A/N Hello everyone, hoping you are all well. Here is the first chapter of my new fic. Please read the warnings before going any further.
Explicit
Implied/Referenced Drug use
Implied/ Referenced Underage Sex/Prostitution
Sexual Content (Gay Sex)
Homelessness/Begging
The aroma of grilling meat floated through the air, Harry walked up the stone path an array of flowers moving with the gentle breeze, unlatching the gate at the side of the house, he entered the back yard, the smell getting stronger as he rounded the corner and heard the sizzle of the barbecue coming from the back deck.
'Harry' a cheery voice greeted him from in front of the barbecue 'wasn't sure you were going to turn up'
'Sorry Nick', Harry smiled apologetically 'just getting some last minute packing done before tomorrow'
'You're here now', Nick smiled, embracing Harry in a one-arm hug 'what time you leave tomorrow?'
'Far too early for my liking', Harry grumbled
Nick just shook his head all too familiar with Harry's love of sleep 'Perry's inside getting the salads together'
'Great I'll go and see if she needs a hand', Harry said as he went inside looking for his foster Mother.
Nick and Perry (Perenelle) Flamel had taken him in when he was 14 after finding him living on the streets, his parents had been killed when he was 12 and he was sent to live with his Mothers sister and her husband and son, Harry's cousin. He had lasted less than a year before running away and living it rough in London's busy streets.
Nick had been doing some shopping, when he came across the anorexic teen that begged him for food.
His heart in his mouth Nick had taken the child back to his home and after a rigorous process fostered Harry and he came to live with he and Perry full time. The now 27 year old had never looked back successfully blocking out the horrors of his childhood.
Perry was in the kitchen singing along with the radio, he foot tapping in time to the beat of the music, Harry smiled wistfully, and there wasn't a time he remembered when Perry wouldn't be singing or dancing along with a song.
Hearing footsteps on the tiles, Perry turned her head from her task and smiled warmly when she saw her foster son standing in the doorway.
'Hello love', she said putting her arm out for a hug, which Harry happily obliged
'Hello', Harry replied giving her a kiss 'you need a hand with anything?'
'I wouldn't object to you making that delicious dressing you do so well', his foster Mother winked 'seem to be out of the store bought stuff'
Harry walked to the fridge and opening the door spotted the elusive dressing Perry had claimed she was out of and plucked it from the shelf. 'You mean this one?' he asked with a smirk
'Not the one I usually get', Perry replied plainly 'I have everything you need for the one you make though'
'How fortunate they weren't out of any of that at the shops?' Harry raised a brow, digging around in the fridge and taking what he needed off the shelves.
'Cheeky whelp', Perry huffed 'Get to work'
'Yes ma'am', Harry saluted his foster Mother, ducking quickly as a piece of carrot came hurtling in his direction.
'Salad won't taste the same now you've wasted that piece of carrot', Harry grinned, taking a bowl from the drawer and setting it on the bench opposite Perry
'Taste worse now', Perry rebuffed tossing another piece at Harry's head
'I will be making a formal complaint to the head chef', Harry protested, pooping the orange vegetable into his mouth, the audible crunch sounding as he bit into it.
'Pfff', Perry snorted 'Do your worst, that man is putty in my hand, especially this time of year'
'Over sharing', Harry grimaced 'impressionable young man over here'
'Young man my foot', Perry laughed you're nearly 30'
'That's still young', Harry frowned 'and by the way look whose talking'
'Whippersnapper', Perry scoffed
'You love me' Harry kissed the air
'My burden to bear', Perry sighed dramatically
'Yep' Harry chuckled spooning garlic from the jar and dropping it into the bowl
He and Perry fell into a companionable silence as they worked at the bench, the music playing the background. When he'd first come to stay with the Flamel's Perry would often get Harry to help her in the kitchen as a way of making him feel comfortable.
From a young age he'd learnt to keep busy it was more of a protection thing against his Uncle's tirades then, where as now it meant safety and security. She taught him to cook, to bake and soon he was doing his share in the kitchen, choosing a day of the week where he would cook for Nick and Perry.
At school he took cooking classes, but his real interests laid with helping others, during his time on the street he would often come to the aid of the kids like him who had nowhere to go and were just trying to survive.
