Professor Potter

Chapter 72

Professor Potter, Chapter 72

The remainder of the holiday break passed quietly, or as quietly as a house with two young boys and big dog could manage. Harry continued working through several old texts as he mulled the possible consequences of what Lavender had told him. As might be expected he found a number of varying opinions ranging from total isolation from the affairs of the world to one advocating total domination of the magical and mundane world. He wondered if that old wizard from Romanian had read that one. The fact that some of the writing of this particular wag seemed to indicate a rather tenuous grasp on reality allowed Harry to pretty much discount what was there. He spent some time prowling the shelves and stacks at Flourish and Blotts looking for anything more modern that might offer some insight.

A few days before the start of the second half of the year Ginny walked into the library and sat down on the couch across from where he sat and looked at him with a very serious face. When Harry looked up he met her gaze with one suggesting she could say what was on her mind.

"What makes you think you're going to find something in those dusty old books? What does someone dead a hundred or a thousand years know that is going to be of any value to you here and now?"

"Don't you think that there might have been someone who's had to deal with something similar to what I am?" he asked by way of response.

"I doubt it and even if there was, so what? It might be a similar situation but the chances of them being anything like you? I doubt that. I know that what Lavender said has you thinking, but it was no different than what you already knew. You can do great things, you already have, and will likely do more in the future. You just need to be careful, but you've known that. So do me a favor and get your head out of those books and go find something useful to do. Or maybe not useful and have some fun. You'll have plenty of years to be an old codger, you don't need to get an early start on it."

Harry took a deep breath but decided his wife wasn't interested in an extended discussion so he gave a nod and closed his book. Ginny would come to regret the suggestion later in the day. Harry had rounded up the boys and Snuffles and took them outside to play in the snow. The last couple of days, the weather had moderated and the warmer temperatures had begun to melt the snow pack. While it was great for packing to make snow balls and forts, it was also soaking through snowsuits and gloves. To make matters worse the boys started to wrestle with Snuffles and they were soon covered with clumps of wet sticky snow. The grand finale' came as the boys started chasing Snuffles and the big dog took them too close to the pond. James made a lunge and missed. He landed on his belly in the snow and he slid right into the cold water of the pond face first.

Harry was there in a moment and hauled him out but the damage had already been done. The water had gone down the front of his snowsuit, soaked his hat and gloves completely and left this face red and dripping. To his credit, James wasn't crying, just gasping and blowing as the water ran down his face. Harry tucked James under one arm and picked Albus up with the other. Then he called out,

"Dinkle?"

The house elf popped into view, hovering just above the soft snow.

"Yes, Master Harry?"

"Dinkle, we've had a little problem here. Would you take Snuffles around back to the mudroom and get him dried off?"

Dinkle eyed the big dog and said,

"Yes, Master Harry, at once."

Reaching down the house elf took hold of the mastiff's collar and they both disappeared. Harry thought he might have heard a brief yelp. He himself Disapparated to the front door just as it swung open, Kreacher standing to the side. With signature understatement, the little elf said,