Watching him grow

Mannd

I still don't own Harry Potter. I wrote this a while ago and while I don't consider this a MarySue (as the main character is the main focus but not superpowered) she watches Harry grow through out his years at Privet Drive, some might. Please keep your flames to yourself. I wanted to do something from a neighbor's point of view, one who wouldn't be prejudiced against Harry by the Dursley's lies as she would have just moved in. Grace Tanner is my imagination, and she works in the forensic's lab at MI-5. THis is completley unbeta'd. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

Grace Tanner was not what you called a nosy neighbor, nor did she particularly care for her neighbors. She kept to herself in the four-bedroom home on Hydrangea Way, a house that she inherited from her parents. If truth be told, she would rather have her parents back then live in this cookie-cutter development, all the houses were alike, they had purchased the house while she had been going to Cambridge University, if she had been with them she would have suggested elsewhere.

She had received a lot of glares and sniffs from her nosy neighbors when the first major improvement she did on the house was put up a high security fence in the back. She hated feeling as though someone was watching her while she worked in her garden. Several times she would turn to see a face pressed against glass watching her, or a shadow move in a kitchen window, and frankly it gave her the creeps. Before she had the fence put up, she had put up a small but elegant birdbath in her back yard. Within two weeks all the houses surrounding her had them, most of them gaudy, monstrous things and within a few months so covered in algae and other things that the birds wouldn't even use them. So Grace had contacted a friend and he had put up a high privacy fence at cost. She had finally been able to relax, and now her back garden was a paradise.

Her neighbors treated her as a curiosity, most of the women were at-home housewives and mothers, very few actually worked outside of their homes, and she was the only single woman living alone in the neighborhood who wasn't a widow or considered a spinster. She really wished that her neighbors would grow up, between treating her like a trollop, trying to set her up with someone or wanting to mother (smother) her, she was always dodging invitations.

The neighbor behind her however took the cake. Mrs. Dursley of number four Privet Drive was the epitome of nosy, rude, pushy and nasty gossipmonger. She had always been watching her out of her kitchen window, Grace had met the woman's eyes once and it gave her chills. Her husband was an opinionated bigot and had all but told her that she should go home, get married and have babies like a good girl, and she had 'accidentally' dropped the small garden bricks that she was using to line the bed in the back on his foot.

Another reason she had had the fence built was because of their son. The brat loved tramping through her backyard as a short cut to his friend's house a few doors down from her. He would kick things out of his way, mash down on new plants and he knocked over the birdfeeder that she had just hung up, destroying it. When Grace had confronted him and his parents, he had denied it, blaming the small black haired boy who was his cousin. She had primly informed the Dursleys that while they might have been blind and stupid she was neither and could see the difference between the small child and the two hundred plus brat that was their son. The black haired boy had given her a small smile before ducking out of sight.

Two months after she had moved in, her yard, her neighbor's yard, and her neighbors neighbor's yard had been filled with owls. Barn owls, snow owls, eagle owls, just about every kind of owl imaginable. Grace had called into work that day and had spent it taking pictures of the owls and sketching them. Some even let her get close know to touch their soft silky feathers and had deigned to accept food from her. For almost a week the owls had come around, and much to Grace's amusement, they had left little 'gifts' everywhere except her yard. Then one day they disappeared, Grace had listened to the grumbling of her neighbors as they scrubbed roofs, cars, driveways, fences of the little white droppings.

It was with a gasp that Grace sat bolt upright one warm summer evening, screams and yells were coming from the other side of the fence and while she wasn't one to get out of bed and call at every noise and disturbance, she liked the little scamp who lived behind her. He reminded her of herself when she had been a teen. She quickly pulled on her bathrobe and ran outside, and after looking around crept forward climbed a small but sturdy Magnolia tree in her back yard. The yells and screaming continued and she gasped as she watched an old car hanging mid air outside of the small window that now had Vernon hanging out of it. His hands on the legs of the black haired boy trying unsuccessfully to pull him back in. She watched as two red headed boys were holding onto the boy's upper half, "Put your foot down, Fred!" as the boy was slowly pulled from Vernon's grasp and pulled into the car.

