Chapter two part two

Talking with her girls, Cassie discovered that all three of them were more than eager about the idea of moving and never having to deal with their uncle and aunt again. All of them admitted that they severely disliked their aunt and uncle because of the way they made fun of their clothes, house and toys along with how they talked bad about her in front of them. However, they hadn't said anything because they hadn't wanted to worry her and have her fret about finding someone else to watch them while she worked. It was heartbreaking, honestly, in learning that her children were willing to deal with bullies because they understood how strapped they were for money and time. Gathering her children in her arms, Cassie held them close as she fought down her tears. Her mind was already made up though, if this new job, new house and new friends would allow her children to be around people who would be kind and respect them then there was no need to think about it any further. Her son would learn how to become an Assassin and all of her children would learn how to control their magic.

All she had ever wanted was for her children to find people who would accept them for who they were and encourage them to learn and prosper. It seemed as if the Othello family was trying to help her achieve those goals, even if their ways were slightly…abnormal. Releasing her children, Cassie smiled at them and ushered them off to go and play. Dean took one last look at her before joining his siblings. Once she was alone, Cassie sighed and pulled out the slip of paper containing a phone number to an Andromeda Tonks. Delilah had explained that Andromeda and her husband were Magicals and their daughter was an Assassin in training. They would be able to better help explain things to her. Getting up, Cassie walked over to the phone and dialed the number. She only had to wait a few moments before someone picked up on the other end.

"Hello you've reached the Tonks residence."

"Hi, this is Cassie Thomas. I was told that I could talk to Andromeda?"

-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-

December 20th, 1986

"Dad…why do I have to go to this boring party?" Harry asked, frowning as Lucas straightened his dress tux.

"Because as my son you are expected to be there. This is a party for the entire Brotherhood, Harrison. Even though you are still in training, the children are expected to be there. It's why your mother is helping Dean prepare." Lucas explained.

Stepping back, Lucas smiled down at his son. Dressed in a black tux with an emerald green vest and pocket filler, Harry looked very handsome. The annual Christmas Ball was one of the few times that the entire Brotherhood came together without having to work together on missions. It was mostly a meeting of the heads of the different factions though other members often came with their heads. Hector and Amanda were going given their status as Lucas and Delilah's bodyguards. Harry and Eliza were attending because they're Lucas' and Delilah's children though Dean was attending as Harry's friend and bodyguard in training.

Since the Thomas family had moved to the estate during the summer, things have been coming together. Dean went to Gringotts and the Goblins performed an inheritance test to see if he actually is the heir to the Woods family. When it confirmed that he was, Cassie chose Sirius as Dean's magical guardian. She nearly broke down crying when Hookfang, the Woods account manager, told her how much was in their vaults. The money would be more than enough for all of her children to live comfortably and allowed her to take time off without worrying about not having enough money. Of course her younger brother and his wife had been shocked and more than a little skeptical when she informed them that they were suddenly moving, but when they arrived while they were packing up boxes her brother started asking how she was paying for the move and where they were going to be moving. She had quickly put an end to the questions by stating that she didn't need to answer the questions of a man and woman who thought it was okay to bully her children.

Dean loved his training, even though it had taken some getting used to. His mother loved the fact that everyone in the estate watched over the children as a group and that the place was so well protected. All of them were learning magic of some kind, though it was mostly focusing on shielding their minds from potential attacks and learning how to fully merge with their magical cores which would allow them to access their magic easier, heighten their senses, endurance, strength and speed. Their magic was a part of them and many Witches and Wizards were limited because they never got into full contact with their cores. Harry easily remembered when Nymphadora had accessed her magical core and gained full control of her abilities and no longer had any problems with her balance or grace. She had practically cried when that happened as her First Year in Hogwarts had been horrible because so many people made fun of her abilities or demanded her to change her features simply because she could.

"Ready?"

Harry blinked and looked over at the door to his room, grinning when he saw Dean, his mum and Eliza standing there. Dean was dressed exactly like him though with a deep red vest and pocket filler. Eliza wore a white, knee length dress with a red sash and light green trim while Delilah wore a beautiful silver and gold colored strapless dress that hugged her upper body before flaring out at the hips. Lucas nodded and they all headed downstairs and to the main hall. Hector and Amanda were waiting for them and held out a length of rope. Grabbing onto the rope, the sensation of being hooked around the naval washed over them and the world around them dissolved in a swirl of colors. Harry closed his eyes and gritted his teeth; having always hated traveling by portkey. However, it was one of the faster ways of traveling besides floo. Bending his knees slightly, he grunted as he touched down onto the ground; stumbling slightly though he didn't fall. Hector steadied Dean as the boy stumbled, making Dean smile gratefully at him.

Looking around, Harry, Dean and Eliza were in awe over the marble entrance hall they had arrived in. White and gold colored marble floors shone in the light casted by the crystal chandlers that hung from the high, vaulted ceiling. Garland was wrapped around the banisters of the sweeping staircases leading up to the second floor while two white Christmas trees frame a double door which was positioned between the staircases. All of them could hear music and conversation coming from beyond the double doors which told them that they're not the first to arrive.

