lost.

He couldn't speak all day after he'd noticed the date in early winter and realized it was the day Perchina filed for a divorce. Memories of the day had come flooding back and his throat had just stopped working. Jack had been there when he noticed the date and was very confused until Harry explained again that sometimes Xanthus couldn't talk. It had been embarrassing. He'd tried to leave them to brew and hide out in the truck but Harry had come to check on him shortly after and wouldn't leave his side. They just sat in silence.

He'd also lost his voice after dropping Rolf off but that was before getting back here. Harry hadn't said anything that whole day either so he wasn't even sure the boy had noticed. He didn't think that had been Perchina, just missing Rolf.

He had managed to stand up to her when picking Rolf up and he managed to apologize to Kitty's mom and stand up to her a bit. He thought he was getting better.

Apparently not.

He didn't even think this was that bad. Jack wasn't being cruel or confrontational. He wished desperately this would just stop happening to him. He always wished that though.

They continued walking on in silence. Jack kept shooting him nervous or concerned looks. Xanthus tried not to meet his eye.

He quickly fled to his truck when they got back, clambering inside and throwing himself onto his bed without taking off his shoes. Why couldn't he just be normal?

He rolled over and stared up into the darkening canvas ceiling. His mind wandered back to Jack. Did he like him? He'd never really considered it.

Stop.

He didn't need to consider it.

It didn't matter if he liked Jack or men or women. If he ever needed more proof that Xanthus wasn't fit to be with anyone, this was it. Although he really didn't need more proof. He tried with everything he had to make things work with Perchina. No one deserved being saddled with him.

Perchina had the right of it. How could he be in a relationship when he can't even talk about relationships? It didn't work. It never would.

So it didn't matter what he felt.

He didn't need to think about it.

Jack deserved to know though. At least to know that it was Xanthus' problem. He sat up, looking down at the muddy streaks his pants and shoes left on his blankets. He put his hand up to his throat and swallowed. It felt tight and thick to do so.

Jack did deserve to know, but it's not like Xanthus could tell him.

He layed back down and threw an arm over his eyes.

He didn't know how long he laid there, wallowing, but some time later he heard a rapping on the tailgate.

“Xanthus?” Daciana called in. He sat up, his arm fell away from his eyes to reveal the sun had set and it was fully dark now. He trudged out into the hall, which lit brightly at his presence making him blink and squint. Daciana’s head was poking in through the canvas door. She gave him a concerned look and said gently “hey, I came to check on you…”

He gave Daciana a tight smile and waved her in, heading for the kitchen to start some hot water. His dad, being English, always made tea and Xanthus picked up the habit when at a loss for anything else to do.

He sat heavily at the kitchen table after setting the kettle on the stove. Daciana sat next to him giving him a concerned look he didn't much want to see, so he rested his elbows on the table and hid his face in his hands.

“You've been crying,” Daciana said softly. Had he? He touched his cheeks and found them a bit puffy and wet. “Jack said he upset you, but I thought he may have been being overly dramatic. I guess he was right?”

Xanthus shook his head no. Trying to express that it really wasn't Jack's fault.

“But you are upset,” she said.

He shrugged.

“You can just tell him to shove off,” Daciana said. “He'll get over it. He's gotten over much worse.”

He shook his head no again although he didn't really know what he was trying to express. Ugh, this was awkward.

The kettle whistled, saving him briefly from more conversation. He poured them both mugs and put in some rather old herbal tea bags. He handed a mug to Daciana without looking at her face.

They sat in silence for a bit. He stared at his mug of tea, not feeling much like drinking it. Maybe he should have made hot cocoa or something. That at least would have taken more time to make. A better distraction.

Daciana sighed.

“Jack asked me to check on you,” Daciana said. “And I want to help, but I don't know how.”

Xanthus gave a jerky nod. That was something he'd heard a thousand times. They wanted to help but didn't know how. There wasn't really any helping him. He felt a bit guilty that Jack was concerned about him when Jack was the one in the rough here.

“Do you want me to go get Harry?” Daciana asked.

Xanthus frantically shook his head no. Merlin, what a horrifying idea. It was not Harry's responsibility to look after Xanthus' messed up mental state.

“Alright, well, Jack said he'd steer clear of the house, so if you need anything just come in, you won't bump into him,” Daciana said. She stood and hovered there for a bit. He didn't look up to see the expression on her face. After another moment of hesitation she left.

What a mess.

Just talk.

Just say something.

Words.

He wheezed furiously, his throat feeling clogged and thick. Trying to say something. He couldn't even properly yell in anger. He just wheezed. He tugged at his hair angrily then sighed and slumped back.

He hadn't been upset by the conversation. Why wasn't he talking? Jack had been so civil. There was no reason for this.

He stood and made his way to bed. Taking off his dirty clothes he went to bed early without eating or showering and just laid there till he had to get up to get Harry the next morning.

Jack didn't try to talk to him about it again, acting, in the brief moments they saw each other, like nothing had happened. Xanthus didn't say much of anything to him at all. He stopped brewing with Harry, sending the boy back alone and opting to do other things.

The worst part is everyone else in the house apologized to him about Jack.

“Try not to let Jack bother you,” Aspen had said

“Sorry about Jack,” Heidi had said. “He's an idiot sometimes.”

“Don't pay Jack any mind,” Patty had said.

“It's not his fault,” was all Xanthus had been able to say on the matter but he was infinitely grateful the sentence had come out at all. Honestly he was feeling a bit upset with the house for being so blasé about Jack's feelings. Sure he carried on as smiling and goofy as ever, but it was obviously a facade. His smiles were tight, and fell easily. At least when Xanthus was around.

Harry asked a few times why Xanthus didn't come to do potions with him anymore, but dropped it rather quickly.

Life carried on. The spring snow melted and the days grew longer and warmer.

Spring was a frenzy of farming. The whole house often took shifts helping out. The whole community really. The kids played in the fields many days of the spring while the adults scrambled to prep and plant the fields. Magic helped the crops grow big and fast but it didn't put the seeds in the ground. Jack often worked on the opposite side of the fields.

The days got hotter and the bustling of farming died down and gave way to foraging for late spring plants in the woods with Aspen. Harry was getting good at identifying plants on his own, and although Xanthus stayed back to harvest while Harry brewed or chanted at the house, he still relied heavily on Aspen's guidance.

Light-tag became more wild and rambunctious as the weather warmed.

Finally the summer sun was on the horizon.

Xanthus had promised Harry he'd bring Rolf here, but part of him wanted to leave all together. He felt like he'd ruined the peaceful community, having completely avoided fixing things with Jack. It seemed so alluring to just… flee.

Harry wouldn't stop talking about all the stuff he was going to show Rolf, the things he wanted to do, and how excited he was for him to be here. So he didn't flee.

But the drive across the country so that he could get close enough to apparate to Perchina’s was a welcome breath of fresh air.

Facing Perchina herself, did not go nearly as well.

Chapter Text

“Where is Harry?” Rolf asked. His dad had just apparated them to the truck from his house, but unlike last summer, Harry wasn't there to greet him. He searched all the rooms as he went to put away his trunk.

No Harry.

His dad opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Rolf hadn't heard his dad talk all day. There had been a huge row with his mom when his dad wouldn't talk to her, Rolf had left to hide in his room to wait for it to be over. Eventually his dad had come to get him and they'd just left despite his mom's protests. He hadn't even said hi.

“Is he here?” Rolf tried instead.

His dad shook his head no. Then he rubbed his face in frustration. Rolf didn't really know what to do, he hadn't really seen his dad like this when his mom wasn't around.

“Is he okay?” Rolf said, starting to feel concerned.

His dad nodded his head yes, which for some reason made Rolf feel angry. If Harry was fine then why wasn't his dad talking. Harry not being okay would be a good reason, but if that wasn't the reason then Rolf didn't understand. Couldn't he at least tell him where Harry was?

Instead they made their way to the cab of the truck and began to drive. They just drove on and on in silence. Rolf had no idea where they were going. He started to feel uneasy. A bit like he'd been kidnapped even though he knew it was ridiculous to feel that way. Walking out on his mom and knowing nothing about what was happening... It just felt wrong somehow.

They parked in a no-maj campground and went back into the truck. His dad made dinner in silence. They ate in silence. They went to bed.

Rolf went to his own room.

He woke to find breakfast already made. His father sat at the table, his head in his hands. When he heard Rolf enter he jumped up to fix him a plate. Blueberry pancakes. Rolf’s favorite.

“We-” his dad said, his voice thick and hoarse. He cleared his throat. “We’re going to- Harry. To, where we stay. In the winter.”

“Why didn't he come pick me up with you?” Rolf asked. He pushed at his pancakes with his fork.

“Safer,” his dad said gruffly, but that was dumb in Rolf's opinion. Harry was perfectly fine driving all around with them last summer.

They didn't talk much the rest of that day either. Just drove, stopping here and there for lunch and dinner and a few bathroom breaks. His dad wasn't totally silent, but he only really spoke in a word or two. It was weird trying to force it so Rolf didn't try.

His mom always said that his dad stopped talking so that he didn't have to deal with something. So he didn't have to face some problem or resolve some issue. Rolf didn't know what the problem was though. Had he done something to make his dad upset?

“We've got a few days before we can re-enter,” his dad said the next morning. “I found another no-maj park thing, like the one we visited in Florida. It only opened a year or two ago, closer to where we are going. I thought we could visit.”

It was the most his dad had said in days.

“Without Harry?” Rolf asked.

“If we like it, we can go again sometime, with him,” his dad said.

“I thought it wasn't safe,” Rolf said.

“It's not, but sometimes you have to take risks,” his dad smiled sheepishly at him. Rolf didn't really know what to make of that.

The park was called Silverwood and it had more carts on swooping tracks but no strange people dressed up as animals. Which Rolf found oddly disappointing.

It was fun, but it just made Rolf miss Harry. Last summer Rolf had tried his best to bury his unease about Harry getting to see his dad more. Now, the awkwardness between Rolf and his dad made him just wish Harry was there.

They spent a few days going back to the park, but the awkwardness didn't get any better.

It almost felt like a relief to be leaving. Back to the truck to go wherever Harry was. Apparently he'd see Harry that night and Rolf was more excited for that than any roller coaster.

They drove to the edge of a lake as the sun was setting with a few other cars. He followed his dad outside feeling nervous. There were a handful of people around the shore. A group of them waved at his dad, who waved back. They all looked tired and beaten with many scars and patched or handmade clothes. A shorter woman with graying black hair approached them and Rolf noticed a nasty cut running from her ear down her neck until it disappeared under her shirt, but the blood stains indicated it went much further.

“Daciana,” his dad greeted as she came up to them. “This is my son, Rolf.”

“Hello Rolf,” she sounded kind, despite looking scary. He waved shyly at her.

“How's Harry been?” His dad asked, making Rolf perk up.

“Oh much better than last time you left,” Daciana smiled. “At least for the few days I was there after you left. Very excited to see you, Rolf. Won't stop talking about you.”

His dad let out a relieved sigh.

“Come join us,” Daciana said, gesturing over to the group of scared up folks.

“Uh… that's okay, it's almost time anyway,” his dad said.

“Xanthus, if it's not his fault then why are you avoiding him?” Daciana asked.

“It's my problem,” Xanthus mumbled, looking at his feet.

“Right,” She said, glancing down at Rolf and then back to Xanthus. “Well, see you in a bit then.”

Rolf watched as she walked back to the group. They waited by the shore in silence as the sun began to set. Eventually everyone pulled out little tokens with bells that made some boats appear.

He got in the boat with his dad and they drifted across the lake until the boat suddenly jerked to a stop. His dad got out, making Rolf shout in alarm but instead of tipping into the water, his dad just stepped onto empty air. The other boats stopped and people started getting out, all floating in the air.

“Come on, Rolf,” his dad said, offering his hand. Rolf took it and carefully stepped onto hard, invisible ground.

“We're floating,” Rolf said, taking a few careful steps while clutching his dad's hand.

“Floating?” His dad asked, perplexed. He was led over the invisible ground, away from the boats. Joining the other people from the boats. They were gathering something from the air and after pretending to eat or drink, they just vanished.

His dad held something out for him, but he couldn't see it.

“Oh, uh, let Rolf ring the talisman, he can't see anything,” said a man with long messy hair tied up on his head and a lot of scars. He sounded kinda awkward and kept his gaze down at their feet.

“Oh,” his dad said. He put whatever was in his hand down in mid air. He looked like a mime, pretending to carry stuff around. “Thanks Jack.”

He pulled out the little wooden thing with bells and handed it to Rolf. This, he could see, so he rang it. The ground appeared almost instantly under his feet, and a huge table groaning with food appeared right in front of him. His dad picked up a plate of food from the table and handed it to him. He ate a few bites tentatively, as his father did the same. A second later he was being tackle-hugged to the ground.

He hit the ground with an oof, his father just barely managed to keep the plate of food so that it didn't spill over with him. All Rolf could see suddenly was a mess of red tipped black hair.

The black hair thwacked him roughly in the face as the head shot up, grinning at him.

Harry.

Rolf laughed and hugged Harry tightly.

Except, something was wrong. He couldn't hear any sound Harry made. Harry was mouthing words at him but no sound came out. Even his clothes didn't rustle.

Harry hauled Rolf to his feet and then, still grinning, grabbed a goblet from the table and pushed it into Rolf's hands. Miming a drinking action.

Rolf drank.

It was foul. Sweet and sparkly but it burned weirdly and tasted strongly of something savory. He gagged, pushing the drink back at Harry who laughed. Except he could hear it now, Harry's new laugh. The one he didn't have the first time they met. Loud and open.

Harry wasn't the only thing he could hear. A wave of sound crashed over him as many voices suddenly filled the air. Along with the tinkling of goblets and scraping of forks. Laughter. Lots and lots of laughter. Rolf looked around him, mouth agape at all the people suddenly surrounding the table and littered along the shore.

“Brilliant isn't it?” Harry grinned and then hugged Rolf tightly. This time he lifted Rolf clean off the ground and spun them in a half circle before losing his balance and toppling them both to the ground again, laughing.

“Oof,” Rolf said, as he hit the ground. He suddenly found himself being pulled to his feet again, by a much dustier Harry.

“Come this way, I want you to meet my friends!” Harry said, dragging Rolf to the shore where a number of other kids were watching with ill disguised curiosity. Harry called out to them “Everyone! This is my brother, Rolf!”

What followed was a whirlwind of names, but Rolf only had eyes for Harry. He'd called him his brother.

“Rolf, watch this!” Harry said excitedly, taking a goblet of that gross tonic right out of one of the girl's hands as she said “heeey!” in mock protest. He took a great big gulp of it, paused for a second and then looked up and BREATHED FIRE.

Rolf gaped at him.

“Neat right?” Harry said excitedly then burped slightly, spitting out a tiny tuft of flame with the belch.

“How…?” Rolf said.

“It's just the ginger beer,” the girl said, taking the goblet back from Harry and drinking it. She grinned and belched fire.

“You try!” Harry said eagerly.

“Uhhh,” Rolf said.

“Let's all go get more, we can have a competition,” the girl said. A bunch of kids promptly scrambled up to swarm the table.

“You just wanna compete because you always win,” Harry grumbled.

“It's good for you to lose sometimes, Harry,” the girl said primly.

“Specially ‘cause you always win light-tag,” another boy said.

“Not this week,” the girl said confidently.

They all collected goblets brimming with the ginger beer and walked slowly back to the edge of the lake, being careful not to spill their drinks.

Rolf did not like drinking the stuff but it was fun to breathe fire. The other kids definitely knew what they were doing, belching huge flames. Harry kept giving him pointers and cheering him on.

The next few days felt much the same. Harry showed him new things eagerly. Dragging him all over the forest and town. The weird shadow people weirded Rolf out but Harry barely noticed them.

One night, a few days after Rolf had arrived, Rolf had a realization. Harry was crashed sideways across his bed where the boy had come in earlier to eagerly talk about the day. Now he slept soundly, in a way Rolf rarely saw. It used to be that Rolf always fell asleep first. This must have been how Harry felt when he first arrived. Rolf eagerly showing him all things magic. Now it was like the complete reverse.

It was fun. A whirlwind of new things. It was also a bit off putting and tiring. It did help distract him from his dad. The strangeness there hadn't quite gone away. Somehow they both seemed better at interacting with Harry than with each other.

Rolf sighed and rolled over, looking down at Harry's hair, sprawled in a tangled mess across the blankets.

“Harry?” Rolf said quietly into the night.

“Hmmm?” Harry murmured.

“Can we go flying tomorrow?” Rolf asked, feeling rather desperate to do something familiar.

“Oh yeah!” Harry said, all sleep forgotten he jumped up to sitting. “That was the whole reason I begged to bring you here, so we could go flying a bunch. Dad got brooms from Newt and Tina I think. Let's do it!”

Flying was exactly what Rolf needed. All the weirdness and anxiety melted away as his feet left the ground. Harry whooped excitedly as they reached level with the treetops.

“I forgot how great this was!” Harry yelled, his face split into a huge grin.

“Race you!” Rolf said in return, also grinning ear to ear.

The wind numbed their faces as they raced back and forth along the tree line. Dodging here and there the slightly taller trees. Occasionally ducking down to weave along the trunks close to the ground.

When they finally landed, hours later, they were both hungry and sore. Rolf was rubbed raw where he sat on the broom and his fingers hurt from gripping it. He was somehow both sweaty and cold.

He was ecstatic.

He followed Harry, who was limping roughly, into the house and sat tenderly on a kitchen chair.

There was a person clipping leaves off of plant stems from a huge basket already in the kitchen. Rolf had been introduced but couldn't remember their name and he couldn't figure out if they were a boy or a girl so he didn't know how to ask Harry for a name. He just kept hoping Harry would repeat it at some point.

“Have fun boys?” The person asked.

“Yes!” Harry said excitedly, bouncing slightly in his chair. He winced and stopped bouncing quickly.

“You'll have to show me how to do it, at some point,” the person said.

“Rolf can show you, he knows much more than me,” Harry said.

“Would you show me sometime, Rolf?” They asked.

“Uh, you've never been on a broom?” Rolf asked.

“Nope, technically it might be illegal, I'm not actually sure, but we won't get in trouble here,” they laughed and Rolf couldn't tell if they were joking or not. It wasn't illegal to ride a broom was it? No-maj just couldn't make them go.

Rolf was about to answer but the person abandoned their clipping to fish around in the oven. They pulled out two bowl sized pies and put one in front of each of them. The smell of fresh baked crust distracted Rolf from whatever he was about to say. Harry groaned appreciatively.

“Skipped lunch?” The person asked.

“Mmhmm,” Harry hummed through a mouthful of pie. Rolf immediately followed suit. The pie, like a lot of the food here, was weird. There were lots of vegetables he didn't recognize in it and it had fish instead of chicken, but it was amazing. He was pretty sure he'd have hated it yesterday but he was so hungry that he just didn't care now.

Flying turned into the new thing around town.

Rolf somehow found himself teaching lots of people to fly as many never had. Mostly the other kids, but also the person whose name he'd finally figured out was Aspen and a few other adults. He didn't really understand how they’d never flown. He thought it was a required class in school but maybe it was optional. They only had five brooms and two of them were really old, but they still managed to play a few partial games of Quidditch.

For some reason all the kids and a lot of adults played light-tag nearly every other day here. When he first arrived he felt a bit bad about Harry being so much better than him now. After everyone became obsessed with flying, however, they added the brooms to the game. They rotated who got to fly, and while it didn't really make Rolf better at winning light-tag, it certainly made the game way more fun.

Last summer he wasn't entirely sure about his decision to ask Harry to be his brother. This summer, he decided, it was the best thing ever.

Especially since he still hadn't figured out how to talk to his dad…

Chapter Text

“Happy Birthday to yoooou!” Harry felt his already strong flush peak even higher as the song reached its completion. He'd always wanted someone to sing him happy birthday, but now, with almost twenty people staring at him as they sang, he wasn't sure why he ever wanted that. It was actually pretty mortifying.

He couldn't help but feel pleased too though.

“You have to blow out the candles and make a wish,” Kitty said.

“Is that even a thing?” Rolf asked.

“Shh, it's important. Make a wish Harry!” Kitty prompted again.

Harry thought for a second about a wish he wanted.

“I wish-”

“Shhhhhh! You can't say it out loud! Then it won't work!” Kitty interrupted, pressing her hands to his mouth. He pulled away, grinning sheepishly.

I wish I have another birthday party next year, he thought to himself and then blew out the nine candles on the cake in front of him.

The group of kids and adults congregated around the picnic table near the lakeside cheered again as he blew.

The birthday party had been Rolf's idea. They had celebrated Harry's Birthday for the first time last year but it had just been the three of them. Harry had thought having a birthday at all was pretty magical, but Rolf had been appalled he'd never had a real party.

The organizing of the party had been a bit fraught as apparently magical and non-magical birthday traditions were not very similar. Kitty, being raised mostly non-magically, had insisted on a bunch of things like singing happy birthday. Harry had appreciated that, though, because it was familiar from the birthdays he’d seen as a kid.

After the cake he opened gifts, and then, because it was hot, they spent the rest of the day swimming. Pretty much everyone who regularly came to light-tag was there or stopped by for a bit. Plus a few who didn't play, like Patty and Daciana.

There was a large rock that jutted into a deep section of lake that they took turns jumping off of. Harry, much to his dismay, still couldn't figure out how to not float when falling. Kitty, Weld, Rolf and now Jack, much to Jack's excitement, were able to float most of the time but they had no trouble not floating down if they wanted a real jump.

Xanthus and many of the older adults hung out by the picnic table while they swam. Only Jack, Aspen and Ana, the woman Harry had first met at his very first feast, came to jump off the rock.

“Wait wait, I have an idea!” Jack said, as Harry clambered up the Rock grumbling about his failure to fall properly again. Then, without any more warning than that, hoisted Harry onto his shoulder. Harry giggled at the sudden flip over. “Okay, hold your breath and hold on tight.”

Harry laughed aloud now as Jack walked them to the edge of the rock. His stomach did a big swoop as he looked over the edge. Somehow it was much scarier standing at the precipice when under someone else's control.

Jack jumped.

Harry quickly used one hand to clamp onto Jack's shoulder and the other to plug his nose. His stomach did another flip as he realized he was truly falling. And fast. He hit the water hard, sideways, but Jack had already broken the surface tension so it didn't hurt.

He plunged deep into the water, feeling the bubbles whoosh up around him, his whole body submerged and sank quickly. He broke off from Jack somehow and began to frantically swim up. He'd never actually managed to land in the water hard before and realized he was totally unprepared for how deep he'd go.

He broke the surface gasping for air a second before Jack came up next to him laughing. He laughed too.

“How was that!?” Jack grinned.

“Again, again!” Harry said, jumping onto Jack's shoulder’s and accidentally dunking him into the water. He came up sputtering and then dunked Harry back. They wrestled their way back to shore, where Jack picked Harry up and carried him till they had to scramble up the rock. They wrestled briefly, till Jack pushed them both over the edge again.

“Jack! Don't kill the birthday boy!” Aspen yelled after them, laughing as they fell.

Harry was exhausted by the time they drove home. Rolf fell asleep and slumped into his lap, while he leaned into Xanthus' shoulder.

“Have fun?” Xanthus asked, wrapping one arm around them as he drove.

“Yes, it was amazing,” Harry yawned.

“Good,” Xanthus smiled.

“Hey dad?” Harry asked, fidgeting nervously with a hole in his jeans.

“Yeah kiddo?”

“Are… are you and Rolf okay?” He asked.

Xanthus sighed. He squeezed Harry affectionately and then pulled his arm back so that he had both on the wheel. Harry sat up a bit to get a better look at Xanthus, making sure Rolf stayed asleep.

“I don't know,” Xanthus said eventually. “I love both of you, you know that right? No matter what happens or how either of you feel about me, I love you both.”

Harry flushed. He wasn't used to hearing it although he noticed he felt less skeptical that it was true as time went on.

“Then what's wrong?” Harry asked.

“I was… in a state when I picked him up and… I don't know Harry, I've just been…” Xanthus trailed off with a sigh. “You don't have to worry about it kid, I'll figure it out.”

“I'm allowed to worry, remember, we agreed,” Harry said. “You've been sad and quiet for a while. Since planting.”

“That noticeable, huh?” He asked.

“It has something to do with Jack, right?” Harry asked. He watched as Xanthus jumped in surprise then rubbed his face with his hand, stretching his cheeks down and back up.

“That noticeable, huh?” He said again, sounding much more resigned.

“Yeah, everyone knows,” Harry said matter of factly.

Xanthus groaned lightly.

“Can I help?” Harry asked.

“It's not your responsibility to help me, Harry,” Xanthus said.

“But I wanna help anyways,” he said.

“I'm much more concerned about Rolf, than Jack,” Xanthus said quietly, glancing down to where Rolf slept.

“Hmmm, but if you're less sad about Jack then you'll be less sad and that will help, right?” Harry asked.

“Maybe,” Xanthus said. “It's your birthday, if you're going to worry about me, can you at least wait till tomorrow?”

Harry stuck his tongue out but leaned back into Xanthus, who hugged him close again.

Xanthus carried Rolf into bed when they got home, but Harry crawled in with Xanthus, something he hadn't done since Rolf arrived. Sometime in the middle of the night, Rolf got up and cuddled in with both of them. Harry considered it a win.

The next day, Harry woke with conviction. He was going to weedle whatever had happened out of Jack and he wasn't going to back down till he got real answers for once.

Unfortunately for his conviction, Jack wasn't going to wake up for another few hours. So Rolf convinced him to go flying instead of foraging that morning while he waited. Xanthus trusted them to fly safely on their own now, although they had to check back in every ten minutes or so, so they flew around town, brushing their feet on rooftops as they flew.

“Mom took me to see the Quidditch nationals just before I left,” Rolf said as they were casually peering down someone's chimney. “It was wicked! They did so many cool tricks. They could fly straight up, like perfectly straight.”

“Is flying straight up hard?” Harry asked, he didn't really think much about how he flew. Just that he did.

“Super hard, cause you tend to pick up speed and go forward by leaning the broom right? Like this.” Rolf leaned forward and shot over to the next roof. Harry sped after. “But when going straight up, you're being pulled backwards really hard. I can only do it a bit, see.”

Rolf proceeded to shoot upwards but he started tilting back fairly soon and then rolled to come up to sitting. Harry tried to mimic him and found it was actually harder than he thought. Anytime he flew up he tended to fly forwards or do a loop the loop, he hadn't even realized flying straight up was so hard.

“See?” Rolf said.

“I bet I could do it,” Harry said, determinedly. He tried again, and it felt like it worked but as he looked down he realized he'd still traveled forward.

They tried back and forth to fly up. First Harry, then Rolf. Using where the other person hovered as a measure for if they succeeded.

Eventually Harry realized it was getting much colder and the houses below them were much smaller.

“Maybe we should have been going down some too,” Harry laughed, pointing towards the ground.

“Wow,” Rolf said. “I've never been this high, they won't let me at school.”

“Let's go down and check in with Dad,” Harry said.

“Okay,” Rolf said.

They spiraled their way lazily back down, slowly floating south towards Patty's house. They skimmed the roof of it before coming down in the backyard. Harry looked around the yard, confused.

Something was wrong.

They were definitely in Patty's backyard but their truck wasn't there and neither was Jack's trailer. The baskets that littered the back wall of the house were all gone.

It was quiet.

“Dad!?” Harry called out.

He couldn't see Xanthus anywhere.

“Did he go somewhere?” Rolf asked, walking over to where the truck should be.

“Shouldn't have,” Harry said. He tried to push his way into the backdoor of the house but it was locked.

It was never locked. He didn't even know the door had a lock. The handle just wouldn't turn.

He pounded in the door.

“Dad!? Aspen!? Patty!?” Harry called out inside. He pressed his face to the glass on the backdoor but it was dark, he couldn't see anything inside.

“Weird,” Rolf said, sounding nervous.

Harry nodded in agreement and then led them around to the front of the house. This door was locked too and he couldn't see inside the house from the windows. It was just weirdly dark. He knocked loudly.

No one answered.

“I don't think anyone lives there, boys,” Harry whirled around to see an old man walking up the road near the house. Harry didn't recognize him at all. “But that doesn't mean you should go vandalizing the place you know.”

“We won't, sir,” Rolf said.

“Do you know where Aspen is?” Harry asked. He may not recognize the man, but everyone knew Aspen… except apparently this man.

“Sorry lad, I don't know an Aspen, friend of yours?” He asked.

Harry just nodded. Feeling weird and off center, he grabbed Rolf's hand and led him down the hill back into town.

“Let's go check Kitty's pl-” Harry started but stopped as a car came barreling down the main road he was about to cross. Then another and another. He blinked. There were never this many cars going through town. Before he could think more about it, three more cars turned the corner and then two came in the opposite direction, but that direction led out of town. Out of the protection.

It was Rolf that pulled them across the street once there was an opening. They clutched at their brooms but something told Harry that he shouldn't fly on them. They walked down to the park and Harry had to stop again to gape. There were kids playing some kind of ball game. They stood around the diamond with a big fence behind it and as Harry watched one kid tossed a large ball to another one, who kicked it.

He didn't recognize any of these kids. There were so many.

Or any of the adults.

“What's wrong?” Rolf asked.

“I know all the kids in town,” Harry said.

“So?” Rolf said.

“I don't know any of those kids,” Harry said.

Rolf shrugged uncomfortably and kept Harry moving along.

They had to walk past the main avenue through town to get to Kitty's and that's when Harry was positive something was wrong. He normally moved quickly across the street and ducked down the alley across the way because there were always a large number of shadow people. He used to avoid the street all together but they didn't bother him so much now. He'd even walked down main street to wander around with the shadow people a while back out of boredom.

Except there were no shadow people now.

There were just… people.

People getting out of cars. Dining at the pizza shop that Harry had never seen open. There was a bustling cafe next to it and a corner store on the other side whose door had a little bell that chimed as he watched a mother and child walk out. The child gleefully holding a newly purchased candy bar.

None of these people went to the feasts. None of these shops were open.

These were no-maj.

Feeling shaky, Harry crossed the street. Careful to wait for a car driving through and walked another two blocks to Kitty and Weld's house.

The door was locked. The windows were dark.

They weren't there.

Harry sat down on the stairs leading to their front door heavily. Rolf sat carefully down next to him.

“What's happened?” Rolf asked, looking at Harry. He seemed more concerned that Harry was concerned than about their present circumstances.

Harry opened his mouth to answer but closed it as a large colorful bird flew down in front of his face. It was a bright green with red and yellow feathers and very large. It dropped a letter in his lap and then flew up to rest on the roof over the door.

To Harry Potter

The letter read. It was thick tanned parchment paper. Harry opened it, with tense fingers. Inside there was a familiar drawing.

A skull with a moving snake slithering out of its open mouth.

Harry felt his stomach drop. He'd completely forgotten about his first letter. It had been the day Rolf had left… and the day he'd been attacked.

“You need to get out of here,” Harry said suddenly, standing up and pulling Rolf to his feet.

“What?” Rolf asked, looking alarmed.

“They've found me… I think,” Harry said. “You need to get away from me. They want me, not you.”

“What? Harry I don't understand,” Rolf was looking very panicked now.

“Can you find the park?” Harry asked.

Rolf nodded.

“Take your broom and run to the park, there are a lot of kids there, you'll blend in. If you see anyone in robes especially in dark robes or a mask then fly away. Just run or if they don't see you, hide. Pretend you're a kid playing in the park,” Harry said urgently, looking around to see if he could spot any attackers.

“What about you?” Rolf asked.

“I'm going to stay here,” Harry said.

“Why?”

“Because then they will find me, so they won't think to look for you,” Harry said.

“But!” Rolf protested.

“I'll fly away, don't worry, I just need them to chase me and not you, so you need to leave. Now.” Harry shoved Rolf, who looked at him with teary eyes. “Go!”

Rolf went.

Harry watched him run through the back gate in the hedge around Kitty's yard. He watched the route Rolf might take back to the park for a beat before clutching his broom and looking around.

“Are you the one leading them to me?” He asked the bird, which cocked its head at him.

His heart pounded in his ears as he waited. And waited.

The silence was broken suddenly as a jet of red light shot out of the air seemingly from nowhere. Harry instinctively dodged out of the way, now well used to dodging unexpected lights. A person shimmered briefly into view at the source of the light before fading out again. Harry saw another shimmer before a purple light shot out at him. He sidestepped it and jumped onto his broom.

“You want me?” He yelled with far more confidence than he felt. “Then come get me!”

Then he flattened himself onto his broom and shot out of the yard. He sped straight north where he only had to cross one road and there was only one library building before the slag piles at the edge of town and forest beyond that. He ducked and dived as spells shot around him. He wished suddenly he'd been practicing light-tag with brooms for longer. He was actually much more confident dodging on the ground.

He managed to reach the forest somehow though and then dove into the trees, weaving between the trunks. He could hear the whipping of cloaks and rustling of branches indicating that his attackers were hot on his tail.

Lead them far away from Rolf. Away from town.

He ducked another spell that flew narrowly over his head. He wasn't even sure what made him duck, he just did and watched the spell crash into a tree in front of him.

He twisted and turned, following the ascent of the mountain.

Away from Rolf. Away from Town.

Away from Rolf.

Away from Rolf.

His broom exploded.

He was thrown feet over head forward, tumbling through the air. Then he slowed in the air, suddenly thankful he never figured out how to fall fast and landed on the ground flat on his back. He rolled to the right as he saw another spell shooting his way. The dried pine needles where his head had been burst into flames.

He scrambled to his feet and threw himself behind a tree. He looked over his shoulder and realized he could see his attackers now. Whatever invisibility they had, didn't seem to survive the chase. Or maybe just for some of them. There were five masked fighters in robes and masks, all on brooms.

He ran. Ducking behind tree after tree. Waiting for them to shoot their spells then running while they yelled their next incantations.

It was… startlingly similar to light-tag actually. Except normally he'd accept getting hit with a spell or two unless it was green but now it suddenly felt like they were all green. One spell and he was probably lost. Luckily they weren't actually throwing green spells at him. Which Xanthus would say meant they wanted to catch him and not kill him.

Not that they could kill him.

They weren't…

Harry panted behind a tree and realized suddenly he forgot the name of the evil wizard he was fated to fight. Which was a little embarrassing.

He jumped to the next tree as the one he was behind exploded. He shook off his distracting thoughts and tried to focus.

Something needed to change. He couldn't keep this up forever.

Looking around he spotted a thick bramble patch. It would hurt like hell to run through it, but they wouldn't be able to see him while he was in it.

And if they couldn't see him…

He dashed for the brambles and threw himself low to duck under the taller thicker branches. Rather than the pulling and scratching he expected from the barbed branches above him, he noticed the branches curving ever so slightly out of his way. He crawled quickly in the undergrowth and stopped panting against a tree almost completely overgrown in the bushes. He looked around. He couldn't see anything. Which meant they couldn't see him.

He took a deep breath and leaned into the tree, pressing into its bark until he was sinking past it. The tickling, tinkling darkness of the tree brushed past his body. He followed a thread, one as far away as he could.

He stepped out of the tree. The bramble was gone. In fact he stood out on a steep slope of rocks, the tree he'd walked through clinging onto the face of the slope.

He hoped this wasn't breaking his promise to Aspen about tree walking. He waited till they couldn't see him, so that meant they probably didn't know what he'd done.

He looked out and noticed a bit to the south of him a hole in the trees that looked like a town in the distance. A bit north of that was a slowly rising smoke as if for a fire.

He stepped back into the tree and followed another root, even further away this time.

The more he stepped through, the safer he felt.

Eventually he changed types of trees.

He didn't know where he was going. He didn't know where he was. He just walked.

Tree to tree to tree.

Till finally he collapsed, panting, on the ground.

He wasn't in the woods anymore. He was somewhere in the plains. He'd walked out of a large oak tree surrounded by grass and rolling hills.

It was hot here. Late afternoon.

After a while, he pulled himself up and leaned against the oak tree, taking in his surroundings. He recognized the cascades to his west.

He'd never been more thankful for his road trips now, having driven up to the cascades multiple times on their way to the community, he recognized them now.

Well, he'd definitely made it away.

Hopefully they didn't go back to search the town and find Rolf.

Where to now?

He couldn't go back. That would just bring them back. Didn't the crow say he had to keep moving? Or something?

It was so long ago he hardly remembered.

Then it hit him.

Bear's lodge. The top was supposed to be sacred ground right? If he could get there, he'd be safe.

East. He had to go east.

Chapter Text

“Xanthus! Xanthus!” Aspen came barreling up to him, looking more frantic than Xanthus had ever seen them. “Harry and Rolf left the protection.”

“The protection?” Xanthus asked. As Aspen huffed, having clearly run straight to him from some way off.

“The tree's protection, the town. They've left! As in they're outside her influence,” Aspen huffed frantically.

“Left? They're shadows now, left?” Xanthus asked, fear slowly creeping into his bones. “They're gone?”

Aspen nodded.

Xanthus just stood there for a second, his brain slowly catching up to what that meant.

“How?” He croaked finally, blood pounding in his ears as panic washed over him. “Where?”

“I don't know,” Aspen said. “She doesn't know that precisely. She just knows that they're not in her domain.”

More panicked questions bubbled up in him, but he couldn't hold any one of them down long enough to put them into words. Instead he bolted towards the truck, Aspen hot on his heals.

“The fastest way out of the protection is East, but you might want to circle back after you've left. They'll probably come here,” Aspen said as he got into the driver's seat. “I'd come with you, I really would, but I can't. I… I'm so sorry. I can't…”

He nodded at them as he started the truck. Aspen backed away, looking about as panicked as he felt. A pained expression twisting their face, in stark contrast to their usual friendly stoicism.

“You'll find them,” Aspen said. It sounded more like a command than support. “Send us a raven. Please.”

Xanthus nodded and drove. He lost traction briefly for how fast he blasted onto the side road, then took the turn onto the main road too fast, skidding and nearly vearing off it. He drove like a madman right up till he passed Kitty and Weld's house, which was near the edge of the protection. Here he had to actually pay attention to the shadow cars and line himself up so he was driving in step with them.

He knew when he breached the barrier, right before the gas station on the turnoff to the interstate, because all the shadow cars suddenly materialized and became real. He wasn't sure how his appearance was explained but he certainly didn't worry about that now. He used the gas station to turn around and head straight back the way he came.

He drove through town more sedately now, searching frantically on all sides for signs of his boys. He was passing mainstreet slowly, the car behind him honking angrily, so he could get a good look at everyone there when he spotted a kid that could have been Rolf sneaking behind a cafe heading towards the Park. He turned immediately but got stuck waiting behind a car pulling out from parking.

He drove quickly towards the park when they finally cleared him. Finding it bustling with kids just finishing up some kind of no-maj sport. He drove closer and leaned out the window.

“Har-” He started to frantically yell but cut himself off. It probably wasn't safe to just yell his name. So instead he yelled. “Rolf!?”

He peered around the crowd, to see a gaggle of women circled around something. Then they parted, and Rolf came running out. He clutched desperately at his broom, his face streaked with tears.

“Is that your dad?” One of the women asked kindly, stopping him from continuing. Xanthus threw open his door and ran the rest of the way over. He scooped Rolf into his arms, pulling him into a tight hug, broom at all. Rolf balled into his shoulder, clutching his shirt with his free hand.

“Oh yes, I can see the resemblance,” another woman laughed lightly. “Got a bit lost huh?”

“Tha- Thank you, for- for finding him,” Xanthus forced out. Yeah, he wasn't talking for a week after this. He just resigned himself to it now.

“Ha- Harry!” Rolf wailed into his shoulder.

Xanthus' stomach plummeted.

He looked around desperately but saw no sign of Harry in the gaggle of women.

“You- you didn't see another boy, did you?” He choked out frantically.

“No,” one of them said as the others shook their heads, all spouting matching faces of worry.

“I'm sure you'll find him dear,” someone said.

“We'll stay here a while, in case he turns up,” another one nodded.

Xanthus ignored them, rushing back to the truck. He tossed Rolf's broom into the passenger seat where it vibrated angrily at the treatment and pulled Rolf onto his lap. He closed the door and then cradled Rolf's tear streaked face in his hands.

“Where-” he started to choke out the question, but Rolf interrupted him.

“Kitty’s,” He said urgently. “I left him at Kitty’s. He made me run. He… he… dad, he made it sound like something was coming for us. It was so scary!”

Xanthus pulled Rolf into his chest tightly with one hand while he used the other to turn on the truck and shift into first gear. He did a tight u-turn then trundled back down the way he came.

Kitty and Weld's house was on the main through road and only about three or four blocks from the park. Xanthus opened his glove compartment and tapped his wand carefully with one finger. He wasn't sure if he felt relief or cold dread when he could touch it without pain. He pulled it out and shut the compartment.

“Rolf,” he said carefully as they approached the house. “I need you to hide, okay?”

He pointed at the foot space below the passenger seat and Rolf nodded to him. His face terrified. He kissed Rolf hard on the forehead and then let the boy climb off his lap and down below the seat.

“If I don't come back,” Xanthus said croakily. “There are coins in the glovebox. Get a Raven, send it to Jack. He'll get you home.”

Rolf just nodded at him.

He parked a block away from the house for Rolf's safety then rushed across the street and over to it.

He could instantly identify signs of a fight. There were singes in the hedge and grass, and the gate was blasted open. On the stairs was a thick piece of folded parchment. He picked it up and his heart sank.

The dark mark.

He flipped it over, To Harry Potter. Then he looked up to see a large colorful bird preening itself on the roof. He crumpled the paper in frustration.

Of all the ways to track the boy, they used parrots. They must have been camped out in this area for the past two years just waiting for him to come out. Xanthus sprinted out of the gate and looked around. He couldn't see any other immediate signs of the fight.

He cast a spell to see if there were any people about that he couldn't see but only a single person in the library registered, until another ping popped up as a car drove down the main road.

He rushed back to the truck, opened the passenger door and grabbed the broom. He handed Rolf the keys.

“Lock yourself in,” he croaked. Then closed the door and jogged back to the house. He has to stroke the broom to settle it down from its earlier agitation.

He cast a forensic spell to pick up traces of magic and managed to follow signs of heavy spell fire across the street, past the library and up to the slag hills. There was a lingering notice-me-not ward to get no-maj to not look too hard at the area. It was hastily cast and already falling apart.

At the slag hills he didn't need his forensic spell. The trees were littered with spellfire and the slag rocks gouged in odd ways. He ran, panting, over the slag hill before mounting his broom and following the traces of the fight.

How Harry had made it this far, he had no idea. He sometimes made Harry play light-tag without a fake wand, but that wasn't a good comparison. There was still a win condition: everyone else getting each other out. There was no win condition for Harry here. No way for him to escape, just delay.

He disillusioned himself and flew over the treetops. He flew fast, trying to keep his eye on signs of the fight. Then he saw it. Smoke.

About a quarter mile up the mountain, smoke was billowing from the trees. He sped towards it fast.

He heard them before he saw them.

“If you've burned him alive don't think for a second I'm taking the fall for you,” a woman was yelling angrily.

“Come out, come out, wherever you are!” Another man cackled.

“I haven't burned him! What, he's going to burn silently!? More likely he slipped past you!” A different man growled.

“He hasn't slipped anywhere!” The woman yelled back.

“Stop bickering and keep searching!” Barked a different man with a thick Russian accent.

Xanthus crept up to the group now, quiet except for the taunting cackling voice calling “Harry, Harry, come out, come out!”

A huge section of undergrowth and bush was on fire. Five figures in black robes and white masks were walking around the large bush, trying to look under it. Searching around and occasionally lighting more fire, apparently to cut off escape.

Xanthus snuck up behind one of the masked figures as the others walked around and stunned him. He draped the man over his broom and drug him out of sight before sneaking back.

He got two more that way. The bush was large and smoke obscured their vision from each other as they moved around it. He avoided the cackling man, knowing his silence would be noticed.

The fourth attacker didn't go down so easily, whirling around as he stepped slightly too loudly.

“We're under attack!” The woman yelled as she dodged Xanthus silent stunner. He had to jump out of the way as she yelled some incantation. It wasn't familiar, which always made Xanthus nervous. Unfamiliar spells tended to be dark. The trail of the spell left an acrid stench and Xanthus was glad he dodged it.

“Finally some bloody action,” the cackling man said from across the smoke. He quickly came flying through it on a broom, barreling straight at them. Xanthus cast a silent stunner at him while throwing himself behind a tree against the woman's onslaught, but the man dodged.

The tree he dodged behind exploded, he hastily cast a protego but the blast sent him flying. He rolled roughly until slamming into another tree. Winded, he rolled onto the broom in his offhand and urged it to fly him away.

It was clearly damaged as it jerked him side to side as he sped along the forest floor.

The flying death eater caught up fast, but the sporadic jerking of his broom worked in his favor as the death eater threw miss after miss.

He let his damaged broom jerk him about, twisting over his shoulder and aiming carefully. He threw a silent stunner and it hit home, sending the death eater and his broom crunching sickeningly into a tree.

His broom wouldn't obey any commands to turn around so he dropped off of it, hitting the forest floor and rolling to minimize the impact. His shoulder spiked with pain from where it had already taken a beating from his last roll. He pulled himself to his feet on a pine, and stumbled back towards the fire.

He dropped to the ground as he heard an incantation to his right. A spell flew over his head and he blindly shot a stunner back. He heard a body hit the ground and pushed up to his feet. Cautiously walking over, shield up, he found the stunned body.

It was the woman.

Making sure she was stunned and sending out a silent incarcerous, he left her and ran back towards the fire.

He cast a quick detection spell and found only the five stunned death eaters.

No Harry.

They were definitely untrained thugs if they couldn't determine that for themselves. Certainly no one trained as an auror would have missed it.

He wasn't sure if it was good or bad that Harry wasn't there but he didn't have much time to think about it. The fire was spreading fast.

He cast a large barrier to keep the fire from spreading, then concentrated to make it so air couldn't pass in or out. Normally a spell used to protect from gasses, it worked for slowly smothering the fire.

He watched as the fire burned bigger and then slowly smothered itself down as he carefully compressed the barrier. He didn't trust his spell work to go fast.

A deep, deep dread in his bones, he searched the hot ashes for a body.

There was none.

Casting every forensic and scouting spell he could think of, he found no signs of Harry. He rubbed his face roughly with his hands and then set about levitating all the death eaters together. He strengthened their binding spells and took their wands, searching them for any other weapons.

Taking off their masks he didn't recognize any of their faces. No one heavily wanted or from a famous pure blood family. Or at least not from MUSCA.

Interrogation.

Xanthus tugged roughly at his hair.

Interrogation was not…

He really couldn't…

This was why he was fired. Why he wasn't an auror. He just couldn't.

Harry.

He paced back and forth. Then sighed.

He sized up the group, his best option was either the cackler because he might just spill what was happening on his own or one of the two other men. Not the Russian or the woman. He could tell they wouldn't tell him anything.

Could he even ask questions?

He shook out his arms as panic made them tingle uncomfortably.

He couldn't do it.

He just couldn't.

He paced again. Then took a deep breath.

