Sharing a Bond

Harry and Alexei arrived at Hogwarts in the Floo in Minerva's office. She walked down the stairs with them and told Harry, "The entire school is open to you. Take him where you will, but keep him safe."

Harry stood with his hands on Alexei's shoulders and grinned at Minerva.

"First things first, Minerva, I want you to come with us to the Great Hall. He needs to see it the way I first saw it, please."

She laughed and led the way.

With a flick of her wand, she had the candles floating in the air; Harry lit them with a wave of his hand.

"We came into the castle across the lake, Alex. It was night and the castle was very spooky. This tall fearsome lady in a green hat directed us to wait in that little room before the sorting. A Sorting Hat decides which House you'll be in. It wanted to put me in Slytherin with your Uncle Draco, but I wanted to be in Gryffindor, as my parents had been. So, I asked it to put me in Gryffindor, and it did. Minerva was the tall fearsome lady. Next, I think I want to take you outside and show you my favourite places."

"Bring him back inside when you both get hungry. Alastor and I will eat lunch with you."

Harry smiled and nodded at Minerva. "All right, Alexei. Let's start with the Black Lake. That is where they held the second task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Also, it has an inhabitant that is fun to play with."

"Is it a Loch monster? I've heard of those; they like to play with people on their lakes."

"You certainly are Hermione's son, aren't you? You sound just like your Mama when she was your age. No, it isn't a Loch monster, although we can go up to Loch Ness for a day trip some other time. Come along. Here is some bread and sardines. We can call to it."

Harry and Alexei headed to the edge of the lake, where Harry instructed Alexei to throw a piece of bread as far as he could. Suddenly the water churned and a tentacle rose up and grabbed the bread. Once the animal attached to the tentacle decided this was a good thing, the Giant Squid poked his head up.

Alexei turned to Harry wide-eyed. "I didn't know squids could get that big!"

Harry laughed. They took turns tossing bread and sardines to the squid, and then when the food ran out, they were playing an odd bit of fetch with a large stick.

A deep voiced boomed out from behind them, startling both of them. "How are ya doing, Harry? And who's your friend?"

"Hagrid!" Harry turned to Alexei. "Hagrid was my first friend ever. He is the Keeper of the Keys and the groundskeeper. He is also the Care of Magical Creatures Professor."

Hagrid blushed under the scrutiny from the intense young man. Alexei put his hand out and greeted Hagrid as he was taught. "Hello, Mr. Hagrid. I'm Alexei Krum. I will be a student here in September."

"None of that Mr. stuff, young Alexei. I am just Hagrid. 'Ermione is goin' ta be your mum, right? Well, any pup of hers is my friend as well. I have a unicorn foal and mum in the back I can take you to see if Harry here is willing to wait for you."

"Of course, Hagrid. I will just play with the squid for a bit more."

Hagrid took Alexei with him to see the unicorns. "The mare was having a bit of trouble, so I helped her. Once they are on their feet, they will return to the forest."

"Oh, they are beautiful." Alexei was in awe of the shining creatures.

"Here you go. Why don't you see if they will take this apple from you?"

Alexei took the apple pieces, laid them on his palm, and held it out flat, the way Hagrid instructed him. The mare came over first, sniffed the boy's hand, and snuffled up his arm, which tickled, but Alexei held steady, and once she approved, she took the apple and ate it. This made the foal come over, curious, and when Alexei held out another piece of the apple, the mare nudged the baby and it took the apple. Alexei laughed delightedly, especially when the foal took to nudging him for more treats.

Once the mare had collected her wayward child, Hagrid showed off a few of the other animals, then walked Alexei back to Harry.

Harry was sitting on a rock, looking pensive, but his face lit up when he saw Hagrid and Alexei speaking happily.

"Uncle Harry, it was great! The little unicorn was being pushy about wanting treats. I think its mother scolded it, though."

"Wonderful, Alexei! I think it is time to tour the castle." He turned to Hagrid. "Thanks, Hagrid."

"Any time, Harry. He is a great kid, just like you and 'Ermione were."

"Not Ron, Hagrid?"

"No, Harry. He had potential to be great, but he gave in to his bad parts. He stopped being a good kid a long time ago."

Harry nodded ruefully. "Did everyone see it but me?"

"No, Harry. This is us all looking back. However, look at your Draco. He started the wrong way and ended up good. Ron went backwards. He could have asked for help, or become a hermit, or anything to stop doing bad things. I gave up when he attacked 'Ermione. No one does that to someone they love unless they have gone wrong."

Harry looked thoughtful. Hagrid had said the same thing that Alexei had. It really was that simple. If you are going wrong, ask for help, do not think the solution is going to fall off its broom and land on you. He resolved to stop feeling guilty for not seeing it. Someone as far gone in his illness as Ron would have been an expert at hiding it.

He walked Alexei up the main doors, enjoying the boy's look of wonder. About five minutes after he had showed him the third-floor corridor, which had housed Fluffy, they ran into Peeves.

Peeves started to taunt Harry, which he was used to and ignored, but Peeves made an almost fatal error. He began to make fun of Hermione, not knowing how defensive of her Alexei was. The minute the poltergeist mentioned bushy hair and something about her morals because of the Horcrux hunt, Alexei whipped out his wand and chanted something in Bulgarian. Peeves screeched in pain and disappeared.

At that point Minerva had come running, along with Alastor, who was in the castle with her. "What in the world happened?"

Harry answered, shaken by the control shown by the young man. "Peeves. He started in on me, which we ignored, but when he questioned Hermione's morals on the camping trip we had, Alexei cast something at him, and he screeched and disappeared."

