Peverell Beach House, Cornwall, 7/2/1984, 04:39
Harry was rousted awake by a silver dog patronus bellowing, "IT'S A BOY!"
"Harry had barely registered the words before the patronus dissipated leaving a groggy Harry staring into the dark room before twin cries rang out from the nursery.
"I'm going to murder him," Harry growled as he got up to calm the twins.
"I'll help you after I get my beauty sleep," Bellatrix mumbled already drifting back to sleep.
"shhh, you two it was only Sirius," Harry cooed as he picked them out of their cribs noticing they were starting to get pretty heavy in his arms.
"Pa'foot!" Iggy asked curiously when Harry had calmed them.
"Yeah, he's very noisy," Harry grinned as he rested his children against his chest and sat down in the rocking chair, Carina snuggling her little head against his shoulder.
The kids were easy enough to get back to sleep, all he had to do was rock them. The problem was that he ended up falling asleep with them.
Harry woke up a few hours later to Iggy squirming around in his arms, Harry's neck was aching painfully from the way he had fallen asleep.
"You two put daddy to sleep," Harry chuckled as he stood up, Carina waking up from him moving.
"Da sleep?" Iggy asked.
"Yes, I was sleeping," Harry agreed as he set them down on the changing table, his nose telling him one of them needed a nappy change.
§Where is snakey?§ Carina asked as He changed Iggy's nappy.
§Nesting§, Harry answered softly.
Carina asked him this every morning since Athens had sequestered herself away in her jungle room.
"Come on let's get you two fed and then we'll go see Padfoot," Harry said after he changed them both and got them dressed for the day.
Harry scooped them up and carried them through his and Bella's room noticing she wasn't in bed.
"Looks like mummy is already awake," Harry cooed as he started heading down the stairs.
Harry was surprised to find the dining room full of people this morning, though the guests of honour seemed to be Amelia and the bundle resting in her arms.
Besides Amelia and Sirius, there was Andromeda, Narcissa, and Ted all seated at one end of the table. On the other end sat Draco, Harry, and Tonks who were arguing among themselves.
"Bout time you woke up," Sirius exclaimed as soon as he caught sight of Harry and the twins entering the room.
"Sorry, some inconsiderate berk sent a patronus message that screamed through the house at four in the morning, it woke these two up," Harry snarked as he buckled the twins into their highchairs.
"I told you to wait until morning," Amelia chastised giving Harry an apologetic look.
"How are you feeling, Amelia?" Harry asked much more kindly.
"Exhausted, would you like to meet Edgar?" Amelia asked sounding tired but also very happy.
"I would love to," Harry beamed as he came around the other side of the table and looked at the tiny little face peeking out of his swaddling blanket.
"Thank god, he takes after you Amelia," Harry said as he saw the baby's blue eyes and a light dusting of black hair on his tiny head.
Before Harry could look any closer, Carina started to fuss loudly banging her little fist on her tray.
"It looks like my niece is getting jealous," Andromeda smiled as Carina continued to make a racket.
"No, I think she is just hungry," Harry corrected as he retook his seat.
"We were waiting on you to eat," Narcissa said distractedly as she shot longing glances at Edgar.
"How is little Harry dealing with things?" Harry asked as a plate of food appeared in front of everyone.
"I don't think he's figured it out yet," Amelia admitted as she glanced down at Edgar and smiled.
" So you finally have your future Lord Black," Harry said shooting a knowing grin at Sirius.
"I know, Grandfather was ecstatic to get my exuberant patronis message," Sirius pointed out.
"Your grandfather didn't have two sleeping kids in the next room," Harry rebutted.
"Have you told Edward and Sarah?" Andromeda asked Amelia.
"Yes, they're bringing little Suzie over to meet her new cousin this afternoon," Amelia nodded looking happily.
"Hey Uncle Harry, guess what?" Tonks asked excitedly from down the table.
"What?" Harry asked.
"Mum finally took me to get my wand," tonks answered happily.
"That's wonderful, now you finally get to learn how to hex your cousin Sirius now," Harry beamed.
"Mum says I can't curse anyone until my third year," Tonks pouted.
