Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or Harry Potter's awesome world; both belong to Meyer and J.K Rowling respectively.
Chapter four: Catching up
Charlie Swan was a happy man. He would have expected more troubles with his nephew, but Hadrian Potter was a sweet child. A bit shy and serious for his age but a nice kid. He had noticed his too skinny frame, Harry flinching at human contact, loud voices and such, drawing his own conclusions of why had this kid reached from across the pond for an unknown relative. He really needed help.
It had been nice. For once, to return home to a warm meal and laugher from the boys.
He had finally fallen deeply asleep, when screaming woke him up. It was the type of scream that chilled the bones and demanded attention, and it was coming from the living room. He took a bat he kept near his bed and rushed downstairs, flipped the lights on to see one most unusual sight.
His nephew twisting and screaming in the coach while a snowy white owl was perched in said coach barking distressed. The owl's too smart gaze snapped to him and motioned towards his nephew, when he finally reacted.
He reached Harry's side, before gathering him in his arms and shushing him while rubbing his back and letting him sob in his shirt. He heard him mutter something about "Cedric, run!" "Dead, won't wake up no more" which certainly worried him more than he was willing to admit.
"Shush, everything will be ok" He whispered trying to wake Hadrian up.
Harry stiffened in his hold before raising his dull gaze towards Charlie, and noting his position. He squawked before trying to regain some composure and personal space before falling to the floor.
"I am sorry sir, didn't meant to wake you up" He said in a polite voice as if nothing had happened, trying to clean his cheeks from crying, still sitting in the floor when the owl fled towards his lap to comfort him and cuddle with him. This seemed to calm both of them somewhat.
Charlie gathered his wits, and ignored the odd picture his nephew made.
"It's ok" He said gruffly. He stood up going to the kitchen and made some coco, before returning to the living room and finding Hadrian folding his blankets.
He passed one cup to Hadrian and sat in the coach, drinking his own.
"Want to explain the owl?" Charlie inquired.
Hadrian seemed to ponder his answer in an automatic fashion, his gaze too old and dull. His once bright green eyes seemed to stare something beyond that only he could see.
"My first friend, her name is Hedwing, followed me across the pond, can take care of herself" He shrugged "I promise she won't be a bother" He said "She's house broken" The bird did not seem amused by that remark and cuffed him with his wing at the back of his head "And smart, and one of the most beautiful owls you will probably ever see" Hadrian added with a small smile.
"Does it deliver mail?" Charlie asked, relieved to see some life seep into Hadrian.
The startle gaze of his nephew flew to his face and seemed to open and close his mouth, and Charlie decided to have some mercy on him.
"The last time I saw your mother, she was 11. She had small barn owl, called Artemis. The bloody menace, we used to call it" He grinned ruefully at the memorable Christmas "Tended to be excited about everything, and loved to perch on your mother's shoulder, don't know how your mother trained it to deliver post, I think Hedwing can stay. You have been taking good care of her, I could tell with the way she fusses over you"
That seemed to relieve him some more, and actually smile, before he sipped a bit of his hot beverage. Charlie pondered a bit on how to approach a subject that had been bothering.
"I never knew" His nephew commented "Aunt Petunia didn't like mom, and would not say much about her"
Charlie hummed remembering how jealous and petty Petunia used to be, it seemed like she hadn't grown past the phase as her parents had hoped she would. It got quiet for a bit, both lost in thoughts.
"How long have you been suffering your nightmares?" Charlie blurted.
Hadrian stiffened, before choking on his drink and sputtering to regain his breath.
"A while now" Hadrian answered after recovering "Don't want to talk about it" He claimed, pursuing his lips and furrowing his eyebrows.
"Forks seem like such a quiet little town where nothing ever happens, but sometimes even good people take bad decisions and those left behind are the ones that have to deal with the consequences" Charlie explained in a quiet voice, seemingly lost in his own memories "I am not sure how to explain this to you, but us police officers need to take medicine courses to be able to deal with certain cases and recognize things to help people. It's ok to ask for help, when one needs it. You might have gone through some shitty things alone, that much I can tell in the short time I've known you, but just because you did them alone then doesn't mean you need to keep doing them alone now" He assured him "If you still don't feel ready to let me in, we can always search for a psychologist to help you deal with whatever you need to, think it through". Charlie offered, before ruffling his hair.
