A Wrinkle In Time

Chapter Six – Family

A muffled sneeze woke Harry the next morning, and he caught himself just before falling off the sofa he had been sleeping on. The sofa wasn’t comfortable, but that wasn’t the reason he hadn’t slept very well the night before. After telling Dumbledore who they were and when they came from, Harry and Ginny were re-introduced to the Potters and their best friends. James was especially curious about them but it wasn’t difficult for Dumbledore to convince him that Harry and Ginny were to be allowed to stay with them. Lily especially seemed to have little problem with the arrangement after talking with Dumbledore, and had been much more companionable since then.

Ginny was given the spare bedroom where they had been interrogated, and Harry was back downstairs on the sofa they sat on when they first arrived. It was lumpy and just small enough to prevent him from stretching out completely, so he was forced to bend his knees to fit under the blanket. Even so, the problems with his sleep centered on the fact that he was in his parent’s house and just six hours ago, his mother had tucked him in.

With a contented sigh, Harry stretched his lanky body and raked his hand through his hair, in an attempt to straighten it out as he continued to lay on the sofa. More sounds came from the kitchen, and it became apparent that someone was awake and in the process of making breakfast. The banging of pots and pans, the clinking of silverware, and the shuffling of chairs on a tiled floor simply added to the atmosphere of home to Harry. He couldn’t imagine feeling any more at peace than he did right now.

Soon the clanking died away and was replaced by the sizzling of bacon and rhythmic sounds of a wire whisk in a glass bowl. A faint humming radiated down the hall, filling him with warmth and contentment. He closed his unspectacled eyes and sank deeper into his pillow, allowing the peaceful feeling of home penetrate his soul.

Just as he thought it couldn’t get any better, the sound of small footsteps emanated from the stairway, and the lovely form of Ginny Weasley appeared at his side. She kneeled beside the sofa and their eyes locked together.

“Good morning, Harry,” she said quietly. Her hair was mussed and there were sleep lines on her face.

“Yes Gin, it is a very good morning.” He reached an arm out to capture her in a hug and she laid her head on his stomach. They sat there for a while, just content to be with each other and at peace. The smells of breakfast wafted in from the kitchen and awoke their digestive systems. Harry’s stomach gave a lurching growl and Ginny’s head jumped off his belly.

“I take it someone is hungry then,” she said with a teasing smirk. Then in a quieter tone, “Let’s go see if your mum needs any help.” She kissed him quickly on the lips and helped him up from the sofa.

Harry fumbled around for his glasses, straightened his pajamas and followed Ginny into the kitchen.

The hallway that led from the parlor where Harry slept was fairly narrow, but opened up quickly to a spacious dining area that extended to the back of the house. To the right was a well-apportioned kitchen, which looked more like a Muggle one than the only Wizarding kitchen he had seen at the Burrow. His mother was there, busily cooking breakfast, and he was pleased to see, using magic to do it. The bacon was being minded by a floating set of tongs, a hovering spatula was flipping pancakes, and unmanned spoons were busily stirring away in two bowls. It was wonderful.

“Good morning you two,” she sang. “Have a good sleep?”

“It was a bit difficult being in a strange bed, but I’ll manage,” Ginny stifled a yawn as if to prove her point.

“Well have a seat. Breakfast will be ready in a minute.”

“Are you sure there’s nothing we can help with?” Harry attempted.

“That’s very thoughtful, but I’m afraid it’s all but finished now anyway.” Harry’s mum turned back to mind the food, and Harry and Ginny walked over to the table to sit down.

They sat close together and unconsciously moved their chairs so that they were touching. Their hands automatically clasped together and they both stole glances at each other while they were waiting for the food to finish being cooked.

“How are your feet doing?” Harry asked discretely. He didn’t want to start a row with her first thing in the morning.

“Just fine. Lily fixed them up before I went to sleep. Apparently, she is very good with medical charms.” Ginny’s eyes were twinkling at Harry with amusement. “I guess it was destined that you would be good with first-aid, eh? Did it take you long to learn those charms from Hermione’s book?”

“Actually, it did seem to come pretty easy.”

