Life is Strange with Magic
Chapter VI
May 8th, 2010
A few hours after the afternoon's entertainment if he could get away with calling it that. Harry'd found himself back home working through the material he was going to use to explain his past to Joyce and Chloe. A few albums that he'd hidden with paper clippings from the war along with several memories and one of his other family relics a rune carved pensieve that thankfully had been outside the vaults before Gringotts seized all of them. He'd thanked Arthur profusely when the older man had given it to him after saving it from the twelve Grimmauld place before it fell into death eater hands. Once everything was out and arranged in the kitchen. He turned his attention over to moving his office from one bedroom to the other. He doubted Chloe would want to be right across the hall from where they were sleeping. His office which was bigger and on the other side of the second floor, not that it was all that far but further than across the hall. Which he hoped would give the teen some privacy in the year or so he planned to live here. So for the next hour or so he moved in ways magical and mundane the rest of his office into the smaller bedroom across from his bedroom. It was slightly cramped, but with a little work he could expand the room out another meter or so without issue. After he checked the time finding he had about an hour before he needed to head for the Two Whales. He picked up one of his active projects and started to work on it. After a few minutes with only the sound of his mechanical keyboard, he opened up his media player and started with some instrumental music and set an online alarm so he wouldn't get totally lost in his work. An hour passed in a blur of typing erasing rewording until the shrill alarm startled him. He killed the media player closing out the internet alarm clock and saving his work before he got up and started on his way to the Two Whales.
The walk was refreshing but rather short as he noticed the nearly abandoned eateries parking lot. He took the stairs in front briskly before opening the door and laying eyes on Joyce. She looked tired but smiled when she caught sight of him. Harry smiled back before looking around the diner surprised to find it nearly empty the only other customers were a pair of students from Blackwell if he had to guess. He sat in his usual place at the bar which was right in front of Joyce.
"Harry I wondered when you'd show up this place is a ghost ship and I've been bored out of my mind waiting for you." She said taking his hand giving it a squeeze.
He simply smiled. "I'm here now," before looking toward the jukebox "how about we dance then?" he asked.
Joyce's eyes sparkled for a second before answering. "Go pick a song I'll be right over after I deliver Table tens order."
Harry stood before bringing her hand up to his lips for him to kiss it once before letting it go. He walked over to the jukebox and scanned the songs on selection. He smiled selected the song he wanted after paying the fee he turned to see Joyce smiling as she came to him. She wrapped her arms around him in a hug resting her head on his shoulder. As the song started up, Harry sang just loud enough for her to hear. "Lady, I'm your knight in shining armor, and I love you." he started to sway with her in his arms. "You have made me what I am, and I am yours" Joyce snuggled closer rubbing small circles on his back with her thumbs. "My love, there's so many ways I want to say "I love you" let me hold you in my arms forever more. You have gone and made me such a fool I'm so lost in your love, and oh we belong together won't you believe in my song? Lady, for so many years I thought I'd never find you, you have come into my life and made me whole forever, let me wake to see you each and every morning let me hear you whisper softly in my ear. In my eyes, I see no one else but you there's no other love like our love, and yes, oh yes, I'll always want you near me I've waited for you for so long. Lady, you love's the only love I need, and beside me is where I want you to be 'cause, my love, there's somethin' I want you to know You're the love of my life, you're my lady."
Harry pulled away when he felt Joyce sniff to see that she'd been crying happy tears if the smile she gave him was any indication. He returned the smile before brushing a few tears away before they both rushed to kiss each other. Harry lost himself in her warm embrace and their passionate kiss lasted until the door chimed and a few more customers entered the diner.
Joyce dried her eye's before kissing him on the cheek. "Stacey should be in any minute. Do you wanna eat here or wait?"
"I've got some leftovers from earlier this week turkey dressing and gravy it wouldn't take much to reheat it if you'd like that?" he asked as he followed her back to the bar.
"That sounds good, do you think Chloe will show up?" she said grabbing a few menus.
