Disclaimer: I do not own Harry PotterChapter four:

Meetings

"What's up Raven?" Asked Chad

When Harry looked at him strangely, he elaborated.

"Well you've been annoyingly quiet, which is, by the way, so not you. Usually you're loud and annoying." Chad smirked, and Harry smiled in return. His friends really knew him better than anyone. Well, this part of him that was.

"It's just…you've kept to yourself a lot today, and yesterday. The last time you did that, well, you remember." He looked apologetic at Harry. " And also you're barely paying attention to the game here, and normally nothing can get you distracted in a game. So I was just wondering, if you were all right." He said. That's another thing Harry liked about their group. Normally guys didn't talk about their feelings. But all of them had been through their share of trouble. Different trouble than detentions. And they had become immediate friends, with Todd and Jake joining the group later on. They could just be open with one another, and knew each other better than most friends.

But Harry already knew he couldn't tell Chad the truth.

Today was the day he would be going to Annie's, the day that would change his life forever. The premonition he had had was indeed the one where he witnessed the order meeting. He counted himself lucky, for he at least had the time to accept, and embrace the fact that he would be meeting his father, and everything that came with it. After today he would no longer be Harry Evans, anonymous, but fairly well known boy from Fairfax. He would be Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, the Chosen One. Wizard Legend. Wizard Hero.

It was Harry's dream for his father to come and get him, taking him to live in England, to Godric's Hallow, the place his mother had always been so very fond of. But now that it was going to really happen, Harry was very nervous. What would his father think of him? Would he approve of him? Would he blame him for Lily's departure? For her death?

"No nothing's wrong. Just distracted. Gotta bit of a weird feeling, that's all." He answered

"Ah, I get it." Chad smirked. "Who's the lucky girl this time?"

In answer to his question, Harry threw his hockey stick at Chad and earned himself a time out.

--

A couple of hours later, Harry got off the bus at 2365 Freedom Lane, and entered the building. On his way to office number 7 he passed Helen again, and thanked her for allowing him into Annie's office the other day. The closer he came to her office, the more nervous he got. His mind started doubting him, convincing himself he probably wasn't what his father wanted in a son. Harry had the same type of clothes on as he had the day before yesterday. This morning, he decided that if he was going to meet his father, he should just be himself. If his father didn't like him that way, it wasn't Harry's loss. He had managed fine for the last nine years, without his father. Oh how he now regretted that decision.

More of these kinds of thoughts entered his mind as his feet carried him to door number seven. Once there, Harry took a deep breath, shook his head, clearing it of all thoughts, and knocked on the door.

"Harry! Oh it's so good to see you again!" Annie cried upon seeing him. She quickly pulled him into a hug, to which he stiffened. Ever since he was eight, he had trouble with intimate contact from grown-ups.

Annie, taking no notice of this, pulled him inside her office. Once inside, Harry could see nothing that could point to more people being there. He broadened his scanning senses, and again noticed it was only Annie and him in the room.

The sense to scan auras was another hidden talent of his. Not even Annie knew of it. After he had found out about his destiny, he had resolved to train as hard as he could. He trained himself in occlumency and legilimency (powers of the mind), martial arts, advanced magic, wandless magic, and elemental magic. He personally thought he was OK, but anyone else would have found him powerful. Not to mention Harry had managed to learn all of it in a muggle environment, and had managed to keep it a secret. Though he had to admit, he did train a lot with Annie. But that was just the Hogwarts curriculum.

Annie gave him a cup of tea. But without sugar.

"Uhh, Annie?" she looked at him and he pointed to the sugarless cup of tea.

"Umm, yea. I don't think you should have too much sugar right now" seeing his raised eyebrows, she elaborated "I have some rather… shocking news for you, and I don't want you getting even more hyper because of the sugar."

Harry raised a curious eyebrow. "Uh, thanks?" He wasn't sure if he should feel insulted or not. " But if it's about me meeting my dad, I already know about it."

Annie's face held shock for a moment, but she quickly recovered. "Premonition?" Harry nodded. She looked thoughtful for a moment before it dawned on her. She chuckled. "Of course, I should have known. I saw the note you left me. Congratulations by the way. I suppose you had the premonition while sticking it to my phone? Yes? Well, seeing as I don't have a fireplace in my office, they always call me on the telephone if there's a meeting." The smile quickly wiped itself from her face. "How are you?"

"Nervous, insecure." Was Harry's only reply

There was a moment of silence, before: "Well, there's only one way to get rid of that insecurity. Do you think you're ready?"

