First Place - Angst

Harry didn't know what to expect, and was too worn to speculate. Guided apparation was strange, as he only had his father's magical signature to lead him to their destination. It was cooler than London where they appeared and the land was open and mountainous, the ground soft and springy. There was a tingle of magic in the air that Harry had learned to associate with wards.

A stone cottage with a thatched roof, much larger than the one Hagrid lived in, sat on the land before them with no other building in sight. There was no road, nor even a path, just springy turf and a small flower garden on either side of the front door.

"Where are we?" Harry asked quietly, still clutching the envelope.

His father smiled, the smile he had come to associate with memories of his other father, "This is one of your many properties. It is where I would meet James before his parents died and the house where Lily performed our bonding ceremony. James called it Highlands Cottage, not very creative but accurate."

Harry felt his eyes widen. Harry had never really felt like he had a home. He knew that the house he had lived in with his parents was destroyed the night Voldemort found them, but he guessed that this cottage would be a close second.

"Is it...," Harry couldn't seem to form a complete question, "Are we...?"

"We'll be here for three weeks, and then I have to be at Hogwarts to get ready for the school year," Snape was speaking in a soft tone that all but a few Hogwarts wouldn't ever believe he was capable of. "I thought we could use the time to get to know each other. Albus and Remus are the only ones who know where we are, and Remus is our Secret Keeper."

Harry swallowed and nodded. He had expected to be at Grimmauld Place, but this was possibly better. His friends would all be at Hogwarts when he got there, and Charlie couldn't stay in London, but Harry could maybe spend the next few weeks like a normal kid, even if he was a legal adult.

"Thank you," Harry hugged his father and felt a hug in return.

They walked inside and found a note on the table in the entryway.

Severus and Harry,

I brought Harry's things here from London. His trunk should be in his bedroom along with his broom. We packed up all his birthday presents in there as well. Dobby made sure everything is in order, though I didn't have time to check the whole house. I'll be by in a few days with the post and to see if you need anything. I have my Wolfsbane for this month, so you don't need to brew any for me. The pantry and the kitchen should be fully stocked.

Have fun,
Remus

"Would you like to see your room before dinner?" Snape asked.

Harry looked up and nodded. They walked through the house, Snape narrating all the time, pointing out various photographs and naming the people in them. There were no wizarding portraits until they got to the master bedroom.

"Severus!" Snape started at the two voices, male and female. Harry looked for the source and saw two wizarding portraits, one of them looking remarkably like the pictures of his father he had seen, but not quite the same. He thought he had seen both of these people before and guessed they had been among his many relatives he saw during his first year at Hogwarts.

Harry watched his father rub his temples and look up, "Aaron? Viviane? We... did we tell you?"

The portraits were in a corner on separate walls so they could look at each other easily. They exchanged what had to be a worried look and the woman spoke, "Yes, dear, you did, though not until after the fact. We were most upset with James from hiding it from us but we were already dead by that point. He moved us here just before they cast that new hiding charm."

If Harry hadn't spoken to several portraits he would have unnerved at this conversation, how they spoke so casually of their deaths.

"Where are your manners Severus?" the man spoke with a grin that took any sting out his words. "Aren't you going to introduce us to this young man? He must be a Potter."

Harry could feel his father's anxiety and confusion and guessed that several memories were unearthing themselves. He laid a calming hand, he hoped, on his back, trying to feed soothing waves of energy into him. Snape gave a little twitch, and then looked at Harry with a smile.

"Sorry Aaron, Viviane," Harry's father smiled proudly. "This is your grandson Harold James Potter. Harry, these are James's parents, Aaron and Viviane Potter."

Both portraits smiled widely and Harry took a step forward. He felt a little shy suddenly, "Hi. I've actually seen you once before."

"Only once dear?" Viviane questioned kindly. "I can see Lily in you, and Severus as well, and of course that Potter hair. You used some potion Severus?"

Snape nodded, "I adapted Genitorum Pariter to combine the genetics of all three of us."

"You must be at least fifteen Harry," Aaron Potter said, looking mildly irritated. "Why haven't we met you before? And where is my rascal son?"

Harry snapped his head to his father, not able to answer this particular question. How do you tell someone their only child had been dead for sixteen years? He felt himself getting nervous and started working on his meditation techniques to calm himself and avoid a potential magical outburst. He felt Snape place a hand on his shoulder lightly.

