The Alley
It was a little after lunchtime that Harry and Morgana left their room to have breakfast, neither having slept as well as they'd hoped. Much to their relief, when they entered the kitchen at Grimmauld Place, only Sirius and Remus were seated at the table, and the latter stood, pulling Harry into a tight embrace before pointing at the food witing for them.
"I figured you'd be hungry."
"Thanks, Sirius," Harry said appreciatively.
They both sat, and helped themselves to some food, whilst Harry explained to Morgana what some of the unfamiliar things were.
"It's called a banana. It's a fruit."
"A banana?"
Harry nodded and peeled it for her.
Morgana tentatively took a bite and frowned as she savoured the flavour and texture of the food.
"It's not bad," she declared. "Can we not get these back home?"
"I'd have to visit South America."
"South America?"
"It's another country," Harry explained. "I always forget that the knowledge of the world back home is very limited. Maybe we should see the world one day."
Morgana nodded thoughtfully and helped herself to some sausages.
"What?" Harry asked as he noticed both Sirius and Remus staring at him.
"It's just a little strange," Sirius sighed. "Seeing you is one thing, but you're just so different."
"I grew up."
"You did," Sirius said with a smile. "Well, Fudge has resigned. It's been all over the wireless this morning."
"Good," Harry chuckled, "and when they decide who the next Minister is, I'll make sure you're pardoned. I'll personally drag Wormtail to the Ministry if that is what it takes, but there are ways around it. If they want my hope, they'll be dancing to my tune."
"Merlin, you sounded just like your grandfather then. He used to run rings around the Wizengamot, and it helps that most of them will shit themselves at the sight of you after what you did last night. If they're not talking about Fudge, they're talking about you. More than enough people witnessed it."
Harry frowned unhappily and shook his head.
"So, you really are as famous here as you are back home," Morgana said amusedly.
"He's famous where you're from?"
Morgana nodded as she scowled at a mango.
"They call him the Dragonslayer. I expect you can guess why."
"You killed a bloody dragon?"
"And an army of dead people."
"Inferi?" Remus asked with a frown. "You fought inferi?"
"Dead bodies raised by dark witches? If that's what you call them, yes."
Remus said something unintelligible before looking at Sirius.
"Bloody hell, what is going on where you came from for that to happen?"
"That is a long story," Harry huffed. "It just seems to be one war after another, and somehow, I find myself caught up in them."
"You'd be bored if you weren't," Morgana snorted.
"True," Harry conceded. "Sirius, do you know what happened to my trunk?"
The man nodded before removing it from his pocket.
"Albus gave it to me at the end of your fourth year. Everything is in there."
Harry fought the urge to open it, but instead, placed it in his pocket to peruse later.
"What about Hedwig. Is she?"
"She is at Hogwarts. Ron tried to take him with her, but she refused to leave the owlery. Hagrid has been taking care of her."
Harry swallowed the lump that formed in his throat at the thought of his very first friend and nodded.
"I will collect her today. I expect she will give me a piece of her mind."
"She has missed you, Harry. According to Hagrid, she has been in a deep depression since you went missing."
"I will make it right with her."
Sirius offered him an encouraging smile, but before Harry could ponder what else he'd left behind all those years ago, he felt a pair of arms wrap around his neck, and the air was squeezed from his lungs.
"Bloody hell, Hermione," he gasped. "Who needs Voldemort when you're here to do his job for him."
"Sorry, I'm just so happy to see you. I think I was in shock last night."
"We all were," Fred broke in, thumping Harry on the shoulder.
George followed suit, but Ron merely offered him a nod.
"How're you feeling, mate?" he asked.
Harry shook his head.
"I don't know," he answered honestly. "This will take some getting used to, but I'll get there. For now, I want to get some fresh air."
"Harry, leaving the house is not a good idea," Hermione replied.
Harry shook his head.
"I will not spend my time here hiding away. If Voldemort fancies his chances, he's welcome to try any time he wishes. I'll kick his bollocks into his throat."
"You're really not scared of him?" Ron asked.
"No, I'm not. If you want the truth. I can't wait until we meet. If he thinks it ended badly for him last night, he's in for a rude awakening. Him and his followers are going to regret ever coming back, I can promise you that."
