Chapter 7 Friends and Family
A/N: There is a playful reference to Shygui's "A Fateful Walk" in this chapter, I wonder if you can find it. Thanks to everyone reading and especially reviewing and as always, special thanks to my great beta Shygui.
Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage. – Lao Tzu
The incident in the training room became quite the topic of discussion at dinner. Although the two men telling him how impressed they were made him feel good in a way, he felt that they were missing the point that his lack of control was dangerous. He didn't bring that up again though as Daphne had made it clear he wasn't thinking of this in the right way, which struck him as odd as she'd be the one most likely to be hurt if it happened again. What if he'd accidently blocked left instead of right? She could have been hit!
His mood didn't improve even when Robert showed up again. He liked how he knew so much about magic and his mirror was amazing but he didn't see how he could help in this case. He listened as they explained what had happened and he tried to hide his mood as he saw Daphne watching him. He didn't want to get called out for 'not looking at it the right way' again.
It wasn't until Robert had his mirror out and was showing them something, all he caught was something about 'flowing' that he took a more active interest in what was going on. Why was he showing everybody else and not informing him? Wasn't this his problem? Shouldn't he be telling him if there's a way to fix this?
Finally, the man came over to talk to Harry, it was about time in Harry's opinion. "Harry, are you aware of what determines how much magic you can do until you are exhausted and what determines how much magic you can put into an individual spell?"
Those were good questions and if it had come up in Hogwarts, he hadn't been paying attention. He had to stifle some embarrassment as he realized that he might have missed something like that in first year as they seemed like fundamental questions that he should have the answer to. He'd been a bit lost at times in his first year and wasn't applying himself like he should have been; it was time to admit he was clueless.
"Sorry, I don't know."
Robert looked concerned. "Don't they cover that in Hogwarts?" He turned to Daphne, "Do you know?"
She nodded and said, "Yes, mother taught me that."
Robert frowned, "They didn't cover this at Hogwarts?"
Daphne shook her head. "Not so far."
That made Harry feel a little better but he still felt that they were questions he should have thought of and asked so he waited patiently to be educated.
Robert harrumphed and muttered something about shoddy standards and then began to explain to Harry. "A lot of people think it is the size of your magical core that determines the amount of magic you can put into a spell but there is very little correlation there. The size of your core is more about magical stamina and that Is what can grow as you practice your magic. What determines how much magic you can put into an individual spell is your will or intent to some extent but even more important is how well you can make your magic flow."
"I took a reading on your core and although there is a slight increase, which is rather impressive by the way, it couldn't explain what happened today. What I did notice the last time I was here was that there was an unusually strong flow in your magic but given the recent traumatic event, I didn't think much of it. However, that flow still exists now so since it changed about the time you had the event with your scar, I think it may be that the shard was interfering with the natural flow of your magic. Now, that power is more readily available to you and the effort you put in before to cast a spell can now result in an overpowered spell. You must become accustomed to the new natural flow in your magic. You've already done this in your first two years, now you have to do it again but don't worry, now that you know the basics already, determining the proper amount of effort will come easier to you."
Robert gave him an encouraging smile and finished with, "In other words, Harry, if you want to regain your control, you must practice."
Harry felt great relief, having it explained like this made it seem manageable whereas before he'd been completely stumped on how he could prevent future magical accidents. Harry nodded, that made complete sense and the sooner he started, the better. "Thank you, Robert. I'll start on that right away."
He stopped in his tracks when he heard Roxanne speak. "You can start tomorrow, after your class, Harry. It's late and you only have time for a short walk before it is time to head to bed."
She gave him a determined look so he backed down immediately. Having responsible people looking after him finally had a bad side as they would say no as well as yes. However, given their obvious care for him, he couldn't deny that they had his best interests at heart so he wouldn't give them trouble. He was just turning to look at Daphne to see if she wanted to go for a walk when they were interrupted by Robert.
"Actually, before you two go anywhere, I'd like to take a quick look at the two of you with my mirror. Indulge me for a moment and I think I may have more to tell you." He looked to Daphne and said, "Please stand next to Harry for a moment."
She quickly obliged and Harry had to stifle a little embarrassment when she stood quite close to him, they were almost touching, and in front of all the adults too! Robert looked at them through his contraption and showed a curious Cyrus something in the mirror before he remarked to all, "As I suspected, these two have been spending enough time together that this new flow to Harry's magic is affecting Daphne's as well. It appears that the changes will be more gradual in you, Daphne, but you should be aware that you may have to pull back a bit on your own magical effort. Be particularly careful with new spells."
He lowered his mirror and smiled as he asked, "Any questions?"
Harry shook his head no and saw Daphne do the same. Roxanne said, "Off you go then." Fortunately, she waited until they had shut the door and were on their way outside before she took his hand. Speaking of flowing, he was quite sure there was an increased flow of blood to his face at that moment.
Once the door was closed, Cyrus sent a spell at the door and asked, "Well?"
"They definitely have a bond, it was obvious when they stood together. You could see it for yourself where I pointed it out. I was serious about her magical flow, she's going to have more power available to her but it isn't simple proximity as I implied, it's due to their bond. They will naturally tend to synchronize and although she was bound to be a powerful witch based on her parents, she may reach even greater heights due to their bond. Harry Potter will one day be a very powerful wizard, I'm talking about Dumbledore and Riddle levels of power. 'Mark him as his equal' indeed. Riddle has no idea the enemy he has helped create."
Robert looked at Sirius, who appeared to be lost in thought. "Did you have any questions, Lord Black?"
Sirius came back to the present and smirked before saying, "That's Sirius to you, Robert. You've given me a lot to think about and I couldn't be prouder of my godson, the son of Lily and James was bound to be special and that is coming true."
Robert nodded and responded, "I never met them but based on what I have heard, they must have been an amazing couple. We've lost too much already to that madman's delusions of grandeur. Unfortunately, the Horcrux hunt is at a standstill. We've combed Little Hangleton and found nothing more of interest and we have no new leads. Someday, we might need to speak to Harry about those memories."
Roxanne gave him such a hard look that he had to suppress a nervous swallow and the look from Sirius wasn't exactly encouraging. Although Cyrus was more stoic, he didn't seem pleased by the suggestion either. He decided to leave before he wore out his welcome. "Was there anything else?"
Cyrus spoke up, "No, that was all. Thanks again for your help but let's keep the memory thing for a last resort shall we. Harry and Daphne went through hell together to put those memories away, I'd hate to ask them to go through that again."
