Harry started to wake from what seemed to be the most peaceful dream in his young life. Shifting on his side of the bed, Harry cracked one of his eyes open as he listened to the shower running. He turned his blurred vision to the right to see Emma's bed made, but no sign of the blonde woman.
'Must be in the shower.' Harry concluded as he sat up and reached for his glasses that rested on the bedside table and got his glasses on.
"Good morning." a voice said at his left. Harry looked and saw Henry already wide awake & was reading his big book that was in his lap.
Harry rubbed the sleep from his eyes and yawned, "Morning." he said before eyeing the book. "What's that you're reading?"
Henry turned his head and smiled before scooting closer 'til he was in the middle, close to Harry to give him a closer look, "It's a fairytale book, you see, it has knights, princesses, magic-you name it." Henry stroked the book fondly, "It's the very first book Mom read to me when I was little, it's my favorite, I never get tired of it." Henry said, smiling.
Harry smiled a little as he looked at the pictures Henry showed him, "No one ever read me a book, much less a fairytale. Uncle Vernon said that it would give me stupid ideas about magic that doesn't exist." he explained.
Henry gave Harry an incredulous look, "They never let you have a book, like ever?"
Harry nodded, "Yeah, they were all given to Dudley...and he doesn't even read them anymore." he said exasperatedly.
Henry began to think out loud, "I can see why his Mom put 'Dud' in him name, he's doesn't seem to work properly." he smiled when he made Harry laugh, 'cause it's true.
"Henry, what did I say about speaking ill about someone." Emma said, drying her hair as she stepped out of the bathroom, already in a sweater and denim pants, casting her eyes on her son.
Henry answered with a cheeky smile, "Always say it in private and in another language if you're talking to them face to face and lie by saying that it was a compliment." This caused Harry to laugh uncontrollably.
Emma had an amused and impressed smile on her face, "That's my boy." she said tossing the towel in the corner as she strode over to Harry and sat down on his side of the bed, "How's your arm?" she asked tenderly reaching to hold his injured arm.
Harry shrugged, "Doesn't hurt much." Years of abuse can make the pain tolerable to some degree.
But Emma wasn't the least bit convinced, "Well, either way, we're going to the hospital to give you a full body examination." She said getting up and crouching in front of Henry's suitcase & taking out some day clothes, "From the marks that are on your body, it is more than likely that your body has sustained more internal injuries than what your scars and bruises can show." She said as she rose to her full height and carried two sets of clothes to the boys and laid them at the edge of the bed then looked at her son, "Henry, could you change in the bathroom first? I need to speak to Harry about something."
"Okay Mom." Henry smiled as he closed his book and laid it next to Harry, patting it as though to make sure it stays before he got up and & took his set of clothes and started to change in the bathroom.
Harry gulped at the word 'hospital,' "H-H-Hospital?" he stammered out.
Emma nodded, figuring that this boy has never been to a hospital in his entire life, 'Damn bastards.' she thought to herself, thinking about what those so-called relatives had done to this boy. "Yes, my boy. I need to know the extent of your damage and what I must do in order to help you." she began to explain a part of her past, "When I was but a child, no older that you are right now, I was often beaten by one of my many foster families whenever I didn't do something right for them." She rolled her right sleeve up, showing cigarette burns that marked her arm permanently. Harry gasped as he stared at her burnt flesh as Emma continued, "That foster family told me that if I go to the hospital, they would hunt me down and make my life an even bigger hell than what they were doing before." she pulled her sleeve back down, "I let that fear control me, I didn't go to the hospital, but I didn't stay there permanently, so I ran away, never looking back." she finished.
Harry felt sadness for her, "Why are you telling me this?"
Emma answered, "Because when I ran away, they still got away with it, and they abused more foster kids until their house burned down with all of them in it from a single cigarette." She a lump form at the back of her throat as she thought of those other foster children, "I didn't have the courage to stand up for myself, and that in turn caused innocent lives to die." she looked him in the eyes with her tear filled ones, "When I look at you, I see what I used to be when I had nobody to save me." she said this almost quietly, "So I'm going to do for you what someone should've done for me."
Emma took hold of Harry's hand and stared at it, "Over a year now, I have been thinking about taking in another child to raise alongside Henry. I talked to him long and hard about this," she smiled, "he said he was all for it seeing how he always wanted a sibling." She looked up to meet Harry's eyes, "I'm not expecting an answer right now, but once those people are put in the system, would you like to come away with us?" Emma finally asked.
Harry felt as though his heart stopped, this woman is willing to allow him into her family after one day, "You mean, become your son?" he struggled to get the words out, feeling happy that someone wanted him.