He was stronger than he looked and more often than not would take the Lions share of beatings, when they were mugged or forced out of the box they called home.
One kid in particular Duke (that's what he called himself anyway) was a year older than Harry and had been on the streets for almost 2 years when they met, there wasn't anything this kid wouldn't do to get food or money, it terrified Harry the lengths Duke was prepared to go.
Underneath the tough exterior, he was just a frightened and broken kid, when Nick and Perry fostered him he had begged them to find somewhere for Duke, and they did for a time.
6 months after he had gone to live with the Flamel's the social worker who had looked after Harry told Nick and Perry that Duke had been found dead in one of the parks, a drug overdose they believed. Harry knew that drugs had been a big part of Dukes life before he'd ever met Harry and were sure to be the end.
The backdoor opened and broke Harry from his trip down memory lane, Nick came in decked out in a bright yellow apron, big smile plastered on his face, tongs in his hand.
'How's it going in here?' he asked coming to stand next to Perry at the kitchen bench.
'Nearly ready', Perry smiled at her husband 'Harry kindly offered to make his famous dressing'
'Out of the other stuff were they?' Nick asked winking at Harry
'If there is nothing else Mr. Flamel then I suggest you go back to your barbecue', Perry said sternly
Nick only chuckled lightly and gently pinched Perry's arse 'I do love the beginning of spring' he said walking back out to the deck and his barbecue.
'Get a room', Harry muttered under his breath
'Think you young things invented a tumble in the sheets?' Perry asked keeping a straight face
'Is that what it's called these days, could have sworn we young things called it fuc…'
'Harry James do not finish that sentence!' Perry warned pointing her salad spoon at him
Harry raised his hands in the air in surrender, smirking at the look in his foster Mothers eyes. 'Wasn't going to say a thing' he said innocently
'Outside with you and set up the picnic table', Perry said 'please'
'Ok' Harry smiled; sucking in his arse as he went past Perry, concerned the salad spoon would be thwacked across it.
'You'll keep', she said going back to her salad.
Harry crossed the yard and opened the door to Nicks shed; leaning against one of the walls was the picnic table that only seemed to come out on special occasions, the beginning of spring being one of them.
Nick loved his spring barbecues; it had been a tradition for as long as Harry had been with them. A few of the neighbours came, Harry's friends from school came and some of the ladies from Perry's gardening club and book club came as well.
To top it off some of the stuffed shirts Nick used to work with at the University attended the annual gathering. He had once been the chemistry Professor and Head of the Science Department at the local University, before retiring 3 years earlier.
He still went in on the odd occasion and taught a class or two if the Dean asked, but most of the time he spent pottering around the house or the garden.
Besides chemistry and Perry and Harry, Nicks other love was his model trains, down in the basement he had constructed a model railway, complete with villages, people and of course trains.
When Harry was younger, he would go down and spend hours with Nick helping him paint the trains, test them on the tracks, watch in awe as they went round and round, the whistle sounding as it pulled into the station.
Picking up the dusty table and a cloth Harry came out of the shed and leant it against the tin wall, closing and bolting the door.
He extended the tables legs out onto the grass and wetting the cloth under the nearby tap gave it a wipe down, removing the dust and grime from the top. Satisfied it was clean enough to eat off, Harry went inside to get the tablecloth Perry used when entertaining outside.
It was a blue and white checked cloth that had been kept in pristine condition. He went back outside and spread the cloth over the rectangular table.
He was just heading back inside to see what Perry wanted him to bring out, when the creaking of the gate sounded and small legs clad in pink shorts shot around the corner and barrelled straight into Harry, near knocking him backwards.
'Uncle Harry', an excited voice greeted him
'Hiya bug', Harry grinned picking up the excited child and resting her on his hip
Amber Malfoy was 7 years old and a live wire, filled with boundless energy and inquisitiveness, she was also Harry's goddaughter and he loved her to bits.
Her parents Draco and Luna Malfoy his best friends from school appeared in the backyard, Draco shaking his perfectly styled platinum blonde head at his daughter who had clearly rushed on ahead of her parents in her eagerness to see everyone.
'Amber Eloise Malfoy I told you to wait', Draco chided without any sternness in his voice whatsoever.