"I agree completely, Cyrus. I'm just saying that someday, it might be our only hope." He got disgruntled silence from the three adults so he took his leave. "You know how to get in touch if something else comes up, Cyrus. I'm always glad to help."
"Thanks again, Robert." He shook Cyrus's hand and departed after appreciative nods from Roxanne and Sirius. Strange and powerful events were coming and he couldn't help but feel that history was in the making. It was just very disturbing that a 13 year old boy, and perhaps a girl as well, had roles to play in what was coming. He just hoped that Harry and the Greengrasses would come through it alive.
Daphne was torn as she really wanted to spend some time with Tracey but she also was reluctant to be separated from Harry even it was just overnight. They had decided not to confide Harry's whereabouts so he couldn't come and he wouldn't be able to participate in the sleepover part anyway, at least not in the same room. She turned to face her sister and Harry as she waved a last goodbye from the Apparition point with her mother who was about to side-along Apparate her to the Davis home. Her smile grew as she saw Harry giving her his cute lopsided grin that indicated that he was trying to appear happier than he really was so he felt it too. However, dragging this out wouldn't make it easier so she grabbed her mother's arm and they disappeared with a crack.
They were quickly greeted by Mrs. Davis but Tracey must have been waiting too as she quickly appeared and practically dragged her off although she didn't put up any resistance as she just laughed at her friend. Tracey shut the door, turned to her and demanded, "Tell me everything you couldn't tell via owl post."
Daphne raised an eyebrow, held out her overnight bag and asked, "Can't I at least put this down first?"
Tracey promptly grabbed her bag and threw it towards her bed before looking at her and saying, "Spill."
Daphne huffed out a laugh and then took out her wand and began applying a privacy charm and after a brief scowl, Tracey joined her so they'd finish sooner. When they completed that task, Tracey turned to her imploringly, "Please?"
Daphne was tempted to drag things out just to tease her friend but decided it wouldn't be worth the grief she'd get. She smirked and announced, "I have a boyfriend."
She winced and stepped back at the squeal that Tracey let out and she was tempted to tease her about it but she'd had to suppress a squeal of her own that night when she'd gotten back to her room after their first kiss. She'd let this one go but just this once.
Once again, Tracey dragged her somewhere but this was just to her bed as Tracey made herself comfortable, urged Daphne to sit beside her and then said, "Tell me everything."
She couldn't help having a goofy grin on her face and just went with it. "We had our first kiss during one of our evening walks. He knew I was distracted about something and wouldn't let it go. I finally had to admit I was thinking about my first kiss and he seemed to act like he thought I wanted to kiss someone else and he didn't seem to like that idea. I took a chance and well, he kissed me back."
Tracey let out a big sigh with a dreamy smile of her own before prodding her again. "So, how was it? Is he a good kisser?"
She had to stifle a laugh as she nodded first and then added, "It was a little awkward at first but we seem to like the same things."
Tracey leaned forward eagerly. "Like a lot of tongue?"
She couldn't believe what came out of her mouth. "Tracey!"
Tracey started to bounce on the bed. "I knew it! How long have you two been tongue wrestling?"
Daphne threw herself back on the bed and groaned before asking, "Can't we have a normal conversation without you making things awkward?"
"Come on, Daphne! I don't have a boyfriend so I need to get my experience through you!"
She had to put a stop to this so she sat up to glare at her friend. "That's your own fault! Tell Neville that you would like to go out with him!"
She felt a little bad when Tracey's face fell and she in turn threw herself back on the bed. She muttered, "It's not as easy for me and you know it."
She gathered her thoughts on how to encourage her friend. "Nobody in Slytherin has any idea that Harry and I are together. I'm sure that Neville can be discreet, he would understand the consequences."
Tracey was still staring up aimlessly and her voice was sad. "What are we going to do on Hogsmeade weekends? Hide in some unused classroom?"
Daphne had no answer to that, she had tried to avoid thinking the same thing about her and Harry. "If we have to. I think Harry is worth it so do you think Neville would be worth it?"
"Probably."
Tracey's voice had no more life to it than it did before, she waited in case Tracey had more to say as Daphne was out of ideas. She perked up when Tracey spoke again.
"So the things you couldn't send by post was all about Harry?"
She was glad that she had gotten clearance from her father to tell the other news if she trusted Tracey to keep the secret. "Some of it but there is bigger news and this cannot get out to anybody or there will be big trouble." Daphne watched for a reaction, hoping that she'd get a big one and a serious enough one to let her continue. She was rewarded when that got Tracey's attention as she sat up and looked at her curiously.
She stifled a smirk as she anticipated a big distraction for Tracey. "Sirius Black is staying with us too."
"WHAT?!"
Daphne was very glad that they'd put up privacy charms but she wondered if her hearing would survive this visit with her friend.
Harry's hand fell from his farewell wave as Daphne disappeared with her mother. He'd be leaving soon for a visit to Longbottom Manor so that would be a good distraction but he was missing her already. He'd have to keep himself from brooding and he was pondering how best to distract himself when Astoria began speaking to him.
"You're going to miss her, aren't you?"
He looked over at her and saw only curiosity so he would give an honest answer. "Yes but it's not so bad as I know we'll see each other again sometime tomorrow."
Astoria nodded with a distracted look on her face and then spoke up again. "How many of the boys in your year are ready for dating?"
Harry certainly hadn't seen that question coming and tried to gather his thoughts to give an answer that would at least not sound clueless. First, he thought about the two boys he knew best and quickly concluded that Ron was not ready and he very much doubted that Neville was. He was gaining confidence but still, he seemed to not be up for dating yet. Dean? Maybe. Seamus? His smile reappeared as he considered that Seamus certainly thought he was ready but he'd pity the girl who had his attention. As for boys in other houses, he had no idea.
"Less than half is my guess. And if a Gryffindor named Seamus Finnegan ever approaches you, tell him no."
Astoria grinned shyly. "He's a real git?"
He didn't want to be too harsh but he also wanted to warn her. "Not on purpose but he is way too confident. He also likes to talk about what he wants to do with girls. I don't think he'd treat a girlfriend with respect, not unless she forced him to."
Astoria rolled her eyes and responded firmly. "He's a git then."
Harry chuckled and then decided to agree. "Yeah, I guess he is. He can be funny though."
"If he ever talks about me, let me know and I'll teach him a lesson."
He tried to minimize his grin as he looked at her appraisingly. He knew she was prone to overconfidence but she was also way ahead of where'd he'd been at her age. He pitied anyone who considered her a helpless firstie. "I'd like to see that."
