Chapter 16: Getting Situated
It was the first day of Harry's training and so far he didn't know if Nym was trying to kill him or not. The first thing she made him do when they woke up was to take a potion that she had her mother procure from an apothecary in Diagon Alley. Harry was small for his age and he knew it. He knew that the Dursley's treatment of him while he was growing, stunted his growth. The potion was supposed to aid in the muscle development and starts to repair some of the malnutrition damage.
It wasn't a miracle potion, in the sense that it didn't work overnight, but it required physical training and proper eating to work its course. Nym ordered Dobby to make Harry a big breakfast. The only problem with that was that she was not accustomed to Dobby. To Dobby a normal breakfast for two could feed four adults or Dudley. So the large breakfast she asked for could feed six fully grown wizards.
Harry sat down to breakfast with Nym and Dobby. It took a little bit of coaxing to get Dobby to accept any breakfast at the same table as them. Harry inquired as to how the house was coming and was shocked to learn that the elves had worked all night long and had the entire bottom floor of the manor completely cleaned. Dobby told them that the elves were working in shifts and expected to finish the house later that evening.
Harry and Nym thanked Dobby before setting off to start his physical training. Nym made a schedule that would make it easiest to complete everything. Everyday they would wake up seven in the morning and get ready for the day. They would eat breakfast at 7:30 and start physical training by 8:00. They would take a portkey to Hogwarts to do his physical training until they could get moved into Potter Manor. They needed a large amount of open space to be able to run and the lake also provided another cardiovascular workout.
The running and swimming would last from 8:00 to 10:30 at which time they would portkey back to Grimmauld Place and clean up to have an early lunch. After lunch they would begin the magical training. They would spend 12:00 to 1:00 on teaching Harry to apparate and then continue learning Advanced Charms, Transfiguration, and DADA. His knowledge in these would far exceed the NEWT level by the end of the summer.
After Harry completed his apparition lesson he was supposed to move on to Occlumency training. Nym had bought a book that would teach them the basics of clearing their minds and building simple mental shields. It would not block Voldemort but it would start them in the right direction.
So it was 5:00 on the end of his first day of training and all he wanted to do was to go into the bedroom and go to sleep. It was clear that Nym felt the same way but she still seemed to have other plans.
"No sleep yet love" She said.
"Why not he mumbled" face down in the couch.
"We have one more thing that needs to be done today."
"The schedule says this is free time" Harry mumbled again
"Yes well do it for me then. Come on." She said as she dragged him out of their living quarters.
"Where are we going?"
"You'll see." She pulled him downstairs to the entrance for the kitchen and pushed him through the door.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY HARRY!" Harry stood there in a state of shock. He had been so busy with his marriage and the will readings that he totally forgot about his birthday. Not to mention this would be the first birthday party he ever had. He just couldn't figure out why they were even doing this since his birthday was almost a week ago.
"What's going on?"
"We never got a chance to celebrate your birthday. You seemed to disappear after the wedding and didn't show up again until right before the will reading. We didn't have any time." Hermione was the one to answer his question.
The kitchen was full of the entire Order of the Phoenix as well as Hermione and Ginny. Apparently they had set up his birthday party to happen right before an Order meeting. The only person that didn't sit at the table to partake in the festivities was Professor Snape. He was seen glowering in the corner of the room.
"Come over here, Harry dear, and take a seat." Mrs. Weasley said as she led him over to the head of the table. Nym followed them over and took a seat to her husband's left hand side.
"You guys know you didn't have to do this, right?"
"Don't blame us, blame her. It was her idea." Hermione stated with not so discreetly pointing her finger at Nym.
"You never had a proper birthday party and I think it's about time that you did." She responded nonchalantly.
"I love you, you know."
"I love you too." She replied with a kiss. "Now, enjoy your party and gifts."
Following her statement Harry had one of the best meals that he could ever remember, though he seriously doubted it had anything to do with how it was cooked. All tiredness was forgotten as he spent the evening talking with his friends and holding his wife. He got his usual gifts from his friends; a book from Hermione about Auror training, candy from Ron and the rest of the Weasleys, prank items from the twins, and a second photo album from Remus.
Remus pulled him aside for a few minutes to explain the purpose of the album and why he hadn't received it before.
"That photo album was one that I had been working on during my stay at Hogwarts and afterwards too. I never had any friends before Hogwarts because of my disease, so I cherished the memories I had with his first real friends. After James and Lily died and Sirius went to Azkaban, I put the album in storage and never planned to look at it again.
