Disclaimer: I regret to say that everything about Harry Potter belongs to the talented author JK Rowling. There are some original characters and they belong to me: they include Shawn and Pixie as a couple and a mention of Yumiko and Chris, two OCs from the first story. All general story notes as mentioned in the first chapter apply to the story. Other miscellaneous OCs for this story include Luka Craydon well as the main characters' and the OCs' kids.
Warning and Story note for this chapter: lots of Draco/Harry love and lovely family moments and there will be more OCs as well.
23/6/2013: Yay! Here we go, this is a new chapter, which will contain the childhood memories of Harry and Draco's son, Charles :) in regards to the long delay, I had to do quite a lot of rewriting to make the plot better so I hope that you'll find the changes to be beneficial in improving the overall plot to the story. Ah, wait! (Special Bookmark) Read on, my dears :)
Unforgettable Memories
Chapter Seven: Childhood Memories and a Near Miss
Rating: PG-13
Draco spotted a small pile of leather bound faded royal blue albums piled on the coffee table as he lazily lounged on the settee. He could hear the tinkling and clanking of crockery coming from the kitchen, the definite signs of his husband preparing tea and fixing up a snack to complement the beverage. The pale wizard picked the topmost book and ran his fingers over the worn satin, the deep blue pigment having turned pale due to its long years in storage. It was one of the several Charles's babyhood, toddlerhood and childhood books chock full of pictures and mementoes of the boy's birthdays, outings with his friends in the village and with their friends' children in Hogwarts and random moments when he did something clever or cute.
Draco opened the cover to the first page to find a wizarding photo of Draco looking on with a smile as Harry gave their baby son his first feed. That was taken the day after the boy's birth. The Potions professor recalled that Yumiko created the special formula for Harry to feed Charles so that he could grow big and strong until he was ready for purées and solid foods. His smile turned nostalgic as he went through the photos, some were taken with a muggle camera and the others were wizarding photos just like the first one. Harry proved to be quite a natural at taking care of Charles during his leave. He spent most of his time with Yumiko and her baby daughter, Aurealia who became Charles's instant playmate. The soon-to-be school matron gave him advice on how to read his son's moods and cries and made suggestions on how to further bond with Charles. On most occasions, he also spent time with Dobby and the house elves who taught him how to cook basic dishes, which gave him ideas on what purées and solid foods to feed Charles as he slowly outgrew the formula. Sometimes when Ginny came to visit, she made time for her son, Thomas to interact with Aurealia and Charles and they got on splendidly together, although Aurealia seemed to pick on Thomas more than Charles. Chris's wife, Cho also had a child: a young girl named Harriet who bore her father's looks but inherited her mother's dark hair and eyes. The former Ravenclaw and her daughter rarely visited Hogwarts but Harry and Cho did have pleasant conversation together without the awkwardness that usually accompanied them. Charles and Harriet were amiable playmates but there were occasions the baby girl wanted to be alone and didn't appreciate the younger's company.
"Sometimes I feel like it all just happened yesterday..." Harry mused as he brought in the tea tray. He poured the steaming tea into the teacups before handing one to Draco on a saucer, "He has grown up so quickly..."
The Potions professor accepted the peppermint tea and balanced the open album on his lap. He allowed the minty cooling flavour wash over his tongue before replying to his husband, "I'm just glad that we have these memories of our son to cherish...oh? What's this?"
Harry scooted closer to see what his husband found. They smiled at the photos of the combined baby shower and their baby son's first birthday. It took place on a late Friday night and they celebrated with their colleagues and Ron's family in a private function in the Great Hall. Their smiles turned soft when they turned to a muggle photo of Charles hugging a familiar-looking teddy bear with a gurgling laugh on his little chubby face as he was carried by his fathers. Seeing their son with his first birthday present and his eventual favourite toy through his childhood triggered the flashback of a very joyous and memorable occasion.
In the kitchens, Harry entertained the cooing infant in his high chair as he fed a spoonful of pumpkin and spinach purée into the open eager mouth. The baby boy had since grew up since his first day. His black hair covered his head in a messy mop and his silvery eyes just seemed to shimmer endlessly. He babbled happily as he swallowed the food, eagerly wanting more. The former Gryffindor made a mental note to keep this new combination purée for future meals. After sensing that he had eaten enough, Harry used the bib to wipe the mess staining the baby's pudgy cheeks. Charles squirmed and reached out for the banana left on the counter but the fruit was out of reach. Harry watched in amusement as a frown appeared on the cute face and he began whining. The baby looked up to his father, his silver eyes wide and anxious. For a moment, the Flying Instructor was reminded of his husband's coy look whenever he wanted Harry to do his bidding.
"Dada! Nana! Nana!" the baby cried out.
"Alright, alright, Charlie..." Harry chuckled as he picked up the banana and began peeling and slicing it before placing them in a bowl, "Here's your dessert, son..."
The baby watched intently as Harry worked on the fruit. Just as he was about to feed Charles, the sound of footsteps alerted his attention. He looked up to see Draco entering the kitchen. He approached his little family, bestowing a gentle kiss on the baby's dark head and another on his husband's scarred forehead. The younger man noticed that he was holding a teddy bear in his arms and he smiled...
"Papa! Papa!"
"There you both are...I was wondering here you were," Draco remarked, "Shawn wanted us to be in the Great Hall for something or other."
"I had to feed Charles before he gets cranky. You know how he is without food," both men chuckled as Charlie snatched the banana pieces from the bowl the moment it was placed before him. The baby began gobbling greedily, cooing with delight at the soft texture and sweet taste, "He's already a year old...how time flies by so quickly..."
"Finally...you're ready to come back to teach, my lion. But how will Charles fare for the day starting next week?"
