Chapter 4- Learning the Background of Elizabeth Dursley
Harry and Ginny apparated onto the country lane just outside the Burrow. They were met at the door by Molly and Arthur, both of whom looked a little worn out.
"So, how was the meeting with your cousin? I assume by the amount of time you spent there that it had to have gone OK." Molly asked.
"Actually, it did. Dudley was actually pleased to see me, although a bit surprised and alarmed by the reason." Harry replied.
"Ahh, muggles. Always so startled to learn that someone they know can do magic." Arthur said.
"Well, Dad, not quite as much in his case. He already knew about magic because of me. And that ultimately led to him and his parents having to go into hiding for a year because they thought some madman was going to get them. I would have been a bit alarmed as well." Harry answered.
"He actually was very pleasant and understanding about it." Ginny said. "Although he did say it would be a problem dealing with his parents over this newfound revelation."
"So what is the next step?" Molly asked them.
"We invited them out to our house to meet the children. Since James is about the same age as Jessica, we thought it would be nice for her to have someone her age to talk to. Beyond that, I don't know." Ginny said.
"Actually, before they come over this weekend, I think we should take another trip to Hogwarts and show Minverva and Kingsley the picture to see if they know she is. I'd like to have something to tell Dudley and Jess when they come over on Saturday."
"When do you want to go?" Ginny asked.
"Tomorrow. Can you guys babysit again? I think Ginny should be there as well since they might want her take on things. I'll send an owl tonight."
"Sure we can babysit again tomorrow. You know we like to spend time with the kids. Oh, if you like, you can send your message with Archimedes. In fact, since it's late, why don't you stay here tonight so you don't have to rouse the kids, take them home and bring them back again?"
"OK, thanks. Ginny, you can go on up to tuck them in. I'll be up in a few minutes after I send this owl to Hogwarts."
Ginny went upstairs to say goodnight to the kids before they turned in. Harry went over the Arthur's writing desk and quickly wrote out a letter to Professor McGonagall:
Prof. McGonagall,
The meeting with Dudley went well. I would like to meet with you and Kingsley tomorrow in your office to discuss a few things I learned. You might be able to shed some light on what we found out. I await your answer by return owl.
Sincerely,
Harry Potter
Harry then scrawled out a nearly identical letter to Kingsley at the ministry and then went upstairs to say goodnight to his children.
Ginny had just picked Lily up out of her crib and was holding her while talking to the boys.
"So we have a muggle-born cousin?" James asked.
"You have a cousin. Whether she is muggle-born, we don't know for certain. She could be a half-blood. Please don't bring it up. Just be nice to her. Make her feel welcome. Remember, although she's older than you, all of this is new to her." Ginny told them.
"OK mom, we'll be good." James and Al both said.
Just then Lily gave a squeal of delight as she grabbed a handful of her mother's hair and stuffed it into her mouth.
"OK, boys, time to go to sleep." Harry told them as he smiled at his daughter who was chewing on her mother's hair before she was set back down into her crib.
"All right Dad. See you tomorrow." James and Al both said.
They both kissed the kids good-night and then quietly crept out of the room. They made their way down to Ginny's old room where they crashed for the night.
Harry and Ginny were up rather early the next morning. They ate breakfast, kissed the kids goodbye and then disapparated off to Hogsmeade. They apparated just outside the Three Broomsticks and then made their way up the high street towards the castle. As they entered the castle, they saw Peeves up to his usual mischief, basically throwing things at students, so they moved quickly towards one of the side passages so they weren't noticed. The detour paid off as they made it to the gargoyle in front of the spiral staircase without incident. They gave the gargoyle the password that McGonagall had mentioned in the reply owl and made their way up the staircase and knocked on the headmistress's door.
"Enter", they heard Professor McGonagall call through the door.
"Hello, professor, Minister. I wanted to meet with you because I learned a few things about my cousin that I want to investigate further. Dudley told me about his wife and how her unusual nature caused my uncle Vernon some degree of unpleasantness. I also found out that she disappeared mysteriously a couple years ago. I told him I'd look into it on our end to see if she was of magical heritage and then hopefully be able to track her down. Her name is Elizabeth and I have a picture of her."
