AN: Thanks to everyone for taking an interest in my latest project. Don't expect fast updates like this. My track record is really bad when it comes to keeping up with stories. Ha. I apologize for any and all mistakes. Eventual slash.
Beta'd by the amazing: THE WISTFUL BLOOM!
Milky Way
He was flummoxed. Yes, flummoxed was the correct word. As students and parents stepped out from their homes, walking to school clad in uniforms of red and grey, Benjamin was flummoxed as he eyed the oncoming crowd of three.
The giraffe held the pig's hand, choking back tears and garbled cries of 'My Dudders is growing up so fast!'. Every child was dressed to the nines with pressed grey pants and skirts, hair pulled and combed, and black shoes shiny. Each child looked prim and proper for the first day of school. Except for Harry. Harry did not.
Polite parents tried not to stare too much, but the children were a little less subtle, with open mouths and their pointed fingers. Benjamin spared a glance to the seemingly nonchalant giraffe. He wondered what Harry had done to make a woman like Petunia, so set on the image of normalcy, okay with his less-than-stellar outfit. He was suddenly very glad that he had the forethought to bring a comb before he left the house.
The giraffe and piglet converged with the rest of the chattering horde. Harry stopped where Benjamin stood. He couldn't help but give the boy a bright smile as he dropped to his knees, fixing what should have already been fixed.
"Harry," Benjamin greeted him with a smile, "what's happened?"
Harry returned his smile tenfold. "I got up and washed up and brushed my teeth extra clean, like you said I should do every morning."
"Mhm," Benjamin tugged the backwards Barnsbury sweater off, smiling fondly at the buttoned down shirt- the buttons off by one. He glanced at Harry's pants. At least he gotten the belt through all the correct loops.
"Aunt 'Tunia laid out my clothes, so, I put on my clothes all by myself. Aunt Tunia helped Dudley. She said I did good on my own, and she even smiled!" Harry said brightly.
Benjamin clicked his tongue. He threaded the correct button through the last hole, straightening Harry's shirt and collar afterwards. He wanted to curse the giraffe, but for Harry's sake he continued to smile. He'd have another talk with her today. "She was right, munchkin! You did a fantastic job."
He tucked in Harry's shirt and put his sweater back on properly. Benjamin was thankful that Harry remained still as he went over him with deft hands. He unzipped his backpack, checked his lunch, and made sure he had all his school supplies, which he did. Harry's shoes were saved for last. He was grateful that they weren't mucked up or falling apart- only untied.
"Harry, do you know how to tie your laces?"
Harry shook his head: no.
"I'm going to show you. When you get back home today, we'll practice. Sound good?"
"Yes!" Harry exclaimed.
"Alright." He hiked Harry's right foot up to rest on his thigh, picking up the two black laces. "First thing, you want to make sure that the laces are pulled extra tight–," he demonstrated, "and then, you want to make these two laces cross, with one going underneath the other. You got this so far?
Harry jerkily nodded. He stared at his foot and Benjamin's hands, brow furrowed in concentration.
"You want to make two Bugs' Bunny ears, cross them again, and there should be a hole where one ear goes in. You pull them tight, and voila!"
Benjamin double-tied the first shoe and worked on the other.
"Cool!" Harry said when he was done. He stared at his shoes in absolute awe. "Thanks, Benjamin."
"No problem." He pulled out the slim black comb next. For a second, he studied the thin piece of plastic — could it tame Harry's hair? He looked at Harry's unruly black hair, then back to the comb. He wouldn't chance it; he'd have to buy a brush or something before he tried to stick a comb through those locks.
He slid back up and patted Harry's head, leading him toward the other children filing inside the school gates.
"So, are you excited?" Benjamin asked.
Harry hesitated. "Kinda. My tummy feels weird... like I'm gonna be sick."
Benjamin laughed. "Those are nerves. You'll feel better once you settle in. I promise."
Harry fidgeted with his red sweater, nodding back. He scuffed his shoe against the pavement. Oddly quiet. "Benjamin?" he called, quietly.
