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MaybeI'llUpdateSoon - If I have any plot problems, I'll be sure to email you! Thank you for the offer!
ROGUE-sorceress - Sorry! I didn't realise there was three of you! I could only at the time remember seeing one! I hope you still like this and continue to read it!
I was actually ready to post this a while ago but ff.net would not cooperate (surprise surprise) ... So I'm sorry for the delay! Also chapters will most likely not be as quickly updated as they are normally... I'll try my best to at least get one a week out (hopefully two!)... It's just I've got school, sport and work to cope with as well!
A Different Life
Chapter 23 - Goodbye
A couple of days later the funerals of both Dudley and his Aunt were being held, Harry had wanted to go but his father hadn't allowed it for the simple reason that his uncle would be there. His uncle had requested permission and whoever it was that had the power to do so had pity on him. He had just lost his wife and son.
But his father wouldn't let Harry around him even if there were lots of police officers going to be surrounding his uncle.
For the tenth time that day Harry walked up to his father and begged that he let him go. Harry felt that he needed to see where it was that Dudley was going to be buried. He needed to say that he was sorry and to say goodbye.
His father looked like he was going to 'no' again, when he just looked at Harry, he seemed to be thinking.
"Harry..."
"Please! I just... I just need to say goodbye, please..." Harry held back tears and looked pleadingly up at his father.
He thought more on it and looked back at Harry.
"Okay... but later on today"
Harry nodded.
***
Severus finally gave in, seeing the look on Harry's face, besides it would be good for Harry to be able to say goodbye to his cousin. But Severus would only allow Harry to go after the funeral was over, when there wouldn't be anyone there, and that was because Harry's uncle would be there, he knew that it wouldn't take long for him to find out that Harry had been there when the accident happened, and for him to blame it all on Harry. Harry definitely didn't need that.
The truth was that it was caused by a drunk driver. He along with all who had been in the accident (fourteen in all) were all killed. No survivors.
****************************************
After a quick lunch Severus and Harry flooed to Hogsmeade, and then Severus apparated them both to the cemetery where Dudley was to be buried. He stood back and let Harry take his time.
***
Harry didn't know what to do, how should he act to the grave of someone that he had previously hated, but recently made peace with?
We walked over to the headstone and felt strange, strange that where he was standing, Dudley was buried right under.
Harry shivered and walked backwards, until he knew that he was no longer standing above where Dudley's corpse would be.
It just felt... wrong.
He looked back up at his father to see him give a small smile in support.
Harry walked around the grave, so he was at the side of the headstone.
He reached out a hand and felt his fingertips lightly touch the headstone. He felt a few tears fall down his face but he barely noticed.
With a whisper he said "Bye Dudley"
He didn't know how long he stood like that, but he didn't really care.
Finally Harry turned back around and with one last look at the grave where Dudley was, he walked away and towards his father who was patiently waiting for him a few metres away.
Harry spared a small look towards his aunt's grave, which was next to Dudley's, but he didn't say anything.
***
Severus watched as Harry walked slowly over to Dudley's grave, he could tell that even though this was a step in the right direction, a step to heal the pain and move on... Harry was depressed. And he couldn't stand to think that Harry was unhappy.
Severus needed to distract him, let him experience something new. Have some fun. He didn't know if he should invite someone else like Ron or Lupin, where he was sure to have fun. But after a moment of continued thinking he decided that it would be best if it was he and Harry who would do something together. After all, the last time had been a complete disaster so he had a lot to make up for. Now all he had to do was think of something that he and Harry could do together that Harry would enjoy.
He briefly thought back to his childhood, when his mother was alive she would love to take him to the places where he could see the effects of certain potions. It was what had started his love for them, to want to be able to do what he saw so many other people doing. But he couldn't picture that Harry would enjoy that too much.
Well that was a good place to start, what did Harry like? And that was easily answered; Harry not only liked, but loved Quidditch.
So his options would be too... take him to a Quidditch shop? No, Harry had already been there, and even though Severus knew that Harry would enjoy himself there anyway, he wanted Harry to experience something new.
So... perhaps a Quidditch match? Yes, that would be perfect.
He looked over to see that Harry was walking back towards him. He bent down and wiped the few stray tears from Harry's face.
"Are you okay?"
Harry nodded his head, not looking away from Severus' eyes.
"Are you ready to leave?"
