Disclaimer - I don't own anything you recognise.
Written For; Hogwarts Open Day
Trigger Warning - this story contains things that could possibly be triggering to anyone who has suffered during a custody battle, or child abuse. It's not graphic, but the warning stands.
Custody
John sighed as he finished his paperwork for the day. Being an auror wasn't nearly as exciting as it sounded. For every arrest that was made, two days worth of paperwork followed. He was happy to be almost done for the day, though he had nothing to look forward to when he got home. Thinking that the Leaky Cauldron might be a more desireable location to visit, he packed away his things and stood up.
Savage and Proudfoot caught him before he could leave.
"Your missus is in holding cell two," Proudfoot murmured quietly, checking behind to make sure no one was listening.
John frowned. "Ex-missus. On what charge?"
"Possession and distribution of an illegal substance. She's been selling a mixture that has the same effects as prolonged use of Felix felicis without the luck."
Groaning, John sat back down. "Where's Gracie?"
"According to Greta, she's with her mother. How do you want us to proceed?"
Rubbing his face, John replied tiredly, "As you would with anyone else. I'm going to go and see her mother, see if I can convince her to give Gracie to me. Greta hasn't allowed me to see her since she left, so I have no idea what lies she's been spilling to her mum."
Patting him on the shoulder, Savage smiled grimly. "Good luck, mate."
John apparated to the border of Greta's mothers home, still wearing his Auror uniform. He could see the old woman watching him from the downstairs window, and he wondered at the reception he was going to receive. When he and Greta had been together, Ethel had been civil, but never exactly warm towards him. That had continued after the birth of Gracie, and their relationship had grown frostier as the first year passed because of the hours that John worked.
He knocked on the door, rather surprised when she actually opened it and let him in. Walking into the lounge, he didn't see any sign of his daughter, but given the time he wouldn't be surprised if she was already sleeping.
"What do you want?" Ethel asked, following him into the lounge, sitting down in her favourite winged back chair.
"Apart from my daughter, you mean?"
"You can't take her. You have no right!"
"I have every right! She's my daughter!"
"Greta said you would come here when you couldn't get access through her. You won't get near her, I tell you! You don't deserve that little girl!"
Stunned, John didn't know what to say. What lies had Greta been spewing for him to get this kind of reaction? Sure, the relationship he had with his mother-in-law had never been great, but she'd never been so harsh.
"Did you know Greta had been arrested?"
The look on Ethel's face told him she had been caught unaware.
"What trumped up charges have you had my daughter arrested on?!"
"I didn't even know about it until she was already in a holding cell. She'd been arrested on suspicion of possession and distribution of illegal substances."
"You're lying. My daughter wouldn't do that!"
John sighed. "Firecall the Auror Office if you don't believe me. Now, I want to see my daughter."
"You can't. Greta told me all about what you did to her and that poor baby up them stairs. You'll not get near. You'll have to kill me first."
"What I did? What the bloody hell are you going on about?"
John was completely confused.
"Beating them, locking them up, you're a controlling bastard and you'll stay the hell away from my girls!"
"I haven't ever hit either of them!"
"I've seen the bruises! Don't you lie to me, John Dawlish! I've seen the bruises you left, and I've seen the tears my daughter cried over you! Now Get OUT!"
Before John could reply, the wards on the Ethel's home, wards that John himself had recommended, expelled him from the property. He landed hard, wincing slightly when he stood up. She'd seen bruises on his daughter. Bruises John knew he hadn't put there. Determined to find out what was going on, John apparated back to the Ministry, all thoughts of a meal and a drink at the Leaky Cauldron forgotten.
"You know I can't let you in there, John," Amelia said quietly, watching the angry man pace in front of her. They stood watching the happenings in the interrogation room where Greta sat in silence, ignoring all questions being fired at her by Savage and Proudfoot.
"There were bruises on my daughter, Amelia! Bruises! I need to know where they came from."
"I understand that, John, but you still can't go in there."
"If she's laid one hand on Gracie, I'll kill her."
Amelia leant back against the glass. "That's why I can't let you in there. You need to file a custody review with the courts. I can help you, if you need it."
Collapsing suddenly into a chair, John buried his face in his hands. "Why did I just leave her with Greta? Why didn't I fight for her?"
"You can fix it, John. We'll get the truth. I promise you that."
Looking up with teary eyes, John's lips lifted in a small smile. "Thanks, Amelia."
John filed the petition with the courts the following day. Amelia helped him write it, and made sure it was make known that it was an urgent case as the mother in question was currently in Auror Custody on serious charges of drug possession. He'd wanted to go back to Ethel, to try and take his daughter, but Amelia managed to talk him out of it.
The last thing he needed was Greta's mother taking the stand with a tale of harassment and abuse.
However, waiting had never been a strong point of his. He wasn't good with time to chew on thoughts best left alone, and the thoughts that he'd left his daughter to abuse were eating him up from the inside out. Another thing that was beginning to worry him was the ending he wanted. He would be applying for full custody, but how he would look after her when he had such long hours at work was anyone's guess.
"You're case will be seen before the courts tomorrow morning at nine am," Amelia told him, when the owl came mid afternoon. "Usually it would have taken about a week, but I called in a few favours. Ethel Melendas will be receiving the order today and if she doesn't show, she'll be in contempt and Aurors, not you, will be sent to arrest her and retrieve the child."
John nodded that he understood, then returned his gaze to the window he'd been staring at without really seeing.
"Talk to me, John."
"I don't know what I'm doing, Amelia. How am I to look after Gracie alone? If I give up work, how am I to provide for her?"
