Chapter 4: Are you serious?!

(Disclaimer: in chapter 1!)

"Let me guess. You're also a wizard that has to go to a magic school?" Julia drawled, and all three of the Keller family burst out laughing.

Harry shifted uneasily.

"Well… actually…"

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"Harry, you can't be serious."

"No, that's my godfather." He couldn't help it.

Unfortunately, the joke was lost, as no one understood it.

So, Harry decided to elaborate.

"His name is Sirius Black, you see..."

"BUT…" Sarah started and Harry cut her off, already knowing what she is going to say "no, he is not a murderer"

"Explain." Jonathan asked and Harry did so, starting from "you better sit down" and finishing with "and this is my life."

They all just sat there, mouths open and eyes wide. And if the situation wasn't serious (a/n: sorry, couldn't help it!) it would have been comical.

Sarah finally spoke.

"So let me get this straight. You're a wizard, you go to a magic school, you have a killer after you, who doesn't even care about endangering you and your friends in said school and you were almost killed every year while attending, right?"

Harry sighed. He knew they weren't going to believe him.

"Right."

"I see...-" Julia started

"-AND THEY ACCTIOALY WANT ME TO SEND MY LITTLE GIRL IN TO THIS SCHOOL?!?" Sarah exploded.

"Umm… yeah?" Harry said sheeply. You tell some one that magic is real and that you are a wizard and that's their reaction?????

"And how do we know that magic is really real? I mean what if this is just a prank?" Jonathan asked.

"Well... Julia, did things ever happen to you, when you were scared or angry? Anything weird?"

The girl had a thoughtful expression on her face before she had a dawning expression on her face.

"Yeah... But that could be just a coincidence!"

"Yeah? And this?" Harry snapped his fingers and the table they were sitting at turned into a pig.

The family screamed and jumped on the chair trying to get away from the animal while looking with shock, fear and some awe at Harry.

"You see, magic is real, and you, my dear," he looked at Julia "are a witch."

The girl was obviously shocked before a big smile tugged at her lips

"Really? But how? I mean, mom is not magic, right?" she looked at her mom, who was still staring at the pig, promoting Harry to change it back.

"What? No I'm not."

Harry got the hint and changed the table back. "Well, it's not unheard of, muggle-borns. My mother was muggle-born too. Uh," he added at their quizzing looks, "muggles are non-magic folks. There are pure-blood families that think that they are superior, because of their blood line, and they usually support Voldemort, the guy who's after me. But you don't have to worry about that," he smiled at Julia "your not the only one there. If you want, I can help you study. I know of a nice hidden place at the school where no one will find and disturb us."

Julia smiled too, her eyes sparkling.

"So can I go mom? Please?? Harry will be there, and I could study with him! Come on mom, magic is so COOL!" Julia pleaded and gave her mom a hopeful look.

"And what about that Voled... Voldie... Voldem... What ever his name is? The killer guy?" Sarah asked, looking a little hesitant.

"Hogwarts is the safest place there is in Western Europe, except maybe gringotts. The wizarding bank." Harry added quickly. "And besides, Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster, is the only man Voldemort ever feared. So, basically, you have nothing to worry about."

Harry looked at Sarah.

"I can take you all to Diagon Alley to get the books and stuff for school, if you like. Julia," he turned to her, "you will get your wand and supplies with me, and I'm going to be a seventh year, the last year there." Harry sighed.

And then what? I'll be alone, just like I've always been.

"When can we go, mom? Please please please can we go??" Julia begged her mom.

"We can even go tomorrow, since it's our free day," Harry suggested. "But if we go there, I'll dress as Lilo, and that's what you'll call me, understand? I don't want people recognizing me and staring."

"Well… okay… but don't you run off on me young lady. You'll stay right next to me."

"Okay mom! I'll go get ready for tomorrow!" and Julia ran off to her room.