She smirked at him briefly before adopting a more serious expression and asking, "Anyone else I should watch out for?"
Harry pondered that but no other names came to mind but then a slightly different situation occurred to him. "I would suggest that you not accept sweets from the Weasley twins. They love pranks."
"Oh! Don't worry, Daphne already warned me about them! They're a real hazard for Slytherins, they like to target us."
Harry felt a little defensive as he didn't consider them bullies. "They mostly target the bullies, they don't target people who mind their own business."
Astoria appeared to consider that. "They're really not bullies?"
"No. They just like to have fun and they don't like bullies any more than we do."
Astoria didn't look fully convinced. "OK but I still plan to avoid them."
Harry laughed. "That's probably a good plan. They have always been nice to me but it might be best to not draw their attention at all."
She looked at him seriously again. "I also want you to know I'm mostly teasing about the hugging and things like that. It's more to mess with my sister than you and I just wanted to be sure we're OK."
Harry let out another chuckle and smiled at her before answering. "I know and I sort of enjoy it. Just don't push Daphne too far, I don't like it when there's trouble."
Astoria pretended to shudder then replied, "I don't like being in trouble either, it just isn't worth it. Besides, I really do love my sister and I don't want to hurt her."
That made Harry feel thoughtful and he decided to share some of his feelings. "I kind of wondered what it would be like to have siblings, I watched the Weasleys and thought about it but being here has been different. I like it here, I've never felt at home as much as I have here. I can imagine what it might be like to have a little sister." He stared at her for the last part and she smiled back at him.
"I've never had a brother but if he was like you, it wouldn't be so bad. So, do you want a sisterly hug? I promise, no tricks."
She seemed earnest so he bent over a little and they hugged briefly. She looked up at him when they were done and said, "I guess you're my unofficial big brother now."
Harry felt a little bashful but nodded and smiled.
She hesitated then said, "Have fun with Neville."
"I plan to. What are you going to do?"
"I have some books to read, maybe I'll read one about you."
Harry blinked in surprise. "You have those?"
"Yes, I have the full set. I got most of them from Daphne two or three years ago, I think she got tired of me borrowing them."
Harry couldn't believe it. "Daphne had all of the Harry Potter books?"
Astoria looked intrigued. "You didn't know?" Then she got an impish look on her face. "You have to bring that up with her, I bet she'll get a huge blush."
Harry wasn't quite as enthusiastic. "I don't want to get in trouble with my girlfriend."
Astoria looked gleeful. "Hey! That is great teasing material! You can't let that slip by!"
Harry considered it for a few seconds. "I'll think about it."
Her look became more earnest before she spoke again. "If you want to be a good big brother, you might put in a good word for me with Neville."
"What for?"
"If Tracey doesn't want to make her move, then maybe I will."
Harry was gobsmacked, Neville had two girls after him? Should he warn him? He relaxed and smiled as Astoria chuckled at him and then she turned to return to the house. She didn't get far before he heard an Apparition behind him and he saw that Roxanne was ready for him. He walked over to her and a few seconds later, they were on their way.
His heart fell when he saw Dowager Longbottom standing straight and tall with a perfectly composed but cold face as she politely and formally greeted Roxanne without a hint of warmth. There was a hint of real welcome as she greeted him and then she pulled him through the ward and just gave a perfunctory nod as Roxanne bid her and Harry a goodbye. There was no sign of a thawing at all and he exchanged a grim look with Neville after Neville had given him a hearty welcome.
Harry was going to attempt to speak with her about the Greengrasses but it was as if Dowager Longbottom knew what he had in mind as she quickly took her leave after leading them into the manor house and left them to their own devices. How was he supposed to change her mind if she never gave him a chance? When she was obviously out of earshot he turned to Neville again.
"She doesn't seem to have softened up about the Greengrasses at all."
Neville grimaced briefly before responding. "No. When I tried to bring it up, she brought up how they hadn't taken a side in the war. She said anyone that didn't have the gumption to oppose Voldemort isn't worth knowing."
Harry couldn't let that rest as it was. "They took me in, doesn't that indicate that they're taking a side now?"
Neville shrugged before answering. "I think so but it can be hard to tell what Gran is thinking. I know she likes you and she likes that we are friends. She also supports our familial alliance."
Harry sighed before saying, "I guess we'll have to try to build on that."
"I guess." Neville hesitated then motioned towards the door as he said, "Want to see those plants you gave me? One of them is blooming now."
Harry couldn't resist trying to lighten the mood by teasing him. "It isn't going to try to eat me, is it?"
Neville chuckled before responding in kind. "It isn't supposed to be carnivorous but you could try offering it a finger to see if it'll take it."
Harry rolled his eyes and with a small chuckle declared, "I'll take a pass on that."
Once they were outside and headed towards the greenhouses, he figured it was private enough for a different subject. He wasn't sure how to approach it so he just blurted it out. "I think you have two girls interested in you."
That got Neville's attention. "What!? Are you serious?"
"I wouldn't tease about that, Neville. I thought Tracey fancied you and Daphne is certain that she does. Since the birthday party, Astoria seems to have taken an interest too. I'm not sure how serious she is though, she's only going to be a first year."
"Astoria?" Neville sounded like he found that one hard to believe.
Harry shrugged and admitted, "I know. She likes to flirt and tease but sometimes she seems serious too. She can be hard to read."
Neville contemplated that as they slowly continued to one of the greenhouses. After he opened the door and Harry had followed him in, he spoke up again.
"I've been thinking about Tracey. She never came out and said anything but she seems to like me."
"I know she likes you, she takes friendship seriously as she doesn't have many friends due to her family status and her house in Hogwarts. I thought she might fancy you too and Daphne assures me that she does. Daphne would have a much better idea about that than I would so I believe her."
"Yeah, a best friend would know about that." Neville paused and looked down in thought before looking up at Harry again. "It could be awkward, you know, her and me, I mean. Can you imagine how some of her house mates would react?"
"Yeah, Malfoy would raise a stink. What if she is willing to take the chance?"
"It's not just Malfoy to worry about, the older years would generally probably ignore her, especially while she's around Daphne. Family status is very important with that lot but that is exactly what makes Tracey vulnerable and being a half blood doesn't help either. We'd have to be very careful. What are you and Daphne going to do?"
"Pretty much what we did last year, I guess." Then Harry realized there was something that he'd been forgetting. "I forgot about Hogsmeade visits! I have to get my permission slip signed…." Then he realized it wasn't that simple either. "We still couldn't be seen openly. Bloody hell, I didn't think this through! We can't go to Hogsmeade!"