"Ah, Monsieur Othello. 'Et is an honor."

Looking at the stairs, the group watched as tall, lithe man with pale blonde hair and deep blue eyes, dressed in a silver tux walked down the stairs. On his arm was a stunningly beautiful woman with silver/blonde hair and green eyes. She was dressed in a stunning ice blue dress which hugged her frame. Lucas stepped forward with his wife, bowing deeply to the couple as they reached the bottom step.

"Monsieur Émile, thank you for inviting us." He said, smiling warmly as the blonde man bowed as well.

"Lucas, 'et is good to see you." The woman said, smiling as Lucas gently took her hand and kissed her knuckles.

"Madame Brigitte, you look ravishing as always." He said, making the woman laugh softly as she smiled.

Delilah smiled as Émile kissed the back of her hand before she kissed Brigitte's cheeks. Both blondes nodded as Hector and Amanda introduced themselves as Lucas and Delilah's bodyguards; thankfully taking no offense to their presence. However, they looked at the children with interest.

"Allow to introduce my son: Harrison, our young daughter Eliza and their bodyguard and friend Dean Thomas." Lucas said, smiling as the boys bowed while Eliza curtsied.

"Père." A soft voice called, making everyone turn and look to the top of the stairs.

A rather young but beautiful girl with silvery blonde hair and blue eyes stood at the top of the stairs dressed in a gold colored dress. Beside her was an even younger girl, around Eliza's age, with the same colored hair and eyes.

"Ah, my daughters: Fleur and Gabrielle." Emile said smiling warmly as the two girls walked down the stairs.

Introductions were made and Brigitte informed them that almost everyone had already arrived. Harry offered his arm to Fleur, much to her surprise, but she accepted his offer while Dean made the same gesture to Gabrielle. Eliza giggled as she took Dean's other arm and they walked to the ballroom. The ballroom was massive with circular tables stationed around the room. Several buffet tables were against one wall; fairly groaning underneath the weight of all the food. Against the far wall was a raised stage where members of a band were playing a light and gentle song. In front of the stage was an area which has been designated as the dancefloor judging by the few couples that are already twirling around to the music. Harry, Dean and Eliza were in awe over the diverse and color outfits the different people were wearing. However, they was rather impressed as well. The brotherhood was strong and seeing how many people there only showed their strength.

Looking up at Fleur, Harry was surprised to see that she was looking at him with interest. He could tell that she wanted to speak with him, though the idea of sitting around just talking wasn't too appealing.

"Miss Delacour, would you honor me with a dance?" He asked, his voice gentle as Fleur raised an eyebrow.

"Very well, Mister Othello. Though I should warn you, I do not react kindly to 'aving my toes stepped on." She said, allowing Harry to lead her to the dancefloor much to the other's surprise.

"As you shouldn't. A beautiful girl like you shouldn't have to deal with clumsy men." Harry said, turning so he was facing her once they reached the dancefloor.

He placed a hand on her waist as one of her hands went to his shoulder before taking her other hand. As a waltz began playing, they gracefully moved across the floor; taking others by surprise. Dean looked down at little Gabrielle and offered her his hand, to which she blushed and giggled, though nodded in acceptance. Emile smiled as his youngest daughter was taken to the dancefloor, shaking his head fondly.

"Your son is quite the charmer, Lucas." He said, his friend chuckling fondly.

"That he is. Dean's sisters love the lad. Fleur is becoming quite the young lady." He said, Emile nodding in agreement with a pleased smile.

"Qui. She is eager to attend Beauxbatons in two years." Brigitte said, smiling gently as Delilah and Lucas smiled while watching Fleur and Harry dance

"Has she gained control over the allure?" Delilah asked, looking at the Veela as Brigitte sighed.

"For the most part. She struggles whenever she's experiencing strong emotions or during…well you know." Brigitte said, Delilah nodding in complete understanding.

"How is little Gabby coming along? Does she have the ability?" Delilah asked, watching as Emile sighed.

"Sadly, we 'ave not found any sign of the skills we possess. We were worried that she would be upset but she's handling it well for someone her age. We're mostly worried about keeping them safe. Fleur has already been attacked at a friend's house." Emile said, Lucas and Delilah looking at him in alarm.

"As Minister my family is already at risk. Templars 'ad discovered where Fleur was staying and attacked when she was outside running. She fought them off and three of her guards managed to capture the man who attacked her." He explained, the others nodding with relief though they still looked troubled.

"How did he find out where she was?" Lucas asked, concern in his voice as Brigitte shifted.

"We guessed that they might have been scoping out the area and saw her." She explained.

Meanwhile on the dancefloor, Fleur found herself impressed by Harry as he expertly twirled her around the floor. She spotted her sister dancing with Dean and the dark skinned boy was always close by. While she expected that this would make her feel stifled, it was reassuring in a way, even though she knew that she had more experience than both boys.

"You've taken me by surprise, 'eir Othello. I didn't expect someone your age to dance so well." She said, looking down at her dance partner.

