14. One Wand, Two Feathers.
Harry just stood there, watching his wand burn. He reached towards the wand holder on his belt, but then it struck him that his wand was not there. Panic set in, looking around for something, anything that would save his wand. He found nothing of use, his eyes settled on Ignis.
“What did you do? That was my wand!”
Then something horrible occurred to Harry- Ollivander had closed his shop. Where was he going to get a new wand? The fire died almost as fast as it had started, leaving a pile of ash. Dropping to his knees, Harry looked on in despair. In a flash of anger, he swatted at the pile of dust, and to his surprise he hit something solid, sending it across the room.
What he hit was his wand.
He crossed the room quickly to retrieve it. As he picked it up, Harry noticed subtle changes. The wood looked the same, but it was just a bit thicker, a tad longer, and a smidge heavier. The changes were so small, only someone who had been using the wand for years would have noticed the difference. There was one thing Harry noticed, though, that was considerably different. The wand seemed stronger then it used to be. Smiling, Harry knew he had been given a great gift.
“Shell we see if our family would like to join us for a house warming tonight?” Harry asked Ignis, not turning to look at the bird, and then added, “Old friend.”
“Where the hell is he? He has been gone for over ten hours!” Ginny stormed.
Both Fred and George had been given the task of keeping her calm while Harry was gone. Up to this point it had not been going well. They settled on damage prevention- to the objects in her path, to her self, and last but not least, the prevention of damage to themselves.
“Reckon if mum’s temper was this bad, we’d’ve behaved growing up,” said George as he ducked a lamp Ginny had just thrown.
“If mum’s temper were this bad, she would have killed Dad off long before we were born,” Fred replied as he repaired the lamp.
Ginny calmed down some, but the twins knew that this was just a lull in the storm. All three looked toward the door as they heard it open. Ron stuck his head in cautiously.
“He’s back and you won’t believe what he has, it’s a,” but he never got to say what it was as Ginny knocked him over because he was not getting out of her way fast enough.
Ginny was a woman possessed as she flew through the house, she found Harry standing in front of the doors leading to his parent’s quarters. She did not notice that everyone else was standing between him and her, nor did she notice them as she pushed them out of her way. She didn’t even notice the Phoenix on the perch she knocked over as she tackled Harry with a hug.
“I am sorry I worried you like that, Ginny,” Harry said sympathetically, but his sympathy turned to shock as she pulled away from him and smacked him.
“Just how long have I been gone?” Harry asked as the shock began to wear off.
“A better question is, where have you been?” spat Ginny.
“Well… I… Well I was going to show you, but maybe you and I should sit down and talk first,” the concern evident in his voice.
Ginny seemed to calm down some before saying, “No, I am overreacting. I’m sorry.”
Harry didn’t honestly believe her apology but he did not push it. He hoped what he was about to show and tell her would help settle things.
Harry turned to his attention to Lupin, “How are my aunt and cousin doing?”
“After we verified who they were, we brought them here. Your aunt was the first to wake, and… well, she lost it when she saw Winky,” he paused, “As best as we can tell, that woke Dudley, who then proceeded to attack Winky. Winky got away with a split lip, but Dobby didn’t react to it all that well.” He sighed. “To make a long story short, Dudley is asleep again and should wake with a nasty bump on his head.”
At the mention of Dobby’s name, Harry remembered how he treated him. “Dobby could you come here,” Harry called softly. After a few seconds it was not Dobby but Winky who appeared.
“Dobby is not able to come, so I have come to do the mean wizard’s bidding,” Winky glared at Harry.
He felt guiltier then he had just a few moments ago, “I need to speak to Dobby, and he is the only one who I want to speak with. Would you please have him meet me in the kitchen of my parent’s home?”
Winking scowled at him, but nodded her consent and left to retrieve Dobby.
Harry turned to the group standing before him, “Molly- I mean, Mum, would you see to it that my aunt and cousin are awake and somewhat calm when I get back? Remus, would you ask Kingsley to update you on the happenings at the ministry, and Ginny would you come with me? I have something to show you.
Taking Ginny’s hand Harry led her through the large double doors and out to the back yard of his childhood home.
