Thank you for all your kind reviews! Two people have informed me that Gobbledygook is indeed canon, thank you for that. And two people have tried to make a guess as to who will encounter Liska and Harry first. Well, you're about to find out!

Albus Dumbledore was normally a fairly placid man. Between the fact that he had lived long enough to have a lot of experience, many ways of gathering information, and a little judicious use of legimancy, very few things took him by surprise. Arabella Figg flooing urgently during a meeting with the heads of houses, to tell him that the Dursleys were moving, something the blood wards should not permit, and that they didn't have Harry, certainly counted. The meeting was dissolved immediately, and Albus got to Privet Drive as quickly as he could. This might be a mistake, but he didn't dare hesitate in case it wasn't.

Sure enough, there was a moving van in front of the house. The wards, the carefully constructed blood wards that had taken so much energy to create, were gone without so much as a trace. As he was trying to read the magic around the house, Vernon Dursley came out. As he was already reading magic, it was not difficult to spot the residue of a magical spell on him. Albus studied it. A truth spell? But one different from other truth spells he knew. And the magical aura of the caster wasn't familiar. Perhaps a foreign trained witch or wizard. But why a truth spell? Since he wasn't familiar with the exact attributes to this spell, he could not undo it. That being the case, he did the next best thing. He took advantage of it.

"Excuse me, you're moving?"

Vernon Dursley curled his lips in disgust. "You're one of those freaks aren't you? We don't want anything to do with you, or your kind. Why do you think we're moving?"

"But what about your nephew? The protections were specific to this house."

"Some strange woman came by. Actually knew something about your kind, said she'd take the brat. I think she's insane, but she took him off our hands, and I ain't complaining. Even signed a legal contract. We wrote it up in the living room."

Albus Dumbledore felt his blood run cold. He couldn't tell if it was from this man's callous distaste for a child that Albus had to admit he had a soft spot for, the man's willingness to give a blood relative to stranger he knew nothing about, or the fact that some unknown stranger now had Harry. "Woman? What woman?"

"I don't remember. Ann or Anna or something like that. Petunia, what was the name of that woman?"

"Anna Andrews. That's what she said. She said it was absolutely criminal that we were stuck with the freak. A normal family like us. Now we don't have to worry about him corrupting Dudley."

The woman indicated the very large child behind her.

The child whined. "But now who do I hit?"

He was ignored. Vernon turned to his wife, "And without the brat we can have more space. Even if it was only the cupboard, it will be nice to use it for storage."

"Cupboard?" Albus asked.

"Sure, that's where the freak slept." He was answered. Albus had to stop himself from hexing the man then and there. A child, in a cupboard? He must have misunderstood. Surely no one would do that.

"What cupboard?"

"Under the stairs. Why spend the space on a freak like that? Or money for that reason? He wore Dudley's old cast-offs. Petunia had even gotten him to the point of doing chores. That I might miss a little."

"I see." Albus was seething. He could not remember the last time anything got him that mad. However, no matter what sad specimens of humanity these people were, Harry would be safest with blood wards. "If I managed to track down the woman who has him…" He had to hope the child was still alive. He had to. The alternative was unthinkable.

"We're not taking him back!" Vernon roared. "Keep that freak and his unnaturalness away from us! Like that woman said, it's absolutely criminal to expect us to do it!"

"Yes, I'm beginning to agree. When did this happen?"

"A few days ago. Don't remember exactly, don't care."

"I see. Well, thank you for your time." No one who knew him would have believed that Albus Dumbledore could manage that much sarcasm. Albus wondered briefly if it was the woman who cast the truth charm on them. And if so, why? Whatever the reason, he was a bit glad of it. It took everything he had not to hex them himself. What had he been thinking leaving the child with them? And what had they been thinking, giving the child to a stranger? Albus Dumbledore apparated back to Hogwarts feeling sadder and older and more foolish than he had in a very long time.

