Chapter 10 Two years later...
Harry collapsed on his bed and let out a sigh.
Sarah followed him into his room but stood at the door way, "Want to talk about it." She asked in what he called her mothering voice.
"No." Harry whined into his pillow.
Starting an internal count in her head, Sarah crossed the room and sat down on the bed next to Harry. With one hand she ran her fingers through his hair like her mother used to do to her with her other she guided Harry's head on to her lap. By the time she reached one he let out another sigh and began to speak.
"I'm just scared is all?" Harry whispered softly. Before she could speak he continued, "Everyone is making plans involving me. The Headmaster is making plans and the man is so crazy I can't tell what he is up to. The greasy git stares at me for minutes at a time before sneering and taking points from me for things like breathing to loud. McGonagall has been ghosting my steps at night for the past two years determined to discover my dark secrets. The students stare at me like an oddity or a lunatic all the while the purebloods gather more Intel to send home, the half-bloods believe whoevers mouth is moving at the time and the muggleborns usually piss themselves when I say so much as hi to them."
What do you say to that? Without an idea what to say, Sarah just continued to run her fingers through Harry's hair and gave him a moment to relax. "What do you say we do something fun." She asked with a mischievous wink.
Harry's face lit up for a moment before his features fell stony. They weren't allowed to leave base and that was one rule he had no desire to push as he knew full well that Sarah was only still here because she was good for him but if they tried to run she would be serving a long prison sentence to keep his cooperation or they may just cut their losses and kill them both. Harry let out a sigh again at the thought of having a little fun that didn't involve killing someone before he ruthlessly shut it down, "You know what they would do to us if we left base without permission."
Sarah just rolled her eyes and gave Harry a kiss on the forehead, "Relax, I will just convince the General that it will help the mission being seen in alley and if we happen to make a pit stop at a theme park or the movies it will be coincidental." Sarah finished with a smile.
Casting a look up Harry gave Sarah a hopeful look, seeing her smile and nod Harry jumped in to her arms and hugged her tight.
"Enough, already." Sarah giggled out and shooed Harry to the shower while she headed to the phone to make a call.
It only took her a few minutes to convince the General to allow her to take Harry to Diagon Alley for a bit of seen and be seen to improve his public image. Ten minutes later, Harry was dressed and out of the shower wearing a muscle shirt and jean shorts he usually jogged in at school.
Harry gave Sarah a hopeful look that just screamed please say he said yes. For a moment Sarah was tempted to play a prank on Harry as she had done in the past but the look on his face was just too much for her to play with. She gave Harry a wide smile and asked, "Movie or theme park."
Two hours later the large SUV pulled in front of the Leaky Cauldron. Harry couldn't hide his sneer as he stepped out of the SUV; the last place he wanted to be was back in the world of magic this summer. Instead of walking into the tavern Sarah gave Harry a wink then led him over to the street corner, "Hey Harry watch this." Sarah loosened the top two buttons of her blouse puffed up her breasts placed her right foot on the spigot allowing quite a bit of thigh to show then she let out a shrill whistle.
As if she had summoned one by magic a taxi seemed to appear out of nowhere. In the driver seat a fat middle aged man looked over Sarah like she was a piece of meat, "Where you going sweet meat." The fool asked with a leer as he stayed focused on Sarah's well-formed breasts.
"Ow the circus," Sarah offered with a little pout, adding a bit of a simper to her voice, "Just a little summer shopping before I head to the beach."
Obviously his mind was on other matters as he waved her in, "Well come on sexy girl I will give you the ride of your life no charge of course." He said in his best attempt to be smooth.
Harry couldn't help but roll his eyes as he fingered the barrel of his pistol, if that fat slob thought for a moment he would get to play with Sarah he was sorely mistaken. Harry stepped out of the shadows right as Sarah opened the door and slid inside. "Thanks sis," Harry said with a smile as he glared at cabby with open contempt, scooting all the way over he sat behind the man and pulled out the butterfly knife he received last Christmas and ran it over his nails.
"Sure bro." Sarah said with a smile as she sat down next to Harry.
The cabby took one look at the knife and the look of cold hatred that burned in Harry's eyes and flinched away. A veteran of many years as a cab driver, he knew without a doubt there was some customers not to mess with. The seats were sticky and the driver smelled like the unwashed ass of a corpse left to rot in the sun but it didn't matter one bit to Harry he was finally doing something that wasn't ordered by another and watched like a hawk to be critiqued under a microscope and evaluated to death. For once Harry was doing something that was for him.
As always Piccadilly Circus was crowded as ever but that just made it easier to slip into obscurity. Sarah and Harry walked arm in arm looking like any number of young couples or siblings by the lack of grab ass. Walking along Harry switched off his training the third time his danger sense kicked off; the last time he almost pulled his pistol on a man that followed him into the loo at the theater.
