Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Pushing through a crowded street, Lily cursed as she dodged a laughing couple, her eyes burning from suppressed tears. Damn James, damn him to hell! How dare he treat her like that! The argument had completely blindsided her. One that left her seething enough to question her choices.

They had married right out of Hogwarts the year previous. Barely eighteen, madly in love and straight away began trying to have a baby. Yet here they were, over a year later and still her wretched period came like clockwork. She didn’t let it get her down, pushed through and had reached her next stage of ovulation, only for James to fly into a rage she had never witnessed.

He’d had enough. Considered trying again a complete waste and even accused her of using contraceptive potions to bar pregnancy. When she made it clear she had done no such thing, he called her…broken. Merlin. That single word had shredded her apart. With nothing else to say, she stormed from their home and apparated away, James cries of her name lost to the wind.

In her upset, she was lucky she didn’t splinch herself and managed to apparate to a deserted alley in London. A Friday night, the streets were crowded. Lily dodged between the many bodies, coming to a stop outside a brightly lit Muggle Nightclub and thought to hell with it and to hell with James Potter.

Stepping inside, she was instantly surprised. A Muggle establishment, clearly, but one that catered mostly to those with Quirks.

Quirks had come about in the last few centuries. At first popping up here and there and then eventually accounting for roughly eighty percent of the population. With roughly one percent of the global population accounting for Wizard kind, they were still outnumbered. There was speculation that Quirks had come about through Squibs, but it had never been proven.

Looking about in fascination, Lily noted several heteromorphic Quirks. They were rare enough to see in England, but from the several different languages she heard, they weren’t natives. Making her way toward the bar, she stopped next to a tall man that reminded her a little of Severus Snape. Long ebony hair fell just past broad shoulders, moonlight pale skin peeking through. He was nursing a tumbler full of whiskey and when an ink coloured eye slid in her direction, Lily realised she had been staring. Flushing in embarrassment, she dropped her gaze.

“I…uh…Sorry.”

“It’s fine,” came the rumbled reply. English, with a thick Japanese accent. “You don’t look dressed for a night out.”

Glancing down at herself, Lily flushed even darker. No, she wasn’t exactly dressed for clubbing, not in her favourite woollen turtleneck, worn jeans and snow boots. “No, I guess not. I sort of, rushed out and ended up here.”

“Fight with your spouse?” The stranger asked, gesturing toward her ring finger.

Lily sighed. “Yes…one that could very well see us as ex-spouses come morning.” Catching the staff’s attention, Lily ordered herself a glass of wine, glad she made a habit of carrying muggle money. “I’m Lily by the way.”

“Shota.”

“You visiting from Japan?” Lily queried, happy to change the subject from her trainwreck of a life.

“Somewhat,” Shota replied. “I’m a Pro Hero on assignment. A Japanese Villain was hiding out here and we finally managed to apprehend him this morning.”

Lily blinked. “Wow. I wasn’t expecting that…that’s impressive. So, are you out celebrating?”

Shota smiled warmly. “I thought it was warranted, before we flew home tomorrow. What did the spouse do?”

Lily took a bracing sip. “We’ve been trying to have a baby, and it hasn’t panned out. No matter what we do, it just isn’t happening and tonight he…he just lost it. At first he accused me of preventing pregnancy and then he…he called me…broken.”

Shota’s dark eyes widened a little. “No offence, but your husband sounds like an utter bastard.”

Laughter exploded from Lily. She probably should have felt offended on James’ behalf, instead, she was highly amused. “That’s one way of putting it. You’re not subtle.”

“Not particularly,” Shota responded with a grin. “And I stand by what I said. I’m sorry he treated you that way.”

“So am I.” Downing the remainder of her wine, Lily felt a spark of something dart through her as she looked Shota up and down, a lick of unexpected desire wiggling beneath her skin. She was wrong about considering him like Severus. The Wizard had nowhere near the ropey muscle she was seeing on the man in front of her. A dark thought occurred to her, a very dark thought, but Merlin damn it, she didn’t care. “What do you say to going somewhere more private?”

Shota’s eyes widened at the clear suggestion behind her question, a slow smile tilting his lips. He wasn’t one to just fall into bed with anyone, but Lily stirred something in him, married be damned. Oh, no doubt, she intended this as some petty revenge against her husband, but he was okay with that. Pulling out his phone, the Pro Hero sent a hasty text to the others in his team where they were scattered about the club, letting them know he was calling it a night. Well used to him, none would question it. Downing the last of his drink, he held out a hand toward the waiting red head.

“I have a room upstairs. Shall we?”

He waited for her to bail, but clearly Lily intended to go all in and took his hand without hesitation. His fingers were rough, calloused, her own lost within his large palm. She could sense his strength almost and it had her blood heating. Above the nightclub was soundproofed. The noise of the music vanished the minute they stepped out into the staircase that led up to the rooms. Following Shota, Lily had barely stepped into the room he was using for the night before she found herself up against the wall, a hungry mouth engulfing her own.

A blaze came to life inside her. Her sex life was healthy, James well able to heat her up, but this was a whole knew level. Where her husband was gentle with her, Shota utterly dominated.

“Merlin!” Lily groaned when he moved to her neck.

Shota chuckled. “Interesting explanative, but I get the point…” Nipping her throat, loving the deep moan it drew from her, he guided her toward the bed.

Lily grunted as her back hit the soft mattress, green eyes watching entranced when Shota tugged off his long sleeve tee. Her mouth went dry. Never had she seen such taunt muscle. Scars were here and there, a happy trail of black hair disappearing beneath his dark cargo pants and the clear bulge hidden there, had her licking her lips.

With a grin, Shota moved over her, kissing her again. From there, well, things moved fast. Merlin! His hands were everywhere. Lily could scarcely keep up. Her clothing disappeared bit by bit and when he latched onto one firm breast, she arched into him with a hungry cry. His fingers moved between her thighs, finding the slick wetness awaiting him.

“Oh!” Lily gasped, legs kicking, but Shota didn’t let up. His fingers moved skilfully, dragging over heated flesh to the swollen nub. Heat jolted through her, her hips jerking. The intensity drawing cries from her until with a snap, the strongest climax she’d ever felt shredded through her nerves.

Feeling her body shudder violently, against him, Shota grinned around her taunt nipple. Not once did he let up, working her clit, driving her up and up until she was writhing and when he finally removed his fingers, Lily sagged to the bed completely boneless. Cheeks flushed, eyes half lidded, she watched the man lean back and remove his pants. Dear sweet Merlin! He was well endowed. Her brain instantly compared him to her husband, which was so very wrong of her, but part of her figured he deserved it.

“More,” Lily pleaded, suddenly desperate, spreading her thighs. “Please!”

Oh, she had his blood running hot. Never had he wanted anyone so badly. Kicking off his cargo pants, Shota slipped in between her creamy thighs and guided himself into her hot core. “Fuuuck!” Shota groaned, pressing forward until he was buried to the hilt. Burying his face in her neck, he growled gutturally at every squeeze of her body. She was so hot, slick and tight!

“Move!” Lily begged, wrapping her legs about him. “Please! Move!”

Shifting, the Pro Hero kissed her again and began to thrust. Any idea of gentle had fled. Raw hunger had taken over them both and like a man starved, Shota ploughed into the soft willing body beneath him. Lily groaned, arching into him, every thrust sending fiery pleasure sizzling across her senses. Toes curling, she cried out in surprise when a fresh orgasm slammed into her.

“God!! Oh GOD!”

With a growl, Shota picked up speed, grinding against her until with a barked curse, he emptied inside of her, body shuddering as the ejaculation left him all but whimpering from the force of it. Sweaty, hips still jerking a little, Shota pressed a kiss to Lily’s damp neck. Shifting, Lily found his mouth and kissed him like a woman starved.

“Again,” She growled, shifting against him, teasing out a moan from the man. “I shouldn’t…but again!”

Oh, he was all over that! Hardening up for a round two, Shota pounced. Lily found herself on all fours and the man entering from behind. From there, it was a blur. She lost count of how many times he took her. How many times she cried out his name. They fell asleep somewhere near dawn, wrung out and thoroughly used.

Burrowed into Shota’s warmth, Lily woke first, blinking away the dregs of sleep. Rising, she looked down at Shota. Dark hair scattered over his cheek, he didn’t so much as twitch and Merlin, that was probably for the best. Regret wriggled under her skin, turning her blood cold. What had she done?! Getting free from the sheets, Lily dressed quickly. To her relief, Shota never budged. With one last look, she turned and apparated away.

Returning to Potter Manor was met with an extremely regretful James. Watching him tearfully beg for her forgiveness, only reinforced Lily’s regret tenfold and like a coward, she caved to his apology and never uttered a word.

A few weeks later, joy filled all when it turned out Lily was pregnant. Of course, it was tainted only months later when a prophecy came to pass, laying a target on the child growing in her womb. The Dark Lord wanted him dead. From there, they went into hiding with the help of Albus Dumbledore. Finding refuge in a lovely little cottage in Godric’s Hollow. Through all the chaos Lily forgot about the great sin she had committed, until the night her child was born.

Harry James Potter came into the world July thirty-first, howling healthily. Laughter escaped her husband as he cradled their newborn, brown eyes bright. “Look at him, Lily! He’s perfect!”

Exhausted, Lily smiled. He was indeed perfect. He had her creamy skin, dark hair sticking up from his small head, eyes the typical newborn blue. But, a pang went through her, when she noted the shape of his little face. The familiarity wasn’t of her, or James…it was of Shota! She had slept with both men quite close together around that time of ovulation and had happily convinced herself James would be the father, but she knew, deep in her bones, that wasn’t true.

“Aww, hungry buddy? Here we go, back to your mum.”

Taking the infant, Lily settled him at a heavy breast, smiling when Harry latched hungrily. “Are you…uh…going to see the midwife out?”

“I will, she’s just cleaning up downstairs.” Bending, he pressed a kiss to Lily’s temple. “I’ll be right back.”

Smiling tiredly, Lily watched him go and once the sound of his footsteps disappeared, she quickly grabbed her wand and cast a paternal spell. “Parentis idem.” Smoke appeared above the nursing newborn, shifting to form words and Lily’s heart stuttered.

Mother: Lily J Potter

Father: Shota Aizawa

Cancelling the spell, Lily swallowed down the lump in her throat. Merlin! She had truly screwed up! But James never needed to know. He didn’t need to suffer for her mistake, nor did Harry. She told herself over and over James wouldn’t abandon them, but part of her wasn’t so sure and wasn’t willing to risk it.

Not with her baby’s life at stake.

No.

She would do anything to protect him.

Weeks after Harry’s birth. As an extra precaution, Lily found herself slipping away to Gringotts for a secret late night meeting, intent on a Will made alongside hers and James’, that would be activated should they and Sirius not survive the war. Then, and only then would Harry’s birth father be informed. She’d like to think it was because he deserved to know, but it was more a protection to avoid her poor boy being left in the clutches of her magic hating sister.

By the time she made it home, the sun had begun to come up and she had just enough time to start breakfast, before her sleep rumpled boys appeared.

“Morning,” James greeted with a yawn, bending to kiss Lily’s cheek, Harry wiggling in his arms. “Up long?”

“No, not long…Can you get Harry a bottle?”

It was so normal. Just another lovely morning, James oblivious to the fact she ever left Harry cooing away in his arms while his father prepared him a bottle. For just a moment, it was paradise.

Then October thirty-first, everything lay in ruin, a baby’s cry filled the air and because of the incarceration of the wrong man, Lily’s secret Will remained within the dark recesses of Gringotts.

xxx:::_The Lies We Live By_:::xxx

PRESENT DAY:

Harry sat in Dumbledore’s office, aching still from his injuries, tears tracking his cheeks. He was worn out. Drained of everything, after smashing several of Dumbledore’s trinkets. A part of the fifteen year old felt a twinge of guilt at that and yet felt it was deserved. He couldn’t stand to hear the man harping on once more about Voldemort and Harry’s role in it all. Not when only hours ago, Sirius…his only remaining family…had died right in front of him.

Life had been one train wreck after another from the moment he had been abandoned on the step of the wretched Dursleys and to Hell with Dumbledore’s greater good bullshit. He was abandoned, by him and the rest of the Wizardry world and yet, they still asked for more! If he gave, he was wrong, if he took, he was wrong! It didn’t matter! He was a Hero or a Villain when it suited them.

Merlin! He came so close to getting his friends killed. Ron would forever have scars from those awful brain things and Hermione would spend the next several weeks recovering from internal injuries thanks to that bastard Dolohov. The only reason she survived was because she managed to mute him. Had he been able to say the spell, well, he didn’t want to think about it. Ginny suffered some scrapes and bruises; Luna had a nice concussion and Neville ended up with a broken nose. But all of that paled in comparison to the fact that his Godfather had died!

If only he hadn’t fallen for Voldemort’s trick. If only he had tried harder to get an adult’s help, then maybe…Merlin damn it! …All of it was his fault!

“Potter!”

Head snapping up, skull thudding from his misery, Harry set his tired gaze on an irate Severus Snape. Dumbledore sat behind his desk and so lost in his depression; the teenager never noticed the Potions master enter. “What…?” He croaked dully. Seriously, could they not just leave him be?!

Sneer curling his lip, Severus snorted. “Forgive my intrusion, Potter, but the Headmaster feared you had gone catatonic. He has been trying to get your attention for quite sometime and since Madam Pomphrey is quite busy tending to Miss Granger, you get me.”

He didn’t even have the energy to bite back at the Wizard. Only wincing in regret when he mentioned Hermione. “I’m perfectly fine, sir…just needed to get my bearings.” Wasn’t that an understatement?!

“Understandable, my boy,” Dumbledore prodded gently, unsure if he’s set off the teenager’s rage once more. “If there was more you wish to discuss…”

“No,” Harry began, standing hastily. Merlin he felt so closed in! “No, there’s nothing more to say, I guess. I…eh…Yeah, I think I’ll just head back to Gryffindor Tower.”

“Go to the Hospital Wing, Potter.” Severus ordered gruffly. “You’re still covered in bruises and Madam Pomphrey has already informed me you avoided a diagnostic. After what the Dark Lord managed to do…invading your mind…I would suggest you let her cast those charms.”

“Sure, sir…I’ll do that.”

Hurrying from Dumbledore’s office, no intention of returning to the Hospital Wing, Harry made his way through the eerily quiet corridors. From the time, he knew nearly everyone would be in their dorms. The odd older student would be floating about, and others were probably in the Library buried in books. Luckily, Harry had become very adept at avoidance.

He made it outside without meeting a single person. Despite the late hour, it was still light out and ignoring the twinges in his body, he made his way toward a secluded part of the lake. Sinking to the ground, Harry watched the Giant Squid pop a tentacle to the surface. Usually he’d have toast to share, but not today. Fresh tears welled, spilling over cheeks everyone always said were paler than either of his parents. He blamed too many years of being crammed into a cupboard under the damn stairs, yet it was a comment that tended to irritate him. As well as the constant surprise he didn’t need glasses like his father did.

One would consider it to be a good thing. Especially since he grew up with the Dursleys. Harry had a hard enough time staying fed. He dreaded the idea of trying to get items for any impairment.

“Potter?”

Jolted from his thoughts, Harry lifted his gaze. Of all the people to come looking for him? Really? “What do you want Malfoy?”

Draco took a cautious step forward and dropped down onto the grass. Harry watched him toss a Digestive to the Squid. A deft tentacle snatching it from the air, before vanishing beneath the water. “I just got word from my mother about your recent…escapades.”

“If you are here to get on me for your father’s arrest, I—”

“No!” Draco rushed out. “No…I swear. I’m mad about it, but I’m mad at him. I thought Father was done with all that nonsense. He swore to me that all that Dark Lord rubbish was the Imperius curse. Promised my mother should he ever return, we’d…we’d go to Dumbledore for protection. Instead, he went the coward’s way. I heard about Sirius Black…including that he…he was innocent all along. I’m so sorry Potter.”

Surprised by Draco’s words and the fact that they read genuine, Harry gave him a nod. “It’s my fault.” He found himself blurting out. “If I hadn’t believed what Voldemort showed me…Sirius would still be alive.”

“Potter, I only got the gist of it from my mother and my understanding of this whole mess…you were not at fault.”  Draco swallowed heavily. “Maybe i-if I wasn’t helping that wretched woman Umbridge, you would have gotten the teachers to help…”

“No, Malfoy…this isn’t on you.” Harry promised. “You being your usual git self didn’t cause this.”

Wincing at the comment, but figuring he deserved it, Draco stood up and surprised even himself when he held his hand out to Harry. “Come on, Potter. You look like several miles of bad road…let’s see about getting you something to eat and then into a bed.”

“You mothering me is so weird, just so you know.”

“I won’t tell if you don’t.”

Harry happily squashed down his misery and took the proffered limb, following Draco back inside the castle. There would be plenty of time to analyse it under a microscope and self-flagellate. For now, he just wanted to remain numb.

Ron wasn’t discharged from the infirmary till the next day. Hermione a week later and even then, she was discharged on ten different potions that had to be taken daily to fix the internal damage Dolohov had done. To Harry’s shock, none of his friends blamed him for what had transpired and thanks to a mix of articles, revealing all that occurred at the Ministry and Dumbledore’s own words, everyone had completely changed their attitudes toward Harry. He had received numerous apologies for not believing him in regard to Voldemort and twice as many condolences over Sirius’ death. It was appreciated at first, but honestly, by the time he boarded the Hogwarts express, he was sick of it.

It wasn’t going to fix anything.

It wouldn’t take back how badly he screwed up.

Over the three weeks that remained, he had found an interesting friendship in Draco of all people. Ron, as expected, freaked. He got over it pretty quickly, after an epic tantrum of course, Hermione scolding him till his ears rang and when an article came out of Narcissa Malfoy publicly denouncing her husband. From Draco, they knew she had returned to France. Draco would continue going to Hogwarts of course, but now, the boy seemed lighter somehow. It was nice.

As usual, the Dursleys waited the far side of the barrier when Harry stepped through. Considering how things had been left, the boy who lived wasn’t looking forward to dealing with them this summer. To his surprise, Moody waited alongside Lupin, Tonks and the Weasleys only a few feet from his agitated relatives.

“What’s going on?” Hermione whispered.

“No idea,” Harry responded, a sinking feeling filling his gut. Hurrying ahead, the teenager looked frantically between the group. “W-What are you all doing here?!”

“Ah, hello Harry,” Lupin greeted with a tired smile. “We’re here to have a wee chat with your family before you head off.”

“Are you crazy?!” Harry hissed. “That is a bad idea, a very bad idea!”

“I disagree,” Moody growled out, limping forward and jerking his head toward the Dursleys. “That them Potter?”

“Yes, but..”

It was no use, Moody had already started toward them, Lupin, Tonks and the Weasleys right behind them. Frozen to the spot, Harry watched several emotions flitter over his Aunt and Uncle’s faces. Whatever was being said, whatever threats were made—because Merlin damn it, he just knew Moody was that stupid! —it would come back to bite him. It always did!

“It’ll be okay mate,” Ron said with a friendly nudge. “Don’t let the muggles get to you.”

“We’ll see you soon,” Hermione promised. “And we’ll write loads, okay?”

With a nod, Harry said goodbye to them both and trudged after his family, barely glancing at the others. They had no idea the hell they’d just started. One, no one could save him from.

xxx:::_The Lies We Live By_:::xxx

Reina Yamamoto rushed through the streets of Musutafu, hopping on one foot as she fixed her shoe and just barely keeping a hold of the files clutched in her arms. She just knew it was going to be one of those days when her damn alarm failed, and the coffee pot never kicked in. A Witch, born of Muryokuna parents—the Japanese wording for Muggles or No-Maj—Reina worked for the international communication department of Japan’s magical Government. Not exactly a thrilling life, since Japan had one of the smallest Wizardry communities in the world and unlike other countries, had no all magical settlements, so Reina lived her days being shunned as Quirkless.

If only the arrogant Muryokuna knew just what she could do to them.

A top graduate of Himawari’s Academy for the Gifted, she was considered quite a powerful Witch. But Japan was mostly Quirk based and if you were cursed with that extra joint and no Quirk to show, you were labelled for life. Most Quirkless were as they were, no ability in any sense. Some were magical, others were Kowareta. A word that simply meant ‘broken’ and was used cruelly on those born of magical parents yet had no access to magic. Their cores never having reached maturity and with every Quirk birth, their numbers continued to dwindle.

Reaching the entrance to what appeared to the Muryokuna as a closed down factory, Reina raced inside, her ears immediately assaulted by the bustle hidden behind a powerful glamour. She saw animal control trying to calm down a very irate Kitsune. Heavily pregnant by the looks of her and clearly overbred, as well as mistreated. That had to be the case they were dealing with from Hosu City. An idiot Wizard had been selling the kits to Muryokuna who thought they were some ordinary breed of fox. He very nearly got a child killed after one frightened kit unleashed it’s magic. Craning her neck curiously as she made her way through security, Reina made note of a roughed up Wizard sat already in magic cancelling cuffs and hurling abuse at one of the poor fools dealing with him.

“Yamamoto!”

Wincing at the howl of her name, Reina quickly retrieved her Wand from inspection and hurried toward her boss. Fusao Sasaki was a formidable Wizard. One of the highest ranked to ever come out of Japan, rumour had it he’d even give Albus Dumbledore a run for his money and honestly, Reina didn’t doubt that.

“Sir!” She called, darting up the steps to join him. “I am so sorry I’m late, sir! I—”

“Not interested, Yamamoto…We’ve a bit of a dilemma, follow me, now!”

Blinking in surprise, Reina hurried after Fusao, his long strides hard to keep up with. The occasional charmed paper darted overhead, whizzing between offices, while the crescendo of noise built, until they reached the bullpen of the International communication department, where activity positively thumped in the eardrums. Used to it, Reina followed Fusao right into his office, blinking in surprise at the sight of their Magical President Kenji Ito.

Bowing her head in respect, Reina mentally shuffled through her thoughts. Holy crap, what had she done to warrant the President showing up? “Sir!” She squeaked.

“Calm down, Reina,” Kenji said gently, the man as always warm and friendly. “You’re not in trouble. Part of your duties is communications with England’s magical Government, yes?”

Reina frowned, glancing at Fusao and back to Kenji. “I…Well…Yes. But it is usually just minor correspondence, law changes we need to be aware of, that sort of thing. Did I file something wrong?”

“No,” Fusao grunted. “Have you ever before received anything from the English Wizardry bank addressed to Eraserhead?”

“W-What?! T-The Pro Hero? No!”

From his robes, Kenji produced a sealed letter and sure enough on the thick envelope, in purple ink, was one scrawled word ‘ERASERHEAD’. “After some checking, we found out it’s from a deceased Witch, Lily Potter.”

Reina’s eyes widened. “As in the mother of the child who almost destroyed one of the most powerful Dark Lord’s in the world, that Witch? What could she possibly want with Eraserhead?!”

“No clue,” Kenji said cheerfully. “But you, my dear, are going to find out.”

Oh, Reina had been right, this was definitely going to be one of those days.

xxx:::_The Lies We Live By_:::xxx

Yawning, coffee cup in hand, Shota yanked his hair up in a messy tail, pressed a kiss to his sleeping husband’s cheek and made his way down from the teacher’s quarters to check in on the usual chaos of his 1-A class. To his amusement, Katsuki was as usual barking out orders while getting breakfast ready, with just Izuku jumping to his demands. No one else was up yet, but since it was Saturday, and after a gruelling week of training, that was to be expected. Funnily, it had forced the ash blonde to bond with Izuku and that led to a level of peace that was blissful, even if their friendship was a tad bizarre.

“Damn it nerd! Did no one ever teach you how to whisk eggs!”

“What?! Kacchan! What do you mean how to whisk…They’re eggs!”

“Children,” Shota scolded dryly heading straight for the coffee pot. “It’s too early for griping.”

“Sorry!”

Smiling at the dual apology, Shota poured himself a fresh mug and was just about to enjoy it, when the last voice he wanted to hear so early called his name.

“Shota?”

“What do you want, Toshinori?” Shota growled out, looking over when the blonde haired man stepped in, Nezu at his side. “And Nezu? Well, this can’t be good.” Taking a seat, Shota shot the two teenagers a pointed look, Izuku and Katsuki quickly concentrated on breakfast.

Nezu hopped up into a chair, smiling cheerfully. “Always the grump. I received an interesting request for your presence.”

Shota raised a brow, “Such as?”

“Such as one from President Kenji Ito.”

Dark eyes widening in shock, Shota’s jaw dropped. He was aware of the magical world; all Pro Heroes were, even those with provisional licences knew, but never in all the years he’d been training or working as a Pro had he dealt with them personally, and definitely not the magical president!

“The Wizards?!” Izuku chirped before he could contain himself, nearly dropping the bowl of eggs.

“What could they possibly want with me?” Shota sputtered. “We’ve only had minor contact and even then it’s usually with Heroes like Toshi.”

“I honestly cannot fathom what they want,” Nezu said cheerfully. “But I have agreed you will go and that two of your students will be going with you as backup. I’m sure young Midoriya and Bakugo will oblige.”

“Hell yeah!” Bakugo crowed, just as excited as Izuku. “We’re there!”

Shota shot to his feet. “Are you insane, rat?! You can’t send me in with two teenagers! Even if they do have Provisional Hero Licences!”

“This is simply a meeting with the magical president,” Nezu pointed out, not the least bit surprised by Shota’s reaction and as always, amused by it. “Besides, it’ll be good experience for them. Not many can claim contact with the magical world, Pro or trainee.”

“Come on, Mr Aizawa!” Izuku pleaded, breakfast forgotten. “Please! We’ll be fine!”

Clearly outnumbered, Shota threw up his hands. “Fine! Ambushed! Be ready to go in ten minutes!” Stomping off, his ears filled with cheering from Izuku and Katsuki, he hurried upstairs to rouse his husband. So much for a relaxed Saturday.

Chapter Text

In civilian clothing, Shota climbed from his car alongside his husband and students, eyes on the delipidated factory they had been sent to. This was the Government building for Japan’s magicals? Seriously? Part of it looked as if it was ready to crumble into dust. Wooden boards past for windows and what wasn’t destroyed by graffiti, was sagging from severe water damage.

“Eraserhead?”

Head turning, Shota watched a young woman stride toward them. In a pretty pant suit, she had ink black hair in a tidy braid, creamy coloured skin and honey coloured eyes. She was smiling warmly and from her footwear he knew she was Quirkless, which meant she was most likely the Witch Nezu said would be waiting for them.

“Welcome!” The woman greeted jubilantly, eyes darting between them all. “I am Reina Yamamoto, and this must be Present Mic, Deku annnd Dynamight, yes?”

“Got it in one,” Shota responded. “I assume Nezu warned you of my entourage?”

“Oh, he gave us a heads up.” Reina said, shaking hands with all of them. “Big fan! You two were wonderful in this years sports festival! Now! Follow me!”

Flummoxed by her rapid talk, before hurrying them all toward the gaping ruin of a factory, the group were ready to protest going inside a building that looked clearly condemned. Only to be left completely gobsmacked when in a roar of activity, they stepped through into what appeared to be a bustling Government building.

“What the crap?!” Katsuki spluttered; red eyes wide, head craned as he tried to take in the chaos that didn’t even make sense! How the hell did it suddenly become a lustrous building with several floors heading skyward?!

“Glamours!” Izuku gushed, green eyes bright as the sixteen year old bounced excitedly. “It must be glamoured!”

Reina beamed at Izuku. “Exactly! You know quite a bit about magic.”

“Just what we’re taught alongside our Hero lessons.”

“Magic talk later!” Shota butted in. “You asked me to come here for a reason.”

“Shota!” Hizashi scolded.

“What?!” Shota growled back, agitated and just a little bit freaked out. “I want to know why I was summoned by one of the world’s best kept secrets!”

“Forgive me,” Reina apologised hastily, cheeks pinking. “This is not an everyday thing for me either…this way please.”

The four followed Reina, wowed by charmed papers darting overhead, alongside the occasional owl carrying a package. Paintings on the walls had moving imagery and it didn’t take them long to notice they were being studied. Wizards and Witches in strange clothing stopping to stare, muttering among themselves. Bringing them to Fusao’s office, Reina shut the door. Fusao and Kenji waited inside.

Standing, Kenji bowed his head politely. “Welcome! I am President Kenji Ito. I can assume this is all a bit of a shock.”

“A little,” Shota responded in a dry tone. “The last time the magical community contacted a Hero here in Japan, it involved an Earthquake that killed several hundred people!”

Kenji winced. “Ah! Yes, I recall that horrible incident. The Witch responsible has been in prison since. But this isn’t about anything so drastic.” Picking up a thick envelope, Kenji held it out. “Someone in our world, is looking for you.”

Confused, Shota hesitantly reached out to take it. ERASERHEAD was emblazoned over it, in shimmering purple ink and it was closed with a wax seal of all things. One with the initials L.P. at its centre. Breaking it open, he pulled out a letter, one written in the same purple ink, on the same thick parchment and unlike his name on the envelope, which was in Japanese, the letter was written in English.

Dear Shota,

Have you any idea how hard it was to find your Hero name?! For a Pro Hero you are buried quite deeply under red tape. But I figured you wouldn’t want your civilian name splashed about. I hope I got the Japanese correct! It’s not exactly an easy language. I guess you’ve figured out by now that I’m magical, a Witch. I know Pro Heroes are aware of us and our world. I know they were made aware of…Lord Voldemort. Of the prophecy involving a child born at the end of July. One who would be his eventual end.

I wonder if you even remember me…Or our one night together.

Lily…My name is Lily Potter; I never gave you my last name. I suppose it didn’t matter at the time. But it probably matters more now, because if you are receiving this letter, then I have died.

I know, why am I telling you this. Why hold onto one night? Because I would quickly learn, you left something behind.

I’m looking at our son, Shota, as I write this letter to you. The child prophesised to defeat Voldemort. He has my eyes, but the rest is all you. Although, he passes for my husband’s and out of fear for our son’s life, I let everyone believe that…but we are at war, and I’ve had to take precautions. Even with myself and James, even with a Guardian named in our close friend Sirius Black. This letter is also a second Will. Should Sirius leave this world also, I needed our son’s biological father named. So, I do now, I, Lily Potter name Shota Aizawa the Biological father of our son, Harry James Potter.

I named him for my husband.

 You probably hate me for that. Hate me for keeping your child from you, hate me now for using you as just another means to protect him. It was cruel to both of you. But maybe, you can see past that and love our son. Even if you can never forgive me. Our boy needs you, Shota and though you might not know it yet, you need him.

He is the best parts of us.

Lily

The more he read, the paler his complexion went, until he was the colour of old porridge. When he swayed, Hizashi was on him in a second to steady him. Izuku and Katsuki either side of him looking just as worried.  “Babe! What is it?!”

He couldn’t find the words! Hizashi knew about his one night with Lily. Back then, they’d been close friends and told each other everything. Hell! It had been a running joke over the years that Shota probably had a dark haired offspring running about, because being young and stupid, he hadn’t been careful his side and could only hope Lily had been. To have it confirmed, knocked the wind out of him. Numbly, he handed the letter over and stumbled to an empty seat, dropping his face into his hands as he tried to get a grip.

Confused, Hizashi unfurled the parchment and began to read, colour draining from his own face, only to spew several crude explanatives in English, before switching back to Japanese and focusing on his husband. “Lily Potter? That Lily?!”

“Seriously?!” Shota spluttered, head snapping up. “That’s the part you focused on?! How about the part where I supposedly have a fifteen year old son walking around and he just happens to be the fucking boy who lived Harry Potter?!”

“WHAT?!”

Shota jumped, dark eyes snapping from his students to Reina, Fusao and Kenji, all five faces slack jawed and stunned, because honestly, he might as well have sired the next great ruler of England, with how revered Harry was. It was one topic all Pro Heroes were briefed on. The War monitored closely over the years in case it spilled over into non magicals, or even outside of England. So, everyone in the room understood the significance.

“You are the birth father of Harry James Potter?” Fusao choked out. “And you didn’t know?!”

“Lily and I spent one night together when I was on an assignment in England years ago!” Shota argued. “When I woke the next morning, she was gone. No note, nothing and I returned home the same day. I had no reason to look for her!”

“And clearly didn’t know what a condom was,” Katsuki butted in snidely, only grinning when his teacher glared at him.

“Kacchan!” Izuku squawked, cheeks pinking.

Dropping heavily into his seat, Kenji dragged a hand through his salt and pepper hair, trying to orientate himself. This was a shit show and that was the nicest way to put it. “England are going to have a field day! Getting near the boy will be impossible! I wouldn’t be surprised if their Wizards barred you.”

“What, why?” Shota demanded, on his feet, fists clenched. “A child I was unaware of just gets dropped in my lap, but you think I’ll be barred from seeing him? Why?”

Kenji sighed. “Because James Potter is considered one of their greatest who gave his life in their War. To think his wife made such a betrayal? They’d sooner hide it.”

“If you think we’ll brush this under the rug—” Hizashi began.

Kenji barked out a laugh. “Oh, not a hope! I’m just too used to the British Ministry of Magic’s way of thinking. It wouldn’t be the first time such scandals as this have led to problems. No. Every Government is fully aware of Harry Potters whereabouts. My intention is to send you straight there, via Portkey. Not much they can do, if we let the genie out of the bottle first.”

“Portkey?” Hizashi queried. “I’m guessing it’s a travel thing.”

“Yes,” Reina said with a smile. “We can enchant an object, and you can use it to transport yourselves to England, right from the office here.”

“It’s instantaneous?”

This was happening so fast! Shota wasn’t sure how his husband was so calm as he asked questions back and forth, mostly answered by Reina, with Izuku and even Katsuki throwing in the occasional comment. Lost in his mental breakdown, he never noticed his husband approaching, until he was wrapped up in his arms, the familiar warm scent of Hizashi filling his nose.

“Easy, babe,” Hizashi whispered in his ear. “It’s a lot to take in. Deep breaths.”

“How are you not furious at me right now?” Shota croaked.

“For what? A child no one told you about?” Shaking his head, Hizashi kissed his temple and stepped back. “Sho, you were no Virgin before we started dating and we often joke ourselves that you probably had a mini you out there from that night, since it was the one and only time you were stupid about protection. Besides, anyone with half your DNA, I’m gonna adore.”

“A kid! Holy crap, Hizashi, I’m a Dad!” Shota shook his head, trying to comprehend that. “And she…she knew exactly how to find me, but never told me…how could she do that?!”

“I don’t know, love,” Hizashi said gently. “But you know now and from what I read in that letter, his last family member died, otherwise you wouldn’t have been contacted.”

“Last family member?” Kenji asked confused. “It’s true he lost his Godfather recently, but Mr Potter wasn’t in his custody.”

Shota frowned. “Why?”

“False imprisonment. Poor man was only exonerated after his death. He never had custody of the boy.”

“Well, then, where the hell is my kid?!”

xxx:::_The Lies We Live By_:::xxx

Harry was quiet the entire car ride from the train station. The tension in the car could have been cut with a knife and most of it he blamed on Moody, Lupin, Tonks and the Weasleys. Merlin damn it! Couldn’t they have just left it alone? They had no idea the crap they had started by butting in. Once at the house, Harry took his time getting out, grabbing his belongings and heading inside. He knew the drill and headed straight to the cupboard to stow away his trunk. Hedwig had flown rather than risk being cramped in. He’d had barely shut the door when a blow knocked him flat and hit the ground hard enough to rattle his teeth.

Green eyes darting about, Harry realised his Aunt and Cousin had made themselves scarce. His Uncle loomed over him, puce with rage. Never had he seen him so furious.

“Telling tales, have you, Freak?! Vernon spat, eyes bugging out. “Bad enough your freakishness has left poor Dudley badly disturbed for weeks, but now you have your kind making threats?! Speak up, boy!”

“I-I didn’t know they were going to do that!” Harry stammered, struggling to his feet. “I swear Uncle Vernon!”

“Don’t lie to me!” Vernon exploded. “You clearly put them up to it! What lies have you been telling them?!”

