Categories > Books > Harry Potter > Harry Potter and the Distaff Side
A/N: I own none of this. I do not own Harry Potter or any rights to his image or personality. I do not own the moon or the stars. I do not own human genders, other than my own personal original factory equipment. Honest. Nope, not me. I most certainly do not own the rights to a billion dollar literary work. Damn it.
Harry Potter and the Distaff Side
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Confusion
Orestes’ blood ran cold as another scream pierced the night. Harri! He leaped from the bed, with Harry scrambling to his feet to follow. Outside his door Orestes found his parents had arrived at the room Harri and Luna were sharing for the night before he had. Forcing his way past his parents he found Luna holding a thrashing Harri.
“She won’t wake up.” The blonde said in a panicked voice, “and she won’t quit screaming.”
“Oh my god.” Harry gasped when he saw his dimensional twin. “Her scar, it’s bleeding!”
---===ooo000ooo===---
Harry pushed past Orestes and knelt next to his sister, taking her face in his hands.
Not blood. Whatever this was, it wasn’t blood. Harry tried to clear the thick whatever it was oozing from her scar out of her eyes with his thumbs, wishing he could avoid touching it. The ichor was black, and thick, smelling of rot and decay.
“Something is very wrong.” He said feeling stupid for stating the obvious. “Luna get yourself away from both of us, I don’t know what this stuff is, but …”
“I should call a doctor.” Emmit said.
“A doctor wouldn’t know what to do with this…” Orestes hesitated. “We need a healer.”
Harry held Harriet’s face tighter in the face of her thrashing. “I don’t think that a healer could do much for her either. Luna, can you contact your mother? She might be able to find Dumbledore.”
“I can try,” the blonde said.
Harriet opened her eyes and Harry gasped. Where her green eyes usually sat were a pair of dull black orbs, “Dear God.” Harry looked to Luna, “Please Luna, try and get some help.”
Luna ran to search her overnight bag for the charmed mirror she used to stay in touch with her mother while the Grangers looked on in horror as whatever it was continued to ooze from the blood red scar on Harriet’s forehead.
Harry took hold of a fist full of his dimensional twin’s hair with his right hand and wrapped his left arm around the girl, trapping her arms between their bodies. “Come on Harri,” he whispered. “Wake up.”
Holding her against his body seemed to calm her thrashing, but Harriet still didn’t wake up. When asked later, Harry was never able to explain why he did what he did next. Tightening his grip on her hair, he pulled her face to his own, he looked deeply into the empty black orbs that were his dimensional twin’s eyes and pressed his scar to hers.
---===ooo000ooo===---
~Discontinuity~
---===ooo000ooo===---
Harry was suddenly somewhere else.
What the hell? That wasn’t a portkey, and it wasn’t the horrible compression of apparition he had experienced earlier that same day. What the hell had just happened?
Harry round himself standing in a chamber lit by hundreds of torches magically suspended in the air. On a raised stage in the middle of the room was a crying naked boy who seemed to be struggling against invisible bonds. The platform was surrounded by dozens of people wearing the robes and masks of the Death Eaters. The followers of the Dark Lady, chanted “vita eternus pro era” over and over.
“No, no, no, no, no.”
Harry turned at the sound of the voice that seemed to be coming from everywhere at once. He found Harriet standing next to him and just beyond her were a pair of figures that both appeared to be a somewhat female versions of Voldemort’s reborn form.
Riddle. It had to be. But why were there two of them?
Harry followed the line of the gaze of the three women; they were both staring at the naked boy. What was going on?
“I’m glad you could make it Harriet.” The voice of the female Riddle also came from everywhere, both of the snake-like women’s unmoving lips fixed in a macabre grin. “My followers have arranged to feed this form I now wear, and to feed themselves to seal their enslavement to me. Isn’t it wonderful? After I discovered we shared a connection, I thought you might enjoy seeing the fate that awaits all of your friends.”
“No, no, no, no, no.” Harri’s voice whispered. Her lips also didn’t move, his dimensional twin was seemingly unable to look away from the boy as the Malfoy family climbed onto the platform, Narcissus disrobing as he did so. The closer of the two Riddles turned to face Harriet.
“Yes Harri, he’s going to die, and there is nothing you can do about it.”
Why weren’t either Harry or either of the Riddles paying any attention to him? Harry looked around the chamber. Upon looking down, he was startled to find that neither he, Harriet nor the closest of the Riddles cast shadows.
No shadows? One of the Riddles had a shadow. What the hell is going on? That was when Harry noticed that he could still feel Harriet’s hair in his left hand, feeling the hand curled into a fist despite the fact that he was looking at his open hand. He could feel his forehead still being pressed against Harriet’s, still smell the rot of the black ichors that oozed from her scar. He could feel her breath on his upper lip.
Realization hit him hard. He wasn’t really here. Neither he nor Harri had moved, this was all in his… no… This was Riddle’s or Harri’s mind. Riddle was somehow projecting all of this into Harri’s mind as a way to torture her. But how did he get here? Was there a connection through the scars somehow?
Riddle doesn’t know I’m here. He thought. This has to be Harri’s mind. If it were Riddle’s she would know about me.
Now naked, Narcissus Malfoy straddled the captive boy’s groin, his arms extended toward the ceiling of the chamber, Thubani and Lucille Malfoy took up positions on either side of the boy. Lucille drew a knife from her robes, and raised it above her head and started chanting in bad Latin.
Harry suddenly realized what they were about to do. He wasn’t actually here, he couldn’t do anything to help the boy, but Harriet seemingly couldn’t look away. Could she see him? Harry tried to move, it was like moving through jelly. As Malfoy began the downward thrust over the boy’s body Harry had moved to place himself between the spectacle and his dimensional twin.
“Harri. Harri. You’ve got to wake up.”
“Harry?” Her lips still didn’t move, but her voice seemed to be coming from further away now.
“You’re not paying attention Harri.” Riddle’s voice echoed all around them. “It’s rude to let your attention waver. The boy is dying for your entertainment. Perhaps your Mudblood will be the next guest of honor. Do you suppose he would cry for his father the way the Muggle does?”
“Harri, listen to me. This isn’t real. This is all in your head.” Harry screamed in her face.
His twin’s face took on an expression of confusion. “Not real? But it’s so…”
He was losing her. Harry tried to think of something, anything that would help… Then an idea occurred to him, something he had overheard from one of Dudley’s telly programs… “Harry, this isn’t real, it’s all in your mind. Your mind. You are in control of what happens here. Riddle is using your fears against you.”
“But she’s so strong…” The raven haired girl whispered.
“I’m guessing you know why I call my followers Death Eaters now, don’t you Harriet?” Riddle laughed. “I wonder what your Mudblood will taste like.”