"I'll still spend time with him before my classes. Yumiko is happy to take care of him and Aurealia together in the hospital wing when we couldn't be there for him so don't worry," they watched Charles slow down and began to squirm uncomfortably in his seat. Harry picked up the infant and patted his back softly. A large burp erupted from the infant, making them chuckle.
"Well, I think our son is ready for his birthday present now that he's finished...Charlie? Charlie?" the Potions professor held out a brown teddy bear with deep green eyes and a silver ribbon around its neck to the baby. It was the same toy Harry gave to Draco in their sixth year during the Christmas holidays as his present, "Happy Birthday. This is from me and daddy, son..."
The baby cooed excitedly and waved his arms, wanting to hug his other father and new playmate. Harry passed their son to his husband. The baby hugged the blonde wizard's neck and gave him a sloppy kiss before reaching for the teddy bear.
"Bowie...Bowie..." Charles cooed as he hugged the bear close with a proud twinkle in his eye.
Harry joined his husband's side after cleaning the dishes and clearing the rubbish, "Marius is still in good condition..."
"Hope you don't mind if I pass him to our son, lion. I think it's high time he receives his first toy."
"I'm just happy you've kept him all these years," Harry leaned up to kiss his spouse's cheek. Just then, the little family heard more footsteps coming and they looked up to see a young redheaded woman peeking inside, "Hey Ginny."
"Shawn said that Draco was supposed to bring you guys up and you're still here? Let's get going!" Ginny approached the two men and the baby. They saw that she was carrying hers and Neville's son, Thomas. Charles babbled with a smile when she cupped his cheek while Thomas looked on with his wide blue eyes, "Hello there, birthday boy...you've grown so big!"
With that, the three adults and the two babies departed and headed to the Great Hall.
The two professors and their son were greeted to a magnificent spread on one of the long tables and the huge chorus of cheers from their colleagues and Ron, Hermione and their children the moment they entered the Great Hall with Ginny and Thomas. A large pile of presents stood proudly at the end of the table closest to them. The feast was tantilizing. There were chicken drumsticks, bowls of fresh fruit, sweet butter rolls, mashed potatoes, sausages and steamed vegetables.
"Mates! Congratulations on Charlie's first birthday," Ron stepped up first to Harry and Draco with a beaming grin on his face. He turned his attention to the gurgling baby boy who was still holding onto his new toy, "Hey there, kid!"
"Well, Harry. Starting next week, you'll be back to teaching," Chris stepped up and clapped Harry on his shoulder with a relieved look on his face, "Your students are going to be happy to have you be their professor again. I honestly don't know how you can keep up with them."
"We all pitched in to organize the feast for your son's birthday. And we made sure that we're celebrating in private," Shawn explained, his bespectacled blue eyes twinkling brightly, "So congratulations you two and many happy returns to your little one."
"I should the say the same for you too. Congratulations, Shawn," Draco stepped forward to shake the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher's hand, "You must be a proud father to have such strong and healthy twins."
At the remark, Shawn blushed with a sheepish grin and looked at his wife who was currently fussed over by Hermione and Yumiko, "Thanks...and I'm the luckiest man in the world..."
"You guys...this is all amazing, thanks a lot!" Harry exclaimed. Then he felt his robes tugged by Ginny again, "Ginny?"
"Considering it's your baby's birthday, the girls and I pitched in for a long overdue baby shower too," Ginny gestured to the other long table where Hermione, Cho, Yumiko and Pixie were lingering with their children. A second but smaller pile of gifts was nearby. Ron and Hermione's children stayed close to their mother. Cho was fixing the ribbons on her baby daughter's pinafore dress. Yumiko was embracing her giggling baby daughter while Pixie was cradling her twins: a boy and a girl just as Madame Pomfrey predicted. The other women smiled back at him, "You're going to love what we got for you guys and the little one!"
"Wait, before we begin the feast, let's wish Charles a happy birthday first," Yumiko stepped forward with her wand.
The nurse turned to her husband who took Aurealia from her. She flicked her wand towards the center of the feast and the dishes made space to form a ring. A three tiered cake appeared in place. It was coloured in pale turquoise fondant and decorated with little dragon chocolate figurines wrapped in gold paper. Sugar roses and lilies rested on the base on each tier, making it look beautiful. She smiled at them and kissed Charles on his head.
"May you have more wonderful birthdays like today's, liitle one. Your daddy and papa are so blessed to have you as their son."
Draco and Harry looked at each other with smiles radiant on their face as their guests sang 'Happy Birthday' to Charles who was still cuddling the teddy bear. After a thunderous applause, they sat down to a delicious feast.
Harry cooed gently as he laid the sleeping baby into his crib that was set up in Draco's quarters. After gently covering him with his new woolen blanket knitted by Ginny and placing the teddy bear at the head of the crib, the Flying instructor felt Draco kissing his cheek as they fondly watched their son sleep peacefully.
"What a way to celebrate our son's first birthday, wasn't it, Harry?"
"Indeed..."
It was indeed a fabulous birthday for their son. The company was lively, the food was delicious and the cake was divine. The Weasley children were especially delighted they get to eat the chocolate dragons since the babies were too young to eat them. Charles was constantly fussed over by the adults and the Weasley children kept on wanting to play with him and the other babies. What sparked their interest was Charles's constant attention vested in the younger of Shawn and Pixie's twins: the baby girl named Ramona. They hoped that they would be good playmates when they would meet again.
Charles's birthday gifts were numerous and wonderful. A toy broom, a stuffed dragon, several wizard and muggle storybooks for toddlers and a wooden train set were some of those many gifts. The girls' baby shower gifts were not to be ignored either. The couple received a set of sky blue and turquoise cotton onesies and matching bibs, the handknitted woollen blanket, a baby carrier, a pair of muggle baby monitors, nappy and bath toiletries hampers and among others sent by the elder Mrs. Weasley and Madame Pomfrey.
