DAHLIA

I grin at the letter in my hand, happily tracing my gaze along every line written in ink and feel a wave of happiness wash over me. I'm delighted to know Harry is adjusting well - he's made a friend named Ron and apparently - famous.

The whole thing with him killing a great overlord at only 1 years old was a common tale spread among wizards, I do worry what that would mean for him if that dark lord's followers still lurked around.

But Dumbledore assured me he'd protect Harry. And according to Harry, Dumbledore is the greatest wizard of all time - even the dark lord is afraid of him, as long as he's around, we should be fine. I have nothing to worry about.

Well I do.

That is how to spend my days without Harry. Ever since he came into my life, we spent everyday together. He's never been away for this long and I'm starting to feel the loneliness creep in. I'm usually never lonely, I was alone for a long time before Harry but he came and showed me the joy of having company.

Having someone you love spend every waking day greeting you, sharing meals together and having the nightly routine of watching movies while cuddled in the couch. I miss him so much but there's no helping it.

He's growing so fast and soon he'll be flying off the nest and out into the real world - I should really find something to do with my life. With Harry occupied in school, I can no longer use him as an excuse for why I'm still putting my life on pause.

I should at least give dating a try. 

I've never discussed it with Harry before, me bringing another man into our life but he's a bright and kind kid. Surely he'd be open to the idea, and I'll make sure to provide him with a good father figure.

But that might be extra difficult now - what with the whole wizard thing, not sure I can just keep that hidden forever and keep finding ways around it. 

I wonder how Harry is doing right now.

+++

Harry is back home for the holidays! I couldn't keep my excitement at bay as I watch the train arrive at the station and I see the students begin piling out. I stood there, looking around for a familiar mop of black hair and then I saw him - 

Running over to me with a huge grin. "Mum!" 

He yelled and tackled me with a hug, which I returned. Wrapping my arms around him and letting go after I realized a boy with bright red hair was watching us, I grin at him and wave him over - he approached us.

"Lovely to meet you, you must be Ron?" I ask and he nods, mouth agape at me.

"This is Ron, my friend." Harry grinned and gestured to the redhead. I nod at them.

"Harry's told me so much about you." 

Ron turns to Harry and raised his brow. "You talked about me to your Mum?"

"Of course, you and Hermione have done so much for me."

"I just wanted to thank you for being such a great friend to Harry." I slightly crouch to level gazes with him and his cheeks flushed - cute. I turn back to Harry. "So when do I get to meet Hermione?"

"She has muggle parents, she's a muggleborn so maybe we can meet during the holiday?" Harry offered, and I nodded with a satisfied grin.

"Why not invite Ron as well? If his family allowed him, I'd love to treat you kids for the holidays."

Harry beamed at that and jumped in place. "Yes! We should do that."

"Ron, that must be your family - best go now if they're looking for you," I gestured to the large family of redheads grouped together a few feet away and Ron nodded, then began walking towards them. "He's a cute kid."

"He's really nice." Harry nods.

***

Now Harry's back home, he took in the house. Without him around - I had too much spare time when I wasn't at work and so I went overboard with the Christmas decorations. It still looked good but definitely over the top for a one-day Holiday.

"This looks like a theme park," Harry teased and I ruffle his hair as we make our way inside. "I like it."

"You had no choice but to like it anyway." I stuck my tongue out at him and he giggled.

I helped him unpack his trunk and set Hedwig free to fly around whenever she wanted, she appeared to me cautious of me. She doesn't react when I approach her but she does watch me from afar with her large eyes when I moved around.

Harry was quick to bring out wizard snacks he wished to introduce to me and I was still yet to adjust when a jumping chocolate frog leaped at me and I almost shook the entire neighbourhood with my scream.

Harry was laughing the entire time but I was genuinely in shock - he must've anticipated that reaction because he was quick to apologize in between his laughter. I did laugh with him after - he explained they only jump once so there's no need to worry.

And that they're charmed, they are not actually frogs that were just covered in chocolate.

"So it has literally any flavour?" I ask Harry, holding a single bean from the lot.

"Yup - last time I got rubber, didn't even know that was a flavour." Harry crinkles his nose and I shrug before putting the bean in my mouth. "What'd you get?"

I chew very slowly, anticipating the flavours to hit me and I abruptly paused when I realized what it is. "Is this ice? How can a bean that's not even cold taste like ice?"

"That's magic for you." Harry grinned.

I watched as he continued to unpack his belongings and saw an unfamiliar glow around him - it wasn't unwelcome but I've just never seen it before. There was always something missing from him and that was magic - and now? He's got magic.

No longer suppressing that side of him and he's able to be who he really is, who his parents were. You couldn't be happier for him - to learn they left him yet another gift, and this special.

"So how was school? Hopefully nothing too crazy happened?"

