Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Well, Ain't That Strange?	By : SpeedyTomato Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male Views: 56074 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 12
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and make no money off this story

Chapter List
- 30
- 31
- 32
Just a reminder of what's on my profile; reviews complaining or whinging about the lack 'o sex in stories will get deleted. If you want a smut-filled romp, you need to find another story to read.

Beta'd by the most amazing Tenchi, who I can't thank enough for all the hard work she does for me!

And thanks to Lynn who works with me when it comes to flow, continuity and other issues.

Chapter 30

Harry and Sirius were seated on the balcony in the room they were sharing at the manor, eating as they gazed off over the immaculately manicured lawns, enjoying themselves. While they were still both uptight over where they were, not to mention who else was in the house, they both agreed the stress was better than staying at Grimmauld Place. Lucius had spent all night with them and plenty of time before so they were relaxed. He also made sure to give them a tour of the wing then showed them where the outside was. When he finished tending to business he was behind on, Lucius even promised to show them what was where outside, including where the pool and Quidditch pitch were. They thought they could handle whatever since they would have plenty to keep them entertained. Just so some in the house stayed away from them and didn't cause problems.
As he sipped his tea, Sirius smiled as he watched Harry share his breakfast with Calvin. Harry was doing the same thing with Calvin he had done with Hobbes, though this wasn't to look good or an act, but because he wanted to spoil the cat. And it was fine with him and he was certain Lucius wouldn't mind. Let Harry have something in his life to adore. He felt such a way about Hedwig, but she was an owl and they didn't tend to let you snuggle on them. Calvin was letting him do whatever he liked and seemed to adore it. As long as Harry was happy, he wouldn't say a word.
“What do you want to do today, if anything?” Sirius finally asked, reaching over to pet the cat, smiling as the animal purred loudly.
“Explore this wing until Lucius has time to take us outside,” Harry told him with a smile. Before Hobbes, he hadn't thought much about cats other than being annoyed by Mrs. Figgs', now he realized what some saw in the creatures. Well, Hobbes wasn't a 'normal' cat, he liked what they did. Some was attributed to the bond, of course, and how it made all of them feel, but mucking about with Calvin, he realized he just plain liked it. He adored having and holding the cat, so he would go with it.
“We could have fun doing so,” Sirius grinned. “I'm sure there's plenty of interesting things we can find. Just so we don't get lost, that is. Even if we do, the elves will rescue us. I do want to see the outside, though. It's something we'll both like, even if we don't do the Quidditch bit all the time. Just wandering around and enjoy being outside. We have more room here than Grimmauld Place and it's not like how we had to spend so much time in the park while at the Dursleys.”
“True,” Harry nodded after feeding the loudly purring Calvin some bacon, smiling as he did. “It'll be nice, for sure.”
“Let's see what's out there we can have fun with,” Sirius told him, stroking his hair though being careful not to muss it up. He rather liked what Harry was doing with his hair and didn't want to disturb it.
Harry was about to reply, when there was a soft knock on their door. Brow furrowed, he looked at Sirius and waited to see what he wanted to do. If it was Lucius, he would have just come in, not knocked, so he wasn't sure, especially with all the people staying in the house.
Though concerned and wary, Sirius stood and went to answer the knock. When he cautiously opened the door, he saw Cissy standing there, smiling. After motioning her in, he asked, “What's up, Cissy?”
“I just wanted to check on both of you, no more than that, you have my word.” She assured the two, certain they were still fairly wary. “And to see if there was anything you needed to make you more comfortable.”
“We're good there,” Sirius assured her, walking over and sitting back down by Harry, who was eying her and tense.
“Lucius did ask me to take a look at something for you. What he mentioned was some kind of hair gel—I think that's what he called it, and finding a product of ours which might work better,” she explained, stepping closer.
“Yeah, right, the goop for Harry's hair,” Sirius nodded, then had Harry summon it. “He's using a Muggle bit for it.”
After summoning the bottle, Harry held it out for Mrs. Malfoy to take. For the first time, he really understood what Sirius talked about when it came to Ginny bothering him. He was fighting the urge to scoot closer to Sirius and snap at her to get away. Of course, he was fighting it, but he felt everything clearly.
Sirius noted the look on Harry's face and his body language then slipped his arm around him, pulling him close. After leaning in closer, seeing Cissy take the goop from him, he asked softly, “Is there a problem?”
“What you dealt with when it came to Ginny,” Harry sighed, shaking his head. “I'm feeling it for the first time.”
“Understood,” Sirius nodded, giving Harry a squeeze. He figured it was coming and it was understandable.
When he pulled back, he told Cissy, who was giving them odd looks, “It's the bond. For the first time, it's pulling for Harry.”
“Understood,” Narcissa nodded, holding the tube of gel.
