Chapter 17
Building a Home
Potter Ranch
Past
David looks at the address in his hand and then quickly to the road before him. A smile crosses his face as he finds the right number on the mailbox on the side of the road and quickly turns onto the graveled road. He finds himself wondering what could be hidden here in this small forest of trees. He wonders how Harry could put such a design together when there isn't any space for it.
All his thoughts end as the trees die off leaving an open space quickly followed by a tall brick wall. He looks at the gates before him and smiles more; the old style looking metal hangings have two letters on each side, H and H, which he knows to mean Harry and Hermione or the other way around, doesn't really matter. He pulls to a stop as he reaches it and is surprised when they slowly start to swing open for him to enter. Continuing his drive he finds everything he has just seen not even coming close to the grandeur of what is before him.
After driving for a few more minutes he realizes he has been driving with his mouth hanging open. He quickly closes it as he looks at the sight before him once again. Bringing his car to a stop some distance away from the house, he quickly gets out of the car and looks up at the four story building before him. His mind starts to catalog everything about the, well, castle before him. To say it is large is like saying England is really an island, to say it is huge is like comparing a grain of sand to the universe. A knowing smile crosses his face as he sees one window, the library, at least he thinks so.
The house before him looks like an enchanted castle of times long since lost, only to be remembered in the books of history. It instantly reminds him of stories Hermione always tells them about Hogwarts, only, well, smaller if such a thing were possible. A very awesome sight to behold, a sight leaving the observer breathless and honored, for he knows what it must have taken to build such a place and for it to be built for his daughter means more to him than he can put into words. For this man to build this house for the woman he loves, only shows the love he contains is the greatest and most pure love David has had the pleasure of ever seeing or meeting.
A small chuckle from behind him breaks his concentration, his awed observation of the place built solely for his daughter. If he ever doubted this young man loved his daughter, he doesn't now. Turning around David sees a man who he has come to love as his own. "Are you going to continue just standing there," Harry asks the man he hopes will someday be his father-in-law.
A smile breaks across David's face, "just waiting for the grand tour," he teases the young man before him.
Harry bows at this, "then allow me master to give you the tour of the princesses land," he says still bowing to David. Standing straight once again he continues, "The princess would be most displeased with her servant if he didn't," Harry returns the teasing thus reminding David why he loves this man and why this man is so perfect for his daughter. They complete each other; his daughter is always so serious, too serious as so can this young man, but together they make laughter the main topic, smiles always shared and love always felt. He has never seen anyone like them and he knows he never will again. He knows from stories told to him by her daughter this man has every right to be hateful, rude, snobbish, and down right depressed, yet he refuses to be. He refuses to let anyone around him wallow in self pity; he does his best to lighten the mood, to brighten everyone's day even if on the inside he feels he is dying. It was one thing to hear his daughter talk about it and a totally different thing to see and be affected by it.
"Yes she would be most displeased," David tries to say sternly but only ends up laughing. Up until this moment in time his day has been for lack of a better word horrid. His patients were nearly impossible and he got into an argument with his wife about the bills. In short it has been one of those days. His spirits have been lifting since he received Harry's call about two hours after he walked into the house and now to see this place, so to speak, in the flesh has made this day one of his best.
"I would not like for that to happen kind master," Harry says with a small smile, "would the master wish to lead or to follow on this bright and gorgeous afternoon," Harry asks continuing the joke.
"Today I'd wish to follow, but not very often will this be the case," David grins at the look of mischief in the young man's eyes.
"Very well kind master, where would you like to start the tour today," Harry asks stepping up beside David.
David thinks for a moment, "I think the best place to start is where my daughter will start her mornings, then the rest of the rooms, then the kitchen, the study, the living room, the dinning room, and then lastly where she will spend most of her time," he tells Harry knowing he will know what he is talking about. The smile crossing the young man's face confirms as much.
