Author's note: This story, originally titled Harry et la Chambre des Secrets Deux, is an abandoned story I received permission from the originating author, Scotland Yard, to complete. The first six chapters are much the same as what Scotland yard wrote with some correction, alterations, and additions on my part. Beginning with Chapter 7 the story will be for the most part my writing.
Chapter One: If You Say So
"Daddy, I'm worried about my friend, Harry," said Hermione Jean Granger, sitting next to her father, the Dr. Fordyce Granger, on a porch swing overlooking the Grangers' spacious back garden. "I've written him six letters since we came home from Hogwarts and he's not written even written back, one time."
"Sweetheart, maybe he's just been too busy to write," answered Fordyce, putting down his evening newspaper and wrapping an arm around his daughter's shoulders.
"Daddy, that's not the reason, I just know it," she sighed, leaning into her father's loving embrace. "Before we got off the train at Kings' Cross, he told me to be sure to write him, and I can't explain why, but I just know something's wrong. You see, he lives with his aunt and uncle, and they hate everything to do with him, especially magic."
"What are his aunt's and uncle's names; maybe I could give them a ring?" Fordyce asked.
"Their names are Vernon and Petunia Dursley, and they live in Little Whinging, Surrey," answered Hermione.
"You don't say," replied Fordyce with a smile. "It just so happens that your mother and I have been invited to a business dinner by a Vernon Dursley of Little Whinging to discuss a dental drill contract our dental association is considering purchasing from Grunnings Drills. Your mother really despises such events, so what do you say about me having you take her place? That is if you really want to go with me and check up on your friend."
"Ooh, Daddy, yes, yes, I want to go with you!" squealed the young witch, hugging her father and kissing his cheek.
"I see your mother waling this way; we can break the news to her shortly," said the grinning Fordyce. "We're scheduled to have dinner with the Dursleys on July 31…"
"July 31, that's Harry's birthday!" she squealed, embracing her father again. Then, biting her lower lip, she screamed, before leaping off the swing and running in to the Grangers' home on the way to her bedroom "TODAY'S JULY 29; I ONLY HAVE TWO DAYS TO GET READY!"
"What's got her so excited?" her mother Jean asked, watching their daughter charge through their back door, as she approached the porch after weeding her flower bed
"You know that business dinner we have with the Dursleys in two days?" he asked. As his wife nodded yes, he added, "Well, Hermione and I just figured out that boy Harry she wrote to us about all last year was the Dursleys' nephew, and the 31st is Harry's birthday, to boot."
"Oh, really, I have to meet this boy who has our normally calm, cool, and collected daughter all in a tizzy," giggled Jean. Smiling, she added, "Why don't you be a dear, bell Dursley, and tell him there will be three in our party for dinner. Don't mention the third person is to be our daughter, so we can surprise this Harry, who has our daughter's heart all a flutter. I'm sure Dursley won't mind, especially if he's as eager to get our business as you think he is. I don't have any appointments tomorrow after 2:30, so I think I'll go ask Hermione if she'd like to go shopping for a new dress to impress her crush with."
"Come in," said Hermione, hearing a knock at her bedroom door several minutes later.
"Your father just told me your friend Harry was the Dursleys' nephew, and I just wanted to know if you'd like to go out shopping for a new dress tomorrow afternoon," said Jean, poking her head into her daughter's room.
"Ooh, yes, Mum, yes," said Hermione, running over to hug her mother.
"Great, while I'm at it, I think I'll get myself a new dress to impress your crush with, as well," Jean said with a wink.
"You mean, you're coming with us," said Hermione not catching on to all her mother had just said.
"Of course, I'm coming with you," said the giggling Jean. "It's not every day a mother gets to meet the bloke that sets her daughter's heart all a flutter."
"Mum, Harry's just my friend," said Hermione, blushing.
"If you say so, sweetheart, if you say so," replied Jean, smiling warmly at her daughter.
1
"Good evening, Dr. Granger, and welcome to our humble home," said Vernon Dursley, opening the front door of Number Four Privet Drive on the evening of July 31.
"It's good to finally meet you in person, Mr. Dursley," said Fordyce, shaking the rotund man's hand. Then, with a smile he added, "These lovely ladies are my wife the Dr. Jean Granger and our daughter Hermione."
