February 14, 2009
Harry's hand curled over the antique brass door knocker that dangled from the mouth of a menacing yet regal stallion. Harry lifted the door knocker, but paused as he attempted to recall the instructions Andromeda had given him. The process, which sounded simple, had completely escaped his memory. He knew he was to knock on the door a few times and then insert his wand into various places on the stallion. He would be granted access to this meeting any future ones.
Andromeda promised him that anything he discussed with the attendees would not leave the room. He scoffed at the notion. The arrival of the Boy-Who-Lived would certainly turn heads and get tongues wagging. Harry shook his head wishing for a moment that everyone would just forgot that he existed and allow him to live a quiet life out of the limelight.
In addition, the media had already spent the past year speculating and publishing lengthy news articles about Harry's peculiar situation. Their speculations would only be confirmed if his attendance at the meeting were to go public. Again, Andromeda waved off his concerns vaguely stating that each person in the room was in a similar situation and had a lot to lose if their attendance were known. As such, it was an unspoken code among the attendees that whatever they discussed in the room stayed in it. And as far as Andromeda knew, no one dared to violate the code.
Harry took a deep breath and stepped away from the door. Perhaps a quick walk around the premises would bring the instructions back to his memory. Also, he wanted to survey the area for any threats lurking in the shadows. He blamed his status as the Head of the Auror Department at the Ministry of Magic for making him extremely paranoid wherever he went. Constant vigilance, he thought recalling Mad-Eye Moody's motto. His thoughts went back to the Battle of Hogwarts, which was almost eleven years ago. It really has been that long, hasn't it, he thought taking a few seconds to remember the deceased.
The grounds, a grand Muggle primary school, in an extremely wealthy suburb of London, did not look threatening. Harry knew better than to assume the safety in something so innocent. In fact, it was the innocent that could be the most dangerous. Harry walked around the perimeter making sure to cast a charm over his boots so they would not leave any imprints on the newly fallen snow. He pushed open a gate, which led to a small playground. He walked over to a swing set, brushed off the snow and took a seat. He put his head in his hands as he recalled the situation that led him to the meeting in the first place.
A Year Ago:
Harry awoke with a smile etched on his face as he recalled the events of the previous evening. He had surprised his wife with a home free of their children, a home-cooked meal composed of her favorite dishes and a bottle of her favorite elf-made wine. She had been away for the past week covering an up-and-coming female Quidditch team, which threatened to give her beloved Holyhead Harpies a run for their money. It had been five years since she picked up a broomstick and he knew that she missed it. But, she acknowledged that her duty as a mother came first. Harry was thankful for that and in turn, did not argue when she told him that she was taking a job as a Quidditch correspondent for the Daily Prophet. Besides, his mother-in-law was more than willing to watch the children if they were both away.
His smile grew as he replayed the scene where she entered the kitchen. A dozen long-stemmed pink and red roses were sitting in a crystal vase in the center of the table. The subtle smell of clean linen on a sunny day from two candles next to the flowers filled the room. A large smile erupted on her face and she dropped her traveling bag. She pounced on him, wrapped her slender arms tightly around his neck and her long legs around his waist. He held her up as she peppered his lips with kisses.
"Easy…" he said chuckling as he broke away from the heated kiss that she initiated. "I don't want this beautiful dinner to go to waste," he said gesturing to the meal in front of them. She laughed lightly and took a seat as he served her. He took a seat next to her and placed his hand over hers. They stared lovingly into each other's eyes as they caught up on the previous week's events.
He placed his hands behind his head as he stretched his legs. He blushed a bit as he inspected the love bites that covered his muscular torso. She had been more passionate that evening, but he was not one to complain. He turned over, expecting to see her beside him. His brow furrowed as he glanced at the straightened bedding. A single folded piece of parchment with his name scribbled in her messy scrawl was atop her pillow. His hands shook and his heartbeat quickened as he picked up the note. A lone teardrop had stained part of the note causing the letters in his name to bleed through the parchment. He took a deep breath and unfolded it.
Dearest Harry –
I am so sorry, but I cannot do this anymore. I am going to go away for a while. Please do not come looking for me. You need to take care of the children. I love you all and will miss you, but I have to do this.
Love – Ginny
Harry reread the note until his vision became blurry with the tears that threatened to fall down his face. He held them in, biting his lip until it bled. He ran his tongue over the abused flesh swallowing the coppery taste of his blood. He caught sight of her name etched on the parchment and it was enough to send him over the edge. Fat teardrops ran in waves down his face and he buried his face into her pillow attempting to muffle the sounds of his sobs. The smell of her citrus perfume only exacerbated his cries. His chest tightened and he was becoming light-headed due to the lack of oxygen.
