Chapter Fourteen

Let The Bonding Continue!

A rainy Saturday afternoon found Cassius and Harry playing wizard chess while Remus read in his chair near the fire in the sitting room. Tabby, in her cat form, was curled up on the rug near his feet.

"Cass…" Harry had just moved one of his pawns.

"Hmm…" Cassius rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he looked at the chessboard.

"You said you'd known for a few years that you were related to me….when exactly did you find out and…why didn't you ever want me to come live with you before?" Harry had thought about that often since learning that he could have escaped the Dursleys years before he actually had.

"Oh…well…" Cassius looked over at Remus who was suddenly watching with great interest. "I – I found out during the spring of your first year at Hogwarts – I knew Dumbledore had put you with your muggle relatives – I didn't think he'd have put you with horrible people, so I figured there wasn't any reason for you to know – I didn't think you'd want to be related to a Malfoy, considering the circumstances… I heard more about you when Remus was there  - at Hogwarts - and I asked Dumbledore if we could have you then – but he said there was a blood protection charm on you when you were at your relatives and you were safe there, safer than you could be here.  After Voldemort rose last summer – I asked again…but Dumbledore said no again. I hadn't quite been able to prove that my blood would protect you as well….then I did ….but you started staying at Grimmauld Place so…"

"You knew four years ago – and you didn't tell me?" Remus sounded surprised and hurt.

"I…I'm sorry. I couldn't figure out how to tell you."

"You could have just said it." Remus snapped.

Cassius gave a rueful laugh. "You make it sound so simple."

Remus muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "Bloody idiot."

"I'm sorry, Harry. I should have insisted that Dumbledore let us have you when I found out. I'm really sorry." Cassius looked very remorseful and worried.

"Well – I guess I understand…Dumbledore told me he thought he was doing what was best for me – and you thought you were too." Harry was surprised he didn't feel angrier – he just felt sad for the time he could have been at Windy Corner and had been stuck at Privet Drive instead.

"You're not mad?" Cassius had started to chew the nails on his left hand before stopping suddenly.

"No…I mean – if I still didn't know – then I'd be mad. Although I guess I wouldn't know what I was mad about….I'm kind of mad – but it's ok – I'm here now."

"That you are." Cassius smiled affectionately at him.

"And I'm beating you at chess." Harry grinned widely.

"You are?" Remus stood up quickly and walked over to the board. "Harry – this is a momentous occasion!"

"He's letting me.." Harry looked over at Cassius. "Aren't you?"

"Letting you? I'm not letting you!" Cassius was indignant. "I take chess very seriously and I usually win…although I usually play Remus and he's not very good. Stevens is better but not much."

"Maybe you've gotten rusty – I'm not very good either."

"You're not?" Cassius looked at him in surprise.

"Nope. You should play Ron."

"This is pathetic. And I don't see what's so funny, wife." Cassius scowled at Remus who had started laughing.

"I was just thinking it's payback – you wouldn't be so rusty if you'd had Harry to play with the last four years."

"I'll hex Dumbledore next time I see him – making me a bad chess player. I was the Ravenclaw house champion for three years running."

"Ravenclaw has a house chess championship?" Harry had never heard that.

"Well, they did when I was there, I don't know if they still do." Cassius shrugged as he looked at the chess board.

"They're the nerd house – it didn't surprise me to learn that." Remus chuckled.

"Nerd house! You're just jealous because you weren't smart enough to be in Ravenclaw. You got stuck in the prankster house."

"Hey – I'm Gryffindor too! You better be careful what you say, you're outnumbered." Harry said quickly.

"No, I'm not – Tabby was in Ravenclaw too – so it's even."

"She's sleeping, you're on your own." Harry pointed to where Tabby was still curled up in front of the fire.

"Help me, Remus." Cassius pleaded as he pulled Remus down onto his lap.

"I'm supporting my fellow Gryffindor – I think Harry's going to win." Remus winked over at Harry.

"Don't encourage the child." Cassius growled.

"I'm almost 16!" Harry pretended to be offended.

"And I'm twice your age – you should let me win."

"No way!" Harry hardly ever won at chess, he wasn't going to give in now.

"Whose move is it?" Remus asked as he looked down at the board.

"His." Harry answered.

