Harry's First Steps…

"Daddy!" the girl's voice called out. "Tommy threw a book at me and now I hurt" and Harry sighed, put down his paperwork and looked up at his daughter who rubbed the side of her head.

"If you keep doing that you'll still be hurting" he said. "Let me take a look" and Harry examined his daughter's head and found a bruise and a lump that would be a nice one. Reaching into a drawer, he gave his daughter two small drops of Headache Relief before telling her to lie down on her bed. Once she had gone away, he went after his seven year old son. "THOMAS ZORDON POTTER!" he thundered as he entered the playroom.

"Cassie is lying" Thomas said.

"You don't know what I was going to ask you, but you have already incriminated yourself right in the shi-" he cut himself off. "You've hurt your sister, and now you have to pay for that. You are going to put away your toys and then go and apologise to your sister. Once you have done that, you are grounded for the rest of the day"

"No!" Harry sighed and regretted, not for the first time, ever having children.

"Yes"

"No"

"So Cassiopeia hurt herself to get you into trouble?"

"Yes"

"Well… There is one way to find out" and he turned to look at a bookcase. "Myrtle, what happened that you saw?" and the ghost came into sight.

"Thomas threw a book at Cassiopeia" the ghost confirmed. "However, that was only after they had been fighting over who played with what toys"

"But did Cassie throw anything or hit Thomas?" Harry asked, and Myrtle shook her pale head.

"Don't listen to her!" Thomas shouted. "She's dead!"

"Thomas, you will apologise to your Godmother at once" Harry said.

"No"

"Last warning, Thomas. Apologise, or face the punishment"

"NO" and the boy put out his bottom lip and put on a suitable expression of determination.

"You asked for it…" Harry picked up the boy and put him over his knee. Half a dozen taps later, and the boy was rightly in tears.

"I'll get the roarers on you!" he screamed through the tears. "They put you in prison. Everyone is afraid of roarers" Thomas defiantly looked his father in the eye. "But I'm not"

"Thomas, if you do not go to bed this moment without another word, I will personally make sure you don't come out until you are a grown up. Now, you will apologise to your sister and go to bed"

"I WISH YOU WAS DEAD LIKE MUMMY IS!" and Myrtle gasped as Harry's eyes widened before turning dark. Before she could interpose herself, not that it would do much good, between the two, Harry had lashed out and the boy was flying to the floor.

"GO TO BED THIS FUCKING INSTANT! DOBBY!" he called out, and the elf appeared a few moments later.

"Yes, Master Harry Potter?" the elf was confused by Harry's anger and the large handprint and bruise forming on Thomas's left side of his jaw.

"Take him to his room and lock him in there" Harry bottled the remaining anger inside him before he lashed out again. "Give him bread and water for supper and then see to Cassie. Myrtle, look after the house" and Harry stormed from the room.

#

Dobby had been left with a problem to think over. Clearly something had happened that had upset Harry greatly, and Master Harry Potter never hit his children. Yes, the elf knew, Harry spanked them if they were particularly naughty, but never anything more then that. In the end, he had sent for one of the Great Harry Potter's friends and explained what he had seen and what Myrtle had told him had happened. He didn't even have to punish himself afterwards, which was a bonus - Dobby knew that the Great and Wise Harry Potter was obviously not very well still from what had happened during the Battle of Hogwarts and so, he knew, he was merely helping his Master to get better again. If anything, Dobby concluded, that was the sign of being a very good elf…

# # # # #

"… and he just kept refusing and trying to make me upset" Harry said.

"What happened next?" asked Susan.

"It's unforgivable" Harry drained the last of his fifth pint of strong ale. "Completely unforgiveable. I ain't fit to be a parent" he looked at his sober friend. "I hit him"

"We all get spanked as children" Susan said.

"Yes, but you liked that… This is different" said Harry. "He looked me straight in the eye and wished that I was dead like Hermione was"

"He didn't" Susan was horrified.

"He did" Harry nodded sadly and hung his head in shame. "I just lost it there and then and slapped him so hard I think I may have broken his jaw"

"Oh, Harry…"

"I've never hit my children – not like that. I've spoiled and bribed them when possible, but never hit them like that"

"You have had to cope so much on your own, why will you not get out there and meet another woman?" Susan asked.

