Tara's POV
The next few days were a flurry of activity as Harry was prepped to appear at his hearing- told what to say and taught how to reply to certain questions. Sirius and I spent maybe a day and a half trying to convince Lily and James not to go to the ceremony because having them seen in public would put multiple targets on their backs. Eventually, we convinced them to at least go under the invisibility cloak with Sirius.
The day of the hearing, Harry came down with a relatively nice-looking pair of dress robes on and a green look on his face. Lily and Molly were instantly at his side, trying to flatten down his hair just enough for it to look formal while James and Sirius looked on with grins. I crossed my arms and looked him up and down before nodding.
"I look alright?" he asked when he walked into the kitchen, holding his arms out uncomfortably.
Sirius smiled at him, "Well, you're certainly your dad's son."
James bared his teeth playfully at him, "Oh, shut up."
"I never said it was a bad thing," Sirius said, innocently. "You just look a bit like a penguin in that."
"Whose is it again?" Lily asked.
"That's one of my old ones from one of the Christmas Balls my parents threw," James responded, wrapping his arm around Lily's waist as she came to stand next to him.
I sipped carefully at my tea and hummed, "You look uncomfortable. That's exactly what they want."
I stood up straight and handed my teacup to Sirius, who took a sip and instantly grimaced, muttering, "Firewhiskey in the morning. Ugh."
I placed my fingertips on his spine and pressed until he was standing up straighter, "Stand straight, chin high, give 'em a friendly smile from time to time. Look like you're confident in everything you say."
He grimaced at me, "You make that sound like it's easy."
"I've also been placed on trial seven times, so I know how to deal with it."
They all stared at me, "You've been on trial seven times?"
I shrugged, "Yeah. Twice in Bulgaria for running an illegal tattoo shop at school and for stealing the Headmaster's wand, once in Russia for reasons that should not be known, once in the U.S. for breaking into the Ministry, and three times here for various reasons including the murder of a Ministry official."
James's brows furrowed, "Did you actually kill him?"
I looked at him incredulously, "Of course I did. I just gave valid reasons for why it made sense to kill him and they dropped the case."
Hermione stared, "That seems rather counter-productive for a working government."
I hummed, "The government here isn't very effective. I use it to my advantage. Now, look at me, Harry."
He held himself straight-backed and turned to me, holding his chin high.
I tutted, "Eye contact, Harry. Eye contact is important. Thankfully, you won't have to lie about anything since you're innocent."
He still looked nervous and I sighed and put my hand on his shoulder, "Listen to me, Harry. You answer all the questions you can, okay? I'll make sure you end up back at school no matter what. I can raise hell in the courtroom if need be and so can Dumbledore. You will be just fine, I promise."
"You'll do fine, Harry. Frankly, I'm more curious as to what my sister was doing in Russia that warranted her getting put on trial. Isn't it practically impossible to get arrested there?" James cocked his head.
"I never said I was arrested. And I never said that it was their Ministry's court either."
Sirius's brows furrowed, "Then how were you put on trial if it wasn't their government? Last I checked, they didn't take kindly to others interfering with their own politics."
I sucked on my teeth a little and took my tea back to sip on it, "Let's just say I had a little run in with the Russian mafia while I was there and they did not like what I was there for."
"What were you there for?" Lily asked.
I shook my head, "Really best you didn't know."
"I thought you weren't going to keep secrets anymore," James said with a smirk, crossing his arms as though he had already won the argument.
She smirked right back at him, "If they won't threaten your life. And that secret has a very high chance of putting you guys at very high risk."
"How so?"
"They're the Russian mafia, James. Even the Muggles could find you and end you."
He huffed, "Fine, whatever."
"For your own safety, James, you know that," I drained my cup of tea and looked at the clock on the wall before nodding. "You'd best be off sooner than later Arthur, Harry. It'd be a bad thing to be late for the hearing."
"It doesn't start for another two hours," Arthur said, eating some of the eggs that Molly had just sat on the table.
I hummed, "Yes, but the Ministry is rarely reliable with times and you know that, Arthur. Best to get there sooner than later."
He sighed, "Just let us finish breakfast and then we'll be on our way."