James came into the kitchen with a baby in his arms that was squirming around in an attempt to see his mum. Little Harry stretched his head around James’ shoulder to catch a glimpse of Lily. He squealed, “Mum-ma!” when his efforts were successful. He kicked his legs wildly in excitement and James was in danger of injury from the gesticulating toddler.

“Easy Harry. Mum’s getting breakfast for you right now.” He shot a meaningful glance at Lily and added, “Aren’t you dear?”

She produced innocent smile and said, “Yes, James. Put him in his chair and I’ll bring over the sweet potatoes, but you get to do the honors.”

“But Lils, I have to go to work and you know how messy he can get.” Seeing his dad whine was not something that Harry was used to, and he had to stifle a snort.

Lily walked over to the table with a cup and spoon, presumably with the aforementioned potatoes. “Mrs. Potter? Would you mind if I fed little Harry?” Ginny interrupted.

“That’s a fine idea, Ginny. I daresay, this one wouldn’t mind.” She jabbed a finger in James’ shoulder as she said it.

“Hey!” he protested, but immediately put Harry into his high chair at the foot of the table.

Ginny slid away from Harry and grabbed the cup from Lily. Baby Harry banged his fists on the table and grinned toothily up at Ginny, as she shoved the first spoonful into his mouth. Big Harry watched in awe as Ginny expertly fed his smaller self, wiping the extra orange goo off his lips with the edge of the spoon after every mouthful. It was unnerving to think that his girlfriend had fed him mashed sweet potatoes when he was a baby.

She finished the job by taking off his bib and wiping away what little food had made it onto his face. Little Harry was busy spitting raspberries, and after grabbing the spoon away from Ginny at the last second, was waving it madly in front of him. Every now and then the spoon would make its way into his mouth and he would chew on it for a moment before his arm yanked it out, seemingly of its own accord, and resumed its flailing.

Ginny giggled at the toddler’s antics and gave him a cheeky smile. “You’re gonna be a little heartbreaker when you grown up, aren’t you?” She shot the sixteen-year-old Harry a look and winked at him. He poked her lightly in the side and was rewarded with her jumping in her seat, but she didn’t cry out.

“Gin, how did you know how to feed him? I mean it’s not like they teach that kind of thing in school.”

“It’s feminine intuition, Harry,” she explained as if he were the same age as his smaller self. “Taking care of babies is natural for us. How do you think I understand you so well?”

Harry guffawed and poked her in the side again. This time however, she squealed loudly and he attacked in full force. He was so intent on making her pay for her sassy comment, that he didn’t notice the looks of amusement that James and Lily were giving them.

Ginny’s cries for mercy persuaded Harry to stop the torture, and Lily got up to fetch food for the grown-ups.

Breakfast was wonderful and they all enjoyed their food immensely. Harry and James were quite the sight to see, as they both drank their juice left-handed and raked a hand through their hair at least three times each during the meal.

Lily washed the last bite of her meal down with a swig of juice and tapped her napkin lightly to her lips. “What do you kids have planned for today?”

Ginny answered for them, as Harry was still working on his third helping of eggs. “We haven’t got anything planned out. We just wanted to spend time with you guys.”

“Well, James has to work today, but he’s going to get the afternoon off.” She turned to her husband and said, “Isn’t that right, dear?”

James looked up at her with a curious expression and said, “Lils, you know how busy we are in the office...” he whined again. It was really quite amusing.

She cut him off with a cold stare and he acquiesced. “All right, all right. I’ll ask Mad-eye and see what I can do. He’ll pitch a fit, that’s for sure.” He looked dejectedly at his plate and tossed his napkin on the table.

Lily smiled at him and turned back to Ginny. “I’ve got to take Harry in to get him some new clothes and a teething ring. He managed to chew a hole in the last one.” Little Harry had dropped the spoon by now, but a trail of drool had made it down his arm to the elbow.

“That sounds like loads of fun! I love shopping for clothes,“ Ginny seemed to be bursting at the seams with excitement.

“Well then, we’ll just have to stop by the new robe shop in town and see what we can find for ourselves.” She winked conspiratorially at Ginny, who beamed back at her.