“N-Nothing!” Harry choked out, strangled by his own terror, clutching Hedwig’s empty cage to him like a shield. “I swear!”

“Liar!”

The backhand came at him with such speed, Harry never had a chance to dodge it and honestly, he was too shocked to move. Feeling his lip split open, the teenager spun violently and hit the wall with a vicious thud. A pair of startled yelps from behind the closed door of the living-room told him his Aunt and Cousin hadn’t gone far. Bones rattled, Harry tried to get his bearings, hissing when his ribs gave a holler. Blood on his tongue, he steadied himself.

“Uncle Vernon, please!” Merlin, he sounded so pathetic, but he’d never been so terrified. “Please!” Harry grunted, doubling over when his Uncle drove his fist into his stomach. It took everything in him not to puke all over the hall carpet. On a second thud, he wasn’t so lucky. His rib cracking sent pain ripping through him so fiercely, his lunch came up before he could stop it.

With an infuriated bellow, Vernon lay into his nephew, worse than he ever had and when he was finished, he yanked him up by the hair and threw him toward the stairs. “Get to your room, boy! I suggest you get what sleep you can. Till September, you’ll work every hour until I say otherwise.”

Ignoring the holler of his injured body, Harry scrambled upstairs and barely made it into his room before his legs gave out. Whimpering, he crawled to his bed and dragged himself up. He was covered in, blood and some vomit, but couldn’t bring himself to change. Every inch of him ached fiercely and he just knew more than his ribs were broken. Tears welling, he curled about his pillow and sobbed.

True to his word, Vernon dragged him from bed the next morning and just barely let him get cleaned up, before he was shoved out into the garden to work. He was told there would be no food or water until he got everything to rights. As if his stomach could tolerate anything in it. Not with the level of pain he was in. Not with a slight fever brewing beneath his skin.

Much to his outrage, Aunt Petunia had let everything overgrow. She was very garden proud, even possessed a low grade Quirk that allowed her to encourage the plants to bloom. Harry figured, she only did it out of spite, because come the summer, he was the poor fool in charge of it.

Taking it slow, grunting from the effort of moving, the teenager headed to the shed at the back of the yard and began pulling out tools. His left wrist positively bitched at every movement. He wondered if his Uncle actually broke it. It was certainly swollen enough, with inky bruises splintering along the back of his hand and halfway up his arm. It probably should have hurt more than it did, but then, he had a stupidly high pain tolerance.

He started with the herb patch, swearing colourfully. Not only had weeds multiplied, but so much of the plants had withered. Damn it! He would need to replant so much of it. Which was just more work! He’d be lucky to get near any of the flowers before lunch.

Accepting the fact he wouldn’t be eating a damn thing, Harry got to work.

For hours, he slaved away. Digging, pulling, replanting. He could feel the sun burning his pale skin, the blistering heat beating down on him, but didn’t dare stop. Merlin, he was thirsty. He was tempted to drink from the hose, but Petunia had been keeping an annoyingly close watch on him, so taking any comfort for himself was a no go. It was two pm and he’d been at this since six am and was not even halfway finished.

For the briefest moment he hated Lupin, Tonks, Moody and the Weasleys. If they hadn’t said anything. If they had just left things as they were, at the very worst, he’d be still doing the work, but not the starvation or while beat to shit. To make matters worse, none of it seemed to have calmed his Uncle’s fury. What else was he in store for?

Getting up from a crouch to retrieve the watering can, Harry barked a curse when his ribs protested the movement. Damn it! Why was he getting breathless? He didn’t need that on top of everything else.

“You don’t look so good.”

Startled, Harry whirled around and backed up a step. A tall ash blonde boy, with Asian features, sat on the high garden wall, head tilted and studying him shrewdly with blood red eyes. Dressed in dark jeans, a hoodie and t-shirt, he looked like any other teenager and yet, something in his gaze reminded Harry of the seasoned Aurors he had met. “Who are you?” He croaked warily, wincing when his next breath hurt.

“Katsuki Bakugo,” the teenager grunted in response, before jumping down and landing smooth as a cat. “Who used you as a punching bag?”

Harry blinked, his brain feeling suddenly groggy. “I—” Why wouldn’t the words form? It was as if his brain was disconnecting. Feeling off centre, he pitched sideways.

“Shit!” Katsuki swore, darting forward, catching the teenager when he dropped like a stone. Cradling his dead weight, he lifted his head and bellowed for help. Holy hell, his teacher was about to lose his shit!

xxx:::_The Lies We Live By_:::xxx

Shota sat, boot tapping and frustration mounting. They had been brought to Reina’s shoebox of an office to wait and he was swiftly losing his mind.

His son was with Lily’s sister and her husband, who apparently were never supposed to get custody and all at the whim of a man named Albus Dumbledore. In fact, according to Reina, numerous Wizardry families had tried to get custody over the years. Even from other countries. Not all above board, of course, but enough that probably would have been better than a family Lily had specifically stated not to allow custody, even if she never said why. But Dumbledore blocked every attempt.

“Sho, you okay, Babe?”

Glancing at his husband, Shota nodded stiffly. “It’s taking too long. Hell, Zashi, it’s nearly eleven at night! We’ve been here hours!”

Hizashi nodded. “I know, Sho, I know…but Reina did say there were permits that had to be signed for an international portkey. A mountain of paperwork. Plus, they did say it usually takes days, but they’re pushing it as fast as they can.”

“To get ahead of England,” Katsuki growled lowly, pacing agitatedly. “From the crap they’ve been spewing, every one of them wants this Harry kid.”

“For what?” Izuku asked from where he sat on the floor, busily scrawling in one of his notebooks.

“They’ve turned him into this big and shiny thing, nerd,” Katsuki pointed out. “The favourite toy every moron wants to fight over. These Extras have an ulterior motive, just like the Extras in England.”

Shota listened to the teenagers talk back and forth, hating the fact Katsuki was spot on. Kenji Ito could act sincere all he liked, but it benefited him to help. Harry Potter was an icon. The boy who lived, who managed to reduce Voldemort to ruins for over a decade. Who had faced him and won again only weeks previous if recent reports were correct.

The doors suddenly opened, and Shota was on his feet. “Well?”

Reina stumbled in, arms full of paperwork and a battered looking Bento box of all things. She smiled gratefully, when Izuku jumped to help her. “Oh, thank you! And yes, Mr Aizawa…We’ve everything sorted. I am so sorry for the wait. The red tape involved in an international portkey is a nightmare! Not to mention this is one specifically used for those without magic.”

“When can we go?” Hizashi asked, taking Shota’s hand and rubbing his wrist soothingly.

“As soon as you sign this paperwork,” Reina told them cheerfully. “The portus spell has been activated and will be leaving in five minutes. You will be transported to a small woodland on the outskirts of the estate we discussed, Privet Drive and the house number you’re looking for is four. When you wish to return, touch the Bento again and say my name.”

Handed a quill, not an item he was overly familiar with, Shota hastily scrawled his signature on what felt like a hundred documents. It wasn’t all that legible since he’d never used a quill before, but Reina accepted it, nonetheless. Setting down the Bento, she checked her watch. “Alright! Twenty seconds! Everyone touch the Bento, quick.”

At her urgency, the four did as they were told and just in time, because a moment later they were engulfed in a burst of energy. The Earth beneath them disappeared, and it felt like they were at the centre of a tornado. Holding on was a feat in itself and just as quickly as they were swept up, they hit the ground with a fierce thud and the wind knocked out of them.

“What the crap!” Katsuki blustered, getting to his feet. “All that magic, you’d think they’d come up with something that doesn’t rearrange your damn organs!”

On his feet, Izuku helped Hizashi up and looked about. Sure enough, they were in a woodland, Privet Drive visible through the collection of trees. Grabbing the Bento, Izuku stuffed it into his yellow backpack. “It’s daytime.”

“England is nine hours behind us, Problem Child,” Shota reminded the teen, calmly removing broken twigs from his hair. “It’s two pm here.”

Taking their time, the group made their way out of the foliage and began searching for the right house. Second week in July, children ran about the first row of houses laughing in delight, parents sat in their gardens watching their antics. Moving to the next row, things grew quieter, and at the end of the row they found number four.

An expensive car sat in the driveway. Perfectly pruned roses bordering the garden wall. The grass was cut so fine, Shota wondered if they used a measuring tape to get it so exact. Looking about, he found something so unsettling about number four compared to the other identical homes. The other houses had bent grass, silly little garden ornaments, but number four was so pristine, that it felt rotten.

Heart racing, Shota marched up to the front door and just about restrained himself from pounding on the wood. He felt his husband behind him, his students on his right and taking a calming breath, he knocked gently.

It only took a moment for the door to be answered, by a tall woman, almost scarecrow thin. “Hello, can I help you?” The tone was polite, but the expression was clearly disdainful. Eyes studying them with a haughty air.

“Petunia Dursley?” Shota inquired.

“Yes.” Petunia responded, clutching the dish towel in her hand, looking all of them up and down, eyes narrowing in distaste at Izuku specifically, as if his green hair offended her.

Good, they had the right house. “We’re looking for Harry James Potter.”

Eyes widening, Petunia didn’t call for Harry, no, instead, she called shrilly for her husband. Vernon Dursley shockingly moved fast for a man who looked like one burger away from a massive coronary. Face already reddening, he stopped next to his wife.

“What is it, pet? Are you okay?”

“They’re looking for the boy!” Petunia hissed out.

“What?!” Watery blue eyes narrowing, Vernon puffed up in what he probably thought was an intimidating stance. “Now see here, you freaks can’t just show up here, making demands as you please!”

Shoving down the desire to light the bastard on fire, Katsuki slipped away, intent on running a check of the house, even if he needed to crawl through a window, because honestly, something was really wrong. Skulking low, he dipped into the alleyway next to number four and hurried toward the back. Reina had mentioned that the Dursleys had a kid of their own, but he was registered with a pretty substandard Quirk and described just like his father.

He wasn’t a threat if he happened upon him.

At the back of the house, the ash blonde heard a pained exclamation and immediately scaled the wall, gaze falling on a boy who looked nearly as bad as the nerd had after taking on Muscular. Before he could stop himself, Katsuki found himself blurting. “You don’t look so good.”

The boy, he assumed was Harry, whirled around and backed up a step, brilliant green eyes widening with clear fear. Sat on the wall, he studied him shrewdly. He looked so much like Shota that it was startling and Kami, someone had really worked the poor kid over!

“Who are you?”

“Katsuki Bakugo,” the teenager grunted in response, before jumping down and landing smooth as a cat. “Who used you as a punching bag?” The boy wasn’t breathing right, and his pallor was almost grey. Worried now, Katsuki had enough first aid to recognise the signs of internal bleeding. Considering so much of the kid were black with bruises, it wasn’t all that out there. Of course, the ragged breathing suggested a punctured lung was also a possibility.

“I—”

“Shit!” Katsuki swore the moment he tilted, eyes rolling. Darting forward, he caught the teenager when he dropped like a stone. Cradling his dead weight, he lifted his head and bellowed for help. “DEKU! ERASERHEAD! PRESENT MIC!” Holy hell, his teacher was about to lose his shit!

Shota was beyond pissed. Vernon Dursley was doing everything he could to throw around his weight and block access. Yet, he hadn’t tried to claim Harry wasn’t there. He assumed the freak comment was directed at magicals and not those with Quirks, since he knew all three Dursleys had Quirks thanks to the information given to him by Reina.

“This is ridiculous,” Hizashi finally interrupted, getting irritated by the blustering. “We would just like to see him. Surely that’s doable?”

“What for?!” Vernon barked.

Losing patience, Shota was ready to punch him on principle, only to jump when Katsuki’s terrified shouts came from what was clearly the back of the house.

“DEKU! ERASERHEAD! PRESENT MIC!”

Ignoring Vernon and Petunia’s indignant squawks, Shota shoved his way into the house and rushed toward the shouts. He barely glanced at a rotund teenager he startled a scream from in the kitchen, focused solely on getting to his student. Heart thudding in his chest, he had no idea what could have panicked Katsuki that badly! Nothing freaked him out easily. Bursting out into the backyard, Shota’s dark eyes widened in shock at the sight of Katsuki cradling an unconscious boy who looked scarily like his fifteen year old self.

“Harry,” he gasped, rushing toward them, falling to his knees and quickly checking for a pulse. “Shit! His pulse is way too fast. Come on, we need to get him out of here.”

“Sho! Oh my God, what did they do to him?!” Hizashi stopped next to his husband, green eyes widening in horror, Izuku right behind him.

“I demand you leave at once!” Vernon bellowed from the back door, Petunia hovering right behind, an arm thrown about a trembling Dudley. “This is trespassing!”

“You want to pull that bullshit?!” Katsuki seethed. “When you’ve beaten him to hell! We’ll leave, but he’s coming with us!”

“That, we cannot allow.”

Petunia screamed at the sudden appearance of who could only be wizards and hauled her howling son back inside, followed by Vernon who slammed the kitchen door with a violent enough bang, it was a miracle the glass didn’t shatter. A man on each of them, the Wizards had wands pointed at Katsuki, Shota, Hizashi and Izuku.

Swearing colourfully, knowing they were cornered, Shota switched to Japanese. He was so done with this crap. “Take Harry, use the Bento and get back to Japan! Reina will be able to help or at least get you to Recovery Girl!”

Hizashi glanced at his husband. “Are you crazy?! And what about you? We’re not leaving you here, Sho!”

“Yes you are!” Shota ordered sharply. “I want a word with the idiots who put him in this hell…Easy way to do that, is to go with them, while taking my son off the damn board. Can’t bargain with what they don’t have. Please, Zashi…You know I’m right.”

“Damn it! Fine…Izuku, you ready lil’ listener?”

“Yup!”

His students were always quick to catch on. Their training standing to them. Gradually, the Heroes moved closer to one another, mindful not to alert the armed Wizards. Izuku clutched the Bento out of sight and at a barked order from Shota, they grabbed the portkey, cried out Reina’s named and disappeared in a whoosh of energy. Silence fell, the Wizards momentarily stunned, before one limped forward, yanking back his hood to reveal a ravished face and false eye almost too big for the socket.

“Where did you send him?!”

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” Shota retorted angrily in English. “Tell me something, are you here on Albus Dumbledore’s orders?”

Surprise was obvious on all four faces of the strangely dressed men who’d appeared from nowhere. The gruffest one, jabbed his Wand into Shota’s chest, strange fake eye looking him all over. “How do you know that name, muggle?!”

Shota’s smile was slow and deadly. “Bring me to that old bastard and you might just find out.”

Chapter Text

Shota grunted when his arm was taken roughly. “Don’t move!” Fake eye snarled, before it felt as if he were being squeezed through a straw. The breath squashed out of him, he stumbled when the sensation suddenly passed and had to forcefully keep his stomach from rebelling. Skin a little clammy, the Pro Hero startled and looked about. The scarred wizard was the only one to come along with him. Stood within the boundary of another woodland, the row of houses he was looking at were not Privet Drive.

“Where are we?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know, muggle…read this.”

Taking the scrap of paper thrust under his nose, Shota read the English words messily scribbled down and jolted when across from them, a house began to materialise between eleven and thirteen. Dark eyes widening, he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Sure, he had seen Cementoss form buildings in a blink, but this was something else! He could see people in the houses either side and they were completely oblivious to a new house shoving its way in. Once it settled, the door opened of its own accord.

“Move it!” Fake eye grunted, shoving Shota forward.

Once inside, the door shut quietly behind plunging them into darkness. Oil lamps lit in an instant above his head, Shota noted a large chandelier. Before them stretched a hall that didn’t make sense. Surely the house wasn’t this big? But then, The Japanese Magical Government building appeared as a derelict mess, so, appearances could obviously be deceiving in the magical world. To one side a door opened into a huge dining room and on the other, a grand staircase led up to more floors. Just ahead, Shota saw steps that led to a door. One he suspected led down to a basement.

“Keep going!”

Another shove had him gritting his teeth. The door opened without anyone touching it and heading down the cold stone steps, Shota stepped into a huge kitchen, that apparently wasn’t empty.

“Oh!” A red headed woman gasped from where she stood. Two men sat at a large, worn table leaped up, Wands at the ready.

“Easy!” Fake eye barked, shoving by Shota. “Damn it, Arthur, Remus! Lower the damn Wands! I need him alive!”

“Who in Merlin’s name is he, Alastor?!” Remus seethed, haggard eyes never leaving the newcomer’s face. “He…He smells like a muggle!”

“That’s because he is!” Alastor grunted. “One who got his hands on a damn Portkey and sent Harry Merlin knows where!”

“What?!” The red headed woman spluttered shrilly, shooing away her husband and stalking toward Shota. “Where is he?! Where did you send that poor boy?!”

With a heavy sigh, tired of getting bellowed at, Shota pulled out Lily’s letter from his pocket and calmly held it out to the woman. Her eyes narrowed, but desperate to know where Harry was, she took it and startled when she recognised the handwriting. Pulling the parchment free from the envelope, blue eyes scanned the familiar scrawl, colour rapidly draining from her cheeks. When she suddenly swayed, the man named Arthur was up in a second.

“Merlin’s beard! What is it, Molly?!”

“Oh, Arthur! How could she?” Molly whimpered, thrusting the letter toward him.

Shota watched Arthur react the same way, then the man named Remus and lastly Alastor. Unlike the others, Remus pushed through the shock and went for rage. “What is this?!”

“A letter from Lily Potter, stating I am Harry’s biological father.” Shota answered in a dry tone. “English isn’t my native tongue, yet you’re the one having trouble.”

“Don’t get smart with me!” Remus seethed. “You would have bedded her when she was married! You took advantage!”

Shota barked a laugh. “The hell I did! If anything, she used me to piss off her husband! Being young and stupid, I let her. She came to the Nightclub that night. She approached me.”

“And you were only too delighted to take what was offered. To hell with her husband!”

“Maybe if Potter hadn’t called her broken, or accused her of barring pregnancy, she wouldn’t have been pushed into the arms of another man,” Shota retorted snidely. “Don’t dare blame me for this. Lily was responsible for her own choices, and not only did she end up pregnant from it, but she also had no intention of telling me unless she had no alternative! I only learned about Harry because Sirius Black happened to die! And what’s worse, in her attempt to protect Harry, she doomed him!”

“What are you talking about?” Molly asked confused, interrupting any further tirade from Remus.

“Harry was left with beasts.” Shota snapped. “Amazingly, your Wizards were determined to stop us from taking him, but did any of you morons not notice why.”

“So, he got into a scuffle,” Alastor grunted. “Boys will be boys.”

“He was beaten you idiot! Badly enough he collapsed!” Shota spat utterly livid.

“We told you!” Molly seethed, rounding on Alastor, eyes wide and damp with suppressed tears. “All of you, that we feared he was being mistreated! You refused to listen! Is he safe?”

Stunned by the sudden change toward him, Shota nodded. “You have my word. He’s with my husband, who will see to it he gets treatment for his injuries.”

“Bring him here!” Remus raged. “We’ll treat him, and he can stay here!”

“No.” Shota snarled. “My son will stay with me.”

“Who says he’s yours?!” Remus demanded, grasping for straws.

“Don’t be ridiculous, lad,” Alastor snapped, taking a seat at the table with a grunt. “Lily herself claimed it and she was a smart Witch who no doubt confirmed it for herself. Besides, the letter is dripping in a magical oath. You can feel it too, Remus. Whether we like it or not, he is the boy’s father.”

“What’s your name?” Arthur asked, realising manners had been disregarded.

“Shota Aizawa.” Shota introduced, pulling out his credentials, and flipping to the part in English before holding it out. “I’m a Pro Hero. That’s how I know about magic. All Pro Heroes are aware of your community.”

“Pro Hero Eraserhead,” Arthur read out loud, recognising it. “Yes, we’re also aware of you. I work for the Ministry of Magic. We’re kept up to date on all active Heroes across the globe. I am Arthur Weasley, this is my wife Molly. This is Alastor Moody and Remus Lupin.”

“This is ridiculous.” Remus hissed. “I—”

Everyone stilled when the kitchen door opened and Albus Dumbledore stepped in, dressed in vibrant robes, expression set in hard lines. Blue eyes zeroing in on Shota. “So, this is Harry’s kidnapper?”

“It’s gotten a touch more complicated, Albus,” Alastor grunted. “Sent on that Patronus to give you the gist. But turns out, we’ve been tossed into quite the mess.” Picking up Lily’s letter, the old Auror held it out.

Brow furrowing, Albus took it and read through it quickly. Shock flittered across his face, head snapping up to look at Shota once more and Merlin help him, he could see it! Harry had the man’s sharp features. His nose, his hair! “Where is Harry?” He demanded, setting the letter down.

“Safe,” Shota responded calmly.

“He is not safe, as long as he is away from his home,” Albus argued coldly. “He is protected by powerful blood wards made when Lily sacrificed herself!”

“Lily named me as his guardian should Sirius Black die,” Shota snapped back. “You have no legal say in this and certainly not to send him back to those abusers! Harry was beaten so badly he collapsed!”

“Please tell us you didn’t know,” Molly begged, drawing Albus’ attention. “We tried talking to you…exaggerations of children you said! Damn it, Albus! Did you send that poor child back knowing what those brutes had done?!”

“He was protected!” Albus continued to defend.

“How protected was he if his own family ended up killing him?!” Shota spat. “I’ve dealt with child abuse cases over the years, but Harry has to be one of the worst I’ve seen!”

Albus shook his head. “No, it was some bruises…shouted words…stop exaggerating.”

“THE HELL I’M EXAGGERATING!” Shota bellowed, black hair snapping erect and eyes blazing red. Instantly, wands were poised in his direction. Snarling, he reached up to his capture weapon, ready to use it if needed. “His face was black…bad enough I’m sure his orbital bone is broken. He had dark bruises all over what skin was visible and his pulse was so fast, I’ve no doubt he had internal bleeding! You condemned my child to hell for sixteen years!” Breathing heavily, he deactivated his Quirk, wincing when his eyes ached.

“What in the name of Merlin, was that?!” Alastor barked, never lowering his wand.

“My Quirk,” Shota grunted in response. Reaching into his pocket for his eye drops. “I can erase Quirks. I doubt it’ll do much against your magic, so feel free to put your sticks away.”

“You need to bring Harry back,” Remus bit out, lowering his wand but not holstering it. “We’ll keep him safe. We’ll find him a new home within the Wizardry community, where he belongs!”

“Where he belongs?” Shota laughed. “You left him in the mundane community for most of his life. If such crap mattered, why didn’t you house him with a Wizardry family?!”

“The wards—” Albus began, only to be sharply cut off.

“Don’t spew that shit again!” Shota snapped. “I know enough about magic to know there are hundreds of ways he could have been protected. Hell, if you hadn’t screwed up with Sirius Black, he would have had a Guardian who cared for him!”

“That was a mistake!” Remus blustered, stalking around the table to stand at Albus’ side. “None of us could have known!”

“Bullshit!” Shota snarled. “I had plenty of time to talk with magicals before coming here. I heard all about Sirius’ incarceration and from what I gathered, nothing was done to prove his innocence. Maybe that was the point. Send Harry to the place that would beat him down.”

“How dare you!” Alastor seethed, advancing on him, sparks jumping along his wand. “Albus did what he thought was right!”

“He dumped a child and walked away!” Shota bit out. “Like I said. I had hours to listen to the stories. Japan has been watching for a while. Harry was left with his Aunt and Uncle and contact from the magical community was kept separate until he was eleven years old. After what I just saw, that means, they could have done anything to him and none of you would have known! How the hell is that safe?!”

“Worst kind of muggles!” Molly butted in, breathing harshly. “Minerva told Arthur and me…She had watched the Dursleys for the whole day prior to you dropping off Harry and she told you they were the worst kind of muggles! She begged you not to leave him there!”

Blood boiling, Shota snarled a curse, eyes blazing red and locked on Albus. “You knew?! You knew and left him there anyway?!” He didn’t care that the wands were on him again. His focus had zeroed in on the elderly Wizard and he was pissed. With a movement, his capture scarf flew forward and wrapped around Albus, making the Wizard yelp.

“Albus!” Remus cried out, raising his Wand.

Shota moved too fast. With a jerk of his capture scarf, he placed Albus in the line of fire. “I’m walking out of here. I have a child who needs me. Be glad I’m leaving this bastard in one piece.” With a shove, unravelling his scarf, Albus was sent sprawling into Alastor and Remus’ arms.

“Molly and I can help,” Arthur offered, glaring at Remus when he tried to argue. “Enough, Remus. None of you have any legal right to keep Harry from his father. In fact, The Ministry would have been informed the minute Mr Aizawa received the letter. I’m surprised the minister hasn’t been banging down Albus’ door!”

“Actually,” Albus winced. “Cornelius has been trying to get a hold of me for a few hours. I’ve merely been ignoring him. I thought it was some more ridiculous whining over what happened at the Ministry.”

“Then I suggest you get in touch with him, Albus,” Molly ordered, coming up next to Shota. “We’re heading back to the Burrow and Mr Aizawa will be coming with us.”

No one protested this time when the three left the kitchen. Remus seethed silently and Albus knew without a doubt, he had just made a powerful enemy.

                             xxx:::_The Lies We Live By_:::xxx                                   

Thudding to the ground in Reina’s office, their entrance far from graceful, Hizashi had barely opened his mouth when they were descended upon. Reina had called for help the minute they touched the Portkey, having had a built in health charm on it, she was alerted to one of them being badly injured. What she wasn’t expecting, was the injured party to be Harry.

“Kami!” Reina croaked; eyes wide. “What in the hell happened?!”

Hizashi, Izuku and Katsuki got out of the way of what they assumed were the magical equivalent of paramedics. “His relatives!” The blond snarled. “They’ve been abusing him!”

Shaking her head in disgust, Reina conjured a Patronus. The Grey Heron exploded from her Wand, taking a flight about the room, before hovering next to its master and waiting patiently as she relayed a message for Kenji. They needed protections in place immediately, because there was no way the British Magical community was going to take this lying down. With a flick of her wand, her Patronus gave a cry and soared from the room.

“Maki, how is he?” Reina asked the nearest healer.

Maki, eyes locked on a scroll being fed from her wand, shook her head in disgust. “A mess to put it bluntly. We’ve put him in stasis till we can get him down to the infirmary, but I’ve never seen so many injuries in someone without serious trauma causing it. He has a broken orbital bone and a crack in his cheekbone. Three cracked ribs and one broken, which, unfortunately punctured his lung. Crack in his wrist. Severely bruised kidneys, damage done to his spleen, internal bleeding and deep contusions all over his body. But that’s not the worst…”

“It’s not?” Hizashi choked from where he hovered, horrified by the list.

Maki shook her head. “I ran a complete scan, covering new and old injuries. Earliest injury, Mr Potter was two. Someone broke two fingers on his left hand, and they didn’t heal as well as I would like…definite arthritis starting to kick in and not just there. He’s had numerous broken bones over the years, most never healing properly. He’s the beginnings of arthritis everywhere…poor kid must be in constant pain. He’s also dangerously underweight. Deficient in several needed minerals and vitamins. It’s even begun to put strain on his organs. I hate to say it, but had he been a Muryokuna he’d have died long ago.”

“What can you do?” Izuku asked quietly, stunned anyone could cause such harm to a kid the same age as him. “C-Can you fix it?”

Maki nodded. “Yes. It’s going to be a long road…. starting with healing the fresh injuries, but we can reverse a lot of it.”

“What about the old injuries?”

Maki sighed. “Well, we’ve nutrient potions that will rapidly replace everything he’s missing. The bones, however, is a bit trickier. We’ll need to remove all of the damaged ones and then regrow them.”

“Regrow?” Hizashi blinked. “How? And…How many?”

“We can use a potion called Skele-Gro.” Maki explained. “Usually, it’s used to heal breaks, and it will heal the new ones he has, but the old breaks, we will need to remove the bones first. Twenty-five bones in total.”

“TWENTY-FIVE?!” Hizashi exploded, losing control of his Quirk briefly. The windows rattled and ears wrung. “Shit, sorry, sorry! Where was the worst of his breaks?”

“His right leg. Which also has quite a deep scar from a dog by the looks of it. Possible that’s how his leg ended up broken in the first place, but for the damage present…?” Maki cringed in sympathy. “He’d had to have walked on the break.”

Hizashi’s face lost all colour. “Oh my God! The pain he would have been in!” Watching the Healers levitate Harry from the room, Hizashi sank into a chair, dropping his head into his hands. Poor Shota! He had expected an awkward reunion, maybe a pissy teenager, but this? It had never crossed his mind!

“How could they hurt him like that?”

Startled by the question, especially since it came from Katsuki, Hizashi looked up at the gruff teen and noticed he was trembling. He was probably going to get blasted into next week but screw it. Even for Heroes, this was too much. On his feet, he pulled Katsuki into a hug. The boy stiffened, only to melt against Hizashi with a shudder. Both Hizashi and Izuku were surprised, but just went with it.

“I don’t know, lil’ listener,” Hizashi said softly. Rubbing the teen’s back soothingly. “Some people are just built cruel.”

With nothing else to keep himself busy, Izuku managed to organise tea with Reina’s help. By the time Kenji and Fusao burst into the room, they were seated with tea and calmer. Scrolls in his arms, Fusao dropped them on his desk with an irritable curse. “The British Ministry have already been in contact and are demanding Mr Potter be returned to them.”

“What?!” Reina spluttered, nearly dropping her cup. “Did you inform them of his condition?!”

“We did,” Kenji sighed, sitting in Reina’s desk chair, rubbing his temples. “They’re treating the boy like a stolen artifact. It’s honestly disgraceful.”

“Have they any grounds to take him back?” Hizashi asked worriedly.

“No,” Kenji replied. “Not with Fusao’s quick thinking.”

“Order of asylum,” Fusao grinned waving about one of the scrolls. “We conveniently had it ready before taking any correspondence from them. Mr Potter won’t be going anywhere.”

“Thank God.”

Kenji sat up straight, frowning. “Wait…where is Mr Aizawa?”

“He stayed behind.” Reina winced when her boss began shouting in panic. “I know, I know! He wanted to meet with Albus Dumbledore.”

“Fantastic!” Fusao laughed. “It’ll be fun explaining to the Pro Heroes why we’re giving back one of their best in pieces!”

“Sir!” Reina spluttered.

“What?!” Her boss snarled. “It was an idiotic move.”

“The hell it was!” Katsuki barked, lunging to his feet. “You may be magic, but Mr Aizawa can hold his own. You’d be better being worried about this Dumble extra, then our teacher!”

“Kacchan’s right,” Izuku agreed, his tone a lot calmer then his classmate. “Mr Aizawa is one of the strongest Pro Heroes there is. He won’t be taken down easy. If anything, the Wizards should worry about themselves.”

“Mr Aizawa is gonna hand them their sorry asses,” Katsuki said with a sharkish smile. “You’ll see.”

The door suddenly swung open, a brilliant light bursting in and landing on Reina’s desk. The three Heroes realised; the light actually had a shape. Just like what Reina had sent, only it was a Bobtail cat. Opening its mouth, Maki’s voice filled the room. “He’s awake….”

xxx:::_The Lies We Live By_:::xxx

Waking was not what Harry was expecting. For one, he was blissfully pain free. Nothing hurt, not the bruises, not the cuts, nothing. He could hear movement, voices, tinkling of metal, water and when someone touched his wrist, he jerked groggily.

“Mr Potter?” A thickly accented voice nudged gently. “Mr Potter, can you hear me?”

Unfortunately. He just wanted to sleep, but since the last thing he remembered was the ash blond Katsuki before everything went dark, he figured he best find out what the hell had happened. Forcing his heavy lids open, the teenager blinked groggily up at a pair of faces. Like Katsuki, he found himself looking up at Asian features, if a bit blurry, his vision taking a couple of minutes to finally come into focus. “W-What happened?”

“Welcome back, Mr Potter. I’m Healer Maki Tanaka, this is Healer Aoi Yoshida and Healer Yuta Bando.” Maki smiled gently. “How are you feeling?”

Harry blinked, doing a mental inventory of his body. “Sort of numb.”

“That means our pain potions are working,” Aoi said cheerfully. “No point in you suffering the next few hours, you poor thing.”

“Suffering? Suffering what?” Looking himself over, Harry’s eyes widened, his stomach giving a lurch. He had been changed into loose pyjama pants, left shirtless for now. To his surprise, his bruising had been reduced to pale yellow as if it had been healing for days, but what really shocked him was the several parts of him the looked deflated. “W-Where are my bones?!” The doors flew open, and Harry blinked when several unfamiliar people rushed in…well most…he recognised Katsuki.

“Oh, thank God!” The taller blond gushed, rushing forward and stopping at the end of the bed. “You scared us.”

More Asian features, more thickly accented English. Harry’s gaze darted from the blond to Katsuki. “What’s going on, Katsuki?”

“You collapsed,” Katsuki explained. “And all hell sorta broke loose. We had to bring you here for medical attention.”

“And where’s here?”

“Japan.”

Head snapping toward the boy with green hair, Harry gaped. “J-Japan? How the…Why am I in Japan?! Why am I missing loads of my bones! Someone fill me in!”

“Easy,” Katsuki soothed automatically, surprising even himself. “It’s a long story. We’ll explain, but you need to keep a calm head.”

Harry nodded. “Fine…just tell me. Starting with, who are the rest of you. You’re acting like you know me.”

“I’m Hizashi Yamada,” the blond introduced. “Greenie over here is Izuku Midoriya and you are acquainted with Katsuki. As for knowing you, well, that’s part of the long story.”

“My whole life has been a complicated long story, so whenever you want to start.” Shifting his body, he smiled gratefully when Katsuki helped him sit up, grabbing pillows from an empty bed to pile behind him.

Hizashi began with explaining his injuries. Why the bones were removed and what treatment was required for the rest of the damage caused by the Dursleys. He explained that after he collapsed they deduced he was being abused and thought it best to get him out of there.

“But why Japan?” Harry asked confused.

Hizashi was going to kill Shota for leaving him to deal with this fallout. Taking a seat on the edge of the teen’s bed, the blond figured starting from the beginning was best. “My husband Shota was on an assignment in England almost sixteen years ago. Him and I are licenced Pro Heroes and a Japanese Villain had fled to England. Shota, along with other Heroes went to find him and bring him back. On the night before he was to fly home, he met a woman at a Nightclub. She had had a dreadful argument with her husband and out of pain I guess asked Shota to bed…. her name…was Lily.”

Harry went still. He had been listening with a curious ear, a little giddy at the thought of meeting Pro Heroes and had made a mental note to ask a thousand questions when given the opportunity. The minute he heard his mother’s first name, his heart began to thud. He was a pretty jaded fifteen year old and quit to catch the meaning behind what Hizashi was telling him. “J-James Potter…he…he wasn’t my father…was he?”

Smart kid. “No, kiddo…your mother, she…she left a letter. One only to be sent in the event she and James, and your named Guardian Sirius Black passed away. Today was the first we knew about you.”

Holy crap. His birth father was alive? He…He had family?! “What does this mean? Do I go live with…with him…But maybe…Does he want me?”

The last words were asked in such a small voice, Hizashi felt his heart constrict. “Oh, baby, of course he does!” He gushed. “And so do I! I’ve always wanted children. Intended on something a little smaller, but hey, being tossed into the deep end with a moody teenager to start off with sounds like fun too.”

“Where is my f-father now?” Harry asked, looking about for a face similar to his own.

“Stayed behind to deal with the Wizards that tried to stop us from taking you,” Katsuki explained.

“There were probably Order members,” Harry commented absently. “Eh, they guard me from Voldemort and his supporters.”

“Guard you?” Izuku choked out in astonishment. “What about from your Aunt and Uncle? How the hell did they not see and come to help you?”

“Honestly…I don’t know.” Eyes drooping sleepily, Harry tried to stay awake. “Told them…or…told the Headmaster. Tried to tell others…No one ever listened to me... They never believed me…”

“How did your matron not discover your older injuries?” Maki asked curiously. “As far as I’m aware, in every school in the world, magical children from non-magical households, are examined by the school healers. Children raised in magical households already have records available, but non-magical don’t.”