"But I think Charlie still loves the first gift most of all..." Harry pointed out as the baby squirmed in his sleep, his tiny hand reaching out for the bear at the head of the crib.
"Of course! It came from his parents, after all."
Harry smiled softly at Draco, "At times, I can hardly believe that our little boy is real and with us, dragon..."
Draco pulled Harry close and tenderly kissed him, "And we will get to see him grow up, lion. We'll spoil him rotten and he'll grow up to do great things like he's destined for..."
They watched their son finally able to haul the toy as close he could before hugging it and fall into a deeper sleep.
The two men continued to reminisce as they browsed through the subsequent albums after their son's first birthday. The little infant had grown up to be quite a fit young boy with a skinny build, reminding Harry of his own appearance when he was young. They recalled on how their son was like as he approached his fifth birthday. Charles had shown to be quite a quiet and reserved child that loved to read and deeply idolized his fathers as accomplished wizards. He was also polite and courteous to the adults and often looked forward to spend time with the children of his fathers' friends. Being an only child in the family, there were times that he would get lonely and the poor boy often felt out of place with the local children in Godric's Hollow. They had contemplated sending him to the school in the village after he turned five but they felt that it would traumatise the boy of being separated from his dad and father while they would still be teaching in Hogwarts.
"I remember that it was very difficult for Charlie to make friends with the children in the village. He was so shy and withdrawn and they teased him for over little things..." Harry recollected as he turned another page of the album he and Draco were sharing. The younger man recalled the times when the boy would run through the door crying to his fathers after being teased and called names.
"At least he bonded well with the other children in our circle of friends...especially with little Ramona. Who knew that she would be the one to make him overcome his shyness and made him smile."
Harry nodded in agreement to what Draco said. As Charles grew up, he had bonded well with each of their friends' children. The twins, Jack and Jason, treated him better than the boys in the village and let him participate in their pretend Quidditch matches. Thomas was quiet and introverted like he was and they bonded well together over books. He looked up to Christie and Aurealia as older sisters and in turn, the girls became very protective of him. Harriet was an energetic girl but could be quite a loner at times. But nevertheless, she appreciated his company when the situation called for it. Most of all, the young boy had formed the closest friendship with the twins, Ramona and Raymond. The boys and girl spent a lot of time together when they visited each other's homes and in Hogwarts that they became almost inseparable. It was that strong bond that allowed Charles to comfortably settle in with Pixie and the twins when they were of age to attend school. Pixie decided to send the children to a muggle school in a village not far from Hogsmeade and Harry and Draco regularly reimbursed her for allowing their son to stay with them during the school terms.
"I'm just glad that our son didn't react too badly to the news," Draco turned to Harry and brushed a stray hair from his forehead, "But he did miss us terribly though...the letters were enough to make me feel guilty that we couldn't be there for him..."
"His seventh birthday...remember, lion?" the former Slytherin reminded the younger man, "We gave him the precious music box to stave off his loneliness when we couldn't be with him..."
Harry nodded, his heart warming up at the memory of Charles' joyful face when Pixie took the children with her when she was visiting her husband and the rest of their friends in Hogwarts...as well as celebrating their son's birthday early before he had to go back to school when the new week started. As if on cue, they turned to the photos that showed the highlighted occasion of their smiling son together with Aurealia and the twins. Yumiko and Luka's daughter, though very young, had shown to be rather talented with a camera so she took the photos of the day and gave the extra copies to them after her father developed them. They chose to have a picnic lunch outside the castle and near the lake on a lovely Saturday afternoon. Upon seeing the picture of Charlie holding up the precious music box in awe, the two men fell into another nostalgic flashback...
Harry, Draco and Shawn were having a casual conversation about their families as they ate lunch in the Great Hall. All of a sudden, three excited children's voices interrupted them.
"Daddy! Dad!"
"Dad! Father!"
Shawn's eyes lit up as he was being swamped by the twins with Pixie walking behind with an amused smile on her face. The other two men saw their son sprinting up to them in lightning speed, bright silver eyes brimming with happiness at seeing his fathers. He had grown taller and his black hair looked impossibly more unkempt than before. He was now wearing glasses just like his dad. Harry chuckled happily while he went around the table. The boy dove in his dad's open arms and hugged him tightly. Harry bent down and kissed his dark head. Draco grinned and hugged his family close.
"They couldn't wait to see you again, darling," Pixie gestured to the twins who were hugging their father tightly. Shawn nodded and smiled in understanding as he sweetly kissed his daughter's forehead and playfully ruffled his son's hair. Then she turned to Harry and Draco, "Charlie's missed you both so much. He was so excited in celebrating his birthday with you two."
"I know that my birthday's technically in the middle of next week, Father..." Charles turned to Draco and hugged him tightly, "But like Auntie Pixie said, I missed you both so much..."
"I know, Charlie..we missed you too,." Draco said a bit sadly as he combed their son's hair away from his forehead, "But what matters is that we're going to have a wonderful weekend together and celebrate your birthday early so that you'll look forward to the summer holidays."
"Promise? Then can we play Quidditch together like you said in the last letter?" Charles's eyes gleamed, his sadness momentarily forgotten.
"Yes, in fact, why don't you join me in my next Flying class and you can help me out," Harry suggested, "Then your father will join us later and we can do that Quidditch game as promised."
"Yay!"
"Thanks, Dad...I had a wonderful time flying with you and Father...it's been so long..."
Harry's eyes twinkled gently, "You're welcome, son...we had a lot of fun too...now close those eyes."
"So that tomorrow will come faster?" Charles grinned slightly.
"Right, son...now sleep..."
Harry watched Charles fall asleep before tucking him in the middle of their bed. Draco was still inside the bathroom, having just showered and changing from his robes to his nightclothes. He came out of the steaming bathroom to find Harry humming a tune and tenderly gazing at their sleeping son as he combed his hair. The blonde wizard occupied the other side and bent down to kiss the boy's forehead.
