Meanwhile back at the market a rather irritated Harry Black was finishing up his purchases and arranging with the grocer to deliver them to his home later that afternoon. Teddy stood off to the side with a grin on his face, watching as his godfather was trying to convince the man that no he really didn't need any help carrying the few bags he had back to his car and yes he was quite certain of that. Watching the scene unfold Teddy hummed quietly to himself as he thought about his godfather and Mr Swan's interaction from earlier.
Some would say that Teddy was too young to know about certain things but he was always exceptionally bright for his age. Thanks to his biological father's werewolf blood, he had inherited some useful traits such as his improved sense of smell and eyesight. His heightened senses always told him more information than people were usually willing to share which often led to interesting little insights about them.
For example he knew his godfather was a lonely man. He could smell the loneliness on him. He'd never dated in all the time that he'd had custody of Teddy since he was only 3 months old. Often when he was younger Teddy would ask his godfather why he didn't find someone to marry because isn't that what grown-ups did? Get married and have children? Harry would laugh even though Teddy would notice a sad look in Harry's eyes and then hug Teddy murmuring that Teddy was all he needed to be happy.
Teddy would smile and hug Harry back and that would be the end of the conversation but as Teddy grew older he came to realise that Harry was indeed lonely, even with Teddy. As the years went by Teddy would continue to watch and learn and think about how he could help his godfather. He'd hoped the move away from England to America would be a good thing and from what he'd seen so far It might very well be the best thing to happen to them in years.
He could see that Harry was attracted to Charlie. Hell he could smell the attraction from both of them the moment they laid eyes on each other the evening before. So now all he had to do was keep pushing them together till they finally got the hint. 'Easier said than done' he thought to himself with thoughtful look crossing his face. Harry seemed to be wising up to Teddy though, if the suspicious gazes he kept casting towards his godson were any indication. Suddenly his godfather called out to him, disrupting Teddy from his musings.
"C'mon Teddy, time to go!"
Teddy smiled and nodded before reaching out and grabbing hold of Harry's hand they made their way back to the car.
"I think I like Mr Swan, he seems very nice"
"I would think so what with helping you find me when you were *lost*"
Teddy simply smiled up at his godfather and kept walking. Finally they reached their car when a strange smell reached his nose. Sniffing quickly he tugged on Harry's hand to get his attention.
"Teddy? What is it?".
"I'm not sure. It smells similar to what I was talking about last night remember? The smell that was lingering around Mr Swan?".
"Similar?".
"This one is slightly different. I don't know how to describe it. Its almost...darker...I'm sure i've smelled it before somewhere..."
Teddy let go of Harry's hand and sniffing again, began to follow the scent trail. Harry followed behind, eyes flitting around searching. What he was searching for he didn't have a clue but he was ready for anything. Following Teddy across the road to the tree line he stumbled slightly as Teddy stopped suddenly at the base of one of the tree's.
"It was coming from here...I think whatever it was is gone now though...the scent is already fading".
Harry sent out a small pulse of magic, scanning his surroundings but finding nothing out of the ordinary. Sighing he turned back to his godson.
"Ok... well just incase I think we should get back to the car. I've had quite enough of wierdness today thank you".
Teddy grinned and looked back at his godfather rolling his eyes before following back to the car.
*Later that evening at the Black House*
A frustrated voice rang out from the kitchen.
"Teddy?! Have you seen where the cream went?".
"I think we're out of cream!" Teddy's voice drifted down from the second floor.
"What? How can we be out of cream Kreacher only JUST stocked the fridge yesterday!?".
"I don't know Harry! Maybe it was the cream fairies!".
"There's no such thing and you know it you little...".
"Why don't you go ask Mr Swan if he can give you some cream?".
"..."
"..."
"All right fine!" Harry grumbled loudly to himself before before making his way outside over to Charlie's house, not noticing his godson grinning at him from his bedroom window on the second floor.
Taking a couple of calming breaths Harry raised his hand and knocked on Charlie's door. It wasn't long before the door opened and Harry had to bite his tongue as he whimpered slightly.
There in front of him stood Charlie in nothing but woolly black socks and a pair of snug light blue silk boxers that did little to disguise the fact that Charlie was indeed a male and quite a gifted one at that. Lifting his eyes upwards Harry noted the light dusting of dark hair that covered Charlie's toned stomach and firm chest, as well as noticing Charlie's dusky nipples hardening in the cool evening air. Blushing furiously, he raised his eyes to Charlie's face which was currently wearing a look of amusement.
"Can I help you Harry?".
"Erm I was wondering if you had any cream to spare...We seem to have run out and I was really hoping to have some tonight with my cup of tea before bed".
"You came over to ask for some cream?".
"Yes sorry I realise it's a bit odd but I bought some yesterday and it seems to have just disappeared into thin air when we got home. I have no idea what happened to it I'm almost positive we had a fu..."
"That's ok Harry im sure I have some cream for you" Charlie said with a wink causing Harry to blush furiously again.
"Here come inside, I'll get you some from the fridge".
"O...ok".
