Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or its characters! It's all J.K. Rowling's! I do however, own this story's plot!

Chapter 11

Delivering News

"Dinner's ready!" Harry called out, hands full of prepared dishes. Following the Gryffindor were the others, hands similarly preoccupied with complete dishes.

Without the help of Draco, the Slytherins, the rest of the Gryffindors and the rest of the group, cooking dinner went fairly well and fairly quickly. But, it was kind of awkward having to cook dinner with all the house elves standing around them with wide, unblinking eyes, silently begging them to allow them to help them with the making of dinner.

They were also silently awaiting the wizards and witches to ask them to help, therefore a small flickering of hope was seen in their eyes.

"I'm sorry everyone, but I want to show them how much they mean to me." Harry was heard repetitively saying these couple of words to the elves to make them understand.

"I'll pay you all five galleons," he began and he watched as the house elves' eyes grew impossibly larger.

"Ten galleons!" He bargained, thinking that their reaction to their compensation was too little, and the house elves' eyes looked as if it would pop out of their small heads.

Remus only laughed silently in amusement. His godson was raising their payment up by five galleons, not knowing that the house elves were happy with having any payment at all.

"Whatever amount you want, I'll pay it! I just want you guys to understand that I'm doing this out of love. I really want to them taste my cooking." Harry pleaded.

"No no." Tawny squeaked. "Ten galleons is much! Five galleons be too much too! Us elves don't deserve to be paid!"

"If we get paid, we meant to be free. Free house elves are bad house elves!" One house elf cried out sobbing loudly in the back.

"No, it doesn't mean that!" Hermione quickly denied, but the house elves all bursted into tears when the Gryffindor girl who stood firm for S.P.E.W. had tried to reason with them.

"You're not bad house elves! I'll pay you each ten galleons for not cooking tonight! Just for tonight! It should be more than enough for you all. Ten galleons! Please. It's imperative that I do this." He pleaded.

Remus and the others could only watch in amusement as the Gryffindor repeatedly pleaded to the house elves. Harry looked fit to burst into tears.

Sensing the same as the watching wizards and witches, the house elves quickly agreed to the payment of ten galleons before popping out of the kitchen, leaving the small group of cooks alone.

"Now you can cook Harry." Hermione stated, happy that the house elves were getting paid for doing what Harry wanted, even if they were getting paid for doing nothing.

At least they're getting paid. That's what counts. She thought as she watched Harry set about cooking.

Harry looked towards the living room where he saw the rest of the group uproariously laughing at something. Even the notoriously evil and cold Tom Riddle was grinning widely.

"All right! What are you lot laughing about?" Harry asked, putting his hands on his hips. The dish he was holding remained levitating in the air before him, so when the group wiped the remaining tears from their eyes, they saw an angry but curious looking Harry Potter looking at them with an unimpressed stare.

"Tom did it!" The Slytherins quickly accused before rushing away from the mentioned person.

"Well Tom?" Harry asked, his foot quickly adopting a rapidly pacing pattern.

"Tom turned the twins into, well… you'd have to see for yourself." Sirius replied, wiping the tears of mirth away from his damp cheeks.

As Harry drew closer, Tom's grin dropped and was replaced with a scowl. Harry merely raised an eyebrow before looking down into the cardboard box. Two pairs of watery blue eyes met a pair of Avada Kedavra green eyes.

"Turn them back Thomas Marvolo Riddle."

"I will not have them continue besmirching my name." Tom growled, unrelenting.

Remus and the others had stopped behind Harry and had not moved from their spots since. Everyone continued to watch the little argument forming between the Boy Who Lived and the Dark Lord, now turned good.

"If you don't turn them back, you don't get dinner, my handmade dinner, which I'll have you know, tastes amazing. That and I will be telling Mrs. Weasley about this little prank." Harry said, boasting.

The twins had been turned into a pair of kits with red fur, and dark colored paws. However, around their tail, neck and ears were bright pink ribbons that had been wrapped, with a high possibility of the Slytherin girls' doing. Luna was still sitting besides the kit, cooing to them quietly whenever she could stop her tinkling giggles.

"Mrs. Weasley? I'm assuming you're talking about their mother?" Tom inquired.

"Yes, their mother. I'll take you over to the Burrow to visit her sometime. Besides, I think I'm due for a visit for the summer anyway. So, back to the problem at hand. Would you like me to tell their mother for you, receive no dinner for tonight or will you turn them back?"

Tom grumbled, still resisting the urge to remove the spell.

"Well? Dinner or your continuing prank?" Harry asked once more.

"They pulled a prank on me as well if you hadn't recalled!" Tom stated petulantly, crossing his arms defiantly.

"And when was this?"

"When I stepped into their joke shop as we waited for you in Diagon Alley." Tom informed him.

"Oh please. Tom, look. That prank is played on anyone who stays blocking the entrance of their shop. It's just to get their customers moving to prevent any stoppage." Harry said exasperatedly.

"And if you hadn't noticed, the dinner's getting cold. So hurry up and remove the spell or charm or whatever you had cast upon them." Remus sighed.

The group noted that the rest of the dishes were floating behind the cooks, following their lead into the dining room before placing themselves onto the table.

Noticing that Harry would not allow him his meal if the twins were still in such a state, Tom quickly removed the spell before hurrying over to the dining table. Harry shook his head in amusement before turning around to smile at the twins that were looking at him gratefully.

"Thank you Harry!" George exclaimed.

"I thought he was going to leave us like that forever." Fred added, shuddering as he imagined his future as a growing kit.

"I think you should be more afraid about what would happen if you were to pull any more pranks on Tom. We may understand your jokes and pranks but Tom isn't someone that would let it go lightly. After all, he was the supposed 'Dark Lord' that was hell bent on taking over the Wizarding World."

"We'll take that into consideration." Fred said, and the twins were silent for a couple of seconds.