'Best get this over with' he thought.

--

A few minutes later Harry heard Annie approaching her office with his father in tow. Harry had his back to the door. He was looking out the window, and what he saw he could only describe as 'Freedom'.

Why was it always his life that was so complicated? He heard the doorknob turn. The man his mother had always loved and missed, the one she gave up her sanctuary for was at the other side of the door. 'Well, not for long' he thought as he heard the door open.

He heard a sharp intake of breath, and after that time seemed to stand still. Harry slowly turned around. He could not help a sharp intake of breath of his own. There stood his father. It was like looking into a mirror that showed what you would look like in the future. Though his father didn't look much like the man from his parent's wedding. He had more wrinkles, and the spark in his eyes was missing. He also looked less healthy. Harry was drinking in his fathers image as much as his father his. Harry was still a carbon copy of the man standing before him. His dad.

His father took a step forward.

Harry took a step back.

He didn't know why he did that. Here was his dream come true, and Harry was chickening out? Though he did remember that when he was little, all he understood was that his mother loved his father a lot, and whenever she was sad, it was because he wasn't there. This had caused him to have a small dislike for the man. The man who did not come after his mother, the man who had hurt her so much. He was too small to understand that his mother had taken precautions to keep from being found, but he did know it was his fault when she was sad. He had also felt a little betrayed that his father didn't even come after him, his own flesh and blood. After…that night, Harry's dislike only increased. His father had not been there to protect him and his mother. Didn't fathers always do that?

Later he learned from Annie that his father had done all he could to find them, and how much he loved them. The dislike disappeared then, but Harry was still protective of his mother, and would stand up to anyone who insulted or hurt her.

But Harry never could help but think, that if his father had tried hard enough, he would have found them, and in time.

But if it wasn't because of the dislike, then what was the cause? Probably just the shock, he thought.

He looked at the man that had caused all these emotions. He was looking stunned, sad, and betrayed. Harry put his face on neutral, to keep his emotions hidden. 'Long live occlumency' he thought.

"Harry?" That was the first time Harry heard his fathers voice. It made Harry look back up to his face. There were a lot of emotions on his face that Harry wouldn't even begin to decipher. But there stood his father, his ticket to the life his mother had always wanted for him. He couldn't even begin fathom how long he had wanted his dad. Something snapped inside him and he ran forward and gave his father the biggest hug he had ever given anyone since his mother's death.

He could feel his father's surprise, but he quickly hugged Harry back "Harry, I finally found you." He croaked. Harry could feel warm teardrops falling on his head.

Harry was vaguely aware of the fact that Annie had left the room. After a while he pulled back from the hug. James and Harry looked at each other for a long time after that. Eventually they sat down. Things grew a bit awkward then.

"So, um. How, how are you?" His dad asked.

"I'm doing OK." Harry didn't know what else he was supposed to say. What are you supposed to say to the father you never met?

Again, there was a bit of an awkward silence. And again, his father tried to strike up a conversation.

"Where do you live now? I heard you were sent to an orphanage, but do you live with other…? James stopped in mid sentence as he saw Harry shake his head no.

"Well then. Umm… so how is school?" James decided to ask about something neutral.

'Does this man never give up?' Harry wondered. 'Is he really that interested in me?' As Harry's hopes began to grow, he decided to award his dad with some information.

"Pretty good I guess. I go to Fairfax High; it's the local school around here. I'm a straight A student, which is the best one can be. A is the highest grade here in the U.S., The grades are A through F." Harry answered. A smile crept on his father's face.

"You must be pretty smart then."

Harry had the decency to blush. Sure, he heard this almost everyday, if not from admiring girls then from teachers. But it was another thing to hear it from your dad, for him at least.

"Well, I don't think I'm that smart. I just chose to continue the subjects I'm good at."

"What subjects do you take then?" James asked.

"A bit of a lot compared to others. Seven in total; English, French, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology and P.E." Upon seeing his father's confused face, he elaborated. 'Probably doesn't know much about muggle subjects'

"English and French, well I think those speak for themselves. Mathematics is a sort of Arithmancy, Physics is the 'dead nature' as some call it. It covers stuff like the speed of light and gravity, and does calculations with them. Chemistry is a sort of potions; you mix substances and they react with each other, and then you get new ones. It also talks about stuff like molecules, which are…things… so small you can't see them with the bare eye. Everything, including us is made out of molecules. Molecules themselves exist out of atoms, and we calculate with them as well. Biology is the living nature, anything that's alive. And P.E. is gym class. We practice sports there." Satisfied with his explanation, Harry looked over to his father. He looked like he was still processing the information.

