Chapter 6 – Comforting visits

The morning flew, his mind already on the afternoon. The families to visit were three: one of the Auror was single, a young man living by himself, an only son, and his family was shattered. The father was trying to bear it courageously, repeating himself many times over that his son had done his duty bravely and he could be proud of him 'He has always been very brave' he told Harry in front of a glass of firewisky 'Since Hogwarts' days. He was in Gryffindor, you know… Like yourself. He had always made us proud' he continued hunched on the glass, fixed on his content and emptying with a single gulp. Harry encouraged this train of thought as there wasn't any other consolation at hand. The mother was in a pitiful state; she barely acknowledged him, mumbling distractedly some excuses for her listlessness. She was sitting in an armchair close to the window, her gaze not leaving a picture of a child on the mantelpiece, a veil of tears glazing her eyes. He couldn't offer any consolation to her neither and left the house soon after accompanied by the father's steady mumbled repetitions 'Thank you, son, for your visit. Appreciated…'
The second Auror was a woman recently married. Her husband, now a widower was living in a small flat on the outskirt of Liverpool. The house was a mess, mirroring the state of his owner. His red eyes underlined his sleeplessness, and the empty bottles of alcohol scattered about, his will to escape grief. Harry wished ardently to be more capable with words, to be able to say something to lessen that discomfort but he knew how it was. There aren't really many words that can do that.
So instead, they chatted about Quidditch, about his job, they told each other anecdotes about hang overs, and discussed at length about the best mead sold in the Hog's head. And Harry, when parting, was sorry not to be able to give him his address in case he needed to take out his mind from the gloom but promised himself to check the situation again in a week or two. The guy thanked him for the visit, his eyes already darkening with the loneliness that was waiting for him once the door would close and when Harry said goodbye, he was already sank in it and barely answered.
Harry dragged himself courageously to the last house; a widow with an eight-year-old son. When the door opened, the woman was smiling behind it and welcomed him cordially. She had a bright sweater on, and her hair were pinned tidily on the side of her head. She was a few years younger than him with an oval face and sweet manners. The boy, who had come to see who was at the door, gaped in seeing him and was left speechless while the women was leading him in the living room. The room was clean and the light outside already fading in the short wintery days was gleaming in from the wide window.
'You are Harry Potter, aren't you?' the little boy asked innocently as her mother who was serving him tea with some handmade biscuits addressed him an apologetic smile.
He smiled back reassuringly and nodded to the boy 'What's your name?'
'I'm Chris'
'Nice to meet you, Chris' he said shaking his small hand.
'You fought You-Know-Who, didn't you?'
'Yeah…' he answered awkwardly. He always felt the need to explain that he had done nothing special, and many people had helped him. He didn't like to take the whole merit of it but there wasn't any point in doing it at that moment with a child.
Chris was silent for a few moments observing him in awe and then, producing from his pocket a stack of cards, exclaimed proudly 'I've got your chocolate card' riffling in it for the right one 'I swapped it with Merlin. I had three of those.'
He looked intently at the card, where a younger Harry could be seen from the frame and added 'My dad told me he was going to have it signed for me.'
'I can sign it now, if you want' he offered.
The mum interposed 'You don't have to you know; I imagine how bothering it can be. People surely ask you continuously for it. Chris, leave mister Potter alone.' She concluded turning to his son who lowered his eyes disappointed.
'It's not a problem' he reassured her smiling 'Take a quill' he encouraged the boy.
Chris shot from the living room and a fast thumping could be heard on the stairs.
'I'm sorry' The woman said apologetically 'He is a good boy and has always been very excited about his dad working with you'
'It's fine' he said 'It's not a trouble, it's only a signature. It's worthless really' he smirked as the boy was already flying back in the room flushed with a quill and the card.
He signed it and the boy, having gained some confidence, chatted gaily 'Do you know that with your signature can be sold for twenty gold galleons?'
Harry laughed thinking about his previous sentence that proved to be wrong 'Really? Sell it then' he said giving the card back to him.
'No way! I'll keep it!' the boy said mesmerised looking at the card with such glee that Harry had to reconsider again his previous sentence.
'Do you know what? If you find another one, send it to me in my office and I'll sign it for you, so you can sell that one'
'Would you really?' Chris asked excited.
'Sure!'
His mother at that moment interjected 'That's quite enough Chris. You had your signature now go and play in the garden like a good boy and let us talk'
The boy agreed cheerfully and thanking him, he darted outside in search of his friends eager to show his new treasured possession.
The silence swallowed them as soon as the boy was gone. The woman asked if he wanted some milk in the tea, he declined. The woman looked outside the window; no sound disturbed the hush. Harry again was at loss for words and watching her thought about Ginny. What would he have liked her to hear in the same situation? He didn't know.
The shoulders of the woman quivered slightly as her eyes filled with tears. Harry lowered his gaze, awkward, unsure whether it was something best to pretend not to notice being somewhat a private show of grief. He stirred his tea needlessly as there wasn't any sugar in it.
