❝If by my life or death I can protect you, I will.❞
The Chosen One is kidnapped from the Dursley household and it turns out to be the best damn thing that's happened to him.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
CHARLUS DID HIS WAITING, five days to be exact when Bathilda finally summoned him to attend Hogwarts with her. In the time that he waited on her call, he adjusted to living at Maeve's flat. To ease the transition, Charlus was glad to have Marmalade in his company, simply because it was nice to hold onto something from the past. And Maeve seemed to enjoy the company of the two, helping Charlus tend to Marmalade's older injuries to get the cat feeling brand new again. They gave Marmalade a bath, plenty of food and water, and even set up a little spot for her by one of the windows.
However, the majority of the time, Marmalade tended to follow Charlus around. During the nights and early mornings, she would sleep on top of his chest, curled up in a tight ball. And during the day, she would walk behind him or wait outside the door if he happened to be in the bathroom. Perhaps she was thankful to be saved or maybe she remembered Charlus, who resembled one of her late owners.
Before Bathilda's arrival that morning, Charlus was settled at the kitchen table, with Marmalade asleep in his lap. He stared at the window that overlooked a quiet street as several birds took to singing their latest gossip. However, his mind was somewhere far away, wondering what had become of his nephew.
It was a blessing to know that Harry had survived, but he couldn't imagine just what Harry felt knowing what he had actually survived. He was known as the Boy-Who-Lived, praised by wizarding kind, but he was also a boy who lost his family the very same night. Both parents murdered attempting to protect him. Maybe he didn't know, after all, he was only a little boy and those that were caring for him probably didn't think it would be appropriate to share such harsh details.
But who would the Ministry or Dumbledore trust to take Harry in? He was a saviour to magical folk, they had to trust his life among those that would protect him with all of their beings. So why was it so difficult to figure out where he was?
When Maeve entered the kitchen later a little while later, she made a motion to alert Charlus that she was in the room so she didn't startle him. He acknowledged her with a nod of his head before looking out the window again.
"I remember when Harry was born," he said, bringing her attention back to him, " I wasn't there for the birth. But I remember feeling such a warmth wash over, a feeling of pride, even though I hadn't done anything. And then shortly after, I get a letter from my brother telling me that Harry's been born. He's beautiful and perfect in every single way."
Maeve grabbed a cup of tea and brought herself to sit next to him as he continued.
"When I finally did get to meet him, I realised just where that warmth and pride came from. I could see it on James' face, every time he looked at Harry. The way he held Harry like he was the most precious thing in the world. Of course, it was the same with Lily. It was the same for all of us. The way we all felt, you would think we all gave birth to Harry. I think it was then that we all realised that we would do anything for him."