"Love another woman?" Harry looked into his friend's eyes with all the look of a broken man. "I don't think I know how" he whispered.

"If I thought I could get away with it" Susan said after a long period of quiet, "I would grab your hand and apperate you to my house"

"Huh"

"And my bed" Susan added, her shining eyes bringing life back to Harry's own. "I don't mind that you have had others other the years, but I guess you've earned that right"

"Never" Harry shook his head and pushed the empty glass away from him. "Nobody"

"You mean…?"

"I have never had another woman after Hermione's death" Harry said. "I didn't want to run the risk of getting attached to somebody and the twins calling them Mummy"

"Then let me love you" Susan said. "Please… Do whatever you want with me, but learn to love again. If you don't want me, then find somebody to live with – for the sake of the twins if for no other good reason"

"Susan, I think you are a lovely girl and all that, but I don't think that Hannah would be pleased" Harry said.

"The trouble with you is that you are too honourable" Susan grumbled as she pulled Harry to his feet and held him up. "I think that the best thing is for you to go home, get some sleep and start again in the morning" she paused before ending with "And I don't think that Hannah would mind a threesome"

"But what if I lose it again, Sue?" Harry asked as he was gently pulled to the apparition spot. "How can I trust myself to be around the twins? How can they trust me?"

"The fact that you are showing remorse for your actions is invocative of not doing it again" Susan apperated the pair of them back to Grimmauld Place. Harry had moved the family there after the twins had needed their own rooms, but they would still use the cottage for weekends away and holidays. A moment later and they stood inside the hallway.

"I need to relax for a time – away from the twins" Harry sighed, throwing his keys onto the hallway table. "I haven't had a minute away from them since they were born – not counting the times I had no choice in the matter…" he added.

"What do you say to a nice massage followed by watching me and Hannah have sex?" Susan asked.

"Mind if I put the twins to be-" he stopped and sniffed at something in the air.

"Harry? What is it?" Susan asked, her hand going for her wand.

"Smoke" and his eyes widened. "The Kitchen!" and he ran for the room – blasting the door off as he did so. The kitchen was ablaze and the sudden rush of air caused a flashback that Susan deflected with a flick of her wand. Before she could say anything, Harry ploughed straight into the thick, acrid smoke towards a black lump on the floor – some way inside the fog like smoke. Another flick of her wand had the smoke quickly vanishing and the fire put out – causing the woman to gasp in horror. Cassiopeia was on the floor beneath the cooker – her clothes, skin and hair badly burned. Dobby lay over her partially as if to protect the equally tiny body beneath him. Luckily, elf magic was protecting him and there was no major damage. Harry, Susan could see, was pale from shock, horror and fear. Turfing the unconscious Dobby to one side, he checked his daughter for signs of life, found it weakly, and then scooped her up and headed for the floo fireplace in the living room.

"I'll get Thomas" Susan said.

"You'll need the override code" Harry fumbled for the powder which he managed to throw in. "Its Lyra Pantalaimon" he then stepped into the floo and called out his destination. "ST MUNGOS!"

#

Harry disliked using his fame, but he did so in order to get his daughter a private room to be treated in. He also, being the only non Ministry member able to do so, ordered a full company of Aurors to guard the doors and corridors on the floor – thereby stopping any reporters. The Legion of Super Heroes entered the hospital in squadron strength and set up shop in the hospital's conference room – turfing the occupants out of a meeting concerned with, ironically, security of offices.

"Mr Potter" a Healer stepped out of the room – passing through a sterilising field as she did so.

"How is she?" Harry asked, anxious.

"Mr Potter!" the Healer winkled her nose at the alcohol still on Harry's breath. "You're drunk"

"And you're ugly" he replied, "But in the morning I shall be sober"

"Your daughter is doing well" the Healer said, miffed by the fact Harry had seemingly insulted her. "However, it is important that she rests for a full forty eight hours – and that is a minimum amount of time. We have treated her burns by smothering her in burn cream and administering some potion via a Muggle style drip system. That is a thing made u-"

"I know what it is" said Harry firmly. "Will she have any scars?" he asked. He didn't want anything to affect the beauty of his daughter's face.

