Chapter Text
The early Monday morning air is to no one's surprise dull and overcast. Two figures make their way into the building and move towards the canteen. One of them is a short woman with mousy brown hair and a blue anorak and a guy almost as tall as her with jet black hair looking half asleep.
“Switch the lights on love,” Bren says as she switches on the big light.
“OK,” Harry replies, switching on the rest of the lights.
Harry Potter is yawning as the whole canteen is now lit up. He rubs the sleep out of his eyes and ends up getting more sleepy. The 11 year old has been getting up early for years with paper rounds and Bren's early shifts at work. Even after all this time the first hour of the day has Harry yawning and wanting to get right back into bed. Harry yawns again and Bren can't help but smile as she puts the milk away.
“Too early for you?” Bren playfully teases.
“Too early for everyone,” Harry replies and pretends to stick his tongue out at Bren.
“Morning,” Tony says, walking through the entrance looking happy.
“Morning,” Bren says brightly, “Harry's still asleep.”
“Oh late night was it?” Tony jokes as Harry slumps down on one of the tables.
“Yeah late night poker game,” Harry jokes then yawns loudly.
Tony smiles and ruffles Harry's black hair before walking to the counter.
“How about you Bren?” Tony asks, “A big night in town? Drugs, booze and everything?”
“Went to bed at half 9,” Bren replies quickly, “He was later than me.”
“He's a growing boy,” Tony teases.
“Still tired,” Harry mutters, placing his head down on the table.
“Milk's in, bread’s not come yet,” Bren says, anticipating Tony's question.
“Fine I'm off for a fag, coming Harry?’ The tall dark haired man asks.
“Next time,” a sleeping Harry mumbles.
Tony smiles and walks away as Bren turns to put the kettle on. Harry keeps trying to sleep when Dolly and Jean walk in.
“Morning,” Jean says, “What's up with him?”
“Tired from last night,” Bren replies quickly.
“It's not a good idea to be up so late,” Dolly replies, “You wanna get a job.”
“I do,” Harry mumbles on the table, “Can't deliver papers if they aren't there yet.”
“The man's gone away this week anyway,” Bren says, getting all the staff cups of tea.
“So I really do have no good reason to wake up this early?” Harry asks and Bren can't help but laugh.
“Uhhhhhh now I really wanna go to bed,” Harry moans.”
“Well I've not seen you since Christmas,” Jean says, patting Harry on the back of his head.
“I'm still not growing that quickly,” Harry mutters but doesn't move as Jean pets him.
“Isn't it the summer holidays?” Dolly asks and Bren nods.
“Ooh the big school now,” Jean says and kisses Harry's sleeping head on the cheek.
“Uhhhh let me go to bed,” Harry moans, moving away from Jean.
“Leave him alone Jean,” Dolly fusses, “Why doesn't he just have stayed in bed?”
“I kinda made him,” Bren admits from behind the counter, “Gotta go for his new school stuff this afternoon.”
Harry nods while still lying on the table with his head down. Dolly and Jean walk past to get changed as Bren moves towards Harry.
“Is milk ok for you?” Bren asks, sounding worried, ‘I'll make you tea but then you won't sleep and…”
“Bren it's fine thank you,” Harry smiles and looks up at her, “If I call you Mum will you let me go back to bed today?” He grins cheekily.
“Of course not,” Bren teases, handing over a cup of milk to Harry.
“I'm really close to calling you Mummy,’’ Harry smiles, lifting up from the table.
“Really close to heading to your new school with a black eye,” Bren replies, slapping Harry in the arm making him smile.
“Sorry,” Harry pretends to pout then takes a drink.
“Don't bully him,” Dolly frowns firmly walking back into the canteen.
“I'm not,” Bren replies, “I know he gets up every day and he moans about it every day too.”
Dolly's lips go tight but Harry gives a bark like laugh and sips his milk.
The back door opens and it steps a large man in blue overalls.
“Morning everyone,” Stan says brightly.
“Morning Stan, wanna brew?” Bren asks.
“Yes please, just hosed down the bins and I saw the most peculiar thing,” Stan says, drawing up to his full height.
“Why, what happened?” Jean says to the tall man
“I just saw a tabby cat reading the bus stop,” Stan says frankly.
“Was it waiting for a bus?” Tony asks cheekily just walking back in too.
“I don't know but was just sat there, watching, observing,” Stan remarks then walks over to Harry.
“Morning Stan,” Harry mutters sleepily.
“Don't you have anything to say about this?” Stan questions, “A normal creature acting so oddly and without any reason.”
“Stan leave it,” Bren says, “Cats act weird all the time, it's being normal that freaks me out.”
Stan walks back a few steps still eyeing Harry with a look of mistrust.
“Stan, really? Are you still on about the owls?” Harry asks and Stan goes red.
“What owls?” Dolly wonders.
“I'm telling you, hundreds of owls in the middle of Manchester station all looking at him,” Stan asks but already stepping back as the rest of the Dinnerladies look at him.
“I was 2,” Harry protests, “For my birthday you got me a socket set, bet the owls were all loving that.”
The Dinnerladies laugh and even Stan looks a bit bashful.
“Ah maybe the owls but what about the snake?” Stan suggested.
“Again I was 5 not my fault the roof fell off, dodgy wires you said,” Harry says laughing along with the rest.
“Look I'm just say weird things happen when Harry is around that's all,” Stan says taking his mug, “I like the lad but that cat was standing and reading a map,”
“Nothing is wrong with Harry,” Bren says, “He's just normal that's all.”
“Exactly,” Harry adds, starting to roll back to the table when something has caught his eye.
The door swings open from the main canteen area and in walks a woman that no one has ever seen before. Dressed all in black and carrying a stack of official looking forms she strides confidently to the middle of the room. The woman beers across at them all for a few seconds before she walks towards Harry. She has spectacles perked on the tip of her nose with her long brown hair pulled up in a bum. Her face was weathered and wrinkled with a firm and tight expression that stopped when she looked dead at Harry. She stops for a few seconds like her face is suddenly very pale. Harry is nervous at this older woman but Bren walks over to him first.
“Who are you?” Bren asks sharply, almost stepping in front of Harry.
“Oh yes I'm sorry my name is Professor McGonagall and I would like to talk to Mr Potter,” She says firmly.
“About what?” Harry asks before Bren does.
“About magic,” Professor McGonagall says with a smile.