Chapter 3
Harry didn’t come to her bedroom that night and Katherine woke up to a cloudy Sunday. Today she should look for a doctor and the optician. Or maybe it was better to let Harry finish the school with those glasses to avoid another pair broken by Dudley Dursley. That reminded her that she should also look for a new school. Even if that famous Hogwarts was ready to take Harry when he would be eleven years old, there were still a few years of primary school.
Oh, and Dumbledore will come for tea this afternoon. Dumbledore said the war had finished six years before, so why did Harry still need protections? Were bad wizards looking for him after all that time? Well, better safe than sorry in this situation.
Also, she couldn’t deny that she was curious to know about the English magical people who lived apparently hidden just around the corner.
On her way to the kitchen Katherine stopped by Harry’s room. He was still sleeping peacefully, his black hair going in millions of different directions. She decided to let him sleep a bit more. It was Sunday after all.
She was already drinking her tea when footsteps made her look up.
“Good morning Harry, would you like some tea?” A sleepy nod was the only response.
A mug was filled with tea and some scones were put on the table. “I prefer my breakfast sweet, but if you rather have bacon and eggs just tell me, and I’ll add them to the shopping list.”
Harry shook his head. “I had English breakfasts with the Dursley and I had to cook it, I don’t want it anymore.” That, Katherine could understand.
“I’ll make a cake then, it will probably last for all this week.” Harry’s face was full of delight. It was almost painful how easy was to make that kid happy.
“And, since we’re talking about cakes, when is your birthday?”
“31st of July. I will be seven this year!” said Harry, showing his hands with the right number of fingers.
“Seven is an important number, we should celebrate a lot.”
“But birthdays are celebrated with friends, and I don’t have friends.”
“Then, let me think. I could take you to my parents’ house, and Tristan could be there too.” She leaned to whisper conspiratorially, “they also have a small pool in the garden.”
“Wow! I can’t wait” but then his smile faltered a bit. “But I can’t swim” he added quietly.
“Don’t worry, I will be there. And during the summer we can go to the sea and I’ll teach you.” The smile returned.
They finished their breakfast quietly. “What do you want to do today little one?”
“Can we go for a walk in London? I like being outside.”
“Sure, I just have to call a friend and then we can go.” Katherine watched Harry going in his room. Maybe in the new school he can start a sport, she thought while picking up the phone and dialling a number. Her friend Thomas answered right away.
“Hello Katherine, what’s up?”
“Hey Thomas, I need a favour. I found myself taking care of a child and I need the number of a paediatrician for a check-up, is yours available?”
“Sure he is, we just took our Jane last week. But I want to know how you are in this situation.”
“Long story, maybe we can go out for lunch one of these days and I’ll tell you.”
“I count on it. And don’t forget to invite Ellie too. Anyway here’s the number, and the name is doctor Collinson. I’m pretty sure he’ll answer even if it’s Sunday.” She wrote all the information on a post-it.
“Thanks Tom, can’t wait to see you again. Please say hello to Lorena and Jane.”
“Will do. Bye Kath”
“Harry, I have to do another phone call, but after that we go out.”
“Okay, can I read one of your books?” was the answer that came from the other room.
“Of course you can. There is a shelf with children’s books, you can’t mistake it.” She really hoped so, she had some thriller books not very much appropriate for a child.
She slightly glanced over the sofa, relieved when she recognised the book of Peter Rabbit. She dialled the doctor’s number. “Good morning, here’s Doctor Collinson, how may I help you?”
“Good morning, I’m Katherine Knight, I would like to take an appointment for a check-up for a child. He was in foster care with a family, but something happened and now he’s living with me.”
“I think I understand the situation. If you can, I’m free on Tuesday afternoon, let’s say for 4:30 pm? My studio is in Lancaster Drive n.5”
“That would be perfect, thank you very much. We’ll be there. Have a good day” Katherine ended the call with a sense of relief. The sooner Harry was visited the better. “Harry, we can go now if you want.”