“She’s not strong here Harri, you are.” Harry screamed. “If she was really strong, she would know I was here wouldn’t she? This is your mind. You’re the one with the power here.”
“Not real?” She asked again.
“Oh, I assure you girl, this is very real.” Riddle hissed.
“No, not real. Riddle has invaded your mind. Hurt her.”
“Hurt her? How?”
“I don’t know…” Harry concentrated on the best way to do psychic damage to someone. Then a thought occurred. Something he had seen through the crack of the cupboard door. “Drop something on her.” Harry suggested.
“Drop something?” Harri asked, seeming to like the idea. “Hurt her!” A piano fell from nowhere, crushing the spectral Dark Lady. The surroundings changed from the torch lit cavern to a sunny open meadow.
“You did it Harri.” The raven haired wizard said quietly. “You’ve taken control.”
The Dark Lady was suddenly back, “What did you do girl? How did you do that?” She vanished messily under an unexplained anvil that suddenly fell from the sky.
“I’m pretty sure going Acme on her like that is a copyright violation Harri.” Harry said trying not to laugh.
“Thank you Harry.” The young witch said as Riddle reappeared.
“You hurt me girl. You’re going to pay for that. I’m going to destroy your mind!”
From nowhere a small motor scooter appeared, ridden by a black woman in a uniform. The woman dismounted from her vehicle and approached the confused Dark Lady.
“Candygram for Riddle.” She said, presenting an ornate package to the Dark Lady before she turned away smartly and strode away with her fingers in her ears.
The explosion was thunderous.
Harry gaped. “When did you see Blazing Saddles? Was that Cleavon Little?”
“Clarisse Little, yes.” She grinned. “Here I introduce the Candygram to the Witching world, but will I get credit for it?”
“You’re a bad influence. Hanging out with you is going to get me a bad reputation, I just know it.”
“Thank you Harry. Really, I mean it.” She looked around. “How do we get out of here?”
“I don’t know how I got in here,” Harry admitted. “It’s your mind. Maybe you just have to want to wake up.”
---===ooo000ooo===---
~Discontinuity~
---===ooo000ooo===---
Harry opened his eyes to find himself staring into a mirror image of his own green eyes. Harri’s?
“Please let go of my hair, and let me up Harry, this hurts.”
“Sorry.” Harry said releasing her from his grip.
“Welcome back.”
The two Potters looked up to find Blanch Dumbledore smiling at them over her half moon glasses, her eyes twinkling. The fifth years moved apart only to be pulled to their feet by Orestes and Luna, and to find themselves crushed in embraces.
“Harri, don’t you ever do that again.” A sobbing Orestes Granger croaked out.
“Harry, I was so worried about you!” Luna agreed from deep inside the hug she was sharing with Harry.
“Yes quite.” Blanch Dumbledore coughed “I must admit I was surprised to arrive to find you under a mental attack Miss Potter, and I was positively astounded to find that you had somehow joined her Mr. Potter, when I could not. Might I ask just how did you manage to do that?”
“I don’t know Headmistress.” Harry admitted. “She was thrashing about, but when I held her she quit struggling as much. When I touched her scar, Harri seemed somehow comforted. It took both arms to hold her down; going forehead to forehead was the only way I had to calm her.”
The old woman nodded giving the air that his answer was what she had been expecting. Harry found himself wondering if pretending to always know what was going was a Dumbledore trait.
The elder Grangers replaced Luna in the hug. “It’s ok to cry Harry, Emmett Granger said quietly. “No one will think less of you for expressing your emotions after such an experience.”
“No, I’m fine, really.” Harry assured his guardians. Sure, the experience had been frightening, but was there really a reason to cry? “How did you contact Professor Dumbledore so quickly, it was only a few minutes?”
“A few minutes Mr. Potter? The two of you were locked together for more than four hours.” The elder Witch said, cleaning her half moon glasses on the sleeve of her robe. “Miss Lovegood contacted her mother, who in turn, contacted me. When I arrived, I joined the Grangers and Miss Lovegood in keeping watch over both of you after I assured them that there was nothing anyone could do.” The witch conjured a pair of chairs for them to sit on. “Now then, I need to know what happened and how you managed to rouse yourselves from Riddle’s mental attacks.”
The dimensional twins shared a look. Harriet sighed and sat down with Harry following suit. The long night just got longer.
---===ooo000ooo===---
Following a late lunch the following day the four teens were waiting for Harri’s escorts who were to return with her to the Burrow. Dumbledore had insisted, and after what they had been through the previous night, no one really minded all that much. The two couples spent the late morning just talking and trying not to annoy the adult Grangers with anything that might be interpreted as inappropriate displays of affection.
Orestes answered the door to the Granger back garden when a firm knocking was heard. The room became very quiet when Lokabrenna Black appeared in the doorway followed by a very embarrassed Billie Weasley.
“Round two?” Harry asked, his wand falling into his hand.
Black paled for a moment and presented both her hands palm up to show she wasn’t armed. “Pax boy. Pax. I know you’ve no reason to trust me, but put yourself in my place, what would you have done?”
“Asked my questions the day a mysterious female Sirius Black showed up, not kidnap and torture her half a year later.” Harry spat. “We still need to dance, you and I.”
“Calm down Harry, we all know you’ve got the rocks to do it,” his dimensional twin said quietly. “You’ve got some nerve Paddy,” She said redirecting her attention to the animagus. “Even if all you suspected was true, why didn’t you try to speak with me before you tried your interrogation? He’s a Potter, the Goblins did their tests, the magic of the family trust accepts him, and Headmistress Dumbledore accepts him as my dimensional twin. What the hell did you and Rakasha think you were doing? And you Billie, I’m sure you must be so very proud.”
Lokabrenna Black’s face fell. The still bitter part of Harry’s mind wondered if she was crestfallen out of shame for what she had done, or because she had been caught. “We thought we were defending you.” She shot a bitter look in Harry’s direction. “Did you have to tell him about all of our failings?”
The Girl Who Lived took on a puzzled expression. “What are you talking about Paddy?”
“Your ‘twin’ there threw every mistake that Rashaka and I have ever made with you in our face. I can understand talking about your life with him, but did you have to tell him everything?”
“Paddy, Harry and I have never discussed either of you beyond the fact that you exist.” The raven haired witch smiled at her Godmother. “Anything Harry might have told you about yourself came from his having to deal with his own Padfoot and Moony. Even so, it’s hardly my fault if the truth hurts.”
The animagus’ eye flicked to Harry. “You were serious? There’s a male Lokabrenna Black out there somewhere?”
“Yes. Probably chasing his tail or giving himself a ‘bath’ which seemed to involved a whole lot of licking his…”
“Harry!” Orestes protested. “Language.”