"Good, it will give me plenty of time to gather up some spells for you to learn," Harry said giving Tonks a wink.
"Don't encourage her, she got in three fights in the last school year," Andi sighed.
"Yes, I heard she was fighting like a common muggle," Bellatrix said with a distasteful look on her face.
"How else is she supposed to fight without a wand?" Sirius asked in confusion.
"A proper lady should never fight, it is most unbecoming," Narcissa said in a haughty tone.
"Quite right," Andromeda agreed shooting her daughter a pointed look.
"Alright, so I suppose before we eat we should have a toast, To Edgar Black-
"Edgar Regulus Black," Sirius cut Harry off shooting him a grin.
"Right. To Edgar Regulus Black, the future Lord Black and a fine wizard in the making," Harry said as he raised his glass of juice in the air and everyone followed suit.
Harry felt happier than he could put into words for his godfather. The man had lived an awful life in his timeline and Harry felt truly grateful that he was sent back in time so that he could correct that injustice. The Sirius of his time was a shell of a man compared to the happy and healthy man sitting before him with his arm around his wife and newborn son.
'He deserves this,' Harry thought with a warm smile as he began cutting up some sausages, putting them on two plastic plates for the twins' breakfast.
Peverell Beach House, 8/1/1984, 17:38
Harry was surprised when he saw Athena slither into the sitting room, she seemed to be thinner than he remembered and looked to be exhausted.
She had been scarce for the past two months as she guarded her egg, refusing to eat as she coiled protectively around the large white egg. Harry had gone into her jungle room to chat with her on occasion, noticing her animal instincts had taken over. If anyone but him approached her while she was protecting her egg she would have struck at them without a second thought.
Harry knew her coming out of the room could only mean one thing.
§Is there a new hatchling in the nest?§ Harry asked as Athena slithered over to her basket by the hearth.
§Yes, my snakelet is exploring the room and I think he found one of the mice you set loose§, Athena hissed sounding sleepy.
§Have you eaten yet?§ Harry questioned.
§I will hunt later tonight but first I need rest§ Athena said tiredly as she fell into her first peaceful sleep in months.
Harry's curiosity got the better of him and he made his way up to the jungle habitat room hoping to catch a glimpse of the new snakelet.
Pushing open the door, Harry made his way to where Athena had her nest, not far away from the pool in the centre of the room.
The undergrowth had gotten much thicker since he had first built the room as the plant life was starting to grow naturally now.
Harry saw the snakelet by the pool, it was about a foot and a half in length and had an almost red-coloured skin and the tip of his tail was a bright orange colour.
The snakelet had the same marking on the side of his face as Athena though the arrow shape of his head was much more pronounced than his mother's. The snakelet's head seemed a bit larger in proportion to the girth of its body, though Harry did notice there was a large lump in the Snakelet's stomach.
§Hello speaker§, The snakelet hissed and Harry was surprised the stake did not sound childish as he expected it would.
Taking a seat beside the pool Harry smiled at the snake who seemed to be digesting his first meal.
§Hello hatchling, I am glad you have arrived§, Harry greeted, marvelling out how red his scales looked standing out against the chocolate-brown chevron patterns running down his sides.
§I can smell my future bond mate on you, speaker§, the snakelet hisssed flicking his pink tongue out.
§My hatchlings are a bit young for a famliar§, Harry pointed out.
§I am still very young as well§, the snake replied sounding unconcerned.
§Did Athena give you a name?§ Harry asked curiously.
§No, my mother left when I began to hatch§, the snakelet replied.
§Then I shall give you a name§, Harry said already having the perfect name in mind.
§What would you name me?§ The snakelet asked.
§Ares§, Harry answered as he admired the red hue of Ares' eyes.
§I like it, speaker§, Ares replied with an approving hiss.
§I am glad, now I must ask you not to bite any of the two legs in this house§, Harry said figuring it best to get this part over with.
§You have my word speaker, the only thing that will taste my venom will be the tasty fury things in my hunting grounds§, Ares assured him.
§Thank you§, Harry said as he watched Ares close his eyes soaking up the artificial sunlight.
