Harry ended up sleeping for a full day, with only a brief break when Madam Pomfrey came to check on him the next morning shortly after Hermione left for Monday classes. She fussed and fretted over him, but kept him on the same series of potions that Hans had assigned him. As much as he hated being fussed over, he couldn't deny how sore and tired he was. When Hermione stopped in for lunch, she showed him a few assignments, but that afternoon he found himself falling asleep on the couch when he tried to study.
The next week would see Harry make gradual improvement, although he remained out of class on Madam Pomfrey's orders. If not for his bond with Hermione and her excellent notes, he would have fallen drastically behind. He missed both sessions that week with Tonks, who stopped in briefly to both check on him and tease him a bit. He knew she would make him work once he was back to full health.
The Monday eight days after his return from Finland saw Harry finally back attending classes. Still, he was barred from physical activity, including Quidditch and defense training. He rankled at the restrictions and felt he was getting rusty, but a few sharp mental comments from Hermione quelled him.
While Harry recovered, the DMLE was busy running surveillance on a number of possible Death Eater locations. Malfoy Manor had always been a prime possibility and intelligence showed that Voldemort had most likely been there for a time, but the recent traffic showed only moderate usage of the building. Nearly two weeks after the trip to Finland, Tonks arrived on a Thursday night and had further news for the group of friends. Prior to starting training, she put up heavy wards in addition to what the Room of Requirement offered, then turned to address the group.
"Evening everyone. I've got news from Shack, with orders from Amelia to deliver to you directly. By the way, welcome back Harry. I've also got orders from Poppy that you are here to watch only, with a few mild stretches. Try anything more and she's authorized me to stun you. Anyway, all the work of the past weeks has the Death Eaters pinned down to one of a couple of locations, both quite remote and warded to hell and back. One is in Wales near Lake Lliwbran in Snowdonia. The other is near Craigencallie in Galloway. Both are sufficiently remote 'hunting lodges' of dark aligned families. It's still a bit early in the season for either to be in use, and the signs show that the groups have been in place for a while. We're having to be especially careful on surveillance, but hopefully with a bit of intel we'll pinpoint which one is most likely housing the Dark Bastard before he decides to move again. Not that Harry's up to snake hunting quite yet."
Harry had been ready to thank Tonks for the news when he was brought up short by her shrewd ending comment and the look she shot him. She chuckled when she saw the look on his face.
"Really Harry? It doesn't take Auror training to put together what your plans are. The training you've been doing, combined with this specific information tells me enough. Although why you're so interested in Voldie's pet I don't know. Mind you, I'm not fond of snakes period and from what I hear, that one of his is a nasty bit of work I wouldn't mind seeing toasted, but some of his followers are better targets."
Harry gave a bare nod as a number of thoughts floated through his head, and consequently Hermione's.
Yes Harry, I think perhaps we should consider adding Tonks to our alliance. She's beyond trustworthy and certainly has been helpful.
Harry mentally acknowledged Hermione's suggestion, although it would require more thought. In the meantime, Tonks seemed to have moved on and began to bark orders to everyone to start their warm ups. Harry set his thoughts aside and began the light stretches that Madam Pomfrey had assigned him. He was frustrated to find that they tired him more than he wanted to admit as he finished and sat back to watch the others drill.
Later that night after a long shower, the Potters curled up in bed together and talked quietly. While their mind speech was helpful, in the quiet times at night they enjoyed whispering and discussing the day and their plans.
"So Harry, you want to bring Tonks into the alliance?"
"Yes, although I've been thinking about that further. She is a Tonks of course, but she is also a Black, although her mother was disowned. I know from what Sirius has said that he didn't agree with her mother being disowned. I think I may talk to Sirius first. If he can bring her back into his house, then maybe she would already be allied."
"Hmm, that's a thought. If Sirius wants to do that. I know he's talked a bit about his cousins, but I don't know how close they are anymore. Tonks knows about as much as anyone not allied anyway, but I agree with approaching Sirius first. And you haven't seen him in a while."
"Yes, I was thinking about that. I'll send a note then tomorrow and see if he is free on Saturday? Does that work for you?"
"Actually, why don't you make it a boys' day? I think the two of you could use that time. After all, now that the bond has settled, it's important that we allow ourselves a bit of time away from each other."
