A/N ~ Thankyou to everyone who has read and reviewed, you can all blame Scout for this being posted… she badgered me into it…. I hope this story continues to make you smile.
Consequences ~ Chapter 3
Mathew had always suspected that his dad was a lot more fun than his mother had described. To hear her tell their story it had been one scary, worrying situation after another, always with the ever-present threat of Lord Voldemort hanging over them. As much as she had claimed to love her time at Hogwarts, from all that he had heard her say about it he had often wondered why. His hope had been that his own time there would be a lot more fun than hers had been.
Now that he'd spent a day with his father he couldn't believe that they both went to the same school.
`So, hang on a minute, they dropped out of school after setting up a swamp in a corridor.'
Harry grinned, `yep flew off into the sunset on their broomsticks… those two are hilarious, they came up against your mum a time or two though, and came off second best at that. In fact I think that was the only time anyone ever successfully stopped them in their tracks.'
`Really?' Mathew asked intrigued, `what happened?'
`Well they had created these sweets called feinting fancies, to get you out of class, you'd chew them and then feint then once you'd been excused you'd chew the other end and you'd be fine and free to enjoy yourself. Anyway they were testing them on first year students and Hermione, I mean your mum, lost it with them and demanded that they stop, or she'd tell their mum, it was fantastic. They had no comeback to that!'
Mathew laughed appreciatively at his Dad's story, `Was their mum scary?'
`Oh Mrs Weasley is fantastic, but, yeah, she is scary. It was a good threat. They're great guys Fred and George, fantastic beaters.'
Mathew looked at his Dad in confusion, `Beaters?' he asked unsure if he was supposed to know what that meant.
`Yeah' his dad looked at him for a moment, `she never taught you about quidditch did she?'
`Oh, no, mum told me about quidditch.' Mathew rushed to correct him.
`She said it's a dangerous sport that I'm not allowed to play, and that you were nearly killed playing it too many times to count.'
`I can't believe that's all she's told you about quidditch!' Harry exclaimed aghast, `It's the best sport in the world, I'll have to take you to a game, you'll see for yourself.'
`Alright then that sounds like fun!' Mathew agreed readily, the idea of spending another afternoon or day with his dad sounded like a great idea.
Harry grinned at his son, `I'll teach you how to play too if you like, If you liked flying you'll love playing quidditch. Besides you're a Potter, even if your mum wanted too she wouldn't be able to stop you playing. My Dad was on the Gryffindor team and so was I and I'm sure you will be too'
He sounded so confident as if merely stating a fact that Mathew immediately became worried again. What if he didn't make the team? Or worse, what if he wasn't sorted into Gryffindor? Mathew didn't even want to think about what would happen if he didn't even get a letter to go to Hogwarts. His dad must've seen his worry on his face.
`What's wrong?' he asked abruptly, suddenly looking concerned.
`Oh I was just thinking.' Mathew said reluctant to confess his feelings to a father he barely knew.
`About what?' Harry persisted.
Mathew sighed, he could see his father wasn't going to give up so easily.
`I just thought, I might not make the team, or maybe I won't be in Gryffindor, or maybe not even get a letter for Hogwarts.'
Mathew noticed that although his dad was still looking serious he seemed a lot less worried, than he had a few moments ago.
`Look, Matt, I can't guarantee that you'll be in Gryffindor, though I'm pretty sure you will be, and I can't guarantee that you'll make the quidditch team whichever house your in, though I'm pretty confident of it after seeing you fly today, But I can guarantee you two things. One, you're mother and I will love you whichever house you're in, and two, you're going to Hogwarts. Anyone with enough magic to fly a broom has enough magic to go to Hogwarts.'
Mathew still had his doubts but decided, for his newfound father's peace of mind, not to press the issue. Harry sensing this leaned in closer.
`Your mum was almost in Ravenclaw and,' his voice dropped low, `I was very nearly made a Slytherin, but don't tell anyone cause not even your mother knows that. I had to practically beg the sorting hat not to put me there.'
Mathew thought about this for a moment before responding.
`So, the hat listens to you does it? If you ask it not to put you somewhere it won't'
Harry leaned back in his chair and thought about it.
`I guess, I mean I asked it not to put me in Slytherin so it didn't and I can't think why it wouldn't have put your mum in Ravenclaw, unless she asked it not to, she was far and away the smartest witch in our year.'
Mathew glowed to hear his Dad compliment his mother like that without even a second thought, and he wondered if they would get married now that they were together again.
`I read Hogwarts a history and it said that Hufflepuff's are loyal, Gryffindor's are brave, Ravenclaw's are smart and Slytherin's are cunning. I guess most people have at least a bit of each of those characteristics in them don't they.'
Harry looked at him for a moment in stunned disbelief and then started to laugh like Matt had just told him the best joke ever.
`It's amazing, you look just like me but for a moment there you reminded me so much of your mother!'
Mathew grinned, pleased already seeing how highly Harry thought of his mother, `Why?'
`She was always quoting Hogwarts a History to me when we were in school, if I had a knut for every time she told me `you can't apparate or disapparate inside Hogwarts'…' he let his sentence trail off with a laugh.
`But honestly,' he said a minute later, `you're absolutely right. I guess in the end it comes down to what is most important to you.'