'He was a good man…' she said feebly.
Harry putted down his cup and watched her concernedly. The quivering grew more marked, she was clutching very hard a serviette in her lap as if to subdue it.
'I'm sorry' she muttered, tears starting to escape her eyes.
'It's all right…'
The sobbing started to show itself and Harry wondered uneasy what was best to do.
Hesitantly, he left his place and sat close to her, his instinct was prompting him to hug her, but it was hardly appropriated, he didn't even know the woman. And yet, his mind didn't offer him an alternative so then, tentatively, rested an arm around her shoulder fearing in the meanwhile a sharp reprimand. That didn't arrive. As soon as his hand was there, the woman got close to him and snuggled up under his arm sobbing harder, her head on his chest. He sat back on the sofa keeping this unknown woman close to him, like he would have done with his wife. But he knew there wasn't anything wrong in that because this is what he would have liked Ginny to be able to receive in the same situation. So, he caressed her hair gently lulling as best as he could that woman that was sharing with him her sorrow.
'I feel so lonely...' she muttered under her voice.
'I know…' he only said.
No words were added, her tears halted by degrees, but it was a long while before Harry felt right to break that embrace.

The kindergarten was a whitewashed square building with a rainbow painted on it. Harry and Ginny had visited a few and this one had been chosen because it had a nice garden at the back of the building with some trees, all barren now but in spring would have been lush and green. He wanted his daughter to be able to play outside when the season permitted it.
He walked through the entrance and children's drawings were hanged all around, giving a great air of cheerfulness. He lingered undecided; he didn't know where Sunrise's classroom was. It was already a quarter past five. After the gloomy afternoon, to lift his spirit, he had visited George at the joke shop. Jude was still working there, happily married now (not with George) but still enjoying herself freely when the husband was away for business (with George mostly). She was a nice sort of girl and he had spent some enjoyable time with them joking and laughing.
Therefore, he was a bit late but at least in a good mood.
A woman with silvery hair, came out of a classroom carrying some toys. She flinched in surprise seeing him 'May I help you?' she asked.
'Please' he said walking toward her 'I'm Sunrise Potter's father. I came to pick her up.'
She looked at him up and down studiously 'Have you got an Id?'
He faltered. He actually had muggles papers, mingling so much with them was necessary. All of them had them, including Ginny, but he never carried them around as totally useless in his everyday life.
'I'm afraid I haven't got it with me' he replied.
'I'm sorry but without an ID…' as the woman was speaking, a familiar loud hoot echoed in the corridor.
'Daddy!'
It resounded everywhere in the empty hall bouncing against all the walls and getting to him amplified just as a full of enthusiasm little girl run toward him followed by a flustered young woman.
Harry's face lighted up seeing her arms outstretched in his direction, her round and chubby legs, her joyful glee.
One couldn't help but melt on the spot receiving such reception, as if he had been away months instead of only a few hours. Her overflowing joy was contagious, and he found himself smiling openly and stooping down to lift her up.
'Is it enough as ID?' he asked at the woman who was simpering now.
'I suppose so.' she replied shrugging her shoulders as Sunrise was already in an unstoppable flow of "daddy" in a frenzy of excitement.
The other young woman caught up.
'Sunrise, you must not run away in this way!' she reproached her panting.
'It's daddy!' Sunrise chirped back as an explanation.
'I can see that. You look exactly alike!' she cooed smiling to him and outstretching her hand.
'I'm Miranda' she introduced herself 'Sunrise's teacher'
'Harry' he said squeezing the hand offered, deducting an odd pleasure in being able to introduce himself, a kind of a seldom experience for him 'Sunrise's father' he smiled.
He caught a shifty peep to his left-hand holding Sunrise followed by a simper and a slight blush. In a flash, it became clear why they thought Ginny was single. He had seen exactly the same peep from her aunt when he was a boy many times before. It was always followed by some remarks or other to his uncle when the person objected to that peep was out of earshot.
Suddenly he remembered Ginny's request and seeing the blush on Miranda's face seemed, despite the embarrass felt, necessary to fulfil.
'My wife couldn't come today, so I came instead…' he stammered sheepishly.
Miranda's lips pinched in a "oh" shape, her eyes darting again to his bare left hand.
'Where is mummy?' Sunrise asked.
'At work, sweetie'
'I wanna show you my class, daddy!' she chirped starting to squirm in his arms to be putted down. He complied straight away to avoid the risk of her tumbling down and she, clutching his hand firmly, pulled him forcefully through the corridor, followed by Miranda.
The room was very colourful and unexpectedly tidy, a low table with some very small chairs was in the middle and Sunrise insisted for Harry to sit on one of those utterly inadequate sitting considering the respective sizes. However, he did as he was asked/ordered by a very self-assured Sunrise. She started to scurry around the room taking toys she wanted him to see, describing them with such a fervour that all her words were tumbled and incomprehensible.
