Chapter 10 - Reporters

After a few days of the usual English fog and drizzle that threatened the whole plan, Saturday turned out to be a sunny day.

Harry was excited by the prospect to be finally out in the open air and to meet somebody outside his family circle.

It was already sometimes they hadn't paid a visit and Molly couldn't wait to chat with Ginny about the baby and they fell in a flow of confidences half a second after their arrival.

Arthur was sitting on the armchair showing eager, to an unconvinced Francis, his collection of muggle batteries. Once James was in the room, they greeted each other most joyfully considering only a week had passed since they were together in Hogwarts.

Rose was there too, alone. Harry had feared the presence of Ron but faithful to the subtle threat he had sent Ginny the day before about not be ambushed in a meeting of that kind, she had made sure of her just being dropped there unaccompanied by mother or father. She was slightly warming toward Harry, probably because of what happened to the platform. She understood he had meant to protect her and was grateful. Albus, in a frenzy of excitement, showed her straight away his new broom promising to allow her to ride it and they sat immediately together on the rug admiring it.

George was there too, Harry was delighted, longing for a friendly chat.

But first, he made his way to the boys to be introduced to this friend of James'.

'So, you must be Francis. Nice to meet you'

'Nice to meet you too, sir' he replied, suddenly turning rigid, awe spreading on his baby face.

'We finally manage to meet.' He said with a friendly smile 'I'm sorry we never invited you over, don't take it as a slight, we are sure you are trustworthy but nevertheless we must be careful'

'I know, sir. It's not a problem. I understand'

'Good and…'

But before he could finish the sentence that was meant to have him drop the "sir" he heard George exclaiming while looking outside the window 'Who are those people?'

They gathered immediately close to him to check and a group, that could just be reporters, were there on the edge of the garden waiting for them.

'Shit!' Harry gushed forgetting himself 'How did they fucking know?'

'Harry!' Ginny snapped.

'I'm sorry, Ginny' Harry replied but outraged he exclaimed again 'Damn! How did they fucking know?!'

'HARRY!'

'Ok, ok. I'm sorry…'

He turned to James' friend 'You didn't tell anybody you were meeting us here today, did you?'

'No, only my parents know it…' he answered hesitant peering outside.

Harry stiffened in hearing it. This was how they knew it. He trusted the kid; he knew how loyal friends could be at that age. But the parents surely had blabbed. Parents proud of their son meeting with Harry Potter, perhaps hoping to have him appearing on a magazine.

He sighed in dismay. All his plan for a relaxing day in the open air were ruined.

'We'll need to find a solution I guess...' he said still very much upset.

'Can we not go out?' James asked crossed.

'No, you cannot, the only one who can, right now, is Francis' he replied looking at him threateningly. He absolutely had no patience to start an argument with him right then.

James crossed his arms and frowned but didn't reply probably sensing from Harry's tone that was unwise.

'Lemme think how we can solve this.' He started to reflect gazing outside. There was no way in which he could get out. Even modifying his appearance. After the disaster on the platform, it would have been a giveaway. It was the same for Ginny, her belly was a giveaway in its own right.

Molly trying to console the kids, all pressing their noses against the window as in the attempt to turn away the undesirables only by staring, started to distribute glasses of pumpkin juice and pastries. 'Go play in one of your uncles' rooms while we decide on what to do' she said, pushing them gently towards the stairs. They dragged themselves upstairs grudgingly, brooms sweeping the floor in their limp hands.

'Ginny, I'm starting to get very annoyed! I'm entitled to have some privacy for god's sake!' Harry blorted out enraged as soon as the kids were out of the way 'I had enough! Now I get out and I curse them all!' he boomed taking his wand from his pocket purposely.

Ginny blocked him 'No Harry, you'll just make the situation worst. Calm down'

George sipping his glass of juice said 'I can do it for you if you like, it really seems like a bother...' casting another glimpse to the outside.

'No!' Ginny replied sternly 'Nobody will do anything of the kind!'

George, his suggestion having been turned down, walking toward the stairs, said 'Well, I'll go to my old room then' 'I've got some merchandise to sort. If you change your mind, just give a shout'

He was still using his room as an extra deposit for Molly's discontentment, that although she didn't have any of his children at home anymore, was doomed in retaining the mess. None of them, apart from Percy, had really emptied their old rooms. Even in Ginny's one there were still her old clothes and personal belongings.

Arthur approached the group 'I guess the only thing to do is to modify the kids' look, at least they will be able to get out' he patted Harry's shoulder consolingly 'Perhaps if you don't show up, they'll give up eventually…'

Harry snorted. Knowing the perseverance of reporters, he doubted it, they probably were ready to spend there the whole day and night in the hope of an interview, but there wasn't anything else to do.

