Terribly sorry. I meant to update much sooner, but managed to catch a bad cold that kept me bed ridden for the last three days. Ugh, still don't feel all too well, but well enough.
Warnings: I started this story before I read the sixth book. So in here, Draco became a spy for the Order, and joined the good side, before the end of Voldemort and helped bring him down.
Thanks to all of the wonderful reviews, very much appreciated!
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Chapter four:
A Dinner for Twenty
Harry never felt so nervous in his entire life. Hell, fighting Voldemort had been easier than what he was going to have to face tonight. Shifting from one foot to the other, he glanced over his shoulder and then looked down at his wristwatch. It was five now, too late to change his mind and flee the country.
Her parents, he told himself as another wave of nausea washed over him. They'd only gone out once and he was already going to meet her parents. And it wasn't even really a date.
Turning as if to leave, he was stopped by her voice calling his name. "Sorry I took so long James." She came up to his side, her smile brilliant and beautiful. His worries melted away at the sight of her. She looked beautiful in the white sundress, with simple straps crossing over her shoulders, and the skirt flaring to the tops of her bare knees. Her hair, like he would always relate to her, was up in that same style. Odangos. Something he wouldn't dare call them, out loud.
Harry took a moment longer to take in the rest of her. When he caught her eyes though, he finally smiled. "You look wonderful," he managed in one breath.
Her smile brightened and quickly she twirled for him to see the rest. "Why thank you. You cleaned up real nice," she added.
He felt his face warm at the compliment. He had tried hard to look good for this evening. And when they started walking, Harry started to wonder, if all the trouble he had gone through today had been for her parents, or in actuality, just for her.
When he had gotten up that morning, he had decided to close up shop a little early, being about noon, and opted for a visit at the mall. There, he had hunted down a pair of nice khaki slacks and a dark green sweater over a black turtleneck. He had also bought new shoes to go with the outfit. Picking out the right outfit though, had taken forever, especially with all the female clerks offering their advice. More like a nightmare, he thought. But once he was done, he'd gone home, taken a long shower, cleaned himself up, and finally got dressed. And then to waste the few hours he had left, he went for a long walk in hopes to calm his nerves. It hadn't worked.
Unconsciously, he reached up to touch his forehead, feeling something there, that couldn't be seen. The unconscious movement, made Usagi smile.
It didn't take them all that long to reach her parents house. It was the most lit up house on the block and with the most cars parked out front. His nervousness hit him all at once and he took an unconscious step back when they reached the fronts steps.
"They don't bite," Usagi joked, pushing the door open. She took his hand, her smile warm and friendly. "I wont force you James, you have to decide on your own."
Harry wondered if she meant going inside, or something else entirely. Something he had been avoiding for a very long time.
Aware that he was breaking out into a cold sweat, Harry let her pull him in. He took the first step and she helped him the rest of the way inside. When the door shut behind them, he tensed.
"Mom, we're here!" she shouted over the dull roar of conversations in the next room.
"Usagi's home!" an older but feminine voice cried from what he presumed to be the kitchen.
A woman, who appeared to be in her late forties stepped out into the hallway. "Honey," she greeted, her smile warm and familiar. Harry realized despite the fact that the woman had dark blue hair and warm brown eyes; her face looked a lot like Usagi's. Heart shaped, and could easily form a kind and loving smile.
Harry watched as the two hugged and he smiled. Envious as he was, he didn't let it burn in his heart. He was just glad Usagi was able to enjoy the love of her mother. When they pulled apart, Usagi wiped away her tears, but she was still smiling. "Mom, I want you to meet my friend James Potter. James, this is my mom, Ikuko Tsukino," she said introducing them to each other.
Mrs. Tsukino looked at him, her brown eyes searching his face, before looking at the rest of him. Then her eyes locked with his, and she smiled. "James," she said warmly, and pulled him into a hug. The act reminded him so much of Mrs. Weasley, that he feared the burning in his eyes might give way to tears.
Mrs. Tsukino pulled away, dabbed her eyes, and said, "Come in, come in. Your father and Shingo are in the kitchen," she said, ushering them in the direction she had come from.
