Chapter Two: Meetings
"You do realize that if any more of the dead keep returning then we're not going to have any place to put them despite the fact that we're magical. Who knew Voldemort had killed this many people?" Ron complained in a voice that sounded much like that of a child. Harry shook his head in exasperation as he tuned his friend out. He loved his friend he did but he heard enough whining when he went home that he didn't need to hear it at work.
A few short years ago Hogwarts school would have been just that a school but now it was refuge, a place for those who had returned from the dead to stay at until their affairs were in order and they could stand on their own feet. Harry didn't understand why the dead were returning or why patients with curse injuries were being healed seemingly out of thin air, all he knew was that they were. 198,568 dead souls had returned so far and an estimated 3000 more remained to be brought back.
This caused most great joy to be able to have back those they loved and had lost. But to some like Harry and Ron it was sometimes viewed as a horrible and troublesome curse. Hundreds of children displaced because their parents were either still dead or had changed their name and went else where. Hundreds of adults unable to remember their names and so they were unable to figure out if they had families. So many lives in limbo.
Though that wasn't to say that Harry wasn't happy that people got a second chance at life when their lives had been so quickly and horribly taken. But he had a selfish secret he wished that all the dead could be brought back and not just those who were murdered. That had been one of the first things Harry and his friends had noticed two years ago when the dead began popping out of thin air, that they had all been murdered by Voldemort or his followers.
Harry sighed as he glanced at his watch 4:30pm. He was going to be checking out in thirty minutes. He was a 'volunteer' at the Hogwarts Refugee Center or HRC as it was nicknamed. The term volunteer could be used loosely though, once working at HRC it was hard to stop. Not that most didn't want to, it was depressing seeing hundreds, thousands, of kids crying for their parents and being held by one another. The horror stories that flowed from not only the children's mouths but the adults as well could make some of the most hardened and cruel hearts shiver in disgust and fear.
No it was hard to stop because you always felt guilty the volunteers were down to a low number of only fifty. And when dealing with thousands of lost souls in limbo fifty people wasn't nearly enough and so you couldn't bring yourself to worsen those numbers.
"You're not listening to me are you?" Ron asked while nudging his elbow into Harry's ribs. Harry dodged the nudge on instinct and shook his head no at Ron.
"I'm thinking." Ron rolled his eyes at his friend. That was all he seemed to do lately was think.
"You're no fun anymore." Ron complained again and despite the fact that Harry knew there was truth to the statement he couldn't help but feel a slight pang in his chest.
"You mean compared to the loads of fun I was when their was an evil mass murderer after me? I'm sorry I haven't been able to go out with you for our used to be once monthly drinks but you know why I can't do that anymore. I would have thought you would have understood my situation, what with the kids at home and me.......being a single parent I can't do the fun things I used to be able to do." Harry's voice carried an edge to it letting Ron know he was close to stepping over a fragile line.
"I know I'm sorry. I just wish you could have some relaxation you know? You spent your whole life fighting and running and the moment you get to be able to sit back and be normal everything goes to hell and you're left running and fighting a new battle all over again." Ron's voice was softer and more mature then it had ever been during his Hogwarts years.
Ron knew the struggles his friend faced and felt sympathy for him, though that still did not quiet the small lone voice in his mind that told him he was loosing his friend. Ron knew Harry wasn't doing it on purpose and that raising four kids by ones self was a task he didn't even want to comprehend himself taking on. But all Harry did was volunteer until 5:00pm and then he went home and took care of his kids. Living off the fortune his parents had left him and the decent sized amount of gold he gets from George's store every month.
Harry loved working before.....when things were how they were meant to be. But that ended four and a half years ago when Harry was twenty. At twenty years of age Harry didn't look like a twenty year old. Gray hairs could be seen quite visibly in his hair which he had let grow out to his shoulders, worry lines marred his face along with the scars that came from the many battles he had been in, his shoulders were always tense and though he still carried the aura of a leader if you looked at him long enough you could see a deep seated tiredness. A tiredness that had blossomed from his heart and swelled outwards until it permeated his skin and his bones were filled with not marrow but exhaustion. An exhaustion that is not easily cured.