'Sorry Daddy', she giggled 'I wanted to see Uncle Harry and you and Mummy were taking too long' she replied
'Yes well I had to wait for Mummy, she isn't as fast as we are' Draco said as his 6 month pregnant wife came to stand beside him, hands resting on her belly.
'I'm here', Luna puffed 'hello Harry'
'Hi Luna', Harry said leaning over and kissing her cheek
'Where's my hello?' Draco huffed
Harry laughed, 'Sorry Drake, Hello and how are you?'
'I am fine thank you' he smirked
Amber wiggled free from Harry's grasp and shot over to Nick, who was busily turning his meat on the grill. 'Poppa Nick' she greeted wrapping her arm around his waist and looking up at him with big doleful blue grey eyes
'Hello my button', Nick greeted her, bending over and kissing a blonde head.
'Can I help you Poppa?' she asked
'Of course', Nick grinned 'Why don't you go in and say hi to Grammy Perry and get your apron, I'll be here waiting'
'Ok', Amber said skipping inside to Perry who was still in the kitchen
The little girls helping extended to sitting on a special chair a safe distance from the hot grill and handing Nick various barbecuing implements when he required them.
This was all done under the watchful eye of her father. It was hard to believe she was Draco's daughter sometime he was so refined and regal where as Amber was loud, messy and full of energy.
His blonde friend was also very protective of his daughter, Harry had a hunch it had something to do with his upbringing where there was often no one around to shield him from things a child should never have to see let alone witness.
His father was a dangerous man who was currently in jail serving time for fraud and extortion along with a slew of other charges. Draco's Mother had since been trying to rebuild fences with her son, not wanting to miss out on Amber growing up the way she had with Drake. He was taking it one step and one day at a time, the trust had long since been severed.
A curly blonde head appeared beside Nick, bright pink apron tied crookedly around her waist and little arms laden with barbecue tools. Perry came out behind her with a chair in one hand and a salad bowl in the other.
Draco moved to take the chair from her and settle Amber at the prescribed safe distance. Harry took the salad bowl, so his foster Mother could fuss over Luna.
'Nick where are the chairs for the picnic table, I didn't see them in the shed?' Harry asked as he set the bowl of salad down on the table.
'In the basement, I was going to re-varnish them', Nick answered
Perry let out a snort 're-varnish them indeed, they are picnic chairs Nicholas'
'You'd have our guests sit on cracked polish my sweet?' Nick chortled
'Silly old fool', Perry mumbled winking at Amber who was giggling quietly from her chair.
'Think I'll go and get the chairs before war breaks out', Harry said to himself heading back toward the house.
'Might join you', Draco offered falling in step behind Harry 'You be good Amber, listen to Poppa Nick'
'Yes Daddy', Amber replied
Switching the light on at the bottom of the steps, Harry took a cursory glance around the basement seeing if he could lay his eyes on the chairs. The leg of one was poking out from behind a few crates, stepping off the last step and onto the concrete floor, he wondered just when Nick was getting around to re-varnishing the chairs. Moving the boxes out of the road, he began to pull the chairs out one by one, setting them against the wall while he freed the rest.
Draco came to stand near him, taking the chairs as Harry freed them from their confines, laughing at the blonde wrinkling his nose at the dust and musty smell of the basement. He hadn't changed a whole lot in the 14 years Harry had known him.
'Heard from my Mother yesterday', Draco said conversationally
'Oh right', Harry replied, waiting for his friend to elaborate
'She wants to take Amber out for dinner one night next week', he said quietly, fidgeting with the fabric on one of the chairs.
'How do you feel about that?' Harry asked, recalling many a night they had discussed his Mother over a pint or bottle of wine.
'Luna seems to think it will be good for them to spend time together' Draco shrugged 'I want to say it's ok, but can't help thinking of all the times, she promised me the very same thing, then called to tell the Nanny she couldn't make it and I ended up eating at home alone'
Harry pulled over one of the crates and sat down, pushing the second one over to where Draco was standing. The blonde gave him a curious look then sat down on the wooden crate and crossed his feet at the ankles.