When they entered the living room, which opened up to the kitchen, Harry found himself in the midst of a lot of women and very few men.
"Minna chan!" Usagi squealed, and ran to the group with whom he was thinking of. The group heard her and soon everyone one was engaged in one huge hug.
Feeling out of place, Harry tried to slip by into the kitchen, but Usagi caught him in the act. "Wait wait!" she shouted over the shouts from the large group. Harry counted eight heads before he lost count. "Minna chan, I would like you all to meet my new friend James Potter, he's the one I told you about," she said, hinting towards something he wasn't sure of.
She pulled him close to her side, her arm slipping around his shoulders in a half hug. Usagi then pointed to the woman on her right. "This is Haruka Ten'oh, and her wife Michiru," she said pointing to each person in turn. The first, Harry had mistaken as a man, was just a shorthaired woman, with an easygoing smirk on her face. Her partner though, was easy on the eyes with an elegant look about her soft features.
"That is Minako Aino, Rei Hino, whom you've already met, and Hotaru Tomoe," Usagi continued down the line of people. The first looked an awful lot like Usagi, only with lighter hair and complexion. And she lacked the unique hairstyle. Rei stood next to a tall, and rather shaggy looking man. She looked aloof as ever, but very watchful. The smaller girl next to them though, looked fragile, and yet very strong. She had dark features, but her skin was a sickly white.
"Sorry, and that's Rei's fiancé Chad, and that's Makoto Kino, Amy Anderson, and Setsuna," Usagi finished. The last three women were just as lovely as the others before them. The first, Harry was surprised to see was the owner of his favorite restaurant. She nodded in return, her smile faint, but there. The second stared at him in wonder, her face a puzzle expression as if she was trying to figure out something important. The last, but not least, Setsuna, which had not gone unnoticed by him that she did not have a last name. She had darker skin than most, and even darker hair. Her eyes though, not weary, but knowing, it's as if they were telling him, that she knew all of his secrets.
"Come, come," Usagi said, ushering him on to the kitchen. Harry waved back to the crowd behind him, who all continued their conversations as if they had never been interrupted.
In there, Mrs. Tsukino was at the stove working the pots, and the oven all at once and without magic. A man, who he could only think of being Mr. Tsukino, sat with four other people all looking considerably younger than Harry. Mr. Tsukino, the oldest man there, had graying brown hair, and set of beady eyes that would have made any man nervous. He was dressed casual, just like his wife.
"Dad," Usagi called, catching the man's attention. "This is James, James Potter," she added her smile slightly forced as if weary of the man's reaction.
Mr. Tsukino lifted his eyes to Harry. "James, this is my dad, Kenji Tsukino. My brother Shingo and his girlfriend, Mieka. And his two friends Kevin and Zoi," she said introducing the last of the dinner guests.
Shingo looked about eighteen years old, and the only way Harry could place him with the woman who stood next to Harry, was the dark blue eyes. Otherwise, Shingo had a mop of brown hair that stood up like Harry's old style, and a bored look on his face. The girl next to him had long brown hair, and appeared just as bored.
The last two, seemed to be a couple as well. The boy had hair white as Dumbledore's, but pulled back into a low pony, and pair of eyes that sent chills down Harry's spine. The girl next to him was no better. Her hair a light shade of brown was nearly as long as Usagi's but was braided, and her green eyes glared at Harry as if he were the dirt on her shoes. Both pair seemed to be about sixteen or so.
"Hi," he said tentatively, taking in the room at hand.
Mr. Tsukino got to his feet then and held out his hand. "Its good to finally meet you," he said, his expression neither kind nor mad. Harry shook it, and felt the tension leaving his shoulders. The first step was done. Next was conversing.
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Harry found himself roped into a conversation with Amy, a blue haired genius and Makoto his favorite chef. "James its good to see you again," Makoto said, when he walked up to the pair.
She pulled him into a tight hug, but quickly released him. "Wow, so it was you who helped Usagi out." She shook her head, her smile rueful.