"Potter!" Dursley yelled as the car pulled up and then out of sight. She watched as Petunia tried to calm her husband down as the man ranted and raved. Grace held still until they closed the boy's window with a snap and she slowly climbed off of her branch. Had she just dreamed all of that? Well if anything it was definitely another interesting way that the boy spent his life.

The next year, Grace heard yelling again and nearly choked on her dinner as she watched a very large woman begin floating in the air. The woman's eyes met hers and gave a squeak of fear as she tried in vain to stop her upward flight, again Mr. Dursley was yelling and a few moments later as she was watching the incredible floating woman, Potter stomped by her front walk, his face filled with anger, sadness and self disgust. Grace waited a few moments before nipping back inside to get her coat and following after the drag marks left by Potter's trunk. After all there was an insane murderer on the loose and she didn't want the boy hurt. She followed the scuffmarks to the old broken down playground across from Magnolia Crescent and watched as the Potter boy finally slowed down then slumped down sitting dejectedly on his trunk. Grace bit her lip for a moment and was about to go to him when he suddenly stood and drew out a stick and pointed it at something that Grace couldn't see, then fell over his trunk and a huge purple bus appeared.

Grace blinked in shock; one second there had been nothing, now there was a large triple-decker purple bus. She could hear the conductor's loud voice as he read from a card, 'Stan Shunpike' 'knight bus,' and stranded 'witch or wizard' came clearly and she quirked up half of her mouth with a small smile, that made sense. "Diagon Alley," Potter said as he helped the conductor get his trunk onto the bus, "that's in London."

"Did you hear that, Ern..." she heard as the bus disappeared.

"Good luck this year, Potter," Grace, whispered as she backed away, and then squeaked in fear. A huge black dog was watching her. Grace gasped, then straightened, "hey boy," she said tentatively, and the dog slowly moved into the street light, she could see it's ribs under the heavy matted fur, "you look like you could use a good meal," the dog gave a small wag of it's tail, "are you hungry boy?" she asked again and the wagging grew a bit, "well if you are you are welcome to a meal at my home, follow me." She said then turned and walked away, she glanced back once and noted with a small smile that the large dog was following her.

She stood by her front door and waited as the dog hovered on the stoop, watching her, sniffing the air, steps everything before moving passed her. She wanted to bury her hands in the thick fur but didn't want to startle the dog so she quietly closed the door behind them, took off her coat and threw it on the sofa and then moved passed it to the kitchen. She quickly set about cutting up the left over chicken and rice that she had had for supper that night, cutting it into smaller pieces then put the large mess onto a plate and on the floor. While he was inhaling the food, she filled a large serving bowl with water and put that down then slid down the wall and watched him eat then drink. The dog had watched her the whole time, and when it was finished he came over and after considering her for a moment, laid down and with a large sigh put his head in her lap.

Grace smiled as she ran fingers through the thick fur, gently removing snarls and snags, "you, sir," she said softly and the dog's ears twitched, "need a bath," the dog gave a snort that made Grace chuckle. Grace shifted a bit, and while she continued petting the dog, she laid her head against the wall. It had been a long and tiring week at work with the Black escape and search.

Sirius still as the hand that had been petting her slowed to a stop then completely stilled. He cautiously raised his head and turned to look up at the woman who had fed him. The fingers started again but she kept her eyes closed and they quickly slowed down again then stopped. He waited a few minutes before pulling his head out from under her hand and she didn't stir at all. He sat back on his haunches and shifted, his long black hair nearly covering his face as he now studied her with human eyes rather than canine. She was a bit younger than he was, with shoulder length curly black hair, and a full mouth. He wondered briefly what color her eyes were, in his canine form he really couldn't tell. He stood up and stepped back carefully, continuing to watch her, but she didn't stir, he turned and picking up the dishes and put them in the sink then began to explore.

