Disclaimer: If I really owned anything, would I actually post it here?
Chapter Summary: Harry meets Mrs. Weasley and the other Weasley children, and Sirius and Molly have disagreements.
A/N: Wonderful reviews! I'm glad you all liked the way Harry met Ron. Hope you like this one just as much. Next Chapter soon...
Chapter 14: You know better?
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"Cool! Oh, I've gotta tell Mum! I've never had a best fwend befowe," Ron grinned excitedly. "And…you should meet her, come on!" the happy boy exclaimed, abruptly grabbing Harry's hand and leading him to the other side of the park.
His mum? Is she nice? Is she mean? Is she like Padfoot and Moony? …Will she like me? Harry nervously looked back in the direction where Sirius and Remus should have been, only to find the playground in the way. That caused him to feel more anxious than he had been, though he tried his best to calm down. After all, Ron was the nicest boy Harry had ever met, not to mention they were now friends, so more than likely Ron's mum was just as nice, Harry assured himself.
They arrived at a picnic table where six red-headed children sat talking and eating, one of them coloring. None of them looked up, they did not seem to care who passed by. The twins Harry had met earlier looked annoyed about something and were whispering to each other. A red-haired woman, who was obviously their mother, sat on a bench close-by sowing and muttering exasperatedly. As Harry and Ron came in ear shot, Harry heard her say, "…can't believe they're still making up stories. Harry Potter, honestly!" Needless to say, this did not help to encourage Harry one bit. Only when they were right in front of her did she gaze up form her work, a surprised look on her face.
"Mum, Mum! This is Harry, my new bestest fwend! He saved me fwom this huge spider, with onwy his hands! He wasn't scared or nothing!" Ron enthusiastically declared. Harry felt the beginnings of embarrassment and wanted nothing more than to shift his gaze to the ground, but resisted the urge, pink tingeing his cheeks.
It wasn't 'that' big of a spider…
"Wait one moment Ronald Weasley…Harry? ...As in...Harry Potter?" she asked sternly, having now gone through this twice today. Ron grinned widely and nodded. Mrs. Weasley looked over at Harry critically, taking in his features, looking him over head to toe. Her eyes showed realization as she gazed at his scar, and then into his emerald orbs. Harry's first intention was to look away - what did staring at someone prove? It was very…unnerving… - but for some reason did not, this woman had soft, caring eyes.
"You are…Harry Potter," she breathed, amazed, her mind buzzing with thoughts.
"…Y-yes, ma'am," Harry answered politely. Mrs. Weasley bit her lip as her eyes began to shimmer with tears. Ron looked confused, and Harry immediately felt terrible, this woman already did not like him! She was showing an emotion Harry did not recognize, but, for some reason, it made him feel sad. He was about to apologize for what ever it was that he had done - the last thing he wanted was to be on the wrong foot with her…this was the mother of his first real friend! - , when, out of nowhere, he was enveloped by her warm embrace.
"Oh, you poor dear!" she cried motherly. Of everything he might have been expecting, Harry certainly had not been expecting this. The boy had immediately tensed at her touch, but soon felt himself able to relax into her hug. He had been embraced only by two people before, from what he could remember, and that had been Sirius and Remus, but this one seemed different to him.
Is this what its wike to be hugged by...a mum? he thought to himself. All too soon, for Harry anyway, Mrs. Weasley released him.
"Look at me, all worked up," she chuckled wiping away stray tears and smiling warmly at him. "Harry, it is very, very nice to meet you. You are ever so polite."
"I just can't believe…you….of all places," she murmured to herself, still finding that meeting the boy to be almost unreal. She felt sorry for him, for having no parents, for being marked by Voldemort, the list went on and on.
Ron was thoughtful after the initial enthusiastic introduction of his friend to his mother.
Harry Potter… He believed the name rang a bell somewhere in his head but he could not seem to pinpoint why. His mother was a loving but stern woman, he knew, having to raise seven kids, and in all his four years of life he had never seen her this way. There was obviously something about his new friend that he did not know…he would have to ask his brothers later.
"Now, then, where would your guardians-" she began, wanting to get to know them better, in order to allow Ron and Harry play days, now that the two boys were friends, but she was cut off.
"Prongslet, where've you…Molly?" came the voice of Sirius, Remus at his heels as they arrived from the other side of the playground, having not seen Harry when they had looked up from their bench.
"Sirius," Molly replied coldly as she stood. She had had doubts about her cousin - by marriage - long after the deaths of the Potters. Veritaserum could be overcome after all.
"Padfoot!" Harry greeted happily.
"Hey, kiddo," Sirius grinned, as he lifted his Godson up from the ground and positioned him in his arms so they both could see Mrs. Weasley.
"This is Ron, my newest fwend," Harry introduced, motioning towards the red-head. Ron beamed.
"Nice to meet you, Ron," Remus acknowledged kindly and Sirius gave a nod of agreement.