"Taken into consideration!" They chimed, before rushing towards the dining table.

With a quick sniff in the heavenly aroma filled air, everyone quickly took to their seats before busying him or herself with the food that appeared on their plates.

Shaking his head as he laughed, Harry walked over to Draco's side.

Of course, Harry was dragged next to Draco, but to Draco's ire, Blaise planted himself to Harry's other unoccupied side before anyone could take the seat. With a smile for Harry and a smirk to Draco, Blaise thanked Harry and the small group for cooking before digging in.

"Harry, this is delicious! Where did you learn to cook like this?" Pansy asked.

The others nodded their approval and made sounds that agreed with Pansy's statement.

"I've been cooking for as long as I remember. I've always been cooking for the Dursley family. Cooking such a feast isn't something that's been too difficult once I was tall enough to reach the stove." Harry shrugged before turning back to his plate.

The cutlery stopped moving before it was placed on the table.

"What do you mean you've always been cooking for those Muggles?" Severus asked, generally confused.

The entirety of the Slytherin House, or at least Draco's small and exclusive group, including Snape, had believed that one Mister Harry Potter had grown up with a silver spoon in his mouth. They had thought the Golden Boy of Gryffindor had been living with a family that greatly pampered him, given him everything and anything he requested – a family that greatly spoiled the Boy Who Lived. But all that nonsense was quickly pushed from everyone's mind when Severus and Draco retold what had happened when they found Harry at the Dursleys'. Even the Gryffindors were appalled.

Two-thirds of the Golden Trio felt guilty – guilty for being unable to help their best friend, whom had stuck with them through thick and thin, through the ups and the downs in their friendship.

Ron felt worse than he had back then, during fourth year for turning on Harry – if only he had not allowed his jealousy to rear its ugly head, he probably would've tried to understand his best friend when Harry repeatedly told him that he had not entered in the Triwizard Tournament. But then, he felt grateful to Professor Snape, and even to the ferret, Draco Malfoy! Though, his feeling of gratefulness was less appreciated when he realized a couple of Slytherins were able to care for and protect his best friend, while Hermione and he were unable to do so. Other than the fact that a couple of Slytherins were able to do such a thing, Ron was relieved that Harry was able to escape from the Dursleys' clutches. After all, he was there when he and the twins ripped those bars from Harry's window back in second year.

Hermione felt guilty as well – for believing everything Dumbledore had said about Harry: that the boy was fine, that he was in capable hands. The brunette was also feeling upset once she remembered all those times Harry would reel away from any conversation about his family. All those times she would tell Harry to ask Dumbledore for help – now she felt like an idiot, a complete chit, when Professor Snape and Draco told them Dumbledore had told Severus to keep a watchful eye on the Gryffindor – only to step in if anything were to go "too far", like he knew what was about to happen this summer.

Harry squirmed in his seat, his hands fisting the cloth of his pants before two hands reached out and gently squeezed the nerves from him. Turning his head to face Draco's smiling encouragement before turning to see Blaise's gentle smile, Harry took a breath to steel himself.

"When I was little, I've always been told to do all the chores – cooking, cleaning, laundry, anything you could think of, I'd be the one to do it. Did you know – I thought my name was 'Freak' until I was five." Harry gave a bitter laugh.

"Five! I had to have my teacher tell me my name is Harry Potter and not 'Freak'. You can tell how confused I was, learning my real name and not the title my uncle preferred to call me. I was beaten when the teacher called home to ask whether or not my family environment was good for me. Of course that fat arse denied everything, stating I was living in a healthy household. I went to school with sleeves that entire week, of course. He didn't want anyone to find out I'd been beaten." Harry sneered, his body trembling with angry at each word that left his mouth.

Draco tugged Harry's chair away from the table, plucked the Gryffindor from his seat and placed him on his lap, caressing Harry's arm to calm his boyfriend down. Blaise didn't have it in him to send a glare towards the blond. Of course he knew Harry would need Draco's comfort. He wouldn't want anyone else's, even if the comfort came from his two-thirds Golden Trio counterparts.

Harry gave a shuddering breath before leaning into Draco's embrace. He continued through a thick voice.

"It wasn't all too bad." He began, and he felt the tension grow in the room; even Draco had stopped petting his head momentarily to process the small statement. He knew his audience did not approve of his careless comment. Already hearing the beginning of his childhood abuse did not help to appease their anger.

"No, I'm serious! It wasn't all too bad. Aunt Petunia would help me from time to time whenever Vernon wouldn't be around to pay attention. Of course, whenever he called, Aunt Petunia would leave me with directions to quickly finish up the chore I was told to do. She would even get Dudley to participate. He would help through his grumbles, but as time passed, he seemed to help me more each time he could get away from his friends and his father. So the Dursleys aren't too bad! It's only Vernon." Harry finished, noting the tension trickle away slowly.

"But what about all those bruises you'd come to Hogwarts with?!" Ron exclaimed. Hermione nodded her head.

"You told us it was just some roughhousing! Is that really true?" Neville asked.

"Dudley had to put up a front with his friends, and I don't blame him. His so-called gang, were related to some higher ups in Vernon's company, so in order to appease his superiors, Vernon told Dudley to try and impress his friends. Whenever they would beat on me, Dudley would be the one to do the least damage. The others did most of the beating." Harry shrugged.

"That still doesn't not justify the abuse you've received!" Lucius hissed.

"And I suppose rapping against Draco's head with your cane justifies your actions?" Harry shot back angrily.

Lucius looked cowed, before looking down to rethink his past actions. He supposed what Harry said was true. Rapping on Draco's head wasn't the proper punishment, but he did not want to verbally abuse his son. It was enough to see Draco grow up with a mask of indifference and lack of emotions. Seeing his son being unable to show his emotions whilst he grew up hurt more than Lucius could even start to explain. It was more his fault than that witch's fault, the witch he was arranged to marry.

