Chapter 26

Petunia had left the cemetery with Dudley. They were now back in the flat that Vernon had rented for them. The month was paid for, so for time being she wasn't worried about the cost of living. The insurance policy that Vernon had with the company would be paying out. She had found that out yesterday and was relieved considering the only job she had ever held was being a secretary in Grunnings. She had married her boss. Moving away had been actually good for them.

Vernon and Dudley had been doing workout videos together. She was now watching Dudley as he was doing one of the videos. So far, Dudley had lost a half a stone. Though he still ate a little more at meal times, he was getting more exercise in and moving around. The weight had just started falling off. Even Vernon had been proud and had lost weight as well when they had started this. Petunia was grateful that Dudley wasn't giving it up. Marge after the funeral had tried to stuff Dudley with so much food, that Dudley had exploded with anger towards her.

A glass had shattered in Marge's hand. Petunia had noticed Dudley had looked around trying to find someone who to lay blame on. This had been the first clue that Petunia had noticed about her son. She started recalling certain toys that had been broken over the years, knowing full well that Harry had been no where near them to have them break in odd ways. So part of Dudley's lying may have resorted from knowing that magic and odd occurrences in their home were not a good thing. Magic had become the foul four-letter-word that had never been talked about. And Dudley had seen often enough that Harry had gotten punished for such things.

Petunia watched as her son finished the last of the exercises. He was a very red faced sweaty boy but she could see the positive effect it had on his attitude. This summer she had also been working with him on his lying. That hadn't been the only thing. Petunia had also made Dudley go over his primary school as well. His grades were so poor that he had not been able to make it into the school that Vernon had been accepted to. The same handwriting books she had ordered for Harry, Dudley was working on as well. Vernon had liked the idea that it had been a businessman penmanship course. So Vernon had convinced Dudley to start working on it.

Right now they needed to have an even more important chat. Dudley knew bits and pieces of what she had planned for Harry for the summer. Because Dudley had picked a few of the places himself, like the science museum and history museum, Dudley knew what Harry liked. She realized Dudley knew more about Harry than what he had let on. So she didn't think her son was totally stupid even though at times he seemed to charge into things without thinking. He would open his mouth like his father and have to suffer what came from it.

"Come sit Dudley," Petunia patted the sofa beside her.

Dudley came over, Petunia noticed the waddle of a walk he had would probably be gone by the end of summer if he kept the exercising up he was doing. He sat down beside her and turned that red hot flushed face up towards her.

"I know you asked about the man in the cemetery on the way home. I told you to wait until after your exercise before I would talk about him." Petunia said.

"Yeah, I thought he might hurt you. I was going to get up but you had told me to stay." Dudley said.

"Yes, and I'm very proud that you are obeying what I tell you now. That is very important. He brought me a letter from your cousin. We'll be going back to London in five days."

Petunia watched as her son's eyes brightened. She could tell by the look in his eyes that Dudley had missed his cousin more than he had let on over the last few weeks. He had moaned and complained about the primary books until she let Dudley in on it that Harry was doing the same. It had taken Dudley probably longer to go through them.

"So we get to see Harry?"

Now it was time for that talk. Petunia knew what that chest really was. Lily had told her the chest was the item that held the secret inside. Lily had gone so far as to write Dudley a letter, that would allow him to know he had more than one cousin. Petunia pulled the letter out of her bag she held and handed it to him.

"Before I answer that question. I need you to read this letter from your aunt Lily." Petunia had read it herself. It basically told Dudley about the huge family secret the Evans sisters had.

Dudley opened it and started reading it. Petunia watched as his eyes got bigger as he kept reading. "I have another cousin?"

"Yes you do. Finish the letter." Petunia told him.

So far she could tell that Dudley was taking this information in rather well. Considering he lost his father but was gaining family probably helped, as well as knowing the family secret. Once he had finished, she saw Dudley look back up at her in wonder.

"So even if I tried to tell someone. I wouldn't be able to, right?" Dudley asked.

