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Harry Potter
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Tired of it.
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Chapter Ten: The Letter. What to do?
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Katie had just put her daughter Kathleen down for a nap when there was a knock on the door. Wondering who it could be and how they had gotten through the security gate, she went to the door and peeked out the spy hole.
Katie looked at the woman standing there. She was going to guess she was in her thirties and had brown hair that seemed a little wild. The end of the wand poking out of her sleeve gave her another clue on who she was. As she tried to figure out who she was it hit her that she had seen her picture before.
Opening the door, she looked out the security door at the woman and said, "Yes?"
Hermione looked up as the door was opened and she was looking at a woman about her age, "Hello, my name is Hermione Weasley and I have brought an acceptance letter for your son Angus to our school."
"I see… Well, my husband is not home at this time. Can you come back on Saturday?"
"Why do I need to come back then?" Hermione asked.
"My husband is in charge of our children's schooling, and he is at sea right now," Katie replied.
"I really need to get this done now, so we can get your son's school supplies," Hermione stated with a frown.
"Look, I can see you seem to be a nice woman but I don't know if my husband will allow our son to attend Hogwarts…" Seeing the surprise on her face she continued, "I spotted the end of your wand in your sleeve."
Hermione let the surprise show on her face as the notice-me-not spell shouldn't have allowed her wand to be seen.
"I'm a squib Mrs. Weasley and my father is Ian McDuffie of the Noble House of Clan McDuffie. He left the wizard world thirty years ago after his sister was murdered by Death Eaters, and the wizard world refused to prosecute the three men identified as her killer. So why don't you come back on Saturday. My husband will be back on Friday, they spend the day working and unloading the boat and then have three to five days off. My father will be here, as well, to talk with you," Katie said.
Hermione bit her lower lip and then nodded, "I will be back at noon Saturday. But you should know that if your children don't attend a British magical school or some type of magical education they can be taken away from you by the ministry."
Katie's nostrils flared as she listened to the witch, "That would be a big mistake on your ministry if they tried," she said as she slammed the door closed and hurried to the phone.
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Harry had just changed the speed from ten knots to three and given the order to let the net loose when the ship to shore phone range on his left, grabbing the phone he snapped out as he looked out the back window to see the net being released, "Katie's Blessing."
"Harry, its Katie," came the response.
Harry smiled and replied, "What's up love?"
"Love we just had a visitor, a Hermione Weasley and she looks just like your friend in the pictures you have, but older. She brought a letter for Angus," Katie replied.
"I see… What did you tell her?" Harry asked as he watched the last of the net trail out the back of the trailer.
"I told her that you'd be at sea until Friday and that she should come back on Saturday. I also told her that Da was going to teach him and she said something that chilled me. She said that the ministry has a law that all magicals must be taught by a British magical school or some type of magical education, or they can be taken away from us by the ministry," Katie said.
Harry could hear the worry in her voice as he replied, "Over my fucking dead body! Katie, have Darla implement plan Alpha. Talk to Ian and Angus and tell them to engage plan Alpha as well. We will be back on Friday, so for now don't worry about it."
"Ok, love. Plan Alpha. Love you," Katie said and then hung up.
Harry locked on the autopilot and headed down to the gutting room. Coming into the room, he saw his crew was checking over their gear.
"Meeting in the galley in five minutes," Harry shouted out and then turned and left the room.
Harry had cups of tea ready by the time the last of the six man crew arrived, and he let everyone grab a drink before he spoke.
As James sat down he said, "Just had a call from Katie. She reports a professor from Hogwarts arrived at the house…"
James looked over at his boss and asked, "So what's the plan?"
"Well Plan Alpha is Ian is going to meet her, I am going to be invisible under my cloak and listen. It seems the ministry of magic thinks if they don't agree with our training of Angus, they will take our kids. If they try, I will take my family and leave the country. As you know, when I had the Katie's Blessing built I had extra large fuel tanks installed. We can sail from Plymouth to Portland Maine non-stop on full tanks, but I'd stop in Ireland and refill the tanks so we have a reserve. I would suggest if that happens you take your families on vacation to Australia and I will pay for the trips for all of you."
"What about you, Sir," eighteen year old and new recruit Taylor Blackstone.
"We will leave, sail to the United States, and then to our final destination where we will seek asylum. Once there, we will continue as we have been, as trawler men," Harry replied.