“Harry,” she started, giving him a smile, “I won't do anything at all to upset the bond, you have my word. I just want to help, nothing more. Lucius explained all of it to me and there won't be an issue.”
“Thanks,” Harry told her softly, giving her a strained smile. It didn't help much, what she said, but he would try.
As she looked over the tube Harry handed her, brow furrowed, Narcissa took a couple steps closer. “Do you mind if I take a look at your hair? I want to feel what this is like so I can judge what might work.”
“Sure,” Harry said softly, pressing tighter to Sirius. Not only was there the bit with the bond, but the past history with Mrs. Malfoy.
With a smile, Narcissa stepped up to him then fingered his hair, frowning as she did. “It leaves your hair rather sticky feeling, doesn't it?”
“A little,” Harry said, not sure what to do, glancing at Sirius, who gave him a reassuring nod.
“Let me see what I can determine,” she told the two, unscrewing the lid and squirting a small amount onto her fingers. As she rubbed it around and read what was on the tube, she told Harry, “Yes, I think I know what I can get that will help. I'll go out and pick some up today then we'll see if it works. If not, there are a couple other products that might.”
“Can you give him a hand working with his hair? Lucius did something with it yesterday that had it looking very nice. From what he said, you might know some more tricks he can use. This is what he does and it looks great, but whatever Lucius did looked better,” Sirius said, holding Harry close, pleased he was relaxing slightly. While he was sure the problem with the bond wasn't over, he hoped the worst was done with and Harry could work through this part or, at the very least, not let it get the better of him during the time they stayed here.
“Oh, I'm sure I can do something and show you a way that is very easy you can do every morning without a problem,” Narcissa told him after vanishing the sticky stuff on her fingers. Keeping a smile on her face, she ran her fingers through his hair then nodded, “Oh, yes, I can see what you're doing and think I can show you a few pointers that will make it look better. Quite easy to do as well.” Then she added, “It looks very nice, Harry, far better than it used to.”
“Thanks,” Harry said softly, smiling a little.
“We like it, honestly,” Sirius told her, giving Harry a squeeze. “The same with the other changes.”
“I can see why,” Narcissa said, truthfully.
When she finished looking at his hair, she stepped back and clasped her hands in front of her then smiled at the two, “Is there anything else I can do to make your stay more comfortable or anything you need? All you need do is ask.”
“We're good, Cissy,” Sirius told her, happy she was trying. It would help in the long run as she and Draco would always be a part of Lucius' life. So, it was best to start out on the right foot. “Lucius is going to show us around the grounds today, if he can manage. It'll be nice to get outside somewhere big where we can muck around.”
“Feel free to avail yourself of anything,” she told him with a nod. “There is lots of room and plenty of entertainments. However, make sure he shows you which horses are safe to ride and which ones are just for show. Some of them don't do well being ridden.”
“I don't see either of us riding, Cissy,” Sirius chuckled, shaking his head. “I've never been on one.”
“Me either,” Harry told her, though he would like to see them.
“Maybe he can take you for a ride,” she suggested, looking between the two. “It's safe and we have a few that are quite calm. You'll like it as it's relaxing riding around on the grounds. Once you get used to a standard horse, you can probably take a ride on one of the winged ones we have. Draco enjoys it.”
“I don't know about the winged ones,” Harry chuckled softly, shaking his head. “Wasn't a fan of riding Buckbeak. I doubt it's that much different.”
“It can be a bit unnerving,” Narcissa admitted with a smile and soft chuckle herself. “Though I bet you would like the normal horses. Lucius can take you out and give you a tour of the whole grounds if you go riding. I'm sure you'd enjoy it.”
“We might do that,” Sirius told her. Then, softly, he added, “Thanks, Cissy. I know this can't be comfortable for you.”
“There is nothing to thank me for,” she told him firmly, though smiled a little bigger. “It's an act of fate, nothing any of you could plan for. It's best it go as smoothly as possible, for all of us. We might as well start off right now and build from there.”
“Very true,” Sirius nodded, leaning back, though keeping a hand on Harry's shoulder. “If you could, though, can you get us some clothes catalogs? We want to get Harry and, well, me, some new ones so we can get rid of the old ones we have. This way, we can pick out what we like.”
“Easily done and I'll tend to it today when I go out,” she nodded, happy to help.
“We would like you to come down to tea a few times while you're here,” she then added, looking between the two. “I do understand it's not the most comfortable feeling, what with past history and all, but we'd like you to join us. You have my word you won't be treated or talked to badly. I think it might be best to start building a better relationship now because of past encounters. Of course, Lucius will be there as well.”
“Give us a couple days to talk it over and we'll see,” Sirius told her, though he understood why she was asking and thought they should consider it.
“That's fine,” she told him, pleased it wasn't a flat out no.
She then pressed on and asked about some small comforts, such as favorite foods or whatever so they could have them to help the situation. The more comfortable they were, the less problems there would be in the long run.