Helping Morgana to her feet, he offered the group a nod.
"We will be going to Diagon Alley, and maybe make a few other stops. We'll be back this evening though."
"What should we tell Dumbledore if he comes looking for you?" Remus asked.
"Tell him to send me a patronus. I'll get back to him when I'm ready."
With that, he and Morgana left Grimmauld Place, and the woman marvelled at the streets outside.
"It really is different here, isn't it?"
"You've not seen anything yet," Harry chuckled. "Come, we will need some gold before we do anything else."
Taking his wife by the hand, he apparated them away, determined to show Morgana the world as he'd once known it.
Much of it would be a shock to her, but since they were here, Harry planned to enjoy his time and take more than a few things back with them when they eventually returned home.
(Break)
A thoughtful frowned had plagued him since the very early hours when he'd found himself facing off with the Dark Lord.
Albus knew he'd pushed the boundaries to the very limits by engaging the man in such a foolish confrontation, but he'd been given no choice, well, that had been his thoughts on the matter.
Despite Harry's fortunate arrival, the young an did not seem concerned by the words of Sybil Trelawney as Albus.
Still, that wasn't what held the thoughts of the headmaster.
For much of the day he'd been pondering just how what he'd witnessed for himself was possible.
Harry was no longer a somewhat meek but talented boy.
He was a man grown, a confident man, and one that wielded something more extraordinary than Albus could've ever imagined.
He'd felt the power of the man as he stood firmly against Tom, had found himself in awe with Harry's ability with magic, yet, a little nervous.
For so many years now, Albus had believed Tom's prowess and brilliance to be insurmountable, had even reached conclusions that had perhaps been premature, but now, Harry's return had changed those thoughts that had once been so assured.
He released a deep breath as he retrieved the diary from within his desk, the very same one Harry had handed to him upon emerging from the Chamber of Secrets having slain a basilisk.
Perhaps then Albus should've reconsidered his thoughts, but he had not, especially when he realised just what it was Harry had destroyed.
Horcruxes.
For Tom to delve into such things was more repugnant than Albus had ever thought of his former student, but the more he pondered each encounter he'd had with Tim Riddle since meeting him at the orphanage, he could not deny it was something the man would do.
Even so, that didn't change Albus's thoughts on what was to come.
If Harry was indeed carrying a portion of Tom's soul, the man he'd witnessed sending the Dark Lord away empty-handed from the Ministry would not take such a risk in ridding himself of it.
Albus hummed to himself as he drummed his fingers along the surface of his desk.
Would such a thing be necessary?
He couldn't be certain, but as he continued to follow his trail of thoughts, a knock sounded at the door to his office, and an exhausted Severus entered.
"Is it true?" the man asked. "The Dark Lord claims that Harry Potter has returned."
"It is true, Severus," Albus answered. "I witnessed it for myself and have since spoken with Harry at length. As difficult as it is to believe, it is him."
Severus sunk into the chair on the opposite side of the desk and shook his head.
"Well, he certainly made his presence known. He killed several of the Dark Lord's followers and wounded even more. Lucius is without his wand hand, and Bellatrix will spend the rest of her days horrifically scarred from the burns. Naturally, I did all I could for them, but the damage was much too extensive."
Albus nodded.
"I would expect nothing less given what little I did witness, Severus. Harry engaged the Dark Lord with no hesitation with nothing but ill intent."
"For what good it will do," Severus snorted.
Albus released a deep sigh.
"Severus, I do not say this lightly, but I believe the Dark Lord may have indeed met his match. Perhaps you should see it for yourself," he suggested, removing the memory of the incident before standing and placing it into the pensieve.
Severus appeared to be sceptical but submerged himself into the stone basin.
It was not Albus's intention to expose Harry for what he'd done, but to ensure Severus understood the enormity of what had happened.
He needed to see for himself that Harry was no longer a small boy that was all but helpless in the face of such adversity.
It was some moments before the Potions Master returned from his perusal, and though it was not often Severus Snape would express such surprise, he had undeniably been taken aback by what he'd witnessed.
"Merlin, he is…"
He broke off and frowned before shaking his head.