'Put an extra effort on Rose, would you Harry dear?' Molly asked him conciliatory.

Rose needed an extra effort because of the Ron's situation, unfortunately, she looked very much like him, she had all the Weasley colours and features, therefore, she was very recognisable. Everybody wanted to spare her any unnecessary unpleasantness, the girl had already had her share at Hogwarts.

Harry sighed, desolation taking place of the anger. He tried to console himself thinking that at least he could have a chat with George and Arthur.

He made for the stairs to gather the kids but when he reached the hallway, George's head emerged from his old room beckoning Harry conspiratorially to join him.

Once in there, smiling mischievously and extending him a pinkish string, he whispered eager 'James and Francis are in Percy old room, they are speaking about you' Harry understood straight away. It was an extendable ear 'Are you eavesdropping on James?' he asked bewildered.

'Shut up and listen' he retorted forcing the string in his ear. The voices came clear and strong like being in the same room as them. Harry and George were standing side to side, a string each pressed in their ears, staring blankly in the empty space while concentrating on the conversation of the adjacent room.

'…. He is such a ledge' Francis was saying excitingly 'I cannot believe I finally spoke to him'

'Well, he is nothing special when you live with him'

'Nothing special?! I would love to have him as a father! Mine is so ordinary and boring. Yours has fought You-know-who! How cool is that?'

'I don't know… I told you he never tells me anything about it. I asked him many times and he just pretends not to hear'

'Why do you think? I would talk about it all the time! A fifth year told me once he produced a Patronus that chased away hundreds of dementors'

'He knows a hell lot more than I do then' James blorted out irritated but then he continued thoughtfully 'I don't know why… It seems he doesn't like to talk about it…' He was hesitant a moment and then he continued 'If I tell you something can you keep it quiet?'

'Of course, go ahead' Francis answered eager.

'A few nights ago, he had a nightmare, I woke up because he was screaming so loud as if somebody was torturing him. And when he woke up, he sobbed convulsively and hugged my mum saying, "you are alive". He gave me goose bumps. I think he was dreaming about You-know-who.'

Silence fell in the room.

'Maybe he doesn't like to remember about him' James added.

'I cannot blame him… It must have been terrifying'

'I couldn't care less anyway. Right now, I hate his guts. I'm shut inside for the whole summer just because he won't get out. I cannot invite mates; I cannot receive owls! A sodding nothing! I don't see what's wrong with people wanting to talk to him. He could just speak to them and having done with it. But no. He prefers to stay shut in and make us bear with him and now he decided to have this baby. And because I look like him, I'm the one that has to suffer the most' he said grudgingly.

'Well, I didn't see you so much in anguish when you were snogging Bianca...' Francis sniggered.

'Shut up! She said that is not because of it that she is hanging out with me!'

'Yeah, yeah… I see how she brings you around like a trophy. It certainly has got its advantages.'

'I don't want her to fancy me just because I look like my father'

'I'd like it no matter what, she is fit'

James didn't answer to this affirmation.

'Let's go down and see if we can sneak out'

Hearing this George pulled quickly the string just in time. They heard the door bang and the two racing each other down noisily.

Harry sat on one of the many boxes in the room in gloomy reflections. It never pays eavesdropping; one always hears what it was better to ignore.

George sat in front of him with a grin.

'Well now we know: that you are a "ledge", that James hates your guts, that he has got a girlfriend and that you have charming dreams' he said cheerfully.

'Nothing of it seems good news to me. I'm not a "ledge", I'd rather prefer not to know he hates my guts and he is definitely too young to have a girlfriend' he glossed over the dream. He didn't like James recounting it to his friend and consequently George finding out about it.

'Allow me to disagree' he said with the snigger still impress on his face. 'For most of the people you are a "ledge", I can take to bed our salesgirl just promising I'll introduce her to you for example'

Harry raised his eyes to him in surprise 'Let's not have Ginny find it out, shall we? Or I won't be able to enter your shop anymore'

'That is going without saying. I don't think she would approve of my courting technic anyway. And about what he said, it's just a phase. He is just annoyed about not being able to invite friends over or going on holiday. Don't take it seriously.'

Harry didn't reply. He knew what George couldn't. There was more to it than it was acknowledged.

'And he is not too young to have a girlfriend' George continued 'especially if she is fit' he added with a redoubled grin.

Harry took the chance to ask for that advice he needed 'Do you think I should talk to him about sex?'

'By the sound of it, I think it's high time'

Harry gathered all the kids in the living room.

'Rose come here' he said taking her hand 'Let me see what I can do'

'Could I be blonde?' she asked boldly.

'Of course, you can be blonde, I'll give you some curls as well, what do you think?'

