CHAPTER 51: SUMMER OF FIRE AND SHADOWS

Harry's summer had been anything but dull. It was filled with moments that ranged from heartwarming to thrilling, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment as he reflected on everything he'd done. The first and perhaps most important task had been comforting his mother, Lily. She had been struggling with the desire to spend more time with Adrian, her younger son, and Harry had made it his mission to lift her spirits. His unwavering love and loyalty had brought a smile to her face, and seeing her happy was worth every effort.

Remus Lupin, their family friend, had also moved in with them after losing his job. The reason? Someone had exposed him as a werewolf, causing panic among his employers. Harry found it absurd that anyone could think Remus was a danger to children. The man was one of the gentlest souls Harry knew. The only people Remus had ever been a threat to were those who crossed him—or, more amusingly, those who dared to eat his chocolate. Harry often joked that the real monsters were the ones who stole his chocolate stash.

One of the more significant events of the summer was their trip to Gringotts. James and Sirius had taken Harry to reclaim his lordships, a process that involved a lot of paperwork and goblin negotiations. In the end, they decided to keep Lady Longbottom and Andromeda Tonks as their representatives, a decision Harry didn't mind. He was still Lord Flight and the heir to several other families, so his responsibilities were already substantial. What truly surprised Harry, however, was when James instructed the goblins to transfer the marriage contract out of his hands and place it permanently in Harry's control. This meant that Harry alone would decide whether he wanted to marry Daphne Greengrass. Overwhelmed with gratitude, Harry pulled his father into a massive hug, his heart swelling with appreciation for the trust James had placed in him.

The summer also included another trip to the Japanese war duel tournament, an event that had become something of a tradition for the Potters. Lily, however, was visibly uncomfortable with the idea of Harry participating in such a dangerous competition. Sensing her unease, Harry decided to get through the matches as quickly as possible. He stormed through the competitors with a combination of skill and precision, earning the amazement of the audience and his family alike.

As Harry entered the arena for the final round, he couldn't help but notice Dumbledore sitting in the audience. The sight of the old wizard made his blood boil. If it hadn't been for the protective shields surrounding the arena, Harry might have "accidentally" fired a scatter spell in his direction. But he knew better than to act impulsively. Revenge against Dumbledore would come, but it would be on Harry's terms and at the right time.

The final round began, and Harry faced two opponents: a Japanese boy with spiky hair and the same girl he had defeated in the previous tournament. Sirius, ever the joker, leaned over to James, Lily, Remus, and Rose and whispered, "Hey, look, that's the girl who tried to kill him with a sword last time."

"That's not helping, Sirius!" James hissed, while Lily's eyes narrowed dangerously at the girl. She looked as though she wanted to leap out of the stands and confront the girl herself for daring to harm her son. Unlike another red-haired mother they all knew, however, Lily managed to keep her temper in check.

The three competitors bowed, and the match began. Harry moved like lightning, disarming the girl with a flick of his wand before firing a stunning spell at the boy. The boy barely managed to raise a shield in time, but the girl wasn't so easily deterred. She drew her sword and charged at Harry, aiming to remove his head from his shoulders. Harry ducked just in time, and the girl ran past him. She turned and swung again, but this time, the boy fired a Bone-Breaker Curse at her. Harry rolled out of the way, but the curse struck the girl's arm, causing her to scream in pain.

Harry didn't feel too sorry for her. She had known what she was getting into, and he was just glad it wasn't him who had been hit. Besides, he thought she deserved it for trying to kill him—again. Seizing the opportunity, Harry grabbed the girl's broken arm and yanked it, straightening it with a sharp pull. She screamed again, but Harry didn't stop there. He grabbed her shoulder, kicked her legs out from under her, and delivered a quick strike to knock her out cold.

"Karma's a b***," Sirius commented with a smirk.

"Go on, Harry!" Lily cheered, her voice ringing out above the noise of the crowd. "One is still left! Beat him!"

