Chapter Song: Read My Mind- The Killers
I meant to get this out sooner, but I've been distracted I'm afraid. Anyway here is a bit of a teenage angsty chapter, and a shameless excuse to give Harry and Hermione a bit more sorting out time. Thankyou for the story alerts and reviews. Enjoy :).
The next day started a hell of a lot better than the day before, mainly because the class I had was so much better than the other. Today I had the one I was looking forward to the most, Gryffindor and Ravenclaw first years! I would get a chance to see Lily, and I couldn't wait. So there I was, sat on my desk, hearing them all collecting outside and opening the door with my wand. With these I would be laid back, as they were only first years after all. Craning my neck I spotted that bright red waterfall of hair, then looked towards what I was expecting to be a happy face. I was incorrect about that. Lily Luna Potter had a face like a sullen teenager as she shot forward from the door to sit on the back row of the class, in between Denise Sloper and Benjamin Finnigan.
Unnerved slightly, but nevertheless having to do my lesson I began. "Welcome to first year Defence Against the Dark Arts..."
Throughout the whole lesson Lily contributed nothing, I'd been worried she would disrupt the class the look on her face. But nothing, I doubted she was even listening. But on her first week I couldn't exactly call her out when she wasn't being particularly disruptive. At one point when I'd set the class to practicing Lumos, which they'd been surprisingly pleased with- then again I could only assume they didn't expect to be practicing any spell minor or major on their first lesson, I attempted to talk to her.
"Hey Lily, how are you finding Lumos?" I asked, smiling at her.
Lily looked up at me and waved her wand once and said "Lumos" it lit instantly unlike the other wands. "Easy" she said in a bored voice, with a harsh edge.
"Oh that's good, should we share it with the class?" I asked, I knew how pathetic I sounded but she was as terrifying as her mother when she was annoyed.
"No, it's not worth that" she said in a slightly menacing voice.
I took that as my cue to leave. "Oh.. well... well done...10 points to Gryffindor..." I faltered, walking swiftly to the right where Benjamin was shaking his wand fiercely whilst a daunting spark lit at the tip.
At the end of the lesson I called her to see me, to ask her what was up but she ignored my call, threw her hair in her eyes and stomped out of the classroom. It was unlike Lily to be this moody, and it only seemed to be aimed at me. When they had been practicing before I came to talk to her, she and Denise were having a laugh- the moment I went to speak to her her smile fell and the sulky look returned. I would find out by the end of the day what was up with her.
oOo
That evening I attempted to corner her after dinner but was unsucessful, she pushed past me and stormed off in an identical fashion to how she did in class earlier. So I upped my game, as head of Gryffindor entering their common room whenever I liked was no problem whatsoever. Doing it after curfew was even better, because everyone would be- or should be, in the common room at that point. I approached the fat lady who winked at me as I said the password.
When the door swung open she said flirtatiously "My, my, my Mr. Potter you've certainly gotten handsome"
I cringed slightly as I walked through, I couldn't see how i was still the scrawny, speccy git I'd been when I was at Hogwarts but each to their own I guess. When I stepped in I did a quick scan of the common room but only saw my second eldest. With the eyes of the whole house on me I casually strolled over to Albus, who I was noticed with a slight smirk was hurriedly scrawling his obviously late homework on a piece of parchment- something I could remember well, when I reached him he looked up with an arrogance more suited to James.
"Hey Al, have you seen Lily?" I asked, very aware of his two friends watching me.
"Yeah, a couple of times. She is my sister after all" Albus smirked in reply, his two cronies sniggering.
Inwardly I sighed, he'd began acting out recently for no obvious reason. But I bit my impatience, I had to tackle one problem at a time. "I mean tonight, in the past hour"
Albus' smirk grew wider as he leaned back cockily on his chair. "She went running up the stairs to her dorm the second you stepped in"
"Thanks" I said, resisting the urge to shake him for his attitude.
I went to turn away, but Albus clearly hadn't finished. "She's really pissed off at you"
Turning back around I raised my eyebrows. "Excuse me?"
"Lily is really PISSED off at you" he spelt out, in a patronizing manor.
"What makes you think you are allowed to swear at me?" I asked him, annoyance definitely clouding my controlled calm. His new found attitude was irritating me no end.
"You swear all the time" Albus shrugged.
"Whatever. 5 points from Gryffindor and if I hear you do it again I swear I will owl your mother" I warned him, finally turning away from what was now a thunderstruck face. In the corner of my eye I saw two fingers stuck up at me. Taking a leaf out of Molly Weasley's book I flipped my wand behind my back and jinxed his two fingers together- with a yell from Albus.
