Chapter 18

''What's up Sirius?" Harry yawned as he walked down stairs and arrived in the kitchen while wearing nothing but dark blue shorts, a grey t-shirt and red flip-flops. The Weasley family and Hermione were already up.

"Oh, hi Harry." Sirius said as he began eating. Harry sat next to him and was about to dig into his food when he noticed everyone staring.

"What?" Harry asked, looking between them all.

"Ahem." Ginny coughed and gestured to Harry's tattoos.

"What? Didn't your mum tell you I had tattoos?"

"Hearing wasn't quite believing." Arthur explained as he and everyone looked at the tattoos.

"Harry, I can't believe you got tattoos!" Hermione said, her voice filled with disapproval. "What on Earth were you thinking?!"

"Something along the lines of 'I would like tattoos'." Harry answered as he began eating, deciding that Hermione was no reason for his stomach to suffer.

"Professor McGonagall is not going to like them." Hermione said.

"Yeah well they are permanently on my skin now so unless she wants to waste time putting glamour's on me all year or try to get rid of them then there is nothing she can do." Harry argued.

"Why in Merlin's name would you get a snake tattoo?" Ron said, looking at Harry's snake tattoo with disgust. "You've gone barking mad!"

"Yeah, probably, though I suppose after spending so much time in your company it was inevitable." Harry replied.

"I don't know why you thought it was a good idea to get those." Mrs Weasley said, the only one in the room who had their disapproval at the same level as Hermione's. "You should look into getting those removed."

"Hmm...nah." Harry said shaking his head.

"They are not something a respectable boy should have." Mrs Weasley said. "You would look so much better without them."

"That is an opinion, my opinion is very different to yours because I think they look awesome."

"No they don't." Ron said. "They look ridiculous."

"Ron, don't you think it's a bit hypocritical to talk about looking ridiculous? I mean I was not the one who came to the Yule Ball dressed as an old eighteenth century witch." Harry replied, Ron's face turned red at the memory.

"We think it's cool." Fred commented.

"Yeah," George nodded. "any chance you can take us to get one?"

"Absouloutly not!" Mrs Weasley thundered before anyone else could respond. "You two are irresponsible enough already! You will not be getting tattoos as well!"

"We were only joking." The twins sighed. Harry was tempted to point out that they never do anything other than that but held himself back.

"Where the hell are your parents anyway?" Harry asked Hermione. "Shouldn't they be here in this safehouse if you have to be here?"

"My parents are on holiday and Professor Dumbledore said he would have someone talk to them when they get back. They're going to Germany, I have only been there once but it was really interesting, did you know that..."

"Padfoot," Harry said to Sirius, ignoring Hermione. "do you..."

"Padfoot?!" The twins blurted out. "You're Padfoot?!" They said to Sirius.

"Yeah, that would be me." Sirius nodded.

"We are big fans!" The twins said at the same time.

"Where is Prongs?" Fred asked.

"Or Moony?" George asked.

"Or Wormtail?" They said at the same time.

"Wormtail," Sirius spat the name. "is called Peter Pettigrew and thanks to Harry he is currently in a cell in Azkaban." Sirius said, a smile appearing on his face.

"You are welcome." Harry smiled at him.

"As for Moony, you two would know him as Professor Lupin." Sirius answered.

"He was our teacher?!" The twins blurted out.

"As for Prongs," Sirius gestured to the tattoo of Prongs on Harry's hand. "he was Harry's father."

"Oh." The twins said in a surprised voice.

"Anyway," Harry said to Sirius before anyone could respond. "do we have anything planned today?" Harry asked. "Or can I just relax all day?"

"I do not have any plans, but if you want to do something then go ahead." Sirius replied.

"I think you can help clean the house Harry," Mrs Weasley said. "it could do with a good clean. After breakfast everyone can start cleaning the..."

"Yeah about that, nope." Harry replied. "Dobby and Kreatcher are already working on cleaning everything and making the house safer. I have got other things to do anyway."

"Like what?" Ginny asked.

"Homework plus I have got some new books that I want to read."

"New books?" Hermione perked up.

"Great, now if you'll excuse me," Harry stood up and picked up his food and drink. "I am going to go before Granger starts drooling about the thought of books." Harry said right before walking off.

"Ah Severus, I am glad you are here." Dumbledore said when Severus Snape, potions master and most hated teacher in Hogwarts, walked into his office. "Please take a seat."

