Eight Days a Week
Tuesday, 22 September 1998
Harry had just gotten done with training and had thankfully made it out without getting stabbed.
He came into his quarters to see Theo laying on the couch with Teddy on his chest, holding a textbook with one hand and running his fingers through Teddy’s curls with the other.
Harry couldn’t contain his grin. He kneeled down on the floor next to the couch and gently took Theo’s book out of his hand, setting it down on the coffee table (still open, he wasn’t a monster that made people lose their place). Reaching out, he ran a hand through Theo’s hair, pressing a kiss to the top of his head then the tip of his nose and then a lingering one against his lips, “good morning.”
“Good morning, my love,” Theo said, smiling up at him.
“How’s the little cub this morning?”
“Wonderful as ever.”
“Of course he is,” Harry said, smiling and running a thumb along Teddy’s cheek, “he’s perfect.”
Teddy blinked his eyes open at Harry’s touch, his warm brown eyes flashing emerald green and his soft brown curls turning jet black.
Theo wrinkled his nose, “you smell, Hadrian, go shower and I’ll call for breakfast and get his bottle ready.”
“Alright,” Harry agreed, but before he stepped away to follow directions, he pressed one more kiss to the top of Theo’s head and murmured, “I don’t know what I’d do without you, darling.”
“I certainly hope you’ll never have to find out,” Theo responded, kissing Harry’s cheek before he shoved him away by the shoulder, “now go shower.”
Once Harry was clean and dressed for the day, he stepped into the living room, tossing his bookbag and school robe onto the couch before sitting down at the kitchen table. Theo passed over Teddy and his half-empty bottle and sat down across from Harry.
They ate and chatted quietly about how training had gone and what they needed to get done that day. They were just finishing up when a copy of the Prophet appeared on the table, sent up by the elves. The front page had a massive photo of Kingsley, Neville, and Harry with a headline and story about the “big moves” that had been made the prior day and how Neville and Harry had become major players. This was exactly what Susan wanted; Harry and Neville as the face while she could remain largely anonymous, running everything from the background.
Just as Harry was thinking Susan would be pleased, a silver-blue badger appeared on the table, “I LOVE YOU, YOU BRILLIANT, BRILLIANT MAN. I’LL NEVER STAB YOU AGAIN.”
“I think she’s happy,” Harry said, laughing.
“You still need to teach us how to do that,” Theo commented.
“Oh yeah,” Harry said, “time has gotten away from me. Should we see if anyone would like to meet up this afternoon? We can go outside if it’s nice or head down to the Chamber?”
“Sounds good,” Theo said, “we can just stay outside after Herbology.”
“Perfect, it could even give people an idea of what their Animagus form might be. It’s not always the same but as far as I’ve read it oftentimes is.”
“Yours is your father’s Animagus right?”
“Yeah,” Harry said, “Prongs. Kreacher told me that Regulus’ was the same thing, and I know that my mum’s was a doe.”
“What others do you know?”
“I never saw Sirius’ but my Dad’s journal said it was a Grim. I know that Remus and Tonks’ were also wolves, though Tonks’ was a jackrabbit before she and Remus got together. McGonagall’s is a cat, Dumbledore’s was a phoenix, and Snape’s was a doe like my Mum’s. Neville’s is a lion, you just saw Susan’s, and Luna’s is a hare. Hermione’s is an otter and Ron’s is a Jack Russel Terrier.”
“That’s sweet, you and Ron being a stag and a dog like your Dad and Sirius.”
“I hadn’t thought of it like that before,” Harry said, smiling.
“Did everyone in your defense group learn how to cast it?”
“Everyone got at least a shield, but there were several who could cast a corporeal form and I’m sure even more of them could get it now. Neville didn’t get a corporeal form until after he got his own wand.”
“I wonder what mine will be,” Theo said.
“Do you have any thoughts of what your Animagus form will be?”
“I keep having dreams about a giant wolf so I’m starting to think that’s it.”
“Maybe that’ll be your Patronus then.”
“What do you think your form will be?”
“I’m pretty sure I know.” Harry answered.
“Care to share?”