Harry rolled his eyes and looked at his father for some masculine support. James returned the glance and mouthed, “Girls.” They both chuckled at the inside joke and received identical swats of reprimand from their redheaded companions.

The only other person at the table disrupted their antics with a loud burp. Baby Harry had decided that he wasn’t getting enough attention and gave his mum a soulful look.

Lily obliged him and lifted him out of chair. “I’m meeting a friend in Hogsmeade for lunch. We should get going if we want to finish up before then.”

James rose from his chair as well and said, “You four have fun and try not to get into too much trouble.” He and Lily kissed and with a meaningful glance, James Apparated to the Ministry.

*

Lily, Ginny and the Harrys spent the first half of the morning in town looking for baby clothes. After picking up several outfits that Ginny insisted were ‘adorable’, they went back to the house and flooed to Hogsmeade.

The only all wizarding community in Britain was only slightly different from when he had last seen it. Harry did notice that there were quite a few less people about than he was used to, but dismissed it as a symptom of the holidays. He imagined that it looked much like this during the week when students weren’t allowed in the village.

It was also refreshing to be amongst the people of his world without getting an abnormal amount of attention. There were no furtive glances at his fringe in the hope of viewing his unprotected scar. In fact, the only one who knew anything about his ‘famous’ history was Ginny, and she was one of the few people who could look past the notoriety, and see him for who he really was.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders as they walked to the Three Broomsticks, and soaked up the emotional security that she brought him. Ginny leaned her head into his shoulder in return, and they followed Lily to a round table near the front, which was occupied by a witch about her age.

“Hi Amy!” Lily greeted her friend cheerfully as she sat down at the table.

“Hey, Lily!” was the happy response.

Lily put her diaper bag down under the table, motioned to Harry and Ginny and said, “This is James’ cousin Harry, and his friend Ginny.” Turning to the two teens, she added, “This is Amy Bones, one of my school friends. She is working as a part-time clerk for the Wizengamot.”

“Pleasure to meet you,” she stuck out a hand for them to take and they shook it warmly.

“Likewise,” Harry was taken back when he realized that this must be Amelia Bones, Susan Bones’ aunt and one of the people who voted to dismiss all charges at his trial last year.

Lily broke into his reminiscing by saying, “We get together every week to talk about old times and catch up on our lives. By the way, where’s little Suzie?”

“Oh. She’s at her mum’s." Turning to Harry and Ginny, she explained, "I usually take my niece with me when I visit Lily so Harry can have someone to visit as well.” She smiled widely at them and folded her hands together on the table.

They enjoyed a small lunch as the two friends conversed about this and that. Even the baby was able to enjoy a bottle and a small jar of peas. Harry kept stealing glances at Ginny, who was busy playing peek-a-boo with little Harry after they finished. He would let out a squeal of delight every time he caught her eye. She was really cute, and both Harrys seemed to be smitten with her charms.

As they were about to leave, Amy caught her friend’s hand and looked at her sternly in the eye. “Listen, Lily. I’ve been hearing things at work from some of the Death Eaters the Aurors have been bringing in. There are some rumors running around the office as well, and they don’t add up to anything good. Take care of yourself, okay?”

“I will, Amy. Thanks for lunch and we’ll see you next week, all right?” They all got up and made their way to the exit.

“All right. See you then.” Amy left the restaurant and Apparated away.

Lily turned to Ginny and asked, “Will you hold Harry for a while? My arms are getting tired.”

“Sure thing, Mrs. Potter.” Ginny took him deftly into her arms and he immediately began to jump up and down in delight.

“Call me Lily, dear.”

“Thank you, Lily,” she replied. “Are you ready to go shopping?”

“Are we two, good looking red-headed witches?” she asked cheekily in answer to the younger girl’s question.

Ginny turned to Harry and held out the miniature version of himself. “You better take him. I’ll be entirely too busy trying on clothes to mind him properly.”

He took himself? into his arms, mouth hanging open slightly in shock. It was fine to be around his baby self, but it was just plain weird carrying him around.

His mother and girlfriend linked arms together and trotted off to a robe store down the road. Harry dutifully followed and tried to keep little Harry entertained. Every time he looked down however, he couldn’t get it out of his mind just how strange it was.

