Chapter 14 – Diagon Alley

"This was a bloody stupid idea," Harry muttered as he scowled at his reflection in the dank mirror of Neville's room in the Leaky Cauldron (not that he would dare utter those words to Nev's face). He hadn't seen Draco since the day in the manor where the ultimatum had been given, that until Harry could face his own demons, he wouldn't be able to commit to anyone else.

Harry had spent the following week in a general grump, cursing Draco under his breath every opportunity he had. His colleagues had generally steered clear of his foul temper, and even Teddy had snapped at him once or twice. Harry had eventually been forced to accept that what really rankled him was that he knew the blonde git was right. He was angry because he simply hated facing the reality that Draco had painted for him, that until he could do something as simple as walk into the wizarding public, he couldn't possibly start facing the other – much larger – trust issues that plagued him.

Of course, Nev had chewed him out good and proper for being a dunderhead, in his own words, when Harry had ignored his owls for the week he had spent moping. His friend had eventually lost patience and found him at his usual Thursday afternoon haunt and proceeded to throw Harry's scotch back himself, before dragging the truth out of Harry bit by bit.

And so that is how he found himself here now, dressed casually in black trousers and a crimson-trimmed robe as he tried without success to wrangle his hair into some kind of order. Hannah had tentatively suggested that Harry should glamour himself in public to stop the staring, but after spending some time thinking about it, he had decided to do without. If he wanted to prove to Draco – and himself – that he could handle one of his fears, he would do so without hiding who he was from the world.

For he did want to prove himself to Draco, even if the other wizard was prepared to offer nothing more than friendship. Once Harry had been thoroughly chewed out by Neville for his pigheadedness, he was forced to recognise that a life of hiding in shadows wasn't fair to himself, Teddy or the memories of those he had loved. His family and friends hadn't died for him to remain hidden away for the rest of his life, sequestered in his own bubble of control. Harry hadn't truly lived since Ginny's death, and he needed to start somewhere.

Sighing, he decided that the man who peered back at him was the most accurate version of himself that he could present. The man in the mirror was young, but his eyes were weary and hard beyond his years. Ugly scars marred one side of his face, distorting his lips into a slight grimace and dark hair barely failed to cover the lightning scar he knew would give him away instantly.

He pressed a featherlight touch to the scar that stretched his face in a moment of vanity, flinching slightly at the numbness he felt which had never truly faded. His appearance had never concerned him previously, but he recognised that the scarring on his face was truly shocking to any who hadn't seen it. And he knew his face would be plastered all over the wizarding world by the following morning.

It wasn't until he felt a gentle tug on his robes that he turned away from the mirror. His godson was strangely subdued given his earlier excitement as he watched Harry touch his face. Teddy looked very smart in black robes with his hair a dull brown, and his love for the young boy replaced his melancholy.

Smiling his lopsided smile, Harry kneeled down to be level with Teddy. The boy reached up to flatten Harry's hair, frowning as the strands simply sprang back. He reached up to place a small hand on his undamaged cheek, laughing delightedly as Harry tried to nip his fingers.

"No Uncle Harry," he scolded as he laughed, "You aren't a dog!"

Harry merely smiled, standing to stare at his reflection one final time. Teddy's hand crept into his and squeezed. "You look handsome, Uncle Harry," he told the older wizard solemnly. "Like one of the arorors." Teddy still had trouble with saying the word auror, and Harry's smile froze on his face as the inadvertent words triggered his memories of days spent training with Ron, without a care in the world. In his dark red robes, he could have passed as an auror.

But those days were over. Ron was an auror, not him, and he had no intention of ever re-joining the force. He grinned slightly at Teddy, choosing to accept the words as the compliment they were intended to be, and took a deep breath.

"Ready?" He asked his godson. The question was rhetorical - Teddy's earlier excitement came back in full force as he began to dance on the spot, his eyes bright as he pulled Harry towards the door. Harry took another steadying breath as they descended the dimly lit staircase, preparing himself to face the wizarding world for the first time in three years.