“I don’t want to jinx it because I rather hope I’m right, but I will say I think it’s a canine.”
“I thought you might want to be something that could fly,” Theo mused.
“I’ve thought about it, but when I meditate on it, it’s always felt like a canine of some sort. Even a few years back, when I learned about the Marauders, I spent a lot of time thinking about it and I always landed on the same thing.”
“Is there a way to get your form through meditation?”
“It’s been written about, but it requires a much greater mastery of Transfiguration than any of us have, the potion helps focus the transformation and establishes the intent pathways or something like that. It’s much easier to get trapped mid transformation if you use the meditation method.”
“Ah,” Theo said with a nod, “I understand why we’re using the potion then.”
“Indeed,” Harry responded before changing the subject, “what do you think the odds are of Flitwick letting me bring Teddy to class?”
“If we leave now so you can talk to him before class starts I’m sure he’d say yes as long as you promise to send him away when we start casting, and you know Vector loves when you bring him to Arithmancy.”
“Alright,” Harry said, grinning, “c’mon, Ted, we’re going to Charms.”
* * *
By some miracle, it was warm in Scotland in late September.
After Herbology, Harry called Mimi and had her bring Teddy outside so he could sit on the picnic blanket Hermione had laid out on the lawn. While Teddy was getting doted on by Hermione, Padma, Lavender, Seamus, and Dean, Harry was explaining the theory behind the Patronus to a group that had absolutely grown since he’d first offered to teach the Slytherins. Every single 8th year who hadn’t been part of the DA was sitting on the ground like a bunch of pre-schoolers while Harry taught.
“The Patronus Charm is a branch of soul magic; it requires greater intent and focus than your average spell. The incantation and wand movement is incredibly simple, you speak the phrase Expecto Patronum while moving your wand in a small circle. But the incantation and wand movement are not all you need; you must think of your happiest memory, something that comes to you when you daydream and fills you with joy, a memory that you can use to bring yourself out of dark moods without fail. Once you have the memory, you need to meditate on it, let it fill up your mind and let the warmth of it fill you up from head to toe.
“Finding the right memory can be incredibly hard. When I first learned to cast the charm, the memory I chose was my first time riding a broom and while that was an incredibly happy memory, it wasn’t strong enough, it was simple joy, not true unbounded happiness. What happiness means is different for everyone and it’s an incredibly personal question; for some it’s love, for other’s its fulfillment or success.
“To help guide you, I’ll share the memory I used the first time I successfully cast the charm. This should also help those of you who find yourselves thinking that you might not have a happy enough memory, which is how I felt at first.
“My memory wasn’t even a full memory, it was more of a feeling, an idea. When the dementors got close, I could hear my parent’s last moments. It was the first time I’d ever heard their voices, but when I heard my mother begging Voldemort to spare me, another whisp of a memory came to the surface. I heard her voice telling me I was loved, I could remember feeling safe and loved and I let that feeling power the spell. It wasn’t even a full memory, but the power behind the emotion was enough.
“What I want you to do now is close your eyes, feel the sun on your face, listen to the adorable little baby babbling over there and the sounds of students laughing up by the castle and I want you to think of the moment you felt the happiest, safest, or most loved you’ve ever felt.”
Harry stopped pacing and sat down next to Ron and Neville who had happily agreed to help him teach when they got to actually casting the spell.
“You’re a great teacher; you know that right?” Ron asked, looking over at his best friend.
“I think I’m starting to realize that,” Harry said, smiling back, “and I’m also getting better at accepting compliments, so thank you.”
Harry, Neville, and Ron sat in a peaceful silence, watching their classmates smile as the meditated on their happiest memories. Harry’s eye caught on Theo who looked so incredibly at peace it made Harry’s heart flutter.
After a few minutes, Harry stood up and brushed the grass off his slacks, “alright, does everyone have a memory picked out?”
Once he’d got a nod or a general sound of agreement from everyone, he continued, “wonderful, go ahead and stand up and pull out your wands. Neville, Ron, and I will demonstrate the spell first and then we’ll walk around and answer questions or help out as we can. Don’t get frustrated if you can’t cast the spell right way, it took me several months and most of the DA a few lessons before they got it, give yourself time.”