Harry frowned. “I never had anything like that. The only time I ended up in the infirmary in first year was at the end of the year from injuries. I never saw the school matron before that.”

Maki snarled irritably in Japanese, before making a quick note of it in a notebook. “That will be something your father would want to find out, because that is negligence. It would mean you probably also didn’t receive your vaccine boosters.”

“Oh, well, I had ones in primary school.”

“No, no…I’m referring to the ones for magical illnesses. From your health exam, you had the initial ones as an infant, but there are boosters you should have gotten at eleven.” Sighing, Maki made another note. “Something else I will discuss with your father.”

“I think its time we let the lil’ listener sleep,” Hizashi suggested, watching Harry really struggle to stay awake. “He’s looking wiped.”

“…Lil’ listener!” Harry slurred tiredly. “I…I know you! You’re...You’re Present Mic!” And just like that, the teenager was out like a light, never seeing Hizashi’s startled face.

xxx:::_The Lies We Live By_:::xxx

Shota was beginning to hate Apparating. With the sensation of being squeezed through a straw finally washing away, the Hero looked up in surprise at a house that had to be held together on prayers. He was no architect, but he doubted such a building should be standing. It had to be magic.

“Welcome to the Burrow,” Arthur said cheerfully, shooing away some curious chickens and urging their guest inside.

Instant chaos met their entry. Throughout the whole house, Shota could hear the boisterous voices of teenagers. After weeks living in close proximity to his students. He was only too familiar with the sound.

“Oh, for goodness sake! Boys, girls, come down here! Sorry, Mr Aizawa…take a seat and I’ll put on some tea. Arthur, go contact Jackson about a return Portkey. Whatever you do, do not alert anyone else.” Arthur nodded and hurried from the kitchen. Molly whipped out her wand and Shota watched in fascination as her kitchen appliances began moving around on their own. “Lunch..?”

“Eh, no thank you,” Shota said, dark eyes snapping to a rickety set of stairs when what sounded like a herd of elephants came stomping down.

“Mum!” A tall redheaded boy bemoaned upon entry to the kitchen. “You’ve been ages, we’re all starving!”

“Oh, Ron! There’s food in the pantry for Merlin’s sake, surely you could have managed a sandwich for yourself?”

The next to appear were identical twins, the boys catching sight of Shota and coming to a stop, an almost dangerous smirk on both faces. “Well look at this Gred. Snape’s lovechild?”

“…He’d pass, Forge. His mother must have been pretty to make sure he avoided too many of Snape’s genes…”

“And Japanese too by the looks of him, Gred.”

“Fred, George!” Molly blustered, thoroughly scandalised. “You come over for a visit and couldn’t behave yourselves for five minutes? I do apologise Mr Aizawa!”

“You’re fine,” Shota promised her, more amused by the twin’s antics than anything else. “I can honestly say I have no idea who this Snape is, and my parents are both Japanese.” At yet more footsteps, Shota watched a redheaded girl, followed by a girl with thick, messy brown curls come to a stop, eyes fixed on him. “Hello.” He greeted.

“Mum, who is this?” The redhead demanded, eyes never leaving his face.

“Morgana give me strength; you’d think I raised a bunch of wild animals.” Rolling her eyes, Molly levitated a tray over to the table.

“In fairness, mum,” the boy named Ron began. “We’re in War times. You can’t just let anyone in.”

“Smart,” Shota commented, watching a cup of tea pouring itself before settling next to him. “I’m Shota Aizawa and I’m no threat to any of you.”

“These are my children and their friend. The twins Fred and George, Ron, Ginny and Hermione Granger.” Molly swiftly introduced, nudging everyone to the table where she settled down huge bowls of steaming soup and freshly baked bread.

Shota blinked in surprise at the sudden spread and when the aroma of soup filled his nose, he realised he was actually starving. Thankfully, despite his earlier refusal, Molly had prepared him some also. “Thank you.”

“You’re more than welcome, Mr Aizawa. You’ve had a rough day.” Sitting down, Molly set stern eyes on the occupants of the table. “As for why he’s here. None of you need to concern yourselves. It’s his business. Arthur and I are simply helping him out.”

“Has this got anything to do with why you and Dad lit out of here earlier?” Ron demanded.

“You don’t need to know.”

“Don’t pull that, mum,” Ginny snapped, eyes darting between her mother and Shota. “We’re not idiots. For you and Dad to rush out, it has to be Order business and Order business means the War and we’ve a right to know!”

“Ginny—I”

“Tell them,” Shota interrupted, thoroughly enjoying his soup while the Weasleys bickered. “It’s fine Mrs Weasley. It’s not something that’ll stay a secret for long.”

Molly pinched the bridge of her nose. This was going to cause havoc. “Mr Aizawa was at Harry’s home. Harry…well… he collapsed after being beaten extensively.” As expected, her children and Hermione were in instant uproar.

“WHAT?!”

“It was those bastard Dursleys!”

“Oh my God, Harry!”

“…We told you about the bars on his window!...”

“Bars on his window?” Shota interjected icily, eyes on Ron. “They had bars on his window?!”

The instant quiet was almost deafening. Shota’s cold fury working a chill over the whole room. “Y-Yes.” Ron answered. “When we were twelve. They starved him too…Mum tried to talk to the Headmaster…but he never listens!”

“Where is Harry now?” Hermione asked, eyes tearful. “Is he okay?”

“My husband took him back to Japan for treatment.”

“Japan? Why in the bloody hell did you take him to Japan?” Ron shoved aside his lunch. “Just who are you mate? Why were you even at Harry’s? Why did you get to decide on where he ended up to get help?”

“Because…” Shota began calmly. “He’s my son.”

Chapter Text

Ron was on his feet in an instant, eyes narrowed. “Bullshit!”

“Ronald Weasley!” Molly barked.

“Sorry, Mum, but seriously!” James Potter is Harry’s Dad!”

“No, he isn’t,” Shota corrected calmly. “A fact we’ve just learned. Lily hid the information from everyone and left a charmed letter to be sent out to me should they and Sirius Black die. Harry should have been in Sirius’ care, but because of idiots, he wasn’t. Lily could have spared him a lot if she had just been honest.”

“Bloody hell,” Ron croaked, dropping back into his chair. “I can see it…the shape of his face is completely you. How could his mum hide it all? He could have had a decent life!”

“I don’t know, kiddo,” Shota admitted. “She thought she had it all figured out. But after her death, a lot didn’t go as she expected. Hell, I can’t even figure out how he ended up with the Dursleys. We may have spent one night together, but I distinctly remember her telling me how much she hated them.”

“They were brutes,” Molly spluttered, unable to contain herself. “Hated magic. Hated poor Lily for having magic. I could never understand it either once I learned from Ron that’s where he was.”

“Second Will,” Shota said, dark eyes narrowing. “She called the letter a second Will.”

“I noticed that too,” Molly admitted. “But I’ll be honest, I don’t recall a first Will ever being read. If I remember, there were claims that the Potters left no Will. Because of it, nothing became of Potter Manor or any of the Potter properties. Harry gained access to his school Trust when he turned eleven, and everything else will be turned over to him once he’s seventeen. For now, it all sits in limbo.”

“It makes little sense that they had no Will with a crazed lunatic after them,” Shota commented. It was something worth looking into. Looking up when Arthur stepped back into the kitchen, he hoped for good news. Getting stuck in England had not been the brightest move, but it had been the only one he had.

“Well, Arthur?” Molly prompted.

“All sorted,” Arthur said happily. “Kingsley called in a few favours and will be here within the hour. I’dve brought you directly to the Ministry to speed things up, but Fudge is on the war path. I didn’t want him arresting you.”

“On what grounds?” Shota snorted.

“Whatever they can get to stick,” Ron responded a little grumpily. “Great big git spent all this last school year trying to discredit Harry. Made him out to be a right looney.”

“Over what?” Shota demanded in disgust.

“Saying Voldemort is back,” Arthur explained, stumbling a little over the name. “Fudge and many others didn’t want to believe it. So, essentially stuck their heads in the sand. They thought it better to declare Harry a crazed liar, rather than admit the truth.”

“I was told pieces about this,” Shota said, shaking his head with a grimace. “The Japanese magical community never doubted him. There were obvious signs, and Harry had nothing to gain by fabricating the story. How did they explain away the boy dying…eh…Cedric Diggory?”

“Tragic accident,” Hermione spat out irritably. “Whatever sense that made! Nothing in that final task would have left him unscathed in death. Only one known thing can do that, and that is the killing curse.”

“Wait, the same one used on Harry as an infant?” Shota asked incredulously. “But that leaves no physical signs of trauma. Nothing else does that! How can anyone be that much in denial?!”

“Only Merlin knows,” Fred laughed. However, the rickety old Minister is now facing backlash for mucking things up so badly. So, if the community gets wind of him losing Harry, well…”

“They’ll lynch him themselves,” George finished, snatching up another homemade bread roll. “It’s what he deserves after leaving us to the hands of that crazed bitch, Umbridge.”

“Language, George!” Molly scolded.

“Who was Umbridge?” Shota asked, certain he was not going to like the answer.

“Our Defence against the Dark Arts teacher…though that was clearly a front.” Hermione shook her head, rage clear on her face. “Fudge placed her to interfere in Hogwarts. Had some messed-up idea our headmaster was trying to usurp him and become Minister for Magic himself.”

“Which anyone with sense knows is utter bollocks!” Ginny exclaimed, rolling her eyes at her mother’s spluttered reprimand. “It’s true, mum! Dumbledore only has the desire to be at Hogwarts. He has no aspirations to be minister. Fudge is a paranoid lunatic and even managed to corrupt one of our own!”

At Shota’s raised brow, Arthur sighed and sat heavily. “One of our son’s, Percy. He trusts the government a little too much. Had always wanted to work for it and someday become minister. To the point, he chose to turn his back on us and believe all the lies being told about Harry.”

“Git.” Ron snarled.

“Confused more like,” Shota pointed out. “Our Governments are there to protect us. Be there for the people. So, when they make mistakes, it can be hard to admit they screwed up. Fudge has been caught with his pants down. Your son will come around to the truth eventually. Right now, I’d say pride keeps him from reaching out.”

Molly sniffled, warmed by Shota’s kind words and understanding. He wasn’t angry at Percy for turning his back on Harry. He understood it was a mistake. Part of Molly worried for her son regarding people who would not see it that way so easily and fretted that Percy’s own stubbornness would prevent him from trying to mend things.

They continued to bring Shota up to speed on the information Japan’s side wasn't yet privy to. Including Umbridge’s detention methods. Furious just about covered what Shota felt about that little snippet of news. He would have gone with murderous, but to his satisfaction, the vicious bitch had gotten some level of comeuppance after getting on the wrong side of a herd of Centaur. Of course, he still made a mental note to investigate it. As far as he was concerned, his son was owed something for all the bullshit he had been through, and he was starting the line up with the bastard Dursleys.

The Wizard named Kingsley Shacklebolt arrived roughly an hour and a half minutes later, holding a busted-looking saucepan and a grim expression. “Apologies. I had a time getting away. Fudge has the entire ministry out looking for Harry after confirming he is not with his relatives. I told him I would see if the boy had made his way here. That maybe he got away from his ‘kidnapper’…”

Shota barked a laugh. “What crap did the Dursleys tell?”

“That Harry was taken by four strangers armed with powerful Quirks and that they tried their best to stop you.”

“If you call nearly pissing yourself in fear stopping anyone, sure.” Bastards, Shota thought. Desperate to save their own skin. “Has no one mentioned the abuse charges?”

“For now, no. Their priority seems to be retrieving young, Potter.” Looking Shota up and down, Kingsley smiled. “I can see it. Your features that Harry has lost within his mother’s. I suppose people see what they want to see because, honestly, seeing you now, he looks nothing like James.

“Lily could have spared that poor boy so much hardship had she told the truth.” Molly bit out. “He should have known who his family was. Husband, you said. I forgot to ask…any children?”

“No. Though Hizashi and I had always intended to adopt. I guess we’re starting right in the deep end.”

Molly chuckled. “That you are. Teenagers are a handful. If you ever need help or just a chat, Harry knows how to contact me.”

Smiling, Shota thanked her. The offer was greatly appreciated. Promising he would have Harry write as soon as he was able and finding himself with a snowy owl named Hedwig perched on his shoulder, Shota followed Kingsley out into the chicken chaotic garden.

“Here,” Kingsley said, conjuring a large bird cage. “I’d put Hedwig in here for now. She is not going to enjoy travelling by floo, and you, my friend, won’t like those claws of hers buried in your shoulder.”

No, he would not. Hedwig clambered into the cage with little fuss, her feathers ruffling as she settled herself. She truly was a stunning animal. Shota had seen owls before, but none quite like her. “Where is the portkey going to send me?”

“Right into the main atrium of Japan’s magical government. I was able to get in contact with them, and they appeared more than happy to allow it.”

Shota could bet. They were no doubt freaked out over misplacing him. Hell, his husband was probably climbing the walls. He owed him big time. “This is no doubt going to cause a lot of issues for you.”

Kingsley nodded. “Most likely. But from what Arthur told me; Harry is safest in Japan and once the paperwork is dealt with, no one in our Government will have a say.”

“Would that moron Fudge really try to bar it?”

Kingsley sighed. “Fudge likes being important and all the privileges that come with it. Harry Potter has become a sort of massive achievement, and he would see all this as losing the boy to the Japanese.”

Shota snarled something in Japanese before switching back to English. “He’s a child!”

“I know. But greed makes fools of people. For now, worry about getting him healthy again. The activation word is my name.”

Nodding, Shota took the dented saucepan and stepped back. He gave the Weasleys one final wave, where they watched at the window and making sure he had a grip on Hedwig he called out Kingsley’s full name and was gone in a blink.

xxx:::_The Lies We Live By_:::xxx

Following Reina from the infirmary, Hizashi was trying so hard not to freak out. Thoroughly thrown into the deep end and with no Shota to act as a life raft, the sunny blond had no idea how to continue dealing with this madness. He had placated Harry for now, but when he woke…Hizashi had no idea how to keep helping him. Especially when the poor boy was clearly looking for Shota — and wasn’t that just crazy? So deprived of affection from a real family, the kid had no qualms about jumping in with pure strangers if it meant something better than those ill-bred Dursleys.

Hizashi understood that only too well. Reaching up, he prodded numbly at the old scars hidden expertly beneath makeup. One of the few to be born with his Quirk already active, Hizashi had suffered for the first few years of his life. His parents couldn’t tolerate it, and from infancy, they had taken to muzzling him. They argued it was for his benefit until he finally gained control. Never mind the fact the trauma he had suffered, the permanent scarring from muzzles he still had trouble with showing to others outside of Shota. Nope, it was for the greater good, or some bullshit like that.

Yes, well, so was leaving when he was eighteen and never going back. In some twisted way, his family loved him. But if they loved him the right way, they’d have done more for his Quirk control than simply shutting him up. Even now, his mother kept reaching out, and every year, Hizashi burned the letters, unwilling to be hurt again.

Back the way they came, through winding corridors, Hizashi kept stride with Reina. For a woman so petite, she could certainly move, and even Hizashi, with his long legs, had trouble keeping up. Back in the main atrium, they had come in from the street what felt like days ago; the blond watched curiously as Reina ordered a space to be cleared and told the gawkers to move. What was going on? They hadn’t exactly explained before Reina ordered him to follow. A moment later, it didn’t matter. In a whirl, Shota appeared, one hand clutching a broken saucepan, the other holding a large cage with an owl shrieking inside.

“Oh, thank Kami!” Rushing forward, Hizashi pulled him into a fierce hug. “You idiotic, stupid, reckless, moron! Are you out of your damn mind?! They could have killed you!”

“Unlikely,” Shota snorted, pressing a kiss to Hizashi’s temple and turning his gaze to Reina. “Where is my kid, and just how badly did those bastards hurt him?”

Having it listed, the fresh wounds, the old poorly healed breaks, emotions sandblasted his rage and lit it up. As if someone tossed gas on a fire, Shota was tempted to find his way back to England, but the desire to see his child won out. He followed Hizashi and Reina to the infirmary. Hedwig was calmer now, though she still squawked in fury, and Shota had a feeling if the cage wasn’t between him and the bird, he would have suffered numerous bites by now. In the infirmary, he came to a stop at the door, eyes on the sleeping face of his son.

Kami, his son!

It was still such a shock to say that out loud or even to think it. Katsuki and Izuku sat by the bed, staying quiet when he joined them.

“His bones are gone,” he commented, relieved to see that the teenager looked so much better.

“Magic,” one of the healers explained with a warm smile. “I am Healer Maki Tanaka. Your son is under my care alongside my team.”

“How is he now?”

“His injuries have been treated. Right now, the hardest part is the twenty-five bones we had to remove. Skele-Gro can be extremely painful for the patient. For now, we are controlling his pain the best we can, and honestly, the poor thing is so exhausted, he’s sleeping through some of it.”

“How long will it take?”

“Twenty-four hours,” Maki said, consulting her chart. “With breaks, the pain is more controllable…However, with full bone regrowth, we can expect him to be in severe discomfort within a few hours. Unfortunately, the pain reliever we gave him can only be administered once in a twenty-four-hour period. So, the rest will be a case of grin and bear it, I’m afraid.”

Damn it! Feeling useless, Shota had no idea how he could help. For the next couple of hours, he ended up getting a full rundown of his son’s medical history and what recovery required. He was both terrified and pissed that due to sheer negligence, his health was compromised. Why had Hogwarts completely skipped the usual health policy for students raised by non-magicals? Harry could have been spared a lot of pain had he been given the exam. He gave permission for his magical vaccines, as well as some powerful nutrition potions that would go to work, fixing his severe malnutrition.

It would take several months, but they would recover most of what he had lost. Harry would be stunted in his growth, and his immune system would possibly never fully recover, but anything was better than where they were.

At some point, Reina brought Katsuki and Izuku out to the Government cafeteria to get themselves something to eat. Katsuki was reluctant to leave, which was adorable, but in the end, his empty stomach won out. Hizashi went with them to make sure the teenagers behaved. The Doctors busied themselves elsewhere, so when Harry finally opened his eyes, Shota was in the room alone.

xxx:::_The Lies We Live By_:::xxx

Pain woke Harry. A shock went through his system. He could feel splinters all over his body. Sharp, stabbing bursts of agony had him crying out, tears welling in his eyes, before he could harden himself to it all. Hands were on him, large, gentle hands riddled with callouses.

“Easy, kiddo, easy.” Another Japanese accent he was unfamiliar with. A Healer, maybe? “Breathe, that’s it…Deep breaths…I know it hurts.”

Bit by bit, Harry got used to the pain. Mentally pushing it to the back of his mind. Lids heavy, he forced them open and found himself looking up at a face very similar to his own. “Oh…You’re…well, my father.”

Shota smiled warmly. “Yes, I am. Good to see you awake, Harry. You gave me quite a fright.”

There was no falsity in what he said. The words honest. Harry could tell he genuinely meant what he said. His tone putting him immediately at ease and crap, why did he want to suddenly blubber like a baby? He wasn’t alone as he had thought with Sirius’ death. The tears came despite his stubbornness to try and keep them put, a choked sob wiggling free from his dried-out throat.

Shota was on the bed, and getting him up as gently as he could manage, he rubbed his back and spoke softly. Harry had received hugs from Molly Weasley, but this wasn’t the same. She was warm, but Shota… his father… his hold was solid and safe. God. It was the embrace of a parent, promising protection, love, and a home, without ever opening his mouth.

He had no idea how long he sat, shielded, with Shota talking softly. In Japanese, he realised, and though he didn’t understand a word of it, it was so soothing. At some point, the Healers returned, along with Hizashi, Izuku, and Katsuki. He was vaguely aware of one of the Healers taking his vitals. Apparently, they were improving in just a few hours. He wondered if that should have worried him. Had his vitals been that bad?

At a fresh spike of pain, the fifteen-year-old cried out, face scrunching up and wiggled in Shota’s grip, trying to get his breath back.

“Oh, breathe, lil’ listener…that’s it…Sho’s got ya.”

With tearful eyes looking up at Hizashi, Harry did his best to follow his encouraging words, but another spike of pain rippled through him. “H-Hurts.” He whined. This was so much worse than second year. Every inch of him was on fire. He remembered the sensation from second year, but that had only been his arm. This was all over his body. The worst coming from one of his legs. He yelped when a pair of hands wrapped around his leg, but then heat flooded his limb, and the relief was immense.

“Kacchan,” Izuku spluttered, watching the teen’s hands glow. “What are you doing?”

“Calm down, nerd.” Katsuki snapped. “I’m manipulating my Quirk to act like a heating pad. I can’t do it for long, but I thought it might help.”

Sagging back against Shota, Harry’s eyes began to droop once more. The calming of his pain was enough to drain him. The minute he was breathing evenly, Katsuki backed off.

“Damn it,” Shota hissed. “I hate this. Is there nothing we can give him?”

“I’m afraid not,” Maki said apologetically. Not many potions can be used in conjunction with Skele-Gro, and only one pain reliever is unaffected by it. However, as I mentioned, it can only be used once within a twenty-four-hour period.”

“What about using a Quirk?” Izuku suggested. “Could Recovery Girl use her healing?”

“No, her Quirk feeds off a person’s stamina.” Shota sighed. “Harry isn’t strong enough.”

With nothing but waiting, Shota sent Katsuki and Izuku back to the school with Hizashi. According to Maki, the Skele-Gro would complete its job near three pm the next day and already the potions to help his malnutrition had begun reversing some of the damage done to his body. Shota hadn’t realised just how sunken his features appeared until they filled out a little. Not to full health, of course. That would require eating properly, but it was a huge improvement.

It was close to dawn when Shota woke to find Nezu and Toshinori by Harry’s bed. The boy still slept, a fact he was grateful for and straightening up, Shota stretched out the kinks in his body. “So, I’m guessing Zashi caught you up on everything?”

“Oh, he did,” Nezu replied cheerfully. “A child? I bet that was a shock.”

“Thank you for stating the obvious, rat,” Shota grunted, scrubbing a hand over his tired face. Kami, he really needed to shave. “Anything to add, All Might?”

“Please stick with Toshinori and only that…well… he looks like you.” Smiling warmly, the retired Pro studied the sleeping teenager. “Hizashi said he was dealing with numerous injuries.”

Getting up, Shota worked out the stiffness in his legs and reached for the water Reina had brought at some point. “Had we not found him when we did, even with his magic, Harry would have died from his injuries. Ones caused by his bastard Uncle. I…I want to bring a case against him and his family. I can’t let them get away with this…Kami, Harry was ready to come home with me the minute he first woke up…he doesn’t care that he knows nothing about me.”

“Desperation,” Toshinori sighed. “That poor boy has seen the worst people can be. To him, anyone is a better option.”

“No!”

Startled, Shota spun back toward his son. Harry was no longer sleeping peacefully. Face scrunched up, the teenager shifted, sweat gleaming on his face as he seemed to plead with someone only he could see. “Leave him alone! Please!”

“Harry?” Shota called lowly, resisting the urge to touch him in case he hurt his healing bones. “Harry, it’s alright. You’re safe.”

It happened so fast. Shota gave in and touched Harry’s arm, only to be blasted across the room, hitting the wall with a hard thud and crunch. Harry bolted awake, green eyes wide. They fell on the unconscious form of his father, and the colour drained from his face.

“Oh God! I’m so sorry!”

“Easy, easy, Harry,” Maki soothed, the healer having rushed in the minute she was alerted to his accidental magic. “Yuta! Check on Mr Aizawa!”

“I didn’t mean to!” Harry whimpered. “My magic can lash out when I’m having nightmares. I’m so…so sorry!”

“Harry, look at me!” Maki ordered firmly. “I need you to take a breath. I really don’t want to sedate you.”

“No!” Harry panicked. He hated the idea of being knocked out. It terrified him. “I’ll be good!”

“Harry, look at me.”

Green eyes snapping toward a drastically emaciated man, Harry felt put at ease by his warm smile. “That’s it, young man, that’s it…accidental magic?”

Harry hiccupped a weak sob and nodded. “It was an accident. He’s going to be so mad!”

“No, kiddo,” Toshinori soothed, realising the problem. The poor boy was afraid of backlash. “Harry, your father works with kids learning to control their Quirks. This won’t be the first time he was sent flying by a wayward bit of power. I promise you, when he wakes, he won’t be angry.”

A groan of pain had Harry tensing. With Yuta’s help, Shota was getting to his feet. A trickle of blood dripped from a gash on his temple, a nasty bruise spreading over the right of his face, but all in all, he seemed to be in one piece. “Well,” the Pro hero grunted. “That was stupid of me. You okay, Harry? Did I frighten you?”

“I hurt you,” Harry choked out.

“An accident, kiddo and totally my fault.” Shota waved away Yuta’s fussing. “I’ve been around enough troubled teens with powerful Quirks that I know better than to touch in the middle of a violent nightmare, and all I have is a scratch and bruise.”

Trembles settling, Harry’s heart rate finally came down to a normal rhythm. He wasn’t in trouble, and he couldn’t believe it. Usually, Vernon would have whooped him by now, or he’d have detention from whatever teacher he managed to piss off. But not Shota. He was patient and understanding. Harry didn’t trust him yet. Recognised a better option than his aunt and uncle, but the rest would take time. Luckily, healing magic worked on muggles, so Yuta and Maki had Shota fixed up in an instant.

Settling back down next to his son, Shota introduced Toshinori and Nezu. The teenager was fascinated by the white stout-like creature and enjoyed talking to him. He was glad to hear that since he would be living on UA grounds with his father and husband, they could talk again. Shota mentally promised to keep an eye on the dangerous furball. Nezu could be lethal when it suited him. By the time Nezu and Toshinori left, it was late, and Shota had ended up resting against the wall with Harry snoozing in his lap, the man utterly content.

xxx:::_The Lies We Live By_:::xxx

Arriving at Grimmauld Place, Severus hoped whatever nonsense Albus was calling him in for was important because he was up to his eyes dealing with his own problems. Like the backlash from Narcissa denouncing her husband. The dark lord was not happy and was determined to at least bring Draco into the fold, by force if necessary. He was keeping him at bay for now, but he knew his patience would eventually wear thin.

Moving quietly into the dreary house, Severus cast a wary eye toward the covered painting of Sirius’ vicious mother. He was in no mood to listen to her screeching down the house. It was easy to find the others by following the angered voices. Stepping into the kitchen, he was surprised to find Remus almost toe to toe with Albus, shaking with fury, while an equally pissed Alastor paced.

“Am I interrupting?” He asked dryly.

Remus’ furious eyes darted toward Severus. “Albus called in the cavalry, then?”

Cavalry? What was going on? “Just a thought before you toss out the attitude, wolf…Maybe tell me why you’re in such a snit?”

“Ask him!” Remus snarled, pointing at Albus. “Ask that old fool what he has done!”

Severus knew Remus was hurting after Sirius’ death. Everyone was fully aware the pair had been a lot closer than they let on, but even he was startled by the clear rage on his face, the gold occasionally flashing in his eyes as his wolf tried to wiggle to the surface. “Albus, what in Merlin’s name is going on? Lupin looks like he’s ready to shift without the damn moon.”

Albus sighed and sank into a chair nearest the roaring fire. “Harry has been removed from his family after being beaten lethally by his uncle.”

Of all the things he expected the wizard to say, that wasn’t one of them. Complexion greying, Severus dropped into a chair. “What…why?! Why would he out of nowhere harm his own nephew?”

“Out of nowhere?” Remus laughed. “No, Severus. This abuse has been ongoing the boy’s entire life, supposedly. But Albus here wrote it down as youthful exaggeration.”

“Damn it, Albus!” Severus hissed with sudden fury. “Please tell me that’s not true! Please tell me you didn't disregard a child’s cry for help!” Not again! How could he make the same mistake again? Worse! How had he himself not seen the signs? After his own childhood, he knew what to look for in others. Had he been blinded by his hatred of James Potter so much that he never saw how Harry suffered? “Oh, Merlin…where is he? St Mungo’s?”

Remus, Alastor and Albus exchanged looks. “Well, lad, that’s where it gets interesting.”

Severus listened, gobsmacked as Alastor told him about Shota Aizawa. About Lily’s betrayal of her marriage and how James was not Harry's biological father. Which made his personal vendetta all the bloody worse. He listened to Remus rant over Shota appearing out of nowhere and taking Harry away and couldn’t help but think the man sounded like a spoiled brat. After all, Shota had saved Potter’s life.

“What happens now?” He asked when the other men finally fell silent.

“We get Harry back!” Remus snapped indignantly. “Why does no one seem to get that? We need to get him home!”

“To where, mutt?” Severus retorted angrily. “The boy is with his father; that is his home.”

“Do you hate him that much?” Remus snarled. “Let him be thrown away, that’s it?”

On his feet, furious, Severus itched to draw his wand. Merlin knows he deserved the rage. He hadn’t exactly been fair to Potter over the years, but that had absolutely nothing to do with his opinion now. “I want Potter safe! Since Albus has clearly not managed that thus far, being with his father is probably the best option. I’ve heard of the pro hero Eraserhead. He is a good man.”

“People would say the same of you,” Remus spat.

“Oh, grow up, mutt!”

“Enough!” Albus barked, silencing them both. He was getting a damn headache dealing with all this madness. “Harry is with his father. If we are to get him back, we will need to go the legal route and fight the Japanese Government.”

“You can’t be serious,” Severus spluttered. “For Merlin’s sake, Albus, you can’t go up against the Japanese magical Government! Especially when his biological father has been named by Lily herself legally. You have nothing!”

“He belongs at Hogwarts!” Albus snapped, momentarily giving in to his stress and temper. “We need to continue his education at Hogwarts!”

“Why?” Severus barked. “Because he must defeat the Dark Lord? Don’t think none of us are aware what you need of that boy! Black bloody well knew and did what he could to prepare him. Maybe if you had done the same, instead of tossing him in unprepared, Black would still be alive.”

“You’re putting his death on me?!” Albus asked, outraged. “No one was at fault for that! Not Harry, not even me!”

“But you are at fault for putting him there!” Severus suddenly froze as if something truly horrible had just dawned on him. “No! Uncle…you said uncle! For the love of Merlin and Morgana, please tell me you weren’t that bloody stupid!”

“Be reasonable, Severus,” Albus admonished as if talking to a child. “Where did you think Harry had been sent?”

“NOT TO THEM!” He made them all jump. Had them all pulling their wands because, for the first time in years, Severus had lost control of his magic. The power whirled about him, rattling the shelves and leaving cracks in the glasses scattered about the table. “Harry has no living uncle beyond that vicious bitch’s husband and don’t you dare pretend like that was obvious. You conveniently avoided telling me because I’d have sooner raised the poor child myself than to subject him to such cruelty!”

“You knew them?” Remus asked, surprised.

“Of course I did, Lupin. How do you think Lily and I became friends so easily? I knew her before Hogwarts. I was the one who told her she was a witch.” Shaking his head in disgust, he wanted to jinx the werewolf to hell. “You knew he was with those wretched people and said nothing. You knew how bad they were!”

“I never thought they’d stoop to hurting their own nephew!” Remus roared back, patience wearing thin. “You didn’t see the signs of abuse either!”

“Oh, believe me, I hate myself plenty over that right now.” Severus snarked back. “Had I seen beyond my hatred for that fool James Potter, the poor boy would have known a better life, at the very least from when he first started Hogwarts. I knew I should have pushed to find out who you left him with!”

“I did what was necessary,” Albus argued wearily. “In the muggle world, he would be safer, and I couldn’t just leave a magical child with just anyone!”

“There are a number of known muggles with magical children who would have gladly helped!” Severus snapped irritably. “And plenty of squibs too! You didn’t want him to know he was magical!”

Albus’ blue eyes narrowed. “Baseless accusations? I thought you were better than that, my boy.”

“I am not your boy,” Severus spat. “And nor will I help you rip Potter away from his father. I mean it, Albus. Leave the boy alone. You start attacking the Japanese Government, and you will bring it down on the heads of all of us! They are a smaller faction, but they are not to be trifled with.”

“Harry is a British citizen!” Albus argued.

“And clearly, he is also half Japanese!” Severus retorted, finally having enough. “Now, if you'll excuse me, I have things to get to. Unless someone is dying, refrain from contacting me.”

No one tried to stop him.

Chapter Text

It was three days before Harry was considered stable enough to be sent home. Well, to his new home and on a long regimen of nutritional potions. Nervous, the teenager wasn’t sure what to expect. From Katsuki and Izuku he had learned that his Dad lived in an apartment at UA with his husband and their cat, above his class of 1-A students. The dorm system was recently implemented, and Harry was amused to have his father warn him ahead of time of the chaos awaiting him. After five years at Hogwarts, in a dorm full of kids with active magic, he wasn’t worried.

Shota came to collect him on the third day alone. Harry had politely as he could manage, kicked the man out the night before and told him to get some much needed rest. Shota had protested of course, but having already received a phone from Hizashi and learned how to use it, the teen was quick to call in reinforcements.

Bones healed, even if they were a little stiff, Harry felt a lot better than he had in a long time. Merlin, maybe ever. He was pain free for the first time in years. His head clear because for once he wasn’t being distracted by constant aches, or an aching belly. With years of starvation, his stomach just couldn’t handle much and because of it, he spent so long never being full. When he could finally eat a full meal just the day before, he wept. Shota and Hizashi who had been with him, never said a word. They simply held him through the tears.

Stepping out of the Japanese Government building, Harry got his first real look at Musutafu. From outside the Government building looked like a rundown mess at first glance, but unlike Shota, Harry could see through the glamour. He loved how magic could hide things in plain sight.

“Baby!”

Jumping, Harry turned and laughed at the sight of Hizashi rushing toward them. He had gotten used to the excitable blond the last three days and found the pet names soothing.

“Hey, Hizashi.”

Catching him up in a hug, Hizashi grinned down at the teen, delighted to see how much better he looked. “We finally get to take you home! You’re going to be spoiled rotten!”

“Zash, let the kid breathe.” Shota laughed, enjoying his husband’s antics. He was a complete mother hen! “We still going with the original plan?”

“Introducing mini you to the remaining hellions? Yup!”

Harry had quickly learned that the hellions were the rest of 1-A. After a few stories from Katsuki and Izuku, it was clear they probably had a crazier school life than Hogwarts. Of course, they weren’t constantly training to be aurors, which would be the closest example Harry could compare to Hero training, so Hogwarts would be a calmer setting. Well, if you excluded the megalomaniac determined to kill him.

Content to listen to his Dad and well, stepfather, chatter back and forth, Harry got into the back of Hizashi’s car and for once didn’t feel the need to make himself look small. His uncle wasn’t around to act like he was going to damage the upholstery just by breathing and from the cheerful clutter he could see, Hizashi wasn’t a neat freak like his aunt.

The drive to UA was peaceful. Harry spent most of it taking in his new home. Japan was a lot different from England that was for sure and was a lot busier than Harry was used to. It was also a lot warmer than he was used to for this time of the year, but it was wonderful. Harry had always hated the cold. It didn’t exactly help his aches throughout the years.

“So, kiddo,” Hizashi said drawing his attention. “We’ll be at UA in five. If you want, we can bypass the hellions for now and let you settle in…or we can let you meet them first…”

“I’d like to meet them all,” Harry smiled. “I’m curious about all of them. It’s not every day you get to meet heroes in training.”

“Are you sure?” Shota asked. “You’ve had a rough few days and the healers said those potions of yours are going to leave you tired.”

“I know. But right now, I’m fine. I want to meet everyone. I already know Katsuki and Izuku…I want to meet the others before fatigue kicks in.”

“You’re gonna love the chaos!” Hizashi laughed.

Arriving at UA, Harry was awed by the sheer size of the school. A normal school, students still moved about campus. Finished their last classes and heading back to their dorms. Heads turned when they drove by some curious looks following them. They came to a stop outside the height alliance dormitories, a large 1-A identifying the class within. Harry was out of the car first, looking up at the huge building.