Harry nodded in appreciation, liking the idea of time spent with Sirius. They talked for a few more minutes before capping the evening with a long kiss and waving off the lights.
The following evening, Hedwig returned with Sirius' excited reply. He informed Harry that he had a surprise and would be waiting at Grimmauld at two that afternoon and Harry should plan to return after dinner. The tone of the letter brightened Harry's spirits as he eagerly anticipated the day. Hermione was happy to see him well on the road to recovery and lifted from the gloominess that had overtaken him for a while.
Saturday morning dawned to a brilliant spring day, but Harry and Hermione were happy to remain in bed for their usual lie-in. Gradually they woke around nine and made love languidly as Harry spooned his love and slipped into her gently from behind, eliciting a long moan of appreciation. Many long minutes later, they came together and lay spent for a while before summoning Dobby to bring them breakfast in bed. Despite a pile of schoolwork and worries about Voldemort and the Death Eaters, they found these simple mornings to be vital to their mental wellbeing. Even Hermione, who once used to wake with study schedules in her head, found that all of those concerns fled when she was in Harry's arms on these delightful mornings.
After feeding each other breakfast, the Potters retreated to their private bath and spent a long while cleaning and pleasuring each other before they finally dressed and readied for the day. They made their way to the library, where they met up with their friends and spent the next several hours working through their long list of assignments. Shortly before two, Harry excused himself and dropped off his books in the apartment before pausing to center himself while he tapped into the castle wards and turned off the anti-apparition ward in the apartment. He sent a quick mental goodbye to his wife and then apparated to Grimmauld Place to meet Sirius. A minute after he left, Hermione tapped back into the wards to close the hole he had made upon his departure.
Upon apparating into the foyer at Grimmauld, Harry heard the sound of rapid footsteps as Sirius appeared from around the corner of the hall.
"Harry! You're here! Let me grab my coat, then I need to show you something in the back garden."
Harry smirked at his godfather's enthusiasm and walked down the hall toward the door to the back garden. Sirius joined him a minute later and went ahead, practically bouncing like an excited child. As Harry followed him out the door, he soon saw the reason for Sirius' mood. Planted between two neglected rose bushes was a monster of a motorcycle. It gleamed in the sunlight and Harry took a minute to look it over. It seemed at first to be a typical motorcycle, if one of the largest he had ever seen, but then Harry noticed a few additional buttons that were obvious add-ons. Sirius stepped over and put a loving hand on the bike.
"Isn't she brilliant? I got her back from Hagrid a few weeks ago. He's had her in a storage shed for years. Not the most water tight building either. She was a bit of a mess, but I've got her all cleaned up now. Even polished up her extra charms. I call her Brunhilda."
"Brunhilda? You named her? And how come it's a her?"
"Of course I named her. And all bikes and cars are female. That's how it works. So, I've got an extra helmet, you ready?"
Harry decided to not to question any further and just nodded as he took the offered helmet. Sirius climbed on first and then Harry swung on behind him. Looking around the small, city sized garden, he was curious how they were going anywhere. His question was answered shortly as Sirius revved the engine, punched a blue button, and Harry felt the bike take to the air. He was startled at first, but before he could start to holler questions, Sirius pushed two more buttons and then pulled his wand to cast a privacy bubble around them. The bubble lessened the noise and let them talk.
"No worries Harry. Levitation charm, suspension charm, disillusionment charm, muggle-repelling charm, wind-dampening charm, and a few other goodies all built into her. I'm also working on adding a portus so that I can travel quicker, but that has been having a few issues and the day is so nice, I thought we'd enjoy the flight. Brunhilda is as fast as most racing brooms."
Harry just nodded as Sirius cancelled the bubble and the wind hit their faces again as they soared over the outskirts of London and headed in a northwesterly direction. Harry didn't know where they were heading, but he was happy to be flying and even grew to appreciate the steady rumble of the large machine. They flew for just over an hour before Sirius began to gradually descend and cast the bubble again.
"We're almost there Harry. Just ahead you'll see Godric's Hollow. One of the few all magical villages in Britain, and home to your ancestors for hundreds of years. I'm going to circle a bit. Just north of the town is a small manor house that used to belong to the Peverells, distant ancestors of yours. As you can see, the place has expansive gardens leading into the woods. When I visited here with James and your grandparents on a couple of trips, James and I loved to fool around and get into mischief on the edge of the gardens. Your grandparents spent the time in the village talking to old friends. They loved Druimoor, but still felt a tie to this village. James liked it as well, which is why he bought a simple house here for his young family when he was looking for a place to hide."
