The Boy

Chapter 3: The Boy's New Home

"Hey, Billy, thanks for picking us up," Charlie said to Billy Black his long time best friend.

Billy smiled at his friend, taking one of the suitcases from the luggage cart that Charlie pushed. "No problem, Charlie. Glad to have you back." He looked down at Harry who sat on his own small suitcase, clutching the snake plushy that he had named Tom for whatever unknown reason. "Hello, young man, who might you, be?"

Harry peered up at the russet skinned man with the long glossy black hair and cowboy hat. "Boy," he said, making Billy look at Charlie for answers.

'I'll tell you later,' Charlie mouthed and Billy nodded.

"Sarah's waiting at your house. She and Sue had made a room ready for the kid," Billy said as he placed the suitcase on the back of his truck.

Charlie followed his example by placing the other suitcase beside that one before picking up Harry. "Is it the room across from Bella's?" he asked.

Billy nodded as he picked up Harry's suitcase. "Yeah, it was full of old boxes, though. I put them up in the attic."

"That's fine," Charlie said with a wave of his hand. "I would've given that room to him, anyway."

The three of them walked towards the front of the truck, Charlie opening the passenger side and placing Harry down on the seat, motioning for him to sit in the middle before getting in beside him and shutting the door.

"How was your stay at your sister's?" Billy asked as he got in at the driver side.

Charlie snorted. "Is that a serious question?" he asked.

Billy shrugged. "Not really, no. I know how much you don't like Petunia." He turned on the ignition and backed the truck out of the airport parking lot. "Is Lily really….." he trailed off.

"Yeah, I just wish that Petunia have told me sooner. Instead she'd been keeping it to herself for three years, not including this one. The kid had been with her since November eighty-one. I'll tell you everything once we get home."

Billy only nodded at that, his eyes focused on the road.

When Charlie had called him and told him about bringing back his half-sister Lily's son, he didn't know what to think. He obviously felt for Charlie. Losing someone, even if they are only a half-sibling, wasn't easy. If it had been him, he doesn't think he could've handled it.

"Are you going to tell your parents about….?"

Charlie nodded. "I have to. My Dad has only met Lily once when he and Mom dropped me off at my mother's house when I was a kid. Lily was still little. I think she was five, six? Anyway, Dad didn't really interact with her and Petunia, so I don't think he would care much. I only hope that he likes Harry."

"Who's Hally?" the little boy, sitting between them, piped up.

Charlie smiled and flicked Harry's nose gently. "You are, Kid."

"But I am Fleak an' Boy," he protested slightly.

Charlie bit back an angry huff, not wanting to scare the boy. "Well, your birth certificate says Harry, Kid," he explained gently.

"Wha's that?"

"That is a piece of paper that the government gave your Mom and Dad when you were born to show what year and month you were born in and what your name is."

Harry scrunched up his nose cutely. "Can I see it?"

"May I," Charlie corrected," And yes, you may once we get home."

Harry cuddled the snake plushy closer to his chest, nodding one quick jerky nod. "Otay."

Charlie smiled gently at the little boy. He was so easy to please. He accepted answers that his own daughter Bella would've thrown a tantrum over. Thinking of Bella, reminded him that he should call her and apologize for not calling for the last, almost a handful, of weeks that he had spent in England. His ex-wife, Renee is going to flip the kettle again because of it. She usually always does when Charlie don't call Bella for a few weeks.

"What's the snake's name, Harry?" Billy asked conversationally.

"Tom," the boy said shyly.

"Ah, that's a nice name. Where did you get Tom?"

"Unca Chalie."

Billy smiled softly at the little boy. "Do you like Tom?"

The boy nodded, running his hand over the overly large head of the stuffed toy. He didn't meet Billy's eyes because he felt shy.

"That's good. Do you like your uncle Charlie?"

The boy nodded again.

"That's good, that's good. Do you look forward to seeing your new home?"

The boy looked at Charlie as if he had an answer for Billy. Charlie smiled softly, lifting a hand to ruffle the messy black hair of the boy. Billy side eyed them, wondering why Harry didn't answer. Then again, Charlie obviously knows the details and would fill him in when they get home, so he didn't quite mind Harry not answering the question.

The drive to Forks were mostly silent from then on, Charlie and Billy only speaking one or two sentences to each other while Harry took a nap, the sound of the truck engine, paired with the movement of the truck, lulling him into sleep.

Forks was a sight for sore eyes for Charlie to see when they finally drove into town, passing shops and all kinds of businesses before they turned down a street that was all too familiar. Something nostalgic tugged at Charlie's heart as Billy at long last pulled up in his house's driveway beside a dark blue truck that belonged to Charlie.

"Better wake the kid," Billy said as he switched off his truck, "Sarah would like to meet him."

