Flashback-
"Of course it would be Harry."
Harry nearly missed the scathing tone of Ron's passable sarcastic remark, not because he was attuned to the youngest Weasley son's voice but because of the faint buzzing that filled his ears. The noise was just a precursor; a telltale sign of a panic attack that was debilitating and cumbersome to the Boy-Who-Lived. The attacks ranged from light to severe, all depending on a variation of symptoms. The symptoms that impacted Harry the most was the faint buzzing in his ears that sounded like he was caught in a tunnel of static. There was an overwhelming feeling of nausea due to an acute surge of vertigo, and at time's Harry's left side would weaken as if his muscles turned to gelatin. The worst and most occurring symptom was when his vision blurred and his eyesight became hazy and untrained. This caused faces to blur, shapes to muddle and colors to diminish and for a guy with barely passable eyesight, one could imagine the shock delivered to Harry as he suffered his first attack. The first episode occurred during a shopping trip to Diagon Alley. It had been a few weeks after the end of the war, but he was overwhelmed by the wizarding society and his vision began to blur, there was tightening in his chest and his heart beat was erratic. The episode was swift but frightening, causing attention to be drawn and an emergency healer was called to the quidditch shop. The magical charms revealed that he was perfectly healthy, and was dismissed with a calming draught. Harry was referred to the Head Healer of St. Mungos that put Harry through a series of tests. It was thorough and intensive, and the tests precluded that he was young, healthy enough but he could use a bit more fiber in his diet. There were no lingering magical maladies from the War's End. He was then referred to a muggle specialist, a psychologist that specialized in childhood trauma. Harry met with the doctor for one hour. It was awkward and Harry got the impression that the specialist wanted to laugh him from the room. His story of villains, celebrity and dying. How a man tried to murder him as a toddler and then tried to repeat the act nearly every year since he was eleven. Harry obliviated the man before he left his office and he resolved that he needed to figure his own issues. So as his eyes rounded the table he worked his self-proscribed steps to counteract the symptoms of his anxiety by focusing and remaining present, blinking to cause his pupils to retrain themselves and forced himself to take in a breath, hold for five seconds and then exhale. So, as his eyes circulated the table once more, he forced his eyes directly to Kingsley Shacklebolt. The acting Minister of Magic was extending his hand with a roll of parchment held in his fist. It was the official correspondence of the Wizengamot, tied with the purple ribbon and sealed with gold wax. The indentation was the seal of the ancient order of a scale with one side holding a magic wand while the other held a caldron. The essence of magic and justice. Harry's eyes travelled from the scroll to the eyes of Kingsley and the Minister of Magic began to speak.
"Harry James Potter, son of the late James and Lillian Potter, Godfather of Edward Remus Lupin and the current Lord of the exalted and ancestral Family Black. I, Kinglsey Shacklebolt, Head Auror, Minister of Magic Protem and the Fourth Warlock of the Wizengamot Order, a here to bestow the honor of a Ledger-Post position. The Order acknowledges the sacrifices and contributions you have made and done for the wizarding society and world." Kingsley smiled at the young man who seemed to be marveling at the appointment. "If you wish to accept his position, please respond to the instructions inside." He offered the scroll out closer to Harry.
Harry wrapped his fingers about the scroll, his movements seemed hesitant but he forced his hand to wrap about the scroll. In an instant, there was a flick and flourish of Kingsley's wand arm and a gold spark emitted from his wand's tip. It floated down and landed on the inside of Harry's right wrist. Harry remained stoic, but his shot a questioning glance to the acting Minister of Magic.
Kingsley chuckled, "Just following protocol." He explained.
Harry retracted his arm, noticing a faint glow on the inside of his wrist but he gave little thought when all eyes were upon him. Watching to see his reaction or to see what would happen next. He gazed down at the parchment, feeling somewhat nostalgia to the time Hagrid delivered his first Hogwarts's letter. It had been the letter that changed his life and his first birthday cake. He remembered the curiosity when opening his first letter, and now he was riddled with hesitancy as his fingers licked the gold wax.
