Heritage

18.

Hi! 

So, I've changed the cover. 

Do you like it? 

Do you think I should change it?

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Harry re-doubled his effort at avoiding Blaise.

But, he also had other things to worry about. Like having Greyback and Voldemort (who looked much more human, and so much more handsome) teaming up in trying to get Harry to join Greyback's pack.

Harry was pretty sure that the Dark Lord was only helping Greyback because Harry was too young to be Marked, and joining the ranks of the D.E. 

If he joined Greyback's pack, he would have to listen and do everything Greyback says, and seeing as Greyback was a firm Dark Believer, he would make Harry do stuff Voldemort tells him to do.

Even though Voldikins was his son, and Greyback was the one who should be giving orders and not vice versa.

(Harry really did not understand the family dynamic between those two.)

There were some advantages of joining Greyback's pack, but those were few, and Harry did not want to write away his freedom for a slightly better place on the Creature food chain.

Ya, no. Harry had been a part of a pack once, and he had ended up blowing up the Alpha of the pack. And for very good reason, so shut up and don't call him a murderer.  

If Harry had to do it again, he would do it in a heartbeat. 

He wasn't letting his friends get hurt. Ever. He would rather let everyone else die of torture.

"Harry?" 

Oh. Lily. 

"Harry?" She paused, before entering the room. "I can smell you, you know. You can't hide from me."

"We will see about that," Harry replied, already trying to find ways to counter-act this new piece of information.

"You know, everyone's saying you have my temper. I don't see it." Lily said as she sat down beside him on the bed. 

"You look like you took after James there. When he was younger, yes, he was naive and would do stupid, bad stuff. But now that he's matured, he uses that mind of his that could concoct the most bizarre, impossible, of pranks and make it work, for a better job.

"He's patient. That's what makes him dangerous. He sees, he waits, then there's a boom, and his goals are done."

"I don't know why you're telling me this," Harry said, honestly.

"I'm telling you that I see you," Lily said pointing at his chest. 

"I still don't know what you mean to tell me,"

"I was, indirectly, asking if there are any skeletons in your closet."

Harry froze. "No,"

"You paused." Lily replied, smiling at him lazily. "Relationships are better built when there are no secrets,"

"What makes you think I want a relationship with you? You left to the Dursleys."

"I was under a liquid imperious." Lily hissed defensively. "I would never, ever, have let you, my child, go otherwise."

 "So what about my ever-loving godfather or Remus? Aren't they your closest friends? Why didn't they stop you?"

Lily sighed, "They've gone to get those Gringotts tests today, you know."

Harry didn't know.

"Look, I get it," Lily continued, "You may not trust us. I get it. We abandoned you. But, I - we, and by that I mean Sirius, Remus, James, me and Ryan - want another chance. To start again."

"Tell me yourself, a parent and child having to start over. Does that sound like a healthy relationship to you?" Harry asked softly.

"No," Lily shook her head, "but, that's what we're trying to do here. Have a better relationship. A healthy relationship."

"I- Fine," Harry said at last.

"Good. Now any skeletons in your closet, that I should know of?"

"I- I k-killed someone," Harry replied after a minute of silence.

Harry waited for the vicious words, the hatred, but instead Lily asked, "Why?"

"He was threatening a friend." 

"Which friend was it? And, um, this one's optional: How was he threatening your friend?"

Harry didn't know why, but Lily had this aura around her that made Harry want to spill his guts. "Luna. The friend was Luna. And he wanted to... to... force... himself on her." 

Harry swiftly wiped away the tears that had begun to pool in his eyes. He, also, forced down that image of Luna, with her hair messed up, and her shirt ripped. 

Harry turned around to look at Lily, who had covered her mouth with her hand, eyes wide. 

"Oh, Harry," She gasped, making a move to hug him, before stopping. "Can I hug you?" 

Harry paused, but the Creature told him it was alright, so, he nodded hesitantly, not trusting himself to speak.

Lily quickly wrapped her hands around him, engulfing him in the smell of pine trees. 

Lily had wrapped a hand around his back, and the other had gone to his hair, softly running through it. 

Harry breathed in the smell of pine. 

After a couple of moment, Lily pulled him closer to her chest, until he was basicallyhugging her back with his head on her shoulder. 

And he let her, because this hug felt so good. Safe. Secure.

Harry decided he liked this - having a parent.