Harry bows once again, "as you wish my master, please follow me," Harry says walking up to the door of the house and directs David to enter before him. They then spend the next two hours looking at room after room after room until finally they come upon the last room David had said and the only room left unseen to his eyes.
Harry stops in front of the large wooden oak double doors leading to the final room. "So Mr. Granger," he says, "What do you think thus far," he asks.
"Call me David, Harry," David says with a smile. "To answer your question, I love it and I know Hermione will love it as well," he says answering his question. "Every room in this place would put Buckingham Palace to shame. You will be treating your guests like royalty," he says with a shake of his head. "The master bedroom," he whistles here, "that room is in and of itself its own house, I can't imagine what the room behind this door will look like," he says pointing to the doors behind him. "That kitchen puts the queens to shame, I mean every queen in any time in any universe," he says looking around the room once again. "I can't wait to see it with furniture," he says with a knowing smile.
"I will leave that up to your daughter," Harry says confirming his suspicions. "However I have already placed some things in the room behind you," Harry says to him with a small smile. "Not much mind you, just some," he says with a shrug. "If she doesn't like them she can throw them out," he says stepping forward and placing his hands on the two knobs of the door.
"She will love it Harry," David says knowingly. "The fact it comes from you will make it all the better," he tells Harry.
"Thanks," Harry says and blushes at the compliment. "Shall we," he says trying to change the subject.
"I do believe we shall," David says and Harry turns the knobs and pushes the doors open to reveal the last unexplored room in the house. David's mouth drops open and he knows for a fact if it were possible his chin would have hit the floor. He steps slowly into the room looking at every crevice in front of him, once he gets to the middle of the room he rotates and looks at the whole of the room. "Now this is a library," he says in awe as he continues to let what he sees before him sink in.
There are three stories of shelves; on each level there is a circular staircase leading up to the next level, the staircase is of an old fashion and the railing seems to be trimmed in gold. The room is larger than any of the other previous ones. Each story has their own ladder on wheels secured to the shelves, for the reader to search the tall shelves and not worry about what to stand on or how to reach it. David easily sees what Harry had added, five of the shelves are full of books but the others are awaiting their mistress to fill them. David knows this library puts any library he has ever been in too shame, and that's saying something, he has been to Notre Dame, Stanford, Oxford, Cambridge, and many others and they don't hold a candles breath to the sight before him. He knows from tales told to him by his daughter, this library would even put the Hogwarts library to shame.
The room is almost circular in design therefore allowing the ladders to continue around the area non-stop. The carpet is red and gold with the design of the Gryffindor lion in the center and the Hogwarts design right next to it. Above these two and a ways away are designs he knows oh so well, David looks at Harry to see him still standing at the door way, he quickly looks back at Hermione's family crests, both sides of the family. Them below the Gryffindor and Hogwarts designs are what appear to be more family crests and surrounding both Hermione's and what he figures to be Harry's main family crests there are more surrounding the outside of the main ones but only smaller and more of them.
Turning back to Harry he points to the large ones below Gryffindor and Hogwarts, "your family crests," he asks and Harry nods his head in agreement. "And these," David asks wondering why they are here and what they mean. To him they look like family crests as well, but he doesn't know whose.
Harry finally steps away from the doorway and comes over to David. "They are mirrored on each side," Harry tells him and David quickly looks to see it is truth. He looks at Harry confused. Harry points to a group and outlines them with his aim, "the Weasley's," he informs David who's eyes widen in shock, why didn't he think about that, off course Harry would consider them family, "Hagrid," Harry continues as he points to each on in turn, "Sirius, Dumbledore, Lupin, McGonagall, Longbottom, Brown," he pauses here and points to one specific one, "this one is not mirrored," he says looking to David, "Hermione doesn't know," he says with a shrug, "Snape," he says to the confused man with him, "that's really all, you know, family," Harry finishes as he continues to look at the ones he pointed at for Sirius.
David knows Harry still misses his godfather and it is still a sore topic. So deciding to change the subject he points to the animals surrounding the family crests on the outer part of the carpet before the gold boarder, "what do those represent," he asks.