Neville gave him a very earnest look as he made his point. "Exactly. For Tracey the risk is even greater. I'd hate to be the reason for her to be in danger."
Harry huffed in frustration. "I think we both need to talk to the girls. For one thing, they are cunning Slytherins, they might think of something that we won't. Neither of us should give up yet, Neville."
"I reckon you have a point. I have more than one thing to talk to Tracey about. I'd be tempted to ask her over here but I'm not sure how Gran will react. She'd probably investigate her family, maybe even interrogate Tracey. Ugh. I guess we'll have to write letters to each other." Then Neville seemed to have an epiphany. "Wait a minute! Does this mean that you and Daphne are finally official?"
Finally? Had he been that clueless? Wait, it was probably better not to ask that question, he doubtless had been. He tried to suppress a blush as he admitted, "Yes, she asked me to be her boyfriend. I should have asked her but I was a clueless git so she had to do it. At least you'll have a chance to do it right. I can already tell you it's pretty great having a girlfriend, you should write to Tracey."
It was Neville's turn to sigh. "I guess." In a rather obvious attempt to change the subject, he pointed to a very healthy looking plant and said, "Isn't it pretty?"
Harry decided that they'd pretty much finished that subject anyway so he admired the plant and declared, "You've done a great job with it, Neville and you're right, that's a pretty flower."
When Roxanne arrived at the Longbottom Apparition site, she found all of them already waiting even though she wasn't late. The two boys were quietly sharing some joke, or so it appeared but Dowager Longbottom was even more aloof if that was possible. It wasn't until they had finished their formal greetings that she noted that Dowager Longbottom seemed a little tense, which was unexpected coming from her. The boys seemed to be jovial so nothing had happened between them, then she noted that her farewell to Harry was rigidly formal so something must have happened between the two of them. Harry managed to appear grateful and pleased with his visit so she knew he wasn't the injured party and if he felt guilty, he was covering it well.
It wasn't until they reappeared in the Greengrass Apparition point that she saw his shoulders sag and his mood become more solemn. She didn't want him to feel guilty about something that was unlikely to be his fault so she brought it up immediately. "What happened between you and Dowager Longbottom?"
Harry sighed and looked down before looking up at her with regret on his face. "I may have made things worse."
She put her hand on his shoulder to reassure him and asked as they began to walk towards the manor, "What things?"
"The problems between House Greengrass and Dowager Longbottom. I saw a chance to try to convince her you could be allies but I may have messed the whole thing up. She barely talks to me now."
"First of all, Harry, the problems are not your fault nor are they your responsibility to fix. Cyrus and Dowager Longbottom have to deal with that. I'm pleased that you tried and I don't want you to beat yourself up about it. Tell me what happened, perhaps I can help set your mind at ease."
"It was at lunchtime and the first part seemed to go over well, I told her how you have taken me in and made me feel like part of the family. Then I pointed out your friendship with my mother and how you were on their custody list and she got real quiet and withdrawn. I then pointed out that any family decisions in the first war were made by Cyrus' father, not him and by then I could tell I was losing her. She has barely looked at me since and when it was time for dinner, she didn't even show up! Neville was telling me she probably just wanted to think about what I said but I think he was trying to make me feel better."
His morose tone and hanging head told her all she had to know about his feelings of guilt. She saw nothing wrong with the content so she focussed on the delivery. "How did you present this information to her? Were you respectful? Were you passionate? How was your tone of voice?"
Harry stopped and gaped at her as if he couldn't believe that she'd asked those questions and she had to hide her amusement from him. "Of course I was respectful. I know how Dowager Longbottom is, I was formal, I presented things logically and I used the speaking tips and advice on how to convince people of something that Cyrus has been teaching me. I used a light trance so if there was any passion, it was light. I was careful, I know better now." His frown had deepened as he spoke so she had to put him at ease again.
She smiled warmly at him and tried to show how proud of him she was. "Then you have absolutely nothing to feel bad about, Harry. The older someone gets, the harder it is for them to accept that they might be wrong. If she is offended by anything you said, then it is due to her own sensibilities, not due to you. Also, you should remember that Neville knows her better than any of us, it may be that she is trying to come to terms with what you told her."
Harry still looked ambivalent but then he got a contemplative look and looked down to stare at the ground for a few moments. When he looked up again, he seemed calmer. "You mean like Dumbledore?"
"Exactly, Dumbledore has become so accustomed to being adored and believed that it is hard for him to see beyond his own perceptions. He wouldn't be inclined to accept any dissenting opinion and Dowager Longbottom is similar in that. This is something that requires patience and you have given her plenty to consider, I suggest you let it go unless she approaches you. Also, remember that this isn't your responsibility. Okay, Harry?"
He looked contemplative again, turned and then started slowly walking towards the manor. Eventually she heard a quiet "OK" from him and she was relieved that that issue seemed to be settled for now. Better yet, she hoped Astoria would be a good distraction for him as she'd seemed anxious to see Harry after his visit to the Longbottoms. She also suspected he'd want to see Sirius again, especially since Daphne wouldn't be back until tomorrow.
Astoria's enthusiastic greeting when he found her was gratifying but her first question really made Harry feel put on the spot. "Did you put a good word in for me with Neville?" He hadn't been sure of how serious she was so he'd never really tried to promote her interest in him. Now what could he do?
"I did tell him about you but he wasn't sure how serious you were, well, me neither, actually."
He saw consternation on her face but it faded to contemplation before she grimaced briefly before answering. "Fair enough. I probably didn't make a favourable impression based on how I behaved. I have to admit, I'm not really sure about dating anymore. I've been getting warnings from everyone so I'm going to be more careful. He's a good guy so when I'm ready, I want to consider him. If he's taken – by Tracey or anyone else – then fine, I will leave that alone." Then she smirked at him and added, "But if he's available, I might go after him then."
Harry couldn't help but chuckle. "Good and if he doesn't have a girlfriend, I'll put in a good word for you then."
She gave him a genuine smile. "Having a big brother isn't so bad."
She liked to dish it out, but could she take it? Harry decided to find out. "The jury is still out on having a little sister though."
She feigned outrage and exclaimed, "What? You…." She began to move towards him but he was too fast for her and led her on a chase through the house and she never gained ground and in fact lost some. When she gave up, puffing softly, he looked at her with a big grin, having hardly raised his heartbeat. He considered the fact that this was the difference between him working out and her not.
Before he could think of what to say, he heard Roxanne say, "What are you two up to?"