"Harry," Sarah said, once they heard the door to Julia's room close, "you said something about a wizarding bank... do they have there own money? We don't really have much…"

"Oh don't worry about that Sarah," Harry smiled weakly, "I have enough for five of her. And don't you refuse my money! It's the least I could do after you let me live here."

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They got to Diagon Alley in the afternoon the next day, the old fashioned 'go-through-the pub-and-the-back-door' way. Harry was dressed as Lilo, as agreed, in a short green mini-skirt, ankle-high black boots, and a deep aqua-blue tight tang top.

The new witch and two muggles were amazed to say the least, to see all of the shops, people, and creatures going around. As a matter of fact, Julia reminded Harry of him at age eleven, wide eyed and trying to look in all directions at once.

Harry quiet enjoyed the trip, moving from shop to shop and explaining things. They just got out of Ollivanders Wand Shop, Julia waving her wand enthusiastically in every direction.

"Julia, be careful!" Harry said after she had waved her wand too forcefully and accidentally turning the nearest trashcan blue. "Don't wave that around too much, you have to learn how to do magic first! Put it away for now, you'll hurt someone. Look over there," he pointed at a robe shop near by, "that's where you're getting clothes. Wanna get your school robs now?"

"Sure! And after that," she checked the list, "I'll need a cauldron. That's for potion's, right?" she asked, exited. "I can't wait to start on those…"

Harry chuckled. Wait till you start potions... I'm sure you'll just 'love' Snape-

Oomph.

Harry bumped into someone. Oww…

He looked up, to say sorry, when he realized who it was.

De ja vu! No way! Not again

"Watch it you silly girl!"

"Well so-ry..." Harry mused, noticing that the man wasn't alone.

The man was Snape, this time dressed in robes, hair back to greasy. And with him--

Oh fuck.

--Was Lucius Malfoy.

"Lilo, come on! Let's go get the clothes!" a hand took him by the arm and he was dragged away by Julia. But not before he heard Lucius mutter something about mud-blood filth and saw Snape's stare.

Obviously trying to remember where he's seen me before… what the hell is he doing with Malfoy anyway? That can't be good… and what happened to those wonderful muggle clothes he had before? He has to wear that at school…Harry grinned to himself.

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Once they got everything, Harry decided to take them back home in a way he thought Julia might enjoy- the knight bus! All the rattling and shaking got her exited, not to mention the speed of the thing. Sarah and Jonathan, on the other hand, got a bit annoyed.

"Lilo!" Jonathan shouted over the noise, picking himself off the floor for the sixth time,

"Can we get OFF this thing?!"

"We'll be there in just a mo' mister, jus' got to drop misses Grader… Bye misses Grader! Now, whe' was it ye wanted?" Stan shunpike asked, not looking concerned at the least that the man he was speaking to was glaring at him, annoyed.

"Number fourteen Grimmauld Place, please," Harry said hastily, wanting it to be over with as well.

"Righ' ya are. Say…" Stan said slowly, looking Harry up and down, "haven't I seen you befo'? You're pretty enough to be a muggle movie star…"

Eewww! Is he trying to come on to me?! Eewww!!

Trying not to look like he wanted to barf, Harry smiled weakly. He was grateful that a second later the knight bus stopped, on the middle the square at Grimmauld Place.

Julia grinned as the knight bus disappeared.

"I so can't wait to go on that thing again!"

"And you can keep on waiting, as we'll never ever go on that thing ever again!" Jonathan almost screamed at her.

"Oh fine, be a party popper."

"Come on; let's get the things in the house... And then you could explain more things to me that I didn't understand."

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"So… what do you want to know?" Harry said as they sat down at the kitchen table.

"Well… remember when you said there are other muggle-born children that go to the school?"

"Yeah...?"

"Do they all have magical neighbors to explain all of this to them?"

"Now that you mention it, no. but you should have received in your letter a notice that one of the teachers should come over in a certain date to explain it to you."