"Voldemort killed Lily and James on Halloween sixteen years ago," Snape said quietly, with evident pain. "Today is July 31, Harry's seventeenth birthday. My memory had to be... locked... for security reasons and I only just regained it last summer. Harry was raised by Lily's sister."

Vivian gasped and fled her frame to join her husband. He hugged her tightly and Harry saw painted tears falling, something he hadn't known possible with portraits, "What about Sirius, Peter, and Remus?"

Snape sighed, "Peter was their Secret Keeper and betrayed them. He is a Death Eater." Viviane gasped again and Aaron looked angered. "Sirius was framed and spent twelve years in Azkaban. He escaped four years ago but was killed by his cousin Belletrix one year ago. Remus is fine, considering everything, and he is our Secret Keeper for this cottage."

"You still need...," Harry heard his own anger in that voice of his grandfather. "Voldemort is still out there?"

Snape nodded, "Do you mind if I explain everything tonight Aaron? We only just arrived and it's been a long day. The Ministry made Harry apparate to southern Germany for his test, and then France, Belgium, Ireland, Scotland, and back to London with a passenger. He needs dinner and bed."

Harry saw both his grandparents blinking at him in undisguised shock. Viviane recovered first, "He apparated to Germany from London?"

Harry saw the proud look on his father's face and smiled, looking down at his shoes, "He accidentally apparated when he was eight, no splinching."

The painted figures both beamed and Aaron spoke up, "That's my grandson! Tell me Harry, do you play quidditch? What house are you in?"

Viviane groaned, "Only one quidditch question Aaron. He has to eat dinner!"

"I'm the Gryffindor Seeker," Harry answered with a grin, knowing that it was one of his strongest talents and was all his own. "McGonagall put me on the team my first year."

"You two can talk quidditch later all you want," Snape admonished, interrupting Aaron's excitement. "I'm rather hungry myself and would like dinner."

Harry nodded and smiled at his grandparents, feeling much more at ease with them now, "I'll come back and talk soon."

"We'd love that dear," Viviane answered with a smile. "If there are any portraits of Lily and James, and Clive as well, we would love to see them too. Tell Remus he better see us next time he's here."

"I will Viviane, and I would have to ask Albus about the portraits," Snape replied.

"Albus is still around?" Aaron asked with amazement. "How does he do it? He swore he would never let Nicolas..."

"Aaron," Viviane said in a warning tone.

"Right, right, dinner," Aaron said quickly. "We'll see you again soon Harry, Severus."

They left the room and deposited the shopping in Harry's room, though Harry held onto the letters. He couldn't seem to let go of the envelope just yet. They didn't pause to look at his bedroom but headed straight for the kitchen, which had a round, rough table of dark wood with matching chairs for six. Harry sat down and placed the envelope in front of him. He noticed that Snape was starting up dinner, and not using his wand for much more than lighting the stove.

"Would you like help?" Harry asked a little warily.

Snape gave him a disdainful look, "Your potions skills may have improved but I have seen you make the most ridiculous mistakes. I will do the cooking."

Harry glared, "That's potions. I've been cooking since I could reach the stove. It was the only chore I ever really enjoyed."

"You may cook breakfast," Snape continued with the preparations, putting water onto boil and chopping vegetables. He cooked like he was brewing a potion, everything neat and orderly and precise. "You should have been ready to drop after the apparition test alone, not to mention the rest of the day."

"The apparition didn't really tire me," Harry shrugged. "Kingsley said I was a natural when I was learning. I picked it up in the first lesson."

There was a clang as a pot hit the stove a little harder than it should have. Snape turned quickly, "Your first lesson? I am going to curse Albus so hard he won't remember his name."

"Why?" Harry questioned, not sure he wanted to hear the answer.

Snape was glowering, "He either knows something, or has a theory about you that he hasn't shared with either one of us... unless he's told you why your apparition skills are unparalleled?"

Harry shook his head, "He hasn't and I have no clue."

Harry watched his father cook, using his wand for a few steps here and there, like pouring a sauce into a pan much as he had seen Mrs. Weasley do. The large envelope still sat in front of him and Harry turned it over in his hands a few times. Before long a plate was set in front of him. There was a heap of pasta with a creamy tomato sauce and a side of asparagus. He could smell garlic and saw a basket of hot bread. Snape sat down and gave Harry a goblet before opening a bottle of wine.

