I got back with some grocery shopping an hour later. I was afraid Harry may have changed the spell to get inside but apparently, he hasn't come back yet.
I solved the sleeping potions issue quite easily. The nurse decided that the best thing to do was to handle her resignation straight away under my kind recommendation and is going to escape Harry as if the embodiment of the plague.
But alcohol and drugs he can take them easily anywhere.
And while I'm meditating on this in James' room, I hear the door opening and some tinkling of bottles.
'Are you still there?' Harry shouts from the kitchen 'You can come down; I'm not gonna eat you'
With my wand clutched in my hand, on the lookout, I comply.
He is drinking some kind of liquid from a glass and, judging by what it's still on plastic bags on the counter, it is not pumpkin juice. His expression is still mean despite not violent but that won't make me lower my guard.
'Do you want one?' he says waving the glass in my direction.
'No, thank you. I'll have a tea.' I reply starting to make one. While at it I can feel his gaze on my back though, and I shiver involuntarily out of tension.
'You should drink something stronger; it may set you more at ease' he says sniggering 'Or are you scared of me? I forgive your meddling.'
'I'm not scared of you' I answer challenging taking my cup back to the table as I sit.
'You should be' he replies a bit too seriously.
'So, what brings you here? What do I own the pleasure of your forced company? I imagine some more meddling by people we both know.'
'Harry, it's not meddling. We are concerned about you.'
'Why? I'm fine, don't you see?' he retorts sarcastic.
'We just want to help you'
'I don't need any help.'
'Yes, you do'
And in this exchange, I perceive some uneasiness making way between the aggressivity.
'I'll make some lunch. And I would like you to eat it'
He doesn't agree neither protest but when I serve him the meal, after twenty minutes of complete silence, he eats it without complain.
'Yesterday I found a letter from Albus tidying up. It's unopened. Don't you want to read it?'
No answer.
'Can I open it?'
He doesn't even look at me.
'I'll take it as a yes'
I open the letter to read the content. Poor kid, I can detect in every line that he misses Ginny and needs some comfort from him. There is a sort of pleading tone in the last sentence asking for a reply that breaks my heart. This is clearly not the first he received despite I didn't find any other. It' s very important this letter being answered.
I read it again then, this time aloud and I can spot his expression changing while I'm through it, distress sneaking in. But by the end he had hardened again.
'Why don't you answer?'
He looks at me darkly.
I don't let his look to make me waver in my intent. I must insist; Albus needs a letter from his father.
I take some ink and paper from a drawer, and I placed it in front of him.
'Write' I order.
And, surprisingly, he starts to write. I didn't expect it. That arise immediately a doubt; it has been rather too easy to convince him.
To confirm my suspect a wicked smile spread slowly on his face.
'I'm done. Do you want to hear it, miss Nosy?' he asks once he is done.
I nod suspicious.
'Dear Albus, thank you for your letter. I hardly know what to write so I decided to give you some important father to son advice. You see, a few days ago I made a most interesting discovery. I had the pleasure to be entertained by some girls that couldn't be much older than you. That experience opened my eyes (and something else too but we want to keep it child friendly, don't we?)' He adds smiling maliciously. 'Do not ever fall in love if you don't want to put a death sentence on that unlucky girl. Don't have any kids because they will either die or hate you. Just have as much meaningless sex as you can…' at that point I stand up outraged and shocked. I take the letter from his hands, and I shred it into pieces.
He looks at me still not changing his expression one bit 'Shame, I was getting to the part about friendship between men and women.'
I cannot help but blush, hurt.
'Harry, he needs your support! You are his father!'
He bolts up, anger replacing the malevolent smile 'So then write to him yourself if you care so much!' he shouts enraged snatching the letter from the table with the clear intent to tear it off, but he halts seeing Albus' words and his face crumple in an enhanced distress. He tries again unsuccessfully and then, defeated, growls in frustration making me cringe with ache in assisting all this mental torture. He slams it back on the table and dash out of the room as if to be out of sight of that tormenting letter.
I look at that ignored request of help abandoned and I sigh dismayed. This is going to be difficult.