Miranda let her have her own way for a bit but then she made her sit around the table giving her a sheet of paper and some crayons 'Why don't you make a drawing for daddy?' she asked her 'I'm sure he'd like one.'
'Very much' he said starting to feel cramps rising on his scarified legs. He stood up as Sunrise had grasped greedily a yellow crayon bellowing proudly to the world the colour of it.
She was already working energetically on the paper, when Harry followed the teacher to her desk under her invitation.
The chair offered was much more adapted to his stature.
'I'm glad to have you here actually' she started in saying 'It was sometimes I wanted to speak with your…' she paused peeping again at his hand 'wife' she resumed with a slight arching of eyebrows that made almost Harry wanting to excuse the lack of that muggle ornament that marked him as legally married.
'She always run away so quickly when she comes to pick her up that I never had the chance.'
Harry scowled inside at Ginny nonsensical behaviour that was surely only imputed to her dislike of muggle education.
'Do you get to see her often?' she enquired shiftily.
Harry was puzzled 'Do you mean my wife?'
'I meant the child.'
'Well... Yes, of course. We live all together….' he hesitated and then pressed on 'In the same house…' but not receiving an answer he gabbled 'We are married… I mean with my wife'
'I see…' was the only unconvinced answer of Miranda 'We haven't seen you before, so…'
'I work long hours…' he explained feeling more awkward by the minute.
'May I ask the nature of your job?'
'Ergh…' he slurred racking his brain for a valid answer 'I chuck criminals in prison' went lamely for in the end.
'In the law enforcement, do you mean?' she asked interested.
'Kinda'
'I see…' she said staring, waiting for him to continue, but not receiving any kind of further explanation resumed her talk with a wave of her hand 'Well, getting back to Sunrise.' She said business-like 'She is a very bright child, full of energy and well advanced for her age. A bit stubborn and bossy time to time but essentially a good-hearted, well-behaved child'
Harry nodded looking fleetingly at Sunrise who was still working furiously on her paper.
'She has also got a sharp imagination, always coming out with strange tales of heads popping from the fire, and magic wands and objects flying…' she said rolling her eyes and laughing coquettishly.
'Yeah… we read her a lot of bedtime stories…' he muttered floundered.
'I thought that much'
Harry drew an internal breath of relief.
'What concern me is that recently she started to be very moody'
Harry frowned 'What do you mean?'
'For example, today she whimpered almost the whole afternoon' she halted a second and then looking fixedly in his eyes she added 'For no apparent reason'
Harry was silent trying to understand the possible reason. He looked again at Sunrise who seemed anything but anguished and Miranda, reading his thought, added 'A couple of hours ago she stopped suddenly, and she resumed playing as nothing ever happened'
'That's bizarre…' he said under his voice, his eyes still on Sunrise 'Maybe she had a little quarrel with one of her friends?' he hazarded.
'It could have been a hypothesis, but it hasn't been the only time' she said slowly interlinking her fingers on the desk.
Harry watched her for a better insight.
'It happened a few times already'
'Since when?'
'More or less a couple of weeks…'
Harry was at loss and couldn't think to any possible explanation besides bullying, but somehow, he couldn't imagine Sunrise being bullied by two years old children. If anything, he was worried about her bossiness toward the other children.
'I wondered if by any chance something happened at home…' she asked inquisitory.
Harry stared back with a blank expression 'Like?'
'I don't know… Something not pleasant...' she pressed on suddenly stern.
Harry frowned again giving it some thought, but nothing came to his mind. It was a long time he didn't have a proper argument with Ginny and usually they made sure not to let it happen in front of Sunrise. He hadn't been in the best of mood lately, but he had tried not to let it leak anymore. And anyway, she was always as gay as a lark when he was at home. She wasn't a whining child and in the last few weeks the only moments she had been seen crying was in one of her tantrums or just after the accident of his colleagues, but it was understandable then, even Ginny had been affected by his mood and the child surely had channelled the bad vibes of the evening, but she could not in any possible way be grieving steadily for that. He hadn't talked of it in front of her and anyway she was too young still to understand what it meant and to be affected by it.
'It must be something here because at home she is always fine' he said pensively 'but I'll ask my wife. In case she noticed anything' but then musing on it, quickly discarded the idea envisaging the sure consequences of such a communication. Nothing would have stopped her in her anti-muggle-kindergarten quest and for no reason at all since it was with any probabilities only some stupid quarrels between children over some toys or a silliness of the kind.
'Daddy, I finished!' Sunrise bellowed shrilly waving the sheet of paper in the air.
They left no long after that, Sunrise proud over her artistic exploit took his hand, the teacher managed to shift his gaze again a couple of times over that same hand before they could get out and he couldn't help to notice with the corner of his eye, Miranda joining conspiratorially the woman who had welcomed him, surely another teacher, and the two starting a fast and vigorous whispering that soared in him an instant flush.
'This is ridiculous!' he scowled through clenched teeth refusing to let the silliness of it to get to him.
'Ridiculous!' Sunrise echoed joyfully.