Harry decided to up the ante. "Astoria likes to tease but can't take it when someone teases her back."
Astoria huffed with exaggerated annoyance, "That's his side! I say that big brothers can be a nuisance!"
Harry quit acting and gave a genuine smile. "I kind of like that: big brother."
Astoria gave him a mock scowl and teased back, "I may take that back yet, Harry."
Roxanne laughed and remarked, "I'm glad you two aren't seriously annoyed with each other but let's not go tearing around the house either."
Harry gave her an eager look. "Can we go visit Sirius?"
She seemed to suppress a chuckle before she answered, "I'm surprised you waited this long to ask." He saw her eyes cut towards Astoria and he saw her looking uncertain and he suspected she'd find a reason not to come along once again. However, he thought that Sirius and Astoria just might get along, they both liked to have fun and they were not shy with their own brands of humour.
"Come on, Astoria. Come meet Sirius, he loves to joke around and I think you'd like him if you take the time to talk with him."
She gave him a sceptical look but then her lips began to curl up and he wondered what she'd come up with now. "Would you be a good big brother and protect me?"
Was she really that nervous about him? "I don't think you'd need protection but sure, I wouldn't let you get hurt."
The hint of a smirk implied that she wasn't really that nervous but he didn't care as long as she was going to give Sirius a chance. Their greetings at the outside door to Sirius' quarters began as usual until Sirius saw Astoria looking at him curiously. He bent down towards her to be more at her level as he asked, "Finally decided to come to check me out, Astoria?"
Harry saw her eyes flick to him before she answered. "Something like that, your godson thought I should give you a chance."
Sirius' grin at her widened. "Don't worry, I don't bite; even when I'm a dog."
She gave him a smirk that looked very promising but she still took the chair farthest from him when they settled down.
Sirius gave him an earnest look and asked, "So, what is bothering you, Harry?"
Apparently he was still easy to read, he'd have to work on that. "I tried to convince Dowager Longbottom that the Greengrasses aren't bad but she seems to be angry with me now."
Sirius looked uncertain, turned to look at Roxanne and asked, "Frank's Mother?"
Harry couldn't see her while facing Sirius but Roxanne must have confirmed it as Sirius rolled his eyes, sighed, and then asked "What's got her knickers in a twist now?"
Harry couldn't help laughing and Astoria was giggling too. Roxanne must have given him a look because he smirked and shrugged at her. He then looked back at Harry and asked what happened and he responded with a slightly more detailed account than he gave before. Sirius exchanged a look with Roxanne again and then contemplated it for a few moments.
He looked up at Harry and declared, "You didn't do anything wrong, she's always held to her own opinions more tightly than she ought to. Don't push her, let her come to you if she wants but absolutely remain polite to her. She won't abide any sort of disrespect or anything that she'd interpret that way."
Harry nodded as he replied, "Your advice is similar to Roxanne's."
"You could do worse than listen to her, Harry. Don't worry about Augusta, she's always had a wand up her…."
Roxanne's annoyed voice cut in forcefully. "Sirius!"
Despite that, Harry couldn't help doubling over in laughter and based on what he could hear, Astoria was in a similar state. Harry was just recovering and looking up at Sirius again when he spoke to Roxanne with a face full of mirth. "You don't know for sure what I was about to say next." Harry had to slap a hand over his mouth to keep himself quiet; he didn't want to interrupt of miss a moment of this.
Roxanne's voice was stern. "It's not hard to guess what was coming next, Sirius Black. Perhaps I should have a private woman-to-woman talk with Sami."
Harry wasn't sure what to make of what she'd said but the momentary look of alarm on Sirius' face was enough to inform him that it was not something that Sirius wanted to happen. Sirius cleared his throat as he glanced over at Harry and Astoria and then was more conciliatory. "That won't be necessary, I know I need to watch my tongue, I'll be careful around impressionable ears."
Roxanne didn't sound convinced as she responded, "See to it that you are." There was a short, uncomfortable silence before she spoke to Sirius again. "Perhaps this is a good time for your talk with Harry."
For a moment, Sirius gave her a puzzled look before his face cleared and gradually took on a slightly apprehensive look. He then glanced toward Astoria and looked back at Roxanne with an inquiring expression.
Instead of answering him directly, Roxanne stood up and spoke to Astoria. "Come, Astoria, Sirius and Harry need to have a private conversation, you'll see Harry later. Goodnight, Sirius."
Harry looked at Roxanne as she was waiting for Astoria as she and Sirius exchanged goodbyes and Roxanne gave Harry a momentary smirk before turning away. What was going on? He looked at Sirius and saw that he seemed nervous so this was looking worse and worse to Harry. What did they need to talk about and why did it need to be private?
Harry's attention snapped back to Sirius as he tentatively began to speak. "So, Harry… ummm, has anyone told you about where little wizards and witches come from?"
Oh no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. They were NOT going to have this conversation! He immediately fired back, "They covered that in school."
Sirius gave him a confused look, "Hogwarts?"
"No, Muggle school," Harry said pointedly.
Sirius looked relieved. 'Ah, good then, Muggle school, right." Sirius nodded to himself but his mood became more solemn as he looked at Harry again. "We still have to talk about how to treat girls and what is appropriate behaviour at your age."
Harry wondered how Roxanne could have done this to him. He'd been abandoned to get 'the talk' and just to make it worse, he was going to get a lecture on proper behaviour from someone who he wasn't sure even knew what that was. He'd heard enough stories from Sirius to have substantial doubts about him ever having exhibited good decision-making while at Hogwarts. This was going to be AWFUL.
Robert's investigation into the escape of Sirius Black had resulted in no real progress for the stated purpose of the inquiry, which was actually a relief. There was no trace of his Animagus transformations as those were internal and rarely left any trace. He had found traces of a curse in the cell Sirius had been in so it appeared that Sirius was alive due to his attacker's poor aim rather than lack of skill. However, the residual was too weak to get a magical signature although he did manage to identify the exact curse. He didn't have to keep any secrets and he could report his full findings officially.
Well, not all of them as he had found out who had put the curse on Sirius but he could hardly explain how he might have gotten a recording of the magical signature involved, not now anyway. That was only step one though, now he had to research his suspect to find out why he might have done it – or who may have hired him to do it. That certainly wasn't going to be easy but Robert liked it that way. He loved a good challenge or mystery, it's why he'd taken his job after all.
