Chapter 4
Harry spent the majority of the day just exploring the manor, and familiarizing himself with everything. To be honest he was truly just avoiding his two guardians, Sirius in particular. He felt so betrayed when he thought about what happened in the car.
Why didn't Sirius believe him? Had he ever given him the impression that he had been lying? Why the heck would he lie about needing the toilet anyway? He shook his head, unable to answer those questions but not brave enough to ask the man himself. He stayed away even for lunch, ignoring the grumbling in his stomach.
He figured if he got truly starving he could just call Jilly right? After all she was his elf, but to be honest even if he was hungry, food didn't sound so good to him at the moment. He didn't want to eat yet. He hurried to his room, and grabbed his Firebolt, he always felt so much better when he was in the air.
A good fly was definitely what he needed and he planned on getting it. Unsure just where Remus and Sirius were in the manor, he stealthy made his way out of his room and the down the steps. He was nearly to the door when he saw his godfather poke his head into the kitchen and he froze his eyes wide in fear.
"Hey kiddo, where you going?" Sirius asked quietly, though he saw the broom, it didnt take a genius to guess.
"To fly," Harry replied warily.
"I would really like it, if you would ask to do things. I'm your godfather and I really don't want to worry so much about you," he told him seriously.
"Oh," the teen replied slowly before he nodding. That was a reasonable request, parents did that to their children he could get that. "Okay, can I go flying?"
"Yes you can, but before you do. I think you and I need to talk," he told the boy gently, gesturing for him to take a seat at the table.
"Why do we have to talk?" Harry asked with a sigh, he wanted to avoid this.
"I think you know why. I'm really sorry about what happened earlier. I really did think you were making joke," Sirius told him sadly.
"But I wasn't, I don't joke about stuff like that," Harry said softly.
"Well I know that now, but I didn't think. And I never meant for you to have an accident," he continued.
"Alright," Harry said softly as he thought that over. His godfather did sound sad, and he truly didn't know. "I forgive you," he said.
"Good, I don't want us to be at odds," he said cheerfully as he stood up. "Jilly said you didn't eat lunch, I would really like it as well if you didn't skip meals,"
Harry nodded slowly, his godfather sounded so responsible it was just weird to here. In honesty he was expecting this from Remus, and he stifled a grin knowing that the man had probably told Sirius what to say.
"Okay, I wont skip meals anymore," he promised as he stood up and headed for the back door.
Sirius cleared his throat and looked pointedly at his godson. "Eat a sandwich and then you can go out flying," he said quietly.
Harry sighed and grabbed the item off the plate that was sitting conveniently on the table, and shook his head and quickly made his way to the backyard. In his hunger he quickly devoured the sandwich before he finally took to the sky.
Meanwhile back in the house, Sirius was having a discussion with Remus, about how exactly they were planning on spending their summer. He was also discussing at lengths to the man that he wanted no part in having to discipline Harry. Merlin he hoped it wouldn't come to it, because he didn't think he would be able to handle it. Remus though he gave him a pinched look, didn't say anything to to that, so he was hoping that meant he didn't have to be the bad guy to Harry.
He turned to look out the window, watching the child fly. Harry really did have Jame's talent on a broom and Sirius couldn't wait until he too got a new broom so he could go out and fly with him. He shook his head, and turned back to the talk, knowing it was nearly finished.
It was 3 hours later when Sirius found himself at the backdoor, calling Harry in for dinner. Everything smelled wonderful and he noted that the flying had done the boy some good, his cheeks were a bright rosy red.
"Go wash up, and we'll eat," Sirius told him as he ruffled his hair as he passed.
"Okay," Harry chirped, obviously in a good mood, and starving as it had been a while since he had eaten the sandwich. He quickly washed his hands and hurried back out into the kitchen and took a seat at the table.
His stomach growled audibly as he took in the pasta dishes on the table, he didn't know what to choose from. The house elves always went overboard with food and tonight he was really glad, he felt like he was starving. Once Remus and Sirius had picked up the forks and started eating Harry quickly followed suit. He was eating slowly not wanting to upset his stomach.
Though he wasn't at the Durselys this year, his body was still conditioned and at the beginning of the summer it tended to not get fed so it conserved his energy. Now that he was eating properly he didn't want to eat to fast knowing if he did that, he would get sick. He was so into his food, he never noticed the curious glances his two guardians were giving him. If he did, he would have been slightly worried, but as he didn't see them, he wasnt.
Once he finished with his dinner, and dessert to his utter delight he felt stuffed and happy. He could truly get used to this feeling. Grinning like a loon he hurried up the steps to his room and got his things to get ready for a shower. He glanced in his trunk and frowned as he looked at his 'clothes'. Dudley's hand me downs had clearly seen better days.
Which was why he was so happy that he had raided the lost and found at Hogwarts, it was amazing the kinds of things the kids there lost. He would take care of his things. As it was, he had only one set of decent pajamas and that was curtsey of Mrs. Weasely as they were much to small for Ron, and they fit Harry perfectly. He loved them and he hurried into the bathroom to wash up and get ready for bed. After showering and making good use of the toilet he hurried to his room, surprised to find his godfather sitting on his bed.
"Hi Sirius," he said a bit shyly as he tucked his clothes back in his trunk.
"Hey kiddo, just came to wish you goodnight," he said easily as he quickly got the boy tucked in under the covers.
"Really?" Harry asked eagerly, he had never had this done, well not that he could remember anyway.