He stood up tall, and strong and fixed a confident indifference on his face. A very practiced expression, one he hadn't had to use in over three years.

He silently enervated one of the unknown men.

“Wha-” the man spluttered, looking around before his expression fixed on Xanthus. “What did you do? What do you want?”

Xanthus didn't even try to answer, he just pulled out the wand he'd taken from the man and held one end in each hand, slowly bending it until the wood started to protest.

“Woah wait wait wait,” the man struggled against his invisible bonds. “Wait, what do you want?”

Xanthus fixed him with a look that said plainly, you know what I want. He used this look more recently but mostly these days when Harry protested about writing practice. He'd learned it was all he needed to do to get Harry to finish. He bent the wand a bit more.

“Wait, okay okay,” the man panicked.

Merlin it was a good thing these were just thugs. Xanthus couldn't remember the last time an interrogation went this well. Although he supposed snapping someone's wand was very illegal so he'd never been able to use this particular tactic in the field.

“We were hired to find the Potter boy,” the man said. “Been taking shifts in this area for ages. Just sitting around watching that damned bird. But he showed up today. We found him. We probably burned the bugger alive in that bush. That's it. That's it.”

He crunched the wood a bit more.

“No no, I swear! I don't even know who hired us. I just answer to Koslov! Ask him! Ask him!”

Xanthus stunned the man, then slumped to the ground. Then realizing his mistake he obliviated all five of them of the last day. No memory of finding Harry and no memory of a fight. No memory of him.

He took one of their brooms and searched the area. No sign of Harry. He began hoarsely yelling out Harry's name. The dejavu of scouring these woods for Harry was too much. He felt tears stinging his face as he finally went back to the thugs.

He magically roped them all together and made a very illegal portkey to land them in a holding cell back in his old office. It was something he used to do for work so frequently it was almost rote. He had no idea if the holding cell was already occupied and he was under no illusion that they'd remain detained. There was no proof they'd committed a crime and dressing up as a death eater wasn't illegal. Hopefully it would put their names down somewhere though.

He watched them vanish then flew his stolen broom back to the truck. Rolf was curled up in the foot space crying silently. He seemed to be too tired for anything else.

Xanthus rapped gently on the window, making Rolf shoot up. He scrambled to unlock the door and open it. Xanthus immediately pulled him into his arms and held him close. Eventually Rolf wriggled free.

“Harry?” He asked. Xanthus shook his head no, but at the alarmed look on Rolf's face he cleared his throat to force himself to speak.

“C- c- couldn't find-” Xanthus croaked. “St- stopped the… … b-bad…”

“The people after him? You stopped them?” Rolf asked eagerly. He'd forgotten how keen Rolf had been about his auror work.

Xanthus nodded.

“Then where's Harry?” Rolf asked.

Xanthus just shrugged.

“They didn't get him?”

He shook his head no, hoping against hope it was true. It certainly seemed true.

He drove back up to Patty's house, although it was dead and locked on this side of the protection. He figured if Harry came back, he'd probably circle around here.

He pulled out some rarely used coins from the glovebox and called down a raven. Then realized talking was an issue.

He cursed silent thoughts, as he struggled with his throat.

“T- t-” he tried and failed.

He needed to do this. This wasn't some stupid row. Harry was missing.

“Harry says sometimes you can't talk,” Rolf sniffled, coming up to grab his sleeve. Looking at the raven instead of at Xanthus. “Mom says you chose not to talk, but Harry says you just can't.”

Xanthus nodded.

“You want to send a Raven to Harry?” Rolf asked.

Xanthus nodded again, he could feel tears welling in his eyes. Harry talking for him was one thing, he just seemed to understand. He'd never seen Xanthus as a hero. As someone worth something. It didn't matter. Rolf… somehow Rolf seeing that he couldn't even send a message when Harry was out there somewhere. It was so much worse. He hated it.

“Tell Harry… uh… Scamander?” He paused looking at Xanthus curiously to make sure that would work. Xanthus just nodded. He was certain it would. Ravens were just like that. “Right, tell Harry Scamander we're looking for him and he should tell us where he is. Oh! But don't do it if it will give away his hiding spot to others. Uh, take some coins from us for his return message.”

Rolf took the coins from Xanthus and held out his hand. The greedy bird took a whole galleon, which was way overkill, but Xanthus couldn't stop it now.

“Oh!” Rolf said, as though just thinking of something. “Tell… uh Jack…?” He looked at Xanthus who just shrugged. He genuinely didn't know anyone in the community’s surnames. Which was odd now he thought of it. “Well tell Jack who lives here but not here, that dad found me but Harry is still missing. Oh and tell Grandma Tina Scamander that Harry is missing. And definitely don't tell my mom.”

You weren't really supposed to deliver messages like that to raven's, you were supposed to say the exact words of the message but the bird seemed to understand as it flew off before Rolf could think of any more people to tell. Telling Xanthus' mom was actually probably a good idea and one he hadn't thought of. He pulled Rolf back into a tight hug as they waited for Harry in case he came back here.

Rolf seemed to have cried himself out, and instead just leaned into Xanthus for comfort. They waited and waited. Xanthus slowly going through plans in his head. He was only one man for searching the woods but they couldn't just wait here forever.

As the sun was beginning to set, and Xanthus was beginning to think about implementing some of his very shaky search plans, a Raven flew down.

“I don't know where I am,” the Raven said in Harry's voice. “But I'm going to the rock you always say I'm bored with. Close to the faces and the horse. You said it's safe on top. Maybe they can't find me there.”

Xanthus didn't have time to process this message, however as the Raven hopped over to indicate it had another one and began cawing in a much louder shriek.

“What do you mean Harry's missing!? Where are you!? Where is your dad? Are you safe? Is Xanthus there? Rolf?” The crow was rather stoic for how panicked the voice it was portraying sounded.

Rolf looked up at Xanthus, who looked back.

Bear's Lodge? How in the world would Harry even get there? It was states away and he was without a car. Had he hitchhiked? Stowed away? How could he not know where he was now?

The dread of not knowing if Harry had made it slowly ebbed away and the dread of a nine year old kid trying to make their way multiple states over slowly began to sink in.

As all the scenarios for what Harry could possibly be doing flooded Xanthus' brain, relief seemed to flood Rolf instead. He smiled and handed the Raven a sickle.

“Nevermind, we know where he is, sorry,” Rolf said, then seemed to remember. “Oh send that to Grandma Tina. Oh and tell Harry we are on our way.”

Xanthus tried desperately to say something and intercept the Raven but nothing came out and he watched helplessly as it flew off.

Rolf scrambled up and got into the truck. Xanthus followed after as it seemed Harry at least wasn't in town anymore. Harry knew the town and woods almost as well as Aspen so if he didn't know where he was, then he wasn't here.

“That's Bear's Lodge right? Where Harry said he was going?” Rolf asked.

Xanthus nodded.

Harry getting away at all was amazing. Maybe he could get there. Then the dread of Harry getting caught just flying his broom in broad daylight began to sink in. He gripped the steering wheel tighter as he drove, whatif scenarios drumming through him.

Until he heard Rolf sniffle. Looking over, he found Rolf's knees pulled up to his chest, quietly crying again.

Xanthus pulled Rolf into a tight hug.

“I was so scared!” Rolf wailed, clutching at Xanthus shirt.

Xanthus just pulled him close and rubbed his back until Rolf fell asleep against him.

Chapter Text

Harry was getting better at tree walking. There was a lot more to it than he originally thought.

Yesterday he stumbled out of a tree almost directly on top of two hikers, and had to run back into the woods at top speed till he couldn't hear their confused calling anymore. After that he'd tried to peek out of trees before stepping out. He wasn't entirely sure what his face pressed through the tree looked like, but it was certainly better than his whole body.

It was hard to do. His first instinct when looking out was to breathe, but he couldn't, which made him panic and step out at first. It was also hard to tell when he was approaching the next tree and when he was still traveling between. He was getting better though. Intentionally thinking about holding his breath as he looked through and learning the feel of approaching the end. He was also putting less and less of his head out to get a look at his surroundings.

He was getting better at tree walking.

He wasn't getting better at navigating.

If Harry was being honest with himself, he had no idea where he was. He'd found his way back into a forest instead of grassy fields with one lone tree here or there. Which was good because he was hungry. It was deciduous however, and that seemed bad. He thought the trees around the tower were coniferous but he wasn't entirely sure. He didn't recognize deciduous forests very well, but he'd found some huckleberries. They weren't that plentiful yet, a bit early, but they did have berries. If he could get a container for some water he could enchant it to grow the berries, but the only way he could think to get a container would be to steal one…

He was hungry.

He picked and ate the berries he could find as he walked. Keeping an eye out for anything else he could eat or for people. Even looking, he barely managed to spot the camp before he almost stumbled into it.

Tucked into the underbrush was a tan canvas tarp, propped up from the inside to make a makeshift tent. There was a small fire pit that didn't look nearly isolated enough from the brush to be safe. It was littered with burned tin cans, clearly having been heated in the fire.

One of those tin cans might work for a water container… if he could find one without holes…

Harry was stopped about ten feet from the tent, which is when he'd seen it. He didn't see anyone around, but he still sunk low into the brush, listening.

No sound. No breathing or anything. The tent wasn't moving. It might be abandoned?

Harry crept closer, keeping his eyes peeled for the inhabitant.

They wouldn't miss an empty tin can, right?

Harry braved going to the fire and rummaging around the littered cans. Burned through… burned through… perfect.

He picked up a rather large can that didn't have any holes in triumph and turned to run back into the woods.

“Oof!” Harry said, falling flat onto his butt as he ran straight into the hard chest of a man, instead of into the brush.

“Hey, you alright?” The man said, more kindly and much less gruffly than he looked. His accent felt familiar to Harry somehow. It was off from what he'd heard recently, but he couldn't place why. The man's head was a matted, mangy mess of brown hair. His face was unshaven and beard uneven, but his eyes were kind and concerned. He reached out a hand to help Harry up. “What are you doing so far out? Are you lost?”

“Er,” Harry said, tentatively taking the man's hand to stand. He took a step back once standing and reached down to pick up the tin. Still looking at his feet, he held it out in front of him and asked “Can I have this please?”

“Sure,” the man said, “but I'd like to make sure you get home safe-”

“That's okay,” Harry said, looking up at the man and trying to put on a winning smile even though his heart was beating a mile a minute from being caught. “I'll be fine!”

The man gasped.

“James?” He asked, looking like he'd seen a ghost. His eyes wide and cheeks pale.

“Er, no, sorry,” Harry said, taking another step back.

“Sorry,” the man said, covering his eyes with his hand looking completely distraught. “You look like a friend of mine when he… when I first… when he was young…” the man sighed and scrubbed his hand down his beard revealing sad but still kind eyes. “I'd still like to make sure you get back to your parents safely. There isn't anything for miles here, you could get lost easily. I know I must look very scary to you but -”

“No sir, you seem nice,” Harry said. “I won't get lost, I'm very good at woods.”

“Well I'm actually a bit lost,” the man said. “I'm supposed to be going to west Montana, would it be okay if I asked your parents for directions?”

“Er…” Harry said, trying desperately to think about how to get out of this.

“Unless… have you run away?” He asked, eyeing Harry's now very dirty and lightly torn clothes. He kept scratching them on tree bark and branches as he exited his trees.

“Er….” Harry repeated. Could he just run? It seemed so rude, could he even get away? The man was quite tall. He could probably get away. He escaped his attackers after all.

“Please don't run,” the man said, holding up his hands in a gesture of surrender. “I promise I won't hurt you.”

Harry’s eyes went wide. There, pinched between the crack of the man's thumb, dangling loosely, was a wand. It was definitely not a stick, too carved and ornate, with a handle facing forward towards Harry, tip facing away.

“Do you recognize this?” The man asked, looking confused at Harry.

“You're a wizard?” Harry asked, taking another step back. Wizards were far more dangerous than a random no-maj. He couldn't let the man see him tree walk. What if he was after Harry?

“I am, are you?” The man asked gently, still holding the wand loose and non threateningly.

Harry nodded for a second before realizing he shouldn't have done that and stopping abruptly.

“Look,” the man said, bending down slowly and placing his wand at his feet before standing up empty handed. “I promise I don't mean any harm, I am really worried, okay? You just shouldn't be out here on your own. Can you at least tell me what you're doing? At least tell me your name?”

“Ha- er- er- Rolf,” Harry said. The man didn't look like he believed that for a second, but Harry’s correction had been pretty bad. “I'm, er, picking huckleberries”

At least that was true.

“I could pick you some too, probably,” Harry said, eyeing the man and his ragged appearance. He looked like he needed food more than Harry did, honestly. Feeling like he wasn't going to shake the wizard anytime soon, maybe he could find a time to slip away as they foraged. He needed food anyway. “Do you know where a stream is around here?”

The man nodded, looking rather perplexed at Harry’s behavior. As if Harry was a worrying puzzle of some kind.

“It's this way,” the man gestured. “That tin probably isn't good to drink from though.”

“It's not for drinking, it's for magic,” Harry said confidently. Then a bit more sheepishly added “actually could I take another tin too?”

“As many as you want,” the man nodded.

Harry rummaged through the fire again, grabbing another whole tin. He kept his eye on the man the entire time, but he made no move to attack.

Before they left for the stream the man picked up his wand, making Harry jumpy, but quickly tucked it away out of hand. Showing his empty palms to Harry.

Harry made the man walk slightly in front of him so that it would be harder for him to sneak attack as they made their way along a small deer trail between the trees.

The man led him to a little brook that bubbled up out of the ground through some rocks. It was clear the man had dug a hole around the stream and probably based his camp here because of the water.

Then Harry had a dilemma. Chanting to make the water was… rather vulnerable. It was hard to concentrate on anything else.

“Er,” Harry said nervously, giving the man another appraising look. “Can you, er, put your wand down and then stand over there?”

Harry pointed a ways out in front of him, so he'd have a clear view of the man for a while as he approached. The man nodded in acquiescence.

“Can you promise not to hurt my wand? It's very important to me,” the man said.

“I won't touch it,” Harry said. “Promise.”

The man nodded and set down his wand, backing away all the way to where Harry pointed.

“Er, this might take a while!” Harry called out. “I don't actually know how long, please stay there!”

Then he took a deep breath and dunked his cans in the little stream hole. He began to chant.

It took a few false starts as keeping an eye on the man was distracting, but eventually he got it. The cadence settled into the rising and falling of chanting. The world around him became less important, the man a part of the forest. The shadows of the trees moving along the tins in his hands.

Then he was done.

He placed the tins on the forest floor and dunked his face into the stream to take a few big gulps of the water.

He looked up, blinking at the sky to get a sense of time. Late afternoon. It had been early afternoon before. The man was now sitting, exactly where he'd been before. He was looking at Harry fixedly.

“Er, I'm done!” Harry called out croakily. His voice was hoarse but not as bad as a full day of chanting with Patty. “You can come back now.”

The man did so, approaching slowly. He picked up his wand and pocketed it.

“What was that?” He asked, he seemed incredibly curious.

“It's for harvesting the berries,” Harry said simply. He then picked up one of the tins full of enchanted water. “Here, take this and be very careful not to spill any.”

Harry picked up the other tin and slowly led them along a deer path looking around for huckleberries which tended to grow from stumps and fallen trees. He felt less worried about the man after he'd sat there for probably hours waiting for Harry to finish, so he focused mostly on not spilling his water.

It didn't take too long to find a patch of huckleberries. Harry approached and put down his tin.

“We should have brought another tin for collecting,” Harry frowned as he picked the existing berries from the bush.

“I can make us something,” the man said, putting his tin down. “If you don't mind?” He was gesturing to his wand.

“Oh, er, sure,” Harry said, backing up slightly and preparing to dodge.

The man pulled out his wand and grabbed a few large freshly fallen maple leaves from the ground. He fanned them out in his hand and then waved his wand over them. They turned suddenly into a small basket, handle and all.

“Here,” he said smiling as he handed the basket to Harry and pocketed his wand again.

Harry marveled at it. He hadn't seen much transfiguration yet. He knew that's what it was but there weren't any wandless versions of it so Xanthus had mostly just told him about it.

“That's so cool,” Harry said, turning the basket around in his hands. Harry picked the ripe berries into the basket.

“Have you not seen that before?” The man asked, coming up to help pick.

“Those ones aren't ripe,” Harry said as the man picked. “They look the same but they'll be rather sour.”

“Oh, er,” the man hesitated.

“Here, you can pour the water and I'll pick, we don't have very much water so we have to be careful. Like this,” Harry picked up one of the tins and very carefully poured it around the huckleberry. Trying to pour as little as possible for the berries to grow.

“Woah,” the man said, startled as berries burst to life all over the bush. “My turn to be surprised, I don't know any magic like this.”

Harry smiled at him and handed over the tin. He picked the newly fruited berries from the bush.

“Okay, pour again,” Harry said as he plucked the last few berries.

“I think I'll need to make another basket,” the man marveled as he poured the water.

“We have to find another bush after this one, it's not good to over harvest the same plant too much in one day,” Harry said.

“You have a lot of experience with this,” the man wondered aloud.

“Yep,” Harry said, leading them over to another huckleberry.

They harvested the rest of the water's worth of huckleberries filling four baskets, each bigger than the last.

“Can you make a saucepan, from the tins maybe?” Harry asked as they walked back.

“I can,” the man said, “do you mean to cook them?”

“Mhm,” Harry said. “More filling that- oh.”

Harry set down his baskets and jogged into the bush having spotted a patch of nettles heavy with seeds.

“It must be hotter here, the nettles aren't seeded yet where I'm from, just flowering,” Harry said. He very carefully plucked the stems off the seed bundles from the stalks making sure not to touch the bristles on the main plant.

“Er, aren't those toxic? You're not supposed to touch them,” the man said wearily from the deer path.

“Nope, they hurt to touch but not to eat,” Harry said as he pulled out his shirt to collect the seeds. “The seeds have lots of nutrients, it will make the berries weirdly crunchy but much more filling!”

“I'm not picky,” the man said.

Harry dumped the seeds from his shirt into one of the baskets when he came back. They headed back to camp together. The man took some tins and transfigured a large saucepan and then used his wand to start a fire.

“Aren't you worried about catching the brush on fire?” Harry asked as the man transfigured some more things over the fire to rest the pan on.

“Nope, magic,” the man smiled.

They dumped a whole basket of berries into the saucepan and stripped some of the nettle seeds on. The man cast a spell to pour water from the tip of his wand into the saucepan. Which made Harry wonder why the man had dug out the stream at all.

“So,” the man said as the berries began to simmer. “Going to tell me what you're doing out here now?”

“Are you?” Harry asked.

“You want to know?” The man asked.

“Yes,” Harry said. Mostly because he wanted to know if the man was a threat, not that he thought he'd say so outright. At this point he had decided he probably wasn't. It's not like the man had been hunting for Harry, he'd clearly been here for at least a few days.

“Er… right, well… hmmm,” the man hesitated. “I'm British, if you can't tell from my accent, but I was told there was a community here in Montana for… er… people like me and…”

“Oh! You're a werewolf!” Harry said, smiling.

The man jumped, nearly tipping the saucepan into the fire. He looked at Harry with wide eyes.

“What? No- I- how?” He spluttered.

“I have friends who go to Montana every month,” Harry said. “I don't know where it is though… if you had some coins, I could send a raven and ask.”

“Er,” the man looked very startled and then rather sheepishly mumbled. “Not a knut to my name, unfortunately. That's part of why, er, why I came here looking for them. I've had trouble working… as a… as I am. You really don't mind?”

“No, why would I mind?” Harry asked, feeling confused by the man's hesitance.

“Oh, well, so that's basically it, lost in America,” the man chuckled awkwardly.

“Um, so you're from Britain? Did, er, did you have a side in the war?” Harry asked.

“Just because I'm a… doesn't mean I supported you-know-who!” The man said angrily, making Harry jump in surprise.

“Er, sorry,” the man said, “that's just always the assumption. I'm a bit sick of… it. Most of my… all of my friends died fighting him. I'm the only one left and… yes, sorry to answer your question. I had a side, the winning one I suppose but it often doesn't feel that way…”

“I, er, didn't actually assume, er I just, sorry,” Harry said lamely. He still probably shouldn't say he wanted to make sure he wasn't after Harry.

“No, no, it's okay, I'm sorry, I'm not,” the man sighed. “I'm not much fit for company… if you couldn't already tell.”

The man gestured at his hair with a self deprecating sort of smile.

“That's okay,” Harry said quickly.

“So,” he sighed. “I really am quite concerned for you, you know. You're quite young to be on your own, despite how competent you seem to be at feeding yourself from the trees alone.”

“I…” Harry hesitated. Then threw caution to the wind and decided to trust the man. “I was attacked and separated from my dad. I uh… used magic to go very far away but now… I'm lost too. I was worried you might be one of the bad guys but I don't think so anymore.”

“Attacked?” The man asked. “By wizards?”

Harry nodded.

“I told my dad I was going to a landmark we know but… I could probably find my friends at the place you're going. We could both try to find it… if you wanted?” Harry said. “I don't know how much help I can be but… I probably could if you had a map?”

“I do,” the man said. “I will do my best to get you there. Honestly I'd kinda given up and was wallowing here, since it seemed remote enough, but… Why were you attacked?”

“Oh,” Harry said, suddenly realizing. “It actually might be dangerous for you to come with me. Sorry, I wasn't thinking. I can probably find my own-”

“Absolutely not,” the man said sternly. Then softened his voice considerably. “I fought in the war, I'm quite good at defense actually. I can definitely protect you. It would make me happy to do so. I couldn't leave you now that I know. You really shouldn't have to face that alone.”

“Are you sure?” Harry asked. “I'll be fine on my own, really.”

“Well it seems perhaps I need your help, doesn't it? I'm happy to protect you if you help me with my map,” the man smiled.

“Oh, okay,” Harry said shyly.

“Anyway, this looks done,” the man said, stirring what was effectively huckleberry jam.

He transfigured them both spoons and they ate straight from the pan.

“Certainly could use some bread about now,” the man said, after a while of eating the slightly sweet, slightly sour and weirdly crunchy hot jam.

“Or a pie crust,” Harry said. “It'd be a brilliant pie.”

“Oh yes, excellent pie,” he responded. “You know, if you're not careful my accent will rub off on you. You sounded quite British there yourself for a second.”

“Oh, I was British actually,” Harry said. “I've just been here a long time now. After my dad rescued me from some bad people.”

“Is that why you asked about the war?” The man asked. “I was told Americans didn't care much about it.”

“Oh, er, yeah,” Harry said awkwardly, because it was as good an explanation as any.

They sat in awkward silence for a bit, then continued to eat the jam. Eventually the jam became too much to eat just on its own and they stopped. Harry didn't feel quite filled but he wasn't uncomfortably hungry anymore.

“Well it's quite late now,” the man said. “I'll clean out the tent and you can kip there. I'll keep watch if you're worried.”

“It should be fine, unless a colorful bird comes with a letter, then we have to run,” Harry said.

“A parrot? They can only deliver letters to you when you’re home, not when you're out. If they are chasing parrots they shouldn't find you here,” the man said thoughtfully. “Well, I'll put up some wards regardless.”

“So they followed the parrot to me?” Harry asked.

“Most likely,” the man said. “You can intercept owls near their source or destination but you can't actually follow them. They'll never reach their target if followed. Raven's don't seem to travel at all, we don't really know how either get to their recipients. Parrots actually fly the whole distance but they don't fly straight to someone, they fly to where someone has spent a lot of time. They're quite smart, they can deliver timed or conditional… sorry, I'm rambling.”

“That's okay,” Harry said quickly as the man rubbed awkwardly at the back of his neck. “I like hearing about magic.”

The man smiled sheepishly at him before getting up.

Harry watched as the man cleaned up the tent, casting some kind of charm inside. He then vanished the pan and made some box to put the leftover berries in. Then he went walking around in a big circle, spiraling slowly out, muttering in off latin under his breath. It was enough like what Xanthus did when they were camping that Harry couldn't help but feel safer.

Harry debated on sneaking off anyways but he was very tired. He hadn't slept much at all the night before and he could feel it catching up to him.

“Alright, all set,” the man said. “Why don't you get some sleep. I promise I'll stay out here.”

Harry nodded, then crawled under the canvas tarp. It wasn't bigger inside than outside but it was definitely held up by magic. There were no ropes or tent poles. The ground was just more canvas tarp but it was strangely soft, like a pillow. There was a single threadbare wool blanket inside.

Harry laid down and listened for the man outside, which he could kinda see outlined in shadow from the fire. He expected to take a long time falling asleep or perhaps not sleeping at all to keep watch, but before he knew it birds were chirping and the soft light of dawn lit up the tent.

He stretched and crawled out, feeling much better than yesterday.

The man was sleeping against a tree, his dirty coat clenched around him. Harry reached back into the tent and grabbed the blanket. He carefully draped it over the man, who grunted but didn't wake.

Harry went to relieve himself and then pulled out a magically preserved basket and ate some of the huckleberries.

Eventually the man started to shift in his sleep, like he was having a nightmare. Tossing his head and mumbling until he jerked awake. He looked around, wide eyed, and then relaxed. He took a deep breath in and out before turning to Harry.

“Sleep alright?” The man asked kindly, no signs of his nightmare in his voice or face.

“Great,” Harry said honestly, then teased lightly. “You weren't a very good watchman though.”

“No,” the man chucked. “It seems not.”

“Could you roast the seeds?” Harry asked, pointing at the nettle seeds. “Then we can eat the berries raw.”

The man nodded lightly and started the fire.

After the fire was out and food was eaten, the man used his wand to pack up the whole camp into a small knapsack, excess berries and all, and then rummaged around in it to pull out a large map book.

“Probably shoulda pulled this out before packing up,” the man said lightly as he struggled to get it out.

“That would be too easy,” Harry said, making the man chuckle.

“You really do remind me a lot of one of my friends when he was a kid you know,” the man said. “Mind you, he'd never have been able to eat only berries two days in a row without kicking up a fuss. Spoiled rotten, but… well anyways. That's what happens when you get stuck in the woods too long, start going a bit crazy and reminiscent. So let's try to get out of here, shall we?”

“We need to find a road first,” Harry said. “So we can find a sign about where we are.”

“I can apparate us to the last road I was on,” the man said.

“Okay,” Harry said. “Rolf always complains about how terrible apparition is but I've never done it before.”

“I thought your name was Rolf?” The man asked but his voice was teasing and he had a light smile under his beard.

“Oh, uh, woops,” Harry laughed. It didn't seem that important anymore.

“It can be pretty uncomfortable,” the man said. “Some people like to hold their breath or let all their air out but I haven't found it to make much of a difference. Just grab my arm when you're ready.”

Harry did so and then he was suddenly being sucked impossibly small. Crushed and suffocated and pressed and then he was back to normal except he was standing on a small two lane road. It was clearly a backroad, the lanes were small and not well kept and there were no cars. At least it was two lanes.

He took a calming breath, the same as after he tree walked when he couldn't breath inside, and looked around. The road ran north south, with north clearly heading up the mountain.

“Let's go south,” Harry said, pointing down the hill.

“Sure,” the man shrugged. They started walking.

“So, uh,” the man said, after about an hour of walking. Only one car had passed them and it hadn't stopped when they waved, which the man had complained about on account of Harry clearly being a kid. “How many werewolves do you know?”

“Only five,” Harry said. “But I only know the two that I live with very well. They all leave every month to go to Montana then come back afterwards.”

“Five is… You lived with them?”

“Yep, I spend a lot of time with Jack actually. He's been teaching me potions,” Harry said. Then suddenly realized- “I guess… I guess that's over now…”

Harry stopped walking as the true implications of being found hit him. They probably couldn't go back now. Just like they had to leave the reserve. No more harvesting with Aspen. No more chanting with Patty. No more potions with Jack. No more light-tag. No more sledding with Kitty and Weld. Or swimming in the lake.

His wish hadn't come true.

He couldn't have a birthday party next year. Not when all his friends were somewhere he couldn't go anymore.

“Hey, hey,” the man said softly, bending down to eye level. “Are you okay? What's the matter?”

“M’fine,” Harry sniffed, wiping the tears from his face with his dirty sleeve. “I just realized we have to run again. We can't go back. I really liked that house.”

“Again? This isn't the first time you've been attacked?”

Harry shook his head no, then took a breath and kept walking. The man hurried to follow after.

“Why are you being attacked? Hasn't your ministry done something?” The man asked.

“MUSCA is just a wizard tyranny there to keep old families in power,” Harry said, quoting stuff he'd heard around the house.

“Err,” the man said. “That's… uncomfortably true… but… are you not a wiz… er, nevermind.”

They walked on for a while. Harry's feet began to ache slightly as they hit the pavement. It was nice to have company, even if a bit awkward, but tree-walking was certainly a lot faster than actually walking.

After two more cars drove by, they finally managed to wave down a truck. A rather plump woman in work clothes hopped out after she parked and greeted them.

“You lost hiking? Look at the state of you two! I didn't know of a missing person alert,” she fussed.

“Yeah, we've run into trouble,” the man said with a pained smile. “We are trying to make our way to Montana do you-”

“Montana?” The woman said. “You aren't hiking? You're hitchhiking? With a kid?”

“We lost our home. A fire,” the man lied, seeming to sense that they needed a story. “We were trying to make our way to family in Montana when our car broke down. Don't have any money left to fix it, what we had went towards gas.”

He was a very good liar.

“Please ma’am,” Harry said. “I'm tired of walking.”

She eyed them suspiciously for a second, mostly the man. It seemed she wasn't entirely convinced they should be together. Harry reached over and took his hand and leaned his head against his arm. Her expression softened slightly even though Harry could feel the man tense slightly at the contact.

“If you could at least get us down the mountain?” The man asked.

“Alright, if you don't mind sitting in the back,” she said. The man threw his knapsack in the back of the truck and jumped in after. Harry scrambled to follow. “Oh, you can sit up front dear.” The woman said as he climbed up.

“That's okay,” Harry said. “This seems fun!”

Which was true, it did kinda seem fun to ride in the open back of the truck. He always liked sticking his head out the window.

The woman tutted slightly but got in and began to drive them down the mountain.

It was fun. There was something freeing about driving without any walls. The man wouldn't let Harry lean too far over the side but he had fun standing up as they drove down the road.

They finally connected up with a main road and Harry was able to spot an interstate, which had a sign he recognized as the Colorado road sign shape.

“We're in Colorado!” Harry yelled over the wind, putting his head close to the man's so they could talk.

“How do you know?” He asked back.

“The road signs!” Harry pointed at the sign and then carefully opened the knapsack to grab the map. He struggled to keep the pages from flapping wildly as he flipped to the Colorado state map and found the road they were on. He pointed silently to the man who looked at it curiously.

“I don't actually know how muggle road maps work at all,” the man said, his voice muffled significantly by the wind.

“We wanna watch for roads that cross this one, so we can get an exact location,” Harry said, handing the map to the man and going back to looking at the road.

Eventually what clued them in was a sign for the upcoming town. Harry pointed it out and roughly found where they were on the interstate as a result. Somewhat close to the border with Utah.

The woman drove them into town and then up to a rundown little house with a rather nice small garden out front.

“This is my place,” the woman said as they got out of the back of the truck. Harry's face was numb from the wind and his hair was even more of a mess than before. “I figured you could both do with a shower. I'm going to call around. See if I know anyone who might take you up north. Do you know whereabouts in Montana?”

“That's very kind of you,” the man said.

“It's in west Montana, kinda on the border of Idaho,” Harry took the map from the man and opened it to Montana. He pointed on the map to the same place Jack had pointed when Harry had asked earlier that year. A finger on a map was still a very wide area, but Harry was glad he'd asked now.

The woman led them into the house and showed them the shower and brought them towels. They both insisted Harry shower first despite how much dirtier the man was, so he showered quickly. The woman leant him some clothes that were way too big for him while she washed his old clothes.

The man looked much more respectable after a shower. He managed to completely unmatt his hair, which Harry suspected he'd done with magic and shave. His face was scared, like Jack and Daciana's but he still looked much less scary with clean soft brown hair and a smooth face. He had a light, self deprecating sort of smile and looked much younger now.

The woman seemed surprised by the change also, looking much less tense for having invited strangers into her home when it turned out the scary one of the strangers was actually quite handsome.

“Well,” she said as she served them all salami sandwiches that were dry, plain and absolutely amazing after having eaten only berries for days. “My cousin was planning on taking the kids to Yellowstone this weekend, he's seeing if they can get time off work to go early.”

“Thank you so much for all of your help,” the man said, his kind voice and eyes finally matching his face. The woman blushed slightly as she waved off his thanks.

“At the very least you can stay here tonight, if you don't mind sleeping on the floor and couch,” the woman said.

“Thank you,” Harry said cheerily, swinging his legs happily as he savored the sandwich.

“I never actually got your names,” the woman said. “Realized it after I was talking on the phone to folks and had no name to give them.”

“Oh, sorry,” the man said. He stood to shake her hand for a proper introduction. “Remus Lupin, and this is Rolf Lupin.”

Harry smiled and waved.

“I'm Helen,” the woman said.

They tried to stay out from underfoot the rest of the day, as the woman made calls and did other stuff around the house. It was a bit awkward but nice not feeling like he was on the run.

They stayed the night, Remus sleeping on the floor while Harry had the couch.

“Can't you just apparate us north?” Harry asked as they settled in to sleep.

“I need to have been there to aparate somewhere,” Remus said.

“Oh,” Harry said. He was still debating on trying to find his own way, but he knew he was helping the man by traveling with him. No way the woman would have stopped if Harry hadn't been there and it seemed important that Remus reach the other werewolves before the full moon.

It ended up working out, as the woman's cousin was able to leave early for their trip. Which is how Harry and Remus found themselves crammed into the back of a minivan with three very loud kids driving for hours up to Montana the next day.

They convinced the family to drop them off at a rest stop near the area they thought might contain the werewolves, insisting their family would know to find them there. After a long goodbye, they got to hiking.

It turned out that Jack's pointing on the map was more helpful than expected. Harry thought it only narrowed down the area to a rather wide radius, but the werewolf colony was huge and Remus seemed somehow able to tell that they were getting close. So following his intuition they made their way into National Forest land, wandering seemingly aimlessly until they found some strong warding that Remus and Harry couldn't pass.

They followed the ward south for hours, until they had to camp another night in the trees.

“You know, the little lilly on your headband reminds me of a friend of mine,” Remus said as they sat around their campfire that night. “Her name was Lily, and my friend James was obsessed with showering her with lily flowers when he was young. Except she hated it.”

“How come?” Harry asked.

“He was pretty annoying about it, honestly,” Remus laughed. “So annoying that one day she managed some tricky charm work that made it so James grew lilies from his nose and ears every time he talked. He could hardly see and plucking them hurt, like pulling hair. Except instead of deterring him, he just started plucking his nose lilies and presenting them to her while professing his undying love. She had to cancel the charm so he would stop trying to hand her what we dubbed ‘snot lilies’.”

“If she didn't like lilies then why-?”

“Oh she married the great lug, believe it or not and came around on the lilies too,” he smiled sadly. “That was her favorite color, the one in your charm.”

“I seem to remind you a lot of your friends,” Harry said.

“Yeah, sorry about that. Everything does, really. It's been seven and a half years but… I'm still not good company,” Remus said, his smile falling from his face. “If I wasn't so sure I could defend you, I'd have made sure you had a better escort than me.”

“I don't see why someone else would be better,” Harry said.

Remus smiled at him.

“Do you have any stories about your friends?” Remus asked.

“Er,” Harry said, thinking about the question. Then giggled as he remembered something. “Well Jack was brewing while sick once. I don't know what it was for but he sneezed into it and it splattered his face. It made all his hair grow little flower buds and flowers, even his eyebrows. He couldn't get it fixed until he came here.” Harry pointed past the ward where presumably the werewolf land was. “So he was just flowering for almost two weeks.”

Remus and Harry shared a laugh. Remus shared another story about one of his friends throwing something in a potion in class once that made the brewer turn pink for the rest of the day, before they headed to sleep. Harry again in the tent and Remus outside.

It took until late afternoon before they found the entrance to the wards, a paved road and parking lot with a few cars already parked there leading up to a large wrought iron gate. Harry recognized Daciana's wagon amongst the cars. Remus tapped the gate a few times with his wand as Harry sat to rest.

“Well they should know we're here now,” Remus said nervously. “Your friends… you're sure it's safe for you here? That they'll be here?”

“Should be. That's their car,” Harry said, pointing. Remus looked more jittery than he'd seen him. Normally he was very calm.

They had to wait half an hour for someone to come to the gate. Three people came, two men and a woman, all heavily scarred. They opened the gate and silently seemed to size Remus up, who stood firm under their gaze, his nerves gone.

“Who's the boy?” One of the men asked.

“I'm here for Jack and Daciana!” Harry said, standing up. “Are they here?”

The man blinked at him looking startled, but the woman stepped forward.

“Are you Harry?” She asked. Harry nodded hesitantly. “Oh thank goodness, they've been so worried. They've never come this early before. Come on, I'll take you right over.”

She beckoned Harry over, which left Remus talking to the two men in low voices. He glanced back, concerned, as he noticed he still hadn't been let in.

“Don't worry about him,” the woman said, as they hurried through the woods. He followed her along a well maintained trail which led here and there to small cabins in various states of repair.

“Daciana! Jack!” The woman yelled as she approached one of the cabins. “Dac-”

The door of the cabin opened and Daciana stepped out. She had a confused look on her face for only a moment before she spotted Harry, then it melted in relief.

“Jack! Jack!” Daciana yelled loudly into the cabin. “It's Harry!”

She didn't wait for Jack, and came barreling down the path. She pulled Harry into a tight hug, lifting him off the ground and spinning him. She wasn't all that much taller than Harry now, but still strong enough for her hug to feel bone crushing. Harry laughed and hugged back.

“Harry!” Jack cried in relief upon coming to the door and also ran out. Taking them both into a hug. Harry looked up and realized Jack was actually crying lightly. “I was so worried about you kiddo.”

“We need to get a raven,” Daciana said urgently, breaking away from the hug. She left them in the path to rush back into the cabin. She came back out with a coin in hand and waved it overhead.

A raven flew down and landed on her hand, pecking lightly at the coin.

“Tell Xanthus Scamander: Xanthus, we have him,” Daciana said. “He's in Montana with us. Please come here. We've found him. Actually he found us. See you soon.”

She released the coin, which the raven took and flew off. She came back over to give Harry another tight hug.

“Harry, what happened?” Jack asked, he started leading Harry inside the cabin as Daciana waved at the woman who'd led him here.

“Thanks Phee!” She called after her and then followed them inside. It was tight inside with two small bunk beds and bed roll on the floor in between. There was another room which looked like it had been a kitchen but was taken over by potions now. Harry recognized a large number of wolfsbane batches brewing.

“Advantage of coming early is that I can brew it for more people,” Jack said as he noted Harry looking. “Now, please, we've all been so worried. Where have you been? Are you okay?”

“I'm okay,” Harry said. “I just got lost when running away. I thought it would be easier to find my way than it was, but I found a man coming here and he helped me get here.”

“A man coming here?” Jack asked, sounding worried.

“His name is Remus and he was lost too,” Harry said. “Now we both aren't lost, but I didn't actually see if they let him in.”

“Oh, Remus? That's good,” Daciana said.

“Do you know him?” Harry asked hopefully.

“Oh no, but well, he's the one Elzie brought across the ocean,” Daciana said, looking at Jack as if he might take more from this info. He seemed to, as he winced.

“Elzie’s not very… reliable,” Jack explained to Harry.

“Honestly? Reliable? She robbed him blind to get- well- and then forgot where she left him and just abandoned him there. Poor bloke, after promising him a safe haven here and everything,” Daciana snapped.

“She meant well,” Jack countered.

“She meant well till her next fix won out,” Daciana said.

“Life's been hard on the girl.”

“Life's been hard on all of us.”

They gave each other hard looks, before both sighing and looking away.

“Sorry, Harry,” Daciana said. “That's not important right now. We're glad you both found your way here.”

They talked a bit more, before the last few days caught up with Harry. Finally feeling safe, after days of walking, Harry started to crash where he sat. Jack set him up to sleep in his bed, and Harry was out nearly immediately. He woke a few times, enough to note that Daciana hadn't left his side, sitting on the floor and reading next to him and Jack brewing in the kitchen.

It was the middle of the night when he was shaken roughly awake.

“Huh?” Harry blinked, before Xanthus’ face came swimming into view. “Dad!”

Harry leapt up and was immediately pulled tightly into Xanthus arms. He saw Daciana, Jack and one of the other werewolves Harry recognized from the community already awake. They looked on with smiles.

“Seems like Xanthus drove straight here,” Jack chuckled. “It's probably two in the morning.”

Xanthus opened his mouth, but closed it again. With Harry still clutched in one arm, he pulled Jack and then Daciana into a hug each. The other man there patted Xanthus lightly on the shoulder.

“Are you leaving?” Daciana asked.

Xanthus nodded, adjusting Harry higher on his hip. He pulled them all into a hug again, giving them apologetic looks.

“We understand,” Jack said sadly. “Go take him to Rolf, right?”

Xanthus nodded.

Sleepy and face buried in Xanthus' shoulder, Harry didn't see much of the walk back to the gate. Xanthus brought them both to the truck and Harry had to get down for Xanthus to get inside.

Standing in the hall, blinking in the candle light, Harry felt another wave of relief hit him. It felt familiar and safe. Like if he looked outside he'd see Patty's backyard and everything would be back to normal.

Xanthus led them both to his room, where Rolf was asleep. Crashed sideways across Xanthus' bed. Xanthus climbed in, lifting Rolf's legs and laying underneath them before patting the bed next to him. Harry climbed in, laying with his head on Xanthus' chest and his feet by Rolf's head, also sideways across the bed to fit.

Xanthus hugged him close with one arm and carded his hand through his hair with the other. The slow brush of Xanthus' fingers through his hair soothed the excitement of being woken and Harry slowly fell asleep again.

Home.

Safe.

Chapter Text

Rolf woke slowly with the sun, the light filtering through his eyelids was dim but definitely lit with some sunlight. Normally his dad would be awake and bustling to get searching by now, but hadn't they driven somewhere last night?

Rolf yawned and blinked his eyes open. Bright green eyes loomed inches in front of his face. He jolted in surprise and sat up, only to slam his forehead straight into the forehead above him.

He cried out in pain, clutching his face just as Harry did the same. Wait, Harry?

Rolf raised his hands away from his eyes and squinted through the pain to see Harry sitting in front of him clutching painfully at his face.

Pain forgotten, he launched himself forward to wrap his arms around the other boy. They both went tumbling backwards off the bed and hit the ground with a loud thump.

“Ow!” Harry whined. “Why is your hello so painful?”

“Harry!” Rolf wailed, tears coming to his eyes. He completely ignored Harry's grumbling and squeezed onto him tightly, burying his face in Harry's shoulder.

“Hey, it's okay, I'm okay,” Harry said, reaching around to hug Rolf back as Rolf began to cry. Harry sounded so bewildered that Rolf couldn't help but chuckle wetly. “Ow! Don't hit me too!”

“You were gone for days!” Rolf wailed, continuing to hit Harry despite his protests. “You didn't go to the rock! I thought you were dead!”

“Ow! Stop! I got lost! Ow! Rolf!” Harry tried wriggling away, but Rolf stopped hitting him to cling on. They rolled roughly around the floor, Harry trying to escape and push Rolf off while Rolf was having none of it. One of them kicked the bedside table, knocking the candelabra standing on it to the floor with a crash. Luckily the candles hadn't been lit but their wax bodies shattered on the floor.

The mess did nothing to stop the wrestling as they rolled around.

“Boys,” His dad rasped gruffly from the bed, his voice was hoarse with disuse. His dad had struggled through enough to say a few things to Rolf the last few days, but the sound still surprised Rolf. “What are you doing?”

Rolf was hoisted off of Harry by the back of his nightgown while Harry was lifted to his feet by his arm. Rolf started crying again, while Harry just looked up at their dad in alarm.

Xanthus slid down to the floor and pulled them both into his chest in a tight hug. Rolf grabbed tightly onto his dad's shirt and cried into his chest as both Harry and his dad hugged him. He could almost feel them exchanging looks, so he punched Harry one more time for good measure.

His dad chuckled as Harry protested the hit, but Rolf didn't hit him again.

His dad fell asleep sitting on the floor while Rolf cried himself out. His dad had gotten barely any sleep at all, constantly going out and searching for Harry. Trying to communicate with no-maj drivers. Driving up and down the roads leading to the tower.

Now he sat with his head tipped back onto the bed, mouth hung open, snoring lightly. His arm had slid weakly down Rolf's back so that his hug was light but not gone.

Harry looked up curiously at Xanthus, his hand reached up to poke him but Rolf caught it before he could. He shook his head minutely at Harry and they both carefully slipped out of Xanthus' arms and into the hall. Rolf closed the door quietly and they made their way into the kitchen.

Harry puttered around finding some old bread and jam to eat. He didn't look much worse for wear. His clothes were the same as he wore when they separated, torn up some but not too dirty. His hair was even messier than usual and it certainly didn't seem freshly washed but it wasn't multiple days dirty either.

“Mmmmm, bread,” Harry hummed between mouthfuls of his untoasted bread and jam.

Rolf nibbled at his bread. His head hurt from hitting Harry and also the floor. His shoulder hurt from falling off the bed. His shin hurt from kicking something, perhaps meaning it was his fault for knocking the table. His eyes hurt from crying so much and his face felt puffy and gross.

He was happy. So happy Harry was here.

But he still felt scared.

There was this unease at the base of his spine that wasn't there before and hadn't gone away even though Harry was back.

His dad roused rather suddenly, stumbling loudly into the hallway and looking around wildly until he spotted them. He slumped in relief before he made his way in. He hugged Rolf tightly and then Harry. He cleared his throat a few times before trying to talk.

“Sorry for sleeping so long,” he said. It was much more than Rolf was used to hearing and his dad seemed relieved that he could talk. Like it surprised him. “Do you want breakfast?”

“Yes please!” Harry said. “I’m sick of jam.”

“You? Sick of food? Are you sure you're my Harry?” His dad teased, his voice thick but somehow still light. “Not an imposter right?”

Harry just stuck out his tongue.

They ate a huge breakfast before getting on the road again. His dad briefly went to talk to some people while Rolf and Harry waited, then they were off.

It felt startlingly normal sitting in the cab, between the window and Harry, watching the world roll by. It felt like he missed something.

Harry told him to run. Then his dad found him and told him to hide. Then he'd come back all beat up and bloodied. Then they knew where Harry was and drove there. Then Harry wasn't there. His dad barely said a word. They drove back and forth, checking the rock over and over. Stopping along the freeway to see if anyone had seen any hitchhiking kids. Back and forth. No sign of Harry. Then he went to sleep last night cuddled into his dad who had passed out from having basically not slept at all and when he woke up this morning they were in an entirely different place and Harry was in his bed.

His dad and Harry weren't talking about it at all.

They just sat there, as if it was any other road trip, but it wasn't. Rolf didn't know what had happened or why it had happened or if it would happen again.

None of it made sense.

