About Harry

Chapter 12 - Present opening

The next morning, as it was predictable, they had all the kids by sunrise in their bed shaking them and begging them to hurry down for present opening.
As soon as they got to the living room, they assaulted the tree, avidly grasping boxes and, in a second, papers and bows were flying everywhere, shouts of joy echoing all around.
Every Christmas they always got more presents than they could count having so many uncles and aunts, but they were always very eager for George's one, a box each containing all the new shop's merchandise not yet on the market.
Although when Lily opened Bill and Fleur's present, a candy pink tutu, she became wild to put it on straight away and nothing could dissuade her from the wish of trying on immediately. Ginny was then dragged out of the room directed to her room and Harry, who was hoping to have an opportunity of that kind, immediately took the chance to speak to the boys alone.
He called their attention from gift opening and gave them a parcel each, who received them full of interest, saying 'I was waiting for you being both at Hogwarts to give you this. They are things I got when I was at school. They were my father's and I found them extremely useful in my school days. I hope you'll use them well'
As James, who had been faster, opened his package, his old invisibility cloak, light as a feather slid on the floor. It was still in perfect condition, as silvery and gleaming as when Harry got it twenty-five years previously. James gasped 'Is it...? It seems like... Is it really...?' spluttered with wonder not believing his eyes.
Harry laughed at his amazement 'Yes, it's an invisibility cloak. Try it on'.
As James threw it over himself, he disappeared completely from their sight.
'It's amazing' Albus whispered awestruck on his side reaching out reverentially to touch it.
'This is so cool!!!!!!!' they heard James shouting from under it. He pulled it off reappearing to their eyes with an expression of sheer devotion and they scrutinised it together again, mesmerised. Then Albus remembered he was still grasping an unopened parcel, thin and smaller. He unwrapped it in half a second full of expectancy. James, seeing appearing what he thought was just a bit of old parchment seemed disappointed, but Albus wasn't fooled by appearance 'What is it?' he asked keen.
Harry took the wand from his pocket and tapped on it saying, 'I solemnly swear that I am up to no good'.
On the parchment, after the introduction sentence, appeared a Hogwarts map. A few dots were on it. Most of the students were home for the holidays but they could see all the teachers in their offices and students in the different common rooms.
James and Albus' mouths fell open.
Harry tapped again on it 'Mischief managed'. The map returned to be a common piece of parchment.
They slowly raised their head looking at Harry, emotion chocking every exclamation of joy or wonder.
Harry, who could spot in their eyes swishing impossibly fast all the many misdemeanours that those gift could make true, added sternly 'You will use them together. Without arguing. You should keep them a secret as much as possible and when you, James will leave Hogwarts you'll give the Cloak to Lily. All right?' They nodded still incredulous, the flow of images that couldn't be arrested.
However, Harry, throwing a quick glance to the door felt a bit of anxiety mounting.
'Go and hide them in your room', he said in a keen murmur, 'I'm not sure your mum would approve of this'.
James darted up, Harry's quick glance had warned him more than the words could do and feeling as much as him the danger approaching, he didn't have the slightest intention to have all those opportunities jeopardised. In two strides he was out of the room.
Although, Albus, only contented himself to hide the map under the t-shirt and didn't seem inclined to leave. And Harry, divining the reason, asked 'Is there something you need to tell me?'
He nodded and went to sit close to him. He started to speak slowly, hesitantly, looking at his knees 'Dad, people at school talk behind my back'
'What do you mean?' asked Harry furrowing his brow.
'When I pass by, in the corridor, people point at me and whisper or sometimes in the common room, I see people talking and they stop abruptly when they see me. They did it with James too at the beginning. He told me. They treat us differently. They all want to be our friends.'
Harry started to put the pieces together, what happened to James in his first year was happening to Albus now.
'Is it because of you?' Albus asked innocently lifting a pair of bright green eyes on him.
Harry sighed 'I'm afraid so.'
'James told me to ignore it, but I can see he likes it. I don't though. I would like them to stop. I don't like it. I want them to treat me like everybody else.'
