FIC: The Creators -- Chapter Five -- PG-13

[batsutousai]

Title: The Creators
Author: batsutousai
Beta: The amazing, the beautiful, tsuki_no_suzu!
Rating: PG-13
Pairings: Susan/Neville, Ron/Krum, Hermione/Bill, Sarah/??, Harry/NO ONE, DAMMIT!
Warnings: Mentions of child-abuse, anti-Muggle sentiments, mentions of murder and rape, anti-Dumbledore
Summary: 'When their Creators return, their world shall be remade.' Four children hold the fate of the Wizarding World in their un-tried hands.

Disclaim Her: So, the only problem with the kids solving these problems so quickly, is that there's nothing else for them to do during the rest of the year.

A/N: There were a number of questions about Tom being unable to kill Harry. YES, Tom can hurt him, even going so far as to bring him near to death, but the ritual Sal did keeps Harry from dying from any wounds dealt to him by an Heir. (So, if Tom were to wound Harry enough that he would die from one more hit, and someone that isn't Tom were to deliver that hit, Harry would die.)
Also, just because he CAN'T die, doesn't mean he wants to get hit with any curses; Harry's not a masochist. And surviving the Killing Curse hurts.


-0-0-
Fallen Star
-0-0-

Nothing exciting really happened for the rest of the year. Ginny had woken later that afternoon, with no memories of anything that had happened and curiously missing her diary. (The diary, when mentioned to her mother in sorrow, was met with confusion, as Mrs Weasley had never bought her daughter a diary, and had no clue what the girl was talking about.)

After being cornered and quizzed by his friends, Harry wondered if there might be another piece of soul in the building and they had Hogwarts do a quick search for it. She was able to sense that there was another one, but she couldn't say exactly where it was. The Founders ended up deciding to take a few days during the winter recess to help power Hogwarts enough to find the exact location and destroy the damn thing. (Ronald, being a minor fire elemental, had far more control over Fiendfyre than Harry could ever hope to have, so the task of destroying the next one when they located it would fall to him.)

After they located the diadem – Hermione was actually quite insulted by the misuse of her prided creation – Ronald destroyed it and they continued to enjoy their Yule. Christmas, when it came, found Harry, Hermione and Susan under the care of four Weasley males, all of whom decided to make their holiday the best ever. Although Ginny was still dreadfully shy around Harry, she managed to enjoy the day as much as the three non-Weasleys did.

For a week during the traditional time of Carnevale, the Founders all wore their masks. Most of the teachers were delighted – except Snape, who gleefully enjoyed taking points from Harry every time he saw the boy, and he made a point to do so regularly – and made pleasant comments about the children finding new holidays to enjoy. The four friends ended up taking a vote and it was decided they wouldn't tell their professors that Carnevale used to be a tradition, if only because there was no way they could explain their knowledge of the tradition.

Mid-May, Hermione finally got fed up with Lockhart – their continued pranks and sabotages didn't seem to be having much affect in the long run, though they would throw him off briefly at times – and told Harry he could 'lose' him to his heart's content. After getting agreements from Ronald and Susan, Harry kidnapped their professor and dropped him in the Forbidden Forest near where a colony of Acromantula were said to live.

When Lockhart didn't show up after a week, Dumbledore cancelled Defence classes and Hermione finally admitted that she should have let Harry do that at the beginning of the term, to "save more of our sanity". (Harry had only gloated for a day.)

When they went home for summer, it was in high spirits. Hermione's parents had already decided they would be visiting France that summer, and Sirius had decreed that he and Harry would be off to see America. Ronald had complained a bit about how his family never travelled anywhere while Susan sat there and laughed at them all. Eventually, Harry commented that Sirius probably wouldn't mind if Ronald came along too, and the red-head quickly shut up. (Sirius wouldn't mind, but he might also prank the living daylights out of his travelling companions. Anyway, Ronald's family would be sad.)

As it was, Ronald and his family ended up going to Egypt, and when they all came back, there was a large party where they all traded gifts and joked about their various adventures – Ronald and Harry's stories were far better than Hermione's, as they'd both travelled with people inclined to prank, rather than their muggle parents who had been to the locale before.

Their visit to the Alleys that year hadn't been anywhere near as entertaining as the previous, but they were surprised when they ran into an old friend of Sirius' during lunch:

"Moony?" Sirius asked as they were all setting their things down to eat at a long table.