The movie of the day was an action flick with popcorn and soda. It was the most amazing thing in the world to him to act like a normal person, the fact he was watching a movie about a spy nearly had Harry in tears as he tried to suppress his laughter at all the things he missed out on with his super villain. When the bad guy started making his I am better then you rant Harry was reminded so much of Dumbledore he couldn't help the laughter the came from his throat.
Sarah calmed Harry down and ducked a little lower in her seat as everyone around them was now glaring, she was having a bit of trouble holding her own laughter as well. Once the movie ended they left for a little bistro next door to the theater to have a spot of lunch. Had Harry been looking for trouble he would have noticed that the man who had set off his danger sense before was now leaning against a wall across from the bistro and watching Sarah as he sent a text message on his pom pilot.
The cab ride back was more normal as they didn't need to track down a gypsy cab to take them to the Leaky Cauldron. Once they got there Harry thought it would be a good idea to take a quick turn through the Alley. And as we all know Harry's ideas always had a tendency to blow up and help him out at the same time.
Harry pushed open the door to the small inn and led his aunt in side. As it was between lunch and dinner rush the inn was relatively empty, only about half a dozen Patrons were inside. Sadly that didn't include the flock of red heads being led around by the matriarch of the clan. She spotted Harry and made a bee line for him the moment she saw him.
"You, you ungrateful little bastard." Molly screamed as she crossed the room. A poor unfortunate table that stood in her path skidded across the floor as her magic reacted to her anger moving everything out of her path. She stormed right up to Harry and made to slam her finger in Harry's chest as Sarah stepped before her charge and glared at Molly with equal hate.
"Shut up you fat ugly slag and speak your piece you bitch." Sarah yelled back in Molly's face as she slid her hand in her purse and grabbed the glock she was given by Jacob to protect herself. She had almost pulled it when Molly began to reach for her wand but stopped when Fred and George grabbed their mother's arms and physically pushed her away.
Molly pushed both of her sons off her but didn't take another step closer to the younger woman. She had learned her lesson two years ago when she had accidentally injured her daughters arm when she lost her temper on that day on the train station. "I'm fine." She told her twins with an angry voice as she forced herself to calm down; Percy came up behind her and placed his hand on her shoulder to further help his mother stay calm.
In all out wards appearance Molly was calmed down, on the inside, that was another story altogether. Inside she was burning with rage; Harry had completely snubbed her invitation to come to her home the last two years. She was beyond pissed that he was responsible for corrupting her little girl, tricking her into going into the house of snakes where she was attacked and her diary was stolen over Christmas. Worst of all Harry bloody Potter had made up for it by buying her daughter several designer outfits and a new wand for Christmas to make up for the fact that her dress she had personal made for her daughter was damaged in the attack and her grandmothers wand was broken. If she looked a little more on her own actions she would have remembered that it was here that sent her daughter a howler when she found out about being sorted into Slytherin and it was her who told her husband that if their daughter was going to turn traitor then she could stay at school over the break to teach her a lesson.
Taking another deep breath, Molly turned towards Harry and let out a frustrated grunt, "Mister Potter, you will stop interfering with my families affairs or their will be repercussions, do you understand." Molly stood with her arms crossed and her face was half between calm and fury.
Harry just looked at her for a solid minute before giving her a simple answer, "No."
Conversation died that instant as Harry's words spread across the small tavern. Everyone who was there had heard about mount saint molly and her need to be heard, several patrons quickly cast noise reduction charms as Molly opened her mouth. Before she could erupt Harry held up his hand to forestall her, a quick silencing charm may have helped as well.
"Matron Weasley, my personal relationship with your daughter is that personal." Harry stopped here and held up his hand to stop her from trying to speak again, "I can and do understand your desire to protect your only daughter but you lost that right in my eyes the moment you told the entire great hall that your daughter was a worthless slag who can go to hell if she wanted to whore it up in the house of snakes." Harry finished in a flat voice that was entirely devoid of emotion.
Admittedly there is a point that you can push a person before they snap so Harry wasn't caught unaware when a hand came up and slapped him hard across the face. Harry took the hit without flinching a trick he learned at the Dursley's to stand up to his uncle in his own way growing up it wasn't his stoic reaction that had the place buzzing it was Sarah's that got everyone talking.
Sarah's protective instinct sprang up the moment she heard the slap connect with Harry's cheek. Her fist flew through the air and hit Molly square in the jaw and knocking her into the ground knocking over Percy who tried to break his moms fall. It was at this moment Ron took the moment to do something stupid.
"That is it Scarhead, you have taken advantage of my family for the last time. I Ronald Weasley of clan Weasley challenge you to a duel." Ron's master plan was to challenge Harry to a duel and then when the snake tried to get out of it everyone would know what a coward he was and everyone would know how great Ronald was. Too bad his plan never involved Harry accepting his challenge.
"Alright Ronda," Harry said with a smile, "The most ancient and noble house of Potter agrees to the challenge of an honor duel."
