Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling

Chapter 28 :

It was breakfast, the day after Christmas. Outside, it was snowing. Sonia said to Harry that maybe Easter holidays would be a better time to visit Godric's Hollow; it would not be so cold. Harry said immediately that that would be fine and tried not to show he was disappointed. He wanted to see where his parents had been buried, and he wanted to see the house where they had lived and died. There was some sort of memorial there, he'd been told. But the Greaves were so good to him, and he would not complain.

Brandon said, "We'll go to Gringotts today instead, and see how to access Potter Manor if you like. At least we won't be outdoors."

"Potter Manor's in Wales, isn't it? Won't that be even colder?"

"Yes, but it's important. There could be house-elves there, and they need to know there's a Potter who will return to them."

"Will Gringotts' be open?"

"They never close."

Sonia said to Brandon, "So if I stay home with the children, and you take Harry?"

"Should we take Mick, do you think? Additional protection?"

"If he's available, I think so, yes."

Harry said, "No-one's heard of Voldemort for a long time, have they?"

Brandon said, "There have been rumours he's been lurking around Azkaban, where he still has some supporters as inmates. Not aside from that."

"Dumbledore?"

"No-one seems to know what he's up to."

"I don't think I am under any particular threat any more. I don't think we need Mick."

Brandon said, quite sternly, "You do as you are told, please, Harry. We are responsible for you."

"Sorry, sir. And I still do carry the extra wand and the knife. Always."

"Warm clothing then. We'll go in an hour."

"Yes, sir."

Sonia said warmly, "Just that we care for you, Harry. We are not disregarding your opinion."

"I've only been in the wizarding world for a year and a half. I don't know much."

An hour later, dressed warmly as instructed, and carrying a hooded cloak, he went downstairs to find Mick Larkin waiting for him, although Brandon was not yet there. He'd be doing more Defence lessons with Mick, he knew, starting the following day. Defence and Mind Magic lessons every morning, unless the teachers were unavailable, and various excursions in the afternoons, visits to acquaintances with children the same age, plus another trip to Coventry. It was to be a far different Christmas holiday than any he'd had before. And yesterday, there had been presents. Lots of presents. He had so much to thank the Greaves for. He should just forget about his desire to see Godric's Hollow, at least for the time being.

At Gringotts', they sat down with Goblin Vlasna, who managed the Potter wealth. He gave a brief report of the progress of various investments, and then arranged to accompany them to Potter Manor, explaining that the place was empty and hidden from wizards. "Once you claim possession as the rightful heir, Mr. Potter, it will no longer be hidden from you, nor from your lawful guardians, Mr. and Mrs. Greaves."

Brandon asked, "Just how long have you looked after the Potter money, Gr. Vlasna?"

"I was appointed by Gerion Potter."

Harry nodded. Gerion was his grandfather.

Potter Manor. Harry forgot his desire to see the house at Godric's Hollow and was excited, instead, to see this home of his ancestors, all of those forbears who were named in the book that Perenelle had sent him. James, his father, would have grown up there, Gerion, his grandfather, and before him, Sebastion and Charlus and Jamieson. It would be secure, and Brandon said to Mick that he would not be needed further that day, as they'd be going home straight afterwards.

Potter Manor. They were at the front gate, and Harry gazed at the big home that was his, even when it would be years before he lived there. He had his cloak wrapped tight, hood down as he'd had it when he was in Diagon Alley. The ground was covered with snow, but only a light sprinkling, and while the sky looked threatening, the air was clear. Potter Manor seemed to be still in perfect condition in spite of the years of abandonment, so probably there were house-elves as Brandon had expected. Most of the old families had house-elves, he'd said. There were trees that looked as old as the hills, and there were low walls that stretched into the distance. 3,458 acres, Vlasna had said, though much of it too hilly to be of use for much.

Vlasna stayed with them only long enough to ensure they had no problem entering, and Harry had said the words that claimed possession. It was a big home, not ostentatious, but with every comfort, and immaculately tidy. A house-elf made his appearance, bowing very low, and saying, "Welcome Master Harry Potter. My family will like to serve the Potters again." His tone was dignified and calm, but a great smile was on his face.

Harry said courteously, "Thank you. What is your name?"

"Bandehm, sir. My vessda is Tigsni."

The word 'vessda' meant 'wife,' Harry remembered from his lessons. He said, "Bandehm, this is Mr. Greaves, my guardian until I am of age."

Bandehm bowed to them both, and asked if they wanted refreshment.

Harry said to Brandon, "Have a look around? Then maybe some morning tea?'

