Disclaimer: Not mine... J.K. owns it all
Harry realised that the room he had emerged from was along one wall, to the left of the hall. Behind him were huge cherry wood double doors, with huge glass windows on either side of the double doors, allowing the sunlight in; a large crystal chandelier hung from the high ceiling, sparkling in the sunlight, the ceiling itself was decorated with frescos. The floor was white marble, and the walls were white too, making the hall look well lit and spacious. Two mirrors faced each other on opposite walls, with lamps hung on both sides of the mirrors, standing below them were two small tables decorated with antique figurines. Harry stood facing two staircases made of marble, which opened into a small balcony above the hall. The walls on the sides of the staircases were lined with portraits of people; Harry took a wild guess and assumed that those portraits were his ancestors. Harry stood there gaping at it all in wonder. This was his father's home? Had things been right, Harry would have spent his childhood in this castle- manor place.
Sneezy had already climbed the stairs before she turned back to look at Harry. She walked back to Harry and pulled at his sleeve; smiling slightly at Harry's expression Sneezy promised to give him a tour after taking him to the study. She nevertheless pointed out several doors for him. On Harry's left were the doors to the Visitor's room and the drawing room. The first door to his right was the coat room and the second room had dark cherry double doors, Sneezy informed that it was the ball room. Harry followed Sneezy up the staircase, looking at all the portraits. All of them were Potters, his ancestors and they stood proud in their portraits behind a red and gold throne like chair where their wives sat, looking impressive, to some extent aristocratic. To Harry it felt as if the portraits themselves emanated power and demanded respect. The balcony was more like a landing opening to a long corridor in from of him, at the end of the corridor Harry could see another landing, with a staircase leading to the landing and another set leading away from the landing to upper floors. The corridor itself had 4 doors all made of dark cherry wood. The walls were a rich green colour with lamps adorning them. The first door to Harry's right opened to the library while the left led to the music room full of all sorts of musical instruments both magical and muggle. The second door to his left opened into the game room. Sneezy opened the second door to his right and ushered him in. The woodwork was again Dark Cherry, but this room had Gryffindor colours, the walls were red, a huge desk sat in the middle of the room, slightly to Harry's left, with a throne like chair behind it and two plush chairs in front of it all with red covers and red and gold cushions, on the right side of the door, was a wooden staircase led to a balcony facing the desk, the upper floor was lined with shelves full of books. Walls were replaced by windows except in the centre which had a large fire place on the left of the desk giving a view of a lake with sparkling blue water and the lands beyond it lined with trees. The wall behind the throne contained two portraits framed in gold placed between two lamps.
Harry knew, even before looking at the portraits, that at least one of them belonged to his parents. Harry turned to face the table. The portrait to his left belonged to his parents, it contained a throne like chair, but currently both his parents were standing before the chair. His father had his arms around his mother, who was leaning on his shoulder as she watched Harry almost apprehensively. Air was knocked out of Harry's lungs. Seeing both his parents together, made it feel too real, like this wasn't a happy dream, but a reality where he would be able to talk to his parents. Harry moved forward, gently placing Sirius' portrait on the table and moving ahead to stand directly in front of his parents portraits. He unconsciously extended a hand to touch the portrait. His mother raised her hand, Harry rested his hand against it, but felt nothing, no movement, no warmth and yet he knew that his mum was touching his hand. His mother Harry had to concede was beautiful, in this portrait, her auburn hair was tied in an elegant knot and she wore dress robes of midnight blue. His father and Harry noticed it for the first time since meeting his father's portrait was wearing simple black dress robes, much like his green ones.
Harry feasted on his mother's face, as she beamed at him, her green eyes sparkling. "Hi mum." He said with a hint of yearning in his voice. His mother's smiled wistfully at him. "Harry." She said softly "Oh my baby! Look at you! All grown up! I am so sorry Harry, I am so sorry for leaving you like that. I don't regret dying for you. I can never regret doing everything to protect you but I am sorry that you were shipped off to the Dursleys. I am sorry you never got to know Sirius or Remus, your uncles, my brothers. I am so sorry Harry, that you never knew the family that you should have and all because we trusted the wrong man. How could I be so stupid, the signs were all there. You were never happy with Peter, you never liked him holding you, you knew much before we did, we should have paid attention, I should have paid attention to my baby. I am so sorry Harry." If portraits could cry, Harry knew that his mother was sobbing, how he wished to hug his mother, to comfort her but he couldn't.
He stroked her painted face with his fingers, as if to wipe away her tears. Before he could say anything, he heard the booms of a large clock announcing that it was 2:00 p.m. already. Harry looked up, his fingers frozen on the portrait. Sneezy who had been silent till now said "Worry not Master Harry. It is the clock tower announcing the time." Clock tower? They had a clock tower? Merlin's pink knickers!
"It is almost tea time; Sneezy must go prepare some tea. What would you like to have with tea Master Harry? Master James used to love treacle tart with tea while Mistress Lily, loved the cherry pie. Should I get them both for you, Master Harry?"
So, Harry inherited his love for treacle tart from his father but he liked cherry pie all the same and he realised he really did feel famished. "That would be brilliant Sneezy, thank you." Sneezy beamed at Harry, curtseying slightly, that's when Harry noticed Sneezy's clothes. She was wearing pastel blue socks, skirt and blouse with the letter P emblazoned on the left side of her blouse in gold. He wanted to ask her about her clothes, but decided to ask it later, he wanted to talk to his mother first. The little diversion was enough to calm his mother a little. She smiled bleakly at him, looking gloomy. He smiled widely at her. "Mum, you don't have to say sorry for anything. It wasn't your fault. It was Voldemort's fault and Wormtail's. How can you even blame yourself? You cast yourself willing in front of me to save me. Without your love and protection I wouldn't be standing here talking to you. I wish things were different mum, I really do. I wish I had grown up here or at Godric's Hollow, pestering the two of you and Sirius and Remus. I wish I had siblings, maybe a little sister to tease, love and protect but mum, we cannot live off on dreams. I never thought I would be able to talk to you and now here I am. We can know each other now. It's enough. I love you mum, I love both of you and I miss you every day, but now I can talk to you, this is the best birthday of my life." Harry said grinning.
"I don't know how, but this is the first Potter who talks sense. Your son thankfully took after you Lily dear, wise beyond his age. His father and grandfather were hopeless as far as wisdom was concerned" Harry turned to his right, to the beautiful aristocratic woman, dressed in red dress robes, her jet black hair had streaks of grey and it was tied in an elegant knot too, she sat on the throne like a queen; smiling at him with all the affection a portrait could muster. His dad and granddad protested at the same time; with his grandfather plopping himself on the arm of the throne, crossing his arms across his chest and pouting, he too was wearing simple black dress robes, the mischievous glint never leaving his eyes. "Hello Harry dear, I am your grandmother, Dorea Potter."
AN: I am trying to describe things as I imagine them. Please tell me what more details would you like. How do you see the Potter Manor? Read and Review people.