'She's taken Amber out before hasn't she?' Harry asked
'A couple of times, but only for ice-cream or a play in the park', Draco answered 'I want to trust her Harry, I just don't know if I can'
'I think what you have to do is sit down with her, before she takes her anywhere and explain all this to her, lay it all out, establish ground rules and boundaries, tell her that if she goes back on her word to Amber then it will stop, that you won't go down the same path as when you were younger' Harry explained
'I suppose you're right', he sighed 'she sounded genuine enough'
'Drake you and Luna know what's best for Amber and I am sure Narcissa understands that, but if there is any doubt then you have to speak up and tell her'
'I'll talk to Luna see if we can't invite Mother over and have a chat'
'Good' Harry smiled, 'now let's get these chairs outside or Perry'll come looking for us, thinking we're sneaking Nicks brew again'
'That was all you my friend' Draco said 'I was the innocent party'
'Yeah, yeah' Harry sniffed 'you forget I know all your secrets Draco Malfoy' (it's a shame you don't know all mine) he thought sadly as they each loaded their arms up with chairs and made their way back outside.
The guests started to arrive and the backyard became a buzzing hive of conversation and laughter, the table was now laden with salads, bread, plates and cutlery, along with jugs of punch, and water, a bottle or two of wine for the adults.
Two of the ladies from Perry's garden club had brought their grandchildren along, both of which were around Amber's age, so she'd have someone to play with. One of the girls Harry thought Amber went to school with, but he couldn't remember.
The stuffed shirts as Nick referred to them, milled around in a tight circle, every so often breaking away to go and speak to Nick who was at the Barbecue before gravitating back to the circle. When the meat was cooked, Perry took it inside with Luna's help and placed it in the oven, there was a couple of guests still to come, one of them was a man who would be taking over the job Nick had at the University, his successor was taking retirement.
Harry had never met the man before, but his foster Father seemed a fan so looked forward to meeting him. (He didn't realize at the time just how much he would regret thinking that particular thought)
The gate creaked and a tall slim man walked around the corner, Nick who had been talking to one of Perry's friends, excused himself and went over to greet the man. From the look of elation his face, Harry guessed it was the man who had accepted the job as Chemistry Professor.
'Severus so glad you could make it', Nick said jovially patting the man on the back 'How was your flight back from Portugal?'
'Long', the man answered 'managed to catch a few hours sleep though'
'Good, good', Nick grinned 'come there is someone I want you to meet'
Harry was tossing a ball with Amber over in the far corner of the yard, when he saw Nick waving him over. 'You keep practicing love' he said to his goddaughter 'I have to go and talk to Poppa Nick'
Handing her the ball, Harry walked over to Nick and the tall man standing beside him. 'Harry this is Severus Prince, the man who is taking over my job at the university I was his mentor many a year ago his foster father smiled 'Severus this is my foster son Harry'
'Pleasure to meet you Harry, Nick has told me a lot about you' the man smiled extending his hand
A lump formed in his throat and for a moment Harry couldn't breathe, it wasn't the name that had struck him as familiar it was the coal black eyes, they drew you in almost hypnotising you, those same eyes he had looked into 14 years ago, from the entrance to an alleyway.
'Nice to meet you', Harry stammered taking the proffered hand and shaking it 'Excuse me'
Harry moved quickly inside and down the hallway to the bathroom, he went inside and shut the door, clicking the lock into place. Sitting on the edge of the bathtub and resting his head in his hands, did his best to muffle the sob that escaped his mouth. His constricted painfully and his stomach twisted in a sickening knot. Of all the people to turn up at a family barbecue and it had to be him. The memory that he had worked so hard to bury along with all the others came flooding back in an instant.
14 years ago
Duke had called it Pixie Dust, because of the feeling that you were flying it gave you, also it was from a film he had seen when he was younger, something about a fairy Harry recalled. He had been strong willed when it came to refusing Duke's offer of whatever drug he was taking that month and so far it had worked well enough. But on this particular night it had been four days since they'd had something to eat and Harry could no longer stand the hunger pangs that riddled his body, so when Duke offered him the powder, he gratefully accepted desperate to make the pain go away at least for a little while.