Roxanne had not seen Harry after he returned after his talk with Sirius but his mumbled 'good morning' to her after a more enthusiastic greeting with Astoria told her that she may have erred last night. She had chosen that timing to get back at Sirius but Harry may have taken the brunt of the consequences of her decision. She'd have to talk to him later as now didn't appear to be the proper time. He'd undoubtedly be in in a better mood when Daphne returned from her sleepover later that day. She had better news to make it up to him too but that should wait until Daphne was there to share the news as well. In the meantime, she may have to bear some silent treatment from Harry.
Harry was trailing Roxanne as she headed to the Apparition point to go get Daphne. He knew this made it rather obvious that he was anxious to see his girlfriend but that certainly wasn't a secret. After all, he should miss her, shouldn't he? The part he wasn't as sure of was why Astoria was trailing him. He felt a little guilty about being so quiet this day, it was hardly a good way to treat his honorary little sister but he was still trying to come to terms with the conversation he'd had with Sirius.
It didn't take very long for him to hear from her once her mother Disapparated. "So, what bothers you more, missing your girlfriend or whatever you talked to Sirius about last night?"
Ugh. Leave it to Astoria to notice things like that and then bring it out in the open for discussion. However, he at least owed her an honest answer. "Both. It's hard to compare the two so I couldn't say which of them bothers me more. By the way, we will not be discussing what Sirius and I talked about."
"That bad, hunh?"
He turned to look at her and he saw her smirking at him. It seems he revealed just a little bit too much with what he said. He could push back too though. "Still not talking about it."
"I'm not pushing you to talk about it, I'm being sympathetic."
Her expression didn't match what she said, she was enjoying this way too much. "I'm not buying that, 'little sister'."
She shrugged as if unconcerned, "You can't blame a girl for trying."
He gave her a mock scowl. "Actually, I could."
She gave a theatrical, annoyed huff and replied, "You definitely need lessons on being a good big brother."
He wasn't going to give up easily. "Fine, I'll find a big brother and ask him for pointers."
Her smirk was back. "Actually, you should ask a little sister, they'd give better advice."
"No, they'd just give me the advice you want me to hear."
She mock gasped and exclaimed, "Who told you?! That is top secret little sister knowledge!"
He rolled his eyes at her and she began to giggle at him. When she was done, she spoke up again. "That was a distraction, did it work?"
He looked at her expression carefully and she seemed to be earnest. Either she was still messing with him or she was more cunning than he realized. He decided to accept it at face value, for now. "Yes, that worked."
"Good, I don't want you to be a moody git, that would ruin my sister's mood and she might take it out on me."
"I'll have you know that I've been working on the 'moody git' thing. I'm a lot better than I used to be."
Her eyes got big and he knew she was preparing a zinger. "Wow! You must have been really bad before then!"
It was time to poke her back. "Ha, ha, ha. Little sisters aren't as funny as they think they are."
"Or maybe that's what we just want you to think." She then nonchalantly turned away and began walking towards the house. Did he just get played? He was still trying to figure it out when he heard an Apparition behind him. He turned back eagerly and gave Daphne a big grin, at least she didn't mess with him like her little sister did.
She quickly ran up to him and for a moment he thought she might kiss him, right there in front of her mother! However, it turned out to be just an exuberant hug and as he was releasing her from his return hug, he noticed that Roxanne was grinning at them. He'd probably looked awkward at the reunion, he really needed to stop wearing his heart on his sleeve for all to see. Daphne was already dragging him toward the house, chattering away.
Harry felt a little embarrassed when he finally became aware that she'd asked him a question. They were in her room (with the door open, of course) and she'd been talking excitedly about her sleepover but all he'd gotten out of it was that she had had a wonderful time and that Tracey knew about Sirius and was happy for their new relationship status. Now he had to tell her what had him so distracted, at least part of it wasn't humiliating; he'd start with that.
He explained about what happened with Neville's grandmother and she agreed with the advice he'd been given and told him not to worry about it anymore. Then she asked if that was all. He sighed as he realized he would probably have to talk to her about it sooner or later anyway, he may as well get it over with now.
"Well, umm… I had a rather err… awkward conversation with Sirius." That alone was humiliating! He couldn't get a whole sentence out without hemming and hawing.
She frowned in confusion before asking, "About what?"
Was it too late to change his mind? Based on her concerned look, it definitely was. "Actually, it was something your mother seemed to set up. He gave me… the talk."
She tilted her head and her nose crinkled slightly as she asked, "You mean about sex?"
Whoa. She came right out and said it! He just nodded, not wanting to speak right then.
Her tinkling laughter rang out and it took her a moment to recover herself enough to speak. "Harry, everyone has to go through that sooner or later. It's not a big deal. Just think about having that conversation with my father… or my mother!" She laughed again but Harry didn't find it so humorous although he had to admit that one of her parents doing it would have been worse.
He decided to try to change the tangent of the conversation to be slightly less embarrassing. "It wasn't all about the, err… sex part. There was a funny part though. He talked about what he did with girls when he was older. It sounded like what not to do but I'm not sure that was his point."
She looked at him curiously. "Like what?"
"Well, he talked about giving girls what sounded like insincere compliments and enticing them into broom closets."
She gave him a moue of distaste. "Definitely what not to do, I hate guys who give insincere compliments. Never do that and forget the broom closets too." She then grinned at him as she leaned towards him and ended with a sultry whisper, "There are better places for a boy and girl to go than a broom closet."
He felt tongue-tied for an entirely different reason now. She broke the silence with, "So what was the bad part?"
He got his brain back in gear to answer. "It was about proper behaviour, what we shouldn't do at our age…."
Now Daphne was serious too. "Did he talk about me?"
"Not you specifically, no. He talked about girls in general but obviously, you're my girlfriend now."
She nodded absently as she seemed lost in thought. She looked at him again and asked, "Like what, exactly?"
Oh, no. Not that part, did she really mean that part? "You mean what not to do?"
She nodded at him with an inquisitive gaze before adding, "Right."
This was going to be awful. He looked down as he fully expected her to break out in hysterics again. He decided to quote him and get it over with. "He said that when we're older to make sure the girl is on the potion but for now, not to put wand P into wand holder V."
It took him a moment to realize that there was dead silence, no laughter at all. He looked up and saw an appalled look on her face and she looked rather pink too. It had been embarrassing for him but he hadn't expected it to affect her like this.
Her voice was quiet but incredulous. "Wand holder V?"
He still wasn't sure why she was reacting this way so he answered carefully. "That's what he said, I quoted him word for word."
Her face became intense as she practically hissed, "We have got to get him back for that!"
