Chapter Eleven

Harry collapsed on the couch in the familiar surrounding of the Gryffindor common room and sighed. How was he ever going to do this? How could he face his classmates again? And then, of course, there was Kayla. How was he supposed to keep himself from her? Despite everything and the fact that he and Summer were having a child together, he still loved her even though he knew it was hopeless and that they could never be. If he even tried to get back together with her Phillip would make sure that no man ever had the chance.

"So, you're staying here while Mummy and I stay in the teacher's rooms?" Harry hauled Tom onto his lap and nodded.

"I get to stay here and be tortured by my past." Tom frowned at the statement though he knew all about how he and Summer had come to be couple.

"Now I won't see you." Harry looked at him sharply, surprise by the fear and insecurity in his voice.

"You'll still see me. The story we're using is that you're my cousin so I'll still be able to carry you around and everything. You won't see me as much, but I'll come see in the teacher's quarters, and you can come see me here. You'll still me plenty. This doesn't change anything between us," he said soothingly. The child still looked insecure.

"Really? I can come see you? What if you have homework? You'll be in your last year. You're going to have a lot of homework."

"You can still come, but I probably won't be able to play with you." Harry thought quickly at the disappointed look on his face. "You could sit on my lap while I do it as long as you're quiet and behave, and once I'm finished I'll play with you, okay?"

Tom didn't look completely convinced, but nodded all the same. "Can I go explore the tower?" He looked between Harry and Summer who was seated across from the pair.

"Go ahead, but be careful, and just the tower for now. We'll do the rest of the castle later." He nodded happily any past feeling of sadness, or insecurity vanished. Harry sighed again as Tom ran up the stairs. He had a feeling he would be doing a lot of sighing over the next year. Summer moved over and sat beside him trying to offer what little comfort she could.

"We'll think of a way to get away from Phillip and end this, I promise." Harry gave her a small smile.

"I know."

"Are you anxious about school starting?" Hermione asked while she and Kayla snacked on chocolate they had bought at Diagon Alley.

"A little. It's not really school itself, but all the memories it holds. I had just gotten used to it at the end of the school year, and now I have to get used to it all over again." Hermione nodded sympathetically.

"I know what you mean. That's more my concern to, but classes are going to be horrible. Do you know how much homework we're going to have? We can kiss do anything else good- bye." Kayla laughed and agreed.

"How are things with you and Ron going? Have you forgiven him for giving you a book as a anniversary present?" Hermione snorted.

"Yes, I have. Poor thing has no idea what to do when it comes to girls."

"He really doesn't, does he? What changed your mind about forgiving him?" Kayla asked as she popped a piece of chocolate into her mouth. Hermione smiled shyly.

"He sent me a single red rose along with some candy."

"Aww, that's sweet. How did he know to do that?"

"Ginny told him to." Kayla laughed again and shook her head.

"We need to start training him more. That remind me of this keychain I saw. It said men are like dogs. Stupid, but trainable." They both burst out laughing at the often true statement.

"Do you think we should tell her? I know she never expressed any interest in meeting either of us, but do you think she would like to? You're the ones who raised her, and know her better than we do." Britta looked at Josh.

"I don't know, Petunia. She would hate it at first, but maybe after time she would accept it. If you do tell her it would need to be soon, before school started that way she would have time to get used to it."

Severus and Petunia looked at each other. She had finally come clean to Vernon and Dudley. Vernon had immediately filed for divorce and took Dudley with him. Petunia hadn't cared that Vernon had divorced her, she had only married him out of necessity, but when he took Dudley away from her and she was forced to give up her parental rights, she had been devastated. That had been three months ago. She still got upset about it, but kept her mind busy by planning the wedding she and Severus would have on Christmas.

"How is she doing?" Severus asked hungry for any information concerning her. He would've rather heard it from her, but knowing that wasn't possible he would have to settle for hearing it from someone else.

"Much better. She's been staying at Hermione's a lot, but it makes her happy so we're letting her. She's finally back to doing normal things and laughing regularly."

"That's wonderful! I was afraid she might not ever do any of that again. I'm sure you were to, but that's a huge relieve to hear that."

"Maybe we should hold out on telling her if she's doing so much better. This certainly wouldn't help anything. Wait maybe another year, or so," Petunia said and looked at Severus.

"It's entirely up to you all," Josh said. "You can tell her now, or wait. It's your choice." Severus looked at Petunia communicating through their eyes.

"I think we'll hold out for a little while. Give it a little more time."

"Greg, what do you think you're doing?"

They sixteen year old shot up immediately to look nervously at his godfather and guardian. "I was looking for my coat," he said as the first thing that popped into his head.

"Why would you need your coat? It's ninety degrees out, and why would your coat be in my room?" Sirius smiled mischievously at him. Greg gulped at the glint in Sirius's eyes as he walked over the closet that Greg had been looking in. "Were you perhaps looking for something?" Sirius smiled wider and at the guilty look on the teen's face.

"No," he said quickly. Too quickly.

