Chapter Text
"Change is unavoidable. Life is a changing cycle of decisions and adaptation. Those who can do both..They are the true survivors..."
Whispers. They surrounded him , cornering him in the metaphorical corner.
"He's the next dark lord! You all saw it! He burned the body!"
The teen opened his mouth to deny doing it intentionally but shut his mouth for his own good. It had been a year. A year since the bane of his existence, his worst enemy , had been defeated for the last time. Green eyes were closed, unable to stand the visage of betrayal that his family made. Though not by blood he had believed them family.
Molly Weasley had been the start of the turning. She refused to stand in his presence after Voldemort's final defeat and when forced into his presence, she gave him vicious glares and refused to speak. Slowly the rest of the Weasley's followed. Ginny first, Ron second , and then Arthur. The older Weasley brothers had all gone about their own lives and there for didn't know of their mothers plight against him.
The pain of their abandonment wasn't as sharp as that of betrayal. Sniffling back his repressed tears, the teen pulled his hood , shrouding his face. The cheers from the witches and wizards around him gave him the certainty he needed. Harry Potter was no longer welcome in the British Wizarding World and, by extension , the European Magical communities. He had little time. Far to little but he had to do it to live.
The cloak was clasped tight around his body but swayed at the feet . Quickly he ascended the vast steps of the bank, freshly rebuilt since it's destruction in the war. The guards at the door were goblins. Goblins were still loyal to him, if the ministry drove him out , they would make sure to punish the magical government. His entrance was met with several curious sets of eyes, people didn't visit the banks during these late hours often.
"Please ,my friends, I need your help. They call for my blood outside these walls and all I wish is peace."
The hood fell and the goblins sat in stunned silence. Harry walked to the table he remembered from his first visit, the goblin standing as he approached ," Lock the doors! Mister Potter , we will aid you as you aided us. Please, follow." the bricks on a seemingly normal white bricked wall shimmered and slid apart.
The hall revealed matched the banking area , with decorated oak doors and a lavish crimson carpet that stretched the long length of the floor. The goblin he followed was aged, graying patches of hair on the head and tight, oddly fitting black trousers and coat. The beady black eyes, looked into his own as a door to their left opened with a creak " This way." the office matched the building, white brick walls, oak furniture , red carpet and red cushions on the chairs. The goblin bowed and Harry returned the motion. A goblin sat behind the desk, larger than those at the front of the building but still small in comparison to the teen " Mister Potter! I am Horngal. How can I be of service to you? Will you be claiming your lord ships?" the goblin gave him a sharp toothed smile but he could not return it.
Jade eyes were dark with pain "No, Horngal," he bowed to the goblin " I need my funds transferred . My presence is no longer welcome here. I have finished my schooling and Teddy Lupin has been officially put in my care... I have been offered sanctuary in America. A small magical community there caught wind of my situation and offered a visa for both my ward and myself should I need them. I accepted not an hour ago but I need money to survive. Will you aid me?" beady eyes were narrowed in thought and the goblin was frowning. The silence stretched until the goblin stood from his chair abruptly " I will transfer your money to a bank in the America's, all I require is a location. You will need to contact a realtor in order to obtain a home. I will deal with the paper work and hiding the evidence of this meeting. Mister Potter , you will be here for a long while to sign a few things . Tea?" the goblin brushed off his suit and trousers before offering a hand. The teen smiled, re leaved, before shaking the goblins hand.
The night was fading outside when the money portion of their arrangements were completed. All of the properties belonging to one Harry James Potter were left to Andromeda Tonks once he left. Their wards and charms protected them from harm, even from the Ministry. They couldn't be taken away and some were even seen as historical monuments and by law couldn't be tampered with . A vault had been left for George Weasley and Draco Malfoy. Being secret co owner of the businesses, Harry felt it necessary to leave funds behind should they be needed by either of the two. Notes had been written explaining the situation and left with Horngal for when the two men next visited the bank. With the vaults left by his family, godfather, Remus, and several of his devout supporters in the war, he would be able to care for Teddy ,live comfortably, and not even work . Harry planned to work, but it wasn't truly needed. Gringotts had contacted a realtor in Missouri ,far enough from the magical community that he couldn't be tracked but close enough that he could get there if he needed to. He bought a home set on ten acres with trees for privacy and a road on the land , needed to reach the house. The home was new but old fashioned. A two story ranch style with a railed porch that wrapped around the house and screens to keep the worst of the bugs out. Pre furnished but any decoration issues could be dealt with easily. The Savior was set to go. Bowing to the goblins and wishing them good fortune one last time was hard but it had to be done. The farewell was returned and the teen , no, man pulled up his hood and disappeared with a pop on the massive buildings front steps.
