Welcome back, please note: I did mess with the timeline a little and there IS a brief scene of violence in this chapter, viewer discretion is advised ….

The train ride back had been interesting. Hermione had actually tried locking her out of their compartment, forgetting of course that now she could simply apparate inside. Which she did, to the shock of his friends while Harry shook his head. But before anybody could comment, Lucy had the girl on the floor, frozen in a full body bind which she merely stepped over and took her seat on the opposite bench, letting the strong magic radiate off her.

"Anyone else want to try something stupid?" The two boys silently shook their own heads feverishly. Ten minutes later, Hermione was still on the floor when Ron finally spoke up,

"Are you really just going to leave her like this for the whole ride?"

The older girl pretended to think. "And why shouldn't I? After all, you three were content to leave poor Neville in the same situation with no timer on the spell or even placing him on the couch before heading off."

"We didn't have time, you had Hermione in your mouth!" exclaimed Harry.

"But even if I hadn't been there, would you have helped him?" There was no reply,

"Your silence is very reassuring" his sister grumbled, "I'm honestly tired of babysitting you three! You're old enough to know better! If this keeps up, I may have to resort back to swats on the butt and timeouts. We don't want that now do we?"

"No!" said the boys, "But please, release Hermione"

"Fine" Lucy huffed, exhausted. "But if she turns her wand on me again. She will be the first I take over my knee" she promised, making Hermione's pupils dilate as she undid the spell. "It's not fun, when it happens to you, isn't it?"

The bushy haired bookworm mutely nodded as she got up and took another seat, away from the older girl.

"Now I believe there are some things we need to discuss…"

Lucy spent the time after, reestablishing herself to the group. Because of her age, she was considered an Adult now, by wizarding standards. But Lucy was an adult that they could trust. She had believed them this last year, for the most part. She just wasn't going to be an accomplice to their "future" schemes. As much as they protested, there wouldn't be. Lucy knew better and just gave them a look they couldn't object to. By the end of it, Ron and Hermione had a new understanding of Lucinda Potter, especially Hermione.

The older girl didn't want them to fear her, but at the same time she needed them to respect her. Lucy was not somebody to be taken advantage of, particularly when she was being "nice." As long as those boundaries were in place, they wouldn't have a problem with each other.

Knowing that the second they were back on the Dursley grounds, their school stuff would be lock away until September 1st. Lucy suggested that she and Harry get a head start on their "Homework" which Hermione obviously agreed to, while Ron was more reluctant. Stating that they'd just finished exams! To which Lucy, simply replied he could do or look at whatever he wanted. Even his latest "Quidditch magazine," the redhead perked up at that.

It was just better if they (Harry and her) got started now. Seeing as they wouldn't have many opportunities later, for their muggle relatives hated magic and wouldn't tolerate even the study of it. Harry added that, the Dursleys had actually burned several of his Hogwarts letters until Hagrid track them down. Causing Ron and Hermione's eyes to go bug eyed.

"Why would they do that?"

"In a word: "Prejudice," Lucy had answered, making the others grateful for the kind, understanding families they had…

...

The first two weeks back, weren't as terrible as Lucy had initially thought. The Dursleys had immediately locked their "magic" stuff away in the cupboard under the stairs, as she predicted. But they also moved Harry into Dudley's second bedroom, how very generous. Lucy of course went back up to her "room" in the attic. She didn't mind, at least she was now closer to her brother if something should happen.

Lucy still did not trust her "relatives" and knew it was only a matter of time before their stupid fear wore out and they stopped mostly ignoring them. The strange thing was, even though Hedwig was now locked in her cage on Vernon's orders. Both brother and sister had yet to receive other contact from any of their friends? Their question was answered in the form of the "house-elf" Dobby on the first of July.

The "family" were all busy downstairs preparing for their houseguests: Vernon's boss and his wife, Mr. & Mrs. Maison. Guess Vernon had invited them to dinner, so he could get a job promotion perhaps? It was laughably disgusting how "normal" and "prefect" they were trying to be. Lucy just hoped the Maisons weren't complete idiots and could see through this sickeningly sweet façade.

Both siblings were banished to the upstairs for the evening, which they didn't mind. During her time up in the attic year ago, Lucy had found a tool box filled with useful gadgets. Once Harry moved in down below, she had used the saw and other things to make a replaceable hole in the attic floor which led straight down into her brother's "room" by removeable ladder.