Harry followed behind Charlie as he made his way into the kitchen, noticing how the fabric of the boxers seemed to cling to tight buttocks that clenched and moved with every step almost hypnotically.
'Dear sweet morgana does he even realise what he's doing?' Harry almost choked on his tongue as he watched Charlie bend over after opening the fridge , pulling the fabric taut over his arse in a way that made Harry just want to bite down on those firm cheeks before him.
"I'm afraid I don't have much left but you're more than welcome to it. It was freshly whipped today" Charlie said turning around with a grin and holding out a small cream pot toward Harry. Gulping quietly Harry reached out for the cream pot, his fingers brushing up against Charlie's causing the most delicious tingling sensation to travel up his arm and an almost full body shiver.
"You cold Harry?" Charlie asked with a faint look of concern on his face.
"U..uhhh just a little bit. I'm afraid I didn't realise it would be this cool tonight so..".
"Would u like to join me for a cup of coffee?" Charlie said quickly before chuckling softly realising he'd cut Harry off mid-sentence.
"Sorry... didn't mean to cut you off like that"
"N...no it's fine. Id love to actually but I left Teddy back at home by himself and who knows what kind of trouble that boy could get into unsupervised".
"Im sure he'll be fine for 15 minutes while you sit down and relax a little".
"I guess...as long as I'm not gone for too long I suppose I could have one cup with you" Harry said with a small smile.
"Great! How do you take your coffee...oh which do you prefer? Tea or coffee?". Charlie asked.
"Tea would be great thanks. 2 sugars and cream please" Harry replied with a grin.
"Queen's tea coming right up" Charlie walked over to the kitchen counter and grabbing the kettle he quickly filled it up at the sink and placed it in its cradle and turned it on to boil. Reaching up to the cupboards above him he opened the cupboard door and quickly grabbed two large mugs, placing them on the counter next to the kettle and then reaching over, he grabbed a tea bag for Harry and the jar of instant coffee for himself, quietly preparing their drinks.
Harry made his way over to the kitchen table taking a look around him at the home. It seemed very spartan in its design, without too much clutter, everything had a place and every place had a purpose. From a strictly speaking point of view it was a functional house. However Harry didn't quite get the feeling that it was a home which left him feeling a bit sad. He wondered as to what was the cause.
Casting his gaze over to living room he noticed a few small photo frames lining the mantle piece. Each photo was of Charlie and a young girl at different stages of the girl's life from what Harry could tell. Perhaps his daughter? They certainly seemed close enough, but in the last photo they both seemed almost sad. Lost in his thoughts Harry was startled when a warm hand landed on his shoulder and squeezed gently. Looking up he saw Charlie staring at him with a strange expression on his face.
"Sorry Charlie. Was lost in my thoughts. Did you say something?'' Harry asked quietly.
"That's ok I get like that myself some times. I was just asking how you're settling in to Forks. I imagine it is a bit of a change from England..." Charlie replied with a small grin.
"Oh. Well It's a lovely little town, so far I'm quite happy with the move. The people here have been very friendly to both Teddy and I, yourself included. I even managed to enroll Teddy in the school for next year. Forks Elementary? I met with the principal and his teacher today and I'm sure he's going to love it" Harry said with a small smile on his face.
"Its a good school. Not too far from here if I remember right but it's been a few years since I saw the place" Charlie said.
"Ah" Harry murmured softly, not quite sure what to add.
"Your tea is ready by the way", Charlie said quickly before letting his hand drop from Harry's shoulder and heading back to into the kitchen, quickly grabbing their drinks before making his way over and sitting down next to Harry at the table. Handing Harry his tea he smiled gently before saying "Careful with that it's pretty hot. Even with the cream spoiling it".
Harry mock glared at Charlie before he surreptitiously waved his hand underneath the table casting a mild cooling charm on his cup, then proceeded to take a large mouthful, making exaggerated moans of pleasure. Watching Harry moan like that made Charlie's left eye twitch slightly. Crossing his legs beneath the table he averted his eyes whilst he tried to calm himself before he made a fool of himself.
"So what are you planning on doing here in Forks Harry? You just moved here and Teddy is already set with the school but what will you be doing? If you don't mind me asking of course. I'm just kind of curious." Charlie asked before taking a sip of his coffee.
"No it's quite all right really. I honestly haven't had much thought about what I want to do here. I'm not trying to brag or anything but I have a relatively decent sized inheritance that Teddy & I have been living off for years. I would like to do something that's quiet but I don't really have a clue yet. I was thinking perhaps the library would be a nice place to work? I was going to head on over on Monday and see if they were hiring any assistants but other than that I'd probably just be a stay at home dad to Ted till he's older".
"I think you'd be good in a library. The one we have here is ok I guess. If you wanted peace and quiet at least it'd be a great start" Charlie paused "If you don't mind me asking, and you don't have to answer if you don't want to but, what happened to Teddy's mother?".
Harry winced slightly at the question, which didn't go un-noticed by Charlie, before taking another sip of his tea and starting with a sigh.
