~Chapter Ten~
Confessions
Minerva glanced over at the information that Harry had brought her. It answered no questions; instead it caused many new questions. She was tired, but she knew she had at least a few more hours before it would even be acceptable for her to sleep. She knew Harry would want to visit with his children for a little while, and would be eating with Luna and Neville. She felt like she really was getting too old for all of this.
"Perhaps, a nap is just what I need," Minerva said as she headed around from the behind her desk.
Harry saw his children first, James sitting beside his favorite tree, raking his hand through his hair. Harry grinned. James was looking more and more like him everyday. Rose was standing there, playing the mother hen, and Harry couldn't help to think she was very much like her mother. Hugo was rolling his eyes at her, doodling on his parchment; Jack Longbottom was zapping leaves as they fell toward the earth. Albus was showing off for Lily and her friend. Harry froze. He hadn't known that Rayleigh Riddle would become friends with his children. It never occurred to him that she would. Lily and Rayleigh embraced, laughing at Albus' antics.
"Daddy!" Lily shouted, pulling free of Rayleigh's arm. The other kids looked up to see Harry walking to them. Rayleigh looked away momentarily as Harry came towards them. Harry embraced Lily immediately, thrilled to be the only man in her life. It would thankfully be a few years before she was interested in boys, and by then, perhaps, he could convince Ginny to send her to the school Fleur had attended. Something told him that neither Ginny nor Lily would be ok with an all girls' school.
"Hey there, Lily," Harry said as he hugged her, spinning her in a circle. Rayleigh had watched this and then looked away. Harry could feel for her, having never known a gentle father's touch himself. Harry put Lily down and allowed her to drag him over to the others. She was thrilled to introduce Rayleigh to him.
"Rye, this is my dad, Harry. Dad, this is Rayleigh Riddle, my best friend," Lily said proudly. Rayleigh shook Harry's hand, smiled at him, and returned to where she was sitting. Harry sat down near the group and discussed with them how their classes were going. As expected, Rose was excelling, which meant Albus was doing phenomenal, as well. James remained quiet, a smile playing on his lips. He was watching Rayleigh, who was poking her wand into the dirt in front of her crossed legs. This did not slip unnoticed by Harry, whose oldest son had indeed turned out very much like him.
"James, you want to walk with me to the Longbottoms'?" Harry asked his son.
"Sure, dad," James said as he shrugged and nodded, climbing to his feet. Harry waved good bye to the others as he and James headed toward the on-campus housing that had been built. They walked in silence for a while.
"Do you want to tell me about it?" Harry asked. James looked at his father in disbelief, his mouth slightly open. James snapped it shut and shrugged.
"I don't know what you mean," James mumbled. Harry had used the same defense plenty of times.
"I mean, do you want to tell me how you feel about Rayleigh Riddle?" Harry asked his son quietly. James blushed and mumbled something Harry didn't quite catch. "Is it supposed to be a secret that you are obviously interested in a first year?"
"Well, when you say it like that, dad, it sounds awful," James groaned. Harry laughed.
"She's eleven," Harry reminded him gently. "Same age as your sister, remember? You need to be smart about this, because at her age, four years is a lot of years."
"She turns twelve on Halloween," James said in defense. Harry smiled at him.
"Still, three years is a lot, especially with you have just turned fifteen this past July," Harry said. He walked along with his son, knowing the boy wanted, needed, his support. "What does she think of all this?"
"Ha, like I have told her anything," James laughed almost bitterly. He thought back to the night in the common room. "She seems cool, but then if she and I are alone, she refuses to come near me. I think she is afraid of me."
"Well, you have to admit, your condition is a little frightening to those who may not understand," Harry said. He smiled at his boy, thinking of his mentor, Remus. "How did last night go?"
"It was as boring as ever," James admitted. James kicked a stone, and continued walking with his father. "I wish that I had someone else like me, someone afflicted."
"Do you?" Harry asked surprised at his son's revelation.
"Well, no, not like me, because that would mean that he would have had to be infected, but sometimes I wish I wasn't so alone in this," James said as he continued toward the married teacher housing.
"James, we are all given gifts," Harry said quietly. "Sometimes we are not meant to understand why things happen the way they do until it is time. I never wanted to be famous, but fame was pressed upon me. The same is true with you. You never wanted to be tainted with werewolf serum, and yet it happened. The wolfs-bane potion helps, but to a person who hasn't been already afflicted with a blood-taint, you are still dangerous."
"I know, but it is so lonely," James moaned. He rolled his eyes and stopped, having reached the married teacher's housing.
"Out of that loneliness, you grow," Harry said wisely. James laughed.
"Now, you are sounding a lot like Aunt Hermione," James teased as he embraced his father. Harry laughed and left his son standing alone outside.
James walked back towards the lake, grateful to see that his siblings, cousins, and few friends hadn't left him. He looked at Rayleigh and wondered if his father was right about her. She was really much younger than he was. She was twirling her wand playfully as Albus was telling her about some non-adventure that he had over the summer. Rayleigh had laughed appropriately, but James could tell that she wasn't really listening. She had looked up at him, and the look she had given him wasn't one of an innocent eleven year old child.
James swallowed. He knew that look she had, because he had the look plenty before in the days leading up to the full moon. The wolfs-bane potion curbed the hunger, but not the transformation. His eyes were locked on Rayleigh, watching her with intense curiosity. She was the one who turned away first, heat rising to her face. She stood, almost ignoring Lily and Albus.
"I have to go," Rayleigh said suddenly and she took off to the school. Rose looked up, alarmed, and as did the boys, but Lily smiled and waved. James looked at Lily who shrugged.
"You know, girl issues," Lily murmured, averting her eyes quickly. She was not good a lying, especially to James, and they both knew it. James shook his head, but sat down by the tree. He knew that Lily would fess up to him if he pressed it, but he had a feeling this was one of those times he needed to let her come to him.
"I am starved," Hugo said as his stomach audibly growled. They all laughed and decided that dinner would probably be served soon. They headed back to their common room to ready for dinner, and met back into the common room after changing.
"Should we wait on Rayleigh?" Rose asked Lily. Lily shook her head.
"No, she's… busy," Lily said as she forced a smile. "She'll be down in a little while."
James didn't think anything of it until he practically ran her down as he was heading out of the portrait hole. She looked calmer; more appeased, and promised she would meet them down in the Great Hall. James looked at Rose rather questioningly but he was only met with a shrug for an answer. James watched the doors, waiting on Rayleigh to appear. She was being escorted by his father, who was listening as Rayleigh was telling him something. Harry had nodded, tapping his watch, and Harry took a seat near the Head Mistress while Rayleigh had taken a seat next to Lily.
The patrons of the hall were chatting and eating, and James continued to look at Rayleigh curiously. He watched as she nicked her finger with the knife and placed it immediately in her napkin. He leaned forward to her, lowering his voice so that only she could hear him.
"How was the potion this time around?" James asked.
"Delicious, as always," Rayleigh replied without thought. She jerked her head up, a look of horror and shock on her face. James looked at her smugly, his arms crossing in his chest as he looked at her. There was no denying it. He knew it just from the look on her face. She, too, had a blood-taint coursing through her veins. From on the look on her face, he could deduct, that she thought that no one really knew.
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