"Well, if that is who I think it is, then there isn't much I can tell you other than your cousin's daughter is indeed a half-blood. Elizabeth Dursley was born Elizabeth Prince." McGonagall said.
"Prince…Prince…where have I heard that name before." Harry said out loud to himself.
"Yes, you have heard that name before, Mr. Potter." came a voice from the wall behind them.
Harry looked up to see the portrait of Severus Snape glaring down at him. "Oh, right." Harry said somewhat sheepishly.
"What is Severus talking about, Harry?" Professor McGonagall asked.
"Well in my sixth year when I was taking Advanced Potions, I had to borrow a book from Professor Slughorn's office that turned out to have belonged to Professor Snape, as I found out later. He had written that the book was the property of 'the half-blood prince'. Thanks to Hermione's research skills I later found out that 'the half-blood prince' was Professor Snape."
"Isn't that when, if I remember correctly, that you suddenly gained a newfound insight into Potions?" McGonagall asked.
"Yeah, the book that had once belonged to Professor Snape had a lot of hints written in the margins. I find it almost funny that I learned more from Professor Snape's indirect teaching in one year than I did in five years sitting in his classroom." Harry replied with a scoff.
"Perhaps if you had paid better attention in my classes you might have done better." Snape said.
"The book was a better teacher because it gave me less attitude and was far less intimidating. But that's not what I came here to talk about. I assume that you know her then?" Harry asked.
"Yes, since you worked out my mother's maiden name was Prince, you shouldn't have to ask whether or not I know her. That fact should be obvious. She is the daughter of one of my cousins. She and her father were also Slytherins, like me."
"That doesn't make sense why she would hook up with my cousin. He's a muggle after all."
"You assume that all Slytherins are pure-blood fanatics. The Prince family did not hold such views. Didn't you learn that my mother married a muggle, not a muggle-born wizard but a plain muggle with no magical ability whatsoever. The Princes exhibited other characteristics that were valued by Slytherin, particularly shrewdness and self preservation. Very few of us were Death Eaters, and those of us who did join did so because we thought it was way to keep ourselves and our family out of the path of the dark lord's wrath."
"OK, I can see that for you and your extended family, but I can't see that for Elizabeth Prince Dursley. It sounds like she's risking that self preservation you mentioned to be with a muggle she loves." Harry explained.
"Yes, well before she met your cousin, she had a very strong sense of loyalty to the Prince family. I wouldn't be surprised if, because of that, she asked the sorting hat to place her in Slytherin." Snape told Harry.
"So what would make her choose to risk her own life and that of the family she is so loyal to, to seek a life as a muggle?" Harry asked.
"She was a student here at Hogwarts just like yourself, probably three years behind you. When the dark lord finally revealed his rebirth, her father pulled her out to keep her hidden from any death eater influences. He educated her the best he could at home before they had to go into hiding when the ministry fell. He wanted absolutely nothing to do with the Death Eaters. He did trust Dumbledore's judgment enough to believe that I had betrayed the Death Eaters and was working for the Order. He trusted me enough to let me know he was leaving and not to try and find him or convince him to come back. I am happy to say that despite all my faults, I did honor his desire to remain hidden and did not turn him over to the Death Eaters. He did feel that living amongst muggles was the best way to hide themselves from the dark lord's followers. So her coming across your cousin was a coincidental part of their secret life in hiding." Snape said to them.
"That was an interesting story, Severus." McGonagall said. "I'm surprised to just be hearing it now."
"You forget, while I was pretending to be a Death Eater, I had no intention of revealing their whereabouts to anyone, not even to order members. Those were his wishes. And until now I had not given my cousins another thought, nor had any reason to."
"Thank you very much, Professor Snape. What you have told me will give me something to tell my cousin and perhaps give him hope that we may yet find her." Harry said.
"If you do find them, tell my cousin that I fulfilled his wish and only told you of this because he has nothing to fear from the magical world anymore."
"So, Harry," Kingsley started, "Do you know where to find them?"
"Not yet, but I know what to tell them and I certainly have an idea what questions to ask them that might give me a clue where to look."
Next chapter- Dinner at the Potters