A shaggy man at the bar turned and looked at the party. He glanced over the pile of Weasleys, the three Bones and Hermione's family. When he saw Sirius, he practically froze. When his eyes finally travelled over to Harry, who had been eyeing his one-time surrogate uncle curiously, he whispered, "Harry?"

Harry smiled. "Hello, Uncle Remus."

Sirius snorted next to him, completely destroying the moment. "I haven't heard that since..."

"Since Lily and James were alive," Remus finished, looking as saddened as Sirius sounded.

Harry blinked and cocked his head to one side. "Why don't you join us, Uncle Remus?"

Remus looked back at his pile of books and papers in front of him. "Well, ah..."

Harry was up and helping the man move before he could formulate a proper excuse. While the rest of the table placed their orders, Harry watched Sirius try to talk Remus into getting something to eat. When the waitress finally got to them, Harry ordered three specials, then smiled innocently at Remus.

Remus shook his head after a moment under that smile. "I do believe you've been spending too much time with Sirius, cub."

Harry outright grinned at the endearment, which he understood the meaning behind, though he shouldn't have, as he'd been far too young when he'd last heard of Remus being a werewolf.

"That, or with these friends of his," Sirius commented, then gleefully introduced the shaggy man to the entire table. Remus seemed quite surprised to find so many smiling faces aimed at him, and Harry felt his heart break. When Remus determinately returned to his papers, Harry set a gentle hand on his and smiled sadly. The return smile, as painful as it was, meant everything to Harry.

Lunch passed quickly, and Sirius paid Remus' bill before the man could say a thing, then invited him over to the cottage.

"Uhm, well, I've got so much work to do, and–"

"Please, Uncle Remus?" Harry said, giving the man a hopeful look.

Down the table, Ronald snorted and was promptly elbowed by Hermione, who hissed in his ear, "Leave him alone. He's got as much right to a family as the rest of us do, you prat."

Harry did finally manage to get the man to agree to come over for a bit, and promptly spent the visit peppering Remus with questions about his life up to that point, carefully avoiding anything that might pertain to Remus' condition, which was always a sticky subject in the wizarding world.

When Remus finally let them know he'd be teaching at Hogwarts the coming term, Harry happily hugged him and they both watched with horrified amusement as Sirius danced his glee.

Once Sirius had calmed down, he demanded they take Remus out to get a new wardrobe. When Remus started to complain, Sirius snapped, "You're going to give Snivellus the chance to mock you for a whole year because you can't buy new robes?"

"And my Housemates always wonder why I lose so many points," Harry muttered to himself, rolling his eyes at his godfather.

Remus turned and gave Harry an odd look. "What did you mean by that?"

"Huh?" Sirius asked.

Harry shrugged. "Eh, Snape hates me. He likes to take points for little to no good reason. He particularly enjoyed it this year, since I was in Gryffindor."

Remus blinked, shook his head, then blinked again. "Uhm, and you weren't the year before?"

Harry grinned. "Nope. Hufflepuff," he said, sounding proud. He'd enjoyed his time in Hufflepuff the most so far. Gryffindor had been interesting, and sharing a dorm with the twins had been nothing short of exhilarating, but the House as a whole expected too much out of him. Harry was glad he wouldn't be a Gryffindor again, personally. (Especially with that little camera-boy running around. Harry had destroyed four cameras before the boy had stopped trying to take his picture.)

Remus turned to Sirius askance. "He and his friends are playing merry-go-Houses," Sirius explained in amusement. "This will be their third year switching houses. I mean, I know Harry's in the House he belongs in right now," Harry flinched faintly, "but the Hat and the kids seem to think they should try out every House."

"It's interesting," Harry said with a slightly forced smile. "We like seeing what the other Houses are like, and the Hat thought it was a great idea."

"Huh. Well, it's certainly a different experience than anyone else will have," Remus commented. "And at least now I know beforehand."

Harry grinned. "Yeah. No one told Lockhart."

"I wonder whatever happened to that man," Sirius mused. Before Harry could do more than cover a smirk, the elder animagus grabbed Remus' arm and dragged him towards the Floo. "Come on, Moony! We can't have you looking like that at Hogwarts!"

"Help, Harry," Remus called, looking back at Harry beseechingly.

Harry, having already been dragged out clothes shopping with Sirius, merely smiled and said, "Good luck."

Laughing manically, Sirius put an unresisting Remus into the Floo and sent him to Diagon Alley ahead, then quickly followed before the other man could run for it.