"Yes really, Remus wanted to as well, but we weren't sure you would take too kindly to both of us, so he'll tuck you in tomorrow," he told him easily.
"I don't mind," Harry said softly. And truly he didn't, he had missed out, so naturally he craved things like this.
"Good to know," Sirius said as he ruffled his hair. "Do you mind if I read you a story then?" He asked totally teasing the child as he knew Harry was going to be 14 next month and probably felt he was to big for a bedtime story.
Harry nodded frantically at that, just in case Sirius changed his mind. "I would love a story!" He blurted out as he gave his godfather a shy grin.
Sirius was surprised and a bit taken back at the reaction but he would get to the bottom of this, no doubt. But he knew tonight wasn't the time. Nodding he quickly summoned a story tale book from the shelf and opened it up and started reading, he had missed this.
Harry couldnt remember the last time he had felt so loved, and content in that bed as he was read too and the little boy was quickly asleep, even before Sirius finished the book.
Deeming his job a success Sirius, stood up and kissed the child's forehead before turning off the light and closing the door behind him. He nodded to himself, this parenting stuff was a no-brainer. He quickly went to have his own shower, he was going to be early, it had been a long day and he was more then ready to sleep. It was an hour later when all the human occupants of the manor was snoring quietly and sleeping peacefully in their beds.
About 4 hours later, was when Harry awoke, glancing over to look at the clock and groaning as he realized it was only 1:00am. If if it was still so late then what had woken him up? He rolled over on his stomach and groaned as he felt it, damn he had to pee. He sighed not wanting to move from where he was as his bed was so warm and toasty but knowing his body as he did he also knew that if he didn't go he would never be able to get back to sleep with a full bladder.
Mumbling tiredly to himself the little boy got out of bed and stumbled towards the door, and opened it, looking out at the hall silently. It was very dark in the hallway, and he had to wonder where the heck were the lights. He wasnt afraid of the dark, but it was just creepy how dark it was out there? Why didn't his godfather leave any lights on? Was that his way of saying that Harry wasnt allowed to get up in the middle of the night and leave the room? He crossed his legs as he thought about that and quickly shut the door, wondering if the man had put a charm or something on his room to alert him. He had remembered back at Ron's house how his mate had told him that his mom had charms in place to alert her when someone was up when they shouldn't be.
Did this qualify as that? He just wanted to use the bathroom and be done with it? He still wanted to sleep, his bed looked so inviting. He chewed his bottom lip quietly, wondering if it was too late to call a house elf. He shook his head, figuring they would not appreciate being woken up at this hour, who would?
"What do I do, what do I do?" He murmured to himself as he started to pace the length of his room, he had to go quite urgently and he wasnt sure what he was supposed to do. Sirius still hadn't gone over the rules with him, and he was afraid to ask what those might be. It wasnt that he thought that Sirius would be like his relations he didn't, he just didn't know what kind of rules the man had in mind for him.
Like Sirius never said that he could leave his room in the middle of the night, and as it was only their 2nd day there he didn't want to ruin and mess up whatever it was they had going. He grimaced as he made his way back to the door. He knew if he stayed in his room, the inevitable would happen and he so didn't what to explain that in the morning. Swallowing thickly and nodding to himself, he eased himself out of his room and quietly headed into the dark hallway.
He kept his hand on the wall to guide him, hesitating at the bathroom before his eyes flicked over to Sirius's and then Remus's room. Was he supposed to ask permission first? He knew he should never assume to be able to do something, that is how one got punished especially in his Uncle's eyes. He shifted his weight back and forth as he stood in front of the bathroom and did a small jig, his eyes only on the toilet.
He had go so bad, but he was afraid of the consequences of what would happen if he did. He whined out as a sudden wave came over him and he was forced to grab himself. He squeezed his eyes shut, willing his body to hold on, when he felt someone slightly bump him. He opened his eye slowly, to find his sleepy looking former professor standing next to him.
"What are you doing Harry?" Remus asked tiredly as he looked at the youth in question.
"N-nothing," he replied quickly.
"Okay, well what are you doing up then? It's not even close to being morning," Remus told him before he yawned. He just wanted to get back to sleep, but Harry's whimpers and noises had woken him up. He had always been a light sleeper, and with his enhanced senses that only made it worse.
"I needed to pee," Harry rushed out anxiously.
Remus quirked a sleepy eyebrow at the tone and focused a bit more on the child. "Needed too? Or still do?" He asked before he sighed. "It's too late for these games Harry, please go and pee and go back to bed," he told him sleepily.
"I can pee?" Harry asked hopefully, already inching his way into the bathroom, not wanting the man to change his mind.
"Yes you can," Remus said, his sleepy brain not understanding. "Why would you think that you couldnt?"
"It's not allowed at home with the Durselys," he replied quickly as he pushed his bottoms down slightly and let loose a torrent of his held in water into the toilet.
Remus's brain was clouded with sleep, but he caught that bit. But now was clearly not the time for this talk. Pushing it away until the morning he nodded. "Well not here, you can use the bathroom whenever you want or need too," he murmured. "Go to bed when you get done here," he said.
"Kay," Harry replied as he tried not to fall asleep where he was peeing. "G'night Moony,"
"Night Harry," he told him softly as he made his way to his room and fell back on the bed.
Harry finished up in the bathroom and flushed before he too tiredly made his way to his room. He grinned to himself before he got cocooned back under the covers, determined to sleep in the next morning.