“We live on the top floor,” Shota explained. “That way we’re always available to our students.”

Making his way toward the door, Harry could already hear voices from inside. Laughter, talking, typical teenage chaos, that he was used to from his days in Hogwarts. The minute he entered, switching his shoes for slippers, silence fell, and he found himself suddenly the centre of attention. Unlike at Hogwarts though, he didn’t feel like immediately going on the defensive.

The girls were the first to approach. A gaggle of them speaking in Rapid fire Japanese. He could tell they were asking him questions, but had no idea what they were saying.

“English,” Shota admonished calmly. “Harry doesn’t speak a word of Japanese.”

“Oops!” The girl with pink skin laughed. “Sorry about that. I’m Mina Ashido! This is Tsuyu Asui, Ochaco Uraraka, Kyoka Jiro, Toru Hagakure and Momo Yaoyorozu. You look so much like Mr Aizawa!”

Harry laughed, cheeks flushing. “Yeah, I guess I do. Eh, I’m Harry Potter.” Was he still allowed to use his last name? He didn’t know. He knew legally he was a Potter…But would that change now? Honestly, he felt appeal at changing it. Being able to get away from the mess the name ‘Harry Potter’ brought him. Next he was surrounded by the boys and given instructions, before, to his amusement, Katsuki sent them all scattering.

“Alright! That’s enough ya damn nerds! Give him some space!”

“Thank you, Bakugo,” Shota said dryly. “Eloquent as ever.”

Katsuki grinned sharkishly. “No problem!”

Leading his son upstairs to their apartment, Shota stepped aside allowing the teenager in first. Spacious, Harry noted, open and painted a mix of colours, that would have driven his Aunt Petunia crazy, but he instantly loved. Wandering toward the living-room, he jumped when something brushed against his leg and looking down, found a stunning long haired black cat winding about his feet.

“Oh! Hello there.”

“That’s Nyx,” Hizashi introduced cheerfully. “She’s five, sheds something fierce and is a pillow hog.”

Laughing, Harry crouched down to pet the feline, grinning when Nyx immediately melted against him, a rumbling purr filling the room. Touring the rest of the apartment, Nyx fell into step beside Harry and trotted alongside the teenager while they continued looking about. Lastly, Shota and Hizashi lead him to the spare room…well…what was his room now. “You can change whatever you want,” Shota said, suddenly nervous. “Hizashi got some input from the hellions, but if you don’t like it, that’s okay.”

Stepping into the room, Harry blinked in surprise. It was a large room. Larger than the sorry excuse he had for a room back at the Dursleys. The walls were a nice spring green, with darker green curtains framing a pair of sliding doors that stepped out onto a balcony. A bed with the softest cushions and comforter in a mix of creams and beige sat to the right of the room and a desk with study supplies sat near the left. There were empty shelves, a chest of drawers and a large wardrobe and to the teenager’s amusement and secret delight, someone had bought him a gigantic dragon plushie. The stuffed toy sat on his new bed, and by the balcony doors, something he hadn’t noticed at first glance, was a stunning set up for Hedwig. Everything from a stand, to even a den for her to sleep in. This was his room. His! A lump in his throat, emotions rolling through him, he spun and startled Shota and Hizashi when he threw his arms about them, a soft whimper escaping him. “Thank you!” Harry sobbed. “Thank you so much!”

The two men encircled him, holding the poor boy as he broke.

xxx:::_The Lies We Live By_:::xxx

“Have you lost your damn mind, Albus?!” Severus exploded, bursting into Grimmauld Place three days after the utter debacle of Harry’s abuse reveal, ignoring Molly’s startled squawk and slapping down the Daily Prophet on the well-worn table.

Front page news, a moving photo of Albus and Cornelius Fudge sat belong a bold headline that read; HARRY POTTER KIDNAPPED BY THE JAPANESE MAGICAL GOVERNMENT!! Nearly dropping his coffee, Remus spluttered in shock, eyes snapping between the paper and Albus.

“What in Merlin’s name did you do, Albus?!”

“What I had to do,” Albus snapped irritably, reaching for his cup of tea. “Can we get back to the matter we were discussing…Amelia Bones’ murder…Kingsley contacted—”

“No, we bloody well cannot!” Molly barked, hands on her hips. “Damn it, Albus! Are you trying to cause a war?!”

“Harry belongs in England!” Albus argued. “He is needed to see an end to Voldemort!”

“That may not be entirely accurate.”

Heads all turned toward Arthur, the man sat warming his hands on a mug of tea. Remus frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“Think about it,” Arthur said with a shrug. “The prophecy referred to a child from parents who thrice defied you-know-who…but…James wasn’t his father biologically.”

Severus frowned. “You think that might completely cut him free of the prophecy?”

Arthur sighed, getting up to pace. “Lily didn’t do a blood adoption…It would have been obvious and there would have been a record. Not to mention, James would have been aware of it. Nothing could have hidden it, considering his consent would have been required. Then there’s the fact, in magic, blood counts for a lot. If magic didn’t recognise it…well…why would a prophecy that had always been vague to begin with?”

“Legally he is James’ son,” Albus stated calmly. “That means only he has the ability to end Voldemort.”

“Did you not hear a word of what Arthur just said?” Severus snapped. “Potter’s father completely negates the prophecy. Damn it, Albus! Let the boy live his life! He’s been through enough!”

“Do you have any idea the nonsense this will cause?!” Molly demanded, snatching up the newspaper. “He wasn’t kidnapped, Albus!”

“And if they ship him off to Mahoutokoro instead of Hogwarts, you’re perfectly okay with that?!” Albus demanded incredulously.

“They could send him to Himawari Academy,” Severus pointed out. “Smaller, but it’s closer and he would be able to stay at home with his parents.”

“Lily and James Potter are Harry’s parents!” Albus bit out irritably.

“Lily Potter and Shota Aizawa are Harry’s parents, Albus,” Severus retorted just as irked. “Whether any of us like it or not, Lily was unfaithful, and Harry was the result. Now he has a chance at a real family and over that you rather start a Merlin damn war?! They have done nothing wrong!”

“They removed a minor Wizard from his legal home without going through the proper channels!”

“Did you tell Cornelius why?” Remus interjected coldly. “I’d sooner see him back here, where I can look after him…but did you tell them why he was removed from those horrible creatures?”

Albus stood up, arms loose by his sides. “You’d have me splash his business all over the magical world?”

“I’d have you use sense!” Remus bit back. “Cornelius is up to his neck because of the mess we’re in and his idiocy to live in denial. Now to add to it, you’ve manipulated him to take on the Japanese Government! To what end, Albus?! Harry will be protected by them and by the Pro Heroes…or did you miss the part where his birth father is the pro hero Eraserhead?!”

Without a word, Albus made his way toward the fireplace and in a whirl of green flame, vanished. Severus threw his hands up with a curse. “That man is infuriating!”

“He won’t listen to reason,” Molly seethed. “Harry is just a boy! He has no business fighting in the first place!”

“Something he might actually manage if he remains in Japan,” Arthur agreed.

“So far there has been no word of him withdrawing from Hogwarts,” Severus said, sitting back down, pinching the bridge of his nose to ward off the migraine that had been threatening to spike for days now. “Until then…We can assume he will return in September.”

“Has there been any contact from him?” Remus queried, scrubbing at his exhausted eyes. The full moon was coming, and he was already feeling it. “Molly, has he sent anything to your children? Hermione?”

“No, but I’m not surprised. Japan is quite far for mail by owl.”

That was a fair point. It was doable, but would take far longer than poor Hedwig or any owl could fly. There was also the other issue at hand. Severus let out a hiss when his arm suddenly burned. The Dark Lord was calling, and he could only guess what it was over.

“Severus?” Remus prodded, concerned by the man’s sudden pain.

“He’s calling,” Severus responded through gritted teeth.

“Which means he most likely knows what has happened.” Swearing colourfully, furious that Albus had all but abandoned them, Remus was left to get things under control. “This is a damn mess, and we need to counteract it. Even if it means going against, Albus. Severus go to him. Luckily for you, you won’t have to bullshit…Arthur, you need to get a hold of Kingsley…We need to get in contact with Japan and fix the damage the best we can. Molly…ask Hermione about contacting Harry through Muggle means.”

Just like that, they had their orders. It wouldn’t magically fix everything at once, but it gave everyone something to do and hopefully get a reign on the pure maddness Albus was about to unleash. Alone again, Remus dropped his head in his hands and for what felt like the millionth time in the last three days, he wished for Sirius, his beautiful mate. He would have been so much better at handling all of this.

Merlin, no one had known about them. Not even Harry. But that wouldn’t last forever. They had intended to tell everyone eventually of course. Sirius probably would have howled it from the top of Hogwarts given the chance, but Remus had wanted to wait. He wanted to savour it, enjoy their quiet happiness and then Bellatrix Lestrange took it all away. Now, everyone would know regardless, because of his werewolf genes.

A supernatural creature, technically, Remus fell under the category of secondary genders. Referred to as Alpha and Omega. Alphas were powerfully built, strong fighters and were always male. Omegas could either be male or female and were smaller and built to conceive. Sirius had known Remus was an Omega from the moment they decided to finally mate…knew it when he saw Remus through his yearly heat a month previous and yet, he would never know that heat had took, or that Remus was carrying his child. The werewolf had never gotten the chance to tell him.

A hand pressed to his abdomen, Remus wept.

xxx:::_The Lies We Live By_:::xxx

Reina woke to a thump on her door and righted herself fast. Blinking blearily, she looked about and realised she had fallen asleep at her kitchen table. Files everywhere, a forgotten sandwich and cold tea next to the mess. Another thudding knock jolted her and with a curse, the Witch stomped out to her front door, pulled it open and blinked in surprise at the sight of her boss. “Sir…Uh—”

“Have you seen this?!” Fusao snapped, shoving by her and holding out a crumpled up copy of what appeared to be an English newspaper.

Reina frowned and realised it was a magical paper, the Daily Prophet. It was their Government’s policy to keep track of international news. It was in fact her department that did so, but she was pretty sure that was under Kimura, and it was usually boring nonsense. “Seen what, sir…I—” She froze when he shook it out and her eyes took in the heading in bold. HARRY POTTER KIDNAPPED BY THE JAPANESE MAGICAL GOVERNMENT!! “What in the name of Kami? Are they out of their damn minds?!”

“Clearly!” Fusao barked. “President Ito has already received yet another furious correspondent from the British Minister! But this time with these crazy accusations! I knew they’d cause trouble, but this is low…”

Taking the newspaper, Reina scanned the article. “It says here, Albus Dumbledore claimed the boy was kidnapped. Maybe they don’t realise the truth. Kami damn it! What are we going to do?” In her fury, she had completely forgot to watch her tone around her boss, but hell, this crap had to allow for it!

“You and I are being sent to meet with that buffoon Cornelius Fudge. Not only to do damage control, but to put forward the investigation request. We were going to wait…but screw it. If that bastard Dumbledore wants to fight, we’ll give him one.” Fusao grunted. “Off you go Yamamoto…You’ve ten minutes.”

Well, crap. Telling her boss to take a seat in the living-room, Reina rushed to her bedroom and got changed quickly, pulling her hair back in a neat bun. Retrieving her wand, the witch hurried out with two minutes to spare. “I’m set!”

Chuckling, Fusao reached into his pocket and produced a battered old glove. He had clearly been literal about the ten minutes. Reaching out, Reina had just touched it, when they were whisked away and landed moments later in the atrium of the British Ministry. Looking about, Reina couldn’t help but note how cold it appeared. There was nothing welcoming or comforting to entice anyone to venture beyond the Atrium. Gigantic fireplaces continuously blazed, spitting out Wizards and witches, all seemingly in a hurry. Owls flew overhead, clutching mail in their sharp talons, along with charmed missives flitting about. Her gaze finally settled on the man she recognised to be Cornelius Fudge, and his expression was set in hard lines.

“Welcome,” he greeted, his tone unfriendly. “Fusao Sasaki and Reina Yamamoto I believe?”

Ignoring the butchering of their names, Fusao bowed respectfully. “And you are Minister Fudge, I assume?”

“Yes, this way.”

Startled and irritated by the abruptness, they followed the Wizard to a prepared room. There were others, faces Reina didn’t recognise, but it hardly mattered. They weren’t the problem, and her boss was quick to get into things, “You know why we’re here?” Fusao asked calmly, taking a seat.

“To discuss the kidnapping of Harry James Potter!” Cornelius barked out irritably.

From where she stood behind Fusao, Reina noticed several cringes. Clearly not everyone was on the same page. “That’s easy,” Reina responded dryly. “He wasn’t kidnapped.”

“Lies!” Cornelius barked, fist thudding on the desk, his cheeks turning ruddy with temper. “Albus Dumbledore told us everything!”

“Albus Dumbledore is a filthy liar!” Fusao spat, before taking out his wand and with a wave paperwork appeared in front of everyone. “This is a medical report taken after Harry was removed for his own safety. If you read, you will see the poor boy was practically minutes away from death before our Healers got to him.”

Frowning, Cornelius pulled the paperwork toward him and read through the list, his complexion turning grey with each word. Broken bones, internal bleeding, collapsed lung. “H-How…What in Merlin’s name happened to him?!”

“His Aunt and Uncle,” Reina supplied calmly. “As it turns out…they have been abusing him for years.”

There were collective gasps, startled cries and the odd profanity. Desperate to save face, Cornelius flung down the paperwork in disgust. “This doesn’t explain why the Japanese Government interfered and stole the boy away!” Calmly, Fusao gave another flick of his wand, and more paperwork appeared. Each of them took it, eyes scanning, Cornelius spluttering incoherently. “What in Merlin’s name is this?!”

“That,” Fusao began almost cheerful. “Is test results confirming James Potter was not Harry Potter’s biological father. That honour goes to a Japanese citizen, Shota Aizawa.”

“Lies!” Cornelius seethed, spittle flying. “Are you claiming Lily Potter was unfaithful?”

“That’s exactly what we’re claiming,” Reina said, growing irritated by the man’s shrieking. “Shota Aizawa fathered Harry Potter. He has legal custody of him by blood alone and because Lily named him a guardian on her magic.”

More uproar. This time others joining in. Fusao and Reina stayed quiet and let them rage. It was certainly better than trying to holler over them. Conjuring a copy of Lily’s letter, Fusao set it before Cornelius and waited patiently to see if this set off yet another tantrum. But instead, the will to argue drained from the Minister and he sagged back in his chair with a grunt. “So, that’s it then…Harry Potter is gone?”

“The boy isn’t dead!” Fusao barked. “He’s merely changed his home address and for the damn better, clearly! Which brings us to the next part…the investigation.”

Cornelius blinked, confused voices mumbling behind him. “Investigation?”

“Seriously?” Reina scoffed. “Yes…Investigation. Harry Potter was beaten within an inch of his life and shows extensive evidence of this going as far back as infancy. Among bringing in non-magical authorities to deal with his non-magical relatives…we will also be looking into Hogwarts.”

“That’s absurd!” A Wizard blustered to Cornelius’ right. “You’re blaming Hogwarts?!”

“Hogwarts have a policy to exam any Witch or Wizard not from a magical home,” Fusao snapped. “Clearly, someone fucked up, because Harry was placed with non-magicals…so he fell under that, which comes with its own problems.”

“Such as what?” A Witch asked calmly.

“The fact that unlike most witches and wizards born of non-magical parents, Harry had magical parents.” Reina pointed out calmly, though her temper was started to prickle. “Because of that, why was no one monitoring him all these years? Making sure he received his vaccines…The poor boy didn’t even have his dragon pox vaccine! Which could have killed him if he contracted it! Those beasts he lived with did nothing to keep up with his health and they hurt him for years! Why did none of you have him watched?!”

“Dumbledore assured us he had it under control!” Cornelius spluttered.

“Dumbledore?” Fusao barked a laugh. “He’s a school Principal! Why the hell should he have any say?”

“Because…” Cornelius began meekly. “He’s Potter’s magical guardian.”

“HE’S WHAT?!”

Oh! Pissed didn’t even begin to cover how the pair of Japanese Wixen were feeling. Lunging to his feet, Fusao began pacing up and down, itching to draw his wand and blast Cornelius for funsies. What kind of morons were running this circus?! Spinning around, he set hard eyes on Cornelius, watching him flinch back. “We’re done here…you have all the paperwork, and you better believe we’re about to reign hell down on you. Yamamoto, let’s get the hell out of here.”

Cornelius didn’t bother protesting. Sick to his stomach, something told him Dumbledore had landed them in hell and none of them were escaping unscathed.

xxx:::_The Lies We Live By_:::xxx

Harry followed his father and Hizashi along the corridors of UA. The school was huge! Probably not as big as Hogwarts castle, but pretty damn close! With classes over, it was eerily quiet. The odd teacher hurrying past, nose buried in paperwork or phones. Shielded by the two Heroes in front of him, none noticed the slender teenager staying as close to Shota as he could. Curious as he was, Harry couldn’t help but be wary of new surroundings. Stopping outside of an office door, Shota reached out and knocked.

“Enter!” Came a cheerful call.

The three stepped inside and found Nezu at his desk, Toshinori stood at the window and smiled brightly when they came in. “Harry! You’re looking so much better!”

Harry smiled, quite familiar with the retired hero by now. “Hi, Toshi. Thank you…I feel much better. I don’t have any aches anymore.” He flexed his fingers for emphasise.

Eyes down he didn’t catch the sad look on all of the adults faces. To see him light up over the fact for the first time in his life he wasn’t in constant pain at only fifteen was heartbreaking. Shota felt his insides twist. A mix of rage and deep sorrow. For the briefest moment, he hated Lily Potter. He loathed her for what her stupid decisions had led to. Harry could have had a safe upbringing if she had just told Shota he had fathered a child!

“Marvellous!” Nezu commented jovially, glad to hear Harry was doing well. “I called you here because Albus Dumbledore has caused quite the stir.” Turning over a newspaper, Nezu pushed it forward for them to read.

Harry recognised it as the Daily Prophet and his eyes widened in shock when he took in the heading. HARRY POTTER KIDNAPPED BY THE JAPANESE MAGICAL GOVERNMENT!! “Oh, bloody hell! What did he do?!”

Shota snatched up the paper, Hizashi gawping over his shoulder, quickly reading what was beneath a moving photograph of Albus Dumbledore and a man named Cornelius Fudge. The more he read, the angrier Shota grew, till with a snarled curse, he tossed the paper back down onto Nezu’s desk. “What the hell is this shit?! Does he even care who he’s screwing with?!”

“Clearly not,” Nezu said calmly. “The Japanese Magical Government has already retaliated. They have informed Minister Fudge they are bringing a case against him.”

“What?!” Harry sputtered in shock. “Why?! It’s my business! This will make it public!”

Turning to his son, wishing he had been able to give the kid a heads up, Shota grasped his shoulders. “I know it’s scary, kiddo and it’s a lot at fifteen, but yes…an investigation is underway, and a case is being brought against several…including Cornelius Fudge and Albus Dumbledore.”

“But…Y-You can’t!”

“Harry,” Toshinori called gently, trying to help soothe the boy. “Harry, your life was a mess of suffering both through bad decisions and no adult checking in on you. Right now, there is a lot of finger pointing between your Government and Albus Dumbledore on who is responsible, and they need to be held responsible. You were neglected, beaten, starved and almost died and not only does your family need to answer for that…so does the people who put you there.”  

Tears welled in the teenager’s eyes. Merlin! He was just an emotional wreck lately. But he couldn’t help it. He wasn’t used to anyone caring. “It never mattered before…” He sniffled. “I tried telling teachers in primary school…Dumbledore…other adults…but no one ever listened!”

Which was concerning. How could so many be this dismissive of so many complaints? It wasn’t normal! Even healed, Shota had only to look at his son to know something was wrong. He was fifteen, almost sixteen, yet looked barely thirteen. Stunted growth from years of malnutrition. He was noticeably underweight, with a poor complexion and just how he carried himself screamed several red flags. So how, among everyone, including those Harry tried to tell, did nothing come of it? Cupping his face, Shota tilted his head a little. “Look at me kiddo, we are listening…we are all listening and there will be justice for all of this, and you will never suffer like this again.”

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Harry nodded and sighed blissfully when Shota pulled him into a hug. His scent, the warmth of him, it was paradise. Pressing a kiss to his temple, Shota turned back to Nezu. “Spill, rat…there’s more to this visit I’m guessing.”

Nezu chuckled. “Am I getting predictive? Yes, there was another reason. For the public, Harry obviously can’t be known as a Wizard. So, we have two options. We either register him as Quirkless, or We register him with a Quirk.”

“And what Quirk would he have?” Hizashi asked curiously.

“We could rebrand his magic,” Toshinori suggested. “A lot of spells are changing the nature of something or somewhere…we could register him with a Quirk called transmute.”

“I like that,” Harry piped up, wiping his eyes dry and happy to change the subject.

“And he inherited it from his mother,” Nezu scribbled down. “Better to sprinkle truth with the lie…easier to keep track of it.”

Between the five of them, they put together a background for Harry living in the non-magical world. Lily and James Potter were gaining new backgrounds, which was easy to do when they didn’t exist in the mundane world and since they died young, it wasn’t much of a life to build. From there, Harry’s life from infancy to eleven was already available and gaining access to the records was almost too easy. From eleven to fifteen was a little trickier. They created records stating Harry had gone to a lesser known school that was less likely to be probed too deep. Harry winced in distaste at Nezu’s suggestion he catch up on mundane topics.

“Why?” The teenager asked. “I’ve missed five years of those subjects, and they don’t matter for the career I have in mind…a Wizardry career.”

“I understand that” Nezu continued. “Which honestly baffles me…you should have all the tools to allow for living in either world. I understand Britain prefer a complete disconnect from the mundane.”

Harry nodded. “They say it’s safer.”

“It’s stupid and unfair,” Shota pointed out. “I am what you call a muggle right? So, they want you to be cut off from one whole side of your bloodline.”

Harry frowned. He never really thought of it like that before. “Would I have to do everything?”

“Oh! No!” Nezu chuckled. “Just the required subjects.”

He could do that. Nodding, he listened patiently as Nezu continued working through his life, up until when he had to be removed from his Aunt and Uncle and was placed into the care of his birth father.

“Now, the fun part!” Beaming, Nezu produced another set of papers. “Here we have your legal identity. I just need signatures from your father and you.”

Stepping forward, Harry’s green eyes quickly scanned the paperwork, including a new birth certificate, and his heart jumped, because instead of Harry Potter, in the place of the child was Harī Aizawa. Shota frowned when he read it. “Rat…changing his name? Did it occur to you he mightened want that?”

“His first name has merely been switched for the Japanese translation, and I gave him his father’s name.” Nezu pointed out calmly. “If it’s not—”

“I love it!” Shota blinked, looking at his son and realised the teenager was grinning in delight. Harry beamed at him. “All my life, my name has been like a curse. With my aunt and uncle…at Hogwarts. I hated it. Now I get to be just Harī Aizawa? A kid who owes nothing to anyone? Yes please!” Grabbing the pen, Harry quickly signed, grinning as he used his new name.

Shaking off his shock, Shota took the offered pen and with a smile of his own, he scrawled his own signature next to his son’s and felt something he didn’t even know he was missing, slide into place.

Chapter Text

Reappearing on the grounds of Malfoy Manor, Severus looked up at the huge home and gritted his teeth against the sting in his arm. Voldemort was enraged. It was hard to miss it when the damn mark bonded him to all of his Death Eaters and very aware he was alone; he tried to shove down the worry that he was the only one summoned. With a resigned sigh, he made his way up the stone steps. A house elf already waited with the doors opened and stepping inside, Severus waved away the trembling creature when he tried to ask if the Wizard wanted a refreshment.

No sign of Lucius it would seem. Of course, the man tended to make himself scarce, particularly when the Dark Lord was in foul form. Better to not become a target that way. Weaving through the halls, he stopped outside Lucius’ study where Voldemort had claimed sanctuary and reached out to knock on the carved mahogany.

“Enter!”

Shuddering, Severus slammed up his mental shields and stepped inside. Voldemort sat by the fire, red eyes locked on the flickering fire in the hearth. It may have been summer, but it was well known among the Death Eaters that ever since his return, Voldemort had difficulty staying warm. Feeling uncomfortable in the sudden wash of heat, but knowing better than to complain, he stopped next to the man’s chair, bowing lowly. “You summoned me, my Lord.”

“There was something of interest in the Daily Prophet, Severus,” Voldemort spoke in a whisper. “So, I reached out to my contacts in Japan to determine the truth. Well, the real story was quite shocking compared to the fairytale Dumbledore gave to the papers. Can you confirm the accuracy?”

Damn it! Severus had hoped to hide that, at least for the moment. Trapped, he schooled is expression. “I will assume you are referring to Harry Potter’s sudden family drama…yes my Lord, it is true, I just now confirmed as such.”

Severus had expected many reactions, Voldemort letting out a bellow of rage and lunging to his feet to pace was not one of them. Jumping back, he watched the furious Wizard wide eyed. “All of this!” Voldemort seethed. “Wasted years…wasted deaths because Lily Potter hid the truth!”

Including her own life. So much could have been avoided had Lily just been honest. Severus had hoped to keep the information from him, at least for now. Now, all he could do, was figure out Voldemort’s next move. “What does this mean, my lord? In regard to, Potter.”

“It changes nothing,” Voldemort snapped back. “His fool of a mother may have put an unnecessary target on his back, but Potter himself has proven he can and will be a problem. He still has to die.”

“And the prophecy?”

Voldemort laughed coldly. “Negated, it would seem. I marked the wrong child as my equal. So, he is not the threat we thought he was. Do we know if he will be returning to Hogwarts?”

“As of yet, no, my Lord,” Severus answered honestly. “Other than confirmation he has survived his injuries; there has been no contact. His birth father has taken custody.”

“His muggle father!” Voldemort cackled. “When I thought his blood couldn’t be any dirtier!”

Severus remained silent. There was no point in interrupting the Wizard when he got like this. He was more likely to find himself at the other end of a nasty crucio. It was still early yet. He had a feeling he was going to be tasting the Persian rug whether he liked it or not.

“…Any further development locating Draco and his traitor of a mother?”

At the sudden topic change, Severus reorientated his thought process and calmly replied. “No, my lord…the search continues. It doesn’t help that the French Government is helping to shield them.”

“And Draco’s Hogwarts enrolment?” Voldemort snapped out, pacing irritably. “Is it still in place?”

“So far. He hasn’t been withdrawn.”

Returning to his seat, Voldemort ran a hand over a chess board on his left, magical pieces quivering beneath his hand. “At least we have that. We should be able to bring him back to us.”

Not likely and thank Merlin for that. Even if it killed him, Severus intended on keeping Draco safe! By a miracle, he was dismissed moments later and avoided a crucio. On his way out, he stopped, eyes widening at the sight of Lucius leaning against a wall and frankly, he looked like hell.

“Bad night, Lucius?” Severus asked dryly, genuinely worried about his old friend, even as he held onto his bland disinterest.

Startled, Lucius’ gaze snapped up. He clearly hadn’t shaven in a couple of days. His hair a matted mess, and his robes were wrinkled. It was clear he had also been drinking. “Sev?” He slurred, eyes narrowed. “What are you doin’ here?”

“Meeting with the Dark Lord,” Severus answered casually, looking him up and down. “Is this what you’ve been reduced to? A drunkard? Are you hoping to get yourself killed?”

“It would matter…why?” Lucius spat. “My wife and child are gone. Let him kill me.”

“Damn it, Lucius!” Grabbing the man’s arm, Severus pulled him into an empty room, and pulling out his wand, threw up a silencing spell. “Suicide? That’s what it has come down to?”

“I haven’t tried to hurt myself, Severus,” Lucius argued annoyed, pulling his arm free.

“Purposefully putting yourself in the line of fire of someone who can and will kill you amounts to the same thing, Lucius,” Severus retorted. “Why not jam your wand into your temple, cast and be done with it? At least it would be a lot less painful!”

“What do you want from me, Severus?!” Lucius snarled, whirling to face him, stumbling a little. “I have lost everything! My family abandoned me!”

“You know as well as I do, Narcissa only wanted to protect Draco!” Severus barked. “He is still just a child, Lucius! Let him live his life, before deciding whether or not to give it to our Dark Lord.”

“It is his place!” Lucius hissed furiously.

“He’s only just turned sixteen!” Shaking his head, Severus stepped back. “You’ve created this hell for yourself, Lucius. No one else.” Disgusted by how far the man had fallen, Severus marched out and headed toward the disapparation spot. He wanted nothing more than to go home, have a hot bath and fall into bed, but figured, he should report back to Grimmauld Place and Merlin, he hoped Albus hadn’t returned. He couldn’t handle the headache.

Stepping into the decrepit house what felt like days later and yet had only been hours, he was mindful not to make noise, one eye on the curtain that hid the portrait of Sirius’ vile mother. He made his way toward the steps down into the kitchen, frowning when the clear sound of vomiting filled his ears. Stepping down into the large kitchen, he found Remus bent over the sink, shaking and pale.

“Lupin?”

Startling, Remus’ gaze snapped up, eyes wide. “S-Severus! I wasn’t expecting you back.”

“Clearly,” Severus voiced in a dry tone, watching the man right himself. “I have anti-nausea potions if you want one?”

“No, it’ll pass…but thank you.”

Reading his body language, an arm wrapped about his middle almost protectively, Severus went still. “Ah, Morgana’s saggy tits! Lupin, are you…are you pregnant?!”

Freezing, Remus’ gaze narrowed. “Anyone ever tell you you’re an annoyingly preceptive bastard, Severus?”

Shocked, Severus took a seat. “So, I wasn’t imaging it…you and, Black were together…?”

“Yes,” Remus responded, taking out his wand and conjuring tea and scones. “I…well…I never got the chance to tell, Sirius.”

“What will you do now?”

Remus busied himself pouring out the tea, setting a cup before Severus with milk and sugar. “Honestly, I don’t know. It’s amazing I’ve kept it this long. But thankfully, wolfsbane is safe in pregnancy and shifting once a month doesn’t harm the baby, thank Merlin…but…health aside, I’m terrified. I’m a magical creature with no mate anymore and many of our community do not take kindly to us reproducing. Particularly the rare male Omegas.”

“How far along are you?”

“Thirteen weeks,” Remus answered with a low laugh. “And still puking at random when this pup feels like it.”

“For what it’s worth, Lupin…you will be kept safe.” Severus promised gently, before a rare grin warmed his features. “Of course, I pity the world you’re subjecting another Sirius too, but we’ll survive.”

A laugh startling from him, Remus bit into his scone. He felt better all of a sudden. Like he could finally breathe again. Just maybe, everything was going to be okay. With Harry and the baby. Munching, praying the snack stayed put, the werewolf gestured with a wave of his hand. “Out with it. If you’re back, whatever you-know-who said clearly couldn’t wait.”

“He knows about Harry.”

Almost choking on a swallow of his tea, Remus coughed and spluttered, eyes wide. “As in, that stupid article…or…?”

“He knows the truth,” Severus reached for a scone just to busy himself. “He has spies in Japan of all places.”

“What does mean?” Remus asked, tone frantic. “Does it even change anything?”

“Not in the slightest…He confirms the prophecy is no longer relevant, but Harry is still a target.”

Remus swore colourfully. So, even without the prophecy, Harry was still trapped and until Voldemort was finally stopped, there was no way to change that fact.

xxx:::_The Lies We Live By_:::xxx

Waking to a warm vibrating weight on his head, Harry…well…Harī, opened his eyes and blinked away the dregs of sleep. Eyes narrowing, it took him a moment to focus and realise what he was looking at…A tail, twitching in front of his face. Nyx had fallen asleep on his head! Chuckling, the teenager shifted, freeing himself, much to the feline’s indignation and wiggling out from beneath the comfiest bedding he ever had in his life, he stretched, delighted to find his pain had been reduced so low, with his pain tolerance, he could ignore it. Finding the house slippers Hizashi had picked out for him, Harī slipped his feet into the warm fleece and with Nyx following at his heel went in search of breakfast.

His Dad had explained the day before, he had the option of rustling up something in the apartment kitchen, or if he was comfortable enough, he could head downstairs and join the hellish chaos that was 1-A. Considering Hizashi had to be gone crazy early and his Dad was still out cold if the soft snores coming from his bedroom were any indication, the teenager opted to try the latter.

One thing was for sure, the Height Alliance buildings were well sound proofed, because Harī wasn’t aware of any noise until he reached the ground floor and opened the door that led to the main dorms.

By the decimal level, all of 1-A was up, which wasn’t surprising for a Wednesday. They were all getting ready for another day of classes and by the smells coming from the kitchen, someone had started breakfast. Following the delicious aroma, avoiding the throng of teenagers racing about, Harī stopped in the doorway and blinked in surprise. He had expected an adult of some sort to be rushing about, instead, it was Katsuki, the brash ash blond working efficiently, barking the odd command out to the boy with two-toned hair.

Shoto Todoroki if he remembered correctly.

They were speaking in English, he realised. He had a vague memory from the night before, where Katsuki said they would stick to English for his sake…or at least until he learned Japanese. Right now, his mushy brain didn’t care, it wanted tea and breakfast.

“Damn it icy-hot!” Katsuki barked. “What the hell is that supposed to be?”

“You asked me to cut the mushrooms,” Shoto responded in a dry tone. “Did they not meet your expectations?”

“What did you use to cut them…?! The uneven chunks are still attached! This is worse than the chives!”

Harī couldn’t help it. A laugh bubbled free, startling the two boys. “Hey, sorry…want help? I could cut the mushrooms?”

Blinking, Katsuki grunted and gestured. “You can’t mangle them any worse than the half and half bastard did.”

Chuckling, Harī picked up the knife and began fixing the mangled mushrooms the best he could. Katsuki was impressed. Finally, someone else who new what they were doing. He didn’t even need to tell him what to do, which was refreshing. Contrary to popular belief, Katsuki didn’t enjoy directing his dormmates when it came to cooking, because most of them didn’t even want to learn. While they worked, Shoto tasked himself with setting the table.

“How did you sleep?” Katsuki asked casually, cracking eggs into a large metal bowl and reaching for chopsticks to whisk. “You were dead on your feet at dinner yesterday.”

“Still trying to boost my energy levels,” Harī laughed. “I slept great. Better than I have in a long time.”

“Any pain? Mr Yamada left something for you over there for it.”

Setting down the knife he was using, he went to look. Sure enough, it was the vial pouch Maki had given him upon discharge. It was magical and would supply his potions at set times each day. Morning potions consisted of a strong nutrition potion, one to help boost his immune system and a low-grade pain reliever. Opening each one in turn, he downed the lot, setting the pouch back on the counter, where he’d have more potions waiting for him at lunch time. Within seconds, the dull ache in his body vanished and he turned to find Shoto watching.

“Were they potions?” The teenager asked curiously.

“Eh, yeah,” Harī answered, cheeks flushing. “Just some magical medication to improve my health.”

“I’m seen my great-uncle use them,” Shoto explained.

Both Harī and Katsuki looked at him in surprise. “You’ve magicals in your family, icy-hot?”

“Just my great-uncle…Muryokuna born.”

Harī nodded in understanding. “We call that muggle-born in Britain…I think Americans say No-Maj. Did he get married, or have children?”

Shoto shook his head. “No. So, he remains the only magical in our family. Not that we see him much.”

“I still think it’s barking that pro heroes know about us,” Harī laughed, returning to Katsuki’s side and reaching for the next veggie to dice. “We’re told for years to not breathe a word and yet Pros are running around, fully aware of our world. What’s left of it, I guess. Every year Quirk births outweigh muggles and magicals. Of course, there are theories Quirks came from magic through squib lines according to my friend Hermione.”

“Squib?” Katsuki repeated, not recognising the word.

“We call them Kowareta. Children born to pure magicals, but with a malformed core,” Shoto explained, setting down a fresh pot of tea on the table.

“We call them ‘broken’? Ye, that ain’t the least bit cruel.” Rolling his ruby red eyes, Katsuki tossed the last of the food into a serving dish, and going to the door, stuck his head out into the hall and hollered. “EXTRAS! BREAKFAST! MOVE IT OR LOSE IT!”