"So is everything ready for tomorrow, lion?" Draco asked softly so not to disturb their slumbering son.
"Yes, dragon. I just hope the weather will work out by the afternoon. Oh and Aurealia is going to join us tomorrow to celebrate."
"That's good. Is the gift ready, my beloved?"
Harry averted his attention from their son to the lone gift wrapped package sitting pristinely on Draco's desk, "Yes...and I hope you don't mind if we give it to him now. He's a responsible child and I'm sure he'll look after it well. It's what brought him to us and hopefully ease his loneliness..."
Draco's silvery eyes glimmered gently in the candlelight, "Of course, I don't mind, my lion."
The fresh rain in the grass gave off a heavy yet refreshing scent as the small group set up the picnic near the lake. It rain drizzled slightly that morning but the sun came out blazing a few hours later, making up the perfect picnic weather for the planned afternoon.
The blonde man watched in amusement as his husband, Charles, the twins and Aurealia were caught up a game of blindfold tag. Currently it was Harry who was blindfolded and he wasn't having any success in locating the giggling children as they playfully darted from his advances. Draco chuckled and continued unpacking the basket to place the covered dishes on the blanket, checking to make sure the cake was still intact, which it still was as well as his husband's glasses stored in his pocket.
"Let's pile on Dad!" Charles suddenly shouted as they ran up behind Harry and pounced on the unsuspecting man.
Harry squawked as he was suddenly tackled to the damp grassy ground by four energetic children, knocking the blindfold from his vision-impaired eyes. The raven-haired man eventually managed to overpower his attackers after much struggling and set about to tickle the children with Charles being his main target.
"I give! I give! Dad! Stop!" Charles gasped out in between breathless laughs. When Harry finally ceased his attack, the birthday boy slumped against the grass, looking up at Raymond who was looking down at him, "Dad's far too strong!"
"Uncle Harry's got you good," the brown haired boy agreed and helped his best friend up.
"Alright, kids, looks like the picnic is ready," Harry commented when he made out a waving figure gesturing to the ground.
"Yay! Food! Come on, Mona, let's get to the egg sandwiches first!" Aurealia pulled Ramona behind her.
"Right behind you, Rea! Uncle Harry's food's the best!" the younger girl agreed.
"Hey, not fair! It's my birthday so I get first pick!" Charles whined ad chased after the girls.
"Not until next week, slowpoke!" Ramona playfully teased.
Her twin brother rolled his eyes in amusement before joining his friends. Harry eventually joined the group and sat down beside the former Slytherin who kissed him in greeting and handed him his glasses back.
"You've really outdone yourself, my beloved," Draco smiled as he handed him a full plate before picking one for himself.
"I try to deliver, Dray."
Harry looked smugly at his husband, delighted that him and the kids enjoyed the feast. There were egg sandwiches, cheese slices with carrot and celery sticks, a huge platter of wild strawberries with whipped cream, fried chicken wings and a creamy quiche. They glanced at Charles who had a huge grin on his face while he ate and chatted amiably with the other kids. Aurealia had gotten hold of the old wizarding camera her father gave her to use and started snapping pictures.
"Charles told me these are the foods he missed so what better way to make it worthwhile for today," Harry leaned his head against the taller man's shoulder as they savoured each delicious bite.
"Well, let's hope that our son and the others have room for cake."
Charles rocked back and forth on his bottom in excitement as his dad finally brought out the birthday cake while his father arranged the presents they brought with them. Auntie Pixie's cooking was delicious but he really missed his dad's more. The food was simply divine. The cake was making his mouth water. He loved his sweets just like his father and he was still feeling a bit peckish. It was a beautiful rich chocolate cake decorated with buttercream icing and marzipan figurines of the Hogwarts house animal mascots.
"Mother baked the cake as an early birthday present to you, Charlie," Aurealia said. Then she pointed to the marzipan figurines, "I made the marzipan figurines so this is my present to you."
"Thanks, Rea," Charles looked up to Harry and Draco who have just finished lighting the 8-shaped candle, "Dad? Father?"
"Make a wish, son," Harry smiled as he placed the cake before him.
Charles thought for a while before taking a deep breath to blow out the candle. After a round of applause, Harry set to cut the cake. Being the polite boy he was, Charles gave a marzipan figurine to each of his friends. Aurealia was touched that he gave her the badger figurine since that was her favourite she worked on. As they shared the lovely cake, it wasn't long before it was time to open his presents.
"Open mine first, Charlie!" Raymond said, pointing to the metallic blue package.
"Then me, Charlie," Ramona eagerly cried out, gesturing to the gift wrapped in bright pink wrapping paper.
Charles loved the gifts the twins gave him, "You guys...they're awesome. Thanks!"
From Raymond, he received a set of miniature figurines of Puddlemere United of which the boys were big fans. Ramona's gift was a new copy of the 'Tales of Beedle the Bard', the twins' favourite storybook. Charles often heard the stories during bedtime and he loved to hear them so now he had his own copy to keep. Soon it was Harry and Draco's turn to give their present to him. It was then the boy noticed how soft his dark-haired dad's deep green eyes and his fair-haired father's silvery eyes looked...this gift must be extra-special. The three other children sensed the change in the atmosphere and their chatter died down to silence save for the birds chirping and the breezes brushing by them.
"Happy birthday, Charlie," Harry said as he placed the gift on the boy's lap, "Be careful when you open it. It's pretty delicate."
Charles carefully untied the emerald green ribbon and unwrapped the silver paper. He lifted the lid gently and his bespectacled eyes widened in recognition at the precious item nestled inside.
"Dad? Isn't this..."
