Saturday morning found Harry in the quidditch stands. It felt odd being in the stands and not the pitch. He would likely have been captain in Gryffindor. Katie had confirmed she had been chosen now. Tom had not taken to the air for he wanted to be able to watch the try outs. The team had a reserve keeper and he had him in hoop for now. Harry felt a pang watching the try outs. He remembered his broom that his dads had given away to Ginny on him. He shook away the thought. He couldn't fly if he wanted to. Beside he still had his firebolt some where. He threw himself into watching the try out and talking with Tom about the options for their new chaser. Tom seemed quite impressed even more then he had been at dinner.
Tom looked at him. "You seem to know a lot about being a chaser. Is it just training knowledge or is there some reason you aren't trying out?"
Harry sighed. "My old captain Oliver used to have me practice with the chasers, said I could have played it or beater. I never did try out for my team."
He recounted the story of his first flying class and how Draco in his own way had got him on the team. Tom laughed at that. They had been losing to Gryffindor all these years because of Draco, that made him laugh. He was not surprised to learn if the first time Harry had been on a broom he managed such a dive that McGonagall and Wood had put him right on the team. It made him even more confused though why Harry was not trying out for the team.
He pointed at his own broom. "You can take it up and try out. You seem thoroughly depressed being in the stands."
Harry explained. "Unfortunately I'll have to settle for coaching. My husband has been trying for a baby and will not let me fly if there is a chance I am pregnant."
Tom showed no reaction to that. "Well then I guess we will just have to settle for you coaching. I guess since the balls can't come at the stands you are safe here."
It was one of the reasons that Harry had been allowed. The balls were charmed so even in a game they could never come at the stands. Harry would be more then safe. As long as he remained in the stands when the balls were in play there would be no real danger to him up there. While he was not ready to be a dad and definitely was not anxious to be pregnant he did understand his husband's concern. He would never have wanted to miscarry because of an accident. Even if he had not wanted to be pregnant in the first place. He could not blame an innocent baby for his husband. He would try and be the best daddy possible to any baby he bore. He was just not sure how. It was not like he had the best role models. He could either look to his abusive Uncle who raised him or his dads who had walked out on him.
Tom looked at him. "We usually go for older students but I really think that fourth year Evan would be the best chaser for the team."
Harry agreed with him. "And perhaps Cara as an alternate. I have never seen a girl on the team before but she is as good as Evan, but a year younger."
Tom smiled and agreed. "It isn't we don't want girls on the team. Just not a lot of Slytherin girls have ever tried out and we have not found any with promise till now."
Knowing that Draco would be the captain next year and they would lose the keeper, a chaser and a beater, Harry thought picking two younger students were a good idea. They would have some team for a few years to come. Harry did not envy Katie. Katie as chaser and Ron as keeper were the only ones left. And he was not sure that Ron would make the team again this year unless they were really desperate. Ginny would likely replace him as seeker as he told Draco she would. The team landed and Tom properly introduced Harry to the rest of the team officially and as coach and they announced their choices. There was no reaction to a girl being chosen as the alternate so Harry knew that Tom was right and that the lack of girl was not due to anything not none with skill had tied out for the team.
Harry remained in the stands when the team went to take a shower. Tom went to take his broom up for a bit of a fly. Harry had not wanted to head up to the school for lunch alone so he stayed put until Draco was done. Unfortunately he forgot the afternoon practices started this early and the Gryffindors were headed his way. He spotted Ginny and sure enough she was carrying the broom he had received for his birthday from his dads.
Ron glared at him. "So it is true you have decided to betray us even more. Not bad enough you turned snake on us and married one, now you are coaching as well?"
Ginny shook her head. "Won't help anyway. The only chance the snakes have of winning is if he was in the air and we all know the kept dog is not allowed to fly."
Harry stood up and sharing a look with Katie he went to move past them. "Slytherin stands a good chance of winning the cup this year even if I have been grounded."
Ron grabbed him as he was about to pass them by. "Has he got you pregnant yet? I am sure you are running off to ride his cock again. Do you like Death Eater cock?'
Trying to pull free of them Harry would have felt sick before when they said that but he shook his head. He reminded himself that his husband had been gentle with him as of late and he knew they were just trying to get to him. They had no idea what they were talking about. Harry tried to jerk away from Ron but he stumbled on the stands and hit the bench with a sickening thud, his wrist stinging.
Katie grabbed at Ron when he was about to grab Harry again. "Back off now. Even one more move and you will not be eligible to try out for the team this year."
Tom had returned and come up behind them. "Seems the Gryffindors have even less bravery the I thought. Takes an entire team to face one of them. Okay Harry?'
Harry nodded and accepted Katie's help up. "Fine. Thanks to you and Katie."
It looked like Ron was going to ignore Katie's warning about not being eligible for playing when Draco and the rest of the team appeared in the stands as well. It seemed the fact that most of Slytherin's team were older students and quite bulky in build as well a the usual reputation, worked for them. Katie got her team off and Draco came to Harry's side anxious. Tom apologized for he had landed and been heading for the broom shed when he head the commotion and had returned. He had forgotten as Harry had that the Gryffindors had the next practice.