Half an hour after he had snorted the powder up his nose, Harry did indeed feel as though he was flying, he felt weightless and free, like nothing else in the world mattered, all his troubles had ebbed away into the night. It had also heightened his libido, if a 14 year old did indeed have such a thing and Harry found himself quite horny. The feeling wasn't something that he'd experienced very often, he'd had a hard on from time to time, but never like this and never this intense.
Duke had given him the ins and outs of sex when they'd first met, and although he was older than Harry he was certainly more experienced in sexual matters, in fact to Harry he seemed quite proud that at the ripe old age of 13 he had lost his virginity and had sex with both Men and Women on a regular basis.
The thought horrified Harry, but in some strange way he understood why Duke did it, sucking a bloke off or fucking a woman meant Duke was paid and that meant he and Harry could eat for a day or two and on some occasions Duke could get his hands on more drugs. Some of the clients he had even supplied him with their drug of choice in exchange of sexual favours.
Lead by the effects of the Pixie Dust and his cock Harry sauntered to the edge of the alleyway looking to proposition the next man or woman who walked by. A tall, thin man, dressed in a dark green jumper and slacks came from across the street and walked in Harry's direction, squaring his shoulders and puffing out his chest, Harry waited until the man was mere feet away before stepping in his way and giving him what he thought to be seductive smile.
'Hey handsome', Harry purred, running his finger over the man jumper clad arm, feeling muscles beneath the woollen fabric 'Feel like some company, do anything you want'
The man eyed the teen carefully, moving just out of reach of the hand that was making a grab for his crotch, he would have to be in his early teens at the most, if not younger. It saddened him to think the boy desperate enough to offer his body to a stranger in exchange for maybe food or money. He wanted nothing more than to bundle the child into his arms and take him back to his home, feed him, clothe him, give him a bed to sleep in, but he knew it wasn't that simple and that made him angry.
Harry palmed his cock as he leered towards the man, feeling the patch of precum dampening his trousers, dark coal eyes looked at him with a mixture of sadness and pity, but he pushed that aside he was out to score money or food, perhaps both and now wasn't the time to have doubts.
'I don't think so, but how about you come and let me get you some food?' the man suggested
Harry was about to agree, when Duke came forward a sneer on his lips. 'Either let him suck your dick or fuck off' he snarled 'what think you're to good to let a homeless kid blow you?'
The man didn't get a chance to answer, for Duke had grabbed Harry by the arm and dragged him back into the alleyway. Bottle green eyes looking apologetically at him as he vanished from sight. The man took a 20 pound note from his pocket and sat it atop one of the cartons littering the mouth of the alley, hoping to catch the young mans eye, to let him know it was there and it was the best he could offer.
Duke slumped down on the ground and took a cigarette from his jacket, lighting it up he took a long drag, leaning his head back against the cold bricks. Harry looked out into the street and saw that the man had gone, the 20 pound note sitting on the carton didn't escape his notice, he would have to wait until Duke was asleep or passed out from the Pixie Dust before he could snavel it.
He might have Harry's back most of the time, but he was well aware the young man would also stab him quick as look at him if Harry threatened to come between him and his next fix.
In the months that passed before Nick rescued him from the dark clutches of the streets, Harry lost his virginity to a scruffy man and his girlfriend, he vomited for half an hour afterwards, but he and Duke were able to eat for 3 days from the money he'd made, Duke had been able to get his fix. He didn't ever see the man who had offered to take him somewhere and give him a hot meal, perhaps a bed for the night if he was lucky again after that night.
Until now Harry thought leaning forward on the porcelain tub, hands over his face. 14 years of getting his life together, banishing the past and its terrors from his mind, working everyday to make Nick and Perry proud of the man he'd wanted to become. All that time and in one fell swoop his past walks into the backyard without a care in the world.
The real shame of it, besides having done those things to begin with, was that Harry had never told anyone about that part of his life living on the streets, not Nick or Perry or even Draco and Luna who were the closet thing to siblings he'd ever had.
The teacher he worked alongside had played a big part in his life back then and Harry considered her family, even she didn't know the sordid and detestable things he'd done to merely survive, to ensure he and Duke both survived. It had been a relief when he'd learned of Dukes death; it meant that his secret had died with the only person who knew that part of his life had even existed.