Harry didn't have time to respond to his mother's praise. He had to dodge a Killing Curse from his remaining opponent. "Hey!" Harry called out, his tone light despite the danger. "I want to go to next year's tournament, and you're not helping! Mum definitely won't let me go if you're just firing Unforgivables!"

"Nice to know he's more worried about you than the Unforgivables," Sirius quipped, glancing at Lily.

"Padfoot, I swear to Merlin, I will hex you," James threatened, though there was a hint of amusement in his voice.

Harry sprinted toward the boy, picking up a stone mid-run and hurling it at him. The boy blasted the stone at the last second, but the resulting dust cloud got into his eyes and mouth. Coughing and rubbing his eyes, the boy tried to clear his vision. He pointed his wand at his face to remove the dust, but by the time he looked around, Harry was nowhere to be seen.

"Have you found him yet?" Harry's voice came from behind him.

"Not yet," the boy replied with a heavy accent, his eyes widening as he realized his mistake. He turned just in time to see Harry grab him and throw him to the ground. A stunning spell followed, and the match was over.

The crowd erupted into cheers as Harry stood victorious, a wide smile spreading across his face. He looked up at the stands, where his parents, Sirius, Rose, and Remus were cheering for him. Each of them had their own way of celebrating—Remus and Rose clapped politely, while Sirius jumped up and down, shouting, "That's my godson! Take that, you bastards!" James, not to be outdone, echoed Sirius's sentiment with, "That's my son! Take that, you bastards!" But it was Lily's reaction that truly surprised Harry.

"Yes! My son is better than all of you! Take that, you idiots! Well done, Harry!" she shouted, her voice filled with pride.

Harry couldn't help but laugh. "Well, this is certainly a Patronus memory," he whispered to himself, his smile widening even further.

Soon after the tournament, the Potters and their friends found themselves outside the arena. Harry was immediately pulled into a tight hug by Lily.

"Harry, I am so proud of you!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with emotion.

"Yeah... I kind of gathered that when you yelled at the entire audience," Harry replied dryly, though the effect was ruined by the glowing pride on his face.

"Well, we just got caught up in the moment," James defended himself, ruffling Harry's hair. "You were brilliant! I bet even good old Mad-Eye would be impressed with you."

"Absolutely," Sirius agreed, clapping Harry on the back. "You were great, pup!"

"He's right, you were brilliant," Remus added with a warm smile.

"Thanks," Harry said, his smile softening as Rose pulled him into a hug. He gently kissed her forehead, and Lily couldn't help but smile at the sight. As she watched Harry and Rose together, she found herself imagining what might have been if they hadn't been in a coma. Perhaps Harry would have had a sister.

Their moment of peace was interrupted by a familiar voice. "Ah, hello," Dumbledore said, his tone as calm and grandfatherly as ever.

Harry sighed heavily. "Are you following me again? I'm flattered, but unfortunately, it's overshadowed by all the strong disgust and discomfort I feel."

"How nice to see you too, Harry," Dumbledore replied, ignoring Harry's comment and the fact that Harry had repeatedly asked to be called Mr. Potter or Hadrian. "It is a pleasure to see you all again."

"Pleasure?" Lily raised an eyebrow, her tone sharp. "What do you want, Dumbledore? Have you come to tell us what to do or something? Let me guess, now you want to take Sirius and Remus away from us for 'health reasons,' or maybe you want to take Harry away for his 'safety'?"

"That idiot can try," Harry said, crossing his arms. "I'm emancipated."

The tension in the air was palpable as the Potters and their friends stood their ground, ready to face whatever Dumbledore had in store for them. The old wizard's presence always seemed to cast a shadow over their moments of joy, and this time was no different.

"Well, Lily," Dumbledore began, his tone calm and grandfatherly, as though he hadn't just been called an "idiot" moments ago. "I'm not here for something like that. I wanted to let you know that Adrian's custody will be returned to you within two weeks—that is the day of the next Wizengamot meeting."

"What a coincidence," Harry interjected, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "That's about a day or so before we have to go back to Hogwarts. Isn't that a funny coincidence, Mum?"

