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Chapter 6 questions

Harry received an owl in the middle of the night, a letter from Dumbledore, asking him to return to the ministry. Without going down for breakfast, Harry apparated first thing the next morning, happy for the excuse not to have to face Emily.

"Good morning, Harry," Dumbledore smiled as he entered the office.

"Minister," Harry acknowledged, sitting in the offered seat.

"I have some information for you regarding Sarah Jenkins," Dumbledore told him.

"Jenkins? Was her father a wizard?" Harry asked.

"No, I managed to find information on Janice Prewett Jenkins and David Jenkins, neither were magical. However, there is a possibility that Sarah is not entirely muggle born."

"Wouldn't her Aunt know about it then?" Harry asked.

"Well, not necessarily," Dumbledore smiled, "The possibility is that her Mother may have been the daughter of a squib. But as you know we do not keep track of squibs, so it may be impossible to prove."

"But that means Emily's father or mother was a squib," Harry muttered, "Surely she would know that? And why would it manifest in Sarah and not in Emily or her sister?"

"Well a lot of squibs do not ever fully leave the magical world, even although they are treated as second class citizens. They never learn to live in the muggle world so they rarely have children. But if the magic lays dormant for a generation, there is no reason that it would not return in later generations." Dumbledore appeared thoughtful, and then added, "It is possible that many of the muggle born witches and wizards are in fact descended from squibs, who knows."

"I suppose so," Harry agreed.

"Now is Sarah a candidate for our foster program?" Dumbledore asked.

"NO," Harry answered sharply, "No, Emily loves her, even if she does not believe Sarah's stories about magic. I think if it was explained to her, she would understand."

"You seem very keen to defend Miss Prewett," Dumbledore pierced Harry with his blue eyes.

"She's a nice woman, caring and loving," Harry tried to sound passive.

"Loving?" Dumbledore looked intrigued.

"To her niece," Harry replied, a blush creeping onto his cheeks.

"Ah, well, maybe we could send someone to explain the situation to her, as Sarah is only six, she will not receive her invitation to school for several years yet."

"I will explain it to her, I owe her that much," Harry replied.

"Harry, I sense there is more to this than you have shared with me," Dumbledore raised his hands as though in surrender, "I do not require any explanations, you are a free man, however I would suggest that you do not let your isolationist tendencies to hold you back from any possible relationships."

"I don't have isolationist issues," Harry retorted, "I just get tired of reading about my private affairs in the news papers."

"Well I can understand that," Dumbledore smiled, "Even I was shocked by the chocolate story."

"I never even touched her," Harry started to defend himself.

"No, I never entertained the idea that you had," Dumbledore twinkled as he added. "Though you must admit the idea has possibilities."

"Ew, not a mental picture I wanted thank you," Harry grimaced, "you and chocolate."

"Harry," Dumbledore laughed, "I wasn't always an old man you know. I'll have you know that in my youth I had several….."

"Please don't finish that sentence," Harry begged, and Dumbledore laughed at the younger man.

"You're quite old fashioned aren't you," Dumbledore said.

"No, I'm just as experienced as the next man my age, I just don't like to talk about it," Harry said.

"But have you ever truly let yourself go," Dumbledore asked quietly and Harry suddenly had a mental image of Emily's room shaking, "You may be surprised if you ever do."

"You know as well as I that I could never let go completely."

"Not in a crowded place no, but in a secluded place, there's no reason not too," Dumbledore replied. "Just think about it Harry, that's all I ask. I haven't seen you look this excited about life for many years. Emily could be the One."

"Do you believe in that? That one person is your perfect match?" Harry was intrigued.

"Indeed," Dumbledore's eyes clouded as he seemed caught in a memory, "I think that life would have been very dull if I had not!"

"Were you ever married?" Harry asked.

"Long ago," Dumbledore replied.

"What happened to your wife?" Harry realised he was prying but he couldn't help himself.

"She died of old age," Dumbledore replied.

"Was she a muggle?"