He was scared.

He slumped against the window, pressing his cheek to it and tried not to cry. He didn't want to seem like a baby. He'd already cried a lot and the boys in his class said only babies and girls cried. He didn't want Harry to think he was a baby.

So he just watched as the trees turned to grasslands. The mountains gave way to rolling hills and flat plains. They drove until the sun was low in the sky behind them and suddenly they were at Bear’s Lodge again; the rock spire standing stark in the sky.

Rolf didn't want to be here. He didn't want to look at it again. He avoided it as he got out of the cab and ran to the back of the truck. He skipped dinner and went straight to bed, pulling the covers up over his head.

He could hear the clicking of dinner being cooked and eaten and the murmur of mostly Harry talking, but also his dad a bit.

He couldn't actually sleep though.

His door opened and he braced for Harry to come cuddle up with him, but he didn't. The door closed and no one came. His heart sank.

It took four days till they stopped driving. Rolf tried to enjoy them. They stopped off at rivers and watering holes. One place they could jump off a bridge into the water. Harry seemed determined to cheer him up so Rolf did his best to be cheered.

The swimming was fun and the driving was familiar. It was like last summer and felt as if nothing was wrong.

Something was wrong though.

Rolf just couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. He felt like he was always looking over his shoulder. He noticed that his dad was very vigilant. That he always walked around putting up wards and always kept an eye out. In retrospect he'd always done that, now it felt ominous, meaningful.

At night Rolf felt especially jittery and unsafe, but he refused to sneak into his dad or Harry's room. He knew he'd feel better if he did but he didn't want to come off as needy. He didn't want to seem scared to them.

They weren't scared.

Vigilant sure.

Maybe a little melancholy.

But not scared.

Rolf had known that Harry was in danger. That he couldn't tell his mom that Harry was here. That his dad had lied for a whole year so that no one would know where Harry was. He had been told that but he'd never felt it before.

Now he did.

He was still mad too. They hadn't told him anything. They hadn't told him what happened, who attacked them, why Harry went missing, how he'd come back. He felt like he deserved to know but they hadn't told him anything.

He pretended like nothing was wrong.

When they got to their destination it was Grandma Tina and Grandpa Newts. The place he'd first met Harry. After two years, he didn't even realize that's where they were at first. It wasn't until Grandma Tina came walking out of the house as they parked next to the barn that Rolf recognized the barn at all.

It was late enough to be dark out. Harry was asleep in the middle seat. His head slumped into their dad's lap. He roused, blinking as Xanthus opened the door. Rolf watched as first recognition, then excitement and then worry flushed Harry's face.

“Harry!” Grandma Tina said as she came to the door. “Thank Merlin you were found. Oh Rolf, it's been too long. Come on then kiddos, I've got dinner and pie inside.”

Rolf watched as his grandma pulled his dad down into a tight hug before Rolf opened his door to get out. Harry slid out behind him slowly, looking around like he wanted to memorize every inch of the place.

The night was warm and the buzz of bugs and frogs filled the air as they made their way inside.

They'd almost reached the kitchen when his dad stopped suddenly. Rolf barely stopped himself from walking into him, but Harry, who was busy looking around the living room, didn't notice and smashed into Rolf, who tripped into Xanthus. His dad stumbled but didn't fall, even as Rolf and Harry went clattering to the ground.

“Ooof, sorry,” Harry groaned as he rolled off of him. Rolf just rubbed his knees and glared at Harry's sheepish look.

Harry got up and pulled Rolf to his feet. He looked around and found his dad looking rather defensive, having stepped forward to put himself between Harry and the kitchen table.

Sitting at the kitchen table was a very old man that Rolf didn't know. He was even older than Grandpa Newt, with a long white beard and long white hair. He wore his wizards cap, even though they were inside and his robes were a rich velvety purple with a smattering of stars that actually glowed around his sleeves and hem. He had half moon glasses and he was smiling kindly at the three of them, even as his dad frowned back.

“Ah, excellent, it's good to see you again Xanthus. Harry.” The man said, tipping his head to each of them. “And who is this I haven't met yet?”

“Er, Rolf, sir,” Rolf said as it seemed like his dad wasn't going to answer.

“Come on Xanthus, don't just sit there, come eat,” Grandma Tina said, indicating to the table. It had been expanded out to accommodate more people. Grandpa Newt was sitting at the table sipping at some tea, looking perfectly comfortable, clearly having already finished dinner.

Xanthus sat stiffly while Rolf and Harry followed curiously. Grandma Tina served them roast and potatoes and sat.

The silence was growing distinctly uncomfortable before the old man chuckled lightly and broke it.

“No need to be so concerned, Xanthus, I'm not here to get you in trouble,” the man said, then after a considering look at the three of them added. “Or take Harry from you.”

His dad seemed to relax at the admission.

“What are you here for then?” He asked softly.

“An account of what happened and any help I can give for keeping it from happening again,” the man said. “Nothing more than that, unless there is more I can offer you?”

“Which can all wait till after dinner,” Grandma Tina said pointedly. “And just because Albus isn't going to scold you, don't think I won’t.”

“Ah, Tina, I don't think that's necessary,” The man, Albus, chuckled. She just glowered sternly at him in response. He held up his hands in surrender.

They ate as Albus and Grandpa Newt made small talk, discussing people Rolf had never heard of and what they were up to. It wasn't very interesting except that Rolf had hardly ever heard his Grandpa speak so much at once. Especially about anything other than magical creatures. Not that there wasn't any magical creature discussion, because there was plenty of that as well.

They each got a small plate of pie that they took to eat in the living room. Harry opted to sit on the floor instead of the couches so Rolf sat next to him, feeling a bit out of place.

Harry didn't look like he recognized the man at all, but his dad's uneasiness put them both on guard.

“So, Xanthus, I hope you don't mind. I read the letter you sent Tina on how Harry was lost, but I'm quite curious how Harry was found again after being missing for so long?” The man began after they'd all settled.

“Jack found him,” Xanthus said gruffly. “Don't know how.”

“Perhaps Harry knows then, would you mind telling me how you found Xanthus again Harry?” Ablus asked, turning to Harry.

“Who are you?” Harry asked instead, glaring boldly at the man. Rolf felt a bit startled by his directness but the man just chuckled some more.

“Oh, I'm sorry, I haven't introduced myself,” Albus said. “I am Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts and many other pretentious titles-” Grandma Tina choked on her drink as he said this, making the man wink merrily at her. “I met you a few times as a baby but I can hardly expect you to remember that. Apologies for my rudeness.”

“Oh,” Harry said. He looked up at Xanthus to check it was okay to talk. Xanthus nodded his head slightly.

“Well,” Harry said sheepishly. “I was attacked in town and I led them away from the no-maj into the woods and then- then- er… well I lost them but then I got lost.” He paused here as if thinking about something. “I got really lost. Then I found a wizard who was also lost, but he needed to go to where Jack and Daciana go, so we went there together. That's it really. A nice woman helped us and we drove with someone she knew most of the rest of the way.”

Even Rolf could tell Harry was leaving something out. He never got lost in the woods around town and that didn't explain why he thought he could make it to the spire without magic.

“That's it really,” Harry said.

“Who was the wizard?” Grandma Tina asked in slight alarm. “Did you give him your name?”

“Er, his name was Remus Lupin,” Harry said. “He was British. I didn't tell him my name.”

“Remus, really?” Albus asked.

“Do you know the man, Albus?” Grandma Tina asked seriously.

“Albus knows every British wizard,” Grandpa Newt chuckled but Tina shut him up with a glare.

“No need for alarm,” Albus smiled, “in fact I cannot think of a safer wizard for Harry to have run into. I didn't know he was in America, I haven't checked up on him in a while. He was best friends with Harry's dad and I'm sure he would do anything he could for Harry if he knew. As is, he is a kind wizard with an unfortunate affliction and it doesn't surprise me in the slightest that he'd help a child in need. I certainly can't see him leaving a lost kid and not helping.”

“Yeah, he didn't like that I was lost,” Harry mumbled. Rolf looked over at him and found Harry looking rather melancholy. “Uh, was my mom's name Lily?”

“Yes,” Albus said simply. “Lily and James, were you not told?”

“I think I forgot,” Harry said. “I also forgot the wizard I have to fight’s name too. Which is embarrassing, but it was kinda long and complicated sounding.”

“Voldemort,” Xanthus said as Albus blinked in surprise.

“What do you mean, have to fight?” Albus asked seriously.

“Oh, er, is it okay if he knows?” Harry asked, looking up at their dad.

“I suspect he already does,” Xanthus said. He sounded… mad? Which was weird. Rolf looked at him curiously.

“Caught red handed, I suppose,” Albus said. “I'm curious how you know though. I thought it was a well kept secret.”

“A magical creature told us,” his dad said sitfly.

“Really?” Grandpa Newt perked up. “A centaur?”

“Later dad,” Xanthus said, shaking his head.

“Right, well, I'm glad you're safe,” Albus said kindly. “It's quite late, I don't want to keep you boys up.”

His dad almost jumped to his feet to usher them outside.

“Won't you sleep here?” Albus asked curiously as they reached the door.

“Safer this way,” his dad responded but didn't stop as they made their way to the truck.

The old man stayed for a few more days, and things became less tense when he was around pretty quickly. He seemed to be an old friend of his grandparents and they reminisced happily through tea most days. He kept pulling his dad aside to have serious conversations that Rolf and Harry weren't privy to, but his dad didn't seem so tense anymore. Just thoughtful.

Harry threw himself into the reserve. Whenever Grandpa Newt wasn't talking to the old man, Harry was following him around as he took care of the creatures there. Rolf felt a bit abandoned by Harry, but he still refused to seek him out.

After his third day of wandering around bored and lonely and still crawling with that lingering fear that they just weren't safe. He'd had enough. The feelings all built on each other. He felt angry and scared and ashamed all at the same time and he'd felt that way for days. He just couldn't do it anymore.

He walked back to the house, feeling a growing determination and dread filling him with each step. Tears came to his eyes even as he tried not to cry. He heard voices as he walked upto the house.

“It still suffers from the same problem as the community,” his dad was saying to the old man. “If he leaves, he's vulnerable. He's a fearless child, it'll be hard for him to stay in bounds.”

“Yes, but he can just walk back in,” Albus said in return. “I understand you want him to have freedom, Xanthus, but there are always going to be trade offs here.”

“Is that what you called leaving him with those people?” Grandma Tina snapped, Rolf peered through the door to see the three of them standing conspiratorially together.

“A mistake, perhaps,” Albus said. “I still fear for the magics lost, but I concede that some risk is worth it and I was too focused on safety. Perhaps I still am, but this doesn't seem so bad, does it?”

“Er, dad?” Rolf interrupted. They all fell silent as he approached.

“Hey kiddo,” his dad said softly, coming over to pick him up. “What's the matter?”

“Wanna go home,” Rolf murmured, clutching at his dad's robes.

Xanthus rubbed Rolfs back softly as he carried them out towards the truck.

“What do you need?” His dad asked as they made their way into the familiar hallway.

“Wanna go home,” Rolf said again, crying harder as he said it. It felt horrible to say. He wasn't really sure he wanted to go home, he just felt unsafe and left out and he didn't know how to fix it. He just wanted to feel normal again.

“We are home?” His dad said, sounding confused.

“I… I wanna go home… to mom,” Rolf sobbed.

“Oh,” his dad said, stopping in his tracks, his hand stilling on Rolf's back. He just stood there for a moment. “Are… are you sure?”

Rolf nodded into his robes.

“Oh, well, yes,” his dad mumbled. “I mean, of course you can, uh, you can go back early if you want but, uh, is there anything I can do to change your mind?”

Rolf hesitated and then shook his no.

“Right,” his dad said and Rolf realized suddenly his dad was very upset. Guilt twisted in his gut, but it just made him want to go home more. “Can it wait till tomorrow? So we can have a last dinner together?”

Rolf hesitated, thinking of another awkward dinner and shook his head no.

His dad didn't say anything for a while after that, just held Rolf into him tightly.

Eventually he loosened his grip and put Rolf down.

“Can you wait here, while I, uh, arrange that?” His dad asked. Rolf nodded. His dad hesitated longer, running his hands up and down Rolf's arms before turning to leave. Rolf didn't watch him exit. Instead he ran into his room and threw himself on the bed to cry.

A little while later his door slammed open and Harry came storming in.

“What do you mean, you're leaving?” Harry demanded.

Rolf didn't respond, rolling over so that he faced away from Harry and pulling a pillow into his face.

“You have two whole weeks left,” Harry continued to protest, grabbing Rolf's shoulder and trying to pull him over. Rolf shook him off roughly and clutched tighter to his pillow. “Rolf! What's wrong? Why are you doing this?”

“Go away,” Rolf murmured into his pillow. Finally having Harry's attention, he found it just made him madder. He could have given him attention before now, but only now that Rolf was leaving did he care.

Rolf heard Harry storm out of the room.

A bit later Grandma Tina came into the room, sitting softly on the bed.

“Hey Rolf,” She said softly, patting gently on his shoulder. “Everything is arranged, but I have to be the bad guy here and make sure of a few things.”

Rolf sat up and rubbed his face, looking at her curiously.

“You can tell your mom that one of your friends went missing and came back, but you still can't tell her about Harry. You haven't, have you?”

He shook his head no.

“Good,” she said. “You promise not to tell her still?”

He nodded, looking at his hands instead of your face.

“I'm sorry to ask this of you, especially when you're so upset,” she said, although she didn't sound very sorry. “But it's for your safety, which surely you see now?”

He nodded.

“Right, well, time to go then,” she said.

When his father apparated him home, he ran to his room, ignoring his mom as he closed his door and hid in his bed. It felt good to be in the comfort of his room, but he could hear the murmurs of argument between his parents outside. It made his gut churn worse.

The sound died down. His mom knocked lightly on the door before entering and sitting on the bed.

“Hello love,” she said softly, running her fingers through his hair. “I've missed you.”

She bent down and kissed his head, then continued running her fingers through his hair. He fell asleep to her gentle humming, finally feeling safe again, even as guilt twisted in his gut.

Chapter Text

“Here it is,” Xanthus said as their truck slowed to a stop in front of a small rundown wooden cabin. The shingles on the roof were mossy and the entire left side was overgrown with invasive blackberries so tall they were climbing up onto the roof. Much more painful and less picturesque than ivy, but Harry would no doubt be excited by the thick berries weighing down its brambles. There had only been small, native blackberries in Aspen’s forest.

The path leading to the cabin was also overgrown and they both had to brute force their doors open with the bushes blocking their way.

“Ugh, hold on a sec,” Xanthus said, pulling out his wand and clearing a circle around the truck. He found himself forgetting to use his wand for basic tasks these days. Something his sister had been merciless in teasing him about.

Harry hopped out onto the newly cleared earth and looked around. He looked more curious than Xanthus had seen him in weeks, but he still didn't look happy. Harry had been surly and quiet since Rolf left. Not smiling much and not talking much.

They both spent a moment looking around curiously. There was the sound of a river bubbling nearby but it wasn't in sight. Looking north there was a clear view of the ocean although it was a ways off.

The cabin was situated high in the mountains even further west from the community which had been almost as west as you could go and stay in MUSCA. Apparently his father thought of originally settling down here and had bought a fair amount of land and a small cabin a half century ago, but his mother had other ideas. He still used it for interacting with aquatic magical creatures in the ocean nearby and the many creatures in the expanse of protected magical forest taking up much of the surrounding area.

It was beautiful. Even more lush than the dry pine forest around the community. The trees were covered in moss and the ground overgrown with ferns and bushes. Many of them sporting berries of different colors that Xanthus didn't recognize even from his time harvesting with Aspen.

A good chunk of the hillside was completely overgrown with blackberry brambles, but not all of it.

They were still looking around when the cabin door creaked open and Dumbledore stooped to exit, his tall wizards hat brushing against the top of the doorframe.

“Welcome, welcome,” Dumbledore chuckled, spreading his arms as if introducing a grand manor house. “You made good time on your drive, I didn't expect you for another few days.”

“We weren't really in the mood for sightseeing,” Xanthus sighed.

“Well, come in, come in,” Dumbledore said, gesturing cheerily inside. Xanthus cleared a few more bushes directly in front of the small porch and walked inside. Harry followed sedately, looking around as he walked.

The front door led to a small dining room with a large table and benches. Enough to sit twelve people around but hardly enough room to walk if the table was pulled out. It was pressed up against the back wall which was treated as if it was meant to be an outside wall. The front wall to the outside was made up almost entirely of screened windows, there were musty old boards on the ground below them clearly meant to keep the weather out.

To the right Xanthus could see a very small kitchen sink and cabinets. It looked slightly tacked onto the cabin as if it was built later. Directly to his left upon entering there was another door that looked like a front door to the outside. It took some maneuvering to open it with the three of them standing there in the way.

It led to a small kitchen with curtained shelves and an old woodfire stove. It seemed strange there were two kitchens but he hadn't seen the other room well. To the right from this kitchen was a sitting room with four cushy armchairs placed facing a large central fireplace. There were steep stairs leading up to a loft whose railing looked over the sitting room and under the loft were two small doors leading to bedrooms.

“We had to remove all the magical expansion charms for some of the pickier wards I wanted to place,” Dumbledore said, following them into the sitting room. “Which has been more of an endeavor than I expected.”

“Yes, my father is known for them,” Xanthus said.

“I think you missed one,” Harry said, his voice echoing slightly as he opened a small door under the stairs. The door was barely large enough for Harry to fit through but the room underneath was almost bigger than the entire cabin they'd seen so far. It was full of books.

“Yes, that keeps happening,” Dumbledore sighed.

The only room they hadn't seen so far was the back porch which had floor to ceiling bug netting and a screen door and was large enough to hold two rickety old metal spring beds pushed up against the cabin wall and a small side table with a few chairs.

In the backyard, behind the porch, was a beautiful river and an absolutely massive pile of furniture, books and other strange assortments that had clearly been excavated to make room for downsizing. His father was currently directing a steady stream of stuff down from the upstairs window with his wand.

It wasn't long before he was enlisted to remove the books from under the stairs. There were far more books here than in the sparse shelving of the truck library and Xanthus had to wonder what it was all doing here.

“Harry, there is a whole new forest to learn,” Xanthus said after working for almost an hour with Harry sitting at his feet. “Go explore.”

“Later,” Harry said glumly.

“Alright,” Xanthus said, pausing his stream of books to look around at the mountain of junk. He summoned two large baskets he could see poking out, sending a cascade of large empty cages tumbling loudly down the side. “Here then, go pick those blackberries.”

Harry blinked up at him as he handed over the baskets as if he was crazy, but when he didn't budge Harry shrugged and walked over to the blackberries. He didn't have to walk far.

Part way through the day Xanthus transitioned to making food while Dumbledore and his father argued over some arithmancy equation in the sitting room. He set his wand to making pie crust for Harry's berries. It felt very strange making it with magic after all this time. He realized he could go back to his set and forget bread now too.

He had no idea what he was going to do with his excess time.

They slept in the loft that night while Dumbledore and his father each took one of the bedrooms. There were two large beds in the loft and one small bed tucked into the corner. Apparently it was important to start sleeping in the cabin for some of the wards Dumbledore was placing. Xanthus really was amazed at the depth of the man's magical knowledge. He thought he knew wards but he didn't know anything about some of the magic Dumbledore intended to cast.

Xanthus made cinnamon rolls the next morning just to revel in how much easier it was with magic, but eating them was promptly interrupted. A Raven began incessantly pecking on the front door as soon as they’d sat on the dining table bench.

His father sighed and opened the door, reaching out his arm as a perch, fully expecting a message when to their surprise it landed in front of Xanthus knocking his plate and cinnamon roll to the floor. Dumbledore wandlessly and wordlessly repaired and returned the plate before the bird began to talk. Xanthus didn't have time to think about the impressive display of magic he'd been trying for the past two years unsuccessfully before the Raven was cawing in his face.

“Xanthus!” The Raven cawed right into his face. He backed up slightly and nodded. “I know I don't have any right to ask you a favor… and you can certainly say no but…” it was Jack's voice, he was pretty sure. “Well there is this werewolf here, he’s the one who found Harry. He… he doesn't belong here. I would take him to the community but he's…” it was very clear that Jack had freeformed this message to the crow as there was a long thinking pause. “I wouldn't take his wand from him… it… well… anyways I was wondering if you might pick him up? Let him travel with you? I know it's a lot to ask but he's a decent sort. Quiet. I really don't think he'd impose and he might be able to help with whatever is going on with Harry. We never got that story somehow but if you aren't coming back, having more protection seems good. He doesn't mind a dangerous situation, I can tell. You could just try it out? For a day or two at least?”

The raven paused and eyed him, clearly expecting an answer. Xanthus blinked at it and looked up at his dad and Dumbledore, but it was Harry who spoke up.

“Is that Remus? He's the one that found me,” Harry asked. They watched as the Raven began raveging the cinnamon roll it had knocked onto the floor. Xanthus was fairly confident it had done so on purpose.

“I assume so,” Xanthus responded.

“Honestly that's not a bad idea,” Dumbledore said, stroking his beard in thought.

“What, bringing Remus here?” Xanthus asked.

“Yes,” Dumbledore said. “He was near the top of his class, almost full NEWTs and a patient teacher, he could help with Harry and there are very few better duelists left alive on our side. You'd be safer having him around.”

“That doesn't make sense,” Harry said, picking at his cinnamon roll rather than eating it.

“What doesn't, my boy?” Dumbledore asked, turning a kind and curious smile Harry's way.

“If he's so good at stuff, why is he…” Harry trailed off, clearly struggling to find the words.

“Struggling?” Dumbledore supplied sadly.

Harry nodded.

“Alas, he shouldn't be. He is a werewolf so people won't hire him. I, clearly very foolishly, thought that my good word for him counted more than it did and I made the mistake of not checking myself. So, if you don't want him here, fear not Xanthus, I will personally make sure he's alright.” Dumbledore said, staring contemplatively at his cinnamon roll, before picking it up and taking a large bite. He smiled at them with puffed cheeks as if that was all there was to say in the matter.

It wasn't.

“You're confident it’s safe for him to know where Harry is?” Xanthus asked.

They waited for Dumbledore to chew and swallow, which he did slowly as he seemed to savor his roll.

“Absolutely,” Dumbledore said. “He might be my choice as secret keeper if he wasn't also the most obvious choice.”

He certainly didn't seem like the obvious choice to Xanthus but it was high praise regardless. Dumbledore had been nothing if not paranoid and picky about Harry's safety since he'd arrived.

Did he want a complete stranger living in this tiny cabin with him? He looked at Harry. It seemed wrong to keep Harry completely isolated for the next two years. It couldn't be good for him and it was his primary concern with this plan. Another person would help with that. He didn't need to get along with this Remus person so long as Harry did.

“You did get along with him, right Harry?” Xanthus asked.

“Oh yeah, he had lots of funny stories,” Harry said, seeming confused by the question.

“Right, well then,” he looked back at the Raven, which had torn his cinnamon roll completely to shreds now. “Um, send this message back to Jack.” He started as his dad tossed him a knut. “Jack, if this is Remus you're talking about then, uh, yeah, he can try out staying with us. I’ll come pick him up…”

“May as well go today, full moon was last night,” Dumbledore supplied.

“Today,” Xanthus finished.

The raven flew off, clutching the knut in one claw and a large remainder of cinnamon roll in the other. Xanthus vanished the remains of his roll and grabbed a new one. They finished their breakfast and washed up before making a plan.

“I'll side-along with you to his location since I don't know it,” Dumbledore said. “It's best if I validate he is who he says he is. Then I can side-along him back. Will it be multiple hops? I can make us a portkey back if needed.”

MUSCA was so large it took almost four apparitions to get from one coast to the other and no floo network covered the whole thing. Xanthus had never met anyone who could casually make portkeys though. It was both incredibly complicated, a well guarded secret trade and illegal to do without a lot of paperwork. So either Dumbledore had some exception as Supreme Mugwump or was startlingly okay with breaking the law for a man who for all intents and purposes was incharge of making them.

Luckily the werewolf colony was at the edge of one apparition range. Finicky and tiring but not too risky.

They left Harry with Newt and Xanthus apparated them to Montana.

They landed with a loud crack and slightly off kilter in front of the large wrought iron gates. They were closed and no one was near them. Dumbledore flicked his wand sending out the unmistakable burst of a patronus.

“We don't have Raven messaging in Britain so we use more complicated methods,” Dumbledore smiled. “Cheaper though.”

They waited by the gate in silence.

Finally the familiar face of Jack trudged up to the gate and opened it. He looked tired, like he'd just been sleeping. Behind him was a tall man, somewhere between Xanthus and Jack in age but much more beaten than both. He had bandages around his arms and, judging by the ones peeking over his collar bone, his chest too. He had a shy, curious look from where he followed Jack.

Dumbledore approached him with a firm handshake, kind smile and pat on the shoulder. Leaving Xanthus to greet Jack.

“Aren't you going to miss the feast now?” Xanthus asked, looking around tor Daciana's wagon which wasn't parked with the other cars in the lot.

“Oh, they never got my wand,” Jack said, pulling out a maple wood wand from his pocket and twirling it clumsily. “I can apparate close and get back in the wagon before the rest get there. I'm, er, the only one of us who hasn't gotten my wand snapped. I can't apparate six people, especially post transformation. I mostly just go with them for solidarity…”

“Oh,” Xanthus said. He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, looking over to see Dumbledore questioning Remus seriously. Jack followed his gaze.

“Thanks for doing this,” Jack said. “Also… is that the Supreme Mugwump of the ICW? What's his name… Dunple-something? Isn't he really famous?”

“Dumbledore,” Xanthus laughed. “Not famous enough for you to know his name apparently.”

“Hey, I'm basically a druid now,” Jack smiled. “I can't know too many wizarding things or they'll figure out I’m not one.”

“I think the potions might give that away,” Xanthus teased. It suddenly struck him that this was the friendliest conversation he'd had with Jack in ages.

“Druids can brew most potions, only the really weird ones require a wand,” Jack defended. “Aspen says it’s too stuffy.”

“Sounds like Aspen,” Xanthus chuckled.

“Alright Xanthus,” Dumbledore said, waving from where he stood. “If this isn't Remus I'll eat my hat. I'll take him back, if you like.”

“Uh, sure,” Xanthus said, nodding awkwardly at them.

Jack and Remus got a last wave to each other before Dumbledore vanished with Remus.

“You know, I could tell Remus was a wizard, you know? Like, more than the rest of us even if some of us have wands, but I didn't expect him to be on first name terms with someone so important,” Jack said. Then added “what have you gotten yourself into?”

“Don't ask…” Xanthus sighed. “Actually, try not to talk about any of this to anyone outside the community.”

“It's that serious?” Jack asked.

“Yeah,” Xanthus said.

“Are you ever coming back then?” Jack asked the question quietly. Tentative.

“No, I don't think so,” Xanthus said.

“Right… well… maybe it was good I made it uncomfortable then? Ha,” Jack tried a grin at him but it slid from his face rather quickly.

“Jack,” Xanthus took in a deep breath and let it out. “You didn't do anything wrong. I made things uncomfortable because I'm a mess. Hell, I'm surprised my brain is allowing me to say this much. I just… screw up everything I touch. My own kid begged to go home early recently. You deserve better than that. Harry and I both miss it there, and you only ever made us feel welcome. I'm sorry… I'm sorry it turned out this way.”

“I think that's the most I've ever heard you say in one go,” Jack said, then he smiled sadly and pulled Xanthus into an unexpected hug. “I don't know what's going on for you and Harry.” He whispered in Xanthus ear. “But we think the cedar woman will hold. If you ever need a place to run, we'll be there.”

Xanthus hugged Jack back awkwardly, feeling a bit like he didn't know where to put his arms. He nodded his head in response instead of saying anything.

“Take care, say hi to Harry for me,” Jack said.

“Bye Jack,” Xanthus said. They stepped away from each other and with a last nod, apparated away.

He landed in front of the cabin. There was no one around so he headed back inside. There was a kettle on the stove and Remus and Dumbledore were sitting in the chairs by the empty fireplace.

“Ah, Xanthus, excellent,” Dumbledore said as he entered, gesturing to a chair. “Harry and Newt are out walking the bounds of the property putting up wards I think. At least that was the plan.”

“Right,” Xanthus said, glancing nervously at Remus. Who stood to shake his hand.

“Thank you for having me,” Remus said. His tone was quiet, mellow. He seemed a bit embarrassed but not awkward like Xanthus. “Especially since Dumbledore tells me you haven't really moved in yet. An awkward time to take a stranger into your home.”

“Its alright,” Xanthus mumbled in return, shaking his hand before they both took their seats.

“So,” Dumbledore said, clapping his hands together cheerily. “I think proper introductions are in order. Remus, you've heard of Newt Scamander I suppose?”

“Er, he's a famous magizoologist right?” Remus answered.

“Yes, and a good friend of mine. He was instrumental in taking down Grindelwald. His youngest son came to teach at Hogwarts and ended up kidnapping Harry Potter,” Dumbledore said cheerily.

“What!?” Remus sprang to his feet, calm demeanor gone. “You said he was safe! You said I couldn't see him because it was the only way he'd be safe!”

“Calm yourself,” Dumbledore smiled, clearly enjoying his own great joke. Remus eyed his smile suspiciously, taking in that he was being had, and sat. He still looked restless. “It was out of a concern for the boy that he did so. A fear, I believe, of his becoming an obscuras. Isn't that what you told me Xanthus?”

“Uh, yeah,” Xanthus said awkwardly, as Remus turned to look at him.

“He saw what I was to blind to see,” Dumbledore continued. “I fear I've let you down in a great number of ways Mr. Lupin. I have not made sure of your well-being and arguably I have failed to ensure Harry's well-being also, perhaps an even graver sin if I know you well. Luckily for this old fool, others stepped up for me, but there is a trade-off.”

“What trade-off?” Remus asked. “Is Harry okay?”

“Much better than he would have been, I now believe, than if he'd stayed where I had placed him,” Dumbledore said. “But in much more danger. You've already met him. The boy you found in the woods recently, that was Harry.”

“I… really?” Remus turned to Dumbledore, there was some big emotion behind his expression that Xanthus couldn't fully place. “I… kept thinking… honestly I felt a bit like I'd gone mad.”

“Yes, he is definitely his parents' child,” Dumbledore chuckled. “Although from what Tina and Newt have said, we have Xanthus to thank for that. His aunt and uncle seemed to have done a good job initially of beating that out of him. They've told me he's nothing like the boy Xanthus first brought to them, in the best possible ways.”

Remus looked at Xanthus speculatively now.

“So you're the one that took him?” Remus asked. “From the Dursleys?”

“Uh, yeah,” Xanthus rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, but Remus just nodded at him and turned his attention back to Dumbledore.

“I trust the Scamanders completely,” Dumbledore said. “So I've left Harry in Xanthus' care. An incident recently necessitated that they make different living arrangements, but it was not Xanthus' fault that Harry was separated from him. He is his father's child it seems and wandered a bit too far from home. We are going to place a fidelius charm on this property in two days and before then we plan on placing even more protective wards. Overkill perhaps, but I'd rather be safer than not. I was hoping you might walk with me around the property and give me your aid as you are quite good at wards. I was thinking of setting up a section for the full moon.”

Remus sat back as if slapped when Dumbledore mentioned the moon.

“No, I won't transform anywhere near Harry,” Remus said. “My plan was to apparate back to the werewolves, if Xanthus was kind enough to let me stay that long.”

“This isn't the war anymore,” Dumbledore said. “You've never transformed well with other werewolves, it's worse than locking you in the shack. Remus, there may come a time where I ask you back to the role you once played but surely now you needn't-”

“I won't put Harry at risk,” Remus said with finality. “Or Xanthus.”

Dumbledore gave him a pained look but relented.

“Well, other wards then,” Dumbledore said.

The two men left shortly after that, without giving Xanthus and Remus much of a chance to talk. Xanthus checked on the bread for lunch but it hadn't been that long since breakfast so it didn't really need it. He punched it down by hand before remembering he could do that with his wand. He cleaned his hands and then began cleaning the house again.

He had sandwiches ready for everyone as they trickled in and out from their roaming of the large property. Harry came bursting in with more excitement than Xanthus had seen in weeks.

“There are hippogriffs here!” Harry said, running up to Xanthus and grabbing onto his robes in excitement. “Grandpa Newt introduced me and one of them let me ride them!”

Xanthus looked up at his father who at least had the decency to look abashed, his white hair falling in front of his face in a painfully familiar gesture. At least there was never any doubt he was related to his father. Except for the parading prey sized humans in front of large predatory magical creatures. In that way he was quite different.

“He could use some cheering up,” his dad said, patting Harry kindly on the head. Harry beamed at him and Xanthus realized suddenly this was the first time he'd ever heard Harry use “Grandpa” when referring to his dad.

“It was amazing! We're going to visit again tomorrow! Apparently there are all kinds of magical creatures here! I wanna meet them all!” Harry said.

“Make sure Grandpa Newt is with you,” Xanthus sighed and then smiled. It was good to see Harry smile again.

“Did you know you have to bow to hippogriffs? They are really proud and you have to be super respectful and nice to them. I don't know why you'd be mean, that kinda seems dumb anyway, but I wouldn't have thought to bow,” Harry chattered as Xanthus handed him a sandwich.

It turned out having Remus around was hardly an issue at all because Xanthus rarely saw the man. Dumbledore seemed determined to lay down the groundwork for the fidelius charm as fast as possible and recruited Remus in helping him do so. They were out working on it for the next few days.

Then after that… his brother arrived.

“Xanthus!” His brother's booming voice filled the small cabin to announce his arrival. From that moment forward the cabin was filled with his voice.

“What are you doing? Making breakfast? Well at least you can cook, cause you kinda fucked up working didn't you? Haha.”

“Oh don't take it so seriously!”

“Oh a fireplace, it's nice! Aren't you glad you don't have to chop wood for a fire? Can you imagine? YOU chopping wood. Hahaha”

“Are you going to expand it once the charms are in place? You could do a lot with it, you were almost as good as the rest of us at expansion charms!”

“Hey Xanthus, come here so I can throw you in the river!”

“Awe come on! Where's your sense of adventure? Did becoming a dad make you boring!?”

“Hey you're basically living at home since Dad owns the cabin, that means I'm the only one who moved out again. Sweet, it's nice being the successful one.” ---- “Xanthus gave me Grandkids so he's still the favorite.” ---- “Daaaad! You can't say that!”

On and on and on until finally the charm was cast and the three of them were left in peace.

The first night with just Remus and Harry wasn't even remotely awkward. Xanthus was just happy Xenophon was gone and three people made the cabin feel much less small than six.

“I don't mean to be rude,” Remus said calmly as he passed Xanthus tea as they sat down that evening around the fire burning in the sitting room. With Dumbledore and Remus around, they'd been drinking a lot of trea. “But are you sure your brother is the best secret keeper? He seems… er…”

“Everyone who knows anything about our family thinks Xenophon and I don't get along,” Xanthus said simply. “They wont think he's been made secret keeper.”

“Right… but… also you don't… seem like you get along,” Remus said carefully. “What if he just shares it on his own?”

“He won't,” Xanthus said. “He's… well he's very loyal even if he's… well. He means well.”

Remus gave him a look like he didn't entirely believe this.

“I just… have experience with being wrong about a secret keeper. I still can't believe… that he… and… well honestly he loved… acted like he loved them a lot more than your brother does.” Remus was staring into the fire, his grip tight on his tea.

“Maybe that's the difference,” Xanthus said. “No one out to win your favor would act like my brother acts. That behavior can only be achieved when you are well and truly confident they'll like you no matter what you do.”

Remus chuckled lightly. It was a low deep sound. Calm and quiet even for a laugh. It was refreshing after his brother's full belly roar. Apparently his brother took after his uncle. That's what his dad always said, but it was hard to feel related at all to him at times.

“Well,” Xanthus said, drinking the rest of his tea. “Harry and I have been horribly neglecting our reading lately and we've no more excuses.”

“Can we read by the fire?” Harry asked. He was quiet again. Had been since Xenophon had arrived. It was clear that Harry had not taken a liking to his brother.

“Sure, if Remus doesn't mind?” Xanthus asked.

“Of course not… I'd… if it's okay if I joined you? I'd like to,” Remus said.

“Okay,” Harry shrugged and went out the front door to get their book from the truck.

Normally Xanthus made Harry do all the reading, helping him along here and there. With Remus, however, they somehow found themselves each doing a different character's voice in the book as they helped Harry through the narration. Remus' voices were wild and exaggerated, a stark difference from his usual calm demeanor and they made Harry laugh. For that alone, Xanthus was glad Remus was here.

It was all worth it if Harry could laugh.

Chapter Text

It still didn't feel quite real. Like the first stage of denial in grief, except the current situation was the opposite of grief.

Well, apart from all the grief that Remus had to fight down everytime Harry reminded him of one of his parents.

Remus was doing his very best to channel James anytime he could. Pushing his comfort zone to read to Harry in the funniest voices he could think of because that was just so James. Surprising Harry with absolutely stupid antics. He was still brainstorming these, so far he'd only managed to trick Harry into thinking he'd been poisoned by eating something funny and then chase him around like a muggle zombie. It had eventually gotten a few laughs and some eye rolls. Eye rolls definitely meant he was succeeding at least a little. If all that was left of James was Remus' memories, then he'd do his damnedest to give Harry a bit of James through them.

Really he'd do a better job if he tried to channel Lily. He and Lily were a lot more alike. He'd always felt a kindred spirit with her. Maybe it was his bias when it came to James, but he felt like that's who Harry needed more of in his life.

Remus really was nothing like James though. He often felt there wasn't a more opposite to his own personality than James. At least Sirius…

He tried not to think about Sirius but it was hard. Sirius would have done a much better job… if… if he hadn't… had any of it been real?

Remus shook himself.

Don't think about it.

While he cherished the chance to get to know Harry, and he jumped to give the kid a bit of his family, however he could, he also felt like an imposition. Scamander and Harry had a dynamic that hurt in its ease. Scamander did all of the cooking for them and magic made cleaning negligible, so he didn't feel like he had much to offer.

The one chore he had taken on was shopping for food. Although, it was with Scamander’s money. It meant that Scamander and Harry could both stay safe behind the wards while he apparated far a field. Scamander had to apparate with him the first few times so he was familiar enough to get around. He tried not to go to the same city twice in a row.

When he apparated back, with a very impressive magically expanded bag Scamander had created, full of groceries, he found Harry gone. Which was common. Harry didn't seem to like being inside.

Much like James.

He put away the groceries and then leaned on the door frame to the sitting room. Scamander had a number of books open around his feet and a large scroll unfurled on a small rickety table in front of him. His face was pinched in concentration as he brushed the feather of his quill absentmindedly across his lips. The end looked slightly chewed.

Xanthus Scamander was a bit of an anomaly to Remus. It wasn't often that a wizard opened their home to a complete stranger and even less so to a werewolf, yet the man made no indication that he minded having Remus around. He didn't make much indication of anything though.

He patiently put Harry through daily lessons that seemed well thought out, but also completely bizarre. Everything was focused way more on magic than Remus expected, having had a mostly muggle schooling by his mother before Hogwarts. He didn't know if this was the schooling most purebloods got or not, but it didn't seem bad.

Scamander cooked meals and helped Harry forage a frankly astounding amount of food. It seemed like he was almost remembering how to use his wand, even though he used it for everything. It was a strange paradox that Remus couldn't explain.

He did everything he was supposed to… but nothing more. Remus just couldn't get a sense of him. It didn't seem like he had any passions or hobbies. Or if he did, he didn't share them. He didn't talk much and much of the time it really seemed like he didn't need any words at all to communicate with Harry. When Harry was around he often talked for Scamander and Scamander never corrected him or seemed to mind. Not that the man was mute. He could talk just fine, he just didn't really seem to have much to say.

“They didn't have any lard, so I got shortening, I hope that's not too weird,” Remus said when it seemed Scamander wasn't going to greet him.

“S’fine,” Scamander mumbled, still looking at his scroll. He put down his quill and picked up a book to reference it, frowning slightly. Just when Remus decided nothing else was forthcoming, Scamander added. “It's getting close to a no-maj holiday I think, might be why they're out.”

“What are you doing?” Remus asked. He debated on just leaving and trying to find Harry outside, but Scamander hardly ever added details that could be construed as small talk like that, so he decided to keep the conversation going.

“Making a lesson plan,” Scamander said. Then put the book down and looked up at Remus for the first time. It almost felt like he was assessing him. Remus tried not to squirm where he stood. “Actually, could you take a look at this?”

Remus shrugged and walked over to take the scroll where Scamander extended it out to him.

“This is… a wand lesson plan?” Remus asked. “For casting spells?”

“Yeah,” Scamander said. “I'm trying to optimize for getting to defensive spells as fast as possible. Trying to figure out what parts of the standard spell curriculum can be skipped. Harry's been studying the basics of incantations and wand work already but there are definitely some spells that help solidify those foundations better than others.”

“Won't he just learn this at Hogwarts?” Remus asked as he read through the plan. “Except some of these are quite advanced…”

“I want him to know all of this before he gets to Hogwarts,” Scamander said.

“There is no way you could get through this in the month or two he has a wand before school,” Remus said.

“He can use my wand,” Scamander shrugged. “I was hoping to start this week.”

“This week!? He has two more years till Hogwarts, shouldn't he focus on reading and writing? Isn't this illegal? ….. wait, is it not illegal here? It's illegal in Britain.”

“Oh it's definitely illegal,” he chuckled. It was a deep sound that Remus didn't hear often and certainly didn't expect to hear in this context.

“Then why?” Remus asked.

“Harry needs to know it,” Scamander shrugged. “The sooner he does, the safer he is. I'd rather he be bored in school than dead.”

“Surely with all these protections…”

“We had a lot of protections before too. Arguably more, even, and you saw first hand how that worked out. I still don't know how Harry got away from them… he tricked them, I think. Regardless I don't think anywhere is truly safe and when he leaves here, it'll just get more and more dangerous for him,” Xanthus’ serious look killed whatever protest Remus wanted to make. Just because he didn't want it to be true… didn't mean that it wasn't. He went back to the lesson plan, starting over to read it seriously.

“You think he can get the levitation charm as his third spell? We didn't learn that for like two months in school,” Remus asked.

“Most of the spells before that are absolutely useless, just meant to help you learn how to channel magic. I think Harry can handle it. I still kept the rotating charm and whistling charm first. You think I should put more?” Scamander stood and came around to look at the scroll over Remus' shoulder.

“Mmm, well honestly I don't remember any of the spells I learned before that so…” Remus rubbed the back of his neck, feeling a little nervous with Scamander standing so close. Normally people gave him a wide berth. He knew how he looked. Scarred up. Dangerous. He wasn't used to people not being scared of him.

“There's very little transfiguration here,” Remus noted.

“I know transfiguration is great in duels but I felt the amount of transfiguration he'd need to know to effectively fight with it would be too high to be practical,” Scamander said.

“His father was a protege at transfiguration, so he may pick it up fast. His mother was best in the school at charms. I know he's not them but…”

“Hmmm, let's add a bit more transfiguration and if he gets it quickly we can re-evaluate the fastest path to combat effectiveness for it,” Scamander murmured. He tapped his wand to the scroll and Remus watched as all the ink part way down bled down the scroll and reformed into words leaving a blank gap of parchment as if Scamander had left a space there originally. “I'll have to look through the transmigration curriculum.”

“Matchsticks to needles is generally first,” Remus said. “After a lot of theory of course.”

“True, but why? Is material transfiguration better to go first than shape transfiguration? Is there some other small transfiguration that Harry might find more useful in a pinch we could put in it's place? I don't really know the theory behind transfiguration progression so I'd like to look it up. Honestly, transfiguration is my weak point,” Scamander tapped his wand to his chin as he thought aloud.

“I can do the transfiguration research… if- er- if you want, that is,” Remus said awkwardly.

“Oh that'd be great,” Scamander smiled.

Remus suddenly realized that he didn't see Scamander smile much.

“Right well… I think the rest looks good. Or the idea of the rest anyway. Some of these spells are really advanced at the end but we can probably adjust it as we go, based on Harry's progress. Add things if it seems like he's struggling…. Er…” Remus paused, hesitating over the words. “Harry’s parents' wands weren't destroyed when… er… well I think they're probably in his vault. I know his grandparents left their wands in the vault. James and Siri- er, James wanted to keep a part of them so he didn't bury them with their wands. You might ask Dumbledore… I don't know if he'd get you in trouble…”

“Oh,” Scamander said, standing up from where he was hunching to review the scroll. “I hadn't thought of that, that's a great idea Remus.”

Remus coughed as he felt himself flush slightly. Americans and their disregard for surnames. He should honestly probably be calling Scamander Xanthus but… he hardly knew him and he certainly hadn't been given an introduction implying that he should. He felt wrong footed but the man rarely talked to him as it was so it hardly came up.

“Er, right, well they still wont work as well as a wand meant for him,” Remus said.

“He'll get his own wand the second it's legal of course,” Scamander-Xanthus?- … Scamander said, waving his wand airily. Remus admired the control when no sparks or effects of any kind followed the motion. “They'll likely work better than my wand and then he'll always have a spare wand. I was worried my wand just might not behave for him, it's temperamental for others at the best of times.”

“Sounds like you've got history there? My wand always worked fine for James and S… er, Lily. We'd hardly pay attention to whose wand we were picking up in the dorms. Peter always struggled with other wands but we just thought that was Peter,”

“My wand likes to just refuse to cast magic for others. Definitely made me believe in wandlore more than most I think, here try it,” and then to Remus absolute astonishment, Xanthus put his wand in Remus' hand. Was this another american-ism? Just handing someone your wand wasn't something you do unless you're very close. Maybe he felt closer to Remus than Remus thought?

“Er…” Remus carefully grasped the wand and looked around. The fire wasn't going yet so he pointed the wand over to the grate and said “incendio.”

Nothing happened.

“Brave,” Scamander… Xanthus… chuckled. “I tell you I have a temperamental wand and you decide to play with fire.”

Remus flushed slightly.

“Try it silently,” Xanthus suggested. Remus raised a brow at him and tried again, without the incantation. A very small fire burst to life in the grate. It certainly wasn't the burst of fire he'd get from his own wand, but it had worked. Xanthus chuckled. “I have this superstition sometimes that my wand doesn't like incantations. I can't tell if I trained it that way or if that's why it picked me.”

Remus handed Xanthus' wand back to him.

“Regardless, your idea to ask Dumbledore for a family wand has taken a load of concern off my mind. We have to be careful how we phrase the request in case it's intercepted… do you know how to do the patronus messages?” Xanthus asked.

“I do, yeah, I was probably the third person to ever cast it actually,” Remus said, smiling a bit painfully at the memory. “Lily invented it with a friend of hers just before they had a big falling out. She taught it to me shortly after.”

“Really? Harry's mom invented it? That's quite impressive,” Xanthus mused.

“She was an impressive witch and her friend is still a very impressive wizard. Hopefully James doesn't haunt me for saying so,” Remus chuckled. “They fought viciously over Lily, I'm not sure there's a wizard he hated more… anyway, sorry, I get caught up in… er… memories easily so… well, what should I send Dumbledore?”