"I wonder what's inside" Ginny murmured to his ear and startled Harry from his trance. He had been so invested in his thought he had not felt her press into his side and her arm snake around his back. He was interested to see the contents within but he did not want this to be a spectacle moment in his life. He did not live for the pomp or circumstance and he was sick of fanfare. So, his reaction was not expected. Harry tossed the scroll into the air and banished the invitation from the Burrow with a flick of his wand.
There was a moment of stunned silences, where Ron's mouth dropped opened, Percy choked on his lemonade and Fleur smirked at his antics. Hermione was the first to speak, muttering a soft, "Harry." His name was timid on her tongue as if she was testing it to take his temper. He sent her a sharp look that stilled any further words to be swallowed.
"Thank you, Kingsley." Harry said glancing back to the interim Minister of Magic. "I will mull it over and get back to you." The Minister of Magic regarded Harry with a critical eye, and for a moment wondered if this was the right choice, but he did enjoy that the young man had spirit. It reminded him of the Order during the first wizarding war. A time long forgotten with the passage of time and the loss of comrades. His memories were shortly lived before they were interrupted by a shrill noise at the other end of the table.
"Harry James Potter." Molly Weasley seethed. "How dare you disrespect the Minister of Magic in my house and show such blatant rudeness at my dinner table. What do you have to say for yourself?" It was a hypothetical question and everyone around the table know that the best answer would be no answer. Better yet, to grovel and admit your wrong doing, but Harry was not in the mood to play the pandering orphan in desperate desire for a mother's love. Her approval could hang for all he cared and so could her overwhelming need to parent in this moment. He was at his wit's end of being smothered by her antics and coddled by her condescending tones. Harry felt a slight pressure on his knew, of Ginny's hand squeezing a warning but it went unnoticed.
"I simply stated that I would think it over." Harry responded and he watched as the Weasley marm's nose flare at his response. She chocked down the gulp of lemonade before slamming the glass to the table.
"I'm sorry, Minister." She said to Kingsley and completely ignoring Harry's lip. "Harry would gladly accept the post on the Wizen-"
"Excuse me, Mrs. Weasley!" Harry interrupted with an incredulous tone. "I said I would think about the offer." His town was less than to be desires in Molly's ears.
"What could you possibly need to think about?" She asked and the snide tone was not missed by any sitting at the table. Ron rocked back in his seat, his eyes darting between his mother and best mate. The tops of his ears were pink. Arthur swallowed but remained at his end of the table watching the dialogue between the pair. Fleur wanted to step in but the hand of her husband quelled the desire.
Harry was thrown by her tone but continued by answering, "I want to research the position. To see what it entails and how much I will be required to devote to the Gamot." He tried to school his voice keeping his tone impassive. To not let her know the effects of her questions and tones.
"Harry Potter, this post is a great honor. You get a paid position on a prestigious Order that governs the wizarding community. You should feel grateful for the offer and that you will be a contributing member of society-"She explained as if she was talking to a child.
"I thought I already did-"Harry quipped to his plate and interrupted her speech.
"What was that, young man?" Molly snapped at her end of the table. "I didn't hear was you said to your plate!"
"I said that I already contributed to the wizarding world without being part of some prestigious Order." Harry repeated, kicking himself when he saw the triumphant look crossed her face. It was as if she knew she was winning the verbal match. It was immature and petty, but no one had the audacity to say that to Molly Weasley's face.
"I have responsibilities." Harry responded but Molly let out a loud scoff.
"Responsibilities." She said, "What kind of responsibilities would a boy of eighteen have. The most you have to worry about is if you plan to return to Hogwarts for your last year. So please, enlighten me what responsibilities you have?"
