Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Wednesday is at the local library with her father, Gomez, searching the shelves for a book on dangerous animals in South America her Uncle Fester told her about. Gomez strikes up a conversation with the elderly librarian, Mrs. Phelps, to help Wednesday find the book she's looking for.

"That one?" Mrs. Phelps asks when Gomez tells her the title, "Ohh Gomez, I'm afraid my little prodigy has already taken it out."

"Your prodigy?" Wednesday asks, crossing her arms, "Who?"

A squeaky wheel catches Wednesday's attention, and right past her walks a girl with an ENTIRE red-rocket wagon topped full of books. The girl carefully looks over each book and gently drops them into the book return.

"Ohh, and here's the girl herself. Hello sweetie, how are you today?" Mrs. Phelps remarks.

"Fine thank you." The girl drops another book through. That's when Wednesday sees it, the book she's been looking for. She slowly reached out and touched the cover. "I just finished that one." Wednesday straightens up, "It has a fascinating chapter on the red-bellied piranhas of South America."

"We're trying to get one for Pugsley's tank." Wednesday tells her.

"A piranha? It will eat your fish."

"I'm counting on it." Wednesday lets out a rare crooked grin.

"Is Pugsley your fish?" The girl asks.

"My brother."

The girl thought a moment. "You'll need at least a dozen. They hunt best in schools." Wednesday smiles wider, but it didn't seem to scare the girl.

"I'm Wednesday Adams." She tells her, extending a hand.

"Matilda." The girl replied, shaking her hand, "Matilda Wormwood." Gomez breathed in deeply.

"Matilda Wormwood." Gomez says, enchanted, "What a lovely name."

"This is my father, Gomez," Wednesday tells Matilda, gesturing to Gomez. Gomez takes the book out of Matilda's wagon with a slight bow of his head. He hands it to Mrs. Phelps and she signs it out to Wednesday.

"Do you want to come over sometime? We could read together, we have a lot of books." Wednesday offers. Matilda lit up, then just as quickly the spark dies from her eyes.

"My parents would never allow it, they think reading is stupid," Matilda mutters.

"I never!" Gomez exclaims, "That is it! Come with us, we are adopting you!"

"Is that legal?" Wednesday asks him. Gomez sighs.

"I...I suppose not." He mutters, "Come over as soon and as much as possible then!" Matilda smiles as he grabs Wednesday's hand, hands her the book and walks her out.

"What a peculiar family." Mrs. Phelps smiles and shakes her head.

"I like them." Matilda stares at the door for a moment before beginning to walk down the isles to search for some new books to read.

Then she realized.

They hadn't given her their address. Matilda chuckled to herself and continued browsing. She didn't expect to see them ever again, but the next day Wednesday walked into Matilda's classroom with a note for Miss. Honey from Wednesday's teacher. She noticed Matilda and smiled.

"Hello, Matilda." She greeted her. "This is Wednesday Addams, she's been moved from Mrs. Firkin's class, and will be sitting next to you."

"We've met." Matilda says excitedly, "Hello again Wednesday."

"I'm Lavender." Lavender introduces herself as Wednesday sits down.

"Pleasure to meet you." Wednesday nods.

Chapter Text

"You know something Matilda?" Gomez asks as he knocks on the door to his adopted daughter's bedroom. "Today is a very special day. Can you guess what it is?"

"My birthday!" Matilda beams as she sits up in her bed.

Wednesday slowly cracks an eye open d sits up. "Happy birthday Tildy." She says in her dry, but loving tone of voice.

"We've invited over all your friends from school, Lavender, Chuck, and of course the family will be coming over!" Gomez says excitably. "And I rather think you'll like your birthday present. Come down for breakfast now you two."

The two girls get dressed, and Wednesday chops off a few of Pugsley's action doll's heads. Matilda stares down at one of the dolls, resting on the dresser as she tied her hair in a bow. Her vision wavered and got fuzzy, and the head popped off of the doll and onto the floor.

"Hurry up you guys!" Pugsley whines from the dining room. "I'm gonna starve!"

