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Harry Potter And The Twists Of Fate | ||||||
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Category: Alternate Universe Characters:All, All Genres: Action/Adventure, Drama, Fluff, Humor Warnings: Extreme Language, Sexual Situations, Violence Story is Complete Rating: PG-13 Reviews: 475 Summary: What if the fates let Harry's parents live that night he got his scar, plus gave him a younger sister and become friends with the Weasleys, especially Ron earlier. What would be different? Hitcount: Story Total: 324098; Chapter Total: 9017 |
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Chapter 25: A couple of Sirius visits After Halloween, November seemed to fly by quickly as it got colder and colder. The third weekend of November was another Hogsmeade weekend and this time, Harry went with Ron, Hermione and Neville. Rose and Ginny pouted all through breakfast, complaining about the unfairness of it, well, mostly it was Rose. Ginny barely spoke but Harry could sense the feelings of sadness and disappointment coming from her. He tried to dampen his own feelings of excitement and anticipation so as she wouldn’t feel more down. The three took Harry all around the village. Harry found it all interesting and stared at all the different buildings and businesses. He decided to buy a lot of chocolate and candy at Honeyduke’s for his sister and her cute best friend. Hey, where did that thought come from? Harry thought he heard some giggling in the back of his mind, along with a little heat. Harry gawked at all the different joke items in Zonko’s and bought quite a few, thinking of sharing it with Rose and Ginny as well. Then, the Gryffindor foursome headed into the Three Broomsticks and Harry had his first butterbeer, which he loved the second it touched his lips, The four Gryffindors had lunch there and continued their wandering around the village. They soon ended up outside the Shrieking Shack and while the others talked about its reputation as the most haunted place in Britain, Harry looked at it with mixed feelings. He and Rose knew its true purpose as a safe place for their Uncle Remus to transform to a werewolf during his Hogwarts days and even now. Remus had secretly told him and Rose at the beginning of the month that he was again using the Shack to stay in during the full moon. In fact, the four Gryffindors had overheard some of the patrons at the Three Broomsticks discussing the renewal of the strange sounds from the place after a lull of over a dozen years. Thankfully, it was a few more days to the full moon. Harry was thankful when Ron suggested that they head back to the castle. He and Rose found Remus’ condition painful and didn’t like any reminder that he was a werewolf. He remembered the DADA class after Halloween. It was right after a full moon and Remus was too tired to teach. Unfortunately, Dumbledore chose Snape to substitute for Remus. The greasy haired professor had made them study werewolves during that lesson, in spite of being informed by Hermione that they wouldn’t touch the subject until the next term. Snape had even assigned them two rolls of parchment on werewolves as homework. Fortunately, Remus showed up for the next lesson and told them that they didn’t have to do that assignment. When the four Gryffindor third years got to the Entrance Hall, they were surprised to see Sirius there talking to Ti, Rose and Ginny. Harry hurried over to them, ignoring the scowl that was on Ron’s face. “Sirius!” he called, “What are you doing here?” Sirius grinned as Harry stopped in front of him, “Surprised? I asked Dumbledore to visit and told him not to tell any of you. I wanted to see you all. After all, I have a new nephew to get to know better and I can’t miss a chance to visit with my godson and his sister, not to mention my other favorite redheads, Neville and Hermione, too.” He greeted the others and suggested that they all move to the lake shore. Ron excused himself, bringing a frown to the others’ faces and a sad look on Ti’s. Hermione looked furious but stayed with them. “Sorry I missed the game, Harry,” Sirius said, as they walked down the path to Black Lake, “I was on duty that day, couldn’t get anyone to trade shifts with me.” Harry smiled, “That’s okay, Sirius, there’ll be other games.” When they arrived at the lake, Sirius asked them about their martial arts training. Ti listened with interest. Harry decided to include the first year in their workouts no matter what Ron said. Sirius and the others agreed when Harry told them, even more when Ti’s face lit up with the prospect of joining them. Sirius stayed for dinner, learning more about Ti and his home life. He wasn’t pleased to learn that Draco often picked on him even when Lucius was present. He was quite surprised to learn that Narcissa was more lenient with Ti though she dared not disobey Lucius. Harry was pleased