Of course, Draco understood their marriage was just for convenience and power, though more so from his grandfather's perspective. It was to keep the bloodline pure; Walburga Black was always heard talking about bloodline purity, during his minimal visits to the Black Manor. His father had always told him to marry for love, as he grew up. Though he would speak about arrange marriages in public and towards his more business associated company.

Soothing his boyfriend's nerves and anger, Draco slowly drew a piece of the perfectly cooked steak towards Harry's mouth and raised an eyebrow for Harry to comply and take the meat. Refusing to pout amongst his current company, Harry quickly opened his mouth, retrieved the steak from the offending, in his opinion, utensil before chewing on it.

This action set about the rest of the table's movements to continue dinner. Harry happily finished his dinner from Draco's lap, not that the blond would have it any other way. Compliments passed his way caused Harry to preen happily, though he elbowed Draco when he heard the blond quietly laughing in his ear. The Gryffindor also noted the content look thrown his way when he looked at Blaise from the corner of his eye. Carefully filing that away for future reference, Harry continued to bask in the love given freely from his new family.

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"Harry, this came for you while you were cooking dinner." Lucius said, pulling the Gringotts letter from his pocket.

"Who's it from?" Harry asked, taking the letter from the elder blond.

"Look and see." Draco said, shaking his head.

Frowning at the younger blond's answer, Harry flipped over to look at the seal.

"Ah, it's from Gringotts. I wonder what they want. No, wait. Did I forget to sign something?" Harry pondered on the previous events before shaking his head.

Opening the seal, a letter slipped out and unfolded itself, hovering just a mere foot away from Harry's eyes. Quickly skimming through the letter, Harry's eyes widened even more before he quickly reread the entire letter slowly.

"Merlin…" he croaked.

"What is it?"

"I didn't know my family and the past generations had invested in so many companies." Harry gasped out.

"What? Let me see." Hermione reached to grab the letter before she let out a squeal.

"What's wrong?" Theo asked, looking at the brunette.

"It stung me." Hermione squeaked.

"Must not want you or anyone else to lay their hands on Harry's fortune." Sirius said.

"Maybe if Harry touches it first, then the rest of us will be able to read the letter when he passes it around." Remus stated.

Harry reached slowly for the letter, afraid to receive a nasty shock just like Hermione had before sighing in relief when nothing happened. Passing the letter around, everyone's eyes grew wide in astonishment when they read through the list of all the companies that was included along with Harry's family names.

Under the family names were companies that Harry's ancestors and past generations had invested in.

~ Potter Family and Evans Family Investments ~

**Newly invested – Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes – sells various practical joke items; Owner: Fred and George Weasley

Amanuensis Quills – sells quills; Owner: Amelle Diamond

Eeylops Owl Emporium – sells Owls, various standard pet care items; Owner: Ceres Snell

Flourish and Blotts- sells reading material, as well as schoolbooks; Owner: Daisy Vane

Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour – sells ice cream; Owner: Florean Fortescue

Madam Primpernelle's Beautifying Potions – sells witches' facial needs; Owner: Helena Primpernelle

Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occassions – sells Hogwarts school uniform, dress robes, traveling cloaks, etc.; Owner: Madam Malkin

~ Black Family Investments ~

Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop – sells gags and gadgets; Owner: Jeremias Toothill

Magical Menagerie – sells students' pets and supplies; Owner: Silenus Hooper

Obscurus Books – sells Wizarding Published books; Owner: Titania Oldridge

Ollivanders – sells wands; Owner: Mister Garrick Ollivander

Potage's Cauldron Shop – sells cauldrons; Owner: Niamh Potage

Quality Quidditch Supplies – sells quidditch supplies; Owner: Cyprien Derrick

Rosa Lee Teabag – sells tea; Owner: Rosa Lee

~ Perverall Family Investments ~

Scribbulus Writing Instruments – sells ink and other stationary items, etc.; Owner: Hildegard Pringle

Slug & Jiggers Apothecary – sells potion ingredients; Owner: Hecate James

Sugarplum's Sweets Shop – sells confections; Owner: Alexia Wilkes

TerrorTours – Wizards and Witches' travel agency; Owner: Cora Lympsham

Daily Prophet – sells newspapers; Owner: Thora Young

Twilfitt and Tatting's – sells various clothing, etc.; Owner: Phoebe Brand

Whizz Hard Books – sells Wizarding published books; Owner: Cybele Stebbins

Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment – sells magical equipment; Owner: Caius Van Humbeck

~Gryffindor Family Investments~ …

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"Stop, stop right there!" Harry exclaimed.

"What?" Goyle asked.

"Don't continue reading that." He moaned. "I don't want to hear what responsibility I have to all these investments now that I own them."

"Wait, there's another piece of paper." Crabbe noted, seeing a corner of a parchment paper directly behind the first.

"Well, read it!" Ginny said.

"Please note, Mister Harry James Potter, that these are just some of many magical business investments from your family. This list, however, does not include your muggle investments. If you wish for more information about your investments, please feel free to contact me about it. Onto other business at hand, I have begun the process of retrieving all the money withdrawn from your account. I would also like to inform you that your father, James Potter, now deceased, has invested in your relative's business. We hope you find that information to your liking. It was nice doing business with you. Hope you have a good day. Courtesy of Griphook, your solicitor. "

"Oh.. this is good. This is so good." Tom said, chuckling.

"What is?" Harry asked.

"Don't you get it Harry? Tom wants you to buy off your Uncle's –"

"Don't call him that. He has no right anymore." Draco hissed from behind Harry.

"Draco's right. With what has occurred through Harry's childhood, that muggle does not have the right to be related to Harry any longer." Blaise commented.

Lucius cleared his throat, glaring at the boys for interrupting the Dark Lord. But Draco and Blaise didn't care – they were too pent up in anger towards one Vernon Dursley to care about such loyalties to the Dark Lord.