"Well, my parents were determined to teach me how to dance. I don't want to embarrass any potential partner I may have." Harry said, a cheeky grin on his face as Fleur laughed.

"Oh you will be trouble when you're older." She laughed, making Harry chuckle.

"Well, I do have a reputation to uphold. My father was one of the biggest pranksters in Hogwarts and so were my godfather and honorary uncle." Harry said, Fleur looking at him with interest.

Fleur listened as Harry told her about the Marauders and the pranks they had played in school. She was surprised in finding out that Harry was actually Harry Potter aka the Boy-Who-Lived. When she had heard about him, she had always thought that the celebrity would be…well a brat. That he would be like many celebrities around the world who were too full of themselves and thought everyone should worship the ground they walked on. Instead, here was a kind, funny and thoughtful boy that would go far in the world. She knew that he would inherit not only the immense Potter fortune but would also inherit the Othello fortune and likely become the head of the B.M.A. Any woman would be lucky to catch his attention and would likely have their hands full. As the eldest daughter of the French Minister and of the leader of the French Magical Assassin Brotherhood, she knew of the weight that rested on his shoulders as the same weight was on her own.

Their dance was suddenly interrupted by the lights flickering and going out. Everyone froze; their eyes wide as they looked around. The subtle shaking of the manor seemed to kick people into gear. Balls of light appeared and floated in the as people began calling orders. Dean was beside Harry and Fleur in a flash, little Gabby in his arms and on his hip as she clung to him. Harry looked around the rush of bodies before he caught sight of Amanda looking for them. Taking Fleur and Dean's hands, he pulled in them in Amanda's direction, letting the Master Assassin pull them over to one of the walls.

"What's going on?" Harry asked, watching as people rushed around the ballroom.

"We're under attack. It's suspected to be a group from the Magical Templars. Your father has ordered all the children, pregnant, elderly and non-Assassins to get to the safe room." Amanda explained, watching as Hector hurried over with Eliza.

"I can get them there. There's a hidden passage here in the ballroom that leads through the manor and down to the safe room." Fleur said, her sister nodding even though she looked terrified.

"Père made sure we knew the route." Gabby confirmed, watching as Hector and Amanda looked at each other.

"Go to mum and dad. Dean and I can get there on our own. We'll keep each other safe." Harry urged, watching as the pair faltered.

"Go!" He ordered, making the pair nod before sprinting off through the crowds.

"Come." Fleur said, ensuring that they were all holding onto each other before she led the way to a corner of the ballroom.

Harry and Dean called out to young children and those who were pregnant, elderly and non-Assassins. They soon had a decent group and, surprisingly, a few assassins who deemed the group too large for four young Assassins to guard on their own. Fleur pressed her hand against a section of wall and pushed with her magic, causing the panel to flash before it seemed to dissolve. The adults soon had their wands lit to provide light as they hurried into the passage as the manor shook once more.

"Ze wards must be falling." Fleur said, her accent thickening due to her increasing fear.

"Don't worry. The Templars made a mistake in attacking a manor full of Assassins." Harry said, conviction in his voice as the blonde looked back at him.

"I 'ope you are right." Fleur said.

-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX-

"Hector?! Amanda?! Where are the children?" Delilah asked, shucking off her dress and hurriedly pulling on her armor that one of the Othello House Elves brought.

"Fleur, Dean and Harry are getting to the safe room through a hidden passage here in the ballroom. Eliza and Gabrielle are with them and they've called out to others to follow. I know a few assassins followed to help." Hector said, Amanda nodding as she took one of the swords and strapped it to her side.

"Young Hawk ordered us to come to you and Lucas." She added, watching as Delilah looked torn between being angry and being grateful.

"Emile and Brigitte are in the ward stone room. They're trying to keep the wards up long enough for us to be ready for the attackers. House Elves have reported that at least two dozen armed Templars have surrounded the place. House Elves are also popping in with armor and weapons. Emile has opened the armory to us as well. He's also sent for reinforcements from the brotherhood here." Delilah explained, hurriedly pulling on her cloak after attaching her hidden blades to her wrists.

"Madame, the last of the unarmed are out of the ballroom." An Assassin said, skidding to a stop beside Delilah.

"Good. Empty the main hall and have ambush sights on the upper floors. Use tables as shields in both the dining room and in here. Spread the plan to the other leaders." She ordered, watching as the Assassin nodded before sprinting off.

It didn't take long before the Assassins were ready. Half of the group disappeared to the dining room and upturned the massive, solid oak dining table while conjuring marble slabs to reinforce the sides. Smaller groups were dispatched to the upper floors to ambush any Templars that came their way while the final group was held up in the ballroom. They, like in those in the kitchen, created a barrier using the tables and marble slabs. Emile and Bridgette received word that everyone was ready and so they pulled back from the ward stone and apparated to the ballroom. It was only seconds later when a cracking sound filled the air as the wards fell. Outside, two teams of people dressed in white and grey robes advanced on the manor. A red cross was on the breast of their robes while swords were strapped to their sides. The two leaders nodded and split up, one group rushing through the grounds and heading towards the back door while the first group made their way to the front. Pulling out their wands, the groups blasted the doors open and waited until the dust settled before carefully advancing into the manor. Some drew their swords or knives, though they never released their hold on their wands.