Harī heard the thunderous steps moments before the kitchen was filled with several hungry teenagers, each aiming for what had become their designated seat.

Green curls all over the place, his school tie a mess, Izuku cheerfully greeted Harī. “Good morning, Harry! Did you sleep well?”

“Yeah, I did…and it’s Harī now, Harī Aizawa…Nezu had it legally changed.”

“Oh, my sweet Kami, that is just perfect for you!” Mina squealed, bouncing toward him, the girl’s pink skin flushed with delight. “And Harī-babe, you grow out them inky locks, you’re gonna so be a mini-Mr Aizawa!”

A fact he had noticed himself. His features and eyes were mostly his mother, but the shape of his face, skin colour, build and hair were one hundred percent his father. If he grew his hair out, it would be even more obvious, and the idea thrilled him. Anything that got him away from everything Harry Potter, was more than okay in his book.

“Sit!” Katsuki barked at him, pointing toward the empty chair next to him. “You need to eat! Seriously, there’s a grave somewhere thinking it lost a corpse.”

“Bakugo!” A tall boy across from them spluttered out, voice strangled and eyes wide. Tenya Iida, Harī remembered. “Don’t be so rude!”

“No! It’s fine!” Harī wheezed, just about getting into his seat without hitting the ground from the sudden force of his laughter. “That was bloody brilliant! I’ve never been compared to a corpse before!”

Grinning, Katsuki put together a breakfast serving and set it down in front of Harī, before getting his own. Normal chatter resumed, Harī welcomed easily into the group’s normal chit chat. Afterward he helped clean up and had just seen 1-A off, when his father stumbled in, sleep tussled and gripping a cat mug for dear life. “Coffee.” He grunted by way of greeting, heading straight for the pot Katsuki had put on and pouring himself a bracing cup. He was halfway through the mug, before he could form sentences above cave man level. “Sleep, okay?”

Amused, Harī nodded. “Did you?”

“I got enough.” Rubbing his bleary eyes, Shota pulled out a roll of parchment. “I was woken up by an owl at my window. That’s definitely going to take some getting used to. Reina wants to meet us at four pm. She got clearance for a portkey to Diagon Alley.”

Harī blinked in surprise. “We’re going to England. For how long?”

“Not long hopefully. We’re waiting for the time difference to move along in London so we can go to the bank…After a lot of red tape, we finally got access to your mother’s and James’ unread Wills. We need to find out why the hell you were placed with the Dursleys.”

xxx:::_The Lies We Live By_:::xxx

Reina paced in jeans, her favourite top and jacket and her comfiest boots. She had arrived earlier than intended, but she was absolutely wired. Her office had just received word the Dursleys had been arrested. After their visit to the British ministry of magic the day before, they had been quick to get things in motion and just shy of seven am in England, Vernon and Petunia Dursley had been dragged kicking and screaming from their home in Privet Drive, neighbours out gawking, while their son was taken by child services.

All in all, it was a start.

Hearing the purr of an engine, Reina turned and beamed at the sight of Shota’s familiar car. She waved when the new family climbed out. Shota, Hizashi and the newly renamed Harī, looking far healthier than had just days ago. “Hey, you three!” The witch greeted cheerfully. “Good to see you again!”

“Hi, Reina,” Harī smiled. He had grown to really like the witch. She had come to visit him numerous times while in the infirmary. “Are you coming with us?”

“No, kiddo…lots to do. I’m just here to supply the transport…as well as some news.” Her next words were chosen carefully. “As of an hour ago, your relatives have been arrested.”

Startled, colour draining a little from his cheeks, Harī lifted a shaky hand and yanked it through his hair. “I-I wasn’t expecting anything to be done so quickly.”

“There arrest is just the start, lil’ listener,” Hizashi explained in a gentle tone. “More than likely, they’ll be out on bail, and this will carry on for months. But each step is a good thing, baby. You’ll see.”

He knew that. Deep down he knew that, but Merlin, it still churned his insides, knowing that everyone would know just what the Dursleys had done to him. “I’m fine, it’s fine…can we get going, please?”

Not wanting to overwhelm the teenager, the adults were happy to oblige. From her pocket, Reina pulled a ruined sock and held it out. “Alright everyone, grab hold. Portkey is leaving in five minutes and will bring you to Diagon Alley, at a designated portkey travel spot. When you want to return, go back to your arrival spot, hold the portkey and say UA. It’ll bring you straight to Nezu’s office, he was happy to oblige.”

Thanking the witch, the three all held onto the sock and a few seconds later, vanished in a whirl of colour, arriving on the other side, to warm morning sunlight and Diagon alley just starting its day. Looking about, Harī realised they were just feet away from the barrier that led through to the Leaky Cauldron. Stores were opening up for the day and chewing his lip, Harī looked back at his Dad and stepfather, because Merlin, they forgot one tiny detail. “What about that article? People here think you kidnapped me!”

“Not since last night,” Shota corrected. “Reina said so in her letter. That Wizard Cornelius Fudge made an announcement on WWN. What I’m assuming is Wizarding radio.”

Harī nodded, relief flooding him. “That’s right. Thank Merlin. Last thing I needed was you two getting tackled for something you hadn’t done.”

“They’re welcome to try,” Shota grinned impishly, making the teenager laugh.

Stepping away from the portkey drop, Hizashi pocketing the sock, the three started straight for the bank, which loomed over every other building, making it impossible to miss. Gazes followed, so did whispers, but no one approached them. Harī wondered if he had been doing this through the order, would he have been allowed so few escorts. Sometimes he honestly believed the entourage gave him away. Making him a very obvious target. His father was aware of the possible dangers awaiting him yet seemed pretty content to keep their group small.

Reaching Gringotts, they hurried up the marble steps, through the front doors, only to stop at the second set out of curiosity. Realising what the two Pro heroes were looking at, Harī chuckled. “Yeah, the Goblins like their warnings.”

‘…Enter, stranger, but take heed
Of what awaits the sin of greed,
For those who take, but do not earn,
Must pay most dearly in their turn,
So if you seek beneath our floors
A treasure that was never yours,
Thief, you have been warned, beware
Of finding more than treasure there…’

“Wait,” Shota blinked, looking away from the poem, eyes wide and on his son. “Goblins?”

“You get used to it.”

Sure enough, when they passed through the doors, it was to the sight of several Goblins busy counting, others pouring over mountains of scrolls, some weighing mounds of jewels. Shota and Hizashi tried their hardest not to stare, keeping close to Harī, the teenager clearly well used to them. He stopped at what appeared to be the desk of the head Goblin, his name written on a plaque at his elbow, reading Thrangnor. The scratch of his quill stopped, beady black eyes looking down, lips twisting in a sharkish smile.

“Ah, finally Mr Potter…you have arrived. Or is it Mr Aizawa now?”

“Mr Aizawa,” Harī confirmed, unsurprised the Gringotts Goblins were already appraised of his new name. “Harī Aizawa.”

“A name that suits you better than your false one,” Thrangnor commented sharply, “Forgive my bluntness, but we Goblins frown upon hiding a young from their father. Now, follow me…it is time you heard the truth behind what transpired before your mother’s death.”

Blunt was putting it mildly, but after six years of living in the magical community, Harī was used to it. They followed Thrangnor down several corridors, only stopping when they reached a large office. It was lush inside, with mahogany furniture and several Goblin made pieces throughout the room. Shota noted several weapons displayed that from the jewels alone, would be worth a fortune.

“Have a seat,” Thrangnor said, making his way to his own, pulling a sash by it as he went. Within minutes, another Goblin hurried in, a cart in front of him piled high with refreshments. “Help yourselves.”

Getting up Harī made his Dad and stepfather a mug of coffee each, settling on tea for himself. Honestly, it was something to keep him busy and shake off the nerves, before Thrangnor presented the will, and find out exactly what had gone wrong. “Now, I am aware due to some inconsistencies in your guardianship, this is why you wish to hear the Will today, am I correct?”

“Yes,” Shota responded gruffly, wishing the Goblin would just get on with it. “Harī was placed in a situation where he was never supposed to end up. A second Will through a delayed letter from Lily Potter led to his current custody, but no one seems to know anything about the first.”

Thrangnor nodded, leafing through papers and pinching the bridge of his nose with a long-fingered hand, desperately warding off the migraine threatening all morning. “I recall that letter, I was the one who forwarded it onto the Japanese, per Mrs Potter’s instructions. I also realised myself that the first Will had never been read and since my predecessor Nadrig died three years ago, I couldn’t exactly ask, so for the last few days I have pulled everything from the Potter account. The initial Will was set shortly before young Mr Aizawa was born…. It was overwritten days before the Potter’s death, leaving Lily Potter’s letter the only Will in place technically. The first was never read, because it no longer exists.”

“O-Overwritten?” Harī blustered, green eyes wide. “By whom? Why?!”

“By the only one who could overwrite it,” Thrangnor explained in a soothing tone. “…James Potter.”

Heart stuttering, Harī’s blood ran cold. What had James done? What could he have possibly put forward that led Harī to being subjected to the worst years of his life?! “Why…Why did he cancel it out?!” Either side of him, he felt Shota and Hizashi move in, hands on his shoulders, offering silent support. It strengthened him just a little, even as he shook.

“The original Will is no longer accessible because of the overwrite,” Thrangnor told them. “There are pieces I have strung together by talking to other Goblins here and it merely stated where assets were going, and that your Guardianship should anything happen, would be placed with Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. You were never to be placed with the Dursleys under any circumstances…or that was the case, until James Potter had it overwritten, which being the male head of the household, he was legally entitled without consulting his wife. Honestly, Wizards and their archaic ways…he also left a message, which was magically recorded, if you are ready to hear it.”

Merlin, no he wasn’t, but damn it, he needed to know. Numbly, he nodded and watched while Thrangnor produced a small box, from it, he lifted a crystal and set it down on his desk. The silence was almost deafening, until, with a single tap of his finger, the crystal activated, lighting up like a Christmas tree. Harī watched wide eyed as a ghostly projection of James Potter appeared feet away from them, looking haggard and angry.

“…Ready…Good…” A shudder ran through Harī. The words were spoken in an eery echo, but it was the defeated coldness that shook him more. “…Our Will is now irrelevant. I’m invoking my rights as Lord Potter to overwrite it and without my wife’s knowledge. Merlin, where to even begin on why…I always trusted Lily. She was honest, warm, fierce…It was probably why I never suspected a damn thing…why it never occurred to me, my wife, a woman who claimed to love me, had whored herself and put my name on a bastard child. Isn’t it funny? For all her cleverness, it never dawned on Lily that leaving my assets to an heir would require matching blood…Imagine my surprise when Nadrig called me in, to grant my permission to add my ADOPTED FUCKING HEIR! Imagine learning, I don’t share a drop of blood with this…this…brat!”

Harī flinched back, tears welling, watching the man who he thought had died for him, who at least loved him, rage over his existence. He was vaguely aware of Shota and Hizashi speaking soothingly to him, even as his gaze remained on James’ shimmering form.

“…I didn’t grant the permission and other than a school trust fund supplied by Lily, Harry will get no more from me. I know deep down, we’re not coming out of this mess alive, but Lily will no longer make a fool of me, not even in death. I, Lord Potter, revoke all contents of the Will, including Harry’s Guardianship. My assets can rot for all I care in the depths of the Potter’s vault and what happens to Lily’s bastard child…well, it’s not my problem…is it?”

The recording abruptly stopped, the crystal shutting down and barely able to suck down a breath, Harī leaped to his feet, scrubbing frantically at tears that had gathered against his cheeks. “H-How could he do that?! It w-wasn’t my fault my mum cheated! Why punish me?!”

“Because he knew it would hurt your mother the most,” Shota ground out, fury engulfing his senses. “I can’t believe it…in a moment of childish fury, he condemned the life of a child! The crystal says October twenty-fifth…they died six days later! What the hell did the bastard do? Pretend everything was fine? How twisted!”

“Cruelty,” Hizashi spat, the blond fierce when he was angry. “He was so angry at his wife, he was willing to leave her child to go destitute, and end up, Kami knows where!”

“I am sorry for all of this,” Thrangnor told them, the gruff Goblin’s words genuine. “Unfortunately, our hands were tied…but, now that you have heard James Potter’s final words, it can be added to the legal case we were made aware of. If anything, Potter’s assets most likely will end up released to you, once it becomes public knowledge, he was a perpetrator in your abuse.”

Merlin help him, did everyone know about that?! It was impossible to keep anything private in the Wizarding world, honestly! “You have my permission, Thrangnor, thank you…If that is all, I’d like to go now.”

“Of course, Mr Aizawa, I shall call back Lurnott to see you out.”

They followed Lurnott from the office and back out to the main doors of Gringotts quite subdued. No one knew what to say and Harī’s thoughts were playing on a vicious loop. James Potter in a moment of pure viciousness had ruined his life. Still, he didn’t doubt others were responsible for it too. James wouldn’t have been the only one aware of Lily’s dislike for her sister. Albus would have known and yet placed him with the crazy bitch regardless.

Barely paying attention, he hadn’t noticed they had found somewhere secluded. Away from prying eyes, he watched Shota whirl and squawked in surprise when the man gathered him up into his arms, hugging him tight. Whatever barrier had kept his emotions in check, finally broke and with a keening sob, Harī went to pieces in his father’s arms.

Chapter Text

Harī wasn’t sure when the tears finally ran dry, but Merlin did his head thump. Still shielded within his father’s arms, the teenager pulled back, wiping his face with an embarrassed grunt. “Sorry. I shouldn’t be blubbering.”

“Oh, please!” Hizashi choked out from where he stood. “If anyone gets to breakdown, it’s you! What that cold bastard did was disgusting. Your mother screwed up, but that isn’t and shouldn’t have ever been put on you!”

“Zash is right, kiddo. That brute is at fault for so much. He hurt you knowing it was the only real way he could get back at your mother.” Shota shook his head. “You’re more than entitled to your tears.”

“Now what?” Harī asked, suddenly beyond tired from it all. “Should we just go back to UA?”

“Up to you, kiddo,” Shota smiled. “It’s been a rough day so far, so whatever you want to do…we’ll do.”

“I—”

“Harry?!”

Jumping, Harī turned to see an unfamiliar boy his age stood feet away alongside a woman he didn’t recognise either. At first, he wasn’t sure what to say or do, but then the way the boy was standing tugged at his memory. “Dra—”

“Alexander! Yes!” The boy yelped out, darting forward, eyes wide. “Alex, remember? Let’s go somewhere a tad more private, hmm?”

Shota and Hizashi were confused, but they trusted Harī, so didn’t question it for now. Together, they followed the woman and boy to the Leaky Cauldron and headed up to one of the nicer rooms it possessed. Some clever spell work kept them all concealed, allowing Harī particularly to move through unmolested and once in the room, privacy spells in place, he spun to the boy who called himself Alexander. “Draco, what the hell?!”

“Eloquent as ever, Potter,” Draco snorted, his false face melting away at a wave of his mother’s wand, silver grey eyes darting over Shota and Hizashi. “Care to fill me in on whatever escapade you’ve run amok into this time? Mother and I popped back to shop for my school supplies and deal with some things at Gringotts. Imagine my shock to first hear you were apparently whisked away by the Japanese Government against your will…only to hear afterward the claim was revoked and now no one seems to know what in Merlin’s name is going on…just that you are safe.”

Harī blinked, amused by the mouthful his friend had just spewed while looking affronted. “It’s a long story.”

“Then it will require refreshments…I’m Narcissa Malfoy and this is my son Draco Malfoy,” Narcissa introduced politely to Shota and Hizashi, pulling a rope to summon a house elf, her gaze wary even as she remembered her manners. When an available elf popped in, she swiftly placed and order, just as curious as her son in regards answers. “A pot of tea and biscuits for five.”

“Dotty be getting right away, mistress!” The elf squeaked happily, vanishing instantly.

“I’m Shota Aizawa,” Shota introduced in return. “This is my husband, Hizashi Yamada-Aizawa.”

“So, Mr Potter is with the Japanese?” Narcissa queried, white-blonde brows raised in surprise. “Why?”

Best to get it over with. “Oh, you know…asshole muggle relatives beat me to near death…but I end up rescued by the Japanese Magical Government who treated my injuries and saved my life and all because Shota here is actually my biological father.”

Honestly, watching their jaws drop simultaneously was hilarious. “You…They…What?!” Draco spluttered.

“Real articulate there, Draco,” Harī sniggered.

“Oh, shut up, Potter!”

“Not Potter.” He hadn’t reacted at first to Draco calling him that, or Narcissa, because his head was too busy imploding, but now, it turned his veins to ice. “Never was and I…I never want to be. I’m Aizawa, Harī Aizawa. Legally too…that’s my name now.”

Draco was no idiot. The misery was wafting off his friend, and a quick glance toward his…well…parents, he could easily see tension coiled up in them both. “What’s going on?”

At first, Harī didn’t say anything. Dotty popped back and cheerfully served them tea, along with a ridiculous mountain of shortbread that smelled fresh from the oven, before vanishing again. He contented himself with sugary buttery goodness and a warm cup of tea, before slamming another nail in the coffin of bullshit he was dealing with. “My…Merlin…James Potter, as it turns out, knew about the brief affair with Shota. He knew and to get back at her, he cancelled their will, leaving me…well…with nothing. No financials, and certainly nowhere safe to be left when they died. Not many know this, but I was placed with my mother’s sister and family…muggles who hate magic. You can imagine how I was treated.”

Feeling sick, Draco lunged to his feet to pace. He was grateful he had an iron control on his magic, or honestly, the room would probably be shaking. “So, let me get this straight…your mother made a horrible mistake, where you were conceived by a sire not her husband and instead of, I don’t know, confronting the person actually at fault…that heinous bastard set up a way to completely destroy you, because hurting her only child was the only way he could get his revenge?”

“Language, Draco!” Narcissa admonished, but even she was having a hard time not to swear a blue streak. “He truly did this; you have evidence to prove it?”

Harī nodded. “Eh, yeah…he left a message basically confirming it. The Goblins said it can be added into the case being brought against everyone who screwed me.”

“I would think so!” Narcissa shook her head, warding off her annoyance by snatching up a second piece of shortbread. “What James Potter did, it’s horrific and will be seen as such by all of our community. Harming a magical child is a serious crime. He may never have laid a hand on you but condemning you to such a life was just as bad…worse even! Beaten to near death…I do hope you are well now?”

“Getting there,” Harī answered honestly. “I’m gonna be on potions for a while. Severe malnourishment and some organ damage that needs fixing, but I’ll be okay eventually.”

“Almost,” Shota growled out. “His growth will forever be stunted. Nothing will reverse that completely, not even potions.”

Draco shook his head in disgust. “Yet, they paint James Potter as some sort of Angel, and he helped instigate long term abuse of a minor Wizard? When this comes out, there will be riots! They’ll burn down what’s left of the Potter Cottage out of spite!”

Harī winced at the thought. He’d rather not rock the boat. Let everyone live in blissful ignorance and yet he knew he deserved retribution for what had been done. “My muggle relatives have already been arrested. They’ll be tried by muggle courts, with some magical input.”

“I imagine Hogwarts will also be investigated?” Narcissa asked.

“Yes,” Shota answered. “Along with Harī’s primary school, doctors…pretty much any adult that had contact with him, till we figure out how the hell this went unnoticed.”

Draco snorted. “You can be sure Dumbledore had a lot to do with that. I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of memory charms are involved.”

“You’d seriously think he’d go that far?” Harī asked horrified at the very thought. “Why? What the hell does he get out of it?”

“He wanted you meek and desperate, baby,” Hizashi said gently. “It’s a type of control. Break you down, so when he held out his hand, offering anything better, you’d take it without hesitation. But it stopped working, because your uncle went too far.”

“This has to be because of that stupid prophecy!” Harī spat, lurching up to stalk the room, and work off his sudden anger. “The stupid thing said I…that I’d be Voldemort’s downfall…my whole life was determined over some Witch spewing a prediction in a pub! Dumbledore mapped out everything, all based on something that can’t even apply to me anymore!”

“What prophecy?” Shota asked, frowning. “What are you talking about?”

Deflated, Harī blurted out what he had learned after Sirius’ death. About a prophecy made before his birth, that claimed a child born as July ended to parents who thrice defied Voldemort would be who finally defeated him for good. He told them how the scar on his forehead was Voldemort’s mark, branding him as his equal and one that according to Albus linked him to Voldemort mentally.

“Wait!” Shota choked out, dark eyes wide. “He can get into your head?!”

Harī nodded. “Not always…and at first, he was unaware of the connection…but when he figured it out, he used it to bait me into going to the Ministry of Magic. He wanted to get his hands on the prophecy record. He failed and my stupidity got my Godfather killed.”

“No!” On his feet, Shota was across the room in seconds and gripping his son’s shoulders. “You are not at fault for his death! A piece of shit Wizard took advantage of a fifteen-year-old kid, and this could have been avoided had any adult in your life protected you or told you the damn truth! That old fool has withheld information that could have prevented what happened…had you known Voldemort could use a mental link to trick you, how you proceeded would have been different.”

“I still went!” Harī argued weakly. “I should have left well enough alone!”

“That was never going to happen.”

Eyes snapping back toward Draco, Harī frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Think about it, Harī. In all the years you’ve been at Hogwarts, you conveniently ended up in crazy situations just because…why…you were nosy?” Draco asked, nibbling on a shortbread. “No one nudged you at all?”

Frowning, Harī wasn’t sure what to reply to that, especially when he knew Draco wasn’t wrong. In first year, it was Albus who supplied him with James’ invisibility cloak, who let him fawn over the mirror of Erised and went out of his way to explain how it worked. It was Albus who awarded the reckless behaviour, when in all honesty, they were lucky to be alive! Second year, he knew something was in the school, yet he kept Hogwarts open and in ways coaxed him into that stupid Chamber! After all, how else would Fawkes have come to him, if it weren’t for his influence? Then there was third year. Merlin! Third year, where the crazy bastard set him and Hermione on what he treated like a simple errand and nearly ended up getting them killed! He would never regret saving Buckbeak, or Sirius, but they had been thirteen! It was not a task for kids to deal with! Fourth year proved an absolute train wreck, one Harī was still convinced Albus could have gotten him out of, but no, he let events go ahead and even when he sat traumatised, having witnessed Cedric Diggory’s death, all he cared about was bloody bleeding Voldemort! And then the year gone by. Avoiding him, throwing him into Occlumency with no real explanation, telling him nothing while the Ministry took over and invaded their privacy and left them in the hands of a lunatic teacher, who used archaic methods of discipline. Merlin, Draco was right, wasn’t he?

“What’s that?”

Jolted from his rabid thoughts, by the sound of his father’s voice, Harī looked down and realised he had been scratching at the back of his hand. He was tempted to hide it but figured it would only get brought up eventually. With a sigh, he held out his hand. “Just another shite situation, courtesy of stupid adults.”

Frowning, Shota took his son’s hand and held it up to get a closer look. His stomach flipped when he realised what it was, he was actually looking at. I must not tell lies…had been repeatedly carved into his child’s hand until it scarred! “Who did this to you?” He demanded angrily. Kami, this bullshit just kept coming. What else had his kid endured?!

“Blood Quill,” Harī answered, making Narcissa and Draco gasp. “Our defence against the Dark Arts teacher liked it for discipline. It cuts the words into your hand magically when you write and uses your blood as ink. The scar is technically cursed and can’t be removed. Least, not according to my friend Hermione.”

“That can’t be legal!” Hizashi croaked, colour drained from his face.

“It’s not!” Draco rasped out, just as pale. “Sweet Merlin! That crazy bint was using a Blood Quill. How in the name of Morgana did that go unnoticed?! And I even helped her by being in her stupid Inquisitorial Squad!”

“To be fair, that was before you stopped being a total prat, Draco,” Harī pointed out wryly.

“Don’t bloody well defend me!” Draco snarked back. “Merlin damn it, I can never apologise enough.”

“Another to add to a rapidly growing list,” Shota stated irritably, pinching the bridge of his nose to ward off the headache poking him in the temples. “Kid, we’re gonna have an extensive chat about exactly what’s been going on since the minute you set foot in Hogwarts.”

xxx:::_The Lies We Live By_:::xxx

A summons from Minerva McGonagall wasn’t something Severus had expected when he got home from Grimmauld Place, but honestly, he probably should have. Minerva had been busy with whatever orders Albus had her dealing with, in regard to the end of the year nonsense caused by bloody Umbridge and she had clearly come up for air finally and gotten word about Potter. He was assuming, but he doubted she wanted him over for a fire whiskey and gossip.

Tumbling from her office floo at Hogwarts, Severus dusted himself off and made his way toward the doors that led to her private chambers. He had barely knocked, when they were ripped open, leaving a very irate Minerva stood in the doorway staring up at him. “What in the name of Merlin has that fool done now?!”

“Hello to you too, Minerva, yes, I’d love to come in.”

“Don’t get smart with me, Severus Snape!” Minerva snapped, stepping aside to let the man by, her wand already out as she conjured tea and scones. “Sit, eat a scone and tell me what the hell is going on!”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Throwing him one more scathing look, Minerva dropped down into her favourite armchair by the fire. “I’m low on patience, Severus. I’ve been up to my eyes because of that idiot Dolores and when I finally get five minutes outside of that disaster, it’s to see an article claiming Harry Potter was kidnapped by the Japanese magical Government, followed by a retraction barely a day later! I know you know what’s going on, spill. Now!”

Busying himself buttering a scone, topping it off with some gooseberry jam, Severus poured himself a cup of tea and started from the worst of it. “Harry was removed from the care of his muggle relatives after being beaten nearly to death.”

“What?!” Eyes blown wide, Minerva just about kept a hold of her tea, mouth agape. “Beaten near death? Where is he now? Merlin! Is he okay?! Why didn’t Albus tell me?!”

“Covering his own backside. Minerva it’s a mess, bigger than you understand…Harry is in Japan.”

“Japan?” Minerva blustered. “So that was true? Why Japan of all places? Good gracious Severus, start from the beginning!”

So, he did. He told Minerva how Harry had been assaulted by his uncle later collapsing and was retrieved by a man named Shota Aizawa. A man they’d learn was actually Harry’s birth father. He told her that as of now, all they knew, was Harry was alive, and that an investigation had been launched, but nothing more than that. “Thanks to Albus’ interference, we’re not getting much from the Japanese. Kingsley has tried to get information, but since the old fool put out that stupid article, they have put up a solid wall.”

“I warned, Albus!” Minerva spat angrily. “I warned him about those wretched muggles! This is as much my fault. I should never have let him leave him there.”

“As if Albus would do anything outside of what he wanted!” Severus laughed incredulously. “Minerva, no one tells that man what to do.”

“And Lily having an affair? I’m astonished! She adored James!”

“Clearly not enough,” Severus snorted. “Honestly, if you think about it, Harry looks very unlike either of them. Oh, he has his mother’s eyes, but the rest is similar to Potter, but in the last year his features changed.”

“I noticed…I wondered if some of the Black line was squeaking through. Evidently a line was coming through, just one we weren’t aware of. Oh, to hell with it…I need something stronger.” Banishing the tea and scones, Minerva summoned a bottle of fire whiskey and two crystal tumblers, pouring both of them a healthy portion each. “I also heard about the Malfoys.”

Sipping his drink, Severus relished the burn. “They’re both safe in France, under the protection of family there and their government. With what happened in the Ministry of Magic a few weeks ago, the Dark Lord would have sought out Draco. Narcissa knew that and acted accordingly. Of course, Lucius sooner stay by his side and now the blithering idiot has sought solace at the bottom of a bottle. As if that’s going to help. If anything, he’s going to get himself killed.”

“Did Narcissa try to go to Albus?”

“I warned her off,” Severus admitted. “I am a fine example of what his help comes attached too. I wasn’t about to see her caught up in the same web.”

“Makes sense…” Dragging a hand through her silver tresses, Minerva suddenly felt every bit her age and damn it all, it was down to Albus bloody Dumbledore. The man really didn’t care what harm he caused, so long as the foolish bastard got his way. Brow knitting, another matter dawned on her. “So, the prophecy…the one Albus had us all aware of, surely, it’s null now? Harry will be safe?”

Taking another bracing gulp of his whiskey, Severus sat forward, dark eyes watching the flickering flames in the hearth. “I wish things were that simple…Unfortunately I’ve already been brought before the Dark Lord. The prophecy may be now void, but he still intends to kill Harry. As far as he is concerned, the boy has made too much of a nuisance of himself all on his own.”

Minerva cursed colourfully. “Of course it wouldn’t be that easy. That poor boy.”

“He’s safe now, Minerva.”

“You can’t know that yet,” Minerva admonished. “We’ve no way of knowing if this man who is his birth father isn’t someone even worse!”

“His birth father is the Japanese Pro Hero, Eraserhead.”

Well that instantly shut her up. Like most in the Wixen community, Minerva was aware of Heroes, including foreign ones and those that worked underground. Eraserhead happened to be a favourite of both hers and Severus’. “Eraserhead?” She gasped. “Seriously? Merlin, you know…I can visualise it. I really can… You’re telling me, Albus has been going up against not only the Japanese magical Government, but the Pro Heroes as well? Dear sweet Morgana, they make our Heroes all look like novices! The man must be out of his mind!”

“More deluded,” Severus said, pouring himself a fresh glass of fire Whiskey. “He truly can’t see what he’s up against and if he doesn’t back off soon, it’ll be the end of him.”

Minerva laughed. “He’s going to end up there either way, Severus! He had a hand in a magical child suffering for years and nearly dying. This is going to ruin him.”

Smiling over the rim of his glass, Severus couldn’t help but feel smug at the possibility. “Well, Minerva…I suggest we prepare ourselves for the mayhem. It’s going to be entertaining.”

xxx:::_The Lies We Live By_:::xxx

Arriving in a clutter of limbs, smack in the middle of Nezu’s office, Harī extricated himself from beneath the two adults who crash landed on him. With colourful curses and groans, the pair of Heroes righted themselves, both looking a tad green around the gills. “I’d tell you; you get used to it, but that’d be a lie.” Hearing a chuckle, he turned. Nezu sat at his desk, looking entirely too amused.

“Welcome back!” The UA Principal greeted cheerfully. “I hope your day proved fruitful?”

“In a manner of speaking,” Shota grunted, once on his feet. “Let’s just say it’s added a lot of crap to an already growing mess.” He didn’t bother going into detail. It wasn’t his right to say and in all honesty, he was still processing the two hours it took his son to walk him through every ounce of bullshit he ended up in at Hogwarts, to the point, he was grateful he didn’t have a problematic Quirk, because for the first time in his years, he had a hard time holding onto his control.

“How were the hellions?” Hizashi asked with some forced cheer, desperate to find a pillow and sleep away the last few hours while preferably cuddled up to his husband.

“No problems,” Nezu answered with a smile. “I had Toshinori keep an eye out on them. He checked in just moments ago…most are in bed, save three.”

Shota had an idea who the three were. Ever since the Camp incident not long before finding his son, Katsuki, Izuku and Shoto had been dealing with nightmares. It was a common occurrence, to see the three up, mulling over hot chocolate as they tried to calm their frazzled nerves.

Bidding the rat goodnight, he ushered his husband and son from Nezu’s office. It took ten minutes to walk back to the 1-A dorms, the campus eerily quiet. It was so strange, considering it had been the middle of the day in England for them only minutes ago.

Hearing voices from the kitchen, Harī left his father and Hizashi to check in with everyone else, following the familiar gruff tone of Katsuki. Sat at the table across from Izuku and Shoto, it looked like he was shouting in whispers. Harī couldn’t help it, it made him laugh.

Katsuki’s head whipped around, red eyes blazing and ready to chew out whatever extra dared to laugh at him, only to go rigid at the sight of Harī. Brows furrowing deeper, he pushed aside his hot chocolate, wiped his hands and stalked across the room, crowding the smaller teenager. A growl rumbled in his throat, the late hour instantly forgotten about. “Who the fuck made you cry?!”

Huh?! Blinking, Harī had startled at first when Katsuki approached and at his barked question, he realised his eyes did feel sore and gritty even hours after his breakdown. “Oh, um…Hey!” He squawked when Katsuki suddenly grabbed his face, studying his features shrewdly.

“Kacchan! You can’t just grab people!” Izuku admonished from behind him.

“Someone made him cry, nerd!” Katsuki snarled angrily. “I need names! Someone’s gonna die!”

“Too late.” With a tug, Harī freed himself from the bigger boy’s strong grip. “James Potter has been dead for over a decade, so, there’s nothing you can do to him.”

“What happened?” Katsuki asked, aggression bleeding from his voice. “You told us you were heading back to England for a few hours to see about that Will…What the fuck went wrong?”

“So much,” Harī croaked, inwardly cursing when a familiar lump clogged his throat.

“Nerd! Pour a fresh cup!”

“On it!”

“Come on, sit.” Gentler than anyone knew he could be, Katsuki nudged Harī into the seat next to his and joined him, waiting patiently.

Harī used his hot chocolate to calm himself, dropping in some marshmallows and taking a long sip. Insides warming, emotions settling, he finally spoke and told the three boys everything that had transpired. He told them how James had tossed out his Will in an effort to get payback for his mother’s mistake. That he knew exactly what he was condemning him to and hadn’t cared. When he finished speaking, the only sounds were Katsuki’s vicious curses and the slow tick of a clock on the wall.

“H-How could he do that?” Izuku finally spluttered, green eyes wet, hands trembling around his mug. “It wasn’t your fault!”

“People don’t always see things that way,” Shoto pointed out calmly. “Rage makes beasts of people. Just look at my father. He was so desperate to get ahead of All Might, he didn’t care if he had to step on his family to do it…. of course, my father regrets everything and has been trying to make amends…maybe James Potter would have felt the same eventually? I’m not defending his actions… I just, don’t want you hurting.”

“Thanks, Shoto,” Harī said with a shrug. “I understand your point… but, the difference is, James’ knew he was going to die and still left me in a way that meant my life was one big hell hole.”

“If he had a pair, he’d have confronted your mother, and she could have had something else sorted for you.” Katsuki ground out. “’Course, had she been honest and not a damn coward it could have also gone differently.”

“Kacchan!”

“No, Izuku,” Harī interrupted with a tired smile. “He’s not wrong. My mother is as much to blame for this. Had she spoken up, maybe I could have gotten to know my father a lot sooner.”

It was a lot of pointless ifs and buts. He would never know what his life could have been had better choices been made. His father came to usher the four of them off to bed, much to the grumbles of Katsuki, but after the day he’d had, Harī was glad to see his pillow. Curled around his dragon plushie, he was out cold before his father even turned out the light.

xxx:::_The Lies We Live By_:::xxx

With the last of his hellions in their rooms, his own child included, Shota got ready for bed. Thankfully off patrol for the night, he happily slid in next to the warmth of his husband, grinning when Hizashi pulled him right up against him with a sleepy grunt. “Everyone settled, babe?”

“Yeah…” Shota yawned, snuggling into his husband’s muscled chest. “Got our three wayward problem children to bed, along with Harī. Kid is completely wiped out. I can’t honestly blame him.”

“It was a lot for him today,” Hizashi agreed. “Just when you think the world can’t get any more messed up.”

“We’re not unfamiliar with the cruelty of some parents, Zash…” Shota commented lowly. “I’ll count my blessings he hasn’t asked about his family on my side yet.”

“You’re not your father, Sho,” Hizashi reminded him gently. “He was a cowardly bastard, who couldn’t cope with a kid having a Quirk like yours.”

A fact he reminded Shota of every day, until his mother finally got the strength to leave him and run as far as she could get. There were times it still sickened him that after every beating she looked away from, every cruel word she ignored, it took him nearly killing Shota at the age of fourteen, before she took him and ran. The divorce had been messy, and his father drank himself to death within a year. As for his mother, there was some contact, but Shota had never truly found his way back to her. He could never truly forgive her for shutting her eyes to his pain for so long.