"I don't hide presents in the closet. It's the place where everyone looks. I'm a Marauder, remember?" Greg scowled at him.

"Where are they? I know you have tons so where are they?"

"If I told you then it wouldn't be a surprise. Surely you don't want to know all your birthday presents before you get them."

"I don't care! I want to know what they are! Please?" He gave him the puppy dog pout, but Sirius was adamant.

"I'm not telling and that's final."

Harry stepped onto the revolving platform thinking of how many other times he had gone up them. Dumbledore told him he had arranged for a student to come the next day to show him around the school so he would know where everything was when school started. Harry didn't know who he had chosen, but was hoping it was a younger student and not someone from his year. Harry knocked and then entered the room.

He couldn't see who sitting in the chair, but his stomach sank anyway.

"Hello, Alex, have a seat."

Harry did, but not before he looked at the person he would be sitting next to. He almost didn't sit down at the shock of seeing one of his best friends. "Alex, this is Hermione Granger. She'll be in your year and house when term starts. She can show where all the classrooms and which teachers to not cross." Hermione smiled at him. He weakly smiled back, trying to calm his pounding heart. He knew he would have to face them all eventually, but he hadn't thought it would be so soon. Dumbledore was saying something, but he wasn't listening forcing himself to act normal.

Harry stood up and followed Hermione out. Once they stepped off the platform she started talking.

"You're her with your aunt, right? She's going to be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor?"

"Yea, I would've stayed at my old school, but she wouldn't let me live by myself and there wasn't anyone to take care of me. My little cousin is here to."

"How old is he?"

"He's five. He'll probably be around soon. He's getting bored staying in the tower, but she didn't think it was wise to let him wander around by himself."

"It wouldn't be. The school's safe, no one's going to hurt him, but he'd get lost or something in the castle itself would hurt him." Harry nodded as if he hadn't hurt it before though he knew first hand how true the statement was. She continued asking him questions while showing him around the school pointing out various things. It took all Harry's self control to not break and tell her everything. By the end of it Harry was exhausted from keeping the façade up.

"That's about it, I think. Do you want me to show you around the grounds?" Harry groaned inwardly at the thought of having to pretend for any longer. What was he going to do when school started? He would have all his classes with them and they would all be there, not just one. Maybe he should just give up now. He obviously couldn't do this.

"Sure, I don't mind," he heard himself say while thinking, Why did I say that? I should've said no.

She smiled brightly at him. "Okay, come on." She showed him around the grounds. Harry forced back memories of what had happened out here. Harry wanted to simply sit down and cry from all the stress and frustration it was taking to not tell her the truth by the end of it.

"That's all of it. Well, not all of it, but all the parts you need to know. Can you find your way back to Gryffindor Tower?" Harry nodded quickly.

"Yea, thanks for the tour."

"It's not a problem. I enjoyed it really. I'll see you at school." She waved and walked out the doors. Harry slumped against the wall behind him as her back disappeared. He never would've though it would've been so hard and exhausting. Harry groaned as he remembered his promise to show Tom around the school. He started back to the tower.

"Yay, you're back! Can you show me around the castle now, or are you to tired?" Tom asked seeing how tired Harry looked.

"Can you wait a little while? I know I promised, but it was Hermione who showed me around. It made me really tired. Can you wait until dinner and see how I feel?" Harry hated having to break his promise, but he knew he wouldn't be able to get very far. Tom sighed. "I'm sorry, but I don't think I can do it." Tom scuffed his feet and looked at the ground,

"It's okay. I can wait. Oh yea, Mummy wants you. Jenny's been cranky today and won't stop crying. Mummy doesn't feel good. She almost started crying." Harry frowned.

"I don't hear any crying. She sound proofed the room."

"Which room?"

"The room at the top of the tower." Harry nodded and got up.

He flinched as he opened the door and heard Jenny's shrieks. He immediately took her from Summer, who was also crying. "She won't be quiet. I don't know what's wrong. I took her temperature, she's been fed, she's been changed, and she still won't quit crying." Harry hugged Jenny to his chest using one arm while he hugged Summer with the other.

"I'll take care of her. Go rest, or whatever you have to do." Summer nodded and left the room. Harry turned his attention to his crying adoptive daughter. He bounced her lightly, but it didn't work. He really hoped she would quite down soon.

She didn't though. She continued screaming for another twenty minutes, and by that time she was in danger of throwing up from crying so hard. Harry finally, out of desperation started singing to her. He didn't remember the song he was singing, but as she went quiet he continued singing until she was finally asleep.

Author's Note: I know it's and odd place to end it, but I've reach my goal of 2,000 words, 2177, I'm ending it. I had originally planned to have this on hold so I could focus on two stories, one fan fic and one original, but my original ones aren't getting much feedback so I'm thinking of putting them on hold so I can focus on this and Brian Knight Potter.

One of the most frustrating things in the world is a present that doesn't shake, or one that does shake and you know it's not supposed because you know what it is by the shape. It's annoying. Lol. Okay, I'm gonna end the author's note now. Lol

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