I nodded before I turned to Harry, "I will be outside in the hall, listening for if you need me. Should Dumbledore arrive, I'll come in with him. When you see me, do not act smug or anything of the sort. Simply nod to me. Any outward emotion will lead them to believe that you know me in a far more personal way and will only increase their distrust of me. They will already believe I am biased, but I tend to far more forceful in getting my way than anyone they've ever met."
"So you won't be entering the room with me?" he asked.
"Unfortunately, nobody that you can see will be. Sirius and your mum and dad will be walking in with you but will not be able to reveal themselves no matter what happens," I shot a glare at the three of them and they all gave me little innocent smiles. "If they reveal themselves, they can believe that I will have some fun consequences for them afterwards.
Sirius and James grimaced before nodding. Lily simply smiled. She wouldn't have revealed herself anyway.
I sat down and began to eat and watched as everyone gathered around approximately fifteen minutes later to wish Harry luck and to tell him that everything would turn out just fine.
I left an hour after they did, and thirty minutes after Sirius, James, and Lily had. It was easy to simply join the crowd of wizards entering the building for work after that. Finding the courtroom turned out to be a little bit more interesting but after a few moments of contemplating which one to venture to first, I spotted Dumbledore sweeping through the crowd easily, hands behind his back and his chin up, as though he didn't recognize anybody before him. I peeled out of the line I was in to join him, despite the fact that I had no desire to be near the man at all. He barely glanced at me long enough to acknowledge my presence with a nod.
He didn't wait to enter the courtroom once we reached it either, simply threw open the doors and walked in calmly. The court started at his entrance and I had to restrain a snarl when I saw how many people sat, dressed in their court attire. This was a court meant for a criminal that was likely to spend time in Azkaban... and me.
Dumbledore announced himself as a witness before anybody could speak. Then, they turned to me and stared in shock. I sent them a razor sharp smile.
"It's been a long time since I've seen you in the courtroom, Tara Potter. Been staying out of trouble?" Fudge asked, trying to gain some traction.
I studied my nails, before looking up at him and giving him a cold smirk, "Hardly. I'm here for my nephew. I wouldn't have come if he weren't being attacked by the whole Ministry wrongfully."
"There is nothing wrongful in our actions."
"Oh, indeed, because attacking a fifteen year old boy for defending himself and his cousin is right."
"He used magic outside of school!"
"I did that thousands of times!"
"You didn't go to Hogwarts!"
"What difference does that make? The laws there on juvenile magic are practically the same. Evidently, they're better about their protocol."
The man turned red and I took my time to prowl around the courtroom for a moment, accepting Harry's nod with a wink. Dumbledore began to speak his piece as I walked up to a few people and snarled at them, laughing quietly as they flinched back. I was, after all, notorious for being particularly unfriendly to those against me while in court.
Dumbledore looked at me and waved his hand in my direction, "That's enough, Tara. If you'd please revert to your other form."
I shrank down instantly in the lioness and bared my teeth at the court.
"Retrieve our witness, would you?" he asked me.
I turned and stalked out of the room without any hesitantion and returned with Figg behind me. I sprawled out in front of the chair in the middle of the room when she sat, barely laying on her toes. I was the protection if things went poorly. She began to describe what she had seen on the night Harry was attacked and gave details of the dementors and the boys. I flicked my tail restlessly back and forth and watched Fudge until he began to shift uncomfortably. When Figg was done, I stood and stretched before leaping up onto the wall placed between the court and the defendant and walked along the raised platform before settling myself disturbingly close to Fudge. He winced when I laid down and let my right paw and tail droop over the edge of the wall, blocking most everything but his swiftly reddening face. I settled my huge head on my left paw, letting out a little growl as I pushed my head against the wall for a moment, massaging my right cheek. He flinched back at that.
Dumbledore smiled wanly and continued to defend Harry. Occasionally, I looked over to look at Fudge to stretch my legs and flex my claws menacingly- showing how sharp they were (I had had Sirius sharpen them the day before).