Brandon asked the elf, "Is that possible? There is no need to go out for provisions if you are not prepared."

But Bandehm said, "We are always prepared, sir. Just call when you are ready."

For the next hour, they wandered, checking the rooms. Harry stood regarding the big bed in the master bedroom. It was made up, as if the normal occupants had just stepped out for a bit. That would have been Gerion and Valda Potter, whose son had been James. There were other bedrooms, including one that had a small room beside it furnished as a nursery. Could this be where he'd spent the first year or so of life before they'd moved to Godric's Hollow?

He asked, "How did they die, Uncle Brandon? Was it Voldemort?"

"No, nothing to do with Voldemort. It was a duel, though not a formal one. Gerion was challenged in the middle of Diagon Alley, so there were numerous witnesses. It was Norius Bulstrode, who attacked savagely, but Potter quickly had him on the defensive, only playing with him, it was said. But Bulstrode was lost in his anger, and instead of yielding, he turned his wand on Valda and killed her. Gerion couldn't believe it, and when he ran to Valda, Bulstrode killed him as well. So Norius Bulstrode died in Azkaban, still wearing the donkey ears that Gerion had inflicted. Gerion had a sense of humour, they always said. So he inflicted donkey ears and was repaid with the Avada Kedavra, both himself and his wife."

"Barbaric."

"Yes. So if you are ever in a duel, do not treat it as a joke. No duel is a joke."

"No, I won't. Do you know what the duel was about?"

"I can't remember. Nothing important as far as I know."

Harry glanced at him, wondering if there was something that he was not supposed to know. There had been a hesitation. He didn't ask, but commented, "There's a Millicent Bulstrode in my year at school."

"A relation, no doubt."

"I didn't know any of this."

"Did no-one tell you anything of your history?"

Harry shrugged. "Who was there to ask?"

They wandered outside into the chill, watched by the house-elves. Bandehm said to his wife, his 'vessda,' that they should ask to touch. "It's been too long. We need the contact with our Family."

Harry and Brandon inspected a neglected orchard, the trees quite bare, and Brandon said, "Apples, I think. Maybe pears and quinces as well."

"I'm glad there's nothing more exotic. I loathe some of the plants we have to fiddle with in Herbology."

"Those tend to be the plants valuable in potions."

"I guess they have their purpose then."

An icy rain started to fall and they retreated inside. They'd been longer than anticipated, and it was a lunch that they were served rather than a morning tea.

Only once they had finished, did Bandehm make his request.

"To touch?" Harry asked, confused, but Brandon explained. "They need contact with their Family, and a touch will help. We will return at least once every school holidays, but meantime, yes. Let the elves just touch. It will give them a boost in health and in magical power. You may feel it, but you will not be affected."

"Then yes, I guess," Harry said, still uncertain. But it was as Brandon had said, there was a tingle, but he felt no different after. The elves, though, seemed to stand just a little taller, and they beamed their contentment and called him 'Master' rather more often than they had before.

xxx

Annalise knocked on Harry's door early the next day, and when he answered, wearing his dressing gown, she first gawked at him, and then said, "Lessons today. We've got Defence first and you have Mind Arts with Miss Perlkins, and then you get Mr. Larkin for a whole two hours."

She was looking at him accusingly, and finally said, "Why are you so special? We only get an hour with Mr. Larkin."

"So you have more of a holiday than I have? Are you complaining?"

Annalise said uncertainly, "I don't know."

"Anyway, it's not until nine o'clock. I'm not even showered yet."

The girl suddenly softened and smiled, "I love your present. I've never seen anything quite like it."

"I hoped you'd like it."

"Did you like mine?"

Harry smiled at the girl. "Very much."

"It's really for younger children, but Mother said you wouldn't know those stories."

"I have a lot to learn, and knowing the stories you all know from when you're little - it all helps."

"I will help you. I'm good at helping and I guess you do have a lot to learn."

"Thank you, Annalise. So you won't complain if I get more of Mick's time?"

"We're supposed to call him Mr. Larkin."

"Mr. Larkin," Harry said obediently, though Larkin had told him to call him 'Mick.'

To his relief, Annalise left him alone then, to shower and dress, the same casual Muggle-type clothes he would use for his lessons, but far better quality and a size bigger than the clothing he'd first bought for himself just six months before.