Knowing the snake was about to fall asleep, Harry quietly made his way out of the room. Harry was a bit surprised by what he had learned today. Ares had said that he could smell his bonded on Harry, this could only mean that he was meant to be a familiar for one of his children.
If he was being honest with himself, Harry had thought that Athena's snakelet would bond with his younger self. Still, he would not object to one of his children having a serpent familiar. Harry assumed that it would be a few years before the children would be ready to have a familiar and it would take years before Ares reached adulthood.
Harry would worry more about this when the time came, for now, was just pleased that Athena was done nesting as he had missed her on his trip to Africa.
"I see Athena's out and about," Bella said as he entered the sitting room.
"Her egg hatched, I just met the new serpent," Harry smiled as he took a seat beside her on the sofa.
"Ohh goodie, cousin Sirius will be soooo happy," Bella giggled in her little girlish-sounding voice.
"Yes, I was hoping the snakelet would bond with my younger self but according to him, he is destined to bond with one of the twins," Harry explained.
"Carina?" Bellatrix asked.
"Most likely, though parseltongue doesn't usually manifest in a child until they turn seven," Harry said knowing there was still a possibility that Ignotus was a parselmouth.
"Well, whichever the snake chooses will cause a stir at Hogwarts," Bella giggled.
"I know, McGonagall will throw a fit when she sees Ares," Harry sniggered.
"Ares?" Bella asked.
"I named him Ares," Harry said with an amused smile.
"That is a nice name," Bellatrix agreed.
"I thought so, I had first thought to name him Mars because of his reddish scales but it didn't roll off of the tongue as well," Harry admitted.
"You chose well," Bella nodded.
"Thank you, he seemed to approve," Harry smiled as well.
"I have some bad news," Bellatrix said in a tone of annoyance.
"What?" Harry asked looking over at her.
"Andi and the mudblood are coming over for dinner tomorrow evening," Bellatrix huffed.
"They haven't been over since Edgar was born," Harry pointed out reasonably.
"Yes well, they are wanting us all to get together before they send their brat off to school," Bellatrix muttered.
"You're still upset about the perfume thing aren't you?" Harry chuckled.
"I put the children in bed a few minutes ago," Bellatrix said ignoring his previous comment.
"Good, do you want to go sit on the porch?" Harry asked.
"Okay, but you still have to punish naughty Bella later," Bellatrix giggled as she let him help her to her feet.
"Perhaps, but now I know you're just saying it for attention," Harry pointed out.
"We had a deal, Harry," Bella pouted.
"Fine but you've annoyed me now so I'm using the paddle," Harry warned.
"Oh No," Bella gasped her eyes alight with excitement.
As they sat on the deck watching the sun sink below the horizon Harry wondered for perhaps the thousandth time if he should find an alternative means of punishment for her potty mouth.
XXXXX Reserve, Greek Island, 9/16/1984, 11:39
Harry stared around the beach the portkey had taken them to. A familiar face came into view almost instantly a smile stretched across his aged features.
" Newt Scamander, it's been quite a while," Sanjay beamed when he saw who was waiting for them.
"Couldn't let you two have all the fun, how are you, Harry?" Newt asked as he shook Sanjay's hand before turning to his former apprentice.
"Glad to be away from political problems," Harry grinned before shaking the man's offered hand.
"Ah yes, I wouldn't take a seat on the Wizengamot for all the gold in Gringotts," Newt said shuddering at the thought.
"So, what's the lay of the land, I haven't been on these islands in over a decade?" Sanjay asked as the three of them began walking down the beach.
"Seven basilisks total, three are fairly young and are too small to yield anything other than shed skin," Newt explained as he led them into a large wizard's tent.
"And the other four?" Harry asked.
"Well, there is Emerald as you remember, a twenty-footer, and two fifteen-footers. All three of the smaller basilisks were bred by a Spanish wizard who hoped to start a snake farm," Newt explained as they took a seat around a medium-sized table in the dining area and Newt summoned three butterbeers.
"And he got caught?" Sanjay asked as he accepted the offered beverage.
