-==0==-
The good thing about having your own house was that when you woke up screaming, nobody complains.
...
Harry got up and got dressed. Gardening helped.
He opened the bedroom door and it fell off again. He sighed, propped the door up ,and used a 'reparo' to mount it into the frame again.
...
He went downstairs to the bathroom turned the tap on and splashed some water on his face. When he went to turn the tap off the handle broke off in his hand. He cast another repair spell.
...
Harry was cleaning up the left boundary fence when someone over the fence said "The paddock behind the trees is yours too, you know."
Harry stood on tiptoe and looked over the fence. A short, old woman looked up at him.
"Harry Potter" he said.
"Oh, figures" said the old lady "Dorothea Evers. I remember your parents moving in." she smiled.
"Your father was a very silly man."
"Silly"
"Followed your mother around like a lovesick puppy"
Harry chuckled.
"I don't know where they went when you were delivered" said Dorothea.
"Hospital" said Harry.
"Then only a year so so later, the explosion, the terrorists. Was it the IRA?" she asked.
"I can't say" said Harry.
"So you've come home… the house is looking well".
"It has it's moments" said Harry.
"So what do you do?"
"I was in the police" said Harry. "I just quit the other day"
"You quit" said Dorothea. Harry lowered himself, and hastily conjured a box to stand on.
"I was in special branch" said Harry "It wasn't for me."
"Oh… I see. Whatever will you do now?"
"Well, garden." said Harry "My godfather left me enough"
"One of your fathers noisy friends?"
"The one with the motorbike" said Harry.
"That one… I swear I caught him peeping in my windows" said Dorothea.
Harry sighed. That did sound like Sirius Black.
"How did you get here?" asked Dorothea.
"Motorbike" said Harry.
"Well I never. You really should get a good stout shed." said Dorothea.
"Well, I just had a bad experience with a builder" said Harry honestly.
"Well, my brothers cousins boy Daffyd does good work." said Dorothea.
"Of, I guess I should do something. Officer Dan did say so" said Harry.
"Oh that Dan Llewellyn. He was such a little scamp" said Dorothea.
"Well I was no angel either" said Harry.
"I saw you when your parents got back with you. You were so a little angel" said Dorothea.
Harry felt uncomfortable and looked about.
"Well, you be getting on with your gardening, and I'll send Daffyd around some time."
"I suppose I should get a phone" said Harry.
"Don't bother" said Dorothea. "Bit of peace and quiet is what you need"
...
Harry got off his box and packed everything away, locked his house and made his way through the back treeline to the paddock beyond. It was really overgrown; but at either end, a few tall sticks stood. Quidditch. Dad had made a quidditch pitch in the back paddock. Of course he had. He pressed through the bushes and felt the tickling sensation of magical defences. The pitch had some thing; probably a muggle ignoring spell on it. From inside the protections, the quidditch hoop poles were still there, still broken and weathered. The paddock was overgrown to the height of a house, untended. More to chop down and mulch.
...
He walked to the far end of the paddock and apparated away.
Andromeda Tonks was surprised to see him.
...
"The motorbike? Your giant friend took it away a few months ago" she said. "Have you got time to see Teddy?"
Harry played with toddler Teddy for hours.
"Harry, where are you living?" asked Andromeda.
"Godrics Hollow. A new house, looks like the old one" said Harry.
"So not Grimmauld place"
"I… its awful" said Harry.
Andromeda pursed her lips "Aunty Walburga made it worse, but it was always awful. Is your new house on the floo?"
"No, No telephone either" admitted Harry.
Andromeda laughed "Well done you." she said. "Nice and quiet"
"I.. I'd like to sell Grimmauld place"
"Well, I won't stop you. Though you will need to keep many of the Black family things."
"You don't think I should keep it for Teddy?"
"I spent years there Harry, it's an evil evil place" said Andromeda "Put all the things in storage in your vault, if you'd like."
"Well, How about you help me, and I'll babysit Teddy."
Andromeda's lips twitched "An acceptable deal. You start by changing a nappy."
...
Weeks passed. Teddys bottom continued to make smells so terrible… but scourgify fixed it.
Teddy was actually fun to play with, Harry thought. The bubblehead charm wasn't so hard.
...
On a Friday, Daffyd the builder turns up while Harry's eating breakfast. He's in wellingtons and overalls, with a big belly. His builders lorry is large, blue and loaded with wood and tools.
