Harry Potter and the New Life
Chapter fourteen – Bet he doesn't see that coming!
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(Wrote this before posting any of the story so, well think you might understand once you read it.)
Harry woke before Ron the next day so washed and dressed feeling much brighter before going downstairs and looking at his face in the mirror.
The transformation of what a week could do was amazing even without using any magic, his face looked almost normal, there was clearly quiet a few cuts on it but most the bruises had gone right down to only shadows of there former selves.
The only other people up when Harry got up were Ginny and George who were sat eating toast on the kitchen step and talking away like they'd know each other years.
"Morning all." Harry said sitting down with a piece of toast between the two girls.
"Morning Harry." Ginny replied looking older every day in Harry's opinion.
"Morning James." George followed kissing him on the now almost bruise-less cheek. Harry found himself going red and he couldn't think why, something about Ginny and George smirking made him uncomfortable.
"Me and George have been talking about you!" Ginny finally answered to Harry's redness.
"You have what you been conferring, hope nothing bad." Harry regaining his confidence and eating more toast pretended he had nothing to hide.
"Don't worry James nothing bad just girl stuff." George added but this didn't seam very reassuring to him.
"I agree with George on many thing Harry now eat some more food an don't worry about leaving soon the house is too full with you two as well anyway. Besides you've got lots to do before going back to Hogwarts haven't you." What did Ginny know, what had they being talking about? Harry must have had a puzzled look.
"Don't worry James me and Ginny get on very well while you've been asleep, and I hope I get to meet Neville soon, he sounds like a very good friend and lots of fun."
"Oh sure you can, thanks for reminding me I should send him a letter, got things to discuss before we go back, and Dobby, need to get in touch with him. Had a brain wave of an interesting proposition to make." George looked confused.
"Oh do you not know about Dobby, he's the house elf, a bit odd and seams try a save Harry's life by knocking him off a broom stick with a rouge Bulger." Ginny laughed with George like they were best friends and always had been.
"Knocked him off a broom to save him." George laughed.
"Yes well Dobby knows better now. He's free and works at Hogwarts but I'm gonna try and use my influence over him to get him another job." Harry added thinking quicker than he had in long time.
"You want him to come work for you at your knew home, don't you Harry.' Ginny added knowingly noticing Harry's surprise. 'Don't worry I wont say owt if you rather not people know yet, but I think it's a good idea, not the most greatest positioned house but you should have a home Harry, and we can all come visit I'll help you get it straight and everything and I'm sure you could rope a few more DA members in." George did know a lot now about Harry's life at Hogwarts.
"Oh you know about my teacher training program from last year." Harry added brightly before remembering how it ended with Sirius's death. Both girls seamed to know why Harry had suddenly gone quiet and what was going through his mind.
"It be okay James, George told me how things ended I understand now why your so messed up at times, but there's something I need to tell you." Ginny got up.
"I think I best make myself scarce and you two go sit on the bench, everyone's getting up now." Harry and George did sit on the bench like Ginny suggested but Harry couldn't think what George would want to tell him that Ginny already knew. George didn't seam to know what to say so Harry prompted her bluntly, thinking they didn't have long.
"What did you want to tell me?" She sighed took a deep breath and spoke.
"Well I've been talking to Ginny and she's really nice and has told me lots about you. But we got on to the subject of your Godfather."
"Oh you did, did you?' Harry wasn't sure what to think he tried not to think about Sirius but he supposed it was just something people have to come to terms with.
'I miss him, the more time I spent with him the worse things seamed to get for him and now I miss him so much."
"Worse than being in Azkaban?" George felt hurt, but Harry couldn't think why she never knew Sirius.
"I supposed but I was kind of selfish with him, I never had a father and Mrs Weasley is the closest I ever got to having a mother. Every time I tried to latch on to Sirius and get to know him he was always pulled away and now he's gone. There are so many things I haven't asked him yet about my mum, hardly seem to anything about her, and my dad he was the closest person to dad, when they were at school I herd they were like brothers and caused mischief where they went together." George looked sadder the more Harry spoke so he stopped.
"I hoped you could tell me about him. You see... Remember I told you about my mum dying, and that the man I thought was my dad was actually... Not my dad and that there was this other man in my mum's life a long time ago... And that he was my proper dad... A wizard from England. And you said you would help me find him, well, you don't have to now, because I already found him. But as soon as I did, I found out that I was too late because he's dead."
Harry didn't know what to say he found himself just opening his mouth several times then closing it. Eventually he decided hugging George was the only words he could use.
"Its my turn to take care of you now." He whispered as George was crying now and yet she still managed to speak.
"He never knew I existed and now he's dead, I thought if I found him then it would be all okay. It was bad enough when I thought he'd gone to Akaban but then my mum had told me he must be innocent because he could never hurt anyone, he was a pushover really specially when it came to the Potters." Harry's brain seamed to have stopped now, it was like Harry was compensating for earlier.
"Who was he George?" Harry asked but he had a horrible feeling in his stomach that he may already know.