This was very unexpected, she was taking it personally and he didn't know why. "What do you mean?"
"He thinks he's some great prankster right? Well, we are going to prank him."
They had just gotten done with a gruelling session for the both of them about the abuse that Sirius had suffered from his mother. How a woman could do such things to her own child was beyond Sami's comprehension but this is where they were and she had to help him deal with it. Azkaban was only one of the things Sirius had to deal with, it was a wonder he wasn't even more traumatized that he was!
She was pondering what she could use as a subject for them to decompress a bit and end her visit on a less stressful note. She was distracted from that task by a question from Sirius.
"Sami, we've been talking only about me here, you've had some trauma of your own. I heard about what happened to your parents, just after your time with the Aurors ended. If you wanted to talk, I'm willing to listen."
She looked over at him and saw a very earnest expression but his suggestion was nothing like the subject she'd been looking for. Her first instinct was to change the subject but on the other hand, he wouldn't be her patient forever. She'd like a friendship with him and friends should share their good times and their bad times so she shouldn't reject his suggestion out of hand. The fact that it was still difficult for her to talk about wasn't much of a consideration as he'd been displaying remarkable openness once she had made him comfortable talking to her, shouldn't she be able to share as well as he had?
She had remained indecisive long enough for a concerned expression to form on his face, she wouldn't allow her own reticence to ruin the openness between them. It was time for her to open up as well. Besides, didn't she tell her patients about the therapeutic value of sharing their burdens? She didn't want to be a hypocrite.
She took a deep breath and began quietly with, "That was a very difficult time of my life and I have to admit that it nearly destroyed me." She swallowed and after a glance back up at him to see sympathy in his eyes, she continued. "I was only in my second year of training and partly due to the war, they were always looking for chances for us to be out of the hospital, dealing with real patients. That's how I ended up spending a period of time with the Aurors and although I learned some practical lessons in physical healing from my time there, it was the untreated mental issues that stayed with me. It was so sad to see so many of the Aurors dealing with the stress of their jobs and not always in productive ways."
She checked his expression again and it was interested and thoughtful, he nodded at her and offered a wan, sympathetic smile. He wasn't too bad at getting people to talk either, she wondered if he had picked up on some of her tricks for that purpose.
"It seemed like I had just gotten back into going to classes full time again when suddenly one of the Aurors came to see me, one that I barely knew. He told me that my parents had been found dead, killed in their own home and then the house had been burned down on top of their bodies. There wasn't much left for a funeral."
She had to stop and closed her eyes tightly to stop the tears from coming down but that failed as she could feel some escape and trickle down her cheeks. She was nearly startled by a warm hand covering her own. She stared down at their hands and realized the reversal of roles that had just taken place. She felt like the patient now and that probably wasn't a bad thing as a healer should never forget what it feels like as the patient.
If she was going to do this right, she had to bring it all out. "I read the report later but sometimes I wish they hadn't let me see it. My parents were tortured before they were killed. A bunch of Death Eaters did it, just because my mother was a Muggleborn and they weren't able to identify who did it. My parents will never see justice, at least none that we'll know about. I sometimes wonder if some of them who bought their way out of Azkaban were among them."
She realized that she had turned into a veritable hosepipe and was embarrassed when Sirius offered her tissues but she took them nonetheless. It was better than crying all over everything. It took realizing that he was holding her hand again to bring her out of her misery enough to look at him. He looked sad for her but he was steadfast and appeared to be ready to listen to more, she couldn't help but feel a warmth within her for his care.
"They both worked for the Ministry, my father was in the maintenance department and my mother was a clerk for the Department of Magical Transportation. They never bothered anyone, kept to themselves. They supported the efforts to stop V-Voldemort but they weren't public about it. They had no reason to target them other than blood status."
She had hissed out the last two words as if they were a curse. All of her bitterness welled up inside her and it took her a few moments to quell her outrage, there was no point to venting at Sirius about that.
"I nearly quit healer's school." She looked at him and again saw an attentive look so she looked down at their hands again and continued. "Fortunately, one of my professors took me under her wing and encouraged me, reminded me of what I'd said when I started as a healer when they asked me why I wanted to be one." She chuckled mirthlessly and shook her head. "I was so naïve." She paused and then spoke up again. "There's no telling what would have happened to me if she hadn't convinced me to stay. I finally decided it was still a worthy dream, a way to make something good out of what I had left."
She sighed and gave him an appreciative look before she tried again. "They didn't leave me much, their home was pretty much all they'd had. There was insurance but the company didn't want to pay. Called it an 'act of war' not covered by the policy. I settled for knuts on the galleon, barely had enough to finish school, I couldn't afford to wait them out."
She again had to stifle her bitterness and hadn't realized that she had closed her eyes until she felt him squeeze her hand. How had such a compassionate man come out of the childhood he'd had? She had no clue. "When I finished healer school I got a job at St. Mungo's and everything started out well. I made a good impression, even the chief of staff took an interest in my career. When I told him about my desire to treat stress and other mental conditions, he arranged the financing for me to study Psychology at a Muggle university. I had such high hopes…."
She cleared her throat in embarrassment, she'd managed to lose herself in her thoughts once again. "He retired soon after I got back. His replacement wasn't interested in 'Muggle ideas' and I eventually ended up in the basement with no patients. Looking back, I'm a little embarrassed I let myself get relegated to the basement like that. Maybe I might have had to give up on my dream of being a mind healer but I could have still been a healer. I was too stubborn."
The silence had consumed them for several moments so she was slightly surprised to hear Sirius speak up. "You weren't stubborn, the new chief of staff was an idiot. If you want to go into business for yourself, just tell me. I'll loan you what you need and endorse you." It was Sirius' turn to chuckle mirthlessly before he continued. "I'll endorse you after my name is cleared when that would mean something."
She looked at his lopsided grin and shining eyes and the next thing she knew she was hugging him as if he was all she had to hang on to. She wondered if that might actually be the reality of it but pushed it aside and revelled in the comfort she was feeling.
Sirius had missed his godson as he hadn't visited that afternoon. He'd sort of expected it since not only was Daphne returning but their conversation the previous night must have been awkward for Harry. He observed Harry carefully as he joined them for dinner and as he suspected, Harry was a bit distant but at least he was not angry. What was a little surprising was that Daphne was very stoic and formal with him. Harry must have told her that their conversation was less than satisfactory so she was taking her boyfriend's side, as she should. He was a little puzzled by the speculative looks from Astoria but everything seemed normal with Roxy and Cyrus so he didn't worry overmuch.
