Chapter 1

About thirty years ago Miss Celia Potter, born to Charlus und Dorea Potter, had the good luck to catch the eye of Cyrus Greengrass, of Greengrass Manor. Those were dark times with people disappearing and dying and the Potter family had always positioned itself very clearly and prominently in the political landscape. Not only did she manage to secure a position that was safer for her life, but it also offered all the comforts and consequences of an large house and the generous income that Cyrus Greengrass had to offer. Her family was not entirely delighted by all of this, but Celia had never been interested in politics and was satisfied to have secured her own safety and financial comfort in such a convenient way. She had two sibblings whose situations were very different from her own. Her sister Emely Potter had interest who alligned with them of her sister Celia, but she did not have the beauty or the disposition to attract anyone who could secure her position, so after half a decade she settled for an upstarting businessman, a Mr. Fernsby, who at least promised to move in the higher circles of society very soon. All her hopes were shattered very quickly though, when she found out, that her husband not only shared her parents unfortunate political views, but in addition hat the intention of putting his talents to use by working for charities that supported the victims of the unfortunate war between the Dark Lord and the rest of society. When her husband who was working with her parents at the time was killed in a fateful night with both of them for their pursuit of the greater good and their resistance against the Dark Lord, she had no choice but to throw herself at the mercy of her sister and her brother in law who readily accepted her into their household and let her stay at Greengrass cottage, a small house on their vast grounds. Celias brother James married beneath himself in the eyes of his sisters. He fell in love with a muggleborn witch with the name of Lilly Evans. Maybe it was the way his sisters looked down on his wife that made him cease all contact with them. He stopped writing letters and coming to birthday parties and Christmas dinners and sent no invitations himself. Celia Greengrass who was of a phlegmatic nature did not accept the situation happily, but resigned to it quickly. Emely however had a spirit of activity that could not be satisfied without at least trying to mend the bridges. Her efforts were in vain however and slowly her affection towards her brother turned to resentment. James and Lilly Potter were the only ones in their family who fought the Dark Lord directly, so it came to no ones surprise when one day the newspapers reportet their death. While all of magical Britain and in fact large parts of the magical world were delighted that in that night the Dark Lord also disappeared from the face of the earth – rumors had it that young Harry was responsible for that – the Greengrass family and Mrs. Fernsby felt nothing but distress, that the Potters son Harry was not sent to stay with them, but their will made clear that in case of their death young Harry was to stay with his sisters muggle family, the Dursleys.

Their situations were so distant as to almost prevent the means of them ever hearing of Harry's life during the following eleven years, or, at least, to make it very wonderful to Cyrus Greengrass, that Mrs. Fernsby should ever have it in her power to tell them, as she now and then did, in an angry voice, that Harry was not raised in a proper environment. She pointed out the downsides of no one being able to introduce him to the magical world ot to teach him about proper class distinction. All of this changed however when young Harry was received at Hogwarts for the first time and it turned out that he was not only ignorant about the whole magical world – his family had not even told him that there was magic – but that he had also been mistreated physically and emotionally by his muggle relatives, so that finally Ceila Greengrass said to her sister: 'I think we cannot do better,' and: 'let us send for the child.'

Letters were being written, the situation debated. Cyrus could not give his consent instantly and without further deliberation. He thought and hesitated – it was a serious responsibility to take care of an additional child. It must be adequately provided for or it would be cruelty instead of kindness to take him in. He thought of his own two daughters, Daphne and Astoria, thought of Cousins in love etc., but no sooner had he thoughtfully begun to raise his objections, than Mrs. Fernsby interrupted him with and even more elaborate reply.

„My dear Cyrus, I understand you perfectly, and I greatly appreciate your concerns. The thoughtful way in which you not only think of the present and the immediate feelings of pity, but think of the long term consequences, is all that I would expect from a man of your position. I can easily propose schemes like that because I have no children of my own and any money I spend on my nephew is not going affect anybody else, but do not let such concerns keep you from a good deed. Give the boy a good education and introduce him into the magical word and he will settle well. He has a big name and being generous to Harry Potter can only benefit you and your family in the future. You are of course thinking of your daughters, bur don't you know that of all the things in the world that is the least likely thing to happen? Harry, Daphne and Astoria will be brought up as sibblings and will never think themselves anything else. Just think what might happen if they don't grow up together and then learn of their connection a few years down the road, possibly after falling in love. If we have them here under our supervision we will have it in our hands what happens between them."

„There is a lot of trugh in what you say," replied Cyrus, „and the last thing I want is to stand in the way of what needs to be done for members of our family. I just want everything to be well thought through before we take it on, I want it to be acceptable for that muggle family and beneficial to us if possible. We will have to save that boy or resign ourselves to have to save him late which might be more difficult than it is now.