"Yes, it is," Lily replied, her eyes narrowing as she stared at Dumbledore. Her tone was icy, and her gaze could have frozen the sun.

"Well, Lily, I assure you, I had nothing to do with it," Dumbledore said, his expression one of practiced innocence. From his perspective, he wasn't directly at fault. He had, of course, bribed some people who had then persuaded others to change the date, but in his mind, that didn't count as direct involvement.

In truth, Dumbledore wanted Adrian to spend more time with the Weasleys. He believed that between Molly's hero-worship and Adrian's friendships with Ron and Ginny, the boy would remain firmly under his influence. Dumbledore had even considered using loyalty potions on Adrian, but he knew Severus would likely refuse to brew them, recognize their effects, and report it to Lily. It was a risk he couldn't afford to take.

"Sure you didn't," Lily said, her voice heavy with sarcasm. "Now, if there's nothing else, we'd like to go back and celebrate Harry's victory."

"Ah yes, Harry," Dumbledore turned to the young wizard, his twinkling eyes meeting Harry's defiant gaze.

"I swear, if you call me by my first name again, I will shove my foot up your ass," Harry threatened, his tone calm but laced with venom.

"There is no need for threats of violence," Dumbledore replied, his voice still calm, though a flicker of irritation crossed his face.

"I find it quite useful when deaf and forgetful people refuse to listen politely," Harry shot back, his arms crossed over his chest.

"First, I would like to congratulate you on your victory," Dumbledore continued, ignoring Harry's last comment.

"Can we skip the rest? I want to go eat," Harry said, his tone dismissive.

"Secondly," Dumbledore pressed on, undeterred, "I was wondering if you might reconsider your brother's training."

"No," Harry answered immediately, his voice firm and unwavering.

"But I thought your relationship had improved?" Dumbledore asked, his tone almost pleading.

"It has," Harry admitted, "but I already told you the first time that I would not start these lessons again, and I am a man of my word. Maybe I will change my mind in the future, but I will not restart the lessons just because you want me to. If Adrian comes to me of his own free will—and by that, I mean without being prompted by you—then I will consider it."

"My boy, I think that..." Dumbledore began, but Harry cut him off.

"Dumbledore," Harry interrupted, his voice sharp, "my foot is coming dangerously close to breaking something, and I will do it if you call me 'your boy' one more time. We are not related, and every time you say that, I feel like you want to kidnap me."

"Enough of that," Lily said, stepping forward. Her voice was firm, and her expression left no room for argument. "We are leaving now. Goodbye, Dumbledore."

"Lily, I know that you are angry at me," Dumbledore said, his tone almost apologetic. "But everything I did was for the 'Greater Good,' and I..." He was interrupted by an explosion that erupted between his legs. The force of the blast sent him tumbling to the ground, his face contorted in pain as he let out a high-pitched squeak.

Everyone turned to look at Lily Potter, who was slowly sliding her wand back into its holster. Her expression was calm, almost serene, as though she hadn't just hexed the most powerful wizard in Britain. Sirius, Remus, and Rose had taken a step back, their eyes wide with a mix of shock and admiration. James and Harry, on the other hand, were staring at Lily with a unique blend of emotions. James looked both terrified and oddly attracted, while Harry's face was filled with awe and pride. He had never been more proud of another person in his life.

"Oops," Lily said calmly, her voice dripping with fake innocence. She gave Dumbledore a sweet smile. "My finger moved a little and touched my wand."

"Wands do not work like that!" Dumbledore protested, his voice unusually high-pitched as he clutched his injured area.

"Don't they?" Lily asked, feigning surprise. "You learn something new every day. Come on, boys."

None of them needed to be told twice. They followed Lily without hesitation, though they couldn't help but glance back at Dumbledore's tormented face as they walked away.

"Mum," Harry said slowly, his voice filled with admiration. "I just want you to know that my love for you has increased by a million."

"Thank you, baby," Lily replied, patting his shoulder affectionately. "Now come, let's go home."

