A Force of Magic [HP Jamione fanfic]

Chapter 22: Longbottom's Loke

28th July 1999
10pm
Potter Manor - Barnstone, Nottinghamshire

The night of the July full moon came 'round bright and quiet. Remus was away at the Sanctuary and, as he had for the last few full moons, he'd requested that James and Sirius allow him to continue developing the relationships he was building with the werewolves there without their animagus presence.

Usually this just meant that James and Sirius transformed and gamboled around Potter Manor's extensive gardens, but this month they'd agreed to help Harry. Said young man stood with his father and godfather now in the light of the bright full moon, mandrake leaf in his hand.

"So I keep this in my mouth until the next full moon?" He asked sceptically, looking down at the rather large leaf.

James chuckled, "Yeah. It's not the easiest bloody thing to do. We all swallowed it, or spit it out in our sleep multiple times."

Sirius barked out a loud laugh, "I think it took us about five months just to get past this stage. If you do swallow it or spit it out you have to start all over again at the next full moon I'm afraid, Harry."

Harry grimaced, but slowly put the leaf in his mouth, moving it side to side to the roof of his mouth to try and discern the best place to leave it. "Can I use a sticking charm?" He asked plaintively, his words slightly garbled from the leaf in his mouth.

James and Sirius exchanged horrified looks, "You fucker." Sirius breathed, "You probably can as well."

"Why the hell didn't we ever think of that, Padfoot?" James groaned.

Harry laughed, "Cos you're both idiots?" He suggested with a cheeky grin.

"Oh, bugger off, you." Sirius shoved his godson lightly, laughing at the smug look on his face, "Right, stay still and I'll do the sticking charm for you." Harry did so, allowing his godfather to charm the leaf to stick to the roof of his mouth.

"How will we know if it does or doesn't work?"

"You'll know when you spit it out into the vial at the end of the month." James said decisively, "It's supposed to look a certain way, so you'll know if it doesn't."

"Have you found somewhere to find the untouched dew?" Sirius asked as the three men headed back into the Manor. Harry grimaced, shrugging and following his father and Sirius into the drawing room. They all settled into chairs around the blazing fire Hermione had built up before she'd headed to bed to read.

"Where the hell am I even supposed to find untouched dew?" Harry exclaimed, accepting the glass of elf wine James passed him.

"You should be able to find some in the greenhouses at the back." James said thoughtfully, settling comfortably back into his chair with a sigh. "The overgrowth in there is so much that there'll almost definitely be dew that hasn't seen sunlight in there."

Harry blinked, "There's greenhouses here?"

Sirius barked a laugh, "Of course there is. Have you seen how bloody big the grounds are?" He took a deep gulp of his firewhiskey, "Mum - Dorea - used to spend so much time back there cultivating them. She'd hate to know they've gone to disuse so much."

James chuckled a little, "Merlin, dad used to spend so long complaining about her spending her time back there, but he loved it really. He loved that it made her so happy." James' eyes lit up with happiness thinking about his parents, "I wish you could've met them Harry." He said wistfully.

Harry reached out and grabbed his father's hand, who squeezed his tightly, "I wish I could've too. I'm so happy I got to meet you though, dad. I never thought I'd get to see any of my family." Sirius made a little faux offended scoff. Harry shot Sirius an amused look and corrected himself, "Blood family."