“We should wait till it is late evening for him there. We can write something cryptic up together before then I'm sure,” Xanthus said, brushing off Remus' awkwardness as if it hadn't happened.

“Where is Harry?” Remus asked as they settled into chairs around the fire.

“Exploring I assume,” Xanthus said. “I'll be impressed if he finds anything else to harvest at this point.”

“Not fishing?” Remus asked. The past month Xanthus and Harry had caught a truly astounding amount of Salmon as the fish flooded the river by their cabin. The river had literally overflowed with them. To the point where salmon swam on top of each other because there wasn't enough water to go around.

“No, breeding season is over and we have to make sure there are plenty of salmon laying eggs so they come back,” Xanthus said.

Xanthus and Harry had claimed they didn't know very much about fishing, but they had caught, gutted and preserved the salmon as if they were experts. At least to Remus' very untrained eye.

Remus tried not to be anxious about not knowing Harry's whereabouts as Xanthus summoned some transfiguration books and more parchment. They passed a letter to Dumbledore back and forth to get the wording for his message right and then settled in to do more research on the lesson plan.

Remus bounced his foot impatiently as he kept an eye on the door for Harry's return. Normally he would jump at the chance to do research but he felt uneasy.

“You could send a patronus to call him back,” Xanthus said after about an hour of working.

“Huh?” Remus said dumbly.

“You’re worried about Harry,” Xanthus said. “You can call him home, it's a handy trick.”

“How come you aren't worried?” Remus asked, feeling a bit caught out.

“I am,” Xanthus said. He was looking at the scroll he'd been writing on, rather than up at Remus and he didn't sound at all worried despite his proclamation. “Especially after the leshy, but he's already trapped and isolated in a tiny cabin away from friends. I want to give him as much freedom as I can, even if it makes me uncomfortable.”

“Then wouldn't me calling him back defeat the purpose?” Remus asked. Xanthus chuckled.

“Yeah, but then it'd be your fault, not mine,” Xanthus looked up at Remus and smiled. It was the cheekiest smile Remus had ever seen on the man.

“You're talking a lot more today than I'm used to,” Remus said before he could stop himself.

Xanthus winced slightly, ducking his head down to let his hair fall in front of his face. He pulled up the scroll to cover it further.

“Sorry, not much of a talker,” His tone was clearly intended to be joking but there was something pained in it too.

“I don't mind,” Remus said quickly, feeling like he'd probably just ruined his chances of Xanthus continuing to talk. “I mean, I enjoy talking to you, but you don't have to. Er… Harry talks enough for all of us anyway.”

Xanthus peaked out through his bangs and smiled at Harry's mention, which Remus took as a win.

“He didn't used to,” Xanthus said. “When I found him… he could go days without saying a word. Every excited word out of his mouth still feels… special to me now.”

“Th-” Remus started but was interrupted as the back door slammed open and Harry came running into the room. He looked very windswept for a boy who shouldn't have access to a broom, his long black hair tangled wildly behind him. Honestly he looked a lot like Sirius after he'd gotten off his motorcycle. James never had hair so long. Damn purebloods and their interbred looks.

“Hi!” Harry said, flopping down on one of the cushy armchairs, his feet kicked out over the armrest. “What's all this?”

“Planning your wand lessons,” Xanthus said, then gave Harry a critical look. “Have you been riding hippogriffs again?”

“Er- maybe?” Harry said sheepishly. “Wand lessons? I can learn wand magic soon!?”

“Nice try kid,” Remus chuckled at Harry's quick turn around in excitement, clearly trying to brush past being caught out.

“Harry, apart from the fact that they are horribly dangerous creatures that won't hesitate to murder- sorry- maim you,” Xanthus sighed. “Which I know you'll disregard because I made the mistake of introducing you to my father. They can just fly you outside the boundary of the wards, like you did with your broom.”

“They stay inside them!” Harry said, twisting to sit up so that he was right ways on the chair. “Besides, who'd mess with me while I'm on a Hippogriff?”

“You just regurgitated my dad's exact words at me, didn't you?” Xanthus sighed, pinching his brow.

Much to Remus' amazement, Xanthus dropped the subject.

“So, what's for dinner?” Harry asked sheepishly, also seeming to catch that Xanthus wasn't going to push further.

They had to wait for the next day to send a message to Dumbledore and another fortnight after that to get the wands.

The owls flew in over breakfast, crowding around Harry as he tried to eat his toast and knocking his plate to the ground.

“What in the world?” Harry said, trying to keep his toast out of the mouth of a particularly greedy bard owl who snapped at it immediately upon landing. There were five owls pushing at each other to land at Harry's plate, all of different sizes and breeds but each carrying what was clearly a wand box.

Remus helped to untie the boxes from the owls as Xanthus opened one of the attached letters.

“Dumbledore sends his regards,” Xanthus chuckled over the ruckus. “Says there should be five, he didn't want to send all his eggs in one basket.”

They eventually freed the owls of their burden and helped them fly off. The dining table was an absolute mess. Jam and butter crisscrossed the table in owl shaped prints and much of the morning toast was just missing from the owls flying off with it. Xanthus waved his wand to set everything straight before organizing the boxes in front of Harry.

“Are these all wands?” Harry asked, picking up a box and opening it. It was Lily's wand and Remus' heart ached seeing it nestled in the velvet confines of the box.

“Yep,” Xanthus said.

“But I thought I wasn't allowed a wand till I was eleven,” Harry said as he gazed down at the wand, seemingly hesitant to touch it.

“You're not,” Xanthus responded simply. “This is both illegal and secret. You can't tell anyone, even after you've left and gone for school.”

Harry flushed happily at the statement and Remus couldn't help but roll his eyes. Trust James son to be excited by the idea of something being illegal and secret.

“That's Lily's wand,” Remus said softly, gesturing at the willow wand Harry was staring at. “Your mom's.”

Harry bit his lip in contemplation and then gently put the box down.

“So…” Harry started but seemed a bit lost for words.

“These are all family wands,” Xanthus said. “They won't behave as well for you as a wand that picks you, but hopefully one of these will perform well enough for now. You should try each of them and see how they feel.”

“How do I do that?” Harry asked.

“You'll pick each of them up and wave it around,” Remus said. “Hopefully one will produce some magic or even just feel more comforting than the others.”

Harry reached carefully in to pick up Lily's willow wand and grabbed it delicately around the handle. He gave Xanthus a nervous look before swishing it lightly.

Nothing happened.

Harry looked between Xanthus and Remus in question.

“We aren't expecting miracles here,” Remus smiled. “Do you feel anything at all?”

“Um, maybe?” Harry said. “Like a hum? But if I try to focus on it, it goes away.”

“Let's try the others,” Xanthus said, opening the other boxes so that they were all revealed. Remus gazed longingly at Jame’s mahogany wand. It was like seeing an old friend but looking at it also hurt. Like seeing James’ dead body, or his hand separated from his body.

His vision blurred as Harry reached in to pick it up.

“That's James' wand,” Remus croaked, his voice thick. He kept himself from looking away as Harry waved it.

“Oh, it's hot,” Harry said, jumping slightly even though nothing visually changed.

“Painfully so?” Xanthus asked.

“Er, no, just hot,” Harry said.

Harry tried a Blackthorn wand that Remus didn't recognize next. This one produced a visual effect as Harry swished it. Two dancing red sparks spilled lightly from the end, burning little marks into the table where they fell. Then he tried Fleamont’s wand. Then Euphie’s. Remus said which wand was which as Harry swished them around. Nothing happened for either of these.

“It seems like you should choose Charlus’ or your father's wand based on this,” Xanthus said. “Probably Charlus' first but if you have trouble we can try your fathers.”

“I don't know Charlus,” Remus said, looking over the one unfamiliar wand.

“Really?” Xanthus asked, sounding surprised.

“Should I?”

“The letter says he's Harry's great uncle, Fleamont's brother, but my father has spoken of him. He was apparently an insane duelist, and fought Grindelwald with my uncle,” Xanthus said.

“Do you know what happened to him?” Harry asked, picking up the wand again.

“His whole line was killed in Voldemort’s rise to power. He, like my uncle, was deemed too much of a threat probably. Although if I recall I think he was assassinated and not killed in battle, I can ask my father if you want,” Xanthus offered, ignoring Remus' flinch at the name.

“I kinda wanna know,” Harry mumbled, twisting the wand in his fingers. He looked up at Remus. “Do you know how my grandparents died?”

“Technically dragonpox,” Remus answered. “Almost their whole generation was wiped out in an outbreak. Very few survived. It spread regardless of affiliation but… there was a lot of suspicion you-know-who was behind it. I mean he was blamed for many things but, it was thought to maybe be targeting Dumbledore.”

“I know who?” Harry asked.

“Voldemort,” Xanthus said simply. “There was a taboo in Britain on the word. If you said it, it would break your wards from the inside. So no one in Britain says his name.”

“You make it sound so logical,” Remus chuckled. “I think it's simpler to just say we're all scared witless of him even though he's dead.”

“He's not dead,” Harry said, looking confused at Remus.

Remus lay awake that night. Dread sinking into his bones.

Harry had been kidnapped by a Leshy.

You-know-who not dead.

James and Lily's sacrifice… didn't even kill him. What was the point?

Harry still had to face him.

That's why they were getting wands.

That's why….

His thoughts spiraled over and over as the dread and grief washed over him.

They should have waited to tell him, he realized. He had to transform in four days and there was no way it wasn't going to end disastrously now.

No, he refused to wish for change based on…

Not dead?

He pushed himself out of bed. He'd taken over one of the little rooms under the loft on the ground floor. It was good for when climbing the stairs were to hard on his post-transformation body and Harry seemed to like the loft.

It was a tiny little room with two windows but they were both boarded up when the front dining room was added onto the cabin. Xanthus had offered to expand it, but Remus didn't need it. It's not like he had much stuff to fill it with.

He got out of bed and crept quietly out his door. He stoked the fire silently and padded into the kitchen and nearly jumped out of his skin as he ran straight into Xanthus.

“Bloody hell!” Remus whisper-yelled, clutching his heart. “You scared the absolute daylights out of me.”

“Sorry about that,” Xanthus chuckled quietly. “Here.”

Xanthus thrust a mug into Remus' hands, which he grabbed reflexively. It was hot but not quite burning. He turned it so he could grap the handle anyways.

“What?” Remus mumbled, looking down at the hot, dark liquid.

“Hot chocolate,” Xanthus said. “Looks like you could use it.”

“What about you?” Because there was no way Xanthus had made this for Remus.

“I'll make more,” he said before flicking his wand at the kettle.

The hot chocolate was warm and sweet and sent heat down to his toes as he drank it. He closed his eyes and savored the sensation.

“You holding up okay?” Xanthus asked quietly. Remus opened his eyes and found Xanthus already had another mug for himself and realized he was completely blocking Xanthus into the small kitchen.

“Er, alright,” Remus gave him a strained smile before shuffling away into the living room to get out of his way. Xanthus followed him in.

“It was a lot to take in. The leshy and all… it hit me real hard when… it still does sometimes,” Xanthus glanced up at the loft where Harry was sleeping. “He'll survive, you know. We'll make sure of it. Just, just focus on that. That's what I do. It helps if I feel like I'm taking action.”

“Hence the lesson plan,” Remus said, realizing all at once why Xanthus had been so focused on it.

“Hence the lesson plan,” Xanthus repeated affirmatively.

Remus sank down into an armchair, clutching his chocolate. Xanthus briefly squeezed his shoulder before stepping back to sit in his own chair.

They drank their chocolate in silence, watching the fire. The company helped mute his thoughts as he watched the dancing flames flickering and shifting on the grate.

Remus missed the start of Harry's wand magic training, having to apparate away for transformation. He caught up with Jack and a few of the other folks that Xanthus and Harry had apparently lived with before this. They were always eager to hear about the two and made Remus pass on messages in return. Mostly from someone named Aspen or themselves.

It was a pleasant lead up to transforming, but the transformations themselves were awful.

Remus didn't know why, but he didn't get along with other werewolves when he was a wolf. He never remembered what happened but it was clear he fought tooth and nail with the other wolves during the night. Jack kept hoping it would get better. One of Jack's friends had even offered himself sexually before the moon, in the hopes it would help. Remus had refused. He knew it probably would help. His wolf would have someone it felt connected to then, but it felt wrong to use someone that way. They didn't seem to think it was a big deal. It's just a thing werewolves did, but it didn't sit right with Remus.

Nothing about being a werewolf ever did.

He apparated himself back to the cabin with muggle stitches and bandages and dragged himself into his room. He flopped onto his bed with a grunt and almost immediately fell asleep.

He realized at some point he had a fever.

He realized at some point after that, that he was being taken care of.

He washed in and out of consciousness, but consciousness hurt. It was hot and his wounds burned and ached. His head throbbed and his vision was only painful brightness.

A small part of him realized it was nice to be taken care of again. Like the transformations in Hogwarts with Madam Pomfrey watching over him. He knew he wasn't going to die. Didn't have to stress about what was happening to him or what would happen to him. Didn't have to drag himself up to tend to his own wounds when he hardly knew up from down and was more likely to tear them open. Like he had for the past many years.

He finally woke with some semblance of coherency to a dark room and a cool washcloth covering his face. He pulled it away and blinked around but the darkness was absolute. With no windows to the outside his room was normally lit slightly by the crack under the door but it seemed to be night and for some reason there was no fire.

The room was cold and his sheets were slightly damp as he'd apparently sweated through them. He sat up stiffly, intending to use the loo, but his head spun as he got upright.

“Remus?” Harry murmured from very close by. Then the boy said “Lumos”

The room was flooded with blinding white light that made Remus throw up an arm to block out. He felt a wound in his side tear uncomfortably at the quick motion.

“Ack, sorry sorry!” Harry said, then the light dimmed but not because Harry had magically dimmed it, but because he had stuffed it under a crocheted blanket so that the light peaked out of the tiny holes in the weave.

Remus blinked and adjusted to the dim light. Harry was laid sideways across the bed at Remus' feet. The boy had a nest of blankets there and was clearly blinking both the blinding light and sleep from his eyes.

There was the crunching of someone walking on the loft steps before the door opened and a softer magical light filtered into the room. Xanthus came in, his wand glowing dimly. Xanthus put out his wand then waved his wand to light the candles in the room. He cast a complicated wand motion at Remus, which made all the wounds on Remus' body give off a faint red glow. Xanthus did all of this wordlessly.

“Are you okay?” Harry asked, scooching carefully closer to peer at Remus in concern. Xanthus silently lifted Remus' hand, making Remus jump and look at it. On his wrist there were a number of bands of light, like bracelets of different colors. Xanthus looked at these critically. Harry looked at Xanthus. “Is he okay?”

“I'm-,” Remus stopped and cleared his sticky throat roughly. “I'm alright.”

Xanthus then offered a hand to Remus which was clearly meant to help him out of bed. Remus took it, confused. Xanthus helped him out of bed as Harry looked on with worried eyes. He had to put a steadying hand on Remus' shoulder when Remus stumbled out of the bed.

Xanthus paused as they walked to the door to tap pointedly at Harry's wand.

“Huh? Oh right,” Harry said and as they made their way into the living room it was flooded with light and the sounds of Harry repeating “nox” over and over.

Xanthus walked him to the toilet, which was more of a glorified bucket in a room annexed around the side of the dining room that you had to manually cast clearing charms on because the cabin had never been outfitted with muggle style plumbing. He let Remus go in on his own, which he appreciated, but cast the clearing charm after when he was done because Remus had forgotten his wand, which was embarrassing.

“How'd you know I needed to go?” Remus asked as they made their way back through the very cold dining room and into the more insulated part of the cabin.

Xanthus just tapped his hand on Remus' wrist, where the bands of light were beginning to fade.

The living room was still bursting with the light streaming out of the little bedroom when they got back and Harry's repeated “Nox”’s had become louder and more frustrated.

“Er, help?” Harry said sheepishly as they walked into the room shielding their eyes. Remus chuckled and took the wand from Harry. Very carefully exaggerating the perfect wand flick for a Nox spell as he cast it. He could feel the wand rebel against him as if resisting but the light dimmed and went out.

Remus sat back down on the bed and reached for his own wand after handing Harry's back. He cleaned the sheets of his sweat, very deliberately casting the scourgio for Harry to see and painfully lifted his legs back under the covers. Harry lifted them for him and then replaced them with care, making sure to pull the blankets up his lap. He did all this from Remus' small bed so that when he ended he was sitting right next to Remus on top of it.

There was a moment of awkward silence as the other two looked at Remus with concern. He squirmed uncomfortably and cleared his throat.

“Why isn't there a fire?” Remus asked to break up the silence. He asked it to Xanthus but Harry answered.

“You had a fever. You were super hot and I guess more hot is bad,” Harry said. “Are you still hot?”

Harry reached up and touched the clammy and stubbly skin on Remus' cheeks in concern. Xanthus shook his head no at Harry before pointing his wand and silently casting fire into the gate. He then sunk down into the chair that Remus noticed was sitting by the bed. Next to it was a bowl of water and a handful of washcloths.

“Er, sorry about… sorry,” Remus said lamely.

“That's okay,” Harry said. “How come you were so hurt? Jack and Daciana never got this hurt, just a scratch sometimes and very tired.”

“I don't know,” Remus said. “I've never gotten along with other werewolves. It's definitely much worse if they're around but… I think I… I think I do it to myself, mostly. Sorry for… sorry.”

Remus closed his eyes and let his head fall back in the wall behind the headrest of the bed. It was one thing to thrust himself into their lives, make them feed and house him. That was already bad enough but this was far far worse.

“But it's worse than if you were alone?” Harry asked. Remus could feel him pressed into his hip, his face closer than necessary with that childlike disregard for personal space.

“Yeah,” Remus said and swallowed. He didn't open his eyes, feeling much too exposed. “Normally I can take care of myself.”

“Is there anything that helps?” Harry asked.

“No there's nothing… well… not anymore anyway,” Remus said.

“Not anymore?”

“I can't believe I haven't told you this actually,” Remus said, opening his eyes to look at Harry. He slowly sat up so Harry could sit back also without them smacking heads. Harry and such a look of concern and ill disguised curiosity it made Remus chuckle. Most of the time Harry reminded him of James but that look was all Lily. “You dad found out I was a werewolf and then found out lycanthropy couldn't be transmitted to animals. So he and… he became an animagus for me. He transformed into a stag and never missed a moon. I never hurt myself much after that. Not till they were all gone.”

“Well I'll do that then,” Harry said matter of factly. “Then you can change here. You should change here anyway, in the meantime. Dumbledore said you could. Then you'll hurt less and then I'll transform and make it so you don't hurt at all.”

Remus laughed and looked over at Xanthus who was smiling warmly at Harry.

“Harry, your dad was the youngest animagus I've heard of and he didn't get it till he was sixteen,” Remus said. “If you're lucky, you might get it by then. It's very hard.”

Xanthus made a choking noise and Harry and Remus both turned to look at him. He looked like he was struggling to breath or speak, before he gave up and mouthed “sixteen” with a look of astonishment on his face. Which then pinched in frustration as he cleared his throat and looked away.

There was a pause as Remus didn't know what to make of this until Harry spoke up.

“Xanthus can't talk right now,” Harry said matter-of-factly. “He seems surprised about his age. Aren't you an animal changing person though Dad? You changed without a wand during light tag sometimes.”

Xanthus nodded at Harry's question, looking down.

“You're an animagus?” Remus asked, looking at him in surprise. “But you said transfiguration was a weak subject.”

Xanthus shrugged a little helplessly.

“How in the world is transfiguration a weak subject if you're an animagus? I think you're halfway to a mastery with only that,” Remus continued.

Xanthus just shrugged again. He opened his mouth to say something but then nothing happened. His mouth was just open for a bit too long and then he closed it again. Remus suddenly realized he really couldn't talk.

“Has he been cursed?” He asked Harry, suddenly concerned. “I didn't curse him, did I? When feverish?”

“Oh, no,” Harry said. “I mean I don't think so. I mean you definitely didn't. It just happens sometimes. I didn't think it was magic… is it magic dad?”

They both turned to look at Xanthus who shook his head no.

“Sometimes it's just hard to talk,” Harry shrugged. “It's not a big deal, but you're not allowed to get mad he doesn't talk, I won't let you.”

Xanthus made a bit of a choking noise and covered his face with his hands.

“I won't get mad,” Remus said, feeling perplexed as Xanthus stood from his chair and all but fled from the room.

“Anyway, if I start practicing right now I bet I could get it even younger than my dad,” Harry said. “Xanthus will help, and you too right?”

“I'm not an animagus,” Remus said.

“Why not?”

“Er…” Remus said, suddenly feeling like he was going to rehash the entire argument he'd had with James over the subject right here with his nine year old son. He closed his eyes again and let out a breath. Luckily he was saved from answering by Xanthus returning.

He handed Remus a bowl of warm soup and a spoon and ushered a protesting Harry from the room. When Harry was gone he came back in and checked on some of Remus bandages despite Remus protesting that he could do that himself now.

The soup helped him feel less dizzy but no less tired and he was relieved when Xanthus stopped prodding him to let him sleep.

Chapter Text

Harry kicked lightly at the frozen leaves in his path as he walked along a wide deer trail through the woods. He didn't know the paths quite as well as Aspen's forest but he was getting better.

He missed it.

He missed Aspen and Jack and Patty. He missed Kitty and Weld. He missed foraging and chanting. He did some potions here but it wasn't the same without Jack. Xanthus and Remus both admitted to being rather poor at potions and their instructions just weren't as precise. He missed watching Jack carefully tend to a complex potion while he mumbled what he was doing to Harry.

He missed game after game of light tag. Full of kids and adults. The adrenaline and chaos had become so normal and now it was just gone. Apparently, once Harry got the hang of a few dueling spells Remus and Xanthus were going to actually start real wand fighting with him. Which was exciting but hadn't happened yet. He was stuck on protego. Just couldn't get it to go. It was far more complicated than the handful of other spells he'd learned. Remus said he was skipping ahead quite a bit for it, but that didn't make it less frustrating.

He probably missed Aspen the most though. Especially at times like this. Just talking to them while walking through the woods. Aspen was always honest and calm. The best person to ask when something was bothering him. They were funny and crafty in a way that Harry felt special for seeing. He wasn't sure anyone else really knew how much Aspen messed with them.

He could have used their opinion now.

Remus had refused to stay for his transformation this month, even though he'd been so hurt last month. He was gone and Harry felt like he couldn't breath waiting to see if he came back alright.

He wasn't the only one. Xanthus had stopped talking when Remus had aparated away. So Harry knew he was worried too. Harry felt like Aspen would know what to say to Remus to get him to stay. Everyone listened to Aspen. Or they'd have been able to explain things to Harry in that no nonsense way. Not sugar coating things because he was a kid. Given him a straight answer.

Not that Xanthus didn't answer his questions but Aspen was different.

Maybe Harry could write to them again. Although Remus was the one that delivered letters to Jack. Maybe a Raven?

With that thought in mind, Harry turned around to head home and ask Xanthus if he could use a coin for a Raven. He ran back along the path but quickly skidded to halt as he almost ran head first into Xanthus when he appeared around a corner unexpectedly.

“Dad!” Harry said, flailing his arms to stay upright. Xanthus grabbed his shoulders to steady him. “What are you doing out here?”

“Wards,” Xanthus croaked. Xanthus was carrying a side bag full of books and some other lumpy bits that clearly weren't books. He was bundled up more than Harry was, with a thick cloak and wool felted wizard's hat. He looked more like a wizard than Harry normally saw him. He'd been wearing robes instead of pants since they'd moved into the cabin, but he hardly ever wore a hat.

It reminded Harry that Xanthus' normal clothes had been a result of living in non magical areas with Harry and not something he used to do. It had been so long that Harry had almost forgotten.

“Wards? For what? Can I help? What's in your bag?” Harry asked excitedly, bouncing over to Xanthus' bag and pulling it open to look inside. He felt Xanthus ruffle his hair as he did so. He looked up to see a warm, though slightly strained smile on Xanthus' face. He realized he'd asked a lot of questions if Xanthus was still struggling to talk.

Inside the bag was a bunch of books about warding against magical creatures and a couple of lumpy bags of flat silver disks.

Okay, yes or no questions.

“Warding for Remus?” Harry asked, “so he can transform here?”

Xanthus nodded.

“Can I help?” Harry asked.

Xanthus nodded again. Xanthus offered his hand to Harry, so Harry took it. It was warm in the cold late fall air and Harry reached up with his other hand so that he had both wrapped around it.

They started walking back the way Harry had just come running, away from the cabin.

They walked in silence through the forest, heading towards the outer edge of where Harry was allowed. Their breath came out in little puffs of mist and Xanthus hand was warm. Harry closed his eyes a few times when walking just to imagine he was back in his old woods. It felt so familiar, walking along like this. It also felt like it had been a long time since Harry had last held Xanthus' hand while they walked.

Xanthus said Harry would get too old for stuff like this. He had to admit he didn't really sleep in Xanthus' bed much anymore, but he didn't feel like that was age. He just hadn't really felt like it. Xanthus slept up in the loft with him anyway, they were already in the same room.

He didn't like the idea of getting too old for it. Sometimes he snuck over to cuddle up with Xanthus just to prove he wasn't too old yet. Maybe he would tonight while they both laid awake worrying about Remus anyway.

He'd be back tomorrow. He'd be okay.

He had to be.

Eventually they came to a stop at the edge of their forest. There were knee high carved stones sticking up from the ground every fifty feet or so. Harry had walked along as the others placed them and had walked the perimeter a few times since. They marked where he was allowed to be.

The land covered by the wards was very large and walking the perimeter took an entire day, but they did so diligently that day. At every stone Xanthus would cast a spell on one of the silver disks. Harry watched as a rune carved itself into the silver and then Xanthus would bury the disk at the base of the stone.

Harry desperately wanted to know what Xanthus was doing. How the ward worked. How wards worked at all really. Xanthus couldn't talk though and Harry didn't want to push him. He could tell that Xanthus was upset he couldn't explain and pestering him would just make him feel worse.

It was a quiet day and by the end they were both exhausted. The land was far from flat, sometimes almost cliff steep as it sat on the side of a mountain. Even with a path cleared by magic for the original warding stones, it was still a bit treacherous. Scrambling around the perimeter was hard work. Which was good, because Harry didn't think he would have slept otherwise.

They both woke at the first crack of dawn and sat anxiously and silently in the dining room staring at their toast rather than eating it.

The sun was well risen by the time the tell-tale crack sounded from outside the front porch. Xanthus and Harry both spung to their feet and rushed outside.

“I'm okay, I'm okay,” Remus said, holding up one hand in surrender as he was suddenly surrounded. His other hand clutched desperately at his side, his palm red with blood.

He didn't look okay.

He looked better than the last full moon, but that wasn't saying much. Last full moon Harry thought he might actually die.

Now he just looked grievously wounded rather than mortally wounded.

He waved them off when they tried to help him inside, but Xanthus wouldn't let him wave off checking his wounds.

They had been bandaged, freshly so. Probably only an hour ago but two of them were already soaked through with blood.

“Hey kiddo, you shouldn't watch this,” Remus said, perched on the edge of his bed, as Xanthus unwrapped his bandages.

“No, I don't wanna go,” Harry said, grabbing at Remus' unbloodied hand and scrambling up onto the bed to make a point he wasn't going anywhere.

“Harry, this isn't really something kids should see,” Remus said and then winced as Xanthus started peeling some stuck bandages from his wound.

“How come? Why's it different if I'm a kid? A wound’s a wound,” Harry said stubbornly.

“I'd just…” Remus glanced at Xanthus for help, but Xanthus was focused on his task. “I’d be more comfortable if you didn't watch, please.”

“Fine, I'll close my eyes.”

Remus let out a sort of part sigh, part chuckle, followed by a pained intake of breath. Harry tried to subtly peak through his eyelids at what was happening.

“No peeking,” Remus chuckled almost immediately and Harry closed his eyes again.

He squeezed Remus' hand as he listened to the shuffling and moving sounds of Xanthus unwrapping and checking the injuries. He could hear Remus trying to hold in pained breathing sounds but was pleased when Remus squeezed his hand back a few times during clearly painful moments. It felt like he was helping.

“Xanthus, their cursed wounds,” Remus sighed. “You can't heal them all the way with magic. Only close them up a bit. That's as good as they'll likely get.”

Harry peaked his eyes open a little to see two large clawlike gouges running from Remus chest, wrapping around his side and ending near his back hip. They were scabbed over in dark clotting and no longer actively weeping blood.

He watched as Xanthus carefully applied some kind of green potion with soft hands all along the cuts. Remus closed his eyes and squeezed Harry's hand during the application so Harry risked opening his eyes a bit more. Xanthus was concentrating too hard to catch him peeking. His face was scrunched in focus and he had his bottom lip worried in between his teeth.

When he got to the edge of the wound and pulled back, Harry closed his eyes. Guessing Remus would open his.

“Alright, you can look now,” Remus said a while later. Harry opened his eyes and found Remus wrapped up in fresh bandages. They wrapped around his middle and over his shoulder. Xanthus stood to tidy up the bandages and potions.

They spent the rest of the day by the fire. Harry and Xanthus kept Remus confined to the best armchair with a blanket and anything he could want. Bringing him food, hot chocolate and books. Much to Remus' chagrin.

“I'm really fine,” Remus said when Xanthus set up a side table to put dinner on. “I can walk to the dining room. This isn't even that bad.”

Harry watched as Xanthus gave Remus a pained sort of look. Harry probably had the same look on his own face. If this wasn't that bad, that meant last month was closer to normal.

“The dining room is really cold,” Harry said. Which was true, given that it was basically a glorified front porch with thin windows and no insulation in the outside facing wall. Remus or Xanthus heating the room with magic was the only thing allowing them to still use it.

“You really don't have to bother yourselves so much,” Remus sighed.

“Not… a bother,” Xanthus choked out as he put dinner on the side table and reached a hand up to check Remus' temperature. Remus flushed and looked away but didn't stop Xanthus from checking. Harry rushed up to check too, eagerly putting his hand on Remus' forehead.

He had no idea if it felt warm or not. It was warm he guessed? It kinda just felt like a forehead.

Remus chuckled and Xanthus cracked a smile at him, before an impish expression slid onto Xanthus' flace and he grabbed Harry's under the shoulder and picked him up. Before Harry really registered what was happening he was folded over Xanthus shoulder, his head banging against Xanthus' back as Xanthus stood up tall.

Then he was being spun around, his legs narrowly missing Remus and the oil lamp between the two under loft doors as he flailed in protest. Remus was laughing in earnest now, his head tilted away to protect himself as he guffawed.

Harry laughed too, even as he protested and flailed.

He was out of breath when Xanthus lowered Harry down backwards so that he slid down his back. Harry’s hands reached the ground first. He had to walk his hands out and ended up flopping gracelessly onto the floor next to Remus' feet. Remus had a cheek stretching grin on his face as he looked at them and Harry noticed a pleased smile on Xanthus' face too.

His dad was the best at cheering people up. Harry couldn't even protest as he sat up, grinning back at them. It reminded him of when Xanthus had spent the day throwing him around in the river after they'd fled the attack on the reserve. Even with the fear and silence and confusion, it was the first time Harry could ever remember laughing like that.

Remus didn't protest after that, as they all ate dinner around the fire. Harry just ate his while sitting on the floor.

“So Harry,” Remus said as Xanthus puttered around in the kitchen cleaning up. “Do you wanna work more on shield charms tomorrow? Or do you wanna try your first transfiguration?”

“Transfiguration!” Harry said eagerly, already thoroughly sick of failing at protego.

Remus chuckled.

“Did you do all the reading?” Remus asked.

“Er, yeah,” Harry said.

“Convincing,” Remus deadpanned.

“I did read it all!” Harry insisted. He just hadn't really understood it at all.

“Alright, alright,” Remus put up his hands in surrender, his wand held lightly between his fingers. “Accio Transfiguration A Non Arithmetic Approach” Remus said, pronouncing the words carefully and slowing down his wand movements. Harry noticed that Remus had been doing this a lot lately. Using less shortcuts on spells and making sure Harry could clearly see what he was doing.

Remus caught the book out of the air and flipped through it. He then passed it over, open, to Harry.

“Read the section labeled ‘the feel of wood’,” Remus instructed.

Harry grabbed the book and looked down at it. It was little over a page long, about five large paragraphs. Not horrible.

As far as Harry had been able to pick up from the reading he'd been doing the last two weeks there were two ways to approach Transfiguration. One was to actually know the formula for changing one thing into another and using that to affect your wand work. The other was to do it intuitively through feel. Remus said that normally in school they learn the formula and then as you do it more and more, people start to pick it up intuitively from experience.

Except Harry's dad had always done it intuitively. Remus said he didn't pay any attention in class, not that Harry should follow that example he added, but even so, James was the best at Transfiguration and could never explain how. Remus had another friend he wouldn't name who was really good at transfiguration because his parents made him drill the formula when he was young. That friend hated it though, so Remus wanted Harry to try feeling it out first.

The reading Remus gave Harry was about how wood was structured. Describing how its fibers were layered and how living wood felt different from dead wood because of the water flowing through it. Harry didn't really know what a fiber was. Presumably fibrous was something fiber-y and apparently that was all layered. Some of it made sense though so he tried to focus on those parts instead of the words he didn't know.

Next Remus had him read the structure of iron.

After that Harry was free.

He was excited about trying transfiguration but he could safely say he hated reading about it.

The next day, Harry hovered around in the morning as Xanthus tended to Remus' wounds despite Remus protesting that he could do it himself. Then helped Xanthus with breakfast, which he ate as fast as he could before hovering impatiently around Remus while he finished.

“Something on your mind, Harry?” Remus chuckled as Harry shifted from foot to foot again next to him.

“We're doing transfiguration today, right?” Harry asked excitedly.

“Let Remus eat kiddo,” Xanthus chuckled. His voice deep and worn from disuse, but incredibly comforting all the same. Harry grinned up sheepishly at him as Xanthus mussed up Harry's hair on his way to the kitchen to clean his plate.

Xanthus eventually pulled Harry into the tiny kitchen to leave Remus in peace, where he made Harry very delicately hover the clean dishes to their spot. He only broke one plate, which Xanthus repaired easily, but struggled quite a bit to hang the pan on its tiny hook.

“Are you doing battle with the tableware in there?” Remus called, joking about the noise of Harry knocking the pan around.

“Yes!” Harry yelled back frustratedly, as he missed the hook again.

By the time Harry finally got the pan on the hook, Remus was long done eating. He trudged back into the living room and collapsed in front of the fire. Ignoring the soot undoubtedly getting in his hair.

“Ready?” Remus smiled.

“Yes!” Harry said, eagerly sitting up. Excitement flooding him with a new bout of energy. He loved the feeling of a first foray into new magic.

“Here,” Remus said, handing him a roughly carved wooden knife. “Make this a real iron knife.”

Harry took the knife and turned it over in his hands. It wasn't carved to be very sharp, more like a play knife than anything else. It had a carved handle and little hand guard.

“Put your wand to the wood and try to think about the feeling of the wood you read about in the book and imagine shifting that into what you read about iron,” Remus said.

Harry held the knife by the handle and placed his wand on the wood.

He didn't feel anything different. There wasn't a sense of the wood or anything in his head. His wand felt the same.

“For wood, it's important to pay attention to the grain direction,” Remus added.

“Er, I just imagine it?” Harry asked.

“Yes, and try to concentrate on forcing your will into the object,” Remus said.

Harry didn't really know how one forced their will on something, but he scrunched up his face in concentration anyways as he examined the grain of the wood.

He hadn't understood a lot of what the book said but it had one description that did make sense to him. A little example. Wood was like a bunch of little straws glued together into one bigger piece. Iron was like a ton of tiny crystals all mismatched and jumbled up and packed together. Like sand almost.

So Harry had to…. Hmm…

Maybe break up the wood straw bits… maybe that's what a fiber was actually… maybe not…

Right, transfiguration. Wood to iron. Break up the little straw bits into tiny pieces and make them harder and more jumbled? Or something.

He pressed his wand into the wood harder and imagined that. Trying to will it to happen.

Nothing happened.

“Pressing your wand harder isn't going to do anything,” Remus chuckled. Harry opened his eyes and looked at Remus grumpily.

“I'm imagining the thing,” Harry whined.

“Yes, but you actually have to add magic to it,” Remus said.

“How?”

“The same way you cast any spell, by sending your intentions through your wand.”

“I don't do that,” Harry said, feeling a bit stupid. “I just do the movement and say the words.”

“Oh, hmm,” Remus hummed, tapping his chin in thought. “I forgot that's how it is at first, honestly. Maybe that's why you're having trouble with protego to...”

“Maybe Harry could try changing the color of his lumos,” Xanthus suggested, having just finished up in the kitchen, probably starting bread, and coming around to sit in an open chair.

“Er, my lumos is still a little…”

“Blinding?” Remus chuckled.

Harry nodded.

“Let's fix that then,” Remus said. “Being able to will the light dimmer or brighter is the same idea.”

Much to Harry's chagrin the knife lay forgotten that day as he struggled to dim the light at the end of his wand.

He practically begged for a break after lunch to go for a walk and fled the second he got permission, despite the fact that there was freezing rain outside. Xanthus had to chase after him to cast a water repelling charm on his jacket and give him a knit hat with the same charm.

It wasn't raining too hard. A light, icy cold drizzle that slowly dampened Harry's cheeks and long hair that stuck out from his hat.

He ran down the path up the mountain to a cliffy area that had a family of hippogriffs, but they were all huddled in a cave made from two large rocks that leaned into the hill and each other. Not wanting to disturb them, he moved on quietly. Instead he wandered over to the warding stones, which were not too far from the edge.

He briefly wondered how the hippogriffs got in and out of the wards. He'd been told the whole forest had a ton of magical creatures from Grandpa Newt’s time here. Did he include every creature he knew about in the wards?

Harry hadn't seen any other magical creatures although he could have sworn he'd glimpsed a unicorn. Something white and beautiful had run by, through the trees, a ways off a few weeks ago. He didn't know for sure but he liked to think so. He had seen a lot of deer though. He'd also found two deer carcuses in varying states of decay and a skull.

He hadn't told Xanthus about these, but Grandpa Newt owled them sometimes and he'd secretly asked him. Grandpa Newt said it wasn't a sign of any danger, just the cycle of life and how nature worked. Harry had a strong suspicion that Xanthus wouldn't agree so he'd kept Grandpa Newt's letter to himself too.

So when Harry heard a crashing and rustling just inside a dense patch of ferns and bushes, he hesitated. Grandpa Newt said nothing here would hurt him. Xanthus said otherwise…

Harry took a deep breath and decided Grandpa Newt had spent a lifetime with magical creatures and Xanthus had not. Feeling a little scared and guilty, and more than a little giddy, Harry approached.

“Hello there?” Harry said, trying to mimic that soft and calm voice Grandpa Newt always had. It would be embarrassing if this was just Xanthus looking for him.

The rustling stopped.

“I don't mean any harm,” Harry said softly, trying to remember the other things Newt would say. “Just wanna say hi.”

Harry heard a distinctly human sounding whimper and frowned slightly. He carefully and slowly made his way through the bushes and ferns, having to clear a few spider webs as he went. Until he saw it.

There, in a dip in the earth between two large trees, lay a creature Harry had never seen. Its bottom half looked like a young deer, but instead of a neck, a human body extended out. A child's body.

Harry had seen many pictures of centaur, but this creature… person? Looked very different. Its small deer body was smaller than a horse's body, even a foal, so correspondingly its human part was smaller too. Small in a weird, oddly proportioned kind of way. Long and very thin, rather gangly in both human and deer legs. Their skin was a shade lighter than their fur but still not quite a normal skin tone. The hair on their flank extended up their back to cover their head but it wasn't any longer. Still fur rather than head hair. Their ears were long and deer-like and their flushed cheeks were covered in large white freckles, matching their young spotted flank.

They were laying still. Their eyes closed and scrunched in pain, their face flushed and their breath ragged.

“Hey,” Harry said softly, approaching with hands up in calm surrender. “Are you okay?”

The deer child thing whimpered weakly. Harry watched as both their human lungs and deer lungs heaved in effort. They were covered in leaves and ferns, with wide swaths of ground around them cleared from their thrashing.

Harry approached very slowly to their human body and knelt down next to them.

“Hey,” Harry said softly. “I'm going to- er- gently touch your face, okay?.”

Grandpa Newt always said exactly what he was doing as he did things with magical creatures. So Harry tried to mimic that. He didn't really know what to do, but he wanted to reach out and touch them. To comfort them somehow. So that's what he tried.

He slowly and gently reached out and placed the back of his hand to their forehead, like he'd done with Remus. Except this time he knew something was wrong instantly. It was so hot.

The creature whimpered and thrashed when he touched them, but only its deer legs, which were well away from Harry. It was, however, how Harry spotted the problem.

The creature's front top facing leg was a mess. It wasn't just broken, it was mangled. The hoof was completely gone, much of the rest of the leg was gnarled and bloody. It was matted and old and turning a nasty color. It was hard to look at. Way worse than Remus' wounds.

Harry swallowed and looked away, back at the child's face. They looked about Weld's age although it was very hard to tell since their body looked so different. Harry had no idea how to tell if they were a boy or girl.

They whimpered again and blinked their eyes open, turning their head to look up at Harry with an unfocused gaze.

“Hey,” Harry said, resting his hand on their cheek like Xanthus did for him sometimes. “It's going to be alright. You'll be alright. My dad will make you all better, okay?”

They blinked up at Harry and he had no idea if they understood him or not.

He also had absolutely no idea how to get this creature back to the cabin. He didn't want to leave it here but also, even if its child's half was smaller than Harry, its deer half was definitely not.

He had his wand but he hardly knew ten spells. He could maybe levitate them but… he'd never levitated anything bigger than a chair before.

He also tended to overpower his spells, that's what Remus said. He had a habit of levitating things really high and fast and that seemed very bad here.

He could run back to the cabin and then run back here but it felt so wrong. His gut twisted uncomfortably just thinking about leaving.

Okay… he could do this.

Don't overpower it. Don't underpower it.

Maybe he should also hold onto them, to make sure he didn't shoot them into the trees.

Also warn them.

He pulled out his wand.

“Okay, I'm going to have to carry you with magic back to my dad, okay?” Harry said softly. “I'm going to hold onto you and lift you up with magic, can you try to hold still for me?”

The creature closed its eyes in a tight squint but nodded its head weakly. Harry breathed out a sigh of relief. It did understand.

With his non-wand arm, he pulled their human arm over his own shoulder and wrapped his arm under their armpit and around their back, pulling their bare chest into himself. They were soaking wet from the cold rain but still somehow burning hot.

He clutched them tightly and then raised his wand.

“Okay, lifting you now,” He said and then very carefully and firmly pronounced “wingardium leviosa.”

He suddenly understood why Xanthus had told him this spell wasn't often used for transporting people.

The creature's hind body rocketed into the air, causing them to trash and whimper. Only Harry holding onto them kept them from flying into the trees. He struggled hard to keep their torso and flank from twisting back and forth in the air.

“I'm sorry,” Harry cried. “I'm so sorry.”

He grit his teeth and focused on bringing their body down to level. It was a struggle to keep them steady rather than twisting around in space. He gripped his wand tighter and slowly directed them down.

If he wasn't now crying from the shock and sympathy of the creature's pain, he may have spent more time lingering on the fact that he suddenly knew exactly what willing magic to happen meant.

He rearranged the child's head so that it rested on the shoulder of his wand arm, while its other arm clung to him. Its breath beat heavily against his neck as it cried.

He used his wand to direct its body in front of him and he started to make his way back to the path.

“Hang in there,” Harry found himself whispering to them over and over. Along with “you'll be okay” and “I'm so sorry” and “almost there” even though it took ages walking down the path before Harry felt even remotely close to actually being almost there.

By the time he could see the cabin he was sweaty, drenched even through the water repelling charms and crying profusely.

“Dad!?” He yelled desperately as he approached. “Dad! Help!”

Xanthus and Remus came bursting out of the back door and paused in shock only momentarily before both were rushing over to him.

“Harry? What the-?” Remus said as he came up, looking over the creature with wide eyes.

Xanthus said nothing as he waved his wand and suddenly the burden of Harry's spell lifted. It was a hard to describe feeling. It wasn't like an actual weight, more like a pressure now gone, but he couldn't really identify where the pressure had been now that it was released. He sighed in relief.

He'd made it.

They cleared out an area on the back porch, pulling the two metal spring cots out and shoving them together. Remus and Harry situated the creature while Xamthus ran back inside the cabin. Remus cast some charms to clean up a lot of the dirt from the fur and dry the creature off and more to warm the enclosed porch up.

Harry, not knowing what to do, moved to sit on the bed too and pulled their head into his lap. Remus smiled wanly at Harry.

“What happened? Where did you find her?” Remus asked.

“In the woods. South, up the mountain a ways,” Harry said, pointing the direction he'd come.

“Were there any others around? Did you see what happened?” Remus asked.

Harry shook his head no.

“She’ll have been abandoned,” Xanthus said, coming in with a bag full of potions. “This isn't a fresh wound, they'll have determined she wouldn't make it and left her.”

“That's horrible!” Harry cried.

“They have to,” Xanthus said, pulling out a deep red potion that swirled with orange flecks. “Hey there little one, can you drink this for me? Harry, try to get her to drink this.”

He handed the potion over to Harry. Remus came back in with a pan of water and washcloths. Harry hadn't even realized he'd left.

“The weird thing is, they are normally just as caring as we are. They don't feel they have a choice but when they have to they tend to send off their wounded with a quick ceremonial death. They don't leave them to die,” Xanthus mused.

Harry was only half paying attention now as he lifted the girl's head and helped her drink down the red potion. She drank it slowly, but did drink it.

“You know a lot about them,” Remus mused.

“When your dad has written almost all the books on magical creatures worth reading…” Xanthus mumbled.

“Also you're actually talking,” Remis pointed out, giving Xanthus a curious look. Xanthus flushed and looked away at the comment.

“Don't point it out,” Harry said.

“Huh?” Remus turned to Harry.

“Don't point out when he is or isn't talking. It's rude and makes it worse,” Harry said adamantly. He set down the empty potion bottle next to him.

Xanthus, saying nothing now, poured a bit of lime green potion into a thimble and handed it to Harry, who helped the girl drink it. He then handed him a light blue potion with little clouds of white making it look vaguely like a clear sky.

“Half that one,” Xanthus said and Harry could tell it was a bit hard for him to say, but not a huge struggle yet.

When Harry helped the girl drink this one, she almost immediately collapsed onto him. A heavy weight.

“What did that do?” Harry asked in concern, tilting her head to check on her.

“Sleep potion,” Xanthus said.

Harry looked up at him. He seemed to have been waiting for that last potion to be administered before he started actually working on her leg. He cast a spell to clean it up, and then picked it up, with a cloth between his hand and the leg, to examine it.

He had a very concerned look on his face.

“Can you fix it?” Harry asked after a long silence as both he and Remus watched Xanthus just look at the leg.