The young boy had seen this music box before...it belonged to Dad...he said that it was Father's gift to him before he was born. He loved its sweet melody and the song Dad sung to him to ease his nightmares and to comfort him from his bad days. The other three children breathed in awe at the beautiful music box.
"Yes, it is, son..." Harry nodded, watching the boy pick up the music box carefully. It was then Aurealia snapped out of her stupor to quickly snap a picture of Charles with his latest gift.
"It's so beautiful..." Ramona murmured in admiration, her dark eyes wide in awe, "Look at the dragons...oh my gosh...is that a baby dragon? So cute..."
"Play it, Charlie..." Raymond requested with Aurealia nodding in kind.
The deep green crystals glittered brightly in the sunlight and the dragon figurines looked more magnificent up close. Charles turned the key and the children watched the figures animate before their eyes. For Charles, it never failed to spark his fascination. When the music box stopped playing, the birthday boy looked questioningly to his two fathers.
"Why?"
Harry scooted closer and cupped his son's cheek, "Your father and I made a promise that we would bestow this gift to our future child. And we both think this is the right time to do so. Your father bought it for me to bring hope that we would become a family...and that wish came true. So now, this precious gift is yours to keep...I know that we couldn't be there for you as we should but we hope that the melody will always remind you that no matter how far apart, we're always together and know that your father and I love you so much..."
"And...and it's mine for keeps?" Charles had to ask...he wanted to be sure...
Draco nodded, "Yes, Charlie. For keeps. It's yours."
Charles felt his throat tighten and his eyes becoming wet. He placed the music box onto the blanket and hugged Harry and Draco tightly, burying his wet face against the men's strong chests. Aurealia and the twins looked on at the tender display, becoming a bit misty-eyed themselves.
"Thanks, Dad...Father...I'll treasure it always..."
Draco smiled, "We both know you will..."
"It was still hard for us to see Charlie leave that weekend..." Harry placed his empty teacup on the coffee table and leaned back against the couch.
"But at least he was happier after that now that he had the music box with him," Draco flipped through the album and found several old report cards addressed to them. He smiled at the comments written about their son, "He was such a bright and intelligent child. Clearly my genes in intelligence are showing in him."
Harry rolled his eyes upon that remark but he didn't stop grinning, "You're too smug for your own good, Dray."
They fell in silence as they looked through more albums and finally came to a page that held some old brochures and several photos taken with a muggle camera...ah yes, that was when they decided to head for a day trip to London.
"Do you remember, Harry? Our day trip to London?" Draco asked.
"Yes...it was just after he turned nine..." Harry nodded, "We had quite a fun outing...taking Charlie to the London zoo where I met that boa constrictor and made Dudley trapped inside its enclosure, then to Harrods and Hamleys..."
"But those bastards had to come and kidnap our son right when he was so distracted and just when we turned our heads away for that second. I had never felt this angry and scared in my whole life..." Draco shuddered, his fists clenched tight. He glanced at Harry with haunted deep silver eyes, "I almost lost you both again..."
Harry shook his head...yet his face started to turn a bit pale at the horrible memory, "But you didn't, my dragon...I'm here...Charlie's here...we're both all right..."
"But poor Charlie...he had to be in the face of danger for his wandless magic to finally kick in..." Draco's eyes turned sad, "If only it happened under better circumstances..."
Harry buried his face against Draco's chest while the blonde wizard wrapped an arm around him to pull him onto his lap after putting his teacup and albums aside. Draco's long fingers brushed along his husband's neck and combed the back of his head. The older man flinched upon feeling the faint yet unerasable ridges of the terrible scars Harry received on that fateful day.
"I'm so sorry, my beloved...if I hadn't acted more quickly, you wouldn't be hurt and Charlie would've been spared from all the trauma..." Draco whispered shakily.
Harry nuzzled his cheek against the strong collarbone and hushed him although he looked a bit shaken himself. The two men took comfort in each other's embrace, recalling how they were lucky to still be alive and having learned about their son's magical status the hard way...
They had decided to travel to London as a special treat for their son who had done exceptionally well in school. After converting some of their wizard currency into pounds, they took a train ride up to the city. Watching their 9-year-old son pressing his excited face against the fogging glass window and hearing his stories about his days with the twins and at school made them smile and kept them entertained during the journey. It wasn't long until the train reached their destination and the little family took their first step together off the platform and into the bustling city.
The outing started off pleasantly enough. They took the bus to London Zoo. Harry had often told Charles about his encounter with the boa constrictor on Dudley's birthday and how he unintentionally trapped his cousin in its enclosure after its escape. It was that story that Charles begged them to go the zoo as their first destination once they were in London.
Draco was not very excited of the prospect of going to the zoo for the smells and the crowds of muggles made him a bit uncomfortable. But the promise of lunch at the restaurant of his choice and a potential shopping trip in Harrods convinced the aristocratic man to stick around and try to enjoy the attractions. To the older man's surprise, he found that he enjoyed being in the Butterfly Paradise and the Aquarium, likely it was because these two places had serene atmospheres and there weren't a lot of visitors around at the time he went through them with his family.
They eventually stopped at the Reptile House and Harry showed them the enclosure where the incident in his youth happened. This time, the occupant was a giant python that blinked lazily up at them. So the boa constrictor did somehow make a successful escape. Charles was tempted to knock on the glass pane to make it move but a stern look and a shake of the head from Harry stopped him from doing so.
They eventually exited the zoo and returned to the city by bus, heading immediately to Harrods for the shopping trip Harry promised. In the large shopping district, the family decided to have lunch first before looking around. Harry left the choice to Draco on where to eat. The blonde man, knowing of his husband's and son's simpler tastes, chose a nice cafe where they also served high tea. They had a hearty lunch, their appetites built up from traversing around the zoo earlier. The two men were satisfied with sharing a spinach quiche and ham and cheese croissants and Earl Grey tea while Charles tucked into crispy fish fingers and potato chips with lemonade. Then the young boy had his fill of sweet pastries from a tray he shared with his fathers as they planned what to do next in the mall.