Harry reflected silently that being chastised for using bad language when you hadn’t actually used said bad language was patently unfair.
At the door, Billie Weasley cleared her throat. “Look, I’m sorry about everything yesterday, I was trying to help the Headmaster keep you safe,” she looked down, focusing on her feet. “What Tonks and I did… tried to do was wrong. It won’t happen again. Professor Dumbledore is setting up a new ward at the Burrow, and she needs you there to fine tune the focus Harri.”
“New wards?” Harriet asked.
“Something the Professor came up with to protect you against another mental intrusion.” Lokabrenna answered. “Get your things Pup. Ms. Lovegood, if you’d like to come along?”
“I suppose I should.” Luna sighed. “Mum needs me around this time of year. The Christmas Fairies and the Hanukkah Pixies can cause such a fuss when they get into their turf wars… And there are rumors that the evil Minilop is going to attempt another hostile takeover of Christmas…” The Publisher’s daughter trailed off when she realized that everyone in the room was staring at her, except Harry who was working very hard at not smile. “What?”
The four teens scurried away to gather the overnight things and purchases of the departing pair. Once upstairs, Harriet pulled Orestes into his room and Luna did the same with Harry.
Once the door closed behind her, Luna pushed Harry against the wall and kissed him as hard as she could. After a brief moment of surprise, Harry kissed her back, giving as good as he got.
“You know Luna,” Harry said once they broke the kiss. “I’m not one of those silly little sissy boys; you don’t have to work so hard at getting me alone.”
“Allow me my fantasies Harry,” the blonde grinned. “After all, no one else knows how easy you are… Besides, this has to last you until Boxing Day.”
Harry grinned himself and theatrically fanned himself with his right hand while speaking in a falsetto voice, “Oh, Mizz Luna, I do declare, you are giving me the vapors.”
Luna had no idea what that was supposed to mean, and decided that it stemmed from one of those unknowable cultural differences between them. She kissed the strange boy again, and then gathered her things for the trip home.
“I really love it when Loony comes to visit, but I wish you would warn me, I almost bit my tongue off trying not to laugh.”
She stood up from her packing, her eyes wide and innocent. “Who said that was Loony?”
The pair exited the room to be met by a smiling Harriet Potter and a disheveled Orestes Granger, together the quartet trooped downstairs.
“That took long enough.” Lokabrenna Black said with a single raised eyebrow.
“One must be thorough.” Luna posited.
“Well, yes.” Billie said, pulling a length of braided rope from an inner pocket of her robes. “This portkey is timed, and we’ve got about two minutes before it activates.” She handed the length around to those returning to the Burrow. “Loki… I have no idea who will be there…”
“Oh, right.” Lokabrenna’s face took on a look of concentration and she changed. The dog animagus took hold of the rope in her mouth.
Harry stared open mouthed at the changed Head of House Black, and began to snicker. The snickering grew to full blown laughter as the dimensional traveler fell to his knees making no attempt to hold his mirth in.
The others in the room looked at each other in an attempt to figure out what Harry was laughing at, as the boy pointed at that transformed Lokabrenna Black.
“What is it Harry?” Luna asked.
“Poodle.” Harry gasped out between his bouts of uncontrollable laughter. “She’s a fru-fru poodle.”
The others looked to Lokabrenna, who was indeed a Standard Poodle while transformed, groomed in the standard Continental clip, with a blood red ribbon bow over her left ear. Perplexed by the boy’s laughter, she bared her teeth as much as she could while maintaining a grip on the rope, and growled.
Harry completely lost it, and was rolling on the floor in his laughter when the portkey activated whisking the travelers away, leaving him in the confused company of his friend Orestes.
“Should I take from your reaction that your Godfather isn’t a dog animagus?”
“Oh he is.” Harry said, still chuckling. “But he’s a bloody great Grim, not a fru-fru poodle.”
“That’s the second time you used that term. ‘fru-fru’. What does it mean?”
“You know, sissified. Girly.” Seeing Orestes’ confused look, Harry realized what he was saying. “Masculine I guess then. Boyish.”
“But Harry, poodles are guard dogs. Vicious scary things.”
“Really?” Harry puzzled that from his place on the floor. So much about this world was the same as his, but so much was different. “Well, if poodles are guard dogs, What about Rottweiler’s?”
“What about them? They’re just lap dogs. No one takes a Rottweiler seriously.”
That thought had Harry laughing again.
---===ooo000ooo===---
Christmas at the Grangers was like nothing Harry had ever experienced before. Rather than waking at his normal seven am, and waiting patiently for the rest of the family to wake, Harry was surprised when Orestes had come into his room at six forty five.
“Come on Harry, presents!” the bushy haired wizard said in an excited manner Harry had ever seen the wizard exhibit. It reminded him of Hermione when she stayed at Hogwarts over Christmas of second year. Harry was always amused when Orestes mirrored Hermione’s behavior so closely.
The family gathered in the sitting room, with Orestes excitedly gathering the gifts and placing them in front of the proper recipient.
“Don’t open anything until everyone’s ready Harry,” Orestes said as he dropped several packages in front of Harry
“Quite a haul,” Harry noted, looking over the collection of colorfully wrapped packages.
“Ok? Everyone ready?” Orestes asked.
Harry waited patiently wanting to learn to traditions of the Granger family.
“Go!” the three Grangers shouted before they tore into the wrapping with vigor.
Harry stared opened mouth at the flying wrapping paper as his adopted family tore into their assembled gifts. A grin twitched at the corners of his mouth, this was how he had always pictured Christmas at the Weasleys. Who knew that the button down Grangers would be the ones to go wild over Christmas presents?
“You’re falling behind Harry,” Emmit said from his place across the sitting room. “I guess Orestes didn’t tell you, last one done has to clean up all the wrapping paper.”
“Oh,” Orestes chimed in, a wide grin on his face. “Did I forget to mention that?”
---===ooo000ooo===---
The Knights bus came to a sudden stop in front of the Burrow.
“Come on in Harry, you can say hello to Harri and Ronnie and the rest of the Weasleys.” Orestes said pulling him from the bus.
“I thought the idea was for you and Harri to get a little alone time.” Harry said laughing at his friend. “Are you just using me to distract Ronnie and the Twins?”
“And Arthur.” The bushy haired wizard agreed. “Arthur and I used to be friends, but since Harri and I started going out he seems to hate me.”
“Do you think he’s interested in Harri?”
“Lord, I don’t know. Maybe.” Orestes shrugged. “He had a thing for Harri during his first two years, but claimed to have gotten over her last year.”
“Orestes! Harry!” Monty Weasley effused as he opened the door and swept the pair into a hug before Orestes could knock. Welcome back to the Burrow. Come in, come in, we weren’t expecting you Harry, are you staying for dinner?”
