Chapter nine

'You know how sorry I am, I want to make it up to you and James, but this is your call Harry, you have to decide. Just know that if you take the chance, I will do everything in my power prove to you that I will never hurt you again, never. I love you and I want you back, so please, don't throw it away, give us a chance. We'll take it as slow as you want, work this any way you want. I would love to get to know my son, I would love for us to be a family, then maybe one day we can have another child. But you have to decide one way or another, just don't give up on me this time, give me the chance to show you, to show both of you,' Charlie squeezed Harry's hands in his.

'I do still love you Charlie, having a family is the one thing I always wanted, you know that. I thought I'd lost it, lost you, but James has to have a say in this, he is part of this as well,' Harry looked down at his son, 'I will tell you everything, I knew I would need to one day. Let me say this, Charlie is a good man James, he's loving, very loving, has a kind heart and I now believe he was just confused when he found out he was going to be a father because we were still getting to know each other as partners, not as friends, or the friend of his brother.'

James looked from his dad to his other dad, 'I sometimes saw dad looking at a picture of you and never knew why. Sometimes he cried, he looked lonely, sad, I don't like my dad being sad.'

'I know James, I don't like that either. But if you give me the chance I will show you that your dad will never be sad again. I will make him happy, I will give him the love he deserves, I will give you the love you deserve. I have all the pictures of you that your dad sent, only up until you were two years old. I have them pinned up in my room. You've heard me say I love your dad, I do, very, very much, but I also love you. I might have only just met you, but I've been staring at your pictures for years, wanting to meet you, wanting to be part of your life. I give you my word that I love you and your dad and I will make sure he is always happy and you're happy. You just have to give me a chance to prove it.'

James stared at Charlie and to him, he thought this large man with the red hair seemed genuine, then he looked at his dad and thought he looked nervous. But he had heard what his dad said, he loved Charlie. If he didn't want to know his other father than his dad would be unhappy and he didn't want his dad unhappy. His dad gave him so much, always making sure he was looked after and well cared for, that he was loved.

Harry watched his son stare between him and Charlie, he could see him thinking. He might only be seven, but he was very clever, very intuitive for his age. Maybe because it had always been just the two of them, no other kids around James and Harry spoke to him as equals, not really as a child.

Charlie watched in silence as James would look at him then Harry while he thought and he could tell his son was very intelligent and he was taking in everything that was said before deciding.

'Okay, um well, father, I suppose so it's not confusing,' James shrugged as he looked at Charlie, 'You said you love dad, you would never hurt him again, do you swear to never hurt my dad again?'

'Yes, I swear, I promise, I give my word that I will never do anything to hurt your dad ever again, in any way. If you give me a chance, I will prove it to you, to both of you.'

'Okay, then I will, but it's up to dad as you're the one that hurt him.'

Harry gave James a small smile, 'You've always said what you truly felt, so I know you're being honest right now. This isn't just about me or you, it's about us, the three of us. It's going to take time for me to trust Charlie again and that is the thing that I'm more concerned about. I don't trust many people and again you'll find out why later, but I gave all my trust to Charlie and he broke that,' Harry looked at Charlie, 'So we need to build that trust again, I need to feel I can trust you.'

'You can, but you can take as long as you like, we'll take this slow, I just want to be with you again and with James.'

'Then we'll take it slow, we'll see each other, just not live together, not yet. About that though, you live here, I'm not sure if it's right for me and James to live here.'

'We'll talk about that with James Harry, Minerva has said she worked it out so you can, we'll be given larger rooms, she can charm the fireplace so we can leave, just us and no one else. You just have to tell her where to open it too. But for now, if you want, stay where you've been living and we can pop in an out and see each other. You could come here some evenings, I could go there, wherever there is. We can spend weekends together.'

'Okay, for now, James and I will stay at our place. It's a large house in the country, very secluded.'

'About the family, James should meet them, all of them, they would love to meet him. Mum and dad gave me an earful when they found out what happened, they tried to help find you as well. James is their first grandchild.'

'Grandchild, you said your parents were dead dad, but I still have grandparents that you never mentioned.'

'Yes, Charlie's parents, they were basically my parents growing up, well, from the age of twelve. See, Charlie's brother Ron was my best friend when we started here at Hogwarts, my other best friend was Hermione, she's married to Ron now. But Charlie has brothers and a sister, their all married, so you have uncles and aunts, they have kids, so you have cousins.'

'That's what Professor McGonagall was talking about that day, someone called Fleur was pregnant again.'

'Fleur's married to my older brother Bill, but yes, you have a lot of family James and they all want to meet you. Would you like to meet them?'

'Yeah, I've never spent any time with other kids, it's always just dad and me.'

Harry ran his hand down James' hair, 'I know it was a lonely life James, but I'll explain more about that as well, why I kept us isolated. So if you're sure you're ready to meet your very large family, then we will see them,' Harry turned back to Charlie, 'Can you organise that, to have them all at the Burrow?'

'I'll do it now so their all there for dinner, but we can go early so James can get to know his cousins. Just give me a minute and I'll floo mum, she'll be over the moon,' Charlie wrapped his arms around Harry, 'I have you back, I'm not going to let you go again, ever.'

Harry felt like his heart was healing, but he still needed to take his time. He slowly put his arms around Charlie and held him but he saw his son give him a smile. That made Harry believe that everything would work out, Harry just had to learn to trust Charlie again.

'Okay,' Charlie grinned, 'mum's getting everyone there now, well, as soon as they can. She's not telling them about you or James, she thought it would make a better surprise. But she's anxious to see you Harry and to meet her grandson, dad's the same.'