"Why didn't he stay at Druimoor, wouldn't that have been safer? I haven't had a chance to get there yet."
"Well, that's something we need to talk about. I know you asked that I tell you anything I can remember and you've wanted to see the Hollow, so I thought today was a good day. We'll look around a bit and then head to the Crossed Wands for a pint. Sound alright?"
Harry nodded as Sirius angled the bike further down and came to a stop by a large oak tree next to a church. There was just one older gentleman across the street, but when Sirius canceled the disillusionment charm on the bike, the old wizard just gave a grin and a wave. Harry shook his head. Definitely a magical village. His gaze was drawn from the old man as he took in the small village. It looked like something from a Victorian postcard, the perfect small English village. Across from the church were a couple of shops, including a bakery that was emitting delightful smells. Further down the street he saw what looked like small cottages with walled English gardens in front. He swung off the bike and removed his helmet as Sirius began pointing out landmarks.
"From this spot you can see most of the village. Not very big, but certainly a pleasant little spot. Definitely not much for nightlife. Darts at the Crossed Wands is about the most you'll find and the average age of the participants is somewhere around their sixth decade. Here to the side of the church is the graveyard. I thought you may want to see it, but the choice is yours."
Harry took a deep breath as he turned and looked past the church to the hallowed ground with centuries of grave markers. Somewhere in there were the last monuments to his parents. He had asked Sirius to come here a couple of times. Was he ready now? He took a deep breath and looked at his godfather, who was waiting expectantly. Now was as good a time as any. The day was beautiful.
"Sure Sirius. This won't be easy, but I think I'm ready. When was the last time you were here?"
"The day after the funeral. Which was the day after my confrontation with Peter. I was on the run and stopped here briefly that night to say a final goodbye. I've thought about coming here since, but I felt it was only right to come with you."
Harry nodded and took the lead, walking down to the iron gate that passed through the stone walls of the cemetery. Once he was inside, Sirius touched his arm and gently guided him off to the left. They wound through numerous stones, but both remained quiet until they came to a newer slab of granite. It was simple, listing just his parents' names and dates, with a bit of scrollwork border around the edge. Sirius stood back as Harry stepped forward and lightly touched the stone. For a couple of minutes, only the wind swaying the trees could be heard. Harry choked back his tears then and knelt down to talk to his parents, now as close as he would ever be.
"Hi dad, hi mum. I finally made it here. I'm fifteen now. I feel there is so much I need to say, but I know you've been watching over me. And of course you helped me in the graveyard last year. Sirius is here too. He wasn't able to be here for a long time, but we got him cleared and he's free now. He's trying to make up for lost time. I miss you. I know that seems strange to say since I really don't have many memories of you, but I wish I did. You should know that I'm married now. Yeah, I know I'm young, but fate and magic didn't care. I'm soul-bound to my Hermione. She's muggleborn like you mum and absolutely brilliant. Next time I come here, I think I'll bring her with me. I know you'd love her. As for Voldemort, we're still working on him, but we've made a lot of progress. I guess you probably know something about me being the one who has to take care of him. Well, I don't like it, but I'm doing it. Once I finish him off I can stop worrying and just enjoy life with Hermione. She is the light that keeps me going. Someday she's going to give you beautiful grandchildren, but we think we can wait a few years. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that you've never been forgotten. Hermione and I will come back soon."
Harry paused and stayed in quiet contemplation for another minute before leaning forward and kissing the first letter in each of his parents' names. Then he stood and turned to Sirius, who stepped forward to look down on the gravestone. Harry gave him a couple of minutes while Sirius quietly spoke to his friends. Then Sirius turned and put an arm around Harry's shoulder as the two of them wandered back out of the graveyard. As they did, Sirius stopped at an older grave marker, where Harry saw his grandparents' names. After a few moments there, Sirius pointed out more generations of Potters, as well as Peverells and even a Longbottom and a Black that had married into the Potter line. Harry was surrounded by family for the first time, even if they were all long gone.