Harry’s fear of being so close to little Harry melted away when he reached up and grabbed the glasses right off his face and chucked them on the ground. “Hey! What’d you do that for?” He bent down and picked them up. There was a chip in the center of the left lens that caused a blurry spot to appear before everything he looked at.

Ginny giggled into her hand at the sight of the two Harrys. From then on, he was more concerned about where the boy’s hands were to dwell about the odd situation he was in.

Ginny and Lily spent almost three hours looking at various robes and other articles of clothing in four different shops in Hogsmeade. Consequently, the two Harrys had plenty of time to get to know one another. The older Harry had to admit that he was a pretty cute baby, and even when he was inadvertently soaked from a leaky diaper, they both giggled madly.

“Here you go, Harry,” said Lily, handing him a small towel for him to dry himself with. “I’ll get the little guy changed.”

“Thanks,” he mumbled sheepishly at the retreating form of his mother. Ginny was still giggling into her hand and could hardly breathe. “What’s so funny, Gin? You wouldn’t like it if you peed all over yourself.”

That only served to send her into a full state of laughter. Hardly able to control herself, she doubled over and gasped for air.

Finally out of frustration and with a hint of amusement, he pushed her over into a rack of trousers.

Ginny gave a startled yelp and disappeared into the clothes. Only her feet could be seen from under the hanging trouser legs. She finally extracted herself from the rack and stretched up to look Harry in the eye, all traces of the laughter now wiped from her face. Harry flinched under her close scrutiny and backed up a half step.

She pressed herself into his chest and pushed him in the shoulders with all her might. Since Harry was already slightly off balance at Ginny’s advance, he toppled over ungracefully into a display of socks, sending them flying in all directions. His startled cry and the sight of the flying footwear attracted the attention of the store’s owner.

“What’s going on here?” The female proprietor was short and stocky, bearing an uncanny resemblance to Professor Sprout. She bore down on Harry like a mother eagle, brandishing a stubby finger. “Look at the mess you’ve made of this store. What would your mother think of this?”

As if on cue, Lily returned from the loo with a freshly cleaned baby in her arms. She surveyed the damage, took a quick look at the guilty expression on Harry’s face and the clearly practiced innocent one on Ginny’s, and smiled.

Harry muttered out a red-faced apology and began putting socks back into the display case. The owner, obviously impatient with Harry, shoved him out of the way and floated them back magically.

As the socks flew back to their original location, Harry shot daggers at Ginny, who still looked the picture of angelic virtue. His gaze withered at the lovely face he was presented with, so he sidled up to her and grabbed her hand.

“You’re cute, you know. Dangerous, but cute.” She giggled again and rewarded him with a swift peck on the cheek.

Lily interrupted their exchange and said, “Let’s get home. I’ve got to get dinner on and Harry here needs a nap.”

*

Arriving back at the Potter’s house, Lily assigned the teens babysitting duty so she could make dinner unfettered. Ginny took little Harry up to his room with big Harry in tow, still trying to dry his robes from the earlier ‘incident’.

The day was apparently too much fun for the little guy and he was fast asleep in Ginny’s arms. As she pealed him off her shoulder to put him down, Harry let out a muffled snicker. She punched him slightly once the baby was in his crib and pulled him out into the hallway.

“What’s so funny?” she hissed at him on the way back downstairs.

Instead of answering, he fingered a wet spot on her shirt that had become a puddle of drool over the past half hour. Ginny groaned and rolled her eyes.

Not willing to let her get away without a little ribbing, Harry said, “It serves you right, you know.”

“And how is that?” she responded stoically.

Smirking a little, he replied, “Well, now we both have been wetted on by a baby today.”

“At least, mine doesn’t stink.” Arriving downstairs, Ginny sat on the sofa that faced the kitchen hallway and deliberately put her feet on the empty space so Harry couldn’t sit next to her.

Ignoring her attempt to block him out, he made to sit directly on her legs, but was disappointed by her quick withdrawal. “Yeah, but you like my stink, Gin.”

Her foot caught under his arm and he yelped in surprise. “Is that so, Mr. Potter?”

