The Boy
Chapter5: The Boy Meets Family
"Come on, Kid, you have to eat." Charlie sounded quite tired as he spoke, having had a long night at work.
It had been two weeks since he'd brought the little boy home and it had been hard the first time he had to leave him with a babysitter for the night because he had been thrown into the deep end by Police Chief Roman Graves. The nightshift was worse than the dayshift. It was sometimes tediously boring and Charlie felt like falling asleep on the job more than once.
The boy shook his head, elbowing the spoon full of oatmeal away from him. "Huh uh, Unca, it yucky," he complained.
Charlie sighed and grounded his teeth to keep himself from scolding the little boy. He himself used to hate oats also, so he cannot be such a hypocrite and force him to eat it. However_ "Harry, aunty doctor said it will help you grow up big and strong like me. Don't you wanna grow big and strong?"
The boy eyed him with narrowed eyes, clearly seeing through the not so well thought out bribe. "It yucky. Unca eat it. Unca also glow big an' stwong."
Charlie's eyes widened. "But I am already big and strong, Son," he protested dramatically, not even realizing that he called the little boy Son instead of the usual Kid. He mockingly flexed his bicep muscles while pulling goofy faces.
The little boy giggled at the display, his green eyes shining. Charlie smiled at that. He truly loved the sound of the boy's happiness.
The phone that hung on the wall in the kitchen ringing put an end to Charlie's antics. He frowned slightly as he stalked over to it, picking it up and answering with a very subdued "Hello," though he wanted to actually be a little bit aggressive.
He listened to the person on the other line, while keeping an eye on his nephew, who stroked Tom's head while hissing at the stuffed snake as if talking to it. It wasn't the first time that the little boy held a hissing conversation with the toy snake. It was a little unnerving, yet Charlie never thought of scolding him for it.
"Sure, Sue, I'll bring him over tomorrow," he said, "Expect us after nine because I get off at work by seven." He listened to Sue Clearwater for a bit longer, saying something here and there before saying goodbye and hanging up.
"Come on, Harry. Isla will be here soon to take you to the park," he said, walking back to the boy. Isla Dawn was the daytime babysitter. She and her sister Oceana had been recommended by Mrs. Rosier from across the street when he had thought of placing an advertisement in the local newspaper for a temporary babysitter. Mrs. Rosier recommended he hire two because he had to sleep sometime during the day. Harry will be going to kindergarten in September, thankfully. "You have to eat your oats otherwise Isla won't get money for sweets today."
Unfortunately, for Charlie that bribe didn't work because Harry was used to not getting any sweets from the Dursleys, thus he wasn't like any other child who might throw a tantrum, or eat their oats so that they can get their sweets. Not to mention, Harry know where Charlie kept the unhealthy snacks in the house. He'd just steal some later….Well, uhem…borrow some, that is, with no intend of returning any of it considering that it'll be digesting in his stomach.
"Huh uh, Unca, it yucky," he stated firmly and Charlie groaned, throwing his hands up in the air in defeat before lifting the little boy and the stuffed snake out of the highchair.
"Come on, let's get you cleaned up and ready for your day out with Isla."
Charlie carried the little boy up the stairs to the little boy's room and lay him down on his bed before walking over to the dresser to get out some clothes that would be fitting to play in as the park could ruin a kid's clothing when they played in the sandpit or on the outdoor play equipment.
He had just dressed the boy in a pair of brown dungarees and a blue long-sleeved shirt when the doorbell rang. Charlie placed the boy on the rug to play with some toys before leaving the room to go downstairs to see if it is Isla or one of the neighbors.
He didn't expect Astor Malfoy at the other side of the door with a man that strongly resembled him.
"Mister Malfoy, I wasn't expecting to see you again. How may I help you and eh…?"
"Good morning, Mister Swan," the young lawyer greeted him, "May I introduce to you my brother Lord Lucius Malfoy."
Charlie suppressed a frown as he met the clear grey eyes of the white blond haired expensively dressed man. In his hand he held a silver cane. "A pleasure to meet you, Lord Malfoy. How may I be of service, Gentlemen?" He offered a hand to the lord who reluctantly took it, though his grip was firm.
"May we speak privately inside?" Astor asked.
Charlie nodded. "Oh, of course, come in." He stepped aside for the two men to walk inside, closing the door behind them. He led them to the living room. "Please take a seat, I'll be right back."
The two men nodded, their eyes roaming over the living room. Charlie left them to go back upstairs to check on Harry, who still played quietly with his toys, hissing to Tom that lay beside him on the floor.
Charlie watched him for a moment, worried that he might lose the little sunshine because he really don't know why Astor Malfoy and his brother had come to his home today. The doorbell ringing again made him sigh and then leave the room to go see who it is. This time it was Isla and he let her in, telling her that Harry is upstairs in his room. Then he walked back to the living room to find Lord Malfoy with a photo of Bella in his hand.
"That's my daughter Isabella. She lives in Phoenix with her mom," Charlie said. "Can I offer you gentlemen something to drink?"
Lord Malfoy placed the photo back on the mantelpiece where he had gotten it from and turned around. "Do you have something stronger than tea, Mister Swan?"
Charlie nodded, looking towards the doorway to the living room as Isla appeared with Harry and the ever present snake plushy on her hip and a backpack slung over her shoulder. "We'll see you later, Charlie. Say goodbye to your uncle, Harry."
"Bye-bye, Unca," the little boy said, giggling when Isla flipped his nose.
"Be good for Isla, Kid," Charlie said, getting out his wallet to hand a few dollars to Isla for snacks.
"Otay, Unca."
Charlie gave the little boy a kiss on the head before getting back to the two Malfoys, the worry still firmly lodged inside of him.