"That is right. Your cousins are hidden under that secret charm. That charm is magic. You understand about magic don't you?" Petunia asked.

She could see Dudley working this out. She was waiting to see what he would say about magic and any odd things that he was aware of. Because she figured out he was already aware of it. Her son had basically been hiding his own magic in the guise that Harry had done it all. Her son had been clever enough to keep himself from being punished for it.

"Magic is okay now?" Dudley asked.

Petunia could see the very worried and anxious look he gave her. Even her own son was afraid that even he would be punished for it. "Magic is okay. There will not be anymore punishments because of magic. Think Dudley, did I allow your father to punish Harry for anything like that last year. How long had I been arguing with your father to make it stop."

That was when she saw the light come on in her son's eyes. Petunia started listening as Dudley flooded out the odd things he had done when Harry hadn't been around. Her son had figured it out all on his own but didn't want to be treated like Harry had been. That was why he blamed it all on Harry.

"I think when we do see your cousins, you need tell them. What do you think?" Petunia asked.

"Do you think they'll hate me for it?" Dudley asked.

Petunia ran her hand through Dudley's hair. "Hate is a little to strong of a word. I think they maybe upset, but they also might understand your reasoning for doing so. Hopefully with me there as well, you'll be able to work out your differences with your cousins."

She saw a very determined look cross over him then. "If they'll accept me, I'll make sure not to get them in trouble again for something I did."

Petunia smiled at him. He could learn, this was her whole goal this summer was changing that attitude of his and it was working.

Harry watched as both Caddy and Gisly both looked at each other. Harry could see both of them looked like they were getting angry over something.

Gisly turned to them. "Little Masters stay here. We be back."

He watched as both elfs popped away. Harry looked at Kayden.

"Do you think something went wrong?" Kayden asked as he looked at Harry.

"I don't know. That's the first time I've seen them get angry." Harry said.

Phoenix was groaning again because the pain was returning. Harry understood that Gisly and Caddy had been sending it to Severus, but without them here, Phoenix would be feeling everything again. He looked at Kayden and saw the grimace on his brother's face as well. His brother's were getting it all back. He only hoped that whatever Gisly and Caddy were doing they would get back quickly.

Phoenix was screaming in pain and Kayden was breathing deeply trying not to scream out as well. Harry understood and he felt helpless at the moment because he knew he didn't have what his brother's needed. He was starting to learn about Potions from his grandfather, all the ones in the manor were not good. Matter of fact they had turned to poison because of the time constraint on the phials they were in. He said there was only two phials that they had acquired that could hold a potion for over fifteen years to keep it fresh, but those were not in the manor. He said his mother took them. That was all he was aware of. Harry was fairly confident that the one potion phial they had drank from in the flat had been one of those phials. Or else that potion would have been bad and turned to poison as well.

Gisly popped back in. The first thing Harry noticed was she looked like she had been in a fight.

"What happened?" Harry asked.

"Gisly explains later little Master Harry." Gisly bent over Phoenix and put a potion phial to his lips and poured it into his mouth. Then she poured in another.

Harry looked at his brother on the floor and noticed that Phoenix had stopped screaming as his heavy breathing continued to come out as his chest sucked in air. This was the most they had actually seen his brother able to move in several hours.

"Is it working?" Harry asked.

"It is working," Gisly said and then went to Kayden. "Gisly is glad these are self refilling potions phials. They hold more than one dose. Drink Master Kayden."

Harry watched as his brother drank from the potion phial. Kayden shook for a moment, but Harry could already see a change in his brother. The last thing Harry noticed was Gisly already had Phoenix half undressed as she was applying a past over his arms and chest. She kept working the paste down his body so he had been totally covered in it. Then she went to Kayden and started doing the same. Harry noticed he had been the last one to get this treatment as well. But he did notice his body didn't feel like it had been hit by a lorry anymore.

Harry wasn't embarrassed about being only in his boxers, because well Kayden and Phoenix were in them too.