"Nice to meet you, lovely ladies," said Vernon, planting slobbery kisses on Jean's and Hermione's hands. As they entered the Dursleys' sitting room, the obese man added, "It pleases me to introduce my lovely wife Petunia and our handsome son Dudley."
"Nice to meet you, as well," said Fordyce, shaking hands with Petunia and Dudley.
"Well, come sit down, and, if you like, I'll poor you a drink," said Vernon not noticing Hermione and her parents looking around the room for signs of Harry.
"We'll all have mineral waters, please," said Fordyce, as he and Jean sat on a sofa with Hermione between them. Smiling a bit later, he added with a subtle wink at his wife and daughter, "Thank-you for telling us of your most kind essay, Dudley. Could I please have a copy of your essay to show my colleagues on the dental board?"
"He left it at school Dr. Granger, but if you like we can mail you a copy when school starts in September," said Petunia, casting a nervous glance at her husband after returning to the sitting room from tending to her dinner.
"That would be most kind of you," said Fordyce.
"You are most welcome Dr, Granger, and dinner is now ready, so if you'll please follow me to our dining room we can get started," said Petunia. A few moments later, while casting a brief glare, that the Grangers noticed, at Hermione, as the young witch purposely sat between her parents and not next to Dudley, as she had intended, she added, "For our first course, we'll be having…"
"Where are you going?" whispered Harry James Potter, about twenty minutes later, to the house-elf he had chased down the stairs.
"I is being sorry, Harry Potter, sir, but I is not wanting you returning to Hogwarts," answered Dobby, the house-elf, as he began to levitate Petunia's prized pudding toward the dining room.
"Hermione!" shouted Harry, seeing who the pudding was headed for.
"Harry!" squealed the young witch, jumping up to embrace her best friend, just as Dobby dropped the pudding and all its sticky goo on the young wizard and witch as they embraced and began to swing each other around.
"Uh, Hermione, you look great," said Harry as the sticky mess began to cascade down the beaming friends' bodies.
"Boy, what did I tell you about not coming down here while our guests were here?" bellowed the dimwitted Vernon not catching on that his important client's daughter and his own nephew were delighted beyond all measure to see each other.
"Hermione, I can't believe it's really you, and I must say you really look cute with pudding in your hair," said Harry, licking some pudding from her face. "You taste rather good, as well."
"You don't taste too bad yourself, Potter," said Hermione after licking his face, as well. "Oh, and by the way, Happy Birthday, Harry. Now, why haven't you replied to any of my letters?"
"Because he's been stopping them from getting to me and Dursley won't let me let Hedwig out of her cage so I could send you the letters I wrote you," answered Harry, pointing at the house-elf before he disappeared with a pop. Then, grinning, he added,
"Thanks for wishing me a happy birthday."
"Freak, get away from that sweet girl, this instant," bellowed Vernon, reaching out, grabbing Harry's hair, and roughly pulling the young wizard and witch to the ground.
"Dursley, step away from my daughter and her best friend, now," ordered Fordyce.
"I'm sorry Dr. Granger, but I was just trying to keep my freak of a nephew away from your sweet normal daughter," said Vernon, trying to save face with the Grangers.
"Fool," said Fordyce, seething with anger. "I just said step away from both of them. I know your feeble mind cannot comprehend it on its own, so I shall explain it to you. My daughter, Hermione, and your nephew, whose name for your information happens to be Harry, are the best of friends from school, and the only freaks I see in this room are you and your family."
"You mean you're freaks just like the bastard is," snarled Vernon.
"No, we are not freaks," said Fordyce. "My wife and I are dentists, Hermione and Harry are both gifted youngsters, and we have never been so insulted in our entire lives. By the way, sloth, you can take that lucrative dental drill contract and shove it up your fat arse, and tomorrow morning I shall bell your supervisors and tell them why my dental group has decided to purchase our drills elsewhere."
"Then, get the bloody hell out of my house, before I call the police," said Vernon, as Dudley took a swing at Hermione only to have Harry stick his wand under his fat cousin's chubby chin.
"Go ahead, Diddy, make my day," snarled Harry. "Hit her and I'll make sure you're the last Dursley to walk the face of the earth."