when Ti and Sirius again embraced before the latter left. With this development, Harry was starting to think of Ti as a younger brother, as he had occasionally been envious of the larger Weasley family, not that he didn’t love his own, but the thought of having many siblings to care for had always been a dream of his. Now, with Ti and the new baby coming, it seemed to Harry like that dream was coming true. The next day, Ti joined the six other Gryffindors in the secluded area of the lake shore where they usually did their workout. Ron didn’t look happy but stayed and kept his mouth shut. Harry felt a twinge of satisfaction that wasn’t his own. He turned to look at Ginny and noted the smirk on her face. Harry guessed she had had a “talk” with her brother about Ti. Harry grinned and decided he really liked this girl, even if she was his best friend’s sister and his sister’s best friend.. At that thought, he noted a blush creep up Ginny’s face. He found that interesting. Harry and Rose helped Ti learn the basic martial arts moves and soon had him doing exercises with them. By the time the first snows came, in the first week of December, he was joining their sparring sessions. Harry made sure not to pair him with Ron, as he knew he and Hermione still rowed over Ti’s acceptance into their group. As of now, they hadn’t let him into the New Marauders yet, even when the twins had voiced their support of that idea. The New Marauders had played a few more pranks on the school populace during the week, including themselves in several to deflect suspicion away from them. They sent fake letters through the school owls at random people which blew up and sprayed red ink over the person that spread further if someone cast a cleaning charm on the affected person. Harry, Rose and Neville allowed themselves to be included in that prank, much to the amusement of their co-pranksters. Another prank involved spiking the pumpkin juice with a mild truth potion, brewed by Harry and Neville using a recipe Harry had found in a book at Potter Manor. The potion prevented anyone affected from lying for 24 hours. Needless to say, it caused some interesting situations, like when a seventh year Slytherin boy was caught by his Slytherin girlfriend snogging another girl and admitted he liked the other girl (a Hufflepuff) better and when one of Gryffindor fourth year girls got a new though hideous set of clothes and asked her roommates for their opinion. The success of Ti’s lessons in martial arts became evident on the first Sunday night of December. Harry and his friends were all seated around one table in the nearly deserted Common room an hour before curfew, doing their homework when the Portrait Hole opened. Harry was bent over writing an essay for Charms when he heard a gasp come from Rose and Ginny, who across from him, facing the Portrait Hole. At the same time, he felt a wave of alarm and panic pass through him, coming from Ginny. He turned around and was surprised to see Ti and Neville standing there in torn and bloodied robes and wide grins on their faces. “Ti, Neville, what the bloody hell happened to you?” Harry asked. Luckily for him, Hermione was too far to smack him for his language though she did humph at him. Ti grinned and said, “Draco and his goons cornered us coming back from the library.” “If that’s how you two react to being cornered by Draco,” Rose said, “I’d hate to see what gets you down. Come on over to the fireplace.” She grabbed their arms and pulled them to sit down in one of the couches in front of the fireplace, sitting herself beside Ti. Harry sat on Neville’s other side while Ginny, Hermione and Ron sat in the other couches. “So, tell us what happened?” Rose asked. “Well,” Ti said, “Neville was helping me with my Herbology essay and we were the last ones to leave the library. On the fourth floor, Draco and Crabbe step out in front of us from inside a classroom then Goyle and Nott moved behind us. They surrounded us and backed us into the wall. Good old Draco started saying he wanted to teach a lesson to two blood traitors. He taunted me for staying in Gryffindor even when Father wanted me to be resorted. Then, he tried to punch me like he used to do.” Ti turned to Harry, a grin on his face, “I ducked like you taught me then grabbed his extended arm and threw him into the wall.” “Yeah,” Neville said, “It was a great move. The others were shocked and we kicked their butts. They barely laid a hand on us. The blood on us is from them.” “Yeah, guys,” Ti said, “Those marital arts you taught us really saved us.” “It’s MARTIAL arts, Ti,” Rose said, smirking, “We’re glad they helped you two.” They all laughed as Ti launched into an actual demonstration of the fight, with some comments from Neville. While they were recovering their breaths from laughing so hard, Ron looked at Harry then turned to Ti. “Uh, Ti,” Ron said, uncertainly, “I, um, think that it was