"I was having watered wine with dinner as far back as I can remember," his father told him as he poured. "As you are officially an adult, and I seem to remember something about your experience with various whiskeys," a mildly disapproving look made Harry grin sheepishly, "I suppose you can have wine tonight. Happy Birthday Harry."

They both began eating and Harry hadn't realized how incredibly hungry he was, "What is this?"

"Penne with vodka sauce," Snape answered, "it is one of my favorite dishes."

"It's good," Harry smiled and reached for some bread. They ate mostly in silence, as their mouths were occupied in chewing and swallowing. It was a comfortable, pleasant silence though, and Harry felt like a family more than he ever had before. The Weasleys were wonderful but he had always been visiting them, not actually part of them.

Harry cleared the table voluntarily when they were done. He added the pots from the stove to the others in the sink and searched his mind for the spell Mrs. Weasley used to make the dishes clean themselves. He had heard it enough times... Lavarae!

The sink filled with water, the soap poured itself in, and the scrub brush floated up and set to work. Harry grinned at his accomplishment and turned to see the amusement in his father's eyes.

"I should get some work done before bed," Harry said a bit reluctantly.

Snape raised an eyebrow, "You still have homework to do?"

"Just the meditation for McGonagall and our brewing," Harry replied a little proudly. "I'm already caught up for Madam Pomfrey but I need to go over the practical work with you." Harry looked at the envelope and bit his lower lip, "Would you like your letter? I... I'm waiting until tomorrow. Today's been..."

Snape held up a hand, "You do not to explain your reasoning behind every decision you make Harry. I would like my letter."

Harry let the pile of letters slide out onto the now clean table. He picked up the one labeled 'Severus Snape' and passed it across to his father. Snape's face was blank but Harry could feel a wealth of emotion brewing, mostly powerful grief. Snape poured himself another glass of wine.

"Goodnight Dad," Harry said quietly, wondering when the word 'Dad' had begun to feel so familiar on his tongue.

"Goodnight Harry," Snape said quietly, almost choking with emotion.

They both left the kitchen and Harry paused at the top of the stairs. Snape was in the living room, wine goblet in one hand and letter in the other, just staring at his name in James's print. Harry swallowed and blocked off his empathy, not wanting to intrude on the privacy of the moment. He went into his room and changed for bed. He had his own bathroom and he washed his face and brushed his teeth before sitting cross legged on the bed.

Flying again.

He was moving faster than he thought a bird should be able to. The landscape below him was blurring into streaks or green, brown, and blue, as it rushed by. Harry spent almost a full hour like that, before something from one of McGonagall's lessons returned to his mind.

"Every animagus will begin to exhibit some of the traits of their animal form while in human form," Minerva said in her lecture tone. "For example, I am a bit more limber than a witch of my age should be, which helped my recovery greatly last spring. It is dangerous to spend too much time in your animal form, as it strengthens the traits when you return to human form."

Minerva nodded, "From the moment you start the process you will begin to pick up some of the traits of the animal you can transform into. Most wizards and witches actually have them from birth and they are strengthened with the transformation process. Every one of us has the potential, though not necessarily the knowledge or skill, to become an animagus."

Harry's eyes popped open, "Bloody hell."

He moved to the desk in the room and found blank parchment and a quill and ink waiting for him. He began his list.

Possible Animagus Traits:

Endurance

Harry paused for a moment and tapped his quill against his desk before writing the next line.

Dumbledore knows already?

He suspected he already knew but Harry didn't want to delude himself, or jump to conclusions. If he was right he guessed that Dumbledore already knew, and that was why he had suggested the changes in the apparition test.

Harry summed his bag and dug out his notes on the transformation, looking for the next step once he had identified his animal. He had promised he wouldn't start without Minerva, as it could be dangerous and he might get stuck partially transformed, but he wanted to double-check anyway. He got out another sheet.

Professor,

I think I know what my form is, and that the headmaster has known for a while. We can start the transfiguration stage the next time I see you.

Harry

He would give the note to Remus when he stopped by in a few days. With that taken care of, Harry took his Good Dreams potion. He had too much on his mind to combat his nightmares that night, and needed to catch up on the sleep he missed the night before. The reason he was lacking in sleep came into his mind and after several minutes of reflection and taking care of the result of those thoughts Harry fell asleep with a lazy, satisfied smile on his face.

Finding the Key - Chapter 6

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