"Why, that's a truly lovely way to die." Morticia's eyes sparkle. "You're stomach acid starts to eat through the protective lining."

"Almost like you're eating yourself." His Uncle Fester adds, happily munching on a stray piece of mystery meat he'd plucked out of the serving bowl.

"What's for breakfast?" Matilda asks as the two girls sit down at the table.

"Since it's your birthday, I had Gomez run down to town and get that cereal you enjoy so much." Grandma Addams beams as she slides a bowl towards Matilda.

"I don't know how you can stand that stuff." Wednesday rolls her eyes fondly as she pokes as the pink slime on her plate. "Much too sweet."

"Now, for your present darling." Morticia waves a finger and an envelope flies through the air. Matilda catches it deftly, while Gomez twirls Morticia around.

"Just marvelous I tell you, the three of you!" He yells, much to loudly for a Friday morning.

Matilda rips open the envelope and pulls out the papers. "Adoption papers?" She giggles, looking up at her parents. "Surely you can't adopt me twice."

"It's not for you." Fester grins wickedly. "It's for a brother. Since you've been researching the adoption system so much!"

"Ohh thank you father!" Matilda bounds up and races over to her parents, throwing her arms around them. "It's just so sad how the system works, I can't believe you-Thank you, thank you!"

"Anything for you our little devil." Morticia pats Matilda's head and looks over to Pugsley and Wednesday. "Off to school now. We'll go through the adoption process after, and then the family and friends will be here."

"We'll dance the Mamushka to celebrate you!" Gomez picks Matilda up and twirls her around.

The three siblings head to the door and grab their bags, taking their lunch from Lurch with small thanks before heading down the winding hill to their bus stop. The three Adams children were the only ones to ride that particular bus to school, as no other children lived so far from the town, but on Monday, they would finally be joined by a forth.

The school day passed quickly, with only a few issues, like when a student mistakenly took a bite of Pugsley's sandwich and had to go to the Nurse, but finally Morticia and Gomez parked the family hearse outside of the school to take the three to the adoption agency.

"I wonder what it's like." Matilda whispers, bouncing slightly in her seat as she watches the scenery pass by. "The orphanage, I mean. I hope the people that run it aren't as mean as Mrs. Trunchbull was."

Wednesday watched Matilda out of the corner of her eye curiously. She had heard plenty about Matilda's old family and the school she went to, but so many details were still a mystery.

"Here it is." Morticia comments as the car stops. "Wait here please, Lurch."

Lurch grunts an understanding and the children rush out of the car and look up at the macabre themed orphanage in front of them.

"Well, it looks quite lovely." Morticia comments, linking arms with Gomez. "Come, children."

Gomez and Morticia stride confidently into the building and Matilda reaches for Wednesday's hand on impulse. Once they get inside, Matilda let's out a small sigh of relief at the more colourful interior, as a woman approaches the family.

"You must be the Addams!" She beams, holding out her hand. Gomez shakes it enthusiastically.

"We've done all the paperwork already, let's meet him!" He booms, shoving the papers into her arms. The woman staggers back slightly under the weight and the children snicker.

"Father's just excited." Pugsley grins.

"Of-Of course! This way!" The woman heads into the office and sets the paperwork down, before leading them into a brightly coloured playroom, empty but for a single boy of eleven years old, sitting quietly at a table staring into space. "Harry? Someone's here to meet you."

The boy looks over at them, his eyes widening as the family rushes over.

"Dark hair like an Addams!" Gomez hollers, ruffling Harry's head.

"What beautiful eyes darling, green like pond scum." Morticia compliments.

"Hello Harry. I'm Matilda." Matilda says shyly, holding out her hand once her parents calmed down slightly and stopped smothering him. "I'm adopted too."

"Adopted?" Harry swept his shaggy bangs out of his eyes as he looked at the strange bunch in front of him. "So it's really true that you're adopting me?"

"On the spot!" Gomez declared, "Signed the paper work days ago, before we even knew you existed!"