Meanwhile, down in the basement inside of a hidden room, Fleur and Harry paced back and forth. The four senior Assassins, one of which was a master, moved among the group; checking to ensure everyone was alright and hadn't been hurt in the chaos of getting down to the room. The tension in the air was thick as everyone hoped and prayed that the Assassins won against the Templars though the House Elves were preparing to pop them out of the manor if the battle took a turn for the worse. Gabrielle and Eliza were holding onto each other, trying to not to let their fears grab ahold of them too tightly. They may be very young, but they knew that their parents are battling for their lives and their way of life and the freedom of others. Dean kept a careful watch on the two girls, though he kept glancing at his friend. Oh, he knew that Harry wished to be up there fighting alongside his parents. However, his friend was also smart enough to know that he didn't stand much of a chance against the Templars. They had years of experience where as he hadn't even fully begun his weapons training.

"I wish there was something we could do." Harry groaned, running a hand through his hair in agitation.

"All we can do is wait. We're not ready for this, 'Ry." Dean said, making his friend huff but nod.

The ceiling above them shook, making a few of the children cry out in alarm before they were quickly hushed. Time inside the safe room seemed to crawl by as people huddled together. No one dared to talk; each one of them too frightened and worried about their family and friends above them who were fighting. A few of the House Elves dared to pop out of the safe room and check on what was going on in the rest of the manor, only to return telling them that the fight was continuing or had moved to another area of the manor. Thankfully, none of the Assassins had been killed so far and a few of the Templars had. Dead bodies were quickly placed outside under a glamor by the elves. The House Elves also delivered the news that reinforcements had arrived in the form of groups of Assassins coming from the different surrounding countries. It was a relief, especially to those in the safe room since they knew that their families and loved ones would be a lot safer with more people on their side.

It seemed like an eternity later before one of the House Elves popped into the room and said that Emile gave the all clear. Fleur gladly unlocked the door to the safe room, though she blinked when one of the older Assassins held her back. He looked at her sharply before stepping out. She frowned but followed behind, only to cry out in alarm when a flash of steel entered her vision. Harry saw it all happening in seemingly slow motion. The Assassin in front of Fleur fell to the ground, a dagger sticking out of his neck and his eyes already glazed with death. The sword was headed towards Fleur's chest, intent of piercing her heart. Harry lunged forward and pulled Fleur back, his own hand extending past the older girl's body. Magic surrounded his hand, allowing him to grab the blade of stunned Templar. Fleur fell onto her back on the ground, a cry of alarm and fear leaving her when she saw Harry swiftly move into the guard of the Templar. The other three Assassins had already begun moving when Harry thrust his free hand forward, activating the hidden mechanism on the hidden blade he had swiped from a table before they had entered the safe room.

The blade slid through the armor of the Templar and straight into the man's heart. He looked down at the small boy in shock and horror, meeting steely emerald orbs. Harry flung the sword back as soon as he saw the life leave the Templar's eyes before pulling his hand free. The other three Assassins stood beside him before one checked on their fallen comrade. One of the Assassins, a female, gently touched Harry's shoulder and watched as the boy shook. The hidden blade retracted back into its sheath and only then did the woman tighten her grip on his shoulder.

"You did well, Young Hawk. You saved Miss Delacour." She said, her voice soft as Harry looked at her with wide eyes before he turned and looked at Fleur.

Fleur looked at Harry with wide eyes, taking in the blood on the cuff of his sleeve which had the hidden blade. Swallowing thickly, she stood before darting forward and throwing herself at the younger boy. Harry stumbled but caught himself and wrapped an arm around Fleur, somehow keeping the blood off of her dress. One of the Assassins hurried to the upper levels of the manor and returned a minute later with Delilah and Emile. Delilah swept her son into her arms while Emile held Fleur and Gabrielle close. When Delilah released her son, she cleaned the blood from his sleeve, smiling gently as Harry looked down at her with wide eyes. However, he blinked when Emile knelt down in front of him; looking the young boy in the eyes.

"Heir Potter-Othello, you selflessly risked your life for the safety of my eldest daughter. The House Delacour owes you a life debt." He said, bowing his head as Gabrielle and Fleur bowed as well.

"Lord Delacour, there can be no debts between friends. I was only doing what Fleur would've done for me if our positions had been reversed." Harry said, making Emile smile as Fleur and Gabrielle looked at him in surprise and happiness.

Harry went to roll up his sleeve and remove the hidden blade, but Emile stopped him with a gentle hand on top of his.

"You've earned the right to wear that, Harrison. May it serve you well in your life." He said, Harry looking at him with surprise before he nodded and rolled his sleeve back down.

"Come, it's safe now. The wounded are being tended to in the dining room and everyone else is in the ballroom." Delilah said, the others in the safe room nodding in relief before they began filing out of the room.