He couldn't fathom the thought of what Nick and Perry would say or do if they were to ever find out about that night and the many that followed it broke his heart to think they would ever be ashamed or disgusted in him, not when they had so willingly opened their arms and welcomed him into their family. Standing from the edge of the bath, he turned on the cold tap and splashed some water onto his face, taking a minute to revel in the refreshing coolness of the water soothing his burning eyes and flushed cheeks.
Looking in the cabinet mirror, Harry dried his face off and prepared himself to go back out and join the gathering in the backyard. This was Nick's favourite time of the year, he spent weeks planning this barbecue, and Harry would not ruin it by letting something that had long been buried brought to the surface. With that renewed resolve, he opened the door and made his way out to the backyard, Perry was in front of him the tray of meat in her arms, she looked at him her eyes resting on his face for a few seconds, then offered him a smile and continued on her way.
'Can I stay with you tonight Uncle Harry?' Amber asked from her place beside him at the table.
'Not tonight bug, Uncle Harry is going on camp tomorrow with Mrs. P and the kids, I won't be back until Wednesday evening' Harry told her
'Maybe the next weekend?' she said thoughtfully
'Maybe' he smiled
At the beginning of spring every year the school Harry worked at took their classes on a camp to London, they would go to the zoo, the fair and some of the museums. He'd been on the last 3 trips and had enjoyed himself each time. It wasn't often that he made it into the city. Going back to his meal that had settled like setting cement in his stomach, Harry caught a glimpse of Severus sitting across the other side of the table and about two chairs down.
The memories from that night reeling through his mind as though on repeat, no matter how he tried to distract himself from thinking. The man gave him a small smile, and Harry was sure he would lose what little lunch he'd been able to swallow right in front of everyone.
'Is your foster son alright?' Severus asked Nick who was sitting on his right 'he looks very pale'
Nick looked over in Harry's direction and saw that his normally rosy complexion had indeed paled considerably. He hoped Harry wasn't coming down with something, he so looked forward to the school camp he was going on the next day, and it would crush him if he missed out. As Nick moved his chair away from the table to go and check on Harry, he saw his son get up from the table and walk quickly inside.
'Excuse me Severus' Nick apologised 'I'll just go and check on Harry'
'Yes please do' Severus said turning back to the table and his lunch plate. He furrowed his brow in thought, could it really be the same person he had seen all those years ago on the streets? A long time had passed and he certainly was a child no longer, it was the eyes that Severus remembered from that night, the colour of emeralds clouded from the effects of whatever drug he had taken beforehand.
In fact it was only a few months after that, that Nick had confided in him about fostering a youth who had been living rough, he'd never seen the boy as he left England and moved to Greece for several years before going to Portugal.
Severus had always regretted not doing more that night to help the young lad, despite his friend's attempts to protect Harry, he had gone back the next night for a week or so, but they had moved on by then, probably afraid Severus would notify the authorities. Harry had grown into a very attractive young man, whom Nick and Perry were very proud of and it was clear that he had evolved from his time on the street.
Perry watched as Harry hurried inside and Nick followed after him, she excused herself from the table and went in to find her husband and foster son. Voices could be heard coming from the bathroom down the hall she headed in that direction.
'Harry you alright?' Nick asked coming into the bathroom to find his foster son bending over the sink
'Yeah' Harry said his voice raspy 'feel a bit off, think it was the Thai take-out I had last night'
'Why don't you go and lay down in your room for awhile?' Nick asked
'Everything alright?' Perry asked from the doorway
'Harry is feeling unwell love, some bad take out' Nick told his wife
Perry moved past her husband and over to Harry, she put her hand on his back and rubbed it in gentle circles, grabbing a cloth from the cabinet while she did and running it under some cold water. She wiped it over his forehead and over the back of his neck, checking to see if he had a fever.
'Come on love and I'll get the bed ready for you, you can rest awhile' Perry said softly.
'Do you mind if I go home?' Harry asked in a weak voice
'No love if that's what you want' Perry said 'can you drive?'
