Harry Potter: Hydrus Black

"That's not a bad idea," Hydrus said, flopping down on the sofa. He had Photoshop on his laptop from the future. "I can get my detectives to get some and then we can tell stories to Harry about the Dursleys, keeping as much to the truth as we can. How they don't like magicals and don't want to have anything to do with our world. How they are in hiding, and things like that. I'd have to make sure to add Padfoot and Harry off to the side, since they wouldn't want to be seen with them. Put them in the background or something."

"The only problem with that is that Harry, being as young as he is, is going to say things like, 'Uncle Hydrus told me that…' outing you as a relative," Remus argued.

"Maybe it's time for Harry and the Dursleys to meet," Hydrus said thoughtfully. He hadn't ever wanted anything to do with them, but if it kept their secrets safe, maybe. "I think we have a while until we face Dumbledore again. Today should satisfy him that his plans are still in action. I might have to be seen with pictures of Harry, that way if he does say that we can say that I met him on outings with Sirius."

"Maybe," the two men said together.

"You know, I'm not sure why we're getting all worked up over this. I mean, I am Harry's legal and magical guardian. There really isn't anything Albus can do to take him away," Sirius said after a few minute's silence.

"That's true, I'm more worried about him finding out about me" Hydrus said. "I mean, we have a good cover story, I've doctored all the correct paperwork, but if someone looks close enough it will fall apart. The press will have a field day."

"For which you have a counter newspaper," Remus reminded him. "You've done so much, got so many thinking for themselves, are you really worried?"

"Well, judging from what happened to me in my timeline, I think I have the right to be worried," the time traveler answered.

"Well, with all the new changes and more politically powerful friends and family, that shouldn't happen again," Sirius said cheerfully, trying to lighten the mood.

"Maybe you're right, and I'm just getting paranoid. On to more pleasant things, I was thinking on taking Harry to Barkley's Children's Home. They're mostly good kids; counseling is making them independent and getting them over their issues. What do you guys think?"

The orphanage had morphed into something of a halfway house with permanent residents. There was mandatory therapy and treatment depended on how the child came to be there. If the family only wanted what was best for the child then everything was done to maintain contact, so the child would not feel too abandoned. If the child was left on the street, then they were given sessions on how it wasn't their fault. The home had classes set up to catch the children up on non-magical studies and lifestyles, and then they would enroll them in state school. Most of the children were between the ages of eight to fifteen. It was working out well.

"Well, he would have more people to play with, and he is an outgoing child," Remus said, thinking of the pros and cons. "But they are all older than him, so they might not relate."

"Won't they pick on him for being magical?" Sirius asked.

"They might," the immortal answered.

"I think you should hold off on that for now," Remus concluded.

"Maybe, you're right, it might set some of them back."

The three talked more into the night and around midnight went to bed without bringing anymore heavy discussion up. Hydrus was beating himself up for not thinking about how the Headmaster would question the child. He was becoming too compliant around the man, maybe it was time to let Albus know that the horcruxes were gone, something to think about. He was going over his story seeing if there was any way to tighten it.

The next day after a breakfast of chocolate chip pancakes, the family went to the living room. Harry was settled in his play area, with one of the many educational toys Hydrus had created for him.

"How are things going with the family, Sirius?" Hydrus asked out of the blue.

"They're actually going well. My Aunt Cassiopeia and I have turned most of them to thinking more on the Grey side, which helps in my political stance. Uncle Cygnus has reconciled with Andromeda. He was reluctant at first until he found out that Nymphadora was a Metamorphmagus, which he thought only Pure-bloods could be. Since it runs in the Black Family, he decided to mend bridges. He still doesn't like Ted though. I think that's more of a clash in personalities." He stopped to sip some tea. "I had a family meeting and made them all vow to keep anything to do with the Black family a secret. Some were reluctant until I told them I would cut them out of the family."

"Well that's good news," the immortal said with a big smile. The more people on their side the better. "How about the rest?"

"Cousin Callidora, as you know, is now the one in charge of finding the squibs and sending them to Barkley's. She has more Pure-blood ties," the youngest Black explained happily, and then his face went neutral. "The rest of the family, like Narcissa, is staying out of the way. I was thinking of getting her to let Draco and Harry play together one weekend to see how she is raising him," he said. He had only met the child for a few minutes when he ran into them in Diagon Alley. Narcissa wasn't sociable that day, so they parted quickly.

"If it turns out that she is raising him to be a stuck up Pure-blood then we'll have to see about future play dates." Hydrus was firm on that stance; he knew he couldn't save everyone. With the deaths and incarcerations of many Pure-bloods they were a minority now, a loud minority, but one nevertheless. Many of the businesses left behind were picked up by the wives. Though, there were some that had to be sold and were snatched up by non-Pure-bloods. Narcissa, so far, was content with being a Pure-blood widow, who simply threw parties and had teas.

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