Harry's eyes darkened as he turned back to Matilda. "What happened to your parents?"

"I think they're somewhere in the Bahamas or something with my biological brother." Matilda shrugs. "They didn't like me. My dad's name was Harry too, Harry Wormwood."

"An excellent name!" Gomez repeats fondly, his nose crinkling up in disgust. "For a truly vile man. Vile in the bad way too, not even the fun way..."

"Well, my name is Harry Potter. Or...It was I suppose, but Harry Addams is a nice name. My parents died in a car crash." Harry shakes Matilda's hand. "Supposedly, when I was a baby my aunt and uncle on Privet drive took me in for a few weeks, but they thought I was cursed."

"Cursed!" Gomez yells. Harry nods his head sheepishly.

"It's alright if you don't want me...Strange things always seem to happen when I'm around." He mutters.

"Are you kidding?" Pugsley grins wickedly. "Cursed is splendid! I wish I was cursed!"

"Maybe someday, Pugs." Morticia wraps an arm around her son's shoulder. "And Harry, strange things are our favourite."

Harry looked up at them in shock, and slowly began to smile.

Chapter Text

“Come over here and look at this one, isn’t it marvelous!” Gomez declares, the family crowding around to stare at a two headed lizard in a tank. “Look at the scales on his skin!”

The four older children looked at it with interest. The family had taken a day trip to the zoo, leaving grandmother home with baby Pubert. On zoo trips like this, the family mostly stayed in the insect and reptile room, but they always made time for a nice walk throughout the entire zoo, so Matilda could read up on all the animals, and Wednesday could dangle Pugsley over the lions or crocodiles.

“Alright children.” Fester announces, pulling the four children close. “Spread out. Whoever finds the most poisonous thing in this room first wins!”

The kids broke off, running in different directions. Matilda was running past each exhibit, quickly reading through each plaque before running off again. Pugsley staked himself in front of the coolest looking spider in the room, hoping to catch it eat something. Wednesday pulled a small vial out of her dress pocket, clearly intent on making something poisonous.

Harry ran off as well, but came to a stop in front of a large glass wall, with an all black snake slithering around inside. Harry read the plaque. “The incredibly deadly viper!” He thought with a grin, I’ve found it!

But reading the rest of the information, his heart sank. The name was just a misnomer.

“Help.” A quiet voice whispered. Harry looked up and around the mostly empty part of the room.

“Hello?” He called back hesitantly.

“Help-” The voice was coming from inside the tank. He turned to look at the viper. It had slithered closer to the glass, and was staring at him. “Help.” The viper hissed out. “Must go back home. Home to Peru.”

Harry gawked, before quickly asking, “How can I help you?”

The snake raised its head. “The glass. Break the glass.”

“Okay. I’ll try.” Harry insists. “My mother’s a witch. My sisters are too. And strange things have always happened to me. So, I might be one too.”

“Harry my boy!” Morticia cheers. Harry sees his family rush up to him.

“What?” He asks slightly confused. “What is it?”

“You’re talking to snakes!” Pugsley says excitedly. “I wish I could do that.”

Harry looked back at the glass. He was talking to the snake. And normal people couldn’t talk to snakes. He grins widely, just as his father and uncle lift him up. He laughs as they toss him around. When he’s finally set back on the ground, he stares at the glass, focusing. He feels a twitch behind his eye, and the glass shatters, making other people in the room scream. The Addams family gathers together, and wishes the snake good luck on its way to Peru.

It was hardly a surprise, when the day finally came for the letters inviting people to Hogwarts came, three crisp envelopes fell down the chimney. One for Wednesday, one for Matilda, and one for Harry.

Each of the three cut their envelopes open, while Fester pulled Pugsley close. “Imagine what we could do while they’re gone!” Fester cries with glee.

“Children, come here.” Morticia pulls the other three away, setting Pubert down in his crib. “Now. Let me tell you all again, so you all can hear it. There are four different houses in Hogwarts you could be placed in. Ravenclaw, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, or Gryffindor. My house was Ravenclaw.”