Harry looked around the table for a bit of support. The actions and words of Molly Weasley were misguided and Harry knew it was out of love she was behaving in this manner. He would forgive her in time, but this attack was the last thing he needed to add to his shoulders. His eyes trailed along the faces of the Weasley Children, most looking at their plates, hands or food. Harry glanced to Hermione for help or a bit of support but her own gaze was directed to her lap. It was at that moment when the seedling of betrayal was planted. A seed that would sprout into doubt, flourish into abandonment. It was the beginning of the end
Harry swallowed the brittle response. He knew he should put an end to the heated exchange and that with each passage of words that it was only letting a wound fest with pain. "There's Teddy." Harry answered after a bit of time. Molly's eyes retrained on the Boy-Who-Lived as if she mistook the lull in the conversation as an end to the topic. She glanced at the child in question that was seated in the security of Andromeda Tonk's lap. The baby was recumbent and his eyelids were heavy with sleep. Harry chuckled at the flare of the babe's metmorphagus anomalies peaked when the baby was angry or tired. The tips of his hair had a tinge of red from all the surrounding gingers.
"Oh please. You are not his guardian. You are a Godfather to the boy. I'm sure Remus and Nymphadora Lupin only expected you to buy a present on his birthday and Christmas." Molly surmised and Harry could feel the blood in his veins boil at the accusation.
"I'm sure they didn't expect to die either." Harry muttered darkly and Molly's face glazed with a faraway look. But she snapped back to the present and her vision honed in on the orphan at the end of the table. It was if she could taste the blood in the water and she was going in for the kill.
"A lot of people didn't expect to die." Her words were as sharp as a shark's tooth and full of deep meaning. Harry understood the context of her comment. He had a suspicion that the people in his immediate circle blamed him for the death of their loved ones. If their proximity to the Boy-Who-Lived had painted a target on their backs, and he caused their death. It was explained to him, by one of the host of healers, that the feel was survivor's guilt. That he felt guilty that others died and Harry remained alive. He had suffered loss, but he felt responsible for all of the lives lost during the last two wars against Lord Voldemort and his minions. He did not deliver the death curses but because of his cause they supported, they suffered the consequences. His mind raced with the ever overwhelming thoughts of what-if. What if he had defeated the Dark Lord faster? What if he had been quicker to pick up on the trail of Horcrux quicker and solved their mystery. What if he had mastered the arts of Occumulancy? Then possibly he could have spared the lives of the innocent. Remus and Tonks. Fred. Sirius. His parents.
"You don't think I know this?" Harry muttered darkly. His emotions be damned. "I know the consequences of my actions-"
"Or lack thereof." Molly interrupted but she said her comment to her cup.
Harry shook his head.
"I apologized Mrs. Weasley." Harry said, "I regret all the lives that were lost due to their connection to me. I live with that guilt every moment of the day. I do not need you throwing it in my face." He snapped and he opened his mouth to queue yet another onslaught of words but he was cut to the quick by Hermione's voice.
"Harry!" She shouted and Harry shook his head, not to silence her interruption but return to the moment. He was standing with his wand at the ready and clutched tightly in his fist. There were red sparks emitting from the end. He sent a startled glance about the table. Bill had positioned himself so he was squared off toe Harry with Fleur tucked safely behind his back. Percy was in a defensive stance, ready to parry any attack from Harry and protect his mother. Ron was enraged with a blush creeping up his ears and disappearing into his hair line, and Charlie was relaxed in his chair surveying the situation. His eyes danced from his mother, Harry and his father. If he was a betting wizard, he had no idea who he would back.
"I apologize." Harry added meekly and sunk into his seat, embarrassed by his emotions taking control. He glanced to his right and was surprised to find the spot vacant and shocked that Ginny's extraction had gone unnoticed.
"I have never-"
"Molly, that's enough." Arthur ordered as his wife began to retort. Arthur knew that a dinner was still too soon and that Molly was still grieved by the loss of Fred. Her emotions waivered from the deep to the extreme. He regretted her words to Harry and knew he should have stepped in earlier to put a stop before the exchange went too far. But the line was crossed minutes ago.
"But Arthur the boy-"
Arthur rolled his closed eyes. "I know, but Molly he is not our son. Nor does he have to accept this position. Harry is considered a legal adult in the eyes of the magical community so we will have to respect his decision." Arthur announced, "Merlin knows he has earned it. So please. Let. It. Be." Molly's mouth opened but the retort died on her tongue. The room fell into an eerie silence with the close of the conversation. Harry was intent with the contents on his plate, and could feel the few curious stares but he was focusing on not showing emotion. Restraining his reactions building up the blocks of a wall. It was baby Teddy that brokered the silence with a wail of discomfort, and it pulled Harry from his mental construction sight. He glanced to the baby and then to Andromeda. The pair were still acquaintances so they did not know each other social quicks and nuances.