The fallen Assassin was carried on a conjured stretcher after a black shroud was laid over his body. Reaching the main floor of the manor, the evidence of a titanic battle was all around. The doors were being repaired by a few House Elves while others were gathering the weapons on the floor and adding them to a pile. Blood pools and sprays were being cleaned off the floor and walls. Broken furniture and torn paintings and tapestries were being repaired or taken away so they could be replaced or repaired at a later date. Heading to the ballroom, people were soon rushing to their loved ones and families, checking them over or were asking about the people who were being healed. Only a few had been seriously injured and the Assassins had only lost two people while the Templars had been decimated. Those who had been knocked out and bound were being transported to the nearest complex to be interrogated.

Word quickly spread about what had happened outside of the safe room and people were soon looking at Harry with shock, wonder and approval. Lucas was surprised but proud of his son, especially when Emile told him about Harry's statement when confronted with the life debt. Fleur was hard pressed to leave Harry's side and she and Gabrielle were constantly thanking him and hugging him much to his embarrassment. Brigitte hugged Harry tightly when she learned that he saved her daughter and told him that he would always be welcome in their home. Harry was bright red throughout it all, though he held himself tall with pride as many Assassins walked over and congratulated him on his quick actions and swift response to the threat of a young female and the death of a fellow Assassin. All of the heads of the different factions met in Emile's study for a quick meeting, something had to be done about this attack; especially since it likely meant that they had a spy in one of their ranks as this was a private party.

Fleur managed to lead Harry away from the ballroom after receiving an okay from her mother. She led Harry to the women's parlor, which made the young boy blush something fierce. Men were never, never allowed inside of the women's parlor unless invited in by the Lady of the manor. However, since Brigitte had given Fleur the okay he guessed the woman knew what her eldest daughter was up to.

'Arry, you saved my life this evening." Fleur said, turning and looking down at the boy as he blinked.

"Fleur, you would've done the same thing." He said, shifting as Fleur gently cupped his cheek.

"Still, that was a very brave and a very stupid thing to do. You could've gotten hurt or killed by that monster." She said, watching as Harry huffed.

"I just…I just did what I had heard of what my dad had done once. I knew that it was possible to use your magic to form a barrier between an object. I figured it would stop-"

Harry's eyes widened when Fleur bent down and kissed him; his body stiffening. Now, as a young boy at the tender age of six, Harry still thought of girls as 'icky' and found any romantic act rather revolting. He had already begun shying away whenever his mum tried to kiss his cheek or forehead and don't even get him started on whenever Eliza wanted to kiss him. Before he could really react, Fleur pulled away with a faint blush dusting her cheeks.

"W-What was that for?" Harry asked, using his sleeve to wipe his lips as Fleur smiled.

"To thank you, of course. I can already tell that you will become a very noble and powerful man, Harry. Besides, how many boys can say they've been kissed by a half-Veela and the Minister's daughter?" She asked cheekily, making Harry grimace.

"Still…" He muttered making the older girl giggle behind her hand.

Harry huffed and stalked out of the room, still wiping at his mouth as he made his way back to the ballroom. Lucas raised an eyebrow when he saw his son. He walked over and smirked at the frowning boy, his amusement increasing when Harry told him what had happened. Lucas laughed at the affronted tone his son had, though his laughter increased when Fleur walked into the ballroom and Harry hurried away as if she would suddenly decide to kiss him again. People milled around until everyone was healed enough to leave and the wards had recharged and stabilized. For safety and since the family doubted they could fall asleep until they had the wards strengthened, the Delacours headed to the main complex where most of the French Assassins lived. After leaving Delacour manor, Harry headed up to his room where he pulled his coat and vest off before rolling up his sleeves.

The hidden blade was rather clunky; having been designed for an adult rather than a child, but the charms that had been built into the weapon had resized it as soon as he had put it on. He had heard of some Assassins who got their hidden blades from previous family members and the weapons could be refitted to their exact measurements. An Assassin earned their hidden blades after they complete their training which was normally after the age of sixteen or seventeen. Looking at the blade, he certainly didn't feel like he earned it, even though Emile told him otherwise.

"Your parents told me what happened."

Harry spun around, his eyes widening when he saw an older man with greying black hair and sharp green eyes. Bowing, Harry closed his eyes and listened as man walked further into the room. He only opened his eyes when calloused fingers grabbed his wrist lightly and brought up the hidden blade for inspection.

"A decent blade though nicked and slightly rusted from age and disuse." He mused, Harry's eyes widening slightly as he looked at the man.

"This will need to be repaired and customized once you've completed your training, of course. Though, I want to know why you grabbed this in the first place." The man said, looking sharply at Harry who swallowed thickly.

"I…forgive me Master Gallagher. I would've never grabbed it but something in the pit of my stomach demanded that I have a weapon. Everyone had always told me to trust my gut and that's what I did." Harry said, his voice rushed as the man raised an eyebrow.

"Well it's a good thing you listened to your instincts, boy. You saved the life of a young girl and possibly everyone else inside that safe room. Just don't let it go to yer head, lad. You still have much to go until yer ready to use this." The man said, Harry nodding in understanding.

