Harry's Future

Chapter 42

Chapter 42

Sunday morning found Harry in a decidedly better mood than he had been in the last five days. He had had time to consider his situation, consider the impact of what he had done and after spending the prior day with his family, especially the youngest members, he concluded it was something he could live with. But he was convinced that his decision to the leave the Ministry was the right one. This is not to say that he was all smiles and dancing around the kitchen table but gone were the sorrowful eyes and the heavy heart. 

He was still the first one up Sunday morning and he was sitting drinking his first cup of tea when Mrs. Weasley walked into the kitchen. When she saw Harry she stopped and gave him an appraising look. 

"How are you feeling, Harry? Didn't you sleep well last night?" 

"I'm doing fine, Mum. I slept pretty well but I woke up early and I thought if I tried going back to sleep I'd wind up disturbing Ginny so I came down," he said. 

"It'll be a bit before anything is ready for breakfast, Harry. We'll you be alright?" 

"I'll be fine, Mum. Whenever it's ready will be alright," he replied. 

So Harry sat and sipped his tea while his mum went about fixing breakfast. They exchanged some small talk but Molly slipped in a few questions drawing from Harry some ideas about what the future held. He was hoping that the Headmistress wasn't going to still be upset when he talked to her the following day. He knew his future would be secure thanks to his parents and Sirius' legacies but secure wasn't the same as satisfying, interesting or challenging. He was also anxious to get settled into the new house. 

"Harry, I couldn't help but notice that you didn't mention anything about the baby," Molly said quietly. 

"To be perfectly honest with you, Mum, I've been trying not to think about it. The closer it gets the scarier it seems to be," Harry said, looking at her with a small grin. "I'm going to be an actual father, not just a guardian or godfather or uncle, but a true dad. It seems a little unreal." 

"Unreal? This coming from a man who can turn himself into a monstrous great dragon or travel through strange portals to do battle with powerful dark wizards? Bringing a child into the world is the most real thing a person can ever do, young fellow me lad. Miraculous, wondrous, and yes, even magical, but certainly real," she said with a soft smile. "And you can take that from an expert on the subject." 

Harry smiled back at her and had the same smile when he heard a soft voice call from the staircase. 

"Harry, is everything alright? You look like you've been awake for a while already," Ginny said. 

"I did get up early. But I'm alright. I slept pretty well." 

She smiled at him and walked, slowly, into the kitchen and with help from her husband sat down at the table where he leaned in to give her a kiss on the cheek and receive one in return. Shortly after, Mr. Weasley also came to the table and Mrs. Weasley began to serve breakfast. It was a leisurely meal and the conversation went over much of the same territory as had Harry and Mrs. Weasley shortly before. 

Ginny was very anxious to be settled into their new home with their expanded family. She was likewise concerned about what Harry was in for when he next met with Professor McGonagall. Mr. Weasley didn't think it was much to be concerned about. 

"I wouldn't worry too much about it. She made her position quite clear the other day and I'm willing to wager that she's ready to get down to business," he said. 

"I certainly hope so. I'm not interested in turning into an eleven year old again," Harry said. 

While the others were laughing, someone knocked on the kitchen door. Mrs. Weasley got up saying,