It didn't take long to tell all the heads of house what happened. To say they were horrified was an understatement. Especially since everything Albus tried told him there was no such person as a magically trained Anna Andrews. All attempts to find Harry Potter were also failing miserably. Either the boy was dead, or he was hidden so well that even he couldn't find him. Of course, if the woman, assuming it really was a woman, wasn't a Death Eater, or a sympathizer, than none of them would be able to find the boy either. Unfortunately, the only thing he had supporting that side was that Severus knew of no one matching the vague description that Dumbledore had gotten from the Dursleys. However, that did not safeguard against disguises, magical or mundane, or the fact that Severus did not know all the Death Eaters. There was also the possibility that she was a foreign follower of Voldemort. He did have some, and Severus didn't know most of those.

Not wanting to spread a panic, or let any Death Eaters who didn't know, know about the possibility, Albus stuck to only telling the Order and asking that each of them keep a look out for any information, even though he realized it was probably too little too late. Albus closed his eyes in grief so deep that even Fawkes could not help him.

Unknown to Dumbledore, the people he was concerned with were happily moving into their new house, less than fifty kilometers away. Though in all fairness, they didn't know about Dumbledore, afraid and unhappy so nearby. They were much too busy working on more mundane concerns like what furniture to get. Take couches for example.

Harry's main criteria for couches seemed to be whether or not he could bounce on them. Liska was more concerned with were they soft and comfortable. Preferably comfortable enough to sleep on if necessary. Neither cared what color they were or if they went with anything else in the house. Between the two of them, they were managing fairly nicely.

Liska decided to let Harry have as much freedom as possible in decorating his room. Harry was delighted with this, and was showing interesting taste. They got magical wallpaper, a forest with animals that would show up, and hide and travel to other walls, etc. Harry, for some reason or other, wanted a bunk bed. Liska agreed to this, but only after she got him to agree not to sleep on the top until he was older, like seven or so. To take some of the sting out of that, she showed him how blankets could be hung from the top to form a little enclosed space, like a secret cave in one of those fairy tales. Harry liked that, but only if she left one side open so he could see out of it, and not think he was back in the cupboard even if he woke up in the middle of the night. And he wanted a beanbag chair. Liska shrugged and picked up two. They were now the official story chairs. There were lots of story times in Foxfire house. Both Kitsune and children love stories.

Liska's room was more restrained. She wouldn't have bothered changing the walls, but Harry insisted they were ugly, so they got wallpaper. In her case, the wall paper didn't move. Harry was disappointed with that, but Liska just explained that it made it harder for her to sleep. She also went without a bed for a while, using a mat, like traditional Japanese houses. She did get a bed when she found a nice one though, mostly so that Harry was comfortable when he came to find her after waking up with nightmares. Those were still fairly frequent, and actually increasing. Liska chose to see that as a semi-positive sign that even sub-consciously he felt safe enough for negative emotions. Though, semi-positive or not, she'd be glad when he got past that stage.

The rest of the house, mostly they just bought whatever was available or felt right. To introduce Harry to her heritage, Liska purchased both a 'normal' table and chairs, and a low table with cushions. They alternated how to eat, maybe not every other day, but not neglecting either. Harry seemed to enjoy both, even if the second did take some getting used to.

They also converted one room on the second floor into a study/library. Harry seemed to like that room too. Though that might have something to do with the fact that most of the time he was in there, he had hot chocolate, or a similar treat in one hand, a biscuit in the other, and was listening to a story, or learning how to read. The fireplace didn't hurt anything either. Something about watching a fire is very relaxing to most people. Though only after Liska charmed it so he couldn't possibly get burned or toss anything in, accidentally or deliberately.

The attic they converted into a play room for Harry after putting on some permanent temperate charms so it wouldn't get too cold or hot. Alright, it didn't have much in it yet, but Liska knew toys had a way of accumulating. Besides, Harry liked drawing and wanted someplace to hang his artwork. So she set up an art station for him, with a small desk his size, crayons, colored pencils, and lots and lots of paper. She gave him permission to hang up his pictures anywhere in the attic or in his room, but he had to ask if he wanted one somewhere else.