Emma smiled, "When I told Henry, I said that I would apply as a foster Mother. But I see that you and I want something more than that." she said, squeezing Harry's hand, as though to reassure him, "Like I said, you don't have to make the choice now, but as I've said before, I will not return you to those people." she said, reciting her vow to keep this boy safe.
Harry felt happy tears spring in his eyes as he crawled to Emma and hugged her with all his might, "Anywhere will be better than the Dursleys." he said as Emma hugged him back.
By the time Henry exited the bathroom in his day clothes, Emma and Harry pulled away from each other, "Tag out, your turn." Henry said as he picked up Harry's set of clothes and placed them in Harry's awaiting arms as he got out of bed and clapped hands with Henry on his way to the bathroom to change.
Henry smiled up at his Mother as he sat down beside her, "You think he will want to come to Manhattan with us?" he asked hopefully.
Emma smiled a little, "It will be his choice whether he wants to come home with us." she said throwing an arm around her son.
Henry nodded then got an idea, "Since he and I will be sharing a room in the apartment, we should really get a bunk bed." he smirked at his idea.
Emma laughed, "A what?" she asked.
"A bunk bed. If he doesn't mind heights then he can sleep on the top part of the bunk." Henry said as he began to brainstorm ideas on what the bed should look like.
She grinned at her boy's enthusiasm on his planning for Harry's living arrangements, 'They already get along with each other.' She thought to herself as Harry stepped out of the bathroom in a sweater and jeans, 'But first things first.' Emma stood up from the bed and clapped together once to call attention, "Alright my boys, get your socks and shoes on. Henry, could you give Harry your extra jacket?" she said as she pulled her socks on and shoved her feet into her brown boots.
Henry smiled, "Sure." he said before dashing to retrieve his spare coat and tossing it to Harry who caught it and quickly downed it on as Henry got his shoes on his sock covered feet before following his lead.
Once Harry got his shoes on, Emma had already secured her white long coat around her person, "Ready to go, boys."
"Yeah, we're ready." The two boys said at the same time.
Emma smiled, "Alright, to the hospital we go." she said grabbing her bag that had her car keys, "Remember, if you smell something funny in the hospital, that would be the disinfectants and fear of needles going around." She opened the door and allowed her boys out first, "Speaking as someone who has come and gone from the hospital whenever she's on the job, I should know." this caused the boys to laugh as Emma closed the door behind her & unlocked the car, making it beep as her boys opened the door to climb into the backseat as Emma got into the driver's seat and revved up the car and started driving to the hospital.
Henry decided to start a conversation with his possible new brother, "Would you like to sleep on the top, or the bottom?"
Harry gave Henry a questioning look, "Huh?"
Emma laughed a little, "He's asking which part of the bunk bed you would like to sleep on." she explained.
Harry nodded in understanding, "Oh. Hmm...I'm okay with the bottom part." Harry said, thinking about it.
Henry smiled, "Neat. By the way, when's your birthday?" he asked.
"July 31." Harry answered.
Henry's eyes widened, "No way. Mine is on July 30th. How old will you be turning?" Henry said excitedly, liking the idea of their birthdays being close.
Harry laughed a little, "I'll be turning 10."
Henry exclaimed, "Ha, me too. We could have a joint birthday, we can celebrate each other's birthday two days straight." he smiled at the idea, a double birthday celebrated each year.
Harry shook his head amusedly at Henry, "You are so weird, but I guess that's why we get along with each other." he laughed.
"I know, right?" Henry exclaimed, not noticing that they had just arrived at the hospital.
"Here we are." Emma announced, pulling into a parking space and shutting off the engine before getting out of the car, the boys following her lead.
Getting to the front desk in the waiting room, Emma informed the nurse about Harry's situation as the two boys sat beside each other in the waiting room.
"...a full body examination, I want to know the extent of his abuse to charge his relatives with and to hopefully know what kind of medication he will need to take." Emma finished.
The nurse looked from the spectacled boy to the Mother & asked quietly, "Should I also call the police about this?"
Emma nodded, "Yes please. Have them interview the neighbors that surround 4 Privet Drive, and once they are inside the house, look underneath the stairs, there will still be a bed." Emma requested as the nurse wrote down the address.
"We don't meet a lot of people like you these days." The nurse commented as she finished writing.
"People like me?" Emma asked.
Nurse gave her a reassuring smile, "People who are willing to go out of their way for a stranger." she said, nodding towards the boy who was engrossed in the book Henry brought along.
Emma smiled, "Let's just say that if my son were in that position, they better know how to run." she said with a dark tone that made the nurse shiver physically.
