Sword, Diadem, Cup, and Ring
Disclaimer: As everyone knows by now, I definitely don't own Harry Potter or any familiar characters, settings, etc. They belong to J.K. Rowling, the woman who started this magical series.
Author's Note: This is the sequel to Dursleys by Name, Potters by Heart; I hope you all enjoy this story, and thanks once again for liking my first story.
Chapter One: Mrs. Bathilda Bagshot
Mr. and Mrs. Potter of Potter Manor, Godric's Hollow were proud to say that they were perfectly not normal, thank you very much. They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything ordinary or monotonous, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense. Mr. Potter was the Head of the Auror Office in the Ministry of Magic, and at the age of 30, was proud to say he still hadn't lost the good humor of youth, and a certain desire to cause mischief. He was a tall man with messy jet black hair and bright hazel eyes for the most part crinkled with laughter. Mrs. Potter was a slim beautiful red head with brilliant almond shaped emerald eyes which reflected her extreme intelligence and good will.
The Potters had four kids, and although you wouldn't exactly call them angelic, they hardly deserved to be called "those Potter demons" as some of their neighbors were wont to say. The eldest, Harry James Potter, was the spitting image of his father, except for his mother's eyes. He had a knack for getting into trouble, although he didn't go looking for it like his younger brother. The next in line was Annabelle Lily Potter, or Anne, as she insisted being called. Named after a favorite Aunt of her mother's, Anne had shiny red hair like her mum and bright hazel eyes like her dad. Anne, who inherited Lily's intelligence, always had her nose in a book, giving off a very naïve temperament, but when provoked, she was capable of flying into rages that could rival even her mother's.
The last Potter children were twins William Henry Potter and Emmeline Audrey Potter, completely fraternal twins who shared not one characteristic. Will looked like Anne, with red hair and hazel eyes, but his personality was by far very different. Of a mischievous nature which could rival even his dad's and "Uncle" Sirius's, Will always kept his parents on their feet and often drove his mother crazy, although it was a rare day in which a 'puppy' face didn't work. Sweet little Emma now, really was an innocent child, and at age eight, still had her head filled with faraway fantasies and lived in the land of princesses and unicorns. However, we do have to keep in mind that being anything but ordinary, the Potters had full right to, seeing that in their world, such things of our "horrid imagination" as muggles are wont to express, unicorns, dragons, and knights in shining armors did exist!
Last but not least, we must not forget the remaining members of the family, as they did play an irreplaceable role in our previous story. Soon to be 11 years old, Dudley John Dursley, I mean, Evans as we all know, and his nearly 10 year old sister Diana Elizabeth Evans, were the only two children who didn't look like the rest of the family, as they took after their contemptible father. Dudley had blond hair recently cut into perfect precision, and watery blue eyes, making him look very similar to one who we all want to see suffer, Vernon Dursley. A child who was very hard to manage when he had first stepped into the foyer of the Potter Manor, Dudley now was a very pleasant kid who, with the careful guidance of Lily and James, became a quick learner and did well in school, unlike before. Diana on the other hand, who looked like her brother, with blond hair and blue eyes, was the exact same as before, as she had never required careful guidance, being one of those fortunate children already grown up at birth.
I need not explain every aspect of the Potter Manor as it is already written in the previous story in great detail, so I am going to now begin the story, which starts out two days after where our previous story left us. To be precise, it was 3:00, on a sunny Monday afternoon. Mrs. Lily Potter was sitting on the long shiny table in the dining room, her face in her hands, and her hair uncombed, while her clothes, which were usually without one fold, were wrinkled and shabby looking. If you looked closely, you might have even glimpsed some traces of tears. Mrs. Bathilda Bagshot, who had just been admitted into the dining room by Isabella the House Elf, was startled to see the state of Lily Potter, usually so calm and tranquil in times of trouble. What had happened to reduce her to this state? Walking with a brisk step, Mrs. Bagshot pulled out a chair and seated herself comfortably on it.
"Dearest, whatever is the matter?" she asked with worry. Lily looked up with surprise.
"Mrs. Bagshot! I…I didn't even hear you! Please…don't mind my carelessness!" Lily exclaimed with great embarrassment, lest the stately old woman be offended. Mrs. Bagshot was known all around the neighborhood as the best housekeeper and most attentive host, and to be seen like this…it was not to be borne!