"Yes, Harry?" He looked down at his little charge.
"Do you think they'll like me? And want to play with me?" Harry asked in a rush. He blushed, glancing away.
"Harry? Look at me."
Harry looked. Benjamin could smell the tears. "Of course they'll like you, short stuff! You'll make lots of new friends, and forget all about little old me!" He laughed.
Harry sniffed. "But, Dudley says—"
"I'm going to stop you right there. You can't trust everything your piggie cousin says. He's probably just jealous of all the friends you're sure to make, and how the teacher will adore you."
"Really?"
"Really," he ruffled Harry's hair, "now, you go and turn that frown upside down."
Harry was back to his happy self in the nick of time. The children started filing through the gates and into the schoolyard, the newer parents teary-eyed as they prepared to wave their kids off. One such parent was the giraffe; she wailed as she pressed smattering kisses to the pig's fat head and cheeks.
Harry stayed back from the crowd. He took a couple of steps forward, hesitated, then abruptly ran back. He threw his arms around Benjamin's waist, squeezed extra tight before letting go, and ran off to join his schoolmates.
Again, the odd flummoxed feeling arose within him. Harry was finicky about physical touching. He never initiated it, and if he could help it shied away from the simplest of touches. It took months before Harry was comfortable with a casual touch to his head or shoulders. This was a huge step in the right direction.
Feeling happier, he smiled as he jogged to catch up to the retreating giraffe. "Petunia!" He called. She paused on the pavement, folding her arms. Her blue eyes darted toward the retreating backs of parents. Silly giraffe, they couldn't help her.
"You think you're cute. A word of advice; don't allow Harry outside like that again. He will be dressed appropriately for all future occasions. Do we have an understanding?"
"Yes," the giraffe said through gritted teeth.
"Good. I'll see you at three," he waved to her, heading back to his house. Now, what was there to do with Harry gone?
He smiled darkly when he got the door, smelling blood in the air. Two miles east. Well, he hadn't hunted in awhile.
...
At exactly quarter past three, Benjamin was stood outside the school. The parents had congregated together in a mutated circle, eagerly talking amongst one another. Benjamin awkwardly stood off to the side. It wasn't like he didn't like people — quite the opposite, it was just the people of Little Whinging were boring people who led mundane lives. He didn't care for their town gossip.
The children eagerly spilled out at twenty past, and rushed into awaiting arms. Harry was lost in the crowd. He wriggled through the taller children until he spotted Benjamin. Benjamin could see the smile that bloomed immediately.
Harry ripped forward. He wrapped his arms around Benjamin's waist. This time he stayed long enough for Benjamin to give him a proper squeeze back, soaking in the boy's warmth.
"Hi, Harry," he laughed, "I take it you had a good day."
Harry nodded excitedly. He was buzzing with energy, waiting for the opportunity to let it all out. Benjamin studied the parental queues around him. He coaxed Harry's backpack off his shoulders and slipped it on; he held his palm out to Harry. Harry took it eagerly.
"Petunia," he called to the startled giraffe. "I'll have Harry back before sundown." She pursed her lips, nodding.
His attention back on Harry, he figured he'd been torturing him long enough. "Are you going to tell me about your day?" He raised an eyebrow.
"It was so awesome!" Harry declared. He pushed up his glasses. "I have the coolest teacher ever! Not as cool as you though, Benjamin; nobody is as cool as you! Her name is Ms. Lucky and she has black and blond hair, and she is super nice and pretty. She let me play with all the toys and she didn't yell at me once!
"And the school, it's so big inside! It has so many rooms! They're super cool too, but our classroom is the bestest. Ms. Lucky says at the end of year it will be filled with our artwork and the stuff we're going to learn! Like why the sky is blue!" Harry said. "Do you know why the sky is blue?"
"I can't say I do, munchkin," Benjamin admitted.
Harry grinned. "I'll tell you when I learn!