Daffyd looks at Harry's house and then asks "So, you need a shed?"
"Big enough for a couple of motorbikes" said Harry.
"And a car?"
"Oh I suppose one day" said Harry.
"You'd do better keeping your firewood in the shed too. It'll dry better" said Daffyd. "Good chainsaw you've got. Nice clean cuts"
"So, how much?"
"Call it twelve thousand pounds" said Daffyd. "I just made a garage for Smith up the valley, and I can make you the same."
"Okay" said Harry. "I'll get you the money Monday, this time's good; so Tuesday"
Daffyd nods "Your builder for your house was a bit of a berk"
Harry nods "I gave up. Every time he fixes something, it just gets worse"
"You can handle it?"
"Oh I've got good at doors falling off" said Harry. "And leaking taps"
"My houses do neither" said Daffy proudly.
"Well I was just back here a few weeks, and I saw an ad in the paper" said Harry. "Now I know better"
"Still you're a bit trusting"
"I'm local, you're local" said Harry "My family have lived in Godrics Hollow for along time"
"Well Harry Potter, I'll see you Tuesday morning" said Daffyd, getting back into his truck and driving off.
...
That Saturday, Harry and Andromeda packed Black china, silverware and paintings into trunks, and vanished rubbish.
Finally, weeks later as Grimmauld palace began to look furnished but uninhabited, Andromeda asked "Weren't you training to be an Auror?"
"I can't stand it." admitted Harry, "Nightmares" he said simply.
"Well, Sirius would want you to be happy." said Andromeda.
"I like gardening" said Harry "And looking after Teddy"
"Did you have a girlfriend Harry, before the war?" asked Andromeda. "There was some stuff in the Prophet, but you can't believe what you read"
"I um.. Ginny Weasley, the youngest Weasley" said Harry. "But I… since I had to attend a domestic, and then we got attacked. I can't … I can't … I can't stand the noise"
"You're fine with Teddy"
"Teddy's the best child. The Weasleys are a big loud family. I… I don't feel comfortable around people much these days" said Harry.
"Look how candid you can be" said Andromeda.
"Changing hundreds of dirty nappies is a bonding experience" said Harry wryly.
"Well, Harry, I'm sure you'll find someone. You're young, no need to hurry"
"You write off the Weasleys, just like that?" asked Harry.
"Well she's not helping you, so you can live without her" said Andromeda simply and harshly.
"They were like a family to me" said Harry.
"And we two are your family" said Andromeda simply "You've got time on your hands, and you babysit Teddy very well."
"So?" asked Harry.
"So I'm going back to work, and you're looking after Teddy." said Andromeda. "So have you got something to do Sunday?"
"I was thinking of going to watch Appleby vs Puddlemere." said Harry.
"Because?"
"Puddlemere are my team" said Harry. "I watched Puddlemere vs Appleby and it was a great game, and afterwards, the Puddlemere players and Appleby players had a few drinks and lunch. I wish school quidditch was like that"
"What?" asked Andromeda.
"At least for Griffindor versus Slytherin it was always a grudge match" said Harry "Would never have dreamed of having a drink and an friendly chat with the enemy"
"Yes, Griffindors were awful" said Andromeda.
Harry froze "What?"
"Yes, Griffindors were awful" said Andromeda, again. "Bunch of loud mouthed braggarts, always breaking the rules"
"I was a Griffindor" said Harry.
Andromeda looked at Harry "Well, there are obviously exceptions. Teddy's father was as well. And Teddy approves of you"
...
Harry apparated to Appleby carefully on Sunday, and crossed the road to the hidden park.
He paid the ticket collector two sickles, and walked casually over to the pitch. A couple of tents were set up for players changing rooms. Harry bought a battered something on a stick and ate it, standing roughly on the sidelines, waiting for the game.
It was all pretty low-key, Harry realised. Appleby were the local team, but the team didn't make big money, and everyone had day jobs. He was hoping to see Pritchard's spectacular keeping again.. even though he was on the other team.
Harry finished the thing on a stick, and vanished the stick. He stood, hands in his coat pockets, waiting for the game.
There were a few people in Puddlemere's dark blue standing around.
Harry waited, and wondered about getting something from the other food cart. They sold paper cones of sugared nuts, it turned out. With cinnamon and sugar. They were made hot, and they were good. Harry re-twisted the top of his cone and cast a warming charm in it. He got enough practice with Teddy's food.