"As I was saying, before I was rudely interrupted," Tom glared pointedly at the two Slytherins whom, not only did not cower in fear at the glare, but glared defiantly in return, before continuing his speech, "Harry should buy out the company, fire that Dursley from the company before removing him from his home."

"You're putting that very nicely." Snape realized.

"You'd rather I say, evict? Or how about toy with the little –"

"I think you got your point through." Remus said, quickly cutting off Tom.

The guardians looked on in amusement when they realized this new 'family' was going on just fine.

"Since you stated that your aunt Petunia and Dudley did nothing to abuse you, unless in the presence of that fat lump of an uncle – I don't see any point in punishing them… much." Tom concluded.

"Let's get to work then. The quicker we get this done, the quicker we get this over with." Sirius said. "After all, I would like to pay Petunia a little visit."

"Quickly now Harry, send a letter back before the day ends." Remus replied, urging the Gryffindor off towards Draco's room.

"I'll be right back." Harry said, running off towards the room.

Once Harry had left the room, the group became serious.

"We're not letting them live are we?" Sirius growled.

"Of course not. We're not that forgiving." Remus state, his eyes flashing a golden yellow.

"I'm glad to know that you are both with me and approve of my line of thinking." Tom said, his eyes bleeding red.

The guardians were noticeably emitting a deadly aura from the corners of the room. The tension in the room grew thicker until Harry rushed in heavily breathing.

"I've got some parchment paper and a quill and this jar of ink! Let's write this letter!" Harry heaved.

Harry's cheeks were flushed red from the adrenaline pumping through his veins and his hair was more disheveled than usual, due to the running. Draco quickly dragged Harry down into his lap before kissing him thoroughly.

Finally releasing Harry from their heavy lip-lock, Draco wished he could drag his boyfriend back into one when he saw how Harry's eyes had dilated.

Blaise cleared his throat, garnering attention from the two couple before he motioned to Harry's dropped parchment paper, quill and ink jar.

"Right, the letter." Harry said dazedly. "What should I say?" he asked, when Draco picked up the dropped stationary items.

"Tell them you need the company name and information as well as the amount you've invested into it." Lucius began.

"After Gringotts have sent you that information, write back to them saying to try to double or increase that amount. When that has been processed, which will be really quick, then call up the company and tell them to fire that pig." Tom continued, before glaring at Remus, whom had cut him off.

"All you have to do after that is just let Lucius get the eviction for their home and you can have Petunia and Dudley move in here – after they've renounced their association with Dursley. Then you're set and good to go!" Remus said, cheerfully.

Lucius sputtered. "Live? In here? In my home?"

"Is there a problem with that?" Sirius asked.

The elder blond cleared his throat. "No, of course not."

"Right." Harry agreed, before setting off to work.

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"Wow, postal owl mail really is quick." Harry said, amazed at the speed of which the sending of his letter, the small business but quick process in Gringotts and the retrieval of the newly sent letter.

"Really Harry. It's magic, what did you expect?" Hermione giggled.

"That, and the fact that you've become the richest wizard in the Magical World, not to mention the Muggle World too." Ginny piped up.

"Yeah, yeah. Don't need to keep reminding him." Draco grumbled. Though he realized he used to wave his money and status in others' faces, he really didn't want Harry to do the same, even if he knew his Gryffindor wasn't the type of person to do so.

"Well, what does it say?" Theo asked.

"He works at a drill-making company called Grunnings. I've, or my father, had invested at least one hundred thousand galleons in that company. How much is that in pounds Hermione?"

"It is equivalent to about five hundred thousand pounds." Severus stated, interrupting the Gryffindor before she could answer.

"Five hundred thousand … pounds…" Harry whispered in a voice filled with awe.

"Now, double that amount and send it back to Griphook. Tell him to finalize it and get it back to you as soon as possible. In the mean time, I'll be visiting my solicitor and telling him about the eviction of the Dursleys – with your permission of course."

"I give you my permission. Could you also help Aunt Petunia on the filing of the divorce? I can have her brought here, Dudley too!" Harry replied.

Lucius clenched his jaw before sighing. "Of course Harry. Anything for you."

"I do not condone this sort of behavior." Egidio said in a no nonsense tone.

Everyone turned to look at the four guardians, eyes zooming in on Egidio once the other three turned to look at his statement.

"What do you mean you do not condone this behavior?" Severus asked.

"What Egidio means is that he does not agree with what we're planning for the Dursleys." Neville quipped, cowering in fear once Severus's dark orbs landed on him.

"If you don't allow this sort of behavior, does that mean you agree with how the Dursleys had treated Harry his entire life then?" Crystal jumped in.

"That is not what Egidio meant, young one." Tesia said, trying to placate the anger growing amongst the magical group.

"It is my belief that revenge is not the correct way to solve a problem." Egidio stated, narrowing his eyes at the Slytherin girl.

"Egidio doesn't agree with how Harry was treated. In fact, we're appalled that you would even think such a thing." The warrior glared at Crystal with disgust before continuing. "He just doesn't think you should be doing this at all. You shouldn't be fighting fire with fire." Alandair rumbled.

"And here I thought you were all for fighting." Macnaire said offhandedly.

The guardian earned a low growl before Egidio snapped at them.

"Enough, fighting amongst yourselves isn't going to help." Egidio scolded. "What I mean to say young one, is that perhaps there is another way to go about this."

"What other way is there?!" Ron shouted.

"If you've seen what had happened on that day we went to rescue Harry, you'd understand why we're doing this." Draco said, eyes glowing a fiery silver.

"Fine." Egidio relented, "I will allow this… whatever this is to occur. However, if I deem it to be going too far, I will end this. And not a second too soon."

Harry quickly made his way towards the entrance of the manor before realizing that no one was following him.

"What's wrong? Are we not heading out right now?"

"Harry, it's nearly eight thirty in the evening. Do you even think they'll be ready for company?" Theo asked.