Hadrian seemed to think over his words still seeping his beverage, still unsure of what to do. He could just not blurt out what he had to deal with, basically because most of it had happened on the Wizarding World, he would end in a loony bin before he finished with his tale.
Hadrian woke up to sometime late in the morning to a Jacob holding a marker to his face. He snapped his eyes open to glare to Jacob who was snickering.
"What did you do, Jake?" Hadrian whined trying to burrow in his blankets. It was lightly raining and he felt sleepy.
"A bit of my art here and there" he smirked unrepentantly.
"Go away" Hadrian muttered under his breath, hoping to return to his sleep. He had stayed talking to Charlie about his mother and the few family gatherings they had met up at. Anecdotes of Grandaunt Daisy and her quirks. Of finding her singing to her herb garden or cackling for no reason when cooking her foul smelling and awful recipes for the flu. It felt nice, finally knowing more about his family.
"No can't do. Charlie asked me to help you get settled down in the attic and show you around Forks and La Push" Jake stated walking towards the kitchen, before asking "What's up with the owl? It hasn't stopped glaring daggers at me and I have to say it's freaking me out"
I peeked from under my covers to find that Hedwing was indeed glaring in Jacob's direction, and Jacob had been walking like a crab to do not show Hedwing his back. I snickered at his actions before deciding to start my day.
"This is Hedwing, my awesome pet. She's smart like that" I stated, watching Hedwing preen under my attention and ignoring Jake mutterings of "Crazy birds and even crazier owners".
"Charlie left money to shop at the supermarket after seeing his almost empty fridge" He said, taking the last of the bacon from it and some eggs to cook breakfast.
"That's good, I was planning on going today with him after he returned home" Hadrian mused to himself "Let me get ready then" I asked before reaching for my trunk upstairs' that had been left in Isabella's room until my room was ready. Charlie had offered that room to use while my room was getting ready, but it didn't felt right to do so. So we just they had just left his trunk in there and Harry had taken the coach.
I took a fast shower; had to scrub my face really well, the idiot had managed to drawn me a moustache and some fake glasses over my eyes; and pulled on some blue jeans, gray t-shirt and converse before having breakfast with Jake.
We spent the rest of the morning pulling my trunk in my attic, taking the plastic sheets of the furniture that we put on yesterday to keep them clean and hanging on the curtains and new bed dress and comforters, study lamps, bedside lamp. Jake had asked if I was planning on changing my mobile company now that I was going to live on the US and when I confessed to never having contracted one he dragged me to one. So, Hadrian Potter finally had a cellphone and a new mac laptop, Jake had also pointed out how it would definitely help in school so I bought it after he noted me paying it with my own credit card and not flinch at the price.
Jacob was reaching for my trunk to help me unpack when I remembered its magical properties.
"THE FOOD!" I screamed startling Jake, he looked at me disbelieving "We should go buy the food to have some lunch" I explained after some fast thinking, making him shrug.
"That's ok with me" He said leaving my trunk alone "I might as well show you around, we are almost over here" He mused. Hadrian sighed relieved, that was close.
And off they went, touring around Forks. It was really small, not many business. A camping store, few restaurants, beauty salons, flower shop, bakery, cafe, supermarket, library, Forks high school, gym, a garage shop that over charged for its service according to Jake.
Harry made some lunch for the both of them after putting away the food they bought, seeing as how Jacob had been in charge of the kitchen so far. They stayed watching over some action movies in the living room; before it was late a Jacob had to leave for the Reserve.
It was around 5pm when Charlie's cruise came around and entered to the house to the smell of tasty homemade food. He found Harry at the kitchen finishing an apple pie.
"Hope you are hungry" Harry greeted him.
"Starving" Charlie replied taking off his hat "How was your day?"
They kept on doing small talk, before having an early dinner. They were getting ready to go watch some American football, Charlie assuring Harry that He would explain it so that Harry could understand it when a another car arrived at the house, it was a fancy black sedan.