brilliant how you taught Draco and his gang a lesson.” “Gee, thanks, uh, Ron,” Ti said shyly. Then Ron turned to look at Hermione who looked sternly at him and motioned toward Ti with her head. None of the others missed this exchange. Ron sighed and turned back to Ti. “Look, Ti,” Ron said, “I want to say I’m sorry for the way I’ve treated you since you got here. I just couldn’t help but compare you to your brother. Then I was shocked at how easily Harry and the others accepted you. Hermione’s been talking to me about my attitude.” “Just talking, Ron?” Ginny asked, with a little irritation in her voice, “That seemed more than just talking about it.” “Yeah, if that was ‘just talking’,” Rose added, “I’d hate to see what an real row between the two of you is like.” Ron turned a bit red but didn’t answer the two female redheads. “Anyway, Ti,” Ron said, “I’m sorry for treating you badly. I hope we can be friends.” He stuck out his hand. Ti looked at his hand nervously for a couple of seconds, then extended his own hand slowly to shake Ron’s hand. “Sure, Ron, I’d like that,” Ti said, giving a shy smile to the taller boy. “Great!” Rose said, “Now, he can be part of the New Marauders.” “Yeah, yeah,” Ron said, “We can take him in.” “New marauders?” Ti asked, “That group that’s been playing pranks? Wait, don’t tell me. Some of you are in this group, right? Oh, I heard about them from Draco, from the bad side, of course. How I’d love to prank his sorry behind.” Harry smiled, “Actually, Ti, all of us here are part of the New Marauders. Just add Fred and George Weasley and you have the whole bunch.” Ti’s eyes widened, “Really? Wow, that’s great.” He looked at Harry, “I’d love to join you. But, first, I’d like to know why that name.” Harry grinned. He cast a few privacy and silence charms around them and proceeded to tell Ti about the old Marauders. At the end of Harry’s tale, Ti was smiling broadly at the prospect of being a Marauder like his Uncle Sirius. They went to bed after that, promising to Ti to meet together to plan a prank for the last weekend of the term. The following weekend was another Hogsmeade weekend, the last before Christmas and Sirius had come after lunch again to visit Ti. They played in the snow with Rose and Ginny. Harry, Ron and Hermione joined them after spending the day in Hogsmeade. They told Sirius about having Ti join the New Marauders. Sirius was ecstatic to finally have someone related to him as part of the new band of Hogwarts pranksters. As the group walked up the front stairs with Sirius, heading for the Great Hall for dinner, someone called out, “Tiberius!” Ti turned around and gasped, his face turning almost as pale as his hair, “Father?” Sirius and the others turned around to find Lucius Malfoy coming up the steps towards them. He wasn’t alone. With him were Fudge, looking a bit nervous and two aurors. The older Gryffindors looked at each other, worry evident on their faces. Why was Lucius back at Hogwarts? “Why the hell are you here, Malfoy?” Sirius said, evidently ignoring the Minister and his fellow aurors. Lucius looked with distaste at Harry and his friends and at Sirius with loathing. “We are here to see the Headmaster, Black. You don’t need to know the reason.” “If it has something to do with Ti,” Sirius said, “then I’m making it my business.” “You have no rights in that, Black,” Lucius said, “I am his father and it is my right to do what I must to make sure he follows the family tradition.” “I know all about your family tradition, Malfoy,” Sirius said, angrily, “It’s the same stinking tradition as my family, the so-called Noble House of Black.” Lucius sneered, “Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Your family used to be highly regarded and respected among all purebloods. You’ve ruined it, Black. You’re a blood traitor just like Potter’s father.” Harry and Rose gasped. Harry started to reach for his wand. Sirius was turning red and glaring at Lucius. Just then, they heard a voice say, “Ah, Minister, Lucius, you are here.” They all turned around to see Dumbledore standing there at the top of the stairs. Sirius walked up to Dumbledore. “Albus, is he here to force a resorting like he tried to do back in September?” he asked in with a hard tone. “I’m afraid so, Sirius,” Dumbledore said. Ti had turned even paler when he heard Sirius’ question. Harry and the others looked uncertainly at each other, unable to think of what to say to comfort their friend. Lucius simply looked smug and had an arrogant smile on his face. Dumbledore turned to Fudge, “Minister, Lucius, I think we should discuss this in my office. Harry, I think you and your friends should accompany Ti back to Gryffindor Tower in the meantime.” “I’m coming with you to your office, Albus,” Sirius said, “Someone has to represent Ti’s better interests.” Lucius opened his mouth to protest but Dumbledore said, “Of course, Sirius.” He turned to