He stood there, holding sugared nuts, black knit hat pulled down over his ears; it was still a bit cold. The day could have been less cloudy.
More people turned up for the match, a real mixture of people, mostly with a light blue scarf or hat.
Old people in chairs, mums, small children. It was, Harry mused a short walk to the pitch, and a pretty good day out.
...
The actual match was fabulous, and funny. The Appleby locals called out to their team. Pritchard started somewhat nervously, but after half an hour was playing brilliantly. Harry felt like paying more to the ticket keeper; this was brilliant quidditch.
The crowd had filled up around Harry, who was cheering all the good goals now, not caring who scored them. There was a break after an hour, and Harry went over to the ticket collector and gave him a couple of galleons. "Brilliant play today" said Harry. The man looked confused. "It's worth it" said Harry.
He made his way back to the pitch and completely accidentally found himself being jostled by a group of witches holding poles. Harry looked up. Seven silver arrows. He laughed.
"What chu laughing for" said someone.
"I'm watching great quidditch" said Harry, watching.
"Are you going to eat those" said a woman near Harry.
"The nuts" they repeated.
"Oh help yourself" said Harry, absentmindedly moving his cone of nuts over.
"My hands are full"
Harry looked over and one of the seven pole-holders was talking to him. They had dark hair, under their woolly hat.
Harry undid the top of the nuts and picked out some nuts.
"Ew, levitate them" they said.
Harry took his wand and used a charm for feeding teddy to put some sugared nuts in the mouth of the girl.
"Ta" they mumbled.
"Oy, specks, feed us" said another woman. Harry absent-mindedly used the feeding charm six more times.
"Didn't want them" mumbled one of the girls around some nuts.
Harry was busy watching the game. Puddlemere's seeker tried a feint, and then the Appleby seeker took off. "That's it, he's got it" said Harry certainly.
"And Appleby win!" yelled the announcer.
The seven Appleby fans next Harry yelled and waved their arrows around.
"Brilliant game" said Harry loudly, watching the players exchanging high-fives in midair.
"Well, once we've put these away in the club shed, we're off to the pub" said the woman next to Harry.
Harry nodded absentmindedly, enjoying the party the post-game celebrations was turning into.
He idled over to the pub, which looked to be magically expanded now. Harry sighed, there probably weren't any muggles around right now, and he wasn't an Auror anymore either.
He sat down at a long bench table and, holding his mostly empty paper cone of nuts in one hand.
"Oy, nuts bloke" said someone.
Harry looked around "Here's your cider" said a woman and put a mug in front of Harry.
Seven people.. women in woolly hats sat down, holding ciders.
"Brilliant game" said one. Harry took a pull of cider, and nodded "Brilliant" he agreed.
Harry unrolled his paper cone and put it on the table, and various hands, mostly thin pale women's hands, picked at the remaining nuts.
Harry sat back and lazily listened to the play by play. He wasn't really looking at anything except peoples hands as they acted out the match. His glasses might be teensiest bit dirty and fogged up too.
"Oy nut guy?" said someone.
Harry looked over; the talkey one "Yes"
"You eating?" they asked.
"What's good?" asked Harry.
"Not the fish and chips. The shepherds pie is okay" said Talkey, who took off her hat, letting out shoulder length wavy brown hair. She had hazel eyes. "You should go order; it's going to take ages today"
Harry to up and went to the bar, and ordered shepherds pie, and a couple of packets of crisps. He took the crisps back to the table, and opened out flat, either side of the nuts.
"He caters" said someone, with a giggle.
Harry was warming up and took off his hat.
"Blimey" said someone. "It's Harry Potter" said a woman nearby. Harry took his glasses off and self -consciously cleaned them.
Harry put his glasses back on, and say clearly now that the women he was sitting with were all roughly his age. He was sure he recognised the dark haired one, and the blonde one, who were looking a bit surprised. From the last Puddlemere-Appleby game. "I came for Puddlemere, but frankly the whole game was so good. I stayed for the sportsmanship" said Harry.
The women looked a bit nervous "Well, and the chance to feed pretty young women" he said.
Talkey laughed. "With a baby feeding spell" she said.
