Hello to all my lovely readers and reviewers! I'm on a coach on my way to Bristol so I thought I'd write some fanfic instead of doing any uni work; it seemed like a more valuable use of time.
Aaron was, frankly, amazed. It was like walking into a whole new world. He stood infront of the Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes shop, gazing at the magical hustle and bustle around him. He could hear lots of animals coming from the pet shop along the road, could see lots of people in what looked like brightly coloured dressing gowns. There were things moving around all by themselves, and all sorts of items being sold in shops and on market stalls that Aaron didn't recognise.
Harry chuckled at the look on his nephew's face.
"Right come on guys, first stop is this shop here, the best Wizarding joke shop there is." Harry pointed to the shop directly in front of them, which had a picture of Fred and George standing back to back and grinning in the shop window. The caption underneath this picture said "In memorandum of a wonderful brother'.
"Aw Harry I didn't know you cared!" A voice called from within the shop, which Harry recognised as being George, who was standing just behind the front door, unlocking it for opening.
"Hey George how are you?" Harry asked, walking over to the man, leaving the Dursley's to hang back. Dudley had recognised George, and was understandably wary.
"I'm good thanks Harry who have you brought with you?"
"This is my cousin Dudley, and his wife, and son. He's getting a Hogwarts letter this year." Harry beckoned to the Dursleys to come forwards, and they approached slowly, feeding off of their father's anxiety.
George grinned at the small boy, then did a double take as he realised who Harry's cousin was. The one whose tongue he had made weigh a ton. Never having been one for being very bashful, George simply smiled and shook Dudley's hand.
"So," George said, addressing Aaron and Teddy."Do you want to have a look inside my joke shop?"
"Yeah!" Teddy said excitedly, while Aaron nodded, looking at his parents hopefully.
"Go on then." Kate sighed, following the boys and George inside the shop. Harry and Dudley followed shortly after, keeping together away from the rest of the group.
"You remembering the tongue?" Harry asked quietly, so that only Dudley could hear him.
"Yeah." Dudley said, looking at his feet. "Why did he do that?"
Harry sighed. "I don't really know Dud, I don't think any of my friends from school really liked the family over the years and I guess they thought it would be funny."
"Why didn't they like us?"
Harry chuckled. "Can't you see their point? One year they broke me out because your Dad fitted bars on my window. You can see how they might get a bad impression."
"I guess. But I didn't do that."
"Yeah I know. You acted so scared of magic though..." Harry looked at his cousin thoughtfully, wondering if he was still afraid.
"I still am a bit. I don't really know what's in the magical world, and since I'm not a wizard I never will."
Harry patted his cousin on the shoulder. It really was a shame for Dudley that he would never know how great things could be. But Aaron would. Harry would make sure of that.
While the boys finished looking around the joke shop, Harry pulled Dudley and Kate to one side.
"This is the business side of the conversation guys. If Aaron and you feel comforted by what you see here today, I can offer him a place in the school. It's a boarding school, he'll be able to come home for all school holidays. We'll need to come back here and get school supplies for him at some point. It's entirely your decision, but if Aaron doesn't attend, his magic will get stronger over time and he won't be able to control it."
Kate looked over towards her husband, not sure what to say.
"I guess..." She started to speak "We'll discuss it as a family tonight and let you know what we decide."
Harry nodded, looking satisfied. Teddy and he would just have to give Aaron the best day possible, to show Dudley how happy his son could be.
Harry and Teddy spent the day showing Aaron all the joys that Diagon alley had to offer. They went into the pet store, and spent a good while looking at the various birds of prey and exotic reptiles that were out on display.
They went into the quidditch store, where Teddy decided he was going to spend his pocket money buying Aaron a book about quidditch, so that he would know what it was. Aaron shyly accepted the present, not used to being around people his own age who actually gave a damn about others. (Most of the children at the Dragon school in Oxford were, shall we say, spoilt).
Harry was proud of his godson. Teddy was kind, and loyal and friendly, just like his father. Harry could only hope that Teddy would have an easier life than his father did. Teddy was not treated any differently by Harry, who loved him like a son, but Harry knew that this may change when Teddy went to Hogwarts. He was marked for life - the son of a werewolf. All be it a heroic one.
The two families also had an ice cream, looked in the apothocary at all the "weird" potions ingredients, and took a look at the new wand shop that was being constructed in the place of Ollivanders. It looked like it would be ready to open just in time for the school rush, Harry commented.