Xanthus looked up with a pinched expression, his bottom lip tucked under his teeth. He didn't really look like he was looking at Harry, more like through him.

He looked back down at the leg and cast a few more spells. A few of them looked like they bounced off the girl's deer body and fizzled out.

“I can't regrow it,” Xanthus said quietly. “I actually... Need to cut more off…”

“What? Why?” Harry asked in alarm.

“It's rotted, Harry,” Remus said gently, putting a hand on his shoulder. Xanthus silently summoned a book from the other room, which banged loudly on the closed door to the inside of the cabin. Remus jogged over to open the door and let the book fly over to Xanthus.

They watched as Xanthus flipped through the book quickly. Remus coming back over to stand near where Harry sat.

“I'm rubbish at healing,” Remus said sadly to Harry. “You'd think I'd be better at it but magic hardly works on my wounds, muggle methods often work just as well.”

“Can you brew this?” Xanthus asked, pushing the book, opened to a specific page, at Remus.

“I'm also rubbish at potions,” Remus winced, but he read the page carefully. “I can probably do this though… blood poisoning?”

“Wounds old,” Xanthus nodded. “We need that potion today.”

“Harry come help me with this,” Remus said.

“But-” Harry protested. He didn't wanna leave her.

“You can't be here when Xanthus amputates more of her leg and she's asleep, you'll do more good making sure I don't mess up,” Remus said. “We need this potion.”

Harry considered refusing but in the end decided that if he could help with the potion that would be better.

Harry read over the recipe as Remus set up the cauldron in the other room under the loft. It had been a bedroom originally but it was almost completely transformed into a tiny potions lab for Harry's studies now.

The potion wasn't too bad, although there were some uncertainties that made Harry nervous. He decided to prepare the ingredients and let Remus do the adding and stirring. After training with Jack, Harry was getting very good at preparing ingredients, but he wasn't very comfortable with the rest of the process yet.

By the time they were done and back, the girl's injured leg was bandaged heavily but significantly shorter. Cut off just after the lower joint, clearly entirely missing the hoof now.

Xanthus cast some spell to get the girl to drink the potion in her sleep. She looked almost immediately better as the last of it was swallowed.

Harry spent the next two days mopping her brow and generally hovering as she slept. Apparently they'd given her too much sleeping potion but she was otherwise fine. The bandages came off to reveal a scarred and stunted, but healed leg before she even woke up.

Despite all the time he spent hovering, the girl woke up when he wasn't there. Crashing and thumping woke them up in the middle of the night. They all jumped out of bed and Harry used the railing on the stairs to take two at a time as he ran down them.

Remus got to the back porch first, with no stairs in his way. He wasn't wearing a shirt, just bandages but he had his wand out and ready as he rushed ahead of them out to the contained back porch. Harry skidded to a stop behind him.

The girl was stumbling and falling on three shaky legs, a wild panicked look in her eyes as she tried to fling herself out the enclosed windows, only to fall again at the attempt.

“Harry stay back,” Remus said, putting a hand on Harry's shoulder.

“Hey, it's okay,” Harry said, reaching out with his hands the way Grandpa Newt always did, despite her being rather far away on the other side of the room. The spring beds and blankets on them lay capsized and messy between them. “Do you remember me? I found you in the woods, remember?”

The girl was frozen, staring at them. She was heaving great terrified lungfuls of air, her eyes wide and three legs trembling. She was leaning against the wall on her missing leg side.

She didn't really seem comforted, more frozen in fear, but Harry continued.

“I picked you up, remember? To get help? So you don't hurt anymore. You don't hurt right? You're okay?” Harry said, taking a few more steps forward. Remus stopped him from going further than that.

Xanthus had no such restriction. Harry watched as he proceeded forward slowly, his hands gentle and demeanor relaxed. He sorta felt a bit embarrassed watching it, because Xanthus definitely approached Harry like that a number of times in the past.

Unlike with Harry though, Xanthus didn't pull the girl into a hug. Instead he did something rather odd. He reached his hands up and began to rub his thumbs over the girl's face. Over her eyes and behind her ears. To Harry's amazement, the girl closed her eyes and leaned into the touch and then almost completely collapsed into Xanthus, clinging to him with her small hands. He stumbled slightly but kept his balance. As small as she seemed, her head was tall enough to rest on Xanthus' collar bone.

Remus slowly and quietly spelled the bedding back together and Xanthus walked the girl back over to it. Helping her up onto it, where she folded her legs under herself rather than laying splayed out like she was earlier.

“Er-” Harry tried, desperately wanting to approach but not knowing if he should. “Are you okay?”

The girl looked over to him, from where her head still leaned against Xanthus as he stood next to the bed. She didn't answer.

“Are you- do you still hurt anywhere?” Harry tried, stepping a bit closer. Remus didn't stop him this time.

The girl bit her lip, revealing rather bucked teeth and then shook her head no.

“So, you can understand me then?” Harry asked.

She nodded. Harry smiled, encouraged. He stepped close enough now that if he wanted he could reach out to touch her, but he didn't really know what to do from here.

“Ear yah naught?” The girl said very slowly, looking up to Xanthus.

“No,” Xanthus said. “His son, Xanthus.”

“Naught hair?” She asked.

“No, he's not,” Xanthus said. Harry just stared dumbly at Xanthus. He had no idea what the girl was saying.

“Ha harl meh?” The girl asked.

“I did,” Xanthus said. “After my son Harry found you and brought you here.”

The girl looked over at Harry, blinking curiously at him.

“Thank yah,” the girl said in her same strange accent but Harry actually understood it this time.

“You're welcome,” Harry said shyly. “I'm glad you're okay.”

“Where is your herd?” Xanthus asked the girl.

“Geen,” the girl said. “Weh know naught har. I chaws pen. Try tah find.”

“Well you found us,” Xanthus said. “You were very brave.”

“Still broken,” the girl said, rubbing her human hands on her right hip.

“Does it hurt?” Xanthus asked.

“No, haff is gone,” the girl said.

“Yes, I couldn't grow it back, but you'll be safe here, even without it,” Xanthus said.

“Keent go beak,” the girl said.

“We'll figure it out,” Xanthus said. “Don't worry yet.”

She nodded.

“Thank yeh,” she said.

“Are you hungry?” He asked. She nodded vigorously, tears springing to her eyes for the first time, despite all the earlier fear. “I'll go get you something. Stay here, you're safe.”

Xanthus freed himself from her grasp, doing the weird face rub again, before walking into the living room. Harry and Remus followed.

“I can barely understand a word she's saying,” Harry said anxiously.

“Yes, their English is very strange. Not a proper accent. Don't know why. Her's is stronger too, being young,” Xanthus said, slicing up some apples on a plate. “Also don't feed her meat, butter, anything from an animal. Avoid bread, although small amounts are fine. Safest to stick to fruit. They're herbivores and not hunters like normal centaur. Here, take this to her Harry.”

“Er- ah- oh. Okay,” Harry said, surprised as the plate was thrust into his arms.

“And this,” Xanthus said, also handing him a very large jar of water.

Harry balanced his load as he headed nervously back onto the deck.

“Er- I have some food,” Harry said lamely as he approached.

“Thank yeh! Thank yeh,” she said, somewhat desperately. He put the plate down in front of her but held onto the glass, not knowing where to put it.

He slowly sat down onto the bed as the girl nearly inhaled the apple slices, making happy humming noises as she ate. He handed her the water half way through and to his amazement, she chugged the whole thing. She kept repeating her thank yous over and over between bites. Harry had never seen anyone look so happy over an apple and he still remembered when apples were a precious commodity.

Although he realized he didn't remember it that well anymore.

A week later and Harry was determined that saving the girl was the luckiest thing he could have done. Her name was Dilek which was a weird name, but she seemed to think it was normal. He could barely understand a word she said still. She was quiet and skittish and easily spooked.

But even with three legs she walked with him. Every day she followed him on his walks around the forest, limping along like it wasn't a big deal.

She knew all the plant names. Literally every single one although many of them she only knew in a language Harry could hardly even mimic the sounds of. It didn't matter though because he could point to any plant and she'd know it and she'd know a lot about it.

It felt so achingly familiar that Harry couldn't help being excited about it. Even if half of their walks, they just talked in circles as Harry struggled to figure out what she was saying.

She didn't act like a little kid either. More like Harry's age. Xanthus said their kids had to mature fast and even he didn't really know what their species age range was. Harry didn't really know what that meant but he did know that he didn't feel like he was ever baby sitting Dilek. Sometimes it felt the other way around as she knew so much.

It was funny watching her reach down and just pick and eat plants and leaves. There was a lot of stuff that she could digest that he apparently could not.

Xanthus was trying to figure out a way to fix her leg enough it was safe for her to return to her herd. Harry felt guilty but secretly he didn't want her to. He wanted her to stay here with him.

Chapter Text

“Xanthus,” Remus said, suddenly sitting up and dropping his book on the ground in front of the fire. “I've just realized- I'm so stupid - we have a huge problem!”

Xanthus looked up at Remus, setting his book down in his lap but not closing it.

“How did Dilek get through the wards?” Remus said, panicking at the realization of what the girl's presence actually meant.

“My brother gave the herd entry when the wards were set up,” Xanthus said. “My father brought a number of creatures that live here around and helped spell them in.”

“Is that safe?” Remus asked. The idea that only seven people could get into the cabin suddenly shattered.

“Not technically,” Xanthus shrugged. “but I'm not worried about the herd. I lived with them for a few summers with my father when he discovered them. As a kid. Most wizards don't know they exist, let alone have enough knowledge of how to manipulate them to be dangerous.”

“That's how you know so much?” Remus asked.

Xanthus nodded, picking up his book again. Unconcerned to Remus' still nervous heart.

“You don't seem…” Remus paused, considering his thoughts. The problem was, he didn't know how to put them into words. Xanthus was an enigma. Remus still couldn't figure him out.

Xanthus looked up, waiting patiently for Remus to finish his thought. Xanthus didn't seem at all concerned about being interrupted. He never did.

“You don't like magical creatures much,” Remus said finally.

Xanthus shrugged. Which wasn't a helpful response at all, so Remus tried to collect the rest of his thoughts.

“You know so much about them, though,” Remus said. “You're less… er… prejudiced in your dislike. Normally it's one or the other.”

“I've seen my father give the most dangerous of magical creatures belly rubs,” Xanthus said. “Hard not to know a lot about them when you've seen them up close like that. I've also seen the same creature tear people apart without any hesitation. I'm not so arrogant to assume my interactions will be like my father's.”

“But you're willing to have me transform here. Knowing that risk?” Remus asked.

“The wards will hold,” Xanthus shrugged.

“If they don't? Xanthus surely you know just how dangerous it is. Even your father couldn't give a werewolf a belly rub.”

“I've seen him try,” Xanthus laughed, shaking his head and smiling somewhat fondly at the memory. “Which is why I know the wards will hold.”

“When did he-?” Remus couldn't even imagine it.

“I don't even remember why-” Xanthus said, scrunching his face in thought. “I was a teenager. Just me and my dad. We were out camping on the full moon. There for some magical creature of some sort. Not mooncalves, something else. I don't remember what. We were sitting around the fire when a full grown werewolf came running out of the wood. Dad doesn't even panic, just holds up his hands like he always does and starts talking to it. Walking around so that it aimed to attack him. Tells me calmly to set up a warding circle. Mind, I couldn't even legally use magic yet. The wolf lunges and I'm scrambling to try to remember what I'm supposed to do, thinking this is it. We're both finally dead. Well long story short my dad is weirdly good at evading vicious attacks for very long periods of time and I set up the wards. It was a tiny circle, barely enough for the fire. My dad dives inside and we just stand there, in our tiny circle as the werewolf lunges and attacks over and over against a wall it can't pass, not a foot from our faces. Dad tried to calm it all night. Honestly it should have been more terrifying but my dad was so happy and excited to study a transformed werewolf up close. Hard to be too scared when the person next to you is absolutely giddy. He spent all night pulling every trick in his head to try to calm it. Nothing worked. Eventually it turned back into a woman right in front of us. Poor woman was mortified, but my dad waved her off like it was nothing. I passed out after that- felt like I slept for a week.”

“That’s horrifying,” Remus said.

“Dad's good at making the horrifying… not…” Xanthus shrugged.

“I've always read and been told werewolf wards aren't safe. Finicky at best,” Remus said.

“Well you can't cast them, as a werewolf,” Xanthus said. “That wouldn't work at all and if I'd fallen asleep we'd have both been dead. Otherwise they're plenty reliable.”

“So what, you'll stay up all night long?” Remus asked.

“Harry and I hardly sleep when you're gone anyway,” Xanthus said matter-of-factly, as if it was obvious and not a big deal, but his demeanor said otherwise. He looked away shyly and Remus could see a slight flush.

“I didn't know that,” Remus said softly, guilt churning in his gut as well as an unwelcome flutter of warmth.

“We'd both feel better if you were here,” Xanthus said. “I’m confident it's safe. I'm not dumb enough to assume you wouldn't rip us apart if you got in. No matter how much you love Harry, that's just not how it works.”

“It does make me feel better knowing you're not…” Remus struggled for words. He hated talking about anything to do with lycanthropy.

“Deluded,” Xanthus offered.

“Er, yeah, that,” Remus said. “I still don't like you staying up all night.”

“That's my choice,” Xanthus shrugged.

“I suppose,” Remus watched as Xanthus went back to his book. It was a week before the next full moon and Remus was still undecided. Harry begged him to stay almost every night before bed, but it just seemed like a stupid risk to take.

He studied Xanthus' face as he read. Xanthus really was an anomaly. Remus couldn't predict him at all. He was startlingly competent, to the point that Remus was suspecting his initial assessment of Xanthus having no interests to be wrong. You didn't learn that much healing magic with no interest. He was an amazing duelist. He was hardly ever flustered or alarmed at all, always calm. Yet even small things could set the man inward. Completely unable to speak. Rarely did they seem to have any consistency, except Remus' own wounds from his transformation.

Dilek’s wounds hadn't set Xanthus off though. Just Remus'. He had to assume Harry's would too. It made him feel guilty, knowing he was the cause of such stress. It was one of the reasons he was considering giving in.

“Dad! Remus! Look!” Harry burst through the door, making Remus jump slightly.

Harry was holding in his hands a wide maple leaf made completely of glass. He was twirling it around so that it caught the light. The glass was red and yellow tinted and quite pretty. Probably originally a fall leaf from the ground.

“Did you transfigure that?” Remus asked, standing up to examine it. He noticed Dilek back away slightly from where she'd been standing on the back deck, clearly having followed Harry inside. She didn't like being too close to Remus or saying much around him. He assumed it was a werewolf thing.

“Yep!” Harry said happily. “I kept trying at it during our walk.”

“Very nice Harry,” Remus said. “We should probably start working on shape soon.”

“Although you're still supposed to be working on protego,” Xanthus pointed out. Harry stuck his tongue out at Xanthus, who chuckled at the response.

“Actually, maybe we should try working on transfiguration from a distance,” Remus mused, ignoring them. “That might actually be immediately useful, if you could levitate something and then transfigure it into something heavy.”

“That sounds fun!” Harry said, jumping up and down slightly in excitement.

“Although maybe we should work a bit on protego,” Remus teased. Harry stopped bouncing with a pout and stuck his tongue out at Remus too.

“Come on Dilek,” Harry said, marching back out the door and grabbing the fawn's hand. Remus watched fondly as Harry hurried the confused girl back outside.

“Come back before sundown!” Xanthus yelled.

“Duh!” Harry yelled back. Xanthus smiled and chuckled, not looking up from his book.

Remus picked his book up off the ground and smoothed the pages but didn't open it. Instead he watched Xanthus, who still had a fond smile on his face. It was always funny to Remus how Harry being insolent always made Xanthus smile. He looked so different with that rare smile.

“What are you reading?” He asked eventually.

Xanthus flipped the book up to reveal its cover. “Animagus Transfiguration: An in depth guide” it read.

“Aren't you already an animagus?” Remus asked.

Xanthus nodded.

“Then why-” Remus gestured vaguely at the book.

“For Harry,” Xanthus sighed. “It would be good for him. It could be incredibly useful. If we could help guide him he may be able to get it young, if what you said of his dad is true.”

“Shouldn't you know basically all there is to know about it already?” Remus asked.

“I didn't get my animagus… normally,” Xanthus winced.

“What does that mean?”

“I don't remember getting it. The process. It just kinda happened.”

“That's… not possible… is it?”

“There was a ritual involved,” Xanthus said, in a tone that wasn't as casual as he normally provided information. His smile replaced with an embarrassed sort of look.

“Dark?” Remus guessed.

“Hmmm…” Xanthus put his book down and seemed to consider this seriously. Like he didn't actually know. “I don't think so. Possibly.”

“How do you not know?”

Xanthus just shrugged.

Remus waited for him to elaborate but after a long pause he eventually realized that Xanthus wasn't going to.

“Could we do the ritual for Harry?” Remus asked.

“Oh no,” Xanthus said. “Not until he was much older, and we couldn't do it. I don't know what's involved.”

“Do you not remember?” Remus asked, still feeling very confused.

“I wasn't involved in setting up the ritual,” Xanthus said “and… uh… it's definitely not a ritual for a kid.”

Well, that spurred a burst of twisting curiosity. Remus studied Xanthus carefully and noted that he was definitely blushing.

“Was this for the aurors?” Remus asked.

“Oh no no no,” Xanthus said and then after a pause he laughed. Like the thought was catching up to his brain. “Definitely not any ritual aurors would use. Actually I doubt most wizards would. It may be classified as druidic magic. Rituals always straddle that line you know?”

“How in the world did you get involved in a druidic ritual? How'd you even find druids?”

“Druidic communities are much less hidden here, they don't have the benefit of hundreds of years of magical protections,” Xanthus shrugged. “My dad talks to druids a lot, claims they are more knowledgeable about magical creatures. It was a coming of age ceremony when I was young, but… it definitely involves things you should be of age to do.”

“Xanthus did you… participate in a sexual ritual?” Remus laughed. He wasn't entirely sure it was a laughing matter, that kind of magic tended to be very illegal, but he couldn't help it. He just couldn't help but imagine Sirius’ face if he learned you could become an animagus through that kind of druidic ritual. Even the pain of thinking of him wasn't enough to dampen Remus' merth about his reaction.

“Essentially, there were a lot of other things involved as well,” Xanthus said. “So Harry would have to be a lot older for that.”

“Yes, definitely,” Remus smiled, then frowned. “The girl got an animagus too, I assume? It wasn't a lopsided ritual?”

“There wasn't a girl,” Xanthus said. “There were a number of other boys. We all did the ritual together and passed or failed together. It was only because of my dad they let me join.”

“So you… did the ritual with a boy,” Remus asked.

“With many of them,” Xanthus confirmed. He didn't look shy or flushed or ashamed. Remus didn't know what to make of that. Remus hadn't really met anyone who wasn't ashamed of that kind of thing. Himself included. James hadn't been ashamed of Remus but James had also accepted he was a werewolf. Between the two Remus wouldn't pick werewolf, at least. Unfortunately he was stuck with both.

Sirius had been ashamed.

But Sirius had also turned out to be a mass murdering dark wizard spying on them for a bigot.

Maybe he was misunderstanding the content of the ritual. He thought he'd been pretty clear when he asked but…

He didn't really feel the courage to ask for more details now. Again, Remus found himself wondering what had Xanthus' life been and who this man was. He still felt he had no idea.

“I helped all my friends with their forms, so I've seen the process,” Remus said, changing the subject back. “I'm sure between the two of us we could help him?”

“Remus,” Xanthus said seriously and Remus desperately hoped they weren't going back around to boys and rituals. “I haven't really thanked you for helping me with Harry. I'm very glad you're here.”

Remus flushed slightly.

“You're providing me with food and shelter and letting me spend time with the closest person I'll probably ever have to a family… the only connection I have left to… to everyone I ever loved,” Remus said somberly. “I am very much the one indebted to you here. I am uncomfortably aware that it's a debt I'll… never be able to repay.”

“I don't think there's a debt,” Xanthus frowned. “It's not good for a child to live in isolation and not many would be willing to live in these conditions. I am thinking of talking to the herd about coming around sometimes so Harry has more people to talk to. I don't think it will be hard to convince them to let Dilek stay, lame as she is. You kept Harry safe after he was attacked at our last home, that alone covers any debts, if there were any.”

“Harry mostly saved me, honestly,” Remus said. “Without him I'd never have convinced a no-maj to take me to the werewolves.”

“Remus,” Xanthus said in a low soothing voice. He leaned forward in his seat to grab Remus' hand and squeezed it firmly. “There are no debts here. I'm very glad you're here. I do wish you'd stay for your transformation though.”

“Alright,” Remus conceded hesitantly, his heart suddenly jumping to his throat. He looked away but it just made him uncomfortably aware of the heat of Xanthus' hand and the earnest concern in his words. “I will.”

Remus woke in the middle of the forest, soaking wet and completely naked. He shot up to sitting and frantically searched about, ignoring the flare of pain from his aching body. He could taste blood, that horrible coppery residue in his mouth but he had a large bite mark on his own forearm. There wasn't any other blood. The leaves around him were relatively clean, it was just the blood on his arm and covering his face.

His heart still pounded with fear as he staggered up to standing.

He had no idea where he was. Somewhere in the woods around the cabin. He had honestly expected to wake up next to the cabin. He thought he'd have spent all night trying desperately to break inside. To get to the people within it.

Either that wasn't the case or he'd already broken in and left.

He shuddered. His skin and pounding blood was hot against the freezing cold rain. He used his good arm to push against trees as he made his way through the woods, searching for a path he recognized. Stumbling and scratching his bare feet and legs on sticks and brambles. Not stopping even after something stabbed through the arch of his foot.

Let them be okay.

He shouldn't have done this. He shouldn't have risked it. What had he been thinking?

He kept walking, finally finding a deer path but he wasn't entirely sure which way to head along it. He decided to stumble downhill, just because his body wasn't in a state to go up.

The rain continued to fall.

His feet began to go fridgedly numb. Sharp and painful with each step. His arm was sticky with blood and the adrenaline was slowly wearing low. Unable to keep up, despite his fear, against the slow pace of his slog through the woods. He felt soaked to the bone, little rivers of water running from his hair down his body. Turning pink with blood as they dripped from his fingers.

“Remus!?” He heard some ways off behind him. It was Harry. He breathed a ragged sigh of relief even as his name was repeated distantly.

“Here!” He choked out. He had to clear his throat, rough and sore from howling, and try again. “I'm here!”

He sagged into a nearby tree and took a deep breath. Closing his eyes against the relief which brought with it a wave of dizziness.

There was a rapid sound of cloven hooves and Remus opened his eyes to find Dilek running up to him. Much more graceful on her three legs then she'd been last he really noticed. She generally avoided him though so he hadn't seen much of her.

“Rehmus,” she said softly, as she stopped a good distance away before approaching cautiously. She had a slightly damp blanket clutched in her arms. She took hesitant steps until she was close enough to wrap the blanket around his shoulders. “Earm hurt.”

“It's okay, Dilek,” Remus said, clutching the damp blanket around himself. It was wool and would still warm him in the cold eventually. Blocking the cold rain was something anyway. “You don't have to stand close. I understand. Just show me which way is home.”

She reached a slightly shaky arm out to wrap around his shoulder and help him off the tree. Then helped steer him back the way he came.

“See-ory,” she apologized quietly, her voice a little shaky. Her accent was already improving, he noticed. “Neat big ehnuff tah cee-ary.”

“That's okay,” Remus said. “You're being very brave to help me at all. I can walk.”

She gave him a shy smile.

“See-ory I scared,” she said quietly.

“That's okay Dilek,” Remus said.

“Yah smell bee-ad,” she explained and Remus choked out a startled laugh. “I men, I men yah smell dangerous.”

“I probably also smell quite bad right now,” Remus teased hoarsely, earning him another shy smile from the girl.

“Remus!?” Another call, much closer from Harry.

“Har! Hah Har!” Dilek yelled for him.

Not long later Harry and Xanthus came crashing through the woods up to them. Remus stumbled as his body suddenly seemed to lose the remainder of his tension. Dilek steadied him.

They were all okay.

Harry ran up and hugged him tightly around the middle, not even remotely concerned for Remus' nudity.

“Careful, hah hurt Hee-ary,” Dilek scolded.

“Ah! Sorry Remus!” Harry said, breaking away quickly. “I was just worried.”

“That's okay,” Remus smiled, trying to discreetly pull down his blanket to give himself more modesty. He hadn't felt self conscious around Dilek. Despite her technically being a little girl, she didn't wear any clothes herself. Her discomfort was clearly entirely werewolf related. He'd been so worried and cold it hadn't really occurred to him till now.

He felt a rush of heat and dryness wash over him. His skin tingled hotly, in that burning ache that came when walking into a warm room after having been very cold. He looked over to see Xanthus silently casting an umbrella charm over them all so that Remus stayed dry.

He blatantly looked Remus' legs over for injury, making Remus flush and try to cover himself more. Then Xanthus walked up and pulled the blanket off his shoulders and wrapped it around his waist. He didn't seem at all bothered by this, fixating instantly on Remus' arm.

He used his wand to clean the blood off of Remus' arm, mouth and stomach where he'd been bumping it. Leaving only a few large puncture wounds in Remus' forearm. It really wasn't too bad.

Xanthus bandaged it easily while Remus looked away. Feeling hot under the attention. He always did this himself after he'd left the care of Madame Pomfrey. James and Sirius were pants at anything healing related and Lily's only related specialty had been potions. Peter had been pants at nearly everything so he was right out.

Xanthus finished wrapping his arm and Remus suddenly felt a hot warmth in his feet as the pain ebbed away from them. He looked down to see Xanthus pointing his wand down at them and the scrapes closing.

“I guess those aren't curse wounds,” Remus tried to joke. It sounded strained even to his own ears. Xanthus gave him a very small, lopsided smile anyways before rummaging through his bag and handing him some clothes and shoes. He pointedly turned himself and Harry around, and then had to turn Harry's head when Harry looked back over his shoulder.

“Why are we looking away?” Harry asked in clear confusion. Xanthus huffed and grabbed the top of Harry's head to give him a very light noogie as Remus rushed to pull his robes over his head. His body aching at the speed. He pulled on the pair of thick magically heated socks and stuffed his feet in the boots with a sigh of relief.

“Okay, I'm good now,” Remus said. Xanthus and Harry turned back around. “Harry, people don't really like when you look at them when they're naked.”

“What? Why now? We used to swim naked in the lake all the time,” Harry said. Remus paused, blinking and taking in this information before rallying.

“Well, that's when swimming,” Remus said. “There is a time and place where being naked is okay, but other times it's not.”

“Why not?” Harry asked.

“Uhh…” Remus said. His brain was way too fuzzy for this right now. Xanthus was giving him a crooked, apologetic sort of smile. One that said he felt bad but still found this hilarious.

“Weh never wear clothes,” Dilek provided.

“Yeah!” Harry said, as if this answered everything. “We used to go naked on really hot days in the summer too.”

Remus pinched his brow.

“Let's go back home and talk about this later,” he sighed.

“Oh, yeah,” Harry said sheepishly. “Are you okay? You look loads better than normal.”

“Yes, much better, just sore,” Remus said and as if his body wanted to illustrate he stumbled immediately upon taking a step forward.

Xanthus stepped up to take his weight, freeing Dilek from her vigil. Remus looked away but leaned into him as they slowly made their way back to the cabin. Xanthus was firm where Dilek had been hesitant and unstable and Remus was very aware of every inch of contact between them.

“Sorry,” Remus muttered, looking away.

Xanthus gave him a gentle squeeze for comfort. Which Remus took to mean he wasn't talking. He felt another pang of guilt on top of his embarrassment. He'd hoped to have reduced that stress.

They continued home. Harry and Dilek walked ahead of them, but he noticed that Dilek didn't stay as far away as she used to.

They all went to bed when they got back, Remus crashing hard into his. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow, but he was woken at some point briefly by Harry climbing in to cuddle with him.

He smiled, thinking of James. The big oaf would always climb in to cuddle up with one of them when he was worried. Like it was no big deal. No matter what he discovered about Remus.

When he woke again Xanthus was already up. He could hear him puttering about in the kitchen. Harry was still fast asleep, somehow draped over Remus' knees like a cat.

He sat up and had to fight off a wave of dizziness. His whole body ached. He very carefully lifted Harry just enough to pull his legs free, his arms protesting the strain. He ignored them. He always did.

He stumbled as quietly as he could out of the door, which was hard because his legs didn't want to carry his weight. The sitting room was dim, as it was already night again. There was a fire burning hotly in the hearth and not much other light. He'd hardly made it into the living room before Xanthus was by his side, helping him stand.

He blinked tiredly at him.

“Washroom,” Remus sighed, defeated.

Xanthus nodded. The kitchen was much more brightly lit, with many candles burning brightly around the walls. The smell of meat wafted from the sizzling pan.

The dining room, by contrast, was lit only by the light of the near full moon. Which made something under Remus' skin crawl and shift and his joints and muscles ache even worse. The room was frigidly cold and the sound of rain louder. Xanthus had to pick up more of his weight as Remus' knees buckled under a bright ray from the moon.

Xanthus helped him walk all the way to the washroom, but didn't try to come in with him. Remus relieved himself and rinsed his face in the freezing washroom, waking himself more properly, before stumbling back out. Xanthus was waiting for him on the other side. He flushed lightly.

“I never let my other friends baby me like this, you know,” Remus said hoarsely as he allowed Xanthus to slip under his arm and take his weight. He'd have bit their head off if they'd even suggested it. He'd been known to snap if they even looked at him funny.

“Their loss,” Xanthus said quietly. Remus couldn't help but smile, unreasonably relieved Xanthus was talking.

Xanthus helped him sit by the fire and handed him his wand before returning to the kitchen. He summoned a book and was just flipping it open when Xanthus came back in with an oversized mug of hot chocolate. They shared a shy smile before Xanthus retreated again.

Remus closed his eyes and breathed in the smell of chocolate. His aching fingers wrapped around the hot mug. It was almost too hard to bring the mug to his lips to drink it. He could feel himself shaken with the effort.

How has he ever done this alone?

Eight years. More if he included the war. He never transformed well in packs and he'd had to spy for much of it. Not running with his friends. Hardly seeing them at all in the end. He hadn't heard they were dead and it was over for almost two months after it actually happened.

This was the best he'd felt after a full moon since he'd run with them. Somehow it also felt worse. Normally he had to push through. Try to pick up the pieces of his body and put them back together and keep moving. He didn't have to do that now and so that indomitable determination was gone. He was left with the aches and pains he shoved forcibly from his mind.

Xanthus came back in and put a plate of seared steak, still raw in the middle, and vegetables on a side table next to him. Before going and retrieving his own plate. They didn't have steak often, mostly after his moons Remus had noted.

He tried his damnedest to cut the steak with steady hands but he knew he'd failed when Xanthus scooted closer to cut it for him.

“You don't have to do that,” Remus mumbled.

“If you don't want me to cut it, then just pick it up and eat it,” Xanthus chuckled. Remus looked at confused, which just made Xanthus chuckle more.

He watched as Xanthus put down his knife and went back to his own plate, where he grabbed his streak in his bare hands and tore a piece off of it. Grinning the entire time. Then Xanthus choked back a genuine laugh at the expression of astonishment Remus knew was on his face. Xanthus kept laughing, putting down his steak and bringing one meat juiced hand to cover his mouth as he chuckled with food in it. The juxtaposition of Xanthus having the manners to cover his mouth while eating after having just tore into his steak made Remus snort and start laughing too.

“Wha’s happening?” Harry said groggily from the doorway. His hair was sleep rumpled, a tangled mess around his shoulders and he was rubbing his eyes and blinking. He yawned wide as he stumbled over and slumped into Xanthus, putting his face sleepily on Xanthus' shoulder. Xanthus looked down rather helplessly at his messy hands, making Remus laugh more.

“We've just discovered Xanthus is more of a werewolf than I am,” Remus laughed.

“Everyone's more of a werewolf than you,” Xanthus said, giving him a lopsided smile. “You're the most genuinely civilized person I know.”

“I'm civilized,” Harry mumbled.

Remus and Xanthus both laughed.

“You're really not,” Xanthus chuckled.

“Your fault,” Harry mumbled, which had them laughing again.

“True,” Xanthus said. “Maybe Remus will take the wild child out of you.”

Harry flopped his head sideways to stick his tongue out at Remus.

“Doubtful,” Remus chuckled, and then, just because he thought it would be funny, he used that moment to pick up his steak in his hands and bite it. It was viscerally satisfying in a way that made him deeply uncomfortable, but like everything else lately, he decided not to fight it. Especially when it seemed to be making Xanthus smile like that.

Trying to convince Harry and Xanthus to let him go for his transformation the next month was abjectly impossible after his minimal injuries from not leaving. He still aparated to the werewolves to exchange letters with Jack, who had been quite worried, apparently, when he hadn't shown up the month before. Harry had written a novel to someone called Aspen and Jack had a number of letters for Harry.

The letters had been a good way to help Harry with his writing and reading. They helped him edit his letters to a number of people but Harry wouldn't let them see his continuous writings to Aspen. Which sparked Remus' curiosity to no end, but Xanthus said it was good to respect Harry's privacy. He was pretty sure James wouldn't have respected any privacy given he probably didn't know what the word meant but James wasn't infallible.

In addition to a number of letters to Harry, Jack handed him a very decoratively arranged bundle of plants, primarily mistletoe. When he held it, he could clearly feel magic on it but couldn't identify what.

“Is this a gag?” He asked Jack curiously as he examined it.

“I doubt it?” Jack shrugged, although he definitely sounded unsure. “Aspen enchanted it and said Harry would know what to do with it. They've always been a bit tight lipped about druidic magic to me, unfortunately.”

“This is druidic magic?” Remus asked.

“Well Aspen is a druid,” Jack smiled.

“Oh, I didn't know that,” Remus said, surprised. He had still never met a druid.

“Yep, likely our next archdruid,” Jack said. “For the weird mixed community that we are.”

“I have no idea what that means,” Remus said honestly.

“I have less idea what it means than I really should,” Jack smiled back. “Anyways, Aspen is the quiet, serious sort. I doubt it's a gag.”

“Well, thanks,” Remus said.

“Just glad you're alive. Don't kill them, you hear,” Jack teased, although it made Remus' stomach drop.

“Xanthus insists it's safe,” Remus mumbled.

“Hey,” Jack said softly, putting a hand on Remus' shoulder. “I trust Xanthus. We were tearing you limb from limb. I'm glad you have another solution.”

“Yeah…” Remus said.

“Yeah, I understand.”

When he apparated back, Harry took his letters and the mistletoe with glee. He was already tearing off the wax seal and reading by the fire when Remus made his say inside.

“Harry, what is that?” Remus asked, pointing at the bundle of plants.

“It's for protection!” Harry said. “We hang it all year and next year we'll burn it and hang another.”

“Oh,” Remus said, then helped Harry hang the bundle over the hearth. It did look nice. He hoped it would offer them protection against himself.

He needn't have worried though. He got through the next moon with minimal injuries and everyone else completely unscathed. Then the next and the next. They weren't as easy or painless as his moons running with his friends, but they were the best he'd had otherwise. The only downside was continuously waking naked in the cold in the middle of the woods and the search afterwards for home. Also the embarrassment of being found naked and Xanthus' tender, silent care. It was an odd mixture of nice and mortifying.

He was glad as the weather warmed. As were Harry and Dilek who could spend more time outside, as the days got longer. They both began returning with baskets full of edible greenery that Remus didn't recognize. Xanthus made much of it into pesto.

Harry had made some progress on his wand work. He had finally gotten protego and moved onto a few other dueling charms. Enough that they started spending the odd non-rainy days outside doing actual duels. Harry struggled to use his spells in the duels but he was excellent at dodging attacks. He also had a habit of overpowering his spells, sometimes a simple expelliarmus would send Remus or Xanthus flying off their feet.

They both decided it probably didn't need correcting.

Now Harry was struggling with the summoning charm. It really seemed to evade him and so, in turn, he evaded practicing it. Spending more time on Transfiguration or potions or practicing the charms he already knew. Mostly he evaded practice by running off to forage with Dilek and even sometimes all four of them together. Remus being almost completely useless but tagging along anyways.

As the weather got warmer, Harry got gradually more and more excited about Rolf coming to visit. Remus felt a bit worried about how a traditional wizarding child would take being in the same tiny cabin as a werewolf but he was very curious to see what Xanthus' actual son was like.

“Can we go swimming?” Harry asked. It was still spring but the past three days had been unseasonably warm.

“There's not really a place to swim,” Remus said. “Is there?”

“There's the river,” Harry said.

“We can't swim in the river, it's way too dangerous. It's roaring right now,” Remus said. It was. The river could be heard as a constant loud crashing drone. It was almost completely overflowing from ice runoff as the mountain snow melted in the spring.

“We could probably divert a bit to make a pool,” Xanthus mused.

“Yes!” Harry said, pumping his fist. “We should make it permanent so I can swim with Rolf all summer!”

“Alright,” Xanthus said, chuckling. He stood and let Harry drag him out the back door. He turned his head before he was completely gone to call Remus. “Aren't you coming?”

“Oh, sure,” Remus said, putting his book down and wandering after them.

He watched as Harry pointed out the place he wanted his water diversion. The boy tracing the ground excitedly with a stick. Dilek, who had already been out and about with sunup, came meandering back. Likely attracted by Harry's excited babbling. She came to stand next to Remus looking very confused.

“What are they dah-ing?” She asked Remus, leaning in to talk to him.

“I've no idea, something to do with swimming,” Remus chuckled.

“Why?” She asked.

“For fun,” Remus said.

They stood amiably and watched as Xanthus used his wand to carve out a wide circle of earth, piling it up away from the river. He summoned all the rocks out of the pile and put them back into the hole, evenly across the bottom. Then he made a small channel leading into the hole from the river and back out again.

Water rushed in, tearing at the soft sides of the earth. Harry whooped as muddy water swirled around in their pit. The water slowly steadied out, creating a very slow, mellow eddy of water. Trickling in from the river and back out. The hole very slowly began to clear mud from the gentle eddy and influx of clean water.

“Perfect!” Harry said, and then immediately began stripping naked. Much to Remus' horror, Xanthus started following suit.

“Stop! Stop,” Remus said, pulling out his wand. He transfigured them both swim clothes and passed them over, blushing furiously. “Swim clothes are a thing.”

“Yeah… but why?” Harry asked.

“Just humor him,” Xanthus chuckled. “He's trying to de-corrupt you after I let you spend too long with druids.”

“Like you aren't just as bad,” Remus said, turning away for them to change.

“I may have gotten used to them,” Xanthus admitted when Remus turned around he had the decency to look embarrassed. His head tilted so that his hair blocked his face, his eyes slightly downcast.

“Berrrr! It's freezing!!” Harry said as he jumped into the water. It only came up to his knees, so not really great for swimming, but Harry didn't clamber out. Instead he stood, shaking and chattering with his feet turning blue.

Dilek snorted and actually started laughing. Remus grinned at her, it wasn't often he heard her laugh.

“One second,” Xanthus chuckled. He summoned a large rock from the river and carved something into it with his wand before setting it at the outlet of their wading pool. The water level in the pool rose slightly at the dam.

“Th-that didn't fix it,” Harry chattered, doing a little dance as the cold water rose to his thighs.

“Patience,” Xanthus said and summoned a smaller rock that he placed at the entrance to the pool. This rock glowed slightly red.

“Oh, much better,” Harry said, rushing to go sit near the red rock.

“It would be bad to let the heated water back into the river,” Xanthus explained to Harry. “It could hurt the plants and wildlife, so I had to create the exit magic first so the water leaving wasn't warmer. Keep that in mind for when you're older.”

“Okay,” Harry said happily, cupping handfuls of water and dumping them over his hair and headband.

Xanthus smiled and then began fixing up the pool more. Using magic to shore up the sides, making a little stairway in. Then we walked in and sat down in the pool, his back leaning against the earthen wall.

“Come on, then,” Xanthus called up to them.

Dilek gave Remus a very concerned sort of look that made him chuckle.

“Come on, we might as well try it,” Remus smiled. “We might like it.”

“If yeh say so,” Dilek mumbled hesitantly. Remus transfigured his pants to swim clothes and removed his robes. Then led a very skeptical Dilek into the pool. Her eyes were wide as she pawed at the warm water.

Harry laughed.

“Dilek, Dilek! Kneel down over here! I'll rinse your back!” Harry said, from where he was half laying by the heating stone. Remus watched as Dilek hesitantly made her way over and folded her legs underneath her to lay in the water.

With all four of them, especially Dilek, there wasn't a ton of room so Remus sat down next to Xanthus and leaned against the wall with him. They watched as Harry laughed and splashed water over Dilek's speckled hide.

“I've been worried it will be a very boring summer for them,” Xanthus said quietly. “But now that Harry's really come out of his shell, I don't think I have to be. He finds fun everywhere.”

“His dad was like that,” Remus said reflexively.

“I'm not much of a replacement,” Xanthus said quietly, making Remus jerk to look at him. He had his knees pulled up and his chin resting on them. Looking at Harry with a sad sort of love.

“I don't think that's true,” Remus said softly. “I think James would be very happy knowing Harry was with you. That he had someone to genuinely call dad. You couldn't be more different but sometimes that's a good thing.”

“Oh?” Xanthus asked, turning his head to rest his cheek in his knees and look at Remus.

“Er, yeah,” Remus said, flushing and looking away. “Well for one, you actually listen. James would have taken those swim clothes and thrown them right in my face. I know, he's done it before.”

Xanthus chuckled.

“But there are other things,” Remus said softly. “You can take things seriously, like Harry's education. Which is important with the life he's been given. You can actually cook, both Lily and James were abismal, Harry would never have eaten a good home cooked meal with them. Also… I honestly don't know that either of them would have been patient enough to deal with a traumatized little kid and bring him back to where he is now. I don't know much about it, but I can see it in your face sometimes. How much he's changed from when you found him. Thank you, for that. I don't think I could ever thank you enough.”

He looked back over to see Xanthus hiding his face in his knees, his ears red.

“Thanks,” Xanthus mumbled.

“How are we going to pick Rolf up?” Harry asked that evening, long hair still damp, swinging his legs at the dining room bench. He was getting tall enough now that his feet could brush the ground with each swing.

“I'm not sure,” Xanthus said quietly. “I've been thinking about that.”

“Can you not apparate to him?” Remus asked.

“It's a lot of apparition to get across the country and it would be a lot for a young body to handle on the way back,” Xanthus explained.

“Normally we drive,” Harry said.

“But that will line up with the full moon and we'd be leaving Dilek here alone. A road trip wouldn't be great for her,” Xanthus mused.

“Why not?” Dilek asked. She'd taken to coming inside more often. Xanthus had charmed the doors to widen for her to pass through but she still always looked a bit too big to exist in the tiny cabin.

“It's just sitting for hours and hours,” Xanthus explained.

“Oh, yees, I dah not like that,” Dilek said, making a face.

“I can go to the other werewolves for one moon,” Remus tried, but both Harry and Xanthus immediately shook their heads no and didn't even address his statement.

“I was thinking of ordering a portkey back to Seattle and then just driving back from there. Probably apparating out east and portkey back, but that's fairly traceable so people will know we are in this area. I could international portkey to Vancouver and that is much more traceable and expensive but might throw off our trail slightly. People might not assume I'd portkey to another country if we weren't in that country. Why else go through the pains of getting an international,” Xanthus mused aloud.

“Dumbledore may be able to make you an untraced portkey,” Remus suggested.

“I need to learn how to do that,” Xanthus sighed. “I’ve been taught to make portkeys to very specific locations, but to casually make a portkey anywhere you can think of is crazy to me. I should have asked Dumbledore for the incantation to portkey here.”

“You're one up on me,” Remus said. “I've never made one at all, but I think we could just ask.”

“Hmmm, I hate to bother him for something personal,” Xanthus said.

“Mmm,” Remus hummed, but later that night he snuck off to send a patronus to Dumbledore when he'd undoubtedly be rising for the day, making the request for the incantation or portkey. He thought he was being sneaky until Dumbledore’s massive patronus flew through the walls the next morning, landing right in front of Xanthus with the instructions. Xanthus gave him an alarmed sort of look. He shrugged back sheepishly.

Remus was thankful the conflicting full moon was right before Xanthus had to pick up Rolf and not after. He'd loathed that as a first impression.

He spent the day that Xanthus was hopping apparitions across the country resting from his transformation. Harry sat around with him reading his letters from Jack while Dilek practiced weaving. Apparently it was considered a great skill by her herd to weave as most didn't have the free time to ever learn such a thing. So when she was forced to hang around inside with them she brought in sticks and tried weaving nobbly basket after basket.

“Remus,” Harry asked, looking up from his letter.

“Hmm?” Remus asked.

“Is it true that wizards think of sex when they see people naked?” Harry asked. Remus inhaled his tea and choked.

“W-what?” Remus coughed. Harry put down his letter to come and pat Remus on the back.

“That's what Aspen says, when I asked,” Harry said.

“Is this because of the river?” Remus asked hoarsely. He had kept insisting they wear swim clothes in the wading pool.

“Yeah, I didn't get it, so I asked Aspen and that's what they said,” Harry nodded.

“Um, I guess,” Remus said in a pained voice.

“Oh, weird,” Harry said. He sat down and went back to reading his letter as if nothing was amiss.

“What- How- do you even know what sex is?” Remus asked.

“‘Course I do,” Harry said, sounding entirely unbothered.

“Xanthus already talked to you about it?” Remus asked, trying to remember when he'd been talked to. Which wasn't until James' parents had sat them all down and made them all sit through it when he was nearly sixteen. None of their other parents did it and the school certainly hadn't talked about it.

“Nope,” Harry said. “Aspen told me ages ago.”

“Oh,” Remus said. He felt very much like he was on the wrong foot here. He didn't even know who this Aspen person was. People? Everyone referred to Aspen in the plural. He had no experience with Druids. It felt sort of important that he knew what a Druid would say about sex and also like it was completely not his place to have that kind of talk. Especially since Harry was so young, just going on ten years old. “Uhhh.” He offered lamely.

“It's okay,” Harry said. “Aspen said that kinda stuff makes wizards very uncomfortable because they don't understand it. You don't have to talk about it. That's why they did, ‘cause otherwise I might hear about it too late.”

“Right… not understand it?”

“Yeah,” Harry said. “Since it isn't wand magic.”

“Aspen taught you about sex magic!?” Remus asked in alarm.

“It always has magic,” Harry shrugged. “It's just whether or not you direct it and where. Don't worry, I know it's dangerous if you're too young. I won't try it.”

Remus stared blankly at Harry, who had gone back to reading as if nothing was wrong. He opened and closed his mouth a few times before looking over to Dilek. She was struggling to weave her sticks as if nothing had just happened.

Remis eventually chickened out and decided to just talk to Xanthus about it when he got back.

He immediately forgot about it the next morning when Xanthus returned. They were eating breakfast in the front dining room. Harry turned to look out on the driveway for Xanthus and Rolf. Remus had to continuously poke him to remember to eat.