"I'm a childcare worker" said Harry "I use the spell I know"
Apparently this was somehow ridiculous and several women giggled "You're an Auror, everyone knows that"
"I quit that, now I look after my godson." said Harry. "And gardening. But enough about me. Lets talk quidditch match"
Talkey and Blondie both burst out laughing, followed by dark haired one, and then the rest followed.
The afternoon was spent eating shepherds pie, not asking people their names and joining the larger group re-eneactemt of the match they'd just watched.
As Harry stated to think about going home, someone asked Harry; who was feeling a bit fuzzy frankly, "Why'd you come to the match"
"Well, to support Puddlemere, but I'm thinking about changing my allegiance to the Arrows" said Harry honestly. "Pritchard's brilliant, and the Arrows fans are better looking" said Harry.
Shocked silence from the women. "Smooth. Potter can be smooth. Who would have ever guessed" said Blondie.
"See ya Blondie" said Harry, and got up to go visit the gents. Blondie blushed and hid her face.
"And Potter shoots, he scores" said Talkey. Blondie burst out laughing.
Harry looked in the mirror in the bathroom and thought..' I'm going to have to apparate home. Got to drink less.'
Harry sat back down, and put his hand over his mug "I've got to… Drive home" he said.
"You could take the bus" suggested someone.
"Half drunk?" Asked Harry "Sounds terrible"
Blondie's real name was Daphne, Darkie was Tory, Talkie was Tracey; not-talky next to Tracey was Lilith and Harry had a vague idea he should know these witches. Millie, Sally and Denise rounded out the set of people Harry didn't know. Harry had some more crisps, drank a pint of lemonade, and relaxed.
"Well I've got childcare Monday, so I'll have to go" said Harry.
"You're an Auror" said Blondie.
"I assure you… Daphne. I will be changing my godson's nappy tomorrow" said Harry, picking up his hat.
"Good afternoon, Potter" said Daphne.
"We're mates, call me Harry" said Harry.
"Are you sober enough to Drive home" asked Daphne.
"Pretty sure" said Harry. "I stopped ciders almost two hours ago"
"Well I'm back home to Godrics Hollow" said Harry.
The witches all went quiet.
"It's a different house" said Harry, waving a hand dismissively. "The old one was all rotten"
"Good Afternoon Harry" said Tracey.
"Yeah it was wasn't it" said Harry, leaving with chuckle.
"He's got form" said Millie as Harry left the pub.
-==0==-
Harry apparated over to Andromeda and Teddy's house on Monday and looked after Teddy all day.
Teddy's room now had a green and silver banner. Andromeda flooed off.
...
Teddy's growing, his pooping more defined. Teddy's hair is staying green a lot.
...
Puddlemere have a game on Saturday, but Harry decided to go and cut down saplings he missed the first time on the quidditch pitch instead. It's nowhere near clear.
…
A fortnight later, Appleby have an away game and Harry buys a ticket. He has to admit to himself he's changed team allegiance. He draws the line at wearing team colours, or having any team memorabilia in his house. He will be a quiet traitor to the team he idly supported since fifth year.
It's still early when Harry enters the Montrose stadium and pays five sickles.
He walks the vomitorium to the stands and looks about. There aren't many fans around, of any strip, so Harry goes past the food stall and buys battered something. He bites in and discovers it's salmon. It's… rather good. It's dangerously close to proper food, apart from being battered, on a stick.
Harry checks out the other stalls, looking for snacks to feed to… people he might meet.
Harry finds a few Appleby supporters, not no sign of the ridiculous arrows. He stands around, waiting for the game to start.
He gets elbowed later "Oy pillock. If we knew you were coming we'd have got you to bring the arrows" says Tracey in a knit hat.
"Sorry, I only admitted I'd changed teams today" said Harry.
"See, Potter plays for the other team now" said Tracy, and two other women groaned "Tracey!"
"He gives a straight line like that… what can I say" said Tracey.
"You could be nice" said.. probably Daphne. Harry turned his head. Yeah. Blonde hair under hat… very blue eyes.
"I just said he could have carried the Arrows or the poles"
"Oh, well yeah I'd know to go to Appleby to pick up arrows and poles" said Harry.
"See… he knew and didn't do it" said Tracey, laughing.
"Why'd yo switch?" asked Tory.
"Partly that the Arrows are such good sports… partly Pritchard. He's keeping fantastically." said Harry.
"See, told you, Potter plays for the other team" said Tracey.