With that, the three boys raised their wands and cast in unison, “Expecto Patronum!”
Ron’s terrier leapt to the ground, running a circle around him before darting toward Harry, then Hermione, then coming back to Ron’s side.
Neville’s lion appeared, turned once, then came to sit directly between him and Harry.
Prongs came to life and headed straight for Theo before taking up a guard position in front of Teddy who squealed in glee at the giant stag.
Smiling, Harry turned back to the group, “alright, who wants to start?”
The boys moved throughout their classmates, adjusting wand movements and pronunciations, giving tips on how to guide thoughts and intentions while casting, and giving general encouragement.
Within a half hour, everyone had produced at least a mist, and several people had shields.
10 minutes later, Parvati’s shield grew legs but didn’t take a full form before it dissipated.
“Great job, Parvati!” Harry cheered, getting a blinding grin in return.
A few minutes later, Harry heard a familiar voice calling across the lawn, “having fun without us? Rude!”
“Then get over here, Gin,” he called back, laughing.
Ginny, Astoria, Luna, and Dennis Creevy appeared over the hill. Dennis immediately glued himself to Harry’s side.
“Dennis,” Harry said with a smile, throwing an arm around the younger boy’s shoulders, “how are you doing?”
“I’m alright,” Dennis said, smiling up at Harry, “it’s been hard but it’s also good being back here. Somehow I miss him less in a place that was just for us, it was harder being at home.”
“I understand that; it’s not the same but it’s easier for me to be here too. It’s like I can still feel their magic around me.”
“Don’t lessen your grief, Harry,” Dennis said, sounding incredibly wise for a 15-year-old boy, “you lost so much over both wars, you don’t have to make it seem like it doesn’t matter to appease people who want to see you as some epic hero. You’re just Harry.”
“Thanks, Dennis,” Harry said, feeling oddly choked up, “do you want to practice with us or just hang out?”
“I’ll just hang out for now, but maybe if you have time later this year you could teach me?”
“Of course,” Harry promised, “and you know you can come to me if you need anything, right?”
“I know,” Dennis said, smiling, “you’re a great person, Harry.”
Squeezing his arm tighter around Dennis’ shoulders, Harry turned back to the group. He spent the next half hour walking around, Dennis in tow before Hermione said they should probably head back to the castle before it got too dark.
They made their way into the Great Hall which was only half full. Most people went to dinner right as it started but their group had shown up about half way through, taking advantage of the mostly empty tables, the group sat down all together at the end of the Hufflepuff table and dug in, continuing the random conversations they’d started on the walk up.
Harry finally got Hermione to unhand Teddy so he could feed him and, once he’d gotten a bottle from Mimi, lost him almost immediately to Theo. Harry just rolled his eyes and filled Theo’s plate so he could focus on Teddy.
Hermione put up a bit of a fight that but conceded as soon as she saw the warm smile on Harry’s face when he looked over at his boyfriend and son.
* * *
It was a couple hours later; Teddy was peacefully asleep, and Harry and Theo had finished their homework and were now sitting on the couch in the living room. Harry had set up Lily’s charmed record player on Saturday morning but hadn’t really had a chance to go through the records or actually listen to anything.
“Alright,” Theo said after Harry had been shuffling through records muttering to himself for 20 minutes, “how are we going to start my muggle music education?”
The grin Harry sent him told Theo this had been the right thing to say.
“Well,” Harry started, “there are several directions I could take. We could go by era, and I could show you how the music developed, or I could just show you my favorites, though you’ve already heard most of those between the records I played at Potter Manor and the tape we played at Hermione’s birthday.”
“Then let’s go by era, where do you want to start?”
“I don’t have any true classical music, but that’s not all that different from the waltzes and such they play at formal balls so it wouldn’t really be a big change from wizard music. The oldest stuff I have is probably from the 60s so let’s start with the Beatles.”
“What is a beetle?”
“Not a beetle, Theodore,” Harry said, laughing, “the Beatles, they were the biggest British pop group through the 60s and early 70s.”