"No it's ok. Teddy isn't actually my own child. He's my godson whom I adopted. Legally he's my child but his biological parents were very dear friends of mine. They passed away when he was barely a month old and he stayed with his grandmother for 2 months before she herself passed away from a heart attack. I've had custody of him ever since. He's my son for all intents and purposes, but I've always been honest with him and spoken to him about his mother and father. Their names were Nymphadora Tonks and Remus Lupin. Remus was the closest thing I'd had to a father from the moment I first met him. He actually knew my parents and went to school with them as a child himself. I didn't know Tonks as well as Remus but I still considered her a true friend. She always managed to make me laugh even when I was feeling absolutely miserable. When Teddy was born they named me as his godfather".
"How old is Teddy now? He seems like a remarkably bright kid" Charlie asked quietly before taking a sip of his coffee.
"Teddy is 11 years old next month" Harry replied.
"So you've had him for nearly 11 years. If you dont mind me asking, How old were you when you gained custody of him?"
Harry smiled ruefully at Charlie's questioning.
"I gained custody of Teddy when I was 17 years old".
Charlie let out a low whistle in amazement at Harry becoming a father at such a young age.
"So that makes you...28?".
"Almost. I'll be 28 this year in July".
"Oh...not long to go huh... How did you cope with a kid at such a young age?"
"At first I didn't to be honest. I didn't have a clue as to how to raise a child and was still trying to recover from losing my friends when his grandmother died. But I eventually managed to ask for help from others and learned what I needed to. Eventually." Harry finished with a sad smile before taking another sip of his tea. They sat together in comfortable silence just quietly drinking and relaxing in each other's company for a while before Harry suddenly jerked up and cursed softly.
"What's wrong?" Charlie asked, slightly concerned at Harry's action.
"I completely forgot about Teddy. Sorry but I left him home by himself. I really should get going Charlie" Harry explained quickly.
"Oh that's ok. It is getting late so I should probably be heading off to bed myself. I was actually on my way before you knocked on my door".
"Im so sorry I hadn't realis..."
"It's fine. I rather enjoyed sitting down and having a cup with you. You're ... good company Harry. If you ever want to come over again for a cup of tea or chat or something feel free ok? My door is always open" Charlie said earnestly, cutting Harry off mid-sentence, a warm smile on his face.
"Thank you Charlie, you're really too kind" Harry murmured, a soft blush making its presence known on his cheeks.
Standing up he placed his cup back on the table before making his way to the door with Charlie following close behind him. Reaching the door he turned around to bid Charlie good night again when he noticed the same strange look on Charlie's face from earlier.
"Charlie? Is everything all right?".
Charlie simply smiled at Harry before drawing Harry into a quick hug and speaking gently into Harry's ear, causing Harry to shiver against Charlie.
"I'm fine Harry. Good night and I'll see you tomorrow morning for the barbecue ok?".
"O...ok goodnight" Harry smiled softly before turning and heading out making his way back to his own home, Charlie leaning against the front door of his house watching Harry walk away with a faint smile of his own on his face.
Walking into his own home Harry shut and locked the door behind him with a small wave of his hands, simultaneously reinforcing the wards around the house and sending out a small magical pulse to scan the house. Sensing Teddy still awake he made his way up the stairs and knocked on Teddy's bedroom door.
"Come in!" Teddy called out quietly.
"Hey Teddy, It's time for bed. Lights off and off to sleep now". Harry said whilst opening the bedroom door and making his way over to Teddy's bedside.
"Ok Harry. How was Charlie?" Teddy asked as he switched his bedside lamp off and burrowed under his bed covers.
"Charlie was fine thank you and gracious enough to offer me a cup of tea while I was there. And that is all you are getting out of me young man" Harry smiled at Teddy before ruffling his hand through his godson's hair then, leaning down, he placed a gentle kiss on Teddy's forehead.
"Goodnight Teddy" Harry murmured softly.
"Goodnight Harry" Teddy replied sleepily.
Making his way out of Teddy's room and into his own he stripped off his outer clothes and clad in his boxers he climbed into his own bed, falling asleep as almost as soon as his head hit the pillow, dreams of Charlie and the smell of coffee bringing a smile to his face in his sleep.
DREAMSCAPE
Harry sighed softly, pressing himself back against Sirius as they stood at the edge of the cliff-face, the sound of the waves below crashing against the cliff-face soothing him. Both of them watching the sunset together in silence.
"You know this isn't real. Don't you Harry?" Sirius said softly as he wrapped his arms around Harry, resting his head on Harry's shoulder.
"I know Sirius. I know you've been gone for many years now. But I'd like to pretend for just a little while longer"
Sirius sighed and gently drew his hands up Harry's arms, caressing him in a comforting manner.
"Sirius?" Harry whispered.
"Yes mo peata?" Sirius replied.
"Are you happy? Wherever it is that you are now?" asked Harry, voice soft and filled with sadness.
"I think I can honestly say that where I am right now? I'm truly happy. I wouldn't change anything for the world".
Hearing Sirius's reply caused Harry's breath to stutter, a broken sob making it's way from between his lips.
"Oh my Harry... Don't cry. You know I always hated it when you cried". Sirius said gently placing a kiss to the back of Harry's neck.