"Potter, lower your wand, now," ordered Minerva McGonagall, Apparating into the room.
"He tried to hit Hermione," snarled Harry, pushing his wand further into Dudley's flabby chin.
"I know, Potter, I saw the whole incident through a window after Apparating into the Dursleys' back garden, but lower your wand before you get into more trouble than you already are," said McGonagall in a tone that said to comply straight away.
"Harry, please lower your wand, the smelly pig's not worth it," said Hermione.
"Okay," said Harry, lowering his wand only to have the dimwitted Dudley punch him in the head.
"How dare you hit Harry when he wasn't looking," said Hermione, as she kicked Dudley in the groin, causing him to fall to the floor howling in agony.
"That, Potter, is how you should be dealing with dunderheads like your dimwitted cousin," smirked McGonagall. "Although, it does not surprise me in the least to know Miss Granger has more sense dealing with dimwitted Muggles than you. Before I left Hogwarts I learned you were in trouble with the Ministry of Magic for setting off a hovering charm."
"Professor McGonagall, it wasn't Harry," said Hermione. "It was this little creature I've never seen before."
"Is that true, Potter?" asked McGonagall.
"Yes, ma'am, it is," answered Harry. "It was a little creature who said his name was Dobby the house-elf that set off the hovering charm. I haven't used my wand since just before we got off the train at Kings Cross."
"Are you sure the house-elf's name was Dobby?" asked McGonagall.
"Yes, ma'am I am," said Harry. "He popped into my room a short time ago, told me not to go back to Hogwarts because I would be safer here, and that somebody was planning to do something bad at school this year."
"I see," said McGonagall. "I'll have to report this to the Headmaster, but I assure you Hogwarts will be quite safe for you and everyone else this coming school year. However the reason I have come here in the first place, is that I've been assigned to escort you to the Weasleys' home for the remainder of the holiday."
"Professor McGonagall, could Harry come home with us, instead?" asked Hermione, causing McGonagall to nod approvingly.
"As long as it's okay with your parents I don't see why not, but let me send a message to Professor Dumbledore to make sure," said McGonagall.
"Unlike some people in this room, we'd be more than happy to have Harry spend the rest of the summer with us," said Jean, smiling warmly at her daughter and the boy who had stolen her heart.
"Professor McGonagall, what kind of message was that?" asked Hermione, seeing McGonagall send off a message with a silver Cheshire cat.
"That, Miss Granger, was a message Patronus," answered McGonagall.
"Could Harry and I learn how to do that?" asked Hermione.
"I'm sure you both could master this charm, but you would not be able to cast it outside of school until you are of age," answered Minerva.
"Minerva, as long as it's okay with the Grangers, I see no problem with Harry spending the remainder of the holidays with them," said a silver Phoenix several minutes later.
"Professor, so we don't mess up the Grangers' car, would you please you clean the pudding from us?" asked Harry.
"As you wish, Mr. Potter," said McGonagall with a flick of her wand.
"Harry, let's get your things," said Hermione, when they were cleaned up.
"Other than my wand, all my school things are locked in here," said Harry, pointing to the cupboard under the stairs.
"Dursley, unlock this cupboard, so Harry may get his things out," ordered Fordyce.
"No, he can't have the bloody rubbish," said Dursley. "He just cost me a valuable contract and I'm going to burn the whole lot."
"Dursley, the only one that cost you our business was you, so unlock the door," ordered Fordyce.
"Up yours, Granger," said Vernon.
"Daddy, may I open the door for Harry?" asked Hermione.
"Yes, sweetheart you may," said Fordyce, before Hermione kicked open the door in question.
"Thank-you, Hermione," said Harry, pulling his trunk and other school supplies from the cupboard.
"Harry, is this the cupboard they used to make you sleep in before you started getting your acceptance letters last year?" asked Hermione.
"Yeah, that's my old bloody bedroom," he answered.
"Stand back, please," she said, smiling wickedly at him. Then, with three quick kicks to the door and frame there was nothing but a big hole remaining, and she added, "There, no one's ever going to lock anyone in there again. Now, let's go get the rest of your things in your room."