"I doubt it she told me she was going to the school play and visit with her new friend afterward." He replied
Joyce sighed. "I'll be right back." a minute or two later after she'd taken the new customers orders she returned. "God I can't believe she got expelled."
Harry looked thoughtful for a second before saying. "She's not expelled. I was able to talk Wells into giving her his original punishment."
Joyce looked at him confused. "How'd you even know about that?"
Harry put his hands up in mock surrender. "I used magic to listen in on the meeting," he whispered, "you were a badass by the way."
Joyce looked at him a moment before curiosity got the better of her. "How?"
Harry paused for a second before remembering he was going to be completely honest with Joyce and Chloe. "Perhaps we could discuss it over dinner?"
She gave him a look but nodded started to respond, but the cook called out that the order was ready. Stacey arrived a moment later, and a few minutes later the pair were sitting in his car. "Don't make me wait how'd you do it?"
"I bribed him." was his simple reply.
"What the hell, Harry. What do you mean you bribed him." she asked more than a little concerned by his casual mention of well a crime.
Harry cranked the car before pulling out of the parking lot. "I told him if he reversed her expulsion and went with his original plan. That Chloe would go off financial aid, and I'd match her scholarship in donations to the school."
Joyce paled unable to speak for the rest of the ride to his house. They'd pulled into the driveway, and he'd turned the car off before she could think again. "Do you have any idea how much that cost and you've doubled it?"
Harry took her hand. "I'm a millionaire Joyce money doesn't make me happy it just makes life easier, and if I can make your, and Chloe's lives easier that would make me happy."
Joyce shook her head. "It's too much I wouldn't feel right accepting it."
Harry sat deep in thought for a minute before finally asking. "Would you marry me?"
Joyce sat shocked for a second before she felt angry, but that lasted just as long as the shock had. "Are you serious?"
Harry leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Oh, I'm completely serious. I love you, have for months now. Of course, I wasn't planning on asking you so soon, but if it proves to you that I want to do this for you both. Then I'd happily ask you to marry me."
Joyce looked at him teary-eyed. "I don't think I'm ready to marry again just yet, but when I do, I'll want to marry you. As for Blackwell if that is what you want to do, I'll not stop you."
Harry smiled relieved before going in for another kiss this time they both shared an intimate kiss that lingered until they finally separated. "Come on let's eat and retire for the night."
Joyce laughed. "Oh no, you don't I want at least a little peek into your past."
Harry smiled before stepping out of the car before leading Joyce into the house and into the kitchen. "It won't take long to heat up the leftovers so pick anything on the table, and I'll tell you all about it."
Joyce walked over to the table and opened an album and smiled at the first picture. Harry couldn't possibly be older than ten or eleven dressed in red and gold lofted up on the shoulders of what appeared to be his teammates while holding a very nice trophy. "So you where a student-athlete what sports did you play?"
Harry smiled as he started to reheat dinner. "Only one sport at Hogwarts and that's Quidditch. I guess you could compare it to soccer if you wanted, but nothing really compares to a game played on brooms."
Joyce laughed. "Your joking? Right."
"Oh, I don't joke about quidditch, Joyce." He said sternly before winking at her when she looked up at him. "Turn the page I'm positive there are a few photos of me on my broom during a game." he just happened to peak at the album on his way to collect a pan and saw that the pictures weren't moving. He came to stand beside Joyce wand in hand. "Watch this." was all he said before he ended the enchantment and the photos started to move again.
Joyce watched in amazement as young Harry flew around the pitch on his broom with a look of sheer determination. "Holy shit."
Harry laughed as he moved on to collect the wanted pan. "So there are two teams of seven, that's three chasers who use the quaffle to score in either of the three goalposts. Two beaters who roam the pitch with bats hitting a rather dense and painfully hardball at the opposing team. A keeper than tries to stop the chasers from scoring, and finally a seeker the position I played that hunts out the golden snitch. Points are scored by chasers and seekers, and when the seeker catches the snitch, the game is ended."
Joyce nodded along turning a page or two. "how does scoring work?"