“This is the home my parents lived in when they died. I was not ready to share it with you because until today I was not ready to face what it represented. I have only been here three times since their death. The first was the day before my birthday, the second time was with Neville when his Gran died,” his face flushed a little, ashamed that Ginny was not the first person he had shown, “and the last time was just today.”
Harry waited for Ginny to say something, and when she didn’t he continued, “I don’t know why I came here today. Well. I don’t know a better way to say it, but I felt like it was calling me,” he paused again, “I felt like the world was sitting on my chest and I could not breathe. Maybe I should show you what I saw while I was here.”
For the second time that day Harry entered the kitchen of the house he spent his first year in, and for the second time he found Dobby there. Dobby looked as though he had been crying for sometime.
“Dobby,” Harry addressed the house elf, “I owe you an apology. I never should have yelled at you like that. I am sorry; you have always been a good friend to me. I would do anything to make it up to you.” He took Dobby by the arms forcing him to look at Harry.
“Harry Potter does not need--” but Dobby was cut off by Harry.
“Yes I do, and I order you to tell me what I can do to make amends.”
“There is something Dobby wants very much, Harry Potter sir,” Dobby’s eyes moved to the floor. “Dobby would like to marry Winky, sir, but Winky will not marry Dobby unless Dobby and Winky live proper house elf lives.”
Ginny spoke up, “What do “proper house elf lives” entail?”
“Dobby and Winky must not be free elf’s Ms. Weezy,” Dobby squeaked.
Neither Harry nor Ginny knew what to think. “Um, what can we do to help?” Ginny asked after a long pause.
“If Dobby is to marry Winky, then Harry Potter,” Dobby hiccupped, “Harry Potter needs Dobby to be his house elf. Dobby and Winky can’t be house elf’s that work for Harry Potter.”
Harry was still unsure what to do, “I will do whatever Dobby wants, and even if that enslaving him,” he laughed at the absurdity of it all.
“Harry Potter sir, you would do that for Dobby?” Dobby’s eyes beamed.
“If that’s what you want,” Harry couldn’t believe what he as saying.
“Dobby has once again forgotten how great Harry Potter is, Dobby will never forget again,” tears rolled down his face, as Dobby hugged Harry.
After Dobby left, Harry led Ginny into the dining room. “I was drawn to this spot, I don’t know how or why, hell, I am not even sure I could have stopped myself from coming here,” a small smile etched on his face.
“Mum used to work in the garden,” he said as he approached the window that dominated the room, “She would sing as she worked, and I would nap in a basket.”
Ginny spoke, her voice barely a whisper, “How can you remember this?” She took his hand in hers pulling him close.
Harry pulled her closer still, “I saw it, almost like seeing a memory in a pensive,” he smiled to think of his dad calling out that dinner was ready and that his mum should come in.
They stood there for a while before they moved to the living room where Harry shared the scene he saw there.
“I bet you were a cute baby,” Ginny smiled but the twinkle in her eyes for shadowed her next words, “What happened?”
“I don’t know, but it’s a good thing I am famous or you might not have noticed a right ugly prat like me,” the grin on his face nearly engulfed his ears, after he slapped her on bum on his way up stairs.
Ginny quickly followed, but stopped in the doorway to the master bedroom. “Harry James Potter, did I not tell you that I am unwilling to have sex before marriage?”
“Yes, but it can’t hurt to try,” but his voice had lost most of its playfulness as memories of what he saw here came flooding back.
“It’s tough facing the past, isn’t it?” Ginny asked empathetically.
He turned to her, the smile in his eyes and on his face answered her question. He looked on the memory that he saw in this room the same why he looked at her.
“Some day my wife and I will share this bedroom, and our children will be raised in this house. They will know the childhood I wish I had,” Harry’s, voice made Ginny’s heart sing.
“So you have started making prophecies?” Ginny asked a playful glint still in her eyes.
“Not prophecy, just a simple statement of fact,” the conviction of his voice surprised her a little.
A short time later Harry and Ginny returned to the manor. It was well past suppertime, but no one had eaten, and only Ron was bothered enough to complain about it. A little embarrassed that everyone waited for him, Harry told them all to go ahead and eat.
“Ginny would you help me get a tray ready for my aunt and Dudley? I will be eating with them while we discuss what is going to happen,” Harry asked taking her aside.
“Only if I am allowed join you while you eat.” She made it clear that Harry didn’t really have a choice.