Aid An Albus For Christmas – Jennifer's Thoughts
"And how do you feel now?"
"I don't know" said Harry. "I know it is not my fault what happened, but I can't help but feel as if I should have tried better. I'm frightened I will wake up and this will all be a dream"
"Have you talked to Hannah and Susan about it?" Jennifer made a careful note of everything that Harry was saying. She was going to use it as evidence against Dumbledore, when the Aurors found him, and also against his relatives for child abuse charges. There would also be people taken to court for failing to truly help Harry and his interests. At least the boy was getting the help he truly needed.
"I don't want to seem weak in front of them" Harry shook his head. "I like them as friends, but why do they want to be friends with an idiot like me?"
"Now you know why they want to be friends with you – they actually like you. I know Hannah writes home about you often"
"That is only because we're married" Harry huffed. "Nobody has ever liked me for being me. I tried dying once by standing on a railway line – thought I could go to my mum and dad in heaven"
"What stopped you?"
"Train drivers were on strike"
"I see" Jennifer frowned at the dark attitude coming from her daughter's friend. "That is all I have time for this week, Harry, but next week I would like to start going into your mind and viewing the memories as they happened. Perhaps by doing this, we can find out what exactly is being blocked in Hannah and Susan"
"It will help?" Harry seemed to brighten up somewhat.
"I think so" came the reply. "Now then, Harry, why not go downstairs and play with the girls?"
"Do I have to tell them what we talked about?"
"Only if you want to"
"I guess I should… After all, they've had to put up with name calling because they share a bedroom with me"
"Really? Have you tried reporting this to the teachers?"
"Yeah, but they just tell me to ignore them" Harry swung his feet under the chair.
"I'll have a word with them if you'd like" Hannah's mother made a few more notes.
"Thank you for helping me, Mrs Abbott" Harry said, giving her the best smile he could manage. Harry always felt somewhat depressed after these talks, but he knew it was going to be for his own good. He stood up from the chair and walked downstairs from his room to go play with his friends. When he left them for his weekly meeting, the girls were building a fort made up of cushions, pillows, blankets and chairs. The trio sat in it and ate sandwiches and drank juice and generally had fun until they heard some high pitched squeaking. They popped their heads over the top to see a small squad of house elves coming at them with bean bags which they started throwing.
#
After a while, dinner was called and the trio declared peace with the elves, took down the fort before they filed into the dining room. On the table was a delicious spread that rivalled anything that the elves at Hogwarts could lay on. The trio had long since learnt the secret of getting into the Kitchens and could sometimes be found sitting at a little wooden table doing their homework with help from the elves whilst eating a few snacks. Professor Sprout had tried to stop them from doing this, but they always seemed to find a way back there – in the end their Head of House had given up with the simple fact they weren't harming anybody at all and their work was always done and handed in on time.
"What do you want to do before bedtime?" asked Hannah.
"It's too late to go outside and play now" Susan replied, "But we could listen to the wireless. I've missed listening to The Golden Trio" and, at Harry's blank look, explained to the confused boy it was a wireless show for children detailing the lives of three Hogwarts students fighting against evil teachers, evil witches and wizards and manage to get their homework in on time.
"Sounds interesting" Harry said. "They should make a book of it" he added.
"Oh, they tried to a few years ago with some mad Scottish witch called Rowling… The books never caught on, but I have a copy of them in our dorm if you want to read them" Susan said.
"Cheers" Harry nodded in thanks before finishing his dinner. Although he still ate not as much as the two girls, his appetite was getting better and this was helped by Jennifer serving some of Harry's favourite foods. It helped him with the potions he was taking as part of his medical plan to get him back to where he should be in terms of weight, height and muscle.
"Missy be sorry for bargin ins, Mistress" a female elf said as soon as she had popped into view, "But there is a Wizards from the Ministry. Theys be saying to Missy that it is urgents"
"Show them in, Missy, and bring them to the sitting room" and the elf nodded before popping away once more. "You will have to excuse me, you three… Most likely somebody needing some mind healing in an emergency" Mrs Abbott put her napkin on the plate, rose from her chair and left to see to her visitor.