“Thank you Mr. Weasley, but no,” Harry said trying to extricate himself from the hug. The concept of a male Molly Weasley freaked him quite thoroughly out. “I’ve been invited to the Lovegoods for dinner.”
“Oh, well say hello to everyone, and I’ll have Arthur show you where the Lovegoods live.”
“Dad!” Arthur protested from where he was assisting with dinner preparation. “I don’t want to go all the way out to the Lovegoods.”
“Arthur, don’t sass me. We help people in this family.”
“Dad!”
“I’ve got directions to the Lovegoods from here Mr. Weasley, I don’t really need ..”
“No Harry, Arthur hasn’t been doing much more than moping around the house since he got back from Hogwarts. A little fresh air and sunshine will do him a world of good.” The redheaded house husband turned to his only son. “Arthur, you escort your sisters friend to the Lovegoods, and while you’re gone, you think about your attitude young man.”
There was obviously no getting out of having an escort without sparking even more family drama. Harry stuck his head out into the sitting room to find Orestes and Harri only having eyes for each other, while Ronnie Weasley was sitting in her favorite grinning at her two friends. A short wave of sympathy to Ronnie, and Harry returned to the kitchen.
“I guess I’m ready, but I don’t really need a guide Mr. Weasley.”
“Nonsense!” Monty said, guiding a roast chicken from its pan to a serving platter, the meat falling from the bone with an additional wave of the older Wizard’s wand. “A little exercise will do Arthur a world of good.”
“Let’s go,” Arthur grunted as he headed out the door, bundled against the cold.
Harry joined the sullen teen, walking beside him as they made their way down the well trod path to the paved lane that lead to the village of Ottery St. Catchpole.
After five minutes of silence, Harry decided to try and clear the air. “So, is it me that you’ve got a problem with or just life in general?”
The redhead glared at him. “You.”
“Ah. Well that clears up that mystery. What did I do?”
“You showed up here.”
“I’ve only been to your home once before, for Harri’s birthday. I don’t think we’ve exchanged five words since we met.”
“Not here as in here at the Burrow,” Arthur sniffed. “Here as in being present in this reality. You got here, you and Harri spent a few days in the Hospital wing, and then Harri is dating Orestes.”
“Wait,” Harry said, somewhat bemused by what he had been told. “All this attitude thing of yours is due to you being angry because Harri is dating Orestes?”
“Hmff.” The Redhead huffed.
“Oh, bloody hell. Arthur, you’ve got to grow the hell up.”
“What are you talking about?” the first male Weasley in seven generations hissed.
“You’re the annoying kid brother of Harri’s best friend, who was crushing so hard on The Girl Who Lived that you could hardly speak to her for the first three years you knew her. Did you really think you had a snowball’s chance of becoming Harri’s first serious relationship?”
“If it weren’t for Orestes, this is the year Harri was going to notice me.” Arthur protested.
“Sure she was,” Harry agreed sarcastically. “And to make sure she noticed you over the last three and a half months, you’ve had very public relationships with two Ravenclaws, a Hufflepuff and a Gryffindor. Subtle Arthur, very subtle.”
“She was supposed to get jealous.”
“Jealous? Why? Arthur, you need to think your plan through. Once you do, ask yourself what possible reason Harri would ever have to be jealous of your relationships,” Harry paused, taking in the look of anger on Arthur’s face. “Look, Harri is fifteen, Orestes is sixteen. Who knows how long their relationship will last? I certainly don’t.”
“So, you think I might have a chance?” it was all Harry could do not to laugh at the hope in Arthur’s voice.
“That’s not what I’m saying. What I’m saying is the likelihood of a pair of teenager’s very first relationship being the one that lasts a lifetime is very small, and that at some point in the future Harri might be looking for another relationship. If and when that day comes, do you really think she’s going to be interested in a moping Arthur Weasley? In an angry Arthur Weasley?”
“So, I should hide what I’m feeling?”
“Arthur, you can feel anything you want to feel. Part of being an adult is to feel what you feel, but not allow your feelings to interfere with how you deal with other people If you keep this up, no one will want to have much of anything to do with you. If you want to be angry, then by all means be angry, but direct that anger to someone who isn’t innocent in the problem. Orestes didn’t do anything to you, and in no way do you have first claim on Harri’s affections.”
“But…”
“No buts,” Harry interrupted. “If you want to be taken seriously, grow up and quit blaming other people for your problems. Quit giving your dad a hard time. Harri’s living with you now, and she sees all this. I guarantee that she doesn’t like it.”
---===ooo000ooo===---
The discussion carried on between the pair until they reached an iron gate with an ornate letter ‘L’ set in the center. Harry looked beyond the gate, at the winding path that led up a tall hill, perched atop the hill was a great black cylinder that looked like a giant rook chesspiece.
“This is the place. ‘Lovegood-Land’ Luna’s mum calls it. Just stay on the path and you can’t miss it.”
Harry nodded. “Thanks Arthur,” he started for the gate.
“Harry?”
“Yeah mate?”
“Where you came from… Was there someone like me? Did she have a chance with you?”
“Yeah, Ginny Weasley, the first female Weasley in seven generations. She was smart and cute, but basically to me she was Ron’s giggly little sister.”
“So, no chance you would have had a relationship with her?”
“No, not really.” Harry shrugged. “But I was only fourteen and she was thirteen. Last year I was mainly focused on not ending up dead with Dragons, merpeople, Acromantulas, skrewts, sphinxes and the like involved in the tasks. If this year has taught me nothing else, I know that there’s at least a possibility that somewhere out there, there is the possibility that a version of Ginny and a version of me will someday join together in a boringly normal marriage, raise a bunch of kids with very odd names and once a year we will see all of our old friends at Platform 9 ¾ when we send the kids off to school.”
Arthur grinned. “You make it sound so mundane.”
Harry shrugged again. “Isn’t that what life is? The mundane times, when you don’t have to worry that someone might try to kill you, aren’t those the best of times?”
Arthur laughed at that, and slapped Harry on the back. “I’d best be getting back. Good luck with Luna Harry. Will you be coming back to the Burrow to get Orestes?”
Harry pulled the gate open. “Yeah. Around seven.”
“See you then. Maybe we can talk about my attitude some more,” and the redhead turned to make his way back home.
Harry pulled the gate closed behind him, and started up the path to Luna’s home. The property was very… Luna. The path, rather than lead directly to the house, spiraled around the hill upon which the house sat, making four complete revolutions before delivering him to the front door.
Harry stood in front of the huge oaken door for a moment, steeling himself for meeting Luna’s mother, silently laughing at himself for being so nervous at the prospect. He started to knock, but spotted the old fashioned pull cord for the door bell. Grasping the cord, he gave it a soft pull, and again smiled as he heard a four tone bell chime alert the inhabitants of the house of his presence on their front step.