`What's most important to you?' Hermione asked as she came in through the kitchen door where Harry and Mathew were sitting at the table.
`Hello' Harry said standing up and going to give her a kiss. Mathew averted his eyes and his stomach jolted uncomfortably. It was nice to have two parents he told himself trying to squash the feeling of jealousy that had arisen when his mother didn't great him first.
`Hey Scruff,' she said ruffling his hair as she went past, heading to the sink for a glass of water, `so… what's most important to you?' she asked again now leaning against the bench, glass of water in hand.
`We were just talking about the Hogwarts houses and how most people have elements of each in them and that it probably came down to what was most important to them in the end.' Harry answered seemingly proud to re-tell the conversation he'd been having with his son.
His mum seemed to think about it for a moment or two, `I suppose that's true, but Matt you know it won't make any difference to me, sorry, us,' she corrected hastily, `which house your in.'
`Yes I was just telling him that.' Harry replied, but some of his former enthusiasm seemed to be missing.
`I know,' Matt said rushing to fill the awkward tense silence that had suddenly filled the room, `I even thought I might not get my Hogwarts letter!' He laughed to show that he now realised how silly that thought had been.
His Dad smiled at him but for some reason his mothers frown deepened further, `it is a possibility I suppose.'
Now it was Matt's turn to frown, `but Dad said that anyone who could fly a broom was defiantly magic enough to go to Hogwarts.'
He looked to his Dad for confirmation only to find he looked distinctly uncomfortable. Matt had only a split second to wonder why before his mum spoke and he suddenly knew.
`Harry Potter please tell me you didn't let him fly your Firebolt.'
Harry looked at his hands and muttered sheepishly, `I didn't let him fly my Firebolt.'
`Then how exactly was he able to fly?' She demanded now hands on hips.
Matt felt terrible, he hadn't meant to get his father into trouble.
`I bought him his own broom.' He answered looking up quiet determination on his face.
For the first time in his memory his mother looked really afraid, Matt couldn't understand it why was it so scary that he had his own broom?
`How?' she asked though she looked as though she already knew the answer.
`From Quality Quidditch Supplies.' Harry answered looking stubborn
Matt was starting to get the distinct impression that he was missing and important aspect of the conversation, like something was being communicated without words.
`In Diagon Alley?' His mother asked now a cold kind of anger in her voice.
`Where else?' His dad responded
`No that's fine!' His mother responded shrilly.
What was fine? Mathew wanted to scream, he didn't understand what was going on. It was like watching a sport that looked like tennis but obviously had very different rules. He felt like he should know what was going on but he really, really didn't.
`Really Harry how could you be so thoughtless? You know what'll happen now don't you?' She was shouting now and she took a step closer. Harry stood up obviously not prepared to back down.
`Yes I do, and so does Matt! We discussed it before we went and it was his decision.'
Matt was completely bewildered now, he didn't remember having any kind of discussion with his dad before they went.
`HIS decision? Harry he's a child!' He'd never seen his mother like this before and it was scary.
`He's ten Hermione, another year and he'll be at Hogwarts. You do remember the kinds of things we did in our first year at Hogwarts, don't you? Besides I also remember very clearly how much I used to hate it when people made decisions for me!'
`Yes but those people weren't your parents!'
The argument that was beginning to get quite heated suddenly ground to a halt. His father's face was a mask of hurt and anger and his mother simply looked horrified. She had gone from righteous indignation to horrified guilt in less than a second and Mathew abruptly remembered that his father was orphaned as a baby, a funny thing to forget really considering it was part of the reason he was famous. His father opened his mouth to speak and then saw Mathew looking at him. Whatever he saw when their eyes met seemed to change his mind about something, because his expression softened.
`No they weren't my parents, but I'm Matt's father and he wasn't ashamed for anyone to know it.'
Matt suddenly realised in a flash what they were talking about and wondered how he could've been stupid enough not to have realised sooner.
`That's right,' he said looking to his mum, `Dad told me that if we went out in public together everyone would stare and I'd probably have my picture in the paper and stuff. He offered to put a glamour on me if I wanted, but I said no.' His Dad smiled at him but his Mum just looked like she was about to cry.
`I had to give him the choice Hermione, otherwise he might think I'm not proud of him, and I am.'
`Oh Harry I'm sorry.' She said tears welling in her eyes.
Harry's expression softened even more and he offered her a small smile.
`It's ok Hermione, I know how hard it must be for you. You've had Matt to yourself all this time, and now you have to share' Harry's sentence was cut off as his mum launched herself at him in a bone crushing hug, now sobbing openly.
`Harry I've missed you so much, you have no idea…' she sobbed into his chest.
Matt began to feel distinctly uncomfortable, as though he was witnessing something especially private. The feeling intensified when his Dad wrapped his arms around his sobbing Mum and began to stroke her hair and kiss her face.
`I think I have a pretty good idea, I've missed you too.' He said kissing her face.
Just as Matt was about to slink out the door and find somewhere to hide, his mother reached out to him, `C'mere Scruff, I want a hug from you too.'
Matt allowed himself to be enfolded in his parent's warm embrace feeling for the first time since they'd arrived in England that he was really home.
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