Draco felt at home in Harrods as expected since he had fine appreciation for the products sold in each specialised store, being quite partial to fine cologne and luxurious men's jewellery. While he didn't find anything to buy anything worthwhile for this trip, he made a mental note on which shops to return for future visits for Christmas and anniversary gifts if he couldn't find anything good in his usual haunts in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade.
They eventually stopped at the toy and book departments. Harry immediately headed to the novels section to browse books which interested him while Draco stayed with the boy. The older man had looked out of the corner of his silver grey eyes and found Charles fidgeting uncomfortably, trying and failing to appear interested in the storybooks and teddy bears lining the shelf nearest to him. They looked great yet they seemed so out of place at the same time. Draco squeezed the tiny hand in his larger one.
"This place feels stuffy, Father..." Charles complained as he looked up to the blonde man with uneasy eyes, "It looks more like a museum than a shop..."
"My poor little dragon..." Draco chuckled, "I thought you'd like these toys."
"I do but..." Charles averted his eyes, "This place doesn't look like fun..."
"Well, I'm done, Dray. What's the matter with Charlie?"
"I think we need a change of scenery. Do you have any idea how to lift our son's spirits up?"
"Actually, a very kind sales assistant told me where there's a great place Charlie would find enjoyable," Harry's statement piqued Charles's interest, "Shall we get going?"
The boy nodded enthusiastically, clearly happy with the change of plans.
Charles was in heaven and he was so glad that his fathers brought him here. Hamleys was a wonderland with lots of bright colours, loud pop music and exciting games and toys to try out practically on every floor. There were puzzles, tops, racing cars, train sets, yoyos, action figures, stuffed toys of imaginable types and wooden toys and playsets. This was definitely way better than those stuffy and boring toys and books in Harrods.
He looked back at Harry and Draco who were seated at the benches, sipping some takeaway tea. He ran up to them with a huge smile on his face.
"Thanks for bringing me here, Dad and Father," Charles beamed, "This place is awesome!"
Harry chuckled and ruffled Charles's hair, "Glad you think so, son."
"Can I go and play the wooden fortress and the little soldiers one more time before we go home, please?"
"Alright, five more minutes, then we leave," Draco acquiesced.
"Swell, Father," Charles whooped before running to the wooden toys section, which was in plain view for the two fathers.
Charles was having a wonderful time playing with the wooden toy fortress with the little soldiers and horses that was left on display. He really really hoped that his fathers would get the hint and buy him the set for his upcoming Christmas present. It would be awesome to share and show it off to his friends. He, Raymond and Thomas could finally play some battle games together.
But what the boy didn't realize that even under his protective fathers' gazes, another set of eyes were on him...
"Excuse me, young man," Charles looked behind him to see a man in a beige trench coat. He stopped playing, "You don't happen to know where the puzzles are, do you? I'd like to get some for my daughter but I have no idea where to start."
The boy looked at his fathers who were still chatting between themselves. It wouldn't take long. He could help this gentleman out and return to the wooden playset in time before his fathers noticed he was gone.
"Okay, mister," Charles stood up and smiled, "I'll show you the puzzle section."
But no sooner when they turned a corner into a shelved off area, Charles found himself roughly grabbed by the man who now bore a sneer on his face. The boy froze at that look and his first instinct was to scream for help. But he felt a gloved hand covering his mouth.
"Now you just keep quiet, kid," his kidnapper threatened as he hauled the struggling child towards the back exit.
It didn't take long for both Harry and Draco to notice their son's sudden disappearance. Panic set in and the two men dropped the disposable cups and frantically scoured the floor where he was last seen. They asked the retail staff but they hadn't seen him. No, he wouldn't be foolish to leave the store on his own!
"Oh Merlin...he was right there!" Harry trembled and looked up to his husband frantically, "Our son, Dray! Where is he?!"
"Calm down, lion. He wouldn't have gotten far," Draco tried to console the younger man even though his heart was pounding at a million miles a minute with escalating anxiety.
Meanwhile, Charles did all he could to delay the man from reaching the back exit. His silvery eyes widened when he saw his fathers in view. He needed to create a ruckus to get their attention. Seeing his chance, the boy bit on the leathered digits as hard as he could, causing the man to yell in pain.
"DADDY! PAPA!" the boy screamed, finally causing Harry and Draco to see him. He kicked and tried to wriggle free but the man snarled and finally reached the exit, pushing the door open.
"Shut up, you nosy kid!"
"Charlie!" Harry cried out.
"After them!" Draco grabbed his husband and sprinted fast, "That bastard is going to get what's coming to him!"
"Nice catch, what do you reckon he's worth this time?"
Charles found himself surrounded by three other men after being deposited before them. They were in a shadowed alleyway away from the bustling crowds. The boy was tied up and a cloth was tied around his mouth as his gag. They scared him greatly. They were big and thuggish and he hated the way they looked at him with those leering eyes. Big tears pooled in his silver eyes...he wanted Daddy and Papa right now. He whimpered softly as the hot tears trickled down his cheeks.
The tallest of the trio chuckled darkly as he knelt before Charles. He must be the mastermind behind the kidnapping. The boy tried not to throw up at the smell of cigar smoke and strong alcohol permeating the air around him.
"You look like you come from a very well-off family, little one. You would fetch a hefty price...I wonder how much your parents are willing to pay for your safety...or perhaps..." Charles's eyes widened when he took out a sharp dagger from his double pea coat. He ran his index finger over the sharp blade while flashing a sadistic smile on his face, "They would gladly give their lives for you..."
Charles shook his head frantically...no! They couldn't hurt his daddy and papa!
"CHARLIE!"