No Harry was not the same reckless, heroic boy that he had known just two and a half years ago. Back when he still had the love of his life, the one that helped carry the burden of life and loss.
"Yeah well, that's what happens when you become a parent you begin fighting a whole new set of battles that if you lose doesn't so much hurt you as it would your child. Hence the reason you fight harder and longer.......that's the reason I fight harder and longer because I'll be damned if my kids get hurt by something I could have protected them from." Harry's voice was cold and yet after years of being friends with him for so long Ron knew that it was only cold to cover up his hysteric desperation.
"But who's protecting you?" Ron asked though he already knew the answer.
"No one. But that's the price paid to have loved and lost is it not?" Harry sighed heavily and seemed to shrink a bit as if more weight had been added to him.
Ron feared for his friend. Harry was breaking and in some ways already shattered. If no one was willing to help pick up the pieces then Ron feared that they would forever be lost and Harry, his best mate, would be no more then a memory. He could not heal him, Hermione could not heal him, even his kids could not heal him completely for his heart was what was shattered and only the rekindled flame of new romance could save Harry from being a mere shell.
Silence descended on the duo as they walked down the halls that were familiar to them. Voices ahead of them made them pause as they stopped to listen trying to assess how to confront the newcomers.
"Where the hell are we?" Asked a male's voice a voice Harry and Ron recognized immediately; Sirius.
"Looks like Hogwarts." Said another man's voice; Remus.
"Why are we in Hogwarts?" A woman's voice asked lightly as if she were asking about the weather. Ron glanced at Harry in time to see him nod.
They both began walking to the voices one with slight trepidation the other with a pounding heart. As they rounded the corner to the right they came face to face with five people, all of whom like the others before them were deemed lost forever. The group stared at them and Ron stared back but Harry merely glanced at them as if this was an every day occurrence.
"Welcome back to the land of the living, if you'll follow me I'll get your information down and get you settled into your rooms." His voice was professional, detached and yet the slight waver in his voice betrayed his emotions.
"Harry, are you trying to pull a Moony? What's up with all the grey hairs?" Sirius asked amusement in his voice. But his eyes were sad and stormy grey, he knew and saw the changes in his godson and knew that most of those changes weren't for the good. Harry just let a small weary smile cross his face.
He helped everyone to their feet noticing how Remus and Sirius were clasping hands instead of Remus holding hands with Tonks. Harry took note of it before pushing it back into the farthest reaches of his mind. Lily hugged him tightly and he hugged her back just as tightly. The same thing with his father, who he was taller then by three inches.
"So where exactly are you taking us?" Sirius asked lightly looking around the halls of his once long ago school.
"To the hospital wing where you will be checked out for any injuries or other health problems and while that's going on I'll be asking you standard questions that need to be answered truthfully. Then I'll set you up in rooms pending on how you want to be paired if you want to be paired at all." Harry explained calmly.
"Harry, they've just returned from the dead......I'm sure they want to be paired with somebody." Ron said rolling his eyes. Harry just shook his head and remained silent as if Ron's comment didn't deserve a retort.
"Actually I'd like my own room please." Tonk's spoke up quietly as if afraid of the response her statement would bring. Harry merely looked at her for a moment before nodding and continuing to walk down the empty corridor. Ron stared a her for a second dumfounded before closing his mouth and following Harry.
Silence descended upon the group as they steadily made there way to the hospital wing. Once there Madam Pomfery began her usual exam that she had now preformed a countless number of times. While Harry asked standard questions such as name, date of birth, last name, maiden name in the case of his mother and Tonk's, and age. All of the questions he himself could have answered but legally he couldn't.
"Everyone seems to be in perfect health despite the fact that they've comeback to life after years of being gone." At the mention of years Remus opened his mouth to say something his eyes wide with horror.