When Xanthus appeared suddenly, holding an old tattered sock, Harry immediately jumped off the bench and went barreling outside. Remus followed at a more sedated pace. He could tell something was wrong when he looked at Xanthus.

He looked… defeated.

His eyes were downcast, his shoulders slumped and arms hung limply at his sides.

“But where's Rolf?” Remus heard Harry asking as he approached. “He's not here?”

Xanthus gave a small, muted sort of head shake no.

“Is he okay?” Harry asked in concern. “Is he hurt?”

“One question at a time, pup,” Remus said softly, putting a calming hand on Harry's head. Recognizing that Xanthus wasn't talking right now.

“Is he okay?” Harry asked quietly, like he was scared of the answer. Remus let out an audible breath of relief when Xanthus gave a small nod yes.

“Then why… did he… did he just not come?” Harry asked.

Xanthus closed his eyes, a look of pain on his face as he nodded yes again.

“He just decided not to come!?” Harry asked, suddenly outraged. “Him? Not his mom!?”

Xanthus nodded again.

“But he can't do that!” Harry cried, his eyes welling with tears. “That's so- that's so- dumb! He can't just- he can't!”

Xanthus pulled Harry into his arms tightly so that Harry could sob into his chest. Xanthus tilted his head back, eyes squeezed closed, like he couldn't stand to face anything.

Remus didn't really know what to do. He didn't know Rolf. He didn't really know the situation at all.

He hesitated and then very carefully stepped forward and wrapped them both into a hug. Ready to step back if Xanthus showed even the slightest sign of discomfort. He didn't want to make it worse. Not for the first time he wished it was James here in his place.

Xanthus dropped his head forward so that he could bury his face into Remus' shoulder. Taking this as acceptance, Remus pulled them in tighter. One arm around Xanthus and the other on Harry’s shoulder.

They stood there for a bit. After a while he felt Dilek hesitantly stepping forward before she too wrapped her arms around them.

“I don't know what is heepening,” Dilek whispered quietly after a while.

Xanthus huffed out a quiet little laugh before pulling back and ruffling the soft fur on Dilek’s head. They all broke apart and Xanthus bent down and picked Harry up. Hoisting him up so that he could cry into Xanthus' shoulder. Not super gracefully with how big Harry was getting.

They made their way into the sitting room, around the empty fire. Xanthus sat down with Harry slumped in his lap. He tilted his head back in the chair and rubbed circles in Harry's back as he continued to cry.

“Do you want something to eat?” Remus asked softly, putting a hand on Xanthus' shoulder.

Xanthus shook his head no, without opening his eyes.

“Tea?” Remus asked.

No again.

He sat down in a chair, again not sure what to do. Dilek laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. He looked up at her and exchanged looks of matching helpless concern.

“It's my fault,” Harry whispered. “I'm sorry.”

Xanthus shook his head, no, but Harry couldn't see that so Remus spoke up for him.

“Hey, pup, it's not your fault,” he said soothingly.

“It is!” Harry sobbed, suddenly loud. “He got scared when I was attacked. It's my fault. If you didn't have to look after me, then he would have come. I'm sorry.”

“Harry,” Remus said. “We don't know what happened. Xanthus doesn't want you blaming yourself, okay?”

Harry just sniffled.

They sat around quietly for a while before Remus decided to get up and fix them some hot chocolate. It was a bit hot outside, for hot chocolate, but it seemed better than tea. He sliced some fruit for Dilek too, who seemed rather lost and confused.

He handed over the mugs. Harry took his in both hands as he leaned into Xanthus' chest. Xanthus took a very deep breath and let it out slowly, before looking up and mouthing something to Remus.

“Story?” Remus asked.

Xanthus nodded.

“Hmmm,” he hummed, thinking. He occasionally told stories of the marauders when they were just hanging around in the evening, but he didn't know what would be appropriate here. He immediately thought of Sirius' betrayal, but pushed it aside. That was different from whatever was happening here. Then he realized.

“I've told you this before,” Remus said softly. “But Lily used to hate James. What I haven't mentioned much is that she had a best friend in Slytherin named Snape, who she spent all her time with instead.”

Xanthus jerked slightly and looked at Remus with a curious sort of look that it took a moment for him to recognize.

“Oh, you taught at Hogwarts right?” Remus asked.

Xanthus nodded.

“Yes, that's the same Snape. He's the potions master at Hogwarts now,” Remus said. “He was always brilliant at potions. Lily was too. They always paired together and blew everyone else away. Except Snape’s classmates were furious at him for being friends with Lily.”

“Why?” Harry asked softly, looking at him now.

“Because her parents were muggles,” Remus said. “You-know-who… er… no, you don't, haha. The Dark Lord was rising in power and people were picking sides, even then. Snape got harassed constantly for being her friend and honestly we harassed him too. James was incredibly jealous of him, and Snape hated James back with a fiery passion. They fought constantly, so Snape was under attack from all sides.

“Eventually he and Lily decided to hide their friendship more. It was mostly Lily's idea, she told me, because she hated seeing Snape attacked so much. Snape hated it, but went along with it. Except that meant that Snape was spending more and more time with his housemates. Surrounded by people who thought Lily shouldn't even be allowed to live, let alone practice magic in Hogwarts. It seemed more and more like he was starting to believe them. Lily used to confide in me that they were drifting away and she was scared he really did believe that stuff… I… well I admit that I told her he probably did. I had no love lost with Snape…”

“What happened?” Harry asked when Remus hesitated.

“One day, James got really nasty in his attack on Snape and Lily ran to Snape's defense. Snape lashed out at Lily and basically confirmed he did believe all those horrible things his house said about her,” Remus said. “She was devastated. We all thought at the time she hadn't been close to him for a while but she'd been secretly meeting up with him. They were still best friends. They'd invent spells together and study and just talk, she told me. It stopped after that. She was always sad that she'd lost him. Felt betrayed he'd chosen them. When it was confirmed that he was actually a death eater, she came to me and cried all night. She couldn't cry to James, he still hated Snape, so she came to me.”

“That's horrible,” Harry said.

“Yes, except it isn't the whole story,” Remus said. “Snape actually became a spy. Working against the death eaters. I think it's because of Lily. I don't know for sure, I only heard about his trial and Dumbledore insisting he'd been a spy for a while, but I think he couldn't actually believe the stuff the death eaters said because of Lily. We may have hated him, but I always had a hard time imagining him hating her. I'm sure he'd deny it, but I think he was still trying to protect her. He had no other reason to be a spy. Dumbledore himself treated Snape pretty horribly in school. No one on our side ever showed him anything but derision. The only reason he could have is Lily. It's the only thing I can think of. So I guess, my point is that sometimes people can seem like they've abandoned you but actually they still care a lot. Enough to be on your side even when you don't know it.”

“Like Rolf?” Harry asked quietly.

“Yeah,” Remus said. “I'm sure he still loves you both. I know it hurts, but he's young. You still have time.”

Chapter Text

Harry had a problem.

Or at least he thought he had a problem.

He actually wasn't entirely sure.

He was pretty sure Remus liked Xanthus the same way Jack had liked Xanthus and he really didn't want a repeat of what had happened with Jack. He knew Xanthus liked Remus, but he didn't really know if he liked Remus like that, because he didn't really understand what that kind of like felt like.

He'd been writing Aspen about it. Trying to understand, but Aspen explained that they also didn't really like people like that, even though they were an adult. He thought about asking Jack, he'd definitely know, but that seemed rude.

Aspen said that maybe Harry just wanted them to like each other more, so that he knew Remus wasn't going to leave. Which could be true. Except they were out swimming in the river earlier that day and Harry watched as Remus caught sight of Xanthus and blushed, looking away. Then he did it again.

Jack used to do that too.

Harry didn't know what to do about it.

“Hey Dad,” Harry whispered, sneaking into Xanthus' bed.

“Hmm?” Xanthus mumbled sleepily. It had only been a few days since Xanthus had started talking again and Harry was a little hesitant to pester him, but he couldn't sleep.

“Remember how Jack made you sad?” Harry asked.

“He didn't…” Xanthus rolled over to face Harry, blinking sleepily at him before yawning. He eventually mumbled out “It wasn't his fault.”

“But you were sad,” Harry whispered.

“Mmm, I suppose.”

“How come?”

“It's the middle of the night,” Xanthus mumbled.

“Sorry,” Harry said, burying his face in Xanthus' chest. Xanthus sighed and rubbed his face with his hand.

“What's up, kiddo? Why's this bugging you?” Xanthus asked.

“He liked you, right? Like more than friends,” Harry whispered.

“How'd you know that?”

“I asked.”

Xanthus sighed again.

“How come that upset you?” Harry asked.

“It's complicated, Harry.”

“How come?”

“It doesn't really matter now…” Xanthus mumbled, curling around Harry slightly more.

“Would… would it upset you if Remus liked you like that?” Harry whispered cautiously. Xanthus jerked away, looking down at Harry in a more alert sort of confusion. “You wouldn't stop talking to him, would you?”

“Harry, what?” Xanthus asked, looking at Harry with concern.

“I don't want you to be sad again,” Harry said. “And I don't want Remus to go away.”

“Remus isn't going anywhere,” Xanthus said.

“Even if…”

“Even then,” Xanthus sighed. They were quiet for a while. Harry could tell that Xanthus was thinking rather than sleeping so he tried to be patient. “I'm not good at Relationships Harry… you've seen… with Perchina… I mean Rolf didn't…” Xanthus huffed quietly. “I just didn't think I could… this isn't really something for me to be dumping on you Harry. You really don't need to be worried about it.”

“Then don't do worry-able things,” Harry whispered back reflexively. Xanthus breathed out a small laugh and ruffled Harry's hair.

“I didn't handle Jack's affection well,” Xanthus said. “He deserved better but I couldn't tell him. I hope you'll have more courage than me, someday.”

“Did you like him back?” Harry asked.

“It didn't matter…”

“Do you like Remus?” Harry asked.

“Harry…”

“I think you should,” Harry said. “He's calm and patient and smart and funny. He's quiet, like you are, and doesn't mind if you don't talk.”

“Someone having good qualities doesn't mean you'll just like them instantly, Harry,” Xanthus explained.

“Why not?” Harry asked.

“It just doesn't work like that.”

“So… you don't like Remus?” Harry asked sadly. Xanthus rubbed his face with his hands again, drawing his cheeks down towards his chin.

“I… didn't say that,” Xanthus mumbled.

“So… you do?” Harry perked up.

“Harry…” Xanthus said warningly.

“So you wouldn't be upset if he liked you?” Harry pressed anyway.

“Harry, please, drop this, alright?” Xanthus said.

“But why?” Harry pressed.

“You know, there was a time you'd never have dared talk back like this,” Xanthus groaned.

“Yeah, so?” Harry giggled softly.

“So I'm glad you're not scared to speak up and also begrudging it now, you little rascal,” Xanthus rubbed his knuckles into Harry's head, making him duck and giggle.

“How do you know if you like someone?” Harry pressed as he wriggled free of Xanthus' knuckles.

“Harry…”

“How am I supposed to know if I like someone when I'm older if no one tells me?”

“I'm not really the right person to ask,” Xanthus sighed.

“Why not?”

“I… I have never been good with knowing how I feel about… anything really,” Xanthus said quietly.

“So… you don't know?” Harry asked carefully.

“I try not to think on it,” Xanthus sighed.

“Why?” Harry asked.

“Harry, please…”

“Fine,” Harry gave in. Xanthus let out a long breath and they both settled down to sleep.

“Remus?” Harry asked, sliding up to Remus as they walked through the woods. They were heading to visit the Hippogriffs, which Dilek wouldn't approach and Xanthus preferred not to. Remus seemed hesitant too but insisted he accompany Harry anyway.

“What's up, pup?”

“How do you know if you like someone more than a friend?” Harry asked. Remus tripped and stumbled forward slightly before catching himself.

“I wanna know,” Harry said. “So when I go to school I know what to look for.”

“You generally don't really have to look for it,” Remus said. “You just kinda know.”

“Some people don't just know,” Harry said, thinking of Xanthus. “They probably don't know what to look for. So I wanna know.”

“Er,” Remus hesitated. “It's still a year till you go to school and a while after that before you fall for anyone.”

“But you said my dad loved my mom instantly, like on the train,” Harry pointed out.

“James was weird,” Remus chuckled.

“But you say I'm like him all the time.”

“In some ways,” Remus said slowly. “In some ways you're like Lily but in a lot of ways you're all your own Harry. Not your mom or your dad, just completely you. So it's not very likely you fall in love on your first day of school.”

“But I could.”

“I suppose…”

“What's it feel like when you like someone?” Harry proded.

“I didn't like anyone till I was old enough to… er…” Remus mumbled, looking uncomfortable.

“Have sex,” Harry suggested, causing Remus to splutter and blush.

“Think about it, old enough to think about it, which you're not,” Remus spluttered.

“So… you know you like Xanthus because you think about having sex with him?” Harry asked curiously.

“Harry!” Remus nearly yelled.

“What?” Harry asked, watching curiously as Remus' face went an even darker red.

“You can't say things like that!”

“Why not?”

“Because… because… you're way too young to talk about… about that.”

“I'm not going to do it,” Harry insisted. “I don't see why I can't talk about it.”

“It's not appropriate,” Remus said.

“But I should know about it, before it happens.”

“Not this far before!”

“Fine, but there are other ways to know, right? Since my dad knew when he was only a year older than me,” Harry pressed on.

“I… suppose…” Remus sighed, looking distinctly uncomfortable.

“So how else do you know?”

Remus sighed heavily, massaging his temples briefly.

“Er,” Remus tried and then cleared his throat. “You think about them a lot… and you want to be close to them. You want them to think about you. Er…”

“How come you blush when you look at them?” Harry asked.

“Huh?” Remus looked at Harry in confusion.

“You blush when you look at Xanthus. Jack did too. That's how I know you like him,” Harry said matter-of-factly.

“Oh Merlin,” Remus mumbled, stopping and covering his face with both hands. Harry stopped too, peering up at him curiously. He didn't understand why this topic made them both so uncomfortable. It didn't seem like a big deal to Harry. Maybe he would have to just ask Jack. He didn't seem like he'd be so weird about it, even if he was sad about Xanthus.

“Is the blushing a sex thing?” Harry asked, suddenly wondering if that's why they were uncomfortable talking about it

“Harry! Please stop saying that word,” Remus groaned. “Please, it is so not appropriate.”

“Fine,” Harry huffed. Aspen did warn him that wizards would be weird about it. Especially in their letters when he was asking questions but he didn't get why they were THIS weird about it. He knew it was super important for him to wait, but that didn't mean he couldn't say the word.

“James is definitely laughing at me right now,” Remus grumbled. “You know the first time I liked someone, James wouldn't leave me alone about it. Can I request that in this instance you stop taking after him?”

“Nope,” Harry said happily.

Remus choked out a laugh, clearly caught off guard. He gave Harry a wry smile and gave him a light shove on his shoulder. Harry grinned back.

“So how else do you know?” Harry asked.

“Er… you imagine being in a relationship with them. Like what it would be like if they were in your future. You wanna hold their hand. Er… I don't know. Sometimes your body feels funny at first because they make you nervous. Like the feeling of jumping off something high but you feel it when they touch you or look at you,” Remus said, sounding strained.

“How's a relationship different from friends?” Harry asked. “Apart from the thing I'm not supposed to talk about.”

“I don't think that counts as not talking about it,” Remus grumbled half heartedly before sighing. “Relationships are… committed. You promise to be together and not leave each other. More than just the way good friends do. It's generally only acceptable to date one person and that person has to be the opposite gender.”

“But you aren't,” Harry said.

“People like me and apparently Jack, who like men even though we are men, we're considered… er… people don't like that much,” Remus mumbled, looking away.

“Is that a wizard thing too?” Harry said. “Aspen explained how it worked with men together or women together.”

“Oh Merlin, I think I need to write to this Aspen person,” Remus said.

“Why? I already know,” Harry said. Harry watched as Remis groaned and screwed up his face in exasperation.

“Wizards and muggles both don't approve,” Remus said eventually.

“That's dumb,” Harry said.

Remus choked out a hoarse laugh.

“Yeah, your dad agreed. Even though he did it all the right way,” Remus chuckled.

“Hmmm,” Harry said thoughtfully.

“Harry, I don't necessarily think what the druids told you is wrong… just… when you go to school you'll be around normal folk so you have to do normal things. Like not taking your clothes off to swim or if it gets too hot, and not ever talking openly about… er… sex, even when you're older. It's considered impolite, but especially don't talk about it when you're young. And… and… if you end up liking a boy just… be really careful, okay?”

“Yeah, alright,” Harry conceded. Harry took pity on Remus who was looking quite uncomfortable. “Can we try transfiguring moving things more?”

“Yes, definitely,” Remus sighed in obvious relief. Remus began picking up sticks and tossing them in front of him, while Harry tried to turn them into iron.

They wandered up the mountain like this. Harry hadn't succeeded at all by the time they'd reached the Hippogriffs but that was to be expected. He felt like he improved steadily at Transfiguration so even when he struggled, he felt like he'd get it eventually. It wasn't as frustrating as charms, which he often felt hopeless at. Even if he had eventually succeeded at them.

Remus hung back while Harry cautiously approached the herd of Hippogriffs. Many were flying out and about, some perched on the rocks while a few younger ones danced around the sky, swooping and playing together.

An older mare, with a deep gray hide but near white feathers came flying down to meet Harry. She was generally always the one that greeted him.

He kept eye contact and bowed low. She dipped her head almost immediately and he ran up to hug her around her feathers.

“Isn't the weather nice?” He asked her as he pulled back and preened some of her neck feathers. “You don't have to hunt in the rain anymore. Your feathers are so pretty now they can keep dry.”

She fluffed her feathers happily and shook her body, then nudged him with her beak and bowed forward slightly.

“Oh yes! Thank you! I'd love to fly,” he told her happily, bouncing around to swing his leg over her back. She jumped into the air immediately, not waiting for him to settle and he had to flatten himself on her back between her wings so as not to fall off.

He laughed happily as he steadied himself and sat up, the wind whipping through his hair. Two other Hippogriffs came flying over to them, swooping around playfully. He could see the glittering ocean from here. It was far off, in the West and North at the base of the mountains, but still visible. Light reflecting off the expansive blue horizon. The fir forest stretched below them and he could see the still slightly snowy peaks of mountains to his South.

He wished Rolf was here. He'd love this.

He took a deep breath of crisp battering wind and hunched over the Hippogriff to hug her feathery neck. Letting the wind beat his hair and her feathers in a storm around his face.

She soared in circles around the mountain, flying a few times over the cabin.

Eventually she touched back down, landing near Remus who immediately bowed low as Harry slid off and hugged her.

“Thank you so much!” Harry chirped. She pawed the ground and launched herself into the sky again. He watched her fly off for a while before Remus got his attention.

“Should we head back?” Remus asked.

“Sure,” Harry shrugged. He didn't want to go back. There wasn't much to do there. It was a bit lonely out here, with just the four of them. He missed home with Aspen and Jack and Kitty and Weld. He missed jumping into the lake and foraging and planting and fishing and light tag with the whole community.

“Wanna duel when we get back?” Harry asked. It was starting to get more fun as he got better. A lot like light-tag but with more effort and less people.

“Sure, pup, whatever you want,” Remus smiled.

They roped Xanthus into a three way duel when they got back. Harry actually did quite well this time, although he suspected it was because Remus was completely distracted by Xanthus. He'd almost forgotten about their talk after his flight but Remus, apparently, had not.

Harry spent a lot of lazy days laying around in the warm wading pool in the hot sun. Or wandering aimlessly, foraging plants with Dilek through the woods. He'd taken to using his wand to pick nettle leaves into nobbly baskets of Dilek's making.

He finally managed the summoning charm.

Evenings of duels and transfiguration practice.

Xanthus tried to teach him to meditate for his animagus and occlumency, which normally Harry would have hated but there wasn't much else to do. So he sat under the sun and listened to the wind in the leaves and the birds singing, trying not to feel so lonely and bored.

Remus fixed him a swing in a tree by the cabin and acquiesced to pushing him high on it regularly. Harry liked to jump off at the peak of his swing and float down. He could tell it made Remus nervous but that was part of the fun. Remus admitted one night he regretted using some kind of charm to make it easier to swing.

Harry was swinging on the swing before dinner, pumping his legs to go as high as he could. Remus was laying in the shade of a nearby tree, sprawled out on a blanket, with a book flopped open over his face, the pages sticking slightly to his cheeks.

The back door swung with a clang and Xanthus came walking out wearing an apron covered in flour stains. Harry watched as Xanthus walked out and looked around. He spotted Harry on the swing and came meandering over.

Then he spotted Remus and stopped. His face broke out into a shy, fond smile. Harry swung back and forth, watching as Xanthus seemed mesmerized. Finally Xanthus seemed to shake himself.

"Dinner's ready," He said as he squatted down and gently lifted the book off Remus' face, causing Remus to startle and sit up, shouldering into Xanthus and knocking him down backwards.

"Oh! Sorry!" Remus spluttered, reaching out to help pull Xanthus up. They both awkwardly stumbled themselves into standing, ending up very close. They paused looking at each other, before they both flushed and looked away, taking a step back.

"No problem," Xanthus mumbled, before clearing his voice and turning to Harry. "Dinner, Harry."

"Okay!" Harry called, and then leapt from the height of his jump, floating down to land softly right near where Xanthus stood.

"Where's Dilek?" Xanthus asked, pointedly not looking at Remus who was picking up the blanket.

"Out foraging still probably," Harry said. "She ate a lot on our walk, she might skip dinner."

Dilek was even more dedicated to foraging than Harry was. She rarely ate with them in the summer, instead feeding herself on the forest. She had to eat a lot though, so she was constantly munching on something as they walked.

Dilek and Harry harvested a truly incredible amount of blackberries in the fall. The invasive species had huge berries and they grew in abundant patches. Sweet and juicy, they were more fruitful than huckleberries. Not that Harry and Dilek didn't harvest a lot of those too.

Remus joined them in fishing during the fall salmon run, although Dilek did not. They caught enough to last them through winter probably.

"What is even left to forage?" Remus asked as the four of them walked together down one of their wider trails. He was eyeing the gourd of enchanted water Xanthus was carrying in confusion. The weather was solidly wet and cold. The blackberries were gone or rotted and the leaves were falling from the trees. It was a nice day today though, chilled but not wet, so they were getting out of the cabin.

"I've been practicing my summoning charms on pine nuts," Harry said happily, skipping around in a winding zigzag as Remus and Xanthus plodded straight through. "It's going much better than when Xanthus practiced his."

"Not that much better," Xanthus laughed deeply. "You still pelted me hard the other day. You overpower your spells."

"At least it was just one, not the whole tree!" Harry huffed.

"I feel like I'm missing something," Remus chuckled. "Since when was Xanthus practicing summoning charms?"

"I was doing them wandlessly," Xanthus shrugged.

"Show him! Show him!" Harry said excitedly.

"I thought you didn't want to be barraged?" Xanthus smiled.

"You're much better now," Harry said confidently. "We can compete! Come on!"

Harry didn't successfully get them to hurry down the path towards the pine they were headed to but he was no less excited when he reached it. He thrust the gourd into Remus' arms and placed Xanthus a few paces away, before standing next to him.

"Okay, Remus can judge!" Harry said happily.

"What am I judging on?" Remus laughed.

"How controlled we are," Harry said. "Come on, pour the water."

"Alright, alright," Remus chuckled.

What followed was a fair amount of diving for cover while Remus and Dilek laughed uproariously at them from the safety of the other side of the tree. Although, they both were thoroughly covered with pine needles in the end.

"Well," Remus chucked as they gathered the pine cones into some of Dilek's baskets. "I think you both lost."

"Hey!" Harry protested at the same time Xanthus chucked and said "fair."

"That said," Remus added. "I'm amazed you both can put so much power into that charm. Especially you, Xanthus. That's a lot of oomph for a wandless spell. I hardly know anyone who can cast anything wandlessly."

Xanthus blushed and looked away, rubbing the back of his head.

"Just had a good reason to practice, is all," Xanthus mumbled.

The entire walk back, Remus kept glancing at Xanthus in wonder. Every time they both caught each other's eye, they'd blush and look away.

At some point Harry realized Rolf would have gone home now, if he'd come at all, but the thought didn't make him feel better.

It wasn't that he wasn't having fun. Magic was still fun. He got to run around with Dilek who was getting better at running and jumping. He got to duel and rough house with Remus or Xanthus or both. He swung on the swing or went out flying with the Hippogriffs when the weather permitted.

It was peaceful.

He just found that he was ready for school. Ready to go to Hogwarts and meet new people his own age and be surrounded by chatter and talk. Feasts at long tables again.

He missed the midnight feasts on the lake with the cedar woman. The groaning tables of food, happy conversation everywhere and breathing fire over the water with the other kids.

Somehow the thought made him more frustrated about Xanthus and Remus dancing around each other.

He started eying the mistletoe over the fireplace. It was supposed to have helped them, but it hadn't. It had one last burst of magic when they burned it but he had to wait for the solstice. So he found himself looking at it impatiently. Watching the days grow shorter.

“Hey dad,” Harry asked three days before the solstice. Remus was out buying groceries at the store.

“Hmm,” Xanthus hummed over his book. Harry wished he didn't hate reading so much, Xanthus and Remus both seemed to get infinite entertainment from it.

“You won't freak out if Remus kisses you, right?” Harry asked.

Xanthus groaned and put down his book.

“This again, Harry?” Xanthus asked, pinching his brow.

“Well, you like him now, don't you?” Harry asked.

“Why do you say that?”

“You blush now too,” Harry shrugged. Xanthus just sighed, slumping down in his chair and resting the back of his head backwards. Harry waited a bit before prodding again. “So?”

“So what?”

“So, will you be upset if he kisses you?” Harry asked.

“He won't.”

“If he did?”

Xanthus sighed again.

“Okay good,” Harry said, settling back to keep writing his letter.

“Why?” Xanthus asked suspiciously.

“No reason,” Harry hummed. Xanthus didn't seem at all convinced.

“You're not pressuring him, are you?”

“Nope!”

"Harry, what have you been telling him?"

"Nothing," Harry insisted.

"The same nothing you've been telling me?"

"No, cause um..." Harry said. "I'm not sure what you'd do so I haven't said anything."

"It is better if yah court him," Dilek said, nodding as if she was agreeing to something.

"Dilek!" Xanthus sounded actually shocked and Harry couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"What?" Dilek asked, looking up from her weaving.

"You can't be in on this too," Xanthus moaned, putting his head in his hands. "You're supposed to be the sensible one."

"I'm beh-ing that," Dilek said. "That is why I say sah. It wont work if yah waeht for him."

"No, that's not what I meant," Xanthus sighed. "Neither of you should be worried about this."

"Yah don't has any does," Dilek said. "A buck should-"

"Nope, stop, Dilek, we don't need to hear the end of that. Please," Xanthus interrupted, holding his hands up.

"Why? What was she going to say?" Harry asked curiously.

"Nothing you needed to hear," Xanthus said. "The herd has... no qualms with their young knowing more than I'm comfortable with."

Dilek and Harry shared a confused look, before Dilek shrugged.

"I will not tell Hee-arry if yah buck up," Dilek said.

"Dilek!" Xanthus exclaimed.

"I accept this," Harry said eagerly. He'd pay the curiosity cost if it meant something would finally happen.

"No, Dilek you can't just-"

"No? Well Hee-arry, in the herd, when there are tah many bucks-" Dilek said, all while looking at Xanthus and grinning.

"Okay, okay, stop," Xanthus sighed. "Look you two, it's really not okay to pressure people like this."

"Why not?" Harry asked.

"You don't always know the full details of what's happening," Xanthus sighed. "You can't know what someone's feeling better than they do."

"Only ‘cause you wont tell me," Harry said.

"People don't have to tell you everything, Harry," Xanthus said. "You can't expect the people in your life to tell you everything. Your friends won't, sometimes even your future partner won't and that's not always bad. Sometimes they might not know themselves or be uncomfortable or they promised someone they wouldn't or any number of reasons. I don't want you to think it's okay to expect that from everyone you know."

"I won't," Harry said. "But... It's just us here... I can play with Dilek but it's dark and wet and we're stuck inside and... and inside you and Remus are all weird and sad... and you are always looking at each other funny. In the stories you used to read me, they got happy when they got together. I just want you to be happy."

"I am happy, Harry," Xanthus said.

"No you're not," Harry said quietly. "Sometimes you are for a little bit. Sometimes when we play together or rough house or when I do my magic right, then you are but... but... most of the time... you're not. A-and I d-don't know if that's my f-fault a-and I d-don't know how to fix it b-but... but..."

"Oh Harry," Xanthus said and stood suddenly to walk over and pull Harry into his arms. Harry clutched at Xanthus' robes and cried into his shoulder. Dilek had stopped her weaving to give them a concerned look. "Harry, I was so sad and lost before I found you. I didn't know what I was doing. I felt like... I-"

Xanthus made a sort of choking noise and cleared his throat.

"It's hard for me to say. To think about," Xanthus said gruffly. "I just… was so lost before you. You do make me happy."

Harry shook his head no into Xanthus' shoulder. Xanthus sighed and hugged him tighter.

"You're just a kid, Harry," Xanthus said. "You're not responsible for my happiness. I am. You're not responsible for anyone’s happiness. But you've made me so much happier, I promise. I was-" he cleared his throat again. "I wa-"

Xanthus sighed and thumped his forehead down onto the top of Harry's head. Xanthus shepherded them over to the fire and sat down on the floor, pulling Harry into his lap.

"S-sorry," Harry cried wetly. Xanthus shook his head and squeezed him briefly. Dilek stood and walked over a few feet so she could curl up into them, resting her flank so that Xanthus could lean against it.

None of them said anything.

Remus found them like that when he got home.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Remus asked, putting down his grocery bags and padding into the sitting room. He leant down and put a hand on Harry's shoulder, peering at them with concern.

Harry sniffled and looked up but didn't answer, Remus turned to Dilek questioningly.

"Hee-arry is seed that Xeenthus is seed. Xeenthus is seed that Hee-arry is seed," Dilek said softly. "I is seed they is seed."

"So if I make either of them happy, you'll all stop being sad?" Remus chuckled lightly.

"No," Dilek shook her head. "Yah has to make Xeenthus happy. His seed started it."

Remus blushed hotly as he sent a suddenly rather self conscious look at Xanthus.

"Why is Xanthus sad?" Remus asked softly.

"Don't know," Dilek said. "Heh gets seed if heh seh why."

"Xanthus?" Remus said softly.

Xanthus lifted his head off of Harry's to look at Remus, but he didn't actually look him in the eyes. Just turned his face that way to look rather shame faced down at Remus knees where he knelt next to them.

"It's okay if you're not talking," Remus said. Xanthus flicked his eyes up and seemed to get caught there. Harry watched as they both just stared at each other, like they were locked in each other's gaze. This happened sometimes, but normally they weren't sitting so close.

Harry was suddenly very concerned that he might be blocking the way but knew that if moved he'd break their look. Remus swayed in slightly before seeming to catch himself, shaking his head and sitting back on his heels.

"Do you- er," Remus said hesitantly. "I'll make dinner. Give you a break."

He reached out hesitantly to squeeze Xanthus shoulder before retreating back to the kitchen and the grocery bags.

"Ugh, I sorry Hee-ary," Dilek said. "I try."

Harry and Xanthus both huffed out a startled laugh, then looked at each other. Then Xanthus started laughing and Harry followed immediately after.

"What happened?" Remus said, scurrying back into the room, looking incredibly confused. They just laughed harder, while Dilek gave Remus a helpless shrug, an equally confused expression on her face.

Xanthus stood up and pulled Harry with him. He steadied Harry on his feet before letting go to walk over to Remus who was still standing confused in the door. Xanthus cleared his throat a few times before stepping closer. Remus visibly swallowed.

"Er?" Remus said dumbly, his face now a mixture of confusion and shy embarrassment.

"Harry has been," Xanthus said thickly, having to pause to swallow and clear his throat again. "pestering me for months. Now Dilek has started too and I think... I think that means I'm being dumb."

"Xanthus, you're not-" Remus started but stopped when Xanthus put a finger up to his lips. Remus inhaled sharply.

"I want desperately to show Harry... How to do this right," Xanthus said thickly. "But I'm struggling... not to shut down."

Xanthus closed his eyes briefly, taking in a deep breath and opening them again. He moved the hand over Remus lips to cup his face instead, making Remus' eyes go wide. Then Xanthus stepped up and leaned in so that their noses brushed. Remus stopped breathing.

They stood there for a moment, Remus completely still.

"I won't- force myself on you," Xanthus sighed, moving to pull back, but Remus reached up to stop him and closed the gap to kiss him.

Harry hugged Dilek in excitement, having to choke down a squeal so he didn't make a noise and ruin the moment. Harry hadn't seen many people kiss before. He didn't remember his aunt and uncle much but he only remembered them kissing cheeks. Basically the only people he'd seen kiss were Patty and Daciana and only when they didn't expect him to be around. They kissed with their mouths open, instead of closed.

Remus and Xanthus didn't open their mouths, they just pressed their lips together gently for a long, quiet moment, before they pulled back just a bit. They hesitated there before Remus swayed in and then seemed to catch sight of Harry and stood back, breaking away completely.

"I didn't think-" Remus started, then paused. "I didn't think you- er..." Remus huffed out a little half laugh, half sigh. "I can't speak either, apparently."

"We go tah my rahm," Dilek said suddenly, standing up and pulling Harry out the back door. Xanthus had spelled the back and front porches so that they were much better insulated then they used to be, but it was still cold out here. A torch flared to light as Dilek led them over to what would be more accurately described as a nest instead of a bed.

"Dilek! They finally kissed! Why'd you make me leave?" Harry whined, looking back over his shoulder. That was it, in the stories he remembered they kissed and then were happy. He wanted to see them all happy now.

"They want beh alone," Dilek shrugged, flopping down on her nest sideways, her long deer legs splayed out. She rarely flopped, most often laying down with her deer legs tucked under her and leaning her human body on something.

Harry laid down facing her, so they were eye level. If it weren't for her odd ears and hair, he could almost forget she wasn't human from here.

"I don't get any of this," Harry said. "I feel like I've been told all the pieces but, I still don't get it."

"Meh tah," Dilek said. "Meh mom seh yah heart grow bigger with yah breasts or horns and then it nehd a new kind of love, but it's tah small for us now."

"I don't want my heart to be small," Harry said, grabbing at the robes over his chest.

"We tah small to carry a big heart, meh mom seh," Dilek shrugged.

"Do you miss her? And the rest of your herd?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Dilek said, closing her eyes. "Sheh with the sky herd now... Sheh dead... I miss my herd but... I like it har. I don't have friend like yah in the herd... I go back when yah lehv and I miss yah."

"Oh, I didn't know..." Harry said. "I'll miss you too, when I go to school. I wish you could come."

"I don't want tah," Dilek said, shaking her head. "Sit all day with bahks? No way. I want beh outside."

"Me too," Harry giggled. "Definitely not looking forward to that part."

"Okay you two," said a very red faced Remus as he poked his head through the door to call to them. "It's safe to come in now."

"Weh comfy har," Dilek said, looking over at Remus. "Tell us when dinner?"

"Er, yeah," Remus said. "You sure? You don't have to stay out here for us."

"We're sure!" Harry said, propping his head up to look at Remus.

"Don't go copying what you see out here, you're both too young to be kissing," Remus said, suddenly eyeing them suspiciously.

"Weh wont," Dilek said. Remus gave them another look before closing the door behind them.

"We could try kissing," Harry said. "Maybe we'd understand then."

"Our hearts aren't big enough yet," Dilek shrugged.

"How do you know?" Harry asked.

"It will beh hard not tah kiss," Dilek said. "When it is."

"But Xanthus and Remus didn't kiss for ages," Harry said. "It didn't seem hard for them."

"But they were so weird," Dilek said.

"Oh... That was ‘cause it was hard not to kiss?"

"I guess," Dilek shrugged. "What else?"

"Huh," Harry said.

Eventually they got called back in for dinner. Harry helped Dilek pull her human half upright but couldn't do much to help her deer half, so he backed up and waited for her to stand up then they made their way into the dining room.

To Harry's great dismay, Xanthus and Remus weren't looking at each other. Both looking pointedly away, with shy flushed looks on their faces.

"Why are you still being weird?" Harry cried. "You're supposed to be happy now."

Xanthus dropped his head into his hands before scrubbing his face while Remus turned to Harry with a soft, fond smile.

"We are happy," Remus chuckled.

"Then why are you being all awkward?" Harry huffed.

"We're just awkward people, Harry," Remus smiled. Xanthus choked out a laugh and gave them both a crooked smile. At least Remus didn't hide openly staring at him now, but they still broke eye contact and blushed. Harry pouted. "Harry, we are going to be figuring things out for a while. We can't risk messing this up, be patient with us."

"I've been patient," Harry grumbled, sitting down and starting to serve himself.

"Not very," Dilek teased, reaching over to steal a berry from Harry's plate.

Xanthus huffed out a laugh.

"Then you won't have trouble keeping it up," Remus said, smiling at him.

Harry stuck his tongue out at them.

Chapter Text

"I don't just think we should consider it," Xanthus said softly. "I think it might be the best choice."

"I see that, I do, it's just..." Remus sighed and slumped into Xanthus. They had magically expanded one of the sitting room chairs into a larger couch. Something they arguably should have done before they'd gotten together just for Harry's sake, but it was better late than never. Xanthus was sitting at one end, his arm around Remus who was leaned back into him. Harry was curled in a ball on the other end, completely conked out. They were trying to be quiet as they talked.

"I know," Xanthus said, he leaned his head forward so that his forehead was pressed into the side of Remus' hair. "I know how much this means to you. Really I do and I hate taking that from both of you but..."

"But its safer," Remus sighed. "Except Ilvermorny doesn't have Dumbledore."

"Harry won't need Dumbledore if no one knows who he is," Xanthus said, repeating an argument he'd already made.

"He'll have to live with being a bastard child... A homewrecker," Remus said.

"Better than being the boy who lived."

"But he is the boy who lived."

"Yes, but people don't have to know that," Xanthus said. "Keep him safe with anonymity. Being my bastard will be scandalous enough with my divorce which isn't something that's done. It will explain it neatly. People wont look closer because it will confirm what they already thought."

"What if they take that out on Harry?"

"They will, a bit, but its hard to hurt someone with lies. We can prepare him for it."

"I still don't like intentionally setting him up to be bullied and it's only safe so long as no one finds out," Remus argued. "The second they do, we'll wish he was under Dumbledore's protection."

"What happens if Dumbledore dies before Harry graduates?"

Remus twitched in shock.

"He's old, Remus," Xanthus said. "Even for a wizard he's old. Very old. We can't put all our eggs in one old basket. Britain wants Dumbledore to solve everything for them, but he's just a man. A good man, but a human one."

"I know I'm being selfish," Remus said. "They're both good options but I just... I want Harry to go to school where they did. To live where they lived."

"I know," Xanthus said softly, he wrapped his arms around Remus in a more secure hug. "I want that too, I do. I'm not trying to send him to my alma mater because it's where I went."

"I know you're not..."

"I just genuinely think it would be safer," Xanthus said. "Kids at Ilvermorny wont even know who the boy who lived is, even if you tell them to their face. He'll be treated normally. No one knows he's with me, there's no reason they'd figure it out. Sure he'll get teased. Kids are rough, they bully each other, but he'll be safe. He'll be able to make normal friends, without all that hanging over his head. He can always transfer if it seems like its more dangerous."

"Hogwarts doesn't take transfers," Remus said. "I know the other schools do, but Hogwarts doesn't."

"I'm sure they'd make an exception in this case," Xanthus said.

"Maybe... We have to talk to Dumbledore about it first," Remus said.

"I just think we should be on the same page before we call the Supreme Mugwump to tiny cabin in the woods," Xanthus chuckled.

"Mmm," Remus hummed sadly. He closed his eyes and thumped his head back onto Xanthus' shoulder. After a while he sat back up and said, in a shaky voice. "I think you're right... We should talk to Harry about it. He should get a say... But I think you're right."

"I'm sorry Remus," Xanthus said softly.

"No it's... I'm being shortsighted... What I want, it doesn't even... It doesn't matter. They're dead, what does it matter if... If he goes to their school, really?"

"It matters," Xanthus whispered. "It does matter, its just the cost we have to pay."

"Yeah..."

In the end Harry was much more excited about going to school with Kitty than anything else. Her mother had decided to send her the coming year, or at least Kitty said so in her letters. Weld wouldn't attend for another two years. Xanthus couldn't help but feel a bit heartbroken at the hurt Remus tried to hide that Harry didn't care more about going to school where his parents had.

It was hard to comfort him, with a nosey kid bouncing around at all times, but they made do. It would be awful once Harry was gone, even if they had each other. Xanthus was honestly growing more and more terrified by the prospect. He had no idea what he'd do with himself. He felt like he was thrust back into that nebulous haze right after his divorce.

Except he wasn't so alone now. Even with Harry gone, Remus wasn't going anywhere.

Dumbledore came to visit on a bright spring morning, wearing sunshine yellow robes with little white flowers around the hem and smiling just as brightly, although Xanthus could tell he'd already had a full day behind him.

They ate cinnamon rolls and drank tea, just catching up for a bit.

"Harry, I hear you're a fast study," Dumbledore smiled. "I'd love to see some of the things you've learned."

"Okay!" Harry said happily. He looked around the room in thought before pulling out his wand and disarming Dumbledore's fork from his hand. Harry summoned it to himself, turning it into a flower as he caught it.

Harry had just gotten actual shape Transfiguration recently. So far he could turn things into flowers and that was it, but Xanthus suspected he'd get other things soon. It certainly made for a flashy demo it you didn't know that was all he could do.

"Marvelous Harry! Truly astounding," Dumbledore clapped, taking the flower as Harry held it out for him dramatically. Dumbledore twirled the flower in his fingers. "Incredible, it makes me wish I still taught Transfiguration. McGonagall will be overjoyed."

"Actually," Xanthus said. "That's why we asked you to come. I had an idea I wanted to run past you."

"Oh?" Dumbledore asked, cocking a brow and fixing Xanthus with a friendly smile.

"I was thinking it might be best to send Harry to Ilvermorny under a fake name," Xanthus said. "Specifically claiming him as mine, who I had out of wedlock. Muggle mother. No one would have to know who he really is."

"Hmm," Dumbledore said, his expression turning stormy as he sat back and strokes his beard. "That's an idea, I admit I hadn't considered."

"People at Ilvermorny wouldn't think to look for him, they hardly know who the boy who lived is. They'd never make the connection. If we laid some false trail for why he's not at Hogwarts, I don't think anyone would look for him there," Xanthus continued. "Any school would work but he has a good cover for Ilvermorny and knows the language. His accent is entirely American now unless you're squinting really hard. If he went to Hogwarts people would immediately know he lived in MUSCA."

"Yes... I can see that," Dumbledore muttered. "What do you think Remus?"

"I don't like it... But I think it's the best option," Remus said sadly. Dumbledore shared a sad smile with him.

"Harry?" Dumbledore asked.

"I wanna go to school with Kitty," Harry said immediately.

"Even knowing you'll have to contend with people making a fuss about your supposed parentage? They wont be nice," Dumbledore asked.

"I can pretend," Harry shrugged. "But I wont let them say mean things about Xanthus."

"I suppose that would be in character," Dumbledore chuckled, then sighed. "I don't suppose you'd all be open to a walk in the woods? I haven't been in the trees for a while and I could use a bit of a think."

"Of course," Xanthus nodded. They cleaned up breakfast and headed outside. The birds were particularly loud in their fresh spring titters.

"Dilek, was it?" Dumbledore asked as they walked.

"Yes," Dilek nodded.

"I'm afraid I've never met anyone of your kind," Dumbledore smiled. "How'd you find yourself here, I wonder?"

"I was hurt," Dilek said. "Xeenthus and Hee-arry saved me."

"Good lads," Dumbledore nodded. "Tell me, are there more like you staying here?"

"No, my herd hasn't come by," Dilek said. "I might go lehk for them when Hee-arry goes."

"Not before?" Dumbledore asked.

"No," Dilek said simply. Dumbledore chuckled when she didn't expand on it.

"You all seem to have made yourselves quite the family here," Dumbledore smiled. "It warms me immensely to see it."

Xanthus looked away as Dumbledore gave him and Remus a knowing look.

"I'll admit, it makes me anxious knowing Harry wont be under my watch," Dumbledore said, casting his gaze up at the light blue morning sky. "And I imagine I have the same selfish bias that Remus does. It hurts to think of him not going where all his family has before him... But I suppose that just isn't true. He would be going where his family has before."

Dumbledore turned his head to look at Xanthus and smiled. Xanthus felt himself flush for an entirely different reason. He didn't really know how much Dumbledore calling him Harry's family would mean to him until it had suddenly happened.

"I don't know whether to speak to the Headmistress. The fewer people who know the better, but I'd rather an eye be kept on him," Dumbledore hummed. "Its a clever idea. I could say that Harry is doing personal tutoring and even that I am attending to some of it myself. I could bring him to Diagon alley for supplies and tell this story. Disguise Harry to look more how people would expect him to look. Short haired and glasses like his father, they won't look for a long red haired rascal. Can Harry maintain his hair dye charm?"

"We've been working on it," Xanthus said. "I think he'll be able to get it in time. Its more Transfiguration than charms so I think he'll pick it up fast."

"Hmmm... Clever but it still makes me nervous, I admit, perhaps I want too much to be in my control. Old and stuck in my ways and used to having everything in hand," Dumbledore hummed. "I'd like to look into setting up some extra precautions. Harry had a powerful family ward that's just gone now and without me... I feel like I'm sending him out defenseless... but as you say, anonymity is a powerful kind of protection. I shall look into making his documentation as your real son. That may be tricky. It would be good if we didn't have to transfer his acceptance to Hogwarts to Ilvermorny explicitly. If we could somehow trick the magic into sending him an acceptance as a Scamander."

"Is that possible?" Remus asked. "I thought headmasters never had much luck changing enrollment. Haven't many tried to ban specific families or muggleborns?"

"Yes, but we're just transferring him," Dumbledore said. "Transfers of acceptance have happened in the past based on location, I may just need to remove his parents explicit enrollment and tuition payments. It's certainly an interesting problem. I shall have to get back to you on it."

"Thank you," Xanthus said.

"No need for thanks yet, I haven't succeeded now, have I?" Dumbledore asked cheerily. Then sighed, the smile falling from his face. "I never imagined. Harry Potter, not at Hogwarts. What a sad thought."

Xanthus gave him a sympathetic nod.

They saw Dumbledore off shortly after. As busy as he was, he couldn't stay long. Xanthus watched as Dumbledore pulled Remus aside to speak to him before the old man waved them all a cheery goodbye and vanished with his portkey. It was still insane to Xanthus that Dumbledore could casually make international portkeys.

"What did he talk to you about?" Xanthus asked as Remus rejoined them inside.

"Just condolences really," Remus shrugged. He did look rather sad. Xanthus reached out and have his shoulder a squeeze.