Charlie looked down at the little boy, feeling half bad for having to disturb his nap. With a soft firm hand, he gently shook him. Harry immediately sat up, his eyes going wide, his body shaking in panic. Charlie backed up a little, holding his hands, whispering soothing words in reassurance that seemed to help, if only a little bit.

This wasn't the first time that the boy reacted to being shaken awake. The first time, it gone into a full blown panic attack and Charlie had to calm him down and hold him close to show that everything was okay, that he was safe, that the Dursleys were not around to hurt him anymore. He had almost fainted, but Charlie had persevered in his care and he had, had only mild attacks from then on.

From his peripheral vision, Charlie saw Billy and Sarah coming closer. He held up a hand to stop them from coming any closer before reaching out to gently pull the boy to him. From there he backed out of the truck, holding Harry close to his chest….Well, Harry and Tom the googly eyed snake plushy who Harry still cuddled.

"Hello, Charlie," Sarah greeted him once he closed the door of the tuck and turned around.

"Hey, Sarah, how have you been? Billy told me that you and Sue cleaned up a room for this little one." He indicated with his chin to the boy in his arms, which now hid his little face against his chest.

"I've been good. And yes, Sue and I just thought that he would like a nice clean room. We also thought that you'll be getting back to work soon and won't be able to ready a room for him. I hope you don't mind that we invaded your house like that?"

Charlie shook his head. "No, it's fine. Thank you, you have spared me a lot of time that I can now use for something else."

Sarah smiled at him. "Oh, no need to thank me, Charlie. Do you want me to_" She gestured to the child hiding in his arms.

He looked down at Harry. "Um…no, it's quite alright, Sarah."

She sighed, but didn't ask again, moving out of his way so that he could carry Harry into the house, while Billy followed with his suitcases. Sarah decided to take the smaller one that still resided on the back of the truck, seeing as Billy was already burdened with Charlie's.

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"Fol me?" the little boy asked as he stood looking around the small bedroom that was thankfully not as small as a closet.

Charlie looked around the room that once was just used for storing boxes and whatnot that he didn't know where to put.

The floor was made up with dark wood and the walls were painted a very light blue, that it almost looked white. Against one wall sat a children's bed he had never seen before with an animal print quilt thrown over blue sheets that were tuck in neatly. Next to the bed was a small nightstand with drawers and on it was a small nightlight in the form of a dog.

A door against one wall let to a small closet and next to it stood a dresser with three drawers. A toy box sat next to the dresser and a peek in it showed some old toys that Sue and Sarah must've collected for Harry. On the floor by the bed was a woven rug that would keep the boy's feet from touching the cold wooden floor in the mornings and it was big enough that he could play on it with his toys.

"Yes, Harry, this is for you. Say thank you to Sarah. She and Sue, another friendly lady, set it up for you. "

Sarah and Billy stood in the doorway, both of them smiling at Harry's awed expression at seeing the room. They did not expect him to shyly walk, with Tom still clutched in his arms, over to Sarah to say "Tank wou."

That made Sarah's heart feel all fluttery and warm. Her smile brightened and she knelt down before him so that he didn't have to crane his neck too far back when looking up at her. "You are welcome, Harry."

Harry smiled back before stumbling towards Charlie and holding out his little skinny arms asking to be picked up. Charlie obliged, a small smile adorning his lips. Welcome to your new home, Kid, he thought as he held the boy and his plushy snake close.

With the boy and the stuffed toy secured in his arms, Charlie turned to leave the room, going downstairs with Sarah and Billy where Sarah made coffee and cut a cake that she had baked that morning.

The two men and the boy congregated to the living room, where Harry was placed down on the carpeted floor with Tom. The men paid no mind as the boy began talking to the toy snake, seemingly in his own little world.

Though, Sarah did pay mind to the boy and she almost dropped the tray with the coffee and cake, scrambling to compose herself. Billy looked at her, quirking an eyebrow in silent question. She shook her head, silently conveying to him that she will tell him later as she placed the tray on the center coffee table, a flustered expression on her face. Billy didn't ask any questions, understanding her silence considering that they had been married for more than five years and already had three little children and they have learned the art of communicating without words with every year that passed.

She placed the smallest cake piece beside Harry, with a spoon, instead of a fork before going back to the kitchen, coming back with a Sippy-cup full of warm milk. Harry didn't complain about the cake piece being small, he ate it hungrily, though he tried to feed Tom some of it also, smearing icing all over the toy's head causing the adults to hide their amused smiles behind their coffee cups.

All Charlie could think about, however as he watched the little boy fondly, was that the poor kid was going to cry when Tom needed a bath and a bath meant taking a swim in the washing machine for the stuffed googly eyed toy. Charlie did not look forward to that event. Not one bit.

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There are people who won't get to experience raising a child and watching their cute antics. My brother used to cry over a t-shirt and a pillowcase when we were little and only my Dad, rest his soul, was allowed to wash them.