"Tell me Sirius, why is everyone buried here? Why not Druimoor or somewhere close?"
"History is important to us magicals Harry. Druimoor is only three hundred or so years old. Your ancestors have been buried here for seven hundred or more years. There are bones of Potter ancestors in this graveyard whose markers are gone or unreadable. That was one reason why James' parents liked to bring James back here regularly. They loved Druimoor, but they still felt the bonds to this village. I hope you can get to Druimoor maybe this next summer. I know the goblins have kept it maintained, but have them check the wards as well. With no one there, there hasn't been ambient magic to keep them charged. It's a beautiful manor though. I think Hermione will like it."
Harry nodded as they reached the gate and began to walk out into the village. Their next stop was on the corner of a row of homely cottages. The quaint scene was broken by the sight of one burned out cottage missing the corner of the top floor. Harry suddenly had an idea of what this place was. Then he saw the small statue across the street. It depicted a young couple, with the man holding a wand aloft, while the woman cradled a baby in her arm. Harry stepped over to read the simple plaque that was a memorial to his parents and himself. Then he turned back to the house and saw a memorial plaque on the gate as well.
"The town council decided on the memorial Harry. The townspeople and some others from around the area chipped in for the statue. I know you don't like the fame, but what happened here is important history to this village."
Harry nodded. No, he didn't really like it, but he figured if it was what the town wanted, then it was long past when he could complain. It wasn't like he would ever want to rebuild the cottage and use it. He shrugged and turned back to Sirius, who took the hint and led him back into the main part of the village.
A short distance down the one main street, a faded wooden sign bore a picture of two crossed wands with a flagon of ale underneath. It was to the door under this sign that Sirius led Harry. Stepping into the pub, it looked much like most other old wizard pubs, if a bit smaller. Sirius shook his head when he saw the old man behind the counter.
"Gordon! You're still kicking around here?"
The bartender pushed his glasses up his nose and squinted for a moment before a light of recognition hit him.
"Sirius Black! I was wondering when you'd get back around here. And…wait…that has to be. Mr. Potter?"
"Yes, hello, my name's Harry."
"Well of course you are! Spittin' image of your da you are. It's good to have you back in Godric's Hollow. Bit early for dinner, but I can cook you up something if you're feeling peaked."
"Maybe some pints and an order of chips for now. Harry?"
"Sure. Chips sound good."
Gordon nodded and drew the pints, which he brought to the table that Harry and Sirius had claimed. Only one other patron was in the bar, a middle age wizard who said nothing, but raised his pint in a friendly salute as they sat. While Gordon went to cook the chips, Sirius took a long draw on his drink and then looked at Harry.
"So Harry, I promised you one day that I'd tell you about your parents. The good, bad, everything. There's a lot to tell, but I figure now's a good time…"
Harry sipped his drink as he looked to Sirius expectantly and hung on his words as Sirius began to spin tales of a young James Potter, his friends, and future muggleborn paramour. Sirius recounted first meeting the brash young lord to be and freely admitted that the two pureblood sons were cocky and full of themselves. Somehow they befriended the shy halfblood Remus Lupin, who managed to tame them just a bit. Along the way, a sad boy named Peter attached himself to them. He talked not just about school adventures, but summertime as well. Sirius usually went home to his family for a couple of weeks and then fled to the Potters for the rest of the summer. In sixth year, he was living there for the full summer and Lily had finally acquiesced to James' charms. That summer she took it upon herself to educate the Marauders in a different kind of muggle studies as she dragged them onto the London Tube and around town to different sights.
The afternoon waned as Sirius wove tales of lost friends. By the time they finished their second pints the chips were gone and it was dinner time. As the pub began to gradually fill, a string of residents stopped by the table to say hello to the two famous visitors. Gordon's specialty for the night was steak and kidney pie and both men enjoyed large helpings and a few more pints as they let the evening drag on. As Sirius paused in his storytelling to finish his pie, Harry decided to bring up something else that he had almost forgotten.
"Sirius, I appreciate you telling me all this about my parents and such. It's important that I get to know them as best as I can. I was wondering if we could talk about your family for a bit."
Sirius raised an eyebrow and gave Harry a guarded look. Then Harry cast a quiet muffliato around their table and caused his godfather to sober a bit as Harry started talking.