"Ah scoring a quaffle is worth ten, and catching the golden snitch is worth one hundred and fifty points."
"So do they play quidditch in America?" she asked turning the page and pausing
for a second.
"Oh yeah, the magical schools out west have a yearly tournament I've gone a few times."
Joyce couldn't help but admire how lovely the girl looked in her powder blue dress or robe she couldn't tell. "Is this Hermione?" she asked holding the album up for him to see.
Harry smiled. "Yes, for the Yule ball in our fourth year. She went with Viktor Crum who was the seeker of that year's Bulgarian national Quidditch team. I thought them an odd couple, but after Hogwarts, they started dating, and they married a few years ago."
Joyce hummed. "What took them so long to get married, and who did you take to the ball?"
Harry chuckled as he started to set the table for two. "I took Parvati Patil to the ball. I was extremely awkward in social situations with people who I didn't know all that well at that age, so it was a rather horrid affair, but at least she had fun. As for Hermione and Viktor, the both of them had plans before they wanted to settle down. Hermione finished her dual masters in Arithmancy and Runesmithing, and Viktor retired from his professional quidditch career."
"That's smart most of the kids I grew up with were like William and me and married straight out of high school. Of course, back then you could support your family with a decent paying job straight out of high school. What about you did you take on any additional studies?" she asked turning another page nearing the end of the album in her hands.
"Well for my part in ending the second blood war I was given a mastery in Defense. It was well earned, but I took a six-month stay in Thailand and studied under a master there. He thought I was on par with him when it came to magic, but he spent four months beating the living shit out of me. He believed that hand to hand fighting was as important to the defense of oneself as magical prowess. As for additional studies you know I traveled the world for a while. I usually stayed with people who could teach me something new, and so I studied many things but mostly natural magic and magical theory." Harry replied as he heaped a large helping of turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, and gravy on two plates.
The two sat down and ate supper together talking on and on about various things. A round of pumpkin pie after the main course of leftovers left the two stuffed and a little drowsy, but they kept talking well into the late evening hours.
Joyce looked at her phone noticing it was well after ten pm. "I better be heading home, would you mind giving me a lift?"
Harry reached into his pocket checking for his keys when Joyce's phone buzzed. He stilled his searching when he heard her sigh out her daughter's name. "What's up?"
Joyce put her phone away. "Chloe's friend Rachel is having a hard night, and she's staying with her for the night."
"Well, that's nice of her to support her friend," Harry added standing up plucking his keys off the side table. "So," he jingled his keys "you wanna spend the night here or shall we adjourn to your abode for some lovemaking?"
Joyce laughed as he wiggled his eyebrows at lovemaking. "No, I'm much too tired for that, but I'd love to cuddle and sleep the tired away."
"Ah, a PG night of cuddles is an acceptable outcome, now where too upstairs or you're home?" he replied smiling and offering her his hand.
Joyce took his hand, and he helped her up from the comfy couch. "Let me borrow a shirt for the night, and I'll happily crash here."
"No need. You've left a few items of clothes here they're clean I just haven't gotten them back to you yet." Harry said taking her hand and leading her up the stairs. He dropped her off at the bathroom and quickly made his way to his bedroom. He collected the laundry bag with a few items of Joyce's clothing before going back to the bathroom. With the door open he put the bag down on a rack before going back to his room. He changed into some sleeping clothes and slipped into bed, he was half asleep when Joyce came in snuggling in close to him, and minutes later the two were dead to the world.
A/N
Lady by Kenny Rogers of course... I turned 38 today and my love of oldies only continues as the music of my youth the 80's and 90's start to slip into oldies territory. I'm serious when I was growing up music from just 20-30 years ago(1955-1969) was on oldies radio channels.
Now on to comments
Aaron Leach - as always thanks for your continued support via two simple words.
Roarasaurus - Just for you I've taken extra care to avoid using non-standard language although I'm first to admit I'm not great at this stuff. I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far.
LordXaero - Hopefully this chapter fulfilled on some part your request to learn more about their relationship.
toile grant - good review