Harry's answer was quick - I could tell it was a lie. "Nope."

But I chose not to pry, given how happy he seemed and I didn't want to ruin the moment.

3rd Person's point of view.

Harry didn't want to tell Dahlia how he was almost killed in his very first year at Hogwarts. He knew Dahlia worried, being far away from him, and it wouldn't do her any good to find out just how dangerous it is for Harry out there.

Being the person to have ended a dark lord - and he appears to be slowly making a comeback, with the aids of his followers and fellow dark wizards. 

Harry plans to tell her, but not right now - he's still young and she would worry too much. He'll find a way to rely the message in a nicer way - surely she'd understand.

Dahlia was the most caring and understanding person ever.

He has no doubts she'd be taking the information well, but for now, he wanted her to enjoy this. To think that Harry's in some amazing world when he's not with her and she has nothing to worry about at all.

***

Dahlia opened the door to welcome a girl in her doorstep, her bushy hair made quite a silhouette and Dahlia let her in - waving at her parents who parked their car by the fountain and entered the house as well.

"Hi, pleased to have you over at our house - my name is Dahlia." Dahlia introduced herself, offering a hand to the fellow muggles, and they accepted. 

"The pleasure is all ours, it's actually quite nice to have someone to talk to about all of this - someone who would understand - my name is Monica, I'm Hermione's Mum and this is my husband, Wendell." Monica grinned.

"I mean, we always knew our daughter was special - as would any parent to their child, but a wizard?" Wendell blinked and the three shared a laugh.

"I know what you mean." Dahlia nodded and looked over her shoulder to see Hermione and Harry chat by the fire. 

"Please come in to the living room, it's warmer in there." Dahlia gestured and the couple did as told. 

Dahlia couldn't close the door right away, spotting yet another family arriving to dinner, and she grinned. Spotting Ron from the bunch and waving them over.

Ron was taking in the estate, they had a very large front yard - if you could even call it that with how large it was, and took in the fancy hedges and the large fountain in between.

On top of that was the mansion that greeted them, covered in holiday decorations and right by the door is Dahlia - the pretty woman he met at the station who was Harry's Mum. He could feel his excitement bubble in his chest.

"I'm so glad you made it!" Dahlia beamed and welcomed the hug the Weasley matron offered.

"Oh wow - you are lovely, and so is this house! My name is Molly, these are my children." Molly then began pointing at her kids and giving off their names, Dahlia dutifully memorized them. "The older ones are off with their jobs, so it's just us here."

"Oh no worries, I'm very honoured you even came." Dahlia grinned and gestured for them to come inside. "Please, it's cold out."

"We have warming spells casted, actually." Ron grinned and Dahlia blinked at that, she didn't think of that one.

"Ron!" Harry called out and ran to Ron, tackling him in a hug with an equally excited Hermione.

***

"There's really no need, you're my guests." Dahlia tried for the nth time to get Molly and Monica to stop helping her in the kitchen, but the two wouldn't budge at all.

"Nonsense! There's so many of us and only one of you," Monica shook her head. "Let us help with this."

"Children! Set up the table." Molly called out to her kids and they were quick on their feet, moving around the kitchen in search for the plates and other cutleries to set and Dahlia grinned.

"Thank you so much - all of you, but I feel burdened now."

"Oh don't be," Ron shrugged. "We do this everyday so there's nothing new."

Dahlia watched as the trio of 12-year-olds made their way out, carrying plates and the older Weasley children are carrying cups and place mats.

"Say, have you got a man in your life, Dahlia?" Molly asked once the kitchen was left to the three women again and they're beginning to serve the food in fancy plates.

"Me? Oh no, the only one I have right now is Harry and he isn't a man yet." Dahlia chuckled and the other two women shared a look.

"You're young and beautiful, have you not tried, then?" Monica asked, raising a brow.

"I have thought about it but - " Dahlia shook her head. "There seems to be no man good enough for my son, or me - specially with the whole wizard thing, should make it difficult to get a muggle boyfriend."

The three shared a laugh again before exiting the kitchen and serving the food.

Arthur then encouraged the group to take photos to commemorate the memory of them having dinner as one big family. Dahlia was about to grab her polaroid camera when the twins brought out theirs - a magical one.

Molly casted a spell to make it float a few feet away as the bunch settled on a comfortable group pose and then the picture was taken.

They took three sets - one for each family to keep.

Dinner ended on a good note, with the Weasleys and Grangers leaving with big grins and Dahlia tucked Harry into his bed.

Dahlia stared at the moving polaroid - laughing when she noticed the twins put devil horns behind Ron using their fingers and awed at how cute Hermione and Harry looked with their arms linked.

She grinned, grabbing her pen and scribbling the date right under. 

Christmas Family Dinner. 12-22-91.