Suddenly Ron turned pale as Harry gave him a predatory smile; he stumbled back against his brothers and gave Harry a wide eyed look. Unfortunately for Ron his chance to walk away with a slap on his wrist to his honor died the second he forgot that he wasn't a great and powerful wizard like he felt he deserved to be. "You think I'm scared of you. I am Ronald Bilius Weasley a pureblood wizard from a family nineteen generations old and share blood with some of the most powerful families to have lived. You think I'm afraid of a half-blood who hangs out with muggleborns and squibs, I can take you anytime and anyplace."
The silent room broke out into excited whispers as more people seemed to materialize at the plans for an honor duel. More than a few teens were hoping to see a duel right then and there, the older ones knew that there was certain rules to follow and protocols to be observed. Molly was an expert on these and knew how to work them to her advantage; luckily Sarah was no slouch either.
In fact it was her only weapon to use to help Harry and she was damn sure she was ready to wield it like a pro when the time came; personally she was chomping at the bit to test her talents against Albus Dumbledore. Molly would make a good warm up until the main course. All it took was a single look to tell Molly was as dangerous as any social climber and was as deadly as any viper coiled in wait. The vicious grin on her lips as her mind began to whirl and plans formed in mind was an almost sickening sight to see especially when her eyes flashed to Ginny for a moment.
The confident pose, her shoulders squared and her eyes carried more than a hint of intellect in them as well. Molly could read an opponent in a moment showing that the intelligence of the Weasley children came from her. Most of social wives would take one look at the girl before them barely as old as her eldest and scoff at the thought of her being an equal to her in social combat, probably why the young woman was able to hold her own in the Wizingamot each week. As Molly stared at the young woman a wicked idea came to her mind, a way to take the Potter fortune without having to give Albus his share of the profit.
Molly's face became if possible even more ugly and feral as she formalized her plans in a moment; even Harry was more than a bit taken back by the look on her face. "Time?" She offered the opening move to her opponent.
Sarah's grin became more feral as she decided to go for dramatic, "Midnight, night of the next full moon. Place?" Her own offer sent a shudder through the crowds that had steadily grown at choosing a time when most feared to venture out with the report of hostilities increasing among the ministry and wolf packs.
It was an easy tactic to spot, make Ron so scared that her little bastard nephew would walk all over him. She almost scoffed at the amateur move before she relieved that she was planning something more. Molly decided to up the ante a bit, "Gringotts bank, London, the arena of Blooda. Seconds?" A gasp came up from the room at the challenge of a duel in a goblin arena were the only way to achieve victory was by killing your opponent in battle.
For the first time in the verbal sparring Sarah faltered for a moment her voice stilled as she tried to find the proper words, it was only for a moment but it didn't matter Molly had found her weakness. Before she could capitalize on her win, Harry stepped forward and gave Molly a growl, "No seconds. No mercy. Value of Honor?" Harry asked, forcing himself to remain calm as well as giving Sarah a moment to compose herself.
The feral grin on Molly's face became almost orgasmic as she smiled at Sarah, "House Potter will sign a marriage contract between William Weasley and Sarah Potter, placing House Potter under my control." Molly finished.
A lesser house taking control of a greater house tore through the growing crowds like wildfire as everyone began to talk about what was going on. A clan like the Weasley family sitting in the Wizingamot was laughable almost as laughable as the thought that Molly's least common denominator being able to take out someone's lunch. Sarah looked ready to pull back when Harry stuck out his hand and said agreed.
By the time they managed to push their way out of the crowds Sarah was completely silent. The ride home was even more silent as the pulled into the driveway. Once she stopped the engine Sarah turned to Harry and punched him in the arm, "You had better win or I swear I will bring you back to life to kill you myself." Before Harry could respond she grabbed her purse and was out of the car. Harry tried to call after her but she only flipped him off in response before walking inside.
"Hey come on," Harry yelled out as he got out of the SUV, "You know that I love you, Sarah come on." The smile on Harry's face was threatening to split his head wide open as he tried to be somber about his up and coming fight to the death.
"Come on Sarah," Harry said again trying to stifle his laughter as he approached the door when he felt something. It felt like an intruder ward.
Harry fell into a crouch as he silently edged to door, glancing inside his insides went cold as he saw Sarah laying face first on the floor. Instinct slipped away as Harry rushed into the room and fell to his knees by Sarah's side and quickly felt for a pulse. Relief at finding a pulse was short lived as Harry felt a rush of magic before he hit the ground unconscious.
Had Harry remained awake he would have heard the heavy clunk of a wooden leg as the ugly scarred visage of Alastor Moody stepped out from under his cloak. The old auror hit Sarah with a second stunner then bound her with ropes before turning back to Harry. "Poor lad," Alastor offered sadly as he stunned Harry again and then bound him as well, "Maybe you should try keeping your eyes open and your head clear lad. If you think you are going to protect anyone you had better start working harder." Alastor offered to the unconscious boy before him before placing a portkey on his chest and whisking him away.