Fudge, “Minister, shall we?” Fudge looked at Lucius then turned to Dumbledore and nodded. The adults entered the Entrance Hall and headed for Dumbledore’s office. As the adults left, Harry turned to Ti who looked again like that scared boy at the beginning of term. “Um, Ti,” he said, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder, “come on, it’ll be all right. Let’s go to Gryffindor Tower like the Headmaster said.” Ti reluctantly allowed Harry to steer him up the stairs back to Gryffindor Tower. When they reached the Common room, Ti broke into a run and headed up the stairs to his dorm. Harry and the others exchanged looks of concern and worry. No one could think of anything to say. They sat down in silence at their usual seats in front of the fireplace. Harry felt a rage similar to his own coming from Ginny. He wondered if she could feel his feelings, too. After about half an hour, a knock was heard from the portrait hole. Harry opened it and found Sirius standing there, a scowl on his face. He let him into the Tower and the others crowded around the black-haired man. “What happened, Sirius?” Harry asked his godfather. “Lucius Malfoy happened, Harry,” Sirius spat out, “That bloody bastard got Fudge to issue a special education decree in favor of him ordering Dumbledore to have a resorting of Ti.” He looked around the common room, “Where is he, anyway?” Harry sighed, “He went up to his room, ran up to it actually. I don’t blame him.” “Can’t Professor Dumbledore fight the decree?” Rose asked. “I don’t know, Rose,” Sirius said, “Albus had an option to present the case against it in front of the Wizengamoot but that will take a while. I’m not sure what will happen to Ti in that event. He decided to allow the resorting” He turned towards the stairs. “We better get Ti down here. Albus did insist that the resorting take place in front of the school so its results would be uncontested. We need to get him to the Great Hall.” Rose and Ginny looked at each other. “We’ll get him,” Rose said. Ron sputtered, “You can’t go into a boy’s dorm.” “Oh, you’re wrong, dear brother,” Ginny said, “You boys cannot go up the stairs to our dorms but we girls can go to yours anytime.” The two redhead girls strode up the stairs to the boys’ dormitories without any problem. Ron looked shocked and didn’t speak. After a couple of minutes, Rose and Ginny came back down arm in arm with a visibly distressed Ti. His face looked like he had been crying. Harry felt bad for him and hoped Dumbledore knew what he was doing. If Ti got sorted into Slytherin, it could crush him. The group slowly made their way to the Great Hall. When they entered, they saw that the entire student body was there, along with most of the faculty. McGonagall stood beside the sorting stool with the Hat in her hand and a stern frown on her face. Lucius Malfoy and Fudge were seated at the faculty table. McGonagall strode up to the group and said, “Please take your usual seats for now. The headmaster will explain the situation to the students and then will call Ti.” Harry looked at Dumbledore and noted him smiling slightly with a twinkle in his eye. He turned to Ti, “Don’t worry, Ti. It’ll be all right. Trust Dumbledore, He knows what he’s doing.” Harry didn’t let his friend hear the ‘I hope’ that he came into his thoughts at that last statement. I hope so, too he plainly heard inside his head in a female voice. Eyes widening, he turned towards Ginny and saw she had a slight smirk on her face. The six Gryffindors sat at their table. Harry looked over at the Slytherin table and saw Draco with an evil smile on his face, causing Harry to clench his fists in anger. Ti simply looked down at his feet. Then Dumbledore stood up. “My dear students, I know you are all curious as to why we have delayed our dinner tonight and why the esteemed gentlemen to my left are here. Well, to dispel the rumors, I will tell you. Tonight, you will witness something that is seldom done, a resorting.” Dumbledore paused as the students reacted to the news. When they settled down after a few seconds, he continued. “Such a thing is not done lightly as it can cast doubt on how we assign students to their houses. However, the Ministry has decided to intervene in the case of this student as requested by his father.” The whole Hall broke into a flurry of whispers as the students speculated on the identity of the unlucky student. Harry and his friends didn’t take part as they already knew who it was. Then, Dumbledore’s voice sounded over the noise, “Mr. Tiberius Malfoy, please come up here.” The whispering became louder as the students watched Ti slowly get up and walk toward the stool, his feet shuffling along the ground. He sat on the stool and McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on his head. The whole school held its collective breath as they waited for the Hat to speak. |
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