-0-0-0-

Remus ended up riding the train with the students. When Harry stepped into the compartment he and his friends usually shared, he found the man sleeping restlessly. After checking to make sure Sirius was still out on the platform, talking to his cousin Narcissa, Harry silently cast a few spells that had been common in his original time to soothe the aches a transformation caused. The full moon had been the night before, and likely Remus was still feeling the effects. If Harry could help, even the slightest bit, he would without pause.

After quickly conjuring a blanket for Remus, Harry hurried back out to where Lucius Malfoy was approaching the squabbling relatives. Harry got there first and dragged his godfather away to where the Bones were just arriving, narrowly avoiding a potentially dangerous fight.

Susan let Harry help with her trunk while their guardians chatted on the platform. On the way, Harry told the girl about their sleeping companion, "Uncle Remus is going to be teaching us Defence, like I said over the Floo yesterday, and for some reason he's riding the train with us. I think it's okay to be in the compartment with him, but we'll have to keep it down."

Susan nodded. "You know why he's on the train," she said. It hadn't been a question.

Harry winced and glanced around the corridor. "It's not knowledge I should have," he said.

Susan nodded in understanding. Children did not remember things from when they were one year olds; not clearly. Because the Founders had been born fully aware, they remembered things perfectly from that time. "Will you tell us?"

Harry nodded. "Later. You three won't care, but others might."

Susan nodded in understanding. They quietly put up her trunk and she left her bag, then they went back out to await the rest of their friends.

Once everyone had arrived, the warning had been told to the other two and the good-byes were said, the four friends, slipped into their compartment and warded the door. Once they felt safer talking, Susan cast a quick spell to keep Remus from hearing their discussion and they all turned to Harry.

"Uncle Remus is a werewolf," Harry said without preamble.

"Oooh... Parents won't like that," Hermione muttered, glancing over at their compartment companion sympathetically.

"Then we'd best hope they don't find out," Ronald muttered, eyes dark. "Honestly, the magical world's prejudice has gotten to be ridiculous over the years."

"And they don't have the old spells anymore," Harry said sadly. "The ones to soothe the transformation. Those have been completely lost to time. So now they suffer the madness of the night and the pains of the day."

"That's horrible," Susan whispered, swallowing with difficulty. "How can they live like that?"

"I wonder that myself," Harry murmured, watching Remus' sleeping form. "Uncle Remus was always the kindest. Mum liked him best, because he wouldn't talk pranks and quidditch like Dad and Sirius, and he wasn't prone to dropping me like the rat was."

"Oh, Sal..." Hermione leaned forward and hugged Harry tightly. Harry squeezed his eyes shut and tried to stop remembering that family, that perfect, happy family. The family a reborn Salazar Slytherin had barely grasped before it, too, was torn from him.

After a while, they took the spell from Remus and all four settled in to do some reading. Ronald had silently complained about having to sit quietly and read just for the sake of complaining and had been promptly kicked by Hermione.

"Didn't your time with the Slytherins teach you any subtly?" Harry whispered

Ronald grinned. "No, but it taught me sneakiness."

Harry rolled his eyes and turned back to his book on Runes, which he'd signed up for with Arithmancy. Hermione and Susan would be taking the same two classes, but they'd also added Muggle Studies to the mix, which had made Harry roll his eyes in disgust. Ronald had picked Muggle Studies and Care of Magical Creatures, having heard the latter was one of the easier classes and having been bullied into taking the former by his other two friends.

Around the time that the sweets lady came around, Remus finally woke up, feeling much better than he ever had after the full moon. When Harry saw he was awake, his eyes lit up and he held out a chocolate frog to him, which Remus took with a smile. "Thank you, Harry. Which of you made this fine blanket, then?"

Three fingers pointed to Harry, whose cheeks reddened slightly. "I thought you might be cold," he said by way of explanation.

Remus nodded. "I think I was. This is a nice bit of conjuring."

"You can tell it was conjured and not transfigured?" Hermione asked, sitting forward with bright eyes.

"Down, girl," Ronald said with a laugh.

Hermione smacked his arm. "I'm not a dog, you overgrown house cat!"

"Children," Susan said in a mock serious voice.

Harry rolled his eyes at the group and turned back to Remus, who was watching them fondly. "How are you feeling?" the boy asked him.

Remus shrugged. "Really very good, actually," he said, unable to hide his awe at that notion.