"For a week or so" the Healer replied. "That is something that we can deal with easily enough, but that is not our main concern. Right now she is a coma that we are at a loss to explain. There might not be a lot that I can do for her at t-" Harry held up a hand to cut the young woman off.

"Hold your horses there" he said. "My daughter is in a coma and you don't know why? When did you graduate training?"

"Last week?"

"Dear gods…" Harry sighed and shook his head disbelievingly. "This place is full of children… Can you find me one Healer in this flaming place that actually is older then I?"

"Just because you are Harry Potter" the Healer said indignantly, "Does not mean you can insult my ability to practice the Healing magics"

"Fair enough" Harry said. "I apologise for your poor attitude in magic. I'd like to see my daughter"

"Out of the question" the Healer replied. "Only Healers are permitted inside"

"Either you move out of my way" Harry growled low, "Or I shall remove you by force" and the surviving friends of Harry and Hermione twitched their cloaks or other outer coverings to show that they were armed. Most carried wands, Harry carried his pistol as well and Luna had a stuffed parrot called Dave. It was, you understand, a very mean stuffed bird that had, for some reason, hand grenades in each claw.

"Family members only" the healer replied.

"That would apply to everyone here" Luna said.

"You are not Miss Potter's family" the Healer said.

"No" Harry was fed up and pushed the Healer to one side, "They are my family".

#

It was a fortnight before Cassiopeia was back home, and the coma she had been in had been determined as the result of magical exhaustion. Through careful questioning, Harry had found his daughter had tried to make him a cake – Dobby finding her mere moments before getting knocked out himself.

"Who is for an ice cream?" asked Harry.

"Me! Me! Me! Me! Me!" the twins said excitedly.

"Stay where I can see you" Harry told them, and walked to the cart a little way away and got three Dali Llama specials – ones with everything. Sitting on Cleethorpes beach with the twins enjoying their treats, Harry closed his eyes and felt the sun on his face – being at peace with himself.

"Daddy?" Harry opened one eye and saw Thomas looking at him.

"Mmm?"

"Cassie has something for you"

"Oh? What is it?"

"This" and he dropped as Cassiopeia hit her father with a water pistol.

"You minx!" Harry spluttered. He charged after her – lifting her into the air and making her squeal and giggle in delight. "I was about to ask if you two wanted to go on the train" and they both nodded. "Right, well you'd better get everything together then" and Thomas and Cassiopeia picked up their buckets and spades before Harry packed them all into the bag whilst the children put their summer outfits over the top of their beach things. Walking up the path from the beach, they trio made their way to the little steam railway. After spending several hours going up and down on it, much to the confusion of the twins, they returned home to Grimmauld Place whereupon the children both collapsed from exhaustion and Harry carried them to their rooms and placed them into bed. It had been a great day out, but now, and only now, could Harry do something for himself – something he should have done a long time ago. Harry made a few decisions and called for Dobby – realising a moment later that Dobby was back at Hogwarts.

"Yes, Master Harry Potter?"

"What are you doing here?" asked Harry. "Shouldn't you be serving cupcakes to students at Hogwarts or something? I know you choose to help me during the summer, but why did you come here?"

"You wanted me" Dobby said seriously. "And here I am. Wherever you are, Dobby will always come to serve you, Harry Potter. You free Dobby from bad family, Harry Potter. Dobby owes you his life, Sir"

"You don't owe me anything more, Dobby" Harry said.

"May Dobby speak frankly?"

"By all means"

"Dobby believes that he owes both you and Harry Potter's Hermy a great deal. The entire world owes Harry Potter a great deal" the elf looked at Harry with a determination he had rarely seen before. "Dobby will always respond to calls from Harry Potter and Harry Potter's children – until Dobby is dead or you find someone else"

"Thank you, Dobby" Harry said and wondered why tears were filling his vision. "You are one strange elf, my friend… But, you are my strange little elf. Thank you very much"

"The elves at Hogwarts built a memorial to Hermy Granger" Dobby said. "Dobby does not believe that Harry Potter has seen it. Dobby would be pleased to take Harry Potter to see it"

"The children, Dobby. I can hard-"

"They will be safe enough, Harry Potter. All elves at Hogwarts will respond to any threat upon them"

"Why?"