Later that night, at midnight, Lily sat alone in the kitchen, her face buried in her hands as silent tears dripped down her cheeks. The weight of her emotions was overwhelming. She was sad for many reasons, the first being that she couldn't spend time with her other son, Adrian, because of Dumbledore's meddling. The thought of being separated from him for even a moment longer was unbearable.

And then there was Harry—sweet, kind, and fiercely loyal Harry. The boy loved her so much, and Lily couldn't help but feel unworthy of his love and affection. He was everything she could have hoped for in a son: smart, kind, caring, and incredibly talented. Yet, she couldn't shake the guilt that gnawed at her. She had missed so much of his life, and the thought of what he had endured while she was gone haunted her.

"Harry," she whispered to herself, her voice trembling. "My sweet, brave boy."

"Mum," Harry's voice broke through her thoughts, soft and concerned. She looked up to see him kneeling in front of her, his green eyes filled with worry. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, baby," she replied, sniffing and quickly wiping her tears away. But her voice betrayed her, and Harry wasn't fooled.

"Yeah, really?" Harry raised an eyebrow, his tone gentle but probing. He reached up and wiped a stray tear from her cheek. "I didn't know that people were fine when they cried. Or is that just a woman thing that I don't know about, where you have to release fluid from your eyes once a week or something?"

"Harry," Lily said, shaking her head, though a small smile tugged at her lips. "Really, I'm fine."

"We both know that you wouldn't believe me if the positions were reversed," Harry pointed out. "So, what's really going on, Mum?"

"Well… many things," Lily sighed, her shoulders slumping under the weight of her emotions.

"Okay... I can assume that it has nothing to do with Padfoot or Dad, thanks to the fact that both are alive," Harry joked, trying to lighten the mood. "Moony is too smart to make you angry, and Rose is too shy."

"Oh, I love that girl," Lily said, her voice softening as she thought of Rose. "She is so sweet. It's a shame that she's so nervous around people. I just can't help but..."

"Protect her," Harry finished for her. "I know the feeling. Was it something I did? Was it the tournament?"

"No, baby," Lily shook her head, her hands reaching out to take Harry's. "It's nothing you did. It's me."

"You're not sick, are you?" Harry's eyes widened in alarm.

"No, nothing like that," Lily assured him quickly. "It's just… just…"

"Just what?" Harry asked, his voice gentle but insistent.

"I'm a bad mother," Lily confessed, her voice breaking as fresh tears spilled from her eyes.

"No!" Harry said immediately, his voice firm and unwavering. "No! You are not a bad mother! You are many things, but you are not a bad mother!"

"Harry, I have missed so much of your life," Lily argued, her voice filled with guilt.

"Only because the dark bastard chose a terrible moment to say hello!" Harry shot back, his tone fierce. "Mum, if he were that easy to stop, someone would have done it by now, even if Dumbledore is a lazy idiot."

"I let Dumbledore take Adrian away from us!" Lily cried, her voice trembling with emotion.

"No, you knew it was only temporary," Harry said, his voice calm but firm. "And you didn't want to fight in front of Adrian. We both know that if Dumbledore had tried to keep you from him permanently, you would have hexed him like you did today."

"Thank you, Harry," Lily said, her smile returning, though her tears still fell. "And then there's you. I let you participate in a tournament where I thought you could die! Does that make me a bad mother?!"

"No! It means that you believed I could win!" Harry said, his voice filled with conviction. "If it upsets you so much, I will never participate in that tournament again."

"I don't understand, Harry," Lily said, her voice breaking as more tears streamed down her face.

"Me neither," Harry admitted, his tone softening. "I'm sure I'm saying the right things, but you keep getting upset."

"Why do you love me so much?" Lily asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "I missed most of your life, you suffered under my sister, and I haven't done anything good since I woke up!"

"You just smile at me," Harry said, his voice filled with warmth. "That's all I ever need."

"And why? Because you almost killed yourself for me," Lily said, her voice trembling. "When Dad told you to go upstairs, he fought against Voldemort so we could escape. When Voldemort told you to step aside, you didn't do it. You offered your own life instead. In my eyes, you are nothing less than a heroine. My heroine, and you will never be anything less in my eyes."

