Dreams of Home

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

After the greetings between the little family were complete, Charlus and Dorea sat down on a large loveseat offering Harry a butterbeer as they gestured for him to sit across from them. The fire was burning in the background of the room, and Dorea's smile of affection brought warmth to Harry as she asked, "Pleasure before business when it comes to family, dear. Tell us all about your Hogwarts experience so far, and the friends you have made."

"Many of them are hoping for a chance to meet you." Harry said with a grin, "I told James and Sirius you might hang around for a bit to spend some time with everyone."

Charlus offered his surrogate son a smile, "I am glad you boys aren't too old that you don't want your family around."

"We would be happy to join you, boys, for a drink." Dorea said, looking very content with the situation.

Harry went on to tell them about his first week in school. He talked about how much he enjoyed having a chance to spend some time with his parents, and how well he was getting along with Andi and her few Slytherin friends as well. Harry talked about each of the four Slytherins he befriended, and that of course included the Muggleborn, Elaina Essex.

Charlus was grinning ear to ear when Harry told him that he had toppled Alphard Black in their first duel together, and Dorea even seemed impressed. To beat any adult Black in a duel was an accomplishment according to Dorea. The fact that Alphard had impressed Dumbledore enough to hire the man was a testament in itself to the man's fortitude with a wand. According to Charlus the Defense Professors in recent years had been much better than what Harry experienced in his time at Hogwarts.

Eventually, things became heated when Harry began to explain what had transpired between him and the junior Death Eaters in the Slytherin common room, "I should've known better. They were all in Voldemort's inner circle in my time. I only thought that after I embarrassed them magically with such ease they wouldn't dare curse me in the back. Had it not been for my friend, Elaina, I imagine I would have woken up in the hospital wing, if I would've woken up at all."

Harry didn't feel this was an exaggeration on his part. He did not recognize the curse Avery had thrown at him, and while it is likely it was not lethal it was not impossible that it was. Charlus stood now, pacing not far from where Harry was sitting. Dorea and Harry both watched him cautiously as the man was flaring his magical presence in irritation.

Finally, he stopped and said, "Have we truly been gone from the Wizarding World for so long that people attack our family without fear of consequences? Have we truly fallen so far from grace that my son could be attacked in front of dozens of witnesses, and they expected to get away with it? I will have a blood feud declared by the end of the day, and we will wipe the Avery family off the face of the Earth."

"Charlus." Dorea said calmingly.

"Dory, these bastards attacked our son!" The man said fiercely, "And weren't even man enough to do it while he was facing them. They tried cursing him in the back!"

Harry was surprised by the man's anger, and flattered that he would go so far for his family. The young man supposed that in the two months he had been here there was no point in thinking of Dorea and Charlus as anything but his parents. They certainly treated him like their son. Rising to his feet Harry put a calming hand on his father's shoulder, "It's alright, dad. Warn them. In the next Wizengamot meeting. Go with uncle Monty. Tell them what will happen to the next person who dares to curse one of us in the back. If they quarrel with you, bring the might of the Potter family down upon them. From what you have taught me about this family that is exactly what our ancestors would have done."