"How did you get hurt Gisly?" Kayden asked.

"Gisly and Caddy had to deal with an elf. We hads to fight him. It was five against one. He was following the free elf delivery chain. Clever wizard puts a tracker on a potion phials. We removes it and sent his elf back home with it on his head we did."

Harry's eyes widen. "So they know we are here?"

Gisly shook her head. "No, they know of the woods were Caddy meets the free elfs. They has a small woods in which theys live in. Not near the manor. We felt the alarm because it was Caddy who sent the message. They sent the alarm for help to get rid of the other elf."

Harry looked at Kayden whose eyes were wide. "My father is trying to find us."

"That is what it sounds like." Harry said. "What happens if he does? I don't want to be stuck here alone for the rest of the summer."

Harry watched as Kayden shook his head. "If you think me and Phoenix are not going to find a way to see you. Get that out of your head. You won't be stuck here. We have the rest of the summer stuff to do that Aunt Petunia set up."

Harry felt his heart swell. He loved his brothers and knew they weren't going to give him up without a fight. He looked at Phoenix, Gisly had been doing magic over him again. Harry watched as Gisly looked back up to them.

"Master Phoenix will be sleeping the rest of the day and night now." Gisly said. "He will be better tomorrow. Potions are working well. It is healing him."

"But Phoenix and I are supposed be back at the flat in an hour." Kayden told her.

"Gisly will fix, so muggies Robert knows you spends the night here. Gisly makes sure he accepts note. Master Phoenix and Master Kayden stays here tonight. Can't go anywhere with pastey potion on, not work."

Caddy popped into the room, Harry noticed he looked worse than Gisly.

"Are you okay Caddy?" Harry asked.

"Not worry about Caddy, Master Harry." Caddy told Harry then looked at Kayden. "Gots a return message from your father. Father wants his snakes will get them when Fidelius is broken."

Harry looked at Kayden. At least he had a way to talk with his father now. Not sure how reliable this free elf delivery thing was though if the elfs come back from a fight. He hoped they didn't fight like that all the time when doing deliveries. To him it sounded like the elfs played dirty and from the looks of it, he hated to see what the other elf looked like.

Severus knew he was in a lot of pain again like being afflicted with the Cruciatus Curse again. He wanted his child not to feel this. Knowing his child was feeling this way caused a deep surge of anger towards the lines of the Nobles who had placed this curse upon their family line. This curse and counter to it had hurt his mother, himself, and now his innocent child. He had almost blacked out from the pain when he could feel the fire in his veins lift. The pain lifted next. Severus opened his eyes.

"They have the potions." He said as he could finally sit up. He still felt sore all over but started to notice it was dissipating with each passing moment.

He sat on the couch and had his hands in his hair and he rested his elbows on his knees. Breathing he noted was so much easier now.

"It has to be working if you are sitting up." He heard his mother say as she rubbed his back. "We'll find your child. Do you think you can Apparate? If not I'll take you myself by side Apparation."

Severus noted his strength was starting to come back. He could tell he needed another fifteen to twenty minutes and traveling would not be a problem. "Give a moment. I know it sounds strange but the Musculus paste is being applied. I can feel it."

"There is no spell that I'm aware of that allows you to feel what your child is feeling." Lucius said.

"That is house elf magic." Narcissa said. "Trilly would do that with Draco when he was younger and sick. When he was to little to tell what was wrong. That was how I knew what he always needed."

"You never made me aware of that." Lucius said.

"I thought you knew. So I never said anything about it. My mother told me how to ask for it." Narcissa said. "Maybe its something that is only told down through the female lines."

Severus didn't care about how or what. He was thankful for the opportunity alone that he got to feel this. At least he had a slight connection with his child. He wasn't sure how much longer the elf that his child was with would allow him to continue to feel this. But at least he knew his child had a protector enough to help them. He could tell the moment the connection was severed though. He grit his teeth together and tightened his jaw. He wanted his child now more than ever he had to know if his child would be fully healed from this.