Harry got off with no charges other than a strict warning to not perform magic outside of school again. Not shocking at all. I stretched luxuriously, waggling my haunches briefly before shooting another glare at Fudge and leaping down. I trotted out of the courtroom, tail high in victory. Dumbledore had swept out of the room quickly, giving Harry no chance to speak to him, despite the teen actually halfway running after him.
I shook my head slowly and transformed once I was outside of the room and put my hand on Harry's shoulder, "Don't worry about Dumbledore, Harry. He is the way he is. Which means he's being dramatic and this will all probably end somewhat poorly for one of us."
He looked at her and shook his head, looking concerned, "I just wanted to talk to him about this summer. I wanted to understand why he refused to send me any information."
"I find it best not to worry about what he's doing, Harry. I might not be entirely sane, but that man is on a completely different level of manipulative. Everything he does has an end purpose, whether that end purpose is achieved through stupidity or not. On the plus side, you do get to go back to school."
He smiled, "That's good. I like Hogwarts."
"Yeah, kid," I slung my arm around his shoulders, "we all do. Other than Durmstrang, Hogwarts is the best."
He rose a brow at me and I felt an invisible shove on my arm as though one of the three under the cloak had felt the need to argue against me, "I disagree."
"You've never been to Durmstrang," I added quietly to those walking next to us, "and the three of you can't argue because you're supposed to be invisible."
I heard the quietest of huffs from beside us and we all made our way out of the Ministry, stopping by Arthur's office to inform him of Harry's victory and that we were returning home. He congratulated Harry and we went on our way back home.
I looked at Harry when we entered an alleyway and James, Lily, and Sirius threw off the invisibility cloak, "You go back with one of your parents. I'll take Sirius."
Sirius grinned and walked over to me as James stuffed the cloak into his pocket, "Just for the record: Hogwarts is way better than Durmstrang."
"Yeah, well, you're biased. The one time you guys went there, Durmstrang was attacked. That was the biggest attack we'd had in years."
He kissed me on the cheek and I scowled, "Hogwarts is still better. Whether the attack had happened or not."
I crossed my arms, "I strongly disagree."
"Well," Sirius murmured, moving closer to me, "fight me on it."
I scowled and grabbed his arm before turning. We appeared in Sirius's bedroom with a crack.
He gave me a rather mocking grin, "I thought it would take longer for you to cave."
I smirked, "Who said we were coming back here for sex?"
His brows furrowed and he continued playfully, "What? Did I read that wrong?"
"No," I said, pressing a searing kiss to his lips, "but we need to go help set up for Harry's celebration. So, I hope you can be patient until at least tomorrow."
He stared at me as I walked away and I threw him and grin over my shoulder, "Coming?"
He pouted for a moment before shaking his head, "I'll be there in a moment. Gotta check in on something."
I threw my head back and laughed as I walked down the stairs to the kitchen, where Molly was already cooking for dinner. Lily and James were sitting at the table while the kids appeared to be doing some sort of chanting summoning ritual while dancing around Harry.
I jutted my chin toward them, "Are they summoning a demon?"
James didn't answer, "I thought you'd be longer."
"Sirius will be. But I figured we'd help set up for the party."
"Are we throwing a party?"
"Well, we'll at least need a banner. Maybe some streamers."
"What about some poppers?" James asked, suddenly excited.
"No explosives in the house!" Molly barked.
James pouted, then perked up, "What about outside?"
"Will it attract attention?"
"Probably?"
"Then no."
"We could do some miniature fireworks, Molly. They wouldn't burn anything down, honest," I said. "We could even employ the aid of your twins."
She shook her head fiercely, "Do what you want, but those two are bad enough! I don't need them finding new ways to blow up the house!"
I grinned, "Have they done that?"
"Close," she said, "but no."
I huffed, "That's unfortunate."
"You're still the only one who's done that, sis," James said, clapping me on the back.
Sirius walked down from the stairs and gave me a slightly annoyed look and I chuckled before getting up and walking over to him, "Just be patient, Sirius."
"Those two words don't belong in the same sentence, Tara," my brother said from behind me.
I shrugged, "He'll learn."
"You've been dating for years. He hasn't learned yet."
I grinned and then threw my arms around Sirius's shoulders, making him smile back at me widely as he wrapped his arms around my waist, "He'll learn. If only temporarily."