And the door exploded outward.
---===ooo000ooo===---
Harry Potter and the Distaff Side
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Confusion
Orestes’ blood ran cold as another scream pierced the night. Harri! He leaped from the bed, with Harry scrambling to his feet to follow. Outside his door Orestes found his parents had arrived at the room Harri and Luna were sharing for the night before he had. Forcing his way past his parents he found Luna holding a thrashing Harri.
“She won’t wake up.” The blonde said in a panicked voice, “and she won’t quit screaming.”
“Oh my god.” Harry gasped when he saw his dimensional twin. “Her scar, it’s bleeding!”
---===ooo000ooo===---
Harry pushed past Orestes and knelt next to his sister, taking her face in his hands.
Not blood. Whatever this was, it wasn’t blood. Harry tried to clear the thick whatever it was oozing from her scar out of her eyes with his thumbs, wishing he could avoid touching it. The ichor was black, and thick, smelling of rot and decay.
“Something is very wrong.” He said feeling stupid for stating the obvious. “Luna get yourself away from both of us, I don’t know what this stuff is, but …”
“I should call a doctor.” Emmit said.
“A doctor wouldn’t know what to do with this…” Orestes hesitated. “We need a healer.”
Harry held Harriet’s face tighter in the face of her thrashing. “I don’t think that a healer could do much for her either. Luna, can you contact your mother? She might be able to find Dumbledore.”
“I can try,” the blonde said.
Harriet opened her eyes and Harry gasped. Where her green eyes usually sat were a pair of dull black orbs, “Dear God.” Harry looked to Luna, “Please Luna, try and get some help.”
Luna ran to search her overnight bag for the charmed mirror she used to stay in touch with her mother while the Grangers looked on in horror as whatever it was continued to ooze from the blood red scar on Harriet’s forehead.
Harry took hold of a fist full of his dimensional twin’s hair with his right hand and wrapped his left arm around the girl, trapping her arms between their bodies. “Come on Harri,” he whispered. “Wake up.”
Holding her against his body seemed to calm her thrashing, but Harriet still didn’t wake up. When asked later, Harry was never able to explain why he did what he did next. Tightening his grip on her hair, he pulled her face to his own, he looked deeply into the empty black orbs that were his dimensional twin’s eyes and pressed his scar to hers.
---===ooo000ooo===---
~Discontinuity~
---===ooo000ooo===---
Harry was suddenly somewhere else.
What the hell? That wasn’t a portkey, and it wasn’t the horrible compression of apparition he had experienced earlier that same day. What the hell had just happened?
Harry round himself standing in a chamber lit by hundreds of torches magically suspended in the air. On a raised stage in the middle of the room was a crying naked boy who seemed to be struggling against invisible bonds. The platform was surrounded by dozens of people wearing the robes and masks of the Death Eaters. The followers of the Dark Lady, chanted “vita eternus pro era” over and over.
“No, no, no, no, no.”
Harry turned at the sound of the voice that seemed to be coming from everywhere at once. He found Harriet standing next to him and just beyond her were a pair of figures that both appeared to be a somewhat female versions of Voldemort’s reborn form.
Riddle. It had to be. But why were there two of them?
Harry followed the line of the gaze of the three women; they were both staring at the naked boy. What was going on?
“I’m glad you could make it Harriet.” The voice of the female Riddle also came from everywhere, both of the snake-like women’s unmoving lips fixed in a macabre grin. “My followers have arranged to feed this form I now wear, and to feed themselves to seal their enslavement to me. Isn’t it wonderful? After I discovered we shared a connection, I thought you might enjoy seeing the fate that awaits all of your friends.”
“No, no, no, no, no.” Harri’s voice whispered. Her lips also didn’t move, his dimensional twin was seemingly unable to look away from the boy as the Malfoy family climbed onto the platform, Narcissus disrobing as he did so. The closer of the two Riddles turned to face Harriet.
“Yes Harri, he’s going to die, and there is nothing you can do about it.”
Why weren’t either Harry or either of the Riddles paying any attention to him? Harry looked around the chamber. Upon looking down, he was startled to find that neither he, Harriet nor the closest of the Riddles cast shadows.
No shadows? One of the Riddles had a shadow. What the hell is going on? That was when Harry noticed that he could still feel Harriet’s hair in his left hand, feeling the hand curled into a fist despite the fact that he was looking at his open hand. He could feel his forehead still being pressed against Harriet’s, still smell the rot of the black ichors that oozed from her scar. He could feel her breath on his upper lip.
Realization hit him hard. He wasn’t really here. Neither he nor Harri had moved, this was all in his… no… This was Riddle’s or Harri’s mind. Riddle was somehow projecting all of this into Harri’s mind as a way to torture her. But how did he get here? Was there a connection through the scars somehow?
Riddle doesn’t know I’m here. He thought. This has to be Harri’s mind. If it were Riddle’s she would know about me.
Now naked, Narcissus Malfoy straddled the captive boy’s groin, his arms extended toward the ceiling of the chamber, Thubani and Lucille Malfoy took up positions on either side of the boy. Lucille drew a knife from her robes, and raised it above her head and started chanting in bad Latin.
Harry suddenly realized what they were about to do. He wasn’t actually here, he couldn’t do anything to help the boy, but Harriet seemingly couldn’t look away. Could she see him? Harry tried to move, it was like moving through jelly. As Malfoy began the downward thrust over the boy’s body Harry had moved to place himself between the spectacle and his dimensional twin.
“Harri. Harri. You’ve got to wake up.”
“Harry?” Her lips still didn’t move, but her voice seemed to be coming from further away now.
“You’re not paying attention Harri.” Riddle’s voice echoed all around them. “It’s rude to let your attention waver. The boy is dying for your entertainment. Perhaps your Mudblood will be the next guest of honor. Do you suppose he would cry for his father the way the Muggle does?”
“Harri, listen to me. This isn’t real. This is all in your head.” Harry screamed in her face.
His twin’s face took on an expression of confusion. “Not real? But it’s so…”
He was losing her. Harry tried to think of something, anything that would help… Then an idea occurred to him, something he had overheard from one of Dudley’s telly programs… “Harry, this isn’t real, it’s all in your mind. Your mind. You are in control of what happens here. Riddle is using your fears against you.”
“But she’s so strong…” The raven haired girl whispered.
“I’m guessing you know why I call my followers Death Eaters now, don’t you Harriet?” Riddle laughed. “I wonder what your Mudblood will taste like.”
“She’s not strong here Harri, you are.” Harry screamed. “If she was really strong, she would know I was here wouldn’t she? This is your mind. You’re the one with the power here.”