"Why not?" replied Dobby. "They have not been forced to do this, but the elves choose to do this You saved my life and the lives of elves everywhere… Why not?"

"Maybe another time" Harry said. "I was wondering if you could help me out"

"Dobby would be delighted" the elf beamed at Harry. "What does Master Harry Potter want?"

"I want your advice on what to wear"

"Dobby advises clothes"

"Harry wonders if Dobby would like to be twatted on the end of his nose" Harry grinned at the elf. "I need you help on what to wear, Dobby. I have been invited to a night out with a gi… a couple of people. I haven't been on a night out like this for a while, and I wanted you to pick something fitting and in fashion"

"Dobby understands" the elf said. "If Dobby may be so bold, may Dobby have a seat and a drink?"

"Harry will allow him to do so" Harry got him a coke – one of the elf's secret vices.

"What preferences does Harry Potter have?"

"Mmm… A good question, Dobby" Harry mused. "I would have to say that I would prefer something with reds and blacks. Something that is smart looking but is also very comfortable"

"Dobby has just the thing" the elf said. "Dobby has been meaning to give you it tomorrow for a birthday gift, but Dobby sees no harm in it being given now if it would bring Harry Potter much happiness"

"Would you mind bringing it in an hour or so?" Harry asked. "I want a nice hot bath, relax and grab a little something to eat before going out"

"Dobby has an idea as how Master Harry Potter can relax"

"How?" asked Harry. "I don't want a potion"

"You will not be taking a potion, but Dobby knows a good way for Harry to relax"

"Sweet"

"Take off your clothes"

#

"The massage is a good idea, Dobby"

"I am not Dobby. I am Winky"

"Winky, that's enough. Please find Dobby and tell him that I will find his skinny hide and rip him limb from limb"

#

"I like the get up" said Luna. Dobby had given Harry a pair of black trousers with a red stripe running up each leg to the waist. He had a white undershirt with a ridged cuff and collar and a crimson red jacket with a flapped kerchief to go on the top – secured by a white strap that ran over his right shoulder. A belt with a customised star completed the entire look.

"Yes, I have an excellent tailor" Harry chuckled. He made a note to pay Dobby back for getting him a fully kitted out Starfleet uniform. "So… what am I getting myself into?" he asked.

"We've brought you here to meet a rather fetching young woman" Parvati said.

"Huh?" Luna blinked at her. "I thought we were going with 'Operation Get Harry Laid'?" she sighed.

"If you don't shut up" Padma said, "We'll send you back to Buckbeak. That girl's fucking goofy…" she said to Harry.

"Oh, I've never fucked Goofy" said Luna dreamily. "Minnie Mouse, on the other hand… Anyway, your girl is just entering now, Harry" and Harry turned to see Susan walking in dressed in a silver dress with hints of gold thread here and there. As she blushed heavily and made her way over, followed by all the male sets of eyes in the room, Padma leaned over and gently pushed Harry's mouth shut. Susan's already evident beauty was enhanced by the pushed up bust and the light coating of make up. It was not in Hermione's league – nothing ever would – but Harry would be damned if it didn't come close.

"Hi, Susan" Harry gulped.

"Hi" Susan smiled. "I'm your date"

"I'm looking at boobies" Harry said absently. Susan's more then generous proportioned chest was pushed up and out.

"Pleased to meet you, Looking At Boobies" Susan giggled like a school girl as she sat at the table. Over the next hour, Harry found he had forgotten about Hermione's death and his loneliness and enjoyed the company of another friend and attractive woman. Just as they finished dessert, Luna suddenly gripped the table cloth so tight her knuckles went white.

"Luna?" Padma was concerned about her former housemate.

"My waters just broke" the blond said.

"Come this way… You can use the Floo to get to St Mungos" said a waiter.