"Oh the date, we need to send the acceptance letter" Sarah said, jumping from her sit. With Harry's help she managed writing something normal.

"Say that's another question that's bothering me; do they always give a week notice to this stuff?"

"No it's just, mmm, well you see" he looked at Jonathan "remember that I froze when you said where you're living is?"

"Yeah"

"Well the order, remember them, I told you about. Well, they live in number 12"

"There is no such building" Jonathan interrupted

"Yes there is, it is hidden under several magical wards, between 11 and 13"

"Oh"

"Yeah, and I think that because of those wards, the owl couldn't deliver them earlier."

"I see, and what about what we talked about before?"

"Oh, well, say… what is your husband's last name?"

Sarah frowned "he wasn't my husband. He died before we got married but I think it starts with a Z. Mmm, what was it? Oh, I remember, Zabini!"

Harry looked at her, "Zabini, huh? Well I know them, Blaise is in our school, but both of his parents are alive, so my guess is that he is in someway related to them, brother or something. So when the school records notice that a magical baby is born they mark what he is, a muggleborns, half-blood, pureblood. So probably, it marked Julia as a half-blood. And even though her father is dead, it acts as though the family is aware of the mother, and would probably make sure she knows about magic."

"I don't think he actually told anybody from his family about us... Something about acceptance and disowning, so you're probably right."

"So, do you have anything else you want to know?"

"Yeah, what about Muggle School, can she continue with it, get a diploma or something? You know, just incase things at the hog-thingy wouldn't work?"

"Mom, it's going to work out, why shouldn't it?"

"Still, I want to know"

"Well, no" he quickly added when he saw Sarah's sad look, she really like muggle school!

"But if you want I could teach her"

"Really?" Julia started and Sarah continued "how far are you?"

"I'm already studding for first degree in several subjects"

"Wow, but how do you study for them?" all three were impressed

"Well I'm insomniac, and when ever I have free time I study. in order to check if something is right, you know in English or math I have a neighbor who's a retired teacher, and he used to check my work ever since I was 7 years old. And now that I am in school I just send Hedwig, my owl, to him with the papers and he checks them, he thinks it is a really smart trained owl"

"And he does that for free?"

"Well he wants to, but every summer when I get home I pay him a lot, I know he appreciates it, even though he doesn't like taking my money."

Harry felt like the day was perfect.

"Dibs on the shower!!" Julia screamed suddenly.

"Second!" Jonathan called out.

"Third!!" Sarah.

"Oh fine, then I'll go for a walk. Too bad the TV's broken." Harry said.

"Just be sure to come in a decent hour. I don't like the shady characters that wander around here at these hours." Sarah said, looking a bit worried.

"Yeah, like that guy that was walking around here... Remember mom? The way he just appeared out of no-where? And the way he was dressed?" Julia shuddered.

"You mean the guy who smelled like booze? Stay away from him."

Hmm... I wander if it's dung…

"Fine. You know I can take care of myself. I'll be back later. And hopefully," he added, staring at the girls, "I'll still have hot water."

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Harry stared at the house in front of him, the one that only he could see. He sighed.

I have to ignore that place if I want to have a normal holiday. Well, as normal as it can be, considering whom I am.

He started walking, not really minding where he's going. He got to the square when he noticed something. He froze.

"Nice doggy…" he said, staring at the big black dog that came to him, now sniffing his hand and waving his tale enthusiastically."Good doggy... umm... I haven't got any food…"

The dog looked at him with an expression that he got from Snape several times; it said "do-I-look-stupid?"

"Hehehe..." Harry said sheepishly, "if we talk somewhere… please don't kill me?"

The dog started walking, looking behind him as if to tell him to follow him. He followed.

They stopped in an alleyway behind a building that looked deserted.

Looking both ways several times, the dog sat down and started to change.

Harry was staring at his once thought dead godfather.

"Umm... Harry, just curious…. Umm... why are you dressed as a girl?"

Tbc.

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A/N: so, what do you think?