To Harry's immense relief, the usual lunch-rush in the restaurant had yet to begin. Only a few curious stares followed Harry as he made his way towards the dingy bar, spotting Hannah currently cleaning a glass with what looked like a dirty rag. He chose not to comment as she smiled brightly at him.

"Harry!" She exclaimed, placing the glass on the bar as she reached over to give him a brief hug. "I'm so glad to see you!" Harry had discussed his plans with Neville and Hannah in advance – what she wasn't saying was that the couple had doubts Harry would be able to follow through. Harry smiled grimly at her, his lips a thin line. He hid his hands in his sleeve so that Hannah wouldn't see them shaking.

"Nev will be back in just a sec, take a seat," she encouraged, turning her lovely smile on Teddy who lit up at her attention. On Saturday mornings Nev worked a few hours at the Diagon Alley Apothecary, lending his skills with herbology to the owner there. Harry knew that his ultimate goal was to become a Professor at Hogwarts, and he was trying to gain as much experience as possible to achieve that goal.

Hannah poured Teddy a muggle coke while they waited for Nev to arrive. Harry didn't become any more relaxed as the minutes ticked by, but he did begin to peer around with the stirrings of interest. As a child living at the Dursley's he had spent many years simply watching people from the confines of his room when he was bored, and he knew that watching the mannerisms of people could tell you a lot about them.

He realised very quickly that he was the star attraction of the room and fought back the urge to race back upstairs into the safety of anonymity. Some tried to be surreptitious about their interest, glancing at him from the corner of their eyes when they thought he wasn't looking, whereas others stared blatantly at him. After catching the eyes of a middle-aged witch who was peering at him with unbridled curiosity, Harry felt his magic begin to arc in agitation. He was not some freak to be stared at like a zoo animal, and this was the exact reason he had withdrawn from the wizarding world in the first place.

Fortunately, just as he felt he couldn't possibly take it anymore, a friendly hand clamped him on the shoulder. Harry jumped, slightly startled. He hadn't even noticed Neville enter the building given how preoccupied he had been. "All right there Harry?" Neville's face had a smile, but Harry could see the tension in his shoulders – he understood too well how important this day would be to his friend.

"Yeah," he muttered, pushing his glasses back slightly. "Ready to go?" Aside from being slightly dishevelled, for the most part Neville's robes were clean and no remnants of dirt remained on his hands, so Harry assumed he had quickly washed up. Neville only nodded and Harry turned to follow him towards the back-alley entrance to Diagon Alley, ignoring the stares that followed him.

As he watched Neville tap the correct brick, Harry reflected that it had been three years he had last entered Diagon Alley, not needing to purchase any wizarding items in person since he had entered the muggle world. As the bricks peeled back and he received a glimpse of the area, his first impression was remarkably different to his reaction as a child. The wonder and magic of the place had been lost somewhere in his cynicism, and Harry was unsurprised to notice that very little had changed – the cobblestones and assortment of stores remained, ministry posters lined the brick walkways, and wizards bustled through, heedless of proximity or space.

Teddy, however, had not been to Diagon Alley since he was a baby and likely had no memories of the place. His eyes were wide with wonder, taking in the noise and colours of the various stores as they lit up the street. As he peered around in excitement, Harry knew he must have looked similar as a child on his first foray into the magical world. It brought a smile to his face, and he exchanged a knowing look with Neville.

It was then that his years of relative anonymity came crashing down.

It started with a young witch nudging her friend and pointing at Harry as he stepped into the paved street. As she caught the attention of those around her, other witches and wizards began to whisper excitedly, clamouring to get a glimpse at the elusive Boy Who Lived. Teddy drew closer to Harry with the sudden attention, reaching his hand up to curl around Harry's.

Harry straightened his shoulders and raised his chin defiantly. He had nothing to be ashamed of, he had quite literally died to save every single of these people from Voldemort and his scars were a testament to his survival. Buoyed by Neville's hand on his shoulder and Teddy's warmth next to him, he did his best to ignore the gathering crowds as he began to make his way towards his first stop – he and Teddy needed some new robes, so Madam Malkin's it was.

"Marry me Harry!"

"Potter, is it true that you and a death eater are seeing each other?"