"Didn't he date the she-weasel" said Tory
"Proves little" sniggered Tracey.
"Tracey, play nice. You might hurt his feelings" said Daphne, who seemed the polite one.
"Am I hurting your feelings?" asked Tracey.
"Are you getting snacks fed to you?" asked Harry.
"ohhh." said Tory. "Cobbing by Potter"
"Was not" said Harry.
"What've you got anyway?" asked Tracey.
"Some ordinary nuts" said Harry. "Though I did like the battered salmon on a stick"
"Well, got get three" said Daphne.
"wot" joked Harry.
"Salmon. Go fetch it" said Tory.
"Bloody witches" said Harry, going to get four salmon on a sticks.
The match has nearly started by the time he gets back to where he was standing and the witches have the poles and attached Arrow in the air.
Harry tries lifting a battered salmon on a stick using the feeding charm, but it's too heavy.
He settles for holding the fish where Tracey can bite it.
She takes a bite and chews, the swallows "Oh. That's better than battered sos" she says.
Tory butts in "hey, feed me", and Harry ends up holding sticks to his left and right as two witches snack. "I'll put a warming charm on the other two" says Harry.
"You'd better" says Daphne. "Just because I get served last. Why anyway?"
"Tracey complained first" said Harry, watching the Magpies warm-up exercises. The Arrows get on the pitch and start their warm up too. Harry tries to see if Pritchard's on form or not.
The game's running fifty to twenty, with the Magpies chasers seizing possession of the quaffle often, when one of the Magpies beaters hits a bludger that strikes an Arrows chaser on the arm. The chaser is visibly injured, tucking their arm into their robes.
"Ouch" said Harry. "That hurts"
"Can he really keep flying?" asked Tory.
"Yeah, it's a bugger though" said Harry offhandedly.
"Harry's flown one armed before" said Daphne.
"School quidditch isn't like league" said Harry. "This is miles harder."
"Says the youngest seeker in a hundred years" said Tracey.
"Not my fault Quidditch is in my blood. Dad had me on a kiddie broom before I could really walk" said Harry. "And built a pitch in the back paddock"
"How do you know?" asked Daphne, sounding shocked.
"Photo" said Harry, not taking his eyes off the injured chaser.
...
"Why don't you try out for a league position" said Tracey
"I have a job. I look after my godson, Teddy Lupin" said Harry. "Nappies aren't going to change themselves.
"Please, we're eating" said Tory.
"Because I'm shouting you snacks" said Harry.
"Oy, Tracey and Tory are done. Get over here and feed me" said Daphne.
Harry looked around and truly, the two sticks were bare. Harry put all the sticks in one hand, flicked his wand out of his auror-issue wrist holster and vanished the used sticks. Then he warming charmed the two battered salmons. He jostled around the other Appleby fans, and held a battered salmon where Daphne could lean forward sightly and bite it. She did, and Harry watched pink lips and white teeth biting battered salmon. She chewed thoughtfully, then groaned happily "That's so good" she said.
"Help yourself" said Harry, starting on his second.
Harry glanced over and saw pink feminine lips devouring battered fish. It was… somewhat erotic.
Harry concentrated on watching the game.
...
Appleby were losing, so they called time out and replaced Pete with Steve, and Pete went to to get some broken bones repaired.
…
Appleby lost anyway.. though it was a close game. Steve wasn't as good as Pete, but Pete only had one working arm.
Pritchard had flashes of that brilliant play. Harry sympathised. One really good match and expectations were up sky high, two and they were fierce.
"Don't forget, we're off to the pub" said Tory.
"At Appleby?" asked Harry.
"Apparate" said Tory. "We've got to go drop these off"
With a chorus of cracks, the witches, poles and all apparated away.
Apparation, two packets of crisps, and a pint of cider later, Harry's sitting down.
The three witches turn up a bit later
"You bought cider" said Tracey.
"Well, buy my lunch" said Harry.
"And now he's on a lunch date" said Daphne, paying for three ciders and some lunch with pound notes.
Harry batted his eyelashes.
The rest of the fans dribbled in over the next half hour and started dissecting the game in good cheer.
Harry ate shepherds pie again happily.
"Can you not cook?" asked Tory.
"I can cook, but on my own it's a pain" said Harry. "Weekdays I do dinner for three at my godson's house"
"He cooks. He cleans, he does nappies" said Tracy "The Prophet gets a hold of this and you'll be mobbed."