"Does it matter? I'd like to meet these Dursleys right now." Tom said, standing up from his seat.

"I as well." Sirius joined in, pulling Remus up by the arm.

"I'll join since Harry insists on going." Draco smiled.

"Don't forget about me." Blaise added, earning a glare from Slytherin's Ice Prince.

"I guess we're all going then." Neville concluded. "I would like to see what sort of horrible people Harry's been living with his entire life. That way, I can give them a piece of my mind."

The others looked towards the shy Gryffindor in astonishment. Neville Longbottom must really loathe the Dursleys enough to take action from his anger.

"Let's go then! Apparate! Let's move, move, move!" Harry said, rushing the group out of the manor.

"Same pairings?" Crystal asked.

"No, I think we'd go with the new type of transportation. Don't you agree?" Luna asked, turning to look at the four guardians.

Alandair, Macaire and Tesia looked toward Egidio and received a curt nod. Standing in a square formation with the large group in the middle, the guardians cupped their hands together before separating them to face the ground. A large amount of mist crept up around the group.

"Bloody hell. What's going on?" Ron asked, looking nervously at the mist that seemed to grow in size.

"Don't be such a Hufflepuff." Crystal sighed. "Have you no sense of adventure?"

"Oh, that sense has been overloaded." Ron snorted.

The mist grew and grew before swallowing up the group, leaving a small gust of wind blowing through the empty space that the group once stood.

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"This is where you lived? Where you were forced to return to every summer?" Pansy asked, looking disgustedly at the house.

"Now I can see why you would want to leave." Neville murmured.

"Every building looks the same." Ginny noted.

"At least the lawn looks like it's been handled with care." Blaise sniffed.

"That's because I was the one to take care of the lawn during the summers I stayed with them." Harry muttered.

"Well mate, at least you don't have to stay with them any longer since you have another blood relative that will treat you better now." Ron said, throwing an arm over his best friend.

Everyone looked surprised at that comment. Ron, whom had publically, not in front of the professors of course, stated that he hated Snape for all those detentions given to Gryffindor as well as points being taken off for every little thing Snape saw that he didn't like, had admitted that he would probably be the best person to take care of Harry.

"Let's enter then." Harry said, "Might as well get this over with."

"Hold on there young one."

"What's wrong Tesia?"

"We'll be checking the perimeters before you enter."

"How do you expect to 'check the perimeters' if you can't enter without them seeing you?"

"Ah, but of course you wouldn't know. It's not something you would know unless told." Macnaire said, before the four guardians slowly dissipated like sand being blown in the wind.

"Is that also another form of transportation?" Goyle asked, intrigued.

"I wouldn't know. They haven't told me." Harry answered.

A swirl of white emerged in front of them a few minutes later.

"It's all clear. They haven't noticed our presence yet." Macaire's voice came from the mist.

"This is just like the Patronus charm Harry." Draco said, walking around the swirling white matter.

"Except, it's not an animal." Neville said.

"You can come in now and stop trying to dissect my mist." Macaire teased before the mist disappeared.

"How do you expect us to enter without them knowing at all?" Crystal asked out loud.

Snape could've sworn he heard an exasperated sigh before glittering dust descended from above them. As the dust decorated their clothing, Tesia approached them before motioning them to be quiet and to follow her lead.

She walked through the door as if it weren't there and soon everyone was materializing through as well.

They entered the hallway before Harry continued walking towards the sound of a television in use within the living room. Spotting the three Durselys, he walked behind Vernon who was sitting in his armchair, looking fit to burst from trying to squish onto the cushion. Petunia and Dudley Dursley were sitting on the couch diagonally across from him, which to Harry's pleasure, made it easier to communicate with them.

As if he had known how to disable to function of the glittering dust, Harry let his face shimmer faintly in the air behind Vernon's armchair. Catching Petunia's attention, he motioned to her to meet him in the kitchen and to try to pull Dudley along with her. He shook his head when he saw her eyes drift towards Vernon before covering his face up.

"What's the matter Petunia?" Vernon asked gruffily, his beady little eyes straying from the television.

"Nothing's wrong Vernon. I was just thinking that some tea would be nice to end the evening is all. I'll make some right now. In fact, Dudley, why don't you help Mummy with the tea?"

Dudley turned to look at Petunia before seeing that she had something urgent to tell him.

"Sure mum." The boy agreed before the two headed towards the kitchen. If there was suspicious about what had just happened, Vernon was too preoccupied by the television to notice.

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"Harry? Harry?" Petunia whispered as she looked to and fro within the kitchen.

"Mum, why are you whispering Harry's name?" Dudley asked, when the door closed behind them, separating the kitchen from the living room.

"That's because I'm here." Harry said, from behind the teenager.

Dudley nearly screamed in fright when he heard the voice behind him, but clamped his lips tightly shut and had his hands covering his mouth just in case a scream had left his lungs.

"Harry! What are you doing here?" He whispered.

Dudley watched with wide eyes as people began to materialize before him, out of thin air. Stepping back, he bumped into something before slowly turning his head up to see eerily glowing yellow eyes before it changed to ember colored irises. The teenager stiffened in automatic fear when he saw a glint in those eyes before he felt his mother pull him away from the large group that, surprisingly, was able to fit in their small kitchen and dining room.

"Harry! What are you doing here?!" Petunia whispered, fearing for her nephew's life if Vernon were to found out he had stepped foot into his house without his knowing.

"Is there something wrong with Harry being here?" Blaise hissed, narrowing his indigo colored eyes at the horse-like woman.

Blinking her eyes at the olive-skinned teenager, she shook her head knowing that he had misinterpreted her question.

"If Vernon finds out, Harry will be hurt." She said, trying to communicate her worry through hushed voices.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about." Harry said, nodding to Draco to put a silence bubble around them. Once that was finished, Harry began to speak in a regular toned voice.