„I understand you completely," cried Mrs. Fernsby, „you are more than generous and considerate, and I am confident that we will never disagree in this matter. Whatever I can do, as you well know, I am always ready enough to do for those I love; and, though I could never love young Harry just as much as I love your dear girls, nor think of him as my own, I should hate myself if I did not everything that I am capable of doing. Is he not my brothers son? He is not responsible for his fathers unfortunate choices. So if you are in agreement, I will write to these regrettable muggles tomorrow, and make the proposal; and, as soon as things are settled between us, you can take care of the legal side of things, so that at the end of term, Harry can come here."

Cyrus Greengrass raised no more objections after this and everything was considered as settled and the pleasures of such an charitable scheme were already enjoyed. But while the lawyers worked their law the gratifying sensations should not, to be fair, to have been equally distributed; for Cyrus Greengrass was fully resolved to be the real guardian for tha boy, Mrs. Fernsby had not the least intention of contributing anything to that end. As far as walking, talking, and planning reached, she was thoroughly benevolent, and nobody knew better how to dictate generosity to others; but her love of money was equal to her love of directing, and she knew quite as well how to save her own as to spend that of her friends. During her married years she had to live on a smaller income than she would have liked and had from the beginning thought a very strict line of economy necessary; and what was begun as a matter of prudence, soon grew into a matter of choice. Had there been a family to provide for, Mrs. Fernsby might never have saved her money; but having no care of that kind, there was nothing to stop her frugality. If she only pretended to feel truly generous after all of this or if she indeed thought herself to be the worlds most considerate aunt, is for the observer to decide, for we shall never know it for certain.

When the subject was raised again, her views were more fully explained; and, in reply to Celia Greengrasses calm inquiry of „Where shall the child come to first, sister, to you or to us?" Cyrus Greengrass heard with some surprise that it would be totally out of Mrs. Fernsby's power to take any share in the personal charge of the boy. He had been considering him as a particularly welcome addition to the family, as a much looked for companion to an aunt who had no children of her own; but he found himself completely mistaken. Mrs. Fernsby was sorry to say that the little boys staying with her, even just between terms at school was, at least as things then were, quite out of the question. Her unreliable state of health made it an impossibility: she could no more bear the noise of a child than she could without a broom; if, indeed, she would ever get well of her complaints, it would be a different matter: she should then be glad to take her turn, and think nothing of the inconvenience; but just now, it was just out of the question.

„Then he shoud better come to us," said Celia Greengrass, with the utmost composure. After a short pause Cyrus added with as much dignity as he could muster, „Yes, let his home be in this house. We will try to do our duty, and he will, at least, have the advantage of companions of his own age."

„Very true," cried Mrs. Fernsby, „which is a very important point; I only wish I could be more useful; but you see I do all in my power. I am not one of those that let others do their work for them; and I shall have her over at my place whenever I possible can. I suppose, sister, you will put the child in the little white attic, near the old nurseries. It will be the best place for him, not far from the girls, and close by the rooms where the house elves stay. Indeed, I do not see that you could possibly put him anywhere else."

Lady Bertram made no opposition.

„I hope what they say proves true and he is a boy with good manners," continued Mrs. Fernsby, „and is appropriately grateful for having relatives such as us."

„Should he behave badly in any way" said Cyrus, „we must not, for our own children's sake, have him around for a long time; but there is no reason to expect him to do so. We will probably see many reasons for change in behaviour, attitude and opinion, and must prepare ourselves for ignorance of our ways and some strange opinions; but these things can be mended and are surely not dangerous for anyone in his company. Had my daughters been younger than him, I should have had my doubts about this, but, as it is, I hope there can be nothing to fear for them, and everything to hope for this poor young boy."

„That is exactly what I think," cried Mrs. Fernsby, „and it will be such an education for the child, I thought only this morning, being with his cousins; if we should not manage to teach him anything, he would learn to be good and clever from them."

„I hope he will not be meant to my poor pug," said Celia; 'I just managed to teach Astoria to leave it alone."

„There will be some difficulty waiting for us, Emely," observed Cyrus, „how to maintain prper social distinction between the children as they grow up. The boy's mother was a muggleborn after all and I wonder how to preserve in the minds of my daughters the consciousness of what they are compared to him, without making them think too lowly of their cousin; and how, without making him feel unwanted, to make him remember that he is not a Greengrass. And then there ist the matter of him being Harry Potter, the boy who lived. I should wish to see all of them very good friends, and would, on no account, accept the smallest degree of arrogance from my girls towards their cousin; but still they cannot be equals. They are purebloods, their rank, fortune, rights, and expectations will always be different and have to be different from his. It is a very difficult matter, and you must assist us in this to maintain exactly the right balance."

Mrs. Fernsby was very enthusiastic about this; and though she perfectly agreed with him that it would be most difficult, she encouraged him to hope that between they would manage it all very easily.

And so it was, that after an arduous process that took many months, young Harry Potter did not return to the Dursley family at the end of his first year at Hogwarts, but came to stay at Greengrass Manor instead.