Before either could speak, "I think it's time for use to go, my love." Fleur said her hand trailed down her husband's forearm and linked her fingers with his own. "It is rather late." The table shook to life. Molly sprang into action with a clap of her hands, and the dishes danced to life and floated to the counter to the right of the sink's basin. Ginny was standing vigil at the sink, meticulously scrubbing the bits and grits from aged porcelain plates.
"But you must stay for dessert. I made your favorite." Molly called to the table but to no one directly. Apple crisp was a crowd please, especially with homemade vanilla ice cream. Fleur did not make a noise and Bill responded, "Sorry, mum, but we need to get back to the cottage. I've got an early start at Gringotts tomorrow." He smiled at his mother. The newlyweds had created a verbal short hand to help each other navigate their often deplorable families. If one ended a comment with the word Love, then the other would agree with the previous sentence. If one ended a sentence with darling, then the other would disagree with the preceding statement. The pair didn't always get it right, but it helped manage each other's mothers on all occasions. Fleur was the first to stand which set off a series of movement. Bill followed her movements of good byes to the family and stepping out to the back porch. Charlie was quick on their heels to have few a words before the couple returned home. George had grabbed a plate of crisp before apparrating to his room above the Weasley shop.
"Can I entice you with a serving, Minister?" Molly asked Kingsley who was making his way to the sitting room with Arthur, Percy and Audrey. The group was relocating to a quiet atmosphere to further discuss the next steps for the ministry. Percy was reinstated as top assistant to the office of the minister of magic. His previous experience under Fudge helped the current interim minister navigate the wizarding policies and foreign politics. "Would you like a serving as well, Audrey?" Molly called to the other non-family guest. Four plates of dessert went floating to the sitting room and landed on the coffee table with a clatter. "So sorry!" Molly Weasley sang but continued to scoop plates of apple crisp and ice cream.
Harry glanced across the table hoping to catch Hermione's eye. He wanted to discuss the happenings of tonight and the Wizengamot Post. He knew she would have insight to the Wizengamot and what the post would entail, but it looked as if Hermione's attention was currently occupied. Or her ear was in a deep conversation with Ron's mouth. Her face flushed from his whispers and Harry turned away from the unsettling sight. His attention was pulled back to Molly.
"Harry, will you be staying for dessert?" She asked and he almost did a double take from the cheerful tone of her voice. Harry looked to Andromeda to see how she felt about the idea of dessert. Teddy decided to make his opinion heard by letting out a cry and flail his arm. His tiny fist was wrapped around Andromeda's hair, which was given a yank.
"Not tonight." He said and saw the grateful look spread across Andromeda's face. "I think it would be best to get this little guy back to Grimmauld Place." Harry extended his arms, offering to take the angry child. The grandmother was happy to pass the flailing baby.
"Harry, why don't you go get Teddy situated and gather out cloaks." Andromeda directed and the Boy-Who-Lived snapped to action. He looked to the sink but Ginny was still scrubbing the plates with a vengeance. Her back was to harry and her face was hidden by the famed Weasley hair. He needed to see her face if he wanted to get a read on her temper but the curtain of silky red prevented him, so he left the kitchen to the mudroom that housed the travelling cloaks and Teddy's baby carrier. It was a contraption that allowed Harry to have his hands free and keep Teddy securely fastened to his chest. The carrier was gifted to Harry from Hermione after he expressed his concern for Teddy and magical transportation. So, then he was left with a fancy baby contraption, with a multitude of straps, buckles and a funny name. Bjorn. What kind of name was Bjorn? Hermione assured him that the brand was top of the line, had high safety ratings and Harry could rest easy. But Hermione didn't have to deal with the squalling infant that had a knack of kicking his leg, or arm about to get his skin pinched in the buckle, or a strap was tightened in error and the circulation was cut off to Teddy's leg. That night, Teddy slipped into the contraption easily and Harry was able to breathe as he buckled the last clasp. The last thing he needed was to deal with the fussy baby. He smiled down at the child whose mouth was opened in a wide yawn. Harry marveled at the boy and ran his finger down his cheek.