Eventually, he stopped crying and he became angry. He crumpled her note and threw it on the floor. He took his wand, blasted a few holes in the wall and removed her picture from every image of them that hung in the room. His fists collided with the mattress and he punched it over and over again until his knuckles became raw from rubbing up against the sheets. Another wave of sadness overcame him and more tears flowed down his face. And so, he rode that cycle, alternating between tears of sorrow and shouts of sheer frustration.
"Harry, are you OK?" a soft voice called from his doorway. Harry's head spun a bit as he lifted it off the pillow. He wiped away some leftover tears with the back of his hand. Had she returned to him? Had she seen the error in her ways? He groaned and slammed his head back into the pillow as he saw Andromeda standing in the doorway. He groaned again upon realizing that his children were somewhere in the house. He had to get it together, but he really did not have it in him.
"Harry, what's wrong?" Andromeda said as he walked over to him. He felt the mattress dip as she took a seat next to him. He heard the telltale sound of the note being opened. "Oh, Harry, I am so sorry!" Andromeda exclaimed softly as she rubbed small circles on his back.
"Andy, I really don't get it," Harry said a few minutes later. "I don't understand why she would leave. She seemed so happy. We were happy."
"I don't know," Andromeda responded shaking her head.
"Do you think this is my fault? Should I have let her keep playing Quidditch? She leaves to cover matches. Would there have been any difference?" He rolled over on his back, sat up and faced Andromeda.
"Harry, you can't blame yourself for this. You did nothing wrong. She agreed to quit the team and become a mother. You did not force her into this," Andromeda said firmly grabbing his hands. "Now, get cleaned up while I tidy up your room. Your children are downstairs and they are looking for you."
"What should I tell them when they ask about their mother?" he demanded staring into Andromeda's dark brown eyes.
"Just tell them that she's away for work for now," Andromeda suggested. Harry nodded curtly before stepping into the bathroom. Andromeda quickly rearranged the room and went back down into the kitchen where the children were waiting.
"Is Dad OK?" James asked twisting his hands, entwined in his lap. He tapped his foot anxiously on the spindle of the wooden chair. Andromeda shot him a glance and he immediately dangled his foot over the floor. "He's usually here," he added, huffing slightly as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"Were you looking for me?" a cheery voice called from the entrance to the kitchen. The children squealed in delight as they saw their father standing in the doorway. They bolted from their chairs and ran into his open arms. He showered them with hugs and kisses until they calmed down. "Now go play in the living room for a bit while I make your lunch," he instructed gently.
Andromeda took a seat at the kitchen table, sipping on a cup of tea as she observed Harry assembling a tray of sandwiches. She had to give him credit for looking so strong when he was falling apart. Her heart went out to him and she was still shocked that Ginny would have left him. She did not want to believe it.
"Andy?" Harry asked as he set the sandwiches on the table. "Can you please keep this between us?"
"Yes, of course."
The first few months without his wife were incredibly difficult for Harry. He was unsure how many more excuses he could come up with before his children figured out the truth. He knew James sensed that something was wrong. Harry was beginning to crack. In addition, finding a full-time babysitter and tutor for the three children was extremely difficult. He wanted to send them to a Muggle primary school so they could understand that part of them and be more tolerant of the Muggle-born witches and wizards that they would meet.
Ginny would have none of that. She insisted that they hire the best of the best for their children. Harry countered saying that they be tutored by someone they trusted. He recommended that Mrs. Weasley or Andromeda tutor them, but Ginny vehemently refused. They had gone through several tutors already and Harry was beginning to worry about their education.
He really could not do anything about it. He couldn't force her to quit her job and become a full-time stay-at-home mother. He could not and would not quit his job either. Looking back on it, maybe he should have just quit. It was not like money was an issue. But, he felt as it he owed it to the Wizarding World to protect its inhabitants as an Auror.
Six months had passed and Harry's struggles were only growing. His colleagues at work were beginning to worry about him since he tried to avoid every mission that required him to go overseas. The papers were speculating that his marriage was failing. Ginny's family was constantly asking him about her whereabouts and whether the rumors in the papers were true. It was becoming more difficult for him to answer his children's constant questions about her. He knew he would eventually have to tell his family the truth.
A month later, he gathered everyone and told the story about how Ginny left him. Andromeda was by his side, her hand over his as a sign of support. It was an emotional evening that left everyone in tears. After the meeting, Andromeda pulled him aside and offered to help him take care of his children. Mrs. Weasley already had her hands full taking care of and tutoring Ron and Hermione's children. Harry did not even bother putting up a fight and quickly accepted her generous offer. Andromeda was quite pleased that he accepted her offer. She had grown very fond of his children and was not looking forward to a quiet house since Teddy attending his first year at Hogwarts the following year.
Present Day:
Harry shook his head and chastised himself for not keeping a closer eye out on the door. Thankfully, someone showed up so he was able to study the movements. He committed them to memory and glanced down at his watch. He only had a few more minutes left. Again, his thoughts drifted on why he had agreed to attend the meeting. Oh yeah, Andy threatened to take away her childcare services. He rose from the swing, stuffed his hands in the pocket of his jeans and slowly walked toward the door.
He performed the intricate movements with relative ease and stepped into the classroom. The chairs, enlarged to fit grown men and women, lined the perimeter of the room. He grimaced as he looked up at the pink, white and red construction paper hearts dangling from the ceiling. Decals of Cupid with his trademark bow and arrow adorned the windows. He bit his lip suppressing his sudden urge to burst into laughter at the irony of the situation. He scowled at the long-stemmed red roses sitting in a vase on the teacher's desk. He curled his hands into fists resisting the urge to rip every single petal off the roses. Way to rub in it, he thought as he plopped down into a chair. He cringed as he felt the attendees staring at him. He averted his gaze to the floor. Eventually, he looked up and shook his head in disbelief upon realizing that he was the only wizard and the only one under 30 in the room. Andromeda is going to get it, he vowed sending a sharp glance her way.
Two women, twins, who would have been attractive had they not been dressed in mismatched Muggle clothing, stood in the center of the circle. The bright pink feather boas wrapped around their necks reminded Harry of Dolores Umbridge's ghastly pink suits. He dug his nails into his palms to prevent from bolting out of the room.
"Welcome everyone," one of the twins said flashing everyone a wide smile. "Please help yourself to some food and drink in the back of the room."
"We hope you all found the place alright. We would also like to thank you all for coming out today… especially on a day like today," the other added. "And as always, please remember that what we discuss stays in this room." With that, the attendees began introducing themselves since there were more newcomers at this meeting than earlier ones. Harry sighed deeply knowing that he'd have to share his story with another group of people.
Harry spent the introductions tuning out the witches. Their problems did not interest him. Instead, he found himself eying each one of them noticing the beauty in each of them. A slender leg here, a strand of silky hair there and a whiff of a sweet-smelling perfume all overwhelmed him. He berated himself for having such thoughts. He blamed it on the year without his wife. Yes, that is exactly what this is, he justified as he tore his eyes away from the ample bosom of a redhead who probably was the youngest woman in the room. Then again, he could not really tell. To begin with, most witches looked younger than their age and of course, a couple well-placed glamour charms never hurt anyone.
Harry shivered as he felt a cold draft of air enter the room. A woman clad in a dark green wool traveling cloak glided into the room. Her rabbit fur-lined hood was up obscuring her face. Andromeda took her handbag off her seat and placed it on the floor. The masked woman took a seat. Harry did not notice Andromeda's hand cover the mystery witch's slender one. He watched as a set of dainty hands deftly undid each button of the cloak. Harry's mouth went dry as he eyed her beautiful body.
The woman was petite, but he could see the gentle curves of her hips. Her dark grey miniskirt accentuated her slender legs. Her black sweater dipped low, revealing a patch of her milky cleavage. Harry's blush deepened as her skirt shifted up slightly revealing her firm thighs. Her patterned tights were not helping his situation. Stop it, he commanded himself.
Harry's breath hitched watching her lower her hood. Wavy blonde hair tumbled down her slim shoulders. He did not even have to look at the rest of her face to recognize her. It had been ten years and it had not looked like she had changed one bit. In fact, she looked even more beautiful. She was like a fine bottle of wine that only got better as it aged. Her skin and hair were more radiant and her eyes were shining. She looked happy and healthy.
Harry's chest tightened as his heartbeat increased. It was as if her smooth, slender fingers were caressing his chest in the Forbidden Forest all over again. She bent over him, her blonde hair tickling his dirty cheek. Her warm breath ghosted on the outer shell of his ear. He couldn't see her, but he envisioned the beautiful woman from the Quidditch shop staring at him with her striking blue eyes and ruby-red lips. She asked about Draco and he answered honestly. He couldn't lie to her even if he wanted to.
No one knew the dreams that plagued Harry immediately after the Dark Lord's defeat. His desires made him feel incredibly guilty and he could not pinpoint the reason for his attraction to the beautiful blonde. He thought the dreams would disappear once he married the woman he loved. He hated to admit it, but some evenings it was not his wife he was thinking of during their most intimate moments.
He wondered about her often and how she was coping with life as a free woman. He wondered whether she was still married or if she had finally gotten the courage to leave her husband. He wondered if she ever reconciled with Andromeda and if she had met Teddy. Lastly, there was a tiny part of him that wondered if she ever wondered about him. These thoughts were absurd and he hoped that, in time, they would pass. Thankfully they passed with the birth of his first child.
Or so he thought.
Old habits die hard. He shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He tried to think of calming thoughts, but was failing miserably. He eyed the twins' bright pink feather boas trying to think of Umbridge instead. He placed his cloak on his lap and ran a hand through his messy locks. Andromeda was talking and he had to force himself not to look at the blonde sitting beside her.
Soon, all the attendees save for Harry and Narcissa had shared their stories. "Ladies first," he offered bravely bringing his eyes to her face. She locked eyes with him and gave him a small smile.
"Well, as I am sure most of you know, Lucius and I got divorced. He is all yours," she said laughing slightly. "Anyway, I have spent the past five years living in London. I run an interior design company that not only decorates homes, but also helps rid them of any traces of Dark Magic. Also, part of my proceeds go toward an orphanage I helped found for children affected by the war."
"Are you dating anyone?" an elderly woman called out. She, no doubt, was mentally trying to figure out which one of her nephews was still single. Ms. Black was a fine catch and, more importantly, was extremely wealthy.
Narcissa sighed resisting her urge to roll her eyes at the woman. She could not even recall the number of dates she turned down. Granted, some men seemed interesting, but she questioned their intentions. She had spent almost 30 years tethered to an extremely selfish man. She wanted to enjoy her life as a free woman. Of course, she wasn't going to rule out a relationship, but she promised herself that she would hold out for Mr. Right. That's if he even exists, she mused, realizing she had not answered the question.
"No, I'm very much single," she said dropping her voice into a sinfully seductive whisper. She locked eyes with Harry. Her lips curled into a soft smile. His eyes widened a bit and he tried to keep calm.
"I see. That's quite a shame. Anyway, it'll be a very lucky man who gets to have you," the woman responded turning her attention back to her tea.
"Yes, indeed," Narcissa responded. She delicately crossed her right leg over her left. "Your turn, Mr. Potter."
"Call me Harry!" he blurted. He clamped his hand over his mouth. His face was on fire.
"Alright, Harry," she said drawing out each syllable as if she was testing his name on her luscious lips. "Tell us your story."
"My wife left me last year," he began. Almost all the women in the room gasped. Narcissa was not one of them. "I am struggling to raise my three young children while balancing my job as the Head of the Auror Department." He paused for a moment letting the shock sink in. "And, no, I'm not dating anyone," he replied looking at the elderly woman who sighed loudly and shook her head. "I am definitely not ready for that."
No one dared to ask him more questions and the rest of the meeting went without issue. Harry reluctantly admitted that he learned some decent parenting tips as well as other suitable childcare options incase Andromeda ever took back her offer. Nevertheless, the meeting had been difficult to sit through. I cannot believe I agreed to attend two more, he thought as he strolled over to the food table. Andromeda was busy chatting with a friend and he wanted to speak with her before he left. He was lost in his thoughts and did not see Narcissa standing in front of the table eying the delectable treats. Luckily, he stopped before he walked into her.
"Oh… hullo," her soft melodic voice called out to him. She spun around gracefully, her cloak billowing behind her. A dark chocolate brownie covered in pink, white and red heart-shaped sprinkles rested between her fingertips.
"Hullo," he responded slowly walking up to her. "So, what's good?" he asked shifting slightly.
"All of it," she responded playfully as she took a dainty bite of the brownie. A soft moan escaped from her throat as she took another bite. Harry did not think it was possible for his cheeks to turn any redder. "I can now have my cake and eat it too," she proclaimed placing the rest of the brownie into her mouth.
Harry laughed lightly as he looked at the woman standing before him. She never ceased to amaze him. His hand acted on its own volition, cupped her chin and lifted it slightly.
"You have a little something here." He wiped away a bit of chocolate from her upper lip with the pad of his thumb. She stiffened and her eyes widened. He could have sworn that he saw a faint blush on her cheeks. She mumbled her thanks and he nodded in acceptance not wanting to say or do anything else.
They failed to notice the devious smile and twinkle in Andromeda's eyes as she observed the pair. She wrapped up her conversation and went over to the two before things got more awkward.
"Ready to go?" she asked Narcissa. Narcissa nodded and walked toward the door. Harry trailed behind them drinking in the sight of the woman in front of him.
A few seconds later, he watched in horror as a bright purple light hit Narcissa in the center of her chest over her heart. She hit the ground with a sickening thud, blood splattering on the ornate door. The remaining attendees heard the noise and rushed outside, their wands at the ready. He bent down on his knees placed her head on his lap. Her eyes were fluttering and she was losing consciousness. He took a bright pink feather boa offered by one of the twins and carefully tied it around her head.
"Hold on, Narcissa… you'll be alright," Harry said as he placed a soft kiss on her temple. With that, he gathered her in his arms, stood up and grabbed Andromeda's arm as she apparated them to St. Mungo's.