"Yes," Dumbledore smiled, "But there's no point living in the past." He straightened a little in his chair and looked directly at Harry again. "I will let you go back to Devon then and deal with the situation as you see fit. But may I suggest you follow your heart, that's what it's there for."

Harry smiled and bid Dumbledore goodbye, he went to his desk to check in with Tonks and then apparated back to Emily's house.

It was early afternoon when he went down to the reception, finding it empty he went out to the garden and found Sarah playing quietly on her own. On seeing Harry, Sarah jumped up and ran to him. Automatically he caught her and spun her around, making her laugh. Then he realised the tug at his heart was caused by wishful thinking, this would have been a normal occurrence for him, if he had married and had children of his own.

"Hi munchkin," Harry said affectionately to Sarah, "Where's Emily?"

"I'm here," the slightly cool voice replied from behind him. Turning, Harry found himself lost for words, enchanted by her beautiful eyes, glittering angrily at him.

"Hi," Harry mumbled, "I think we need to talk, do you have a while?"

"Talk about what exactly?" Emily asked coolly.

"Well first I should apologize for my behaviour last night then for my disappearance this morning," Harry replied.

"Sarah, why don't you go see if Frank has made any of his ice cream yet, tell him I said you could have a bowl," Emily addressed her niece then turned to walk over to one of the garden chairs and sat waiting. Harry followed and sat opposite her.

"Look, about last night," Harry began, "I had no right to attack you like that. I just couldn't seem to control myself."

"Maybe I didn't want you to," Emily answered quietly. "Maybe the reason I'm angry is about the way you dumped me, literally, and ran out the door without even waiting for my opinion."

"Emily, I more or less mauled you, there's no excuse for that," Harry replied.

"Oh stop trying to be so bloody noble, I was actually enjoying myself," Emily's cheeks reddened with the admission, "But I don't understand what made you bolt."

"I lost control," Harry replied quietly, "I never loss control."

"Maybe you should more often," Emily said.

"That's what a friend of mine told me this morning," Harry smiled at her, "But there is so much you don't know about me, so many things I should explain first."

"Are you married?" Emily asked, and Harry shook his head, "Do you have children?" again he shook his head, "Are you involved with anyone?"

"No of course not," Harry found his voice.

"Are you an escaped criminal?"

"No don't be silly."

"Well then, I think we can work out the rest of the details as we go on," Emily said quietly.

"Emily, it's more complicated than that," Harry said.

"If you're not interested then just tell me," Emily looked out over the garden, "believe it or not, I don't usually seduce my guests."

"I never thought that you did," Harry replied. "And it's not that I'm not interested, it's just my life is complicated. It's very different from yours."

"I don't want to marry you, Harry," Emily replied, "I thought we might just date for a while."

"I know, I just…" Harry began to say, but as he watched her bite her lip nervously he changed his mind. He knelt in front of her chair and pulled her forward until she was pressed against him, biting her lip gently he said, "Why don't I just shut up now." Then he kissed her, trying to keep himself under control. He managed not to get too carried away, but it was difficult, Emily seemed to affect him as no other woman he had dated ever had.

Reluctantly, he let her sit back, breaking the contact between them, "Wow," she said, "I have to get back to work, but I want you to promise not to disappear again."

"I solemnly swear I'll be here when you get back."

"Well you can come in for dinner if you like, I'm sure Sarah would like your company, while I'm working," Emily smiled. "I only have one other family staying and they usually eat quite early."

"Does that mean you can join me for dinner?"

"Well if you like," Emily smiled.

Harry kissed her again and said, "Oh I definitely like."

He watched her long legs carry her inside and a few moments later Sarah bounded out and Harry sat watching her play 'pretend' for the next while. Part of his mind was warning him about getting involved with a woman who seemed to make him lose control in seconds, while the other part was thinking of all the places he could take her, so he could lose control.

Emily called them inside for dinner, and she sat with them at the table after the other guests had left, then they went up to her suite and Sarah had her bath, after begging nicely, Harry told her another story about the magical world - this time he described Hogsmead, then she went to sleep.