"I miss you Sirius. Every day since you've been gone has been a torture. I can't stand it I'm so alone. I know I have Teddy but that's different Siri...why did you have to leave me?" Tears filled Harry's eyes as he sobbed brokenly in Sirius's arms.
"Oh Harry. Sometimes things don't go according to plan. I never intended to leave you. You know this. In your heart I know you realise this." Sirius resumed his gentle caress of Harry, trying to offer some form of comfort to his love crying in his arms. Placing another kiss to the back of Harry's neck he gently turned Harry around to face him. Lifting his hands to cup Harry's face he leaned down and placed a gentle kiss upon Harry's lips.
"You know we can't change the past Harry. All we can do is look towards the future. It's what we make of it after all" he murmured gently, drawing a laugh from his younger love.
"You prat" Harry spoke softly as he smacked playfully Sirius on the shoulder, wiping the tears from his eyes with his other hand.
"Still made you smile though" Sirius replied with a grin, his steel grey eyes filled with warmth as he looked down at Harry.
"Some days I wish I'd wake up to find everything was just a dream. That when I woke up I'd be in your arms again back at Grimmauld Place" Harry said with an almost wistful expression upon his face.
"I wish that too sometimes. But sadly what happened to us was very real. And like I said, We can't change that. Enough about us though Harry. I brought you here because I wanted to talk about you" Sirius said quickly as he gently wrapped his arms again around Harry and squeezing gently.
"You already know everything about me Siri..." Harry said softly, resting his head against Sirius's shoulder and closing his eyes.
"I still like to hear you talk mo peata. Your voice always managed to brighten my day. Now let's get down to business shall we?" Sirius said gently stroking his hand up and down Harry's back."Tell me about this new man you met?".
Harry lifted his head from its resting place and looked up at Sirius in confusion. "What did you want to know?".
"Well what is he like? Is he a nice man? Does he have my ruggedly handsome good looks and stunning wit?" Sirius asked with a grin on his face.
"I don't know Sirius. To be honest I haven't a clue what's going on. He seems like a very nice man. He's the police chief. That's the muggle version of Aurors by the way. His eyes are like warmest chocolate and seem to always be smiling at me. I've only known him for a few days and yet I'm finding myself enjoying being in his presence. His voice soothes me in a way I haven't felt since you actually..." Harry sighed gently placing his head back against Sirius's shoulder. "I think I might like him Siri...but I still love you. I don't know what to do".
"You need to let me go Harry. It's been years and yet you still hold on. It's time to let me go and move on. I told you once that you would find someone else. It's time to let them in." Sirius whispered softly in Harry's ear as he held onto his former love.
"I don't want to let you go Siri..." Harry whispered sadly. "I'm afraid If I do I'll never see you again.."
"Harry." Sirius said firmly. "I told you that I will always love you. No matter what happens. You'll never forget me. I'll always be in your heart but It's time to make room in there for someone else." Suddenly pausing he cocked his head to the side as if listening to something in the distance, before a smile stole across his face. "Do you remember years ago what your friend Luna once said to you after I'd fallen through the veil?".
Harry looked up at Sirius confused for a moment before speaking. "She told me that her mother always said the things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end, & not always in a way we expect". Drawing back from Sirius's embrace he stared at his godfather in confusion. "Why do you ask Siri...?"
Sirius grinned and stepping forward, leaned down cupping Harry's face in his hands once more. Placing a kiss against Harry's lips he whispered "Trust me Harry. You'll find out soon enough". With a sigh he stepped back from Harry before looking out towards the ocean stretching as far as the eye could see below them. "Our time is over Harry. Give Charlie a chance. He may surprise you. It's time for me to go Harry but remember I will always love you. No matter what." Stepping forward and kissing Harry gently one last time in farewell he smiled softly and turning towards the edge of the cliffs he began to walk forward, startling Harry and causing him to call out.
"Sirius! What are you doing?".
Turning back to Harry, Sirius grinned widely, happiness filling his eyes and his handsome face practically glowing. "It's time for my next trick Harry. I think this one is going to be my finest ever." Laughing loudly he waved farewell to Harry before taking a few steps back, then suddenly, he burst into a run towards the edge of the cliffs and blowing a kiss as he raced past Harry he took a flying leap and disappeared over the edge.
Harry stood there in shock watching as his godfather flung himself from the edge and yet... he didn't feel sad. He felt...free? Smiling softly he closed his eyes before whispering softly "Goodbye Sirius. I'll always love you".
Sirius's voice seemed to echo in the wind "And I'll always love you Mo Peata".
Harry turned around and walked away from the cliffs he'd spent so many years visiting in his sleep. He knew he wouldn't be returning here. He didn't care. He finally had closure. He could finally let go. Humming a happy tune softly to himself he vanished into the darkness of forest before him, sun long since set and stars twinkling in the night sky above him..
Oh right addition disclaimer here btw - I don't own Nickelback (good lord the things I would do to Chad If i did ;-P ) the lyrics are used without permission (i think that's how you say it when you use them in fan-fiction) and I make 0 profit of any kind other than attention for including them in this chapter
The next morning Teddy awoke slowly, his nose twitching from the scent of something delicious cooking. Breathing in deeply, Teddy smiled when he recognised the smell. 'Mmmmm bacon for breakfast! My favourite!' he thought to himself.