"Oh, Oh, Oh! And she told us lots of things about ourselves. Like, I'm ninety on the height scale! I have a birthday like Dudley! It's in July, the last day of July! It means I'm younger than Dudley, but still smarter," Harry nodded. Benjamin laughed. "And I have three names!" Harry held up a hand, showing Benjamin three little fingers. "I'm Harry James Potter.
"Ms. Lucky said it's a very strong and catchy name. Perfect for me!" Harry puffed out his chest with pride. "And I haven't even told you the best part," Harry gasped. "Guess!"
Benjamin shrugged. Harry's happiness was infectious. "You get naptime?"
"Wrong!" Harry giggled. "I have my very own cubby."
"No way," Benjamin said, acting as if it was the most astonishing news.
"Way." Harry nodded, utterly serious. "I have to keep it clean for inspections. And, if I pass, Ms. Lucky will give me stickers. At the end of the month the person with the most stickers will be line leader."
"Amazing!"
"I know! I will be line leader, because I clean the best!"
They arrived at number five. Benjamin unlocked the door and Harry darted in. He was mindful of Benjamin's rules- he took off his shoes off once he stepped into the house. Benjamin set Harry's backpack down on the brown couch in the living room, shooing Harry to the kitchen.
He pulled out Harry's folder, thick with paper, sliding it under his arm. He headed to the kitchen where Harry skillfully set himself on one of the stools at the counter, swinging his legs. He patiently waited for Benjamin to make his snack. His snack being the crispy chicken nuggets and chips that sat on the stovetop.
A quick minute later, a hot plate was placed down in front of Harry along with a glass of apple juice. "Thank you!" Harry chirped, picking up a chip.
Benjamin nodded, eyeing him for a brief second. He placed the folder on the countertop, going through the many miscellaneous welcome sheets and supplies lists (he'd leave that to the giraffe). The only thing he was interested in was the multiple contact blanks that needed to be filled. He didn't trust the Dursleys enough for them to be there in case of an emergency, or a parent-teacher conference.
Sheets later, Benjamin was at the folder's end. A bright yellow piece of paper lay stark against the white of the folder. Unlike the other pieces of paper, this one was heavily creased and marked. Barnsbury Clubs, it read.
Benjamin pulled it out noting which clubs were crossed out: tennis, lacrosse, American Football, rounders, archery… he went down the list until he got to the faded word of football. Football looked like it had been slashed through multiple times, erased, slashed again and erased once more.
"Harry, do you want to join a club?" Benjamin asked. He held up the paper. Harry swallowed the chicken nugget he'd been nibbling on.
"Yes!" Harry reddened, backtracking, "I mean, no!"
"Yes or No?"
"Um no?"
"Harry, what have I told you about lying?"
Harry fidgeted on the wooden stool. "Not to," he mumbled.
"Right. I'm going to ask you again; do you want to join a club?"
"Yes," Harry said, unenthused. He picked at his food. "I wanna play footie, but…"
"But what?" Benjamin pushed softly.
"Aunt Tunia will say no, and I know Uncle Vernon will say no before I even say anything," he shrugged helplessly.
Benjamin blew out. He let his mind wander down the paths of What-Ifs. What if Amun hadn't said the things he said and if he hadn't moved to this dreadfully boring place? Would Harry be the boy in the cupboard forced to repress his urges like this? The thought alone was a disturbing one. He'd see to it that all the damage the Dursleys inflicted on Harry would be undone.
"Munchkin, you can't assume things. You wanna know why?"
"Why?"
"You make an ass out of you and me," he chuckled. Harry giggled. "But in all seriousness don't be so quick to say no to what you want. I bet your Aunt and Uncle will gladly allow you to be on the footie team, if you really want to."
"I really want too!" Harry said, this time with more gusto.
"Awesome! Why don't you finish your snack, and we can play some games outside when you're done."
Harry cheered. He hurried to finish up, while Benjamin watched him. Harry failed to notice the dark look brewing on Benjamin's face.
It looked like he'd have to do more requesting.