“I assume everything is fine so far?” Lucius asked the two after settling into a chair with a soft groan. He was just getting back for the day after tending to plenty of matters and catching up what he needed to. Well, and spending an hour or so with Draco to make up for the time he was gone.
“We're good,” Sirius told him, leaning back in his own chair and propping his feet up on the hassock. Then, with a chuckle, he added, “We spent most of the day exploring this wing and seeing what was where. Lots of strange stuff around, Lucius.”
“Oh yes,” Lucius admitted with a nod and smirk. “Some of the Malfoy ancestors were odd ones who had eclectic tastes. Quite interesting bits they left behind.”
“Definitely,” Harry chuckled, shaking his head as he thought about the statue of the witch riding a peacock.
“Tomorrow I'll take you out onto the grounds and show you around, you have my word.” Lucius assured them. “Today was just too busy, I'm sorry.”
“We're good there,” Sirius told him with a nod. He honestly did feel better knowing Lucius was in the house once more. No one bothered them, but it was the idea who was staying in the house and the past history with them.
“Tom would like me to bring you to his house sometime this week,” Lucius pressed on. Seeing wide-eyed looks, he shook his head then explained, “Nothing nefarious, just so you can see it and know if something comes up, you'll be safe there, nothing more. He wants to key you into the wards so you can come and go if needed. It's very safe. With all we're hiding, it's best to have a backup plan just in case.”
Sirius saw Harry glance at him and looked back then gave a slow nod, “Good idea. You never know.”
“Exactly,” Lucius said. “I'll stay with you the whole time. He also wants to give you a rundown of what he's going to continue to do just so you know. It'll buy us the time we need to get the house done.”
“Yeah, we do need to keep someone spinning in circles so he doesn't pull out something off the wall and be able to track us,” Harry said for the first time.
“A real, valid concern,” Lucius admitted with a sigh. “We just need some time, nothing more.”
When an elf popped in with his normal glass of wine, Lucius settled back with a sigh then said, “Narcissa told me she picked you up catalogs for clothes and the like?”
“Figured we’d get some for both of us to replace what we have. Cissy said she'd get measurements so we know what size we're getting. It'll give us something to do anyway.” Sirius told him.
“Pick out what you want, no matter the cost, and I'll cover it,” Lucius told him, planning to do just that. With the life the two had led, he wanted to make it better and easier on them.
“We'll cover a third each,” Sirius said in the spirit of compromise.
“Acceptable,” Lucius nodded. “I'll also produce floor plans and pictures of the house then we'll go over what we all want. After all, we'll be living there, so we need it set up to our tastes.
“I rather like that idea,” Harry chimed in softly, petting the happily purring Calvin. Then he asked, “Can I get some catalogs for cat stuff? I want to get Calvin some toys and such so he doesn’t get into trouble by scratching bits he's shouldn't.”
“I'll have Narcissa pick some up,” Lucius told him, making a mental note to do so. “We didn't think of that end, just the necessities.”
“Now,” he said, looking smug, “Narcissa tells me neither of you have been on a horse before. Is this true?”
“Nope,” Harry told him with a smile and shake of his head.
“Never had the chance,” Sirius chuckled, grinning a tad at the look on Lucius' face.
“We will be remedying that tomorrow,” Lucius told the two. “I'll take you out and show you what you need. It's the best way to show you the grounds. Rest assured, I'll make certain they are horses that are calm and not temperamental. If you like the ride, you can indulge whenever you like.”
“I'd like to see the horses and the winged ones,” Harry told him honestly. While he had seen the winged ones that pulled the carriage from Beauxbatons, he didn't think these would be the same kind and was curious.
“Easily done,” Lucius told him. “You'll enjoy it. I don't have to go anywhere tomorrow, just spend a couple hours catching up on paperwork, so I'll be able to give you the grand tour and make sure you know where everything is. Feel free to wander wherever you like.”
Then, softly, he added, “If you fancy a game of Quidditch, Draco would be more than happy to come join you. You have my word, and his, nothing untoward will be said and he will do what we all are; trying to work on a better relationship. I'm certain he would enjoy being able to play with others.”