"Hermione, how did you learn how to kick like that, and what do you call it?" asked Harry, as they made their way up to his room.
"Daddy learned Taekwondo while he was a member of British Royal Navy's Special Boat Service (SBS), and he taught it to Mum and me so we could defend ourselves from attackers," she answered.
"While I'm staying at your house for the rest of the holidays, do you think he could teach it to me, as well?" asked Harry, entering his room.
"We can ask him on the way home, and I can teach you, as well," she answered. Then, looking at his bed, she asked, "How on earth did you ever manage to sleep on anything like that? That mattress is disgusting."
"My four poster at Hogwarts is loads better, but Dursley says this is all somebody like me deserves," he answered, grabbing his pajamas, underwear and socks from his drawer.
"Leave those disgusting rags where they are," she said, as he opened another drawer. "I'll get Daddy and Mum to take us shopping in the morning."
"Okay, but could we go by Diagon Alley so I can get some money from Gringotts and have it changed over to pounds?" he asked. "That way I can at least pay for my own clothes."
"Alright, but you have to let us buy you something for your birthday," she countered.
"You don't have to get me anything," he said. "Just seeing you and having your parents let me stay with you for the rest of the summer is all I need for my birthday."
"No, it's not, you deserve presents on your birthday," she argued.
"Try telling that to the Dursleys," he said. "Do you know the only cake I've ever gotten on my birthday was the one Hagrid gave me last summer, and I didn't even get to eat it? Dudley got to it, first, but I suppose it was worth it after seeing Hagrid gave the fat pig a tail."
"I hope he didn't get in trouble for that," she giggled.
"He didn't; you're the first person I've ever told about it," he said with a grin.
"Harry, who's this dancing?" asked Hermione, looking at a photo from a photo album by his bed.
"That's Dad and Mum on their wedding day," he answered, smiling at his parents' photo.
"Your mum was very beautiful and your dad was really handsome like you are," she commented, making him blush.
"Thanks," he answered. "You know, I think you're really pretty like Mum was, too."
"Oh, Harry, I'm not pretty," she answered, blushing, as well.
"To me you are," he answered. Then, grinning, after hearing somebody in the hall, he whispered softly, taking out his wand, "Take out your wand, and let's have some fun with my cousin."
"Harry, we could get in trouble," she giggled.
"No, we won't," he said. "Your dad, mum and Professor McGonagall won't believe him, and besides all we're going to do is scare him."
"Okay, but if we get in trouble, it will be your fault," she said, grinning, as well.
"Hey, Diddy, I never did pay you back for trying to hit Hermione," said Harry suddenly whipping open his door and, once more, sticking his wand in his cousin's flabby chin.
"I'll tell Dad and Mum," said Dudley with a whimper.
"No, you won't, you smelly pig," said Hermione, sticking her wand in his flabby chin, as well. "I saw the way you were looking at me all through dinner, and when we get done with you, you'll …"
"He fainted," said Harry, as he and Hermione quickly stuffed their wands back into their pockets. "The bloody lump up and fainted."
"What did you freaks do to my Diddy?" shrieked Petunia, storming up the stairs.
"We caught him staring at me again, and all I did was tell him to stop or I'd kick him again," answered Hermione.
"Get out of my house and don't come back until next summer, do you hear me," screeched Petunia.
"Gladly," said Fordyce. "Come along you two, and let's get out of here before the stench overwhelms us."
"Thank-you very much Drs. Granger for letting me stay with you for the rest of the holiday," said Harry, as they drove down the street in the Grangers' Bentley.
"You are very welcome," said Fordyce. "However, we do have one very important rule. You are Hermione's friend and our guest for the remainder of the summer, and we insist you call us Fordyce and Jean, is that understood?"
"Yes, sir, I mean Fordyce, it is," answered Harry with a grin.
"Dear, on the way home stop by that 24/7 ASDA store near our home so we can get Harry something to wear besides these old rags those horrid people gave him to wear," said Jean.
"You don't have to do that tonight," said Harry. "Hermione said we could go shopping tomorrow, and I'd like to go by Gringotts to get some money to buy some things on my own."
"We can do that, dear, but I want to get you something decent to wear before we take you out for some serious shopping," said Jean. "You really don't want to go out in those rags, do you?"