"Hiya, buddy." Harry smiled when Teddy responded with a coo. The boy bobbed his head forward catching his crown on Harry's chin. Harry arranged Teddy so he was nestled and then wrapped his cloak about the pair. "I hope you didn't listen to a thing that was said tonight. I promise to be more than a present and Christmas card." Teddy let out a sound making Harry chuckle. "We orphans have to stick togeth-"
"Wotcher, Harry." Charlie said sending a hand to steady Harry's shoulder who was regaining his footing from being knocked off balance by the back door Charlie was entering in from a brief conversation with Bill and Fleur to hear their thoughts about the actions of Harry and their mum. Fleur had scoffed at the boys expressing their worry for their mother and her emotional state. She had championed Harry's side of the situation and was adamant that Harry would not have caused any damage. 'It was Mamant Weasley causing a scene a zee dinner table.' The Weasley boys exchanged a silent look which caused Fleur to swat her husband's arm. But the conversation was forced to the end when the torrential rain started up as the clouds began to burst with saturation. So, Charlie rushed back into the house and pushed into the door which collided with the Boy-Who-Lived back.
"Gotta be careful, they say talking to yourself is a sign of the insane." Charlie stopped his comical comment immediately when he watched the blood drain from Harry's face. He wanted to take a moment to flog himself for his poor timing. "Shit, Harry-"He rubbed a hand over his face, trying to physically scrub the asinine comment.
"It's alright." Harry said more to the baby strapped to his chest then in response to the second Weasley son. Charlie wanted to kick himself for being so inconsiderate.
"No, it's not Harry-"He tried to apologize.
"Really it's alright. I know what the papers have printed, and what people read. I know you didn't mean-"Harry interrupted. Harry was wishing that the apparition barrier was disabled, and he was able to pop away. But the Weasley had left the barrier in place for safety and their own protection from any vengeful Dark Lord supporter. Anyone who wished to visit the Burrow had to hike a distance of a hundred yards to get to the Burrow and vice versa to leave the grounds, or they had to be a direct descendent of Molly or Arthur to be able to apparate directly to and from the Burrow.
"Merlin, harry, just let me apologize," Charlie demanded and waited a moment to see if there was any objection. "I did not mean to say that, and it's not alright. Especially after what happened tonight." He was implying to the verbal attack from his mother. Harry shifted from one foot to the other, wishing for a hole to swallow him whole. Charlie watched how the young wizard's composure folded in on himself. It was such a pitiful sight to see. From all the stories he heard about Harry Potter from his family, he would have never thought to see such a broken boy standing in his parent's mudroom. He truly felt for the boy. "My mother. Look, I know she can come off in the worse ways. I have been on the receiving end of her wrath so, when I say I get it, I truly do." Charlie explained.
Charlie had stories that could fill up a section of the great library in Alexandria with the disappointed lectures he received from his mother, about his choices ranging from friends, career path, and the way he wore his hair. Molly Weasley was force to be reckon with, but he knew it came from deep in her heart. "But, you have to know she does love you."
It took a moment but Harry nodded.
"I know she has a funny way of showing the love, but just understand that no one in this family holds you responsible for Fred." Charlie continued stopping for a moment to gather a reaction from the boy. He didn't want to overstep a boundary that could send him over a ledge. Harry shuffled once more, but to keep Teddy from fussing. "No one thinks you are crazy, I know mum started to insinuate, and I read a few of the articles in the post. But I don't believe a word and that I think it was rubbish to exploit-"
"Thank you Charlie." Harry said locking eyes with the second Weasley born so he could put an end to his sentence. He did not need to think back to that time, and before he could continue with the conversation Andromeda Tonks appeared at Harry's side.