“We'll think about it,” Sirius said, thinking it might be a good idea. Despite the past relationship with Harry, Draco was Lucius' son, so he would always be around. No sense in the feud continuing as it would only cause serious problems in the future.
“Though you agreed to stay here, this is no point in keeping yourself locked in this wing,” Lucius said, looking between the two. “Consider it a vacation and enjoy yourself. I mean it. Narcissa considers you honored guests and will make it very nice.” He then added, smirking slightly, “And she means it. She understands what it took for you to agree to stay here because of so much and plans to ensure you're treated well. There is nothing to fear.”
“We appreciate it, really we do, but it'll take time,” Sirius told him.
“Understandable as well,” Lucius admitted.
“Now, is there something you'd like to do tonight? I plan to stay in here for the rest of the evening. And I believe this is the first time we've not had the stress of watching over our shoulders for so much since the bond was discovered.”
“True,” Harry laughed. “We've had to do a fair bit of that since this mess started. Either that or working out how to work with this nightmare.”
“Indeed,” Lucius nodded. “It'll be nice to just settle down and focus on the house or amusements.”
“Not sure about amusements being the only focus there,” Sirius said, though he felt better and less stressed than he had despite the surroundings. “I do need a bit of help with some paperwork that came from the Solicitor about the home schooling. One of the bits I did want was to pick your brain about what we can do to make sure Albus' fingers stay out of anything and to where he can't spin some of this to wiggle something wonky. You're better than I am with so much of this crap that I want your help. The owls are going to your box for this home as it came this afternoon. You might want to make sure it's not noticed or doesn't show as I'm not sure how it works.”
“It won't show or trigger anything,” Lucius assured him. “We have privacy spells on it for various reasons. However, the paperwork we do need to tackle. I'll also help you word a missive to your Solicitor so he knows what's going on. My suggestion is you may want to go see him this week. It's something you can manage as he's not situated among our kind. Probably tomorrow, if you can arrange it. I'll stay here with Harry for the time, obviously. This way you can fill him in on the totality of the mess going on and what we're doing so he knows and can deal accordingly. He would know better what to put in place to stop anything Albus tries or manages to wiggle with the Ministry. There are plenty of injunctions you can get to cease much of what he might pull. It's something you probably do want in place. Once you get something set up, I'll go to my Solicitor with the same papers and do what I can. He's aware of the bonding as well. Between both of us, we can shore this up so tight there is no way to wiggle around it.”
“Didn't think of your end there,” Sirius admitted honestly, summoning the papers he received. “Yeah, we need to go about it this way. I just don't want to sign any of this because I'm not sure what some of it is or means as it's from the Board. You were on it and know what you're doing. I'm also going to say we need to get everything we need for Harry, like his birth certificate and such because I don't have them, Lucius.”
“We do,” Lucius agreed, scooting closer to take a gander at what was there. “Let me go through all this and we can get started. Shouldn't take more than an hour. I'll also write up a list of what I think you need so you can start the papers for getting certified copies. We'll then go from there.”
“Looks like a right ruddy nightmare's worth of paperwork there,” Harry observed, looking at the mass and chuckling as he petted Calvin.
“It is,” Sirius agreed, pushing over what was at the top for Lucius. “Which is why Lucius is better at it. He knows what he's doing and I don't. No one can slip whatever by him over it.”

As he looked at what was passed to him, Lucius reached over and petted Calvin's head then rested his hand on Harry's knee. While he fully planned to do something fun with the two, working together on projects such as this did help plenty. And, honestly, it made them all feel good because of the bond and the cooperation from it. So, he would go with it.
- 30
- 31
- 32
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Well, Ain't That Strange?