"He's fine. Perfectly healthy, happy, normal kid. Likes to make trouble though." Harry told him without looking at him. His voice was low and understanding. Remus nodded his thanks while Sirius listened on intently. "Thank you Poppy." Harry nodded to her before turning around and walking aback out the door, the rest of the group, minus Poppy, following behind him.
"Hey Harry, you think you can handle them? Hermione wanted me home early something about it being our anniversary." Harry snorted at Ron's confused tone.
"Please tell me you remembered to get her Something." Harry stressed the last word remembering the year before with slight fear and a bunch of amusement.
"Yes, I did thank you very much. Though I don't see what the big deal is about anniversaries." Harry cocked an eyebrow at his friend.
"Well I don't see the point in them either but the key important thing to remember is, is that she does see what's important about them therefore you must act like you think its important as well."
"I never thought I'd see the day when you'd be giving romance advice." Sirius laughed lightly as he ruffled Harry's hair. Harry grinned slightly though a shadow passed over his face.
"Who would've thought?" But his voce wasn't amused though he laughed slightly, it was forced. He didn't like where the conversation was going and he let them know it in the nicest way possible. Ron slipped away quietly knowing his friend could take care of everything.
The rest of the trip was silent but Harry felt his parents stares on the back of his head. As they came into a new corridor the doors on each side was numbered with a letter and number.
"Here we are. You two are in A6." Harry said pointing at his mom and dad. "Tonks room A8, Sirius and Remus room A5. I'll come by in the morning around twelve and we'll be able to talk more personally then. Any questions?" Before they could answer another voice rang down the corridor.
"Harry, what are you still doing here?" Harry turned to see Neville walking towards him, with two people following behind him. The confusion on his face made Harry check his watch. Cursing quietly as he saw he was thirty minutes late and hadn't flooed Molly to tell her he wouldn't be able to pick up his kids until the morning.
"Ron left so I'm taking his shift again. I just forgot to floo and tell Molly that." Harry voice had turned weary defeated though he tried to keep it as casual as he could. Anger flashed in Neville's eyes.
"He left again? Last month it was a sudden appointment that he forgot about! The month before that he said he had to leave because Hermione needed him at home, that it was an emergency. We both know that there wasn't an appointment and the only emergency at that house was her and his need to be close to one another in the bedroom. It's one thing if he left his shift to someone else but he always leaves it on you because he knows you won't fight him on it because he's your best mate. Does he forget you have kids that want their father, that need their father at home. Does he forget that there's no one else at said home to watch them when he get the sudden urge to skip off on his duties?" Neville's anger was something Harry had seen before in the years following the end of the war. And his opinion on the matter of Ron and his actions was well known. So well known that Ron and Neville had a hard time being in the same room together.
Harry sighed trying to ignore the shocked looks his parents were giving him and the looks of pride from his Godfather and the man he considered an uncle. Harry looked closely at the people behind Neville and noticed that it was Frank and Alice Longbottom, Neville's parents.
"Nev....."Harry sighed tiredly. In truth he wanted to get home and spend the evening with his kids. In truth he was pissed off at Ron. In truth he agreed with Neville whole heartily. Neville knew this and so he just shook his head and quicker then most eyes can see he summoned Harry's volunteer pass. Conjured up the scanner that allowed Volunteers to check out after their shift is up. He scanned Harry's card and three it back to him when the machine said, "you are now clocked out Mr. Potter, thank you."
Neville walled over to Harry and stood so he was close to his ear and whispered.
"Go home Harry. I can see it in your eyes you want to be with your children. Those here will understand and they'll be here tomorrow waiting for you. Alright?" Harry nodded as Neville backed away a sad smile on his face.
"Good night." He said to those standing there and turned away quickly, his head just a fraction higher, just a fraction less defeated.
A/N Here's chapter two. Hope you like. If you did please review if you didn't please review also. Constructive criticism is wanted. Also this will be slash.