Within two days he had given her so many pictures that she had an enchanted frame that would show a different picture every time she tapped it with her fan. It held twenty pictures, and it looked like she'd need another one soon.

The spare room on the downstairs, Liska was turning into a dojo. She, for one, would need to keep in practice. And she should teach Harry. That part she wasn't actually looking forward too. It was too easy to hurt a child that young for one thing. For another, it was one thing to know a martial art; it was something else entirely to teach it. Besides, if he didn't like it, she might do more harm than good. Despite all her objections, one thing was stronger. What she could teach him might well save his life one day. And if that were the case, she would never forgive herself for not teaching him. After he was a little more used to her.

They also worked on a guest bedroom. While Liska didn't plan on having too many visitors, Koto would need someplace to sleep. And Kira would almost certainly visit when she could.

Liska was grateful to Koto's arrival two days after getting the house, not only because now the house could be warded, but also because Koto brought a lot of Liska's belongings with her. And while it technically wasn't hers, Liska was especially grateful for the childcare amulet that her mother included.

"Harry, come here." Harry abandoned the dragon toy he was playing with, showing up at her side. Liska put the necklace on him. In and of itself, it offered a little protection. But with a little help, it was even more useful. "Okay, anytime that you're lost, or hurt, or even just really afraid, and I'm not here, just tap this necklace, and I'll always be able to find you. I'm the only one who can take it off you, so don't worry about that. Okay, you can get back to playing." In addition to making it so she could always track him, she should have made it almost impossible for someone else to track him. Harry gave her an impulsive hug and went back to the dragon fighting the knights defending the castle. From the looks of it, the dragon was winning. At least until Spiderman joined the battle. Liska smiled and shook her head, grateful once again for the resiliency of children.

Koto's presence was also extremely beneficial when first quarter moon arrived. Liska knew that she would have to tell Harry all about herself, and soon, but she was still reluctant. At the moment, Harry had a hard time remembering her name wasn't Anna. She had told him her real name after that day in Diagon Alley and told him that he could call her Sakaki, Miss Sakaki, or even Aunt Sakaki. After all, that's what he probably would call her in Japan. She even told him he could call her Liska. Unless, of course, they weren't doing names. They practiced the hand signs every day. Harry was getting good. There were a good half dozen that he could do almost perfect every time. She even told him she was a ninja, though that was even more secret than magic. He couldn't tell anyone without asking her privately first. She had told him she was a kitsune; she just didn't explain everything that involved.

"I don't know what your problem is. He's five. He's not going to be scared unless you make this seem like a big deal. Otherwise, you're just a normal person who can turn into a fox. He's too young to understand that's not how things usually work. And you certainly can't hide it for long." Koto pointed out 'helpfully'.

"I'll be a fox while he's asleep. I only have to be like that from about midnight to six a.m. There's no reason for him to know yet."

"You mean other than the fact that there's a forty-five percent chance that he'll have a nightmare during that night?"

"He doesn't have them quite that often."

"I'm taking Murphy's Law into account."

"That Murphy, why can't he leave us alone? Okay, here's the deal, I'll tell him by next month. This time, can you handle it?"

"Fine." Koto sighed, showing how put upon she was. Though actually, the night passed better than either expected. Harry did not have any nightmares, and slept the night through. Liska roamed the forest in fox form discovering what was there, and even did a little minor hunting. That was something she might not tell Harry. At least, not until he was a good bit older.