Harry smiled, 'I want to see them, I've missed all of them so much,' Harry stared at James again, 'I know you're used to it just being us, so it might be a bit daunting for you, seeing so many people at one time and all of them will want to get to know you.'

'Um, well, I am nervous, I'm not used to being around a lot of people, only when we go shopping. But dad, about where we live, or will live, I don't want to leave our home, what about Spooky and Padfoot? I can't leave them.'

'Then you won't have to, we'll work on all that, but we have time.'

'What is a Spooky and is Padfoot a dog after Sirius?' Charlie asked.

'We have a few horses and yeah, I got James a dog, then called him Padfoot. I think Sirius would have gotten a kick out of that.'

'Who is Sirius because that's a strange name?'

'You really haven't told him a lot have you Harry.'

'No,' Harry sighed, 'Sirius was my godfather, he died when I was fifteen. But he was an animagus, he could turn into a dog, a large black dog and he called himself Padfoot. My father was also an animagus who turned into a stag called Prongs. There's a long story behind all of that and my godfather, we'll get to that.'

'You know there are a lot of books here that has your story and your parents and Sirius story in them. The students learn from fifth year up all about you and what you did.'

'It wasn't like that when I was here, so why now?'

'It took a while before the new books came out, which was the following year. The new version of the rise and fall of the dark arts, well let's just say that most is dedicated to you. Oh and there's something else you should know.'

'Oh great, what else Charlie?'

'On the year mark of his death, Kingsley held a memorial day here, but he handed out awards. Now outside on the main wall of the castle are plaques, everyone that died during the first and second war have their picture and name on them, but your picture is in the centre, but that's not all. Kingsley had a statue of you made, it stands down near Dumbledore's tomb, there's one more at Godric's Hollow, right next to the other statue. The awards, well, naturally you got the big one, order of merlin: first class, but everyone that fought got awards. You ended up with four just for you, but you also got awards for your parents and Sirius. Minerva has them, Kingsley wasn't sure who should keep them. He thought of Hermione first, then thought it should be someone else and he couldn't give them to me, so he gave them to Minerva, she'd have them here in her office somewhere.'

Harry's mouth was hanging open, 'A statue, here at Hogwarts, plaques, awards, oh shit, that's all I need, maybe I should just go back into hiding.'

'Don't even joke about that Harry,' Charlie said anxiously as he grabbed Harry's hand, 'Oh you also have your own chocolate frog card.'

'Okay no more Charlie, I don't want to know any of it, blimey,' Harry ran his fingers through his hair, and noticed his son gaping at him, 'More to explain, but I'll start tonight when we get home, maybe I should buy a few books, they might help.'

'Yes, they would, they go into details from when you were a baby right up to that night, even about your deafness that he caused. But we should go, mum will be excited, probably pacing in front of the fireplace. But let me take James and you down into the grounds, see the wall of plaques. It's quite beautiful and you're parents are on there, Sirius, Remus, their together with Tonks and Fred as well, Dumbledore, even a plaque with Dobby on it.'

'Okay, we'll go see the wall, I know you're confused James, but I will explain. Just a warning, if the students see me, there will be a lot of staring and for now I'll just say,' Harry sighed, 'I'm very famous in the magical world, have been all my life. I know you want answers and I will give them to you, just later, give me time and I'll tell you everything.'

'Yeah, I need answers about all this, but I'll wait dad.'

'Come on,' Charlie stood up with Harry and James, but again he hugged Harry, 'I love you so much Harry.'

Harry sighed, but hugged Charlie, 'I love you too Charlie.'

Charlie smiled then knelt in front of James, 'You don't know me so I know it'll take time before you'll feel comfortable with me, but I do love you son.'

James looked from Charlie to his dad who nodded then he looked back at Charlie and hugged him.

'I want to get to know you…father, but yeah, it'll take time,' he let go and gave a shy smile.

Charlie felt himself choke up, 'Thanks.'

Harry took his son's hand then Charlie took Harry's other hand and they walked down through the school. And like expected some students stopped and gapped at Harry, some called out his name. James looked at the students to his father who didn't seem fazed with everyone looking at him and realised that he must be used to it. They got outside then Charlie turned Harry to face the wall right at the plaques of his parents and Sirius.

'Oh,' Harry said softly then ran his fingers over his parents faces, then Sirius, 'I still miss you mate,' Harry sniffed then wiped a tear off his cheek then saw his own face staring back at him, 'Oh blimey, why put me there, this is for all the people that died, I'm not dead.'

'Because you avenged their deaths and survived, you ended our war Harry, it's everyone's way of showing their appreciation for what you did,' Charlie turned Harry around, 'We won't go down, but you can see the statue.'

'Can I see it, I would like to see dad as a statue?'

Harry rolled his eyes but Charlie chuckled, 'Sorry Harry.'

'It's fine, let's go then,' again the three of them held hands and headed down towards the white marble tomb and the twenty foot statue of Harry, 'This is going too far and if see Kingsley I'm going to hex him.'

'He said since you weren't here, he was going to do what he wanted and what the people wanted. He got thousands of letters telling him that he had to put a statue of you at Hogwarts. They all asked about the great hall as that's where it ended, but Kingsley thought it was better out here. I used to sit here a lot, or stand staring up at your face. Once a year, on that date, the gates of Hogwarts are open to the public, it's so they can remember the people that died and thank you. So many people stand here and have their picture taken with the saviour.'

'No names Charlie, you know I hate them.'

'I see you're showing James and Harry his statue,' Minerva said as she walked up to them and saw young James staring up at the statue of his father. He looked surprised and she realised that Harry probably hasn't told him anything about his life. But if he was back then she knew Harry would need to sit down with the boy and explain about everything, the good and the bad.