"Can I go with you? As you know, I have no family and I like my job," Taylor asked.
"If you want, Taylor, I won't hold it against you. But it will be a long journey," Harry told the skinny freckled blond.
Taylor smiled and nodded as he sat back and finished his tea.
"Ok, let's get back to work and get harvesting fish for the country," Harry ordered as he set his cup in the sink.
The crew worked the rest of the week and on Thursday morning they dropped their nets for the final day's harvest of the seas. By five pm, the ship was heading home to Peterhead, hopefully not for the last time. Below decks, the crew worked to sort the fish and Darla had arrived to take the over catch to the seven day schools that ran year round in England. She also reported on the family, and told Harry the kids were growing like weeds and missed their daddy, which always got to him. She also delivered messages to the crew from their families and then popped away with some Cod for Katie to cook for the children.
Friday morning saw the Katie's Blessing tied up to the fish market and twelve hundred and fifteen boxes of fish were unloaded. Harry wondered what was going to happen on the morrow, when Hermione showed up at the house. The last time he had seen her, she had been yelling at him to do what the adults were telling him to do. Saying that Molly knew what she was talking about and that Kingsley was just trying to help him get a job. Three days later, he moved out of the burrow and barred all access to number 12 from anyone that was in the know of the house.
He watched as the last boxes were unloaded and headed into the fish market for the auction of the fish. He knew he had a good haul and hoped the prices hadn't dropped since last week. Two hours later, the last box was sold, and he and the crew were smiling as he accepted the receipt for the sale of the fish along with the check. Forty minutes later, the boat was tied up to her pier and he paid the crew fifteen hundred and thirty pounds for a week's work. It was one of the better weeks for the crew.
That night, after the kids had gone to bed and Harry had read to the youngest ones, he sat down with Katie, Angus, and Ian, to go over the plan for the meeting with Hermione Weasley.
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Headmistress Minerva McGonagall looked up as the small gargoyle chimed out, "Hermione Weasley is coming up to see you."
"Thank you, Alfred," Minerva said as she leaned back in her chair and smiled as the knock came to her door, "Come in, Hermione."
Hermione opened the door and exclaimed, "How did you know it was me?"
"Headmistress' trade secret," Minerva declared with a smile as she remembered the many times she had asked Albus the same thing, "What's up?" she asked as she gestured to the chair across from her.
"Just wanted to let you know I'll be out of the castle tomorrow," Hermione replied as she sat down.
"Oh?"
"Yes, I need to meet with the parents of a prospective student," Hermione said as she picked up the cup of tea that appeared in front of her.
"I thought you had them all finished already," Minerva replied.
"The father of Angus McDuffie was at sea doing his job…"
"McDuffie? Now that's a name I haven't heard in a long time. I wonder if it's any relationship to Ian and Kathleen McDuffie…"
"The woman I talked to said her father's name was Ian," Hermione blurted out.
Minerva frowned as she remembered the lanky brown haired lad who had been a 'claw with her sister. Kathleen had been murdered and the three men responsible were caught but released due to lack of evidence.
"Maybe I should come with you…" Minerva said aloud.
"Come with me?" Hermione asked and then said, "Why?"
"Ian and Kathleen McDuffie were two gifted Ravenclaws. In the summer of eighty-one Kathleen McDuffie and her mother were murdered in Diagon Alley by Death Eaters. The three men caught were set free under the imperious defense after Harry Potter banished Voldemort. Ian had tried for months to get the three men prosecuted and by the start of the new term, never showed for the new term. At first I thought he and his father had been murdered too and when I went to their old address, I found it empty. Ian and his father Angus had left town with none of the neighbors knowing where they had gone. Now I know they moved less then forty kilometers away," Minerva said.
"Well you're more than welcome to come with me," Hermione stated as she finished her tea and stood up, "I plan on meeting them at noon."
"I will meet you at fifteen 'till, in the main entrance," Minerva said as Hermione opened the door.
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Harry watched as his kids finished up their breakfast and then helped Katie clean them up. With a laugh, he tickled two year old Kathleen in the sides as he wiped her face. With a quick kiss, he had her up out of her highchair and carried into the living room where he deposited her into the playpen with a movie in the DVD player so she could watch a cartoon on the TV.
