Chapter 9
Harry sat down at the desk at school, ready for the normal things. The teasing and the loneliness would mingle with the awe that he would start his future today. Yet, he found as he sat at his desk that no one had heard the name Harry Potter, so no longer met it with malice. No one cared that his glasses were outdated and broken. They thought that made him smart. And the fact that he was friends with Kaitlin made him cool. Harry was generally well liked by his peers.
Kaitlin turned around and smiled brightly, obviously because of some triumph. He gave her a questioning gaze, cuasing her to smile brighter. "You're coming to dinner at my house tonight, and meet my family." Her Italian accent shone through heavily in her excitement.
"What if your dad doesn't like me?" Harry squeaked nervously.
She only laughed, "Harry, relax. He doesn't like anyone." That didn't help the monster clawing at his belly.
XxX
They walked to her house from school together, Harry faltering in his steps the closer they came to her home. He'd seen it, of course, but this was the first time over. Kaitlin rolled her eyes at him.
"He won't mind you, Harry." She pulled her red curls back into a pony tail as they walked.
"But, what if he doesn't want me to see you again?" The panic in his voice made her stop and turn to him.
"Then I'll just see you anyway." And the world was better again.
XxX
Her home was a simple western home. Two stories that were of average size and filled with many rooms and doors. Her room was the top right window of the house, on the second floor. After touring, she brought him to her room, where they abandoned their school bags in the corner..
Harry stood in the center of the room, circling around to take it all in. A collage of old pictures occupied the far wall, framed by shelves of books that expanded on the other walls. Her bed was covered with a deep blue comforter. Everything in here was blue.
He caught her staring at him, "What? Does my room look ugly or something?"
He blushed, but only a tinge, "No." He whispered.
She stepped closer, and brought her face inches from his, "Wanna do something fun?"
XxX
Her father sat across from Harry at the dinner table, taking the boy in. He was quite and polite. He smiled at his Kaitlin when she spoke, and ate his food slowly. He said please and thank you; ma'am and sir.
"Are you still hungry, Harry?" Kaitlin's mom, Angela asked softly. She wore the classic 1950's housewife hair and dress. Her face was young and pretty. Even when she wore a worried expression as she did now.
Harry looked up quickly, "No, ma'am. I don't really eat much. Dinner was lovely though. Thank you." She smiled at the compliment, though it did not fully divert her from the hardly-touched plate.
Kaitlin smiled at her mom, "Harry's always like that, Mom." She spoke this as if her mother were being silly.
"So, Harry, you moved here from England?" Harry's vision went to her father. This was the first time he had spoken. Her father knew this child. He was not stupid as to what had happened over seas.
Harry nodded, "Yes, sir. Little Winging to be exact." His voice was shaky.
"Ahh, how do you like it here in America, so far?"
"It is… different, Sir; very dry."
"Well, there's always that."
XxX
Her father had volunteered to take Harry home since it was dark outside. The car went slowly down the road, and harry silently counted down from 100 to avoid the awkward silence that filled the cabin.
"It is a state secret, about what happened to you in England. The government agreed to hide you until you come of age."
Harry froze, "You mean, my parents, Sir?" The car pulled into the driveway of Hub and Garths' home. Now Harry's home as well.
"I mean everything, boy. They are blocking dark wizards from the country and any news from getting out. Deep magic, powerful magic, is protecting you here. Just, be careful of the locals. They might try to do something, because no one else is."
Harry met the man's eyes, and replied with a shaky voice, "Thank you, Sir." He carefully opened the car door.
"Call me Stephen, child. I'll have none of this, 'sir', stuff." He smiled softly at the youth as his head snapped up in surprise. He nodded his head jerkily, and hopped out of the car.
XxX
Harry was silent as he charged past his godfather, but his stony face said it all.
"Hey, Harry! Stop… What am I doing wrong? Why won't you talk to me?"
Harry stopped, "I don't want anything to do with you. That's it." He spoke without turning around, and left the man standing there alone. Sirius stumbled to the couch, only to put his face in his hands, and sob.
XxX
That day was cold for their standards, but he didn't notice. It was colder in England. He wouldn't ever forget that. The church was drafty and boring; the pastor had no talent. Hub and Garth sat just beyond him, paying attention intently to what was being said. Harry respected that most found religion very grounding, yet he didn't understand. How could he love a God that he didn't know? How could he trust him? So, he sat in the pew, looking at his thumbs and wondering when they would leave.