"Actually, Harry said knowledgably as he looked under the table where Luna had her legs in the air and apart which allowed him to see a clawed hoof, "I think you better call for a Vet"

#

"Saviour of the magical world, the Boy-Who-Lived, Prefect, Head Boy and Quidditch Champion… those are things I can live with" Harry said tiredly a few hours later, "But I am not a bloody midwife" he glanced at a worn out looking Susan. "I guess as dates go that would have to rank amongst the most memorable in the history of human kind" and his date laughed.

"I certainly got my money's worth…" she agreed.

"Say, Sue, does Hannah know you're with a bloke?" Harry asked. It was never certain about their relationship, though Harry had, over the years, had a number of private thoughts about the subject. To be fair and honest, he didn't give two hoots about same sex relationships and was of the opinion that if two people loved each other that they should be together – whatever the pairings and be allowed to marry.

"Who do you think brought the dress?" the woman shrugged. This caused her breasts to rise and fall – sending Harry into a reboot mode and his eyes to glaze over. "Did you think that we were…"

"Yes" replied Harry, "But you should know that I don't give a damn about that sort of stuff at all"

"Nothing like that" said Susan, understanding appearing on her features. "We found it easier and cheaper if we were to get a place together. Once I get the Head of family status, we'll be moving to the Bones Mansion"

"So the question remains – Why Me?" Harry asked, gulping another Firewhiskey down.

"I thought I would see what happened tonight" the young woman shrugged. "And I have to say, Mr Potter, that I kind of liked it. I would be most interested in a repeat performance, and I shall work most hard to find a pregnant half animal carrying woman you can help give birth"

"You do that, I'll go back in time and let Voldemort kill me" Harry said, and Susan was unsure if he meant it or not.

#

A couple of months later, Harry sat his kids down in the living room of Grimmauld Place and called a family meeting – waiting for Dobby, Hedwig and Crookshanks to arrive. The twins were not best amused as they had wanted to go and play with the muggle children in the park, and neither of them could understand why their father wanted to keep them inside on a lovely day.

"I want to talk about something that is important. It doesn't affect Hedwig, Crookshanks or Dobby that much, but I value their friendship and advice. Now, you know that nice lady I have been seeing quite a bit of?" and the twins nodded, "Well I have decided I would like her to move in with us"

"Why?" asked the twins at the same time.

"Because, I hope, we'd like to get married" Harry said.

"Why?"

"Well… Sometimes people want to get married to people they love" Harry said.

"Can I marry you, Daddy?" asked his daughter. This caused Harry to feel fuzzy inside and he smiled a bit.

"If I could, I would marry you in an instant, my beautiful little Princess" Harry chuckled. "Getting married to somebody means you love them very much and want to spend the rest of your life with them. The only problem is that the lady Daddy wants to marry already has a girl friend"

"Ewwwww" the twins chorused.

"That is icky" Thomas added.

"Now what have I taught you two?" Harry asked sternly.

"Never use a sharp knife?" asked Thomas.

"Put clothes on even if it is hot outside?" Cassiopeia asked.

"No…" Harry wondered if he should stop the Weasley twins from babysitting. "It is that it doesn't matter if you are a girl liking a girl or a boy liking a boy – just be in love with and trust them"

"Does this mean you will stop liking Mummy?" asked Thomas.

"I still love your mother" Harry replied sadly, "But I think that the pair of you need a mummy badly. Besides, you both like Susan a lot" and the twins looked at each other before shrugging.

"Okay" they chorused.

"Go out and play, but BE SAFE" he warned.

"We will" they said.

"You know" said Crookshanks, "I think things will work out for the best"

"Dobby agrees" the elf nodded.

"And" said Hedwig, "I am sure that Hermione would have approved of everything that you are doing to make Cassiopeia and Thomas happy"

"I hope so" replied Harry.

"I see one great thing for myself out of this" Crookshanks stretched out lazily on the chair and then curled back up.

"Dobby wonders what that is"

"Harry'll get to stroke some real pussy instead of patting me"

A/N:

A bit of a while since the last update, but I have been busy doing other things and taking some time off writing HP to start two other fics. I am also making a couple of videos as well for another fandom.

Anyway, this will be the first of three planned releases - Today, tomorrow and the day after. I hope you enjoy them

Regards

Pixel