Harry halted to reflect on the deep difference between his sons. James reminded him a lot of his father as he saw him in Snape's memory so many years before. He was boisterous and attention seeking, he had a group of friends to whom he was very attached, and they were growing to be much admired in general by the younger one. He found out all of this from Neville who was always keeping an eye on them. Harry, knowing his temper, wasn't at all surprised he enjoyed the popularity so much.
Albus, on the other side, was more introverted and solitary, enjoying the company mostly of Rose. He preferred staying in the shadow and didn't cope well with popularity. He was reminded of him when he was his age.
He put an arm around his shoulders 'I understand but you see, James is right, unfortunately you cannot change it. It's only because you just got there, it will stop eventually or at least it won't be as bad as now. Just ignore it.'
He had told a little lie there. If it was as it had been for him it would never stop but it was best not to tell, he had the next six and a half years to find out.
'How can I know if somebody wants to be friends with me for real or because of you?' there wasn't any accusation in his voice but Harry nevertheless felt a pang of guilt and pity for Albus and his struggle to deal with what he was unwillingly imposing him.
'You will understand. It was the same for me when I got to Hogwarts', he remembered about Draco outstretched hands toward him offering an opportunistic friendship and of Ron. And for the hundredth time in three days he asked himself again 'How in the hell did we get to this?' but he cast the thought aside to answer Albus 'You will be able to see the intention behind the request of friendship.'
'Was it difficult for you too?' he asked eager.
'Yes, it was. But I have been lucky. I met Hermione and Ron. And you are even luckier than I was because you already got Rose.' He squeezed him gently trying to reassure him.
'Somebody told me you won a Triwizard tournament when you were in school. You never told me that. Why?'
Here we go again.
But willing to give Hermione's advice a try, he started to recount, slowly, weighing every word 'I've never told you because it was neither pleasant nor fair. There was another guy competing and he was older and better than me, he deserved to win, not me. A dark wizard smothered my path to allow me to get to the cup first, but we touched it together and because of it, Cedric died'.
Albus widened his eyes 'Why?' he asked in a small voice.
'The cup was a portkey and brought us to Voldemort. Cedric has been killed because they didn't want him there.' He stood up and went to the fireplace looking at the flame, a sense of uneasiness enveloping him.
Albus, following him with his gaze, startled at the mention of the name, all wrapped up in awe and interest.
'What happened then?' he asked again mesmerised.
Harry let his glance fall on him and saw a boy, so young still, his eager green eyes, so similar to his own, on him. He was the same age when he met Voldemort the first time, he didn't feel a child then but, as a matter of fact, he was still one. He remembered how keen he was to be told the whole truth and how Dumbledore considered him too young to know for many years yet. He had been very much angered by it, he had thought it unfair, he had felt old enough. But now, he was seeing everything from the other side. From an adult's point of view. And he realised that Dumbledore had been right. He was young. Albus was young. Too young.
He felt a tinge on his forearm where his blood was taken to give Voldemort a body again. The scar was still there reminding him of it. How could he explain Voldemort's resurrection to a child? James would get nightmares for weeks. Harry actually had them for years, and such horrific nightmares they were!
If he, who was thirty-five, still felt distress recollecting those moments, what could be the reaction of a child? That couldn't possibly be a good topic for conversation no matter what Hermione's views were on that point.
He was saved by Lily, returning all exuberant with her tutu to show the whole family and James, ready to open the last presents left.
He took his chance. He complimented Lily warmly and vacated the room soon after. He felt, rather than saw, Albus' gaze following him.
He went looking for Ginny. It was already ten o'clock and they needed still to decide in regards of Shell cottage.
She was in the bathroom, in a corner weeping, her eyes red and puffy. Alarmed he kneeled beside her.
'What's the matter?' he asked caressing her head tenderly.
'I'm worrying sick with this Ron situation. What if we go there today and he reacts the same as three days ago? In front of the kids. It is too hazardous'. She said drying her eyes with a handkerchief.
It was odd for her to get so emotional, usually she was very tough. He hugged her, moved by her disquiet over a situation that he had contributed in creating.
'It is not the end of the world.' He said consolingly 'We won't go. I'll tell the kids. We will stay here. It doesn't matter.' he added resolute.
She nodded mopping up her eyes 'Tell them I don't feel well' she said as she stood up and made for the bed.