"Headmaster." Snape nodded as he sat down. "I assume that this meeting is so we can discuss Voldemort's heir and the Potter brat."

"You should never assume Severus, though yes, that is what we are here to discuss. And would it kill you to show the boy some respect?" Dumbledore asked, shaking his head.

"Yes." Snape said immediately.

"Well, it appears then that I must cancel this conversation or risk your life today."

"What do you mean?" Snape frowned.

"I fear that after this meeting you may gain some respect for Harry, perhaps not as a person but at least as a wizard."

"I doubt that." Snape snorted with disbelief.

"Severus, you told me that young Harry had to have been lying as there as no way he could have beaten Apophis in a fight, correct?"

"Yes, I did." Snape nodded, remembering that conversation while also wondering where the headmaster was going with this.

"Harry Potter has given a memory of the fight in court, I believe that by now most of the country has heard about what happened, though I am sure that certain parts will be exaggerated depending on who is telling the story."

"What happened?" Snape asked.

"Follow me Severus," Dumbledore said in a soft voice before standing up and walking to his personal pensive with Snape following after him. "watch this." Dumbledore said before he put a memory of himself watching Harry's memory in court along with the rest. Snape looked confused but eventually viewed the memory while Dumbledore returned to his seat and waited for Severus to finish.

"Impossible!" Snape said once he had finished, his face was paler than usual and full of disbelief. "That...that must be wrong!"

"It was confirmed that the memory was real." Dumbledore reminded Snape.

"There is no way that the brat should have been able to last that long against him!" Snape said, refusing to believe what he had just saw. "He's a Potter! A lazy good for nothing!"

"Being a Potter may actually have something to do with why he is so strong, the Potter family are well known for producing strong or at least above average wizards. For all of your hatred of James Potter, even you cannot deny that the man was a genius when it came to transfiguration." Dumbledore said, Snape glared at him but internally admitted that the man was right. While Snape had mastered potions, Potter had taken transfigurations. "Besides Severus, once again in your hatred with all things Potter, you miss the important things."

"Like what?!" Snape snapped.

"Firstly, how is this 'Apophis' immune to spells?" Dumbledore asked. "The unforgivables were about as effective as a knockback curse and Harry's bone breakers had the same results as a stinging hex."

"I do not know," Snape said honestly. "it is not something I can work out just by looking at him after all. Perhaps he has made some potion or is aware of some secret spell or ritual to grant him his ability?"

"Perhaps but if he knows it then it would be likely for Voldemort to know the trick to it as well."

"Perhaps," Snape nodded. "but the dark lord has shown no evidence that he has that ability, after all nobody is going to shoot spells at him, not amongst the death eaters at least."

"True," Dumbledore agreed. "we will spend some time working that out, hopefully we can find a weakness, until then we can settle on trying to work out the second important thing that you missed."

"What?"

"How is Harry Potter so strong and skilled?"

Harry had stayed in his room until lunch when he had returned down in the kitchen, this time he was wearing black trainers, blue jeans and a white T- shirt, in his right hand was a black book with the Potter family crest in the middle.

Harry looked around, he saw Hermione and Ron talking with the twins while Mrs Weasley was in the kitchen. As for Sirius he was currently talking with Ginny. Arthur was not here but Harry thought that that was because the man probably had to go to work.

"Hi Harry." Ginny said upon noticing him.

"Sup Gin?" Harry asked as he sat down next to Sirius.

"Hi pup, you're going to have to wait for dinner." Sirius said.

"Why?" Harry raised an eyebrow. "Between Dobby and Kreatcher..."

"Mum insisted on doing it. Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Ah." Harry said, correctly guessing that their was an argument involved. Though in all honesty he liked her food so he didn't really mind. "Fine, I can wait." Harry shrugged before reading his book.

"What book is that?" Hermione asked, her eyes locking on the book.

"Oh, is that the Potter family grimoire?" Sirius asked.

"Yep." Harry nodded but kept reading.

"I remember your dad reading that a couple of times." Sirius commented.

"Does your family have a grimoire?" Hermione asked the Weasley's.

"No." Fred shook his head. "Not all families..."

"Have one." George finished.

"Can I read it?" Hermione asked Harry.

"No." Was all Harry said before he flipped the page and continued reading.

"Why not?" Hermione frowned.

"Probably because Potter doesn't think you're good enough to read it." Ron said, glaring at Harry.