"Sirius Black." Then George just broke down completely in tears as Harry seamed to be totally dumb founded at the news Sirius had a daughter he never knew about and months after his death she was crying in his arms.
The minuets lengthened and passed and Harry still hadn't found the words he wanted to say. He could smell the morning dew and George's hair and that was all he could think about.
Harry looked up and saw Ginny walking over with a plate in one hand and tissues in another clearly prepared for such a scene.
"Here George, dry your eyes." George sat up and gratefully received the tissues, drying her eyes before coming into the kitchen and wondering upstairs with Ginny to freshen up. Harry sat down to a plate of bacon and eggs still feeling a bit lost in the news of Sirius.
He just sat there even though Mrs Weasley had passed him a plate and stared. Harry's face didn't seam to say anything, he wasn't thinking just staring totally spaced out at his food.
"What's the matter with them, don't they want any breakfast?" Mr Weasley asked across the table.
"Well they bin up ages sat talking down here probably, have they Harry?" Harry came to his sense's not sure if someone was talking to him.
"Hmm." Looking round to see who was talking.
"He's miles away aren't you!" Bill smirked knocking Harry on the shoulder gently. Charlie, Fred and George just laughed and Mrs Weasley put more food on Harry's plate. Harry finished his seconds but declined a third helping before going upstairs for some paper and his quill.
Later Ron came up saying.
"Come on Harry we're going to play some more Quidditch this morning you coming." Ron said gesturing Harry to get his broom.
"Erm, yeah sure but I just want to write a letter or two before I forget. Here you take my broom and start with the others and I'll come along in a bit once I've done this. Do you mind, I wont be long?"
"Course you need to take stuff slow so we can swap brooms." Harry laughed because Harry had a top of the range Firebolt for a broom and Ron had an old Cleensweeper that to be honest sometimes was outstripped by a passing butterfly.
"Sure we swap but you save a spot on your team for me." Ron was still laughing but suddenly stopped sitting down seriously like his dad would at times.
"What was the matter with George she looked like she's been crying and you looked like a bemused rabbit?" Harry sat next to Ron thinking he was his best friend so why was he unsure telling him about George?
"Bemused rabbit! Where do you get this stuff from?' He sighed looking at Ron.
'George came to England in search of her biological father after the dad she knew died. And she just found out that's she's to late because he's already dead."
Ron looked at Harry thinking he was the only one who could say this and Harry happened to agree with him.
"You got a lot in common like that haven't you. I do try to understand what it must be like for you, but to be honest I don't, and I hope I never do, because a lot of the things that have happened to you can only be understood by going through them."
"Very wise Ron and I hope you never have to know what it's like to loose your parents. See you in a bit." Ron patted Harry on the shoulder then left without another word.
Harry sat quietly for about an hour and a half by himself at Ron's desk and wrote a letter to Dobby asking him to come and meet him soon as he could because Harry had a job opportunity for him.
Then a much longer letter to Neville asking him about his holiday, his birthday and if he fancied meeting up in London soon. It wasn't that long but Harry wasn't sure what to put but he did remember before he finished it to ask what Neville's thoughts were on the DA meetings.
Out of all of Harry's friends Neville was the only one who could truly understand Harry at times but he never felt that close and wanted to change it. Harry borrowed Ron's owl Pig and sent the two letters off before running then walking slowly to join the others.
After a short game or two Harry decided to sit with George under one of the trees and talk for the first time since that morning.
"I've been thinking and although it was a bit of a shock finding out about you and Sirius. I'm glad you told me, but I understand if you..." Harry didn't finish but George already knew what he was going to say and after kissing him started rapidly talking.
"Oh no James, I want to stay with you. Your so kind and I don't have any one else, I would prefer to be with you anywhere rather than just drift." Harry thought George was adamant at first to leave but now he realised she wanted to stay and he was happy and almost impatient to get things moving.
"You really mean that?" He said after she'd kissed him again.
"Yes and we could get our selves sorted soon, Ginny is right you know if we were to do this actually move in together at Grimmauld Place, then we got lots to do before you go back to Hogwarts."
"Back to Hogwarts. I hadn't thought about that, I don't want to leave you and go there when your back in London." Harry had only just thought that leaving George would be so horrible he hadn't imagined going back he hadn't even thought about what NEWTs to take yet.
"Don't worry I'll be ok we'll think of something besides I best think of something to do I can't just drift forever. When do you want to leave and do you think we will have any trouble, leaving that is?"
"Erm we could leave to night if you really wanted. And yes we might actually Mrs Weasley would want me to stay till I go back to Hogwarts."
"Well we best come up with a plan then hadn't we." Harry and George sat thinking of a plan just like Fred and George would when they were beginning Weasley's Wizards Joke shop. But by the time they returned to the Burro with Ginny they were all set what they were going to do.
Ginny guessed what they were doing and was in full agreement when she had weaned it out of George, even offering to help with the aftermath.