"Are we ready to go?" The Widow Tonks entered into the conversation not noticing the tense exchange, "Oh Charlie, dear, it was so wonderful to see you." Andromeda leant forward as the Weasley son moved to kiss her cheek. Charlie Weasley was one of the few Weasley's that Andromeda could tolerate. Charlie had been close to Nymphadora and Ted during his school years. In fact, it was because of Ted that Charlie fell in love with dragons. Ted had taken both Charlie and Dora to a dragon hatchery that was located at a Loch in Scotland. The pair were about fourteen, and had the opportunity to watch a pair of Sardinian Snow tails hatch and breathe their first flame. Charlie then got to hold and bottle feed the orphaned hatchlings and it was love. Andromeda appreciated his quiet demeanor and calm personality but she feared any possible romantic feelings between her daughter and the boy. She could only imagine a lifetime of holidays with the Weasley bunch, and the thought had made Andromeda physically sick. The friendship between the families was cultivated between Ted, Nymphadora and the Weasley's. Andromeda found Molly overbearing, at time demanding and shallow minded. Ted described the Weasley Marm in the best of ways. That Molly Weasley had a way of loving the life out of any situation and any person. Andromeda breathed a sigh of relief the day Nymphadora assured her feelings for Charlie were strictly platonic, and softened the blow of her romantic entanglement with a werewolf by stating that the love of her life could be worse. It could have been a Weasley.
"It was great to see you to, Mrs. Tonks." Charlie said squeezing her hand and taking her travelling cloak from Harry. He held up the garment and received a chuckle from its owner.
"Still a charmer, I see." Andromeda smiled and thanked the young man as she did up her buttons and sash.
"I work with dragons, so being a charmer is in my job description." Charlie said and winked to Harry who still had a faraway look on his face. "Are you sure you guys won't stay for a bit longer. The rain was coming down in buckets just a few moments ago."
Andromeda smiled and glanced to Harry to see what he wished to do, but he was still stuck in a trance. She figured it was still the aftershock of the verbal harpooning he received at the dinner table. "We will manage, and Teddy really needs to get to bed."
"Well, have a good walk, and remember, when you reach the lamp post, you will be in the clear to apparate." Charlie said while stepping aside to let the little party exit the house and into the rain. He tried to catch Harry's eye once more but he had no luck, and he closed the door behind the pair.
"Bollocks." Charlie whispered to himself.
End of Flashback
"Mister Potter."
Harry startled from his memories the moment he heard Lazlow's voice call his name. He sheepishly glanced to the chauffeur shaking his head. The driver smiled, not bothered by the dream like trance of his passenger. He drove Draco Malfoy on a daily basis, so he had seen far worse than Harry Potter zoning out during the afternoon drive. He was parked along the curb, in between the town houses of number elven and thirteen of Grimmauld Place. He had been idling for five minutes waiting for his passenger to exit the vehicle. He typically parked the car in the garage located behind the town house, but he wasn't done with his driving duties for the day.
"Sorry about that." Harry self-consciously smiled. He faked a yawn and reached for his messenger bag. It was leather and monogrammed with his initials. It had been a present from Teddy, and he treasured the bag as it once belonged to Sirius. "Are you collecting Ted from school?"
"Yes. Madame Malfoy instructed me to collect young master Ted from school. Take him to his football practice then to dinner at his choosing." Lazlow responded to his question. Harry nodded at the instructions of Narcissa Malfoy the ever put together matriarch.
"You need to know, he is going through a Vegan kick. So just force him between two choices. And absolutely no Thai. He had an allergic reaction to something and booted all over the carpet in his bedroom." Harry explained the inner workings of the ten year old to the driver. The chauffeur was as much family member to the young boy as Narcissa, Draco and Astoria. Harry waited for the driver to nod before he removed himself from the car. Before he shut the door.
"If he pushes you go to the cinema, it's up to you but only if he doesn't have any school work." Harry sounded like a busy helicopter mom. Hovering and worried about his child in the car of another individual. He was always this way before leaving Teddy for the night.
