Live Forever

3: Half The World Away - Part 2

July 10, 1995

He had been so stupid. Stupid and naïve. All of his colleagues who said that computerizing their records management would make everything simpler were awful, horrible, lying liars. It had been exceedingly simple before...write out the check...duplicate the information on the little stub and calculate the new bank balance...hand the checkbook off to the accountant every month to reconcile it with the bank statement and do whatever else accountants did. Simple.

But now not only did he have to write out the check like always he also had to type it into the computer every night. The typing wouldn't be so bad if he didn't have to repeatedly stop and stare at the keyboard looking for the letter hiding in plain sight. It should have been much simpler to remember locations for each letter...there were only twenty six to choose from for Christ's sake. And to top it all off his typing finger was throbbing from his last appointment of the day. Sodding Robby Fenwick...

As annoying as it had been the busywork had served as a nice distraction from the revelations Hermione had begun sharing about Hogwarts and the wizarding world in general over the last week. Be careful what you wish for he had thought to himself when Hermione had explained that Harry had done a bit more than prevent her from having a slight accident in her first year and she had been a bit more than simply under the weather in her second year. Trolls and basilisks. He'd had to look up what a basilisk was before he could be properly horrified.

And the revelations continued trickling out. It turns out Harry has a godfather but...bit of bad luck...he was the mass murderer all over the telly last year.

Good news though. The mass murderer paid them an unplanned visit at school and it turns out he is innocent! Funny story...Ron's pet rat was the real mass murderer. Can you believe it? Crazy...

But wouldn't you know it...they can't prove it so he is still the most wanted man in wizarding Britain. Also, Hermione wants to go and stay with the alleged mass murderer as soon as Harry is allowed to.

Then the godfather's best friend...who is a werewolf by the way...stopped by for a chat. He and Jane sat and listened as the werewolf...the best friend of the wrongly accused mass murderer...urged Hermione to be responsible. It was all a bit much.

But based on Hermione's change in attitude and openness over the last week he knew he had done the right thing. Even Jane had forgiven him for giving permission before having a proper discussion with her. Despite all the danger Hermione had been placed in by existing in the boy's orbit he and Jane were now staunch members of Team Potter. It was nice to be on the same team as Hermione once again and it certainly seemed like Harry deserved it.

He'd finally finished and was all set to reward himself with a beer when his wife entered the room and closed the door. He knew that look. It was the same look they both wore after talking to Hermione these days.

"I gave Hermione fifty pounds and ordered her to buy Harry some new trainers when she visits him tomorrow," she began.

"You seem to be supremely irritated at doing a nice thing," he observed, drawing a glare. He loved it when she glared at him.

"Hermione was a bit worried that Harry wouldn't accept," she continued. "She's going to tell him that I insisted and if he still refuses that you and I would be returning the next day to properly embarrass him into accepting."

David chuckled and pulled her onto his lap. "I'm still not understanding why you are upset."

"The things she's told us are awful, David. And you know as well as I do she isn't telling us everything...and I don't think he has shared very much of his past with her...how horrible it's been since his parents-"

She couldn't finish the sentence.

"Spending fifty pounds on a pair of trainers feels like nothing..." she supplied tiredly as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"It's not nothing. It's not enough...not nearly...but it's something," he reassured.