Harry looked back at Dudley's grave then back at his father and again nodded.
"Come on" Severus took Harry's hand and apparated to Hogsmeade, and walked into the joke shop Zonko's, which confused Harry as there was no fireplace there to get home.
Severus told Harry to have a look around while he went up to the front of the store and spoke to the owner.
***
Harry had been in this store only once before. Fred and George had told him all about it when they had been allowed to visit it, although that was under the watchful eye of their mother, they couldn't wait until third year when they would be allowed to visit it without supervision. Sure there would be Professors about, but they couldn't keep their eyes on everyone. Harry smiled, remembering the conversation.
Harry shook his head and paid attention to the tricks around him. He could understand why Fred and George loved the place so much. They were quite the pranksters at their home and this would seem like heaven to them. Hogwarts was definitely going to be interesting this year.
Harry scrolled down the aisles, not really paying attention to his father who was talking to someone.
He found a few things that made him smile when he thought of where and how he would use them if given the chance, but he was unable to enjoy the funny images his imagination would bring up of a trick he could play on some of the professors he disliked, he was still feeling to down.
He sighed. He was tired of feeling down all the time. He had been feeling down for as long as he can remember from age 5 and downward, though with the stories he had heard he supposed he probably shouldn't think that he was feeling down below the age of 1, and a bit after that. And even when he was with his father bad things still seemed to happen...
Harry shook those thoughts away, now was not the time to get all upset.
He continued walking down the aisles, again wondering what they were doing here.
***
Severus walked up to the front desk and waited for the owner to come out.
However the owner of the shop did not come out, but his daughter, a former student of his, a Slytherin did. He only taught her in her 6th and 7th year but she had been a good student, a bit of a trouble maker, but what can you expect from the person whose father owns Zonko's. She didn't give him any trouble throughout his first years of teaching and had helped him along the way a bit. He was quite fond of her.
"Hello Professor, and what do I owe this pleasure?"
"Charlotte" Severus nodded his head to him in a greeting. "Is your father here?"
She shook his head. "You know him professor, when a Quidditch match is on... I am here to mind the store" She said, rolling her eyes.
Severus smiled. "That's what I wanted to ask him about. I was hoping I could take Harry to a game... you don't happen to know what time it started? Or where it may be?" Severus had never been to a match before, not really liking Quidditch much, and he had absolutely no idea where it would be played at. Things like that he normally tuned out when he heard someone mention it. He was only interested in the house Quidditch at Hogwarts because it normally meant that he could get a lot more extra points, well, if they won.
"Of course I do! I hear about the bloody place everyday! You can just floo there, it shouldn't be too busy because it would have started a few minutes ago, but I'm sure you can get tickets there. Just say 'South Q.S' and you should arrive right there."
He smiled at her.
"Thank you Charlotte."
"Anytime Professor"
He smiled again and went back to find Harry.
He finally found him looking into space, and he lightly put his hand on his shoulder to get his attention.
"Are you ready Harry?"
Harry nodded
They walked into The Three Broomsticks and used the fire there, but this time instead of calling out 'Snape Manor' like Harry was expecting, Severus called out 'South Q.S'
After quite a lot of spinning, they finally arrived at there destination.
All Harry could see was a few people here and there, and a massive wall a few meters away, a wall that he was sure didn't end for a long, long time. The noise was deafening. Just as he was wondering what it all was he saw someone on a broom fly over the wall, chasing a Bludger. They finally got it and hit it back over the wall and he guessed after someone else.
Just as Harry was about to ask his father why they were here he noticed that he was gone. Harry looked around to see him talking to a man, who after a moment gave him two pieces of parchment.
His father then walked back over to him.
"Okay Harry, I assume you have figured out where we are. I thought this might cheer you up a bit. Now all you have to do is keep hold of this, well keep it on you at all times while you're here."
He handed Harry one of the pieces of parchment he had in his hand.
Harry looked confused. Why would he want a piece of blank parchment?
"Why do I need this?"
His father went into teacher mode. "Well before you can go into the stands, you pass a spell that looks for this piece of parchment. If you don't have it, then it will act like a wall and won't let you in. you can leave and go as you please, and as long as you have this parchment, and the current game is still on, then you can get in."
Harry nodded, clearly impressed, it was a smart way to stop people from sneaking in.