"I am sorry Remus," Xanthus said.

"It's not your fault you had a good idea," Remus sighed. "You don't have to feel so guilty about this."

Xanthus didn't respond, instead he wandered over to Remus' room, which he'd been sharing more often then not in the last month or so. He grabbed the latest iteration of the leg he'd been working on for Dilek and brought it back out into the sitting room.

"Harry!?" He called, because somehow the boy had vanished in the time between Dumbledore leaving and them all walking inside.

"Out here!" A distant voice yelled back from outside.

Xanthus shared a fond, exasperated smile with Remus before heading out the back door. Harry was already swinging on his swing. Kicking his feet out and throwing his head back as far as it would go to get higher.

"Dilek, don't wander off yet," Xanthus called as he spotted Dilek slowly making her way down one of their less trodden paths. She looked up at him curiously and came trotting back. She really wasn't too bad with only three legs. "Harry come down."

Harry leapt from the swing and floated down before scurrying over too, an excited look on his face.

"I've, um, been working on this for a while," Xanthus said, holding out the wooden hoof. "It's taken a lot of tries and it's still not quite right, but I don't think I can wait any longer."

"Is that...?" Harry asked, peering at the leg with interest.

"A hoof, for Dilek," Xanthus said. "I've enchanted it to be light and to move with her... It might occasionally have a mind of it's own but hopefully not often. I can't seem to get it to grow with her and I was actually thinking... Harry, what do you think about enchanting it your way? With actual chanting instead of spells and runes."

"I haven't chanted on anything other than water in ages," Harry said, looking a little nervous.

"You're good at it though, and then Dilek can have something to remember you by," Xanthus said.

"I'll still see her again!" Harry said, looking up in alarm.

"Yes," Dilek said. "I will come back."

"You'll still be apart for most of the year," Xanthus said kindly.

"Yeah..." Harry said. "So... What should I try to add?"

"I want it to grow with her and if possible for her to feel through it, but I don't know if it is. I've seen some magical precedents for it but it's a tricky bit of magic," Xanthus said. "I thought maybe I'd attach it to her so you could enchant it on her? If you don't mind sitting around for a while Dilek?"

"Yes," Dilek said, nodding and looking at the hoof with interest.

"Okay," Xanthus said. "Lets find somewhere you can lay for a while."

"Inside," Dilek said rather sadly, looking at the clear sky. "It rain sawn."

Harry and Xanthus both looked up at the clear sky and shrugged, followed Dilek to her nest of blankets inside. She flopped down so her bad leg was up and extended it out towards Xanthus when he sat down. It was rather scarred and mangled around the edge. He wrapped a small wool cloth around the base and slid the attachment for the wooden hoof over it. He sighed a breath of relief when the attachment shrunk down to fit all on its own.

He wouldn't be around to magically attach it every time, so he'd been worried about that.

"You're up, Harry," Xanthus said.

"I'm thinking," Harry said, his face screwed up as he stared down rather blankly at the leg. "Um.. just growing and feeling right?"

"Right, I have movement and durability and attachment, but last time I tried this, by the time I was done the hoof was already too small," Xanthus said.

Harry nodded and stared. Dilek propped her head up to watch him. They sat around for a while, Harry occasionally muttering a word or two.

"Umm... Thinking of what to say is really hard. Normally Patty or Aspen did it for me but I think I have it," Harry said, sounding very unsure. "Will it be a problem if I ruin it?"

"No, I've gotten faster since I keep having to make bigger ones," Xanthus chuckled. "I can make another."

"Right, okay," Harry said. Then he took a deep breath and put one hand on the wooden hoof and another on Dilek's leg. Then he started to talk. It definitely wasn't chanting at first, sounding timid and unsure but his tone changed as he repeated it each time.

"Grow wood with doe, like a branch on her tree. Let her know, sap to blood, when wooden hoof touch earth and leaf."

It was honestly more elequent than Xanthus was expecting. Words had never been Harry's strong suit. He was a charismatic kid, easy to like, but he wasn't verbose or book inclined at all. Not that it was particularly good prose. He was still ten.

Watching Harry chant was mesmerizing. His words slowly began to lose meaning as his voice washed over them. It became hoarse and deeper than any ten year old boy's voice should ever be. He could pick out individual words if he tried, but he had to concentrate hard. His mind knew, roughly, that Harry was saying the same thing he had been saying. He knew the words hadn't changed nor had Harry's accent, but it was like his brain couldn't hold onto the meaning anymore.

At some point Xanthus got up and got some water for when Harry was done and some fruit for Dilek to eat while she laid there. The girl was clearly trying not to fidget but after a few hours of Harry just swaying and chanting it clearly became hard for her. After she ate, she thankfully fell asleep. Maybe lulled by the constant cadence of the magic washing over her.

He was starting to feel like maybe this was a bad idea as he watched the sun set out the window. It started to rain. Harry could enchant water quite fast now, so he'd forgotten how intense this was when he'd done it with Patty.

Not to mention that he could no longer look at Dilek's leg. His eyes would just glance over it. Which was most often a sign of dark magic or strong wards and it made Xanthus distinctly uncomfortable that he couldn't see what was happening.

He'd gotten too used to seeing magic he didn't understand and he was starting to get a deep weight of dread that he shouldn't have asked. He had naively thought that it probably just wouldn't work. He hadn't considered that it could in fact go very wrong.

Remus popped his head in now and again, also looking concerned. Which only made Xanthus feel worse about it.

Remus made dinner. They cast a charm to keep it warm.

Remus joined him on the porch and they sat together nervously. Not saying anything. Just listening to the odd ebb and flow of the chanting, the river and the steadily increasing rain.

Eventually they were hungry enough that they retreated to eat.

"Should we... stop them?" Remus asked. "Can chanting be done in two sessions?"

Xanthus didn't answer. Just staring down at his plate.

"Xanthus?"

Xanthus hid. Putting his elbows on the table and putting his face into his fists. Remus was silent for a moment.

"Has something gone wrong?" Remus asked quietly.

Xanthus gave a weak shrugged.

"You don't know?"

He shook his head no against his knuckles. He heard Remus let out a steadying breath.

"Do you know what happens if we interrupt him?"

He shook his head.

"Has it ever gone this long?"

Had it? He tried to think back. Never with Harry. With Patty? There had been times where she'd been chanting late into the night, hadn't there?

Very hesitantly he nodded. He heard Remus let out another steadying breath.

"Okay, we'll... we'll wait," Remus said.

They sat in silence after that. Staring at their food more than actually eating it.

"I uh... I'm used to being the worrier," Remus said quietly. "I don't really know how to be..."

Remus trailed off. Xanthus lifted his head off his hands to look over at him. Remus' scarred face was twisted with that sad, weighted look he often carried.

"You don't have to be," Xanthus managed to say. He had to close his eyes to do it, as if somehow he couldn't speak and see at the same time but he felt a wash of relief when the words come out. Even if a little choked.

"I just... It's hard when I know that it would be so much better if one of them were here instead... If Sirius hadn't... Or James wasn't..." Remus stuttered out, then chuckled a bit. "At least Peter would have been equally lost. I wish he was here anyway, so we could be lost together."

"I'm glad it's you," Xanthus said quietly.

"Only cause you don't know them," Remus said equally quiet. The rise and fall of Harry's chanting, quieter but still potently magical and somehow more ominous, continued on as they fell silent for a bit.

"I... don't think that's true," Xanthus said after a while. "I don't lo... I don't... mmm... I don't love easily Remus, and I'm even less easy to love. I'm glad to have found Harry and I'm glad Harry found you. I want it to be you."

"Xanthus..." Remus breathed in a voice so quiet it was barely heard over Harry's muffled chant.

"We're not perfect," Xanthus continued. Eyes still closed. Focusing hard on just saying what he wanted to get out. "Merlin knows I wish I could be someone I'm not. I've tried... so hard. For years and years I tried and failed until I couldn't anymore. So I know how you feel. I really do, but I don't want you to be someone you're not. I don't want you to be James. I don't really know much of Sirius, since you wont talk about him, but I don't want you to be him. I know you miss Peter and I'm sorry they're gone but I want you as you are."

When Remus didn't say anything for a while, Xanthus opened his eyes, glad the room was dim as they hadn't bothered to light many candles. Remus was staring at him, slightly wide eyed and slack jawed, as if stunned. Xanthus gave him a small smile and reached out to cup his cheek. It seemed to jolt Remus who jerked but then reached up to Xanthus' hand where it lay on his face.

"Why... would you want to be anyone else?" Remus asked.

Xanthus gave him a rather unimpressed look.

"I'm seri... I honestly don't see why... You're incredible," Remus stumbled. "You're brilliant. An amazing wizard. You know so much, can cast wandlessly even. You're patient and doting. If Harry couldn't have James, I'm glad he has you. You're... You don't think like everyone else. You do what makes sense and not... Not what is expected. You're fun. Genuinely fun. Almost all the fun Harry has is from you, and it's a lot. I... don't understand why you'd want to be someone else."

"Remus," Xanthus closed his eyes again and pulled his hand back to cover his face. He could feel Remus fight the instinct to keep his hand in place as he pulled away. "You should know... Perchina divorced me. I didn't... want it. It wasn't mutual. I'm just no good at this... You'll see eventually. It's hard to love a man who won't talk to you... Really hard. Who shuts down when things go wrong or just randomly. I won't hold it against you... When it becomes too hard..."

"Do you really think that?"

"My own son doesn't want to see me," Xanthus said.

"Harry loves you," Remus said.

"I found Harry starved, locked in a closet under the stairs too small to stand in, sitting in his own waste because he'd been left too long. Abandoned to spend the night that way, maybe the next day. He barely knew his own name, thought he was a freak and magic was evil. Harry would love anyone that wasn't that, he doesn't know any better," Xanthus said.

"He... it was... was it really that... surely not..."

"He hadn't just peed himself, Remus, the whole cupboard smelled of... It was horrible. He was so small, I thought he was years younger than he was. He barely used to talk at all. Do anything you'd ask, eat anything you'd give him."

"Well that's hard to imagine," Remus said in that bland British humor. "Harry not talking and doing what you tell him? You're making it up."

Xanthus chuckled, some of the tension leaving him. He peaked a look at Remus who was now giving him a wry smile.

"First time he stuck his tongue out at me, I almost cried," Xanthus chuckled.

"Just goes to show how amazing you are," Remus said quietly, dropping his humorous look for something more serious. "That you could help Harry into such a normal, outgoing kid after all of that. I... I cannot thank you enough for that. I don't know that I want to know how bad it was but... I'm glad you found him. Not someone else. Anyway, I certainly hope past relationships aren't predictive of future ones. I managed to miss that my past boyfriend was a mass murdering traitor... or worse, turned him into one."

"Wait, you dated-" Xanthus started saying when the sound of chanting, a constant drone around them for so many hours, suddenly cut off. Remus and Xanthus shot out of their seats and rushed through the cabin to the back deck. Harry was just finishing chugging the glass of water left out for him, some of the water spilling out the sides and down his front. He held it out to them and they immediately got him more, which he chugged again.

"What's wrong?" Harry said the hoarse voice of a lifetime smoker and not a ten year old boy.

"You were chanting a lot longer than expected, pup," Remus said.

"Oh," Harry said, unconcerned. "Did it work?"

Xanthus jumped a bit as he realized his relief was short lived. The adrenaline rushing back with a wave of concern for Dilek. He immediately threw a medical test on her, which showed she was still sleeping deeply. Then bent down to examine her leg, before almost falling backwards.

The wooden leg was... still there, but it was different. It had sprouted small twisting branches that spiraled up over her normal leg and buried themselves into her flesh. It had become suddenly very hard to tell where the leg ended and the wood began. His attachment point was gone. If he had to guess, he'd say it was never coming off again. He'd have to amputate it again to do so.

"Uh... hopefully," Remus chuckled in a strained sort of way.

"Huh," Harry said looking at it. "It looks better. Should I wake her up?"

Xanthus shook his head no. It was best to let her sleep this off. It seemed to have taken a lot out of her, whatever Harry had done. Likely on accident.

They shepherded Harry inside for dinner, which he ate furiously. Shoveling food into his mouth until he fell asleep on the table. Xanthus levitated him to his bed and tucked him in. He checked on Dilek again, hesitating before giving in and heading to join Remus in his room. He slept fitfully.

"Wake! Wake!" Dilek's voice roused them early the next morning. Xanthus, used to sleeping in sleep clothes after years of having one or two boys around got up and squeezed through the door, closing it to allow Remus to throw on clothes.

"Dilek," Xanthus said, holding a hand out to the girl who was pacing around the room.

"Leeg," she said picking up her wooden hoof and flexing it.

"Does it hurt?" Xanthus asked bending to examine it again.

Dilek shook her head no.

"Good. Can you move your ankle around for me?" Xanthus asked.

Dilek flexed and extended the wooden joint, tipping and raising her hoof.

"It grows into my leeg," Dilek said with an air of alarm.

"Yes, I didn't expect that either," Xanthus said. "It doesn't hurt though?"

Dilek shook her head again, looking at the foot with a scared sort of hope.

"Can you walk around," Xanthus asked.

"Sort of," Dilek said. She pulled the hoof out of Xanthus' hands and placed it on the ground. She walked with almost more of a limp then before as she made her way around the room. "Wont hold me. Leeg shake, see?"

She put all four hooves down and then picked up the front hoof that wasn't wooden just a bit. The leg on the ground shook and wobbled. Xanthus came over to examine it as Remus came out of the room. Remus hung back by the door as Xanthus cast some spells to inspect her leg. Dilek had to put her other hoof down as the leg collapsed a bit.

"It's just weak," Xanthus said. "You haven't used it in over a year. It's amazing it will hold weight at all, honestly. It's going to take practice. I'll see if I can find a potion to help."

"Oh," Dilek said. Picking up her wooden hoof and extending it forward to examine it some more. "So I just... use it more?"

"Yeah," Xanthus said. "Don't push it too much but try to use it as much as you can. I'll do some reading while you and Harry go for your walk. Where is Harry?"

Dilek shrugged.

Xanthus climbed the stairs up to the loft and found Harry still fast asleep. He looked like he'd barely moved through the night. Xanthus cast another diagnostic to make sure Harry was alright before heading back downstairs. Remus was already summoning potion books out of the library under the stairs, the one room they'd bothered to re-expand. So Xanthus headed into the kitchen to make breakfast.

Harry roused groggily for breakfast but seemed chipper enough by the time he went out to walk the woods with Dilek. They found a potion rather quickly but spent the afternoon debating on if it needed to be updated to work on Dilek. Eventually Xanthus decided to send a Raven to ask Jack.

Jack sent back a recipe when Remus went to collect and deliver letters a few weeks later, which were now entirely correspondences with Harry. Xanthus had fallen off of writing some time ago.

They supervised Harry through brewing the potion, although at this point Harry was probably better at potions then either of them. While both Xanthus and Remus had more raw experience with potions, because they'd simply brewed more potions, Harry had been given the nitpicky foundation of one on one potions instruction from Jack. That just beat learning by doing in a class. They knew what a potion should look like when finished and generally the look it should have at each step that Harry didn't have, but his actual ability to prep ingredients and mix potions was far more precise than Xanthus or Remus could manage. Jack had been sending him homework with his letters over the past year and even without him around it had improved Harry's ability.

Yet another reason Xanthus wished they could have stayed in the community. Knowing how much better Harry could have gotten if he had Jack actually able to watch his process.

The potion helped Dilek's limp immensely, and with the full moon behind them, Xanthus had no more excuses to wait.

"Dilek, do you know where the herd is around this time of year?" Xanthus asked after a few more days of her getting used to her new leg.

"Nehr the coast," Dilek said. "Down the mountain. Spring is earliehr there."

"How easily do you think you could find them?" Xanthus asked.

"Not sure," Dilek said, looking up with a thoughtful expression on her face. "Wont be putting out guides for meh anymore. If they ever did."

"I'll ask my father for advice then, he always knows how to find them," Xanthus said.

He sent a raven to his dad that evening and got a response almost instantaneously. Apparently the herd always went to the same place for the summer solstice to watch the sun rise and fall. Which was another month off, but probably as good as they were going to get. He'd hoped to let Harry spend more time with the herd then that, but he also felt relieved to keep their little family together for a little longer.

When Xanthus gave them the news they'd be finding the herd on the solstice to return Dilek, something seemed to shift for Harry. The boy didn't say anything, but it became more and more obvious that he was realizing that he really was leaving. That, like the community, their little cabin life was temporary and soon to be gone.

Remus started having to sleep in nightgowns after one too many close encounters of Harry sneaking into their room. The loft, it seemed, had been completely abandoned. Harry stopped sleeping in his bed to either cuddle up with Dilek in her nest or come sleep with Xanthus and Remus. They'd expanded the bed.

Xanthus thought it was cute how tickled Remus obviously felt to be included in the casual familial comfort of a kid crawling into his bed. Which meant that Xanthus himself had stopped bothering to sleep separately. Although now they rarely felt safe enough to do much other than sleep.

Harry also insisted they spend more time together. Gone were the days of quiet reading and lesson planning while Harry and Dilek wandered off. With the days getting more sunny and Harry's clinging, they all spent most of their days outside. Walking around or rough housing. On really rainy days, Dilek seemed determined to make baskets. Large ones that could be draped over her back like saddle bags. They spent a lot of time collecting sticks and ferns with her.

She managed to make two before the solstice and brought five more hand baskets she'd already made. Selecting the ones she thought were the best as they prepared to make the rendezvous.

"Is it safe for Harry to be leaving the wards?" Remus asked nervously as they prepared their camping gear for the trip.

"You'll apparate him some distance away first and I'll meet you there," Xanthus said, as he checked over his expansion runes on the tent. "That way he isn't close to home. They've been using parrots, which can only find him if he's close to what he considers home. Until a month ago I'd say Harry still considered the community home, so he'd be safe just walking out of the wards here but I'm not so sure now. I've some wards against other kinds of tracking but so long as we don't stay in the same place too long we'll be fine. The herd always moves and I'm hoping to convince them to migrate this way anyways."

"Alright," Remus said, sounding unconvinced.

"If anything happens, apparate him back immediately. Don't worry about me or Dilek, just take him and go. I'll do the same. Whoever is left will worry about Dilek and our stuff," Xanthus said. "They wont be after her."

"Right," Remus said, more determined.

"Try to be the one who takes him," Xanthus added. "At least the next few days, while your recovering. I wish the solstice hadn't been so close to the moon."

"I'm fine," Remus said.

Xanthus gave him an unimpressed look before returning to his task.

Xanthus and Remus hiked out alone the next day, leaving Harry and Dilek behind the wards with instructions not to do anything dangerous while they were gone. They hiked around the Southwest side of the mountain and made good time despite Remus lagging from his post moon aches. They made sure to follow larger paths and leave obvious markers at junctions as they went. Until late in the evening they found a large glacial lake, clear blue and beautiful and most importantly, a very obvious meeting point for them.

They sat for a while on a large boulder sloping along the bank, resting and eating after their long hike. Then, by silent agreement, fell into each other to take advantage of the time without the kids. As the sun started to set, they fixed their clothes and gear and apparated back to the cabin together.

"How come I can't walk with you?" Harry whined the next morning over a very early breakfast, the sun not yet risen in the sky although it was lighter from the pre dawn.

"You'll be doing plenty of hiking," Xanthus said. "And you'll be with us before the day is out."

"But I don't wanna miss any of it," Harry said.

"You won't, it's just to get a few miles away from the cabin," Xanthus yawned. "Come on Harry, it's a few hours. You'll have Remus."

"I had to stay behind yesterday too."

"Yes, because Remus needed to be familiar enough with a place to apparate you to," Xanthus explained. "We'll have three full days of hiking after that. You'll be glad to have missed some of it."

"I hike every day, I don't want to miss anything, I'd be fine."

That was probably true. Harry had been walking through the woods nearly every day for years at this point and his legs were becoming more developed than the legs of an almost eleven year old.

"Harry, I'll see you in the morning," Xanthus said. "Remus needs his rest after yesterday. He's still weak from the moon. I'd feel better if you kept him company and let him apparate like planned."

"Oh, alright then," Harry said, visibly deflating.

"You're a good kid," Xanthus smiled, ruffling his hair. "Don't give him trouble and let him sleep in."

"Okay."

Xanthus and Dilek headed out alone. The hike was a bit wet today and they walked mostly in silence. Dilek wasn't much for talking, although she seemed to open up for Harry. Which was good. The poor kid was the only talker out of all four of them but he also made them all want to talk more. Without him around, none of them ever talked much.

They stopped to eat around midday and Dilek paused occasionally along the walk to collect things. Mostly the new pine growths off branches. She had both her new saddlebags slung on her back but had hesitantly allowed Xanthus to shrink her baskets down for the hike. She filled the punches slowly as they walked, eating half of what she picked.

Even with the foraging they made better time to the lake then Xanthus and Remus had the day before. Arriving well before sunset. Dilek wandered off to forage more as Xanthus setup camp. Warding it to the teeth. Dilek came back around sunset and they ate by the lake, watching it ripple in the rain. They sat protected by the drops themselves with Xanthus' magic.

"I'm scared," Dilek said quietly after a while.

"Of what?" Xanthus asked.

"Mehting the herd again," she said. Xanthus looked at her curiously, watching as she picked her dried fruit apart in a nervous tick. She bit her lip before continuing. "My English is gahd now, what if I forgot my own tongue? What if I'm tah different or they don't want me?"

"They will," Xanthus said, then suddenly came to a realization. "Even if you couldn't weave, they'd want you. You don't have to work so hard to be accepted."

"They left me," she said quietly.

"They do that," Xanthus said. "But it wasn't because it was you. They'd leave anyone in your position and they didn't want to. They'll be so happy you're alive. You'll see."

"What if... What if I don't like it?" Dilek asked quietly.

"Like what?"

"Them... foraging always... Not having this," she held up the dried figs in her hand. Which had been purchased at the store. Xanthus was well aware that they weren't something she'd normally ever get to eat. "Not having Hee-ary. The cabin... or yah."

"Harry will be gone, but Dilek you can always come back," Xanthus said. Dilek looked up at him.

"Then why I lehve?" She asked.

"You should have the option. I don't think you'll like it much, being stuck with just me," Xanthus smiled. "You should see your family and known the life you've been missing. I think you'll be happier there but if you aren't, I'll always look out for you. Okay?"

"Yah will?" Dilek asked, sounding shy and unsure.

"Of course," Xanthus said, and then realizing he never really did it, he reached over and hugged her. He had to get up on his knees to be the proper height for folding her into his arms as she sat, but he managed. Dilek came easily, collapsing into his chest and hugging him back.

"Yah sure?" She whispered wetly into him.

"I'm sure," Xanthus said, closing his eyes. This poor kid. She was so quiet and put together, Xanthus suddenly realized he'd forgotten to treat her like a kid. A kid that had been abandoned to the woods to die. She seemed older than Harry but her kind aged faster and she was actually probably younger even. "Dilek, I'll always take care of you. Okay? You'll always have a home with me. If that leg goes funny or you get hurt again or you miss store bought fruit or you just want to, you can always come back. If I'm not there, I'll leave a way for you to contact me and I'll come running. I promise."

"Yah lehve tah?" Dilek asked thickly.

"Maybe," Xanthus said. "I don't know what I'm going to do now, but I'll come back for you."

"Why?"

"Because you're family now," Xanthus said. Then he said it in her language, as broken and accented as he knew his limited grasp was now, it was a powerful saying in the herd. She gasped and looked up at him with wide wet eyes.

"Yah accent is terrible," she teased wetly after a while.

"But you understood me," Xanthus smiled. "You haven't forgotten."

"No... not forgot..." She said. Then she took a deep breath and said, in her language you're my family too.

The next morning, in the pre dawn light as Xanthus packed away the tent, Remus and Harry apparated in. Harry immediately ran forward to throw himself around Xanthus' middle as if he hadn't seen him in ages, but let go quickly to do the same to Dilek. Though he didn't let go quite so fast with her and Xanthus could see the desperation in the way he clinged to her.

They headed out quickly after that, deciding to eat breakfast later. It was freezing and walking would warm them up. At least it wasn't raining again today. Harry practiced his shape Transfiguration by transfiguring sticks into walking sticks for Remus. Trying to make them smooth with handles and maybe even designs. It took him till midday before he'd made one that Remus could actually use. He spent the whole time he did it, casually chatting with Dilek. Either well in front of them as Dilek and Harry walked faster or well behind when Dilek got distracted foraging something. Xanthus and Remus kept a constant pace.

Xanthus tried his best not to hover around Remus, no matter how unsteady or pained he looked. Remus allowed Xanthus a bit of fussing normally but he knew it wouldn't be appreciated now.

Xanthus had to cast a notice me not on Dilek as they briefly crossed a no-maj hiking trail, but mostly of the forest was cut off from the no-maj for magical creatures. Only brief paths leading through and those were steep and not well maintained so they weren't as used.

They hiked through moss covered forest, along twisting streams. The trees got taller and thicker as they made their way past human touched land, and then began to thin and shrink until you could see over the top of them they were so stunted. Then the trees gave way completely to rocky, snow covered peaks.

It was funny to Xanthus how enamored Harry was with their walk along the ridge. They could see for miles around them. There were vast stretches of forests and little dotted lakes but also no-maj towns visible. Even the big sparkling city some ways east across the bay. Harry spent his whole life in the forest and somehow didn't ever seem to grow tired of it.

They made camp along the ridge, staying up late because Harry wanted to see the city lights in the distance at night. Then finally heading into their magically expanded tent. Harry had his own room, as did Xanthus and Remus but Harry slept in the main center room on the floor with Dilek.

They kept on like that for two more days before they finally reached their destination. A wide sloping plateau of wide flowers that crested a mountain. Looking out of place and strange surrounded by glacial ice and rocky ledges, but itself warm and untouched.

The herd was already there. More than just the herd, two herds if Xanthus was seeing things right. Many of them had scattered to the far side of the meadow as they approached but a number of large bucks hung back, standing tall and broad in front of the rest. Unlike Dilek whose human body was thin and small, almost too narrow to be human, the bucks were muscled and thick. Their skulls broad, with wide flat foreheads and huge antlers sprouting from the top of their heads.

Dilek stepped forward hesitantly and cupped her shaking hands in front of her face to help project her voice before crying out in a sound reminiscent of a bird. The bucks immediately loosened their stances, dropping their spears slightly but not letting their guard down completely. A few stepped forward and then others followed, all clearly vying to show bravery, not wanting to lose status by letting someone else speak for them.

Dilek stepped forward as well, hesitantly at first but as she walked she picked up speed until she was running. Bounding over little streams with ease. Until finally she threw herself into the embrace of one of the bucks in particular. Xanthus couldn't hear what they were saying from here but the bucks let down their guard and looked over at the three wizards curiously and Dilek gestured back their way.

They waited as the bucks, there were six of them, all in good shape, made their way over to then. Xanthus guessed that there were three from each herd, but he wasn't sure.

"Wizards," one buck inclined his head in greeting.

Son of Wet Lizard another said to Xanthus, thumping his chest. Xanthus had to choke back a laugh. He had completely forgotten they called his dad that after Newt had failed miserably at translating his own name for them.

Son of Chief Belok Xanthus guessed, entirely on the fact that the buck looked like Belok.

Old Chief a different, slightly older buck said loudly and a little fast for Xanthus' very broken and rusty knowledge of the language.

Yes, my father is dead. I ... gain my own name ... tonight ... Xanthus managed to pick up from the son of Belok. He missed a number of words, but inclined his head, politely anyways.

My sister says you saved her. You are all welcome here. Tonight ... ... please enjoy the solstice as friends, He continued.

Thank you, friend Xanthus said and almost sighed in relief when it was clear he'd remembered the traditional response correctly. The bucks all called out in various cries and the rest of the herd started filtering back into the clearing.

"What was that? What did he say?" Harry asked as they were lead further into the group. Xanthus turned to Dilek.

"My father is dead," Dilek said. "Died defending the herd in winter. There is competition for new chief tahnight. Another herd has come tah mediate the ceremony," Dilek explained. "Depending on hah wins, many doe may trade herds tahnight."

"Will you?" Harry asked.

"Possibly," Dilek said. "If my full brother wins, I might but I may wait a few years yet."

"Do you not like your brother?" Harry asked.

"I love my brother," Dilek said. "But bad luck to bread with full brother. Better to change herd."

"Oh," Harry said. "Who is your brother?"

"My full brother," Dilek pointed out one of the bucks that had greeted them. "We may learn
tahnight if any others are not my brothers."

"What's his name?" Harry asked, looking at the young man curiously.

"Has none," Dilek said. Harry gave her a curious look so Xanthus explained.

"Most of the bucks will share a father with Dilek," Xanthus said. "But not many will share a mother. Girls are given a name once they can forage on their own but boys get no name of their own unless they become chief. Known only by their lineage before that, or as a word roughly equivalent to bastard if their lineage is unclear. A few doe may admit their sons are bastards now that the last chief is dead."

"That seems..." Remus trailed off, looking worriedly at Dilek then Xanthus.

"It does not match with our sensibilities," Xanthus nodded. "Dilek, you may introduce me as son of Wet Lizard and Harry as grandson of Wet Lizard. You should introduce Remus as Wizard. Why don't you take Harry and greet your family."

"Okay," Dilek said a little nervously. "Come on Hee-arry."

Xanthus watched her approach some of the women shakily, before one ran forward and gripped her shoulders, saying something to her urgently. Dilek nodded and the woman embraced her tightly, before straightening up and calling out loud enough for Xanthus to hear.

It's Dilek! Dilek has returned!

He watched as Dilek and Harry were then swarmed by women, until neither could be seen.

"Is it okay for Harry to be here?" Remus asked nervously and Xanthus looked over to see a slight blush on his face.

"Why wouldn't it be?" Xanthus asked.

"Well... all the women are... er..." Remus flushed brighter not meeting Xanthus eye. Confused, Xanthus examined Remus' face, trying to figure out what he was so concerned about. Then it hit him.

"Harry has seen breasts before," Xanthus said. "I'm not sure he'll even notice."

"It's just... none of them are wearing anything. Is isn't he a bit young? It seems inappropriate..." Remus muttered.

"It's not sexual here, it's normal... Also... Remus aren't you gay?" Xanthus asked, looking at Remus more curiously.

"Mostly!" Remus responded a little too loudly, although he looked distinctly uncomfortable.

"You're a British wizard through and through, aren't you," Xanthus chuckled, resting a hand on Remus' shoulder and smiling at him.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Remus asked defensively.

"Just that anyone who classifies you as a magical creature is an absolute idiot," Xanthus smiled.

Remus ducked and looked away.

"Look, you'll see some things here that definitely won't align with your sensibilities," Xanthus said. "I may not always agree with my father, but in this case I do. I think its important not to blind ourselves or our kids to other cultures just because we don't agree. We aren't saying their culture is right or our ideas are wrong by showing them the truth, we are just letting them see the difference. It's both harder and easier with magical creatures. Harder because they are more different, there will be a lot tonight that you wont want Harry to see and I'm honestly looking forward to the appalled faces you'll make. Easier because you can tell Harry these things are happening because the herd is almost more deer than human and so it is easier to get him not to replicate what he sees here."

"Why do I have to be the one telling Harry not to copy what he sees?" Remus asked.

"Because you're already the one keeping him in line with wizarding expectations. I definitely didn't realize how much Aspen would teach him about druidic ideals, you've been correcting my mistake already," Xanthus smiled. "And because I don't have a great sense of what wizarding expectations are on the best of days. I've always had trouble with them."

"You seem plenty propper," Remus said.

"Sometimes," Xanthus smiled. "Come on, they are going to start soon. Let's join them."

"Er... right," Remus said, sounding nervous.

Xanthus led them over to the doe circling around their kids. Soon the older doe were surrounding him. Greeting him and telling him how much he'd grown and how young he looked all at the same time. Remus look down fixedly as they were circled around, because looking forward or up resulted in an eye full of naked female bodies. Xanthus explained his discomfort to the women and they all laughed together about it.

They broke apart soon after, as ceremonies started. The women and children dispersed to start picking wildflowers from the field. Dilek's baskets were quite popular for the collecting. With most of the women hinged low to reach the ground it was hard to tell the plateau wasn't filled with a huge herd of normal deer at times.

The men stayed in the middle, warming up their bodies and eyeing each other wearily. Some, who it seemed weren't going to participate, stood sentinel around the edge of the plateau.

Xanthus wandered around collecting flowers with Remus. Adding to the piles and baskets as he passed them.

Soon, without any outward signal, the harvesting slowed down and people started collecting the flowers to start making a thick, long braided flower line. It kept growing and growing as individuals brought flowers over and weaved theirs in. Some younger women were presented thick flower necklaces which they dipped their head to wear. It took hours until finally a huge flower circle was made. Women spread themselves around the circle to lift it into the air. Men who weren't participating joined them by bowing their heads and the doe would weave the circle into their antlers so when they stood they acted as tall pillars.

Once everyone was situated, holding up the ring with the participating bucks standing proud in the center, a call rang out.

Suddenly the young women with the flower necklaces came bounding through. Jumping high over the circle or dancing beneath it. They jumped in graceful bounds, in and out of the circle, dancing about as others cheered. Xanthus noticed there were ten, the same number as participating buck as they each danced around the men in the middle somewhat suggestively.

Then the girls danced to the edge again and bowed low as a very old woman came trotting out. The bucks each bowed to her as she whispered something in each of their ears. She then turned to the circle and began to speak.

Xanthus couldn't really understand anything she said. Nearly all of it was more complicated than his limited understanding allowed and she wasn't slowing down or simplifying for him like the others had before. She fell silent and looked up at the sky. Everyone was silent and still with her. Finally, as the first pink of the sunset washed into the clouds she bowed to the bucks and left the circle.

It was then that Xanthus realized he maybe should have warned Remus what came next. Actually in retrospect he definitely should have warned Remus what happened after the victor was declared but it was too late now.

The men paired off suddenly and violently, attacking their partner with horns and fists. They charged in a clatter of tangling antlers over and over until they were stuck and then they began to wrestle and punch each other. Often grabbing each other's hands and trying to throw the other down. For one pair the fight ended almost instantly as one of the men was impaled through the shoulder on the second charge, having not lowered his own antlers fast enough. He limped out of the circle in defeat while his opponent cheered. The other fights weren't so fast. One ended with both buck too injured to continue, although not so seriously injured as the impaled young man. Another ended as the victor threw his opponent off his hooves and then, with their attached antlers and arms dragged him through the gradually muddier and muddier ground.

It was violent and bloody. Fists, hooves, antlers and teeth. In the second round one of the bucks was impaled straight through, too tired from his previous fight. He died on the spot and his opponent was disqualified, leaving the circle with his head hung low in shame carrying the man he had killed. The fighting between the other men didn't even pause.

That was definitely something that Xanthus would have preferred Harry didn't see, actually. It was rare fights resulted in immediate death. Some of the impaled bucks may die later from their injuries but killing your opponent outright wasn't allowed. Xanthus looked around to find Harry, hoping perhaps Remus had covered his eyes but Remus was next to him looking shaky and pale. Harry wasn't in sight.

Xanthus bit his lip, it was considered very bad luck to leave to circle. His father had hypothesized it was to keep the doe from interfering, especially as their family was hurt. Xanthus wasn't entirely sure what would happen if he did leave. Many women wailed when the man was killed. Hardly a man really, nearly a boy. Even crying and wailing, they hadn't left the circle.

He should have made sure Harry was nearby rather than letting him run off with Dilek. He could only hope the other fawn were being kept from the ceremony so they didn't go running in. There weren't any visible from where he stood.

He'd been in his early teens when he'd stayed with the herd and he had seen the last Chief Belok win his ceremony. He remembered it being violent and he remembered the part after rather a lot, but no one had died. He had planned on taking Harry away for the part after, but hadn't thought to keep him close now.

Xanthus closed his eyes, the sound of clashing antlers washing over him. He had messed up. Just because his dad would have done it, doesn't mean he should. His father wasn't infallible. Harry shouldn't have been here for this. Remus, honestly, should probably not have watched this.

He opened his eyes just in time to see the last victor standing proud. He was bruised and bloody, both from his own body and his opponents. He was standing tall, his battered fists in the air. The old woman stepped forward again and he kneeled down in front of her, his head bowed slightly. She tangled a decorative string of flowers in his antlers and raised his head. Bending she kissed each of his bloodied cheeks before indicating for him to stand.

"Come on, lets find Harry, he shouldn't see this," Xanthus whispered to Remus before pulling him away. It was okay to leave the circle now and many of the doe did so, rushing to the losing bucks that they knew to tend to their wounds.

"Shouldn't see what?" Remus asked, steel in his voice. His teeth grit. "What could possibly be worse than what already happened?"

It wasn't a question. It was a reprimand. Remus' tone left no room for curiosity. It said that nothing could be worse because Harry already shouldn't have seen that and if it was worse then there would be problems.

Xanthus didn't answer. Leading them instead around the circle. Harry stood out, even in the now very dim light of dusk and Xanthus ran over to him quickly, pulling him away. He reached for Dilek too, but she pulled away from him.

"No, I nehd to seh this," Dilek said firmly, but quietly. "I know yah think I'm young but sawn it will beh my turn."

Xanthus dipped his head to her and let her be, pulling Harry along.

"Why can't I stay?" Harry asked.

"You've already seen too much," Xanthus said firmly. "I made a mistake, letting you watch that."

"Why?" Harry asked. Xanthus pulled him along until they were well away from the festivities before sitting in the damp grass and sighing deeply. When Harry seemed like he might try to pull away to go back to the circle, Xanthus tugged him down to sitting too. Remus stood, looking stiff.

"Normally no one dies during these ceremonies," Xanthus said, looking up to Remus he added. "I didn't think that was a risk. I thought exposing Harry to some violence... given his fate... might be... okay. I am so sorry to you both for making you witness that."

"So he definitely died then?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Xanthus said. "I'm sorry kid."

"Oh..." Harry said.

"Xanthus, this can't be fixed with a sorry," Remus said coldly. "Harry shouldn't have seen any of that, other culture or no. Fate or no. He's too young."

"Yes, I realize that now," Xanthus sighed.

"I don't think so," Harry said very quietly. "I... I have to kill someone. I think... I'd rather see what that's like... before I have to."

"Harry you should never have to see what that's like," Remus said firmly, but softly.

"Yes I do! Aren't you supposed to prepare me? Were you going to skip that part? So I faced it without knowing!?" Harry stood up, angry tears in his eyes. "You're wrong! You think I don't get it! You think I don't know what you're preparing me for! But you're wrong! I do! My whole life is going to be violent! Like... Like that!"

Harry gestured wildly towards the circle where luckily the ring of watchers and dim light prevented them from seeing what was happening inside now.

"Except it won't be like that!" Harry continued to yell angrily. "They won't be trying not to kill me. I've already been attacked! Twice! You can't pretend I'm just a normal kid when I've spent the past two years hiding away from my friends because I'm in danger ALL THE TIME! So you're wrong!"

Harry tried to angrily stomp back towards the circle but Xanthus reached out and grabbed his wrist quickly. Harry struggled for a second and almost pulled his wand before Xanthus could talk him down.

"Maybe you're right but what's in the circle now won't prepare you for anything. I'll let you stomp off, but go that way," Xanthus said, pointing away from the circle. Harry huffed angrily, looking off towards where Xanthus pointed before giving in and sitting down.

"Tell me what's happening then," Harry demanded, folding his arms over his chest.

"The doe who danced in the beginning are offering themselves to the new chief. To create the first new fawn of his," Xanthus explained. "When there isn't a challenger to the Chief, that's primarily what this festival is for."

"Are you- what were you-!? How could you possibly have let Harry see any of this!?" Remus said angrily. Remus was never angry and the sound of it sent an anvil to Xanthus gut and bile up into his throat, which he could feel become thick and sluggish.

Xanthus ducked his head, letting his hair fall in front of his face and looking down at the grass and mass by his knees.

"Hey!" Harry said, even more angrily to Remus, springing back up to his feet. "Did you listen to me at all!?"

"I listened but that doesn't mean it's right, Harry," Remus said. "If you're right and you actually understand than we've messed up! Because you shouldn't and honestly, I'm hoping desperately that you don't. I don't think you do and I don't think you should. Just because you'll have to do something later doesn't mean it's healthy or good to rush into it now!"

"Who says it will be later!?" Harry responded. "There's no date set out! You don't know!"

"Because we are doing everything in our power to make that true!" Remus snapped. "Even if we fail watching someone die isn't going to help you!"

Xanthus stood up suddenly, putting himself between them. They both stopped arguing but he could hear them breathing harshly. Harry was too tall now to really kneel down to hug anymore, but he kneeled in front of him anyways, opening his arms and waiting. Harry swayed there for a second before collapsing into him. Crashing into Xanthus' arms and sliding down until Xanthus had almost all his weight.

Harry burst into tears.

Poor kid, this whole thing was stressful, let alone fighting on top of it. He knew Harry hadn't really processed what he'd seen yet but even so the violence of it was lot more scary and real when pulled out of it. Instead of stuck in the sway of the ceremony.

"You wanna know what you are too young for?" Xanthus whispered hoarsely.

"What?" Harry said shortly, despite his tears, clearly gathering himself to fight again.

"Big teenager anger fits," Xanthus teased. He felt the fight release from Harry's body.

"I'm eleven next month," Harry said wetly. "That's preteen."

"Merlin help us all, when you're actually a teenager then," Xanthus said as lightly as he could with his throat protesting every word. Harry huffed a wet laugh though, so it seemed to have worked.

"You'll still love me right? Even when all I do is yell and stomp like you say I will?" Harry asked, his voice was light but Xanthus could tell there was a layer of honest concern there.

"Always," Xanthus said. "I-"

His throat was done though and he couldn't continue talking so he pulled Harry into his arms tighter and let him sniffle there. He could almost feel Remus' quiet anger behind him. Like a prickling discomfort down his spine.

Eventually he led them off the plateau. They walked silently as they descended down the mountain just enough to find a clearing to setup camp. Xanthus used magic to unpack and pitch the tent. Harry was the one that half grumpily, half morosely opened the flap and went inside first.

"We need to talk," Remus said sharp and quiet, so Harry wouldn't hear.

Xanthus opened his mouth but knew it was a lost cause and closed it quickly. He nodded his head towards the tent.

"Harry shouldn't hear this," Remus said, but like always Harry came to Xanthus' rescue then, popping his head out of the tent to look for them.

"Aren't you coming?" Harry asked. "You better not be going back and leaving me here."

"No, we aren't going back," Remus said immediately and ushered Harry inside. Xanthus quickly made his way in and set about fixing some easy food as they hadn't eaten anything since they arrived. Everyone ate in quiet discomfort before Remus helped Harry get to bed. Almost as if he didn't want Xanthus near him.

Harry didn't seem to appreciate Remus' coddling but he didn't say anything. Making his displeasure known by stomping around. Trying to close the flap to his magically expanded room in Remus' face. Remus ignored it and pushed his way in to tuck him in properly.

"There is no shame in being freaked out by what you saw Harry," Xanthus could hear Remus saying quietly through the thin fabric wall.

"I'm not freaked out," Harry protested.

"Not now, but it might hit you later. Tonight if you have nightmares or tomorrow or a week from now or a month or even a year," Remus said. "Sometimes some of the violence from the war still gives me nightmares or I remember something that didn't bother me at the time but it really hits me now, all these years later."

"Well it wont," Harry said.

"Harry," Remus said, a little sharply and Xanthus could hear Harry stop fidgeting. "You want to be prepared right? Know what its like? I fought in that war, remember? I'm telling you what it's like. Seeing death and violence, it is upsetting and that's okay. That's normal. You might not feel it now or tomorrow, but at some point it might hit you and that's okay. When it does, I'm here, alright?"

"What if it doesn't? Is that bad?" Harry asked quietly.

"No," Remus said. "We all process things differently. It never bothered Lily much, she'd cry over little things like messing up a potion but she could take a life with a steel heart if she had to. Maybe you'll be like that. Your dad always got hit like a week later and it wrecked him, his heart was just too big. Peter always freaked out immediately. For me, none of it hit till years later. Maybe it would have been the same for Lily, I don't know. I'm just saying that it will probably take a while for you to understand what you saw and despite all the anger tonight, it's important you don't bottle it up. That you come to us if you have a nightmare or a question or feel angry or sad or upset. Anything at all. Can you do that?"

"Okay," Harry said, still a little sullen.

The fact that Remus said "us" made Xanthus' heart ache. He closed his eyes and took a shuddering breath.

No matter what happened, Harry couldn't lose Remus.

He couldn't drive him away.

His whole body begged to flee to the darkness of their room, to hide away. Realizing that they shared the room suddenly shifted the desire to run into the woods, even though the idea of the trees and bushes felt more overwhelming to his senses. He stood his ground as Remus finished tucking Harry in and said goodnight.

Remus ducked back through the flap and fixed Xanthus with a hard expression that immediately made him flinch and look away. Before Xanthus could do much of anything, Remus cast a silencing charm Xanthus didn't really recognize and began.

"What were you thinking!?" Remus snarled.

Xanthus just kept looking away, staring at a point on the floor that swam slightly in his vision.

"Xanthus, I'm serious," Remus said. "You need to explain yourself because I really thought you, of all people, would know better."

Xanthus closed his eyes, the limited vision he had was overwhelming. Even the candle light, flickering orange across his closed eyelids felt like too much. The sound of Remus short, angry breaths loud in his ears.

"Your just going to stand there?" Remus asked incredulously.

Your just going to stand there? Xanthus couldn't help but take a step back. Shrink smaller. How many times had he heard that one? Over and over. It was the start. What came next was worse though and Xanthus felt himself bracing against it. You aren't going to say anything. Or worse Convenient time to stop talking isn't it? So you don't have to face the consequences of your actions.

"Xanthus?" Remus' anger bled into confusion. "I'm not going to hit you."

Xanthus nodded jerkily. He wasn't scared of getting hit.

"Why are you acting like I'm going to hit you?" Remus asked, his voice mellowing in volume.

Why are you always acting like I'm the bad guy? Like I'm some monster? The familiar words echoing harshly through his brain. Except it was worse because Remus was scared of exactly that. Of being seen as a monster. Xanthus couldn't do that to him... He couldn't let him think that, but... It's not like he ever wanted Perchina to think that. He'd never been able to convince her otherwise.

Why did he ever think he could do this?

Xanthus reached his arms out low, palms facing up. Just holding them so that Remus could grab his hands if he wanted.

"Xanthus?" Remus asked, he sounded genuinely confused. Xanthus felt Remus grab his hands and he let out a choked breath that he didn't know he was holding. "You can't talk can you?"

Xanthus tensed immediately and shook his head no.

"You can't ever talk in confrontations, can you?" Remus asked.

Xanthus shook his head again, smaller this time. His neck seemed to protest the movement as his whole body seized up.

"'It's hard to love a man who won't talk to you. Who shuts down when things go wrong.' That's what you said, I kept thinking about it because I didn't understand but this is what you meant isn't it?" Remus asked.

Xanthus nodded his head.

"You don't just shut down when someone's hurt, you also meant during arguments," Remus said. It wasn't a question so Xanthus didn't force himself to move. "But Xanthus, we have to talk about this."