~~~~~
Women surrounded them as he waited to board the plane. Teddy's brown hair was missed from several women ruffling it affectionately. Harry sighed as the hung off him, loving on his god son " Oh look at those brown eyes! So cute!" a blonde woman screeched in his ear. The infant glared openly at her before hiding his face in his god fathers jacket. The intercom called for them to board and the wizard thanked Merlin greatly for that. They were vultures, all at least 2 years older and interested in Teddy because by getting to the kid you could get to the dad. It made him sick.Women were the Kryptonite to his happiness . No mommy for Teddy in this new life. That was for sure.
Magic and technology didn't mix but with a few removable power suppressing bracelets it was safe for him to board. Teddy's magic hadn't fully developed yet and there for it was safe for him to board with out suppressors. The women all whined as the beautiful young man left them board the plane. A endless baby bag and back pack hanging off his thin but capable body. This was the beginning for them. The birth of Hadrian Severus Black and his son Theodore Siri Black. Green eyes took one last look out of the large windows of the air port. London in all it's glory glowed beyond the clean panes. He murmured one last good bye before heading down the tunnel into the plane. No looking back, their lives depended on it, they would survive. That was , after all, Harry's specialty.
~~~~~
The air port terminal was loud and the wizard confused. Teddy was fussy from all the excitement and their ride was late to pick them up.It was five forty eight pm by the airports clock. Jade eyes skimmed over the parchment from the community that claimed they would send someone to pick him up and take him to his new home. The scheduled time was four thirty pm.Sighing the wizard sat on his trunk,shifting his godson into his lap "I don't know what to do Teddy. Papa should have made better plans." their ride wasn't coming and Harry didn't have a car seat for his god son. They were stranded in a new environment Tears pricked at the teens eyes as he held his infant close,pressing his face into the tiny shoulder,absorbing the scent of baby powder and trees. The droplets escaped his eyes and he sniffled while the child called' Awwy" in his ear.
A gentle hand slid onto the wizards shoulder and he jumped making the appendage retreat "I apologize. I was not trying to alarm you. I am Jason. Richard sent me to fetch you but I had an issue trying to find a good car seat and ran far later than I should have." the blonde looked sheepish in his leather vest and matching pants. The form fitting hide made the wizard blush and look away nodding. The man looked at the trunk and the two bags he carried" I was told you were moving here..Where are all your things?" Harry swallowed his embarrassment. His scarred hand motioned toward the trunk and their carry on bags "This is everything. The home is pre-furnished and traveling would have been difficult with a whole home being moved to another country." the man helped the wizard stand looking at his ward. Brown eyes met blue and the older man sniffed before peaking at Harry suspiciously" Harry,right? Let me get the trunk in the car,while you figure out that car seat. Richard put it in before I left the store but he had to go up to Tennessee for school." The Brit nodded and followed the stranger.
Richard Zeeman was the leader of this magical community. A magical community meaning a were pack. Remus had informed many of his godson's desire for were -human equality. Richard was smitten at the mention of it. Jason must be one of the pack,Harry assumed, and wasn't fully aware of his current situation. The man seemed tense and jumpy,as if something bad had happened and he was forcing the friendliness. The car seat was a simple. Pull the strap between Ted's legs, click the V shaped belt on the top into the buckle. Teddy was set, sucking on a pacifier and falling asleep fast. Jason slid into the drivers seat and harry took the passenger seat. The radio turned low enough to hear but not make out the words of the song. The were wolf shifted the gear and began the irritating, tedious task of getting through air port traffic .
The peace was welcomed and for the first time in over a year the wizard allowed a smile to grace his features. Jason's breathing stopped for a moment and the teen looked back at the staring blonde "Are you ok?" blue eyes ripped away from him and settled back on the road. He received a nod in response but didn't stop observing his chauffeur "You look even better you know ,when you smile. You reek of depression and baby powder but when you smiled there was something else."the wizard chuckled ,letting his head fall back against the head rest. Green eyes were deep with wisdom beyond their years as the gazed at the young were wolf driving "My god fathers said I smelled like the rain. Something, pure,calming and soft . When im happy the smell is stronger but as of late..i have very little to be happy about..I hope that changes now."The wizard spared a glance in the rear view to look at his resting god son.
He fought hard to get Teddy's guardianship,almost denied due to Molly'd preaching about him 'going dark' as she called it. He won but he never got to really enjoy taking care of his godson. The riots were distracting and often times he had to attend court hearings about Death Eaters and what not. Now he wasn't the Wizarding Wolrld's savior. He wasn't The-Boy-Who-Lived. He could be the father that Teddy needed now. He could be that father that he himself never really had and enjoy life like a normal person. Ted sniffed in his sleep peaking open a brown ,yellow eye and shifting his hand toward Harry,cooing through his binky , before falling again into unconsciousness. The scene was adorable ,something he would have missed if not given this new life.
Yes, now he could be happy with what he had left.