Draco looked at Harry. "Your wrist looks swollen. I am taking you to Madam Pomfrey. And before you argue my father will have my head if I do not take you there."
Harry sighed and let himself be directed towards the school. "Fine. Although if I end up spending the night in the hospital wing as usual, I will have him disown you."
Poppy was surprised when she saw Harry brought in. She had not thought to see him as often. She knew he was not allowed to play because of his husband. It was not very often that someone could get injured watching a practice. It turned out to be a minor sprain and though she bandaged it and told him to be careful for a few days, she did not insist on keeping him. But he only let him go once he had taken a potion for the pain. He saw his husband's instant concern when he saw the bandage when he got home after eating lunch and he was worried that he would be forbidden even from coaching but Lucius listened to what happened.
He kissed Harry tenderly. "I won't forbid you from coaching; I don't want to ruin your life Harry. I just want you safe. Please make sure you're not alone next time."
Harry was relieved when he heard that. "I promise if I have to I will head to the change rooms with the team. One lovely run in with my old team was bad enough."
Comforted only by the fact that it really was not his old team Harry settled down to write a letter to Oliver. Oliver, Fred, Katie and now Alicia, all but two of his old team were at least still there for him. George still bothered him. For a moment he wondered if he should demand his share of profits from the business as he had never done before. He let them keep it so they could soon open a second shop as they dreamed. But he reminded himself that would hurt Fred as well. Besides he did not regret giving them that money for a moment, no matter if George had turned his back on him. He had believed in their dream back then and he still did now.
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Harry laid in his husband's arms the next morning and his eyes kept looking at the package. It still lay on the bed side table. He knew he should open it. It would just keep bothering him until he did. He was not sure why he was so scared. He didn't think there could be anything more to hurt him in it. Unless they decided to unadopt him or something but he did not think that possible. Besides they basically had already done that. Lucius had woken as he was thinking and noticed his husband was in a different world. When after a bath and breakfast Harry was still lost in his thoughts Lucius knew something was going on and he wanted to help Harry.
He looked at Harry. "You are thinking about the package aren't you? You know I am here for you and I can get any of your friends if you need some help."
Harry shook his head. "I think I can do this if you are with me. I need to open and see what is in there."
Lucius brought him the package but Harry sat there looking at it. He finally found the courage to open the package. There was no note from his dad just a gift. He looked down in shock at a beautiful white gold pocket watch lying in there. He could tell it was not new but it was no heirloom either. He turned it over to look at the back and in a way he knew in both the watch and the inscription on the back which he could see was as old as the watch but still meaning, there was a message.
Harry read it. 'To my son, Always know what ever path you take and where it may take you, you are always my son and I will always be by your side."
Lucius looked at the watch and noticed a small crest on it. "I could be mistaken but I believe that is the Lupin crest. They are a pureblood family, just a minor one."
Harry looked at the watch. He knew the Lupins had not had much money. His father had been a teacher and he had spent most of his money on medical bills for Remus' mother had actually been ill. It was not just a story to cover where he was on full moons. He some where remembered a story that John Lupin had saved up a bit of money every month since his son was born to be able to get him a proper watch as he had not had one passed down in the family. Harry had always thought he would have the Black watch. Sirius had sworn it would be his even if he and Remus had a son, Harry was their first born. But this may not have been as expensive and was not an heirloom but the words on the back meant a lot to him.
Harry was confused though. "I thought they were given on your seventeenth birthday. Why would he give me this? Why now?"
Lucius sighed. "Sometimes if you wed before seventeen you are given it earlier. But I just think your dad was trying to send his love in his own way."
Held in his husband's arms Harry looked at the watch and kept reading the inscription over and over. The memory of the train station flashed through his mind. He had been there for Harry. Had he been scared to lose his husband if he spoke to Harry? Harry was not sure if he was wrong but he clung to the watch and to his husband with the hope that maybe his dad still loved him. He was not sure he could ever forgive them for walking out on him. It had hurt more then all of the others put together, but the pain in having his fathers hate him was too much. The chance that maybe Remus still loved him as a son he clung to. He might not want a child with Lucius but he swore to himself he would never do this to a child. He would never walk out on them no matter how they disappointed him. No child deserved this.
Harry rested his head against his husband and accepted his comfort. "Our children will never know this pain. I will never walk out on them, never stop loving them."
Lucius brought him in close and just held him tight. "When we have a baby we will both be there. I will do better by our child then Draco. I promise Harry, I will."
It was the first time Harry had ever spoken of their children with him. He had never talked about anything but his husband's drive to have a baby. Looking at the watch he hoped for Harry's sake it meant what they thought. He hoped for Harry's sake it was a sort of olive branch from Remus. He knew no matter how angry and in pain Harry was in and thought he might not be able to forgive his dad, he knew Harry desperately wanted Remus to prove he deserved to be forgiven.