Hey! Sorry for the lack of updating. I've been in a bit of a personal funk, but it's all getting better now. Time for another memory, and some Harry/Delia interaction. Curious? Read on! Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. If I did, I'd have enough money to buy a pirate ship and threaten to throw my Intro teacher off the blank. *grins evilly*
Tess placed a memory inside the Pensive and stepped back, sighing. She knew Harry was going to get mad if he found out about this, but she wanted to help him somehow. Harry needed this, she knew. He needed people who were connected to his past. Harry hated talking about the past. To him, the first six years of his life hadn't existed. She sat down and pulled Daisy into her lap. The little girl bounced with unexplainable energy.
"Tessie, what 're we doin'?" Daisy asked sweetly. Despite everything, Tess smiled at her. It was hard not to smile at Daisy. Even Harry, the 'cold-hearted fighter', was under her spell. In fact, Harry had a special soft spot for Daisy. Tess suspected it was combination of the childlike innocence and the similarity to Bea that endeared the little girl to him.
"We're watching one of my memories," Tess explained quietly. "You have to be quiet so you can hear, okay?" The little girl nodded furiously. The memory began to play.
A twelve year old Tess trailed alongside a twelve year old Harry. They were heading back to their hiding spot under the bridge. It was where they had set up camp temporarily before heading off to their next location. The two friends were looking for Horcuxes and following the leads Phin had left. Things had changed in two years. Harry's hair was longer, his frame taller and lanker, and his face rougher looking. What really had changed to Tess, however, was his eyes. Harry's green eyes, the ones that had always sparkled with joy, were empty. To her, this was probably the worst consequence of that Death Eater attack. Well, besides their family dying. Tess was also taller and her hair longer, but she had managed to maintain some child-like innocence.
After Phin died, Harry had taken them away from the house, collecting what they deemed valuable and burning the place down. Tess remembered tears running down her face at the sight. Harry had managed to find them a place to sleep. He took a slew of odd jobs, doing whatever he needed to in order to feed them. Tess worried about him a lot. He worked too hard in her opinion, but he wouldn't let her go into the city to work because he thought it was too dangerous. When Harry wasn't working, he tried to figure out the clues Phin had left them. Many times, Tess would wake up in the middle of the night to find Harry huddled over some clue, rereading it in the candlelight.
"Hih-hoe, hih-ho, back home we go!" Tess sang cheerfully as she skipped along the street. Harry just gave her a look. "What?" the smaller girl defended. "I'm providing a soundtrack for our walk!"
Before Harry could reply, Tess heard a horrible sound come from the inside of one of the alleys. Listening harder, she realized it was someone coughing. Ignoring Harry's pointed look, she took a step forward. What she found horrified and saddened her.
It was a girl, probably around their age, with blonde hair and chocolate brown eyes. Tess's first thought was that she looked like Bea, and evidently it was Harry's as he couldn't stop staring at the blonde. Tess's second thought was that this girl needed help. She was coughing violently, and her hair was matted and dirty. Her clothes were in shreds, and her face was thin and gaunt. To make matters worse, there was a little baby besides her, probably only a year or so old. It was a girl with the same blonde hair, but her eyes were hazel. The baby seemed to be in shock.
Tess kneeled down to the girl's level. "Hi, my name is Tess," she introduced. "What's yours?"
"Delia," the girl introduced croakily. She pointed to the baby girl beside her. "My sister, Daisy."
"It's nice to meet you," Tess replied gently. "Do you have somewhere to sleep?" The girl shook her head no. Tess turned to her friend. "Harry..."
"Don't start," he warned. "We can't afford them, Tess. We can barely feed ourselves." Though Harry's words were true, they didn't stop Tess from fighting.
"Harry, we have to," Tess pleaded. "We owe it to Fiona." Those words made Harry stop and consider the two girls. Tess wasn't sure what registered in his mind, but whatever it was made him kneel down and look Delia in the eyes.
"Do you want to come home with us?" he asked gently. "We don't have much, but we'll share it with you." Delia nodded.
Harry turned to Tess. "You carry the baby," he instructed. "I'll carry Delia. I doubt she can even walk right now." With that, he scooped up Delia and started to walk. Tess followed with Daisy. Their little family had just grown.
Harry entered Knockturn Alley with his cloak up. He walked forward with purpose. It was never good to linger in Knockturn Alley, he had learned. After a few minutes, he found the store he was looking for. He entered, and a small bell that sounded remarkably like a shriek went off. Harry smirked. The people in the Alley were always for the creepy.
"Ah, Mr. Potter, how nice to see you again," a slimy voice greeted with a bow.
Harry bowed back. "The feeling is mutual, Mr. Borgin."
"Now, what can I do for you?" the old man asked. The boy was a good customer and a wonderful student. There was also the added bonus he didn't mind doing less than desirable deliveries. Harry only cared about making money, and Mr. Borgin can respect that.
"I need five Portkeys to be made to enter Hogwarts," Harry requested respectfully.
Mr. Borgin raised an eyebrow. "To Hogwarts?" he repeated. Illegal Portkeys weren't an uncommon request, but Hogwarts would be hard to enter with a Portkey. He didn't think it was possible. "That might be tricky..."
Harry grinned predatorily. "I thought you might say something like that." He pulled out a black and gold ring. Mr. Borgin examined it, and his eyes widened. "Is this..."
The black-haired boy nodded. "Yes."
"Consider this a deal, Mr. Potter," Mr. Borgin said.
"Excellent," Harry replied. "I'll be here around Halloween to pick them up." He exited the shop. Mr. Borgin laughed to himself.
"I wonder what House that boy would be sorted in," he mused to himself. No matter anyway. He had Portkeys to make. He certainly did not want to be on the bad side of a deal with that boy.
Two hours later, Harry entered back into Hogwarts, a little dirtier but not at all beaten up. Finding the Great Hall empty, he headed up to his room. Truthfully, he was happy for the lack of people in sight. He was tired of being interrogated by adults and scrutinized by everyone. Most of all, he was tired of hiding. Whispering the password, he stepped inside. He had to smile. The common room now looked lived in. Daisy's crayons were sitting on the table, and Tess had left her Witch's Weekly on the table. In fact, she and Daisy were curled up on the sofa, fast asleep. Trying to be quiet, he draped a blanket over two of his favorite girls.
"Well, who knew Harry Potter had a heart," Delia's voice teased softly. Harry turned around to see the girl in question observing him quietly.
"I went to Oz," he quipped.
Delia smiled faintly. "Witty."
"I thought so."
Delia studied the boy she'd loved for years. The same tough, strong mask was on his face and in his stance, but she could see a few cracks. Harry's shoulders were sagging slightly, and his eyes were lightly rimmed with bags. He was a little thinner than the last time she had seen him. "You look tired."
Harry shrugged. "Not really," he replied. Delia gave him a look. "Maybe a little. Nothing I can't handle, though."
Delia rolled her eyes. "Of course." Something, something she couldn't identify, made her step closer to him. Harry didn't stop her. "I missed you," she whispered.
"Ditto," Harry whispered back. Suddenly, Delia leaned over and kissed him. It made her happy to know that, no matter what changed, his kisses were still hot and sweet and soft and passionate. He ran his hands through her hair, and she started to pull at his shirt.
"My room?" she asked breathlessly. Harry nodded, leading her towards the room. Sure, they may fight in public, but Harry would always be hers behind closed doors. Delia soon lost her train of thought with Harry sucking on her neck. Ah, she thought happily, it's good to be back.