The Squib and the Werewolf

79. My Son

"I regret my actions. I can see now that I made many errors" admitted Dumbledore.
"Feeling regret doesn't bring back my dead friends. And in the end, it was Harry who stopped Voldemort, not you. A little one year old kid was able to defeat Lord Voldemort, when the powerful Albus Dumbledore was not. And if you think for one moment that I am going to let Harry be raised by the Dursley's, you are mistaken" informed Raya.
"Harry is staying where he is" replied Dumbledore.

"Oh, is he now? Well, the great Albus Dumbledore has spoken, so we should all listen right, and follow him with blind obedience? No, I don't think so. Things have changed Dumbledore, and I will not let you dictate my loved ones lives any longer. Harry is my godson, and with his parents dead, it falls to me to raise him, and you will not stop me from fulfilling my duty to James and Lily. Harry is my son now, and you will not keep him from me any longer" said Raya sternly.
"Don't you think you should focus on your own son Jamie, and leave the raising of Harry to someone older with more experience?" Asked Dumbledore.

"I knew you'd bring Jamie into this. But let me remind you that Petunia has a son as well, so she won't be able to devote all of her time to Harry either. Petunia is also a spiteful and cruel woman, who hurt Lily so many times. She never loved her sister, so I can't imagine her showing any affection towards her nephew. I on the other hand, already love Harry, as if he were my own son. And I can assure you that me and Remus will show him more love than those Dursley's" insisted Raya.
"I don't doubt that. But is care and affection really enough?" Questioned Dumbledore.

"Money isn't everything. And the Dursley's aren't exactly rich either" reminded Raya.
"This isn't about wealth, this is about protecting Harry" admitted Dumbledore.
"And you think he will be safer with a bunch of Muggles, than he would be in his ancestral home, with a Squib and a wizard?" Frowned Raya.
"A Squib and a werewolf" corrected Dumbledore.
"Don't bring my brothers blood curse in to this. If you thought he was a threat, you wouldn't have let him into Hogwarts. Remus can leave the house each month, so that no one will be in any danger. Him being a werewolf won't impact how we raise Harry".

"Then let me ask you this, do you really think that the Ministry will give you Harry?" Quizzed Dumbledore.
"I'm his legal guardian. I'm the one his parents chose to look after him, should anything happen to them. And I doubt the Ministry want the famous boy who lived, being raised by Muggles" answered Raya.
"I mean, do you really think they will let you take Harry away from his family? You are currently under investigation for being a spy and a death eater. You are married to a man who has just been sent to life in Azkaban for murdering a whole bunch of people. And you could end up in there yourself, very soon. You're also a Squib, and your brother is a werewolf. Neither of you have jobs or a steady income. So, let me ask you again, do you really think they will give you Harry?" Asked Dumbledore.

"If they don't hand him over willingly, I will just take him. Because I know that is what James and Lily would want" mumbled Raya.
"And is that what's best for your son? If you kidnap Harry, the Ministry will move against you. You'll be taken from your son and placed in Azkaban. Is that really what you want?" Questioned Dumbledore.
"Don't talk like you give a damn about me and my son. This is all about Harry. So tell me, why are you turning this into a battle?" Demanded Raya.
"I am trying to keep Harry safe. He is important for the future of our people"
"I know about the prophecy. But it's already come to fruition. Harry beat Voldemort and the evil guy is dead now".

"Harry may have temporarily stopped Voldemort, but he is not yet dead. There was no body left in Godric's Hollow. Mark my words, Voldemort will return, and when he does Harry will be in grave danger" warned Dumbledore.
"I can protect him better than you or any Muggle family ever could" replied Raya.
"Maybe you could. But there is something more powerful than either of us" revealed Dumbledore.
"And what's that?"
"Love"
"Love? And how exactly is love going to stop Voldemort?".

"Harry survived and deflected Voldemort's killing curse, because Lily sacrificed herself to save him, creating a love barrier. And as long as Harry can still call home the place where his mother's blood dwells, he cannot be harmed by Voldemort. Which is why he must live with his aunt. His mother's sacrifice is kept alive in Petunia's blood. If keeping Harry at the Dursley's protects him from dark forces, then that is where he must stay. I don't want to fight you, Raya. But I will do whatever it takes to keep the boy alive... I'd ask you to trust me, but I know that I have lost your trust, so I will not ask that of you. But please, just promise me that you will stay away from Harry. Believe me when I say that it is in his best interests. If you truely care about him, you will let him go" informed Dumbledore.

"Wait! Not raising him is one thing, but staying out of his life is another. I can't just turn my back and abandon him, not when I'm all he's got left" insisted Raya.
"You won't be abandoning him, you'll be protecting him. Harry can't know about magic until he turns 11 and attends Hogwarts" replied Dumbledore.
"10 years is a long time, Dumbledore. You can't expect me to stay out of his life for that long" admitted Raya.
"If you love him, then you will do as I ask, and let him live his own life. You and your friends cast a pretty big shadow, which is why you have to let him become his own person. He has to be more than James and Lily's son. He needs to grow up away from the world in which he is the Chosen One. You know how arrogant James was when he arrived at Hogwarts. Harry will be worse if we don't leave him alone".

"Alright, fine. I'll make you a deal. I will stay out of his life until he turns 11, if you do to" said Raya.
"Deal" replied Dumbledore.
"I mean it. You are to have absolutely no contact with him, until he arrives at Hogwarts. I don't want you molding him to a soldier who obeys your every command. I don't want him trusting you like we did, and being let down. If I have to stay away from my godson, then you have to keep away from Harry as well"
"I will respect your wishes".

"Good. You also have to stay away from me and my family. I don't want to see you anymore. And I don't want you interfering in my trial" informed Raya.
"I do not want to let you fend for yourselves. But if this is what you want, then I will stay away" promised Dumbledore.
"You'd better... Goodbye Dumbledore. And don't come back... And if one day the truth comes out, and Sirius is proven innocent, don't expect me to accept your forgiveness of how you treated us. For I do not forget, and I do not forgive".