When the first sob wiggled free, Shota clasped a hand over his mouth, desperate to hold it back. Hizashi had been waiting for the moment his poor husband hit this emotional drop, and gathering the man up into his lap, he cradled him close against him, urging him to give in and let go. Burying his face in Hizashi’s warm neck, Shota’s body shuddered with every cry forced from his body, tears spilling and splashing onto his bare shoulder. Hushing him gently, Hizashi rocked him, running long fingers through his messy black curls, speaking soothingly into his ear.

“I got you, Sho…hush now, baby, I got you.”

“His s-scans, Hizashi!” Shota whimpered, chest heaving. “When they showed them to me…Kami…not even my father had done damage like it! They said some of the older breaks went back as far as one year old!”

“I know, Sho…I know,” Hizashi crooned, cupping his face gently and kissing away his tears. “But he’s safe now…It doesn’t erase a damn thing of course… but from now on, we’ll protect him. You got that? He’s my baby too an’ anyone who messes with my baby, are gonna have their ears bleeding!”

That startled a laugh from Shota, some of the misery melting away. Nuzzling into Hizashi, he ghosted a hand along the scar hidden beneath his hairline. One he carried from the day his father almost killed him.

The brute had been yelling again. Furious because he had found out Shota had applied to UA. Instead of being proud, his father saw it as an embarrassment. Told him he couldn’t be a Hero with such a worthless Quirk. Shota had long learned to keep out of the man’s way, but that day, something in him snapped and he had shouted back, while losing control of his Quirk.

He couldn’t remember what happened after that. Something that had been put on the head trauma, but his father had attacked him according to reports and slammed his head repeatedly into the side of their solid marble mantelpiece. His skull had been fractured, scalp shredded and the blows had caused a severe intracranial brain bleed. There were surgeries, weeks in hospital and a crazy tonne of rehabilitation. His Quirk had never been quite right afterward and the USJ incident had only worsened it.

There was supposed to be a trial. Testimony, but the man’s liver took care of the problem first. He had died alone, unwanted, found in his own shit and piss, barely recognisable and his funeral had no one in attendance.

Not even Shota.

Sniffling, Shota shifted his way, until he was straddling Hizashi’s hips and sat scrubbing at his face. Pale skin all blotchy and eyes puffy. “Ugh, I hate crying.”

Hizashi chuckled. “I don’t think anyone likes to cry, babe…but it can help. Bet you feel better, huh?”

“A little…Wasn’t expecting my emotional baggage to steam roll over me.”

Rubbing his thighs, Hizashi bent and pressed a kiss to his temple, right over where he knew Shota’s hair hid the messy scar left by his father so long ago. “It was coming since the day you saw Harī bloodied and unconscious in Bakugo’s arms. You’ve been compartmentalising, Sho…this cathartic crying jag was needed.”

“Says you,” Shota grumped. “You’re not gonna make me talk to Hound Dog are you?”

“Only if you think it’s needed, babe.”

Diplomatic answer if he ever heard one. Shota had never done well with therapists. Too many over the years dismissing him, calling his justified trauma responses—mere anxiety. Yet, Hound Dog had been different. He was there for the students but had noticed something in Shota years ago and reached out with an offer to always listen where needed. Shota surprised himself when he took him up on it and was delighted to find, he was the best therapist he’d ever had.

Of course, it didn’t stop him from being stubborn when it came to actually seeking him out. “We’ll see.” Shota grunted, shifting closer, a grin spreading over his face when Hizashi gave a startled groan at the change in contact, the blond’s hands flying to his husband’s backside. “Looking a little flushed there, Zashi.”

“You’re a shit, Babe!” Hizashi panted. “We gotta be up in barely five hours, you do know that right?”

“It’ll be worth it.”

Laughing, Hizashi rolled Shota onto his back, and took his mouth in a breathless kiss. Relishing in the sounds his husband made, loving him as he needed.

Chapter Text

Harī jerked awake at the sound of violent thumping and for a split second he thought it was his bedroom door, only to realise it was the front door of the apartment. Rubbing grit from his eyes, the teenager untangled himself from his comforter and headed out into the hall. He could hear the shower going and a quick glance into the kitchen showed Hizashi was working on breakfast with no hearing aids in, which was probably why the knocking went unnoticed.

Honestly, for the pounding, someone had better be dying!

Yanking the door open, sleep rumpled, and inky hair all over the place, Harī set a disgruntled gaze on Mina, Yaoyorozu and Ochaco. “It’s barely six am,” the teenager bit out grumpily. “This better be good.”

“Sorry, Harī!” Yaoyorozu apologised, cheeks flushing from embarrassment. She had forgotten about the magical teenager living with their teachers now! “It’s just… We need to talk to Mr Aizawa…it’s urgent!”

“He’s in the shower…so, the best I can offer is Hizashi…or you can wait for Shota.”

“Oh! Well yes, Mr Yamada would be perfect!” Bowing her head respectfully, Yaoyorozu apologised again for waking him up, the other two doing the same.

Yawning widely, his jaw cracking, Harī stepped aside to let the three girls inside and made his way back toward the kitchen. A gentle tap to Hizashi’s back, let the man know he was no longer alone. With a grin, the blond popped in his hearing aids. “Morning there, kiddo! You’re up crazy early!”

“No choice,” Harī grunted. “The pounding on the door makes for a hard to ignore alarm clock.”

Confused, Hizashi looked around the boy and only then did he notice the three girls stood awkwardly in the kitchen doorway. He frowned, watching them fidget and realised straight off what had to be wrong. “Again?!”

“He was in our clothes hamper, Mr Yamada!” Ochaco whimpered, tears brimming. “This has to be the last straw, please, sir!”

“Easy, lil’ listeners, it will be… that was his last chance.”

“Who’s last chance?” Harī asked curiously, exhaustion forgotten. He didn’t like how distressed the girls looked.

“Mineta,” Hizashi bit out. “Kid has a serious pervert hang up. We’ve given him so many chances and he just blew it.”

Mineta, yes, Harī remembered the name. He was the shortest of the boys and gave off a vibe that gave him the shudders. He’d also been pretty rude when it came to questioning Harī’s situation. To the point on the first night at UA, Katsuki had promised to explode him so badly there wouldn’t even be ashes left. Naturally, Mineta stayed away from him after that, but clearly had been making a pest of himself to everyone else.

“Oh!”

Looking up at Ochaco’s surprised gasp, Harī smiled at the sight of Hedwig coming in through the kitchen window left ajar just for her. In one swoop, she crossed the room, landing on his shoulder and with a thrill nuzzled into his cheek in greeting. “Hey, Hedwig.”

“She’s so beautiful!” Mina gushed, reaching out timidly. “Could we pet her?”

“If Hedwig allows it, sure,” Harī smiled. “She can take some time to get used to strangers. Don’t overcrowd her and let her go to you.”

The three girls surrounded the snowy owl where Harī set her down on the countertop, mindful to give her plenty of space and reached out, waiting to see of she would come to them. Much to their delight, Hedwig accepted pats from each of them, before happily taking a piece of bacon from Hizashi and flying off to Harī’s room for some much-needed sleep. Barely moments later, Shota rounded the corner, rubbing towel over his dark curls and came to an abrupt stop at the sight of not one…but three of his students in his kitchen. Eyes narrowed, his words came out on a growl. “Again? He did it again?!”

“He’ll be expelled this time, Mr Aizawa?” Yaoyorozu asked, tone form, even as she trembled under her teacher’s scrutiny, because she had worried her next words would come across too harsh. “Otherwise…all the girls will have to consider a transfer!”

“There’ll be no need for that,” Shota immediately reassured. “Mineta was told the last time he was on his final shot to prove he could behave himself.”

“He needs to be in jail,” Harī snorted. “That’s predator behaviour…it’s sexual assault. All the girls could bring charges against him.”

“Which he was also told,” Hizashi said with disgust, rooting for more ingredients as he continued making breakfast. “Who else was in the bathroom?”

“Just us…w-we were the last to have our showers,” Ochaco said, sniffling helplessly, still extremely upset. “He saw everything! We didn’t realise he was there until we went to toss our wet towels into the hamper!”

“We got out of there pretty quickly,” Yaoyorozu continued. “Dressed and came straight here.”

“Twerp ran for his room,” Mina growled. “Hiding under his bed no doubt.”

With a furious snarl and an explanative in Japanese, Shota stomped toward their front door and in slippered feet hurried downstairs. Harī was right behind him, along with Mina, Yaoyorozu and Ochaco, Hizashi bringing up the rear. Most of 1-A were up. Typical for most of them, since they all liked to get a run or the gym in before classes. When Shota came thundering into the main common room of the 1-A dorms, it was to Izuku and Katsuki just walking in, both teens jumping at the sight of their furious home room teacher. When he made straight for Mineta’s room, followed by three of their female classmates, both groaned.

“Not again!” Izuku commented, eyes rolling.

“That little trashcan perv! What did he do now?” Katsuki bit out irritably.

“He was in their hamper in their bathroom,” Harī explained, watching from the ground floor as—wow—his Dad literally kicked in Mineta’s door and stalked inside. “Ochaco is quite upset. Apparently he saw them completely naked.”

“Bastard!” Katsuki spat, hands sparking. “Been warning the teachers since week one about that little creep!”

“Why didn’t they deal with it before?” Harī asked curiously. “My school would have booted him day one. Merlin, we even have an alarm system that prevents boys going into the girls’ dorms.”

Izuku blinked. “An alarm system?”

Harī grinned. “The stairs turn to a slide if any boy tries to go up. Pretty effective actually.”

Before either could respond, a strangled shout came from Mineta’s room and an irate Shota stomped out, the wiggling teen bound in his capture scarf. Considering how long it took him to retrieve him, Harī had to wonder was Mina right and the creepy brat was hiding under his bed. “Hizashi, call Toshinori and ask him to do my homeroom class for me this morning…something tells me, I’m gonna be tied up a while.”

“On it! Alright lil’ listeners, nothing more to see, back to your morning routines.”

It was remarkable how unsurprised everyone looked at the sight of Mineta being carried from the Dorms and it pissed Harī off to see just how visibly relieved the girls all were. Had the little bastard really caused that much damage?! Wide awake now, he ended up helping Katsuki get breakfast, while making a pot of tea for the girls. They all smiled in appreciation and if he were being honest, there was a lack of tension with Mineta gone.

“I never noticed how much stress he was causing,” Harī voiced, dicing up tofu for the miso soup. “You all seem so much calmer with him gone.”

“It became a daily chore to keep him in check,” Katsuki growled irritably. “Last time, the little creep tried stealing the girl’s underwear. You’d think that broken wrist would have deterred any further shit, eh, Deku?”

“I maintain he tripped!” Izuku squawked, busy setting the table for everyone, his pink cheeks suggesting otherwise. “He didn’t just take them…he bragged, thinking the rest of us would be impressed.”

“I’ve seen blokes and girls get crazy over dating bull, but that’s madness,” Harī frowned, handing over the tofu to Katsuki. “Of course, there were the love potion moments.”

“Love potions?!” Katsuki and Izuku cried out incredulously.

Harī nodded. “Yup! More than once. Dead annoying honestly. You’d think telling these girls I’m gay would deter them, but nope. So, my friend Hermione taught me a spell that detects any potions added to food or drink.”

“That is insane,” Katsuki choked out, red eyes wide. “Did you report it?”

“Several times. But Dumbledore…my Headmaster…just made it sound like youthful hijinks.”

“Taking away someone’s consent isn’t youthful hijinks,” Katsuki spat. “Your Headmaster sounds like a complete moron.”

“It’s something you should tell Mr Aizawa,” Izuku urged. “Before someone takes it a little further than trying to slip you a love potion.”

He probably should. After becoming friends with Draco, he had told the blond Slytherin about the attempts and he had been quite upset about it. Worried they’d eventually set a trap to get an heir on him. Highly illegal of course, but by the laws that protected magical children, Harī would have to see to any child he sired, regardless of the circumstances.

Once breakfast was ready, Harī couldn’t help but smile at the quickly growing familiar holler of Katsuki.

“EXTRAS! BREAKFAST! ASSES IN HERE NOW!”

“As always, so lovely with words, Kacchan,” Izuku said dryly, taking his seat.

Katsuki grinned sharkishly. “Gets shit done, nerd.”

Laughing, Harī took what was now his typical spot next to Katsuki and quickly downed his morning potions before everyone piled in, ravenous as wolves. He may have been unaware of Mineta’s crap before, but there was a definite shift in the mood. The girls were cheerier, while he noticed the boys were far less on edge. Merlin. How on earth had such an issue carried on for so long? Of course, adults were notorious for turning a blind eye. Especially the highest up. Nezu didn’t seem the type to overlook crap such as that, but that didn’t mean, Mineta hadn’t been covered up in some way…at least up till now. His father had said he was on his last warning, but by everyone’s reaction, it was clear this had been happening too often and wasn’t a rare thing…He would definitely get answers later.

xxx:::_The Lies We Live By_:::xxx

It took three hours to deal with Mineta and his bullshit. The brat pulled every Hail Mary he had at hand, but this time, Nezu had been ready for his scapegoats. There would be no more Daddy bailing him out and this time around, charges were being pushed. Of course there was the added annoyance of him knowing about magic. Because of that, they had to contact the Japanese Magical Government and to Shota’s surprise, Reina herself arrived and spent an hour casting an extremely complex array of memory charms. Right as she finished, his parents arrived and that had been a strong lesson in regard to his patience. By the time the family left—escorted by security naturally—Shota was ready to go back to bed.

“Well, that was quite the soap opera,” Reina commented, startling the man awake, where he’d begun to doze against the wall. “Sorry, sorry!”

“It’s fine,” Shota reassured her, noting Nezu had also left. “I didn’t get much sleep last night and this bullshit is not helping.”

Frowning, Reina’s eyes searched his face. “Did things not go well at Gringotts?”

Shota pinched the bridge of his nose, to ward off the headache poking him into the back of the eyes. “I planned on contacting you later…to add to the ever-growing fuel for this fire of a case, but now’s a good a time as any I guess. James Potter knew Harī wasn’t his son. Realised it when he went to sort the legalities in respect of his assets. He purposefully withdrew the will knowing upon their deaths it would leave Harī with nowhere to go and destitute.”

Reina gaped, her whole body shaking from the horror of it. “He…I…What?! that cruel bastard!” Her fury was instantaneous and the Witch very nearly lost control of her magic. Pacing up and down, she finally ran her temper down and turned to face Shota, cheeks flushed. “He condemned an infant because his wife fucked up…”

“That’s what it’s looking like,” Shota confirmed. “Harī was distraught as you can imagine. Between James’ temper tantrum and that interfering old goat Dumbledore, he’s been put through a hell that could have been avoided.”

“I’ll add it to my list of shit to look into. Poor kid.” Shaking her head, Reina grabbed a chair and took a seat, fixing her honey eyes firmly on the pro hero. “As it stands, I was gonna be contacting you anyway, myself. Something else has come to our attention while digging.”

“I’m nearly afraid to ask what it is,” Shota grumped. “Go on, what did you find?”

“A bank account,” Reina answered, producing paperwork and holding it out to him. “Looks like Lily Potter set up an account here in Japan with our own magical bank. From the dates, she would have been still pregnant with Harī.”

Shota snorted. “Clearly had her suspicions of his sire fairly early on. It’s Harī’s now, I’m guessing?”

“No…actually, she bequeathed it to you.”

To him? Frowning, Shota opened the file he had been handed and there on page one confirmed what Reina had just said. Lily had set up an account five months before Harī’s birth and had over a collection of weeks moved quite a bit of yen into it, what he could only assume were magical artifacts and something referred to as Anima Resonans. “What is that?”

Reina took a glance and her eyes widened. “Well…something seriously illegal…in Britain anyway.”

Shota’s brows dipped ever further. “She did something extremely illegal and put it in her account? What is it?”

“It’s a type of portrait,” Reina explained. “You’ve seen the moving photos, the portraits that can engage to a certain extent…well, there is a powerful blood ritual known as Anima Resonans that would have allowed Lily to imbue a portion of her soul into the painting upon her death. From my understanding, it works so similar to a Horcrux, that Albus Dumbledore fought to have it banned. Something I never understood.”

“I don’t know what a Horcrux is, so I can’t comment,” Shota reminded her in a dry tone.

“Oh, oops…A Horcrux is a life extension spell, to put it simply. If it works, you’re essentially immortal.” Reina shuddered. “But it comes with a huge catch…to cast it, it needs human life. You need to murder someone and tear your soul.”

Well, that sounded horrifying. “I’m assuming this Anima Resonans doesn’t require the same?”

Reina shook her head. “No. It’s a spell that only effects the caster. It’s complicated, involves a crazy hard to make potion to be taken continuously every month and comes with a time limit once activated. Unlike your basic portraits, it isn’t permanent…but it will be like she’s alive and well, for however much time you get.”

Seriously?! His son could have actual closure! First thing first, however, he was getting the first go. Lily Potter in whatever damn form was going to get yelled at before their child got anywhere near her. “This bank…I need to go there…Now.”

Reina grinned, honey eyes bright. “I figured…So, I cleared my day…just you, or is your husband joining us?”

He was tempted to leave Hizashi be. His husband had a lot on his plate between classes and the station, but the man would kick his ass if he were left out of this opportunity. The fiery blond just as pissed at Lily Potter as he was. “Considering I want to see my next birthday, Zashi will be coming too.”

Reina chuckled. “Smart move… and Harī?”

“Not right now…I want to have a little chat with Lily first, before I subject my kid to anymore bullshit.”

“Get your beau here, and I can apparate you over to our magical district,” Reina instructed, gaze fiery. “Give her hell, Eraserhead…she deserves nothing less.”

Oh, he planned to. Every stupid decision Lily had made, right from the moment she realised Harī wasn’t James’ child, had caused a ripple effect that could have very well seen him dead at fifteen. However long her portrait had a true consciousness, she would damn well know exactly what she had done.

xxx:::_The Lies We Live By_:::xxx

“Work studies?” Harī queried, following Katsuki and Izuku back from the bathroom after a quick break between math and English.

As Nezu had suggested, he had joined 1-A during certain classes. Until he returned to Hogwarts in September, he was taking Math, Japanese, Science, English and Modern Literature followed by some catch up classes with Nezu once UA was on break. Thankfully, he wasn’t too behind in Math and Science. English was in no way difficult. Japanese, however, was going to take time.

“Yeah!” Izuku chirped happily. “We’ll be on break for six weeks from next Friday and during that time, we’ll be doing Work Studies with an agency! Where we’ll be able to do pro hero work. I’m doing it with the Nighteye Agency!”

“Oh,” Harī glanced up at Katsuki. “What about you?”

Katsuki winced, cheeks flushing a little. “I can’t go just yet…Sorta screwed up my provisional licence exam, because I’m a damn hot head and now I’m taking remedial classes with icy-hot to catch up. Probably be near winter before I get a chance.” He was only privy to magic and Harī’s world, because Nezu deemed it safe to tell him and Icy-Hot. Of course, Icy-Hot as it turned out, already knew.

“That’s a pity,” Harī commented. “Well, at least you still get a chance…even if it’s at a later date.”

“Well, well, who’s this?”

Katsuki stopped, head whipping around, a growl in his throat. Harī looked back confused, only to see a blond boy swanning toward them, his gaze looking him up and down. No doubt he stuck out in his everyday muggle clothes. “Mind your business, Monoma!” Katsuki barked irritably.

The boy, Monoma frowned and responded in Japanese. “What is this? Practicing your English lessons, Bakugo?”

“Harī doesn’t speak Japanese yet,” Katsuki snapped back. “If you’re gonna say shit about him, at least do it in a language he understands!”

Monoma’s eyes widened, a grin appearing on his face, as he casually switched to English. “Ah! I know who you are…Aizawa’s bastard kid. As if 1-A wasn’t already hitting rock bottom as it was.”

“Monoma!” Izuku barked angrily, eyes narrowed. “Don’t be so disrespectful!”

Honestly, Harī didn’t really care. Over the years, he had heard far worse, so if Monoma was trying to get under his skin, it would take a lot more than bratty bully tactics. Instead, he laughed, all eyes snapping toward him. “Wow. Is that what you do with your time, Monoma… Try and start fights with complete strangers…? I don’t know you… never met you before now, so why are you trying to take verbal swipes?”

Monoma flushed. “It’s called…conversation…”

Harī snorted. “It’s called being a prat. Clearly you’ve a serious issue with 1-A and thought you’d use me to further prove a point, that apparently only you are aware of. Do us all a favour, mate… take up knitting…crochet… whatever will keep you busy, and out of this schoolyard bully shit, because clearly, you don’t get enough to do trying to be a Hero.”

Gobsmacked, Monoma snarled something in Japanese and stalked off, shoving through some support course students who had stopped to watch the exchange. Paying them no heed, Harī continued on toward English, Katsuki and Izuku catching up.

“That was amazing!” Izuku gushed. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone have the last word with Monoma.”

Harī shrugged. “Not the first time I’ve dealt with someone like him.” Draco came to mind, before the stubborn Slytherin had redeemed himself. “You just need to outtalk him, that’s all.”

“I’d rather explode his ass,” Katsuki grumbled. “But apparently that’s frowned upon.”

Laughing, Harī stepped into Hizashi’s class, smiling at the cheerful blond as he went to take the extra seat they had added to the classroom just for him. Some of 1-A had already arrived and greeted him as he passed by. He noticed Mineta’s seat remained empty. They still hadn’t been told what would happen to the little creep, but Harī had a feeling, he wouldn’t be coming back. His Dad had said as much.

“Alright, lil’ listeners! Let’s get to that vocab, alright!”

Hizashi certainly had a different way of teaching English compared to any teacher he had ever had in primary school. It amused him to think how Snape would handle a teacher like him. As always, he found Hizashi’s class easy. Everything he was teaching, Harī would have learned when he was much younger. For the most part he let 1-A answer any questions, only helping out when Hizashi suggested it because one of his classmates was struggling. Usually Kaminari. He was pretty good at speaking and understanding the spoken language but was still having difficulty when it came to writing it down. After class, Harī offered to help Kaminari.

“You’d do that?” The blond blustered, eyes wide. “Oh, man! Thank you! I can speak it…read it…understand it… but I just can’t get my head around all the rules of writing it.”

Harī laughed. “I had the same problem with French when I was in primary school and no doubt I’ll have the same issue with Japanese.”

“Ah, you’ll catch on quick,” Izuku reassured him. “Especially being around Japanese speakers constantly. Once you get a grasp of it, we can help you practice.”

“Brilliant,” Harī grinned.

They headed to lunch. Harī had quickly gotten used to Japanese styled food, learning it was a lot gentler on his iffy stomach. Too many years of being fed incorrectly had left him unable to handle a lot of ingredients, so finding something that didn’t cause nausea all the time, was bliss. He figured out chopsticks pretty quickly too, with shogayaki fast becoming his favourite dish. The ginger chicken the gentlest on his stomach, and a dish Lunch Rush happily prepared for him each lunch. After getting his food, he joined the rest of 1-A.

“Extras gawking as usual,” Katsuki grumbled, stabbing his chopsticks into his Katsudon. “Morons.”

Harī swallowed a mouthful of his shogayaki, shrugging his shoulder. “I only just started classes. They’re just curious.”

“It’s still rude!” Iida squawked, hands chopping and face twisted with irritation. “They shouldn’t stare at you!”

Harī snorted. “They could always do what that Monoma kid did and try to corner me.”

“What?!”

At the shrill cry of his new classmates, Harī gave a quick explanation. Telling them what Monoma had said and how he handled it, which left 1-A shaking with mirth and congratulated him on handling it well. Conversation quickly switched to what everyone reckoned became of Mineta.

“Expulsion,” Katsuki grunted. “No way he gets off this time. Mr Aizawa looked ready to kill him.”

“I get it takes more than just a powerful Quirk to become a Hero, but how did that creepy wee bloke end up in UA in the first place?” Harī asked curiously. “I watched some of your classes since I got here…He’s a bloody coward.”

“See!” Katsuki crowed, chopsticks in the air and red eyes gleaming. “Told you! Scared of his own shadow. It was obvious during exercises…that little twerp would have gotten someone killed eventually if he actually managed to graduate.”

“We had a teacher like that,” Harī said with a cringe. “Claimed to be this great adventurer type. Fought certain things in our world. Boasted he was quite skilled with his…uh…Quirk.” Luckily no one but 1-A was listening in and though any student with a Provisional licence were privy to the world of magic, so far only 1-A were aware he was a Wizard. “Eventually, when it came time for him to back it all up, he tried to run for it.”

“Moronic extra,” Katsuki snarled. “What happened to him?”

“Quirk backlash completely wiped out his own memory. He’s been in a hospital on a psychiatric ward ever since.”

“Can’t they reverse the…eh…Quirk?” Izuku asked, stacking up his lunch bowls.

Harī shook his head. “No. Not with the damage he did. Besides, I call it karma. It only backlashed when he was trying to wipe mine and my friend’s memories.”

“What?!”

“Oh, my Kami!”

“Bastard!”

Laughing at their reactions, Harī spent the rest of lunch telling them all about what he had gotten up to the last five years. He left Sirius out of it, of course, the wound still too raw to talk about the one adventure that cost him a chunk of his heart.

xxx:::_The Lies We Live By_:::xxx

Shota and Hizashi stumbled when Reina apparated them both to the familiar warehouse that they knew hid the Japanese Magical Government. With a groan, Hizashi bent, blond hair spilling about his shoulders as he begged his insides to stop churning.

“Sorry about that,” Reina apologised. “Apparition is rough on the body when you’re not used to it.”

“Still better than a damn portkey,” Hizashi groaned, straightening up, and bending till his back cracked audibly. “Gonna feel that in the mornin’!”

Looking up at the dilapidated warehouse, Shota looked back at Reina. “We’ve to go through your government building?”

Reina nodded. “Our shopping district…at least for Musutafu…is beneath our ministry. It’s the safest option and the most secure way of monitoring it. After all, magical stores, sell magical wares. Better to do it somewhere no Muryokuna would catch on.”

“Makes sense…So, your bank is underground?”

“One of the branches,” Reina confirmed. “But the great thing about our bank, is the fact that each one is magically linked. Which comes in handy when you’re dealing in more that Galleons. Put something in your vault in the branch in Tokyo and we can still access it here.”

“Good to know.”

Together, the three headed inside and got through security quickly. Reina took them through a large old oak door down a quiet corridor, that had a set of Griffin statues either side. Of course, Shota was pretty sure he saw one move. No doubt guardians of some sort. Through the doors led to another corridor, then to another door, this one with a pair of dragon statues either side. When the doors opened, it was to a massive marble staircase and at the bottom, spread out further than they could see. On either side was two long lines of storefronts, each busier than the other.

“How on Earth?!” Hizashi blustered, green eyes snapping to Reina. “This is an entire block in a basement?! How?!”

Reina chuckled, eyes twinkling with her mirth. “Magic, Hizashi. We’re very good at increasing space on the inside, even as the outside remains small. There are numerous spells for it.”

“Amazing!” The blond gushed, craning to see all that was down below. “Oh! Look, babe, a pet shop!”

“We’re not here to shop, Zashi,” Shota reminded his husband gently. “We can come back another day with Harī. For now, I want to get to the bank.”

Shoving down his giddiness, Hizashi followed his husband down the wide marble staircase, Reina right on their heels. Dressed in civilian clothing, no one passed them any remarks. Shota tended to go unrecognised regardless, and out of his Hero gear, Hizashi was never recognised unless it was by someone very familiar with him. They were no different to anyone else, strolling through for a gander at the numerous stores.

The bank sat in between a bookstore and a bustling apothecary. More modern looking than Gringotts, it was busy, witches and wizards in and out. Inside, the building sprawled out a lot bigger than it looked outside, just like the shopping district. Instead of Goblins, it was run by witches and wizards. Reina waved to several familiar faces, leading Shota and Hizashi to a counter at the back. Where a loan witch sat pouring over files.

“Akiko!” Reina greeted cheerfully.

The witch looked up, smiling brightly. “Well, hello! Long time no see, Reina! What brings you here?”

“A favour,” Reina admitted. “Shota here needs to get into a vault bequeathed to him by Lily Potter. I know it usually requires an appointment…but we don’t exactly have time to wait…”

Akiko’s pale blue eyes darted to Shota and Hizashi looking them over, the witch settling back in her seat, quill twirling between nimble fingers. “This is about Harry Potter…Easy… don’t get your undies in a twist…our community is small. If shit happens, we all know. Especially when it’s this big.”

Reina groaned. “So much for keeping it quiet. But yes…that’s what it’s about.”

“Perfect.” Tossing down her quill, Akiko grabbed her wand and gestured for them all to follow.

“You seem invested in helping my son,” Shota commented.

Akiko snorted. “You think? I’m in the know, honey… so I know exactly what happened to the poor kid…I’m willing to call in every owed favour I have to help you.”

Shota frowned, but then it dawned on him, why. “How old when you broke free of your abusers?”

Akiko’s spine went rigid and she sighed. “Should have known a Pro Hero would catch on. I was twelve. My Muryokuna parents didn’t cope well with me having magic. They’d have sooner seen me with a powerful Quirk, and it eventually progressed to mistreatment. My Aunt eventually got custody, and my parents went to prison. I got years of therapy, but cases like this, always hit me hard.”

“I was fourteen,” Shota said after a beat. When Akiko looked at him surprised, he lifted his hair to show her the scar running along his hairline. “My father smashed my skull in and nearly killed me.”

Reina gasped, unaware of his past, colour draining from Akiko’s face. “I am so sorry.”

Shota shrugged. “It is what it is…but it can make these cases harder to deal with.”

“Got that right.”

Through three doors, on the last Shota and Hizashi gaped in shock when they were led into a room that was wall to wall vault doors. It went on forever and even as they watched, the rows rotated, allowing access to a specific one at the push of a button. It was like a scene out of that old Disney movie Monster inc.! Only without the monsters, and nothing but cold steel. Following Akiko to a large console that looked a mix of medieval and modern, she activated it, punching in a code and stepped back. With a whir of noise, the row of doors right in front of them began to shift, stopping at random, the vault number 8093 emblazoned on it.

“Alright boys. This is it.” With a flourish of her wand, Akiko opened the Vault, the doors swinging wide.

Together, Shota and Hizashi stepped into the vault, eyes widening at the sight of artifacts, some that were clearly solid gold, others had gems that eyeballing it, Shota knew were more yen than he earned in a year. There were drawers that no doubt contained the cash she had left, but his dark eyes had zeroed in on one thing. A portrait in the centre of the vault, Lily Potter exactly as he remembered her, sat looking out a window at a meadow of wildflowers. A letter was pinned to the frame, one that read ERASERHEAD.  

Chapter Text

Muscles tense; Shota glared at the image. He could see Harī in her features, the same way he saw him in his own and he was spitefully glad, the kid had taken after him more than his mother. Stepping forward, combat boots echoing loudly through the vault, he reached out for the envelope stuck to the frame. Like the letter sent to the Japanese ministry, it was heavy parchment paper, the ink a brilliant purple and sealed with candle wax. Breaking the seal, he unfurled the thick sheet of parchment and scanned the words inside.

Dear Shota,

If you’ve found yourself this far, then I’ll assume you gained

custody of our precious boy. This account was not to appear

available unless that day came. I cast the Anima Resonas.

Illegal in Britain, but desperation makes fools of us and if I

get the chance, I wish to see my son one last time. The spell

once activated has a shelf life of one month. To activate it, just

say my name out loud.

Lily

Shota tossed aside the letter and rage driving him forward, he snarled out, “Lily Potter!”

It was immediate. A ripple rushed through the portrait, and the painted Lily shifted, gasping, green eyes darting about as she tried to get her bearings. When her gaze found Shota, she blinked, taking him all in. Older, much older, with his hair even longer than when she saw him last. His muscles had bulked more, and his face was scarred. But what she noticed the most was the blind fury on his face. “S-Shota.”

The minute she spoke, it took everything in Shota not to put his boot through the damn canvas. “Lily.” He spat out. “Never thought I’d see your face again. Not in any form. But now that we’re here…have you any idea what you have done?!”

Startled, Lily shifted around on the elaborately painted armchair, green eyes searching for her child and only finding a scowling blond. “What I’ve done…what…Forgive me…My head is still a little fuzzy. This spell takes a minute to fully boot up…W-Where’s Harry?”

“Safe,” Shota bit out. “Which is more than he was just days ago. Damn it all to hell, how could you not tell me I sired a child?!”

“It wasn’t as if I got your address!” Lily spluttered.

“Don’t pull that bullshit!” Shota snarled. “You knew where I was before you even gave birth! So, I’ll ask again, why did you not tell me I sired a child?!”

“I needed him safe!” Lily snapped back, lunging to her feet, painted chair nearly tipping over. “If James ever found out what I had done…it would have left him with nothing! He needed a safety net! As a Potter, he had that!”

“You idiot!” Shota exploded, watching Lily jerk back, green eyes wide. “Think, damn it…think what would have happened, when Potter went to set his will! Use that brain I thought you had!”

Lily’s face twisted, the fiery red head looking offended, cheeks flushing in temper. What the hell did he…but then it dawned on her. A flicker of something she had read in regard to Wizardry Wills. One she had never thought of when she had put in place all the added protections. Colour drained from her face. “O-Oh God…Oh God!”

“There,” Shota growled, muscles tense. “Now you see. Your bastard husband found out he has no blood relation to our son the minute he went to finalise his Will and do you know what he did? He overwrote it. Had the Goblins cancel out everything, leaving him with nothing!”

“No, no!” Lily whimpered, dropping to her knees next to the portrait frame. “By law only he could stipulate where Harry would go. They’ve such archaic ways! I had no control over any of it!”

“You knew that …” Hizashi said suddenly, drawing her attention. “You knew how little say you had…all the more reason to get in contact with, Shota. They nearly killed him because of your stupidity!”

Face bleeding to the shade of old porridge, Lily shook her head wildly. “K-Killed?! What are you talking about?! S-Sirius would have had custody…even without James’ will…he—”

“They blamed Sirius for your murder!” Shota ground out. “None of you thought of that when secret keepers were being switched…he did twelve years in Azkaban, two years on the run after escaping and died weeks ago, where only then was his innocence declared!”

“Then who had, Harry?!” Lily demanded shrilly. “Who had my baby?!”

Hizashi scoffed angrily, the blond positively vibrating next to his husband. “Who do you think?!”

The answer flitted through her thoughts, but no, surely they couldn’t! “No!” She moaned, the sound of a wounded animal. “No! No! Albus knew… They all knew how much my sister hated magic! That she’d be cruel…killed, you said nearly killed…Oh, God…how…what happened?!”

“Vernon,” Shota responded, temper finally cooling down. “He beat him to near death. By luck we just happened to go find him the same day, or our son would have gone to his grave at only fifteen years old.”

“Fifteen,” Lily croaked. “H-He’s fifteen…Where is h-he now?”

“Classes,” Shota responded icily. “It’s summer break for Hogwarts, so he’s taking non-magical subjects at UA with my students. He’s finally fed. Has a proper room and currently has to take potions for his immune system, malnourishment and chronic pain.” Closing her eyes, Lily choked back a sob, tears slipping free. But Shota wasn’t done. “He was two years old the first time they broke his bones. Two! The fingers in his left hand! He was left in a soiled diaper for so long, so many times, there is scarring on his thighs…They bruised his kidneys at two…broke his ribs at three and again at four…”

With every injury, every bit of damage listed, Lily sobbed harder, fisting her lush red hair. “No, no!” She whined, rocking, trying to desperately hold herself together. “Oh, God…What did I do?!”

“You desperately covered your own ass!” Hizashi spat, stomping toward the portrait. “You were so afraid of being branded an unfaithful wife, so you lied to protect yourself.”

“I was protecting Harry!”

“And look where that fantasy got you!” Hizashi raged. “By denying him his birth father, you condemned that poor kid to hell!”

“Who are you?!” Lily finally snapped, scrambling to her feet, miserable fury all but strangling her. “Who are you to judge me?!”