Harry slightly jumped. He had been very focused on the book, but now he was already on his feet, ready to go out. “Will you read me a chapter of the book tonight?” he asked shily.
“Before sleep? Absolutely. We could start a tradition. Movie night on Saturdays and story night on Sundays.”
“That’s brilliant. Do you really want to do all these things with me?” he sounded so insecure that Katherine’s heart tightened.
“I swear I want to do these and many more things with you. We are family now.”
“A real family? The Dursleys for me weren’t really family.”
“A real family.” Confirmed Katherine. “Sometimes we will laugh, sometimes we will argue, but it’s normal in a family. But I promise you, I will love you like a son, and I’ll never hurt you intentionally.” She looked at him, trying to convey the feelings she put in that statement. Harry looked like he understood, because the smile he had could have easily blinded someone, and he even launched himself at her for a hug. Hug that she was more than happy to give.
They stayed there in the living room for a while before they remembered they were about to go out. Katherine quickly dried the little tears she had, because yes, the hug moved her, and she tried combing Harry’s hair a bit, without success. “Where do you want to go? To the park, or simply walking through the area?”
“The park. If it’s okay.”
“Harry, you don’t need to ask if it’s okay. I will tell you when something is not okay, but I’m pretty sure I won’t ever have the need.”
“But what if I do something not okay and you get angry at me?” Katherine sighed silently.
“There are few things that are not okay with me. I will get angry if you hurt someone verbally or physically just for fun, or if you don’t treat well your things, do you think you’ll be like this?” Harry shook his head firmly.
“Dudley is like this and I’m not like him. I don’t want to hurt people.”
“Then I will rarely be angry at you Harry, and in that case, I won’t punish you too seriously.” And, she thought grimly, whatever punishment I’ll find, it will be probably better than a Dursley punishment. “Now, let’s put on your new jacket, so we can go to the park.”
Harry ran to his room and came back in a few moments with his jacket and shoes. Katherine held the front door and Harry exited.
They enjoyed their walk to the park, and Harry after a while took her hand, because ‘families hold hands, don’t they?’ and in the park Harry went to the swings, and even Katherine took a turn on them, and for lunch they enjoyed a very greasy fish and chips.
“Maybe it’s time to go home, I don’t know the exact time Professor Dumbledore will arrive.” Harry looked like he wanted to say something, but then nodded. Probably he already knew not to whine and complain about something.
When they came home Professor Dumbledore wasn’t there yet, so Katherine took advantage of it to have a look at her agenda. She had almost forgotten about the job at a wedding in two weeks. She usually didn’t take jobs for weddings, but this was an acquaintance of her. Luckily it was just outside London, but she couldn’t take Harry with her. Maybe she could leave him with Tristan. Or she could take him to Eleonore and Inira, they were always good with children.
While elaborating all kinds of plans, Katherine was shaken by the sound of the doorbell. Dumbledore must have arrived.
“Harry could you open the door please? But only if you see that professor Dumbledore is there. I’ll put the kettle on for the tea.” She heard the little footsteps going towards the door and she went to the kitchen, preparing the table for three. The voices of the boy and the professor became clearer while they approached the kitchen.
“Good afternoon professor, may I offer a cup of tea?”
“Good afternoon my dear, I’ll accept it with great pleasure.” This time Dumbledore’s clothes consisted in long, and still much coloured, robes.
“Sugar or milk?” asked Katherine while pouring the tea.
“Actually, I’ll have a lemon slice, if it’s possible.” Answered Dumbledore.
“Sure, just a moment.” Luckily, she had a lemon in the fridge. After offering the slice to the professor, she sat, taking a sip of her tea.
“I hope you are both adjusting well to your new life.” Said Dumbledore with a hint of a smile under the beard.
“Yes,” exclaimed Harry, “today we went to the park.”
“Ahhh the park, marvellous.” Answered Dumbledore. “It’s always good to take a walk in the fresh air.” The man and Harry kept conversing about the park for a bit before the old wizard cleared his throat.
