Disclaimer: same song second verse

Chapter two-Training?

Harry woke up with a start. It was late and he hadn't started breakfast yet. His surroundings were strange for a moment until he remembered being shown to this big room and told to sleep in the big bed. He ran into the bathroom and washed quickly and jumped into his clothes and ran downstairs. Iris was standing at the stove.

"Breakfast will be ready in a minute or two, Harry. Do you want tea or juice?"

"Juice, please."

Iris put a plate in front of Harry with scrambled eggs, bacon and toast and set a large glass of pumpkin juice at the corner of the plate.

"Eat till you're full, little man. You're too skinny and you have work to do today. We'll talk after you eat."

Harry ate as much as he could hold. He thought the juice was odd, but it tasted good. "I've eaten as much as I can. What do you need me to do?"

"This is important to me, Harry. I want you to go outside and run and jump and yell loud and climb every tree in the back garden. Just remember to answer when I call and come as fast as you can. Is that something you can do?"

"Yes, ma'am, I can do that."

"Go quickly, Harry."

Harry slipped out the kitchen door and did everything Iris had told him to do. He ran and he jumped and he yelled and he climbed all the easy trees in the back garden. Then he climbed the two not-so-easy trees. Then he tried to climb the hard tree four times but he never could get to the bottom branches. Iris called from the kitchen door.

"I'm coming!" shouted Harry and ran just as fast as he could for the door.

Darien and Iris were sitting at the kitchen table with a great plate of sandwiches and goblets of cold juice on the table. "Go wash up, Harry."

"Yes sir," the boy said and ran for the bathroom to wash up. In record time he was climbing into a chair at the table.

"What did you do this morning, Harry?"

"I ran and I jumped and I yelled and I climbed all the trees except the hard one, sir."

"Excellent, Harry. I am proud of your first morning at our house. You have done just what Iris and I needed you to do. This morning I made sure all the paper work was finished so that you will be able to stay with us. Is that all right with you, Harry?"

"Yes it is, sir. I really like it here."

"Do you know what adoption is, little man?"

"It's when other people become your parents."

"Close enough. We discussed our options after you went to bed last night. We would like to adopt you."

"Really? But I'm not…"

"You are a fine young man, Harry and we would be proud to have you as our son."

Harry looked at Iris and she smiled at him and nodded. "I'd like you to be my parents, too."

"I have filed all the paperwork. I want you to keep your name, Harry. It is important to me that we respect your birth parents because they were good and upright people. They died protecting you from a very bad man who murdered them and tried to murder you as well. It was their sacrifice that kept you alive that night. We will be here for you, Harry, to give you all the love and caring that you need."

Harry slid out of his chair and slipped around the table to stand by Iris's chair. She pulled him up into her lap and enveloped him in a soft and gentle hug that told him without words that she loved him already. She put him down by Damien who did exactly the same thing. With his chin on Harry's head, he said, "If you're through with lunch, we need to go shopping."

"I can come, too?"

"You'd better, I'm buying stuff for you."

They walked out the front door and suddenly were in a business street. It was like no street Harry had ever seen. People in robes and cloaks scurried from shop to shop with books and bags and strange objects. They walked past shops with telescopes and crystals and broomsticks. They shopped for play clothes and dress clothes. They bought him two pairs of trainers so Harry could run faster and jump higher and climb better. Harry ran a few steps and was sure they were much faster than his old ones. They walked into the bookstore and Damien pointed at the shelves. Harry ran and looked for a few minutes and brought back a book. Damien picked up six books and six more and then six more. Then they left for home. They got home in time for dinner. Iris was an excellent cook.

After dinner, Damien read to Iris for a long time. Harry couldn't follow much of it, but he read the book he picked out at the book shop. Iris announced it was bed time and walked upstairs with Harry.

"You have to keep your belongings picked up and off the floor, Harry. It makes your room so much neater and I won't have anything to trip over."

"Yes, ma'am. I will be sure to keep my room picked up."

As she was tucking Harry in with a hug or two, she asked, "Would you like a story, Harry?"

"Yes, Ma'am, will it be a true story?"

"It is of little use unless it is true."

And so a tradition was brought to be. Iris always put him to bed and told him a true story. It always ended and he always asked some questions before he slipped off to sleep. Iris always smiled and knew that she was teaching important things to her little soldier.