Disclaimer: same song third verse
Chapter three young Harry
School started in the fall. Harry went to a local primary school. The first day of school, Harry brought home three papers and ran to show them to Iris.
"You're going to have to tell me about them, Harry. You know I can't see them."
"Oh," he said, slightly crestfallen, "I forgot."
"Why, Harry that's the nicest thing anyone has said to me lately," Iris said brightly. "Tell me about your papers."
"This one is a math paper and I made a B on it. It's all about numbers and stuff. This one's a writing paper and I made a B on it too. The teacher said I wrote very well for a first form. This one's an A paper. It's a picture of our house."
"Are they your very best efforts, Harry, or could you have done better?"
Harry dropped his gaze to the floor. "I suppose I could have done better."
"Then we will put these on my cork board, since they are our best effort so far. Is it all right to expect better?"
"Yes ma'am, I will try my best every single day."
Iris smiled. It was easy to teach Harry the easy things. She could hear the determination in his voice. He had taken her heart so quickly and so completely.
Two weeks into school, Harry marched into the kitchen. Iris knew something was wrong by his stride and his silence. He laid a paper on the table.
"I have an A paper. I did mess up on one question, but it still came out an A. I know the correct answer now. I also have a black eye, I think."
"Oh," said Iris with interest, "come sit and let me have a look."
Harry sat and Iris touched his face softly and tenderly. She picked up the paper from the table and pinned it to the cork board. "That's going to be quite a bruise. Is it a badge of honor, do you think?"
"I don't know."
"Tell me what happened."
"There's this girl in my class with bushy hair and big teeth, but she's really smart. These two third forms were picking on her and I had to step in to make sure she didn't get hurt."
"So, it is a badge of honor then. I will have your dad take the hurt out of it, but we will leave the bruise to heal on its own. For three or four days all the school will be able to tell that you are willing to fight for what is right. Is that all right with you?"
"Yes, mum. That would be just right. I love you."
"And I love you, my little soldier. Tell me about your friend, the smart one."
"Her name is Hermione and she and I have the highest grades in our form. Her parents are Dentists. We started eating lunch together. She likes books even more than me."
"We will have to make acquaintance with her parents. We will see."
"Can we do that?"
"Of course we can. We are an ordinary family. Damien and Iris de la Morte and Harry Potter, their son, are just people after all."
Harry laughed. "We're just as ordinary as can be."
Iris laughed too.
Damien came in late. There had been a large accident on the m-5. He took the sting out of Harry's injuries and left the bruises to heal on their own.
"You did the right thing, Harry. We have to stand up to the bullies in this world or they own us and we can't get rid of them."
Two weeks later, The Grangers came over for dinner. There was a bit of awkwardness when the Grangers realized that Iris was blind, but dinner was so good that it was quickly put by. After they had left, Iris spoke to Harry. "Hermione is magical, you know."
"She is? That's neat. Can I tell her?"
"I'm afraid not. It's just not done. Tell her she's nice, tell her she's special, even tell her she's talented, but wait until she figures it out for herself or Hogwarts contacts her. Are you clear on your options?"
"Yes Dad."
Harry and Hermione grew up in school together. They were as close as siblings. He stood up for her when others teased her over her books or her good grades and she stood by him when he stood against the bullies and the upper forms. The Grangers came to dinner at least once a month. They started calling Damien "Doctor" because he was on call so much and was not always available for the dinners.
After school the two played together. They ran and jumped and yelled and climbed trees. Hermione was there when Harry finally climbed the hard tree in the back garden. She climbed all the easy trees and some of the harder trees but she never could get up into the hardest one of all.
They wandered through the village and all the children knew them as the brainy twins. Harry used to say that they had their very own brain cells and at least didn't have to share one. They knew the grocer because Harry always ran the errands for Iris and Hermione walked with him often as not. They knew the man at the pub because Harry had climbed up the big tree to get his cat down when it was stuck very high up in the big tree by the corner of the inn. They were the only children the old lady in the big house would have in for tea. That only happened after she saw Harry climb her tree to put a baby bird back in its nest.
When there was snow they played in the snow and threw snowballs and made snowmen (and women). When it was rainy they walked under a big umbrella and splashed in the puddles and came home wet anyway. They finished at the top of every form. Hermione always seemed to edge out Harry by a point or two, but he was ahead of her in maths. It was only two points but he was proud that he could get even that much ahead. She was proud of him too.
Every summer, Damien had new adventures for Harry. The first summer they threw balls to one another. Harry caught big balls and small balls and climbed trees to catch balls and hung from limbs by his knees or one hand and caught balls. He even climbed up the house that summer from the cellar windows to the weather vane at the topmost pinnacle of the roof. When Hermione would come over, Harry would show off for her and catch the big orange ball or the little golden ball or climb up high to show her how he had learned to climb.