"Does your mum get called out during dinner?" Harry asked.
"Only when she is on standby" Hannah replied, "But she is off this entire week, so it must be something really serious" and the three were still eating when Jennifer came running back into the room.
"Go to your rooms and pack everything you need for a few days" she said.
"Why, Mum? What is wrong?"
"Albus Dumbledore was spotted using Muggle means to head in this direction"
"Why not just capture him?" asked Harry.
"We would normally, but he moved too quickly for us to get in close" Kingsley Shaklebolt said.
"I was enjoying dinner too" Harry grumbled.
"Puffball!" Susan suddenly said and went into a huddle with Harry and Hannah. They talked for a few seconds before they all stood or sat straighter.
"We're not going" said Harry.
"Harry, we have to get you and the girls to safety" Hannah's mother said.
"I already had one house destroyed and one family torn apart by a Dark Lord" Harry said quietly, taking in the expressions of Hannah and Susan. "I will not allow the same thing to happen again… Wherever Susan and Hannah are, that is my home now and forever. They are my family. If Dumbledore wants to try and hurt me, he has another thing coming! Auror, I am a Lord and Head of my House, right?"
"Yes"
"Good, then I want your best people in a big circle round here or I am telling Susan's Aunt on you" and then Harry started to finish his dinner.
#
The old man hid in the trees near the Abbott residence and watched the Aurors patrolling in order to know their timings. Once he was sure, he started casting complicated spells that brought down the wards slowly but would make it seem as if they had not been touched.
"Soon I will get the Potter boy, kill him for being 'dark' and then gain my supposed rightful place as leader of the Light" he laughed cruelly before moving forwards.
#
BONG…
BONG…
BONG…
The loud alarm caught them off hand as it sounded and all three children had wands out quicker than the Aurors. There was a bit of shouting and running before Shaklebolt came walking.
"We caught Albus Dumbledore" he said. "I don't know what is up with him, but he's gone insane and keeps screaming for a Lord and wanting to kill Mr Potter"
"Well that ain't happening" said Hannah and Susan, stepping in front of Harry in a protective gesture.
"Rest assured that Dumbledore has been arrested and will be sent to court for what he has done" Shaklebolt told them.
"Did he have anything on him?" asked Hannah's mother.
"Apart from his wand, all he had were a few potions and a strange smell of garlic. Mind you… He kept touching the back of his head like he was wearing a turban or something" the tall black man frowned as he watched the faces of the three young children in front of him.
"I don't think that's Dumbledore, Uncle Kingsley" said Susan. "I think that is Professor Quillel"
"That is a bit of a stretch" Shaklebolt said.
"But she's right… He wears a turban and smells of garlic" Harry said.
"Have you checked him for Polyjuice?" asked Susan.
"Oh hell…" Shaklebolt went pale as he realised that Dumbledore could be in real danger. He rushed outside to stop the Aurors taking the alleged Dumbledore away. He came back a minute or so later with confirmation of their idea. "We're going to take him to the Ministry for questioning. Maybe he can tell us what he has done and where Professor Dumbledore is"
"I am not suggesting this lightly" Mrs Abbott said, "And I never would unless there was a good reason for it, but if you believe that Albus Dumbledore's life is in danger I can look into this man's mind and see if I can pick up some clues"
"Isn't that dangerous, Auntie Jennifer ?" Susan asked.
"Yes, but I should be alright"
"And if you are not?"
"Then I am fed strawberry yoghurt"
"But you hate that"
"That's why I have to be careful"
"You better be" Susan tried hard to keep in the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. "I don't want to lose the closest thing to a mum I have ever known"
"I plan to be around for a very long time" and the older witch stood up and walked out.
"Why did you say she was like a mum to you?" asked Harry.