"Is it?" Cassius rubbed his forehead, he'd been gone on a long assignment during the week and hadn't had much sleep which made him a little more forgetful than usual.

"Yes." Harry nodded for emphasis.

"Oh….." Cassius surveyed the board again. "Bloody hell."

"Don't swear in front of Harry." Remus chastised Cassius.

"He's almost 16!"

The next day, Remus was in the yard cutting Cassius' hair which had gotten too long and was falling into his eyes. Remus had just finished cutting Harry's.  Harry and Moody were sitting on the porch step, watching Cassius with amused interest, because Remus was telling them the gossip he'd gotten from Tonks after the morning's Order meeting. Cassius' face was flushed and he looked very uncomfortable.

"Tonks said Mariam has had a crush on you since Auror training. And apparently there's a pool at the office on whether or not you have someone stashed away somewhere or if you had your heart broken when you were young and are celibate. And there was a rumor that you and Kingsley were involved but that stopped when Kingsley got married."

"Remus, stop." Cassius' face was now beet red as he squirmed on the chair.

"Keep still." Remus admonished, snipping Cassius' hair. "I just thought you would want to know – apparently everyone that Tonks speaks to at the Ministry thinks you are very handsome!" Remus looked over at Harry and wiggled his eyebrows.

"So, people don't stare at you because you're a Malfoy, it's because you're so good-looking." Harry piped up, his emerald eyes sparkling with merriment. It was fun to tease Cassius about his appearance because he honestly seemed to believe he was not good-looking.

"Stop!" Cassius hid his handsome face in his hands.

Remus walked around in front of Cassius. "Lift your head." Cassius obeyed the order but his hands still covered his face. Remus brushed his hand through Cassius' hair. "There's even talk of nominating you for Witch Weekly's Best Smile award…or whatever it's called. You know the one, Harry? That Gilderoy Lockhart won for so many years?" Remus looked over at Harry quickly before returning to cutting.  Harry laughed.

"All right. You're done." Remus smiled down at Cassius.

"You are very mean." Cassius buried his face in Remus' shirt.

"Well, I didn't realize you had no idea how handsome you are, so I thought you would want to know." Remus kissed the top of Cassius' head.

"You made all that up." Cassius' voice was muffled.

"OK, I admit I made the thing about the smile contest up, but the rest of it is true.  Honest! Isn't it, Moody?" Remus hugged Cassius tightly, resting his head on top of Cassius'. His brown and grey streaked hair blended with Cassius' blond hair.

"It's true. I would have thought aurors had more important things than betting on a fellow auror's personal life but there you have it – standards have slipped since I retired." Moody grimaced, his scarred face twisting. His magical eye swiveled to look behind him.

Just then Ron and Hermione walked out of the house. They were there for Sunday dinner.

"Hello! Tabby says it's time to come in for dinner now." Hermione said. "Stevens and Clara are in the kitchen helping take the food to the dining room." They all got up and followed Ron and Hermione back to the dining room.  It was the second time that Ron and Hermione had been over for Sunday dinner and it was just as much fun as the first time.  Harry loved to finally have a home where he could have friends over.  And Ron and Hermione enjoyed his guardians' company almost as much as Harry did.

Harry had been at Windy Corner two and a half weeks when he had his first nightmare there.

"Dad! Dad!" Harry yelled out. He was dreaming, running through a graveyard, dragging Cedric's body behind him. He knew if he could just get to his dad, he would be safe.  Harry could see him, standing 50 yards away, he was near the Triwizards Cup, the moonlight shone on his blond hair. "Dad!" He wasn't far now, soon he'd be safe. His father turned around and his green eyes gazed past Harry. Harry heard a high thin laugh, Voldemort was behind him. Suddenly Harry heard a voice from far away. "Harry, Harry, wake up – it's just a dream." Remus had hold of Harry's shoulders. Harry woke up slowly, he was aware that his face was wet and he was crying, sobs shaking his body. Remus was sitting next to him on his bed. "It's all right, you're safe, Harry." Remus gathered Harry into his arms, patting his back.

"I was trying to get to you, he was coming after me." Harry gasped between sobs, looking over at Cassius, who was standing in the doorway.

"You were trying to get to me?" Cassius repeated carefully, as Remus turned and looked over his shoulder at him, his face pale.