"We saw him first" said Tory. "He feeds us at matches, and caters at the pub"
"Thank you ladies" said Harry, stretching and ignoring everything except quidditch discussion.
"He's Daphne's" said Tracey "Tory's got the ferret, Blaise and I have a thing going on"
"You can't say that" said Daphne, covering her face with her hands.
"Ferret?" asked Harry, not really paying attention to these witches as a middle aged wizards discussed the two team's chaser's differing strategies. It was interesting.
"Malfoy. She likes Malfoy" said Tracy.
"Why doesn't he come to the matches?" asked Harry.
"He's still under house arrest" said Tracey.
"Should've backed the right team from the start next time" said Harry.
"Oooh. Yule would be a riot." said Tracey. Daphne groaned, head down, face covered.
Tory was sitting to Harry's left, so he had to turn to see her. She was looking a tiny bit embarrassed, but mostly proud.
"He's a dick" said Harry to Tory.
"He's lovely" said Tory.
"She's delusional" said Daphne through her hands.
"Cheer up blondie" said Harry. "Tracey's just giving you shit. Why do you put up with it?"
"Tracey's my best friend." said Daphne, un-hunching and uncovering her pink face.
"What happened to Parkinson" asked Harry.
"Went to America" said Tracey. "Everyone remembers her little speech", and sipped cider.
"Yeah it wasn't well chosen" said Harry.
Tracey spat cider on the table.
"Wow. Making Tracey spit, like flint" said Tory, and Tracey went red.
"Tory, no!" said Daphne, blushing "She can be a real menace" explained Daphne.
"Well with everyone expecting me to be reclusive Greengrass girl number two, I had to be different" said Tori.
"Greengrass… you're Daphne Greengrass from Hogwarts"
"See, he did know you existed" said Tracey.
"Shut up Tracey" said Daphne
"Yes your queeniness" said Tracey.
Daphne poked Tracey.
"What?" asked Harry.
"Someone's middle name is Queenie" said Tracey, laughing.
Harry felt sudden pity "Oh, I'm so sorry" said Harry. "That's… as bad as Ron's"
"Rons?" asked Tory curiously.
"Weasley King" explained Daphne, looking very embarrassed.
"What's his middle name then" asked Tracey.
Harry snorted "Bilius" he said.
The three witches descended into gales of laughter.
"I mean, Daphne's got cachet, and Greengrass has style.. but Queenie.. it's.. it's awful" said Harry.
Daphne looked quite flustered.
"Potter scores again" said Tracey, eyeing her flustered friend. "Looks like he'll catch the.." At this point, Daphne viciously elbowed Tracey.
Tory, who was still giggly, laughed again.
Harry turned to Tory "are they always like this?"
"Only with some cider or at home" said Tory, and she snorted again. Daphne crossed her arms and glared at Tracey.
"Potter, Daphne would like dinner tomorrow" said Tracey, giggling.
"Uh.. oh I suppose can do dinner, I'm at the Weasleys for lunch most Sundays. They're kind-of my adopted family"
"What about your godson?"
"Oh Andy and Teddy floo over too" said Harry.
"Andy?"
"Andromeda Tonks, Teddy's grandmother" said Harry.
"Who are they?" asked Daphne.
"Andromeda was a Black, and married Ted Tonks. Ted and Teddies parents all died in the war" said Harry, feeling a bit teary.
"A Black?" asked Tracey.
"Yeah, I was Sirius's godson, and Teddy's mine." said Harry "I inherited everything from Sirius"
"Sirius Black.. the murderer?" asked Tracey. Daphne had gone white and silent.
"Sirius Black.. the man who went to Azkaban without a trial. He killed and betrayed nobody" said Harry. "He died protecting me from my own stupidity"
"You inherited the Black estate?" asked Daphne.
"Yeah" said Harry "Packed it all up at Gringotts, and I'm selling the last house. Know anyone who wants a depressingly dark London Townhouse"
"There you go" said Tracey to Daphne "He's even got a big fat inheritance"
"Well I could do dinner Sunday" said Harry "But it'd have to be something simple, I don't get back from the Weasleys till two or three, so beef wellington's probably out. I could do a simple roast, or maybe a quiche"
"Quiche" said Tory. "Otherwise you'd have two roasts in one day, you pig."