Upon entering the room, they were shocked to find a house elf freely jumping on the bed, giggling.

"Harry Potter?! Such an honor it is!" he exclaimed, before taking notice of her "And Lucy Potter!"

"You know my name?" asked the girl surprised.

"Indeed, the young master hasn't stopped raving about her, since she tried to teach bad young master a chilling lesson-! Oh No! Shouldn't have said that!" he panicked, grabbing one of his long ears and twisting it until it hurt. "Ow! Ow! Ow!"

"Would you stop doing that? Who are you?" questioned her brother.

The pitiful little creature stopped twisting and gave an answer, "Dobby, Sir and Miss. Dobby the house-elf."

At the sound of people arriving downstairs, Lucy looked at the door and replied "Not to sound rude or anything but this really isn't a great time for a visit. Our relatives have company, muggle company" hoping he would take the hint.

"Oh yes! Dobby understands, it's just that-!" the little fellow seemed to struggle with his words. "Dobby has come to tell you- It is difficult-!"

"Why don't you sit down?" Harry offered, causing the house-elf to nearly burst into tears. "Dobby, Shh! I'm sorry. Didn't mean to offend you or anything"

"Offend Dobby?" he squeaked, "Dobby has heard of your greatness but never, has he been asked to sit down by a wizard, like an equal"

"Most House-elves from "dark" families are treated like slaves Harry" Lucy translated, having been made aware of certain "Pureblood" troupes thanks to Mary Jane.

"That's horrible!"

"It is, but I'm more concerned about the racket our little "friend" is making," she said, gesturing to the self-imposed "discipline" he was doing, and hearing Vernon's thunderous footsteps beginning to climb the stairs.

"Dobby…" Lucy warned, wrenching the desk lamp away and holding him up in the air by his pillowcase. "You have a choice to make right now, are you listening?" The little elf whimpered, "Ready, you either do your best to calm down and say whatever you came to? Or I use the Pertrificus Totalus to put you in a body bind and you can deliver your message that way? Our lives are on the line, which is it?"

But before Dobby could say, Lucy quickly threw him into the wardrobe and barely shut it before their "uncle" finally made an appearance, threating them before leaving and Dobby opened the wardrobe door and stepped out.

"See, what we are dealing with? Why are you here?"

"Harry and Lucy Potter must not go back to Hogwarts' school of witchcraft and Wizardry this year!"

The older sister was alright with not going back. Less Dumbledore and his schemes, the better. Maybe they could free Hedwig and send Miss Aurora a letter, assuming it would get through and she could tutor them? Return to "normal," Harry, of course had other ideas.

"What? No!"

"You don't understand," explained the house-elf, "There is a plot! A plot to make the most terrible things happen!"

Bloody hell Dobby, you're just baiting him. "What terrible things? Who's plotting them?" And he took the bait!

The house-elf struggled with his reply.

"Okay, I understand. You can't say. But Hogwarts is my home! It's the only place I truly belong that I've got friends" That last word seemed to capture the little creature's interest.

"Friends who don't even write to Harry Potter and Lucy?" Why that little rat!

Dobby revealed that he did have their mail. "Musn't be angry with Dobby. Dobby had hoped, if Harry and Lucy thought their friends had forgotten them, they might not want to go back to school"

"Two things wrong with that plan, Rat: You don't know our true histories, cause if you did. You would know why I attend Hogwarts when my closest friends are both homeschooled. And if you tell my brother not to do something, in regards to the school then that is exactly what he'll do" Lucy stated, while Harry had enough.

"Give me those, now!" he ordered advancing on him.

But Dobby threw the bedroom door open and raced down the hall and the stairs to the kitchen with Harry at his heels. This is not going to end well, thought Lucy as she came down at a slower pace. She was right!

Dobby, as a last resort activated a wordless hover charm on Petunia's pretty pudding cake for dessert. It silently floated out to the living room, against Harry's pleading:

"Dobby please, no!"

"Harry Potter must say he's not going back to school!" the little elf countered. "I can't, Hogwarts is my home!"

"Then Dobby must do it sir, For Harry and Lucy Potter's own good"

With one snap of his bony fingers, the cake came smashing down on Mrs. Maison's head!