She nodded eager.

Harry started to whisper incantation after incantation and under everybody's eyes her hair started to curl and lighten. He made some changes on her face too, altering her features, just to be safe. It was easier on children than on adult and it took him a much shorter time than when he had done it on Ginny.

When he stopped murmuring, he smiled at her satisfied. She sprinted to the mirror to look at herself and they could hear some excited shrills while she was tossing her hair and making some pirouettes to see them moving around her.

He approached Albus 'Ok, I won't do much on you. Any preference?'

'I wouldn't mind looking like you…'

It's nice to know somebody still likes me

Harry laughed 'The whole point of it is not to look like me.'

He looked very much like Ginny anyway, red hair and freckly, for that reason he risked more to be exchanged for Ron's son rather than his. He darkened his skin and his hair as a safe measure and changed the only feature that could conduce to him, his eyes colour, to a simple chestnut.

'Ok, I think that's enough. Now James' he turned to him and bent to look straight into his eyes deciding what it was best to do. Spite was readable in them and that pained him, until a few months before there was only admiration. Everything had changed.

James opened his mouth to speak, and Harry preceded him 'I know, James. As different from me as I can possibly make you. You don't need to say. You make it quiet plain'

James closed his mouth keeping his scowl stamped on his face while Harry was working on him and by the end, a completely different boy, that could pass for Francis' brother, was looking at him, it was recognisable only by the unfriendly expression.

'Ok guys, you can go, enjoy yourself and if those people come close don't talk to them' they all scattered outside happily, all except Francis that seemed inclined to want to talk to Harry some more, James, however, dragged him away frowning. Rose was admiring the colour of her hair shining gold under the rays of sun sharing with Albus the hope that they would last up to the evening to show her father, Albus was barely listening already mounting his broom ready to take off, a tiny ball clutched in his hand.

James and Francis hadn't even waited to be outside that they were already racing on their brooms toward the wood not far off.

Harry observed them from the window playing happy go lucky under the sun and envied them that possibility.

He wondered if, after all, it wouldn't have been better to move far away from England. Somewhere he could live his life free from these endless hassles. If it was bad now it would have been ten times worse once the baby was born. He couldn't stand the thought of his son (or daughter) becoming food for hungry gossipers. After Lily, his patience was running out against these continuous intrusions in his private life. It was maddening him. He knew he should have tried to accept it and deal with it for how it was, but he couldn't' relinquish the hope to have, one day, his life just for his own. It seemed he always had to share something of himself that he wanted it or not. When he was young it had been his mind, Voldemort could peruse it and get inside whenever he felt like and now, he had to share his life. Everybody was allowed to mingle with it and mind his personal business.

He didn't know how to end it.

He reflected on James' words. Maybe if the situation was so extreme it was because he had always shirked from the magical community and never gave any interviews. The only one given was the one about Voldemort's resurrection, when he was still in school. Perhaps everybody was so insanely curious because he was so secretive. He weighted the possibility.

He rested his gaze on Rose who was now on her broom opposite to Albus throwing each other the ball he carried. Ron and Hermione had to flee the country to be safe from the uproar generated by Lily's death, but the poor girl had to affront some serious hardship while at Hogwarts. He got a glimpse of it on the platform and if James had been under such a pressure was also to defend her from it. He never exposed himself to clear Ron and the magical community felt entitled to hate him as a villain.

The grudge was still as strong as before and he didn't want to help him in any way, but the same rule didn't apply to his family. If he could make their life easier dissipating the rancour gravitating around them, why not to try? He could consider giving an interview, he could share a tiny bit of his life to alleviate their situation and to satisfy people's curiosity.

It would have been greatly unpleasant to answer questioning though. And the fuss was sure to be huge.

He left the window and got back to the others promising himself to think about it some more.

The reporters kept their ground for the whole day and Harry abandoned every hope to be able to get outside.

I was in the graveyard again.

I was surrounded by Death Eaters this time. All with black cloaks and masked faces.

I was paralyzed by a spell. I couldn't move. They were coming closer and closer. I could see them approaching, fear was creeping on me, I couldn't defend myself in any way. They drew out their wands and one by one pointed them against my temple. They extracted a silvery strand from it. A memory.

All of them, more than once.

They put them in a stone basin standing behind them, a pensive, and in turn they looked in it. I knew what they were seeing. There was all my life in there. There was my horrible childhood, Hogwarts and all that happened there, good and bad, there was the rape, and my grief for Lily's death but there was also the first time with Ginny, my love for her and for the boys.

They looked at them and sniggered deriding all my fears and joys and I couldn't speak, I couldn't move.

And they kept going, and going, and going, until my mind was completely empty.