He pressed his lips to mine and whispered, "You're despicable."
"You love me," I muttered, pressing my lips to his again.
"Yes. I most certainly do."
"Ugh, stop being so cute you two. You're melting my eyes,"James said.
I turned to raise a brow at him, "Like you and Lily are any better."
He grinned and wrapped an arm around Lily's neck to pull her into a kiss, "You're right, we are better."
I laughed and pressed my lips to Sirius's again.
~~~~~~~~
The last few weeks of summer passed quickly. James and Lily took their son to Diagon Alley for the first time with Molly and Arthur and their kids and Hermione. Sirius and I had wandered around the alley for a time, even ducking into Knockturn Alley to look around for anything particularly interesting.
A week later, we took the kids to the train station.
I pulled Harry, Hermione, and Ron to the side and looked at all of them, "Now, you listen to me. Anything dangerous happens, you call me first, okay? I can get there faster than everyone else if you need help."
I looked to Hermione, "I trust that you can keep this safe?"
I handed her a small silver button and she looked it over, "And this will call you?"
"Anytime you press it, I'll come. If it's not urgent, just write one of us."
Hermione nodded and shoved it in her pocket, "I won't lose it."
"Good."
She nodded and walked away when Lily called her, smiling- the two had gotten very close over the summer, bonding over their intelligence and involvment in the Muggle world.
I turned to Ron and leaned close to whisper, "You keep an eye on him, yeah? If he's anything like my brother or me, he's got very little regard for his own safety."
Ron gave me a wry grin, "Believe it or not, I'd gathered that by now."
I laughed and clapped him on the shoulder, "Take care of yourself, Ron."
He nodded, grinning and went to help his brothers throw their trunks onto the train.
I shook my head at Harry, catching him by the collar as he started to make his way away from me to join somebody else, "Now, Harry, did you think I was done with you?"
He grinned, "Come on, Tara, I've got to say goodbye to everyone."
I pulled him into a rough hug before grabbing him by the shoulders and making him look at me, "Now, you listen to me, Harry Potter, and you listen to me good. I know that you're like me and you won't ask for help if you think it might inconvenience something. You like to get things done on your own. But you promise me that if something happens that you need help with, you'll at least tell me. Nothing you ask me to do will inconvenience me in the slightest. So promise me Harry, that if something bad happens and you don't want to call anyone else, you'll at least tell me."
He nodded, face suddenly serious, "I promise. I will. I'll tell you."
I watched his eyes for a moment to make sure he wasn't lying before nodding myself, "Good. Now, c'mere, you gotta say goodbye to everyone else."
I flung my arm over his shoulders and led him back to the group.
James grinned and threw his arm over Harry's shoulders as well. Harry's grin was blinding.
"Don't tell me you're threatening my son already, Tara?"
I scoffed, "Please. I'm a good aunt. I wouldn't do anything of the sort."
Lily smiled and wrapped her arms around Harry, "I love you, Harry. Write us soon, okay?"
"Of course, Mum," he said, his grin growing wider. "I'll write as much as I can."
James gave him and side hug, beginning to sniffle a little, "You'd better."
I wrinkled my nose at him and looked at Harry, "Your dad's a crier. I forgot to mention that."
He laughed a gave his dad a couple of strong thumps on the back, "Love you, Dad."
James grimaced and nodded, trying desperately to hold back his tears, "Love you too."
I snorted. Ron suddenly barreled through the crowd as the whistle blew, "We have to go Harry!"
He nodded and was jerked away by Ron, still grinning, waving as he ran and hooked onto the train before it caught speed. We waved to him until after he disappeared into the distance. Sirius wrapped his arms around my waist and placed his chin on my shoulder, looking over at me with a smile on his face. I kissed him and grinned as James finally fully burst into tears, leaning on Lily's shoulder. Remus and Tonks laughed at him as well and Molly and Arthur looked on with smiles. I looked around and nodded- this was how it was supposed to be. Even if we were missing a few people.
And we all Apparated away.
A/N: Wow, guys look how productive I've been recently! This is nuts! Anyway here you guys go! Have fun! Love you all! Still a few more chapters to go!