“Now, if you may excuse us Harry, I would like to spend some words alone with Miss Knight.” Harry looked at Katherine briefly. “It’s okay Harry, why don’t you go and watch the telly?” the child seemed to be happy with the proposal and excused himself.
Now the two adults were looking at each other, the tea finished. Katherine wanted to ask so many things regarding Harry and the wizarding world, but she couldn’t decide where to start. Then her mind travelled to the letter that Petunia Dursley had given to her. “Were the Dursleys really the only people left to take care of Harry? You said you took him there because of the blood protection, but now that is dissipated, is there no one? Grandparents or family friends?” Dumbledore’s eyes went darker at that sentence “I’m not asking because I don’t want him,” she quickly said, “but maybe it’s important for Harry to know them.”
Dumbledore made a long sigh before answering. “Unfortunately, Harry’s grandparents died even before that tragic night. And for the family friends…they are either dead or incapable of raising a child, and the only guardian Harry had, his godfather, is in prison.”
“In prison? What has he done?” really, the legal guardian in prison. Could this man be even worse than the Dursleys if left alone raising Harry?
Dumbledore’s voice became even sadder. “He betrayed us all, and in particular James and Lily. That man was James’s best friend, almost like a brother, and he betrayed him.” Katherine was shocked. “How,” she managed to ask.
“There was an incantation that kept the Potters hidden. Only one person knew the secret of the incantation and that person was Sirius Black, that’s his name. But he told the secret to Voldemort, and the Potters were found.”
“Why did he do such a thing? He was his best friend and Harry’s godfather! Was he tortured?”
“No no, we believe he was a spy all along, he even killed one of his friends, who had discovered him.”
“Oh my goodness, that’s terrible. Was he so evil?”
“Well, he came from a dark wizarding family, some people were already suspecting of him, but not James Potter. He trusted the man with his life.”
“Can’t imagine how horrible his trial must have been, with him confessing all these cruel things.” At that Dumbledore looked at her.
“There wasn’t a trial.”
Katherine blinked.
“He was arrested right after he murdered his friend. He made a muggle street blow up, only a finger remained of his friend’s body. And when the Aurors arrested him, he just laughed without opposing resistance.”
Katherine’s mind began to wonder. She had read a lot of crimes book, and yes, she knew that wasn’t enough to make her a detective, yet she could tell something was off. “You never found a body and never held a trial but still accounted him as the certain killer and put him in jail?” she said, not without a bit of angriness. She knew it was a remote possibility, but what if this man was innocent? Harry could have had someone with him. That’s all she could think about.
“But he was the secret keeper. Everyone knew that.” Said Dumbledore.
“And this is strange, isn’t it? A secret keeper should be secret. Don’t you find weird that everyone, both friends and enemies already knew it was him?” yes, that was a good point to start. Why choose someone for such an important task and let everyone know about it. What if… “What if he wasn’t the actual secret keeper.” At that Dumbledore became even more focused than he was before. She kept on.
“Let’s suppose he wasn’t the secret keeper. That information was just a plan to confuse the enemies. Who was the real one? Probably that friend that Sirius killed. Maybe it was all reversed and he killed him out of revenge. Could this be a valid option?”
The wizard seemed to think about it. “I suppose it could. Sirius was very impulsive. Oh my, why didn’t I ask myself these questions before. Sirius was the obvious choice, but…” and he started talking to himself. Then, suddenly, he raised. “I believe there are some important matters I have to discuss at the ministry. It is time for Sirius Black to have a trial. Maybe he is guilty, but you made me doubt and if you are right, he shouldn’t be in Azkaban a moment longer. I’ll install some protections and then I’ll go.”
Katherine watched as the old wizard took a wand out of his robes and started moving it around while chanting long and complicated words. Her mind went back to Sirius Black. Was he really guilty? Or not? Could that night of six years ago hold more mysteries than anticipated?