"I was going to go with because she is not a Potter but if that's what you want to think dumbass then go right ahead." Harry replied, his eyes scanning the page.

"What does it matter if I am not a Potter?" Hermione persisted. "A book is a book."

"It matters because this is a Potter family grimoire written by members of the Potter family for the members of the Potter family. Not made by the Potter family for any and all who want to read it."

"Many old pureblood families have grimoires." Ginny shrugged. "They don't let anyone read them."

"What? So it's just another way to be better than muggleborns?!" Hermione demanded.

"Granger," Harry sighed and rolled his eyes as he looked up from the book. "if a black man refused to let me browse through his photo album then it would not make him racist, the same way it is not an act against muggleborns if I refuse to let you read a family book written for my family. Nobody, pureblood or otherwise, is going to read this if they are not a Potter." Harry said before returning to his book.

"But...but that's not fair! Why should you get to have access to knowledge that other people don't?!" Hermione demanded.

"It's probably about as fair as the fact that you can touch a pair of tits whenever you want while I have to ask permission," Harry responded, causing Hermione's jaw to drop while Ron ended up coughing violently as he had chosen that moment to drink some juice. Sirius, Ginny, and the twins laughed but Harry was not done. "Probably about as fair as the fact that while you were born in a house full of books with rich parents I was raised in a house with a bunch of abusive arseholes, probably about as fair as the fact that you're richer than the Weasley's. Probably about as fair as the fact that you have magic when your parent's don't. Probably about as fair as the fact that some people are taller than others, probably about as fair as the fact that..."

"Alright! Alright! I get it!" Hermione said.

"Really? Are you sure?" Harry asked in a doubtful voice as he continued to read. "Because I can keep going if you want more examples, honestly it is no trouble."

"I am fine." Hermione said, glaring at him.

"That's nice," Harry looked up and smiled at her for a few seconds before looking back down. "though it's probably not fair that there are a lot of people who aren't." Harry said in a mock whisper.

Soon Mrs Weasley arrived with the food, after another disapproving glance at Harry's tattoos she began serving the food. After eating, Harry flicked his wand under the table and a note landed in Ginny's lap, she discreetly read it, a small blush later and she nodded to Harry who smiled before standing up. Dobby popped in and took Harry's grimoire before handing him a leather jacket and then popping away.

"What are you doing?" Mrs Weasley asked, frowning at Harry.

"I am going to Diagon alley." Harry answered as he put his jacket on.

"You can't, it's not safe." Mrs Weasley said.

"To be fair Molly, after seeing Harry fight that wizard at the Dursley's house I would be more worried about someone trying to attack Harry rather than the other way around." Sirius commented.

"You have to stay here." Mrs Weasley said, ignoring Sirius.

"Hmm, no I don't." Harry said, shaking his head. "I'm only going there for a few minutes and I can handle myself." Harry said.

"But Harry you are..."

"Legally an adult," Harry cut her off. "excuse me." Harry said before walking out. He could hear footsteps following him and guessed that they were Mrs Weasley's, likely to stop him. "Lady Black," Harry said to Walburga's painting. "the redheaded woman called you a bitch." Harry said before walking off, he just reached the door when he saw Mrs Weasley stop with her hand trying to calm her beating heart as Mrs Black was shouting and screaming at her. Harry rolled his eyes with amusement before walking out.

Harry had just left brought some food for Selena and Hedwig right before he summoned Dobby and had him take the food to his room. Harry was walking, minding his own business and trying not to notice the looks that everyone else was giving him. Harry was well aware of how his reputation had increased over the last year.

Between being forced into a magical tournament and being turned on by the whole school the public had developed a sense of pity for him, the fact that he did so good in the tournament against students older than him combined with the fact that he actually won the damn thing had made his reputation as a strong wizard go up higher. Attending the ball with a veela did not make his reputation any worse, better if anything, then the fact that he stopped Pettigrew and fought Apophis made people look at him like he was a superhero.

Harry was suddenly brought out of his thoughts when he felt a pair of arms wrap around him and quickly realised that he was being pulled into a hug, the soft arms combined with the feminine body pressed against his own told him that his hugger was female, he could not see her face as it was buried in his shoulder but the beautiful blonde hair instantly gave away who it was.

"Fleur?!" Harry gasped as he hugged her back.

"I have missed you Arry." Fleur smiled.