Throwing back the covers he quickly jumped out of bed and made his way out of his room and down the stairs towards the kitchen. He paused at the bottom of the stairs when his ears picked up something he had not heard in years.
Music was playing loudly from the kitchen and what was more amazing, was that he could hear his godfather singing along with the music.
"Tonight, out on the street, out in the moonlight, and damn it this feels too right, it's just like déja vu, me standing here with you, so I'll be holding my breath, could this be the end? Is it that moment when, I find the one that I'll spend forever with..." Harry's voice sang out passionately from the kitchen .
Grinning widely, he walked around the corner into the kitchen to see Harry dancing along to the music as he went about preparing breakfast in his pyjamas.
Clearing his throat softly, he laughed at the sight of his godfather spinning around in shock, facing his godson with a look of surprise on his face.
"Cuz nobody wants to be...oh good morning Teddy! Did you have a good sleep?" Harry asked quickly, a light blush staining his cheeks at being caught by his godson so care-free.
"It was ok I guess...how about you ? Did you have a good sleep? You're in a good mood this morning?" Teddy asked with a smile on his face.
"Oh. I don't know pup I just woke up this morning and felt really happy. Did you want some bacon for breakfast?" Harry asked with a smirk, trying to change the topic but already knowing his godson's answer.
"Of course I do!" Teddy said quickly, rushing to sit up at the counter. Hauling himself up onto one of the bar stools he turned in his seat so he could face his godfather with a smile on his face, enjoying the sight of his godfather moving about the kitchen humming to himself along with the music and finishing with cooking their breakfast.
"What time are we going over to Mr Swan's today?" Teddy asked.
"Im not sure to be honest" Harry replied. "I don't want to be too early though. Do you think 11 is too early?" Harry asked whilst grabbing the pan and putting most of the now cooked bacon on Teddy's plate.
Teddy just ignored the question, hurriedly digging into his breakfast with gusto.
"You and your bacon. Honestly I think if given the option it's all you would eat every day" Harry said with a gentle smile on his face.
Grinning widely showing bits of bacon between his teeth, Teddy nodded swiftly.
"That's disgusting Ted" Harry laughed. "Right well lets hurry up and finish breakfast. Then we can go get changed and head on over to Charlie's".
Teddy nodded again silently. Rolling his eyes Harry grabbed his breakfast before wolfing it down and then quickly picking up his plate he placed it in the dish washer. After reminding Teddy to be quick with his own breakfast, he made his way up to his bedroom to get ready for the day not noticing Teddy watching him as he made his way out of the kitchen, his eyes flashing a steel grey before reverting back to their normal shade of brown.
Up in his bedroom Harry stood staring at his clothes hanging up in his closet. He frowned slightly, musing over what would arguably be one of the most important questions he ever asked himself. 'What should I wear?'. Harry eventually settled on a thin white V-necked t-shirt, grabbing a dark green button up silk shirt to throw on over it. Turning to the other side of his closet he reached in and pulled out a pair of black denim jeans that clung to his form in all the right places, as well as his favourite black leather belt which had a silver belt buckle in the shape of a wolf. It was a present from Remus when he was younger and whilst the belts may have changed over the years he always kept the buckle, simply swapping it from belt to belt as he outgrew them.
Smiling at his selection he placed the clothes at the foot of his bed before turning and heading into his en-suite bathroom for a quick shower.
Meanwhile downstairs in the kitchen Teddy had just finished his breakfast and was making his way with his plate over to the dishwasher when his nose started twitching, picking up a strangely familiar scent. Inhaling deeply he tried to place it. He knew he'd smelled it before somewhere but he couldn't seem to place it. It was an almost heady sweet scent...like warm chocolate but not. Confused, he placed his plate in the dishwasher and peered out of the window above the kitchen sink.
Leaning over to open the window further he froze when he saw a tall, pale and muscular young man with short brown hair and brilliant amber coloured eyes that seemed to almost have a glow to them, standing on the edge of the woods in the shade of the trees behind their home. Standing as still as a stone statue Teddy held his breath but when the man locked eyes with him he gasped softly in surprise. Everything about this man just screamed predator. From the way he stood leaning against a tall tree, to the slow smirk that drew across his face when he caught sight of Teddy. Appearing to scent the air the man smirked again in an almost mischievous manner. Raising his hand, the strange man placed his index finger against his lips, pursing them as he gestured for Teddy to be quiet.
Teddy sneezed suddenly, his eyes closing for barely a second before opening them again, only to find the man had disappeared. Frowning in confusion, he looked around quickly but not seeing anything out of the ordinary. Teddy hurriedly closed the window and backed away. 'Who the heck was that?' he wondered to himself. Resolving to go tell Harry about the strange sight he turned and raced upstairs, not noticing a blurred shape streaking past the very window he was looking out from.