Richard Gallagher was one of the weapons specialists whom trained Novice Assassins how to handle and use different weapons. He also ran the blacksmith shop on the estate which was set up near his cabin. He was just as gruff as his appearance and wasn't known to sugar coat anything. However, he was a master blacksmith and a highly skilled Assassin. Richard was built like a draft horse with broad shoulders, thick muscular arms, a wide chest, thick muscular legs and was rather tall which only added to his intimidation factor. Another 'quirk' of his was that the man was highly proud of his Scottish heritage so it wasn't all that strange seeing him wearing a kilt whereas all the rest of the assassins commonly wear pants…though Kano was known to wear kimonos during her 'lazy' days.

Harry accepted the hidden blade back and promised not to let his ego get the best of him. Bowing his head, he watched as the blacksmith left the room. Looking down at the hidden blade, Harry swallowed thickly. He carefully cleaned the weapon before calling a House Elf. The small creature brought him back a piece of silk which he used to wrap the weapon before storing it safely in the top drawer of his bedside table. Once that was done, he headed to his bathroom while stripping down, intent on showering and heading to bed after such a trying day.

-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-

August 10th, 1987

Diagon Alley

Diagon Alley bustled with Witches and Wizards of all walks of life and every age. Many parents were already taking their children shopping for the new school year. Young children were running around their parents and families, laughing, squealing and begging to go inside certain stores while their parents/guardians tried to keep everything under control. However, the largest and most rambunctious group had to be the Weasley family. Molly Weasley was the ringleader of her brood. She was the shortest besides her youngest two children and was a…pleasantly plump woman with curly bright red hair, freckles and deep blue eyes. Her eldest son, William 'Bill' Weasley was headed into his Sixth Year of Hogwarts while the second oldest: Charlie was heading into his Fourth. Finally, the third oldest: Percival 'Percy', was finally beginning his Hogwarts education. Molly sighed as the twins, Fred and George, instantly headed towards M&P Jokes and Games. It was their favorite store in the whole alley except for Gambol and Japes. Honestly, if she was being honest with herself she preferred M&P since they had puzzles and other games instead of just prank items.

When Sirius Black and Remus Lupin had opened the shop she had been shocked. Molly knew both young men from their time serving in the Order of the Phoenix. Sirius had been an Auror alongside James Potter but after You-Know-Who was destroyed by young Harry, Sirius had quit the Auror department and started up the shop. She easily remembered the advertisement that had been in the Daily Prophet for people looking for work when he and Remus had opened up their manufacturing plant. Their logo was a stag, grim and a werewolf and it was on all of their products so people knew it was a genuine product since Gambol and Japes had begun trying to sell the same things as M&P. If one were to ask Molly for her opinion on the store she personally thought that Lord Black could've done something better with his time than a game and joke shop.

"Mum, we're gonna head to M&P!" Fred said, making Molly frown at them and narrow her eyes.

"Fred, George, we're here to do school shopping." She said, sighing when the twins instantly started begging for her to let them go.

"I'll take them, Mum." Bill said, smiling indulgently at the twins as Molly looked up at him.

"But Bill-"

"I already have my robes and books. It'll only take a few minutes to replenish my potions supply. I know you need to get Perc his trunk and bag." Bill said, watching as his mum sighed before nodding.

"Alright. Just make sure they don't get up to anything." Molly said, frowning as the twins whooped and grabbed Bill's hands to drag him off in the direction of the large shop.

Fred and George eagerly pushed open the double doors to the shop; their bright brown eyes alight with wonder and excitement. The right of the store was dedicated to pranks with items such as Dungbombs, whoopee cushions, hand buzzers, portable swamps, Skiving Snackboxes and a whole line of other pranks. The left side of the store was purely dedicated to games, puzzles and other activities that families and friends could play together. Bill gave the twins a warning; informing them that they can each have one item from both sides of the store so long as they behaved before he headed towards the left side of the store. Looking through the different puzzles, Bill smiled when he saw a few really nice ones and made a note to get them for his mum and Ginny for Christmas. He and Charlie had been working at some of the shops here in the alley during the summers to help their parents out with bills and such even though their mum and dad were hard pressed to take their wages from them.

Their dad had earned a small raise recently though things were still rough for them. Thankfully Bill had managed to gain a rather nice position in Gringotts and his boss: Raggedtooth, had expressed an interest in his grades at Hogwarts. Bill had admitted his interest in becoming a Curse Breaker and Raggedtooth had given him books to study from in his off time and told him what they were looking for in potential employees. He'd have to study his arse off in his last two years and get N.E.W.T.s in Potions, Defense, Ancient Runes, Charms and Transfiguration, but he had a good feeling about this. His O.W.L. scores had been high and he'd always done rather well in his classes. He knew that Charlie was already dead set on working in the Dragon Reserve in Romania. They had gone there earlier this summer as a family vacation and Charlie had been down at the reserve everyday asking questions about the Dragons and asking what he'd need to do to become a Dragon Tamer.