"How many for?" asked Harry.
"Three" said Tracey brightly.
"At Seven" said Harry. "Everyone knows where it is, you can bring Zabini if you want, one more is no big deal"
"Have you even got furniture?" asked Tracey.
"Yeah… and a trunk full of silverware" said Harry. "Black crests all over it.. I don't have a very big dining table… though I think it expands"
"You think" said Daphne curiously.
"I salvaged stuff from my parents house" said Harry "I've never needed to expand it"
"Chairs?" asked Daphne
"Are you a witch or what?" asked Harry.
"Oooh. A hit" said Tory.
…
Harry apparated home, then got changed and apparated to Cardiff, and went to Ikea; one trolley load of furniture later and Harry was four hundred pounds poorer.
He shrank the lot in an out-of-the way corner of the carpark and apparated home.
He un-shrank the parcels and realised he might have bought more than he really needed.
And he had no idea how to put anything together; so he apparated to the Burrow
"Hermione, Ron, can you come help me?" asked Harry. Hermione and Ron were ensconced on a couch, under a rug, Hermione was reading and Ron was looking at a quidditch magazine.
"I've got a bunch of um.. Ikea furniture to put together." said Harry.
Minutes later, Ron, Hermione and Mr Weasley were in Harry's living room.
Hermione opened a chair packet and found the instructions.
Hours later, they had some chairs together
"Why'd you buy all this stuff?" asked Ron.
"I went to get chairs...and kind of ended up buying more" said Harry.
Mr Weasley was unpacking cartons, piling up parts "Totally fascinating" he said.
Hermione unpacked another chair and looked thoughtfully at all the pieces.
She held the instructions in one hand, hew wand in the other and cast "Reparo".
The chair assembled itself.
"Oh very well done" said Mr Weasley. "We can save a lot of time"
A chorus of Reparos later and Harry had a decent dining table, eight chairs, some bookshelves, and some small modular shelves.
"I'm not entirely sure what those are for" admitted Harry.
"I think… you just put them in a room and then.. put things on them as you feel fit" said Hermione.
...
"Mental. You're all mental" said Ron.
"Oh, and they had these Swedish meatballs" said Harry "There's a box in the kitchen"
Ron walked off.
"These are gud" yelled Ron from the kitchen.
"He's already had lunch" said Hermione.
"Well, you'll have to take him for a walk" said Harry.
"Are you okay?" asked Hermione. "We never see you"
"I'm.. looking after Teddy weekdays, cooking dinner for Andy and Teddy most weekends. I garden"
"And who's coming to visit?"
"Quidditch buddies. We watch the game, go to the pub, discuss it endlessly, eat crisps and cider."
"Without Ron" said Hermione.
"Well.. the whole Auror thing… it's not me" said Harry. "Childcare, that's me"
Hermione giggled. "Harry Potter, the man who raised Teddy."
"So many nappies" said Harry. "I learnt the bubble-head charm."
Mr Weasley laughed "Oh.. that's hilarious. Most parents just… get used to it"
"I can do magic. Bubblehead charm, scourgify. Done."
"As long as Andromeda's Happy, you do things your way" said Mr Weasley. "You are coming for lunch Sunday?"
"Yeah, they're coming at seven for quiche"
"Quidditch fans eating quiche. Well, takes all kinds" said Mr Weasley.
"Are they going to be… rowdy" asked Hermione.
"I don't expect so. There's… four of them coming over. Should just be supper and a few laughs. Hmm, maybe I should supply some booze"
"Harry, not too much, or they'll get rowdy" said Hermione.
After his helpers left, Harry apparated to Grimmauld place and asked Kreacher for wine.
"We have none, Master" croaked Kreacher.
"Well, can you go get some?" asked Harry. "I'm having a small party tomorrow night, and there will be six people."
"Not here" croaked Kreacher glumly.
"No, Kreacher. I dislike this place immensely" said Harry. "I'm going to sell it"
"Master will call Kreacher, Kreacher will bring wine" croaked Kreacher.
Harry apparated home to his living room from the front steps of Grimmauld place.
"Kreacher" Harry called. Kreacher appeared in Harry's living room "Master"
"This is my house now" said Harry.
"Muggle rubbish" croaked Kreacher, touching the Ikea table.
Harry went to sleep in his bed. He even had a bookcase and a side-table thingy now.