"Those subjects sound pretty hard." Was all he could get out.

Harry smiled at that. "Well they are considered the hardest subjects, because not everyone can do them. But I think they're easy, because once you get the trick, you can do any task they throw at you."

"I still think they sound hard though. And you get top grades in those? Wow, I'm proud of you!" James smiled, a smile that resembled the smile he had on the only picture Harry had of him. Harry smiled in return, feeling good about making his dad proud, and causing him to smile.

"You know, two days ago I got an B on my physics test, while most of my classmates failed it!" Harry said, hoping for more praise.

"Wow, Brilliant!" His dad grinned, and ruffled Harry's hair. Harry stopped for a second at the sign of affection. Nobody had done that to him since his mother had died. James looked confused, then slightly afraid, afraid that he had done something to ruin the shabby contact they had just made. Harry, noticing this and not wanting to lose his father, quickly said:

"Sorry, it's just… Nobody's done that to me since mom… well, you know." They both looked down. There was yet again a silence, until:

"Was she happy?"

Harry would not have heard it if he hadn't been waiting to hear his father say something. His first reaction was 'yes', but then he thought on it. Had his mother been happy? She was always the cheery one, comforting, funny, but strict when needed. He had always admired her. But had she been truly happy?

"No." James looked up. "I don't think she could ever have been truly happy… She didn't have you." Harry looked up also. He saw his father's eyes were moist. He stood up and awkwardly gave his father a pat on the back. James looked up and right into Harry's eyes. Hazel and Emerald boring into each other, reading each other's emotions. Harry could plainly see all the pain and loss James had had to deal with al those years, he could see the yearning to have him, Harry, back, but he could also see the love and desperation in the older mans eyes.

And it scared him.

He quickly put his shields up so it wouldn't be readable in his own eyes, and looked away.

After a quiet moment his father asked more of his daily life, questions Harry was al to eager to answer, as long as it was far away from his life with his mother. So that was why whenever James would bring up Lily Harry would avoid the question. He hadn't discussed her with anyone since her death. Sure, he had told his friends about her, but he always did so without really thinking about her. That would cause him too much pain. The same with Annie, whenever she brought up his mother, Harry would just shut her out and pretend to be listening. Harry had never discussed that night with anyone.

--

"Wow, so you're really a sports kid huh?" James asked with a smile

"Yes. But it's really more relaxing, and fun when you're the best at it." Harry said with a fake arrogance. Of course, his trainings were anything but relaxing, and James knew it.

"Bet you've never had a real workout then." James said with a smirk

"Hey! I bet I've had more workout than you!" But Harry immediately knew he was wrong, looking at his fathers muscular built. They looked at each other and burst out laughing.

"So besides your soccer and hockey training, do you have any other hobbies?"

Before Harry could answer the question, there was a knock on the door and it opened. Harry stole a quick glance at the clock and noticed he had been here for almost and hour and a half! Harry focused his attention back to the door and saw three people standing there. One he already knew; Annie. There was one he suspected he knew the identity of, and one total stranger.

"Hey Padfoot, Albus" James said with a nod to 'Albus'. That confirmed Harry's suspicion, the old man before him was indeed Albus Dumbledore. Harry scanned the third of the entrees. He too was a wizard, and above average level. The name Padfoot didn't sound familiar. Yet he did seem to be so, in a strange way.

"Harry, I'd like you to meet my best friend, Sirius Black, aka Padfoot." James said.

"Hi, I'm Harry. If you hadn't already guessed." Harry smiled. 'OK, so maybe he isn't a total stranger. I probably knew him when I was a baby.' "Sirius Black, at your service." He answered with a grin. "Wo" he said, as his eyes swayed from Harry to James, and back to Harry. "Harry looks just like you Prongs!"

"Prongs?"

"Yep, Prongsie is James' nickname!" Sirius smirked.

"Okay okay! Harry, this is Albus Dumbledore. And" James looked at Sirius "it's just Prongs or James! Not Jamie, not Jamsie and DEFINITELY not Prongsie!!

"Why not? It makes you… uhm… cuter?"

James had already opened his mouth to retort, but Dumbledore cleared his throat and it immediately shut the two men up. Now that they did, they could all hear Harry sniggering behind his hand. 'Honestly, they're like almost forty and they still fight like a bunch of kids!' he thought. The fact that they'd made Harry laugh gave James and Sirius gigantic smiles.

