Chapter 6: Harry's Day Out
Harry Potter woke up in his crib, cuddling his big stuffed stag, which Mooey called Prongs. Harry wasn't good with the letter R yet though, so when he opened his eyes to see antlers in front of his face, he just patted his stag and said, "Mowning Pwongs, Lily, Mooey." Each magical stuffed animal greeted him in their own way with nuzzles or little sounds of affection.
Harry wriggled in his crib and Prongs got off his chest so Harry could sit up. He slapped the wood of the crib and began to yell out for his aunties, new mummy, and real Mooey. He babbled to himself for a while, trying to climb over the crib bars, then went back to shouting again.
"It's 6 in the morning, little sparrow," said his new mummy as she scooped him up. "You need to learn to let people sleep a bit."
Harry grasped at his mummy's black stringy hair, fascinated at the way it looked and smelled. She made a face at him, then one of the little faerie lights came toward them and made his mummy's hair look all shiny. Harry tried to catch the little creature, but it chattered at him and tickled his fingers. Harry pouted and stuffed his fingers in his mouth. The tickling felt weird, but his fingers tasted like candy.
"Looks like someone's ready for breakfast," mummy said as she placed Harry on the floor.
Harry made a run for it, but the door closed just inches from his nose. He pounded on it with his little fists, babbling in toddler speak until it opened again. This time his aunti Han was there, grasping him under the arms and swinging him around. Auntie Han smelled like the forest, but not as much as Mooey did. She also smelled like what Harry would call happiness.
"Let's get you dressed, little man," mummy said as auntie Han brought him back into the room. "Green or blue sweeting?"
"Bue," said Harry. "No… Geen. Yeah geen."
"Green it is then," said auntie Han, gently forcing a shirt over Harry's head.
He waved his arms happily, staring down at a pattern of little winged balls. Once he had his pants and socks on, he was lead by the hand to the kitchen. Mooey turned from the stove to give Harry a tickle as he hoisted him into his highchair. Auntie Liss ruffled his hair as she set his breakfast in front of him.
"Good morning Harry," she said, kissing his head.
"Mowning Auntie Liss, Mooey," he said, trying to aim his spoon at his mouth.
"Good morning cub," said Mooey, sitting down at the table. "We're going outside today. Does that sound fun to you?"
Harry looked out the kitchen window, his breakfast forgotten. He saw trees and grass, and what looked like a pond. He gurgled his juice as he tried to see more.
"Wha's ouside?" he asked. "We go find kitty? Kitty like climb twees."
"Yes exactly," Auntie Liss said, beaming at Harry. "We're going to find a kitty for you to play with."
"Yay!" Harry said, throwing his arms, and the spoon, into the air. "Play wif kitty! We go now?"
"Not until you finish your breakfast," said mummy, handing his spoon back to him.
It was a very cranky Harry who threw his breakfast at the wall, trying to get down from his highchair. Mooey smacked his hands in reprimand but not enough for it to really hurt.
"Is that any way to act, Harry?" he asked him sternly. "Just because you can't get what you want just this minute, doesn't mean you have to throw a temper tantrum."
"Sowwy Mooey," Harry said, pouting fiercely.
Mooey kissed Harry's hands better and began spoon feeding him so that the bowl was out of reach. Mummy was looking at Mooey strangely, like she was mad but happy at the same time. He heard his auntie Han talking to mummy, and her face relaxed into a smile. Finally, Harry had his little shoes on his feet and a hat on his head
"Come on Harry cub," Mooey said as he grasped Harry's hand gently.
Harry's mummy took his other hand, and they lead him from the house. Mooey extended his free hand, holding his wand up in the air. A big purple bus that looked a lot like Harry's toy bus came screeching towards them and stopped with a bang on the side of the road. Harry giggled and swung his hands back and forth.
"We'd like to be dropped off at the Leaky Caldron please," said mummy.