Of course their mum wasn't too happy about their dream careers. She wanted them close to home and in respectable positions in the Ministry like their dad. So far, only Percy had shown a vague interest in the Ministry. He was constantly asking their dad about the different departments and what their functions were. Fred and George were interested in working for Lord Black and Remus Lupin and possibly opening their own joke shop in the future. Of course their mum would be completely against that, but their dad was always encouraging them to do what they loved and not let anyone hold them back. Ron…well Bill was worried about his youngest brother. Ron had zero ambition unless it revolved around chess, Quidditch and food. He was rather slow in their lessons and Bill knew that their parents have struggled in getting Ron to actually pay attention. Their mum taught all of them reading, writing, basic math and other skills they'd need before Hogwarts. However, with Ron it took him longer to learn how to read and write than any of the others; including little Ginny.

"Excuse us!"

Bill jumped back as two young boys ran past and out the door. Raising an eyebrow, he chuckled and shook his head. He knew that Lord Black and Mister Lupin hired children between seven and ten to run errands for them in the alley such as delivering packages and the catalogs. He knew that the twins were interested in getting jobs as errand boys, but their parents were unsure about them having jobs at such a young age. Turning back to the shelves, Bill spotted a few things that Ron would like along with a few that even Percy might enjoy. That boy was much to…stuffy in Bill's opinion, but there wasn't much that could be done to get Percy away from his books and outside besides chores. Shaking his head, Bill wandered over to the Muggle section, grinning when he saw a number of things that'd interest their dad.

Meanwhile, Harry and Dean laughed as they hurried down the alley. They skillfully dodged people and other children, apologizing for near misses. Harry nodded to Dean and they split up, Harry headed down Merlin Street while Dean headed down Morgana Street. Harry ducked underneath a pair of workers carrying a few things and ducked into Masters Trunks and Bags. According to what Uncle Remus said, Lady Woodall would be in there. Taking in a few deep breaths, he looked around and smiled when he saw a young woman with white hair and rather fetching deep green eyes.

"Lady Woodall?" He asked, making the woman turn and look at him.

"Yes?" She asked, watching as Harry walked over and bowed.

"Your package from M&P." He said, pulling out a shrunken, wrapped package.

"Oh! Thank you." She said, accepting the package from the boy with a bright smile.

"Three puzzles, one game of Life, one game of Non-Magical Scrabble and one game of limited edition of Monopoly." Harry recited, smiling as the woman nodded happily.

"Here's a tip for you, Harry. That was a lot faster than I expected. Keep up the good work." She said, reaching into her coin purse and pulling out some money.

"Thank you, Lady Woodall. We hope you shop at Moony and Padfoot's again!" Harry said, happily accepting the tip before darting outside once more.

"Such a polite boy." Lady Woodall cooed, the owner of the shop chuckling.

"He and that friend of his are always running around. It's the perfect job for them." He said, going back to ringing up the woman's purchases as she giggled.

Unbeknownst to them, Molly and the remaining children of her brood had witnessed the entire interaction. Molly hadn't thought twice of the young boy who had run inside the shop; figuring that he was looking for his parents or was just wanting to escape the crowds of the streets. Hearing that the lad was actually the Harry Potter shocked her. In her mind, Harry had black hair which was messy and stuck up at odd angles just as his father's while he had Lily's bright emerald eyes. However, this Harry had shaggy black hair streaked with blonde and shockingly bright emerald green eyes. Not only that, but the lad had been wearing rather high-end clothing that had obviously been tailored to fit him. She had been trying to get a meeting with Lord and/or Lady Othello to speak with them about a possible betrothal between her Ginny and the lad. Albus had told her that the two would be perfect for each other and she agreed. Even though her young Ginny has bright brown eyes instead of green, she was still a little spitfire like Lily Potter had been and had the same red mane of hair…though Lily's had been a shade or two darker.

Of course…there was the fact that Harry stood to inherit the titles to two of the wealthiest families in their world. Now, don't get her wrong, she loved Arthur and supported him and his job. However, her husband was content in his department and wasn't actively seeking out a higher paying position. Yes, she made due with what they have in way of money, but she couldn't deny that she was used to a certain degree of…finery. Being so poor that she had to make her children and herself clothing or purchase clothes from the secondhand shop had been a hard pill for the once proud young woman to swallow. If Ginny were to marry Harry then she would have access to Harry's wealth and Ginny would ensure her husband helped them out and she wouldn't have to suffer through the indignity of having to deal with secondhand things any longer.

-I'll have to plan a few things.- Molly thought, guiding her brood over to the secondhand trunks so they could get Percy a trunk and bag for school.

Ron would need to become the lad's best friend; a brother figure even. That would give them a small setup with the lad and Ron would be able to invite Harry over for the holidays. Heck, Ron might even be invited to Othello Estate if everything went well! Molly knew of her youngest son's jealousy and his desire to no longer be hard for money; the boy had taken after her in that aspect. Ron would also be able to keep all the other potential leeches away from Harry that might try to gain the boy's favor before they could. Not only that, but he could keep any potential girlfriends away before Ginny attended Hogwarts. Her darling daughter already knew about the lad's fame and fortune. Arthur had found a few banned Harry Potter books and had brought them home to read to Ginny and the young girl was completely enthralled with the hero.