They turned to the entrance of the alleyway. There was Harry and Draco...Charles started weeping under his gag...his daddy and papa were here. The taller man bore the iciest and angriest expression on his elvish face, his silver eyes turning stony and hard. He whipped out his wand and pointed it at the four men.
"D-Dray...what are you doing?"
"Let our son go, you bastards...or else..."
"Or else what? Wave your little stick as if you're a wizard?" the leader mocked, sending his henchman into laughter.
"I gave you fair warning..." Draco sent an eye signal to Harry before he flicked his wrist with a spell in mind, "EXPULSO!"
All of a sudden, the trashcans in the vicinity started exploding, greatly startling the kidnappers off their perch. In amidst the distraction, Harry quickly rushed forward and grabbed Charles close to him, hauling him away from the thugs. He quickly untied the boy and took away the gag. Charles immediately huddled himself close to the former Gryffindor's chest, sobbing loudly and whispering garbled apologies for straying.
"D-Daddy, I'm s-sorry!"
Harry's heart pained. Charles only ever addressed Harry and Draco as Daddy and Papa respectively whenever he was extremely scared and distressed. He had stopped calling them ever since he turned six, only preferring to address them as Dad and Father. The younger man hugged the boy close, relieved tears trickling down his cheeks.
"Hush, my love...you're safe...you're safe now. Papa and I are here now..." Harry hushed, unknowing on what was happening behind him.
"You freaks...monsters..." the leader growled with his henchmen following suit.
One of them reached for an empty glass bottle and smashed the bottom against the wall, creating a sharp weapon...
"Eat this!"
"LION!" Harry's head shot up at Draco's frightened shout, "BEHIND-"
But the warning came too late as the thug smashed the glassy weapon on Harry's back. The younger man cried out in anguish as he pulled their son close to protect him from the glass shards. Draco watched helplessly as Harry slumped onto the ground, twitching in pain as a crimson puddle formed under his neck.
"DADDY!"
Charles was shocked at the sight of his daddy lying still on the ground. It couldn't be true...they had hurt Daddy...that terrible man...all of them had to pay. He felt a deep electrifying burn escalating in his body, sending shivers up and down his spine before the heat centered in his eyes. He could feel the stuffy air crackle around him. He wanted to make that glass in his hand explode...to make him feel the hurt Daddy felt...and that man with the dagger...he should make it disappear...they should all sleep...for that moment, his eyes turned blank and filled with venom for the people who hurt them.
"What the?!"
The shattered glass bottle exploded, the shards piercing the perpetrator's arms. The knife in the leader's fist suddenly disappeared. Draco's face paled further in shock at what was currently transpired before him. Their son had performed wandless magic. The four men were aghast at the turn of events. But before they could seize the opportunity to swarm the boy, he screamed and a shockwave sent them crashing against the narrow space, effectively knocking them out. After the dust settled, Charles shivered as he returned to his senses.
Draco panted and rushed to his husband and son. Charles's tears returned upon seeing Harry looking so pale and still. The Potions professor tilted Harry close to him to inspect the damage. There were numerous cuts marring his beautiful neck and the shards had cut narrowly into his scalp.
"Lion...please...please...say something..."
"D-Dray..." Harry hoarsely whispered, his green eyes clouded in pain, "Our son...our son..."
"Shhh...he's safe...you kept him safe, my beloved."
Harry managed a tiny nod, his eyes struggling to stay open.
"P-Papa...D-Daddy's gonna be okay?"
"Don't panic, my little dragon. Papa will make Daddy feel better...healing spell..healing spell..." Draco struggled to hold back the crashing tornado of frenzied panic and turmoil churning in his heart. He eventually remembered the spell he needed to cast, "Episkey!"
The injured man twitched at the interchanging cold and hot sensations as the healing spell did its work. At least now, he was no longer bleeding. Draco turned to Charles who began crying once more. He gathered the weeping boy in his arms and held his husband close. He felt like crying himself...he had nearly lost his husband and son...if Charles hadn't tapped into his magical core...then...
"P-Papa...I want to go home...I don't want to be here anymore...please? Want to go home," Charles pleaded through his tears still cascading down his face.
Draco nodded. It was no longer safe in London and it was getting dark. Then he turned to the four men who dared to inflict harm on his family.
"Stay with Daddy for a while, Charlie. I need to take care of some business..."
Charles snuggled close to Harry while Draco pointed his wand to cast Incarcerous and Obliviate charms on their attackers. Then he returned to his family...they couldn't wait for the train. Right now, Harry's cuts needed to be treated properly and Charles to be comforted from this horrific incident. Side-along apparition was the only solution...he hoped that their little boy could withstand it for the minute journey and he knew how much Harry hated apparating. Draco was the most skilled in apparition between him and Harry so he would be the one to do it.
"Both of you, I want you to hold onto me as tightly as you can," Draco watched their eyes widen but did as they were told, clinging onto his arms. He visualised their living room back in their house in Godric's Hollow. Charles's whimpers caught his attention, "Hush, Charlie. I know you don't like it but it's the fastest way home."
"Do it, Dray. Let's get out of here," Harry nodded, allowing himself to be secure in his family's embrace, "Hold onto Papa, Charlie...imagine our living room in your head."
Within a moment, the little family vanished into this air...
Upon crashing in the living room, Draco hastily entered the kitchen and set about making peppermint tea for all of them while Harry ignored the throbbing pain in his head and tucked Charles in bed. The former Gryffindor comforted him when the boy started feeling sick in his stomach. To soothe Charles, the dark-haired man played the music box and embraced him close, kissing his head and humming along with the melody.
"D-Dad...I don't feel so good..." Charles cuddled Bowie the teddy bear close to him.
"Shhhh...I know, Charlie. It will pass..." Harry knew that Charles was still badly shaken from the kidnapping. But at least he wasn't frightened anymore...he was a strong boy and he would eventually overcome it.
"What's wrong with me, Dad?" Charles looked up to Harry with large haunted eyes, "I wanted to stop them from hurting you and Father and everything I wanted to happen came true...I'm scared...am I a freak?"
"No, Charlie...never. You're not a freak."
"Charlie?" the boy looked up to find Draco nearing the bed with three steaming cups of peppermint tea. The Potions professor placed the tray on the bedside table and picked up the smallest cup, "Drink up, son...it'll soothe you and ease your upset stomach. Lion, hold still...I'm going to apply this ointment on your healed wounds before bandaging them..."
Harry sighed as he felt Draco's fingers rubbing the cooling cream onto his skin and the soft gauze covering his neck and the base of his head. Charles did feel better after drinking the tea. He nuzzled his cheek against Harry's chest, feeling the exhaustion of the day finally catching up to him.
"Sleep, Charlie..." Draco soothed while he brushed his hair, "You're safe...and we can talk more tomorrow."
"Dad...Father...even though it ended badly...I still had a lot of fun..."
Charles finally closed his eyes and fell asleep. After adjusting the teddy bear against the pillow and pulling the sheets over Charles, the two men continued to look on. The boy looked peaceful enough but they knew that their son would receive nightmares of this incident in the next few days. But the one thing did know was their son had saved them.
In addition, the trigger of Charles's wandless magic meant that it was inevitable that the boy would soon join them in Hogwarts once his eleventh birthday would come to pass...
"And poor Charlie did start having nightmares a few days after..." Harry recollected the occasions when the boy would not be able to sleep well after being afraid to fall asleep and experience those horrible dreams over and over again. And it was Harry's lullabye that eventually helped purge the nightmares for good.
"Remember, Charlie became much stronger after that...even though I wished that it didn't need to happen this way, at least we have overcome it, especially our son..." Draco kissed his husband's forehead.
Just then, the phone started to ring, interrupting their conversation. Harry got up from the couch and picked up the receiver.
"Malfoy-Potter residence, Harry speaking...Charlie? You're still at Ron's?...you're staying over? Yes, that's fine...oh, what about tomorrow?" Harry's questioning gaze turned to one with a pleasant smile, "A get-together for dinner? Sure, your father and I will drop by at six. It'll be good to see them all again. Make sure you behave...alright, yes. We'll see you all tomorrow. Send Ron and Hermione our regards, will you? Love you too, son."
"Our son's staying with the Weasleys, Harry?" Draco walked up behind Harry and hugged him, pressing the slightly shorter body against his front.
"It appears so...and we have dinner with them tomorrow too, the whole gang will be there."
Harry felt his lips upturn slightly into a knowing grin as the large pale hands slithered to his hips to play with the hem of his slightly baggy jeans. The kisses flittered along the back of his neck, sending shivers down his spine. Oh, his dragon was in a playful mood...
"I think I should prepare dinner, Dray..."
"Oh, I'm not in the mood for dinner, Harry..." Draco's voice was sultry, "I think I'd rather skip to dessert..."
Harry swiveled around and cupped the pale handsome face of his husband, "You are a sex addict, Draco Lucius Malfoy-Potter..."
The older man chuckled and kissed his nose, "But you love me for it, Harry James Malfoy-Potter."
"True..." Harry smiled and twirled one of his fingers through the fine golden silk of Draco's hair, "Then let's not waste any more time..."
Draco hefted his husband up and urged the smaller man to wrap his legs around his hips, "I believe it's been a while since we christened the kitchen counter..."
"How does the idea of sharing an ice cream sundae with whipped cream, chocolate sauce and maraschino cherries sound, my dragon?"
"Perfect..."
The two men chuckled as Draco carried Harry into the kitchen...
Borgin and Burkes hadn't changed much after all these long years. Its shady interior was as creepy and foreboding as ever. The only things that had changed were the variety of the Dark Arts' merchandise sold and the shop now managed by the next generation of the Burkes family: two sons, both in the spitting image of their father, if a it more well-groomed and better attired. Lucius tugged the hem of his hood over his blonde head as he browsed the dust-covered shelves and cobweb-caked display cases, attempting to find the item he would deem suitable for his plan to succeed.
The elder Malfoy found himself stopping before the shelves that contained deadly poisons and forbidden concoctions. Yes...that would work...many of these potions were banned by the Ministry for good reason. Then he turn to the crystal vial filled what appeared to be water, save for the faint murky yet pearlescent shimmer that accompanied in the dim lighting of the shop. He read the accompanying label: it was a potion blessed with mind controlling properties which were just as potent as casting the Imperius curse. But it had an additional effect to it: the victim would be forced to consciously witness and feel his or her own actions while under the curse...although the effects would only be temporary, he would have enough time to enact his revenge and be perfect for the torture he would put them through.
"Ah, sir, you have made a fine choice," Lucius looked beside him to find one of the shopkeepers suddenly next to him. The young man's leer was similar to that of his father and it made him retch slightly. He had to get out before he was recognized.
"Keep the whole lot..." Lucius growled and shoved the remainder of the galleons he had left to the astonished man. The last thing he wanted was to be grovelled by them.
After avoiding the patrolling Aurors and traversing back to Hogsmeade, Lucius made his way back to Hog's Head Inn to settle for another Firewhiskey to calm his nerves. He looked down to find his fingers trembling slightly. Whether it was from fear or excitement or both, he knew that his goal would finally be achieved.
Tomorrow he would return to the gravesite and kidnap the carrier of the Potestria Star Jewel before her family's eyes to pass on a message to Draco. Then he would administer the potion to her...and when they would arrive to save her...he would finally meet his son face-to-face and teach him the consequences of betraying him.
"I look forward to our meeting tomorrow, my son..."
To be continued...
