Chapter ten

Later that afternoon Hermione and Ron returned, Hermione held up all the bags to show the girls.

'Why don't you go up with Hermione, she can explain more about that and you can put your clothes away. I'll be down here with Ron, but Hermione is a very good person, you can trust her,' Harry gave the girls a smile.

'Alright, thank you,' Julie with her arm around Sandy went up the stairs with Hermione, Ron and Harry went into the kitchen.

'She never lets the young girl go.'

'No, she doesn't. I think she's scared that her sister will be hurt again, that or taken away from her. That's why I want to take guardianship of them, so they can stay together. Julie thinks she's sixteen, so if she's magical then she's an adult in a year; she can legally take her sister. So if they stay here their together even if Julie wants to look after her sister, she doesn't have to worry about any of that. I think they both have enough to worry about.'

'Yeah, but you know Ginny is really pissed at you.'

'I know, but I just can't. I really don't want anything like that. If I did Ginny is a great girl and we always had a good time. I think after everything, I just want some time away from all that, everything that reminds me of the last seven years.'

'Well, if you come to the Burrow you might get hexed.'

'I don't want to leave the girls just yet, so for now I'll get you and Hermione here.'

'They seem better Harry and they got changed, but they asked what to do with your mother's clothes. I took them and put them in the other room,' Hermione said.

'Thanks, I didn't mind them using her clothes, but they aren't what girls would wear. Professor McGonagall said my mother would like the idea of her clothes being used for something good like this. So did you get Julie that stuff?'

Hermione smiled, 'Yes, everything she would need. But I also got them so female deodorants, soaps; that type of stuff as well, to suit girls. But I got a couple of books, when I can, I'll get them some more.' Hermione put a pile of money on the table.

'Thanks, I would take them shopping, but I don't think they're up for going out just yet and don't think they will be for a while.'

'So have you been to Gringotts?' Ron nodded towards the money.

'No, my parents had money here, I really didn't want to go into Diagon Alley, too crowded.'

'Harry,' Julie said quietly.

'Hey,' Harry gave the two girls a smile, 'Some nice pyjamas, they look good.'

'Thank you again, you to Hermione. I thought I'd tell you were going to bed.'

'Okay, remember, make yourself at home. But if you need anything let me know.'

'We will, thank you.'

'Thanks Harry,' Sandy said shyly then left with her sister.

'She's so small for eight,' Hermione said.

'Probably because of what happened and they were locked in a room with no windows so no sunlight.'

'Yes, that wouldn't help. We should go, it is getting late and I'm sure Mrs. Weasley will be concerned.'

'Mum just can't help herself, she's been a little overprotective. We'll see you in a few days Harry.'

'Yep, you will,' Harry walked his friends to the door then watched them leave before he went into the office and wrote a letter, but he'd leave sending it for a day or so. After extinguishing the lights, Harry went up to his room, showered and for a change, found some pyjama bottoms of his father's then climbed into bed. Over the last week, Harry hadn't bothered with clothes, but he didn't want the girls to see him and get scared, so from now on he'd wear pyjamas.

The following morning Harry walked downstairs and saw the two girls sitting at the kitchen table with bowls of cereal in front of them. They both gave Harry a small shy smile.

'I'm glad you helped yourselves. I'm making tea, would you both like one?'

'Yes, thank you,' Julie said after Sandy nodded, but she kept eating, 'We've eaten more since yesterday than we have in a long time.'

'Yes, I could tell by how skinny you are, like me actually,' Harry smiled then sat the two cups of tea in front of the girls then went about making his breakfast. He sat down with a plate of food but saw Sandy staring at it, so Harry summoned a plate and placed one of his eggs and some bacon on it before he pushed it towards Sandy, then summoned a knife and fork, 'If you want this for breakfast I can make it for all of us. This is one thing I can cook, breakfast,' Harry smiled then started eating, but noticed Julie smile at him.

'This is a nice house. I vaguely remember my old home, it wasn't this big and we didn't have an upstairs or a yard, but that's all I remember.'

'I'm sure you will remember more soon. I did want to tell you though, I need to send a letter to Kingsley, about taking guardianship of you. But I need to go down to the magical post office to get an owl.'

'An owl,' Sandy lifted her head.

Harry smiled, 'Yes, we send our mail by owl post. I used to own an owl, Hedwig, but she died nearly a year ago. I was eleven and at Hogwarts the first time I saw all the owls delivering everyone's letters, I was so surprised and my friend Ron laughed. He's a pureblood, so when I got surprised by magic, he thought it was funny. But I laughed at him when he saw things from the muggle world, things he'd never seen or heard of before. Anyway, I wasn't sure how you would feel being alone until I get back.'

'We'll be fine, I've looked after Sandy for years.'

'I know, but I also know what you're going through. When I was younger, I didn't like being alone. You do have each other, so that's more than I had until I met Ron and Hermione.'

'You said your parents were killed,' Julie said then shrugged.

'They were and my uncle was very abusive. He hurt me a lot when I was young; they also didn't give me a lot to eat and locked me up all the time. So you see, I do know what you're going through,' Harry gave a kindly smile then took all the plates to the sink then moved his wand over them so they started to clean themselves, but he smiled as Sandy giggle as she watched. He felt the same when he had seen this type of magic at the Burrow the first time. These two girls reminded him so much of himself, now he had to work out if he could keep them and work out if they are magical. One thing Harry noticed about the girls, they seemed to be coping better than he thought they would, he did wonder if he was the reason, they trusted him and Harry would make sure they never have any reason not to trust him.