Harry smiles as he walks over to the outer part of the designed carpet before it gives way to a wooden floor to make the ladder move easier. "They are the Animagus designs of each family member who could, either registered or not, change into some type of animal" Harry explains.
This gets David's attention, "who are they," he asks interested. He has heard Hermione talk about such a thing, but he never thought he would see pictures of them let alone knows one or see one.
"Right here we are starting off with Moony, better known to you as Lupin, he's a werewolf," Harry says pointing at the design on the floor. Harry walks up to the next design, "this is obviously a cat, it is Professor McGonagall," he says and together they go to the next one, "this I am not sure if you have ever seen, it is a Phoenix, a magical and wonderful bird, Albus Dumbledore, this is an owl, Ginny Longbottom, this is a coyote, Ron Weasley, these two are very fitting, an monkey, George Weasley, a sloth, Fred Weasley," by this time they were at the middle of the far side of the room, "this is Prongs, he's a stag, he is James Potter," Harry says this and David instantly looks at the figure more closely knowing he owes this figure's owner a great deal of thanks for the man standing next to him.
Harry continues on, "the figure here," he says pointing to a very beautiful looking rabbit to the side of Prongs, "is a very unknown one, it took me forever to locate it, it is a figure of what looks to be a common everyday rabbit, when it fact it is one of the rarest animals to date, it is magical in its own nature, it is called a Coran, it is Lilly Evans Potter," Harry explains to David as he continues to the next figure next to it, "these two aren't really Animagus, however after many hours of searching and testing I have come up with the fact if they could these two would be their animals," Harry explains.
"This one," Harry says pointing to a furry looking Panda Bear like creature, "this is you," Harry says looking at David, whose mouth has dropped open in total shock. Who quickly looks back at Harry, "it is a Panda cub, in the magical world the Panda cub is known for its loyalty to family and honor, I do believe it fits well," Harry says paying the man with him a huge compliment but then points to the other figure, "this obviously is Mrs. Granger," he says pointing to a snow white colored dog, "it is an Alaskan Husky, this animal contains fierce loyalty and protect it's young from any and all dangers, a fitting figure for her as well," Harry says.
Before David can say a word Harry is off walking towards the next set of figures, "this one is a rare one as well, very rare even in magic, it is a white fox, sly, knowing, proud, smarter then me, dedicated, determined, stubborn, loyal, loving, magical," Harry says looking down at the figure before him.
"Who is it," David asks wondering who could be such a rare and awe inspiring figure of such beauty.
Harry looks up at David, "Hermione," he says honestly and then walks over to a large black dog who would terrify anyone it met, "this is Padfoot, he is Sirius," he says pointing down at the figure and then moving on to three smaller figure, smaller than all the others.
"Who are they and why are they so small," David asks knowing not to ask about Sirius.
"They are one person, a rare find in our world, to have three forms is unheard of, however there are more and I didn't put them here for no one knows of them," Harry explains. "They however are me," he says looking up at David and shrugs.
"What are they," David says knowing Harry will never freely give this information because he is embarrassed with it.
"This one is an eagle, this one is a Sphinx, and this one is a panther," Harry says to David as he points them out.
"And their meanings," David asks.
"A seer, a protector, a fighter," Harry says looking around the room at all of the other pictures and the shelves.
"Does this mean you can see the future," David asks.
"It means I can sometimes see the future or the present in a different place, but more towards the point I can see the whole of the sums," Harry tries to explain. "Something I haven't always been able to do, and still can't seem to do very well," he confesses.
"I know you are a protector and a fighter," David says to him, "I now can understand how it is people can trust you so, follow you so willingly into battle, they know you will fight to your death just to protect them," David says knowing for the first time he truly understands and that he himself would follow this man into battle if he asked him to.
Harry smiles at David, "so David what did you think of the grand tour," he asks changing the subject once again.
David can't help but laugh at this, "I love it," he says honestly.