-There's plenty of work that still needs to be done. But there is stilltime for that to get done.- She thought, sighing as Percy looked over the small selection before grudgingly choosing a slightly battered trunk.

"Mummy, was that boy really Harry Potter?" Ginny asked, drawing her mother's attention.

"Yes, sweetie, that was." She said, smiling as Ginny looked towards the front door with wide eyes as a faint blush dusted her cheeks.

"But…he didn't look anything like the books said he did? He doesn't have glasses or wild hair." She said, frowning in confusion.

"Well, sweetheart, you know that books can get some things wrong at times. He was still rather handsome though." Molly said, smiling warmly as Ginny blushed deeply and nodded.

Ron scowled as he thought of the other boy. He had seen the clothing Harry wore and it was obviously made of finer material than anything he'd ever worn. Not only that, but Harry was getting money! Of course that stuck out to him more than anything else and, surprisingly, an idea formed in his mind.

"Hey, Mum, could I get a job working with Harry?" He asked, making his mother, brothers and sister look at him in surprise.

"You want to be an errand boy, Ron?" Percy asked, frowning as Ron looked at him.

Molly, however, was already thinking of the possibilities. Ron would meet Harry through the job and they might even become friends faster than she had planned! While the idea of having her son work for a…a Werewolf wasn't too comforting, she knew that with the new laws in place her son would be safe from any harm. Besides, Remus had always been a kind, if not quiet young man. He was certainly more responsible than Sirius when they were younger.

"We'll stop by the store when we've finished our shopping." Molly said, Ron nodding as Ginny beamed in happiness and excitement.

After purchasing Percy's trunk and schoolbag, they headed out and continued with their shopping. Thankfully, with Arthur's raise, they were able to purchase all of their children new wands instead of having to hand down old wands. Both she and Arthur knew how important it was for a Wizard or Witch to have their own wand, even if another wand was compatible. Bill and the twins rejoined them, to which Molly raised an eyebrow when she saw that the twins each had a shopping bag. She scolded Bill for spoiling them, though he simply shrugged and passed out an item to his other siblings. Ginny gushed when she saw the puzzle Bill had gotten her while Ron was in awe over the new Wizards Chess set Bill had gotten. Charlie grinned when he saw the miniature Dragon Bill had gotten him. The model was charmed to act exactly like a real life Dragon, though the flames it breathed were harmless. Percy received a crossword book, which he was surprised and pleased with; even more so when he read the back and learned that once the puzzles were completed they erased themselves and became more and more complex.

It took an hour longer before they finished their shopping, in which Molly also purchased a few outfits for herself, Arthur, Ron and Ginny. Once that was completed and their purchases were shrunken down, Molly led the way to M&P, to which Charlie hurriedly told Bill and the twins that Ron wanted to be an errand boy. This shocked Bill and the twins, even more so since all of them knew how lazy their youngest brother was. Being an errand boy required one to run around the alley and associate with anyone and everyone, including people like the Malfoys and Parkinsons. Inside the store, Molly quickly located Sirius on the floor setting up a few new displays. Calling his name, she watched as Sirius blinked and turned.

"Hello, Lady Weasley." Sirius said, inclining his head towards the woman.

"Lord Black, I was wondering if my youngest son might be able to be one of your errand boys for the store." Molly said, making Sirius raise an eyebrow on how blunt she was.

Looking at Ronald, Sirius mentally cringed. He could see the greed in the lad's eyes as Ron looked around the store and also took in the slight baby fat that still clung to Ron's gangly frame. Lucas and Delilah had also told him and Remus about Molly's persistence of trying to set up 'play dates' between Harry and Ronald. He was under no illusion as to what Molly was really after. She was already looking for a way to get her youngest son involved in his godson's life. However, he was glad that he could turn her down and actually mean it instead of lying to the woman.

"I'm sorry, Lady Weasley. We already have five errand boys and girls. We don't have an opening right now." He said, watching as Molly frowned lightly while Ron looked at him and scowled.

"Surely there's an opening for Ronald." She tried, making Sirius mentally roll his eyes while he shook his head.

"I'm sorry, but there's not. We're reaching the end of our peak season and we'll actually be cutting back the hours of our errand boys and girls. We simply don't have an opening and won't for some time." He said, struggling not to sneer as Molly huffed softly.

"Very well." She said, turning and leading the group away from the young man while Ron scowled and glared at the floor.

Sirius sighed in relief as the doors to the store closed behind the woman. He'd pass on a word of warning to his godson about Molly. No doubt she saw Harry running around the alley or had overheard a conversation which led her here. He knew that Molly normally detested the idea of any of her children working for a place that wasn't 'respectable' and a joke shop would qualify for that. However, if she was willing to make an exception for her youngest son because Harry worked there then there was no telling what else the woman would do to gain Harry's favor. Of course he doesn't really have to worry too much about his godson. Harry's been busy with training, his lessons and school. He's also, thankfully, made friends outside the Brotherhood so he's also been busy hanging out with them.

-I have a feeling Molly and Ronald might be trouble in the future- He mused, turning his attention back to the displays.

-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX-