Harry's Future, Part 45
It was Friday evening of the last weekend in April. Harry was sitting in the living room of the Burrow, his three week old son, James resting quietly in his arms. Since the time when Harry first held him, standing like a statue for fear of dropping the less than two day old child, he had grown more at ease and would happily take his turn, few and far between as they were. Ginny had the proprietary notion common to most mothers that she should do most of the holding. At the moment Harry was exchanging glances with James, green eyes watching brown and vice versa. The dragon side of Harry's nature had also been watching. The cold reptilian voice murmured,
"This one will be a challenge."
This gave Harry a bit of a start and he looked closer at his son as if some sign or portent would make itself known. But after thinking on it a bit he had to admit it didn't take any great insight or an Abagail style vision to realize that James would very likely tend towards non conformity and rule bending. One need only look at the record of the boy's father, paternal grandfather and certain maternal uncles to see that the raw material was in place for future havoc. It could only be hoped that the mother and other maternal uncles might hold the key to some calming influence, not unlike the control rods in a nuclear power reactor.
Harry sighed and then with a smile gave James a few gentle bounces and then said quietly,
"We'll worry about that when the time comes, won't we, James?"
"What are you going to worry about later, Harry?" Ginny asked as she came over to sit next to him.
She held out her hands to indicate Harry should relinquish James but he said with a smile,
"We're doing fine, thank you very much. As to worrying, I was just thinking we shouldn't worry about too much about anything right now."
Ginny hooked Harry's upper with both of hers and looked at him.
"No, we shouldn't. Tomorrow we get to see the new house. I can't wait," she enthused.
"Well, it's not like you haven't seen it before," he replied.
"Harry, I haven't seen it since it started snowing. By the time it all melted around here I was too big to be able to go see it. All I had were Mum and Dad checking on things and describing it to me. It will be so nice to be in our very own house," she said a bit dreamily at the end.
"I dunno, Gin. I've been getting kind of used to the idea of poncing off Mum and Dad," Harry said with a straight face.
Ginny's eyebrows shot up and then she started to giggle, then laugh out loud. Then she snapped her fingers and gestured that it was time to give up the baby to her. Harry, ever the dutiful husband did as his wife demanded. A few moments later a certain aroma indicated to him that the timing couldn't have been more perfect. He heard Ginny snort as she started to stand up.
"Serves me right, I suppose."
Harry was smart enough not to laugh until Ginny had disappeared upstairs to attend to the changing. As he did he caught Mrs. Weasley's eye and she crooked a finger at him. He got up and walked into the kitchen.
"They'll be no poncing in this house, young fella me lad," and she tossed a dish towel to him and he spent the next fifteen minutes drying the dinner dishes and he was happy to do so.
Saturday morning dawned clear and cool. Harry was dreaming of a long leisurely flight over the Scottish Highlands, a particular favorite when an insistent voice began to intrude.
"Harry, Harry. Wake up, sleepy head. Today's the day."
"Hmph? What? Oh, alright," he said and then let out a long yawn.
Sleeping in the same room with a three week old baby left him a little groggy, not to mention the sun was barely visible over the horizon as he began to drag himself out from under the quilt. Ginny was bustling about, apparently on pure adrenaline and Harry wondered what condition she would be in this evening when it all wore off. He grabbed his kit and shuffled off to the shower, leaving his already tubbed and scrubbed wife to fuss over James.
By the time he was washed and dressed and descending the staircase, Ginny was waiting for him in the kitchen, James' carrier set on the table. He walked over and looked down at his son who was dozing.
"Good morning, James," he whispered. "You're the smart one, I'm thinking."
He slumped down into his chair and began pouring his morning tea. There was already a plate of toast on the table and he began to work on that. Mrs. Weasley was busy at the stove.
"I'll be with you in a moment, Harry dear. Just get started with the toast. You've a busy day ahead of you," she said.
"Just me? Aren't you and Dad coming along?" Harry asked.
"Well, of course we are, Harry. We wouldn't miss it for the world but it is your house after all, and both Arthur and I have seen the house in different stages of construction," she replied with a knowing smile. "Am I correct, Ginny?"
"Yes, Mum, although I've been resisting telling Harry all about it. I want him to get the full effect when he first sees it," she said with an answering grin.
Mrs. Weasley carried over a platter with eggs and bacon. Kreacher followed behind her floating two additional platters with sausages, cereal and fruit. Harry's eyes lit up at the sight of all the food.
"Now eat up. I doubt we'll have much chance for lunch," Mrs. Weasley said.
"I don't know about lunch, but if everything goes as I hope, I'll treat everyone to dinner at the Cauldron," Harry said around a mouth full of toast.
"Should we do that, Harry? James is still only three weeks old. He's not ready for being out in public yet," Ginny stated.
"Oh, I guess I didn't think about that," Harry said, a little crestfallen.
"Don't worry, my dears. James will be just fine with Arthur and me. You two could use an evening to yourselves," Mrs. Weasley.
"Gee, I dunno, Mum," Ginny said, apprehension in her voice.
"Ginny," he mother said flatly. "Just what part about taking care of a baby don't you think I know?"
"Um, sorry, Mum. Just new mother nerves I guess. It would be nice to have a quiet dinner with just Harry," she said, giving Harry a quick smoldering glance that made him gulp.
"Then it's settled. Of course, if Harry winds up hating the house it'll all be moot," Molly said with a straight face
"Oh, Mum, how could you say that, even if it is a joke?" Ginny asked.
Harry just kept eating and then a thought struck him.
"How are we getting there? James isn't really ready to go flying is he?"
"No, dear, he's not. Not for a while yet. We'll be going in your father's car," Mrs. Weasley said.
"Really? Is there enough room for all of us?" Harry asked.
"Well, it seems your father didn't quite keep his promise about enchanting the Popular. He did use the Enlargement spell on the interior. I just hope that's the only spell he put on it," Mrs. Weasley said with some resignation. "He's out in the garage checking to make sure everything is in order."
So it was that about an hour later they were all comfortably ensconced in the unnaturally spacious interior of the little car. James' carrier was securely belted between Harry and Ginny in the rear with the elder Weasleys up front. While no one would mistake the Popular for showroom new it appeared in remarkably good shape. It hummed along without any smoking or backfiring. Harry could see from his place behind Mrs. Weasley that Mr. Weasley was grinning from ear to ear.
"You did a really great job on the car, Dad. It runs beautifully. Even Uncle Vernon couldn't find fault with how it runs," Harry said.
"Thanks, Harry," was all Arthur said.
"I actually like it better than that benighted Anglia," Mrs. Weasley said. "We've taken a few rides over to the house in it and it runs quite well."
The ride lasted for about thirty minutes. The two lane road they were on was passing through a wooded stretch and since Harry had only made the one trip and from the air, he had no idea where he was. The Popular began to slow and Harry looked out the windows trying to get his bearings.
"Um, where are we?" he asked.
"We're just about there, my dear. The entrance is just ahead on the left," Mrs. Weasley said.
"What? Where?" Harry asked, perplexed.
"You'll see in a moment, Harry," Mr. Weasley responded as he checked to make sure the road was clear of other traffic.
Then he eased the car to the left and just as it appeared they would bump into several trees they were through and onto a one car wide lane of crushed stone. Harry whistled low in appreciation.
"One of the virtues of having the house built by magical builders, Harry. They've applied all their talents to making your new home secure," Mr. Weasley offered.
The lane didn't cut straight through the trees. It made several cut backs so that there wasn't a clear line of sight to the house. After the third turn a wide area of gravel appeared. One car was already parked there as Mr. Weasley pulled in and parked.
"It looks like the company representatives are here already," Mrs. Weasley said.
"That's right, Mum. They said they'd be here to make sure everything was ready for us," Ginny replied.
They all got out of the car with Ginny handing Harry the carrier before she got out. The path leading from the gravel car park likewise took a circuitous path through the remainder of the small wood and kept the house out of view. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had hung back to allow Ginny and Harry to be the first to exit the wood. As they did the elder Weasleys could see Harry come to a sudden stop and gasp. Then he said quite clearly,
"Oh, my."
The cause of his comment was the sight of the front of his and his family's new home. He had seen all of the renderings that had been done by Abagail and the company architects but the magnificent reality had been enough to nearly overwhelm him. The house, or manor as it could be rightfully called, was a full two stories with a sharply peaked roof that covered the third storey attic. The façade was gray fieldstone that gave a hint of mauve in the morning sunlight. The window casings were carved stone. The path he and Ginny stood on led to a small portico that covered the entrance which comprised a double door in green with narrow windows on either side. The roof was shingled in dark slate.
The grounds in between the wood and the house consisted of a broad well manicured lawn punctuated with several flowerbeds. Off to their left the lawn merged with a much larger expanse of grass that was more pasture than lawn. In Harry's minds eye he could see kids zipping about on brooms, kids of all sizes and ages. Harry's vision was interrupted by a gentle nudge in his side.
"Wouldn't you like to take a closer look, sweetheart?" she said softly.
Harry simply nodded and resumed walking up the path. His head continued to swivel back and forth as he tried to take it all in. While outwardly calm, almost stunned, internally his emotions were boiling over. Almost as if he hadn't really been paying attention; the reality of his situation came crashing down on him. He, along with his family, his true family, was walking up to the first house he could truly call his own, their own. The orphan who had been cast adrift on a cold Halloween night all those years ago was finally coming home and the realization was almost more than he could deal with.
Harry and Ginny began to mount the steps leading up to the front doors. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley followed behind. They could see Harry's head turning this way and that. When he and Ginny reached the front doors, Harry ran his hand over the woodwork. As if on cue the door swung open and Mr. Basswood of the Salisbury Plains Construction company stood there with a small smile.
"Mr. and Mrs. Potter, I'm pleased to welcome you to your new home. Please come in," he said as he stepped back and to the side.
"Thank you, Mr. Basswood," Ginny said with smile as she stepped into the foyer, holding James in his carrier.
Harry just nodded and followed Ginny with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley coming in behind them. The fieldstone of the exterior gave way to rich woods and ceramic tiling. The level of craftsmanship was exquisite. Harry stood looking around. Even with no furniture or other personalizing items, the house was exerting a strong pull on him. He could only describe the feeling as 'home'.
Mr. Basswood, along with Ms. Trent, took them on a tour of the house, pointing out features or describing how certain techniques were used to obtain a particular effect. Most of it went over Harry's head, or perhaps through it, because later he would be able to recall all that was said, but for the moment he was oblivious. He was taking in every detail. How the joins of the woodwork showed no gaps, nor any tool marks. Ginny was watching her husband with growing unease. He hadn't said a word since his first 'oh, my'.
They saw the kitchen with its numerous cabinets and spacious work surfaces. The racks for the pots and pans stood empty but it was easy to envision the same assortment as now hung in the kitchen of the Burrow. They saw rooms intended for children and guests as well as the suite that would be Harry and Ginny's. Lastly, by happenstance or design, they came to the library, Harry's library. Mr. Basswood took hold of the brass knob and gave it a turn, pushing the heavy door inward.
He stood aside and gestured for Harry to go ahead. Harry took several steps forward until he was just inside the room. He looked around at the wall to ceiling bookcases, the brass rail that ran around the top of the cases that would allow the ladder to move around the room. There was enough room to hold a lifetime worth of books. The wall opposite the door held a large window that gave a view of the large meadow and the hills beyond.
As he stood looking at the view provided by the window he felt a warm hand slip into his. He looked over and down and saw Ginny smiling back up at him, but with a questioning glance. The best he could offer was a small smile and a squeeze of her hand. Mr. Basswood's voice broke in and Ginny turned to talk to him.
"Harry. Harry. Mr. Basswood wants to know if everything is satisfactory," Ginny said.
Harry nodded and went back to contemplating the view from the window. After a short while, Ginny was finally able to get Harry's attention for long enough to sign the papers accepting the house and authorizing the final payment through Gringotts. As Ginny and her parents were saying their farewells to Mr. Basswood and Ms. Trent, Harry drifted off to roam through the house. When Ginny finally found him, he was sitting on the bottom step of the back staircase.
"Harry. Whatever is the matter with you? I can't imagine what they thought about how you were acting," she said. "Will you look at me, please, when I'm talking to you?"
When Harry lifted his head he had a strange, almost haunted look. Whatever consternation Ginny may have be feeling was replaced with concern and she sat down next to Harry on the step. She took hold of his right hand with both of hers.
"What's wrong, Harry? I thought you liked the idea of the house. Is it too much after all?" she asked.
Harry shook his head in the negative and then looked at Ginny. He finally found his voice.
"No, Ginny. The house is fine. It's more than fine. It's magnificent. The fact that it's a gift from you and from Abagail makes it more so. It's just a little overwhelming, I guess. I've never had a home of my own or a family. Now I have you and James and Abagail and this house. I don't know how I can explain it. It's like I finally feel whole," he finished and then went silent again.
Ginny looked at him in amazement and then said,
"Harry, how can you say that? You've been part of a family for years now and you've had a home in the Burrow for just as long. You've said so yourself."
"It's not the same," he murmured. "The Burrow, the Black house, they weren't really mine. They were borrowed. Even your family was borrowed, for a while at least. I don't how to explain it."
Ginny looked at him and she remembered something. She took one hand and placed it on Harry's face.
"You don't have to. I won't insult you by saying I understand, Harry. I don't think I ever can, really. I remember something you said to me. It was on the Express, going back to school after the Christmas break when we were seventh years together. You were explaining to me how you felt about us, about your 'family'. How bad it was living with the Dursleys and how much it meant to you to have finally found a family to be part of."
"It was a start, Ginny. Well, not a start but I guess you could say it was part of a journey that started that first day on the platform with you, your mom and your brothers. A journey that has finally, I think, brought me home," he finished with a small smile.
Ginny smiled back and then wrapped her arms around Harry's shoulders and pulled him close. After a few moments they both stood and hand in hand walked down the corridor towards the front of the house and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.
"Harry dear, are you alright?" Mrs. Weasley asked.
"Yes, Mum. Sorry about that. Just a bit much to take in all at once. It's an amazing house. Almost too amazing," he said.
"Ah, none of that, young fella me lad. This is a beautiful home and you deserve it. You all do," she said seriously.
"Yes, Mum," he replied and then gave her a hug.
"Perhaps we should take a look out back," Mr. Weasley offered. "I don't know how much you took in, Harry, but Mr. Basswood explained some interesting things about the security features of the house."
"Um, I don't think I heard anything about that, Dad. What did he say?" Harry asked sheepishly.
"The house will imprint on you and the family. You'll be able to come and go as you please. Anyone else will have to be invited in. There's something you should find very interesting out back," Mr. Weasley said.
The four adults, with James riding along in his carrier, made their way through the kitchen where a door at the back led to a mud room that had a rack for hanging wet coats and room for plenty of muddy boots. Harry pulled the door open and saw an interesting, if inexplicable, sight. There was a short covered walkway of flagstone that led to a small stone windowless structure. Harry looked back over his shoulder to his father-in-law with a questioning look on his face.
"It seems that the security folks at Salisbury Plains Construction thought you could use an extra measure of protection. In that small building is a fireplace. Anyone using the floo network to travel here will wind up there and then have to come to this door. No worries about uninvited guests stepping out of your fireplaces here in the house."
"Wow, that's really great, Dad. Although I wouldn't think that would be so much of an issue anymore," Harry said.
"I don't know that I would necessarily agree with that, Harry, but better safe than sorry."
Harry gave a bit of a laugh and then said,
"I wonder what else I missed."
"Don't worry about it, sweetheart. Mum and Dad and I were paying attention and there's a complete description in the papers they left us," Ginny said.
Harry seemed to have finally shaken off the strange mood that he had been in since first seeing the house. He looked at Ginny and asked,
"So when do they start moving in the furniture and stuff?"
"First thing Monday morning, sweetheart. Everything should be taken care of by the end of the day on Tuesday," Ginny said.
"Gee, I feel like I should be here to help or something," Harry said.
"Harry, what would you do? We have professionals handling it all. Mom will be here with me. I think she can handle a bunch of movers, don't you?" Ginny asked.
Harry looked at his mother-in-law who gave him her best 'do it my way' look and then winked at him. Harry smiled, laughed and felt pity for the first mover who dropped something or bumped into a wall. They took one more stroll around the first floor and then made their way to the front door and out onto the front portico. The front lawn looked even better from this vantage point. He looked around and then said to Ginny,
"You know, maybe I shouldn't have been so fast to accept Professor McGonagall's offer."
"Why on earth not, Harry?"
"It's going to be very hard to leave this every day. I should have just retired to the life of a country squire," he said with a grin.
"Who are you kidding, Harry Potter?" she said in all seriousness. "You'd last a few weeks at most and then you'd be looking for something to do. You'd be out trying to teach the rabbits about magic."
"That's true, I suppose. You know me all too well, Mrs. Potter. Well, what say we head back to the Burrow and get James settled in? Then I believe I owe you dinner, my love," Harry said.
"That you do, dear man, that you do."
When they reached the car they took the time to attend to James who made it known on the walk back that he needed both changing and feeding. The ride home was as uneventful as the one out. The illusion that had hidden the entrance to the driveway was one way and allowed a full view of the road before pulling out. The revived Popular got them to the Burrow in fine shape and by mid afternoon Mrs. Weasley had shooed Harry and Ginny on their way. She was in full grandmother mode and was not interested in extra hands interfering with her time with her grandson.
The young couple arrived at Harry's favorite spot near Gringotts and once they got their bearings saw that the street was quiet with only a few handfuls of witches and wizards out and about. As the two made their way along the Alley several passersby offered congratulations on the birth of their son and they took the time to stop in to see both Fred and Angelina. Both wanted to hear details about the house and both received invitations to come out and see it the following weekend. A brief visit to Flourish and Blotts caused a bit of a commotion when Harry revealed the extent of his new library and the need to find sufficient books of interest to fill it. Ginny had to intervene to remind Harry that he should pace himself and make sure that what went into the collection was worthy of the time and expense. It was however a momentous if largely unnoticed event in that it marked the true beginning of what was, in the fullness of time, to be the largest, and best, private collection of magic and magically related texts in the world.
The sun was finally setting by the time Harry and Ginny made it into the Cauldron. As they stepped out into the common room from the rear entrance they heard a familiar voice call out to them.
"Harry! Ginny! Oh it's so good to see you," Hannah called out as she moved to greet them. "I haven't seen you two in ages."
Harry and Ginny both received hugs and when she released them and backed up a step Ginny and Harry looked to one another and then at their friend. Ginny was the first to speak.
"Hannah, are you pregnant?"
"Yes, and thank you for noticing. Early fall," she said with a huge smile.
Additional hugs were offered in congratulations and gladly accepted. Then taking each by the arm she led them to a table. When they sat she did likewise.
"So, what brings you two out this evening? I wouldn't have thought you'd be getting out this soon after the baby arriving. How is little James?"
"He's doing very well, Hannah. Pretty much all the normal things, so my mother tells me," Ginny said. "Not too much in the way of fussing. I'm hoping it stays that way."
"And what about you, Harry? How does it feel to be a father?" Hannah asked him.
"It's terrific. It's such an amazing thing, especially when I hold him. When I have the chance that is," he said, looking meaningfully at Ginny who replied by sticking her tongue out at him.
Hannah laughed and then said,
"Well, let's not go there and I'll take your word for it all. I'll be finding out soon enough. Now, what would you two like?" she asked, then explained the specials before taking their orders.
When she left to relay their requests to the kitchen, Harry reached over and took Ginny's hand. He looked into her brown eyes with his green and said in a low voice,
"Thank you, love. You've given me more than I would ever have hoped to have when I was growing up at the Dursleys. A wonderful family and a magnificent home."
"You are more than welcome, sweetheart. You deserve it and so much more. And don't forget, I had help with the house, and the family, too."
"Yes, I know. I'll be sure to thank Abagail when I see her on Monday," Harry said earnestly.
"Speaking of which, Harry, have you decided how you are going to handle the distance between Hogwarts and the new house?" Ginny asked.
"Well, Disapparating isn't much of a bother, but it does take some energy and doing it twice a day several times a week is going to get tiresome pretty quick. I've already found that out. The builders took care of it nicely on this end with that outdoor fireplace idea. I just need to find a handy one at the other end," Harry said.
"What about the one in the anteroom behind the Great Hall? You've used that before with Abagail," Ginny asked.
"That was more or less for special occasions, Gin. I don't want to abuse the privilege or keep the fireplace on the Floo network all the time. It could pose a problem for the school. I have some time to figure it out though. We have the little house in Hogsmeade until the end of summer so I can use that fireplace," Harry said.
"Hey, that's it. Why not just keep the house and you can use it for the fireplace. It was pretty cheap to rent. And if you ever find you're too tired to come home you can kip there. I can leave some clothes and things for you," Ginny said.
"Hmm, might not be a bad idea. Let me think on it," Harry said smiling at this wife. "You clever girl, you."
As always the dinner was excellent and filling. Unbeknownst to Harry the kitchen staff had codenamed his dinner portion as the Potter special. The Cauldron just about broke even on the price of the meal but Harry was a generous tipper so it worked out in the end. After finishing dinner and exchanging a last bit of conversation with Hannah they left and Disapparated back to the Burrow.
It had been an exciting and tiring day for them all, but especially for Harry due to the emotional drain of visiting the house for the first time. He was the first to be off to bed. Ginny sat with her parents and her recently awakened son in the living room.
"Did Harry give you any idea what was going on at your new house?" Mrs. Weasley asked.
"Yes, he did, Mum. He was actually quite happy with everything. It just, well, raised a lot of emotions I'd guess you could say. With James being born and then the new house, he said it finally felt like he had a home and family of his own," Ginny said.
"I beg your pardon?" Mrs. Weasley said in surprise. "What have we been? Fish and chips?"
"No, Mum. It was difficult for him to explain but I think he feels that up until now what he considers his family and homes have been borrowed in a way. Running in to us on the platform at King's Cross was a lucky first step, he said, on a journey that brought him to the new house and James and me and Abagail. I think he still feels that the Burrow and the Black house were just borrowed from you and Dad and Sirius. They weren't really truly his."
Mrs. Weasley looked very troubled and she stared into the firing place. Without looking away from the dying flames she murmured as if to herself,
"It's almost as if I've failed him somehow then."
"Oh, Molly. How can you say that? Harry was and to some extent I guess still is a troubled young man. Do you remember what Dr. Parsons said that time? That without us he would have fallen apart completely a long time ago," Arthur Weasley said.
"I remember, but it doesn't help much to know that he's still hurting like that inside, no matter how deep it is," she replied.
"Mum, I realized something today. I've probably known it for a while but it sort of came to the surface talking with Harry at the house. What he has been through in his life has been so different, so unique, none of us can possibly truly understand the impact it's had on him. And without that understanding we can't know how he will react to things or how he sees the world around him. All we can do is be there when he needs us and hope we do the right things. So far I think we've done pretty well. It's not like he was upset this time. He was really happy, he just didn't know how do deal with it at the time," Ginny said.
Molly shook her head and said,
"Perhaps that's the greatest tragedy of all."
The following morning Harry appeared none the worse for the emotional turmoil he had experienced the day before. He was cheerful and smiling as he wreaked havoc on the offerings for breakfast, going through three full helpings. Charlie stopped by to have a chat with Harry about the Department of Mysteries issue. Charlie had nearly convinced himself that he would take on the task but wanted to go over a few issues with Harry. Bill and Fleur stopped over around noon with Victoire, who, once having given and received hugs from her grandparents went straight for Harry and hugging and tickling filled the house with laughter and shrieks.
To Ginny and the elder Weasleys' surprise Harry insisted on taking the others to the new house by broom and giving them a guided tour. Ginny led the way since she knew best the air route but once there Harry took over and showed them every nook and cranny. Apparently some part of him had indeed been listening the day before. His two 'brothers' and 'big sister' were suitably impressed and thought it was going to be a great place to raise a family. Bill and Charlie loved the large meadow and instantly realized the implications that that much secluded space would mean in terms of broom flying and Quidditch play.
While Ginny and Fleur did a more detailed exploration of the kitchen, the three 'boys' stood outside on the front portico and talked.
"Harry, I had a visit from that guy from QUABBLE to talk about supporting the camp this year. He had some very interesting ideas. He also mentioned your suggestion about expanding the club match idea of Ron's. That's brilliant," Bill said.
Harry shrugged and said,
"I've got to think there'd be a lot of folks interested in playing, especially once Hogwarts graduates students that have gotten used to the club matches there. Plus it's a way to put that farm I've got up in Derbyshire to work. It's a good excuse to tear down all that rubble left over from that smuggling business. We should take a trip up there one of these days and check the whole place out."
He got agreement from both brothers on that idea. With the tour over they headed back to the Burrow and a very nice Sunday dinner that included Eleanor who expressed her disappointment at missing the tour but she had a match and couldn't get away.
"Don't worry, El. Everyone can come over on Saturday and see it all furnished and finished off," Harry said with a grin. "Including a certain cranky wizards' chess set."
"Cranky?" Eleanor asked.
"Yeah, seems the kings and arms men miss the fair lady Eleanor and want to know where I've been keeping her. The two queens seem to be a bit put off. I think they're getting jealous," Harry said with a smirk.
Eleanor was actually blushing and Charlie was looking at her with raised eyebrows. Everyone else was laughing. The evening passed pleasantly and since he had to head back to the school in the morning Harry decided he needed to get to sleep. Ginny insisted he use one of the guest rooms since James was still waking up during the night and she knew he had had a taxing time of it the day before.
He was up at dawn, as was Mrs. Weasley, who prepared him a substantial breakfast despite his protests.
"Mum, I can get breakfast at Hogwarts. I'll be there early enough."
"With all due respect to the kitchen staff, I'd like to think a home cooked meal is a better one," Mrs. Weasley said with one of her 'serious mother looks'.
Harry had to admit that a Molly Weasley breakfast was tough to beat and he did it justice. By the time he was halfway through his third helping Ginny had come down and was there to see him off. She had a busy day ahead of her overseeing the delivery of the new furnishings. Kreacher and a few of his friends from Hogwarts were going to see to bringing those few items that were going to follow them to the new house, including Harry's very comfortable chair, their bed and the antique chess set, as well as all of Abagail's art materials.
Harry was going to try the floo network today and test out the idea of using the rented house in Hogsmeade. Since it had no name he settled on the street address. He gave Ginny and James a last hug and kiss and with a handful of floo powder tossed into the Weasley fireplace, he was on his way. After a quick trip he stepped out into the dim, cool little living room of the rented house and he looked around and nodded.
He was out on the street and walking briskly towards the school, the late April morning having just a bit of a bite to it. He made his way up to the castle doors and let himself in. Breakfast was in full swing so Harry chose to make his way to his classroom. As he did he was hailed from the classroom set aside for Firenze.
"Greetings, Harry Potter. All is well with you I trust?"
"Oh, hello there, Firenze. Yes, all is very well, in fact. I can't imagine it being better," Harry said with a smile. "How are things with you?"
"I am well," the Centaur replied solemnly.
Harry had come to learn that this was his friend's only positive statement and was intended to cover anything from being alright to deliriously happy. He smiled in return and continued on to his room. He looked through his notes and tried to get himself into the proper frame of mind for his students. It was proving difficult and he had the feeling that today's classes were going to be light on work and heavy on lightheartedness. 'Ah, well,' he thought to himself with a smile. Somehow he felt the school would survive.