“Not real?” She asked again.
“Oh, I assure you girl, this is very real.” Riddle hissed.
“No, not real. Riddle has invaded your mind. Hurt her.”
“Hurt her? How?”
“I don’t know…” Harry concentrated on the best way to do psychic damage to someone. Then a thought occurred. Something he had seen through the crack of the cupboard door. “Drop something on her.” Harry suggested.
“Drop something?” Harri asked, seeming to like the idea. “Hurt her!” A piano fell from nowhere, crushing the spectral Dark Lady. The surroundings changed from the torch lit cavern to a sunny open meadow.
“You did it Harri.” The raven haired wizard said quietly. “You’ve taken control.”
The Dark Lady was suddenly back, “What did you do girl? How did you do that?” She vanished messily under an unexplained anvil that suddenly fell from the sky.
“I’m pretty sure going Acme on her like that is a copyright violation Harri.” Harry said trying not to laugh.
“Thank you Harry.” The young witch said as Riddle reappeared.
“You hurt me girl. You’re going to pay for that. I’m going to destroy your mind!”
From nowhere a small motor scooter appeared, ridden by a black woman in a uniform. The woman dismounted from her vehicle and approached the confused Dark Lady.
“Candygram for Riddle.” She said, presenting an ornate package to the Dark Lady before she turned away smartly and strode away with her fingers in her ears.
The explosion was thunderous.
Harry gaped. “When did you see Blazing Saddles? Was that Cleavon Little?”
“Clarisse Little, yes.” She grinned. “Here I introduce the Candygram to the Witching world, but will I get credit for it?”
“You’re a bad influence. Hanging out with you is going to get me a bad reputation, I just know it.”
“Thank you Harry. Really, I mean it.” She looked around. “How do we get out of here?”
“I don’t know how I got in here,” Harry admitted. “It’s your mind. Maybe you just have to want to wake up.”
---===ooo000ooo===---
~Discontinuity~
---===ooo000ooo===---
Harry opened his eyes to find himself staring into a mirror image of his own green eyes. Harri’s?
“Please let go of my hair, and let me up Harry, this hurts.”
“Sorry.” Harry said releasing her from his grip.
“Welcome back.”
The two Potters looked up to find Blanch Dumbledore smiling at them over her half moon glasses, her eyes twinkling. The fifth years moved apart only to be pulled to their feet by Orestes and Luna, and to find themselves crushed in embraces.
“Harri, don’t you ever do that again.” A sobbing Orestes Granger croaked out.
“Harry, I was so worried about you!” Luna agreed from deep inside the hug she was sharing with Harry.
“Yes quite.” Blanch Dumbledore coughed “I must admit I was surprised to arrive to find you under a mental attack Miss Potter, and I was positively astounded to find that you had somehow joined her Mr. Potter, when I could not. Might I ask just how did you manage to do that?”
“I don’t know Headmistress.” Harry admitted. “She was thrashing about, but when I held her she quit struggling as much. When I touched her scar, Harri seemed somehow comforted. It took both arms to hold her down; going forehead to forehead was the only way I had to calm her.”
The old woman nodded giving the air that his answer was what she had been expecting. Harry found himself wondering if pretending to always know what was going was a Dumbledore trait.
The elder Grangers replaced Luna in the hug. “It’s ok to cry Harry, Emmett Granger said quietly. “No one will think less of you for expressing your emotions after such an experience.”
“No, I’m fine, really.” Harry assured his guardians. Sure, the experience had been frightening, but was there really a reason to cry? “How did you contact Professor Dumbledore so quickly, it was only a few minutes?”
“A few minutes Mr. Potter? The two of you were locked together for more than four hours.” The elder Witch said, cleaning her half moon glasses on the sleeve of her robe. “Miss Lovegood contacted her mother, who in turn, contacted me. When I arrived, I joined the Grangers and Miss Lovegood in keeping watch over both of you after I assured them that there was nothing anyone could do.” The witch conjured a pair of chairs for them to sit on. “Now then, I need to know what happened and how you managed to rouse yourselves from Riddle’s mental attacks.”
The dimensional twins shared a look. Harriet sighed and sat down with Harry following suit. The long night just got longer.
---===ooo000ooo===---
Following a late lunch the following day the four teens were waiting for Harri’s escorts who were to return with her to the Burrow. Dumbledore had insisted, and after what they had been through the previous night, no one really minded all that much. The two couples spent the late morning just talking and trying not to annoy the adult Grangers with anything that might be interpreted as inappropriate displays of affection.
Orestes answered the door to the Granger back garden when a firm knocking was heard. The room became very quiet when Lokabrenna Black appeared in the doorway followed by a very embarrassed Billie Weasley.
“Round two?” Harry asked, his wand falling into his hand.
Black paled for a moment and presented both her hands palm up to show she wasn’t armed. “Pax boy. Pax. I know you’ve no reason to trust me, but put yourself in my place, what would you have done?”
“Asked my questions the day a mysterious female Sirius Black showed up, not kidnap and torture her half a year later.” Harry spat. “We still need to dance, you and I.”
“Calm down Harry, we all know you’ve got the rocks to do it,” his dimensional twin said quietly. “You’ve got some nerve Paddy,” She said redirecting her attention to the animagus. “Even if all you suspected was true, why didn’t you try to speak with me before you tried your interrogation? He’s a Potter, the Goblins did their tests, the magic of the family trust accepts him, and Headmistress Dumbledore accepts him as my dimensional twin. What the hell did you and Rakasha think you were doing? And you Billie, I’m sure you must be so very proud.”
Lokabrenna Black’s face fell. The still bitter part of Harry’s mind wondered if she was crestfallen out of shame for what she had done, or because she had been caught. “We thought we were defending you.” She shot a bitter look in Harry’s direction. “Did you have to tell him about all of our failings?”
The Girl Who Lived took on a puzzled expression. “What are you talking about Paddy?”
“Your ‘twin’ there threw every mistake that Rashaka and I have ever made with you in our face. I can understand talking about your life with him, but did you have to tell him everything?”
“Paddy, Harry and I have never discussed either of you beyond the fact that you exist.” The raven haired witch smiled at her Godmother. “Anything Harry might have told you about yourself came from his having to deal with his own Padfoot and Moony. Even so, it’s hardly my fault if the truth hurts.”
The animagus’ eye flicked to Harry. “You were serious? There’s a male Lokabrenna Black out there somewhere?”
“Yes. Probably chasing his tail or giving himself a ‘bath’ which seemed to involved a whole lot of licking his…”
“Harry!” Orestes protested. “Language.”
Harry reflected silently that being chastised for using bad language when you hadn’t actually used said bad language was patently unfair.
