Hey everyone,
So some of you may not have agreed with Molly's portrayal in the last chapter – some might even call it out of character considering everything that happened in the story.
And, I'll admit, while I have thought of a way to implement the new idea into my story plans, it may continue to be disagreeable to some.
Can't please everyone,

Venquine1990


Chapter 58
A New Couple Talks

10th of August 1996
Big Ben, Neverland
Damian's POV

It feels weird to realize that summer vacation is already halfway over. And while the drama with Mrs. Weasley is still going on, dad did, thankfully, manage to keep it from becoming a world-wide drama. And Scrooge managed to keep it out of the Garden's grapevine.

Still, I wonder what will happen first.

That someone will catch her staring at her photo of the Burrow or that the woman herself will admit to suffering from homesickness.

Thanks to my mum raising me with all her knowledge of the Noble Houses of the past, I know that members of House Prewett can suffer from emotional and mental delusions when they feel homesick for too long a time.

And father might not have known it, but members of House Crabbe – which grandmother Walburga descended from through her own mother – can lose their sense of morality as well as their common sense if they don't have someone to keep them in check.

And grandfather Orion was, unfortunately, just never strong enough of mind and will to do this for his wife and second cousin.

At the same time, my new boyfriend seems to have noticed the same with me as he actually took me to a version of Big Ben that is so similar to the one in my home-world, it's almost uncanny.

At the same time, for reasons even Isa couldn't explain to me, we are apparently only able to move about the top of the Clock Tower.

Still, to sit on the edge of the tower and watch the rest of the city – one that looks so much like my own – is more than enough to me.

And as I stare out across the horizon, it suddenly occurs to me. The city looks like my world's version of England, yet it also looks somewhat more old-fashioned.

"Heh, it took me awhile, but I suddenly noticed a huge difference between this version of England and my own."

Isa turns to look at me and I motion for some of the houses that are visible on the other side of the Thames river.

"It's the design of those houses and their gardens. They look more old-fashioned. As if – if I had to make a guess – it's still 1920 or 1930 here."

Isa looks around and stares at a few of the houses I pointed out before he says: "Well, I've never been to your version of London, so I'll take your word for it."

This makes me cringe and I whisper:

"You didn't just take me here because you saw that I was feeling homesick, did you? You think I should tell them that I want to move back in with mum, don't you?"

Isa's eye twitches and he turns to look out into the horizon himself as he says:

"To be honest, I knew there was something on your mind and I did notice that you were talking about Hogwarts and England a lot.

But I didn't really realize that you were feeling homesick and I made another mistake."

I turn to look at him and he looks me straight in the eye, his green eyes laden with guilt, as he says: "I never considered what kind of bond you had with your mum before you moved here.

I just figured, with how easily you settled in with your dad, that you and your mum weren't even close or that you might have the same relation as Lea with his mum."

This makes me wince and I reply: "I don't blame you. I really only talk with dad about mum. And that's mostly because dad really wants to know what life was like for me growing up with all those lies the people believed about him."

I snicker and mutter: "Well, that and he admitted that the way mum raised me on high society actually reminds him of how the late Dorea taught him.

He even admitted that, before I reminded him of that, his previous living arrangement – so to say – had almost convinced him to just skip that part of Harry's education."

Isa's eyes turning wide at hearing this makes me suppress a few snickers.

"Yeah, like Pepper and Poppy were ever going to let him get away with that. Especially with how he handled himself during his own trial. Not a chance."

"I can think of another reason why Pepper wouldn't allow that."

This time Isa's words make me turn to stare at him.

My new boyfriend seems shocked to notice my confusion and asks:

"You know that they're sleeping together, right?"

I want to shuffle to turn my whole body his way in shock – only to suddenly be physically reminded that I'm at the top of a huge tower.

Yet it takes my shocked mind a moment too long to realize that I no longer have something solid underneath me and to register that I'm falling.

Thankfully, Isa doesn't share in my shocked, dazed state of mind and reacts instantly, catching my wrist and lifting me back up onto the belltower.

"I really thought you knew."

He mutters, somewhat to himself.

The two of us move to the wall behind us and while Isa leans back, I loosely wrap my arms around my knees as I mutter:

"I really had no idea. I wonder why he hasn't told Harry or me yet. I guess this is both a good and a bad thing."

Isa turns to look at me and asks me to elaborate. And while it feels slightly wrong to confide this in my new boyfriend before I confide in my family, I comply nonetheless.

"As you know, when dad, Harry and I left for Radiant Garden, we appointed Lord Malfoy as our representative.

However, while he did great ever since that Quidditch incident, my dad's no idiot and he's not as forgiving of Death Eater activity as Dumbledore was.

So both my mum and Aunt Narcissa were appointed as his – supervisors, I guess you could say. To make sure he didn't have a relapse.

This, and the fact that mum felt that dad deserved some alone time with Harry and me, were the two reasons that she didn't come with us.

And while I definitely think that Lord Malfoy, Aunt Narcissa and mum have been doing an amazing job, I actually planned to reveal my true heritage upon my seventeenth or twentieth birthday ever since I turned 13.

And – I guess – while I still plan to return to the Garden in a few years – I'm just not ready to give up on that dream, on that plan."

Isa nods, a look of clear understanding on his face.

"At the same time, I don't want to give either Harry or dad the wrong idea. I don't want them to think that I'm abandoning them or that I don't care about them.

Harry has been alone and under so much stress from the community's expectations for so long. And dad had been abandoned by everyone he fought together with during the war.

I – I just don't want him to think that I'm like them."

Isa wraps his arms around my form and just like, I'm sure, Harry feels safe in Lea's arms, I feel my concerns and fears ebb away while in Isa's arms.

"I can get why you're scared and worried about this, but there is one difference between you and those people.

Your dad knows that you knew and believed the truth ever since his arrest. He knows why you and your mum never tried anything to free him.

Your dad would never compare you to one of them, even if he still suffers from what he went through. And yeah, I know he still does.

He hides it well, but not well enough that people like Axel, Xion and I don't notice."

Isa smirks as he says this and I can't help but snicker a little myself. At the same time, his words really reassure me.

Isa turns to look out over the horizon again and mutters: "Still, you can't predict the future or how others will react to any kind of news.

So while I can theorize until the sun comes up, you'd be better off just talking with your family about all this.

As soon as possible."

I reluctantly agree.

Isa pulls me close again and brings the smile back to my face as he says: "Naturally, as soon as possible does not mean right now."

I happily cuddle into his side.


Well said, Isa.
So yeah, this is kind of what I have in mind for all of the other characters that went to Radiant Garden with Harry, other than Pepper and Sirius.
And yes, Sirius sleeping with Pepper is going to be addressed in a future chapter. However, don't expect some kind of Disney Fairytale or anything of the sort.
You'll see,

Venquine1990
PS. Nothing too negative either, of course. Also, Damian is 17 going on 18 and will be going back to Hogwarts with Harry in November to redo his Seventh.