Suddenly the girl in front of him turned around and smiled at him. Her red hair was clinging to her shoulders, and she wore a delicate sweater. "Hi," she whispered to Harry, who looked up startled.
"Hullo." His voice shook.
Her eyes widened, "You're British! That is really cool. How long have you been here?" Her voice carried so much excitement, and this surprised Harry. He'd never inspired excitement.
"A few days."
"Are you staying very long?"
Harry thought for a moment, "Yes, I am." If possible, her smile grew, and he smiled in return.
"My name's Kaitlin."
"I'm Harry."
Harry sat up suddenly from his dream, tears streaming down his face.
XxX
Harry walked down the barren alley, focusing on the fact that he was alone. He drew his wand, and cast protective charms over himself and the alley, so no one may spy on his conversation. Stationing himself against the far wall, he took the cell phone out of his pocket, and pressed 1.
XxX
Jamie stumbled down the stairs, and into the kitchen. He found Garth at the stove flipping pancakes. He turned and smiled at the teen.
"Where's Uncle Hub?"
Garth smiled, "Sleeping. That man could sleep forever if I didn't stop him."
Jamie smiled, "Nice. Breakfast smells good." Garth nodded his head at the boy, tipping an invisible hat. Jamie laughed softly.
A ringing sound came from the wall where Jamie had stored his phone the night before. Garth didn't need to look at the call i.d. to know who it was. Looking into Jamie's face, he could see the defiance. "He's still your father you know."
"He left."
Garth sighed, "He loves you."
"He. Left." The voice was outraged.
"Talk to him."
"Why?"
"Because he didn't want to leave."
And with a sigh, Jamie answered the phone. "Hello?" He could practically hear his father's grateful smile.
"Hey Jamie." Harry listened to his son breathe impatiently. He was angry with him again. "I just wanted to talk to you. I miss hearing your voice."
Jamie snorted, "Then why do you keep leaving? You get to know me, and then you disappear. By the time you get back, we're strangers again."
Harry shoved his hand in his pocket angrily. "This is the last one Jamie."
"I believed you the last time, why should I believe you now?" Jamie heard his father sigh. He sounded tired.
"You know how you would do anything to feel closer to mum?"
"Yeah." Jamie whispered back, his anger was gone now.
"Well, these people, they knew my parents, Jamie. These are your grandfathers' friends I'm helping out here. And, at the end of the day, they actually feel real to me. Not just an invisibility cloak or moving pictures." Harry's voice was soft and contemplating. Jamie understood now.
"It's like how everyone lets me near mom's relatives, even though no one likes them. They have bits of her that they can… give to me?" He hoped his connection was a good one. His father never spoke about his own parents while sober. And he had been sober for a long time.
"Yes Jamie. That's why they come around so much. They have memories of her. And that's the important thing kiddo."
Jamie cleared his throat, "So, what was granddad like?" He saw Garth stop eating, out of his peripheral vision, and watching the conversation with wide, hesitant eyes.
Harry paused on the other end, and looked around for any signs that his security charms had been brought down. Once assured that he would not be over heard, he smiled, "Well, James was a lot like you in some aspects. Got into trouble at school with his Motley Crue friends, had problems with taking orders from only certain people, still he was a good man. From what I can tell, he was a care-free kid that had a family way too soon in a far too chaotic world."
Jamie took another breath, "And grandmom?"
Harry was suddenly glad Jamie couldn't see his face. "Like me. She was like me," he spoke softly, and wiped off the tears with the sleeve of his jacket. And Jamie was sad he couldn't wipe away the tears he could hear.
XxX
Harry walked down the road, keeping mind to make himself small. His coat lapels popped up around his neck, and a cap over his recognizable hair. He hoped he could pass for any sort of muggle. It would have been years since anyone in England would have seen him, and highly doubted that anyone could recognize him.
The rain had picked up once more, making hollow pitter-patter noises on his clothes. His feet sloshed in his shoes, and he made slapping sounds as he walked. He kept eyeing his relection in the store front windows, paranoid that someone might be following.
Spending so much time looking everywhere else, he did not notice the solid body before him. Knocking into the man, Harry fell backwards into the watery street. His hands scraped the bottom and blood tinged the flowing water. Looking back up, he saw a man about his own age staring into his eyes, with disbelief melting into glory.
"Well hello, Mr. Potter," a smug grin spread across his face, that seemed all too familiar. The blonde man pulled a wand from his robe, and pointed the tip between Harry's eyes. It was then that Harry realized that his cap had fallen off, revealing his scar.