"No, he fell victim to the stare of a basilisk," Newt corrected.
"You would think he would know to avoid looking at them if he planned on raising three of them," Harry sighed in exasperation before he opened the butterbeer Newt passed him and took a swig.
"He was not very cautious when collecting their shed skins," Newt explained sadly.
"I know it's bad form to speak ill of the dead but how was this idiot able to get three of those snakes almost to adulthood?" Sanjay questioned.
"He didn't interact with them directly, he usually cleared their cages to collect the skins but he got careless," Newt shrugged.
"Alright let's just try not to follow in his example," Harry said not wanting to hear any more about someone getting killed by a basilisk when he was about to work with four of them.
"Very well, I have taken the liberty of corralling three of the mature snakes," Newt said taking Harry's hint.
"And the fourth?" Sanjay asked.
"Is too dangerous to approach for a non-parselmouth," Newt answered taking a swig from his own bottle.
"That would be Emerald," Harry sniggered.
"Correct, she seems to love basking on the eastern beach," Newt elaborated.
"She will be a handful," Harry predicted.
"Yes, she has taken over that entire beach nothing else will go near that side of the island," Newt agreed.
"I don't think anything would mess with her short of a dragon," Harry reasoned.
"Even a dragon will not tangle with a basilisk," Sanjay argued.
"I suppose I should let you know that you only have a two-day pass on the island. After the fiasco with Grindelwald, the Greek ministry changed the terms of their agreement with Minister Black," Newt explained.
"Two days for four basilisks, that should be cutting it a bit close," Sanjay exclaimed.
"Yeah and we can't work at night because of the damn lethifolds," Harry pointed out.
"Yes, they're particular thick on these islands," Newt agreed.
"We'll manage just fine with the three smaller ones, the big one will be a whole other story," Sanjay said with a sigh.
"Milking her will be a three-person job," Harry said as he remembered how large the snake was.
"Yes, well now that you mention it, she has grown ten feet longer since she arrived on the island," Newt admitted.
"We might have to give her one of those pigs of yours," Harry suggested.
"That was my plan, though she is more partial to sheep," Newt chuckled.
"We'll have to get creative to access her fangs but that does sound like the best plan," Sanjay said thoughtfully.
"Excellent then we had better get started," Newt said excitedly.
"Agreed, we'll start with the three you've corralled," Sanjay nodded as he and Harry got up to follow Newt out of the tent.
XXXXX Reserve, Greek Island, 9/17/1984, 14:29
They had easily processed the three smaller basilisks that Newt had corralled into separate pens yesterday. It really was just a matter of convincing the snakes to let him collect venom in exchange for services after asking them to keep their second eyelids shut, of course. All three were still young and asked for simple things.
The twenty-foot basilisk requested Harry remove a thorn that was stuck between his belly scales which Harry would have done during the check-up anyway so it was a pretty easy extraction.
Sanjay said that the fifteen-footer he worked with requested he place a warming charm over her nest, while the last serpent (the other fifteen-footer) had requested that Harry find him a nice juicy rat.
They were now on the beach with Emerald, Newt had already sedated her and the three of them were getting her in place so they could milk her venom glands.
Newt had hammered a set of posts into the ground on either side of her head and then they had very carefully slid a board into her mouth like a bit in a horse.
With a bit of teamwork they slid the board behind both sets of her twelve inch fangs and slid the board so that it stuck out of either side of her mouth.
Once the board was in place Harry and Sanjay had each levitated one end so that it pried her mouth open while Newt attached the board to the two posts via a sticking charm when her mouth was opened wide enough.
"That has got to be the largest snake milking device I have ever seen," Sanjay commented as he looked at the basilisk with her jaws opened wide enough for a person to stand in her mouth (if they were brave enough).
"So who gets the fangs?" Newt asked in amusement.
"Depends," Harry said thoughtfully as he looked at the snake with her mouth pried wide open, her fangs hooked over the board just like they would usually do on a milking funnel.
"On what?" Sanjay asked in amusement
"How good that sticking charm is and how strong the sedative you gave her was," Harry replied as he began to pull on a set of long dragonhide gloves.
