Chapter Nine

Platform 9 3/4

"Servants? What do you mean, we have servants?" Chris asked.

"Well, let me show you." Alex turned away from the others and spoke two names. "Halya. Damar."

Instantly, there was a pair of quiet popping sounds and standing before them were two small figures with large eyes and ears. "Master has called?" they said, in unison.

"Dad, are these house elves?"

"Right in one, Chris."

Kylie stood there, feeling confused. "What are house elves?"

Ginny spoke up. "They're magical creatures that seem to really enjoy doing household chores, like cooking and cleaning. In fact, they like it so much they're willing to work for free. A lot of the older Wizarding families have them." It seemed for a moment as if she were going to say more but evidently decided against it.

Alex motioned the two little creatures forward. He pointed to the male of the pair, "This is Damar and that," indicating the female, "is Halya." He then introduced the Weasleys, the Grangers, and Chris to the two house elves.

Damar looked to Alex. "Will the other young Master, Harry Potter, be joining us tonight, sir?"

"No, Damar, Harry is away at school but he'll be here for most of the summer holiday." He looked agitated for a moment. "I really wish those two weeks at the Dursleys weren't necessary. I don't trust that lot any farther than I can throw them."

"It shouldn't be too difficult to have their activities monitored, Alex," said Arthur. "Between us, we should be able to have someone in the area most of the days he's with them. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if some of the folks at Hogwarts would be willing to help with that."

"Hagrid," suggested Ginny.

Chris disagreed. "He'd stand out in a crowd too much, which might make things worse. My grandmother, on the other hand, would do nicely for this." He began to make puppy dog eyes and pretend as if he were trying to convince someone to do something they would not otherwise do. "Please. Please help us watch over Harry." Then he smirked at the others. "Do you think I can convince her?"

The others began to laugh at Chris' antics. Kylie looked at him for a moment, and then asked, "Are you really going to attempt manipulating Professor McGonagall that way?"

"Not unless it's necessary," was his reply.

Damar and Halya, however, were standing there with looks of concern on their faces. "Is Master Harry in danger from these Dursleys you speak about?"

Mrs. Weasley considered the question for a moment and then responded. "It shouldn't be a problem but the Dursleys are Muggles and they hate magic. They also weren't fond of Harry's father, James. They are of the opinion that he corrupted Lily and they feel it led to her death."

"Then, if you need more help, we are willing to help keep watch on Master Harry."

Alex smiled at the two of them. "Thank you. It would be a big help to have you involved. Your ability to go unseen would be very useful."

The faces of the two house elves became flushed with embarrassment. It had been many years since they had spoken to members of the family they served, making being praised by one of the family an unexpected pleasure.

To spare the two any further discomfort, Alex made a great pretense of looking at his watch. "It is getting really late. Why don't we all spend the night here and tomorrow we can take care of any other business that we need to. Are there bedrooms available for use tonight?"

Damar and Halya assured them that there were, led them all up to the second floor and helped them settle in for the evening.

The remaining months of the school year passed quickly. There were many owl posts sent between the various children of the Granger, Potter and Weasley clans explaining how decorating the rooms of Potter manor was proceeding, results of Quidditch matches and other school happenings. (The adults were a little disappointed to discover the loss of house points due to Harry and Hermione having a midnight adventure. The letter sent to Chris, Ginny and Kylie included the explanation of getting the dragon reserve Ginny's brother Charlie worked at to take Norbert, which had also managed to bite Ron, a couple of facts which were not in the note sent by Professor McGonagall to Alex.)

The most surprising information of all managed to arrive just before the end of the school year, when they heard that Harry, Ron and Hermione had managed to protect the Sorcerer's Stone from Professor Quirrell, who was the teacher for Defense Against the Dark Arts. However, they were a little unclear as to how he had been in league with Lord Voldemort, the person who had killed Harry's parents, James and Lily, and why exactly the dark wizard was after the stone to begin with. They also wrote that the Trio's involvement in saving the Stone garnered them sufficient points, along with ten points won by another first year named Neville, to cause the Gryffindors to win the House Cup, making them heroes within their House.

Finally, the last day of the Hogwarts school year had arrived and the Weasleys, the Grangers, including Hermione's parents, and the Potters found themselves awaiting the return of the Hogwarts Express at the King's Cross train station.

As the train pulled into the station, the excitement Ginny, Chris and Kylie felt grew to the point that it seemed the three ten year olds were ready to have a meltdown. Before they could, however, Percy, Fred, George, Hermione, Ron and Harry exited the train, causing everyone to hurry forward to greet them. A large number of hugs, most, if not all, of which involved the Granger and Weasley females, quickly took place and then, everyone stepped off to the side while they discussed plans for the summer.

It came to be decided that, during the two weeks that Harry would be required to stay with the Dursleys, who were waiting just outside the portal to platform 9 ¾, Kylie and Danielle would be going on holiday with Hermione and her parents. Chris, meanwhile, was going to spend two weeks with his Grandmother Minerva at her summer home.

Once the plans for the summer had been explained to everyone, they set out as a group to have one last conversation with the Dursleys regarding appropriate treatment of Harry. This, of course, had the effect of leaving Vernon, Petunia and Dudley rather shaken and pale.

Finally, the various families went their separate ways for the next two weeks, not knowing their conversations had been monitored by someone hiding in the shadows.