"Impressive," Albus finished. "I fear that this will no longer be a war that I can control, Severus. Harry will not be content to follow me, and I'm afraid there is little I can do to prevent what action he decides to take. He has made his intentions very clear. The Dark Lord and his followers will not be spared by him."
Severus nodded solemnly.
"Perhaps it is necessary," he murmured. "The Dark Lord is accustomed to facing rather passive resistance. If what Potter has done thus far is anything to go by, maybe the Dark Lord will act more cautiously. It would not do well for him to lose followers to Potter, not when he has proven to be so dangerous."
"And yet, I believe we have seen very little of what Harry is capable of. Perhaps we should speak with him. I expect he will be awake now."
"He is at Grimmauld Place?"
"With his wife," Albus confirmed, a slight smirk tugging at the corner of his lips as Severus's eyes widened.
(Break)
"What is this place?" Morgana whispered.
"This is Diagon Alley. Think of it as a large, permanent marketplace."
"There are so many people."
"Millions just in London. It's not like home. Just stay close to me and you'll be fine."
Morgana nodded and took his hand, though Harry suspected the other one was resting on her wand.
It was inevitably quite the shock to the woman who'd' likely never seen more than perhaps a few hundred people gathered together at once outside of battle.
"Where are we going?"
Harry nodded towards the large white building a short distance away.
"The bank."
"Bank?"
"It is where people keep their gold."
Morgana frowned.
"It's safe to do that?"
"For the most part, but there are those that could take advantage of it."
"Like you?"
Harry frowned at the question.
"Maybe," he said thoughtfully, "but I have no intention of robbing the place. I need to visit my vault."
Morgana seemed confused, and Harry chuckled as he led her through the doors of Gringotts where they were greeted by dozens more people milling about.
Approaching one of the tellers, Harry cleared his throat, and the goblin looked up at his, his eyes widening slightly at the sight of him.
"I wish to visit my vault."
"Do you have your key, Mr Potter?"
"I do not."
The goblin hummed before grinning and placing a sizeable dagger on the desk between them.
"Then I will require some blood. The Potter vault is protected by such measures."
Harry nodded and picked up the dagger, frowning as he felt the magic thrumming through it. Still, there was nothing that caused him alarm, so he dragged the blade across the tip of his finger.
All but snatching the blade back, the goblin retrieved a key from within the desk and allowed the blood to drip onto it.
"I must warn you, if you are not Harry Potter, the consequences will be most unpleasant for you."
"Of course," Harry agreed. "I would ask that Griphook accompanies me. He was the one who took me during my first visit here."
The goblin nodded and tapped the desk with one of his gnarled fingers.
"He will be with you shortly."
"Of course," Harry replied before turning back to face his wife.
"They're all staring at you."
Harry frowned as his gaze swept around the foyer of the bank.
"I suppose it was too much to ask that we wouldn't be noticed. Never mind, word will get back to Tom, at the very least. Let's see if he's got the stones to come look for me."
"Do you think he will?"
"No," Harry snorted. "Not unless he believes he has an advantage, and after last night, he won't be so keen to face me again so soon."
Morgana nodded her agreement.
"Ah, Mr Potter, it has been some time. Much longer than I thought, no?" Griphook asked as he approached.
"For me, yes."
Griphook eyed Harry curiously before merely nodding.
"It is not my place to pry, but you must know, if there is any trickery involved, it will be exposed soon enough. Shall we?"
The goblin was almost leering at Harry, and he quickly remembered why the creatures were not to be trusted.
Waiting for him when he returned home would be an impending rebellion, and they certainly would not be as genial as accommodating was being now.
With a nod, Harry followed the goblin into the adjoining corridor where a cart was already waiting for them.
Helping Morgana in, Harry was about to warn her of what was to come, but the cart burst forward, and the woman screamed as they descended rapidly into the bowels of the bank.
Griphook grinned as Morgana glared at Harry, and he held up his hands apologetically.
"I forgot," he defended himself.
Morgana hummed and flared her nostrils at him, though her eyes were now twinkling with amusement.
She looked around in awe as they passed the hundreds of vaults, but Harry kept a close eye on Griphook, who was watching him with unfettered interest.
The goblin grinned as they rapidly approached a waterwall, but as they passed through it, he frowned thoughtfully.