At the door, Billie Weasley cleared her throat. “Look, I’m sorry about everything yesterday, I was trying to help the Headmaster keep you safe,” she looked down, focusing on her feet. “What Tonks and I did… tried to do was wrong. It won’t happen again. Professor Dumbledore is setting up a new ward at the Burrow, and she needs you there to fine tune the focus Harri.”
“New wards?” Harriet asked.
“Something the Professor came up with to protect you against another mental intrusion.” Lokabrenna answered. “Get your things Pup. Ms. Lovegood, if you’d like to come along?”
“I suppose I should.” Luna sighed. “Mum needs me around this time of year. The Christmas Fairies and the Hanukkah Pixies can cause such a fuss when they get into their turf wars… And there are rumors that the evil Minilop is going to attempt another hostile takeover of Christmas…” The Publisher’s daughter trailed off when she realized that everyone in the room was staring at her, except Harry who was working very hard at not smile. “What?”
The four teens scurried away to gather the overnight things and purchases of the departing pair. Once upstairs, Harriet pulled Orestes into his room and Luna did the same with Harry.
Once the door closed behind her, Luna pushed Harry against the wall and kissed him as hard as she could. After a brief moment of surprise, Harry kissed her back, giving as good as he got.
“You know Luna,” Harry said once they broke the kiss. “I’m not one of those silly little sissy boys; you don’t have to work so hard at getting me alone.”
“Allow me my fantasies Harry,” the blonde grinned. “After all, no one else knows how easy you are… Besides, this has to last you until Boxing Day.”
Harry grinned himself and theatrically fanned himself with his right hand while speaking in a falsetto voice, “Oh, Mizz Luna, I do declare, you are giving me the vapors.”
Luna had no idea what that was supposed to mean, and decided that it stemmed from one of those unknowable cultural differences between them. She kissed the strange boy again, and then gathered her things for the trip home.
“I really love it when Loony comes to visit, but I wish you would warn me, I almost bit my tongue off trying not to laugh.”
She stood up from her packing, her eyes wide and innocent. “Who said that was Loony?”
The pair exited the room to be met by a smiling Harriet Potter and a disheveled Orestes Granger, together the quartet trooped downstairs.
“That took long enough.” Lokabrenna Black said with a single raised eyebrow.
“One must be thorough.” Luna posited.
“Well, yes.” Billie said, pulling a length of braided rope from an inner pocket of her robes. “This portkey is timed, and we’ve got about two minutes before it activates.” She handed the length around to those returning to the Burrow. “Loki… I have no idea who will be there…”
“Oh, right.” Lokabrenna’s face took on a look of concentration and she changed. The dog animagus took hold of the rope in her mouth.
Harry stared open mouthed at the changed Head of House Black, and began to snicker. The snickering grew to full blown laughter as the dimensional traveler fell to his knees making no attempt to hold his mirth in.
The others in the room looked at each other in an attempt to figure out what Harry was laughing at, as the boy pointed at that transformed Lokabrenna Black.
“What is it Harry?” Luna asked.
“Poodle.” Harry gasped out between his bouts of uncontrollable laughter. “She’s a fru-fru poodle.”
The others looked to Lokabrenna, who was indeed a Standard Poodle while transformed, groomed in the standard Continental clip, with a blood red ribbon bow over her left ear. Perplexed by the boy’s laughter, she bared her teeth as much as she could while maintaining a grip on the rope, and growled.
Harry completely lost it, and was rolling on the floor in his laughter when the portkey activated whisking the travelers away, leaving him in the confused company of his friend Orestes.
“Should I take from your reaction that your Godfather isn’t a dog animagus?”
“Oh he is.” Harry said, still chuckling. “But he’s a bloody great Grim, not a fru-fru poodle.”
“That’s the second time you used that term. ‘fru-fru’. What does it mean?”
“You know, sissified. Girly.” Seeing Orestes’ confused look, Harry realized what he was saying. “Masculine I guess then. Boyish.”
“But Harry, poodles are guard dogs. Vicious scary things.”
“Really?” Harry puzzled that from his place on the floor. So much about this world was the same as his, but so much was different. “Well, if poodles are guard dogs, What about Rottweiler’s?”
“What about them? They’re just lap dogs. No one takes a Rottweiler seriously.”
That thought had Harry laughing again.
---===ooo000ooo===---
Christmas at the Grangers was like nothing Harry had ever experienced before. Rather than waking at his normal seven am, and waiting patiently for the rest of the family to wake, Harry was surprised when Orestes had come into his room at six forty five.
“Come on Harry, presents!” the bushy haired wizard said in an excited manner Harry had ever seen the wizard exhibit. It reminded him of Hermione when she stayed at Hogwarts over Christmas of second year. Harry was always amused when Orestes mirrored Hermione’s behavior so closely.
The family gathered in the sitting room, with Orestes excitedly gathering the gifts and placing them in front of the proper recipient.
“Don’t open anything until everyone’s ready Harry,” Orestes said as he dropped several packages in front of Harry
“Quite a haul,” Harry noted, looking over the collection of colorfully wrapped packages.
“Ok? Everyone ready?” Orestes asked.
Harry waited patiently wanting to learn to traditions of the Granger family.
“Go!” the three Grangers shouted before they tore into the wrapping with vigor.
Harry stared opened mouth at the flying wrapping paper as his adopted family tore into their assembled gifts. A grin twitched at the corners of his mouth, this was how he had always pictured Christmas at the Weasleys. Who knew that the button down Grangers would be the ones to go wild over Christmas presents?
“You’re falling behind Harry,” Emmit said from his place across the sitting room. “I guess Orestes didn’t tell you, last one done has to clean up all the wrapping paper.”
“Oh,” Orestes chimed in, a wide grin on his face. “Did I forget to mention that?”
---===ooo000ooo===---
The Knights bus came to a sudden stop in front of the Burrow.
“Come on in Harry, you can say hello to Harri and Ronnie and the rest of the Weasleys.” Orestes said pulling him from the bus.
“I thought the idea was for you and Harri to get a little alone time.” Harry said laughing at his friend. “Are you just using me to distract Ronnie and the Twins?”
“And Arthur.” The bushy haired wizard agreed. “Arthur and I used to be friends, but since Harri and I started going out he seems to hate me.”
“Do you think he’s interested in Harri?”
“Lord, I don’t know. Maybe.” Orestes shrugged. “He had a thing for Harri during his first two years, but claimed to have gotten over her last year.”
“Orestes! Harry!” Monty Weasley effused as he opened the door and swept the pair into a hug before Orestes could knock. Welcome back to the Burrow. Come in, come in, we weren’t expecting you Harry, are you staying for dinner?”
“Thank you Mr. Weasley, but no,” Harry said trying to extricate himself from the hug. The concept of a male Molly Weasley freaked him quite thoroughly out. “I’ve been invited to the Lovegoods for dinner.”
