The Safe Wizards

35: Reassurance

Harry left the cottage, the little girl in his arms, aware of the looks Edward and Carlisle were giving him. They were the only two who had heard the dark-haired man's words and they were not happy about it. However, Carlisle said nothing, remaining focused on the injured man he was trying to save and Edward had already said some of what was on his mind, without success. So he didn't try to hold him back and went back to George.

Harry put Victoire in his car and drove the five minutes to the Cullen's house. He parked in front of the house, but didn't get out of the car, as Kreacher had just appeared on its hood. Knowing he was being spied upon, he beckoned him to join him inside the vehicle and invoked a bubble of silence around them before inviting the elf to speak.

"The two witches are dead, but their bodies are at the ministry. Master Charlie is there too, in a cell, for now too weak to be questioned."

Harry thanked his elf and asked him to go help at the cottage. He took a deep breath to chase away the panic and sadness that had gripped him when Kreacher had confirmed his doubts about Charlie. Only when he was sure he was in control of his emotions and able to hide them from Jasper did he get out of his car. He took Victoire in his arms and brought her into the house. Rosalie was alone in the living room, Teddy in her arms.

"Who is this?"

"Victoire, Bill's daughter..."

"Charlie's brother?"

"Yes, can you take care of her too? Her parents are helping us with the injured."

She dropped Teddy off at his playpen and picked up Victoire, holding her to watch her. Harry picked up his son from the playpen, holding him close to his heart.

"You're going to have to stay here for a while without me, but I know Aunt Rosalie and Jasper and everyone else will take care of you. Be a good boy while I'm gone, everything will be better when I get back you'll see. I love you, buddy," he concluded before kissing the little boy on the forehead and putting him back in his playpen.

Teddy looked at him a moment with his sleepy eyes before turning his black hair like Harry's. The dark-haired man smiled at him, ruffled his hair before standing up and turning to the front door, but Rosalie's voice stopped him.

"You should stop by and see Jasper before you leave."

"He's not going to like what I'm going to say."

"It's better than not telling him anything, don't you think?"

Harry nodded and went upstairs, careful not to feel anything. He didn't want to have this conversation right now, things weren't binary or simple and there were still a huge amount of unknowns.

"If you don't want to talk to me you can go back," Jasper told him as he entered the room.

The vampire was leaning against the window with his arms crossed over his chest, his grief written all over his face. Emmett, Alice and Esme were with him, their faces closed, but neutral. Harry huffed, of course they had heard him.

"Could we talk alone?" the wizard asked the other vampires as they left the room at human speed.

Harry cast a silence spell before resuming.

"It's not that," he began, not quite sure how to approach things.

"I'm listening to you, because you're the first person I've come across who is able to stop me from feeling his emotions, I don't even feel them anymore in our bond Harry..." Jasper's voice was full of emotion. "Bond you refuse to complete, add to that your words to Teddy... the ones to Rosalie... it sounds like a rejection."