Harry nodded. "I was in the graveyard and I had Cedric's body, you were standing near the portkey, and I was running but Voldemort was behind me." Harry took a shuddery breath as he wound his arms around Remus.

"You're safe now, Harry." Remus said again soothingly, kissing the top of his head.

"I'm sorry I woke you – I have nightmares a lot – the Dursleys never cared – you didn't have to get up." Harry hiccupped, fresh tears streaming down his face.

"Nonsense, of course we did." Cassius said firmly. "Let's go to our room, you can have some chocolate and then go back to sleep." Cassius walked over and lifted Harry up into his arms like a baby. Harry wished he would stop crying, the dream had seemed very real, he hadn't dreamed about the graveyard in a while – not since Sirius' death.  His nightmares since then had been about trying to stop Sirius from falling through the veil.  Harry buried his face in Cassius' shirt. Remus picked up Harry's glasses from his nightstand and followed them back to Cassius' and Remus' room.  Remus conjured up a cot and some chocolate.  Cassius put Harry onto the cot and helped him get under the covers. Remus handed Harry his glasses and after wiping his eyes he put them on. He sat down next to Harry and pulled Harry close to him, handing him the big piece of chocolate.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Cassius said as he sat down cross-legged on their bed.

Harry shrugged and snuggled closer to Remus. "It doesn't feel as real now.  It felt real, even though I know you weren't actually there." He took a bite of chocolate.  The warmth flowed into him.

"Sometimes it helps to talk about nightmares." Cassius said quietly.

"I dream about being in the graveyard with Voldemort a lot, about Cedric getting killed and Wormtail cutting me to perform the ritual." Harry said, taking another bite of chocolate.

There was silence for a while, the fire crackled.

"I was running away from Voldemort, I had gotten away. I ran to the portkey, that's where Cedric's body was and once I was there I touched the portkey and I was safe back at Hogwarts."

"But in your dream tonight, you were already holding Cedric's body." Cassius spoke softly.

"Yes…" Harry paused "It was heavy, it made it hard to run, but I couldn't let go. And then I saw you, and I knew when I reached you I'd be safe." Harry looked at Cassius.

"Were you calling out to me?" Cassius asked lightly. Harry nodded and took another bite of his chocolate, missing Cassius and Remus exchange glances. Harry yawned.  The warmth had spread through his body and he was now feeling sleepy. 

"You can sleep in here with us. Cassius and I know what it's like to have nightmares.  You don't have to deal with them alone anymore, Harry." Remus said as Harry snuggled down under the covers.  Remus took Harry's glasses and pressed a quick kiss on Harry's forehead before smoothing a hand over his hair. Harry sighed and closed his eyes, then he fell asleep, knowing he was safe.

In the morning, Harry awoke to voices floating up from the kitchen through the open door, Cassius and Remus had already gone downstairs.  He was still sleepy but he was hungry too. He got up, picked up his glasses from the nightstand next to him and stumbled down to the kitchen, still half asleep. Tabby set a plate of eggs and toast in front of him before kissing his forehead. Harry looked over at the clock, it was past time for Cassius to be at work.

"Dad, are you taking the day off,?" Harry rubbed the sleep from his eyes and yawned.

"Yes, I owled Kingsley that I needed some time off." Cassius glanced over at Remus before looking back at Harry. "I have to finish some reports this morning but other than that I'm on vacation until Monday."

"That's brilliant!" Harry grinned as he picked up the glass of pumpkin juice Tabby had just poured for him.

"Moody said you've been doing really well with your Occlumency lessons so you get the day off but he'll be back Friday." Cassius smiled. "What do you want to do this afternoon?"

"I don't know…whatever you want to do." Harry was looking forward to spending time with Cassius – due to his job he was often gone and the idea of Cassius being home for five whole days was wonderful.

"Have you ever ridden a bike, Harry?" Cassius asked

"No." Harry remembered Dudley had gotten a bike for his 8th birthday but Harry had never been allowed to touch it.

"Well, then, that's what we'll do. It's great fun. I have a couple in the shed."

Cassius and Harry spent a fun afternoon teaching Harry to ride a bike. Remus watched from the porch, shouting out encouragement. Harry had wobbled the first few times but riding a broom for five years had helped his balance and he was able to ride a bike well by tea time.