Another new addition to the little family was a moderate sized brownish-gray (they told her) barn owl, who Liska, perhaps unwisely, decided to let Harry name. The owl was now named Feathers, which was one of his better suggestions. She liked it better than Owlie at least. Feathers was a female who, while initially distrustful of Liska, took to Harry immediately. Liska was neither surprised nor displeased at the bird's initial reaction. Any animal with a strong sense of smell tended to dislike her at first scent. It was because her looks didn't match her scent. She was used to it, though it was aggravating at times, especially since she liked animals. When they weren't trying to rip her throat out at least. Though owls shouldn't have much of a sense of smell. Must be because it was a magical bird. Fortunately, Liska and Feathers were able to come to a truce within two days. After all, Liska was the one feeding her most of the time. Animals make peace amazingly quickly when there is food involved.

All considering, Liska thought everything was going relatively smoothly. She was very careful not too say anything along those lines, however, as she knew very well that saying something along those lines was just inviting fate to take pot shots at you. She didn't need the help, thank you very much.

Unfortunately for her, fate didn't need the prompting either.

About two days after Albus Dumbledore's dismaying pronouncement, Severus Snape was thinking while making a potion. That was not unusual. After all, while maybe not a philosopher, no one had ever accused Severus Snape of being an idiot. And as a potion's master, he made a lot of potions.

So while the situation may not be unusual, the thoughts were. Severus was trying to figure out exactly how he felt about this situation. While he may not have any love lost on the young Potter, son of his school hood adversary, still, the boy was a very young child. And Severus Snape did not condone child abuse, no matter who the child. It sounded like the Dursleys were abusive. He wouldn't leave his worst enemy in a situation like that. And the young Potter practically was that.

And what had happened? He knew of no Anna Andrews, and neither did anyone else. There was very little communication between former Death Eaters these days, but what little he could get, no one seemed to have a clue that anything changed. Though they could be lying to him. He wasn't considered completely trustworthy. He laughed mirthlessly. There was good reason for that.

Was the boy even still alive? Albus wanted desperately to hope so. Severus believed hope to be dangerous without foundation. "Face the facts. The boy is almost certainly dead. Which means the rest of us are as well." He closed his eyes at that. While he hadn't been told everything, he knew enough to know that Albus believed that Voldemort was not completely dead, which Severus agreed with, and that Harry Potter was the only one who could stop him, which Severus did not want to agree with at all.

He was so deep in his thoughts that he did something that he would seldom admit to. He made a mistake. With a potion, of all things! Stirring a few too many times, the potion ended up completely ruined.

This put him in such foul temper that if it were the school year, he would probably take one hundred points from the next person he ran into, regardless of house, and regardless of what said student had done. However it was not during the school year and there were no Gryffindors or even Slytherins to take his ire out on.

With no students to vent at, and the other professors not being fair game, he had no options but to put it away for awhile, until he could find another way to release it. In the meantime, he had to remake the potion. Before he started, as always, he made sure he had enough of all the ingredients he needed. He didn't. He was almost out of powdered dragon's claws. Unfortunately, that was an expensive, rare, and difficult to get item. If he was lucky, the shop at Hogsmede would have it. So he cleaned up the mess and set out for town.

"You have no powdered dragon's claw?" Severus asked for the third time, as if acting increasingly like the cashier was an idiot would make some appear.

"No, we do not carry that item."

"What type of apothecary are you?"

"It isn't a common ingredient."

"I don't care how common or rare it is, I care how I can find it." He seethed.

"Um, sir?" A low-level clerk, actually a student working a summer job, tried to say something.

"What?!" Both men snapped.

"There's a special shop in Coron Way. They might have it."

Severus calmed at once. "How do I get to Coron Way?"

"There's a bus that goes back and forth today. I think the next one is in a few minutes, outside Honeydukes."

Severus nodded in gratitude. Perhaps luck was smiling on him after all.

"Oh dear."

"What's wrong?" Liska peered around the kitchen doorway where she had been working with clay with Harry. She spotted Koto with some powder spilled on the ground. "What's that?"

"Powdered dragon claw. I use it in one of the wards."

"Can you use it after it's been on the floor?"

"Not if you want the ward secure."

"Yeah, that would be good. So we'll get more. Can't be that hard."

"I'm in the middle of casting a complex no intruder ward, I can't leave."