"Sounds good, Mister Harry." Lazlow chuckled seeing that he had already decided on taking the young master Teddy to the movies and getting McDonalds. He knew that Teddy was pushing his God-Father's patience with the vegan kick, and that he saw it in a television show and found it to be a hilarious prank. The boy had confided to the driver one day during the afternoon drive from his football practice to Grimmauld Place. Lazlow was sworn to secrecy on the safety of his favorite car. "Will you be coming back to Grimmauld Place or returning to the country house after the gala?" Lazlow asked. He was instructed to return to the town house after the movie. The gala would run late into the evening, but there was a chance that Harry would leave early.
"I was planning on coming back to Grimmauld Place." Harry answered.
"Very good, Sir." Lazlow said and put the car into shift and Harry shut the car. He stepped away and dashed up the front stoop of the number twelve townhouse. He rang the front bell and waited for it to be answered by a grumbling house elf.
"Master Harry. Mistress says you are late." Kreacher accused the man on the stoop as a greeting. Harry cracked a smile at the small being, who was still disgruntled at the sight of him.
"Still alive, I see." He sniffed dismissively towards the house-elf who stepped aside for his entrance into the house. Harry heard the familiar snap and felt the door whip past his ears as it slammed shut. Harry arched an eyebrow at the elf's antics but kept his mouth shut. Harry followed Kreacher down the hallway, trailing behind but close enough to hear his grumbling beneath his breath about the youth's disregard for time and rudeness for his mistress.
"Madame Malfoy instructed me to leave you in her solar to wait." Kreacher said and pointed to the formal living room. Harry wanted to remind Kreacher that not that long ago he was the master of Grimmauld Place and that technically he still was Lord Black, so the house-elf owed his loyalty to him. But he would be stupid to ever say something like that to the house-elf, and Kreacher had a nasty way of extracting his revenge.
"You mean the living room?" Harry said stepping into the room. Harry had gutted and renovated the entire house when he formally moved into the place with Teddy and Andromeda shortly after the war. The majority was reworking the floor plans for each level of the house but the first floor was changed the most dramatically with the rooms more family friendly and open floor plans. There was a natural flow to the rooms, and the atmosphere was lightened by the floor boards to the paint on the walls and the moldings on the ceilings. The furniture was Narcissa's choosing with the help of Astoria Greengrass acting as her interior designer. Out went the beige sophistication that Harry picked from the big box stores, that had a medium price tag but durable to the stains of children, ad in came the expensive pieces in the shades of celery, vibrant salmon and dusky daffodil. Coffee tables were not made of wood but an entire geode mined in the depths of South Africa and there was drapery. Yards of fabric to cover each window. Harry hardly recognized the room the first time visiting Grimmauld Place after moving out and giving control of the ancestral family home of the Blacks to Narcissa Malfoy. But now, he was used to the opulence of the room and felt a little underwhelmed. He was left to his devices as the house elf retreated into the bellows of the house grumbling about the insolence of Young Lord Black and the insidious Master Malfoy and their mistreatment of his beloved mistress. Harry tossed his jacket to the tufted ottoman and sank into the arm chair the color of persimmons. He figured he had a good half hour to check over his charts before he would be instructed to get ready for the evening's event. He pulled his muggle tablet and began going through his patients charts and soon he was completely lost in his work.
It was only twenty minutes later when Narcissa descended the staircase. She as dressed in her evening gown of a shimmering silver with hints of blue. Her neck was adorned with diamonds and sapphires, and giant sapphire was glimmered on her left ring finger in place of her wedding band. She stopped wearing the wedding band and engagement ring shortly after Lucius passed and had it secured away in the lock box at Gringotts. She kept it there for Draco to use when he finally got his wits together about Astoria.
"Oh, Harry dear, I didn't know you were here." Narcissa sounded surprised when she found the young man lounging in his favorite chair. He was deep into his research, which she could tell by the determined look on his face, a quizzical quirk to his brow and his feet up on the ottoman. Her soft dulcet voice sang through the room as she moved further into the depths.