"The Thief's Downfall," Griphook explained. "Had you been using any charm or potion to disguise yourself, your treachery would've been detected. Nevertheless, we will see the truth of you soon enough, Mr Potter."
Harry merely shook his head in response, and the cart continued its descent, ever deeper below London.
"Vault 687," Griphook declared a few moments later as the they came to a screeching halt.
Harry helped steady Morgana as she climbed out of the cart, and she shook her head.
"That was…interesting," she murmured.
"Wait until you fly a broom," Harry replied with a grin.
"Key, please," Griphook requested, all but snatching it from Harry as it was offered.
Placing it in the lock, he turned towards Harry once more and gestured for him to approach.
"As you are now seemingly of age, Mr Potter, the security of the vault has been updated. Place your hand just here," he instructed, pointing towards a weathered piece of stone in front of the vault.
Glancing towards the number to ensure it was indeed the same vault he'd been brought to the very first time he'd come to Gringotts, Harry did as he was bid and felt an odd pulse of magic shoot through his arm.
I was as though it was testing him, and he could not help but feel just a little satisfaction as the door opened and Griphook became undeniably disappointed that he'd not indeed been a thief of sorts.
The goblin hummed before waving him forward, though he held up a hand to prevent Morgana from entering.
"This is the Potter vault…"
"And she is a Potter," Harry cut in. "She is my wife."
Griphook frowned before releasing an irritable breath.
"Very well, Mr and Mrs Potter. You will, of course, find the sum of your wealth in currency within, along with personal effects belonging to your family that were entrusted to us. A full inventory will be found within the ledger as you enter. I will wait here for your return."
Harry now did not know what to expect to find, but as he crossed the threshold, it was his turn to be in awe at the contents within.
Not only was the vault seemingly full to the brim with gold galleons, silver sickles and bronze knuts, but there were several trunks stacked on top of one another.
He felt Morgana give his hand a comforting squeeze, and it pulled Harry from his thoughts.
"I knew about the gold," he murmured, "but none of the other stuff. What do you think is in them?"
"You'll only find out if you look."
Harry nodded before shaking his head.
"Not here," he sighed. "We'll take it all and look later."
With a wave of his wand, Harry began shrinking the trunks before removing the empty ones he'd brought along for the money.
"You never told me you had so much gold."
"Would it have mattered?" Harry snorted. "It's not as though I thought I'd ever be able to retrieve it."
"No, it doesn't matter," Morgana assured him, "but your life…"
"Was bloody miserable for the most part," Harry sighed. "Even when I knew about all of this, I didn't know what to do with it. The first thing I really bought was my wand, and some sweets when I got on the train to Hogwarts."
Morgana laughed and shook her head.
"You know, back home, you'll be richer than any king. I've never seen so much gold."
"You mean we will be richer than any king," Harry corrected. "Not that it matters. What good has gold been for us? We hunt our own food, and we use magic for everything else."
"True," Morgana agreed, "So, why take it?"
"Because if I don't, the Ministry or someone else eventually will. This is all I have of my family, well, and whatever is in the trunks. Come on, let's get out of here. This place has a way of making me feel miserable."
Morgana nodded before grabbing the ledger resting on the nearby plinth whilst Harry pocketed the shrunken trunks.
He had no intention of returning to Gringotts, and as he had no family here, there was no reason to leave what the Potters had worked hard for throughout the generations.
As they exited the vault, Griphook merely offered them a nod before leading them back to the carriage.
"Where to now?" Morgana asked curiously.
"Well, there are many useful things we can gather that will be invaluable back home. Books and potion supplies, along with better cauldrons, and many other things. But first, I think I'm going to take you for ice cream."
"Ice cream?" Morgana asked confusedly.
Harry offered her a brilliant smile.
"You're going to love it," he promised, bracing himself as the cart lunged forward to take them back to the foyer of the bank.
(Break)
His frown deepened as he pondered all that had transpired the previous.
His plan had been going well, better than he'd anticipated.
The members of the Order had indeed arrived, and his followers had outnumbered them considerably. The demise of Dumbledore's forces was all but assured, and the Dark Lord had even managed to get his former headmaster alone.