To say that Harry was on edge would definitely be an understatement if ever there was one. He'd only just finished getting dressed after his morning shower when his godson tore into his room as if he was being chased by a herd of angry hippogriffs. Rushing to Teddy's side he managed to calm the boy down before he was told in between gasping breaths about the man who was at the edge of the woods.
He'd immediately summoned his wand from it's hiding place above his closet and proceeded to check the wards. However to his surprise they showed no sign of being triggered by any hostile presence. Frowning he increased the ward's strength before turning back to his godson and made him explain once again what he'd seen.
"Well I have no idea who that was Teddy. but we'll just have to be extra careful for the next few days. I reinforced the wards so nothing is going to get past if it wants to hurt us pup. We'll be ok". Harry ran his hand gently through his godson's hair as he spoke quietly once Teddy had finished talking, his actions soothing his godson. Turning to the clock on his bedside dresser he sighed softly. "C'mon pup we need to get you dressed it's time for us to head on over to Charlie's"
Teddy nodded slowly before heading out of Harry's room and down the hall into his own, quickly changing his clothes and brushing his hair then racing down the stairs to where his godfather stood waiting with a couple of bags of meat from the fridge in his hands.
"You all ready to go now Teddy?" Harry asked Teddy with a soft smile on his face.
Teddy simply nodded and opened the door for Harry before following behind him as they made their way outside, quickly turning around and locking the front door behind them. Hurrying to catch up to his godfather walking ahead of him he couldn't help but wonder about the man he had seen before. Forks was turning out to be a lot stranger than he'd originally thought.
Next door Charlie was out in the back yard of his house whistling quietly to himself as he placed the kindling in the barbecue getting ready to fire it up. It was a rather old styled barbecue but it had served him well over the years and as they say, *If it ain't broken don't fix it*. It might have also had something to do with the fact that it was large enough to feed a small army of hungry wolves. A thought which made him chuckle softly to himself as he considered some of the people he knew that were coming over today.
Reaching down and setting the the wood on fire with some matches, he watched for a few minutes making sure it didn't flare up before it dwindled down to a low smoulder, the heat bricks glowing a dark orange as they slowly burned.
Smiling at his success he placed the cover over the barbecue before he made his way over to the outdoor fridge he had on the patio. Opening it up be grabbed a cold beer and swiftly removed the cap, taking a large swig and smacking his lips as he swallowed. "Boy that hits the spot" he said to himself with a grin. He was just about to sit down on one of the deck chairs when he heard Harry calling out to him.
"Charlie? Are you there?"
"Come around back the gate is open!" he shouted back as he made his way down the patio and around to the left of his house. Catching sight of Harry he smiled warmly before his eyes widened slightly, his mouth suddenly dry as he took in Harry's outfit. The young man before him was dressed in a well fitted white t-shirt that seemed to cling to his skin, with a dark green shirt left unbuttoned over it.
Drawing his eyes downwards he almost choked on his tongue as he noticed Harry's belt buckle . A bright silver wolf curled up on its stomach. It looked almost identical to the pendant he'd purchased the day before at the market. Shaking his head slightly he let his eyes travel down further noticing Harry's black jeans that fit Harry *very* well. Lifting his eyes back up he shook his head again to clear his thoughts and smiled warmly at Harry as he moved forward to take the bags Harry was carrying with him.
"Here let me get those for you Harry" Charlie said as he took the bags from Harry's hands.
"Thanks Charlie, those are heavier than I'd expected" Harry said with a grin.
"It's no problem. I'll go put these in the fridge" Charlie replied as he turned and made his way to the fridge on the patio. "My friends will be here soon, they're just picking up some bags of ice along the way. Can I get you guys something to drink?" Charlie asked as he opened the fridge and placed the meat inside. Turning back to Harry he raised an eyebrow as he saw him kneeling down and murmuring quietly to Teddy. "Harry?" he called out trying to get the man's attention.
"Hrm? Oh! Erm...sure! What do you have?" Harry called back, standing up and ruffling his hand through Teddy's hair, causing the young boy to growl softly and Harry to laugh at the noise.
"I have beer, root beer, coca cola, lemonade, diet coke, water and ... I have no idea what this is but its purple?" Charlie called out whilst scratching the back of his head with his hand in confusion as he held up a large jug filled with purple liquid.
Hearing Charlie, Harry laughed softly in amusement before calling back "How about I just have whatever you're having and Teddy can have a lemonade?". Turning to his godson he raised his eyebrow in question, smiling when Teddy nodded.
"One beer coming right up" Charlie shouted back before grabbing a bottle of beer and can of lemonade from the fridge, making his way over to where Harry was now sitting on one of the deck chairs, opening the bottle before handing it over to Harry. Turning to Teddy he smiled "Here you go squirt" handing Teddy his drink and then grabbing his own beer from the table he sat down next to Harry leaning his head back slightly as he took a swig from his own bottle, adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed it down.
Turning to Harry he grinned and opened his mouth about to talk when they heard the sound of trucks pulling up and loud boisterous chatter from the front yard. "This will be the guys" Charlie said to Harry before standing up again. Really he'd only JUST sat down before he was up again, Charlie huffed quietly to himself before making his way around the side of the house. Calling out to the guys at the front, "We're out the back guys, come on round!". Turning back he grinned at Harry and made his way back to his seat, firmly plonking down with gusto. He didn't intend to get up again for at least a good 10 minutes.