As the sun started to set, and the end of the day rolled around, Aaron started to yawn. Throughout the day Dudley and Kate had seemed to get less and less anxious, and by the time they sat having an ice cream, seemed to be almost enjoying themselves. Harry hoped they would remember that when discussing their son's future later.
Harry took them back through Mr Weasley's shop, and up into his flat ready to floo home. Harry shook Dudley's hand and smiled, hoping that his cousin felt better about magic after today. He'd need to feel really good about it to face up to telling his parents about their grandson's abilities. Kate also shook his hand, and they stood making small talk for a few moments while Aaron and Teddy said goodbye to each other. It was a slightly awkward moment, which Teddy covered fairly well by teaching Aaron how to say goodbye the 'cool' way. (The fist-bump and twist.)
Once they had all said their final goodbyes, Harry took them home again via floo. As Teddy waited for him in their living room, he started thinking about the day. It had been really was nice to meet some of Harry's family,and Aaron was really cool. Harry seemed to like him. Teddy knew that Harry was a really good was no relation to him, but had taken him in, looked after him and ... loved him. Teddy hoped Harry knew he loved him too. He didn't want Harry spending all his time with Aaron and not him, on the basis that because Aaron was a blood relative Harry would love him more.
This thought upset Teddy rather a lot. He liked his life with Harry, and he liked Aaron. But if Harry started to prefer Aaron to him...Teddy didn't know what he would do. Harry was all he had.
Teddy ran along to the corridor to his room, and sat taking deep breaths to calm himself down. He didn't want to lose Harry.
When Harry came back from the Dursley's house, he was a little surprised to see an empty living room, as Teddy and he had agreed to have dinner when he got back. Kicking off his shoes and draping his coat over the sofa, Harry padded softly along the corridor towards Teddy's room, calling Teddy's name.
After knocking on his bedroom door and getting no reply, Harry pushed open the door softly to see his godson sat on his bed, looking at what appeared to be chocolate frog cards. At that moment Teddy looked so very young. Harry had loved raising him. Seeing Teddy grow and become the fantastic young man that he was, Harry was so very proud of him. But at this moment Teddy looked upset.
Harry walked over to the bed, and asked if he could sit down. Teddy nodded, and he and Harry both ended up sitting with their backs against the wall, with Harry's feet dangling over the edge of the bed and Teddy's not quite reaching the end of it.
"What you looking at cub?" Harry asked, as he looked over Teddy's shoulder. Teddy had been running his fingers across two cards, the one of his father, and the one of Harry. Harry knew that he kept those two cards in his bedside draw, away from the rest of his collection.
Teddy shook his head, too worried that if he tried to speak he'd end up getting his words twisted up and getting upset.
Harry sighed and looped his arm around Teddy's shoulders, pulling him in so that Teddy's head was leant against his chest. There was nothing that could really be said, but he could be there. And that was how Teddy eventually fell asleep, resting his head against Harry's chest, and listening to his heartbeat. Comforted that for now at least, Harry still saw him as a member of the family.
Once Kate and Dudley had settled down and given Aaron his dinner, they knew it was time to discuss the elephant in the room. Should Aaron go to Hogwarts?
"Yes." Said Dudley, beginning the conversation. "He should. As Harry said, he has magical abilities, and we can't deny that. All we can do is give him the best start in life that we can, and we will do that by sending him to Hogwarts."
Kate hugged Aaron closer to her, as they sat listening on the sofa. She too, did not trust herself to speak.
"What do you think Aaron?" Dudley asked looked up at his mother, through his big brown eyes, and then back to his father.
"I want to go Dad. I'll miss you and everything, but Harry will look after me, and I want to go."
Dudley nodded, as if this settled the matter.
"Kate?" He asked, seeing if she wanted to respond. She simply nodded her head, and kissed her son on the temple. It seemed a little much for her to handle.
Dudley sighed.
"I guess you're going to school then. I think it's time for bed son." He said, getting up from his chair and sending his son upstairs.
Once he could hear that Aaron was in bed, he walked back over to his wife. Wrapping his arms around her, he simply held her while she cried.
"I'm going to miss my baby." was all she said, quietly, over and over again.
A/N: So? What do you think? I may go with only having Draco's son at Hogwarts, rather than Hugo as well.
Please, please let me know what you think. Once again, sorry for the slow moving chapters.