"Glad I didn't piss you off." Nurse commented before walking away to inform a doctor and call the police.
Emma walked over to her boys, Henry making occasional comments on the book that was held between them.
After about 15 minutes, the nurse came back and escorted them to an examination room where a doctor waited for them and told Harry to sit on the examination table.
The doctor then requested for Harry to remove his shirt which caused the boy to feel uncomfortable with having to let more people look at his scars. Turning his eyes toward Emma for guidance, she nodded her head to him, letting him know that he's going to be okay.
Carefully shedding himself of his jacket first, handing it to Henry who gave him a reassuring smile, then he took off his sweater, revealing the scars & bruises.
The door opened, revealing a police officer that stood outside and a child service worker, both of their eyes widened before asking if they could come in.
The nurse & the doctor nodded, both had sympathetic looks on their faces before turning to Emma, "Where did you say you found him again?" the doctor asked as the child service man closed the door behind him.
Emma answered, "At the park. He was chased by the Dursley's sister's rabid dog from what he told me & Henry earlier." she explained, recounting what Harry told her that made him run to the park.
The doctor nodded before he began examining Harry closely and asked, "How often does your family feed you?"
Harry answered truthfully, "Only enough to make sure I do all the chores. Sometimes a week without food whenever they lock me in the cupboard underneath the stairs if I didn't do anything right." he said looking down.
'Child labor.' Emma thought with contempt as she thought of the Dursleys.
"Have they ever touched anywhere below the belt area?" The doctor asked as he examined the boy's ribs to see that they were broken before.
Harry shrugged, "Aside from Uncle Vernon using the belt on me, they don't touch me in that area."
Emma looked at child services to see him writing down Harry's answers, 'That will come in handy.' Emma thought to herself, knowing that this will be used in court.
"How long have they abused you?" The doctor asked, feeling more sympathy towards the boy.
Harry didn't answer at first, instead he let his head drop to his chest as he began to cry as he remembered how much they abused him growing up.
Emma launched into protective Mother mode and came beside Harry and had him lean on her, unmindful of the people in the room.
The child service worker flipped his notebook closed and asked, "Where did you say he lived again, Miss?"
"4 Privet Drive." Emma answered mechanically as she and the doctor soothed Harry.
He nodded, before turning to leave. Henry knew that his Mother wanted to pay them back personally for the harm they caused her soon-to-be adoptive son, "I can stay with him." He offered his Mother.
Emma looked at Henry, "Are you sure?"
Henry nodded, "Yeah, 'sides, I might become a doctor." he said cheekily, causing the people present, even Harry, to laugh.
Emma stopped laughing and looked to the doctor who nodded, "I'll keep them occupied, you do what anyone would want to do to people who hurt children." he then warned her, "Please don't kill anyone."
Emma smirked, "Don't worry, I don't kill. I only like seeing the looks on their faces when I put them in handcuffs."
The child service worker had a questioning look, "You're a cop?"
"Bail-bondsperson, actually." Emma answered before turning to Harry, "I'll be back soon, my boy. Make sure Henry doesn't touch anything."
"Hey." Henry said, in mock-offence, causing Harry to laugh.
Emma turned to the doctor, "I would like a full report for when we bring the Dursleys to court, if you will."
The doctor nodded, "Of course, whatever you need." he said before Emma left with the cop and child service worker.
Walking up to the Dursley's house on 4 Privet Drive with three cops and animal control behind her, she felt nothing but adrenaline running through her veins as she thought of the terrified looks on the Dursley's faces when they realize that it is over for them,
Knocking on the front door, Emma waited patiently before the door opened to reveal a brown haired horse faced woman who look shocked and surprised to see her and the police behind her, "Can I help you?" She asked nervously.
"Petunia Dursley?" Emma inquired, giving her a dark look.
Petunia nodded, "Yes."
"May we please come in?" the cop at her right asked, being the intimidating figure.
Petunia visibly gulped as she stepped aside, allowing them to enter.
Emma heard a commotion coming from the kitchen, "Petunia, is that runt nephew of yours back yet? Ho, I will show that lazy little brat what happens when you keep someone waiting!" an obnoxious voice boomed from the kitchen.
Petunia looked like she wanted to crawl into a hole and die as Emma gave the woman a cold look before looking around to find a door to a small cupboard under the stairs and saw a latch on the door. Sending a look the the child service worker to open the cupboard door, to which he did, opening the door to see a small bed and small specs of blood along with human claw marks on the inside of the door.
The cold look soon turned into an angry and vengeful glare as she saw the evidence of child abuse before.