"No, Jean, I don't, thank-you," he replied.
"Think nothing of it, son," said Fordyce. "Today's your birthday, so consider a trip to ASDA as part of your birthday present."
"I don't know what to say, thank-you," Harry answered quietly.
"No, Harry, it's you we need to thank for being such a good friend to our little girl," said Fordyce. "When we sent her off to Hogwarts we weren't sure we'd made the right decision, but after last Halloween when we start getting letters telling us all about this boy named Harry, well, we knew then we had made the right choice. Hermione means more than life itself to her mother and I, and we wish to express our gratitude to how you've befriended her."
"Yes, especially considering how you turned out in spite of that horrid family of yours," added Jean.
"Thank-you both for Hermione, as well," said Harry. "She means more than life to me, as well. However, not to contradict you, but people like Hermione are my real family. All the Dursleys are to me are relatives not family."
"You're a good lad, Harry Potter, and never ever let anybody like Dursley tell you different," said Fordyce. "I have a good many friends in the dental association, and I believe I will use my influence to keep them from buying Grunnings dental drills."
"Sir, Fordyce, please don't do that," said Harry. "It's not that I don't think Dursley deserves a break, but if you get your friends to stop buying Grunnings dental drills, then a lot of good people might lose their jobs. If there's a way to make Dursley look bad that doesn't hurt the good people that work for him I'm all for it, but please don't do something that will cost other people their jobs."
"Daddy's right, Harry James Potter, you really are a good lad, and I hope you're part of my life for at least the next hundred years, or so," said Hermione, kissing his cheek.
"Thank-you for being the best friend a bloke could ever have, and I hope we're part of each other's lives for the next hundred years, or so, to boot," he replied, kissing her on the forehead. As the Drs. Granger winked knowingly at each other, Harry asked,
"Fordyce, sir, Hermione and I were talking upstairs at the Dursleys', and I was wondering if you could teach me Taekwondo like you taught her and Jean."
"I think that can be arranged, but, like I was with them, I will not go easy on you," said Fordyce. "Growing up with those bloody relatives of yours I'm quite sure you know just how dangerous our world is, and I believe everyone has a right to defend themselves. However, I must warn you that what I teach you is to be only used for exercise and self-defense, and you could get into a lot of trouble with the law if you ignore my warnings. While we're on the topic of defending yourself, I want both you and Hermione to keep your wands on you at all times. I know your magical authorities say you cannot use magic outside of school, but I believe you should be able to use whatever means you have at your disposal, and if your bloody Ministry of Magic doesn't like it, then they can shove…"
"Fordyce, enough of that kind of talk," said Jean.
"I'm sorry, dear, but I can't help the way I feel," said Fordyce. "Hermione's our pride and joy, Harry's a great lad, and I think two great kids like them have the right to defend themselves using whatever they have at their disposal."
"You know that's the way I feel, as well," said Jean, as they pulled into an ASDA parking lot. "We're here, and, Harry, at the very least we're buying you a new pair of jeans, a t-shirt or two, a jumper, a new pair of trainers, and a jacket. Don't you dare give me that look, young man? Everyone deserves to wear nice things, and I'll not take no for an answer."
"Thank-you, ma'am," he replied timidly.
"Okay, Harry, where do you want to start?" asked Hermione, taking him by the hand and leading him into the store.
"I don't know; other than Hagrid, nobody's ever taken me shopping before," he replied.
"You there, what are you doing with that ungrateful whelp?" they heard some one bellow.
"Oh, no, not her," said the cringing Harry.
"What's wrong, Harry, who is she?" asked Hermione
"She's Dursley's sister Marge, and she hates the ground I walk on," answered Harry.
"Madam, I do not know who you are, nor do I care, but this fine young man is our guest for the remainder of the holidays, and what we're doing here is no concern of yours," said Fordyce, stepping between the beefy broad and the children.
"We'll se about that," she slobbered. "When I tell my brother…"
"Your brother is the primary reason why Harry is with us, and if your feeble mind can comprehend it, I would advise you to go on your wretched way and leave us alone," interjected Fordyce, causing Harry to snicker.