"I'll have you know I've been applying sticking charms since nineteen hundred and twelve," Newt said as he clambered onto Emerald's back.
"Notice he didn't volunteer to hold the collection vials," Sanjay chortled as he slid on his own gloves.
"You two are serpent experts, I'm just a lowly magizoologists I bow out to the experts," Newt smirked down at them from his perch near Emerald's head.
"Alright Newt, start applying pressure on her left gland on the right side," Harry said as he held up the quart-sized collection vial up to the fang connected to that gland.
Basilisks were a bit of an oddity as they had four fangs in their upper jaw and four venom glands, one for each fang.
The venom from a basilisk was also so corrosive that it would eat through just about anything, even glass.
The vials they were using were enchanted to suspend the venom a millimetre from the surfaces on the inside of the vial. This kept the venom from touching the container at all and basically worked on the same principle as a cushioning charm.
Harry watched the jet-black venom poor from the fang like a tap, the venom was thick and had the consistency of syrup.
Over the next hour and a half, they filled nine quarts of basilisk venom and one tiny vial that Harry kept for his personal collection.
Ever since his first trip to snake island in Brazil, Harry had kept a vial from every species he had collected venom from. He was developing quite a collection and expected by the time they went to Asia next spring he would have a very diverse collection containing all of the top ten.
"We had better hurry to her nest and collected her shed skin," Newt said after they had removed the board from her mouth.
"Lead the way," Sanjay said as he packed the venom in a steamer trunk-sized cold storage box.
"It's not far," Newt said as he vanished the post and the board before the left the seventy-foot basilisk sleeping on the beach.
Black Island, Caribbean, 10/31/1984, 05:29
Harry and Bella appeared by portkey, Bellatrix was blindfolded as Harry was wanting to surprise her. The sun would be rising any minute now and Harry thought this would be a perfect start to their little mini-vacation. This was their second anniversary so Harry thought it was the perfect time for the two of them to get away for a week. Narcissa had agreed to watch after the children for the week they were gone though Harry knew he would end up having to return the favour.
In his opinion, it would be worth it. Harry loved his children very much but they hadn't spent time just the two of them since last December.
Leaning down Harry placed a kiss on Bella's lips his hand coming around to untie the blindfold.
"Happy anniversary," Harry softly whispered into her ear.
"We're on Black Island," Bella said with an excited grin playing on her lips as the blindfold fell away.
"We are, I borrowed the portkey from Sirius," Harry said as the first rays of sunlight broke over the horizon.
"I thought you might like this, when we came here in May it was a bit... crowded," Harry chuckled.
"I do, how long are we staying?" Bella asked.
"Until next Tuesday," Harry replied as he shucked off his outer robes revealing the board shorts he wore underneath.
"Excellent, but Bella doesn't plan on wearing a bathing suit," his wife giggled as she eyed his chest appreciatively.
"This vacation is getting better already," Harry said as watched Bella untie the straps on her robe.
"I didn't think you would object," Bella smirked as she dropped her robes so that they pooled around her ankles on the white sand.
"Care to go for a swim with me?" Bella asked as she kicked off her dragonhide boots.
"Yeah, that sounds... wonderful," Harry nodded as she slowly took off her green silk undergarments.
'This trip was definitely worth it,' Harry thought to himself as he watched Bella walk toward the ocean.
She was wearing nothing but her wedding ring and Harry couldn't help but watch her until she stepped into the waves. Shaking himself, he hastily divested himself of his shorts and ran after her hoping to have sex on the beach and not the muggle cocktail.
Wizengamot Chamber, London, 11/24/1984, 13:49
Harry internally groaned as Lord McMillan presented his bill before the august body. He hated these sessions and every time he sat through one of these dry speeches he plotted revenge on his sister-in-law.
Today Lord McMillan was proposing a three per cent tax on international portkeys to fund repairs on historical sites around the country. Harry saw the logic in this bill but listening to the man drone on and on about the importance of preserving the site for the first wizarding bath house in Britain, made him want to be anywhere else.