“Oh, well say hello to everyone, and I’ll have Arthur show you where the Lovegoods live.”
“Dad!” Arthur protested from where he was assisting with dinner preparation. “I don’t want to go all the way out to the Lovegoods.”
“Arthur, don’t sass me. We help people in this family.”
“Dad!”
“I’ve got directions to the Lovegoods from here Mr. Weasley, I don’t really need ..”
“No Harry, Arthur hasn’t been doing much more than moping around the house since he got back from Hogwarts. A little fresh air and sunshine will do him a world of good.” The redheaded house husband turned to his only son. “Arthur, you escort your sisters friend to the Lovegoods, and while you’re gone, you think about your attitude young man.”
There was obviously no getting out of having an escort without sparking even more family drama. Harry stuck his head out into the sitting room to find Orestes and Harri only having eyes for each other, while Ronnie Weasley was sitting in her favorite grinning at her two friends. A short wave of sympathy to Ronnie, and Harry returned to the kitchen.
“I guess I’m ready, but I don’t really need a guide Mr. Weasley.”
“Nonsense!” Monty said, guiding a roast chicken from its pan to a serving platter, the meat falling from the bone with an additional wave of the older Wizard’s wand. “A little exercise will do Arthur a world of good.”
“Let’s go,” Arthur grunted as he headed out the door, bundled against the cold.
Harry joined the sullen teen, walking beside him as they made their way down the well trod path to the paved lane that lead to the village of Ottery St. Catchpole.
After five minutes of silence, Harry decided to try and clear the air. “So, is it me that you’ve got a problem with or just life in general?”
The redhead glared at him. “You.”
“Ah. Well that clears up that mystery. What did I do?”
“You showed up here.”
“I’ve only been to your home once before, for Harri’s birthday. I don’t think we’ve exchanged five words since we met.”
“Not here as in here at the Burrow,” Arthur sniffed. “Here as in being present in this reality. You got here, you and Harri spent a few days in the Hospital wing, and then Harri is dating Orestes.”
“Wait,” Harry said, somewhat bemused by what he had been told. “All this attitude thing of yours is due to you being angry because Harri is dating Orestes?”
“Hmff.” The Redhead huffed.
“Oh, bloody hell. Arthur, you’ve got to grow the hell up.”
“What are you talking about?” the first male Weasley in seven generations hissed.
“You’re the annoying kid brother of Harri’s best friend, who was crushing so hard on The Girl Who Lived that you could hardly speak to her for the first three years you knew her. Did you really think you had a snowball’s chance of becoming Harri’s first serious relationship?”
“If it weren’t for Orestes, this is the year Harri was going to notice me.” Arthur protested.
“Sure she was,” Harry agreed sarcastically. “And to make sure she noticed you over the last three and a half months, you’ve had very public relationships with two Ravenclaws, a Hufflepuff and a Gryffindor. Subtle Arthur, very subtle.”
“She was supposed to get jealous.”
“Jealous? Why? Arthur, you need to think your plan through. Once you do, ask yourself what possible reason Harri would ever have to be jealous of your relationships,” Harry paused, taking in the look of anger on Arthur’s face. “Look, Harri is fifteen, Orestes is sixteen. Who knows how long their relationship will last? I certainly don’t.”
“So, you think I might have a chance?” it was all Harry could do not to laugh at the hope in Arthur’s voice.
“That’s not what I’m saying. What I’m saying is the likelihood of a pair of teenager’s very first relationship being the one that lasts a lifetime is very small, and that at some point in the future Harri might be looking for another relationship. If and when that day comes, do you really think she’s going to be interested in a moping Arthur Weasley? In an angry Arthur Weasley?”
“So, I should hide what I’m feeling?”
“Arthur, you can feel anything you want to feel. Part of being an adult is to feel what you feel, but not allow your feelings to interfere with how you deal with other people If you keep this up, no one will want to have much of anything to do with you. If you want to be angry, then by all means be angry, but direct that anger to someone who isn’t innocent in the problem. Orestes didn’t do anything to you, and in no way do you have first claim on Harri’s affections.”
“But…”
“No buts,” Harry interrupted. “If you want to be taken seriously, grow up and quit blaming other people for your problems. Quit giving your dad a hard time. Harri’s living with you now, and she sees all this. I guarantee that she doesn’t like it.”
---===ooo000ooo===---
The discussion carried on between the pair until they reached an iron gate with an ornate letter ‘L’ set in the center. Harry looked beyond the gate, at the winding path that led up a tall hill, perched atop the hill was a great black cylinder that looked like a giant rook chesspiece.
“This is the place. ‘Lovegood-Land’ Luna’s mum calls it. Just stay on the path and you can’t miss it.”
Harry nodded. “Thanks Arthur,” he started for the gate.
“Harry?”
“Yeah mate?”
“Where you came from… Was there someone like me? Did she have a chance with you?”
“Yeah, Ginny Weasley, the first female Weasley in seven generations. She was smart and cute, but basically to me she was Ron’s giggly little sister.”
“So, no chance you would have had a relationship with her?”
“No, not really.” Harry shrugged. “But I was only fourteen and she was thirteen. Last year I was mainly focused on not ending up dead with Dragons, merpeople, Acromantulas, skrewts, sphinxes and the like involved in the tasks. If this year has taught me nothing else, I know that there’s at least a possibility that somewhere out there, there is the possibility that a version of Ginny and a version of me will someday join together in a boringly normal marriage, raise a bunch of kids with very odd names and once a year we will see all of our old friends at Platform 9 ¾ when we send the kids off to school.”
Arthur grinned. “You make it sound so mundane.”
Harry shrugged again. “Isn’t that what life is? The mundane times, when you don’t have to worry that someone might try to kill you, aren’t those the best of times?”
Arthur laughed at that, and slapped Harry on the back. “I’d best be getting back. Good luck with Luna Harry. Will you be coming back to the Burrow to get Orestes?”
Harry pulled the gate open. “Yeah. Around seven.”
“See you then. Maybe we can talk about my attitude some more,” and the redhead turned to make his way back home.
Harry pulled the gate closed behind him, and started up the path to Luna’s home. The property was very… Luna. The path, rather than lead directly to the house, spiraled around the hill upon which the house sat, making four complete revolutions before delivering him to the front door.
Harry stood in front of the huge oaken door for a moment, steeling himself for meeting Luna’s mother, silently laughing at himself for being so nervous at the prospect. He started to knock, but spotted the old fashioned pull cord for the door bell. Grasping the cord, he gave it a soft pull, and again smiled as he heard a four tone bell chime alert the inhabitants of the house of his presence on their front step.
And the door exploded outward.
---===ooo000ooo===---
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