After sending Natalia and his daughters to a hotel with another auror Harry started pulling files from the records trying to find a man that fit the description of the man at the theatre. He flipped another folder closed and rubbed his eyes under his glasses. When he opened them there was a coffee in front of him steaming. Harry looked up and didn't expect to see who he saw.
"Ron?" Harry said standing.
"Hey." Ron said and gave him a hug. "I was worried mate. Langly told me what happened."
"He shouldn't have worried you, you're on leave." Harry said shaking his head with frustration.
"Bollocks." Ron said putting his hand on Harry's shoulder. "I told him to."
"Langly listens to you?" Harry said with a raised eyebrow.
"Only sometimes." Ron laughed. He re-offered the coffee to Harry. "Besides, Hermione wanted me to check on you."
"You shouldn't be-"
"Worrying?" Ron laughed sitting down in the spare chair. "Harry when are you going to learn that we're your best friends? We're always worried about you."
"Yeah." Harry sighed and took a drink of the coffee. Ron sighed too and leant forward, the chair creaked a little as he put weight on his knees with his elbows.
"How are the girls?" Ron asked.
"I had to apperate with Rebecca, hurt her ears." Harry said softly. "Otherwise unscathed."
"You knew this man was after you?" Ron asked gently.
"I may be paranoid Ron." Harry said looking up at him. "But that man followed me and Bec into the loo."
"You're sure?" Ron asked again.
"Yes." Harry sighed with frustration. "I told you, these dreams-"
"Yes, about those dreams." Ron said raising his finger and digging in his pockets. "From Hermione." Ron passed Harry a vial of potion wrapped in a piece of parchment. "You'll probably recognize the potion."
"Yes I do." Harry said uncovering the vial and looking at the purple liquid within it. "For a dreamless sleep."
"Yes." Ron said. "The name on the parchment is a skilled Occlumency teacher."
"I don't need to relearn it." Harry said softly. "Truthfully I never stopped practising. I've just been...forgetting."
"Forgetting." Ron said softly as he stood. "Might be best to...stop forgetting for a while."
"Yes. It might be." Harry said with a light smile. "Thank you Ron, but really, I'm fine here. Go back home to Hermione."
"She wants the girls to visit." Ron said lightly. "She's taken to knitting. She made them scarf sets."
"I don't know Ron...what if they follow us there?"
"Harry." Ron said sternly. "You're being irrational."
"Maybe." Harry groaned, he turned back to his files. "I've got to get back to work."
"See you around then." Ron said softly as he stood and walked out of the office. Harry looked up as he turned the corner but went back to his files. He got through about half of the ones he had pulled before giving up, tossing his glasses off and leaning back. Hands pressed to his face and stretching his back with a frustrated little yell. He looked at the vial of potion Hermione had sent. His shoulder popped as he reached for it and then played with it gently in his hands. He stood, picking up the parchment and the potion and tossing it in the garbage bin as he passed it and took his jacket off it's hook as he walked out of his office.
"Daddy!" Rebecca cheered as she always did when she saw Harry after a day of work. Nat had been brushing her hair on the bed. Rebecca had the same black hair her parents did, her eyes however chose a side and looked like Natalia's. Harry picked her up with a smiled and hugged her before setting her down again. "Daddy can we go home today?" Nat looked at Harry for his answer.
"Yeah. We can." Harry said and smiled. Rebecca smiled back and ran to Natalia.
"See momma, I told you we could go home!" She said grabbing onto Natalia's pants.
"It was still good to ask." Nat smiled softly. She set the brush down and reached for her purse, digging out enough coin for a couple of sodas from the vending machine. "Here love, go get Daddy something to drink. Do you remember where the machine is?"
"Yes!" Rebecca said eagerly taking the money and heading for the door. She managed to pull it open on her own and run out.
"Harry." Nat said softly. "Can we really go home?"
"Yes." Harry said walking over to hug her. "I've sent Langly over to put some charms on the place, it'll be safe."
"And the man who was after you?" Nat asked refusing to let Harry stop hugging her.
"I still don't know who it was." Harry confessed. "But we're looking into it. It's nothing we haven't dealt with right?"
"Yes." Natalia said letting Harry go and turning to walk over to Patricia who was sleeping on the second bed. "But last time we didn't have the girls."
"I know love." Harry said softly following her and gently touching Patricia's cheek. There was a knock on the door and Harry went to open it. He laughed at his nervousness when after opening the door as slow as he could only saw a grinning four year old with a can of soda in each hand.
Langly handed Harry back the keys to their little townhouse as Harry was unloading the car of their suitcases. "That's about all we can do Harry. Reinforced what was already there, added some proximity alerts." Harry took the keys back from Langly and looked up at Nat who was leading an Excited Rebecca into the house with Patricia on her hip. Langly sighed. "You ever think of moving to the country Harry?"
"It looks better every year." Harry confessed shutting the trunk of the car and picking up all the bags.
"I bet." Langly said with a smile. "Well, we'll see you tomorrow."
"With any luck." Harry laughed and started to walk towards the front door.
"I'd better! I know where you live!" Langly said and then shook his head and turned to walk back to work. Purposely taking the long way.
"You are a fast thinker on your feet Harry Potter."
"I have to be, it's my job." Harry said stiffly.
"I can't say that I'm particularly amused." The man's voice seemed to come from everywhere.
"Good, neither am I." Harry growled back still trying to look around for a hint of the man's appearance.
"You are no longer...threatened by me?" The man asked slowly.
"No. Annoyed maybe." Harry replied, there was a great shift in the dream world and Harry woke with a start as it all started to crumble.
"Shit." Harry said holding his head. "Shit, shit, shit."
"Harry?" Nat said groggily as she rolled over. Patricia started to cry.
"I'll go." Harry said very thankful to have a reason to escape the bed. He went to Patricia's room and picked her up, after an inspection he found that she needed to have her diaper changed. He was only wearing his pyjama pants having tossed off his shirt in a fit as he tried to fall asleep hours ago now.
He had pissed the man off. The way the dream fell apart afterwards proved that the man was in control of the whole thing. So what did the man want from Harry? He placed Patricia back in her crib after kissing her and went to stand in front of the kitchen window that looked out over the street. Voldemort was dead, and there had been a collection of his supporters that tried to hunt Harry down afterwards. Most of that however had been finished before Natalia had come back to England. Soon after she did arrive though, Harry had a stalker of sorts. He was harmless in that he wasn't a dark wizard or Voldemort sympathizer, he was just off his rocker and assumed that Harry was some god that needed to be released from his mortal form. After scaring Natalia by appearing in the kitchen one day he was captured and sent to St. Mungo's for a permanent stay. Harry didn't even care to make sure he was properly taken care of. They moved a week later at Natalia's request, into a bigger space, a little town house down on the opposite side of the ministry than his apartment was. Natalia was pregnant with Rebecca at the time, so they needed the upgrade regardless.
He refused to move. Not this time. Another wizard would not make him leave his home. He had painted Patricia's room in the same light purple he remembered was on the walls of Natalia's old room in Canada. He paid extra for the exact green of Bec's room. Natalia had added such perfect loving details everywhere. Photos from their wedding, photos from Hogwarts, family photos of all their friends. Dean and Parvarti with their little girl, Seamus and Ginny with their two boys, Neville and Susan at their wedding, Ron and Hermione at theirs. There was too much love here. He would not leave until he was good and ready.
"I'm about to make your life very interesting Harry Potter."
A/N
Sorry I totally cheaped out on this chapter. Normal word count coming soon!