"I found it late last year and Sirius helped me to fix it up. That was his project to help keep him sane while he wasted away here. He spent months on this thing. It had spent the better part of fifteen years locked away in a box and it was almost ruined.
"He took each picture out one at a time and repaired all of them to look as if they were taken yesterday. He told me once that it took him three weeks of searching in the library to find the charms to do it.
"After he repaired all of the pictures he made three copies of them. The original photos and the original album are the present I am giving to you now. Sirius kept one copy and he gave me the other. We were both going to give this one to you for your birthday and I think he would approve of me giving it to you even if he isn't here."
Harry looked at the aging werewolf with tears in his eyes. He tried several times to say something but no sound ever came out.
"I know pup, I know." Remus said, pulling Harry into a tight hug. "I have to take off for a while. The full moon is in a few days and I need to be somewhere safe.
"Happy birthday Harry and good luck with your training."
"Thanks Moony." Harry managed to choke out as the werewolf apparated away. Had Remus stayed any longer Harry would have noticed the tears forming in his eyes due to the fact that for the first time he could remember, Harry had called him Moony.
Everyone except Nym had gone off to bed while Harry and Remus were in the hall talking.
"Professor Dumbledore stopped by for a minute to drop this off." Nym said while tossing an envelope to her husband.
"What is it?"
"I think it's your school letter and OWL results. He gave a similar letter to Ron and Hermione."
"Why am I getting a school letter? I thought we agreed on my being an assistant professor and you would be in charge of my tutoring?"
"We did. I guess it was a force of habit to say that a school letter came with the test scores."
"Are you ready for bed Nym?"
"Yeah, I think I am." She replied trying to stifle a yawn. "I'm sorry I couldn't get you anything for your birthday. It was hard enough trying to tell people to plan a party without you knowing."
Harry just smiled at her. "You gave me more than you can ever know. And technically you gave the best present that you could have ever given anybody on their birthday."
"And what would that be Mr. Potter?"
"You gave yourself to me on our wedding night. That is something you can only give once and it means more to me than you will ever know that you gave me that gift."
Nym tried her best to hide her tears but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't stop them from falling. "I love you so much Harry. I…"
No more words were needed between the two of them as Harry led his wife upstairs to their rooms. OWL scores long forgotten.
The morning when Harry and Nym descended the stairs to join the rest of the group for breakfast, Harry was met by an extremely hyperactive house elf.
Dobby popped in just as they were sitting down for breakfast and looked fit to burst with excitement. "Master Harry Potter sir, I is coming to inform you and your pink lady that your house is being finished."
"Pink lady?" Harry asked choking back a laugh at Nym's affronted look. "Just call her Nym and call me Harry."
"I is trying Ma- Harry sir. I is not meaning to insult Miss Nym."
"I don't think you insulted her but it's easier for everyone if you just call us by our first names."
"Ok. Your house is being finished. Me, Winky and the others worked all night and the house is complete. We is even putting in the furniture and stocking the kitchens."
"Thank you for your help Dobby and tell the others that I am eternally grateful for their help as well. We will take a look at the house this evening. Can you see if Professor Dumbledore can start on the wards as soon as possible?" Dobby nodded and bowed before he popped out of the house.
"Ha-"
"Dobby and Winky asked if they could work for us and we hired them. The other elves are employees of Hogwarts and were asked if the could help get our house set up so we can have a place to live outside of here. We don't have any slaves working for us." Nym interrupted knowing all to well how Hermione would react to Dobby's appearance.
"Now, I think Harry and I need to hurry up and eat since we only have about fifteen minutes to go until we start training for the day.
"Here love," Nym said passing Harry a piece of parchment. "I wrote out a timetable for what we are going to be working on so it will be easier to keep track of the schedule."
"Thanks." Harry said as he set the timetable next to his plate. He was grateful to have a written schedule since he was sure that he would forget everything otherwise.
Harry's Training
7:00: Wake up and Shower
7:30: Eat Breakfast
8:00: Physical Training; Running, Swimming, Weight Lifting
10:30: Shower and Change Clothes
11:00: Eat Lunch
12:00: Apparition/Occlumency lessons
1:00: Advanced Charms/Transfiguration/Defense Against the Dark Arts
5:00: Dinner
Dumbledore met two very exhausted future employees of his at their new home that evening. He was a little surprised at the fact that the elves had already finished the house but he chalked it up to them wanting to satisfy their boredom during the summer months. He took a moment to admire the manor and the grounds that the new couple had chosen to make their home and he was quite impressed.