"We have a proposition for you." He said, motioning for them to take a seat. Seeing as how no one wanted to make any sudden movements, Harry sighed before dragging Draco, and surprisingly Blaise, over toward the dining table. Petunia and Dudley followed suit when they realized he hadn't come to harm them.

Smart people. Blaise thought, noticing that Petunia and Dudley didn't trust them and had their backs planted firming facing the walls of the dining room.

Or just dumb. He rethought his first comment when he realized they were eyeing the rest of the group that stood 'guard' all around the room. To him, they looked relaxed as they could be, with a tint of hidden anger towards the Dursleys.

Blaise, however, saw the angry fire within Draco's eyes before reaching behind Harry and placed his hand on his best friend's shoulder, if they were even still best friends.

Although Draco had adopted the Malfoy mask once he had entered the Dursleys' home, he couldn't hide the hatred he felt towards them.

Draco, it's okay. They are not to blame. Harry's voice drifted into his mind.

I know, my mind knows that, but my heart doesn't. It's angry for knowing that you've been treated in such a way and I can't do anything about it because it's all in the past.

"There's a block around them, Harry." Snape's voice drifted through their ears, interrupting their conversation.

"A block? What do you mean?" Hermione asked.

"Luna, do you see what it is?" Pansy turned to look at the blonde haired girl beside her.

"It's kind of wonky shaped … and, well … it's giving me quite a headache." The blonde murmured rubbing her eyes when she looked away.

"What did you see?" Theo pressed on, coming up to the Ravenclaw.

"It looks sort of deformed, if a bit unnatural. Ah." Luna perked up when she tried to work through her memories.

"What is it?"

"I've seen that aura before. It's from Dumbledore." Luna confirmed, remembering how looking at Dumbledore would give her the same weird feeling and the same headache.

"Dumbledore?" Sirius and Remus chorused.

"Yes Dumbledore." Luna repeated.

"That old bag,"

"Did something to,"

"These muggles?"

"Why?" The twins asked, summing up their question with just one word.

Why indeed? What made Petunia Dursley and Dudley Dursley, two regular muggles, so special that Dumbledore had personally done something to them without them knowing? And how powerful was the spell he had cast upon them? Judging on how Luna was behaving after watching the two Dursleys for only a couple of seconds, it must have been a powerful spell.

"Luna, do you think you can lift whatever it is they have?" Crystal asked.

A moment of silence fell down on the group when they watched Luna begin to meditate. After a few seconds, her eyes snapped open revealing those clear, white and pearly eyes. Her hair slowly drifted up and around her as if in a slow dance. Her clothes began to ruffle in a nonexistent wind before her arm raised to point a finger at Petunia.

"Where was the letter you had written to Dumbledore about two decades ago?" A voice underlying Luna's soft one asked.

Petunia blinked her eyes before replying. "Upstairs, hidden away from Vernon. But what does that have anything to do with Dudley and I?"

"Bring it to me." Came the command.

Tesia walked up towards Petunia, bowed at the waist to look at the woman at eye level before delving deep into her memories, quickly sifting through the last two decades. Skipping over ones that were irrelevant in her quest, Tesia finally found the letter that was hidden underneath a loose floorboard in the corner of her bedroom. The guardian vanished and reappeared ten seconds later holding a clean envelope. Clearly there was magic involved, everyone thought when they noticed that the envelope had not yellowed over the last twenty years.

"Thank you Tesia." Luna murmured before waving a hand over the letter. Floating from Tesia's outstretched hands, the letter hovered in midair, directly in front of Luna as various runes circled the floating object.

"This won't hurt a bit." She said, staring at Petunia.

"Elef̱théro̱si̱." Luna whispered.

The letter glowed a bloody red before a blood red strand floated around in the air, twisting to and fro. As if it had found what it had been searching for, the strand headed towards Petunia and soon Petunia followed its glow. Dudley stepped away from his mother in fright before stopping right beside Neville, who was silently watching the entire thing play out as he stood in the dark corner of the dining room.

"Diaskorpízoume." Luna commanded before the light glowed brightly and disappeared. The letter dropped from midair and fell upon the floor and slowly turned yellow in color as all the previous years started to catch up to it.

"That does it." Luna replied, her eyes returning to their normal shade, clothes left alone and hair down with its pull from gravity.

Draco and Blaise got up from their chair and escorted Luna to one of their now unoccupied chairs, allowing her to rest up.

"What happened?" Goyle asked.

"She used the command 'release' and 'disperse'. Now, whatever effect was put upon the letter and that woman is gone." Egidio explained.

"So what was it that was placed upon the two?" Macaire asked.

"It was a block." Luna said, once she had her breath back. "Dumbledore put a block on Petunia's magic.

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The whole room was stunned into silence.

"Petunia? Are you all right?" came a gruff voice from the living room.

"I think someone should go and keep Vernon from being too suspicious. He's probably wondering what's taking so long to make tea." Hermione reminded them.

Knowing that all the older men would willingly volunteer to sit in the living room, all alone with the bloody arse that harmed Harry, Hermione quickly volunteered herself and Ginny to take the place as Petunia and Dudley.

"Why do I have to be Dudley?" Hermione hissed.

"Because you came up with the idea." Ginny smirked before the two Gryffindors were glamoured to look like the two Dursley occupants within the dining room.

Stepping out of the kitchen, they walked over and gingerly sat down on the couch.

"Pet, where's the tea?" Vernon asked, turning to look away from the television.

"Turns out we need to buy some more. I swear that brat still plays tricks on us while he's gone away." Ginny sniffed, quickly thinking up a lie on the spot.

"Of course that ruddy child would do such a thing. After all we've done for him – take him into our care, feed him, cloth him, he still's so ungrateful to us for helping him. If he weren't your family by blood, I'd have sent him off to the orphanage when he was still an infant." Vernon grumbled, prying himself from his armchair.

"Well, I'd best call it a night. Will you be coming?"