He did want to get in his godson's good books so he decided to start that right away. "I got a reply from Remus Lupin and he included a note for you, Harry." He handed over the note and saw that Harry gave it a curious look but then slipped it into a pocket instead of opening it. He was a little disappointed by that reaction but then it was probably the best thing to do from Harry's point of view.
"He wants to meet and Roxy told me about a property that can't be tied to your family, Cyrus. I was wondering if I could borrow it for a while in the next few days."
Cyrus nodded as he replied, "Yes, my wife spoke to me about that. It's fine with me. Do you think we need some security for the meeting?"
"I'd like a quick exit strategy, just in case. I was thinking of borrowing Dobby for the visit and he could not only pull me out if necessary, he could also come and fetch Harry if I believe that Remus will keep our secrets." He turned to look at Harry as he said this and after a momentary thoughtful look, Harry replied
"That's fine with me. I'd like to meet Mr. Lupin if he seems trustworthy."
Cyrus nodded again and added, "That sounds like a plan, then. Roxanne can get you there when the time comes, just arrange things with her."
"Thank you, Cyrus and Roxanne."
Cyrus got a hint of a smirk on his face as he spoke up again. "Since we are doing announcements, Roxanne would you like to do the honours?"
Her big smile indicated that she was very pleased to do so. "Harry, girls, we are going to the beach house for the final week of summer."
Sirius could see that Harry was uncertain of how to react while the two Greengrass daughters celebrated. Since he hadn't been mentioned, he assumed that he'd be left behind so he began to dread a lonely week. He then saw that Roxy had noticed Harry's reaction and turned to him.
"Apparently, nobody mentioned that we have a beach house and we typically spend at least a week there every summer. This had been a rather busy summer so we had put it off but we don't want to skip it entirely. Do you like the beach, Harry?"
Harry hesitated a moment before replying and since he was turned to face Roxy, Sirius couldn't see his expression. "I think I'd like it but I've never been, really. Just before Hagrid gave me my letter my uncle took us to an island but it was pretty rocky and it didn't really have a beach."
He noticed Roxy and Cyrus exchanging grim looks but Daphne seemed to want to reassure Harry. "You'll love our beach house, Harry. It's near Land's End and the beach is fantastic and on a warm day, we can go swimming."
Sirius still couldn't see Harry's expression but it must not have been wholly enthusiastic as she continued with, "Can you swim, Harry?"
Harry shook his head 'no' and Daphne covered his hand with hers and spoke more softly but Sirius could still hear her just fine. "I'll teach you, don't worry about it."
With Harry apparently settled to her satisfaction, she then turned to her mother. "We have to go shopping, I need a new swimsuit."
Astoria quickly chimed in with, "Me too!"
Roxy looked amused but then turned to Harry again. "Do you have a swimsuit, Harry?"
He shook his head 'no' and then Roxy spoke again. "You'll have to come with us to Harrods then."
Sirius was just starting to wonder what a Harrods was when Harry asked, "That's a Muggle store! You go to Muggle stores?"
Daphne giggled before answering for them. "Harry, you wouldn't believe what wizards think should be worn to the beach. We have to go to a Muggle store and mother is there so it's safe."
Harry seemed to regard her for a moment before responding, "Of course it's safe, it's a very posh store."
Daphne seemed to be hiding a blush by turning away. "I know. It's just that… a lot of Muggles make me a little nervous."
It was Harry's turn to reassure Daphne but his whispered response was still clear to Sirius. "Most Muggles are fine. Don't base your opinion on my relatives."
Sirius' attention snapped back to Roxy when she said, "You are invited too, Sirius. I believe your healer told you to get a little sun." Her smirk implied that she was thinking of what Sami actually had said.
Sirius couldn't help but bark out a laugh before he answered. "That's the polite way of putting it. I could come once Sami leaves, just to spend a little time there."
"Or you can come with us and return for the mornings, either way. That can be decided later. I can get you some swimming trunks."
He saw a glimmer of humour in her eyes and decided not to trust her. "Only if they are plain black."
Amusement bloomed on Roxanne's face before she responded with obviously false sincerity. "You don't trust me?"
Again, his bark of laughter slipped out before he responded. "I seem to recall a few pranks that you pulled."
She assumed a not totally convincing demure look. "That was just retaliation."
Sirius wondered what she was talking about. "We never pranked you!"
"I retaliated on behalf of others, someone had to keep you guys in check."
Sirius was distracted momentarily by an amused interaction between Harry and Daphne and he hoped it was a positive sign of a thaw between him and them. He affected a wounded demeanour, "I have no idea what you are talking about."
Roxanne's response was practically dripping with sarcasm. "I'm sure."
"Are you two children done?" Cyrus was wearing an amused look when he spoke but it faded under a glare from his wife before she smiled and shrugged at her husband who rolled his eyes in return.
After a few moments of quiet, Roxanne spoke to Harry. "You seemed a little uncomfortable when we discussed shopping, Harry."
He saw his godson stiffen slightly under her scrutiny but then he relaxed and answered her. "Well, I've never really been shopping in the Muggle world but I've heard from other blokes that it's sort of… well, boring."
Daphne spoke up with a slightly chiding tone. "Harry, you need clothes and you need a new trunk too. How else are you going to get them?"
Harry shrugged. "I know."
Roxanne then spoke up. "Is there anything you'd like to do in the Muggle world? We could add that to the agenda."
Harry paused a few moments and then hesitatingly said, "I'd kind of like to go to a movie."
That got Roxanne enthused. "Lily took me to the cinema a couple of times! That would be fun, I haven't been to one in years. We'll have to get a Muggle newspaper, to see what is playing."
After a few moments, Daphne quietly offered, "If you are really good while we are shopping, I'll model my new swimsuit for you."
Sirius noted two things at once, Harry seemed gobsmacked and Cyrus did an aborted spit take and looked a little uncomfortable. Daphne had either forgotten her audience or spoken more loudly than she had intended as she looked very embarrassed. Roxanne broke the uncomfortable silence with a remark to her husband.
"Are you alright, dear?" Her tone was a little teasing which caused Cyrus to narrow his eyes at her.
His response was rather sarcastic as he said, "I'm fine, darling. Thank you for your concern."
Sirius thought once again that Cyrus was a very lucky man. Personally, he was lucky that he had Sami in his life…. It was a good thing he hadn't been drinking just then or he'd be dealing with a spit take. Where had that come from? Grudgingly, he admitted to himself that he might have to think about his relationship with Sami – someday.