Harry reached up to rub his forehead, the act more of habit than anything else.
Amy adjusted her glasses, her blue eyes studying his every movement. "Makoto told me, you've only been here for two years," she said, breaking the ice between them and building a bridge. "Where did you live before that?"
Uncomfortable with the question, but not ready to lie, he answered, "London." His answer was brief and broad.
"Fascinating," she said in reply. "So did I, but I moved up here about seven years ago."
A moment of silence fell over them, before Amy finally added, "Just curious, but did you ever hear about what was happening over there. I mean my father talked about strange murders and weird smoke popping over houses and buildings."
On edge by the barrage of questions, Harry touched his forehead. "No," he lied quickly, trying to stay far from the truth as possible.
"James," Makoto said, changing the subject smoothly. "Usagi says you own a Magic shop, what kind of things do you sell?"
Harry stared at her for a moment. Makoto already knew about his store, he had told her last year when she had finally got him talking during his meals at her restaurant.
"Uh, charms and stuff like that," he said, following the change in conversation.
"Charms," a voice echoed from behind them. Minako stepped forward, entering the conversation. "Like what," she asked, sounding interested.
Amy frowned, but did not object to the change in topic. "Simple charms. Luck charms, love charms, stuff like that. Nothing too strong," he added quickly. He didn't need to have them thinking along the lines Rei had, when they had met.
Ikuko called for dinner around six-thirty. Starving the group of women went outside, each carrying a dish. Harry followed reluctantly. He was led out into a back yard taken up mostly by two rows of three tables pulled together to appear like two separate tables. Counting, Harry saw about seventeen mismatched chairs.
"James," Usagi waved him over to the second table. Feeling as if he was back in Hogwarts, Harry made his way to the table, and took a seat between Usagi and the small dark haired girl.
"Hotaru," the girl said with a sort of sad smile. Smiling in return, Harry reached up to touch a certain spot on his forehead, much to the younger girl's amusement. "It's a lost cause," she told him meaning as if she knew what was meant to be there.
Harry stared at her for a moment, wondering. But before he could ask, she turned away, and he was forced to turn to his own plate. Everyone was helping themselves to the food, so he followed suit.
"Usagi says you're a wizard," Hotaru mentioned not long later. Harry sat down his cup of juice and had to cover his mouth as he coughed and spluttered. He'd accidentally inhaled some by the sudden question. Looking worried, Usagi pounded on his back. "You okay," she asked.
Harry lifted a hand, asking for a moment to collect his bearings. Grabbing his glass, he took a swallow, and quickly regained control over himself. "I well-" he started, trying to change the subject and answer her question all at once.
Hotaru shook her head at him, her smile small, but genuine. "It's all right James," she said. "You're secret is safe with us."
She then lifted her hand, and touching where his throat still burned, he felt heat flood his veins. Blinking in surprised, he looked down at her, and saw that her eyes a deep shade of blue, had turned black and dull.
And then as quickly as it came, the heat left and Hotaru dropped her hand. She started to eat again, but her movements seemed slower and much more strained than before. Harry on the other hand felt much better. "What did you do," he asked in wonder. Wandless magic. This small girl could do Wandless magic?
Usagi leaned in and whispered in his ear, "You're not alone James." she pulled back from him and he turned his head to look at her now. Everything about her was catching, he thought. Could she be part veela, he half wondered. Harry sat alone with his own thoughts for a moment. He looked at the group before him in wonder, and wondered why, after all these years would he stop trying to be alone? Why would he start now, to change his ways?
Harry looked at Usagi then, and matched her gaze with his own.
"Hotaru has a little gift, but with it came a curse," Usagi continued, her smile sad as she looked over at the smaller girl. "She can heal, but each attempt makes her tired and frail. Because of this gift, she was given a weak heart, one that wont last her for much longer."
Harry whipped his gaze back over to the young girl. She looked hardly eleven years old. Her hands shook when she moved them, and her skin was so pale, such a contrast to her dark features.
How unfair, he thought.