"Petunia, what's going on-" big, beefy man with thick, dark hair, a bushy black moustache, with hardly any neck and small, blue, mean eyes stepped into the hallway to see Emma and law enforcers inside his house, "What are you doing here, you breaking and entering-" he caught sight of Emma taking pictures of the inside of the cupboard, "-and invading privacy."he said angrily as Emma gave the camera to the police officer and turned her steely hazel eyes to the fat man and quickly walked over to the fat man & with strength that rivaled the fat man's, she twisted Vernon's hand behind his back, making sure that it hurts as he shouted in pain.
Emma let anger fuel her strength as she dragged the fat man over to the cupboard and forced to to look inside, "Were you hoping to starve Harry Potter to death after you beat him?" Emma asked quietly and menacingly.
Vernon whimpered from the death grip she has on him and cried when she increased the pressure, "Well?"
Vernon denied pathetically, "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Vernon! What's taking you so long, if this is about that good-for-nothing Potter, a good whacking on the shins will do the trick." Marjorie's voice sounded in the house.
Emma growled, making Vernon & Petunia tremble in fear as the men who accompanied her stood by & watched the Dursley's dig their graves deeper.
"I said, 'What's-'" Marjorie stepped into the hallway to see her brother in a pathetic position, being forced to bend down at an uncomfortable angle by an angry, pissed off, blonde who turned her glare on Marjorie.
After making Vernon suffer his physical torment a little longer, she wretched him up and shoved him to one of the police officers who caught the heavy man on reflex, "Get him out of my sight," she turned her angry gaze to Petunia, "Get them both out of my sight." she said as the cops handcuffed the two of them as more cops came into the kitchen and asked Dudley to come along, when he didn't, he was picked up by the arms as he started screaming his tantrums.
Once his tantrums were brought out the front door, Emma massaged her ear canal to relieve her screaming eardrum of the volume, "What do you think you're doing here?!" Marjorie demanded moving menacingly towards & unfazed Emma as her dog, Ripper walked beside her.
Emma turned her glare to a fuming Marjorie who tried to intimidate her with her size, "Your relatives here are charged with child abuse and child neglect of Harry Potter. From what the boy told me, you are just as responsible for your cruelty towards the child, so you & your dog must be taken into custody sir."
The animal control that stood behind Emma looked nervous at this woman's size and said, "Emma, that's a lady."
Emma's eyes widened, "Huh, that's a woman?" she looked back at him as she jabbed her thumb in Marjorie's direction, "Why does she have a mustache then?" she asked.
Marjorie went red in the face at Emma's statement, "Why you little insufferable-"
Emma interrupted with a cheeky smile that matched her son's, "Why thank you, I get that a lot." she said, making Marjorie angry even more as Ripper growled threatening at Emma before charging at her.
But before the dog got close, animal control used his leash and wrapped around the aggressive dog's neck before dragging him out the door growling and biting as Emma paid no mind to them and stomped over to Marjorie, "Now I'll make this easy for you," Marjorie, being the ever arrogant woman who relied on her size, threw a punch at Emma, but Emma anticipated this and caught her punch and twisted her arm behind her back and slammed her into the wall before handcuffing her wrists, "Marjorie Dursley, you are under arrest on multiple accounts of child abuse, both physical and mental, you have the right to remain silent, anything you say or do will be used against you in a court of law." she said as she pushed the fatter woman out the door where each Dursley was put into separate cop cars.
Marjorie began to complain, "This is all Potter's fault, there was always something wrong with that kid. It's all in the blood, passed down from his parents." Marjorie commented as cops interviewed the neighbors, confirming that Harry Potter did indeed live under the tyranny of the Dursleys, "He's like a terribly bred dog, if there's something wrong with the bitch, then there's something wrong with the pup." Marjorie said as the cop opened a door for Emma to shove the big woman through.
Emma couldn't help but turn her words against the fatter lady, "Thank our lucky stars that you won't spawn any children then." she said as she stood straight and cracking her back from the effort of hauling the fat woman along.
The cop next to Emma laughed, "Ha, burned." He said as he closed the door in Marjorie's face who shouted, "What did you say?!" her face smushed against the window as she glared at Emma.
"You heard me right, sir" Emma said, antagonising the dog breeder.
"I'm a woman!" Marjorie screeched as the cop car began to move.
Emma decided to bash this woman one last time, "The mustache tells me otherwise!" she exclaimed, a hand cupped around her mouth as the car drove off to the court house.
*Grinning manically* WHO LIKED IT? I HATED MAJORIE THE MOST OUT OF THE DURSLEYS! MWAHAHAHA!
*Cough* Had to get that out of my system, sorry. Review and tell me what you think, I get motivated and pumped to write more.