Ignoring him I faced the staircase and ascended it, then turned to take the one which leads to the Girl's Dormitory forgetting just one little flaw. Boys could not go up it. The stairs transformed into a slide sending me flying back down and landing on my ass. Ringing around me were the laughs of the majority of the house as I stood up and threw them a menacing glare. This time I took out the my wand, tapped the banister and murmered. "I am head of Gryffindor house, and there is a girl who needs my help". Immediately the slide returned to stairs and with a smirk to myself at the suddenly quieter common room I carried on my trip.
When I found Lily's dormitory I quietly opened the door to see six beds, one with the curtains shut around it. On the bed next to it sat a girl with long black hair who was looking worried, upon seeing me she opened her mouth but stopped once i drew a finger to my lips. Then I pointed to the door and she nodded, making her way out. Before she did I mouthed "5 points to Gryffindor", after all I didn't want my own house to lose points because of my own son.
Gently I pulled back the curtains. "Please just leave me alone Hilary! I'll talk about it later!"
When the curtains carried on opening she looked up to see me, and scowled. "How did you get up here?"
"I'm Head of House, I can beat a lousy staircase," I grinned, sitting opposite her on the bed.
Lily was sat with her knees brought up and she had her face buried in them, her hair fanning all over so I couldn't see her face. It was odd really how much James and Lily represented their namesakes. Lily was the spit image of her grandmother, gaining long red hair from Ginny and my eyes resulted in a startlingly accurate reincarnation of Lily Potter. James was the same, looking the same as me meaning he was practically James potter- but he chose different glasses. Albus was the only one who truly was like a combination of Ginny and I. He had Ginny's eyes, but my hair. Ginny's facial structure but a body like mine (sorry!). I loved all my children and each could be linked back to both parents.
"Famous Harry Potter" Lily mumbled, head still in her knees.
I sighed, she knew I hated being treated like I was something special. "What's wrong Lily?"
Lily stayed quiet for about a minute, just when I was about to ask again she rose her head and stared at me- our identical eyes meeting. "You never came to see me yesterday, it was my first day and you didn't care. You sent James a letter- even though you were doing an Auror job, and you brought Albus to your chambers to talk about it. But me, nothing. When you got up after dinner I thought you'd be coming to ask me, but you didn't you walked past me like I wasn't there"
Guilt coursed through me, I was so mad at myself. My mind had been so focused on Hermione I never bothered to ask, I felt like the worst Dad in the world. When I finally allowed myself to look into those eyes again all I could see was disappointment, not even tears in them. Pure disappointment.
"I'm so, so sorry honey. I'd had a fall out with Hermione and I felt really bad. I didn't mean to I promise, if I hadn't have had that on my mind I definitely would have come to you" I said, skirting round to the head of the bed to put an arm round my daughter.
At first she squirmed away, but gave in and fell into me; her bright hair across my chest. Absentmindedly I threaded my fingers through it and could see a hint of a smile on her face. "It's okay" Lily said quietly.
"Why don't you tell me about it now?" I asked, settling in for the long haul. Once she got started she was hard to stop.
"Oh well okay." she pretended to act like she wasn't sure if she should talk that much about herself, which was a front of course.
"Weeeelllll... I went down to breakfast which was really cool and yummy and then you came and gave me my timetable and I had Neville- I mean Professor Longbottom first! I went there and he was sooo nice to me even though I didn't know what half the plants were but Hugo did he is so smart just like Rose. Then he asked me how I was doing and I told him how great Hogwarts is and he agreed even though he said he didn't like it much in his first year but whatever" Lily recited practically all in one breath.
"Then we had double with the Slytherins in Potions which sucked but everyone thought Professor Malfoy would favor them but he didn't really that much he even gave out points to Gryffindors so maybe he is different from Snape. At dinner I sat with my new friend Hillary. Oh yeah I made loads of friends i thought I'd just have to stick with my cousins but I didn't! I talk to Hillary and Denise and Ben Finnigan as well then there's the other 3 girls in here Carly, Sam and Monica they are really cool but we aren't proper friends yet because I haven't known them long enough. The other Gryffindor boys are dead cool too they always want to make us laugh!"
"Well that's good" I butt in before my ear dropped off. "Though no dating boys just yet lady!" I said sternly, tickling her neck and making her squeal.