"Harry!" Lily cried, her voice breaking as she pulled him into a tight hug. "I don't deserve a son like you!"

"You deserved someone better," Harry said, his voice filled with emotion.

Lily pulled back, her eyes wide with shock. "What are you talking about? You are my son. My perfect, sweet, kind, caring, and loving son. I am proud of you, and I wouldn't trade you for anyone. You are my life, and I would gladly jump in front of Voldemort again if it meant you would be safe."

"I... I believe you, Mum," Harry said, his voice choked with emotion. "I love you too, and I know I won't like saying this... but I would gladly give my life if it meant making you happy."

"Honey, you never have to do that," Lily said, her voice firm but gentle.

"Mum, I am not like other kids," Harry said, his voice filled with determination. "I know the true value of a mother, a father, a family. I will do anything to know you all are safe and happy."

"Oh, Harry!" Lily pulled him into another hug, her tears flowing freely now. Harry hugged her back just as tightly, neither of them willing to let go. They stayed like that for what felt like an eternity—seconds, minutes, maybe even an hour. But it was enough for Lily to feel the exhaustion creeping in, her body growing heavy with sleep.

Harry gently shifted, slipping one hand under her legs and lifting her into his arms. He carried her out of the kitchen, his steps slow and careful.

"Harry," Lily whispered, her voice barely audible as she rested her head against his chest.

"Yeah, Mum?" Harry asked softly.

"Thank you," she murmured, her eyes already closing.

Lily raised an eyebrow, her arms crossed as she studied her son. Harry's face was a mask of innocence, but she knew him too well to be fooled. "Harry," she said, her voice firm but not unkind, "I'm not angry. I just want to know if you had anything to do with the Weasleys' house being damaged."

Harry sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly as he leaned against the wall. "Mum, I didn't directly do anything," he said carefully, choosing his words with precision. "But let's just say... I might have encouraged a few people to look into the Weasleys' finances. Turns out, their house wasn't exactly up to code. A few well-placed complaints to the Ministry, and... well, you know how it goes."

Lily's eyes widened, and for a moment, she was speechless. Then, to Harry's surprise, a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "Harry James Potter," she said, her tone a mix of exasperation and pride, "you are something else."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Harry said, grinning sheepishly.

Lily shook her head, though her smile didn't fade. "You know, most teenagers would just sulk or throw a tantrum if they didn't get their way. But you? You orchestrate an entire Ministry inspection to get your brother back home. I don't know whether to be impressed or terrified."

"How about both?" Harry suggested, his grin widening.

Lily laughed, the sound light and genuine. "Both it is, then." She reached out and ruffled his hair, her expression softening. "Just promise me you'll be careful, Harry. I don't want you getting into trouble because of me or Adrian."

"Trouble?" Harry said, feigning innocence. "Mum, I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm a model citizen."

Lily snorted. "A model citizen who just admitted to manipulating the Ministry. Right." She sighed, her expression turning serious. "I mean it, Harry. I know you want to protect this family, but you don't have to do it all on your own. We're in this together, okay?"

Harry's grin faded, replaced by a look of quiet determination. "I know, Mum. But sometimes... sometimes I feel like I have to make up for lost time. For all the years we were apart. I just want to make sure nothing like that ever happens again."

Lily's heart ached at his words, and she pulled him into a tight hug. "Oh, Harry," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "You don't have to make up for anything. You're already more than I could have ever hoped for in a son. I'm so proud of you, and I love you more than anything."

Harry hugged her back just as tightly, his voice muffled against her shoulder. "I love you too, Mum. Always."

They stayed like that for a moment, the silence between them filled with unspoken understanding and love. Finally, Lily pulled back, wiping a stray tear from her cheek. "Now," she said, her tone lighter, "let's get back to the others before Sirius eats all the food. And Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"Next time you decide to take down a house, maybe give me a heads-up first."

Harry chuckled. "Deal."

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