Chapter 19 - Decorating

Thanks a lot to my beta-readers, Orodruin and AmyLouise, for correcting my mistakes.

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to J.K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.

Chapter 19 - Decorating

Harry had gone into his room after he finished his breakfast. He didn't knew what to do, so he just sat on the window sill and thought about his current situation. How can a life change so completely? I still can't believe that I live here now. He thought about the Dursleys. What will they do now? They can't remember me. I'm glad that I don't have to see them again, but I also have an odd feeling about it.

He was still on the sill, staring out of the window, when Ivy knocked at his door.

"Yes?" Harry said, curious about who it was.

Ivy came in, and when she saw him on the sill with a sad expression on his face, she was worried. "Everything okay, Harry?"

"Sure," Harry said and jumped from the sill. "I was just thinking."

When he came over to her, Ivy stroked his hair and kissed him on his forehead. "You shouldn't brood so much. Why didn't you decorate your room or read a little?"

"Decorate? I haven't anything to decorate it with," Harry said, confused.

"We still have time until dinner. Oh, by the way, I wanted to ask you if you would like me to keep you company during dinner. Severus is sleeping, and he won't be coming down for dinner," Ivy said and couldn't suppress the worry that was visible through her eyes.

"I would love it if we could eat together, but how is Severus?" Harry asked, worried.

"Not so good, but he soon will be fine if he stays in bed. I only have to work until two, and I will make sure that he rests today," Ivy said, and her worried expression was replaced by a determined one.

"I should have convinced him to go back to bed this morning," Harry said sadly.

"Harry, Severus is an adult, and it isn't your responsibility to watch over him. I hardly believe you would enjoy the consequences of nagging Severus too much. But now, back to your room, Harry. Let's make it a little more cozy, okay?"

"How?" Harry asked, confused.

"First, you should choose a color for your walls. Or do you want a moving picture like the twins?" Ivy asked as she drew her wand.

"No, I think color is enough, but I don't care if it stays like it is. It's okay."

"It shouldn't just be okay, Harry. You should feel safe and happy here. So what color would you like? We can try and experiment a little." She waved her wand and colored the walls red and golden.

"Severus will kill me when he sees this," Harry said, laughing.

"Severus wouldn't mind, Harry. He wants you to be happy here. So, do you want it like this?" Ivy asked seriously, even though her heart had made a jump at seeing Harry laugh so freely.

Harry grimaced and then said, "I don't think so. Maybe beige or light yellow. I like it bright."

A wave of Ivy's wand and two walls were painted completely in beige and the other two in a light yellow with a horizontal line of beige in it. "What do you think?" Ivy asked.

"It's perfect," Harry replied, beaming.

"Okay, and now your poster. Where do you want it to be placed?" Ivy had taken the poster and was looking questioningly at Harry.

"Maybe beside the cupboard." Mentioning the cupboard brought back the memory of this morning and that Severus had discovered the state of his clothes. Harry looked sadly at the floor.

Ivy noticed the change in Harry's mood. "No brooding, Harry!" She ruffled his hair and then glued the poster at the place Harry wanted it. When she faced Harry again, he wasn't looking at the floor, but he still had a nervous expression. "Severus told me about the problem with your clothes. Let's have a look at what you have in your cupboard so that we know what to buy."

Harry didn't want to show Ivy his awful clothes. "It's not necessary, Ivy. I will just buy new ones when James lets me out. You only have to give me money from my vault."

"Harry, I think Severus has already told you that we sealed your vault until you become of age. We will go shopping tomorrow. James said it will be okay. We could even go today, but Severus wants to accompany us, and he isn't allowed to leave today. I hope it's okay for you to wear Severus' clothes until tomorrow. You look quite handsome in them, young man. The ladies will fall for you when they see you like this." She grinned at him to ease the tension.

Harry looked down at himself. "No, it's no problem." He looked up at Ivy and added, "Do we really have to look through my clothes? They are very worn out."

"If you don't want me to look at them, it's okay with me, but you should know that I don't mind looking through them," Ivy said while she started again to stroke loose wisps of hair out of Harry's face.

"It's embarrassing, and I don't think there is anything you would want me to keep," Harry said while leaning into her touch.

"Okay, why don't you throw everything you don't want to keep in the garbage and then let me look through the ones you want to keep?" Ivy offered.

"Okay," Harry said. "Now?"

"Yes, I would like to make a list for the shopping tomorrow, and right now I still have time. Dinner will be ready in twenty minutes," Ivy explained. "I'll leave you to look through the clothes and will be back in ten minutes, okay?"

"Five will be enough, I think," Harry said, looking uncertainly at her.

"Fine, five minutes then, Harry. And don't worry. There is nothing to be embarrassed about," Ivy said and left the room.

Harry looked frantically through his clothes and threw almost all of Dudley's clothes into the garbage. He only kept two shirts and trousers that looked at least decent and some old socks. I still need something to wear for tomorrow.

When Ivy came back, the clothes had already vanished out of the garbage. She looked through the remaining clothes and arranged them in stacks. Even so, there were only two, and the one with Dudley's old clothes Ivy was now holding in her hands. "Do you really want to keep these, Harry?"

"I need something for tomorrow."

"So that is the only reason?"

"Yes, why else would I want to keep them?" Harry looked disgusted.

"Then we will throw them away as well," Ivy said and vanished them with her wand. Then she tapped her wand at a free place in the cupboard, and a stack with clothes appeared. She turned to Harry and looked him up and down. When she was satisfied, she turned to the new stack and tapped it again. The stack seemed to shrink a little. "That's for tomorrow. They are Severus' again, but I shrank them to your size." She turned to face Harry and said, "Okay, now we should go down and see if Twinky has already served dinner."

They ate peacefully together, and when they had finished, Ivy said, "I have to go now. Ron and Hermione will come and visit you soon. Your doorknob will glow when they try to enter our quarters. I have spelled the doorknob of Severus' and my bedroom to not glow so that Severus isn't tempted to get up, but please inform him when you let Hermione and Ron in."

"I thought he was sleeping?" Harry asked, a little scared that he would disturb Severus.

"Yes, he is, but it's better to wake him briefly to say that you have visitors, than surprise him when he hears them. Severus would like to know when you have guests, and he can fall asleep again," Ivy explained.

"Okay, I will let him know. I just hope he won't try to stand up again."

"He won't, Harry." Again there was this sad expression in her face, and Harry became worried.

"Is he really okay? Maybe I should send Ron and Hermione a message to come by later so that I don't have to wake Severus."

"No, Harry, that isn't necessary. Severus will be okay soon, and waking him for a short time won't worsen his condition. Don't worry," Ivy said and smiled at Harry, but the smile didn't reach her eyes.

__________

When his doorknob flared green and started to make a sirring sound, Harry jumped up from his bed and ran to the front door. A face had appeared on it, and Harry stopped dead in his tracks when he saw it. The face looked very much like Professor Trelawney. The moment it saw Harry, it started to speak, "Mr. Ronald Weasley and Miss Hermione Granger ask to be let in."

"Eh... then let them in," Harry said, unsure how to make the door to open because it looked as if it didn't have a handle.

"As Master Harry wishes," the face said, and the door sprang open.