"Stop it daddy!" Lily squealed, when I did she carried on. "Then at night when I was annoyed that you didn't come see me James played wizards chess with me even though all his friends were trying to get him to go throw dungbombs at Mrs. Norris. And Albus stole James's map thingy so I wouldn't get lost"
"That was nice of him, did he mention where he got the map?" I asked, amused.
Lily turned to look at me, her eyes filled with suspicion. "Why are you grinning like that Dad, do you know about the map or something?"
"Or something" I replied, rising from the bed. "I hope the rest of the week is good, come see me whenever you like. And I have a spare bedroom if you want to stay with me at any point"
"Thanks Dad, but this weekend we are having an all-nighter in our dorm us girls"
"Any time you want" I smiled, kissing her on her head and leaving the Dormitory, feeling lighter.
The next day Hermione approached me after lunch as I was heading off towards the toilets hoping to relieve myself before my next class arrived after lunch. As I was heading out of the doors of the Great Hall I heard my name be shouted.
"Harry!"
I turned round expected it to be a student or something, but found my old friend. Hermione was half-running towards me with her faced screwed up in nerves.
"What's up?" I asked, addressing her as she hurried to a stop in front of me, as always clutching several books.
"Erm I was wondering whether you wanted to have dinner at mine tonight? Try and work towards what we once had? Of course you probably don't want to but if you do I just..." it was odd seeing Hermione so unsure of herself, she always knew what to do and what the logical way to go about things was but today she seemed stumped.
"No, no. It sounds good!" I assured her with a smile, which she returned weakly.
"I was hoping you'd say that- come mine for six"
"See you then" then I waved her off and half ran to the place I was craving the most at that moment.
x-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;x
Two lessons, ten shirts and a walk to the Transfiguration part of the school and I was finally ready for a meal with Hermione Granger. I had spent a ridiculously long time searching for a shirt to wear for the evening, I wasn't sure why I was so keen to impress but somehow I felt I should. I produced a bouquet of flowers out of thin air and knocked on her chambers door, nervously flattening down my hair with my other hand. Hermione opened the door, looking radiant in a high waisted skirt and blouse, flaunting long, womanly legs and a tiny waist.
"Come in," Hermione beamed at me, seeming a lot calmer down. "I love your shirt"
"You look beautiful" I complimented back, enjoying seeing her go pink, as I passed her the bouquet which she inhaled deeply.
"I love roses and these smell particularly beautiful, thank you" Hermione commented, summoning a vase non verbally and placing the flowers in it.
I had never been in the Transfiguration chambers before, having not been on best terms with the particular teacher in charge of that area. The living room was a bit smaller than mine, but had bigger windows and plusher carpets. Hermione had decorated the fireplace with pictures, like I had. Her walls had different paintings on, one I recognized to be Van Gogh's famous "Sunflowers". The room had a bright and airy feel, even the air felt light and smelt of lavender. On the coffee table a book lay which I went and examined while Hermione bustled around in the kitchen area with the meal.
The book was leather bound and a deep ruby red, with a slightly magical aura around it. When I examined it closer I saw on the cover in gold writing "Transfiguration Teachers of Hogwarts". I opened it and flicked through, seeing unfamiliar faces of teachers from centuries ago flicking forward to more recent times. I first recognized Albus Dumbledore, looking younger with a shorter beard with his eye twinkling through the frame, I felt a little sadness as I always did when I saw anything to do with Dumbledore. Next I found Minerva Mcgonagall also looking younger, her hair a dark brown and she gazed sternly out the frame at me. After that I flicked ahead to look into the eyes of Hermione Granger, who gave me a beam from behind the frame. Her eyes were happy, but you could see the pain in her eyes from everything she had been through-
"Did you get one of these?" I jumped at the sound of the real life Hermione Granger behind me, her breath tickling my ear.
"Er- not that I know of" I said, regaining my breath and turning to face her.
"I think it's a good idea" Hermione shrugged, gesturing for me to join her at her little wooden table.
When I sat down at the opposite side from the table at her I looked down at the food I'd been given, she'd cooked some kind of pasta with pieces of chicken and bacon in and various vegetables. It smelled great. Digging with my fork, I drew it up to my mouth.
"Mmm Hermione, this is so nice" I sighed, taking a large bite.
Hermione grinned widely, looking pleased. "Thank you, I've never made it before so I was a little nervous about road testing it like this"
We ate in silence for a while, eating our food and sipping at glasses of wine, the silence wasn't uncomfortable. As we ate I could feel her eyes flickering at me and mine flickering back at her, smiling every time we caught each others glance. Once we had eaten we went and sat on the couch and chair, with another glass of wine and finally got down to talking.