Turning to Harry he raised an eyebrow as he noticed Teddy sitting up straight in his own chair, eyes glued to where a group of men were making their way around the back of the house, one of them in a wheelchair being pushed by another taller man. He leaned over Harry and nudged Teddy in the shoulder with his hand "Hey you ok there squirt?" he asked the small boy.
Startled, Teddy turned to Charlie with a small smile and relaxing slightly he nodded silently before taking a sip of his lemonade.
Shrugging Charlie turned back to his friends making their way over to them and with a grin called out loudly "Hey you guys, glad you finally made it I was beginning to think you wouldn't show up!"
"And miss out on a free meal?" one of the men shouted back causing the others to start chuckling.
"You can put the drinks in the fridge along with the meat" Charlie said gesturing to the fridge behind them.
"Got it!" 2 of the guys called out in unison as they carried said drinks over.
"All right well I guess now that you're all here I should get introductions out of the way" Charlie said turning to Harry. Looking back at the group of men in front of him he spoke.
"Ok first off guys this is Harry and Teddy Black, they moved here a few days ago all the way from England".
The group of men smiled and waved in greeting and made their way over to Harry.
The man in the wheelchair smiled warmly as he held out his hand to Harry. "My name Is Billy Black and this here is my son Jacob Black" he said as he gestured to the tall man behind him pushing his wheelchair.
Harry smiled back as he shook Billy's hand before letting go and shaking Jacob's hand as well. "It's nice to meet you".
Billy spoke again turning his head to the other 3 men now beside him. "These other chuckleheads are friends of the family. The big lug over there who looks like he's never smiled a day in his life is Paul, the man standing next to him looking like he's going to pass out from holding in his laughter right now is Jared and the giant next to him who's now glaring at me even though he knows it's true is Sam"
Harry laughed at each of Billy's amusing introductions and smiled warmly at each of them as he shook their hands. He took a moment to get a good look at them. They were definitely an attractive bunch he thought to himself with a grin. Even Billy had his own charm .
He couldn't help but notice how similar they all were to each other, with the exception of Billy. They all looked incredibly fit, well defined muscles and broad chests. Blushing slightly Harry turned back to Charlie, who was currently wearing a small frown on his face as he watched Harry giving the guys a once over. "Charlie?" Harry said nudging Charlie slightly .
"Sorry Harry just remembered something" Charlie replied avoiding meeting Harry's eyes .
Harry shrugged and turned back to Teddy, speaking softly to his godson not noticing Paul freezing as his eyes met the smaller boy's. Leaning back he chatted amicably with Billy whilst the rest of the group grabbed cold drinks from the fridge and sat down on the chairs nearby, Jacob handing his father a beer before he joined them. Harry found he was quickly getting used to the Billy's quirky sense of humour and razor wit. The man had him in stitches after a couple of minutes with an anecdote about Jacob as a child and a particularly enlightening encounter with a skunk in the forest. Soon though Harry had to quietly excuse himself, asking Charlie where the bathroom was before heading inside.
"Charlie?" Billy said softly looking towards his friend sitting down to his side. "Do you think you could head inside for a minute? I think I heard Harry call for you..." Charlie nodded slowly. Clearly confused Charlie got up from his seat, groaning quietly as his legs stretched and with one last cautious look towards the group he walked inside and closed the door behind him.
Back outside Teddy was currently staring at the group of men in front of him who each stared back at him with various expressions of surprise/wonder/shock on their face. Except for Billy who looked thoroughly amused for some reason. "Erm... hello..." he said nervously, holding out his hand in greeting. None of them moved to shake his hand except for Billy who simply smiled at the small boy as he took a hold of Teddy's hand and shook it warmly.
At first no one said anything, just staring at each other. Billy still smiling gently but the rest of them wearing various expressions of shock and curiosity. What was most curious was the expression on Paul's face. He looked as if his whole world had just tilted on it's axis. Slowly he walked forward and sat down on shaking legs, taking the seat next to Teddy, staring at the boy in amazement. Gazing at the man in concern Teddy leaned forward slightly towards Paul. "Are you ok mr...?" he asked quietly.
Paul seemed to struggle to find words before he coughed, clearing his throat. "I..I'm fine. Just got dizzy for a second there" Paul's voice wavering slightly. Looking back to the rest of the guys in front of him he gazed at Jacob as if to say 'Are you gonna talk or what?'.
Clearing his throat, Jacob spoke softly with confusion evident in his voice. "I...ok I'm not going to beat around the bush I'll just come out with it. What are you ? You smell ...like us but different..."
Teddy nodded solemnly before speaking "I'm mostly human. My father was what you would call a werewolf. How about you? All of you except for Billy smell... more than human. I'd say you smell like werewolves yourselves but you don't. You smell similar but not. I'm a little confused..."
Jacob gasped before glancing to Paul who sat as if frozen next to Teddy. "We're shape-shifters. Our other forms are wolves. Big ones. Where did you come from... are there more like you? We've never heard of werewolves before. We thought we were the closest thing...".