"No, I think I'll watch a little longer. There's a new show that all the wives are watching. I don't want to be out of the loop if it were to appear in our conversations." Ginny gave an odd smile that Vernon didn't seem to notice.

Waddling over to his 'wife', Vernon placed a kiss on her cheek before heading off to bed.

"Dudley! You best be off too! It may be the weekend tomorrow, but that doesn't mean you can sleep too late." Vernon warned, eyeing his 'son'.

"Yes Dad." Hermione replied dutifully.

When Vernon left their presence and they heard the creaking and groaning of the steps before a door closed, Ginny and Hermione's glamour was pulled down and Ginny ran back into the kitchen before heading towards the sink to feverishly wash off the kiss that had been planted upon her cheek.

Hermione walked in snickering to herself. "You were right Ginny. It was a great idea to pose as Dudley."

The youngest redhead glared at the brunette while reaching for the hand soap. "We'll see who's the one laughing when karma comes to bite you in your –"

"Ginny!" Ron cried, glaring at his younger sister when she was about to end her threat with a word that was likely not appealing in a normal conversation.

"Alright, so you've gotten rid of the troll." Tom grumbled. "When can I have my fun?"

"My Lord, everything will be taken care of very soon." Lucius reassured.

"What does he mean by that?" Petunia asked fearfully.

"Aunt Petunia, about that proposition I mentioned early on. Would you like to know of it?" Harry asked, turning his attention back to his relative.

"I don't have anything to lose." Came the reply.

Sirius snickered into his hands. Oh, if only she knew how much she would be losing.

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"So, I would be divorced from Vernon, reclaim my maiden name, move away from this estate to live with you and your new … family?"

"Yes. Dudley would come along as well. Also, because of the new factor in play, seeing as how you are now a wizard, you will need to be taught magic. Not with us of course, but with the err… older … and more experienced people." Harry said, catching Snape's scowl from the corner of his eye.

"That makes Dudley a what then?"

"A wizard. Muggleborn, if not a half blood like I was known to be." Harry simply said.

"I'm a wizard Mum?" Dudley asked, his eyes filled with wonder and excitement.

"I thought you hated us magic folk." Neville stated, folding his arms across his chest.

"No no. I don't hate magic or any magic folk. It was just a front for my father." Dudley quickly explained, noticing the narrowing of the Gryffindor's hazel eyes.

"You've got to change your lifestyle then. No more wolfing down almost everything at the dinner table." Harry commented, all too bluntly.

"You think I don't know that?" Dudley said, quirking an eyebrow. He removed his shirt to reveal a fat suit underneath.

"What.. a fat suit? Why are you wearing a fat suit?" Harry asked, mortified that his cousin would do such a thing.

"So my father wouldn't think suspiciously of me. You think I didn't know that he was trying to make another clone of himself through me? In order to prevent me from becoming like you, without the magic of course."

"Are you saying there's something wrong with Harry being who he is?" Blaise hissed.

"Blaise, what's wrong with you? Draco! You, as well. The both of you stop it this instance!" Harry cried, tugging on Blaise's arm before catching the cuff of Draco's shirt.

"He's insulting you right before me! I can't do nothing about it!" Draco roared, sparks of electricity racing across the surface of his body.

A dark mist had circled around Blaise before both Slytherins had received a rap on the head from an angry Gryffindor.

"Stop it! The both of you!" Harry cried once more. He didn't seem to notice the dark mist evaporating into thin air, but the others did.

"Lucius, can you continue before your son and his best friend tries to kill my remaining blood relatives?"

"Severus is also your blood relative. So he's still be alive, just not these two." Draco pouted, rubbing the bruise that was probably forming on the back of his head.

"Draco's right. You wouldn't be alone. You'd still have family by blood through Professor Snape." Blaise agreed.

"Right, well." Lucius began, ignoring the two petulant Slytherins. "Missus Evans, if you would sign here on these papers, I will quickly have these documents sent away for filing a divorce. Of course, I'll be able to get your… ex-husband to sign as well. So not to worry about his signature."

"You can't torture him into signing it." Harry mumbled.

"No, but the Imperious curse does wonders." Lucius grinned.

"Can't do that either unless you want to add more years on your prison sentence if you were to get caught." Harry warned.

"Fine, if you want to do it the political way." The elder blond sniffed before handing over the documents to Petunia to peruse.

"How exactly are you going to get rid of him Harry? If… I can ask that."

"Since inheriting several family titles," Harry glared at Sirius who grinned maliciously at him, "I have become the richest wizard in the Wizarding World. Perhaps not the richest person in the Muggle world, but possibly a close second?" He turned to look at Lucius who nodded his head in confirmation.

"So, since my father had invested in his company, over five hundred thousand pounds might I add, I decided to double that amount, send Vernon packing when he gets discharged from his job and evicted from this estate. After that, I'll renovate this house on the inside and have it rented out. You didn't really think I wouldn't have anything to do with this piece of property did you?" Harry asked.

"I've already finalized the legal documentations for ownership of the property Harry. All you have to do is sign it and I'll have it processed. Soon be done in a couple of days, a week maximum."

"I'll do that last. I want to see the look on his face when he realizes I've taken everything from him. Oh, that reminds me. Aunt Petunia, why did you refuse the money that was given to you by the Headmaster? Surely you hated me enough to think of it as compensation for caring for my well-being. I know he did."

"I knew your mother wasn't one of us – a blood related family member. I knew she was adopted." Petunia began.

Harry's eyes widened when he heard the truth spill from his 'aunt's' mouth. She had known they weren't related to one another? That gave her an incentive to take the money for all the care throughout the years.

But why didn't she take it? Draco's voice came floating into his mind.

Harry turned to look at the blonde, realizing that she still hadn't revealed her answer yet. He turned and placed his undivided attention into her story.

"The truth is… I wasn't an actual member of the Evans family."