“Okay,” Theo said, “what’s your favorite song of theirs?”
“It’s incredibly hard to choose, but this is one of my favorites, you’ll probably recognize it, or at least the tune, I hum it to Teddy to get him to sleep.”
A few seconds into the song, Theo nodded, “I do recognize it, what’s it called?”
“Hey Jude,” Harry answered, “Paul McCartney wrote it for John Lennon’s son to comfort him after his parents split up.”
Theo found he quite liked the song; it had a peaceful melody and told a nice message. It was very different from the music they’d been playing at Hermione’s birthday the weekend prior.
When the song had finished, Theo pulled his head off of Harry’s shoulder to ask, “what others?”
“This one makes me think of you,” Harry said with a smile, switching out the albums, “it’s a pretty simple song, but it gets the message across,” he finished, settling back onto the couch and tilting his head to rest atop Theo’s.
“Eight days a week? Did they miscount?”
“That’s the point, Theo,” Harry said with a laugh, “7 days isn’t enough.”
“Ah,” Theo said, tilting his head to press a kiss to Harry’s shoulder, “I understand.”
“I hadn’t heard this one before,” Harry said, grabbing a small record after Eight Days a Week had finished, “but I found a copy of it in my Dad’s room and in Mum’s vault so they must have liked it.”
Theo let the song play about halfway through before commenting, “I really like this song, what’s it called?”
“All the Young Dudes,” Harry answered, “Bowie wrote it, but it’s performed by a group called Mott the Hoople. I don’t know any of their other stuff and haven’t found any other records with my parents’ stuff, but they apparently liked this song.”
After that, Harry put on his favorite record. He’d heard a couple of the songs on the radio over the years at the Dursleys but hadn’t gotten to listen to the entire thing until that summer when he’d found James’ collection at Potter Manor, the record was still on the platter.
“This is the Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars,” Harry said with reverence, “it’s my favorite album so you’ll definitely recognize some of the songs. I played it several times over the summer. It’s one of my dad’s, I remember hearing a few of these songs on the radio growing up and I always loved them.”
Theo could see how happy Harry was to share this album and how much it meant to him so he used every ounce of self-control he had not to laugh at the album title.
“C’mere,” Harry said, sliding down to lay on the rug.
“What are you doing, Hadrian?”
“This album cannot be listened to for the first time sitting on a couch. It’s a floor album.”
“That’s not a thing.”
“How could you possibly know that?” Harry said, grinning up at Theo, “this is your muggle music education, you know nothing. I am the expert. Now get down here and hold my hand.”
Sighing as if this was some onerous task, Theo slid down to the floor and laid down next to Harry, turning so his temple was pressed to Harry’s shoulder. He reached out, intertwining their fingers and settled in to listen to Harry’s favorite album.
As the final notes of Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide faded out, Theo rolled over so he was straddling Harry’s hips, a hand on either side of his head, “that was a great album, love. I really enjoyed it, thank you for sharing it with me.”
Grinning, Harry answered, “of course. I want to share things with you.”
Smiling, Theo leaned down and kissed Harry’s forehead before sitting back up and running a soft hand through Harry’s hair.
“Come on, it’s late. Let’s shower and get some sleep.”
Harry found himself hoping that he could spend every night exactly like this for the rest of his life.
“Did you bring some of your things over or do you want to borrow anything to sleep in?”
“I brought stuff over,” Theo answered, “but I’m still taking that t-shirt to sleep in.”
“That is one thing I’m absolutely bringing to the Slytherin quidditch team,” Harry declared, “team t-shirts and hoodies. Remind me to rope Draco into helping me.”
“Where do you guys even get these? Are there any wizarding shops that print stuff like this or are you just confusing the hell out of a muggle shop year after year?”
“Charlie Weasley and one of his friends found a shop in Diagon that prints them,” Harry explained, “one of Charlie’s roommates had a football sweater he wore all the time and Charlie decided they needed them for quidditch and after his roommate explained, extensively according to Fred and George’s story, that he couldn’t just send an order to a muggle print shop for sweaters for a sport no one had ever heard of at a school no one had ever heard of and then ask them to please send the order via an owl, they started writing to shops in Diagon and found a muggleborn owner who was more than happy to print up the designs.”