He had been able to tell in his canine form that she lived alone. Pictures on the mantel in the living room showed an older man and woman hugging his hostess, and assumed they were the girl's parents. There were several other pictures of smiling people, her friends and co-workers. He gave the house a quick look through and taking the lady's advice took a quick shower. The girl had still not moved from the kitchen floor and he could see that if she didn't she was going to have a horrible crick in her back. He knelt down and slowly slid his arms under her legs and behind her back and picked her up. He moved quickly up the stairs and setting her on what he assumed was her bed, pulled off her shoes, then after contemplating removing her pants, just unsnapped them, then covered her with a blanket. The girl rolled over and curled up on her side, snuggling into her pillow. He bit back a grin as he made his way to the bedroom door then out into the hall, closing it. The couch was beckoning him.

Grace woke slowly, warm and comfortable and so glad today was Saturday! She stretched under her blanket, willing herself to go back to sleep, pulling her pillow closer. Then she stilled, her blanket, her pillow? She sat up with a gasp and looked around the room. Her eyes landed on the door to her bedroom, she never closed it, NEVER!

She carefully walked over to it and taking deep breath opened it and looked out in the hall, nothing looked out of place. She walked down to the main floor and looked around then moved into her kitchen and stared at the empty place on the floor where the dishes that she had fed the dog had been. She glanced in the sink and saw them rinsed off and neatly stacked. A quick glance through her house yielded no dog, rinsed off dishes, and one used towel.

She saw Potter next June, he looked lost somehow and Grace felt her heart go out to him, "Potter," she said halting his endless meandering. The teen turned and looked at her and she gave a tentative smile, "I need someone to do some work around my yard, know anyone?"

"Like what?" he said his voice almost hoarse and she wondered if it was from lack of use.

"Mowing, weeding, and I want to build a small gazebo and trellis," she said as she moved to the small front gate and opened it, an invitation. Potter bit his lip then moved into the yard, and let Grace led him to the back, "I can't pay a lot, but I will pay." she said as she opened the back gate and led him in to the back yard.

"How often," he asked.

"Mowing once a week," Grace said as she watched him look around the yard, "same with the weeding, but I would like to get the gazebo and trellis up during my vacation in July." Potter nodded then looked at her and gave her a tentative smile, "so you'll do it?" she asked.

"I don't know how to build the trellis or gazebo, but I will help with the yard work," he said nodding then held out his hand, "Harry Potter," he introduced himself.

"Grace Tanner," she said shaking his hand, "and I can help you with the building, when can you start?"

"Tomorrow?" Harry asked pushing his hands in his back pockets.

"Great!" Grace said, "I'll see you tomorrow then," she smiled and he gave her a shy smile back.

Harry looked in satisfaction as the small but sturdy trellis was raised and was filled with small tendrils of climbing roses. "Yo, Harry," Harry turned to look behind him and grinning sheepishly picked up the hammer and bag of nails that he had been set to get and jogged back to where Grace and her friend Brian were arguing companionably about best types of flowering trees. He slid the hammer and nails onto the cut boards and looked at the blueprint then the yard.

"So how did the boss like your theory about Sirius Black?" Brian asked as he picked up several board, neither adult noticing Harry's sudden stiffening.

"He's demanding more information," Grace said as she picked up the hammer that Harry had put down and grabbed a handful of a nails and moved to the precut wood and began lining things up, "but he agrees with me, there was something fishy going on, and there should have been more than just the finger of Pettigrew at the crime scene. He is thinking it was a set up and somehow Pettigrew cut off his finger before escaping leaving Black to hold the bag. The government has been stalling him, but he has finally put his foot down and said that if he doesn't get transcripts of the trial and all evidence he is going to remove Black from the most wanted file to a person of interest file with possible information on the terrorist Pettigrew."

Harry stood there in shock as he processed what had been said, he jerked back to reality when Brian clap a hand on his shoulder, "Hey kid, give us a hand?"

"Is everything okay?" Grace asked as Harry nervously shifted from foot to foot. The gazebo had been finished and the two had finished washing the paintbrush of the stain and sealers, "Harry?" she asked when the boy was silent.

"Why are you helping Sirius?" Harry blurted out and Grace blinked in surprise, and Harry flushed then mumbled, "never mind."