Harry's eyes widened even more.

"I was also adopted, a full year before your mother was adopted into the Evans' family. The year your mother entered Hogwarts was the year my adopted parents told me the truth. Though both our parents were muggles, our biological parents were not." She continued.

"Wait, you mean both your biological parents weren't muggles?" Sirius asked.

"No, they weren't. I looked up where they lived, and apparently they were living just two towns over. One summer when I was able to drive myself in a car, I drove over to their address. I saw them using magic." Petunia's voice quivered at this moment in her story.

"I saw them… using their magic… to teach their son." Her voice wavered as she blinked away her tears.

"I could see the resemblance between us. I had my father's blond hair and my mother's blue eyes. His sharp chin and mouth and her high cheekbones and eye shape. But all I could see in their eyes were the love for the boy they held in their arms. The boy was no younger than six years my age. They had forgotten all about their firstborn and had thrown me away like I hadn't existed. They only wanted a boy, to follow through with their family name."

"It's true." Remus replied. "Pureblood wizarding families would have their names ended if a girl were to marry into another family. She would lose her maiden name and take her husband's, thereby ending her family line."

"The year your mother entered Hogwarts, I was also told that I was a witch. So I had sent a letter to Hogwarts, but I received that letter," she pointed to the yellowed letter on the ground, "stating that I was not accepted, stating that Hogwarts would not have accepted me due to my late notice and the fact that the Headmaster did not approve of my application."

"Dumbledore." Theo whispered, frowning.

"He orchestrated everything since the very beginning." Pansy said, putting all the pieces together.

"Dumbledore? Yes, I can faintly recall that name – after all, it's not a daily occurrence that such a name would appear in a daily conversation."

"So what happened next?"

"Before receiving that letter, your mother had already gone to Hogwarts for her first semester of schooling. That entire summer I was able to practice what little burst of magic I had on my own, but Lily always bested me. After I received that letter however, I was unable to perform any magic of any sort. No summoning, no levitating, nothing. So whenever Lily returned to Hogwarts and those summers she returned home, I grew green with envy. I was jealous. I had somehow lost my magic while Lily kept hers."

"That's when a rift opened up between the two of you." Harry murmured.

"Yes. Although I grew to hate Lily, she was still as openhearted and headstrong as ever - a stubborn girl she was. a person whose heart was three times its size. She was still able to love me even though I grew cold and nasty towards her. Thinking about it now, I feel so ashamed… I should have … said something to her … before she was gone." Petunia broke down in tears, covering her face with her hands to muffle the sound from her watching audience.

"Mum." Dudley whispered brokenheartedly before drawing his sobbing mother into his arms.

"It's all right mum. Wherever she is, I'm sure Aunt Lily would have forgiven you." He murmured, brushing back the loose strands from her face.

Dudley accepted the tissue given to him by Neville before delicately wiping away his mother's tears.

"Thank you Dudley. I'm glad you grew up away from your father's shadows." She said gratefully. Petunia knew Dudley was just as kindhearted as Lily had been. She could see it in his eyes when he had first opened them as a newborn. But living with Vernon in his childhood had made him grow and develop a cold exterior, a spoiled exterior that Vernon had wholeheartedly supported – one that she loathed every time Vernon would boast to his sister about Dudley's increasing physical activity.

Everyone looked to Harry who was wrapped around in Draco's arms and had Blaise's hand clapped on a free shoulder, who every now and then, was squeezing softly to lend his support. Harry didn't mind it at all, and Draco couldn't even voice his anger when he knew that his little lion would need all the comfort he could get.

Harry wondered why Blaise was getting closer to him, not just physically but emotionally as well. Just before tonight, he was just a Slytherin whom had taken to his side, someone who had just been one of Draco's friends. But now, he could feel the tension between the two Slytherin Princes; he could practically sense the animosity between the two back at Malfoy Manor. The Gryffindor wondered what had caused the tension, and he could tell that everyone except for him knew why. He would have to find out directly from the two even if it killed him. He thought to himself.

Harry was brought back to the room when Lucius's next words were heard.

"So, will you sign over your future to us?"

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Hey all! Wow, it's been so long! Real life has really put a damper on things, but I've slowly done the process. I've taken too long to write this chapter, but hopefully the explanation in the chapter explains everything! I actually had it written a little bit before having an overload of inspiration, but sadly in the middle of my inspiration, it was really late at night so I had to sleep.

If you still have any questions, I'm not against answering them. So I will answer them in the next chapter – whether I will have them written in the story or have your questions answered after the chapter is finished.

Dao: Thank you for your comments! Yes, I tend to include a lot of details on the characters. I think it was just a moment of necessity for me, just in case it would be mentioned later on in the chapter! But apparently, it was needed in Chapter 9 ): So I should plan the chapter a bit more carefully next time. I would also like to thank you for the continuous comments for my story! (:

Gratsu-Dragon: Thank you for your comment! I'm glad that you found the chapter hilarious enough to laugh ^^ I hope you enjoy the rest of my story (:

RRW: Yes! I wanted to write a small moment where Voldemort would be behaving or acting like a child. Of course, something has to occur where the effect will take place afterwards! I hope you will continue reading the story and watching the characters' ever changing developments.

SerpensPrincess: Yes, I understand what you mean. Quite frankly, I might have a hard time with this three way relationship between Harry, Draco and Blaise. It was just an idea that I thought I'd play around with within the story. If I feel that the idea should stay and the story should progress as a relationship between the three teenagers, then I'll keep that. If not, I'll have it slowly end and change the subjects for the story. But, on another note. I see that you like reading if 'all three participants like each other equally', as you had put it. Why don't you try reading Rise of the Drackens written by StarLight_Massacre if you haven't read it yet. In my opinion, it's a greatly thought out and written story! So I hope you enjoy it like I have (:

I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! Reviews, comments, and or private messages are welcome!

~ Crimson Rosary ~