The second summer Damien taught him about pirates. They played with wooden swords to begin with, but slowly moved on to real ones. They used scimitars and cutlasses, swords and rapiers, foils and claymores. They dug holes all around the yard looking for treasure. The holes always turned into plantings for a fruit tree or a planting bed for herbs or flowers, but Harry didn't mind. They still played with balls and climbed up high places and Hermione was delighted to be the rescued damsel or the pirate lady or whatever game they were playing.
The third summer, Damien added pikes and lances and staves and bow and arrow to the game and Harry played Robin Hood the whole summer. Hermione was pleased to play his Maid Marion and Damien even played Sheriff a few times. Harry got quite good with a bow and so did Hermione.
Iris asked Harry one day in his fourth year of primary school, "Harry, you aren't letting Hermione get the better grades are you?" Just because she's your friend?"
"No, mum," he answered seriously, "it wouldn't be fair to Hermione to let her win. She has to win on her own, and she feels the same about me. We both find that it is easier to do your very best when you have a competitor. That we're friendly competitors makes it all the more personal and special."
Iris favored him with one of her special smiles. "I thought that's what it was; I just had to make sure."
The fourth summer Damien took Harry on long hikes over the hills and moors. They went on quests of course. They looked for dragon lairs and barrow hoards and wizard's towers. They didn't find any, but they had great times and carried their weapons with them. Harry still caught balls and practiced swordplay and shot his arrows and threw the lance and climbed high places and rescued Hermione from something or other at least twice a week.
About this time, Harry realized that the stories Iris had told him every night were really teaching him history, both muggle and magical. He laughed to himself to realize exactly how much he remembered from the simple and complex bedtime stories she had related to him with so much humor and life.
One day in their fifth form, Harry and Hermione were walking over to Harry's house after school. She looked at him and said, "It must be odd to be adopted."
He thought for a moment and began to speak. "It's not so much odd as wonderful. I feel so lucky to have parents who love me. Not only do I have them now, but I know that my birth parents loved me and actually died fighting a murderer to keep me alive. Now I have Iris and Damien who love me just as much. I've never said before but they literally rescued me from a bad situation and taught me all over again what love can be." He saw the expression on her face and spoke again. "Don't be sorry, Hermione, you are as close as a sister to me and it was only fair and right that you understand."
She smiled back at him and said, "Thank you, Harry. I always wanted a brother. Now we are connected even closer."
"If you only knew, Hermione, if you only knew."
She looked at him with a question in her eyes but he just shook his head and she knew she'd get no answer out of him about that.
The Grangers came over for dinner on a Friday around the first of July. Damien ushered them into the lounge and informed them that there would be a guest arriving in a moment. Just then the fireplace flared green and a stern woman in a tartan dress stepped out of the fireplace.
"Doctors Granger, may I present Professor Minerva McGonagall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
"I don't believe we have met," she said.
"I'm sorry, we have been in the same room a number of times and I'm sure you're right, we have never been introduced. My name is Damien de la Morte and this is my lovely wife, Iris."
Iris nodded and smiled. The professor looked perplexed for a moment and then her eyes opened very widely as if in surprise.
"You are… You are…," she stammered
"Yes, but let us get the business of the evening over first. This is Harry Potter and this is Hermione Granger." He spoke while putting each child forward to meet the professor. "I believe they are the reason you have come here this evening."
Since the professor was still sputtering, Damien spoke first. "This is nominally a magical household. We have known from the first that Harry was a wizard and has important assignments in the world. We have raised him close to the non-magical world since it is easier for Iris. For the Granger's benefit, Iris may be the only true seer in Britain today. She finds it more comfortable to retire from the public eye. We have taught Harry about magic, but adhering to the restrictions for underage magic we have not allowed him to practice. He will get all that once he starts school. So will Hermione should you feel it proper that she attend as well. Iris knew right away that Hermione was a magical person, but we have been forced to keep this from you until now. Harry will apologize fully for keeping this from Hermione, but she has helped him so much socially and academically that we felt the easiest way to bring this out was to bring you into our house and show you magic. My magic is different than typical wizarding magic. I know that Minerva has guessed already. You see, I am Death. No, no one here is about to die. You will know instantly if I have come for you." He nodded in the professor's direction. "Yes Minerva, I was there when your Mother died and again when your husband succumbed to the fever. I was there when your father was killed in the war. The whole section was working overtime on that one. But I digress. Minerva, do you have anything to add?"
She cleared her voice and began, "I am here as a representative of the Magical community to invite your child, er, children to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It is the best school of its kind in the world. I have both letters of acceptance with me today. I would like you to consider this and give us an answer as soon as possible."
"I can say that Harry will be going for sure. It is up to the Grangers about Hermione. Let us have dinner first and we will speak of this in depth after dinner."