“What do the different houses mean?” Harry questions.

“Ravenclaw means you are smart, witty, creative. Gryffindor means you’re brave, you’re wild, like your father, if he was a witch.” Morticia smiles over at her husband, outside sword fighting with gate. “Hufflepuff means you’re hardworking, and loyal, like Pugsley and Uncle Fester. And Slytherin means you’re cunning, ambitious, and sly.” Morticia sat back in her chair with a small smile. “All perfect houses to be in.”

When the day came for the three to set off to Hogwarts, their mother and father walked the children down to the train station, watching as a few other kids ran through the wall. Pugsley hugged his siblings goodbye, and Matilda kissed Pubert goodbye. Morticia and Gomez took time saying goodbye to each children, before the three took their carts and familiars, and ran at the wall.

The three stuck together, finding a place on the train to sit. Wednesday’s pet spider Sarin, named after the lethal gas hundreds of times more toxic than cyanide, crawled around on her hand as Harry’s owl Hedwig watched her with interest. Matilda’s cream point cat Honey curled up on her lap to sleep.

“Excuse me. Can I stit here please?” A boy with ginger hair and freckles peers into the cart, eyes going wide. “You-You’re Harry Potter. You’re the boy that lived.”

“What?” Harry questions. The boy hastily comes in and sits next to Harry, making Matilda scoot closer to the window.

“Harry Potter.” The boy repeats in disbelief, holding out his hand. “I’m Ronald Weasley! But everyone calls me Ron.”

He caught a glimpse of Sarin on Wednesday’s hand and screamed, making Wednesday pull her hand closer to her chest.

“Spider!” Ron shrieked. “Oh god-” He was completely green in the face.

“I’ll put her away.” Wednesday says shortly, putting Sarin into her enclosure and pulling the blanket down to cover it. “You scream very loudly.

“Weasley.” Harry grins., trying to draw Ron’s attention away from the spider in the train compartment with them. “My dad would love that last name. Sounds like Weasel. How do you know me?”

“What on earth do you mean?” Ron exclaims. “You’re famous! You’re the boy who survived he who must not be named!”

Wednesday listens in on the conversation with rapt interest. She knew of this person, of course, but Matilda and Harry had never listened to one of her mother’s talks about the vile man. The family now knew of the fact that Harry had survived an attack from the witch. Before, the children had assumed the lightning scars covering Harry’s face were put there by just that, lightning. This assumption had lead two of the four children outside during the rain, trying to see who could be the next to be struck by lightning, the other two watching from the window with somewhat morbid interest. Pugsley had won, but had no scars to show for it.

Morticia and Gomez had been approached by the current headmaster of the school a few weeks after they adopted Harry. After being told the boy’s tragic start to the world, they had sat the children down, and quietly explained to Harry how his parents had really been killed by a malicious witch that almost killed Harry as well. But they had elected not to tell Harry the name of the witch, nor of his fame in the witching world. They much preferred his life to only being exciting in ways Harry liked, and didn’t want him feeling obliged to give his life to the presses.

As such, Harry simply shrugged, said okay, and turned to talk to his sisters. His behaviour slightly confused Ron, but he didn’t speak on it, instead occasionally adding small bits of input to the kids talk, until he was completely intertwined into the conversation.

Another girl with a big head of hair looked into the compartment, asking politely to sit before taking a spot next to Wednesday. “Sorry. My compartment got incredibly noisy. It was impossible to study.”

“What are you reading?” Matilda asks with interest, quickly introducing herself, her siblings, and Ron. The girl gave the same look at Harry, but got over the star-struck look rather fast.

“I’m Hermione, Hermione Granger. My parents are muggles. And I’m reading on the history of magic. Isn’t this all interesting?” Hermione rambles. “When we realized I was a witch, my parents said it made complete sense. It’s a whole other culture and history to digest!”

Matilda nods in agreement, and the three girls start a different conversation, leaving Ron to talk with Harry.

“Look!” Matilda exclaims, drawing the four others to the window. “I can see the castle!”