"You have been waiting for someone?" Harry asked Charlie, who had a bewildered expression.
"Not really, you?" He asked.
"Not sure" Harry answered remembering his letter to the law firm. If it was them, he would have to explain whether he liked it or not to Charlie. But maybe, it was for the best. Charlie had shown himself to be quite accepting of having him in his house, not all that bothered by Hedwing and if Harry was right, as he suspected, it was possible Grandaunt Daisy had been a Squib.
Charlie went to the door to receive a man in his early thirties; sharp dressed and styled carrying a suitcase in hand.
"Good evening Sir, My name is William Smith, from Smith&Smith law firm; we were contacted by Hadrian Potter, I believe he lives here?" He introduced himself with a strong handshake.
Charlie turned to Harry, to see his startled expression and recognition, followed by panic and fear, before his face shut down any emotion with a poker face.
"Charlie Swan, Chief police officer and current guardian to one Hadrian James Potter" He answered gruffly "Come on in" He motioned in, knowing he would have to post-pone his plans of watching the football match today.
"Mister Potter" Mr. Smith greeted with an amicable nod in Harry's direction, to which Harry nodded in response.
"Do you want me to stay here, Harry or I could leave you both to discuss whatever you both need?" Charlie asked with an arched eyebrow, trying not to be nosy. Harry had shown himself to be responsible and pretty independent so far.
Harry seemed to snap out of his funk, before his troubled gaze landed between them both and seemed to make a decision.
"I think it's better if you stayed Uncle Charlie. There are a few things I think you both need to know" He said quietly "Is everything that will be discussed in here to be kept quiet? Even if your firm decides not to take me in as a client?" Harry asked Mr. Smith.
Mr. Smith noted the tension but did not comment on it, before nodding in response.
"I think you both need to listen to my story so that I can actually receive some sound advice on how to proceed" Harry mused, motioning to the living room to sit.
And so he began his tale, about the Wizarding world, his parents sacrifice and Voldermor's first reing, his stay at the Dursleys, Sirius unjust incarceration, Hogwarts, The philosopher stone, The Secret chamber and the cursed diary, Sirius escape from Azkaban and Peter Pettigrew, The Triwizard tournament and Lord Voldemort's return, Cedric's death and The Prophet's and Britain Magical Ministry persecution against him; and finally his coming to Charlie for help. Harry felt sort of detached when retelling everything, finally noticing how bad it had been his stay in Britain and happy to be away from all that. He noted that both men were pale, by the end of his tale, but had kept quiet until he was left with no more words.
"I see, The Magical United States of America had some clue that things in Britain were bad; but your recount paints a pretty grim picture of the happenings over there" He said, as Charlie poured some coke for the three of us.
"It's the truth" Harry insisted.
"I am not doubting you" He replied motioning to a ring in his pinkie finger of the left hand "Our legal system is pretty different to yours, this ring allows to wearer to note when he's being lied to. A minor version of veritaserum if you will. It would have gotten warm if you had lied at any point in your story" He assured me.
Charlie looked surprised but kept quiet, nodding to himself.
"So, what are your plans?" Mr. Smith inquired.
"I want to get asylum for Sirius in here, if possible pardoned. As far as I am concerned, Britain has made its bed and I can't keep on trying to achieve their expectations. I just want to have a normal life, be just Harry. I want to finish Muggle School, I only have done self-studying the years I have spent on Hogwarts so I will probably need to hire a tutor, Hogwart's doesn't teach any muggle subjects; but I also want to finish my magical education. And if possible, sue for libel and unjust profit to those who have used my name in their business in the UK without my explicit permission, heard they actually made Harry Potter's dolls and story books. I think that those kinds of things made their society believe that I would eternally clean their messes for them" Harry nodded.