"I know I have my Aunt, but sometimes I wouldn't see her for days on end. When that happened, I got to stay with Hannah and her mum just felt like what my mum should be. Auntie is a really nice person, don't get me wrong, but she can sometimes be…"
"Forgetful?" suggested Hannah.
"She doesn't mean it of course" Susan said quickly, "But I think she gets too much into her job"
"Maybe she wants to make it a happy place" said Harry thoughtfully.
"If she wanted to make me happy, she'd make it so the Chuddley Cannons actually win a game"
#
After slamming into the prisoner's mind, the Aurors went to a cave on the Cornish coast and found a badly beaten and abused Albus Dumbledore. He had a number of broken bones, severe blood loss, and internal injuries which caused some to think the elderly wizard wouldn't make it. The Aurors took him to St Mungos for what treatment could be given to him, but they told the trio it looked as if they would have to organise a funeral. One thing they could do, and something that was done very quickly, was to have the full story printed in the papers to state that Albus Dumbledore had been attacked by some rare and powerful magic that was little understood.
"Looking forward to tomorrow" Harry said. It was now Christmas Eve and the children had been wrapping presents most of the day and the girls watched as Harry happily set about making an oversized snowman in the front garden of Hannah's house. The previous times he had seen snow, he'd been forced by the Dursleys to get it off the driveway for their house and those of their neighbours.
"That's just because you want the presents" Susan laughed.
"That and I get to sit and eat Christmas dinner" Harry said, levitating the large head onto the body of the snowman. "When I was at the Dursleys, I would always be made to cook the whole lot and then sit in my locked cupboard"
"Well you can eat as much as you want" Hannah said.
"The last time he did that, he was sick for a week" Susan smirked. She referred to Harry being told he could eat what he liked and when he liked and ending up with a sick feeling and ending up having to stay in bed through illness. When Professor Sprout asked him, jokingly, what he would like to eat now he was better, Harry had replied he'd just eat Susan and Hannah – and leaving the trio confused as to why their head of house became bright red and choking.
"So I had one too many rhubarb tarts…" giggled Harry. He walked back a few steps and admired his handiwork – so caught up was he that he never noticed the girls make snowballs and pelt him in the back of the head. "THIS MEANS WAR!" he roared, grabbed some snow in his hands and returned fire. Within seconds, everything descended into madness as snowballs went flying in multiple directions – the house elves belonging to both Hannah and Susan joining in the fun.
#
Looking out of the window, Jennifer Abbott watched as Harry enjoyed playing in the snow with his friends. She felt uneasy at the thought of her eleven year old daughter already being married, but she could see that Harry was an attentive, smart, kind and caring person and would never knowingly hurt her daughter. She had, admittedly, had some issues with the marriage also including Susan as a wife of equal measure - but she tried hard not to sure how uncomfortable it made her because of her upbringing. Jennifer knew that the trio slept together in a bedroom at Hogwarts, that they sometimes shared a bed and that, at least in the shared rooms, were not afraid to go around half dressed or even naked at times. She stood and watched them for a few more minutes before turning and leaving them to their own designs.
#
In the countryside, deep in the earth, at the end of a long tunnel lay a cave that was sealed off with magic infused sand and metal. From the magic that hung in the coldness of the soil and rock, whatever was inside had been in it for at least a hundred or so years.
Then the metal plate shield began to crack and a delicate hand pushed through the gap…
A/N:
Well everybody, there it is – another chapter of this story. I know this is a short chapter, but I have not updated for reasons that most of you know about already. Now I am recovered, more or less, from my operation, I have much more energy for writing and so I will be back to a normal schedule somewhat…
Check my homepage here for my twitter account name which I will use to post updates and scheduling information. Also, the homepage here will no longer indicate which works will be coming up next unless there is a demand for it.
I hope you enjoy this chapter, short as it is, and look forward to seeing who or what you think is coming out from behind that shield
Regards
Pixel and Stephanie Forever