HpHpHpTwilightHpHpHp
"So…," Charlie began as he handed out a glass of Bourbon each to the two men before taking a seat on his favorite arm chair, "What brought you here to my house today?"
"Lucius was worried about Harry," Astor said, not beating around the figurative bush.
Charlie furrowed his brows, looking towards the silent lord. "Why, Lord Malfoy?"
Lucius Malfoy took a sip from his glass before placing it on the side coffee table beside him. He and his brother occupied a small two-seater couch. "I knew Harry's parents. We went to school together. And Harry is related to our family through a relative of my wife. So you see, I do have the right to be worried about the boy. "
Charlie nodded. "Yes, I do see, Lord Malfoy, but you don't have to worry about Harry. He is safe here and well looked after. He is happier and healthier than he had been before I took him into my care." He continued to tell the lord and his brother about the life the child had, had with the Dursleys and he spoke about Doctor Riddle and the eating plan for the child that would help him grow. "He is gaining the weight that he should and he is growing, even though it's slow going because he can't actually eat as much as I want him to."
Lord Malfoy tapped his knee thoughtfully. "He does seem to be happy. However, I haven't seen him when you took him into your care, so I don't know how he was before now. Why didn't you go to the proper authorities and gotten your sister and her husband arrested?"
Charlie bristled at the man's tone and words. "I thought of my nephew Dudley. I might've had to take him into my care also and believe me, neither of you would've wanted that burden either. The boy's a spoilt brat who bullies even his parents. I don't think that I could've handled him. I know that it isn't his fault that he turned out the way he is, considering that phrase 'the hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world'. Besides that, I wouldn't want to take a child away from its parents, nor do I want the parents to be taken away from their child." He rubbed a hand over his face. "I don't see my own child as much as I want to, so you can see where I am coming from, Lord Malfoy. And if you are so concerned, why didn't you take Harry into your care?"
Lord Malfoy glared at the man, his grey eyes darkening with his anger. "I knew not where he was damn you!"
"Lucius!"
Lucius Malfoy shot a glare his brother's way. "What, Astor? Do you wish me to sit here and let some Muggle accuse me of not doing my duties as the child's relative?" he snapped.
"He doesn't know the full story, Lucius," Astor said in a placating voice.
"So educate me," Charlie said sharply, furious that they were talking as if he wasn't in the room.
The brothers shared a look that aggravated him more. "Tell me what you are hiding," he demanded.
The brothers eyed each other for a moment longer before nodding in synchronization. Then Astor looked to Charlie, taking a deep breath to speak, but he didn't get the chance because the front door suddenly banged open and the wailing of a child and a frantic call for "Charlie!" could be heard.
Charlie and the two Malfoys were on their feet in an instant, hurrying to the front parlor where Isla were trying to get Harry's coat from his little trembling body.
Charlie rushed to her side, taking the wailing boy from her grasp. "What happened?" he asked as he took over from her by gently forcing the coat down the boy's shoulders.
"That little Newton kid and some older kid were riding down the sidewalk on the older kid's bicycle. They didn't look where they were going. We didn't even get the chance to get out of the way and they didn't even slow down. They rode straight into us and I fell," the girl explained shakily, the words just flowing from her lips without her even taking one breath.
"You fell and then what?" Charlie asked, checking Harry for injuries. "And where the….um…peanuts is Tom? Kid's gonna scream bloody murder if Tom is missing."
"Tom?" the Malfoy brothers asked in confusion.
"Harry's stuffed toy snake," Charlie explained as he concluded for himself that Harry only had small scrapes and bruises.
Isla pulled the plushy wrapped in a plastic bag from her backpack, handing it over. "Here. It's going to need a wash. It went for a swim in a muddy puddle. And Harry almost did too. That older kid didn't even apologize, though. He accused me of not watching where I walked. Hah! The nerve of some people."
Charlie sighed tiredly, looking at the wet and dirty plastic wrapped plushy. Harry's going to not like that Tom will be getting another swim in the washing machine.
HpHpHpTwilightHpHpHp
Charlie sat the little boy on the kitchen counter while directing Isla to the medicine cabinet in the living room to get antiseptic salve from it while he cleaned the small scrapes that littered the boy's arms and face.
The boy had stopped crying, his green eyes curiously watching the two silent men, who stood out of the way, watching him in return.
"Who they, Unca?" the little boy asked.
"Mister and Lord Malfoy."
"They flienly?"
"Yes, Harry." He didn't really know if they are truly friendly or not because he had only met the lord today and the lord's brother hadn't been so friendly back in England, so…. "Say hi, Harry."
"Hi."
Lucius smiled. "Hello, little one."
"Not wittle," Harry corrected. "I glow big an' stwong now. Like Unca Chalie."
Astor coughed to hide his laugh at the stunned expression from the big bad Lucius Malfoy. His brother wasn't used to children being so forward with him. Draco, Lucius's son, was no exception to the rule. Lucius send a glare at Astor who only smirked unrepentantly.
"Why wour haiw so white? Awe wou old?"
"Harry, you can't ask such questions," Charlie sighed, wishing that the floor beneath his feet would just swallow him whole.
"Why?"
"Because it's rude."
"Sowwy," Harry apologized.
Lucius forced a smile on his lips. "It is alright, Harry. I'm not mad."
Isla walking into the kitchen with the salve and cool Mickey Mouse print Band-Aids in her hands ended the conversation. The Band-Aids did not impress Harry. Not even a fraction of a little bit. Daffy Duck printed ones did not fare any better either.
HpHpHpTwilightHpHpHp
Oh the nostalgia at cartoon print Band-Aids. My mother used to buy them and we used them fairly often. Yeah, we were rough kids back then.