Tobias: Hey!! My hair is normal again!
Wulfric : I had told you it would be again in Chapter Forty.
Tobias: Yay!!
Wulfric: Hey, you wanna give this disclaimer? I need to take care of a couple of things..
Tobias: Sure! Everyone, I know our dear old Wulfie had like, forgotten all about us here with this fic, but here's a chapter... she's finally gotten back to us all.. so you know the drill.. She does not own Harry Potter!
"What do you mean, what happens to you?" Harry asked.
"I-I mean, I can't just stay here and.." Hermione started but Albus cut her off.
"Of course you can stay here. Hogwarts is open to all her students in their times of need, no matter if there are rules about students spending the summer holidays here, you may stay here."
"A-are you sure, sir?" she asked quietly.
"Of course I am sure," replied Albus. " I would not have said it if I did not mean it Ms. Granger. You can stay as long as you want and need to."
"Thank you. I think I need to go and be in the library for a little while. I'll see you both later," she said as she slid from the office, closing the door behind her.
"Is she going to be okay Granddad?" Harry asked the older man who was looking at his now closed office door.
"Eventually she'll be okay. It'll just take some time Harry, be there for her when she needs you."
"Yes sir."
Albus looked at his grandson over his glasses, giving him a sweeping look. "What about you, are you going to be okay?"
Harry waited a moment before nodding his head. "Yes Granddad. I'll be okay, I need to be strong for Hermione."
Albus smiled at the teen in front of him, he knew that in time Harry wouldn't always blame himself for everything that went wrong in the world.
"Um Granddad, I think I'm going to go out and fly for a little bit. Is that okay?" Harry asked pulling Albus from his musings.
"Go on Harry, go relax for a bit."
"Thanks," Harry said as he headed out the door, his Firebolt in hand.
Albus walked around to his desk and sat down, looking over the paperwork that needed to be done. However, he didn't start working he went back to his thoughts about his grandson.
"Summer was when I found out my dear boy was hurting himself, literally inflicting pain upon himself. As shocking as it was, I can't help but be surprised that he didn't resort to that sooner. I've seen older and wiser break underneath strain less than what he's been through. That just proves to me how strong he really is on the inside," the old man thought with a small nod of his head, causing one tear to roll down his face.
" I can't help but think I haven't been the best person for him during these years. I could have read the signs sooner, or just opened my eyes and ears and listened to him. I did get caught up in loving him too much, and that caused me to miss some things. Harry has told me he forgives me for that, but I cannot forgive myself for failing him. I failed him the moment I laid him upon that doorstep. How could I have been so foolish? Why did I not listen to Minerva? Why did I not bring him to his home, his real home, Hogwarts. Why am I such a blind old man?" Albus said softly to himself. By this point Albus had put his head in his hands, not noticing that there was another person in the room with him.
"You are a blind old man because you love and care for Harry," came Minerva's soft voice from in front of him. Albus jumped at the sound of her voice, causing her to give a weak smile.
"How much did you overhear?"
"I came in about the time where you were talking about reading the signs sooner. Albus, you know Harry has hidden his emotions for a long time now. You probably wouldn't have been able to see them sooner even if you wanted to. I'll admit I didn't see him, but then again I love the boy too. Don't beat yourself up Albus. You are good for him, look at how far he's come since this summer," Minerva said softly.
Albus sat there, thinking about what she just said when he heard her continue. "He hasn't hurt himself in awhile, and he smiles more than he had. He's not afraid to tell you when he's feeling horrible, and he's not the shy boy he was when he came here. He's intelligent, and he could be smarter than Hermione if he really put himself forward. Also, he's driven and when he makes you proud, he's so happy with himself. He loves you, and you've given him the family he's always wanted. Remember that Albus." With that being said she slipped from the office to leave the older wizard to his thoughts.
"I wonder if Harry knows he makes me proud every time he calls me Granddad, brightens my day, or even just smiles?"
Harry didn't come back in till late, he'd spent some time thinking as he flew around the castle. He had flown by his Grandfather's office a couple times to see the older man just sitting there, lost in thought. He had smiled when he saw that, because Albus was always getting lost in thought, but then again so did Harry at times.
The pair had been sitting near the fire later that night after dinner when Albus looked over at Harry and said, " You know you make me proud right?"
"What?" asked Harry not sure if he had heard Albus right or not.
"You make me proud. You always have, ever since you were young. You don't even have to do anything special to make me proud. Just you being yourself Harry, makes me proud. I don't want you to worry about the war to the point where you end up feeling guilty. I want you to be happy."
"What about everything with Voldemort and my destiny and --"
"Harry, when the time comes for that to happen you'll be ready. You won't get there any faster by driving yourself insane. You will learn what you need to, and you don't need to push yourself to the very edge for that to happen."
"But what if I'm not ready when the fight needs to take place?" Harry asked in a worried voice.
"Harry, m'boy, you are my grandson. You will be ready, and I will be there with you every step that you need me to be. I'm always going to be with you and I'm always going to be there to help you, to teach you, and most importantly to love you. You need not worry about this war, you can take care of that when it's time. But you can also get married, have a family, and be the person you want to be. Everything you do makes me proud, and makes me love you even more."
Harry smiled as he listened to Albus. He knew now that no matter what happened, Albus was going to be there. They would make it though this war, the headmaster was sure of it, and afterwards life would be sweet. People wouldn't have to worry about this growing evil named Voldemort, and maybe people wouldn't be afraid to say the creature's name. In time, people wouldn't need to fear all that they had to fear now.
Albus smiled as he saw his grandson, his own child, smile. He knew what he was thinking, and he agreed with him one hundred percent. Albus was going to make sure Harry was ready for everything that would lie in his way, and the older man knew that Harry would rise above all challenges placed in front of him.
Most importantly both of them knew they would always have a person to love within each other.
a/n: Okay people.. I think this is the end of the road for this fic.. I've looked back and read what I had written and then went "Dang.. I suck." .. but that's my own opinion, because I am very critical of myself... if you haven't guessed that from all the before and after convos between myself and Tobias, then now you know. I can't believe I had started this over a year ago, and then sucked about getting updates up and out.. so I've sat here the last two days and worked hard and wrote this chapter.. If you don't like how it's ended.. then tough. There may be a sequel... awhile down the road cause I still have 2 more fics that i need to finish... one being like this one that hasnt been updated in like ever.. plus plot bunnies are evil and ruin me with oneshot & songfic ideas..
But thanks guys.. it means a lot for all of you to put up with me.. you've put up with my bad writing.. and horrible updating skills.. and just everything.. Thank You. You are the ones who kept this story going.. not me.. cause you gave me the motivation to keep typing.. even when my fingers were killing me.. So I thank you.
Wulfric.
Tobias: I didn't know you were finishing this one...
Wulfric: Yea, I didn't know either till I wrote this chapter..
Tobias: I'm sad to see this one finished...
Wulfric: Nah, don't be.. We've had some great times, and plus you live in Guardianship too..
Tobias: I know that.. but this is where I first appeared.
Wulfric: And that's what makes it special... People connect you with me.. and me with you..
Tobias: True..
Wulfric: This fic gave me the courage to keep posting here too.. and with you always around it gave me a chance to explain things to people without really saying anything.. and plus we got to be funny and entertaining while being us.. that also makes this special..