He looked up as he heard several loud pops of Apparitions inside the room. Switchers was back with two more elfs and Dobby in tow. Dobby looked half dead and unconscious.

The three elfs snapped their fingers and had them all frozen in place.

"Bad wizard," one of the three elfs said. "Not able to use free elf delivery anymore."

Severus noted they were pointing at Lucius. Switchers turned to him. "Yous bes ables to sends messagies. No trackies and no followies."

Then all three left with a loud pop. They were freed when Trilly came into the room to release them. Severus could see a small coin that was embedded on the forehead of Dobby. He looked at Lucius as he saw him move over to Dobby and knelt beside him.

"I have never known my elf not to win a fight. He had to have fought off at least more than three elfs." Lucius said as he looked back at Severus. "I tried and failed Severus."

"Not a failure, at least not yet. We may have to view his memory. We might get more clues from it. At least now we know we are dealing with house-elfs. Who are very protective house-elfs." Severus said as he stood. "Tell me what potions you need for him and I'll send them Lucius."

Lucius stood and commanded Trilly to take Dobby away at the moment. "I'll let you know. I'll call the floo network and get this side of it opened up to Prince Manor."

"Once that is done, I can contact Father and get him to open up that side fully." Severus' mother said.

After all the connections had been settled and dealt with Severus stepped out of the floo and for the first time inside the ancestral home his mother had grown up in. The foyer entryway was slightly smaller than the Malfoy Manor but not by much. The stonework and marbled floor indicated quite a few artisans had been hired for the construction of the home. Standing beside his mother was an elderly couple well into their hundreds. They both had white hair, his grandfather's beard was trimmed neatly about his face. His robes were not in the outlandish colors that he had known most wizards wore, but very tasteful and a respectable color of the same green that was in the heir ring that he was wearing. His grandmother was wearing a set of robes that matched her husbands.

"Severus," His grandfather said. "I'm so glad to see that my heir is now officially come home. Come here and let me get a good look at you."

Severus walked to his grandfather who was the same height as he was. Being scrutinized by his grandfather was different than what he expected. He didn't just size him up, he started chanting spells. Some of them he recognized while others he didn't. His grandfather was extracting a full complete medical history on him as well as a full complete spell casting what was done to him and what he had done. He knew two of the four parchments but he wasn't aware of the last two. He looked over to the third parchment that was to his right and read a few things. This one was writing out his full complete educational career including his potions mastery. The last parchment he noted gave his strengths and in what branches of magic they were in and were he was week. He realized then that his grandfather was quite the exceptional wizard that he had four spells going at once upon him.

"Not to worry about any of that. Those never leave the family." His grandfather said. "I did the same to your mother as soon as she came back home. Those four spells will be passed down to you."

Severus gave a nod. Once the spells had stopped that was when he was embraced by his grandparents. It was the feel of being in his grandfather's arms that effected him the most. He wasn't aware of when the tears started but being held by those strong arms had more of an effect on him than he thought possible.

"You're home Severus, and I'm going to make sure those wounds are healed." He heard the soft whisper of his grandfather's words in his ear.

It was three hours later that Severus now sat at a long table that was in the room that held the Prince Family Tree on the wall. Lord Wilkvine Prince sat facing that wall in a chair that was between the wall and the table. Severus had met several family members and it had been a blur. Lucius sat on his right while two of his uncles where on either side of them. He had never seen a family mobilize before, but his grandfather was showing his strength. His other two uncles were in the Prince library that was in the manor. They were going over tomes and other books. His cousins were acting as delivery errand pages between the libraries of not only the Prince manor but all the family homes that held books that could be used to solve the issue of finding his child.

Severus and the three men with him at the table had been calling out spells to his grandfather who was casting them at his picture on that wall. Below his picture held his name: Severus Tobias Prince-Snape. Severus watched as his grandfather cast the spell he had called out. That was the last one in that particular tome he had. His picture went gold and then just like all the others his picture went back to normal. No line formation jutted down from his picture.