"Over here Harry!"

The voices eventually became so loud that Harry couldn't make out the individual words. The story in the Daily Prophet covering Neville's party had been relatively tame in the morning release a week prior, and he had been pleased that his and Neville's final conversation had been private. However, the altercation between himself and Ron had been widely viewed, and Harry had known it wouldn't be difficult for a reporter to entice one of the attendees to speak.

It was with relief that he, Teddy and Nev finally escaped into the relative quiet of the clothing store. Harry glanced around as Nev closed the door firmly behind them, again unsurprised that very little had changed. Madam Malkin herself was staring in quiet fascination at him from her position behind the small wooden counter, her squat face flushing suddenly as she caught herself.

"Mr. Potter, you must excuse me," she hurried out, toddling towards them. "It has been many years since I saw you last. I am very sorry to hear about your lovely wife." The store had been one of Ginny's favourites, and she had been a regular customer until her death.

Harry inclined his head at the witch, trying not to wince at how the mauve of her outfit clashed with her gold-rimmed glasses. He mentally kicked himself at the judgement – he was beginning to sound more like the blonde git he'd recently reacquainted with.

"Thank you, Madam," Harry replied, ushering Teddy into the room further. "I promise to spend an obscene number of galleons if you ensure we aren't bothered for a few minutes." Harry had enjoyed shopping in relative anonymity even before Ginny's death, when the furore over the war was at its peak and the witch in front of him had always acquiesced to his request.

Despite the years, it seemed that Madam Malkin had a strong memory when it came to money, and Harry had always been a good customer. With a quick glance at the quiet shop, she flicked her wand to turn the "open" sign to read "closed," ignoring the obvious sounds of groaning witches filling the alley. With a bright smile, she turned to Harry and Teddy, gesturing at them to follow her as Neville made himself comfortable on a plush sofa near the entrance.

It was rather pleasant, Harry reflected as he watched Teddy twirl in a set of emerald green robes, to shop without needing to worry about hiding Teddy's magical abilities. The Madam appeared absolutely thrilled as Teddy's hair flamed green to clash horribly with the clothing, cooing over him much to his absolute pleasure. Harry merely snorted and sent Neville a dry look as the other man laughed, calling out loudly in encouragement. Teddy's abilities had been almost uncontrollable when he was younger, which was one of the reasons Harry and Teddy rarely ventured from the house in the early years.

An hour later, Harry handed over a ridiculous amount of money for new wardrobes for himself and Teddy as promised. The elderly witch merely beamed at him as she promised to have the items sent to his flat, winking as she gestured towards the hidden back entrance that Harry had used in the years previously to avoid attention. If any witches were hanging outside the storefront with hopes of seeing the elusive Harry Potter, they would be sorely disappointed.

"Let's go Teddy," Nev whispered conspiratorially to Teddy as they ducked into the narrow back alley, pulling the young boy along by his hand. "Want to get some ice-cream?"

Harry groaned as Teddy responded eagerly – Fortescue's Ice-Cream had been repaired in the years since the attack on Diagon Alley when Harry was seventeen and was one of the most popular places in the entirety of the Alley. Harry shot a filthy glare at Neville, who merely grinned back cheekily. If there was any way to ensure he'd end up in tomorrow's papers, this was it.

As they entered the back entrance of the store, Harry winced as all eyes turned to them with interest. Regretting not casting a glamour for the first time, Harry muttered his order to Nev and Teddy and slunk into the back corner to find a table for the three of them. Unfortunately, the ice-cream parlour was bright and open unlike the usual bars Harry frequented, and there was no way he could hide himself in the back corner.

Harry had turned his face to the wall when Teddy and Nev finally made their way over, Nev grasping his shoulder quickly as he passed. The hum of conversation had grown exponentially in the minutes that Teddy had debated whether he should get chocolate or strawberry flavouring, and the familiar feeling of panic began to creep into Harry's stomach. His hands grew sweaty and his breaths fast as his chest constricted, the concerned hand of his godson on his arm not enough to prevent the impending panic.

To his immense gratitude and relief, it was the appearance of a most unexpected friend that saved Harry from a public meltdown right on the spot.