"This is Padfoot, and Moony. I live with them," Harry clarified innocently.
"What!" Mrs. Weasley blurted furiously, unable to restrain herself. Everyone was surprised by her out-burst, especially Harry and Ron. Noticing the brief fear in Harry's eyes, she quickly changed her tone.
"I-I mean…Ron, why don't you take Harry over to the table to eat and meet your brothers and sister?" she asked kindly. Ron nodded, fully confused by the situation. Sirius and Remus shared a knowing look.
"Come on, Harry," Ron said. With a resigned sigh, Sirius let Harry down. Upon regaining his footing, Harry gave a last glance to his Godfather and Moony, and proceeded to follow Ron to the table.
"You wanted to talk, Molly?" Sirius remarked sarcastically. Remus felt an altercation coming on, like a bomb waiting to go off. Sirius and Molly were not the best at getting along, and never had been. Molly did not like the 'Blacks', they were a bad bunch, and, no matter what other people said, Sirius had to be the same, in her opinion.
She glared at him. "Am I to understand that Harry, Harry Potter, is living with you?" she inquired heatedly. Remus felt like interrupting and adding, 'and me,' but knew better than to get involved.
"As a matter of fact, yes," Sirius crossed.
"Do you have any idea how negative an effect that could cause? Two men? Preposterous!" she said fervently.
"Who are you to say what's good for him and what's not?" Sirius questioned angrily.
"I'm a mother of seven! Of course I know what is good for him!" she answered fiercely.
"I'm his Godfather!" Sirius retorted indignantly.
"Oh, yes! And look what good that's done him!" she fumed.
"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked infuriated.
"The boy is much to skinny! He is obviously not cared for!" she replied, incensed.
"James entrusted me with Harry and his well being, Molly. If you think for one moment that I would do anything to harm him, then you know nothing about me. I would never do that to my best friend's son," Sirius countered, livid. Molly opened her mouth, and then closed it, looking at him pensively. Sirius was breathing deeply, but was mentally trying to calm himself, because he did not want Harry to hear them arguing.
"Molly…I wasn't given custody of Harry when James died. Did you know that? He was sent to that horrid muggle Petunia Dursley, Lily's sister, who hates magic," he stated in forced calm tones. Again Mrs. Weasley seemed incapable of speech.
"Know what they did to him? They abused him, Molly! Not just physically, but verbally, psychologically!" Sirius's voice was now full of emotion. This was a sensitive subject for it raised many feelings in him. Sorrow, pain, and hatred, just to name a few. Molly covered her mouth, shaking her head 'no'.
"Yes. But we, Remus and I, saved him. Rescued him, gave him nourishing potions and he's coming along. Dumbledore felt much more comfortable with us raising him than anyone else. It took time, effort, and caring for us to help Harry out of his shell, to trust us, to trust people again, and he still has a long way to go. You think you understand him better? That you know better?" he almost whispered. Molly seemed to have finally regained her voice.
"Sirius, I…I'm so sorry. I-I had no idea," she whispered, horrified by Harry's short life's story. Sirius sighed with a soft smile.
"I know, Molly. And…it's okay. I guess I really can't blame you. In a normal case, you'd probably know better than me…seven kids and all," he commented with a faint grin. She smiled lightly.
"But Harry does need a friend, and as Ron seems to have become the choice, I suppose I have to ask you whether it's okay for occasionally visits between them," he said.
"...Ron would love it, as would the others. I think it's a wonderful idea."
"Good," interjected Remus, finally speaking up after watching the 'tennis match' between the two. "Now that we're all on speaking terms, Harry's birthday is coming up, Molly, and-"
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-Ten minutes before, Harry and Ron at the table-
"Harry! See! We told you, guys!" Fred and George exclaimed in unison as they jumped to their feet, causing the other children to whip around.
"Hi…" Harry shyly addressed the six. A girl slightly younger than Harry smiled timidly then returned to the drawing that she had presently been doing.
"You weren't kidding!" a boy older than Harry said, walking up to Harry and looking at his forehead.
"I'm Charlie by the way," he introduced himself grinning as he grabbed Harry's hand and shook it. Another boy, who looked younger than Charlie, came up and quickly pushed his brother out of the way.
"I am Percy Weasley, Mr. Potter, and it is an honor," he stated, shaking Harry's hand with both of his, an air of pompousness about him. The last and eldest looking boy rolled his eyes at his brother then came over as well, easily pushing an indignant - for being pushed - Percy out of the way.
"Hiya, Harry, you can call me Bill. Percy, here, doesn't seem to know the difference between a famous person and the Minister of Magic. Hehe, sorry 'bout him," he explained with a chuckle. "Come and get something to eat. Sad to say though…they're corned beef sandwiches…" he sighed resignedly.
…Famous?
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A/N: Famous? Yea, explanations are definitely in order. How'd you like it? Don't forget to give some input on what you think. Review if you would please, they are the motivators. hint hint -Grins- Until next time… .