"Okay, I'll get it. Can you watch Harry, or should I take him with me?"

"Take him with you, it will be safest."

"Not a problem. Hey, Harry, wash your hands, grab your jacket and put on your hat. We're going to the village!"

Harry ran off to obey. He liked the village.

"Be careful." Called Koto as they left.

"We always are."

Severus was extremely pleased to find the specialist apothecary. Now, if they only had what he needed. He almost went into shock when a woman and child in front of him in line asked for the same item. It wasn't illegal, but it was expensive and there were few uses for it.

However, the clerk gave it to her, so unless she had the last, (which would likely lead to him doing something positively illegal to her) they should have some for him. They did. Now that he had his ingredient, he was feeling a bit more mellow. He had never been to this town before, might as well see what else they had, especially if it was so easy to get to. And while he was at it, what could that woman want with powdered dragon's claw?

Small town or not, he didn't see her again as he looked, and figured they went home. That is, he figured that until he bumped into the child at the bookstore and accidentally knocked the baseball cap off.

Then it took all the occlumency he possessed and then some not to have a heart attack as he saw a miniature of his once hated schoolmate.

"Sorry about that, excuse us." Said the woman who was with the boy, putting the hat on the boy immediately.

First, Severus had to convince himself he wasn't crazy. Then he had to convince himself it wasn't James Potter. No, the eyes were wrong. The answer, which should have been immediately obvious, waited about a minute before smacking him in the face. He had just run into Harry Potter! The boy Albus was searching desperately for. Now, where had they gone?

Liska was not happy that Harry's hat came off. They should have gone back home immediately. But Koto did say there was no hurry, and Harry was making good progress on reading, so Liska let herself be talked into going to the bookstore. She was even less happy at the man's reaction, even if she couldn't interpret it. Unfortunately, due to the wards Koto was working on, Liska could not apparate with Harry to Foxfire. And they hadn't brought the car.

And, no, she was not disturbed that her first instinct was to knife the man and escape with Harry in the confusion. Alright, maybe a little disturbed. She hadn't, at least partially because it would traumatize Harry to watch his guardian kill someone. There was also the fact she wasn't sure this man had done anything to deserve death. She might kill if she had to, but only if she had to. If he hurt Harry though, all bets were off.

She did take a second to make sure to remove any tracking charms that might have been left on either of them. At least, she hoped she'd gotten any there might have been. Liska then scooped up Harry, and cast a disillusionment charm so that they'd be difficult to spot, in addition to radiating 'Ignore me' broadly enough that it would be difficult for anyone to even look at them, she hoped. While Liska was capable of running the distance without too much difficulty, carrying Harry at the same time would make things more complicated. But when she saw the man come out of the store and look around, obviously looking for someone, Liska decided to risk it. But not before hitting him with a mild, temporary confusion curse.

Getting back home, they should be safe. With luck, Koto would have the wards secure enough that whoever this man was, he wouldn't even be able to see the house, even if he did somehow find the right direction.

Liska relaxed half-way there when she realized she wasn't being followed. She had lost the pursuer. Still, she was too uneasy to walk, so she settled for a loping stride. Harry, bless his soul, thought it was some kind of game. She'd have to tell him otherwise. Probably before the next trip out.

As they got into the boundaries of the property, and Liska felt the wards, she finally relaxed completely. They still weren't complete yet. But, still. The man wouldn't find them.

Unfortunately, Liska forgot something very important, that she normally would have remembered if she hadn't been so concerned with getting Harry out quickly.

Severus Snape spent half an hour roaming the streets of Coron Way looking for someone. He couldn't remember who he was looking for, but it was very important. He just wished he could remember why it was so important. Then, all of a sudden, he did. He was looking for Harry Potter! Someone must have hit him with a confundus, but for some reason it hadn't affected him the normal way. Unfortunately, it was now about thirty minutes after he spotted the boy in the bookstore. Unless the woman was phenomenally stupid, they would not still be in the town. At least he could give Albus the good news that Harry Potter was alive as of half an hour ago. He thought a little more. It was entirely possible that she lived either in the village or nearby. If so, someone might know where.