Everyone agreed and drifted into the dining room where they were treated to one of Iris's wonderful dinners. Damien surreptitiously poured tea and juice for everyone only using a pointing finger. He did admit that a wand was necessary for most magical people.
After dinner they adjourned to the lounge and the Grangers spoke quietly for a few moments.
"We've known for several years that Hermione had some extraordinary talents. We didn't realize they were really magic. Since Harry will be going to this school as well, we will be happy to send her to the school especially because we couldn't dream of separating the two of them. They are enough like siblings that we know that Harry will watch out for Hermione and they will both be safe. They certainly wouldn't be happy apart for an entire school year."
With that, Professor McGonagall produced the children's acceptance letters with their school lists and Express tickets. She was grateful that it had been such a painless experience on her part. She was shaking her head and smiling as she left through the flue.
The next day both Damien took Harry and the Grangers to Diagon Alley. They bought all their books and wands and Damien found the most beautiful snowy owl because he insisted that the two should write home often and the owl was the best way to send their mail from Hogwarts.
When they arrived back home, Iris had dinner ready and both families shared another lovely dinner. As everyone was taking their last bites of pudding, Damien spoke. "Harry, I need to tell you about your wand. Holly is traditionally the strongest and most divine of all woods. When it is combined with a phoenix feather core, it becomes an instrument of light and goodness. It is truly a hero's wand. Please work hard to live up to its promise. Hermione, vine wood is very limber and relies on other trees for strength. You have Harry for your strength, at least to start. Your wand also has a dragon heartstring core. The dragon is as much a light creature as a phoenix but it is the epitome of fierce bravery. You also have much to live up to. Work hard to make your wands proud of you.
The Grangers smiled at the smiles of determination on both children.
The next day Damien spoke to Harry. "Severus Snape is your potions instructor. I have known him for a long time. He is a sad and bitter man. If you cannot answer his questions, he will take points. If you can answer his questions, he will take points. Be nice and always be prepared for his class. Potions is something you will be good at because Iris has taught you about plants and interactions and such. Be good at it because it will irritate Snape so much. Be good at it because it will please Iris. Be good at it because it will please me. Be good at it because it will make you feel good about yourself. This includes all your classes but especially potions."
"Thanks, Dad, for the heads up. I will study hardest for potions but hard for everything else. Do Hermione and I need to read up for our classes this summer?"
"Yes, my son, you really do need to be ahead when you get to Hogwarts.
"Then we will and we will be ready for school."
Harry did not see the pride in Damien's face or the tear in Iris's eye, but they were there none the less.
Harry and Hermione spent the next weeks as they always had in the summer, they ran and they jumped and they climbed and they adventured. They dug for treasure. (Iris wanted to add to her bed of roses.) They fought imaginary monsters and were universally victorious. Then after lunch until after dinner and the sun had set they read and studied their new school books. They would read silently until they found something interesting and then share it with each other. Harry convinced Hermione that potions was the one subject they needed to study most of all in order to understand the interactions between ingredients. It was especially evident when he explained the disposition of Professor Snape. She was especially interested in transfiguration so they did spend quite a bit of time on it as well. By Harry's birthday, they had been through all the texts at least once and were doing peripheral readings. Hogwarts, A History was fascinating to both children and they took turns reading to one another. All four parents involved spent a lot of time together astounded at the dedication of their children.
Harry had a small birthday party with only his parents and the Grangers. He loved to have his parents and Hermione and her parents. He could feel the love they had for him and each other. Dinner was wonderful and the cake was delicious. It never had decorations out of deference to Iris. It did have eleven candles. Harry made a wish but he didn't tell anyone what it was.
It was only a week until September first when Damien had a private moment together. Harry thought it was odd that Damien seemed uncomfortable.
"You are going off to a co-educational boarding school, Harry. You need to be aware that there are differences between boys and girls."
"If this is the sex talk, Dad, we had sex education in third, fourth and fifth form. They covered stuff like making babies pretty well."
"There are other kinds of sex acts, Harry. Any unwanted sexual advance is wrong. Sometimes one person will force themselves on another. Force is always wrong, whether the victim is a boy or a girl."
"That is just squiggy, Dad. Why would anyone want to do that?"
"I don't know, son, there are all kinds of bullies and bad people. You just have to stand up to them like I've taught you for years. I'll take you to Kings Cross on the first."
"Thanks, Dad. I really do appreciate that."
On the last day of August, it was quiet around the house at number 49. The mood was somber during dinner. As Harry finished a piece of his favorite treacle tart, he put his fork down and walked around the table to Iris wrapped his arms around her and held on for a long time.
"Why now, Harry?"
"Because I'm not going to get a hug from my mum until Christmas and I needed to have one now."
Damien and Iris and Harry sat together on the sofa in the lounge until late that night and just talked and told stories and told each other how much love meant to them.