A few nights later Petunia slipped quietly down to the schoolroom to check on the boys. Specifically, Harry, who had not slept the night before. He'd looked pale and tired all day. She'd decided to let Harry, Dudley, Neville and Draco have a sleepover in the schoolroom. Once school started there would be fewer opportunities for their game and snack fueled slumber parties.
Milly had left two days ago to visit her elderly relatives in Ireland before the start of school. Harry had been wandering around since then, looking a bit lost.
Narcissa was in the hallway of the schoolroom, carrying a baby on her shoulder, pacing. A magical pram followed her.
"Narcissa, everything all right?"
"Oh, teething, you know. I gave him a gum-numb potion, but between you and me, my cousin Sirius did not have calm bone in his body." She smiled. "I guess that runs true for this little package."
"Walking did help Dudley," Petunia said. "I need to check on Harry. He didn't sleep well last night. Something to do with Milly visiting her relatives."
Antares was currently asleep, drooling on Narcissa's expensive silk robe. They crept into the schoolroom, which had a blue flame lamp burning above the four boys on cots. Dudley had chocolate on his face and his covers on the floor. Neville was snoring quite loudly, covered up to his chin.
"I'll tell Andromeda about that." Narcissa waved at Neville. "I'm sure she can fix it."
Draco was sprawled on his stomach, hair in a rat's nest. Narcissa gave a whispery chuckle.
Harry flopped over with a bounce. "No, no," he muttered with a sob. Petunia caught her breath, hoping Harry wasn't having a nightmare about Vernon.
"Nooo. Not across the sea!" Harry cried in his sleep. "Milly! No!"
Narcissa suddenly appeared next to Harry. "Did he just say 'not across the sea?'"
"Yes. He must be having a nightmare." Petunia reached for Harry's shoulder.
"NO! Don't wake him. Arcturus and Andi should see him first." Narcissa called for Ervi.
"Please get Lord Black and Andi."
"What is it?" Petunia whispered.
"I think they bonded. And both have some Fae blood. Crossing water is a magical act, to the Fae. So Milly being in Ireland is causing problems."
"A bond?"
"Like a magical betrothal. It ties their magical cores together, so separations are difficult."
"Oh, my. Well, I knew Harry and Milly were very close. I thought maybe one day they might date…"
In short order Arcturus sent Mr. and Mrs, Bulstrode a portkey with a message, via Wispi. "I invited The Bulstrodes and their Irish relatives here for a visit, Milly's parents and I will need to study the bond. Frankly it has been over fifty years since any Black bonded with a spouse."
"Well, I certainly wasn't expecting anything like this," Petunia said with a sniffle.
Arcturus took her in his arms and Narcissa grinned. "I believe bonds are the norm in Potter marriages. We might learn something from the Potter Grimoire. But see? Harry is calm already. I am sure Milly is here, settling into her room. She was probably upset as well."
"Well, what a night! Congratulations, Petunia, you have another daughter! I'm going to put this scamp to bed," Narcissa said.
She walked back to her nursery, burying her nose into the baby's sweet smelling curls. Dobby was in the nursery, watching over Addie and knitting a cap.
"Dobby, I'll bet you a big ball of sparkly fairy yarn that Arcturus and Petunia are engaged by Christmas."
Dobby grinned. "Dobby bets two big balls of sparkly fairy yarn Mighty Lord Black Sir! and Missy Petty be married by Christmas!"
"So we're like almost married?" Harry asked the next morning at a family meeting with Milly and her parents. "By magic?"
"Yes, betrothed. Married when you are older," Arcturus said.
"Cool," Harry said and grinned at Milly, who grinned back. "We won't have to take vacations far away from each other?"
"No, never."
"That's good." Then Harry frowned. "Milly needs fancy ring."
Arcturus' lip twitched as he tried not to grin in amusement. "The Black vaults are full of rings. We'll take Milly later today to pick one out."
"Cool." Harry said, and snagged a breakfast sweet roll with a cream center. Milly did so also, at the same time, and they giggled.
Petunia was relieved. This weird bond didn't seem to make them act strangely, like grown-ups. They were acting like the kids they were.
"Molly, I received an invitation to visit Black Towers on Saturday afternoon. He has something to show us, and then has several guests for dinner. The children can play at the beach, in their own little party. Supervised, of course."
"All right," Molly said. Their dress robes were already clean, since the estate in Ireland was mainly a sheep farm with an old stone manor and a wild, magical woodland. They had hiked and picnicked for an entire week in their oldest clothes. "The children have never had such an exciting summer."
