Six years later found our two champions of love living in a small house in one of the surrounding suburbs of Boston. It was a small house, a cape cod cottage style house with a white picket fence and a wonderfully colorful garden. When you drove around the back you'd fine a small barn big enough to fit two cars. Along with the barn you'd find a small swing set, with a swirly yellow slide and monkey bars. You'd also find a hammock nestled underneath two cherry willow trees.
Spring time was drawing to a close and summer was starting, thus the grass was as green as Harry's eyes. This was home to Alai and Alroy Atwall, and their son, Jeremy Atwall. No one was sure when the couple moved to the quiet neighborhood. They were a private couple, but no one could say that they weren't nice. It was often that the children of the neighborhood would come over and play on the jungle gym behind the house. The two had started to acquire a Bostonian accent, but their British one still dominated.
Alai, a tanned skin young man with striking green eyes and light brown hair. He stood at the height of five feet five inches and had a very frail and small form. He had an easy going attitude and was never one to raise his voice. Often times you would see him out running with the family dog, pushing the stroller with their five year old son in it. Alai was a teacher at a school near by and sang at the local clubs during his time off.
Alroy, an older man, but not by much, stood at five feet eight inches and had a the same build of his husband. He had a strong nose and high cheek bones. Crystal clear blue eyes, went smartly with his strikingly ginger red hair. He too had the same tanned skin one would find of Indian heritage. Alroy was running a successful joke shop ice cream parlor mix. It was the hotspot for all the local teenagers and a lot of the towns older inhabitants often went there for the live entertainment and the easy going atmosphere.
Jeremy had tributes from both his parents. He had Alai's emerald eyes, while having Alroy's ginger mane which had already started to stick up in every direction. His skin was as tanned as his parents and had their same easy going personality. A gem in the classroom Jeremy was their star pupil and was never one to start a fight. But he knew how to end one by it be force or words. When asked about how they got Jeremy the couple never told the truth. The truth was Harry had gotten pregnant and had the child. What they told others was that Alroy's sister had offered to be the surrogate mother.
It was a quiet Sunday morning and it found the two lovers cuddling on their hammock. Alroy lazily had his arms wrapped around Alai's waist. Alai was fine with that set up and nuzzled his face into the crook of Alroy's neck. Taking a deep breathe, he breathed in George's scent. It was the cucumber melon shampoo, sandlewood, and cake batter ice cream. Smiling at the scent Harry lazily kissed up George's neck until finally planting a deep long kiss directly on his cherry blossom lips. George moaned and carefully rolled on top of Harry, after all, they were still in a hammock. The two broke apart hastily when a sharp gasp met their ears.
A young woman and her son stared at him. Rising hastily Alai smoothed the invisible wrinkles out of his cloths. "Good morning Mr. Atwall." The boy said awkwardly.
Alai grinned in good humor and said, "Morning Andrew. What can I do for you today?" The boy blushed and went behind his mother pushing her forward.
"My mother wanted to speak with you." He mumbled in a rush. Andrew's mother apparently didn't have very good balance and was thrown forward. Arms outstretched she braced herself for the impact. But it never came. Opening her eyes she met the concerned eyes of her son's teacher. His -gay- teacher. Straightening immediately she brushed off the dirt that had gotten on her long skirt.
Alai seemed to remember something. "Where are my manners? Come in and we'll have some tea." His British accent shining through. Andrew smiled at his teacher. This is how he always acted, out of the loop. Alai led them into his house by way of the porch and glass slider door. Once through the portal the Gaspech's were in a cosy living room. The walls were a deep burgundy as was the carpet. The squishy arm chairs and love seats were a golden color that had burgundy pillows. The vaulted ceiling with it's long hand carved been had flags with what seemed to be a family crest on it, a roaring golden lion on a burgundy background. There was writing in a gothic spidery form and it read "Gryffindore". "Come now! Sit, sit!" Alai led his student and his small mother to the chairs surrounding a low mahogany table.
Once the two were seated comfortably Alai swaggered into the kitchen. He was putting the water to boil when he called out through the window that connected the two rooms, "What kind of tea would you two like?" The Gaspech's looked at each other.
"We've never really drinkin' tea before," Mrs. Gaspech said hesitantly.
Alai smiled widely through the window. "Then I'll just choose for you. Oh! You're in luck! I just made a lovelyfruitcake last night." With that said, Alai disappeared into the vast kitchen to search out things that his guests would like.