He began to turn away, and Grace caught his sleeve, "Lemonade?" she asked and he nodded dully and followed her into the cool kitchen, "do you know where I work?" she asked and he shook his head, "I work in the forensics department of MI-5," she said sitting down a glass and taking a sip from hers and sighing at the cool liquid. "Somehow, Mr. Black came into my home last summer, took a shower, ate some food, cleaned the dishes, carried me to bed and he did that all without killing me." She watched him as he nervously played with his glass, "and half of that while a dog." he jerked in surprise spilling some of the sweet liquid. She smiled and handed him a napkin, waving away his apology, "but it got me thinking, why would an escaped murderer who has nothing to lose be watching a skinny teen from Privet Drive and then follow me home, all without stealing or killing, so I wondered how much of the tripe we were give was true, and came to discover that none of it was."

"What does that mean?" Harry asked quietly.

Grace leaned forward and gently touched the back of Harry's hand, "what it means, Harry, is that until someone can offer substantial proof of a trial and evidence to back up the conviction, Her Majesty no longer considers Sirius Black a murderer and is no longer actively looking for him." Harry's mouth fell open in a little 'o' of shock and she smiled, "when you see him, tell him." she said as she stood and rinsed out her empty glass in the sink.

She pulled an envelope from a kitchen drawer and handed it to Harry who opened it and blinked in surprise at the money, "for this summer, it is getting close to August and you always seem to a..." she paused then grinned, "leave in a very unusual manner at the beginning of the month."

Harry gaped at her then snickered as he tucked the money into his back pocket.

Grace heard yelling coming from the Dursley's house again, but this time it wasn't Vernon, but a gruffer voice, "Potter what are you doing?" Grace came out to the back yard and laughed. Harry grinned at her on top of a broom and winked as a several people hovered uncertainly around him, "have a good year at school, Potter," she called and he gave her a gaunty wave and smirk. Grace watched as the group gave her a nervous look before swinging around and flying away. Grace shook her head laughing and walked back into the house.

A soft knock pulled Grace from her book; she opened the door and saw the devastation in Harry's face. She grabbed his hand and pulled him in, sat him on the couch and held onto his hands as they trembled, "Sirius is dead," he said after a few moments of struggling.

"Ahh... Harry," Grace said sighing then waited knowing that he didn't want empty words or platitudes and slowly the teen in front of her crumpled and began weeping softly. Grace pulled him against her and he clung to her.

An hour later, he laid sleeping his head in her lap, the release of the sharp edge of grief and guilt had helped him heal and she sighed as she ran gentle fingers through his hair. She had listened in silence as he had told her about his year. "you haven't had an easy one have you?" she whispered softly.

He murmured softly, but fell back asleep.

Grace didn't even have to say anything to Harry the next summer; he just took one look at her and began weeping. Her heart ached with his emotions, pain, loss, guilt, anger were so messed up that he couldn't even get coherent sentences out of his mouth, just words of pain. She held him, rocking him like a small child, wishing she could take his pain away. "This boy..." she thought, then looked at him, "no, this man, so much pain."

"Mrs. Tanner?" a red headed man asked after she opened the door a year later.

"I'm Ms Tanner," she said nodding.

"My name is Charlie Weasley, a friend of Harry Potter's," he smiled up at her and she nodded, "he wanted me to tell you that he was okay, but he wasn't coming home to Privet Drive and he didn't want you to worry."

She stared at him for a moment then slowly opened the door completely and invited him in. The two sat and talked for an hour about Harry and the war. "We knew something was going on," Grace said sipping her tea, "we are after all not blind," she gave him a sardonic smile, "but some of us worked on things to help with your war, and we have been tasked with the forensics side of the trials that are coming up."

Charlie nodded, "I had heard. Minister Kingsley has been talking to the Prime Minister."

Grace grinned, "I was there when the Prime Minister found out that his secretary was now the Minister of Magic," she snickered, "I thought the man was going to go into shock." He laughed and she joined him, then grew serious, "tell Harry that I would like a letter from him from time to time." she tilted her head, "I'll miss the scamp."

Grace stared at the gold embossed envelope in her hand, and smiled, "Please join us in celebrating the joining of Ginevra Molly Weasley with Harry James Potter." She grinned to herself as she quickly signed the RSPV and handed the envelope to the owl sitting on the trellis, she hoped that Charlie was going to be there.