Harry smirked. "Teaches you to fall asleep in train compartments without a blanket when the heat's not running."

Remus chuckled at that and fondly ruffled Harry's hair. "I suppose it does." When he realized Ronald and Hermione were still arguing a bit while Susan watched on in amusement, he asked, "Are they always like this?"

Harry shook his head. "Nah, usually it's me and 'Mione that pick fights. Ron and Sue just sit back and let us at it until we reach for our wands, then they take them away."

Remus looked a little surprised. "You're only third years, how much harm can you do?"

Harry grimaced. " 'Mione likes to read ahead in everything. I like knowing Defence spells. If we got into a magical fight, it could get ugly."

"Anyway," Susan added softly, "you'd be surprised with how much damage a third year can do."

"Ah, fair point," Remus agreed, grimacing a bit in memory.

"Are you two done yet?" Harry asked of his other two friends tiredly.

Bright smiles met his question and the two chirped, "Yup!"

Harry and Susan rolled their eyes while Remus chuckled.

After a few more jokes and general fun, Remus turned to Harry and said, "If you don't mind, cub, I was wondering about something from last week?"

"Sirius' sense in fashion?" Ronald asked with a straight face. Harry elbowed him in retaliation.

"Sure, what is it?" Harry asked, tilting his head to the side curiously.

"When Sirius was saying how sure he was you'd end up in Gryffindor, you flinched," Remus said.

"Oh, bugger, he's not still convinced you're a Gryffindor, is he?" Ronald asked helplessly. "You'd think, after two years, he would have cottoned on a bit..."

"Ah, Ron, our resident suffering from foot-in-mouth disease," Hermione said sarcastically.

Harry rolled his eyes at the two, then looked back at Remus uncomfortably. "Because I know he's wrong, and it'll break his heart to know what my House actually is," he said, swallowing with difficulty.

"A part of Harry hopes Sirius will figure it out on his own, I think," Susan commented softly. "He might handle it better that way."

"At least this way I get a whole other year, though, right?" Harry asked with forced cheer.

"Oh, cub..." Remus whispered and drew Harry into an awkward hug.

Harry closed his eyes and shifted so the hug wasn't quite so weird. "He's going to hate me, Uncle Remus," Harry whispered, finally voicing his fears for the first time since Sirius had started his crusade for Harry to be a Gryffindor. "He's going to hate me so much..."

"Cub, he's not going to hate you," Remus said.

Harry tugged away, wiping angrily at dry eyes. "He will. He hates Slytherins more than Mrs Weasley does, and she about flipped her lid when Ron got Sorted there last year."

"Yeah, but she got over it, Harry," Ronald said, gripping Harry's shoulder tightly.

"Anyway," Hermione said with a sniff, "if Sirius decides to be a prick about it, we'll just remove the one he was born with."

The other three students stopped to stare at Hermione in shock while Remus just shook his head in amusement.

"You did not just say that," Susan said, caught somewhere between being horrified and amused.

Harry suddenly started laughing and slipped across the compartment to hug Hermione, who grinned. "Hermione Granger, don't you ever change," he said.

Ronald and Susan started laughing shortly after that.

-0-0-0-

The Sorting went just as it had the year before. Susan went to Slytherin, where she traded wary looks with Draco before sitting across from him coolly. Hermione made her way to Gryffindor table, where she sat with a smiling Ginny. Harry went to the Ravenclaw table without touching the Hat and sat across from the students in his year with a knowing grin. Ronald made his way to the Hufflepuff table, where he was welcomed with open arms by the entire House.

After the first years were Sorted, McGonagall handed the Hat over to Ronald, who grinned knowingly and put it on his head to chat with it quietly. When the food appeared, everyone dug in and talked quietly to their neighbours about their summer and, at the Ravenclaw table, their scores the year previous.

"So, who beat who out last year?" Padma Patil asked Harry. Her sister was in Gryffindor and, although Harry had never really gotten to know Parvati, he'd met Padma a few times because of the relation.

"Grade-wise, you mean?" Harry asked. It was common knowledge in their year that the four students who kept switching Houses were in a league all of their own when it came to lessons.

Padma nodded, and Harry could see other Ravenclaws straining to hear.

Harry grinned. "Well, let's see. 'Mione beat everyone out in Potions, Transfiguration and Defence. Ron managed to trump Astronomy, while Sue got Charms. The Gryffindor boy, Neville Longbottom kicked everyone out in Herbology, and I took History."

