Chapter 28 – Knocks at the door

The next morning, he was exhausted. The dream about James had racked the little sleep he had been able to get. In fact, he and Ginny had talked well into the night. Many were the topics to affront. One of them had been whether to go to work or not. The situation could get out of hand anytime and it wasn't wise to leave nobody but the boys at home. He had agreed with Ginny to split the day in two. He would have gone in the morning and she in the afternoon so not to leave the house uncovered, in case it was needed they would have contacted each other at work through the fire or borrowing the work's owls (there was only one in each location that was aware of the address) to have update.

Going down for breakfast he found two letters on the windowsill from unknown senders. It was already started. He chucked them into the fireplace. Nobody was lurking outside for the moment.

The boys were having breakfast. Harry patted Albus on the head but ignored pointedly James who was wearing an undaunted expression that vexed Harry greatly.

Between the different topics covered the evening before, the one about a possible punishment for James was canvassed. Nothing had been decided upon. Something had to be done but they were at loss. Ginny wanted to try to speak to him to make him understand the gravity of what he had done. Harry didn't oppose himself to it, despite privately thinking it was going to be useless, but he was, anyway, sure of not wanting to talk to him for the time being, he wanted to compose himself before to affront him and the stress waiting before them didn't help him in the task.

Ginny was still sleeping. He had spent some minutes watching her before going down not daring to touch her not to wake her up. He just wanted her to be happy and serene and all he was offering was fear and disquiet. He wondered if the baby could feel all what she was feeling, if it would be born hating him already for all the problems he was creating in his family. The insecurities felt with James when he was born were hanging over his head again, the fear of a failure so strong.

Sipping the last drops of his coffee he was ready to go. He shook off the gloom to gather his strength to affront all the pressure waiting for him at work like at home.

He told Albus not to open the door to anybody and not to leave the house for any reason and he was off.

The situation in the Ministry was unchanged but he lived it differently that day; it was easier to detach when his mind was so occupied by the recent event. He was very attentive to anything that could tip him off on the progress of his address spreading but it was too soon.

It was only that week and the next and then there would be the start of summer holiday, that meant that the workload wasn't that intense and could allow himself to get more time off if needed.

And they may have needed it if having to move. They had talked about the necessity of it. Harry had enlightened her about the fuss post-interview (obviously letting out many particulars it was better for her own good not to know) and they both knew what was going to become their place in a few days. But where to go was still an unresolved dilemma. She had suggested Ron and Hermione's place; it was the only one remote enough, with a Fidelius charm protecting it and, under any logic, it was perfect, yet Harry wouldn't hear of it. He wouldn't have lived under the same roof with Ron and not even with Hermione where he had to constrain every word and movement under Ginny's watchful eyes.

They considered the Burrow; if they moved quietly there was no reason for people to find out. But they would eventually, and Harry didn't feel like imposing all those restrictions that the protection of a house comported. They had done it too many times already to protect him.

He thought about 12 Grimaud place. It was true that it wasn't completely safe but not even so unprotected. A few charms were still on, perhaps they could have been strengthened. But how? And if could be done there, couldn't they have done something similar on their place? But despite his skills in those kinds of spells were well developed, he couldn't think to anything to remedy a breach in the Fidelius Charm.

The only person with enough brain power to solve that problem was Hermione. Hermione who was banned from his life. He glimpsed her a couple of times that morning and felt tempted to talk to her but desisted, a solution must be found without her help.

Ginny didn't contact him for the whole morning which it seemed to him a good sign and when he got home, she assured him that the morning had been quiet, few owls delivered letters but that was pretty much it. She looked a bit careworn, and Harry tried to convince her not to go to work; he feared for her health and for the baby's. Lily's pregnancy hadn't been a smooth one at the time, there had been some complication with the delivery and while the healers assured them that everything was fine with this one, they also advised her to be as relaxed as possible and to avoid stress. However, Ginny didn't want to hear of skipping work; she was very close to go on her maternity leave and wanted to leave everything neat.

He didn't have any choice but to accept her decision and, anyway, he wasn't one hundred per cent sure that staying at home was going to be the less stressful of the two.

Lunch with the boys was quite silent, he and James ignoring each other. In the afternoon he helped Albus with some homework and while at it, they heard the first knock at the door. Harry shushed him and they waited at the kitchen table. When the knock repeated Harry whispered Albus to go into the living room to check from the window.

James emerged from his room and made to go for the door, Harry stopped him and shook his head.

It was a middle-aged couple dressed in cloaks. Albus didn't recognise them. They lingered for a while in front of the door, they left a letter not receiving any answer and they were gone.

Albus was kind of excited by it, wanting to retrieve the envelop. He didn't fully understand what it meant; he lived it like a sort of adventure. Thankfully that was the only visit for the rest of the day. Although not the only letter. By the evening at least ten owls had already dropped correspondence in front of their unopened window.

The next day it got worse; three knockings and the windowsill was covered by envelops. In the afternoon already few young witches and wizards were sitting nonchalantly on the pavement in front of the entrance, chatting and playing. Every hour or so a knock could be heard. In the evening they were rather squiffy and loud. Harry was very undecided on what to do; Ginny was starting to feel alarmed.

By midnight they were all gone, Albus had started to get that it wasn't a game and Harry had caught some uneasiness even on James' face.

Sunday morning, they were waked up by more knockings and a tinge of panic was making way in Harry. They had to leave the house. They couldn't wait any longer but where to go was still an incognita.

Ginny insisted to go to the office even if Sunday and Harry understanding she was feeling more relaxed there didn't oppose her wishes.

When he got down Albus was checking the situation from the living room.

'How is it?' Harry asked.

'Worse than yesterday' Albus answered crouched on the floor peeping from a corner of the window 'There are at least ten, no twelve people outside. It's full of letters in front of the door'

'Shit' Harry let slip.

'Somebody is coming to knock'

'Not again for heaven's sake!' Harry blurted 'It's not even nine o'clock! Who is it?'

'It's a bloke. Don't know him'

The knock at the door was audible, they waited immobile for it to stop. When it did and the bloke was finally gone, they started to have breakfast, James was still sleeping. Albus had been chewing his bite for already five minutes in silence, his attention focalised on the door. Two other knockings followed the first. He looked at Harry, a look full of apprehension.

'Can't we do something?' he asked when he finally managed to swallow.

'There is not much we can do besides moving'

'I don't want to move; I like it here'

'Albus, it happened before. You cannot remember, you were too young but before the Fidelius Charm it was always like that'

'Always?'

'Always'

Albus lowered his gaze taking another mouthful of his toast pensively 'It seems a bit hard. Why do they do that?'

'It depends. Some of them they just want to show gratitude or admiration'

'Cannot they show it just leaving you be?'

Harry smiled 'They think they are doing something nice, I guess. They cannot see the whole picture.'

Albus rested his head on his fist still in consideration while another loud knock could be heard.

'Is it going to be the same for me when I'll have my place?'

Harry didn't know what to answer, a side of him wanted to reassure him like he had done in the past but then, the other felt to be honest; he had to find out sooner or later. Better to be sooner.

'Very likely' he stated in the end.