After awhile of asking around, he came to the conclusion that she had recently moved into the area. She had purchased a lot of furniture, so she had to be nearby. She was unlikely to be living in the town itself due to the fact that she really wasn't seen that often.

So, nearby. But where? Severus sat down to think. Even though she bought furniture, she didn't have it delivered, so there was no address. So, how else could he find out?

As some times happens, luck, whether good or bad remained to be seen, smiled on him. A child approached him. Probably about ten, a bit on the greedy and too knowing side. "You're looking for a short, red-haired woman and a kid wearing a lime green hat?"

"Yes, why?" Severus asked slowly. He had a long familiarity with this type.

"I saw which way they went. How much will you pay to know?"

"Are you attending Hogwarts in the fall?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"I will pay two galleons if you tell me which way they went. If I find you lied to me however, when you get to Hogwarts, you will think that I am evil incarnate." And then he smiled that nasty, chilling smile that made grown men whimper and back away.

The child shuddered violently, but didn't leave. "I ain't lying."

"Show me."

The child led him to a dirt road, that Severus had to admit would leave a clear way for her to curse him. And when he saw a small pair of footprints with a slightly larger set of foot prints that a within a meter changed to just the larger set, but deeper, 'As if carrying someone,' that clinched it.

He paid the boy three galleons, and made a mental note to find some way to give him ten points in his first class, and started following the footprints. A nagging voice in his head said that he should inform Dumbledore, but he decided it would be better to have the boy first. Besides, he wasn't sure what the woman wanted. If she got spooked, she might kill the child.

After an hour, with no disturbance of the wards, Liska decided that it was at least moderately safe. Koto had gotten in the ones about not allowing anyone who meant harm to anyone in the house to enter, and not letting any stranger apparate with anyone in the house, after all. So, after an hour of Harry obviously wanting to play outside, but not wanting to nag, Liska finally said yes, but only if he stayed near the house and came in immediately if he saw anyone. Even if he didn't think the other person saw him. Harry promised he would.

It took longer than he thought to follow the tracks. She was a pretty good runner for a tiny woman. He was just lucky she hadn't apparated. Perhaps she didn't know how. Some didn't. Mostly inferior witches and wizards, who would botch a simple potion.

When he came to the end of the tracks, there was a house. He actually had difficulty seeing it at first. Someone had good wards. He wondered for a moment whether or not he had the right place. Then he saw the Potter boy come out the door and start throwing rocks at the pond. This was just too easy.

Still not knowing what he was dealing with as far as that woman went, he decided to grab the child and apparate him away. Then he could let the rest of the order about this and let them deal with it. To be on the safe side, he came up behind the boy so he wouldn't be seen.

It is probably strange that, spy though he was, it never occurred to him that this could be a trap.

The boy turned and saw him, just before he got there, and for some reason, touched his necklace. Element of surprise gone, Severus grabbed the child and started to apparate.

Nothing happened. Well, that's not quite true. Severus Snape did not end up leaving like he hoped, but something did happen. Mostly, something exploded out the front door resulting in that woman holding a sword at his throat, saying, "You hurt him and I swear I'll kill you."

It is quite possible other things happened too, but sharp steel at one's neck is very distracting. Still he tore his eyes from the sword to her eyes, the best gauge of her seriousness. Those eyes assured him that she would carry out her threat without hesitation and with little, if any, regret.

Severus Snape had once had the misfortune of accidentally coming between Molly Weasly and her somewhat injured offspring. Two days later, a mostly coherent Severus Snape informed a concerned and slightly amused headmaster who was visiting him in the hospital wing that a hysterical Molly Weasly was the scariest force in nature. Imagine his dismay to find he was wrong.

Congratulations Cornflake on your correct guess. Next chapter: Well, you'll just have to read it.