"And after the game is finished" His father continued, while walking towards the entrance "this piece of parchment wont be blank, it will have the final score of the game and a bit of the game will play out on it, so you can remember it all... or so the man that sold it too me says"
By this time they had reached the entrance and Harry looked on in amazement. There was so many people around, thousands it looked like.
After finding their seats Harry and Severus sat down and watched the game. They had no idea who was playing, both not following the teams very closely. All they knew was one team was red, and one was blue and yellow.
Harry watched in awe, the players were so professional and talented, every move they made was for a reason. The keepers were blocking all types of tricky shots, while the chasers were making those tricky shots in the first place. The chasers were weaving in and out of each other. It was almost hard to keep up with them. And the beaters were very powerful, he couldn't imagine a stronger force behind a Bludger.
But Harry liked the seekers the best, he could see them not only watching the rest of the game, but also looking for the snitch.
Harry just couldn't take his eyes away from it all.
***
Severus chuckled a bit while watching Harry. His head was going from one end of the field to the other. It had been two hours and Harry hadn't looked away.
Severus had given up trying to see them all, he just couldn't keep up with them, they were all just blurs to him. Looking around he saw that almost everyone had Omnioculars, he cursed himself for forgetting something like that.
But he could see that Harry seemed to be able to get everything. He must have good long distance sight or something. Good for a seeker.
He was completely bored. Not being able to see the players properly, or knowing who the teams were, he started naming potions that he could make when he got back home in his head.
After another half an hour had passed and Severus could hear the announcer saying that some person he had never heard of was going for the snitch. He really could barely hear them, all through the game he hadn't, though it could have been because he wasn't listening to them...
Severus looked back up at the game and at that exact moment over half the crowd started to cheer.
The announcer was barely heard
"...Wins, defeating...al score of...and ten to three hundrend and..." Severus just gave up.
Severus looked back at Harry to see the biggest smile that he had seen on his face for a long time.
"Thank you so much Dad" Harry said, hugging him.
Severus smiled at him,
"So you enjoyed it?"
Harry nodded eagerly.
"Did you?" Harry asked as they were walking back to find a fire, though it would probably take a while since there was massive crowds also waiting.
"Umm..." Severus looked at Harry's face, the boredom that he had felt before was forgotten "Yes, yes I did"
MaybeI'llUpdateSoon - If I have any plot problems, I'll be sure to email you! Thank you for the offer!
ROGUE-sorceress - Sorry! I didn't realise there was three of you! I could only at the time remember seeing one! I hope you still like this and continue to read it!
I was actually ready to post this a while ago but ff.net would not cooperate (surprise surprise) ... So I'm sorry for the delay! Also chapters will most likely not be as quickly updated as they are normally... I'll try my best to at least get one a week out (hopefully two!)... It's just I've got school, sport and work to cope with as well!
A Different Life
Chapter 23 - Goodbye
A couple of days later the funerals of both Dudley and his Aunt were being held, Harry had wanted to go but his father hadn't allowed it for the simple reason that his uncle would be there. His uncle had requested permission and whoever it was that had the power to do so had pity on him. He had just lost his wife and son.
But his father wouldn't let Harry around him even if there were lots of police officers going to be surrounding his uncle.
For the tenth time that day Harry walked up to his father and begged that he let him go. Harry felt that he needed to see where it was that Dudley was going to be buried. He needed to say that he was sorry and to say goodbye.
His father looked like he was going to 'no' again, when he just looked at Harry, he seemed to be thinking.
"Harry..."
"Please! I just... I just need to say goodbye, please..." Harry held back tears and looked pleadingly up at his father.
He thought more on it and looked back at Harry.
"Okay... but later on today"
Harry nodded.
***
Severus finally gave in, seeing the look on Harry's face, besides it would be good for Harry to be able to say goodbye to his cousin. But Severus would only allow Harry to go after the funeral was over, when there wouldn't be anyone there, and that was because Harry's uncle would be there, he knew that it wouldn't take long for him to find out that Harry had been there when the accident happened, and for him to blame it all on Harry. Harry definitely didn't need that.
The truth was that it was caused by a drunk driver. He along with all who had been in the accident (fourteen in all) were all killed. No survivors.
****************************************
After a quick lunch Severus and Harry flooed to Hogsmeade, and then Severus apparated them both to the cemetery where Dudley was to be buried. He stood back and let Harry take his time.
***
Harry didn't know what to do, how should he act to the grave of someone that he had previously hated, but recently made peace with?