The grounds reminded him strongly of Hogwarts. There was a huge forest off to the west side of the land the came up to the edge of the lake. The lake itself wasn't as big as the one at Hogwarts but it was impressive just the same. However the most impressive part was the open grassland on the east side of the manor.
The grasslands went as far as the eye could see. It would make the perfect area to fly around on brooms or hold large family gatherings and such. The only downside he could see to the entire property is that it was going to take a massive amount of magical strength to erect the wards.
The fidelius and other wards that were specific to the actual house would be easy to place. The problem was the placing the muggle repellent wards, proximity wards, and anti-apparition and portkey wards around the entire property. He could only hope that both Harry and Nym had saved a little bit of strength to help with the wards.
Once he was finished with his musings he approached the couple who seemed ignorant to his appearance. He cleared his throat to get their attention.
Harry was startled out of his 'Nym-induced' stupor and looked towards the headmaster.
"This is a very nice place you have chosen, Mr. and Mrs. Potter."
"Thank you sir. Nym liked this one the best and who am I to argue with what a beautiful woman wants."
"Indeed, Mr. Potter. I hope that the two of you aren't too tired as I am going to require your help in setting up the wards. It happens to be a little bit larger than I thought it would be."
"We should be able to lend a hand Albus." Nym said.
"Excellent lets get this part finished and then you too can enjoy your new home."
An hour and a half later the wards were fully in place and keyed to both Harry and Nym. Only they could enter and leave the property freely. Everyone else would require their permission.
Only Harry and Nym were allowed to apparate directly to the manor everyone else had to go to an apparition point and then they would have to cross the wards to get inside the property. Harry and Nym could key in other to the wards to enter as they please but they would still have to use the apparition point.
Dumbledore made Harry the secret keeper and suggested that they not stray too far from their home until they had a good solid understanding of Occlumency to prevent somebody from gaining information as to where they lived.
Dumbledore declined the tour of the house, stating that he had some business to attend to for the Order. He invited Harry and Nym to the next Order meeting which was in a week. He was hoping that by then Harry would have made up his mind about whether or not he wanted to join the Order.
"Dobby!" Nym called out to the hyper little elf.
"Dobby is here miss."
"Could you show us around the manor please? We only had a little diagram of what it would look like so it would be nice to see the whole thing."
"Yes miss. Dobby be showing yous around your house. Follow me."
The whole bottom floor of the manor was the public portion of the house. The door opened up into the formal sitting room which was about half the size of the great hall. Everything in there was very elegant, as if you were attending to a royal family or such. All of the furniture was covered in velvet covers and all of the tables were made of hardwood. Oak to be precise.
The formal dining room was the same size as the living room and had a table for 12 made of California redwood polished to a shine. The hardwood floor was covered by an elegant rug which Dobby stated had come from the time of Merlin and was supposedly used in the castle at Camelot.
The next stop was the kitchens, even though Dobby forbade them from ever setting foot inside of them again. It was obvious that the elves at Hogwarts had helped to set everything up. It was a miniature version of the kitchens at the school.
Dobby then took them to the other side of the formal dining and living areas, and into the more comfortable living arrangements. There was a small dining room the had a table for six and more comfortable chairs as well as a smaller livening room which reminded Harry a lot of Gryffindor common room except for the colors.
Dobby pointed out that they used all blue and black colors as they were Harry and Nym's preferred color scheme.
"How?"
"It is an elf's job to know what his master and mistress likes sir. It's what we do."
"I shouldn't have even asked."
The library was the last room on the main floor. It seemed like that Potter's had a thing for reading. The library was nearly three times the size of the one at Hogwarts and Dobby had to explain why there were so many books.
"The Potters' be owning many books. No matter where the current Head of the Potter House lives the library always goes with him. Yous library didn't used to being this big. Many books came from the Black family too.
"Winky and I be bringing your things here earlier today. Wes be putting everything in the master suite.
"Is you wanting to see all of the bedrooms upstairs tonight or wait?"
"I think we will check them out tomorrow Dobby. It's been a long day." Harry answered with a yawn."
"I don't know about you, love, but this doesn't exactly feel like home yet."
"I think your right but what's missing?"
"We haven't broken it in yet."
"We can't have that, now can we?"
"Not at all love."