"You could get a child-minder. Perhaps an elf to help out at home? There are ways around it, John, and there are systems in place for single parents. The Ministry provides a stipend for childcare to single parents who work full time."
John looked at her. He'd never heard of that. "Really?"
"Of course. You will be fine, John."
"Any word on Greta?"
"We're waiting on approval to use Veritaserum to question her, but we won't be able to question her about Gracie while she's under it. You can ask the courts to admit it to her at the hearing, and if the need is sufficient, which I believe it will be, they will comply."
"I can't believe I didn't see any of this. I mean, she had a temper with me, but I never thought she'd hurt Gracie. As for the drug possession... How did I not see it, Amelia? How did I blind myself to what she was doing? Was I really that inattentive?"
Amelia paused before she answered, choosing her words carefully. "I believe that we work with the worst people the wizarding community has to offer on a daily basis, and when we go home at night, we want and expect for things to be normal for a few short hours. I don't think you can be blamed for not seeing what was going on. None of this is your fault, John. You have to realise that."
He smiled gratefully at her, accepting the hug she offered. It felt good to have someone fighting his corner so strongly, even against himself.
"She's been remanded to the low security wing of Azkaban until her trial. We'll push it back as much as we can, maybe we'll be able to push it back long enough for the custody hearings to be over," Amelia murmured quietly. She'd called John into her office, but one never knew who was listening to private conversations.
"Thank Merlin. Thank you, Amelia. I can't seem to stop saying that, can I?"
"You're welcome, of course. You know I'll do anything to help you."
"I don't know what I'd do without you."
"As an interim measurement, custody of the child shall move to the Father, John Andrew Dawlish. We'll meet again in two weeks for the trial. Court Adjourned."
Gracie slept soundly in her cot, a musical mobile playing softly above her. John sat in the chair beside her, watching her sleep, counting her breaths as her chest rose and fell gently. He'd had her at home with him for five days, and she seemed happy. She giggled and enjoyed playing with the few toys he'd managed to buy her in the afternoon following the trial. She ate well, finishing the meals he spoon fed her, only spilling a little.
She loved cuddles and kisses and was happy to sit on his knee for hours while he read stories to her from a magical fairytale book Amelia had gifted him with when he put in his application for two weeks leave.
The only thing that had marred the time he spent with her had been a shouted conversation with Ethel that day. It was the first time he'd seen Gracie scared, not so much of Ethel, but by the raised voices. She'd been sitting on his knee when Ethel floo'ed through, and flinched away from her maternal grandmother when she shouted at John.
That had brought the situation home for him, and he'd quickly removed her from the room, putting her in her cot and calling for Mimsy, his new elf, to look after her while he dealt with their visitor. Ethel had been apologetic for scaring Gracie, but seemed adamant that the fear Gracie had of raised voices stemmed from John rather than Greta.
Not in the mood for an argument, John had simply replied that everything would come out at the trial, as the use of Veritaserum had been approved and both parties would be questioned under it. Ethel, with a scathing look at John, had stormed back to the fireplace and floo'd away.
John made sure to lock down the floo as soon as she'd gone, and had returned back to his daughter to fight away her fears with another fairytale.
"Can you please state your full name for the record."
"Greta Erinda Melendas."
"Are you aware that we are here to determine custody of your daughter, Grace Melinda Dawlish?"
"Yes."
"Have you ever purposefully and with intent to harm, hit your daughter?"
"Yes."
"Has this happened on more than one occasion?"
"Yes."
"If you were granted custody of your daughter, would it happen again?"
"Yes."
"Can you please tell the court why you hurt your daughter?"
"Because she cries and cries and cries for her daddy, and it angers me. I should be enough for her. She requires my attention all the time and I have better things to do. Hitting her is the only way to silence her."
"Are you aware of any instance where Grace's father, John Dawlish, has harmed her?"
"No."
"Can you please state your full name for the record."
"John Andrew Dawlish."
"Are you aware that we are here to determine custody of your daughter, Grace Melinda Dawlish?"
"Yes."
"Have you ever purposefully and with intent to harm, hit your daughter?"
"No."
"Have you ever purposefully and intent to harm, hit your ex partner, Greta Erinda Melendas?"
"No."
John paced back and forth in the anti-chamber as the Winzengamot deliberated on their verdict. Amelia sat watching him with a small smile on her face.
"There can be no other option than to give you custody, John. With the Veritaserum statements, the summary from child services, and the character witnesses, not to mention Greta still being a resident of Azkaban, there can be no doubt. Your childcare is in place, you have a capable elf, you have a solid income."
He nodded, but the sick churning feeling in his stomach didn't subside, and he continued to pace back and forth in the small room, looking something like a caged tiger.
"Did you see Ethel? She looked horrified when Greta was on the stand."
"I did. Am I daft to hope that she can still have a relationship with her Granddaughter?"
"I think it's very sweet, not daft in the slightest. Perhaps, for the beginning, you could arrange some contact between them through child services."
Before John could reply, the court aid came into the room. "They're ready for you."
Rubbing his hands together, John looked at Amelia. "Come with me?"
"As it has been made obvious that the maternal parent is unsuitable and also unable to care for Grace Melinda Dawlish, it is the courts decision to grant full custody of the child to her father, John Andrew Dawlish. Children's Services will arrange a number of visitations to ensure the comfort and happiness of the child over the following six months, and only if necessary, shall we return to review the case."
As warmth spread through John, he turned to Amelia, picking her up and spinning her around, spontaneously pressing his lips chastely against hers. "Thank you."