Alastor nodded, pleased. "What did you cast, young man?"

"A Bulgarian poltergeist banishing charm. Basically, you say, 'Begone, foul spirit' and if you mean it, then the poltergeist has to go." Alexei hung his head, certain he would be banned from attending school now. He was utterly surprised by the headmistress's next words.

"Well done, young man! More of you children should understand the difference between posturing and flat out insults. Your mother is a model of good behaviour."

The headmistress called the castle ghosts, and they told her that Peeves was not permanently banished, but he now feared the boy. "As well he should. Baron, if you would tell him that disparaging the character of the students' parents is reprehensible behaviour, and if they find a way to banish him after that, it is his own fault."

The Bloody Baron nodded his assent and glided off.

"Now that we have had our excitement, shall we head into the Great Hall for lunch?"

"Yes, Headmistress. All that walking made me hungry. I'm so looking forward to being a student here now."

The adults were thrilled. "Thank you, Harry," whispered Minerva.

Harry, who had been afraid he had ruined the boy's day, was very happy to hear that he had enjoyed it.

"So, youngster, what was your favourite part of the castle?" Alastor asked.

"I liked the suits of armour, and the Giant Squid, and the Great Hall. Oh, and Hagrid and the unicorns. That was really cool!"

Minerva had contacted Hermione about what Alexei's favourite foods were before the visit, so the house-elves had prepared a variety of dishes, some of Alexei's favourites and some of Harry's.

Harry acknowledged Minerva's machinations with a grin and a wink.

While Harry and Minerva talked during the meal, Alastor was having a lively discussion with Alexei.

"How would you like to demonstrate that nifty little spell to your Defence class, young man? Seems to me that you may be a wee bit more advanced than your peers. Maybe we should test him before the other students arrive, Min?"

"Behave yourself, Alastor; you just want to tell the boy how his papa saved several lives at the Battle of Hogwarts. I am quite sure Hermione would let him visit over a weekend and you can tell him all the stories you think he should hear. Isn't that right, Harry?"

"Herms would probably want to come hear the stories, too, if I know her," Harry replied, chuckling.

Alastor looked at his Min and smiled the smile she had loved for over sixty years. "The boy has a right to know the kind of man his papa is. If we'd had more like Viktor, the war would have been much shorter. Even you have to agree with that, Harry."

"Alexei, he saved a lot of folks that night. He healed injuries that our forces couldn't. He and the Bulgarian team swooped into the fray and managed to separate the Death Eaters into smaller groups, which were defeated rapidly. He cast protective charms for many of our fighters. He deflected a falling wall that would have crushed one of the Weasleys. After it was all over and he had saved Hermione's life at least three times that night, he refused to take any credit for his assistance. I am very glad to call him my friend, my best friend now."

As Harry had been speaking, the house-elves had all crept out to listen. One stepped forward and spoke in a squeaky voice. "Master Viktor saved many of us. He understands elf magic."

The whole group of house-elves scurried back to the kitchens after that pronouncement.

Alastor looked at Minerva and asked, "Don't tell me they taught elf magic at Durmstrang?"

Minerva answered him the only way she could, "I have absolutely no idea, Alastor. We'll have to ask him. Harry, the Mirror of Erised is in the Chamber of Secrets. Why don't you take Alexei to see them both? You could end the day with a visit to the monument."

The boy was excited when Harry took him into the bathroom, which comprised the entrance to the passage to the Chamber of Secrets. The piles of bones at the bottom of the chute had been cleaned out years before. The shed skin of the Basilisk had been taken away to decorate the Slytherin dormitory by Snape while Harry was still in school. The ornate door still responded to Harry's Parseltongue command.

Once inside the door, they saw the Mirror of Erised standing off to one side near the stone head of a Basilisk where Harry had killed the real Basilisk. The skeleton had been removed after the Battle, and the Chamber had been cleaned out. Harry let Alexei look into all the tunnels and alcoves before removing the cover from the Mirror of Erised.

"This is a very special mirror, Alexei. Do you see the writing around the edge? You have to read it backwards, as if it is reflected in a mirror. 'Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi'. Tell me what it says, Alexei."

"I show not your face but your heart's desire. Is that right, Uncle Harry?"

"Great job. Now look in the mirror and tell me what you see," Harry suggested.

The boy moved to stand in front of the mirror and exclaimed, "Oh, I see what you mean. I see Papa and Mama, there I am, and there are several little brothers and sisters. There is a picture of my real parents on the bookshelves in back. We all look so happy."

Harry was relieved that Alexei's vision had been such a positive one.

"Now, you look, Uncle Harry. Tell me what you see," Alexei asked.

So Harry stood before the mirror as he had his first year and was surprised to see, not his dead parents, but a family group comprised of Draco, Ginny, himself and four children; three boys and a girl. They all looked very happy.

He was very relieved again and showed Alexei the bloodstain from the Basilisk, which no amount of cleaning had ever been able to remove. They walked out of the Chamber and Alexei wondered how they were going to get back.

Harry knew that Minerva had removed the wards on the school so he and Alexei could Disapparate out of the corridor. He took the boy's arm quickly to Disapparate. They reappeared in the entry hall of the school. He led Alexei out into the afternoon sunshine and down to the small graveyard. The monument to the fallen of the Battle of Hogwarts shone in the sunshine.

They read off the names, and Harry told Alexei a little bit about each person. Then it was time to go. They walked back to the school and said goodbye to Minerva and Alastor before disappearing through the fireplace.