The Wizengamot was in a stalemate of late, Cassie's influence had taken a massive hit after the assassination of Gellert Grindelwald. That coupled with the bills she had put forth made it likely she would be getting voted out during the next election (if she didn't get sacked before then).
Harry listened with half an ear as he had already read over the key points of the bill and was almost begging Albus to call the question so they could move on.
"All in favour of bill E206?" Dumbledore's voice boomed around the chamber mercifully granting Harry's wish.
Harry raised his hand as did most of the other neutrals and more than half of the dark faction (or as they called themselves, the conservatives).
"All opposed to bill E206?" Dumbledore called out before raising his own hand for the scribe to count.
This time it was just the light faction (or the progressives) that raised their hands and it was a no-brainer to figure out that the bill passed by a landslide.
"Finally," Lord Greengrass sighed from beside him looking as bored as Harry felt.
"Tell me about it," Harry sniggered as Dumbledore pronounced the bill had passed.
"I hate sessions like this, it seems like all the bureaucrats get together and put the most boring bills before Wizengamot on the same day," Greengrass muttered.
"Why do you think I go abroad so much," Harry smirked as they watched the court scribe processing the outcome of the vote.
"I have something that I would like to talk to you and your wife about, would you be amenable to having dinner with our family after the new year?" Lord Greengrass asked.
"I will have to run it by the wife but I don't see any problem with that," Harry said.
"Excellent, I will send an owl so we can iron out the details," Lord Greengrass said looking pleased.
"The court will now hear Lord Binns on bill C390, the regulation and standardisation of cauldron thickness," Dumbledore announced and a collective sigh passed through the room.
"Buggering hell!" Harry hissed as he checked his watch convinced it was ticking backwards.
"Do you need an apprentice, Peverell?" Lord Greengrass muttered half-jokingly.
"No but I need to schedule my trips better," Harry answered as the wheezing voice of a man that could only be Professor Binns began to lay out the terms of this revision of a bill that had been presented no less than sixty-two times before.
'I will get Narcissa for this!' Harry thought savagely as the man droned on reminding him of his time at Hogwarts.
Peverell Beach House, Cornwall, 12/25/1984, 10:29
Harry watched the twins run around the living room Carina chasing Ignotus trying to get ahold of the toy snake he was holding. Harry smiled as Iggy giggled rather cutely in Harry's humble opinion and avoided his sister.
Athena slithered out of the way as the children ran near her basket looking disgruntled.
Harry couldn't blame her, the twins were starting to get coordinated on their feet now but were still prone to tripping. Harry had placed a simple cushioning charm over all of the hard surfaces in the room but he still worried they would fall and hurt themselves.
"They are getting very rambunctious," Bella said from the couch beside him looking amused as they ran towards the Christmas tree, the sound of discarded wrapping paper crinkling under their feet as they ran over it.
"I told you it was inevitable," Harry said smugly as Athena made her way over to them.
§They are getting very big§, Athena hissed as she slithered up his leg and onto the couch on the other side of him.
§And they will only get bigger§, Harry beamed as he gently stroked her head.
§How is your hatchling?§ Harry inquired having left Ares alone for the most part.
§He is growing very fast but it will be years before he reaches his full size§, Athena said as she enjoyed the attention.
"What are you two whispering about?" Bellatrix asked.
"Our children getting bigger," Harry smiled as Iggy stumbled and fell onto the cushioning charm on the floor.
"Yes, soon they will be attending Cissa's daycare," Bella said looking conflicted.
"We still have a year and a half," Harry soothed.
"They're growing so fast," Bella sighed.
"Have you thought about what you want to do when they do go?" Harry asked curiously.
"No, though I could see about selling enchanted items to merchants in Diagon Alley," Bellatrix said thoughtfully.
"You could always teach defence at Hogwarts," Harry suggested with a mischievous grin.
"And worked for that whiskered wanker," Bellatrix snorted derisively.
"It was just a thought," Harry said as the kids began rolling in the wrapping paper.
"Yes well keep thinking," Bella said as she rested her head on his shoulder.
"Merry Christmas, Bella," Harry whispered in her hair.
"Merry Christmas, Harry," Bella said with a contented sigh.