The Ravenclaws all sort of laughed helplessly.

"So, what do we need to watch out for this year?" Lisa Turpin asked with a knowing look.

"Sue, 'Mione and me are taking Arithmancy and Ancient Runes. 'Mione, Sue and Ron are all taking Muggle Studies, and Ron's taking Care of Magical Creatures."

"It's nice to know there's one class you four can't pull top in," Michael Corner commented drily.

Harry snorted. "Yeah, you lot can have Divination. Well, and Herbology, if Neville's going to murder us like he did last time."

"You think he will?" Padma asked.

Harry nodded. "Yeah. I've roomed with him, he's a plant nutter. Brilliant, but completely bonkers."

The Ravenclaws all laughed again.

-0-0-0-

It was official, Harry loved Remus. When the man had told them all what they'd be doing in class that day – facing down a boggart – Harry had quietly asked if he could not have to face it. Remus had given him an odd look, but agreed, saying he wasn't sure he wanted Harry to face it anyway, as he was afraid it would turn in to Voldemort. Harry had just grinned sheepishly.

Honestly, Harry wasn't sure what his boggart would be, but he was almost certain it wasn't something for the eyes of children – his boggart in the early stages of the building of Hogwarts had been Sarah's body – and Ronald seemed to have agreed with him, since he stood in the back of the classroom with Harry. When one of the Ravenclaws, Terry Boot, tried to get them to come up and see, Harry shook his head and said, "Professor Lupin already told me to sit this one out, and Ron's providing moral support."

Terry had sneered at the comment on a Hufflepuff's devotion and left them be.

After the lesson, when Harry and Ronald walked back to the classroom with Remus, the werewolf asked Harry, "What do you think you're afraid of, if not Voldemort?"

Harry blinked in surprise. "Who said it wouldn't be him?"

Remus smiled knowingly. "Harry."

Harry shrugged. "If it's all the same, Uncle, I'd rather not say."

Remus nodded. "Very well. We all have our secrets, I guess."

Harry grimaced. "Yeah."

"Do you have a class after this?"

"Ron does," Harry said, then grinned madly when Ronald looked at his watch in horror and took off down the hallway.

Remus chuckled. "Well, would you like to see a first year class that's taught properly?"

"Aren't you full of yourself!" Harry laughed, earning him a wink from Remus. "No, I'd love to, but I promised Sue I'd help her with something when my class was out. Walking with you is on the way, so..."

"Oh, well. I suppose I'll just have to ask sooner the next time I want an assistant."

Harry snorted at that and shook his head. "Yeah, sorry, Uncle Remus. You know, I've got a life outside of you and all that."

"Yes, yes." They slowed down as they hit the pile-up that was forming outside Remus' closed classroom door. "Sorry, sorry!" the professor called, then spelled the door open. He glanced back at Harry and ruffled the boy's hair. "Go on, then."

"Cheers!" Harry said and slipped around the first years.

Just as Harry was almost clear of the group, a girl's voice said, "Salazar?"

Harry turned on reflex and felt his heart stop at the sight of the small girl who was standing there with hope in her familiar aqua eyes.

"Sarah?!"

-0-0-0-0-0-

A/N: Finally!! I've been waiting for this moment for, like, three chapters now! And I'm actually rather happy with how it turned out, though I almost wish I didn't have to sacrifice chapter length for that particular moment.
Ah well. Can't be helped. XD

I hadn't intended for Harry to be so... child-like in this chapter. Alas, as soon as he had a bit of a family again, he sort of... did his own thing. (And I sort of let him have at because, as Shara likes to point out, I'm character-driven, and if my characters don't have something to do that they want to do, I won't get very far. -sweat- )

Oh! And now I can tell you that Harry won't be paired with anyone, but Sarah will. (As soon as I figure out who... Luna? Mmmm... Femslash... -drool- )
Also, wow, guys. You know, there IS a valid reason why Harry doesn't want to get into another relationship.

~Bats ^.^x

Chapters:
Pro - Prophecy's Children / 1 - Home ||| 2 - Socially Acceptable ||| 3 - Touch the Sunrise
4 - Tomorrow Will Come ||| 5 - Fallen Star ||| 6 - A Dream Will Come True When It Will
7 - The Deepest River ||| 8 - Question of Honour ||| 9 - Hanging By a Thread
10 - Never As it Seems ||| 11 - Long Road
Incomplete

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