Harry enjoyed a second evening with the Weasley's and Hermione but was always aware that he had pretty much packed his case ready for going in the early hours of the next morning. He decided the guilt would drive him mad if he didn't spend time talking to Hermione before he went so dragged her to one side for a chat.
"How you been Hermione? I haven't seen much of you as I hoped." Hermione eyed him suspiciously before answering.
"I'm okay Harry. Ron told me what had happened, he was really angry when he was telling me though he kept clenching his fists and shaking. I could hardly believe my ears when he told me about what your uncle, hitting you and everything."
"I don't really think of him been my uncle any more." Harry replied feeling his skin tingling all over.
"But Harry that's not what I wanted to talk to you about, it is horrible I know but I worry about other bits of your life more."
"Such as."
"Sirius and everything.' Hermione added tentatively not wanting to upset Harry more than necessary.
'Oh, yes. You seem odd, its understandably that you would be what with everything that happened last year but you don't seem odd in the way I though you would be. Do you understand?" Harry wasn't sure.
"I know I am different now, its still very hard to accept he's gone I keep thinking Hedwig will turn up with a letter from him and everything will be ok. But then another part of me knows he's dead and that he's gone and that he would want me to move on and look after myself.' 'And then I feel odd because something's different in myself, Voldermort doesn't seen to be as present in my mind as he was before. It's like he can feel me suffering in my heart and that he doesn't need to add to it, but in everything that I know about him, it doesn't seem to likely that he would let me be, does it."
"No Harry, it doesn't, if anything we would expect him to be quiet the opposite. There was something else as well I wanted to talk to you about."
"What?"
"George."
"What about George? You do like her don't you, because I'm relying on you to explain girlie things and stuff that you know I'm useless with." Hermione had that look now, it was the look of disapproval.
"I'm not sure if you should go trusting her with everything when you haven't know her that long. As you are well aware people want you out of the way and have already resorted to befriending you to try and do it."
"Why don't you like her what's the matter with her she's really nice and...?" Harry couldn't believe his ears but he respected Hermione's opinion to much on most things.
"It's not that I don't like her, it's just I don't know her very well, and I'm worried about you."
"Thanks but I'll be okay Hermy, I'm always going to have clever Hermione aren't I to help me?"
"Course me and Ron will always be around but just be careful will you. It wouldn't be the first time you've been totally useless in looking after your self." Harry stood up it was time for an early bed but before he went he hugged Hermione and said.
"I'm glad, you two mean the world to me, but this is something I have to try and do for myself." Harry went up to bed and about an hour later Ron came too but Harry was already asleep.
At about three in the morning Harry woke up and getting dressed he carefully crept downstairs with his case to meet George and Ginny in the kitchen. He checked he had everything then left the letter for Mr Weasley from the Sargent and wrote a note to both him and Mrs Weasley saying:
Thank you so much for letting me and George stay for a while. Once again I must say the hospitality at the Burro is amazing as well as the home cooking. I'm really sorry for not saying good bye to you in person, but there is lots for me to do and you will only convince me to stay longer.
My apologies for not explaining everything my self about what had happened and how I turned up in your fireplace with a stranger and my face being such a mess. To be honest I've been having a real hard time at the Dursley's which almost resulted in me dying if it wasn't for George who is most grateful that you let her stay too.
However before I go I must ask you one more favour. You will find with this note a letter from a muggle Sargent explaining the muggle procedures I have to go through to end my problems with the Dursleys. It is something I have to do and see through to the end. It involves however because of my age a parent or guardian to oversee the next two to three years of my life, as you are well aware I have now no one left to call a parent or guardian but I hope and would very much be pleased if Mr Weasley could come and vouch for me in a muggle court. I will try not to be to much trouble but Ron assures me I would be welcome here like I always have been.
Thank you once again and rest assured I will be in touch regularly with Ron and Ginny.
Love Harry James
P.S. I got myself a house to stay in now so don't worry, it just needs some serious redecorating and a clever house elf by the name of Dobby.
P.P.S. Would be very grateful if the friendly Neighbourhood watch would stop following me around and actually say hello. As it is getting quiet annoying and they aren't to good at it.
Harry felt quiet satisfied with his letter and left it on the kitchen table before both he and George hugged Ginny and said good-bye.
"I like the ending Harry." Ginny commented as she handed Harry the floo powder.
"Thought it would be an appropriate way to put it. Good-bye Ginny." Harry pulled his old cloak around himself stepped into the fire and flew off to Grimmauld Place. It wasn't until he was standing in the familiar dark living room of his new home did he wonder about George and the secret keeper charm. But just before he started to panic there she was standing in front of him. She obviously noticed his panic.
"Don't worry, from what I can tell I'm the last Black and only the true heir can take his place and step freely into the Black home." Well that made sense Harry thought but how could he be so stupid as to forget especially with what his parents went through.
Stuff like ideas and what-not are pouring out me head at the moment like many bags of water balloons and a pin that likes to go ping!!!!!!!!!!!!! At least that's how gamegirl452 would put it!