'Yeah not far to go' he replied. 'Sorry Nick I really wanted to be here for your barbecue'
'There'll be plenty more Harry, you go home and rest, we will check in on you later'
'Ok' Harry said
He hugged Nick and Perry goodbye asking them to make his apologies to everyone, leaving through the front door, not able to bear going out through the backyard. He got into his car and drove the short distance to his flat a few streets away from Nick and Perry's. Inside he pulled off his shirt and pants and climbed into bed, making sure the room was dark and his phone was on silent. Burying his head in his pillow Harry cried himself to sleep, the first time in a long time.
Draco noticed that Nick and Perry had come back out into the backyard minus Harry, and got up to see if there was anything wrong. 'Where's Harry?' he asked
'Not feeling well, gone home to rest' Nick replied
'He looked a bit pale' Draco admitted 'I'll drop in on him later or give him call'
'That'd be nice love' Perry smiled patting Draco's cheek and moving back to the table.
Draco took his seat beside Luna and picked up his glass of punch and took a sip, before going back to his lunch, Luna was chatting to one of the ladies from Perry's gardening club about perennials or something he wasn't sure, he left he gardening to Luna.
'Where's Uncle Harry Dad?' Amber asked around a mouthful of sausage
'Don't talk with your mouth full please' Draco chided gently 'Uncle Harry wasn't feeling well he's gone home to get some rest'
'Poor Uncle Harry' she said after she had swallowed her meat 'should I make him a card?'
'Can if you like, but I don't think he will be ill that long' Draco smiled 'just something he ate'
Nick took his spot back at the table between Severus and another stuffed shirt from the university, grabbing a forkful of salad and popping it into his mouth. Harry really did make the best dressing around, he thought as he savoured the taste on his tongue.
'Is Harry alright?' Severus asked casually trying to keep the concern out of his voice
'Feeling a bit off, food poisoning he thinks, gone home to have a rest' Nick replied 'He's away on school camp tomorrow so hopefully feels better later on'
'He's a teacher then?' Severus asked
'No assistant, loves the kids and they love him, big heart our Harry has' Nick said proudly
'Seems like a lovely young man' Severus answered 'You and Perry have done a great job raising him'
'Harry made it easy, never had any trouble with him, gentle lad always has been' Nick said wistfully.
'A rare find these days' Severus murmured
The waves slapped against the shoreline as Harry came out of the water, surfboard tucked under his arm. He'd woken an hour earlier and had near driven himself to distraction, so grabbing his board and hopping in the car, he drove to the local beach and let the ocean and her waves wash away his pain, his guilt and his shame.
He had always loved the ocean and spent a great deal of time watching the waves crash against the rocks and cliffs, watched them ebb and flow near the shore.
For hours he would sit and watch the Dolphins playing in the water, if he was out on his board, they would duck and dive beneath the water as he surfed, their cries carrying on the wind.
He felt free here as though his past never existed and the heavy weight wasn't a constant constraint on his heart.
Stepping under the shower located at the edge of the beach, Harry stripped his wetsuit down to his waist and washed the salt from his skin, letting the water stream over his face, soothing the tension in his shoulders.
Back at home he changed and put a light supper together consisting of some French onion soup and grilled cheese sandwiches, something Perry often made for him when he was feeling under the weather.
Guilt coiled in his stomach at having lied to his foster parents, it was something he loathed to do, but at the time saw no way out of the situation he was in, lest he confess his unspeakable actions of the past to them in the bathroom, with the man he had propositioned sitting in their backyard.
It wasn't Severus' fault at any rate, he had done the noble and appropriate thing that night and turned Harry down, regardless of how the teen had leered at him, he was at fault, he was the one to blame no one else and one day he knew he would have to own that blame, that guilt and the shame of his actions. Something told him that day wasn't as far away as he'd once hoped.
Switching the telly on, Harry tried to lose himself in the program that was showing, an American show about a lady who wrote murder mysteries and helped to solve real ones in her spare time.
He was quite fond of the show and often times found himself watching intensely so as to solve the mystery right along with her. He sipped his soup and nibbled on his sandwiches, watching the program and answering the myriad of text messages he'd gotten while he'd been asleep and at the beach.
Perry had rung him as he was getting his supper ready, asking if he wanted to come around or for her to come and fix him something to eat, he declined both saying he had it under control and was going to get an early night, in preparation for the next day.
That night as he slept, Duke and the alley next to the supermarket featured in his dreams, as well as the man in the dark green woollen jumper.