"I wanted to know a bit about what your plans are for the House of Black? We're allied now and I need to know if there is anything that will affect the alliance. Specifically, I'm concerned about your cousins."
"Ah, I see. That's understandable then. I should have thought of that sooner before I got lost in the past. You're right that you need to know. I assume by cousins, you mean my immediate first cousins. Merlin knows how many layers of distant Black cousins there are around Britain. Anyway, that is something I've been working on. Nothing official yet. There are some waiting periods on actions that I can take upon assuming my official head of house status. I took my house ring two days after you got me cleared. The waiting period for house contracts and petitions is one hundred days. That passed not long ago and I've been talking to the goblins since about how to do this properly. I actually met with Andi last week. That would be Andromeda Tonks, your potions teacher. She was quite complimentary of you and the missus by the way. She is happy that I agreed to reinstate her in the family and we have a meeting this next week at Gringotts to formalize it. Her schedule is a bit difficult with school as you probably know. As for Narcissa, I sent her a formal letter advising that I will reinstate her to the family if she agrees to certain conditions and takes an appropriate oath. I know about Lucius' passing, so her marriage contract is fulfilled. As for dear old Bella, I'm finalizing disowning her from the family based on her conviction. That also means I can reclaim the bride price from the Lestranges. That though is a bit sensitive and we have to time the announcement and actions precisely with Gringotts."
Sirius had stated the last in a whisper as he leaned across the table, despite the muffliato Harry had cast. Harry took a moment to absorb everything, although it wasn't really a surprise. He finished his current pint and looked over at Sirius.
"Alright, thanks. You've been busy. Bringing Andi back into the family helps though since the Blacks are allied. That would make her daughter a Black as well, correct?"
"Yes, dear Nymphadora is being brought into the family at least until she marries. She's included in the wording of the reinstatement. I think I see why you are interested. Andi and I plan to finalize the paperwork on Tuesday afternoon."
"Excellent. After that then I guess I can talk to Tonks and give her the full story on everything. Honestly, I trust her, but we need the oath. She knows as much already as anyone not allied to me. She's been a good friend and it will be good to be done with secrets."
Sirius waved for refills and then they toasted loudly to 'NO MORE SECRETS!'. Finally around nine, Harry was feeling tired and Sirius noticed as they said a hearty goodbye to Gordon and left the pub. Harry stumbled a bit as Sirius laughed at him.
"Lightweight! We only had a few pints."
"Seven Sirius. And I haven't had your experience. I'm glad you're driving."
"Not to worry, Brunhilda would get us home on her own. Want to try the portus? I think it's close to working."
Harry shrugged, feeling quite content with whatever Sirius had in mind. They reached the bike and climbed on. As soon as Sirius had them in the air, he activated a switch on the side of the handlebars. Harry was feeling drowsy, but was immediately awakened by the feeling of his entire body being pulled in two directions. Thankfully the feeling only lasted a few seconds before he heard a huge noise and suddenly saw the garden of Grimmauld Place fifteen meters below as the bike tumbled forward and dropped precipitously. A meter off the ground, their movement suddenly stopped before there was a loud cough from the tailpipe and the bike fell the rest of the way, landing on its side. Sirius stood first and pulled Harry up. Neither were hurt, but Harry's stomach was feeling rebellious. Sirius removed his helmet and ran his hand through his hair.
"Um…well…maybe a bit more work like I said."
Harry just nodded and handed his helmet to Sirius. Contemplating how to get back to school, he knew he could have Hermione open the wards, but he was feeling foggy enough that he decided against apparition. Following Sirius in the house, he gave his godfather a hug and then stepped into the floo as he called for the headmaster's office. When he stepped out of the floo, he was met with a surprised Dumbledore, who looked up and took a moment to realize who was coming through the normally limited access floo.
"Ah, good evening Lord Potter. Everything alright? You look a bit worn."
Harry shook his head. He had definitely had enough drunken magical travel for the night.
"Hello headmaster, sorry for intruding. I figured floo was safer. I've been out with Sirius."
"I see, well that explains it then. Have a good night. Careful on the stairs."
Harry waved to the headmaster and made his way carefully back to his apartment. He felt Hermione's mental touch and knew she was aware that he was back in the castle. When he stepped into their apartment, she looked up from the book she was reading and smirked at him.
I take it you and Sirius had a good time?