Kabem Gaspech shifted slightly and let her gaze wander the room. On the wall there were pictures of Mr. Atwall, the man he was with, and a young boy. The young boy was a spitting image of Mr. Atwall, except his hair color. But there were others. There were pictures of what it seemed like, when the two men were children. Often in the pictures was a very old man with a long white beard and crescent moon glasses. One caught her eye, it was of a very young Mr. Atwall in the same gold and burgundy colors. He was on a broom stick looking out of the side of the photo graph.
Also in the room were paintings. Some were of the young boy, others were of scenery, one in particular stood out. Over the mantle piece was a large painting of a castle with a lake, a large tree, and a forest in the background. In front of the castle was young Mr. Atwall, his lover, several others with red hair, his lover's twin, and many other people. They were wearing torn cloths and several of the people were bleeding and being held up. But all held huge smiles on their faces. They were celebrating something. The young Mr. Atwall was looking longingly at his young lover while his lover looked somewhere out of the painting.
She was startled out of her thoughts when a small platter offruitcake slices and tea was set before her. Mr. Atwall smiled at her charmingly. "I see you were admiring my painting."
"You painted that? What is it?" Kabem couldn't help but ask. It was just too abstract.
Mr. Atwall's expression darkened. "That was what Alroy and I left behind back in England. That was just after defeating the terrorists." Kabem nodded solemnly she remembered when England had been under siege from terrorists
"So, you took hand in defeating the terrorists?"
Nodding sadly Mr. Atwall explained, "The terrorists attacked the school Alroy and I were going to. There were many deaths. Including the headmaster, my grandfather." Kabem gave a small, "Sorry for your loss." That was shaken off with a wave of a hand.
Smiling slightly at the two, Alai took a deep sip from his cup, the other two followed suit. At their surprised looks Alai almost giggled, "So I was right in taking you two liked spicy things?" They nodded and looked at him in a new light. Setting his tea cup down he asked casually, "And to what do I owe this pleasure?"
Kabem sat up straighter and set her cup down with a small clatter. "My son," Andrew blushed and hid his expression by eating his fruitcake. "Has developed a problem. It seems he has developed a crush of someone of his own sex." Harry's expression darkened, "You to be exact. I brought him hear so you could set him straight. But it seems that you, you've got the same problem." Kabem ended with a shaky voice and looked down.
Harry's face was drawn into a tight frown. "Mrs. Gaspech. Do you dislike Andrew's attraction to men?" Kabem looked a bit stunned to be asked that question.
Soon enough she nodded her head and said, "Yes, it's not natural."
Harry stood up swiftly.
"I would like to tell you a story Mrs. Gaspech. My own story actually. It started nearly seven years ago. It was the annual Christmas party at my mother in laws house. Alroy and I had yet to confess our feelings towards each other. He was sitting in the corner drinking water. He refused to drink as if he had some huge secret." Alai's face looked far away, lost in a flash back. "I tricked him into drinking, spiked his drinks and he both got good and sloshed. We were standing by the food table when it happened. He told me why he never drank." Alai sat down and took a deep breath.
"He was gay, as he put it, 'gayer than a fruitcake.' we kissed, and his mother saw us. We left the party together and started to live with each other. It took me a week to get him to talk to his mother. She wasn't just his mother. She was my mother too. You see, I've never had a mum, she took me in when I started going to the same school as her sons and daughter. She disowned both of us. Breaking our hearts." His face took on a pained look and his knuckles were white from his grip on the arm rests. "She called us sins. She said we shamed the family name. She told us, she had no son by his name. Molly refused to give in because she was selfish. She refused to acknowledge that he hid what he was from her for years. He dated girls for her happiness. And finally when he wanted a bit of paradise for himself, she continued being selfish. We haven't spoken to anyone in that family since that day. She will never see how happy he is, or I am. And she'll never see her grandson." When Harry finished telling his story his eyes were slightly wet.
"Please Mrs. Gaspech don't push your son away like that. You will regret it for the rest of your life. Don't make the same mistake." Alai stood and walked to the slider. "Here's the door when you need it. See you on Monday Andrew." He said solemnly and then left the house closing the slider with a snap. He went and laid down again with George and tensed even more feeling hands on him. Relaxing slightly into George's grip he held onto him never wanting to let go. "It's alright Harry. Shh, everything will be alright. We have each other. We have Jeremy, and we have this new life. Nothing will take that away from us. Nothing." George tilted Harry's head up and they looked into each other's eyes. "I love you, Harry."
Harry looked at George his eyes slightly red. "I love you too, George." They shared a small sweet kiss and George continued to hold Harry and Harry continued to hold George, neither wanting to let go for all the wands in Ollivanders.