As little Kathleen stood in her playpen watching the newest Disney movie, Harry then helped Katie with six year old Remus who was throwing a temper tantrum because he wanted to go to daddy's boat and explore like he had promised him, but with the upcoming meeting it was going to be delayed. The twins were in the computer room playing Nintendo while Angus was helping to pick up the living room.
At eleven the doorbell rang. Angus let his grandfather Ian and great grandfather, and his namesake, into the house. There they found Katie and Harry running ragged from the cleaning and taking care of five children. At eleven thirty, Katie had Darla start lunch, and by ten 'till, the children were eating fried Cod and chips.
As soon as the meals were finished, the kids were cleaned up and Kathleen was in her playpen with another Disney movie on. The middle kids vanished into to the computer room where Angus Sr. was watching over them. When the doorbell rang, Harry flipped his cloak on and vanished to watch from the corner where a small desk was sitting with a laptop open showing the weather for the North Sea.
Ian had walked to the door and hadn't seen where Harry went so when or if the topic came up he could say he didn't know where Harry was. As he opened the door, he did a quick glance behind him and then turned to the door to find a young woman and an older woman he remembered fondly, "Professor McGonagall, it's nice to see you."
Minerva looked at the man in front of him and smiled, "Ian McDuffie, it's wonderful to see you. How have you been?"
"Been better," Ian replied as he opened the door with his scarred hand.
"My goodness, what happened to you?" Minerva asked as she saw his scared hands.
Ian looked at his hands and replied, "Lightning hit my boat just as I picked up the ship phone. Almost killed me, except my son in law saved my life, and got me to the hospital in time. Come on in, Angus is in the living room with my daughter."
Minerva and Hermione entered the house and followed Ian to the living room where they found Katie and Angus sitting on one couch across from another.
"Have a seat," Ian said as he sat in Harry's recliner that semi blocked the corner where Harry stood, invisible.
Minerva and Hermione sat and Hermione asked, "Where is Angus's father?"
"He's working and asked me to sit in on this meeting," Ian replied.
"I see," Hermione replied and turned to Katie and Angus, "Mr. McDuffie, my name is Hermione Weasley and this is my boss Headmistress Minerva McGonagall who is in charge of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We would like to invite you to attend this year as a first year student."
Minerva was about to speak when she noticed the little girl standing in the playpen clapping as she stared at a strange box that had of all things on it a dragon and a little boy.
"What in the world is that?" Minerva asked as she watched the dragon turn invisible with the boy on its back.
"That's a movie called Pete's Dragon. It was made in 1977. It's about a young orphan boy who fled his abusive family, and meets a dragon that lives by the sea. Sounds like another orphan boy that was allowed to be abused by your former boss," Ian stated.
"What do you mean?" Minerva asked as Hermione tried to figure out what was going on.
"Fourteen years ago, my father and I met a young man who fled the magical world. Where he's at right now, I don't know but I do know after he explained what happened in the magical world, I didn't blame him for leaving and telling you all to sod off. Now you want my grandson to attend the school where he and I were abused by the purebloods. I just don't think so," Ian replied as Kathleen started singing what few words she knew to the movie.
Minerva was about to say something when Kathleen's hair changed color to black, blue, yellow and then pink, "Oh my. She's a metamorphmagus!"
"All five of the children all," Katie replied proudly.
"They should really attend a magical school, that way the muggles don't find out about it," Minerva stated as Hermione blurted out.
"How is it possible that there are five metamorphmagus in one family?"
Ian smiled as he sat back in his chair, "We're not sure. DNA I guess."
"What is DNA?" Minerva asked.
"DNA is…" Hermione started to explain to her boss what DNA was and how it affected humans.
Ian added a few comments as the movie finished behind him and Kathleen started playing with her toys as the conversation turned back to Angus attending Hogwarts.
"I can teach my grandchildren how to use their magic. They don't need magical school," Ian started.
"Only qualified tutors can teach outside of a school Mr. McDuffie, and you never finished your magical education," Minerva replied.
"Yes, because the magical world is so wonderful that in the last seventy years there have been three major wars that devastated England and the continent. Grindelwald in World War Two, Voldemort in the seventies and nineties and this last time, Voldemort and his blood supremacy killed thousands. I may not be in the magical world, but I have checked on it. I refuse to allow my grandchildren around them," Ian stated and then added, "and their father would agree with me."