We walked over to the headstone and felt strange, strange that where he was standing, Dudley was buried right under.
Harry shivered and walked backwards, until he knew that he was no longer standing above where Dudley's corpse would be.
It just felt... wrong.
He looked back up at his father to see him give a small smile in support.
Harry walked around the grave, so he was at the side of the headstone.
He reached out a hand and felt his fingertips lightly touch the headstone. He felt a few tears fall down his face but he barely noticed.
With a whisper he said "Bye Dudley"
He didn't know how long he stood like that, but he didn't really care.
Finally Harry turned back around and with one last look at the grave where Dudley was, he walked away and towards his father who was patiently waiting for him a few metres away.
Harry spared a small look towards his aunt's grave, which was next to Dudley's, but he didn't say anything.
***
Severus watched as Harry walked slowly over to Dudley's grave, he could tell that even though this was a step in the right direction, a step to heal the pain and move on... Harry was depressed. And he couldn't stand to think that Harry was unhappy.
Severus needed to distract him, let him experience something new. Have some fun. He didn't know if he should invite someone else like Ron or Lupin, where he was sure to have fun. But after a moment of continued thinking he decided that it would be best if it was he and Harry who would do something together. After all, the last time had been a complete disaster so he had a lot to make up for. Now all he had to do was think of something that he and Harry could do together that Harry would enjoy.
He briefly thought back to his childhood, when his mother was alive she would love to take him to the places where he could see the effects of certain potions. It was what had started his love for them, to want to be able to do what he saw so many other people doing. But he couldn't picture that Harry would enjoy that too much.
Well that was a good place to start, what did Harry like? And that was easily answered; Harry not only liked, but loved Quidditch.
So his options would be too... take him to a Quidditch shop? No, Harry had already been there, and even though Severus knew that Harry would enjoy himself there anyway, he wanted Harry to experience something new.
So... perhaps a Quidditch match? Yes, that would be perfect.
He looked over to see that Harry was walking back towards him. He bent down and wiped the few stray tears from Harry's face.
"Are you okay?"
Harry nodded his head, not looking away from Severus' eyes.
"Are you ready to leave?"
Harry looked back at Dudley's grave then back at his father and again nodded.
"Come on" Severus took Harry's hand and apparated to Hogsmeade, and walked into the joke shop Zonko's, which confused Harry as there was no fireplace there to get home.
Severus told Harry to have a look around while he went up to the front of the store and spoke to the owner.
***
Harry had been in this store only once before. Fred and George had told him all about it when they had been allowed to visit it, although that was under the watchful eye of their mother, they couldn't wait until third year when they would be allowed to visit it without supervision. Sure there would be Professors about, but they couldn't keep their eyes on everyone. Harry smiled, remembering the conversation.
Harry shook his head and paid attention to the tricks around him. He could understand why Fred and George loved the place so much. They were quite the pranksters at their home and this would seem like heaven to them. Hogwarts was definitely going to be interesting this year.
Harry scrolled down the aisles, not really paying attention to his father who was talking to someone.
He found a few things that made him smile when he thought of where and how he would use them if given the chance, but he was unable to enjoy the funny images his imagination would bring up of a trick he could play on some of the professors he disliked, he was still feeling to down.
He sighed. He was tired of feeling down all the time. He had been feeling down for as long as he can remember from age 5 and downward, though with the stories he had heard he supposed he probably shouldn't think that he was feeling down below the age of 1, and a bit after that. And even when he was with his father bad things still seemed to happen...
Harry shook those thoughts away, now was not the time to get all upset.
He continued walking down the aisles, again wondering what they were doing here.
***
Severus walked up to the front desk and waited for the owner to come out.
However the owner of the shop did not come out, but his daughter, a former student of his, a Slytherin did. He only taught her in her 6th and 7th year but she had been a good student, a bit of a trouble maker, but what can you expect from the person whose father owns Zonko's. She didn't give him any trouble throughout his first years of teaching and had helped him along the way a bit. He was quite fond of her.
"Hello Professor, and what do I owe this pleasure?"
"Charlotte" Severus nodded his head to him in a greeting. "Is your father here?"
She shook his head. "You know him professor, when a Quidditch match is on... I am here to mind the store" She said, rolling her eyes.