"Take heart dear, I am not offended. Do I not know you to be a most excellent host yourself? It must be something of grave news to have reduced you, Lily Potter, to such a state! What happened, dear? You can confide in me. You know you can trust me," Mrs. Bagshot said kindly.
"Oh Mrs. Bagshot, of course I trust you, but…but my news is such that, it's hard to repeat," said Lily with a sigh. She and Mrs. Bagshot had formed a bond, much like mother and daughter, ever since Lily's own mother had died, and the passing years only strengthened that bond.
"Lily, you…you and James didn't have a falling out, did you? You're not…getting a divorce?" asked Mrs. Bagshot, quite alarmed. To think of Lily and James, the neighborhood's 'model' couple getting a divorce, was quite horrid.
Lily's face looked dumbfounded. "Why, Mrs. Bagshot! Whatever gave you that idea?"
Mrs. Bagshot flushed. "Nothing dear, except that you do not easily break down, unless it is something utterly unpleasant, and I cannot think of anything else that can have happened."
Lily actually smiled, but so little that Mrs. Bagshot had to wonder if she had smiled at all. "No, it's not that."
"Then what is it? Come Lily, you will feel much better once you confide in someone. Does…does James know, whatever it is?" asked Mrs. Bagshot, looking with concern at Lily's drained face.
"Yes," replied Lily, wiping away her tears and taking a deep breath. "Mrs. Bagshot, two days ago, I received a letter in the mail…" Slowly, and weeping in between, Lily told Mrs. Bagshot all about Petunia's heartbreaking letter. Finally finishing, she said, "Oh Mrs. Bagshot, my poor sister, what she must be going through! She may have been horrid to me in the past, but she didn't deserve anything that happened to her!" Lily wept more and more before continuing.
"I can't imagine how she must be feeling! The man she had been married to for 13 years cheated on her, her closest friend in the world betrayed her, and two of her children are not even hers! My poor sister! How would I have been, if that happened to me…but no, it's too impossible to think about! James is the most loyal man on Earth, and would never even think of doing something like that to me! Oh, why couldn't Petunia find someone like that? Oh why…" At this point, Lily could go on no further, and Mrs. Bagshot laid an old but kind hand on Lily's creamy one.
"Lily, my heart goes out to you right now. What you must be going through! Do you have no idea at all of Petunia's whereabouts?"
"No Mrs. Bagshot, both James and I tried the best we could to trace her through the letter, but surprisingly nothing showed up! James is now at the Ministry, acquiring the assistance of other Aurors to find the whereabouts of Petunia. It shouldn't be too hard, as Petunia's a muggle," said Lily.
"Then why the tears?" asked Mrs. Bagshot, "You will find Petunia, the poor dear, and I know you will give her all the strength she needs right now. Don't you worry, Lily dear, you are just the person to give strength to Petunia, and…(with an angered look) do justice to her. Don't you let off Vernon easily!"
"Of course not!" said Lily more strongly now, "But my first priority is finding Petunia and making sure she doesn't do anything rash to herself!"
"And you will succeed," Mrs. Bagshot said encouragingly, "Now on a happier note, I have news, which I have to admit was the reason I stopped by."
"Oh, what is it, Mrs. Bagshot? I apologize for distracting you with my own little sorrows!"
"Don't apologize! You had every need of a comforting shoulder, but anyhow, my niece, Aurelia Carrington, has given birth to a baby girl this very morning!"
"Oh Mrs. Bagshot, congratulations! What's her name?" asked Lily, happy for Mrs. Bagshot, who had no children of her own, and treated her only niece as her own daughter.
"Maya Jane Carrington!" Mrs. Bagshot stated with grandmotherly pride.
"What a sweet name!" Lily exclaimed, and cooed at the picture taken at the hospital by Mrs. Bagshot, "and what a lovely child!"
All in all, Mrs. Bagshot considered the visit to Lily Potter's house worthwhile indeed, since she had given some much needed comfort and in return received proper praise for her first grandchild.
A.N. (Yes, I understand this chapter had nothing to do with the story whatsoever, but In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, it says that Lily was great friends with Bathilda Bagshot, and I wanted to portray that here. That's all. Review please…and thanks!)