Xanthus just squeezed his eyes tighter. Another thing he'd heard a thousand times before.

Remus wasn't wrong, but Xanthus had no answers.

"I've never seen you like this," Remus said softly. "I thought I'd seen you shut down, but I haven't really have I? Not before now?"

Xanthus gave a single jerky nodd.

"Alright..." Remus said slowly. "Well... I'm going to go for a walk, to cool my head. I'm not in any danger just walking around, am I?"

Xanthus shook his head no.

"Right... please be here, when I get back," Remus said and then let go of Xanthus' hands. He let his hands fall to his sides as he heard Remus turn and make his way out of the tent. Xanthus wandlessly extinguished the lights, plunging the tent into darkness which let him open his eyes. He backed up to a corner of the tent, the one between the room he'd been sleeping in with Remus and the front wall and then sank onto the floor. Sitting with his knees pulled up and his face pressed into them and focused on his breathing.

Why had he thought this would work?

He couldn't be in a relationship. He knew that. Why had he done this to all of them when he knew it would end like this?

Now things would be awkward between the only people Harry regularly saw. Harry didn't deserve that. He knew it was a risk, they'd talked about it a lot in the beginning but talking about it and facing it were two different things.

He thought it would last longer than this.

He sat there in the silence and darkness focusing on his throat, trying to get it to release. He didn't know how long he'd been there when he finally heard the crunching steps of Remus' boots walking up to the tent.

The flap opened and he could hear Remus step inside.

"Xanthus?" Remus called quietly, clearly looking for him. Xanthus heard Remus walking around the room before opening the door to Harry's room and closing it again, and then opening the door to their room. "Xanthus are you here?"

Xanthus didn't move. He wasn't trying to hide, he just felt stuck. Frozen. A silent statue in the dark corner of the tent. A few candles flared to light and Xanthus closed his eyes against the sudden shadowy detail of the world.

Remus cursed and then sighed, taking a deep breath and letting it out. He heard Remus sit down heavily in one of the camp chairs.

They both sat there for a while, Xanthus' skin crawled with the awareness that Remus didn't know he was there. This was wrong. Move. Make a noise. Something!

He didn't.

"Wait... Xanthus?" Remus asked and Xanthus felt himself stiffen, as if he wasn't already still enough. "Are you-?"

The camp chair creaked and footsteps made their way over to him. He jerked in surprise when Remus placed a gentle hand on his arm where he had it wrapped around his knees.

"Wow, you're..." Remus trailed off. His voice was quiet and sad. "I'm sorry Xanthus, I didn't mean for... are you okay?"

Xanthus didn't move. It felt almost as if his mind was trapped in a statue, disconnected from control of his body.

He felt Remus sit down next to him and then, to his surprise, he was being pulled into Remus' lap. Remus maneuvered his still stiff and balled up body so that he was sitting between Remus legs, his feet over one thigh and back against the other and his shoulder and head leaning sideways into Remus' body. Remus wrapped one arm around his shoulders and used the other to pull in his head, running his fingers through Xanthus' hair.

Remus' fingers were cold from his walk outside, but they felt soothing anyways as they ran along Xanthus' scalp. The hot shame of being like this warred with the relief from the embrace. He focused on the hand in his hair, and the sensation of it slowly his body melted.

He still didn't feel like he had control, like he couldn't move his arm if he wanted to, but he didn't feel like a statue anymore.

"I don't know what to do," Remus said after a while. "This doesn't seem like a panic attack. Your breathing is even and deep at least. I want to help, but I don't know how... Do you think you could sleep?"

Xanthus didn't respond. Remus sighed.

"Alright, come on," Remus said. He broke away and Xanthus nearly fell over from the lack of support but Remus steadied him. Then Remus bent down and hoisted him up. Luckily, it seemed, his legs worked on autopilot because Remus was probably still way to achy and sore from hiking just after the full moon to be fully carrying Xanthus around. He was led into the bedroom and helped into bed. He felt that hot shame again as Remus removed his boots and socks, then more when Remus helped him into a nightgown.

Then he was gathered under the blankets and into Remus' arms and held again. Something in him released slightly, like a string being snapped and his arms shot out to hold Remus back. They lay sort of diagonal on the bed, Xanthus long legs stretched well below Remus' so that his face could press into Remus' chest.

For a long time Remus ran his hand up and down Xanthus' arm or his back or through his hair, until finally Remus' breathing evened out and he seemed to fall asleep despite himself. Xanthus lay awake a lot longer, listening to Remus' heart beat and wondering why it was so close. He didn't understand what was happening and he dreaded tomorrow when Remus realized it wasn't going to magically get better. That Xanthus wasn't going to ever be normal.

He woke sometime later as a small knee dug itself into his gut. He jerked up slightly, only to find that Harry was climbing over him to weasel his way into the middle of their embrace. Xanthus made a quick check to make sure Remus was wearing clothes, since he couldn't remember, but found that he was. He helped Harry climb over and slide under the covers without disturbing Remus who was breathing in an ever so slight snore.

Harry carefully wriggled in, pressing his face into Xanthus chest. Remus sleepily pulled them both closer and Xanthus had to brace so Harry wouldn't get absolutely smashed between them from the strength of Remus' sleeping hug.

He could tell it took a while for Harry to fall back asleep and he wanted to ask if he had a nightmare. Wanted to talk to him about what happened but an hours sleep, as he'd predicted, hadn't magically fixed him. So he said nothing, instead carding his hand through Harry's hair until the boy finally fell asleep. He followed slowly after.

Chapter Text

Harry skipped breakfast to get away from the tent the next morning. He felt bad. Xanthus wasn't talking and Remus clearly didn't understand so he wanted to stay and help, but he also didn't want to talk about yesterday. He was sure Remus was going to make him talk about it, so instead he ran off to find Dilek. Leaving the oppressive silence and concerned looks behind.

The herd wasn't all gathered on the plateau anymore. Instead there were only a smattering of people. A few places where small circles tended to injured men from the night before. He tried to ask where everyone was but he didn't speak their language and their English was barely understandable. As bad as Dilek when she first arrived or worse.

He eventually managed to figure out that they were out harvesting and started hunting around the woods asking if anyone had seen Dilek. He was pointed one way or another until finally he found her. She was walking with four other women, talking to them as they gathered sticks into bundles and occasionally picked some greenery here and there to eat.

"Dilek!" Harry called, all the women froze and looked around in alarm, but Dilek just waved him over.

"Hee-ary," Dilek said as he approached. "Weh dah not yell out, weh dah not wish for dangers to know where weh are."

"Oh, sorry," Harry said.

"It's okay, it is safe har," Dilek said. "These are my aunts."

She said something that he didn't understand to the women with her and they all smiled at him. He waved shyly.

"Um, can I talk to you?" He asked quietly. Dilek nodded and said something else to her aunts before leading him away a bit into the woods. Still reaching up or down to pluck things to eat. Which Harry was well used to.

"They did not let yah stay the rest of the ceremony?" Dilek asked eventually when they were out of earshot of the others.

"Yeah, it's dumb," Harry said grumpily. "They got really upset that I watched the first part too. They're fighting about it, I think. I'm not totally sure but..."

"I watch my father dehfend his place many times," Dilek said. "Heh lasted longer than most as chief. Heh never kill someone before."

"You... you knew him? The one who died?" Harry asked quietly.

"Yes," Dilek said. "Heh not much older. I play with him before I am with yah. I... don't know how tah think. I am glad my full brother not tah hurt. Is it bad tah think that? I don't know... I hope I am sad when weh morn him tahgether. I hope weh dah."

"You might not morn him?" Harry asked.

"Sometimes weh don't," Dilek shrugged. "I don't know when. I hope tah learn now I'm older."

"So... you're definitely staying then?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Dilek nodded. "They are happy with my baskets, maybe I get tah make them. Is a special place in herd. We not have someone who dah it, but Gorn's herd dah so I try learn more while weh are tahgether."

"Oh... yeah... that's good," Harry mumbled.

"Yah is lehving to learn first, Hee-arry," Dilek said.

"I know," Harry said. "I just wish you could come with me. I don't want... what if something happens to you again? It's dangerous and I don't want... I don't want... I don't know. For you to have to be in that ceremony like those girls or anything like that."

"Yah did not see it," Dilek said.

"They told me what happened," Harry said.

"I dah not mind Hee-arry," Dilek said. "I am tah young now, but they like it, sah I probably will tah. I want tah dah it, when it is my turn. I don't think yah would be worried if yah saw it."

"Oh," Harry said. "I guess it seemed like it would be bad, if I wasn't allowed to see it."

"Nah, not bad," Dilek said. "Fun and happy after the fighting. Makes it not sah bad."

"Wish I could have stayed then," Harry said.

"Meh tah," Dilek said. "When it is my turn, yah come watch. Yah will be older then, like meh."

"Okay," Harry said. "Will you learn to dance and stuff?"

"Yes, I hope sah," Dilek said. "I hope my leeg is okay. I want tah be graceful like them."

"We'll come fix it, if it's not," Harry promised. Dilek smiled at him.

"Come forage with us," Dilek said, gesturing over to the women she had been walking with. "They will beh impressed yah know what tah forage and I teach yah some of our words."

"Okay," Harry said, feeling a bit hesitant but following Dilek back over anyways. He spent the day with them, collecting young branches for Dilek's baskets and foraging mostly plants that Harry couldn't actually digest, but that he knew Dilek could.

They taught him a few words and he got a little better at understanding their accented English again. It felt like the early days hanging out with Dilek except the women weren't shy and quiet like she was. Harry had always assumed the whole herd would be, but they weren't. They laughed and joked around. They would check in on others that they passed in the woods. They kept their voices quiet in volume but that was different from being quiet in personality.

They teased him a lot, but Harry didn't mind. He actually felt like it helped him figure out what they were saying more as they slowed down to talk to him and teased him about his words.

By the end of the day Harry was starving but felt much better. He made his way back to the tent happy, even as he was nervous about facing Xanthus and Remus after running away that morning. He felt like maybe he could talk about it now.

"I'm back," he called as he made his way inside.

"Hey pup," Remus said. "I was starting to get worried."

"I was with Dilek," Harry said. "I haven't eaten though, are there any snacks?"

"Xanthus made lunch and dinner," Remus said. "We charmed a plate for you, so you can take your pick."

"Thanks!" Harry said, hoping over to the bare bones camp kitchen and grabbing a sandwich.

"Don't skip lunch tomorrow," Remus said as Harry stuffed his face. Harry just hummed around a mouthful of food and looked around for Xanthus.

"Where's dad?" He asked after he swallowed.

"Don't know, out looking for you probably," Remus said. "Hey... Harry... I wanted to ask you, what's the longest he's gone without talking?"

"Oh, um..." Harry said, taking another bite while he thought about it. "Probably like a week, maybe more?"

"A week!?" Remus spluttered. "With his son not visiting last summer it was a few days but I didn't want to push. I didn't think he couldn't talk the whole time."

"Oh... um.. I guess it used to be much more common, now that I think about it," Harry said.

"Do you know anything that makes it better?" Remus asked.

"I think he doesn't like it," Harry said. Then took another bite of sandwich while he thought. He was still really hungry. "I think it bothers him that he can't talk. Talking about not talking makes it worse because he's already upset about it. That's what I think anyway, I've never asked or anything. It doesn't really bother me, other than I'm sad he's sad. So I guess... just keep going but you know, don't do anything that requires him talking. He can still do other stuff so I don't think it really matters."

"What if you need to talk about something?" Remus asked.

Harry shrugged, his mouth full of sandwich. Remus sighed.

"I don't see why it upsets everyone so much," Harry said. "I think it's sort of why Rolf left. Which is dumb. It's just talking. Even if he didn't talk forever, I wouldn't leave. I don't get why it matters."

"You have to be able to talk out issues, Harry," Remus sighed. "You can't just ignore things."

"I just ask stuff a bit at a time, when he isn't upset," Harry shrugged. "It's not hard."

"It doesn't seem good for you to spend days in silence," Remus said. "A kid should be able to talk to their parent."

"I can still talk to him, he just doesn't talk back," Harry said. "Or I can talk to you or Dilek or before the cabin I talked to Aspen or Jack or Patty. I don't think its a big deal."

"I've just never seen him like this," Remus said quietly. Harry looked up at him.

Remus looked sad and worried, his face pinched and hands grasped tightly together.

"I don't think he's that different," Harry said. "It's not like he ever says much."

Remus choked out a laugh, his hands releasing their grasp so he could reach up to rub his face.

"I suppose that's true," Remus smiled. "Alright, finish your food and keep practicing your hair coloring charm."

"Fine," Harry said.

It was another hour before Xanthus returned. He looked relieved when he saw Harry, but he still looked upset. Quiet and hunched. Harry suddenly understood why Remus seemed so concerned. Harry only ever saw Xanthus like this after he'd talked to Rolf's mom. Like he was trying to be smaller than he was, even though he was quite tall so it didn't really work.

"Sorry for skipping lunch," Harry said, running up and hugging him, because he seemed like he could use a hug. "I was out foraging with Dilek."

Xanthus gave him a small smile and a light hug back. So Harry kept talking.

"I've been practicing the hair color charm," Harry said.

"I think he can see that, pup," Remus laughed.

"Huh? Why?" Harry asked.

"Look in your mirror," Remus said with a wide smile. Harry looked the handheld mirror Remus had transfigured for him. His hair looked the same, black since he hadn't managed to change it from Remus' last cast. He'd been looking in the mirror when doing the charm. Remus transfigured another mirror and held it up behind him. He could see the back of his head in the reflection of that mirror with his.

"Blue!? Why is it blue?" Harry exclaimed grabbing some of the hair in the back of his head and bringing the ends around to look at. His hair was long enough to reach all the way around. Remus laughed loudly, shaking the mirror in his hand. Harry turned to glare at him "Did you do that?"

"Nope, all you," Remus laughed. "Was wondering when you'd notice."

Harry stuck his tongue out at him and picked up his wand to try the charm again. He looked up and saw Xanthus smiling slightly more and decided the blue hair was worth it. In fact... He concentrated on the charm, thinking hard and cast it. He grinned when the black hair turned bright pink. Remus started laughing aloud now and Xanthus' smile widened.

"Not really the color we're going for here," Remus teased. Harry stuck his tongue out again but couldn't keep himself from smiling.

Remus gave him pointers while he tried to get his hair back to Xanthus' color. It was hard. He could do solid colors fairly easily now but getting the right shade of reddish brown was the challenge. They'd discussed sending Harry with a lock of Xanthus' hair so he could compare it every time he cast the charm. So it didn't slowly drift through the year. Even with a reference it was hard though.

They were winding down for bed, when Remus addressed them again.

"I er, wanted to talk to you both," he said. They looked up at him, the tension in the room thickening almost instantly. "I wanted to apologize. I don't think you should have seen that, Harry and I think Xanthus should have considered your age better, but I freaked out and it didn't help. It just made it worse. I've been thinking about it... I think, having been through the war... Honestly I was probably most affected and it made me react badly. I should have been there to gently talk you through what you saw, Harry. Not gotten angry. I'm sorry."

"Oh, um..." Harry floundered. He wanted to say it was okay, but it had bothered him a lot. He realized he wasn't used to people being angry. "Are you still angry?"

"I'm... upset," Remus said hesitantly. "Seeing that still brought up a lot for me. I'm hoping you'll both be patient with me for a few days. I'll try not to but... I've been known to react poorly sometimes."

"Oh, that's okay," Harry said. "I'm sorry I got mad too."

"I'd be worried if you didn't get mad sometimes," Remus said. "You're far too well behaved, honestly. When was the last time you threw a genuine tantrum?"

"Last night," Harry teased.

"That hardly counts," Remus smiled. "You'll have to do better than that."

"Jack says that's what being a teenager is for," Harry said.

"That's true," Remus chuckled, then turned to Xanthus and opened his arms out towards him. "Do you... forgive me?"

Xanthus immediately stepped into his arms and wrapped Remus into a tight hug, which Remus returned gently.

"You're right. We're definitely not perfect," Remus whispered quietly enough that Harry wasn't sure he was supposed to hear. Xanthus almost collapsed into Remus as the tension seemed to leave his body. They held each other for a while and Harry didn't want to ruin it because he certainly didn't want the tension back, but he also wanted a hug too. He bounced from foot to foot for a second before throwing himself forward to hug them. They both unwrapped one arm around each other to wrap around Harry, pulling him nearly into the middle of them.

"Remus?" Harry said quietly.

"Yeah?"

"I love you," Harry said.

"Oh... I... I love you too, Harry. I've loved you since the moment your dad put you in my arms as a baby," Remus said wetly, sounding shook. "I'm sorry if... if I haven't said that."

"That's okay," Harry said. "I know. Just like I know Dad loves me. It's kinda obvious."

Remus chocked out a wet laugh, hugging Harry closer.

"Why are you crying?" Harry asked.

"It just means a lot to me," Remus said. "Hearing you say it. I've never felt it was obvious someone loved me, I need to be told."

"Oh, I'll say it more than," Harry said.

They stayed with the herd for three more days. Harry still spent as much time as he could with Dilek but he didn't feel like he was running away now. Just that he wasn't going to see Dilek for a whole year and he wanted to see her as much as he could. He wanted to stay longer. He barely felt like he'd learned the greetings in the herd let alone anything else. Unfortunately, they received an owl from Dumbledore saying that he'd put the preliminary legal work down and needed to talk to them soon for the rest of the plan.

So the next morning they packed up camp and apparated back to the cabin. Dumbledore arrived shortly after them in full robes thicker and fancier than Harry had ever seen.

"Have you just come from the Wizengamot?" Remus asked as he led Dumbledore inside.

"Alas, I have," Dumbledore sighed. "Nothing to do with this, fortunately."

"Do you ever have a break?" Remus asked, coming back from the kitchen with some sausage and nettle pesto from the nettles Harry had harvested the day before.

"When I was young I once had plans to travel the world with a friend of mine, but duty called and it hasn't stopped calling," Dumbledore joked, accepting a plate. "Interesting breakfast, I've not eaten this."

"I hadn't either," Remus said. "So, what brings you across the world to us?"

"Yes, best get to it," Dumbledore said. "I've asked Emmeline Vance to pretend to turor Harry. I shall send him with her to Diagon Alley to get supplies for his studies soon. We'll come up with a disguise that looks sufficiently different from his actual appearance but still similar to his parents."

"Emmeline is a good choice," Remus nodded. "No one will question it and she can be trusted... and no one will want to mess with her. She can survive having that target on her back."

"Yes, she never removed her fidelius after what happened to the Longbottoms. Not as paranoid as Alaster but definitely not as flippant as the rest of us," Dumbledore chuckled. "I've removed Harry's forced enrollment from Hogwarts and engaged in quite a tricky bit of corruption to make Harry Scamander exist. I wanted to change his first name but I was worried about the magic that will transfer him to Ilvermorny so alas, he'll have to be Harry. Fortunately it's a very common name and as Xanthus has said, it's unlikely anyone at Ilvermorny will know the name."

"That is worrying though," Remus hummed.

"The big thing is that Xanthus needs to go to MUSCA headquarters to claim him officially, that should solidify his transfer," Dumbledore said. "This should be done after Harry goes to Diagon so that he isn't in Britain after that point. Then be seen getting Harry's school supplies here, hopefully after his letter is sent."

"Can we get my school supplies with Kitty?" Harry asked eagerly. "Her mom already asked."

"Er..." Remus said, looking over at Xanthus, who nodded his head. "Yeah, sure."

"Yes!" Harry said excitedly. "We'll be going all the way to New York right? Can we drive? Or are we taking a portkey?"

"I'm sure you'll work that out," Dumbledore chuckled. "If you take a portkey, it should be official, maybe from somewhere a bit far from here. I will be back in a few days to collect Harry for his trip to Diagon Alley, if that's amenable to you? We need to do this before his birthday."

"That's in under a month!" Remus said. "That is not a lot of time."

"Alas, it was a tricky bit of magic and subterfuge for me to get his name changed," Dumbledore sighed.

"I didn't mean, sorry," Remus said sheepishly. "I didn't mean to criticize."

"Quite alright, Remus, quite alright," Dumbledore said. "Now, last bit is the disguise. Harry, would you mind removing that headband of yours?"

"Oh, uh..." Harry hesitated, reaching up to touch it. "I can't see without it."

Honestly he felt naked without it. He took it off to bath and that was it. He basically never removed it now.

"Ah, that's a clever bit of magic I haven't seen, it corrects your vision?" Dumbledore asked.

Harry nodded as he untied the back and removed the headband. The world suddenly blurred harshly.

"Interesting, may I see it?" Dumbledore asked curiously but Harry clutched it protectively to his chest. "Ah, no worries my boy. That's alright."

"Harry, you have a huge tan line where your headband normally is," Remus chuckled.

"He does, it makes the scar harder to see but best if that's evened out," Dumbledore chuckled. "But first."

Dumbledore pulled something out of his robes and tapped his wand on it, before bringing it up to Harry's face. Harry flinched as two sticks seem to scrape along his temples, but then he could see. He reached up and adjusted the glasses. They were odd. He'd never worn glasses before and they made the world clear but if he tried he could look out the sides and see the difference.

"We'll need a potion for the tan. I'll get that to Emmeline, now Remus you have some photos of Lily and James don't you?"

"Er yeah," Remus said and he stood to go grab them. He came back a few minutes later clutching a thin wooden box like it was diamonds. He handed it over hesitantly to Dumbledore, who gave him a sad smile.

Inside were three photos.

One was of four teenage boys. The boys in the photo didn't look like they could hold still. They started out with all their arms slung around each other's shoulders, but quickly devolved into shoving each other around or trying to grab each other's heads. All in a friendly manner. The two center boys were handsome and broad, with easy smiles and nice robes. Harry recognized one of them because he looked a lot like Harry himself, but he didn't recognize the other who had high cheek bones and an air like he knew how cool he was. Slung under this boy's arm was a tall gangly teenager who looked the exact opposite. He had a shy smile on his face and a look like he was happy to be included but didn't think it would last. On the other side, under who Harry assumed was his father James' outside arm was a rather short, fat boy with watery eyes and an easy laugh.

The two center boys were always laughing. Initiating the rough housing and doing things to make the side boys laugh or smile.

They looked happy.

It was warn around the edges as if it had been handled over and over but it wasn't creased or damaged.

"Who are they?" Harry asked, looking at it intently.

"Thats Peter, James, Sirius and me," Remus said, pointing them out left to right, starting with the chubby teenager.

"That's you!?" Harry asked looking closer. He looked up and down between Remus and the tall gangly kid in the photo.

"Yep," Remus said, laughing a little self consciously and looking away as Xanthus came to look over Harry's shoulder at the picture. "The years haven't been kind to me."

"No, you look much better now," Xanthus said quietly. Remus and Harry shared a look of wide eyed alarm as they both fought urge to comment on this. It was the first thing Xanthus had said in four days.

"It's the scars," Harry said, examining Remus face. "They make you look really different."

"Right," Remus said hesitantly. "I'm, er, sorry I haven't shown these to you, Harry."

"That's okay," Harry said. "It's fun to see you as a kid though."

"Right, anyway the next picture is much better for looking at Lily and James anyway," Remus said, carefully pulling this picture off.

The next picture was James but a bit older, more man than boy but much younger than Xanthus or Remus. He had his arms wrapped around a woman about his age, who had in her arms a baby. They both alternated between looking at the baby and each other lovingly and occasionally smiling at the camera.

"I took this, when I went to visit early on," Remus said. "It was one of the only photos I could find without Sirius in it. Most if my photos were of him, I almost threw out the whole roll and didn't develop this one. I'm glad I found it though."

"Yes, it's a lovely photo," Dumbledore said. Harry looked up and saw that both Dumbledore and Remus' eyes were a bit wet looking at it. Harry looked back down at the photo. "I think we should narrow Harry's cheeks and eyes, as those are both Lily's influence I suspect. Make him look all Potter. Raise his cheek bones some."

"Er, yeah," Remus said thickly. Xanthus reached over and put an arm around Remus' shoulders. Remus froze and glanced at Dumbledore nervously, making Xanthus pull back.

"No need to hide on my account," Dumbledore chuckled. "Your in good company here."

"Really?" Remus asked in surprise and then spluttered. "Er, I mean, sorry. You don't have to answer that. Forget I said anything."

Dumbledore laughed lightly at him.

"It's quite alright, I certainly don't bandy it about and I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone," Dumbledore chuckled. "Just for politics sake. Although perhaps if I said something I'd be less busy. Alas, it doesn't much matter. I experienced a betrayal not dissimilar to your own, Remus, and I found I was unable to move on from him despite that."

"It can't have been that bad," Remus said, looking angrily at the photo that he'd set aside. At the handsome boy who was now trying to pick Remus up in the photo while James and Peter laughed and teenage Remus protested but couldn't hide the broad smile on his face.

"I'm quite famous for my duel with him, actually," Dumbledore said sadly, also looking at the boy in the photo. "The light of their youth can blind us complete to the signs of their darkness. I admire you for not living your life swept up in the memory of it."

Remus gaped at Dumbledore, wide eyed and astonished. Completely speechless. Xanthus put a comforting hand back onto Remus, looking completely unfazed.

Harry had no idea what they were talking about.

"Did Newt tell you, Xanthus?" Dumbledore asked, giving him a curious look. Xanthus shrugged and nodded. "Alas he was always too perceptive. Enough about my foolishness, I simply wished to put you at ease. Let us try for a few charms. Harry, look at me, would you?"

Harry looked at Dumbledore who pointed his wand at Harry's face and muttered a few incantations. Harry felt his cheeks shift on his face, like someone was pulling them in from the inside. It was no where near as unpleasant as his eyes moving slightly on his face. He scrunched against the sensation and was scolded because Dumbledore needed to see what he was doing.

He held still as best he could but jumped when his whole scalp tickled and itched as his hair shrunk on his head.

"How's that?" Dumbledore asked, leaning back to examine his work.

"Wow, and here I thought he looked like James before," Remus said.

"Yes, we are never quite the perfect replica of our parents that people say we are," Dumbledore chuckled. "I'll leave this in place, so I don't have to try again and send Emmeline with a return portkey and a potion for his tan."

"Wait, I have to stay like this?" Harry asked.

"Only a few days," Dumbledore said.

"But my face feels so weird, and my head itches," Harry grumbled.

"Then scratch it," Dumbledore chuckled. "It's only temporary and probably best you don't look uncomfortable in your own skin. Now I wish I could stay longer but I've another appointment after this."

"Another? Isn't it really late for you?" Remus asked.

"Yes, but everything is urgent in the eyes of the requester," Dumbledore smiled. "I may send Emmeline or I may be along myself. So good-bye, or see you soon, whichever the case may be."

"Right... er, good-bye," Remus said. While Harry waved merrily to Dumbledore as he walked outside and disappeared.

"Can you tell me about him?" Harry asked, pointing at the photograph of what Remus often called the Marauders.

"I tell you about them all the time," Remus asked. "What do you want to know?"

"No, can you tell me about Sirius?" Harry asked. Remus immediately tensed up, looking back at the photo shakily.

"I don't know," Remus said quietly. "I didn't know him, not really. I thought I did but... I was wrong. The Sirius I knew couldn't have done what he did, so I'd be telling you a lie."

"What did he do?" Harry asked.

"Have I not told you?" Remus asked. Harry shook his head no, and Remus sighed deeply. "He... I don't even know how to say it. I wasn't your father's best friend. Sirius was. They were inseparable. Sirius was his best man and I... We... Sirius was more than that to me. James kept us together but each in our own way Sirius was most important to us. I won't even pretend I was more important to Sirius than James was. Despite the nature of my relationship with him, it would always be James and Sirius. It didn't really bother me. I think it bothered Peter who was closer to James than to Sirius. It was a weird triangle like that. Sirius and Peter loved James best and James and I loved Sirius best. James chose Lily though, so in the end I got Sirius but Peter didn't get anyone. I think that's why it bothered him more... except Peter was right in the end."

Xanthus pulled Remus into him more and Remus went easily, closing his eyes and leaning his weight into Xanthus as he talked.

"I'm telling you this because you have to understand how much of a betrayal... Sirius was James, Lily and your secret keeper. Only he could give you-know-who, er, I mean the Dark Lord, stop looking at me like that, you've got to know who I mean when I say you-know-who by now."

"But you could be talking about someone else in the story, it's confusing," Harry said. "Why don't you just say his name?"

"He had a taboo that broke wards when you said his name," Remus said. "Anyways, Sirius led the Dark Lord to your house so he could murder your parents and try to kill you. Then, even after the Dark Lord vanished, Sirius tracked down Peter and killed him. Killed him and a bunch of muggles with him."

"What!? Why?" Harry asked.

"I have no idea," Remus said quietly, looking sadly at the photo of the boys. Sirius was now begging James for something, what was unclear, but Sirius had thrown himself dramatically onto his knees, his hands clasped, looking up with puppy dog eyes while James rolled his. You could see the fondness in their looks though. "Everyone says it was his family. They were really dark but he hated them, or I thought he did. He was a bit mad. Always was, that ran in his family. Wild. Didn't care about... what he was supposed to. Threw himself into fights, wasn't bothered by killing at all. He'd laugh the whole time he fought, just like his deranged death eater cousin. Had seen too much darkness as I kid, I thought, but maybe it was that he was dark the whole time."

"Imperious?" Xanthus asked quietly. Harry and Remus exchanged another look.

"Er, no," Remus said. "You can't give up a fidelius with imperious charms and he could throw them off. His mom used to cast it on him and force him to do nasty things until he could cast it off at will. I thought about trying to teach Harry the same but it reminded me too much of that. My best idea is that he was practicing black magic secretly. Didn't actually stop once he ran away and it corrupted him. It tends to do that. Drives you mad and grasping for more. He... He had shown signs, you know, of madness and disregard for us in the past. When we were sixteen he sent someone to get killed by me when I was transformed... Which would have killed me too, of course. I'd have been executed. James saved me and the boy."

Xanthus breathed in a sharp breath.

"You forgave him for that?" Xanthus asked sharply.

"In retrospect its bad but... at the time... I could see what had driven him to it," Remus said softly. "I didn't forgive him at first but... but yeah, that incident is what made me sure he had betrayed us. I don't know why he did it, but I know he was always capable of it. It's actually murdering Peter that surprises me the most. I could see going mad and giving up James sort of, but chasing down Peter himself? I don't know why that happened."

Remus reached down and picked up the picture of Lily and James, revealing the last photo underneath.

"I don't look at this one much anymore, Peter took it," Remus said. The picture started with James and Remus sitting in the couch, Remus looking half asleep, while Lily chased Sirius angrily around it. Sirius clearly laughed in huge guffaws as he fled. As they rounded to the front of the couch James reached out and grabbed Lily around the waist, pulling her down into his lap. She huffed and crossed her arms but James just grinned and kissed her till she gave in and smiled. Leaning into him. Sirius grinned happily at them before throwing himself onto Remus' lap, sprawling across it and throwing his arms around Remus' neck before kissing a very surprised and slightly groggy Remus soundly. He broke away from the kiss to wink lewdly at Lily, who twisted around to kick Sirius' legs. Sirius laughed and kicked back until they had shoved each other completely off the couch while Remus groaned and James laughed heartily. Then Lily was chasing Sirius around the couch again.

It was domestic and fun. Even Lily's anger was all clearly in good fun. They looked content. Happy. Remus looked so pleased everytime Sirius kissed him.

"Even now," Remus said. "I want to defend him. Talking about what he did when he sent someone to get killed by me... I have the urge to defend him. There were all these signs, like that one, that are blaring in retrospect but... I still find excuses for them. I don't know how to talk about him, when he took everything from me but I look at these pictures and I can't find the lie."

"I'm sorry for pushing," Harry said sadly.

"That's okay, you should know," Remus sighed. "He's your godfather, you know? If James died, you were supposed to go to Sirius."

"Is my godfather? Isn't he dead?" Harry asked.

"No, he's in prison," Remus said. "I was still undercover for his trial. I never got to see it... I wish I could have gone. To see what he had to say but I'm sort of glad I missed it... I live in fear he could convince me to forgive him for it somehow."

"Come on," Xanthus said, carefully packing the pictures away and leading them into the sitting room. He set his wand to mixing something in the kitchen as he walked by but didn't pause. Instead moving to pull Remus down onto the couch with him. Harry crawled in to.

"I'm fine, really," Remus said, but they didn't let him up, so he sighed and gave in.

Xanthus directed his wand a few times into the kitchen until a while later he was summoning baked chocolate brownies from the kitchen.

"How do you even do the things you do?" Remus laughed as they all sat up to eat the brownies out of the pan with a spoon. Not bothering with plates. "Honestly, you redefine magic for me."

Xanthus flushed lightly and looked away, while Harry dug into the brownies.

"Hot hot hot!" Harry said around a mouthful of molten chocolate.

Xanthus started talking a bit after that, so Harry got two normal days at home. The weather was sunny but not horribly warm so Xanthus fixed up the wading pool after the winter of not using it and heated it up so that it was warmer than usual.

They spent time in the water or dueling or helping Harry with the hair coloring charm which he practiced on Remus for fun. He ended up removing Remus' grey hair and couldn't figure out how to put it back. He looked a lot younger.

Harry was shaken awake in the dusky hours before sunrise a few days later. Groggy and sleepy Remus ushered him into the chill dining room as Xanthus slid a plate in front of him with pancakes on it. A rare treat that Harry blinked blearily at.

"Sorry for the early morning, Harry," Dumbledore chuckled. Harry blinked up to see the old man sitting happily at the table with his own pancakes and a mug of tea. "For me, this is pancakes for lunch. We're going to Diagon Alley today and we need to get there before stores close."

"Oh," Harry said sleepily before shoving a bite of pancake into his mouth and closing his eyes as he chewed it.

"Here, drink this so you can wash out the flavor after," Dumbledore said and Harry opened his eyes just in time for an uncorked potion bottle to get shoved into his hand. He drank it, then gagged.

It was foul, like musty old boot that hadn't dried soon enough after being out in the rain.

"Eew!" Harry spluttered, pushing the empty potion bottle away and grabbing his glass of juice to chug it. His skin felt weirdly tingly.

"If you wouldn't mind removing your headband and putting on your glasses?" Dumbledore said, mirth clear in his voice. Harry stuck his tongue out but untied his headband. Remus placed the glasses into his hand and he put of them on. "Ah, good, no more tan line. I'll have another potion made to make him a bit less tan before he's seen as a Scamander."

"He really does look like James now," Remus said, sitting down tiredly with his own plate of food.

"Doesn't he?" Dumbledore said cheerily.

Harry ate his pancakes while Xanthus and Remus caught up with Dumbledore. He tried to pay attention but they started talking about some bill going through the Wizengamot and it completely lost him. So he just focused on trying to wake up and the sweetness of his breakfast.

"Alright, best get to it, ready Harry?"

"Ready!"

Harry waved goodbye to Xanthus and Remus as Dumbledore had him grab an old knit sock in the front clearing. Harry had the very distinct realization that he'd never traveled by portkey before as he felt himself getting hooked in his stomach and yanked.

He could hardly process what was happening, just that it had gone on too long and was over almost instantly as he was slammed back into the ground. He stumbled and fell, landing in a heap on a paved country road.

The dim predawn light was replaced with the shinning summer sun of a hot midday. He blinked and brushed off his scraped palms on his pants.

"Alright there, Harry?" Dumbledore chuckled, reaching a hand down to help him up.

"Do we have to go back that way?" Harry asked wearily, taking Dumbledore's hand and letting himself get yanked to his feet.

"Not a fan?" Dumbledore smiled.

"No," Harry said simply, while Dumbledore chuckled again.

"Right, well, welcome," Dumbledore said, gesturing his arms out broadly to some grassy fields in mid season growth. There were some larger houses of odd shape to the left and right but nothing where Dumbledore gestured, until he spoke again and as he did a whole cottage seemed to pushed itself into the space in front of them. "To Vance Cottage, Hangmans Lane, Dover."

Vance Cottage, was old. Much older than the houses off to its sides. With a thatched roof almost completely overgrown with various flowering vines. The walls were an odd hodgepodge of brick and wood, like the builder couldn't decide what they wanted to make the house out of. The windows were round, hinged and swung open. Curtains hanging and fluttering lightly into the outside from the window frames.

Dumbledore led them up the gravel walkway to knock on the door.

The door swung open to reveal a stately witch, in robes with cropped sleeves and embroidered trim. Her hair was swept neatly back into a long braid and she held herself firm and tall, making her somehow look taller than she was. She gave them a kind smile and let them inside.

"Welcome," she said simply, before leading them into a colorful sitting room. Brightly colored knit blankets covered the chairs and sofa and when Harry sat, one of them immediately began to climb unto his lap. Emmeline gave the blanket a stern look and it retreated back into place. "Tea?"

"No thank you, Emmeline, unfortunately I must be off. I've other matters needing attending today. I'll leave a portkey for Harry's return," Dumbledore said cheerily, not sitting down.

"Of course Albus," she said. "I'll make sure he's safe."

"Thank you again for this," Dumbledore said. "Have fun in Diagon Alley Harry, it's quite the place to be."

"Uh, right, bye," Harry said awkwardly as Albus bowed and then popped out of existence.

"He seems to have forgotten to introduce us. I'm Emmeline Vance. You may call me Emmeline, Ms. Vance or Professor, whichever you find most comfortable."

"Oh, um, hi... Professor? I'm Harry,"

She smiled at him, the corners of her eyes crinkling as she fixed him with a soft look.

"You're accent is quite noticeable, so try to let me do all the talking while we're out. The less they know of your association with America the better."

"Oh, right, okay," Harry said sheepishly

"Don't worry, Wizards love hearing themself speak. I'm sure many people will want to speak to you and few will notice if you don't speak back," Emmeline said matter of factly. "Now, I want to prepare you for what you'll likely encounter while we're out."

"Encounter? Will there be magical creatures?" Harry asked, sitting up more excitedly.

"Oh, no, unfortunately nothing like that," Emmeline said. "We'll be going to Diagon Alley through the leaky cauldron so as many people as possible see you with me and hear the story of your apprenticeship, which means that you'll likely be swarmed with well-wishers. Tug on my robes if your feeling overwhelmed and I will get us an exit."

"Oh, I'm sure it won't be that bad."

It was that bad.

Emmeline had been right in all regards. Harry had been absolutely swarmed upon entering the leaky cauldron as Emmeline casually made small talk with some of the patrons all asking her questions about Harry while they waited to shake his hand. They also hadn't seemed to even remotely notice that he didn't say anything. Gushing about him and his scar. Telling him how much he looked like his father. Harry hadn't initiated the escape request but it was a near thing before Emmeline seemed to decide they'd been there long enough and steered them into Diagon Alley.

"Sorry about that Harry," Emmeline said as the stepped through the newly formed brick arch and into the bustling market beyond. "Unpleasant business, but necessary. I anonymously tipped off a reporter also, so don't be alarmed if they're less then subtle also."

"Oh, uh, right," Harry whispered, wiping his hands on his robes. They felt weird having been shook so much.

The rest of the visit was much more pleasant. Emmeline bought Harry an ice cream and they walked around the market. Going from shop to shop to get various things. He'd never seen so many weird potion ingredients or tools. Emmeline had to drag him away from the broom shop.

Ollivander, the wand maker, had been a bit creepy but he was amazed how much better his new wand felt in his hands than his Grandfather's wand. He couldn't wait to cast a spell with it, but Emmeline wouldn't let him while in the alley.

Everyone seemed to know Emmeline and she stopped to talk to quite a few Witches and Wizards. All of them staring pointedly at his scar when she introduced him.

"I'm sad to know he wont be attending school with my kid, but I suppose it's for the best," was a common sentiment that afternoon.

He felt exhausted and hands wrung raw by the time they apparated back to the cottage. Harry immediately decided he hated apparating too.

He didn't get much more time to actually get to know Emmeline before he was taking the portkey back to the cabin. He felt a bit adrift. The subterfuge feeling weird. If he was supposed to be spending a whole year with the woman than he felt like he should know her better.

"Harry!" Remus called as he landed flat on his face in the pine needles outside the cabin. He was lifted up off the forest floor into a hug from Xanthus.

"Okay, okay," Harry said, shoving them off. "I was only gone a few hours."

"Yeah? We already aren't allowed to worry about you or miss you?" Remus chuckled, ruffling Harry's hair, which Harry batted away.

"It'd be fine if I didn't just shake the hand of every Witch and Wizard in Britain," Harry grumbled.

"That bad, huh?" Xanthus asked.

"I'm really glad I'm going to Ilvermorny," Harry sighed. "I'll take people insulting my parentage over getting swarmed and ogled any day."

Xanthus chuckled and resisted, barely, ruffling his hair. Harry led them back inside and almost called out for Dilek before realizing she wasn't there. His heart ached slightly at her absence but he pushed it aside.

"But! I got my wand! Look!" Harry pulled out his holly and Phoenix feather wand to show them. "It feels really good, I had no idea there would be such a difference!"

He picked off a pine needle clinging to his robes and transfigured it into a sewing needle. It didn't require nearly as much concentration.

"Here, let's get your face back to normal, shall we?" Remus chuckled.

"Oh yes please! My hair's been itching for days!" Harry pleaded, immediately forgetting about his wand.

"That's what happens when you magically shrink it instead of just cutting it," Xanthus said. Together Xanthus and Remus slowly undid the magic Dumbledore had cast on his face. They had to try a few times in places, looking stern in concentration, but eventually they managed. Harry rubbed his face and opened and closed his mouth to readjust.

He scrambled to put his headband back on. He didn't hate the glasses, he just felt naked without his headband. Unsafe. Vulnerable.

"Alright Harry," Remus said, handing him a mirror. "All that's left is the hair color."

Harry examined his face in the mirror, noting the rounder cheeks and wider eyes from just yesterday. His hair was long and messy and black. He brought his new wand up to his hair and concentrated.

To his absolute surprise, he charmed it to Xanthus color almost immediately. He grabbed handfuls of it to pull around and checked the back. Uniform.

He looked down at his new wand in wonder.

"I love it," he told them, in awe. They both chuckled.

"Yeah, it is awful losing your wand," Remus says. "You got to experience that in reverse."

"I did too," Xanthus said. "You wont be able to use that wand at Ilvermorny."

"What? Why?" Harry asked, clutching the wood protectively to his chest.

"They have generic wands for students, you aren't supposed to get your proper wand till you graduate."

"That sounds awful," Remus said. Harry agreed. Xanthus shrugged.

"It's supposed to teach precision and even the playing field. Also aid in keeping the statute of secrecies. They keep the wands when you leave the school," Xanthus said.

"What happens if you're attacked?" Remus asked in alarm. "At least kids in Britain can defend themselves!"

"You have to remember, the last two big wars skipped our shores. Grindelwald came over once or twice but didn't really do any major damage. Ilvermorny is much bigger than Hogwarts, more akin to what Hogwarts was like before the wars. We just feel safer and have way more magical kids," Xanthus shrugged.

"I suppose," Remus said uneasily.

"Harry has a wand though, so we needn't worry about it," Xanthus said.

"Yeah," Remus said.

Harry still clutched his new wand to his chest, hating desperately that he wouldn't get to use it at school.

"But why can't we just drive the whole way?" Harry groaned again as they got into the truck. Remus looked distinctly uncomfortable as he awkwardly climbed into the passenger seat.

"Not enough time," Remus said.

"We could drive fast, we have before," Harry said.

"Port keys aren't that bad," Remus said then jumped when Xanthus turned the key and the engine roared to life.

"Says you," Harry grumbled, but stopped complaining as they backed out of the drive and onto the overgrown dirt road.

It had been ages since Harry had driven in the truck. He didn't know how much he missed it as he watched the trees fly by and the landscape change. First forest then oceanside then countryside and city. They got stuck in horrible traffic once everything looked more like city and Harry started to tease Remus for how tense he was. Jumping everytime another car passed them.

"Give him a break kiddo, the moon was last night," Xanthus said from behind the wheel.

"You could sleep in the back," Harry told Remus, who just smiled wanly at him and then jumped again as another car passed. Harry looked over and could tell Xanthus was trying not to smile at Remus' reaction to the traffic. Harry reached over and held Remus' hand, trying to be comforting. Remus just grimaced tiredly at him.

They finally escaped the traffic and drove through city for a long while before they crossed a long floating bridge and trekked into the woods on a fast moving highway. Harry had a suspicion the speed would have freaked Remus out but he'd crashed before they left the city. His cheek was pressed into the window pane, mouth slightly open as he snored lightly.

The forest here was achingly familiar. It wasn't the rainy, mosy forest of the coast around the cabin. It was the dry pine mountains of the community they'd left behind. Another hour later as they turned into the big no-maj supermarket and gass station right outside the community, Harry ached with how close they were.

The feast was tonight. They could almost go home.

"Stay in the truck," Xanthus said, scanning around the large parking lot suspiciously. He opened the door and got out.

"Huh?" Remus said, grunting awake as Xanthus closed the door.

"We're here," Harry said. "Dad said stay in the truck though."

They watched as Xanthus looked around. Then someone got out of a car a ways down the parking lot and waved. It was Kitty's mom. Then a girl who could only be Kitty got out after. She looked so different, Harry barely recognized her.

The hurried over to Xanthus and started talking. Harry could tell Kitty's mom was crying. He watched as she hugged Kitty tightly, crying wildly as Kitty hugged her back. Then Xanthus was leading Kitty to the truck.

"Here we are," Xanthus said, opening the driver door and indicating inside.

"Harry!" Kitty yelled, scrambling inside and hugging him tightly. "Wow! You're so much bigger! And your hair is so long! Do you ever cut it?"

The truck seemed to expand in size as Xanthus got in behind her so that they all sat comfortably along the seat. He started up the engine quickly and pulled out, looking around as if for danger.

"He wont let us cut it," Remus chuckled weakly, ruffling Harry's hair.

"Yours is long too!" Harry said. "I almost didn't recognize you."

"Yeah! I'll never repeat the incident that made me cut it," Kitty said, grabbing her hair almost protectively. "I've missed you so much! It's been so much less fun without you. I've started learning some magic now like you were but I miss light tag and running through the woods with you. Weld is so jealous I get to see you. He's going to be so bored with us both gone!"

Harry grinned as Kitty kept babbling a mile a minute as they drove back onto the fast highway heading east. After an hour Remus fell asleep again despite her babbling.

It was fun hearing about the community. There were so many people Kitty could tell him about and so many things she'd done. He felt like he didn't have nearly anything to tell her about. Luckily she didn't seem to expect him to say much, so that was okay. He pestered her on what everyone was doing and she showed him the tank top Patty had made her as a going away gift. It matched the style of Patty's fabric and Kitty said she intended to wear it under her robes all the time.

He wished he could go visit. Ached to go back and go to the feast. They wouldn't be exposed for too long.

They drove on.

By nightfall Kitty had fallen asleep too, almost mid sentence. She dozed on Harry's shoulder who leaned sleepily on Remus, who was still passed out against the window.

Xanthus, who had already been up the night before keeping the werewolf wards up, drove on. Getting distance between them and any place Harry was known to have been.