He didn't quite know how to relate to Annalise sometimes. And sometimes, it seemed she didn't know how to relate to him, going straight from over familiarity, which he didn't like, to sudden attacks of formality, and he didn't like that either. Connor was fine, and so was Anton, and the baby, Susan, was utterly gorgeous. They had shared Christmas dinner with their cousins, together with several uncles and aunts who had all been very interested in him, while he was only struggling to remember names. They were all his family now, according to Miss Raine Greaves, who was a tall middle-aged lady who had first looked down on him, and had then spoken with enormous and overpowering kindness, but as if to a six-year-old. No doubt she meant well. And he remembered Ron, who spoke of a dreadful Aunt Muriel. It was a family, and he was a part of it. Some of them could be great - Charlie had become a terrific friend. And some could be embarrassing as Annalise was sometimes. And some could be eccentric, as Ron's Aunt Muriel was eccentric, at least according to Ron. He guessed it was family and he'd take the bad with the good, except that mostly, it was all good. He still relished being a part of a family.

Harry had been practising the exercises in the Mind Arts that he'd been given, and his tutor, Katherine, was surprised and impressed at the progress he had made. Mick Larkin was less impressed. He'd done almost no practice at Defence; it was not only that school life was busy, but that he'd been feeling safe and hadn't bothered to do more than they did with Professor Trimble.

Mick made sure that no-one else was in sight before he had Harry apparate, just a few hundred yards away and back again. He spoke about apparating to co-ordinates, which was a more advanced and difficult feat than merely apparating to a known place, but by the time that Annalise and Charlie turned up to watch, he had Harry working on the 'tie-up' spell, with three sheep all tied up on the ground and bleating their protest.

Charlie remarked, "You haven't taught us that yet."

"I'm advancing Harry as quickly as I can, Charlie. He has more enemies than the rest of us, and he's been lazy about practising."

Harry said, "There's nowhere at school to practice some things, not if I don't want people to know."

"Find somewhere," Mick ordered. "Just because things have been quiet does not mean they will stay quiet."

"Yes, Mick. I'll try harder."

"Right. Release the sheep, and we'll go through some of the non-magical fighting, fighting without a wand."

"Muggle-fighting?" Charlie said with surprise. "When do wizards stoop to Muggle fighting?"

"Whenever we've been disarmed, of course. And don't show your prejudice, young Charlie. Muggles have very effective weapons. What do you know about guns, just for a start?"

"Almost nothing," Charlie admitted.

"Then I'll show you a gun one of these days. I know someone who has one."

Harry had a very good workout for the next half hour, and was pleased that he'd been making himself fitter in the 'gymnasium,' as Dean always grandly called it, the classroom with some makeshift fitness equipment that was Dean's special project.

xxx

More Defence the next day, and then they went to Lyall and Adele's place. Susan was trying hard to walk, and Adele was proud and pleased. "Ten months old. Most babies don't manage it until around a year old."

Anton promptly asked, "How old was I when I first walked, Mother?"

Adele said, "Eleven months old," and to forestall the next inevitable question, Sonia said, "And so were Charlie, Connor and Annalise."

Annalise asked, "How old were you, Harry?"

"I don't know," but he grinned, "I have a photo of me on a toy broomstick, though, and that was when I was very small."

"Where did you get that?"

"Hagrid gave me the photo. He's the grounds keeper at Hogwarts. Enormous man."

Charlie said, "Some say he's part giant and others say it was en engorgement spell."

"I used to be frightened of him," Adele said, "but then we saw him with an injured unicorn foal and he was just so gentle."

Harry said, "He was the one who told me I was a wizard. And then he forgot to tell me how to get onto the train. I thought for a while that I might as well just give up."

Lyall frowned and said, "That was poorly done then," and Sonia said, "That can't be the normal procedure."

Harry said, "It's not. A friend of mine told me that Professor McGonagall came, made all explanations, left them with a thick booklet, and told her how to get in touch with the school if she needed more advice. Plus there was someone who collected her and escorted her all the way onto the platform. It was the same with a couple of others I asked."

"But you had Hagrid."

"Maybe Dumbledore thought that the Dursleys needed to be made afraid. And I was enormously impressed with him."

Brandon said, "He wasn't the one who put a tail on a Muggle boy, was he?"

"Ehhh..."

Sonia smiled at him, and said, "Well, I think we can rely on the new headmaster to have some more sense."

"We don't see much of him, but he's made a lot of improvements. The latest is a basketball court."

Charlie said, "Which would be good, but the sixth and seventh years have taken it over, and no-one else gets a go."

"Draco told me they're going to make more, though," Harry said.

"I hadn't heard that."

"There's a couple of Pucey boys in Slytherin and they seem to get the news first."

"Anything else I don't know?" Charlie asked.

Harry grinned, "They've told him we need a heated swimming pool because you can't get any exercise when it's snowing."

"Any prospect, do you think?"

"No idea."

xxx