Molly still had a hard time believing Dumbledore had been in the wrong. But… things had never been so good for the Weasley's. Arthur got a quarterly stipend from the Black Accounts. Lord Black had paid off a two hundred-year-old Weasley fine to the Ministry, the reason the Weasleys had lost their Wizengamot seat. Arthur could reclaim it at the fall session.
The income from her Irish estate was twice what Arthur made at the ministry, and she had balls and balls of fine yarn, which thrilled her. Her Christmas sweaters this year would be full of knotwork charms she found in her new family grimoire. The quality of the yarn was everything, and her sheep were the magical sort, not ordinary muggle sheep, and fed on magical fields. Her fingers itched to get to work.
The Black Tower School. Lord Black, with his vast wealth, was doing the schooling for free, paying his staff out of his own accounts. No uniforms required, just active children's clothes and outdoor gear. She had a talent for clothing charms and could make serviceable, decent clothes with the right materials. Her children would wear new clothes all year.
The parent's only had to buy the books. Molly was not used to generosity in any form, and it shocked her a Black was the one showing such a quality.
She picked up a sheet of parchment and began planning the charms for Bill's sweater. Curses were just going to bounce off her son!
On Saturday they met Lord Black and walked to the beach with their children. Petunia, Narcissa, Bluette Parkinson and Violetta Bulstrode were stretched out on lounge chairs. Mimosa was there, with her little girls, who were playing with Petunia's new daughter in a little puddle of seawater near Petunia's lounge.
"Lovely day, ladies," Lord Arcturus said.
Molly nearly blushed at the tiny muggle two-piece bathing suits both Narcissa and Petunia were wearing. Those two were so daring.
Petunia's son Dudley came up, carrying a gray puppy. "Smokey's tired, Mom. Could he sleep here?" Petunia spread out a rug in the shade of her umbrella and the puppy curled up for a nap.
"You didn't want a puppy, Harry?" Molly asked the boy who accompanied his cousin.
"Nope. I can share Dud's. What Milly and I want are kneasle kittens. Big ones, like the ones from Norway! Aunt Petunia says it is fine, and the pet store will owl us as soon as they have the fall kittens. That way we'll have two cats and a dog!"
"And a baby sister," Dudley hollered, picking Cami up and swinging her around, making her giggle. Then he had to do the other little girls. Harry helped.
"Yup, we have a whole family now. Uncle Arcturus is just like a dad," Harry said, splashing Cami's feet in the small puddle while she squealed and laughed.
Dudley frowned. "I actually have more family. Because your Milly is just like another sister to me."
"True. Let's get a snack. I promised Milly a biscuit and juice." The boys smacked kisses on their new little sister's cheeks and ran off.
Narcissa gave a laugh. "Just like a dad! Does Harry have news the rest of us don't, Petunia?"
Arcturus laughed. "Don't ever change, Cissy. Arthur, Molly, ready to go see my village?" They disappeared with a pop.
"This is Black Bay Village. It was closed for many years, but now we have residents." They walked into the magistrate's office near the center fountain of the city square. An old woman was planting flowers nearby and waved. "I believe you know Remus Lupin? He has a Mastery in Defense and is now the town magistrate. Not that I expect much trouble here, but every town needs some law and order."
"Arthur, Molly! Would you like a cup of tea?" Remus looked healthy and his clothes were not shabby. He'd had treatment on the scars Molly had noticed the last time she saw him. He no longer looked older than his age.
"Remus! I thought you might be ...in so much trouble. We saw the memory. Harry's," Molly blurted out.
Remus poured the tea and pulled a plate of biscuits from a cupboard. "Well, we are all here. Dumbledore hired us all from Knockturn Alley, then used a dark spell to siphon our magic to break the wards. We're just lucky a couple of the elderly didn't die."
He ate a chocolate frosted biscuit. "So we were in the dungeon cells for a bit, since the Black Family Meeting was in full swing. But we had comfortable bedding, good meals, medical care and even books to read. Lord Black offered us all a home here. We took an oath of fealty, which includes that we won't be sent off to war or other violent activities."
"That is what happened to the original village," Arcturus said. "My grandfather and father foolishly sent fishermen and shopkeepers to join the Walpurgis Knights as extra wands. They all died. So, none of the villagers will be expected to take on any role outside the village."
"Arcturus offered me the job as city magistrate, which includes being the sheriff. Not much to do with just a few people, but we will grow."
"That is lovely, Remus. Who all lives here now?" Molly had always like Remus and frequently worried about him.