He was just on the cusp of being rid of the perpetual irritant that had plagued since he'd become aware of the wizarding world, and then it had happened.
The Dark Lord had known Potter wasn't dead.
He'd been able to feel it in his very bones that the boy lived, and yet, Potter was no longer a boy.
For much of the day thus far, he'd been pondering just how such a thing had come to be, and all the Dark Lord had managed to achieve, was inducing the most unpleasant of headaches from doing so.
What he did know, however, was that something was deeply amiss with the entire situation, and Harry Potter had proven to be more of a threat than ever.
No, something was very wrong, and though the Dark Lord could not fathom how Potter was now seemingly a man grown who wielded considerable power, it did not truly matter.
'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord…'
He shook his head of such an ominous thought, and his frown deepened as Lucius entered the room, clutching his stump, and looking decidedly sorry for himself.
"Explain," the Dark Lord demanded simply.
Lucius swallowed deeply.
"My Lord, I did as you asked…"
"And yet, several of my followers were killed, and I left the Ministry of Magic empty handed, and exposed to the world."
"My Lord, Potter caught us by surprise. We did not expect him to arrive, and not be so…bloodthirsty. We did all we could before we had no choice but to flee."
"You fled to save your own hide, Lucius. It is one of the qualities I admire most about you. but your cowardice and inability to stall Potter has cost me dearly."
"My Lord, I am sorry…"
He held up a hand to silence the man.
The Dark Lord was not interested in excuses.
"A price must be paid, Lucius."
"My Lord, my hand…"
"You have already failed me, old friend," the Dark Lord sighed. "No, it will not be you making amends, Lucius. Isn't that so, Draco?"
The trembling boy entered the room, his already pale skin paler from the fear he felt, though he stood as proudly as his foolish father had undoubtedly taught him.
"Draco?" Lucius whispered worriedly. "My son…"
"Will carry out a task for me to restore your own reputation, Lucius. It is quite the honour I am bestowing upon him."
Lucius's gaze flitted between the Dark Lord and Draco.
"Of course, my lord," he murmured. "What is the task you have given him?"
The Dark Lord leaned back in his chair to savour the moment.
He wanted there to be no doubt that Draco was being punished for Lucius's failings, and he wanted to look the man in the eye as he learned of the boys' inevitable fate.
"Tell him, Draco," the Dark Lord urged.
"I'm to k-kill D-Dumbledore."
The revelation was met with silence, and the Dark Lord grin as Lucius's eyes widened.
"Draco is in a unique position to do so. He is a student of Hogwarts and will be within easy reach of the headmaster. Isn't that so, Draco?"
"Y-yes, m-my lord. I will not l-let you d-down."
"I sincerely hope you do not, Draco," the Dark Lord sighed. "It is your father's mistake you are rectifying. Given his current status, you are representing your family. Do them proudly. I will be most displeased if you fail."
He let the unsaid threat hang in the air, and watched through narrowed eyes as Draco and Lucius left the room.
Draco would not succeed in his efforts, but it would be interesting to watch as Lucius and his wife suffered whilst their son attempted to do so.
For now, however, the Dark Lord had more pressing matters.
He needed to plan for what he would do regarding the newly returned Harry Potter, and though he was uncertain what that would entail, Lord Voldemort was left in no doubt that it would be him standing victorious over Potter's lifeless body when the two came together for their fateful meeting.
(Break)
Sirius could only shake his head as those present within Grimmauld Place discussed the wisdom of Harry being out in public after all that had occurred the previous evening.
There were those who did not believe it to be wise, and the others who thought it was the epitome of stupidity.
Only Albus and Sirius had said nothing on the matter, but the unwitting patriarch of the Black family was beginning to grow tired of the talking.
He cleared his throat loudly before leaning back in his chair.
"In case any of you had forgotten, Harry is not a boy who will be told what he can and can't do. Besides, after what most of us here witnessed last night, I would argue that Harry has more right and capability of being out in the open than any of us. So, you will kindly shut up discussing him when he is not here to tell you to stuff it himself, because that is exactly what he will do. I for one look forward to it."
Molly scowled at Sirius, but Albus seemed somewhat amused, even if Snape did not.
"Does he not understand what depends on him?" the Potions Master asked irritably.
"He does," Sirius assured the man, "but Harry will do as he pleases. For the love of Merlin, if it wasn't for him and Morgana, we'd all likely be bloody dead. Cut him some slack. He knows what he is doing more than any of us."
"If the Dark Lord was to learn of Potter being so vulnerable…"
Severus broke off and returned to scowling.
"I expect that is one of the very reasons Harry has ventured out," Dumbledore mused aloud. "He is showing Tom that he does not fear him, and perhaps even inviting him to attack. Of course, the Dark Lord will not do so. There will be those that doubt the veracity of the claims of his return, and he will wish to keep that uncertainty."
"Any word on who might replace Fudge?" Sirius asked, changing the subject away from his wayward godson
Albus shook his head and released a deep breath.
"It seems that there are very few who are willing to take the helm," he sighed. "Amelia is an option, but she is better serving in her current position. It seems it will either be Rufus Scrimgeour, or Reginald Yaxley."
"Yaxley is one of Voldemort's," Sirius pointed out.
"Indeed," Albus murmured. "Then we'd best ensure that he is not chosen. Rufus would not ordinarily be my preferred candidate, but with such limited options, he may just be the best of a bad bunch."
Sirius frowned.
He did not know Rufus Scrimgeour.
When he'd been locked away in Azkaban, he'd been much like Fudge; a glorified parchment pusher, who few paid attention to.
Evidently, he'd climbed the ranks over the years.
"Is there a reason that Potter is lounging in Diagon Alley eating ice cream at Fortescue's?" Tonks asked as she entered the kitchen with Kingsley in tow.
Sirius snorted amusedly.
"He's living his life," he said with a shrug. "Why shouldn't he?"
Tonks frowned at the question, and no one else deigned him with an answer.
It seemed that Sirius, Remus, and oddly Albus were the only ones amongst them that did not wish to treat Harry as a child.
Not that they could.
Sirius could not imagine Harry taking kindly to it.
Eventually, it would irk him, and he would share his thoughts on the matter.
Sirius understood it was difficult to fathom what had happened to Harry. Even he was struggling to differentiate the Harry that had arrived the previous evening to the lost boy that had vanished years prior.
It had been longer for Harry.
Ten years.
For ten years he'd lived away from the m all and had clearly thrived in whatever it was he'd done.
Sirius was worried for him, but he understood enough to know that Harry was no longer a boy that needed to be fussed over.
"He's bloody married," he huffed. "He's a grown man who can do as he wishes. You don't have to like it, but there's also nothing you can do about it. Remember, it has been a few years for us, but ten for him. Do you think he spent ten years hiding, waiting for this moment? No, he's lived in a harsher world than this, and he seems to be doing well enough. I'm glad he's not hiding here, scared of the bastard, and the rest of you should be too. Now, unless you have any other reason to be here, I'd rather you all buggered off. Harry will be at Hogwarts soon enough to see owl, and I expect he will visit Hagrid."
Albus nodded his understanding.
"Then we shall wait for him there. Come Severus."
The two left, and the remaining members of the Order who had arrived followed suit, leaving only the youngsters, Sirius, and Remus.
"Well said, Padfoot," the werewolf praised.
Sirius nodded.
It would not be easy to get used to Harry being so different, but they all owed him his privacy and independence, even if they did not like the lack of control they would have over the man.
It brought a smirk to his lips.
James and Lily would be proud of their son, just as Sirius Black was.
(Break)
Harry fought the urge to smirk as he stared at his wife.
Morgana continued to nurse her stomach and frowned at him.
"What is it?" she asked.
Harry chuckled as he used his thumb to wipe the remnants of chocolate from her lips.
The woman had all but fallen in love with Florean Fortescue's ice cream, and Harry was on a promise to ensure that it was a treat she would be able to enjoy when they returned home.
He could only shake his head as she groaned.
"Wait until you see what else there is," he said with a grin.
"There are things better than that?"
Harry shrugged.
"You'll have to wait and see."
"Maybe not so soon," Morgana grumbled.
"No, not so soon," Harry agreed. "There's no rush."
"Do you think we will be here long?"
"I don't know," Harry sighed, "but we have to be prepared for that possibility. Riddle is Salazar's descendant. He's cunning, and as dangerous as anyone you will ever meet."