"Why you ungrateful bastard," said Marge, swinging her handbag at Harry and Hermione, only to have the tweenagers duck out of the way as she struck a pole instead, causing five tins of dog food to explode out of her bag.
"Madam, can you tell us why you were leaving this store with unpaid merchandise in your bag?" asked a store security guard, walking up to them.
"Why, it must have slipped my mind," said Marge, trying unsuccessfully to look embarrassed.
"I don't think so, Madam," said a plain clothed security associate, as he approached them, as well. "I've been observing you for about thirty minutes, and I'd like you to come with me for a little chat."
"Unhand me, you brute," shouted Marge, as she bolted for the exit only to step on a tin of dog food, and fall flat on her derriere, causing several cheap watches, some smelly perfume, and other assorted items to be jostled out of her many pockets.
"If you good people would consent to be witnesses, I would like to take down your names and a number we could bell you at," said the plain clothed security associate. "We just received a flyer to be on the lookout for someone matching her description, and any help you could give us would be greatly appreciated."
"We'll be glad to help," said Jean.
"I can start by giving you her name, sir," said Harry, smirking at Marge. "Her name is Marge Dursley and she lives on a small farm just outside Gussage All Saints, Dorset."
"Thank-you, lad," said the plain clothed associate. "You've been a great help to us."
"My brother will get you good for this, boy," said Marge with drool coming out of her mouth. Fuming, as Harry laughed in her face, she lunged for the raven-haired boy, grabbed him by the hair, and slammed him as hard as she could into a nearby shopping trolley.
"Harry!" screamed Hermione and Jean, as they rushed to his side.
"Harry, are you okay, how do you feel?" asked Hermione, seeing blood pouring from a gash just above his scar.
"I'll be okay, Hermione, don't worry," he answered, as Fordyce ran to their car to get his emergency first aid kit.
"You'll have a nasty gash to go with you scar, but you'll be fine in a few days," said Fordyce after bandaging Harry's wound.
"We've called the local constabulary if you want to press charges," said the store manager, walking up to them.
"As we're not his guardians, that would be up to Harry wouldn't it?" asked Fordyce.
"Yes, it would, sir," said a police officer, entering the store. "Could someone please tell me what has happened here this evening?"
"It's up to you, lad," said the officer after hearing of Marge's misdeeds. "Do you want to press charges against her?"
"She's my uncle's sister, and he's my guardian, could I still press charges?" asked Harry.
"If you were granted ward of the state status you could," answered the officer.
"Would I still be able to stay with the Grangers?" he asked.
"That would be up to the court," said the officer.
"What kind of charges is she facing, otherwise?' asked Harry.
"She's facing more than two hundred theft charges," said the officer. "You see, we have her on video from stores all over Southern England, and if convicted she could be facing years in prison."
"Not that I think she doesn't deserve it, but I'm not going to press charges," said Harry. "I want to stay with the Grangers, and if I press charges I might not be able to."
"Like I said, it's up to you lad," said the officer. "I'll tell you what, by law you have a month to press charges, so why don't you go home and think about for a bit. I'll give you my number, and you can bell me within a fortnight or so and let me know your decision."
1
"Now, who the bloody hell can be calling at this hour of the night?" grumbled Vernon Dursley, as the phone in his bedroom rang at 2:33 am. Picking up the receiver, he rudely answered, "Who is it, and what the bloody hell do you want? Oh, sorry, Marge, what's wrong? He did, why the nerve of that freaky bastard. Now, calm down, and I'll be over to post your bail at as soon as I can."
"Vernon, what's up with Marge?" asked Petunia Dursley, as Vernon lifted his massive girth out of bed.
"She's been arrested for shoplifting and possible assault charges, and it's the freak's and those bloody Grangers' fault," he answered, changing his clothes. "When I get my hands on the freaky bastard again, I am going to squeeze the life out of him."
"Well, at the very least, he can forget about ever coming back here," said Petunia. "I don't want him here anymore, and I wish I'd never brought the bastard in to our home in the first place."
1
Meanwhile in the Headmaster's Office at Hogwarts one vital alarm for Albus Dumbledore was set off, but he had gone away to visit some friends and would not return until it was too late.
AN: The Special Boat Service (SBS) are one of the three Special Forces units within the United Kingdom Special Forces group.