As if reading his thoughts, she looked at him and smiled. "You better eat, or your food is going to get cold," she said playfully. He nodded, and turned his attention back to his meal, but found that he had lost his appetite.
----
At around eight, Harry found himself sitting on the living room floor surrounded by girls. Unnerved and very uncomfortable, he tried to find somewhere to stare, without being rude, and be caught staring at just one person.
Amy fell into the empty seat next to him and he finally gave up in his futile search. "So James, do you miss London," she asked, sounding interested. But he was sure there was an underlying tone in that question.
Shrugging in a noncommittal way, he answered, "Sometimes." He thought back to his time in London and wondered what it would be like if he returned. If he went to Hermione's wedding after all.
"Then I guess the next question would be, how do you like it here in Tokyo?" she asked next.
He had to think on that question. He knew he liked it here, liked the people, and liked his job here. "It's nice here," he said. "Out of all the places I've gone to, this comes in second of my most favored place."
Amy smiled. "London being the first I presume."
Hogwarts being the first, he wanted to correct her, but held his tongue. "So you own a magic shop called Merlin's Beard," she said. Harry nodded. "Just for the community who like to believe in Witches and Wizards," he explained.
Amy started to say something, but Minako asked her a question, much to Harry's relief.
Usagi joined the room at that moment. She took a seat behind him on the couch, and crossed her legs, so that she wouldn't disrupt him. "Sorry I'm late, Hotaru was really tired," she said to him. To the room she said, "Start the movie."
Shingo jumped to his feet then, and fiddled with the devise on the Television set. Harry waited, feeling comforted, now that he had eaten, and that Usagi was back.
The movie started, and the massive group settled down in the living room. Fifteen minutes into the movie, and Harry felt his head grow heavy. He let it fall back against the couch.
Usagi peered down into his face. "Ready to go home," she asked, her face looking just as tired as his. It was his way out he knew. He could say, yes, I'm ready to go, and maybe then he could disappear again. Too many people here, knew about him now. Despite his logic though, he found himself shaking his head.
Usagi smiled. "Come on then, you can crash in my old room then. I have a cot set up already," she offered, while getting up. She helped him to his feet and then led him upstairs. He was sure they were being watched, but no one said anything.
Usagi paused at the second door on the left, and pushed it open. Inside, Harry spotted a twin-size bed and a cot crammed into the small space. The cot had been shoved up next to the bed, and looked occupied already.
Harry followed her in, and shut the door behind him. Usagi stopped at the cot, and careful not to wake Hotaru, shifted her onto the bed. "Here you go," she said, padding the empty space.
Hesitating, he studied the room. It was pink, he could tell, even in the darkness. Pink and filled with stuffed animals, and kid-like items. This had been Usagi growing up.
Usagi fell into place next to Hotaru, and pulled the covers up over her head. Harry followed suit. He slipped out of his socks, and sweater. Knowing it would be warm even for night, he slipped the turtleneck off, and undid the belt around his waist.
Sighing at the freedom from some of his muggle attire, he laid down on the cot and pulled the thick blanket to his waist.
Lying on his back, Harry stared up at the ceiling decorated in glow in the dark bunny stickers. He smiled at them, shaking his head at the ridiculous, but kind of cute room. A room that seemed to fit the girl's personality, who laid on the bed somewhere to his right.
"James," a muffled voice called from beneath the blankets. "Did you enjoy yourself?"
Harry looked over, and saw Usagi spying at him from beneath the covers. "Yea," he replied. "I did, thanks for inviting me."
He caught a hint of a smile, but it quickly faded into a yawn. "That's good. Hey James," she asked, sounding even more tired than before. Harry fought back the urge to yawn, his eyelids feeling heavy, demanding sleep. "Hmm," he replied.
"Would you like to go out for ice cream tomorrow," she asked.
He didn't answer at first, but in the end he said yes. It wasn't long after that though, that he fell asleep.
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That it for now, I hoped you liked it as much as I did. I had some trouble with Harry's outtake on the family reunion, so I hope what I did worked out.
LP