“I’d love to see the look on a shopkeeper’s face if an owl appeared with a letter explaining a sport played on flying brooms and asking for shirts to be made and sent back with the random bird who’d just shown up,” Theo responded.
“I rather think that’d violate the Statute of Secrecy,” Harry said with a laugh.
“I didn’t say I was going to do it,” Theo argued, “I just said it would be funny.”
Shaking his head and smiling, Harry pulled open his drawer to locate the shirt Theo had requested. It was from his 6th year and was well worn. A faded maroon with cracked white ink reading Gryffindor Quidditch across the front with Potter and the number 7 on the back.
“You think Draco will give me his number?” Harry asked, pulling out clothes for himself and heading into the bathroom, “also can we take a bath? All of my joints hurt.”
“Sure, grandpa,” Theo teased, “and he literally threw the captain’s pin at you, I’m pretty sure he won’t argue about giving you his number. Besides, isn’t 7 the normal Seeker’s number?”
“It is,” Harry confirmed, “and you’re right, though knowing Draco the number 7 will mean more to him than playing Seeker or being Captain for some strange reason.”
“You’re not wrong,” Theo said, grabbing some salts and a muscle soothing potion to add to the bathwater, “Draco is an odd, odd human.”
Laughing, Harry agreed.
Once the bath was full, Harry happily sunk under the water, submersing himself entirely and letting the warm water and soothing potion relax him for a moment before he surfaced, pushing his hair out of his face. Theo was standing by the tub smiling down at Harry, “you’re adorable, you know that right?”
“Don’t think I do,” Harry said with a mock pout and his best puppy dog eyes, “I think you’re going to have to keep telling me.”
“Of course, love, every day.” Theo responded easily, stepping into the tub and settling between Harry’s legs, leaning back against his chest.
After a long bath where Harry did his best to answer Theo’s questions about the Patronus and how it relates to other soul magics, they climbed out, dried off, and got dressed before stepping through the second door into Teddy’s room.
Leaning over the crib, Harry ran his fingers through Teddy’s hair, it’s natural sandy brown in his sleep, and smiled softly, “have I thanked you lately for being so good with him?” he asked, “or just for being okay with him in general?”
“What do you mean love?” Theo asked, coming up beside Harry and wrapping an arm around his waist before reaching into the crib and running his thumb softly across Teddy’s cheek.
“I mean, you’re 18 and you have no legal responsibility toward him, you could’ve found someone else, someone with less baggage and fewer infants.”
“I didn’t want anyone else; I don’t want anyone else. I want you and I want Teddy. That’s it.”
Harry turned toward Theo smiling, “you’re amazing, you know that?”
“Harry, you both deserve to be loved and I want to be the one to do it.”
It was the closest Theo had gotten to saying those three words beyond calling Harry love all the time. They’d only been dating a month, but Harry was rather well known for running into things headfirst and having them work out in the end, so he pressed a kiss to Theo’s cheek and whispered, “I love you, Theodore Nott.”
Looking up in shock, Theo searched Harry’s face for … what, Harry didn’t know, but whatever he’d been looking for, he seemed to have found it. Smiling softly, Theo wrapped his arm tighter around Harry’s waist and leaned up to pull him into a soft, lingering kiss, “I love you too, Hadrian Potter Black.”
“C’mon,” Harry said, smiling, “let’s get to bed.”
With one last glance at Teddy, Theo nodded and followed Harry back toward what he was quickly coming to consider as their room, as they reached the door, Harry turned back around to whisper, “goodnight, Ted. I love you.”
“We love you,” Theo corrected, making sure Teddy knew how much he was loved even though he was asleep and couldn’t actually understand them even if he was awake, “we love you so much, cub.”
“You called him cub,” Harry said as he closed the door behind them.
“The kid has too many nicknames,” Theo said instead of actually responding, “he’s never gonna know what his real name is.”
“At least he’ll know he’s loved,” Harry said with a laugh.
Theo thought he had a point.