“Hizashi Yamada,” Hizashi snarked gruffly, just about keeping a lid on his Quirk. “Shota’s husband and legally his son’s stepfather…so my opinion damn well counts. In fact, I’m taking this opportunity to tell you straight to your painted face…you’re one heinous bitch and I hope your corpse is rotting in the deepest realm of hell!”

Shota stifled laughter, the look on Lily’s face priceless. He didn’t doubt the remaining sliver of her soul felt guilty over what happened. That she was thoroughly aching to her painted bones about what she had left their child to…but still, she was scrambling to defend herself and there was nothing on the planet she could claim that would make what she caused any less severe of a mess. “Enough…I think we’ve come and said enough for now…time to go, Zash…”

“What? No!” Lily reached out, hands pressed to an invisible barrier, unable to move beyond the portrait. “Harry…I want to see my boy!”

“It is Harī now, Harī Aizawa,” Shota informed her cooly. “And my son won’t be getting anywhere near you until I say so and only if he wants to.”

“Y-You can’t do that!” Lily shrieked helplessly.

But her words fell on deaf ears. Hizashi and Shota stepped out of the Vault, the doors shutting, muting her cries in an instant.

xxx:::_The Lies We Live By_:::xxx

Harī groaned and dropped his head down on his Japanese homework with a solid thump.

Next to him, Katsuki snorted. “You eating your work there? If you’re hungry I could get you a snack.”

Turning his head to glare at the ash blond, he resisted the urge to flip him off for his teasing tone. “Why are you such an ass?”

There were several gasps, but to 1-A’s surprise, Katsuki laughed, completely relaxed around the Wizard in a way no one had ever seen with him. From where he sat, nose buried in Math, Izuku smiled to himself. Knowing Katsuki, the longest, he knew the ash blond had a soft spot for the Wizard. Dare he say a crush even and it was cute.

“What is it you’re struggling with, Haruki?” Iida asked politely. “I’m finished with my work…I could help if you like.”

“Oh, Merlin, that would be fantastic! Thanks Iida!” Turning his work toward the taller boy he flushed. “I’m struggling with all of it…I’ve never been good with learning languages.”

“You’ll pick it up,” Iida reassured him gently. “It’s easier when you are around the language all the time.”

True. He was already starting to recognise certain words even after just a few days. With Iida’s help, he managed to transcribe the entirety of the Hiragana alphabet without mistakes, by his third attempt of writing it out and by the time dinner came around, he could do it from memory. Delighted, Harī thanked the boy, gathering up his things and packed them away, leaving his bookbag by the door up to the apartment. He headed to the kitchen, just as Katsuki began pulling out ingredients.

“Need any help?”

Katsuki grinned. “Sure. I’m making Chanko Nabe. Eh, it’s a sort of stew. Good for Heros trying to bulk up…wouldn’t do you any harm either, Bones.”

Harī spluttered a laugh. “All the nicknames you could come up with, and you choose, Bones?”

“Put some meat on ya, and it wouldn’t work, Bones.”

Anyone else it would bug him, but with Katsuki, he found it cute. Which both pleased him and freaked him out in equal measures. After all, he had only just started figuring out his sexuality. Between a crush on Cedric Diggory in Fourth year and his disastrous attempt at dating Cho Chang in fifth, he knew he was a hundred percent gay and something about Katsuki intrigued him. Shaking off his wandering libido, Harī joined the bigger boy at the counter. “What do you need me to do?”

“Grate up this ginger first,” Katsuki answered gruffly, slicing up chicken with scary efficiency. “Don’t cut yourself.”

Smiling at the teenager’s rather aggressive worry, Harī skilfully prepared the ginger, moving on to the Bok choy when Katsuki asked him to. That was certainly a new ingredient to work with. In companionable silence, only exchanging enough words in regards the hot pot, the pair worked, Katsuki hollering for everyone to come eat once it was all set out on the table.

“Smells good, Bakubro!” Kirishima grinned.

“Yeah, yeah, shitty hair, you can do the dishes after.”

“I think you takeover the cooking to avoid the dishes, Bakubabe,” Mina said teasingly, grabbing her seat next to Kirishima.

“I cook, because you extras can’t cook for shit!” Katsuki barked irritably. “I’d rather not starve. So, I cook for your dumb asses, and you can at least do the dishes.”

“We cooked at the camp!” Ochaco argued. “That curry was pretty good!”

“To be fair, we were so hungry, we probably would have eaten anything,” Izuku pointed out.

“Traitor!” Ochaco squawked, making everyone laugh.

“You let Harī help,” Mina pouted. “And he doesn’t get yelled at for it!”

“’Cause he actually knows what he’s doing,” Katsuki grunted. “Harī can cut the vege properly and has so far not caused a fire.”

“That was one time!” Kaminari blustered, horrified.

“Twice, Pikachu and the first time you were only boiling water!”

Harī couldn’t help but burst out laughing. “How does someone cause a fire boiling water?”

“The moron left a towel too close to the hob, and it caught on fire,” Katsuki said, rolling his eyes and spooning out Chanko Nabe for Harī. “You should have seen Mr Aizawa…”

“It was an accident!” Kaminari defended.

“Your go to for every screw up.”

Everyone looked over watching Shota step in, Hizashi right behind him. Harī frowned, because both men looked a mix of exhausted and pissed off. It had alarm bells ringing in his head. “What happened?” He blurted out before he could stop himself.

Dark eyes finding his son amongst his hellions, Shota couldn’t help it. Marching around the table, he crouched and pulled Harī against him in a fierce hug. Grunting, the green-eyed boy blinked in confusion. His father was shaking, muttering against his neck, clinging to Harī like a bloody Koala…Seriously, what the hell happened?! Eyes flickering to Hizashi, he raised a brow, hoping the blond got the message.

“Just, give him a sec, lil’ listener,” Hizashi said gently. “Rough day.”

1-A had enough sense to mind their business. After a moment, Shota let go, shifting back on his haunches, eyes bright. “We need to talk, kiddo.”

Colour drained from Harī’s face, his stomach turning, the Chanko Nabe suddenly sour. Oh God, oh God, oh God! He’d changed his mind hadn’t he? Tears springing to his eyes, his breathing grew panicked, a whimper rippling free. Ever since his uncle had nearly killed him, his ability to wall off his emotions had thoroughly gone to shit. Oh, crap he couldn’t breathe, why couldn’t he breathe?!

Shota realised his mistake instantly. “Shit! Harī, easy kiddo…breathe with me…follow my breaths…that’s it…you got it.”

Gradually, Harī calmed down, vaguely aware of Katsuki getting him water, as the roar in his ears simmered down. Swallowing, he hastily wiped away the tears streaking his tears. “S-Sorry…I’m sorry…For whatever I did…”

“Nothing,” Shota reassured him. “You did nothing, kid. I should have realised how that would sound. This isn’t me relinquishing custody or anything… something just came up that I need to talk to you about when you’re finished dinner…”

“I…I shouldn’t have assumed, I’m sorry,” Harī croaked, cheeks pinking. Merlin! Why did he meltdown like that?

“Don’t apologise!” Katsuki barked gruffly. “Just cause Mr Aizawa can’t communicate for shit!”

“Kacchan!” Izuku squawked, horrified by his friend’s lack of manners. Luckily, their teacher wasn’t offended.

Shota snorted. “This coming from you, Bakugo?”

“I communicate just fine! Bones, I’ll make you tea, it’ll help.”

“Bones?” Shota blinked, looking between his son and Katsuki.

Harī gave a watery laugh. “I’m too skinny apparently.”

As promised, Katsuki brought him tea and honestly, it did help. Harī finished his dinner, leaving 1-A to it and followed Shota and Hizashi back up to the apartment. Nyx meowed, winding through their legs the minute they entered. With a smile, Harī crouched and scooped her up, nuzzling his face into her warm fur, setting her off purring like crazy. “So, what do you want to talk to me about?”

At Hizashi’s suggestion, they headed into the kitchen for hot chocolate and a chat.

xxx:::_The Lies We Live By_:::xxx

Remus cursed and retched, curled about the toilet bowl and praying for death. Creeping to week fourteen of his pregnancy and he had hoped the vomiting would back off, but if anything, it had gotten worse. The pup was healthy, his magic and his wolf instincts told him so, so what the hell was wrong with him?! Well, actually, he had his suspicions. He just didn’t like to think about it.

Dragging himself off the floor, he flushed away what little had remained in his stomach and after thoroughly rinsing his mouth and brushing his teeth, he made his way back to the kitchen, in hopes of a cup of tea and some peace.

Naturally, the universe decided otherwise.

“What are you doing here, Albus?” Remus demanded, fully aware of how irritable he sounded, but the sight of the man at the kitchen table was enough to nearly make him puke again, “there was no meeting scheduled.” By way of answer, Albus pushed a letter toward him. Frowning, Remus grabbed the parchment, eyes scanning the words quickly, rolling them when he reached the end. “They’re investigating you…and? You can’t seriously think they wouldn’t, Albus.”

“Everything I have done was for the greater good,” Albus spat angrily. “Now I’m being treated like a criminal…they intend to investigate my running of Hogwarts!”

“Good!” Remus snapped, using his wand to conjure himself a cup of tea and one of the anti-nausea potions Severus had sent him. “You nearly got Harry killed through poor decisions and the running of Hogwarts is now under a lot of scrutiny because of it. You’ve no one to blame here, but yourself. You’re not a victim, Albus…stop acting like one.”

Albus’ gaze narrowed. “You wanted him home here!”

“Until I realised the extent of what happened!” Remus snapped. “He is safe with his father!”

“James Potter is his father!”

 “Oh, for heaven’s sake, Albus! Get a grip!”

Remus jumped, Albus whirling around. Minerva stood in the doorway, hands on her hips, Severus stood behind her. “Minerva…haven’t you matters to tend to at the school?” The Headmaster asked rather coldly. He had wanted to keep her out of this as long as possible.

“Oh, hush up, Albus,” Minerva snarked. “My duties are taken care of, and I planned on a relaxing Summer when I finally surfaced, but no, all hell has broken lose because of you and your moronic decisions! I warned you those muggles were the worst kind.”

“They were his only family!” Albus argued.

“Apparently not!”

“Enough!” Severus barked, dark eyes taking in the weakened form of Remus, knowing this wasn’t helping him. “We didn’t come here to argue…We’re here because Kingsley finally got his hands on Harry’s medical report.”

Remus took a seat, blue and gold eyes wide. “H-How bad?”

Producing some parchment from his pocket, Severus began listing off the damage, “From his uncle’s recent assault, Harry was left with severe contusions, a broken orbital bone. A cracked cheekbone, three cracked ribs and a broken rib, which caused a punctured lung. A crack in his wrist, severely bruised kidneys, lacerated spleen and internal bleeding.”

“Merlin!” Remus croaked, face ashen.

“That’s not even the worst!” Minerva spat, shaking. “They did a full body scan. Harry had twenty-five old breaks, the oldest from when he was two. Merlin, two! He’s severely malnourished, underweight and deficient in so much. From his report, he’ll be on numerous potions for the foreseeable future, but the thing…the one thing I can’t understand is…how we were not aware of this…when Mr Potter would have had a full health scan his first week at Hogwarts in first year.”

Remus frowned, head snapping to Albus. “The muggle-born protocol…it applies to any magical raised by muggles and it’s the law…Damn it, Albus! No way Madam Pomphrey would have skipped any student without a reason…what did you do?!”

Severus grabbed the nearest chair, fingers digging into the solid wood until it creaked. He couldn’t have…Those protocols had saved more than one magical child in bad situations. Of course, he had fallen through the cracks by having a magical parent and though abuse amongst Wixen was rare, it wasn’t unheard of. Part of the reason he had often advocated for every child being put through a mandatory health scan. To have someone intentionally block it could only mean one thing. “You knew…” Severus growled lowly, inky eyes flashing with rage. “You knew! Or at the very least suspected…What did you do, Albus, tell Madam Pomphrey he was already cleared?!”

“I did what I had to do!” Albus barked, lunging to his feet. “Every decision, every move…it was necessary.”

“Leaving Harry to be abused, that was necessary?!” Remus seethed. “Sirius was right! You only ever saw him as a weapon! That’s what this is. Beat him down until he’s easy to control, does whatever the great Albus Dumbledore demands. Even if it means death!”

“He is the only one who can stop Voldemort!”

“He never met the parameters of that stupid prophecy!” Remus bellowed, the gold in his eyes flashing neon bright as his temper rose, his wolf scratching just below the surface. “He isn’t James’ son!”

Severus saw the moment all remaining colour fled from Remus’ face, the werewolf’s eyes rolling back, and with a curse, he lunged and caught the man just as he tipped out of his chair. “Lupin!”

“Dear Merlin!” Minerva gasped, hurrying forward to help.

Albus moved to join them, freezing when Severus snarled. “Back off! This is your fault!”

“What?!” The older Wizard spluttered. “This has nothing to do with me! More likely Remus is suffering depression after losing another friend and has not been eating!”

“More like he lost his mate and father to his unborn child, and his wolf isn’t handling it well!” Severus snapped in retort, hastily running a diagnostic.

Minerva gasped. “He’s pregnant?!”

Severus nodded. “Yes and he can kill me later for revealing it, but right now we need to get him to Spinners End. He’s in serious need of replenishers. He’s lacking in everything.”

“He…with Sirius?!” Albus sputtered in shock. “He’s an Omega creature?!”

“You hardly thought he was an Alpha creature?” Severus said, rolling his eyes. “Have you seen the size of Fenrir? An Alpha werewolf…He makes Lupin look like a child.”

Severus scooped up Remus and with Minerva’s help, headed for the floo. It was a clear dismissal, one that left Albus seething, as he watched them vanish behind green flames.

Stepping into Severus’ living-room, just after the man himself, Minerva hurried after him, as he headed through a door, that led to a dreary hallway that really needed a fresh coat of paint. Like most Wizard homes, it was bigger inside, than outside. At the end of the impossibly long hall, Severus stepped into, to Minerva’s surprise, a well-equipped infirmary.

“Are you in the habit of treating patients from your home?” The Witch asked curiously.

To her surprise, Severus actually blushed. “It was something I set up a few years ago to help Madam Pomphrey treat abused magical children. We link in with St Mungo’s too.”

Minerva watched him settled Remus on the examination bed, gasping with realisation. “You…You’re a member of Polaris.”

“Actually, I am Polaris,” Severus responded sheepishly, conjuring several potions. “After everything that went to hell with Lily and her death, I spiralled for weeks. One day I came across a young girl, only eight, who had been bitten by a werewolf and abandoned by her parents because of it. No matter what anyone says, magical parents aren’t exempt from being screw ups. Anyway…I…I took her in, treated her injuries and helped find her a home. She was the first…the start of Polaris. Sixteen years later we’re a fully realised organisation.”

“Merlin!” Minerva shook her head in amazement. “Just when you think you know someone. That is truly remarkable.”

With a chuckle, Severus spelled the last potion into Remus, and sighed with relief when the werewolf jolted awake, lunging upright, his tone immediately turning gruff. “Sweet Morgana! What the hell have you been doing, Lupin? I just poured ten potions into you to replace all your nutrients!”

Head pounding, Remus glowered. “I’m not exactly doing this on purpose! The pup is determined to have me puke everything!” Catching sight of Minerva, Remus’ cheeks flushed. “By your lack of surprise, I’m guessing Severus blabbed.”

“You passed out,” Severus pointed out. “I kind of had no choice. I have helped werewolves who were pregnant…I have never seen any of them get so sick. Not even if they lost their mate…”

Remus sighed, dragging his hand through his hair, exhaustion dragging at him. “Among creatures, we have Alpha and Omega. Dominant and Submissive, Bucks and Dams, whatever terminology you want to go with. That goes for any of us who were turned, born creatures or even those with creature blood in their lines. Though that last one is a Russian Roulette. For us mating, we have a mate and then we have our true mates. Finding our true mates is extremely rare. When we do, we imprint on them…it creates a bond that has amazing properties, including healing health issues in both parties. It also creates a massive pocket of energy for an Omega to tap into when pregnant…even when their mate has died…Which comes in handy, since creature pregnancies are extremely draining…almost dangerous even.”

Severus caught on instantly. “Black…He wasn’t your true mate, was he?”

“No…creature biology and all that nonsense. True imprints are rare though, I don’t know any who has one. So, either I suffer through a brutal pregnancy, or I get lucky and find my true mate,” shifting on the bed, Remus blinked. “Wait…Where are we?”

“My home,” Severus explained. “And where you’ll be staying till I say otherwise. Don’t argue with me, Lupin. You need medical attention for your pregnancy and remaining where Albus can be bothersome, will not improve your condition.”

All true. The further into the pregnancy he got, the harder it would become. Particularly during the full moon, where the pup would need to pull on his magic to survive the change. Something his magic would only tolerate for so long without help. Unless he found his true mate and imprinted, it was a high possibility, Remus wouldn’t survive to see his pup born.

xxx:::_The Lies We Live By_:::xxx

Harī sat stunned, Nyx sitting in his lap and the hot chocolate between his hands going cold. Green eyes wide, he looked between his father and Hizashi. “So, m-my mother is sort of alive for a few weeks and I…I can talk to her?”

“If that’s what you want,” Shota responded calmly. “The decision is ultimately yours.”

“D-Does she…eh…does she want to see me?”

“Yes, kiddo,” Hizashi said gently, smile warm. “She wants to see you. We just want you to know, it is your choice. Don’t be pressured by her and don’t do what you think will make us happy. It’s up to you.”

Was it? Harī was used to pleasing everyone. Putting everyone’s desires ahead of his own and part of him itched to do whatever pleased his father, but he squashed it down. “I…I don’t know what I want…” He told them honestly. “Right now, I’m so mad at her…if she had just told the truth…my life could have been very different. I wouldn’t be taking potions to repair years’ worth of damage, and I wouldn’t be at risk of remaining small for my age because some of the damage is permanent. I wouldn’t have been the target of a lunatic Wizard over a prophecy that no longer applies….hell, never applied! I wouldn’t have spent years in so much pain and men wouldn’t scare me so badly. God, even Ron’s Dad terrifies me and he shouldn’t!”

“That’s normal, kiddo,” Shota told him in a gentle tone. “Because of your uncle, you see any man a threat and that’s okay. It’s why you’ll be starting sessions with Hound Dog to work through your trauma.”

“C-Can you come with me?” Harī asked in a timid voice. “Um, just till I get used to it?”

“Of course, Harī,” Shota smiled. “Anything you need, I’m there. Are you still okay with Hound Dog doing the sessions?”

“Oh, yeah. I know he’s a male…but…for some reason he doesn’t make me nervous. Same way you don’t, I guess. Sounds stupid.”

“Not even a little bit, lil listener,” Hizashi promised him.

Harī wanted to get better. Both mentally and physically. He knew these things happened. That trauma happened, but still, he couldn’t help but feel, there was something weak about him, that had led to his whole life being the mess that it was.

All but reading his son’s thoughts, Shota got up and went to the cabinet in the living-room corner, rooting through, until he found a rather worn brown envelope. He went back to the couch, crouching before his only child and held out the envelope. Confused, Harī set aside his hot chocolate and took it. Reaching in, he pulled out an old photograph. In it, there were three people. A tall, man with long inky curls identical to his father’s, dark brown eyes nearly hidden behind the hair, stood behind a woman and a boy no older than ten or so. The woman was slim, with straight black hair, ebony eyes and a smile that didn’t quite look right.

The boy didn’t smile at all.

“This is you,” Harī said after a few tense moments of quiet. “And…these are your parents…you look so…so scared.”

Shota swallowed and nodded, trying to find the words. “My father, Soma Aizawa and my mother, Hina Aizawa. On paper and in public, we were just like any other family…but behind the scenes… my father was a brute. He ran our home like a dictator. My mother was terrified of him and for a time, I was safe from his rage…until my Quirk developed. My father Quirk was called sensory shutdown. At a touch, he could turn off one of a person’s five senses for five minutes at a time. He married my mother, who had powerful telekinesis Quirk, in hopes of having a child have a mix of the two that far surpassed them both. Instead, I developed my Quirk Erasure and my father hated it.”

“Why?” Harī gasped horrified. “Y-Your Quirk is amazing!”

Shota smiled weakly. “My father didn’t see it that way. I was a failure and due to complications during my birth, my mother could never give him another child, to at least in some way, fix the problem. At first, my father was verbally abusive. I quickly learned not to use my Quirk around him. I stayed out of his way, and it helped in a messed-up way…until he started drinking. That’s when he started to hurt me. Just slaps at first, but those quickly escalated and just like that I was always covered in bruises…dealing with broken bones and yet, no one said or did anything…not even my mother. Eventually, he nearly killed me. Cracked my head open when I was fourteen and it was enough to finally force my mother to leave him. After that, I spent years getting my mental state put back together.”

“What about y-your parents?” Harī asked, stunned by what his father had been put through. “Are they, um, still around?”

“My mother is. She lives not far from here actually. I check in now and again. Kinda hard to form a decent relationship with someone who said nothing while you were a punchbag for several years…my father, died shortly after I turned fifteen. Drank himself to death.” A hand ghosting over the scar beneath his hair, Shota shuddered before blurting out something he had never told anyone, not even Hizashi. “The hitting was never the worst part though. My father delighted in using his Quirk on me and after some practice, he learned he could take two senses at a time for a full ten minutes. The very first time he did it…He left me blind and deaf…I…I had never been so scared in my life. My world had been shut down, and I couldn't tell when he would strike…or where he would come from…Kami..”

Shota hadn’t realised he was crying, until Harī lunged from his seat and threw his arms about him in a fierce hug. He could feel, Hizashi right behind him, hands on his shoulders, murmuring softly to him in Japanese, but it was his son’s words that cut through the malaise in an instant.

“It’s okay, you’re okay, you’re safe…Dad…”

Chapter Text

Waking slowly Harī blinked away the gritty dregs of sleep and his brow knitted in confusion. The ceiling wasn’t the one in his bedroom. Where—oh Merlin! Everything came back in a violent flood, slapping into his psyche with a sharp smack of mortification. Dad! He had called Shota DAD! Squirming upright, Harī’s cheeks flushed with heat the minute he realised where he had fallen asleep. He had no idea when, but all three of them at some point had ended up sprawled on the thick rug covering a good portion of the living-room floor. He was sandwiched between Shota and Hizashi, a blanket over their legs and Nyx happily curled up on Shota’s hip.

Disentangling himself from the two adults, Harī itched to do anything to distract himself. Last night had been a lot. Between learning of his mother, being told about his bastard grandfather and taking a new step in his relationship with his birth father, that he wasn’t sure the man would even want, his brain was officially in a blender and on blitz.

Meandering into the kitchen, his anxiety his only company, Harī began pulling out ingredients at random. Cooking always soothed him and using it to calm his thoughts, he had breakfast well under way by the time his father and Hizashi stumbled in. Laughing, the teenager pointed toward the coffee pot, where he had already brewed coffee. Neither of them tended to be very coherent before the first bracing sip.

“You’re cooking,” Shota grunted in surprise. He knew his son helped in the dorm kitchens, but here he was, getting breakfast like a trained professional chef.

“Eh, yeah,” Harī replied. “I like to cook and it helps if I’m stressed.”

“Smells amazing, lil’ listener,” Hizashi told him cheerfully. “You picked up some Japanese recipes already?”

Harī nodded. “I’ve always been quick to learn all recipes I try. So, after helping Katsuki a couple of times, I can pretty much figure it out from there. My Aunt and Uncle expected me to cook from a very young age, and they didn’t exactly have the patience to wait for me to learn…plus, Japanese cuisine is a lot gentler on my crappy stomach.”

“Bastards!” Shota spat irritably. “You can cook here whenever you want, but only if you want… Zash and I are the parents. It’s up to us to supply food for you.”

“I know,” Harī responded with an easy smile. “I know you don’t expect it, so, I guess that’s why I like doing it for you.”

With the coffee reviving him, Hizashi joined him in the kitchen, the pair working together, while chatting back and forth. Harī even used it as an opportunity to learn some Japanese, which was in parts helpful and hilarious. He surprised himself by how many words he could already recognise. Every so often, Shota corrected him gently and Harī tried again. It wasn’t until they were all seated for breakfast, that the teenager noticed the time.

“We’ve missed the first class!”

“Relax Harī,” Shota reassured softly. “We organised it last night to take the day off, all three of us. A lot of emotions were shared and all of us were drained afterward. Nezu understands we needed the recharge.”

Harī squirmed in his seat, cheeks reddening. “I’m sorry!” He suddenly blurted. “For making you relive all that!”

Chopsticks freezing before his mouth, Shota looked at his son wide eyed. “Oh, kiddo, no! That’s not on you. That crap will forever upset me, but I’m glad I told you. You needed to know.”

“I called you ‘Dad’,” Harī winced, just thinking about it. “I didn’t even ask if that was okay!”

“Oh, he’s more than okay with that,” Hizashi laughed. “Should have heard him after you fell asleep firefly. I never knew the man could gush so much!”

“Zashi!”

Laughing, Harī watched his father’s face turn a deep pink. Hizashi just loved to tease him. Just like he had seen the Weasleys do the last few years. It was something typical of a real family and now he was a part of it.

After breakfast, he helped clean up. Hizashi tried to protest, but Harī refused to listen and around eleven, Hedwig swooped in, snagging some leftover bacon, before giving her master a quick nuzzle and flying off to his room. As always she hooted something at a growling Nyx and if Harī didn’t know any better, he’d think she was mocking the feline. It was a peaceful morning and reminded him yesterday hadn’t been.

“Sooooo,” Harī began casually, joining his Dad and Hizashi in the living-room. “Mineta finally gone?”

That’s right, with everything that happened the day before, they hadn’t had the chance to tell the students how things had gone with the perverted boy.

“Expulsion,” Shota grunted. “With a possibility of a permanent hero school ban throughout the whole country. That, however, depends on the Hero Commission.”

“Bloody hell, that bad?” Harī grimaced. “Well, I can’t say the little twerp didn’t deserve it. He caused a lot of stress and I’m not even here a week!”

“This also gives Shinso a chance earlier than we originally had planned,” Hizashi pointed out.

“Shinso?”

“A kid in the General Education course,” Shota explained. “He didn’t have the right Quirk to make it through the hero exam practical, so proved himself at the Sports festival. Usually he’d be moved next year, but with Mineta gone, we can give him a spot earlier. He’ll have a bit of catching up to do, of course…and…you’ll be joining him.”

“I…what?!” Harī spluttered. “As in, hero training?!”

“Sort of. I want you trained in combat,” Shota told him, his tone brooking no argument. “You have quite the psychopath after you, kiddo, I want you to have every tool available to you to defend yourself and being strong and able to fight the non-magical way, could be what truly saves your life someday.”

“It’ll also help with your health,” Hizashi pointed out. “From your health report, your healer says you’ll need to be benched from Quidditch.”

“W-What?!” Harī blurted, lurching to his feet and sending Nyx running. “That’s not fair! I have played for years when my health was far worse and been fine!”

“Not exactly pleading your case here, kiddo,” Shota said dryly. “You’re proving our point.”

“Didn’t the school matron do health checks on the players?” Hizashi questioned, brows dropping into a frown, before he threw his hands up. “What am I saying? She never even copped you hadn’t your damn shots!”

“Harī,” Shota called gently, getting his son’s attention. “If you keep following your diet, taking your potions and add in the workout I have in mind, you will be fine to be back on the Quidditch team come sixth year. If not…we’ll work at it… I’m not doing this to punish you. I’m doing it, because whether any of us like it or not, kiddo, you are sick. Your body is working desperately to fix itself, but it still takes time.”

Deflating, Harī sat back down, hands loose between his knees. “I’m not used to anyone caring.”

Shota smiled wistfully. “Believe you and me, kiddo, I know. After everything with my brute of a father, I never trusted my mother again and honestly, it was as if the ability to be a mother left her. She never said it out loud, but I think she blamed me for everything coming out and our lives getting turned upside down.”

Harī gaped. “W-What?! How?! Your Dad nearly killed you!”

“The logic of the broken mind,” Shota sighed. “My mother didn’t exactly put up a fuss when I sought to move out on my own at fifteen. Did the bare minimum she had to legally, but the minute I turned eighteen, she stopped. Luckily for me, I had already gotten quite skilled at managing on my own and anything she had sent me had gone into a savings account. Now, she reaches out the odd time…times when I think she’s lonely and desperate.”

“What about other family?”

Shota blew out a breath. “Well, my father was an only child and his parents are dead, and any remaining family cut Mom and me off after everything with my father. As for my mother, well, that was a lot of drama. I always tell people I’m Japanese…but technically a quarter of me isn’t… my maternal grandmother was actually British. Born to a prestigious family, she ran away at eighteen, for reasons no one knew. She met my grandfather, a Japanese man working in London and came back to Japan with him, where they married and had my mother. Their only child. Now they’re dead and though I’m aware of some distant cousins on my grandfather’s side, no one ever spoke of my grandmother’s side. Almost as if it were some deep dark secret.”

Harī frowned. “Have you ever tried to find out?”

Shota shook his head. “No. I’ve never had a reason to know. Hizashi became my family…and now you. You and Zashi are all I need.”

“I still think you should look into it, babe,” Hizashi said cheerfully. “Maybe your long-lost family are the royals.”

“Hardy har har… very funny.”

Harī made a mental note to look into it. His Dad might not have been curious, but he certainly was. So long without a family, he wanted to know them all.

“You said I need to do therapy as well, when does that start?” Harī asked.

“Monday,” Shota told him. “Our students start their internships, so we’ve some free time for the next few weeks. We also want to make plans for your birthday.”

“My birthday?” Harī blinked.

“Yup!” Hizashi grinned. “You turn sixteen in less than three weeks, and we need to organise getting everyone here for it!”

Cheek’s flushing, Harī could scarcely believe what he was hearing. “Wait! You’re bringing my friends here?! J-Just for my birthday?!”

“Of course, kiddo,” Shota smiled softly. “They’re your family too. So, I need a list off you, so I know how many people I need to bombard the rat over.”

Eyes watering, Harī had no idea why his father doing something so small for him, was making him so damn emotional. Without a word, Hizashi and Shota joined him on the couch, wrapping around the vulnerable boy as he broke.

xxx:::_The Lies We Live By_:::xxx

The Dursleys were out on bail.

Reina had been prepared for it to happen, but still. Using her pull in the case, she made damn sure they were flagged as a flight risk, both with the Wixen world and with the non-magicals. She even made sure the British heroes were on alert. Moronic judge! How he could hear all they had put Harī through and still award bail was beyond her—but then, she had her suspicions. Namely one Albus Dumbledore.

Barging into her boss’s office, gaze livid, she didn’t care what she had interrupted. “They’re out on fucking bail!” The witch seethed. “Nearly killed a fifteen-year-old boy, they had also been abusing for years and still the judge didn’t think to remand them in custody?! What in the name of Kami?!”

“Hello to you too, Yamamoto,” Fusao greeted dryly, surprisingly in English, making the woman frown. “Don’t mind me, I’m only in a meeting with a member of the British Ministry.”

Cheek’s pinking, Reina’s gaze snapped to her left where a tall man, with skin the colour of rich chocolate sat, an amused smile on his face. Head dropped, she hastily apologised, just about refraining from hitting the floor in Dogeza style, cursing her temper. “I am so sorry! Forgive my interruption!”

“Cut the bullshit, Yamamoto,” Fusao groused. “You’ve every right to be pissed. It’s why our new friend is currently sitting in my office. This is Kingsley Shacklebolt. He is an Auror for the British Ministry for Magic, and he comes bearing news of Dumbledore’s latest stunt.”

“I knew it!” Reina snarled. “He interfered with the Dursley’s hearing, didn’t he?!”

Kingsley nodded, the man looking as exhausted as Reina felt. “We’re still figuring out all of it, but yes, we believe he stepped in on the matter, influencing the judge to allow affordable bail.”

“Of course,” Reina spat. “This goes to trial and his life is over.”

Fusao snorted. “Bastard’s life is over regardless; he just won’t accept it yet. How long will it take to get to the gritty shit, Kingsley?”

“Not long,” Kingsley told them both. “Dumbledore didn’t exactly hide what he was doing.”

“The man really believes he’s that untouchable?” Reina spluttered incredulously.

“Given too much leeway, for much too long,” Fusao pointed out. “Absolute power, corrupts absolutely.”

“It’s not the only reason I am here.” Producing a thick file from his robes, Kingsley held it out to Reina, who took it a little apprehensively. “I know you’re going after Hogwarts and fearing a lot of Wizards will be busy covering their own arses, I thought it best to get ahead of them. That is all the information on incidences that have occurred since Harry Potter set foot in school.”

“What the hell…” Reina blustered, quickly rifling through. “Why was a…Kami, am I reading this right…A Cerberus was kept at the school in his first year?!”

Choking out something in incoherent Japanese, Fusao stood with Reina, looking through each document, the colour draining from his face with every word. “A troll attack…what the—detentions in the Forbidden Forest?! Is Dumbledore out of his damn mind?! Magical forests and woods are lethal to an adult Wixen, nevermind a child!...wait…what the hell is this? Why did the boy compete in the Tri-Wizard tournament?!”

“Well, his name was called…A huge mess really…and—”

“No!” Reina snapped out, catching on. “Why would he have competed when he didn’t have to?”

Watching a confused look cloud his features, Fusao cursed a blue streak. “Kingsley! The tournament is magically binding sure…but as it has always required, if a Witch or Wizard is underage, they need consent from their parents or guardians to proceed. The Goblet would not have bound him otherwise. So, either he risked his neck for something he didn’t have to do…or permission was granted.”

Reina snorted, tossing down the file, her magic lashing out enough to make the windows rattle. “He had permission, sir…remember what that fool Fudge said?”

Fusao’s face turned the shade of curdled milk. “Damn it! That bastard!”

“What?” Kingsley asked, looking between the two in deeper confusion. “What are you talking about?!”

“Dumbledore!” Reina spat. “He is the child’s magical guardian.”

Blood draining, Kingsley instantly caught on and sank boneless into the nearest chair. “He…He didn’t need to compete…He could have been spared all of it…all the horribleness he was put through. Merlin damn it! He witnessed a boy die right in front of him. The whole point of entering him was so Voldemort could get his hands on him, Albus even said he suspected as much…So why in the name of Morgana would he risk doing exactly what that monster wanted?!”

“Because” Fusao grumbled. “Dumbledore wants this war. He wants to see the end of that Wizard permanently and he’s willing to use whoever he must, to get there. Even if it means the death of your saviour. Truthfully, Voldemort’s wraith form could have been captured and contained. But Dumbledore the fool, based the whole outcome on a prophesy. One that no longer even applies, since James Potter didn’t sire the boy.”

Kingsley barked a bitter laugh. “Not that he can be persuaded of that! Albus still believes it applies to Harry and nothing can change his mind. From one of our spies, we’ve also confirmed Voldemort intends to see the boy dead regardless.”

Reina tossed her hands up in disgust. “Well, then, we prepare him. Magically, non-magically and we make sure he has a damn good team at his back. Oh! Here…”

Blinking, Kingsley took a document the Witch conjured from thin air and looked it over. It was, he realised, new documentation for Harry—or well Harī—as the case may be. They clearly worked fast, because it was iron clad and made damn sure Dumbledore had no claim to him, including— “You severed the magical guardian?”

“The minute Fudge blurted out that old fool had the privilege,” Fusao explained. “All we needed was a living parent to allow it, so, Dumbledore is probably unaware.”

Kingsley chuckled. “He’s going to love this when he finds out. Magical guardian was the last thread he had. Will you appoint someone else?”

“At the moment it is unnecessary,” Reina said with a shrug. “Technically it was unneeded when he was with his aunt and uncle…but then, we’re no idiots. It gave Dumbledore more say in his life and access to the Potter seats in the Wizengamot. For now, they will stay empty, until Harī gets a new magical guardian, chooses a stand-in or comes of age. At the moment, it’s not a priority.”

“The Weasleys are desperate to see him,” Kingsley said suddenly, remembering the other reason he had made the trip. “They miss him.”