Morgana nodded.
"We don't belong here, Harry."
"No, we don't," Harry murmured, "but we will be home as quickly as possible. I promise."
"What if they don't let you leave?"
"Do you think anyone will be able to stop me?"
"No," Morgana snorted. "This place really hasn't changed, has it?"
Harry smiled fondly as he looked around the corridor they were passing through.
"There's just many more portraits now."
Morgana nodded as she eyed them curiously.
"You're nervous."
"I expect she's going to be furious with me. Just let whatever happens happen. She has every right to be angry."
Morgana's eyes twinkled with amusement as she took him by the hand.
"Should I be jealous of your owl?"
"Well, she was the first woman in my life."
Morgana hummed.
"There is that."
They said nothing else as they continued on their way towards the owlery, and as they reached it, Harry only hesitated for a moment before opening the door.
Hedwig had never been difficult to spot amongst the others, and with the students away for the summer, her white feathers were prominent amongst the barn owls belonging to the school.
Harry felt a lump form in his throat at the sight of her, and he beamed at the enormous man who was staring at him with wide eyes.
"Hello, Hagrid," he greeted his first friend.
"Harry?" Hagrid whispered, crossing the room in a single stride.
Harry was taken aback at being swept up in Hagrid's arms, and even more so as he began blubbing like a giant infant.
"I thought you were dead! When Dumbledore told me you'd gone, I thought…"
Hagrid broke off and continued to sob, and Harry looked towards Morgana for help, but the moment was interrupted as something collided with the side of his head.
Harry found himself surrounded by the laughter of his wife, the squawking of an angry owl, and the pleading of Hagrid for Hedwig to stop battering Harry with her wings.
"Bloody hell," Harry cursed as he managed to free himself from Hagrid's grip, though it wasn't so easy to escape the owl, who sunk her talons into his arms.
By the time she'd calmed down, she was breathing heavily, glaring at Harry, and undeniably rather miffed with him.
"Hello, girl," he whispered.
Hedwig barked indignantly in response and Harry released a deep breath before stroking her plumage.
The owl was not impressed, but she did not pull away from him, and even pushed against Harry's hand as he moved it to her head.
"It's going to take some time for her to forgive me," he murmured.
Hedwig barked again, and once more fixed him with a glare, eliciting a chuckle from Harry.
"Maybe I should be more like Hedwig," Morgana giggled, stepping forward to greet the bird.
Hedwig eyed her curiously for a moment, but as ever, Morgana proved her ability to win over any creature, and soon enough, she managed to coax the owl onto her shoulder, though Hedwig kept her eyes firmly on Harry.
"She is worried you're going to leave her again."
Harry shook his head.
"Never," he declared. "She will go wherever we are."
Morgana nodded approvingly and began feeding the owl treats, leaving Harry to speak with Hagrid.
"You really are a man now," he chuckled. "Not like the little, underfed boy I met before you came here. What happened, Harry?"
"It's a very long story," Harry said apologetically. "I will share it with you. Morgana hasn't had the pleasure of enjoying your tea and rock cakes."
Hagrid smiled at him through watery eyes.
"You're always welcome. Both of you," he declared. "So, you are married then?"
"For several years now."
"Any little ones?"
"No, Harry has been too busy fighting wars, and when I do decide to have his children, he will not be allowed to be absent."
Hagrid chuckled amusedly, turning towards the door as it opened before he could question them further.
"Ah, Professor Dumbledore, I was just…"
The headmaster held up a placating hand.
"You were just catching up with an old friend," he said with a smile. "I was hoping we could speak, Harry."
Harry nodded.
"If we are to speak, we will do so plainly."
Dumbledore offered him a nod.
"I'll be back soon," Harry promised Morgana. "Don't plot with Hedwig. That is a fear I do not need to live with."
Morgana merely shot him a grin as he took his leave of the owlery with Dumbledore in tow.
"I expect you have many questions for me, Harry."
"I do, and I would have the truth, just as you will from me."
Dumbledore nodded.
"Gone are the days that I could satisfy your curiosity with a few carefully chosen words. You will have the truth as I know it, Harry."
"That is all I ask of you."