Severus smiled. "That's what I wanted to ask him about. I was hoping I could take Harry to a game... you don't happen to know what time it started? Or where it may be?" Severus had never been to a match before, not really liking Quidditch much, and he had absolutely no idea where it would be played at. Things like that he normally tuned out when he heard someone mention it. He was only interested in the house Quidditch at Hogwarts because it normally meant that he could get a lot more extra points, well, if they won.
"Of course I do! I hear about the bloody place everyday! You can just floo there, it shouldn't be too busy because it would have started a few minutes ago, but I'm sure you can get tickets there. Just say 'South Q.S' and you should arrive right there."
He smiled at her.
"Thank you Charlotte."
"Anytime Professor"
He smiled again and went back to find Harry.
He finally found him looking into space, and he lightly put his hand on his shoulder to get his attention.
"Are you ready Harry?"
Harry nodded
They walked into The Three Broomsticks and used the fire there, but this time instead of calling out 'Snape Manor' like Harry was expecting, Severus called out 'South Q.S'
After quite a lot of spinning, they finally arrived at there destination.
All Harry could see was a few people here and there, and a massive wall a few meters away, a wall that he was sure didn't end for a long, long time. The noise was deafening. Just as he was wondering what it all was he saw someone on a broom fly over the wall, chasing a Bludger. They finally got it and hit it back over the wall and he guessed after someone else.
Just as Harry was about to ask his father why they were here he noticed that he was gone. Harry looked around to see him talking to a man, who after a moment gave him two pieces of parchment.
His father then walked back over to him.
"Okay Harry, I assume you have figured out where we are. I thought this might cheer you up a bit. Now all you have to do is keep hold of this, well keep it on you at all times while you're here."
He handed Harry one of the pieces of parchment he had in his hand.
Harry looked confused. Why would he want a piece of blank parchment?
"Why do I need this?"
His father went into teacher mode. "Well before you can go into the stands, you pass a spell that looks for this piece of parchment. If you don't have it, then it will act like a wall and won't let you in. you can leave and go as you please, and as long as you have this parchment, and the current game is still on, then you can get in."
Harry nodded, clearly impressed, it was a smart way to stop people from sneaking in.
"And after the game is finished" His father continued, while walking towards the entrance "this piece of parchment wont be blank, it will have the final score of the game and a bit of the game will play out on it, so you can remember it all... or so the man that sold it too me says"
By this time they had reached the entrance and Harry looked on in amazement. There was so many people around, thousands it looked like.
After finding their seats Harry and Severus sat down and watched the game. They had no idea who was playing, both not following the teams very closely. All they knew was one team was red, and one was blue and yellow.
Harry watched in awe, the players were so professional and talented, every move they made was for a reason. The keepers were blocking all types of tricky shots, while the chasers were making those tricky shots in the first place. The chasers were weaving in and out of each other. It was almost hard to keep up with them. And the beaters were very powerful, he couldn't imagine a stronger force behind a Bludger.
But Harry liked the seekers the best, he could see them not only watching the rest of the game, but also looking for the snitch.
Harry just couldn't take his eyes away from it all.
***
Severus chuckled a bit while watching Harry. His head was going from one end of the field to the other. It had been two hours and Harry hadn't looked away.
Severus had given up trying to see them all, he just couldn't keep up with them, they were all just blurs to him. Looking around he saw that almost everyone had Omnioculars, he cursed himself for forgetting something like that.
But he could see that Harry seemed to be able to get everything. He must have good long distance sight or something. Good for a seeker.
He was completely bored. Not being able to see the players properly, or knowing who the teams were, he started naming potions that he could make when he got back home in his head.
After another half an hour had passed and Severus could hear the announcer saying that some person he had never heard of was going for the snitch. He really could barely hear them, all through the game he hadn't, though it could have been because he wasn't listening to them...
Severus looked back up at the game and at that exact moment over half the crowd started to cheer.
The announcer was barely heard
"...Wins, defeating...al score of...and ten to three hundrend and..." Severus just gave up.
Severus looked back at Harry to see the biggest smile that he had seen on his face for a long time.
"Thank you so much Dad" Harry said, hugging him.
Severus smiled at him,
"So you enjoyed it?"
Harry nodded eagerly.
"Did you?" Harry asked as they were walking back to find a fire, though it would probably take a while since there was massive crowds also waiting.
"Umm..." Severus looked at Harry's face, the boredom that he had felt before was forgotten "Yes, yes I did"