“Ah, yes, I was talking to Aizawa about that,” Reina said cheerfully. “He sent me a list just before I came here. They are invited to Harī’s sixteenth birthday, along with some others…eh…Remus Lupin and a Hermione Granger.”

Taking the list, Kingsley beamed. “Oh, they’ll be glad to hear it. Plenty of time to organise the travel anyway.”

“Yes, and UA will have them as guests for as long as they like.”

He knew Molly would be ecstatic once he told her. She had been fretting the worst over whether or not the poor boy was being treated well. But with each report from Reina, Kingsley knew he was in the best place for him. With his birth father he would grow and thrive in a way he could never before and none of them would let Albus Dumbledore stand in his way.

xxx:::_The Lies We Live By_:::xxx

Well rested and feeling just a little bored, Harī got permission to go watch 1-A training in Gym Gamma and to his delight, his Dad suggested he bring his Firebolt with him. He would have plenty of space for a fly about—once the students were finished training of course. He didn’t want his son injured by accidental Quirk crossfire. Thankfully, laws in Japan in regards underage magic worked completely different. Once he had parental consent, he could actively use it, and only in front of other Wixen…or in this case, Heroes in the know. Because of that, Harī grinned as he shrank his broom down, slipping it into his pocket for an easy and inconspicuous carry.

A nice day, hotter than it would have been in Surrey for the time of July, he made his way across the campus and toward the gyms. Thanks to a tour with Hizashi, he already knew exactly where he was going and could hear the chaos before he even reached the main doors. They stood open, Toshinori just inside, dressed in a comfortable looking tracksuit, watching their progress and now and again calling out corrections. “Watch it, young Bakugo! You nearly hit Kirishima!” The retired Hero admonished.

“Shit! Sorry, Kirishima!”

“All good, Bakubro!”

Noticing Harī, Toshinori beamed. “Well, hello young Aizawa!”

“Harī,” Harī corrected warmly, happy to see the blond too. “You can call me Harī, All Might.”

“Only if you call me Toshinori,” the retired Hero returned pleasantly. “Come to watch 1-A at work? It’ll be the last session for those going on their work studies next week.”

“Oh, they aren’t all doing it..? I knew Katsuki and Shoto wouldn’t be until they got their licences, but I didn’t realise anyone else would be the same.”

Toshinori explained how it all worked. How they normally wouldn’t do a work study until second year. “But our first years have gotten special permission, so anyone who wishes to, can take part now.”

Oh, the teenager wondered then why Nezu wanted to continue his study personally if most classes were carrying on as normal. Figuring he’d ask him at some point, he settled in a chair next to Toshinori’s, eyes on the class. They were working through different drills Harī noted. Each of them tackling it in a way their Quirk could handle it. He hadn’t really gotten to see all of them in action yet, so it was fascinating to watch, to see how all their Quirks operated.

He also noted, just like breakfast and class, the tension from Mineta had lessened to a non-existent level.

It was nice.

Eyes following Katsuki, he couldn’t help but be awed by how easily the teenager moved. Honestly, except for Durmstrang students, he had never seen strength like it. Which was a pity and showed in a way Wixen depended hugely on their magic. The only Wizards and Witches he had ever seen with any muggle fitness to them were Aurors.

Looking over all of them, Harī noted the odd mistake, but just as quickly, Toshinori had made a correction. Then his gaze fell on something that confused him. Why was there a pair of gloves and shoes rushing about? To his shock, he realised that it had to be Hagakure. Which meant she mustn’t have been wearing anything else! Horrified, he said as such to Toshinori.

Toshinori flushed. “Yeah, believe me, no one likes it, but we’ve yet to come up with a fabric that can go invisible like she does. We’ve suggested she wear gear until we have it figured out, but she refuses, since it defeats the purpose of her Quirk.”

Harī chewed his lip, fidgeting. The poor girl! There was no way she could be comfortable with that! Maybe he could come up with a magical solution? And then…it hit him. “What if you had a fabric that could turn invisible too?” He asked suddenly, bouncing in his seat with excitement.

Toshinori frowned. “Well, like I said, young Harī…we have had numerous gear designers working on it. So far they have been unsuccessful. Hagakure’s Quirk is extremely unique. A mutation of her parents’ Quirks that is constantly active.”

“What are her parents’ Quirks?”

Toshinori rubbed the back of his neck, fishing through his memory of the student files. “Eh, if I remember correctly, her father has an absorption Quirk of some sort, and her mother has a light manipulation Quirk. They combined to give Hagakure her invisibility Quirk.”

So, they just needed the right fabric. “What if I had something you could use to create her gear out of?”

Toshinori blinked down at the boy, the man taller even when sitting down. “Such as a spell? How would we maintain it? Or, are we talking something permanent?”

“Not a spell, a cloak made from the pelt of a magical creature that turns invisible once in contact with someone’s body.” It was remarkable, but Harī felt nothing at the idea of giving up what had once been one of his most prized possessions. “It was James Potter’s, I don’t need or want it anymore and Hagakure could certainly make better use of it.”

“Oh! But are you sure? That sounds like an extremely valuable possession.”

Harī nodded, eyes fierce. “I’m sure. Hagakure will have a better use for it, than I ever would.”

Gaze softening, Toshinori settled a large hand on the teen’s shoulder. “That is a great kindness, Harī and one I’m positive she’ll greatly appreciate. I’ll bring it up with Powerloader and see what he can do, alright?”

“Perfect!”

It felt good. He hadn’t really thought of his cloak—well, James Potter’s cloak—till that very moment and for the briefest of seconds he had felt his gut sour over the idea of keeping it. This was the perfect solution.

“Bones!”

At the call of his new nickname, Harī smiled brightly, his gaze finding Katsuki tearing toward him, brows furrowed. The blond was on him in seconds, grabbing his face and peering into his eyes, while ignoring Harī’s squawked cry of shock.

“Bakugo!” Iida cried out aggrieved, rushing toward them. “Let him go! That is such bad manners!”

“Quiet glasses! He’s been crying, AGAIN! What the fuck happened, Bones?!”

“Like hours ago!” Harī spluttered, wriggling free, cheeks burning crimson. “I’m fine, Katsuki. Just some crap I had to deal with, sort of shook me. I don’t really want to talk about it right now.”

Katsuki looked like he might protest but clearly thought better of it. He didn’t want to upset Harī any further. “Fine! But drink water! You’re gonna dehydrate yourself with all these tears! Honestly, you’re starting to cry more than Deku!”

“Kacchan!”

Toshinori swiftly announced the end of class at that moment, to avoid anyone throwing down and grinning Harī produced his broom, leaving several members of 1-A intrigued. Some even challenging him to a race. Pumped up and all for it, Harī instantly agreed. The 1-A students who wanted to race drew lots between them to see who would go before who. Katsuki bellowed in annoyance when he came up last, Izuku, Shoto and Iida ahead of him.

First up was Izuku, standing next to Harī where the teenager hovered on his broom stick. Joining in, Toshinori called out ready, followed by go and everyone was astonished when Harī shot forward on his broom, all blinding speed. Jaw dropping, Izuku stood stunned a moment before activating One For All and tearing after him. As agreed, they did five loops of the gym, sometimes neck and neck, until Izuku pulled ahead to win the race, his Quirk deactivated as he skidded to a halt, cheeks flushed and eyes bright.

“That was incredible!” Izuku gushed, panting heavily. “You’re crazy fast on that broom! It’s not easy to keep up with my Quirk!”

Harī grinned, gripping the broom and looking at it fondly. “It is one of the fastest models in the world. My, uh, Godfather got it for me.”

“Amazing, it obviously works from a spell.” Izuku deduced, green eyes lit up, as he studied it. “But one only a magical can avail of, obviously.”

“Honestly, I’ve never thought about it much,” Harī laughed. “I just know it works for me. I guess those questions are best answered by broom creators.”

Before Izuku could ramble further, Katsuki shoved him toward the spectators. “Button it, nerd! Icy-Hot has to take his turn!”

“Alright, alright, quit shoving me, Kacchan!”

Chuckling at their antics, Harī returned to the chosen start position and mounted his broom, watchful of Shoto. Unlike Izuku, the boy didn’t quite have the speed, but it didn’t mean he couldn’t create obstacles, something they agreed upon before racing, since Shoto didn’t quite have the speed to keep up.

“Go!” Toshinori cried out and it was on.

Harī shot forward, laughing joyously the minute the barrage of ice blocked his path. Was Shoto serious? Oh, the poor boy! Grinning widely, Harī pulled back and shot up like a cork from a champagne bottle. His smile only grew when he heard Shoto swear rather colourfully. He was used to dodging projectiles and moving fast around obstacles.

Stepping into the gym, having decided to check in on his only child and see if he wanted to get something to eat, Shota came up short, dark eyes widening at the sight of his son easily dodging Shoto’s Quirk, as the two appeared to race each other around the gym. Toshinori and the rest of the hellions were so absorbed in it; they had yet to notice the erasure hero. Arms crossed, Shota watched his child move in ways he wouldn’t have thought possible on a broom of all things and when he dove several times to avoid Shoto’s attacks, he was sure his stomach would drop through his ass. This kid was definitely gonna give him grey hair, he thought fondly and when the teenager swooped in for a landing to deafening cheers, Shota smiled softly at the beaming smile on Harī’s face. He really was flourishing here, in a way he never got to with the Dursleys, or even at Hogwarts. It was amazing what potential someone was capable of when they were safe.

Catching sight of his father, Harī grinned. “Dad!”

Insides turning to goo from that word alone, even willing to ignore his students squeals of delight—mostly Mina—Shota smiled in return. “Just came to see what you were up to kiddo and if you were hungry. Wasn’t expecting to find you whooping my hellions.”

Laughing, Harī gestured toward Izuku. “Not hungry yet, no…and Izuku beat me, I won against Shoto. Next is Iida!”

“You plan on racing the whole class?” Shota asked amused, watching his son prepare to race again.

“Just Iida and Katsuki!”

Joining Toshinori, Shota found himself joining in, cheering Harī on as he sped about the gym. Iida proved faster in the end, but both boys were clearly enjoying themselves and Harī moved in a way, that Shota knew he’d be easily trained in Parkour. He had the build for it, reminding Shota just how slim he had been at sixteen before bulking up. Thanks to years of malnourishment, his son would probably never catch up to him, but he’d be healthy at the very least.

“Finally!” Katsuki bellowed, grinning sharkishly. “My turn! Come on, Bones! Time to kick your scrawny ass!”

Harī laughed, even as Izuku and Iida admonished the fiery boy for being rude. He didn’t doubt for a second Katsuki would win, not after seeing his Quirk in action, but it didn’t mean he’d take it lying down. Mounting his Firebolt, noting sparks coming from Katsuki’s hands out of the corner of his eye, Harī was immensely grateful Firebolts had built in flame repellent spells, that prevented them from catching fire. Not that he thought Katsuki would do anything intentionally, but Quirks, like magic, could go out of control.

“GO!” Everyone hollered at once.

Grinning, Harī exploded forward, laughing when Katsuki instantly blasted ahead of him, explosions ringing. In his gear, the young Wizard could see just how his muscles moved and he took it back, not even the Durmstrang students were built quite like Japanese Heroes. After two goes around the Gym, he knew Katsuki was fast. Not as fast as Iida or Izuku, but he could damn well hold his own, just by skilful use of his explosions. It was obvious, he’d never beat him on his Firebolt, but it certainly was fun trying!

Dodging beneath the ash blond with a delighted whoop, Harī rolled to fly upside down, grinning up at him.

“Idiot!” Katsuki laughed, a split second before Harī’s features twisted into one of pure agony, and the boy dropped like a stone, Katsuki hurtling after him with a strangled. “Bones!”

Chapter Text

Stood in the Malfoy usually luxurious gardens, Voldemort looked out at the withered flora, red eyes gleaming with malice as he took pleasure from watching the green around him shrivel up and die. It helped his magic to grow and thrive, in ways that thrilled his soul.

Well, what was left of it.

His soul. Now that was something he had been contemplating for a few days now. He wondered if it was time to retrieve his Horcruxes or were they safer if he left them be.

After all these years, he suspected Dumbledore was aware of them, had most likely even managed to destroy some of them. He knew his diary had not survived. That fool Lucius had stupidly seen to that. His transgression had been punished of course. Who knew he could squeal like a pig when enough pain was applied upon him, and now to see him reduced to a blundering drunk? It was too perfect!

To torment him further, he had ordered the man sober and set him to locating any information on the muggle Shota Aizawa. One thing the Dark Lord prided himself on, was knowing his opponent and Shota may have been nothing but a filthy muggle, but he was also a highly trained Hero. He would not foolishly underestimate him.

“My Lord?”

Ah, and the drunkard had returned. Smiling dangerously, Voldemort turned to face Lucius. The man looked a tad more put together now, but it was still obvious just how far his pride had fallen, just by looking at his unshaven wan face. “Lucius, you’ve returned sooner than I expected. With good news I hope.”

Head thumping, desperate for a drink, Lucius just about remembered to place his occlumency shields. It would do him no good to have Voldemort hear just exactly what he was thinking of him. “I called in a few favours I was owed, my Lord. Thought I’d find a trail through muggle Japan. Which I did on his paternal side, but his maternal side proved interesting. Shota Aizawa’s maternal Grandmother was British and not just any member of our country, but one Clarissa Prince.”

Voldemort froze, red eyes widening in rare shock. “The squib wretch and younger sister of Eileen Prince, that Clarissa?”

“One and the same. She disappeared when she was sixteen, most believed her dead, but it would appear she joined the muggle world. Met a muggle man named Rihito Ōta and returned to Japan with him.” Lucius watched the Wizard, unsure how his information would be taken. “They had a single child, a daughter Hina. The child was also a Squib but inherited her father’s Quirk factor. Her ability appearing at age four. At eighteen, she met Soma Aizawa and they later had one child, Shota.”

Frowning, Voldemort worked through that, figuring out the lines and when he found Severus amongst them, well, his blood began to boil. Surely he had known about this! That through a wretched muggle and the line of a disgraced Squib, he was cousins with the bloody boy who lived! How dare he make such a fool of his Lord?! “Did you query any of this with Severus?” He asked with forced calm.

Lucius frowned in confusion. “I did not believe that was needed my Lord. No one appeared to know what became of Clarissa Prince. She hid her tracks rather thoroughly. There is no evidence that her great nephew would know anything.”

“So, you see no betrayal, Lucius?”

Lucius knew he was hovering over something dangerous. It was becoming well known just how unstable the Lord’s emotions were. How he could fly into rages over next to nothing and often over matters that made little sense to anyone but himself, but none dared question it.

Or they tried to find a work around.

Lucius believed a hundred percent Severus had been unaware of his familial ties with the Potter boy, and he’d stick to that truth in an effort to protect the man, but he knew Voldemort long enough to know all rational thinking had fled. Voldemort thought Severus a traitor and there would be no changing his train of thought. He saw the wand swing in his direction and braced himself.

“Crucio!” Voldemort howled in fury, red eyes wild.

The pain was instant, Lucius’ insides boiling, the feel of his body being torn to shreds driving him to the ground. Howling, any and all dignity forgotten, Lucius braced himself against the worst pain he had ever felt physically. It wouldn’t be the first time he used the accursed crucio on him, but there was something so much more vicious this time.

Crucio responded based on emotions and the Dark Lord was clearly feeling rather vindictive in the moment. By the time he released the spell several minutes later, Lucius had vomited and even lost control of his bladder. Panting, lying in his own mess, he dared a glance toward Voldemort.

Spots of colour on the Wizard’s face, Voldemort paced, shaking with rage. “I will see him dead for this! Severus must have known! He has betrayed me and I will have his head!”

Yes, reason had fled. Lucius knew nothing he said now would talk him down. If Severus came when called, he would not escape alive and there was nothing more he could do to stop it.

xxx:::_The Lies We Live By_:::xxx

Harī came too slowly. At first the teen wasn’t sure what had happened. His body ached dully all over and he scrambled to remember. What had he…oh, yeah, he had gone to the gym and had raced some of 1-A on his broom. He had been racing Katsuki hadn’t he? Until—Merlin! In a flood, he recalled it all, his brain finally booting up in full, head throbbing in response. But Harī shoved it down. They had bigger concerns to deal with, than his aching head

Sitting up abruptly, he startled his father, who had been busy having a heated discussion in Japanese. Hizashi was there too, along with Katsuki.

“Bones!” Katsuki cried out with relief.

Abandoning his chat with recovery girl, Shota was on his only child in an instant. Pale, dark eyes wide, he cupped Harī’s face. “Kiddo! You scared twenty years off my life! What the hell happened up there? One minute you were fine, the next you were screaming in agony and falling from your broom. By the time Bakugo reached the ground with you, you had started to seizure!”

Seizure?! Well, that was new. Damn Voldy and his inability to keep his temper! For now, it didn’t matter. “I’ll explain later, Dad, you need to get a message to Severus Snape. He’s one of my professor’s and he’s in danger.”

“Harī, I’m sure that can wait. Right now, we need to get to the bottom of what happened,” Shota argued, too frantic to really hear his kid. “RG needs to look you over.”

“After!” Harī snapped back. “Snape will die if we don’t act!”

“Harī,” Hizashi ventured gently. “You’ve clearly had a bad dream and are a little mixed up. No one’s going to die.”

They weren’t listening! Heart racing, Harī began to feel the tell-tale signs of panic and the first ripples of his magic slipping from his control. The electronics started going crazy, one machine exploding, until with a curse, Katsuki snapped out. “Will you just listen to him!”

A little startled, Shota forced himself to calm the hell down, facing his child. Damn it, what was wrong with him? This was obviously important. “Alright, kiddo, you’ve my full attention…what is it?”

“I told you before I’m connected to Voldemort. How I end up getting glimpses from him now and again,” Harī reminded, calmer now. Shota and Hizashi nodded. “Well, that’s what happened. Mind you, the seizure is new.”

“That noseless bastard did this?” Shota snarled.

“Dad! Listen!” Harī pleaded. “Freakout later! Yes, I linked with him. He sent out one of his death eaters to get information on you and, well, found your family…your maternal family. Dad, you’re a Squib. Your Grandmother came from a prominent pureblood magical family…your great grandparents were a powerful Witch and Wizard!”

Shocked, Shota sank into the nearest chair. He had known his maternal side were hiding something, but this? Hadn’t remotely crossed his mind! “So…What does that mean now?”

“For you, nothing right now,” Harī explained quickly, “but you have a second cousin through this. He’s one of my teachers as I said, Severus Snape. Snape has been spying for Dumbledore and now that Voldemort knows he’s actually your family and technically mine, he thinks he’s been a traitor all along. He’s going to kill him! We have to warn him!”

To his father’s credit, he was on it in an instant. Between himself and Hizashi they both agreed getting Nezu involved was the best course of action. Even in the magical world, the rodent just had a way to get around bullshit paperwork. While his husband dealt with that, Shota had more pressing matters, such as his son’s extreme reaction to Voldemort’s emotions breaking into his mind.

“Recovery Girl, I need Harī to have a full neurological work-up.”

“What?!” Harī demanded, the teenager instantly on the defensive. “Why? I’m fine!”

“Firefly, you fell from a broom several feet in the air and seizured violently,” Shota argued back. “I need you fully tested. That shouldn’t be happening.”

“I told you, I’m connected to Voldemort!”

“And?” Katsuki grunted, reminding everyone he was still there. “Bones, that ain’t normal. For all we know that creep has done damage to your brain. What’s the harm in making sure?”

Well, Merlin damn him, did he have to go and sound so reasonable? Harī opened and shut his mouth several times, trying to devise a rather weak argument and came up with nothing. Begrudgingly, he conceded. “Fine! Merlin! But damn it, I am getting sick of being poked and prodded at!”

Shota smiled sadly. “I know kiddo, but it’s for your own good.”

“I can put in an order for tests today,” Recovery girl promised. “And if you’ll allow it, I happen to know a Wizard who deals in neurological magic. Just in case this is more of a Wixen thing.”

Harī swallowed back his refusal. Allowing his father to agree. He knew it was all for his sake. He just was really tired of doctors. He wanted to be healthy and done with it all. Leaving Harī under Katsuki’s watchful care, the adults focused on other matters. Most of which involved getting Harī home and keeping him safe.

Fiddling with his blankets, Harī blurted out. “I’m sorry! I’m causing such a fuss and disrupting your day.”

Look dry, Katsuki sighed. “You…are an idiot. You didn’t do any of this on purpose, Bones…So, stop being stupid.”

Cheek’s pinking, Harī flopped back against his pillows with a grunted, “rude.”

Katsuki grinned sharkishly. “Honest. So, how do you feel about finding out you’ve more family?”

“Not exactly overjoyed considering who it is,” Harī responded miserably. “Severus Snape our, um, cousin…he…well…he hates me. No exaggeration. He’s spent the last five school years a right foul git to me, because of James Potter. That is honestly the craziest thing too…He was a git to me for a man who wasn’t even my father and as it turned out, hated me just as much for what my mother did.”

Katsuki frowned. “What do you mean by git?”

Since he had no where else to be, Harī told Katsuki how Severus had been right from his very first train wreck of a potion’s class. Every barb, every unfair or unwarranted detention. He told Katsuki that even when he bit back, tried to stand his ground against yet another bully in his life, there were days he curled up in misery, because he genuinely respected the man and didn’t want him to hate him and now to find out he wasn’t even James Potter’s son was some cosmic joke. Because it meant he suffered Snape’s torment for absolutely no reason. Punished for a man who was still a cruel bastard as an adult and threw Harī away to hurt the woman who wronged him. Always Harī suffering for the mistakes of adults and their screwed-up choices.

Somehow the conversation—well, Harī more blurting out everything—went from his mistreatment by Snape, to how others had treated him over the years. He told Katsuki how opinions switched so fast when it suited everyone and by any given week, he could be friend or foe, depending on public opinion. He told Katsuki about second year and the Basilisk. How, once everyone realised he was a parselmouth and could talk to snakes, he was instantly blamed for the attacks. He told him of the times he had been cornered by sixth and seventh years and shoved around. Something he had never told Hermione or Ron, or anyone for that matter, because what difference would it honestly make?

Everything that had festered inside him came bubbling up, like lancing an infected wound and all the while Katsuki listened patiently. He told him about third year, about finding out about his Godfather and having the briefest moment where he thought he would finally escape the Dursleys. He told him about fourth year. Of being entered against his will into the tri-wizard tournament and the reactions when no one, not even Ron, seemed to believe he hadn’t entered himself.

He told Katsuki how terrified he had been during each task and what had happened in the graveyard the night Voldemort had returned. He told him about fifth year. About the crazy bitch Umbridge and the torment she had caused, his fingers grazing over the scar still shining raw and pink on the back of his hand. When he finally reached the part about Sirius’ death, he hadn’t realised he was crying until cursing, Katsuki rooted out a handkerchief and held it toward him.

“Bones, do you want me to get your Dad?”

“No,” Harī sniffled. “No, I’m okay, honestly Katsuki. Sorry, I didn’t mean to blubber all over this.”

“Expected, Bones. Your Godfather isn’t gone long,” Katsuki pointed out gently. “Still a raw wound. As for the rest of this shit…never squash yourself into a mould to make anyone happy. Be you and fuck everyone else. Plus, don’t count out that teach of yours just yet. I kinda know what it’s like to be a shit to someone and regret it later.”

Harī frowned. “What do you mean?”

Sighing, Katsuki filled him in on the shit he had pulled with Izuku. He told him how he had tormented the younger boy because of some misguided bullshit that Izuku thought him inferior. He told Harī how he had goaded Izuku once to jump off a roof—something he instantly regretted the minute he said it—and Izuku’s face when he did say it. He told him about their first days at UA and how he acted and how it wasn’t until they moved into the dorms he started to get over himself.

“I’m not making excuses,” Katsuki promised. “Not for me or for your teacher…I’m just saying rage is a vicious poison and maybe he’ll want to fix things.”

Folding his arms, Harī scowled. “Did you apologise to Izuku for being a ginormous prat?”

Katsuki barked a startled laugh. “Yes, Bones, I said I was sorry.”

“Good!”

Maybe Katsuki was right and he’d be able to mend things with Snape. Sharing blood with the man didn’t horrify him as much as he thought it would. If anything, it was…nice. Harī wasn’t as alone as he believed.

xxx:::_The Lies We Live By_:::xxx

Waking to an insisted tapping on his window, Severus cursed whoever it was into oblivion. Blinking blearily at the old grandfather clock sitting in the corner of his bedroom, he jolted in surprise when he realised it was eleven am. To be fair it had been a rough night. Wriggling free from his covers, the potion’s master stretched, spine cracking audibly and opening his curtains, wincing at the sudden rush of bright sunshine, he found an owl pecking sharply on his windowpane.

It was no owl he recognised. Didn’t even appear to be a ministry owl. Opening his window, he let the bird enter, the creature squawking in annoyance, thoroughly affronted he had been left waiting.

Snorting, Severus reached out to take the letter he had brought. “I suggest you settle yourself. It’s not my fault I’m a tad sleep deprived.” Opening the letter, Severus was further confused when he found it written in Japanese kanji. Heart skipping, he gave the owl a Galleon for his troubles and rushed to grab his wand to hastily translate what he had been sent. With every word, his jaw dropped, face losing colour.

Dear Severus,

I know this letter is very hurried, but I

need you to read and take it to heart.

You are in danger!

It has been discovered that Shota Aizawa

is related to you by blood through your

mother’s line. Your mother’s Aunt Clarissa

was in fact Shota’s maternal grandmother.

This information has fallen into Voldemort’s

hands and with it the knowledge you also

share blood with Harry Potter (Harī Aizawa)

Because of this he believes you are a traitor and

seeks your death.

Do not go to him!

Please!

More will be explained in person, just trust us!

Sincerely, Reina Yamamoto.

Sinking onto his bed, Severus tried his best to process everything he had just read from the short letter. It was the basic gist of a far more important conversation and if he hadn’t already felt like a great lump of Hippogriff dung over how he had treated Harry—or Harī now—Well, this just piled onto that high mountain of crap.

The boy was his family?!

They were blood related!

Through the shock, a piece of him found it hilarious that after all the torment James Potter had caused him, not only did he learn Harī wasn’t his, but he actually shared blood with one of the people the pompous asshole hated the most.

It was poetic justice, honestly.

So, the game was up. The Dark Lord wanted his head. Severus was curious to know how they even came upon such information, but he supposed it could wait. For now, he would heed the warning. One he suspected came directly from Harī, which made him feel even more like an utter cretin. No matter how much he had mistreated the boy, Harī just wasn’t the type to abandon anyone.

As if waiting for that very moment, Severus’ tattooed arm burned fiercely, making the man yelp and clutch the limb with a pained grunt. Oh yes, the Dark Lord was furious. He could all but taste it through the mark. Going to the man now would honestly be suicide. Luckily, Severus had long developed something for this eventuality.

Pain searing through his arm, the potioneer rushed to a cabinet in the corner of his room. It was sealed by a spell, but one word and the doors swung open, revealing his private stores. He grabbed the first vial on the shelf, downing the potion and between one blink and the next, the mark went numb. Oh, it still burned. Would no doubt require treatment, but at least now, Severus couldn’t feel it. Some poor bastard would suffer for him ignoring the Dark Lord of course, but it wasn’t something he could concern himself with.

He had to stay alive.

He was no use to anyone if he ended up dead. With the potion keeping his mark numb, Severus lathered it with a salve to ease the worst of the irritation and wrapped it with a layer of gauze.

The dark mark was first and foremost a summoning tool, but if Voldemort held on, the brand would begin to burn and cause the owner severe pain. Hold on long enough and he could drive them to madness.

Back during the first war, Severus had even witnessed one Wizard take a severing charm to his own arm just to end the pain. Of course, the mark reestablished itself on his other arm and instantly killed him.

 The Dark Lord was as smart as he was ruthless. No one would escape him. Not even through maiming themselves.

Dressed, steadier, at least for now, Severus made his way down to the infirmary. Remus had protested staying in it, but as Severus pointed out, it allowed for far faster treatment to be administered, if he was right where all his instruments were. The werewolf agreed, albeit begrudgingly, but at least he had been willing to do as he was asked.

He was still sleeping when Severus stepped in. No harm, the poor man needed it honestly and when he ran a routine diagnostic charm, he was glad to see, Remus hadn’t been sick again in the night. The more nutrients he kept in his body, the better for him and the pup. Even his colour had improved, but Severus wasn’t sure how long that would last as the pregnancy continued to progress.

With a sleepy grumble, Remus woke, blinking up at Severus in confusion. His memory clearly kicked in, because a moment later, he cursed and sat up, scrubbing tiredly at his eyes. “And here I was hoping to wake up in my own bed.”

“Morning to you too, Lupin,” Severus snorted. “How are you feeling?”

“Less like a herd of Hippogriff ran me over,” Remus told him honestly. “How are my vitals?”

“Improved,” Severus responded, sheathing his wand. “But still not as good as I would like, considering I have you loaded up on nutrients and fluids. The baby is still draining you at a rapid rate. Lupin, it is my recommendation you terminate the pregnancy.”

“No!” Remus rasped, arms wrapping protectively about his middle. “I-I’m not doing that.”

“You’re closing in at the point where termination will no longer be an option,” Severus reasoned. “I will support you, whatever your choice, but should you choose to proceed, I don’t think either of you will live through it.”

Remus understood that. He knew exactly what the likelihood was he’d make it through, but he was determined to go down swinging. He wanted to at least try and see his and Sirius child born. If a miracle never came, at least he and the pup would see Sirius again. He was okay with either option.

Noticing Severus seemed tense, Remus frowned. “Did something happen?”

And Remus thought he was the perceptive one? Sighing, Severus pulled up a chair and held out the letter from Reina he had pocketed. Frowning, Remus took the piece of parchment and read it through, eyes widening in shock. “Wait! You—Merlin’s pants! Sirius would be rolling in his grave!”

“Indeed,” Severus responded dryly. “I honestly believe the cosmos is making a joke at my expense.”

“Or punishing you for being a great arse to Harry, or, uh, Harī…You know, the new name suits him.” Smiling Remus handed the letter back. “You’ve family, Severus. Living family. How does that feel?”

“Truthfully? A little overwhelming. It’ll take some getting used to.”

“Albus will be furious if you stay away from that brute,” Remus pointed out. “He’ll expect you to risk it. Prove your loyalty.”

Severus barked a laugh. “Yes, well, Albus may find someone else to risk their neck. I think at this point, I can’t atone for my sins anymore than I have already and I certainly won’t do it, if I’m dead.”

No. As far as he was concerned, he had paid his dues and if he still owed them, it would no longer be through a man hell bent on sending a boy to the slaughter. He needed to stand his ground, because something told him to get out of this in one piece, the final battle wasn’t going to be what they thought.

xxx:::_The Lies We Live By_:::xxx

It took some convincing, a lot of begging, but once Shota had promised him Reina was seeing to warning Severus, Harī pleaded with the man to let him leave the infirmary. After all, Recovery Girl’s friend wouldn’t arrive until the morning, and the other tests couldn’t be done till the either. He didn’t want to stay cooped up with machines beeping in his ear. RG promised he was stable and thought it better to let him rest in his own room.

It was late by the time they got back to the dorms. Everyone had thankfully already headed off to bed. Harī hadn’t fancied an interrogation and since he wasn’t tired yet, he asked Shota if he could hang with Katsuki a bit. The ash blond had something to show him apparently.

Shota was reluctant, but figured there was no harm, and made Katsuki swear to walk him back up in an hour. Happy to agree, Katsuki led Harī upstairs and towards his dorm room, almost giddy as he ushered him inside.

At first, Harī had no idea why he was so excited. Opening his mouth to ask, he startled when a feminine voice called out a greeting. Whirling around in surprise, the fifteen-year-old frowned, wondering who could have spoken, but that was when he noticed the large enclosure and a stunning snake looking out at them.

Mostly white, the snake had the occasional splattering of orange and black patches. “Oh, wow!”

“She’s a piebald ball python,” Katsuki grinned. “She’s called Mochi.”

Harī snorted at that. Not exactly a name he would have expect from the gruff teenager. “Different.”

“Oh, hush up, Bones,” Katsuki chided, cheeks flushed. “I was six when my parents got her for me. The name seemed like a good one when I was just a brat.”

So, she was ten and about five feet by the looks of her. A female laugh filled the room, Mochi hissing out in an amused tone. “Naughty to be teasing my master, little one.”

Inwardly wincing at the little one, Harī smiled, and hissed in response. “Maybe, but it’s fun.”

Mochi’s head snapped up, the snake letting out a delighted sound. “You are a speaker? I have heard of the stories but never met one!”

“We’re not many,” Harī replied. “It’s a rare gift.”

“Then, while I have the chance…tell my master to leave the green one be!” Mochi snapped out, tone clearly exasperated. “He has tormented that boy for years and the green one has only ever wanted to be friends!”

Laughing, Harī looked up, eyes widening when he realised just how close the older boy was sitting.

Katsuki knew he could have let Koda speak to Mochi, but he had never been very good at letting just anyone into his space. Yet, with Harī it was easy. Noticing he had gotten too close, the blond moved back and gestured, cheeks pink. “What did she say?”

Harī laughed. “That you need to leave ‘the green one’ alone. I’ll assume she means Izuku.”

“Scolded by my own snake…lovely.”

As promised, when the hour was up, Katsuki walked Harī upstairs to the teacher’s apartments. It nearly felt intimate, though neither boy commented on that fact. Wishing Katsuki goodnight, Harī stepped inside and was instantly accosted by Hizashi.

“Baby!” The blond cried out, hugging him close and making the teenager laugh.

“Zashi, would you let him go,” Shota admonished. “You only saw him an hour ago.”

“Well, excuse you, Sho, but I’m still not over the shock of today,” Hizashi griped. “Not all of us has the lives of a cat to shave off from such a heart attack.”

“Drama Queen.”

“Rude!”

Laughing at their antics, Harī crouched to pick up Nyx, the feline busy shifting around his legs. Deep down, he felt awful for scaring the hell out of everyone. Hell, he was still getting his head around it! He was thousands of miles away from Voldemort and yet this had been one of the worst visions he had ever had. Seizures! To think he had seizures! That had never happened before. He was truly terrified by the prospect of what would be found in his brain. After everything that bastard had already ruined for him, what if he had also caused damage—like a tumour!

Spiralling, Harī didn’t hear his father calling his name and jumped when Shota touched him.

“Welcome back, Firefly,” Shota said wryly. “You were pretty out of it there. You doing okay?”

The automatic response was there. The obligatory ‘I’m fine,’ right on the tip of his tongue and yet Harī found himself telling the truth. “Honestly, Dad, I’m not okay. I’m terrified. What if there is something seriously wrong with my brain? What if I’m dying or something?” He was shaking, tears welling, Merlin, he couldn’t breathe!

“Shit! Kiddo, easy…breathe…Zash!”

Hizashi rushed over and between them both they guided Harī to the couch and while he cuddled Nyx, talked the teen down from a particularly vicious anxiety attack. By the end, he got enough air in his lungs to sob between his parents, helpless and afraid. Bringing in medical professionals had simply driven home that his connection with Voldemort was not normal and clearly not healthy. It also made him think, why was this the first time anyone thought about seeking medical intervention. Surely it had crossed Dumbledore’s mind that fainting spells and forced mental connections were concerning!

Unless that was the point. The usefulness of the skill outweighed the backlash.

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed while he broke down. When awareness returned, it was to find himself burrowed into Shota’s chest, clinging like a baby koala and Hizashi gently massaging his feet, while the two conversed lowly in Japanese.

The first to notice he was alert, Hizashi beamed. “Hey, baby, back with us?”

Mutely Harī nodded, shifting to get off his father, but Shota appeared reluctant to let him go.

“Nuh-uh, kiddo,” Shota chided playfully. “Stay put. You’re keeping me warm.”

A laugh startling from him, Harī saw the olive branch for what it was. His father was offering further comfort, without embarrassing him and the teenager appreciated it.

Maybe, just maybe, everything would be okay.