Before Minerva or Hermione could answer, little Kathleen cried out as she heard Ian talk about her father, "DADDY!"
Katie moved quickly to pick her up before Minerva and Hermione could see where she was looking and grasping.
"Daddies not here sweetie," Katie replied.
She bounced the two year old as the child reached over her mother's shoulder and cried out, "DADDY!"
"I gather she's a daddy's girl," Hermione asked as the little girl pointed to the corner and held her little hands out as if she was grasping for something.
"Big time, we almost lost her in delivery, but the doctors were able to save her," Katie replied, "Shhh, Daddy is not here sweetie."
Katie's shushing had Kathleen crying harder and a burst of accidental magic ripped the cloak off of Harry, startling Minerva and Hermione.
"Harry." "Mr. Potter." Hermione and Minerva said at the same time in shock.
"Shit!" Harry replied as he pulled his wand.
"Bad word, Daddy," Kathleen cried out as she tried to reach her father.
"Harry, you really need to watch what you say. That goes for your men, as well," Katie said as she set her daughter in the pen and went back to the couch to sit.
"Mr. Potter, please don't point your wand at us," Minerva asked.
"Why not? I am a wanted fugitive, for crimes I never committed, in the magical world. Hermione here is an authority follower. I'll bet right now she's wondering if she could contact the DMLE, and get them here to arrest me," Harry replied as he looked at his former friend. He could see the shock in her eyes.
"Mrs. Weasley wouldn't do that," Minerva stated.
"Yes, she would. Remember, I knew her for seven years and before I left, she was ordering me to do what Molly and Kingsley were demanding. Something I wanted no part of," Harry said as he walked to stand behind Katie and Angus, "Angus, go to the computer room."
"Ok, Da," Angus replied and slipped out of the room as Katie moved to stand by the playpen again.
"So what now? You memory charm us?" Hermione asked as she wanted to reach for her wand.
"No, I don't know the Obliviation Charm that Hermione is so famous for. Did you ever help your parents?" Harry asked and when he looked in her eyes she could see the answer, "No, I didn't think so."
"It's better for them. I am a witch and belong in the magical world," Hermione replied.
Harry snorted at the response and said, "That's not what they told me, when I had their memories restored. They were quite disappointed in you. I should let you know your baby sister and brother are both magical, and started their magical education two years ago. Yes, your mother had twins, eleven months after you removed their memories of you. It's too bad they will never know their big sister, and what a bitch she turned into."
Seeing the surprise in her eyes, Harry continued, "I paid them the equivalent of the house and practice you stole, so they would have the money needed to help their new children in Australia. I still can't believe you swindled them out of two point nine million pounds."
"I didn't swindle them, I had Ron deposit the checks in their account," Hermione snapped out.
"They never received it. The money was deposited in a bank account, and the account had your father's name on it. The bank check I ran on the money after your parents asked me to check on their house and business showed the checks were cashed, and the money deposited into Barclays world banking; but then the money was transferred to another account, in Gringotts. Want to guess whose account?" Harry demanded.
"Ron …"
"Bingo," Harry interrupted.
Hermione stood up and ranted, "Ron would never do that."
"Ask the goblins if your husband has another account! As his wife you're entitled to know. Now as to Angus, he won't be attending Hogwarts. Ian and I will teach him what he needs to know. Minerva, I hope that you understand why it's not possible for Angus to attend the school since I know you were disgusted by what the wizard world has been trying to do to me," Harry replied.
"You're not qualified to teach him!" Hermione screeched, "You never finished. Neither of you have!"
"Hermione, I can guarantee that Ian could teach Potions, Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, Charms, Transfiguration and Astronomy as well as any teacher at the school. So he never took the tests, doesn't mean he ever stopped learning. Hell, he taught me Ancient Runes and Arithmancy," Harry replied.
With a quick muttering of a spell that he had found in the Black Library, Harry hit both his former friend and teacher with a suppression charm. It would suppress their memory of seeing him in the house. Then he picked up Kathleen and carried her out of the room while Katie finished declining the invitation to the school, and then showed the two women out of the house.
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Edit By TeNderLoin
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Harry Potter™ is a registered trademark and copyright (©) of JK Rowling and all that crap. The only thing mine is the idea and several characters. Everything else is hers including all the money...