Chapter Text
Harry walked through the leaves and branches of the outskirts of the forest. The sun was just about setting and he and Theo had been called back home by Sirius’ patronus. He hoped his godfather would be telling him what happened at the order meeting. The hybrid laughed as he nudged and kissed at theo”a face and chin. Theo on his end nipped at the others ear and face.
”Stop it.” Harry laughed when the wixen pulled him close and snuggled into his neck.
”Your starred it Tesoro.” Theo murmured softly.
The memories and fears he carried subsided for a moment as the boy just enjoyed time with his courting partner.
Though unfortunately for them the world had other ideas. The forest fell silent as even the animals around seemed to quiet down.
The two wixen pulled apart and looked around themselves.
Harry stopped walking and Theo did too.
A scent hit him a second later.
Blood.
It smelled fresh and metallic and…and muggle.
His pupils dilated instantly. The world sharpened into unbearable clarity as every vein in every leaf glowing faintly in the moonlight. He had been desensitized to muggle blood before but there was so much blood he couldn’t help but take a nice long breath of the scent. His claws sharped then his fangs poked out.
It probably didn’t help he wasn’t completely in control of himself recently.
Theo noticed his change immediately.
Quickly Theo grabbed onto Harry as said boy sped off towards the scent.
”Harry you need to calm down.” Theo gasped out pressing his covered hands on the boys mouth. He knew it was probably dangerous since Harry might accidentally bite him but he didn’t have many options available at the moment.
Harry settled down just a bit but still kept going until he finally stopped and stared ahead.
Both boys stared at the scene in-front of them not sure how to take it all in.
Not even ten feet away from them laid two bodies, they were both pale and spread out on the grass under a tree. With Harry’s enhanced hearing he knew their heartbeats were long gone but he could feel the warmth from them telling him they had passed recently. What the two saw next really threw them for a loop.
A small shape curled between them, clutching at his mother’s coat, streaked in drying red.
The child was alive and small. He couldn’t be older than two or three.
Harry and Theo slowly walked over to the three seeing the bite marks on the parent’s necks. They were far too messy to be a clean kill and judging by the dirt and scratches on the muggles there had been a struggle.
The wind picked up and Harry caught the scent of the child.
Magic.
It was inside the boy.
The boy was a wizard or well he would be one day.
Theo noticed immediately. “What?”
“He’s magical.”
Theo’s eyes flicked to the child, then back to Harry. “You’re sure?”
“Yes.”
“The creature that attacked them was most likely a vampire judging by those bite wounds this also makes sense why the kid wasn’t harmed since vampires don’t crave wixen blood.” Theo theorized.
”You think he was hiding and the vampire just skipped over him?”
“It’s possible especially if the vampire…got to his parents first.”
Harry looked back at the child. The little boy opened his eyes revealing brown irises under a fringe of messy black hair.
Theo knelt down slowly.” Hello little one.”
Harry could barely hear him over the rush in his ears.
Dead parents.
Magical child.
Orphaned in the dark.
The universe had a sick sense of humor.
“We can’t leave him,” Theo said after a moment.
Harry’s head snapped toward him. “We don’t know where he came from.”
“He’s a baby we can’t leave him here.”
“What if someone planned this.” Harry paced.
”For what exactly?” Theo crossed his arms.
”For me.”
Theo stood slowly. “You think someone left a magical child alive in the forest hoping you’d find him specifically.”
”half of the Wizarding world wants me killed and posed as a trophy.”
”You do realize they can’t hurt you here right.”
”Bet you they will come one day, Voldemort wants me dead more than anyone I doubt he cares about international war.”
Harry watched Theo as the memories flooded through his head.
His parents trusted the wrong person and it got them killed.
His godfather taken away, Remus taken away, his birthright taken away.
He killed Peter due to revenge. He was supposed to feel better after it or at least that he served justice but all he felt was depression and…and paranoia.
A part of him knew he was being paranoid. That he was deflecting and scared and depressed. But then there was that side of him that knew he had to protect the family he had left.
”What if the child is bait or was told to let someone into the wards.” Harry tried to reason.
Theo looked over at Harry. He could see right through him, he could always see right through him.
”Harry he’s a little boy…I know your scared and I know you want to do what’s best for everyone but turning your back on someone who needs you…that’s not the way you were raised Harry and you know that.”
Harry flinched.
“That’s not…”
“You’re afraid you’ll make the wrong choice like your father did.”
Silence stretched between them.
The child began to cry in earnest now small, hiccuping sounds that scraped at something deep in Harry’s chest. He knew he had options here.
He was a lord heir and this child was in his territory, he was a wixen but with his coven in active threat he had every right to destroy and kill any threat that posed to his family.
He could kill the child right here and now but in doing so he’d lose his morality, his sense of identity, the respect of his coven and even Theo himself.
Was he willing to take this gamble. Was he willing to house another alleged Peter Pettigrew or actually save a child from who knows what kind of fate.
He wouldn’t survive here alone and a magical child in the system was a game of change in what family he got.
Harry scanned the trees.
No scent lingering except the fading thread of the killer’s trail. Headed east. The hybrid then looked back at the child.
The child reached blindly toward Harry.
Was he willing to give asylum to this boy he didn’t even know the name of. And what about the future. Would he grow to try and take over the family branches, it has happened before this was why wixen only let those of their own blood and marriage into their families.
No outsiders.
Though Theo was an exception, he was Theo and he was his courting partner so it was different.
Every instinct screamed to run. Every memory showed his dad smiling at him.
Theo watched him with unnerving clarity.
”Harry please, make the choice because it’s the right one. You can’t judge everyone based on one bad experience.”
The child’s fingers closed around the hem of Harry’s coat. He couldn’t be older smell him and feel his warmth.
Harry looked down at the boy, at the streaked face, the trembling shoulders, the echo of his own childhood staring back at him.
He felt the war pressing in from every direction.
He looked down at the child and saw himself. He remembered being alone and scared. He remembered seeing his mum die in-front of his crib, the abuse from his relatives.
Would the baby suffer the same fate? Was Harry willing to take that chance?
With a soft sigh and one last look at Theo he made his decision.
Harry carefully pried the boy’s fingers free only long enough to lift him into his arms.
The child clung to him immediately.
”Hopefully the others won’t freak out to badly.” Harry sighed.
”We will have to tell them about the kids parents too.” Theo said softly.
Harry looked back at the deceased parents. The war was in rage and getting darker by the day and he knew what Sirius had to tell him would change his viewpoints going forward.
He doubted the kid even knew his name.