"All of us that Dumbledore hired. Aggie and Mose are elderly and retired, but they have decided to beautify the town with flowers, so they keep busy. Three of the younger ones are opening the Pub and Grill, learning from a house elf. The elves are also teaching two men how to fish, but that will take time.
"I'm a dad now," he continued. "Two of the group were teenaged werewolves, living in the streets. I'm now their guardian and plan to adopt them. They'll be in school with your kids. They are at the beach this afternoon with all the other children."
"Oh, that's so nice, Remus. You'll be a wonderful father." Molly was truly happy for him. Now he just needed a wife...
He grinned. "I'll be working part-time at the school, also. Subbing for any teacher who needs it, helping Mimosa in Defense against the Dark Arts class, too."
"Mimosa and Xeno Lovegood are getting married soon. They will move here. Xeno can run his magazine from here and plans a weekly newspaper for the village and estate," Lord Black said.
"And now we come to why I asked you here. Arthur, I need a mayor. One who understands the Ministry and how things work. Someone who can be kind but firm to people who have had rough life. I can double your Ministry salary. And if you'd like, there is a very nice five-bedroom house just around the corner. The Mayor's office is right behind that desk." Arcturus pointed.
In a daze, Arthur walked to the office. It was the size of his entire department at the Ministry, with a big window overlooking the bay.
"I have no idea what a mayor does."
Arcturus went to a shelf full of leather-bound books. "Ledgers, full of the mayors' activities over the years. Some with newspaper clippings and photographs. It is not all that different than being head of a family. You look for ways to solve problems and increase the health and welfare of your village. But it's well paid."
Remus laughed.
"Arthur, you were the first I thought of. I think you would be a wonderful mayor."
Arthur was pink-cheeked. "Ah, well, it is certainly tempting. Molly?"
Molly looked at her husband's hopeful face. She'd been quite unfair to him, to her shame, taking Dumbledore's side over her own husband's. Of course, potions and spells had been involved. Her greatest fear now was Dumbledore getting to her and causing a rift in her family. Living in this pretty little town would prevent that ever happening. "I think it would be lovely. Can we go see the house?"
It was her dream house. A large, gold stone two-story house with a stone fence. Graceful stairs led up to a large double door painted a deep cherry red. Elegant arched windows were dressed with lace curtains. New furniture in every room. The back of the house had a wide patio overlooking a large garden area. A balcony on the seaside second floor. Parlor, formal dining room, plus a family parlor and informal dining room off the kitchen. "Three bathrooms, Arthur. Three!"
The kitchen was enormous, with a twelve-foot oak table, cupboards up to the high ceiling, a cushioned window seat, and a rocking chair by the fireplace.
"The fireplace floos to Black Towers, and from there you can floo elsewhere. It makes it easy for the children to get to and from school. Very secure."
"It's so elegant," Molly whispered.
"You'll own it upon signing the contract."
Arthur looked at Molly and then at Arcturus. "You deserve an elegant home, Molly. Where do I sign?"
Minerva took a deep breath before entering the floo. "St. Mungoes." She was dressed a slim dark blue dress robe, her family tartan pinned over one shoulder. Her meeting with Lord Black and Petunia Dursley was before a small dinner party, but she wanted to see Albus first.
"He's awake but seems a bit agitated. We'll see how he does," the healer said. "We have been giving him calming draughts. He keeps trying to get out of bed and is upset about our sticking charms. But he is far too weak to walk. He can barely sit up for meals."
Albus' long hair was in a tidy braid and his beard had been clipped short for hygiene reasons. There was no twinkle in his eyes, which were bloodshot and watery.
"Minerva!" Spittle accumulated at the corner of his mouth. His medinurse dabbed at it with a cloth.
"Go!" he screeched. "Alone! Minerva alone!"
The mediwitch rolled her eyes. "Let me know if you need anything, ma'am." She left. Minerva recognized her as a former student, a quiet little Hufflepuff.
"Albus, I can't stay long. I have an appointment with Lord Black and Petunia Dursley. I will see Harry at dinner."
"Portkey!" He screamed, clutching at her with claw-like hands. She leaped away from him. "Bottom drawer. Stick to Harry."
"You want me to portkey Harry away? That's kidnapping! I could end up in Azkaban!"
"Must! Must!" Albus hollered, spit flying.
Minerva ran to the door, heart pounding.
"Ahh, he's all worked up. Sorry about that, Professor McGonagall." The mediwitch pulled potion bottle from her apron pocket and entered the room.
Minerva rushed to the floo. She was too early for her meeting, perhaps a house elf would let her sit in the entryway and have a calming cup of tea.