"I suspect Kreacher didn't tell you of my arrival." Harry said still swiping curiously on his tablet. He scribbled something on the side of the margin with his pencil tool. He was purposefully not acknowledging Narcissa, just to ruffle her feathers and retaliate at her earlier antics. If there was any way to spite Narcissa Malfoy it was by not paying close attention to the woman. It drove her mental.
"Did you say something to him that would cause such a retaliation?" She asked not playing into his ploy. She suspected he would be miffed at her for sending Lazlow to collect him at the hospital. She watched as he rolled his eyes and a smirk grew across her face. Narcissa Malfoy was going to win this battle of wills. It was a game she liked to play, where the opponents would verbally spar and remain steadfast and the first to break was the loser. Draco was bullocks at the game, Astoria could hold her own when she was pushed to it, and Harry was a worthy opponent. The only player that could bend Narcissa to a breaking point was Teddy Lupin, but he was a child and had Narcissa wrapped about his fingers.
"Harry, get your feet of the furniture." She demanded and the smirk spread into a full smile when Harry looked up from his tablet and sent her a glare. He relented by lowering his feet to the floor, but by the time he put his tablet to the side a smile was spread across his face. He stood up from his chair and moved to give her a kiss hello on the cheek. Narcissa returned the gesture with a hug and a pat to his cheek.
"So the event tonight?" Harry asked and watched to see what type of reaction she would have if he tried to bow out. He was met with an eyebrow arch. "I should get showering." Which earned him another pat to the cheek, a little forceful then the last loving pat.
"And shave." Narcissa directed. The stubble look he had been sporting the past few months made him look like a teen trying to grow facial hair for the first time. If there was one thing Harry Potter could not do, it was grow facial hair. She tried to remain open-minded for months, but it was time to face the music. "Please."
Harry groaned. "I was going to give it another week." Narcissa arched her eyebrow again and Harry relented, "Fine, yes, you are right. As always." He kissed her cheek once more. "I will go but not willingly."
"Just go, truly you are worse than Draco sometimes." Narcissa teased. "Besides, how did Kreacher describe it, Master Potter is wreaking his muggle stench all over the furniture and making the orchids wilt." She sent a silent charm to make the flowers situated on the grand piano droop. After another roll of his bright green irises, Harry took his leave of the living room and trotted up to the third floor of the house, where his and Teddy's rooms were situated. Harry took over Sirius's old room and Teddy was in Regulus's. The rooms had been cleaned and spruced up with the first renovation that Harry did to the house, but not much was changed when Narcissa took over Grimmauld Place full time. She wanted Harry to have a place that was strictly his, and wanted him to feel at home. Once she heard the slam of the bedroom door, she went about cleaning up after the man. She grabbed his tablet and leather messenger bag that he tended to haphazardly leave about the house. He was such a child at time. It made her smile to think of this young man, a boy almost, was like her own son.
But almost better. Only because harry craved that maternal linkage and Draco took her for granted, but she would never tell either young men her thoughts. It was fun to see the pair compete with one another. The pair was like yin and yang in looks, personalities and careers. The only way they were similar were their fierce loyalties to their loved ones and their dry senses of humor. Narcissa slide the tablet into his bag, and put the bag on a hook in the front closet. She then returned to the living room, sat down at the grand piano and began to play.
It was a forty-five minutes later when she heard the front door open and then slam shut, and she knew her son, Draco Malfoy was here.
And in a terrible mood.
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Well, that seems like a good spot to stop. I wanted to get this out as quick as possible but it takes a few attempts to get the flow right. I reworked the conversations, and past and present scenes over and over, that I had to complete it so I can move on.
I don't know if I mentioned in the first chapter, but this story will be similar to my other, where there was some rift between the Weasley and Harry Potter, and now Harry is good friends with the Malfoy. I feel the Malfoys were misunderstood in the J.K. Rowling stories. Discolored by the sins of the father. Haha, anyway this story is going to jump back and forth chronologically from the past to reach the present. I haven't given everything away, because a lot happened between the end of the war and to the present. Plus, the story is going to have a present time line growing with romantic dramas, Draco hysterics and bits of Weasley bashing. I don't hate all the Weasley, just Molly, Ron and Ginny.
Well cheers.
Ema