"I get home and I'm told we have a family emergency. Sorry Grandfather Wilkvine for my tardiness."

Severus turned and looked at the new comer who came into the room. He looked vaguely familiar to him, but he couldn't quite place him. His hair was black and pulled into pony tail and as he entered the room he touched his wand to the muggle business suit he had been wearing and it turned back into wizard robes.

"This tardy scalawag, Severus, is your cousin Driscoll Tremlett. His father-in-law is in the library. He's married to your cousin Zinnia." Lord Wilkvine said.

Severus knew Zinnia was two years younger than he was, she had been in Ravenclaw when he was at school. Driscoll came around the table and then leaned upon it as he looked at Severus and then Lucius. It was Lucius who said something though.

"How's your brother Donaghan doing?" Lucius asked.

Donaghan Tremlett, Severus knew that name. No wonder Driscoll looked familiar, it was rather hard going around in the wizarding world when you had a brother who played base for 'The Weird Sisters'. He didn't go to school with Donaghan though being eleven years older than him.

"Donaghan is doing well. They are in tour in Africa I think at the moment." Severus watched as Driscoll turned to look at him. "You were in your fifth year when I started school."

Severus shook his offered hand and then watched as Driscoll turned to look at Lord Wilkvine as he turned to look at his wayward grandson in law.

"You better have a good excuse for being tardy when I called the family meeting." Lord Wilkvine said.

"I was engaged in owl service duty for Head Balin in the 'Goblin Retrieval & Curse Breaking Office'. I had to deliver to…"

Severus watched as Driscoll chose words and said them carefully. Then he had to physically stop talking.

"Under another vow are we?" Lord Wilkvine asked.

"Made two of those today. Only one has fallen off though," Driscoll said as he furrowed his brow. "Normally they fall off when I'm done."

"Right, how many times do I have to tell you quit taking all of those bloody vows. Two in one day, are you trying to get yourself killed?"

Severus sat back in the chair he was in and crossed his arms over his chest. He noticed Lucius had the same posture he had. Vows were not taking lightly and apparently he had a cousin who loved taking them for some odd reason.

"It was the only way to give the owl. I wasn't expecting the second, she surprised me though. Damn Slytherin of her to do it too. Poor woman thinks she's a common muggle. She has latent magical abilities that are either blocked or dormant. I told her to go get herself checked out. Then of course I had to do the return. I was on the trip back when the family necklace warmed. I had to give Head Balin what I got in return."

Severus watched as his grandfather turned to him. "What do you think Severus, should I let this scalawag off the hook?"

Severus looked Driscoll over. "How many vows has he taken?"

"Tell him Driscoll." Lord Wilkvine said.

"Counting today that would make thirty nine." Driscoll said as he turned to Severus.

Severus swallowed hard. He had only made two vows in his entire life so far. He looked at Lucius who was shaking his head. Yes he understood Lucius couldn't believe it either. Then he turned back to his rogue of a cousin.

"I think he needs to remain in limbo for awhile." Severus said. "How good are you at getting around vows?"

Driscoll hung his head. "Pretty good actually. I normally word them where they will fall away." Then he looked up. "I'm only under Head Balin's vow still. He may have need of me in the future."

"How good are you at breaking Fidelius charms?" Severus asked.

Severus did note to himself, that was an impressive amount of vows to make them fall off. He had a total of thirty-eight vows that had fallen away. So he did have some very good critical thinking skills in order to be able to do that.

"Never tried. Sounds like fun. What are we after?" Driscoll asked.

"I have a child under a Fidelius. We need that Fidelius broken. My child has suffered nerve and muscle damage, we need to find my child. The sooner the better." Severus told him.

"Right. I need to see what all has been done." Driscoll said.

"The spell list is in the corner." Lord Wilkvine said. "Put your slippery vow making skills to work on this Fidelius."