chapter ten ; the boy who lived

CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF, TEMPEST THATCHER WAS AFRAID OF A LOT OF THINGS. Whether it be walking into Hogwarts for the first time, accepting a proposal, fighting for her life or making friends, she knew fear like the back of her hand. Though nothing she had ever experienced before seemed to add up to the situation she currently found herself in. 

"So, you're a witch?" Harry chose to speak first, his footsteps quiet against the wooden planks of the covered bridge as he joined Tempest. She wasn't tense; she actually appeared quite relaxed, though on the inside she felt utterly ill. She forced a soft smile on her face as she looked out into the ravine outside Hogwarts, avoiding looking at her biggest regret. 

"Yes, I am," she responded after a moment, briefly glancing over to see the young boy watching her intently. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you before, Harry. It's killed me to keep this a secret from you."

"Then why didn't you just tell me?" Harry quickly responded, his voice raising a little. It didn't seem to bother Tempest at all, she just turned to face him completely and sighed quietly. He was an average height for a thirteen year old boy, only reaching her shoulders, as she was a relatively tall woman. His dark hair was sticking up in every direction, and the hurt expression upon his face broke her heart. "I used to see you every day, I used to tell you everything that was happening to me, and you did nothing."

"I know," Tempest admitted, crossing her arms as she tried to think of the right words to say. She wasn't the best person at consoling people, but she knew there was no other way to help James and Lily's son. "I shouldn't have listened, I should've taken you in so that you didn't have to live with the Dursleys. But believe me when I say that I did what I had to do to keep you safe. I was told to stay out of the way so that you wouldn't be put in danger again, but it wasn't worth it."

"What are you talking about?" Harry's eyebrows knitted together curiously, not piecing together what she was saying. "Who were you listening to?"

Tempest pursed her lips, before hesitantly replying. "Dumbledore."

"Dumbledore?" Harry repeated, his eyes widening in surprise. Of course it was the man he least expected, but his mind quickly came to the Headmaster's defence; of course there'd be a suitable reason for his actions. "Why would Dumbledore try to keep you away from me?"

"There were many reasons," Tempest shrugged, tucking her hands in her pant pockets, feeling the chill underneath her engulfing burgundy cloak. It was nearing March, though the winter bitterness was still evident in the air. "I knew your parents, and after they died, I knew people who wanted you gone too."

"Like Sirius Black?" Harry inquired, and Tempest faltered a little bit. She knew it was time to tell him all he wanted to hear, even if it meant throwing Sirius and herself under the metaphorical bus. "Did you know him too?"

"I guess you could say that," the woman muttered, her voice dropping little. The involuntary tears pricked in the back of her eyes, ones that had been present for over twelve years, ones that she still didn't know how to rid of. She cleared her throat, before averting her eyes once again. "He was my fiancé. Sirius and I, we were going to be married after the war was over."

Harry took a step away from her. "You're joking."

Tempest shook her head, never having felt more ashamed than watching her godson stray from her in fear. She quickly lifted her sleeve and wiped her eyes, a lump growing in her throat. "Harry, I want you to listen to me. I had absolutely no idea that he was with He Who Must Not Be Named...Voldemort. I thought he was on our side, I thought he was loyal to our cause. I've spent the last decade trying to run from his actions, but they've always seemed to find their way back to me. Please don't think of me as your enemy, I promise I'm anything but."

Harry didn't move, he only watched cautiously. The anger bubbling inside him was hardly settling, but the woman he had once looked up to in primary school seemed to genuine. And besides, if she had known him and his location since he was a baby, wouldn't she have tried to kill him earlier? He observed as Tempest ran her hands through her short hair, exhaling shakily.  "How am I supposed to believe what you're telling me?"

"Well, I could prove it to you in a number of ways," Tempest shrugged, trying to offer a smile. "I can tell you exactly where I was the night your parents died, I could confirm with Dumbledore, I could ask him to send for Vitaserum if you still can't believe me. I've spent such a long time trying to protect you, what kind of Godmother would I be if I wasn't able to do that?"

"Godm...Godmother?" Harry stumbled over his words a little, quite shocked with all of the new information he was being forced to process. "You're my Godmother?"