Yes. Not easy, but it was good. We went to the Hollow, visited my parents and then went to a pub. He told me a lot about them. I'll tell you all the stories later. Oh, and he got his motorcycle fixed up. Or mostly. Still needs some work with the portus charm. Straight flying though, Brunhilda is great.
Brunhilda?
That's her name. The bike that is. I didn't ask. This is Sirius. Anyway, I need a hot shower.
I'll join you…
Hermione set her book aside and Harry took her hand, although she felt a slight bit of hesitancy and looked at him.
Sorry love, it's not you. I'm feeling a bit tender. Not sure how…um…energetic I'll be tonight. I actually was a pint or two behind Sirius and he didn't look half as bad.
He's had a bit more practice. Anyway, no worries, you can make it up to me tomorrow when you're feeling better. Come to think of it, you were out of commission for almost two weeks. We have quite a bit to make up.
Despite his fragile state, Harry roused a bit as he pulled his wife in for a long kiss. Then she gently led him to the shower. Their activities for the night were limited to gently washing each other with a few kisses along the way. After a leisurely round of drying, Hermione tucked her tired husband into bed, where he fell asleep immediately.
The next morning Harry woke with a groan and pulled his pillow over his head, either trying to block out the harsh morning light or smother himself. Either or both sounded fine at that moment. From beneath the pillow he heard the faint sounds of Hermione's laughter and then her voice came through his aching head.
If you want to surface for a minute, I sent Dobby to Madam Pomfrey for a hangover potion.
Harry tossed the pillow aside and gingerly peeked out of squinted lids long enough to see the phial that Hermione was holding. She pressed it to his lips and he tilted his head back, sucking the noxious brew down gratefully. It hit his stomach like lead, but then a coolness began to disperse outward. Within a couple of minutes, he let out a long sigh and opened his eyes more.
"Thank Merlin for potions! Ugh, that felt worse than being hit by a bludger."
"Maybe next time don't try to keep up with Sirius."
Harry nodded in agreement. That wise knowledge was more than obvious now. With another groan of thanks, he rolled off the bed and headed for the loo. When he returned to the living room, he found that Dobby had delivered breakfast and sat down to enjoy the meal and discuss the day with Hermione.
The rest of Sunday was spent predictably in studies with their friends, followed by a mid-afternoon Quidditch practice for the Gryffindor team. It was Harry's first since his injury and it felt good to be on a broom again. Although he wouldn't admit it, Hermione could tell he was aching afterward and treated him to a massage with healing salve.
Monday saw them back into the usual schedule of classes and Harry was feeling well enough that he was once again bristling at the seeming normality of life. That evening was his first back with the allies and defense training. Tonks arrived a bit early and indicated that they needed to talk first as everyone followed her up to the Room of Requirement. As soon as they entered, she had Harry set the room's privacy and then added her own charms on top of it, causing a few to look at her warily.
"Alright Harry, good to have you back with us full on. I have some news before we get started. Amelia wanted me to tell you that Wales might be a good place to go hunting for rare magical creatures. Specifically the south side of Lake Lliwbran. There's a large hunting lodge there that has been way too busy for that remote bit of wilderness. Also, the individuals seen in the vicinity are not exactly nature types. She advised that the place has significant wards matching any of the most heavily fortified Ancient Manors. You have to stay four hundred meters away at a minimum and she says it could still be risky. I hope you don't mind a bit of friendly advice, but you're already out of shape. Give yourself a couple of weeks at least. I may only be guessing at what you've got planned, but I don't think I'm far off."
"Hmm, alright, thanks Tonks. At least we have a goal. And I'm ready to get to work. Also, by the time you're here on Thursday, I believe your mother and Sirius will have completed paperwork with the goblins and we will be able to talk more."
Tonks' eyes widened just a bit and she gave a bare nod.
"Yes, I see. Well Thursday will be interesting then. In the meantime, drop and let's start with two hundred pushups. That means everyone!"
The entire group dropped to start a long and grueling workout. Harry's back started aching halfway through, but he pushed on. By the time Tonks finally declared the evening done, he barely managed to stumble into the shower with Hermione's help. He was definitely out of shape, but at least now he had a goal to work for. That night, in the brief seconds before slumber took him, he had a last vision of a large snake slithering through a forest on the edge of a lake.