"So, how has your first week been?" I enquired, watching her face for expression.
"Tough," Hermione admitted with a twist of her mouth. "Yours?"
"Same as usual really, other than added drama with my youngest" I grinned, contrasting to the twisted mouth she had. "What was tough about yours?"
Hermione sank her head back into the cushions of her chair before speaking, with slightly watery eyes. "Dealing with...The Weasley's has been a problem"
I wasn't expecting that, I probably should have done but I didn't. I'd assumed she would have been acting overdramatic about a troublesome class, or perhaps just a little stressed from it all.
"How so?" I asked, shuffling to the edge of the couch so I could be closer to her.
"It's just-" her voice broke at that point and the tears leaked from her eyes, she probably didn't cry about things as often and easily as she did as a child. Chose to hold them in to be the strong woman everybody needed and expected her to be. I reached my hand out and held hers, she flinched slightly at first but noticeably relaxed under my touch, even a little smile reaching her lips.
"It's just," she began again, trying to control the break in her voice as I traced her hand with my thumb. "They are all SO angry with me, all of them. Victoire is the worst, the way she hisses ugly words at me"
Hermione raised her other shaky hand to wipe her eyes. "Give her detention, you are a teacher after all"
"I cant, it's never loud enough for it to be acceptable for me to detain her. But in classes they don't do as I ask until they are threatened with detention, they sneer when they say Professor. I never did ANYTHING to any of them. I made mistakes with their uncle, but I had always been nice to them all"
"I'm sorry they are like that, they never were with me" I said honestly, which was true enough. When me and Ginny had divorced they treated me as they always had, they still called me "Uncle Harry" now. Mrs. Weasley was just as good to me as she was when I was young and stayed with them all. I felt awful that they had turned on her like that, when her and Ron were never truly together.
"It's okay, I deserve it. It's just hard to deal with that much animosity from children," Hermione choked, gripping a little tighter on my hand. "Until recently you were with them on the matter, Harry"
"No I wasn't, I was upset that you never called me Hermione. You cut us both off, when I was divorcing Ginny and could of used you" I admitted, since my divorce being vulnerable was something I hated to be but this was an occasion where I knew I should come clean.
Guilt and regret washed her face and Hermione gripped even tighter on my hand than she had, her thumb tracing mine. "I'm sorry. I thought you wouldn't want to see me, if I'd have known. I'm so-"
"Let's not do this again, I've already forgiven you okay?" I interrupted, I didn't want to rehash it again.
"Thankyou Harry, I've missed you so-"
But Hermione never finished her sentence as her chamber doors crashed open, to reveal Rose Weasley and her pretty face framed by a mane of red hair. "Hiya Mum, I was wondering whether you could help me with-"
Rose finished her sentence as she examined the scene in front of her, her eyes placing on her hand in mine, which I dropped instantly like it was hot. Clearing her throat Hermione stood, as did I and we walked over to the door.
"Hello Uncle Harry" Rose said, her face full of suspicion. I winced at the old name as I passed her at the door, but fixed it with a smile.
"Hello Rose, I'll get going now Hermione dinner was lovely" I nodded over in Hermione's direction.
"Yes, sorry that it ended so abruptly-"
I interrupted her for the second time that night, holding up my hands. "No, no it's fine I would do the same for my children."
As I turned to leave the room Rose's voice called me back, and I went to the doorway where she was stood. Her mothers eyes were narrowed at me, as she watched my face carefully.
"You need to look out for Al more" Rose told me quietly, so her mother couldn't hear her. But I could hear the harshness in her voice, I knew it was a command. A command out of care, but a command all the same.
"What do you mean?" I asked, hoping maybe she could give me insight into his recent angry behavior.
"Look, he's my cousin. So I care about him, right? Somethings bothering him and your not trying to get in with him, your letting him stew and get angrier. He won't tell me, so if you think that's your way in then it's not" Rose spoke of him the same as she spoke of Hugo, as well as her clever mind she had a big heart and really cared about her family.
"I don't know what to do, I speak to him and he talks to me with not a chip on his shoulder- but a huge hole" I sighed.
"You need to keep trying okay, don't give up on him. You're better than that. Not everyone is as easy to win over as my mum, Harry" she said, her look telling me she saw right through me.
"I know, and I will. Thank you for your concern" I said.
"I'm always concerned for my family, I get it from my mother" Rose said, finally breaking into the smile she usually gave me.
"She has a big heart" I said quietly, as she was closing the door, I didn't know whether she heard it or not but that didn't matter. It was true.