"Oh Harry, it is you!"

Harry looked up from where he was studying his hands, trying to control his breathing, to see a brilliant smile gracing the pretty face of Cho Chang. Harry smiled in genuine happiness at the sight of a friendly face. Time had been kind to Cho, he noted as he studied her. Her long black hair shone under the magical lighting; her face more mature but somehow more relaxed than Harry remembered. That wouldn't be hard though – Harry had only known Cho after she had suffered loss of her own.

Cho did not wince as Harry stood to greet her, green eyes meeting her own. It was apparent that she had caught sight of his face as her face froze for a brief second. His estimation of the woman she had grown into rose a notch when she didn't so much as flinch – he doubted that as a teenager she would have been able to react so magnanimously. Without missing a beat, she reached forward and pulled him into a friendly embrace, choosing not to comment if she felt the rigidity of his own arms or his magic swirling around them both.

"It's so good to see you," she said as she pulled back, still smiling warmly. "We've missed seeing your face around here."

Harry wasn't sure how to respond but was saved from needing to do so by the timely interruption of his godson.

"Uncle Harry, who is that?" Harry smirked at Teddy's less than subtle loud whisper – the child had yet to learn the art of speaking quietly. Cho turned her smile on his godson, a laugh bubbling from her lips as Teddy's hair changed to a bright magenta as she watched on.

"This must be Teddy Lupin?" She asked questioningly, eyebrows raised. Harry nodded once, grinning at the excited boy. Cho had been a part of the Order before Remus and Tonks had fallen in the final battle and would have known of Teddy before Harry took custody of him – it was difficult to ignore the look of longing in her eyes as she stared down at the small child bouncing in his seat.

Harry sighed slightly, before beckoning at the spare chair to his left. He was rewarded with a huge smile from Neville as Cho's eyes lit up and she slid into the chair without any hesitation, leaning across to engage Teddy in conversation. Harry felt a pang in his heart as he watched his godson preen under the attention – Cho's appearance was the timely reminder he needed that not every witch or wizard was out to get him.

It was surprisingly easy to ignore the whispers and stares in the distraction of catching up with old friends. With Neville and Cho flanking either side of him, Harry felt more secure as he savoured the icy sweetness of the icecream. He learnt that Cho was dating a muggle man and was only in Diagon Alley to replenish some potions supplies – but like him, she preferred to spend her time in the relative anonymity of the muggle world. Although they didn't speak about the war, as Cho spoke about her boyfriend and escaping to the muggle world Harry recognised the haunted look to her eyes – it was the look of someone who had watched their loved ones die, and was a pain that would never truly leave those it touched.

It was Neville who eventually stood and stretched his lanky limbs, bringing an end to the unplanned catchup. Harry started as he noticed a small crowd had formed outside of the store, and sent the onlookers a fierce glare that made Cho chuckle nervously. She reached out to gently touch the back of his hand as he began to hustle Teddy out of his chair.

"It was really amazing to see you again Harry," she told him, studying him closely. Her eyes settled on the scarring of his face; her own eyes serious. "I was really sorry to hear about Ginny."

Harry grasped her hand lightly, his eyes meeting her own before she turned to leave the store. No words needed to be exchanged between them; Cho had understood exactly what he hadn't been able to say. Feeling buoyed by Neville's guiding hand on his shoulder, Harry ushered his godson out of the back entrance of the store, ignoring the excited voices that followed their escape back to the Leaky Cauldron. Although Harry hated the recognition, a small part of him was nonetheless pleased at how well the day had gone.

Harry awoke the next morning feeling oddly rested given his activities the previous day. After arriving back at the Leaky Cauldron, Nev had invited him and Teddy into his suite upstairs to celebrate the proclaimed success of the day. A drink had turned into two, and Harry and Teddy had enjoyed a wonderful dinner with Neville and Hannah before the former passed out from too many firewhisky's, and Hannah apologetically sent them home for the evening.

The silence of the house indicated that Teddy was still in bed, and Harry took advantage to simply relax into his pillows. Sleep-ins were rare with a boisterous child in the house and he wasn't wasting the opportunity to take what rest he could.