Harry went back downstairs steadfast. It was going to be tricky. He was sure to give them a big disappointment and a possible argument was waiting for him, but Ginny was right. It was better not to go. It wasn't worth the risk. Every doubt had been chased by those unexpected tears. He realised with clarity how Ginny had fretted over a possible family's fracture much more than she showed.
Once in the living room he raised his voice to be heard on the loud chatting.
'Children, I need to tell you something important.'
'I'm not a child!' cried James indignant.
'Me neither!' followed Albus.
'And me neither!' repeated Lily in imitation of her brothers, with all her six years depicted on a very serious face.
They all looked at her for a second disoriented but before they could start to argue Harry announced, 'We are not going to the bonfire today, your mum is not well.'
Silence followed his announcement Albus dropped the firecracker he was holding, Lily started to whimper silently, and James threw himself mutinously on the sofa with his arms crossed tightly 'I knew it!'
'How could you possibly know? You mum started feeling sick only five minutes ago.' asked Harry ready for the oncoming row. James was always the most difficult one to deal with.
'We know about uncle. We are not stupid you know...'
That was a bit unexpected to Harry 'How do you know?'
'Lily told us.'
Lily jumped up crying and shouting 'I just told them you had a big argument, I didn't tell them anything more, I promise!' She exclaimed.
'And anyway, even if she hadn't. What do you think? We haven't got any eyes?' continued James with a sour look.
'Watch your tone.' warned Harry sternly but James continued with the same tone purple in the face 'Aunt Hermione and you weren't on the platform. And mum and uncle barely exchanged two words together. Anybody could see it was strained. You are telling a lie.' He finished accusingly.
'Do not dare accuse your father of lying.' He replied getting warm, surely for his disrespectful tone but probably also because he had been caught in doing just that.
'You can go upstairs and check on your mother if you don't believe me. It is also true that we had a fight with Ron, and we didn't make up yet. As it is, it is unwise for us to go.'
'This is so unfair!' James shouted full of resentment.
'Get used to it.' Harry replied hoping to close the argument, but Albus started pleading 'Couldn't you just try to make up?'
'No Albus, we've been trying for a few days. He doesn't want to talk to me.' he said with finality.
'It is with you, not with us that he has got a quarrel. Why can't we go?!' James said with animosity.
Lily, still crying her eyes out, threw a thunderous look toward his brother 'This is not very nice to say. If dad won't go, I won't go!'
Please Lily never grow up! Just stay as lovable as you are forever.
He picked her up trying to calm that deluge of tears and while mastering himself to answer James composedly, Ginny appeared on his side.
'I think I feel better and we can go I daresay' she said.
Although, before they could start in jubilation, she turned to James with a reproving look 'If, and only if, I hear a felt apology from you James. You have been rude and unfeeling. You called your dad a liar when I was indeed sick and Christmas is a time for family, you should learn from your sister!' she concluded stern.
James suddenly turned white under the reproach and then quickly red, with embarrassment.
'I'm sorry dad' he said moving his daunted gaze swiftly from him to his slippers.
'It's all right. I know you didn't mean it.' Harry answered softened by his abrupt change of tone.
Didn't matter how insolent he would become toward him, a small warning glance from Ginny was enough to turn him back in a docile lamb.
He let Lily down, her tears had dried up completely the second Ginny said they would have gone.
They resumed cheering and talking animatedly. Albus gathered his firecracker from the floor and exploded it. A purple witch hat appeared together with some flowers, Lily thrilled enthusiastically and grabbed it from under Albus' disappointed nose. James grasped greedily a big box containing a mountain of chocolate frogs and in ten seconds he had already unwrapped half of them to get all the cards inside. He heard him exclaiming disappointed 'Dad, I found another one of you again! I've already got four!'
Harry didn't answer as he was taking the chance to whisper to Ginny 'Are you sure you want to do this?'
She nodded 'I thought we can just go and check on the situation. If Ron is not there we can stay, but if he is, before he starts to argue we leave the kids to mum and we get back here, we will spend Christmas together, me and you. It'll be nice. And the kids won't miss the day. I'm sure when they see the bonfire, they will completely forget about us' She chuckled.
He smiled and stroke her hair 'I'm a very lucky man' he said.
'I know...' she answered playfully.