Teddy shook his head ruefully "I don't think I can answer those questions yet sorry. I think Harry needs to be here first." Turning back to the man next to him he jumped slightly in his seat when he saw Paul staring at him with something akin to wonder on his face. "What's wrong with him?" He asked gesturing to paul beside him.
Jacob winced at Teddy's question."It's... complicated." Jacob paused briefly glancing at Paul again before sighing. " Do you know anything about shape-shifters?" He asked, quickly reaching out and placing his hand on Paul's shoulder, squeezing gently. "Paul perhaps you should get a beer from the fridge..." he said to Paul, nodding in the direction of the fridge behind him. Paul nodded and standing up walked over to the fridge. Turning back to Teddy, Jacob waited for the boy to respond.
"Not much to be honest. Harry taught me about some things but I never knew about wolf shape shifters. I only know mostly about werewolves and house elves" Teddy said watching Paul out of the corner of his eye.
Jacob nodded, clearly confused about the comment on *house elves* but deciding not to discuss that right now he sighed and once again looking over to Paul, who was making his way back, beer in hand and open, taking a large mouthful. He continued on.
"Well when it comes to shape shifters we have a few things about us that you should know. The most important thing right now is that there is something those of us who can shift have called an Imprint. It's not something that happens to everyone though. In fact it's actually incredibly rare for us to find our Imprints. We also have absolutely no control over it. It's hard to explain really It's like... gravity moves... suddenly. It's not the earth holding you here any more, your Imprint does... your whole world revolves around them. You become whatever they needs you to be, whether that's a protector, a friend, or a ..." Jacob paused stumbling over his words before taking a deep breath and continuing.
"Or a lover. I guess you could say it's like finding your soul-mate. Your Imprint is, for lack of better wording, perfect for you in every single way". Pausing briefly again Jacob stared at Teddy for a few moments before speaking again. " How...how old are you ?" He asked Teddy quickly before holding his breath.
"I'm turning 11 next month" Teddy whispered. Beside him Paul choked halfway through taking a sip of his beer. Placing his beer on the table behind him Paul stood up and with one last look at Teddy he turned and ran towards the woods behind the house. Disappearing into the tree line.
"Why are you telling me thi...are you... saying what I think you're saying?" Teddy asked Jacob nervously.
Jacob nodded sadly. "It's unusual but its nothing ... inappropriate. He doesn't have any...christ 11 years old..." Jacob shook his head before taking a quick breath and speaking once more. "He doesn't have any sexual feelings towards you at the moment. He will be whatever you need him to be but right now because you're so young he can only be a friend or ...protector. When you grow up, if you liked him enough those feelings will change but right now all he can feel is an intense need to keep you safe and make you happy".
"Why did he just run away then?" Teddy asked with confusion.
"He's kind of overwhelmed right now. Paul has always been one of our more...emotional members of the ...pack. He never expected to imprint on someone and to suddenly imprint on you, a boy who isn't even 11 years old yet is something that he ... can't deal with right now. Don't worry though he'll be fine, he just needs to run for a bit" Jacob finished with a small smile.
"Ok" Teddy said quietly. "I need to talk to Harry about this. Not right now though I don't think now is a good time..." Pausing briefly he glanced at Billy before asking "Does Charlie know about you guys?"
Sam spoke up for the first time since arriving "Charlie knows about us. Sometimes he wishes he didn't but he keeps our secrets and has never betrayed them"
Teddy nodded at this before closing his eyes and raising a hand to his neck he pulled out from underneath his shirt a small necklace with a curious little pendant hanging from it. It was a small golden ball, intricately carved and appeared to have two small wings etched into the side.
Opening his eyes he stared at the pendant for a few moments gently rubbing his thumb over it before raising his head to the group before him. "Ok so... serious question now" he said with a small smile on his face. "Do you guys like bacon?"
Meanwhile inside Harry and Charlie were currently in the kitchen near the front of the house, talking softly. "I like your friends" Harry said nodding towards the back of the house.
Charlie frowned again slightly looking off to the side away from Harry "I noticed".
Tilting his head to the side Harry stared at the man before him. He seemed almost angry about something but Harry didn't have a clue as to what It could be.
"Are you ok Charlie? You seem upset... did I do something wrong?"
Charlie sighed deeply rubbing a hand over his face before looking back at Harry. "It's nothing Harry, just an old man and a silly thought."
Hearing this Harry smiled softly before moving forward and grabbing one of Charlie's hands he squeezed it gently. "You're not that old Charlie" he replied quietly. Letting go of Charlie's hand he turned away and started walking towards the back, intent on going back outside to join the rest of the group. "C'mon. Lets go back outside I think we've been in here long enough" Harry said over his shoulder with a small grin before he heard Charlie moving quickly behind him.
"Harry..." Charlie said as he placed a hand on Harry's shoulder stopping him from walking further away. Taking a deep breath Charlie spun Harry around to face him he pulled Harry close and lowering his face towards the younger man, he pressed his lips against Harry's. Kissing Harry with such tenderness it took Harry's breath away.