The conductor stared openly at her green face and paled, but let them all on the bus. Mooey turned 3 chairs into a comfortable sofa and he and mummy sandwiched Harry between them. Harry snuggled in close as the bus jolted forward.
"Are you ready Harry?" asked Auntie Liss, who was holding onto Auntie Han's hand.
"Yes Auntie," Harry yelled over the loud noises of the purple bus. "We going have fun!"
It was a very wobbly Harry who climbed out of the bus with Mooey and mummy's help. Auntie Han came forward and scooped harry into her arms, balancing him on one hip as they all walked through the pub and into the back entrance. Auntie Han pulled the brim of Harry's hat a little lower, then passed him off to Auntie Liss as Mooey tapped the bricks on the wall.
"It's best if you carry him Alice," said Auntie Han. "Turn on a bit of that vela alure and people will be focused on you and not Harry."
"Of course neither Remus or I could be seen with the boy," his mummy said sourly. "I'm an ugly banshee and Remus isn't supposed to know where Harry is."
"I love you mummy," Harry said. "You pwetty. I like geen on you."
Harry was soon the receiver of a rain of banshee kisses before she and Mooey hung back at the far end of the group. Harry could barely see them. Auntie Han took Harry's hand and squeezed it gently as he was carried through the street. They passed all number of shops and Harry pointed to all the things he liked, even if it was just the robes on a man passing by them.
Finally after a lot of stopping so Harry could peep inside windows, they entered the magical pet shop. Harry was only promised one pet and one small present from another shop so he was a bit cranky by the time they got there. As soon as Auntie Liss put him down though, he ran around the store looking at everything in reach. He avoided the rats like the plague though.
Harry could hear Mooey and mummy talking to Auntie Liss outside as Auntie Han followed him around, but didn't understand what they were saying. He was almost at a display of fluffy, sleeping kittens when an egg rolled off a shelf and right into Harry's hand. The egg had been placed on top of a box and forgotten it seemed.
"Egg, Auntie," said Harry eagerly. "Look Auntie Han, egg fell in my hand."
"What are you talking about?" his auntie asked. "There are no eggs over by the pet supplies. You probably… Oh deary me."
Harry didn't hear anything his auntie said because he was focused on the egg. His footsteps also kept leading him toward the kittens without him knowing it. Somehow he didn't trip or fall. It was like the egg was guiding him. It felt very warm in his hand.
"Harry sweeting let Auntie take that egg now please," said Auntie Han. "You need 2 hands to pick up the kittens."
Harry's hand moved automatically and placed the egg in his auntie's hand. She hissed as though it were hot, then her expression smoothened out and she beamed a smile at Harry. Harry fumbled as gently as he could through the sleeping kitties. There was one who was awake and staring at him, but she was all the way in the back of the cage they were kept in.
"c-mere kitty kitty," Harry said plaintively. "I wants to have pet."
The kitty moved forward, moving around her siblings. Soon Harry had gently picked her up and was cradling her to his chest, not too tightly as Mooey and mummy had shown him with a stuffed kitty doll. The kitty was warm and fuzzy and she licked Harry's hand with a rough tongue. She had ginger fur, and bright amber eyes which stared fixedly at Harry.
"We tell no one about this egg," said Auntie Han in Harry's ear, slipping it into his pocket. "It is very special and your uncle Moony and Auntie Alice will be able to explain it to you better. I can't touch it, and neither can your mummy. Let's go pay for the kitty and go."
Harry and Auntie Han walked toward the counter and Harry beamed at the lady standing behind it. The kitty leaped out of his arms and stood still on the counter so the lady could give her a check-up, then go to the back to get the kitty's personal supplies. Harry paid for her with Auntie Han's help, then picked his kitty up again and cuddled her close. She purred contentedly and began to close her eyes.
"Night night Jenny kitty," Harry said, having on decided the name on the spur of the moment, "We be home soon."
A/N Hello beautiful souls. I've been working on this for a few days. Health and the death of a friend have prevented me from posting sooner so I'm sorry. Please fave and review. Rosebloom