Pushing her foot away, he waggled his eyebrows at her and replied, “Most definitely. Besides, now you can say that I’ve been drooling over you since I was a baby.” She placed her feet on his lap instead and he held them down with his arms.

“Quit being mushy, you big sap.” Ginny grabbed a magazine off the table and began to thumb through it absentmindedly.

Harry propped his feet on the table and pulled his arms behind his head, much like Sirius had done the night before. He was about to reply but a knock at the door stopped him.

Lily poked her head from around the corner of the kitchen and said, “Get that for me, Harry?”

Grumbling a little bit about having to leave the Ginny occupied sofa, he got up and answered the door. He was rewarded however, when his Godfather and Remus entered.

“Hello, Harry!” they chimed together.

“Hey, guys. I didn’t know you were coming for dinner.” In his moment of surprise, however, he failed to move from the middle of the entryway.

Gesturing at the door, Remus said, “Can we come in?”

“Oh! Sorry about that.” Harry moved out of the way and the two Marauders strode into the house.

Sirius seemed to be searching for something and glanced from Ginny to Harry in his quest. “Where’s Harry?”

“I’m right here,” Harry responded saucily. “But if you mean the little guy that did this to me,” he gestured at his still damp shirt. “Then he’s upstairs asleep.”

The hopeful expression on Sirius’ face fell and he flopped down onto the other sofa next to Remus. Lily walked into the parlor, wiping her hands with a towel and eyed the newcomers appreciatively.

“Thanks for coming over guys. James is still at work, but he promised to be here in time for dinner. Which should be in about five minutes, so he better be here quick.” Harry noted a little fire in her voice as she finished speaking. She went back to the kitchen to finish preparations.

Remus nudged Sirius in the ribs and said, “I’d hate to be in James’ shoes when he doesn’t get here on time.”

“You and me both, Moony. That Lily’s a real firecracker once you light her fuse.” He winked over at Ginny and Harry, who had resumed his place on the sofa.

“Like that time James forgot Lily’s birthday?” Remus offered.

Sirius rubbed his chin in thought and said, “That was about two months after they started dating, right?”

“Yep. And Lily had only told him about it five times. Then that morning, he walks up to her and says, ‘Good morning, love.’ like it’s just another day.” He chuckled a little at the memory. “She just about skinned him alive, she was so angry. What was that hex she used?”

“Before or after she shredded the flowers he conjured to make up with her?”

“Both!” Remus said, no longer trying to hold in the laughter.

“Ahh. That would be the Testiculitus Curse,” said Sirius through fits of hilarity.

“Ouch,” mouthed Harry at Ginny who was shaking behind the obviously unread magazine.

“It took James a week before he could sit on a broom properly.” Now all four of them were wailing with mirth and wiping tears from their eyes.

After several moments, and a few imitations from Sirius of James gingerly trying to sit on a broom, the laughter finally died down.There was a small crack from the kitchen, and the sounds of an unhappy Lily Potter floated to their ears.

“Decided to show up, then?” Lily’s voice was just a titch above calm. It was obvious that she was struggling to reign in her temper.

“Sorry, dear. There was nothing I could do. The Ministry...” his voice trailed off, presumably at the look that was piercing him at that moment.

Then the dam broke. “James Harold Potter! I’m not married to the Ministry of Magic! I’m married to you and I need you here. Your son needs you here. And don’t start in about all the other people out there that need protection. You know what Albus said. He’s coming for us, not them.” She finished her tirade in a calmer voice, but the tension remained.

“I know, Lily. I just feel so obligated to protect as many people as I can.” He said in a conciliatory voice.

They could hear the soft sounds of muffled crying, then, “Just promise me that when he comes, you’ll be here for us.”

“I promise Lily. I’ll die to protect you and Harry.”

Ginny was staring right at Harry now, and it was all he could do to hold in the tears that were forming. He swallowed hard to clear some of the feelings away and took Ginny in to his arms.

“It’s all right, Harry,” she whispered. “We’ll get through this together.” He knew that she wanted to say something more, but couldn’t without giving away the fact that it was him that James and Lily were talking about.

“Thanks, Gin. Have I told you that I’m really glad you’re here?”