Once finished, Harry looked at the much older man. 'He sure seems powerful' he thought. 'Powerful aura, many secrets. Wise. And… addicted to lemon drops?' Harry saw as he scanned Dumbledore's aura.

"Hello Harry, it's a pleasure to finally meet you." Dumbledore said as he offered Harry his hand. He hesitantly took it. He was hesitant because he didn't immediately trust this man. The man had an aura around him that made you want to trust him, and because of that Harry was cautious.

Only Dumbledore noticed this though.

"I trust everything is well?" He asked. Both Harry and James nodded.

"I am very happy for you. Both of you need and deserve the family that you have been deprived of for so long." Dumbledore smiled. Harry narrowed his eyes. "Excuse me sir" Harry said rather coldly " but I don't think it is up to you to decide what I need and what not. I have been on my own for the past nine years and as you can see, I've been doing fine. So if you could please let me decide for myself, I would much appreciate it."

He didn't like it if people spoke for him, or decided things concerning him. The last nine years hadn't been completely useless, after all Harry had learned to take care of and depend on himself. He wasn't going to let anyone control him, or his actions. That's why people said he was just like his hair, uncontrollable. He knew what he had to do in the future, and he could easily help himself get there. He didn't need this man telling him what he needed and what not.

Everyone looked stunned at the way Harry had talked to the older wizard. Dumbledore recovered quickly, and answered.

"Of course Harry, forgive me. It didn't sound the way I meant it. I've just seen James struggle with this for so long, and ever since knowing of your whereabouts he has gained something back that he lost so many years ago. I can only guess that you missed your father as well, and so came to the conclusion that you would need each other now that you knew of each other." Dumbledore said. Harry nodded in return.

"Also, I came here to make you an offer Harry." Harry became curious at that. What did Dumbledore want to offer him? He knew what Dumbledore wanted him to achieve, but what was this offer? "I'm listening." He said

"Have you ever heard of Hogwarts?"

Harry began to get an idea where this would be heading. "Yea"

"I would like for you to attend next year. If you agree, you will need to catch up during the summer, so there won't be much free time. However a whole new world will open for you, a world in which your family lives. A world that was your mother's."

Harry thought about that. This was a big, life-changing situation. And not just for him. But he would have to say goodbye to everything he had ever known. To his home, his friends, his life. But he also knew he had to do this. It was his destiny; it was what he had been preparing for, ever since he had found out.

"Okay, I accept." His father got the largest smile on his face Harry had ever seen, and Sirius was also smiling broadly. Dumbledore had a smile, but his eyes spoke the most. They were twinkling so much Harry wanted to put on sunglasses. "However there is one part of your offer I don't agree with" The smiles were wiped off their faces immediately.

"I don't feel much for 'catching up' during the summer."

"But Harry you will have to, you cannot go to school without a proper foundation."

"But I have a proper foundation. Didn't Annie tell you? She tutored me in magic ever since I found out I was a wizard." All eyes turned to Annie. "Well, it's true. Ever since he turned eleven we practiced the Hogwarts curriculum. We've finished fifth year in al the subjects." She was answered with, yet again, stunned looks.

"But how did you get a wand?"

"We got one from the black market, and don't look at me like that! We didn't have any other choice now did we? I could hardly take him out shopping in Diagon Alley with everyone on the lookout for him!" She said

"Well than all is settled. Annie, we will discuss the date of young Harry's departure. Now that we know Harry doesn't need to catch up, he has more time to say goodbye to his friends. I'm afraid that it is time to go, James, Sirius. It was nice meeting you Harry, I will see you again soon." Dumbledore said. "Yea, you too sir. Goodbye."

"Bye Harry, nice seeing you again." Sirius smiled, to which Harry smiled in return

"Bye Sirius. See you later."

James smiled at him. "Bye Harry." He seemed to hesitate, and then took Harry into a hug. Harry stiffened, but put his arms around his father. "I love you Harry, don't you ever forget that." James whispered so only Harry could hear it. "Thanks." Harry hesitantly smiled. His dad grinned back.

"See you, Harry"

"Bye."

--

Hey guys, hope this chapter meets your expectations. And please keep sending in ideas (see author's note in chapter 3). And I promise next chapters will be longer ;).

And you probably know what to do by now, review!! And may I just add it tends to speed up the updating process?

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