"I see, it will probably take a while for us to build a strong case to obtain asylum for Sirius, unless you can get in touch with him. It would be a matter for him to declare under veritaserum for the judge what really went down with your parent's betrayal and the blown street. To assure you not getting extradited to Britain under false charges, we could file for a citizenship for you. As for your education, the MUSA believes that Mundane education is as important as Magical education, most of the Magic courses are done online and a Magical Tutor is assigned to teach the practical part on the community school in the evenings, given the fact that the Magic in USA is much wilder in here, and has more variety because of the migration patterns USA's has had in his history. If you want you could also attend to a Magical school, there are three, but they are boarding schools and you would have to leave Forks for most of the year" Mr. Smith noticed Charlie stiffening at his response, before smiling pleasantly "Why don't you both discuss that later and come to a decision, I will mail you the information for you both to be informed. As for your relative's doubtful care, I'd recommend visiting a professional healer. You could sue them for Child endangerment and negligence, same could be said for Hogwart's staff and Libel to the business that have been using your name" He offered.
Hadrian reflected on his offer and watched Charlie, who offered a thumb up to said proposal.
"I just want Sirius safe, and be able to re-start anew in here. If having the citizenship will make it, then please do so. As for suing the Dursleys, I heard from a little bird that they moved away from Private Drive before I reached American soil, and don't want to deal with them the rest of my life if possible. The same could be said about Hogwarts. Even though at the beginning it felt like home…I realize now, that you shouldn't feel threatened nor scorned in your own home, things that have actually happened in my stay there. As for the libel charges, I think you should go ahead with those. I think if I can finally make them see how wrong it was for them to do so or at least regret it, I'd be happy".
"You are aware that you could make enemies for that decision?" He asked.
"According to the last piece The Prophet published as far as I was considered I already was Public enemy N°1" I replied shrugging.
Mr. Smith nodded, and gathered the notes he had been making so far regarding my case.
"Well, I will discuss this with my brother, but It's most than probable that We will take you as a client. We'll try to start by having Sirius's case solved and gain him his asylum it should take a maximum of a month to have a strong case, please we will give you some letters and things for him to file forward them to him; as well as filing for your dual citizenship. As well as some documents where you reject your British citizenship, if they insist on having you back there. I'd recommend on keeping it unless circumstances change for the worst, both matters should be costing you around $6 000.00 dollars or so. As for the Libel charges, that one will take more time and we would be willing to take our earnings of the profit made in there. Is 15% ok with you?" He asked.
Harry nodded feeling elated at the news. Sirius would be free soon.
"That's good, I should take my leave, it's late" Mr. Smith observed, it was late, at least 10pm.
"Thank you for your help"Nodded Charlie, showing him the door.
"You are both welcome, I will probably announce a later visit, if possible please give me your phone numbers to let you know in advance" He asked taking a cellphone out of his jacket. Charlie rattled his own cellphone number, and house phone before Harry did the same. Charlie and Harry received a business card from Mr. Smith with his contact information, before he too bowed out and left as effortless as he arrived.
They both stayed in the porch, seeing him leave before Charlie motioned the stairs leading to the porch for me to sit.
"Were you going to let me know about this?" He asked.
"I wasn't sure of how you would react, the Dursleys hated everything to do with the magic world, including me" Harry replied closing my eyes to feel the cold breeze.
"Petunia did have cancer to her taste "He commented massaging his temples.
"Are you mad for keeping quiet about this?" Harry asked pulling his knees close to his chest as if bracing himself for the answer.
"No, kiddo. Mad at Petunia, hell yeah; mad at Hogwart's staff and somewhat to Magical Britain for piling their hopes on a young boy, terribly so; but not at you" He answered scratching his neck "It feels natural, having you living here. You are family, and you were blessed with a gift, that's all. If you want to go to another boarding school, I'll understand it and support you as best as I can" He confessed.
"I don't want to, I want to stay here. I think I can see why you like Forks. It's easy being here, no expectations or surprises, calm and quiet. Haven't had much of that before" Harry commented counting stars. The sky was so much cleaner, just like back in Scotland; he could actually see the Sirius Star.
"Ok, then. Don't worry, we'll deal with all this tomorrow" Charlie assured Harry, ruffling his hair in affectionate manner, assuring him without words that nothing had changed. Charlie still wanted Harry around, and that they would be ok.
A.N/: Reviews and critics, my lovelies :3