"Yes, I am," Tempest nodded once in confirmation. "After the night James and Lily...everything happened so fast. Sirius and I came as quick as we could on his motorcycle...the one Hagrid used to take you to Petunia. We tried to tell him that we were your Godparents, that we should be the ones to look after you...that's what your parents wanted, after all. He said Dumbledore wanted you to be concealed somewhere no one would think to look, so we were turned away. I got to hold you in my arms that one night, before you were taken from me again. Sirius couldn't be consoled; he gave Hagrid his motorbike, told me to go into hiding, and then he disapparated. The next time I saw him, he was on the front page of the Daily Prophet with a headline that read 'Murderer'. At first I was in denial, Sirius would never hurt anyone without cause, but it turns out he wasn't the man I thought he was. Along with your parents, he took the life of twelve muggles and another friend--"

"Peter Pettigrew," Harry finished, and Tempest nodded again, sniffling a little. "Didn't he tell you anything? Did he leave you any hints that he was a double agent?"

"I've been asked those questions more than I'd like to count, Harry," Tempest mumbled, though she answered by shaking her head. "I can't remember him acting out of the ordinary. If anything he was slightly skittish, but we were in the middle of a war, you and your parents were in danger; we were all terrified. I had no idea he was planning to betray us."

Harry was silent, pondering all the content she was providing him. He adjusted his scarf and took a step towards her, leaning against the wooden barrier on the side of the bridge. "Is that why you're here? To find him?"

"Yes, it is," Tempest said easily, a sense of urgency in her tone. "I'm not leaving until I'm sure you and the other students are safe."

Harry nodded, looking out into the snow-clad ravine to decide what to say. It was quiet between them for a moment, before he piped up. "I believe you."

Tempest couldn't help the broad smile that grew on her lips. She dipped her head, a single tear rolling down her cheek and falling onto the barrier. "Thank you, Harry. You have no idea how much this means to me."

"So, what does this mean?" Harry queried. Tempest shrugged, chewing on the inside of her cheek. 

"Well, if you wanted, you could come and live with me after the school year ends," she offered anxiously. She didn't know how he would react to that, but it was worth a try. When he didn't reply for a moment, she quickly realised that maybe it wasn't such a great idea. "I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to...it's just that I didn't think you'd want to stay with Petunia and her husband--"

"I'd love to," Harry interjected, and Tempest froze a little. Her smile was so wide you'd think her face was broken, but she hadn't been so happy in years. The circumstances weren't the best, but the validation of her godson was more than she could ever want. 

"Really?" Tempest asked, her eyes wide and hopeful. Harry smiled and nodded, clearly quite happy with his decision. Tempest couldn't help herself then, she reached over and pulled Harry into an embrace, as if something in her life had finally clicked into place. 

Harry held her back just as tight, like this was the first time he'd ever had a maternal figure he could call his own. Sure, Mrs Weasley was of the sort, but she wasn't his mother, she was Ron's. Tempest was his godmother, she wanted to take him in, raise him to be like his parents, she wanted to call him her son. 

Tempest pulled away and grinned down at the young boy, feeling on top of the world. "How about we head down to the Great Hall and catch up over a hot chocolate? I know a great recipe."

"That sounds perfect," Harry replied, and the two began making their way back down the Wooden Bridge and towards the castle, ready to start a new life. They were walking up the steps when the thirteen year old began asking questions. "So, how did you know my parents?"

Tempest's lips were still upturned as she realised that she could now relieve Harry of the discomfort of not knowing a lot about his parents. She could relive the memories that she had hidden deep in her heart for years, she could finally share it with their son, the boy who lived.

★☆

YEET BOYS WE GOT ANOTHER UPDATE

ALSO I'M SO IN LOVE WITH THE MOTHER/SON RELATIONSHIP WE GOT GOING MY FAVES DESERVE IT OKAY COOL

also i really love this book and i really want to finish it purely so that i can have the satisfaction in knowing i've given tempest a good story

anyway!! tell me what you thought, hopefully there'll be a new chapter up soon because writing this is a good time!!