As the morning sunlight began to peek around his heavy curtains, Harry took a quick shower and dressed at a leisurely pace. Sunday was his favourite day of the week, and he and Teddy usually shared a cooked breakfast to celebrate their 'rest day' – the day they had designated each week to lay about the house and do absolutely nothing except watch movies and play games. It gave them both a much-needed break from their busy lives and also a chance to spend some uninterrupted time together.

Harry padded to his small kitchen on soft feet, unwilling to wake the still-sleeping boy. He put the kettle on in muggle fashion, staring out of his window at the clear skies vacantly as he waited for the water to boil. As much as he hated being in public, he couldn't deny that it was a relief to not feel the need to hide himself from the world any longer. It would be nice, he thought, to be able to take Teddy to buy magical supplies without crippling fear gripping him. Begrudgingly, he realised that he had Draco to thank for forcing him into taking the first, difficult step towards regaining his life.

As the kettle finished boiling and he began to make himself a cup of coffee, a sharp tapping noise almost made him spill the hot liquid. Swearing, Harry looked to the source of the noise. He didn't recognise the small tawny owl currently tapping on his window but had a strong suspicion he knew who it belonged to. Grinning wryly, he offered the bird a small piece of toast as he opened the window and pulled the letter free, frowning at the weight of the parcel the bird had been carrying. Harry moved towards his table and ripped the package open, immediately recognising Draco's cursive letters.

The note was attached to the front of the morning edition of the Daily Prophet, the sight of the absolute dishrag that Harry refused to read souring his good mood.

Draco's note simply read 'Making friends without me, Potter?'

Harry growled as he ripped open the paper, unsurprised to see his own face plastered on the front page. He had known that Fortescue's was a bad idea but was surprised that it was a photo of him embracing Cho that had captured the front page. The caption read simply SCARRED POTTER RESURFACES WITH OLD FLAME.

Harry swore, loudly, as he tore the paper in two without bothering to read whatever vitriol had been written about him. The only part of the article he had to be grateful for was that speculation of his own love life kept Teddy out of the tabloids. He hoped that Cho wasn't suffering as a result of the article – he knew how utterly atrocious the wizarding world could be towards those they believed had wronged their heroes. Not that it was any of their business in the first place.

The gentle tapping of the tawny owl against the windowpane pulled Harry out of his angry thoughts. The bird was clearly waiting for a response, and Harry didn't want to keep Draco waiting. Turning Draco's parchment over, Harry reached for a pen and wrote a single word on the back.

Fucker.

Satisfied with his one-word response, Harry tied the parchment to the leg of the owl once more. It stared at him reproachfully as if understanding what he had written, before taking off in the morning sunlight. Harry watched it go, sighing as his anger began to ebb. It wasn't unexpected that the Prophet would write about him, but the gossip and mistruths annoyed him just as much now as they had when he was a teenager.

"Uncle Harry, why are you saying bad words?"

Harry turned to face his bleary-eyed godson who was clutching a stuffed teddy in his arms. Smiling at the sleep-addled boy, Harry reached out to wrap his arms around him. Lifting him to sit on the kitchen bench as was their usual routine, Harry explained to Teddy as he reached into the refrigerator for eggs about newspapers and how they wrote bad things about people. Teddy merely listened quietly, eyes watching Harry as he moved about preparing their breakfast.

It was as Harry was placing fried bacon on Teddy's plate that the tawny owl returned, nipping Harry's fingers as he went to take the single piece of crisp parchment. Harry winced as Teddy laughed in delight – he'd probably be annoyed if he had to make four trips in a morning as well. Pausing only to snatch a piece of bacon from Teddy's fingers, the bird took off for a final time without waiting for a response.

Harry soon knew why, when he opened the parchment to a single four-letter word which was too rude for Teddy's eyes. Chuckling to himself, Harry vanished the paper with a wordless spell, feeling a faint flush of happiness replace the anger that still simmered in his stomach. Of all the challenges life threw at him, it was a certainty that Draco Malfoy would always be an arrogant prat.