CHAPTER 4
The next morning Charlie awoke at the crack of dawn to Harry wailing loudly from his cot.
Charlie gently lifted him from the cot, bouncing him up and down softly in an effort to soothe him. "Shhhhhh, it's alright Harry. I have you. Daddy's got you."
Charlie stopped dead at that. Daddy?! He realized after a minute of quiet panic that it wouldn't make sense for Harry to call him anything else, but it seemed he had already embraced fatherhood without consciously realizing it-and faster than he thought he would, too! He then sighed and moved over to the changing table with a whimpering Harry, deciding that in the grand scheme of things, this wasn't that bad, and in fact only made sense. He reached into the diaper bag he had brought home and realized he only had three diapers left, and only one outfit to put Harry in. He definitely needed to ask his mum to go shopping with him today!
After changing and dressing Harry, Charlie and the baby went down to the kitchen to get a bottle started. After realizing that he was awake before either of his parents, Charlie decided to make breakfast for all of them. He transfigured a towel into a baby carrier to put Harry into after he was fed and burped, so that he could keep the baby close, but still use his hands. He was starting to find Harry's warmth and weight in his arms comforting.
About a half an hour later, breakfast was finished and Harry was sleeping peacefully against Charlie's chest. 'He looks so adorable like this. Harry definitely deserves some peaceful rest after everything that has happened to him,' Charlie thought.
Molly smiled as she came down the stairs with Arthur-it seemed Charlie had been up early and from the smell, had cooked breakfast. She was so proud- Charlie was the only one of her children who had listened to her lessons on cooking, and based on the smell, he was good at it.
Molly started to coo as soon as she entered the kitchen. "Aww Charlie, he looks so adorable sleeping against you like that! And thank you for making us breakfast; this is a lovely surprise to wake up to!"
Charlie smiled bashfully. "Aww Mum, it's no big deal! You're letting us stay, and you and dad both have been so supportive about all of these new changes; this is the very least I can do.
Molly just lightly hugged her son, mindful of Harry still strapped to his chest, while Arthur patted him on the shoulder. After several long moments, Molly let go of Charlie, and the three of them sat down at the table for breakfast.
After breakfast was finished, Arthur went back upstairs to get ready for work, while Molly started the dishes and Charlie absent-mindedly rubbed the still-sleeping Harry's head while lost in thought.
After five minutes of silence aside from the sound of Molly cleaning, Charlie finally decided to ask her about going shopping.
"Hey, Mum? Ummm, I was wondering if you could go shopping with Harry and me today. He needs stuff, bad, and to be honest I don't even know where to start…"
Molly squealed in excitement, and resisted from crushing her son, and Harry with him, but only barely. "Of course! I know just the shop where we can get everything! Why don't we prepare to leave in an hour? It will give us both time to get ready, and I can finish the washing up. Here, give me Harry so you can get in the shower first, then you can come down and take him while I get myself ready."
Charlie nodded gratefully, and transferred both the carrier and the baby to his mum. He then headed upstairs. He could really use a shower. As the hot water poured over his body, everything hit him at once. The new job, acquiring a baby-a baby that was HARRY POTTER-and the general feeling that adulthood just hit him like a quaffle in the chest. He didn't know the first thing about raising a child- how was he supposed to be a good dad to Harry? Merlin, he was a FATHER now!
Charlie took a deep breath. He could do this. His mum would help him shop today, then for the rest of the month both of his parents would help him adjust to parenting. He had a great role model in his father, so he knew what would work. He would be great at this.
He quickly finished his shower. As soon as he was out, he wrote a letter to the French Ministry to accept his position, and informing them of the new adoption, sending it off quickly with Errol. Then he quickly dressed in a loose pair of muggle jeans and a shirt, heading downstairs to take Harry from his mother so she could get ready and they could head out.
He found them in the living room, Molly rocking Harry gently while feeding him and humming a song that Charlie remembered from his own childhood, and Harry staring up at her in apparent delight and fascination. He stood in the doorway for a few minutes before Molly finished feeding Harry and looked up to see Charlie in the doorway.
She smiled and stood up, passing Harry to Charlie. "He is just such a doll! Now, I won't be but a minute getting ready, and then we will be on our way. Now I'm guessing you will want permanent furniture to move with you to France in addition to the stuff for the just the month?" Charlie nodded in confirmation. "Perfect! So responsible already. I have just the plan then. Be right down!"
Charlie looked down at Harry and chuckled as Molly raced up the stairs. "That's your grandmother. She's a bit wacky but we love her, and she clearly already loves you to bits. Now, hopefully we can keep her from trying to dress you in everything, and buy you reasonable, sensible furniture and none of that crazy stuff that looks like a sculpture!"
Ten minutes later Molly came back down stairs, still patting her hair into place. "Ok, are we ready to go?! Oh, I am so excited! My first grandchild!"
Charlie just stood up and smiled. "We are ready mum. How are we getting there?"
Molly continued to beam at her son. "The baby shop has its own floo, as babies don't like apparition, because of the squeezing. I'll go through first, just make sure you tuck Harry's face into your shoulder as you come through." With a whoosh of green flames and a shout of 'Bundles of Joy', Molly was gone. Charlie tucked Harry's face into his shoulder, made sure he was secure in his arms, and then followed Molly through the floo.
He stepped out into the brightly lit store to see Molly hugging a woman he had never seen before. "Charlie! This is Betty! I've known her since I was pregnant with Bill. This is where your father and I bought all of the supplies for all of you. She has great prices, and said she will give you a discount since you are one of mine!"
Charlie's face was luminous. "Nice to meet you, Betty! This is Harry. He is 6 months old, and I recently adopted him. We need to buy everything, so a discount is greatly appreciated, thank you so much!"
Betty just laughed. "Oh, what a precious little doll! And really, it's no problem, I clothed you and your siblings, I am honored to do so for your little one. Only the best for one of Molly's! Now go look around, dear. When you find something you like, just tap it twice with your wand and it will be sent up here so I can ring it up, shrink it, and then bag it. I'll bag furniture separate to clothes and supplies so it will be easier to sort through when you get home. When you are done, just come up front and I will have your bill ready to pay."
Charlie smiled, thanked her, and then him and Molly got to work.
Three hours later, Charlie had bought everything that he would need for several months at least. He had picked up crates of formula and baby food, bottles, nipples, baby sized bowls, plates and spoons. He found a gorgeous maple wood nursery set with a crib that would turn into a bed as Harry grew, a dresser that should carry him through to adulthood, and a changing table that could be turned into a desk when Harry was old enough for one. Molly went crazy in clothes, buying him a variety of clothes for all seasons in sizes he could wear for the next year. She also picked out crib bedding in blue, red, green, and yellow. She added stuffed toys, books, and educational toys, as well as a new, more supportive baby carrier. Charlie found a pram that had various pouches with charms to make them weightless and endless so they could carry everything he would need when they went out.
He paid Betty, grateful he had been saving his wages from the reserve as much as possible, and he and Molly returned home. Molly prepared sandwiches for lunch and Charlie made Harry a bottle, then put him down for a nap and after he scarfed down his lunch, started unpacking some clothes and supplies to last the month they would stay at the Burrow, leaving the rest and the furniture for when they would make the move to France. Harry could use the transfigured furniture for now. When that was done, Charlie decided to lay down for a nap himself. After all, not every day will run as smoothly as this one and he really should get into the habit of sleeping when Harry does as much as possible.