I am going to kill that Rat if he EVER shows his face around us again! Lucy furiously thought as the little creature now vanished with another final snap. Leaving them to take the blame for his magical act. Then to make matters worse.

While Vernon clumsily gave excuses, as the Maisons abruptly left. They quickly received a "warning" letter from the Ministry of Magic about the charm that was used in a muggle home in front of said Muggles. Any further magic disturbance, and they would be expelled from Hogwarts. The letter was a howler, so everyone heard it and Vernon lit up instantly, giving them each a look that promised "pain." Petunia and Dudley were of no help either, and they were supposed to be the "blood" relatives…

...

From then on, time seemed to drag even more for both Harry and Lucy. The Dursleys hadn't just sentenced them to major lockdown of not leaving the house. They weren't even allowed to leave their rooms, except twice a day to relieve themselves in the bathroom. If it wasn't for the secret hole on the ceiling/floor, the siblings would have never seen each other.

Lucy even went without eating every other two days to make sure Harry had enough. They were both fed once a day, a can of cold soup through the cat door flaps that Vernon installed on both Harry's room and the door to the attic along with the numerous varied kinds of locks to keep them in. Her poor brother even had bars installed on the outside of his bedroom window.

Lucy honestly didn't know where Vernon found the energy to climb that ladder or the ladder having the strength to hold his obese body up there. She was just glad it wasn't taller or she would've gotten bars too. As you can imagine, Lucy and Harry lost a lot of weight and energy over that month.

Then came July 30th and Vernon returned home drunk after having a bad day at work.

Instead of the promotion, he had been scheming for. Vernon had been demoted for currently showing up late and cutting corners when it came to filling out information. He was lucky he wasn't fired, but Mr. Maison had given him a second chance to get his act together. Given how hectic his homelife was, taking care of his "disturbed" niece and nephew.

Vernon entered the house in the late evening, ready for blood!

"BOY!" he hollered charging up the stairs with one room in mind, then the girl was next!

The man fumbled with the locks. Eventually he broke in and grabbed Harry from underneath his bed, and began repeatedly hitting him in violent rage before Lucy using whatever strength she had, suddenly jumped through the secret hole and landed between them trying to shield her brother with her back facing Vernon as he now started attacking her with the belt of his pants.

As much as it hurt, the teen clinched her teeth, trying not to cry out. Not notice her body reacting in a different way as the arctic blue spread all over, covering every crevasse and onto her brother, changing his coloring but doing him no real harm. The same couldn't be said for Vernon as he drunkenly, reached out touching her shoulder, trying to turn her around.

"Ahhh! What did you just do to me?! You little-! AHH!"

Vernon could finish his sentence as the sharp stinging pain coursed through his fingers and spread to his palm, changing colors from red to white, pale blue and finally a grayish yellow as the muscle and joints froze. "P-! Pe-! Petunia!" he hollered again as he backed away from them, practically running and slamming the door…

What seemed like hours or minutes Lucy couldn't be sure, but that's how she and Harry found themselves at a muggle hospital, waiting with Petunia and Dudley for Vernon's tests to come back. By the time, he had gotten his wife, the "Freaks" skin coloring had returned to "normal". There wasn't anything to see, except for Vernon's hand.

He needed a doctor, and there was no way that Petunia was going to leave Dudley alone in the house with those-! So, they had to come with them.

"Do you think Vernon's going to be alright? He's going to live, isn't he?" asked Harry, nursing an ice pack on his face that one of the nurses had kindly given him.

"I don't think its life-threatening Harry. Why I do think is that he may lose function in his fingers on that hand or it might have to come off?" she whispered to not attract their "Aunt's" attention. Lucy was subtly using a wandless magic illusion to hide her own injures, which were a plenty.

"How did this happen?" asked the doctor that came out of the examining room.

"-That's what we want to know too?" question a tall dark-haired woman in a business suit that had just come in, carrying a brief case. "Special Agent Hill, I'm here to speak with Lucinda and Harry Potter"

"Yes, that's us" said her brother, standing up and starting to walk over before his sister placed a grounding hand on his shoulder.

"What do you want with us?" she asked suspiciously.

"I need you to tell me how this happened and what you know of "Loki…?"