Unspoken
by Teddylonglong
What if someone did not have the patience to see Harry being abused by the Dursleys for long? COMPLETELY AU, partly OOC, pairings not decided yet
Felina and Whisker listened in shock to the news that spread around the Unspeakables' quarters like a wildfire. Apparently, Lily and James Potter had been attacked, and their baby had managed to defeat Voldemort that night. However, Lily and James were gone.
Lily and James had been in their own year at Hogwarts, even if in Gryffindor, while the Sorting Hat had deemed Felina and Whisker both Ravenclaws. They had only got to know their Gryffindor classmates better, when the four of them became prefects during their fifth year.
To their great disdain, even if they had been made the Ravenclaw prefects at Hogwarts, the other students had looked on them due to their family names, both of them being famous for hardcore Death Eaters. Therefore, immediately after finishing their NEWTs two and a half years ago, they had both vanished from the surface and joined the Unspeakables, taking on feigned Squib identities at the same time.
Rebecca Lestrange, as Felina's real name was, took on the identity of Arabella Figg, an old Squib, who busied herself looking after two dozen cats while being a member of Albus Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix. Artemis Nott played Argus Filch, the elder Squib and caretaker of Hogwarts. From the time they had left the school after their seventh year, they had not used their real identities anymore, and only their fellow Unspeakables knew who they were.
There was only one exception to this rule. Unbeknownst to everyone but the Lestrange family as well as Artemis, Rebecca did not only have two brothers, both Death Eaters and criminals, but also one sister, who was two years older than herself. Unfortunately, Regina was a real Squib. She had been cast out of the family at the age of eleven and had grown up in the muggle world with a house-elf as her sole companion. Still, she had kept the Lestrange name.
Rebecca had always remained in contact to Regina, many years only through owls, while she had been a student at Hogwarts, but she had seen to it that her Arabella Figg persona had become Regina's best friend. Unlike everyone else, Regina was aware of her true identity.
HP
'Thank Merlin little Harry survived,' she thought, as she hurriedly wiped an errand tear from her cheek, recalling how just a few days before, she had met James and Sirius with little Harry in tow at the Auror department. The child had been toddling between James and Sirius laughing happily at something that Sirius had to have said.
"Dumbledore is a manipulating old coot." She shook her head at Artemis in annoyance. "Somehow, I don't believe that Sirius gave them away to Voldemort. He is an idiot, but not a murderer, but due to what Dumbledore told the Aurors, he's been sent to Azkaban without as much as a trial."
"That's gross indeed. I wonder what Dumbledore's intentions with Harry are, considering that Sirius was the boy's godfather."
"And Alice was his godmother." Rebecca had to try hard to keep her tears at bay.
As if Lily's and James' death had not been bad enough, her brothers and her sister-in-law had gone and attacked Alice and Frank the next evening. While the two Aurors were not dead, they had been sent to St. Mungo's with brain damage due to long exposure to the Cruciatus curse.
Her best friend and colleague remained pensive for a moment, before he suggested, "Let's speak with Buckbean and see to it that Dumbledore won't be able to get the guardianship over Harry."
Rebecca immediately agreed. "Let's do that. I don't know why, but I somehow don't trust him anymore."
Artemis chuckled. "You're the right to talk, considering that you're a member of his chicken order."
Rebecca scoffed. "What do they say? Keep your friends close and your enemies closer? I prefer to be informed about what Dumbledore is planning. All right then, let's go to see Buckbean."
Whilst being a high-ranking goblin, Buckbean was a member of the Unspeakables, so that it would not hurt taking precautions and talk with him.
HP
Buckbean let out a deep sigh, when they told him the reason for their impromptu visit. "Felina, Whisker, I am sorry. You're late. Dumbledore came to Gringotts first thing this morning, stating that he had become Harry's guardian. With Sirius Black in Azkaban and Alice Longbottom incapacitated as well, the ministry probably couldn't prevent him from doing so, considering his multiple, influential positions."
Felina shook her head in annoyance. "What does their will say? Did they have one?"
Buckbean nodded, grimly. "Yes, but he demanded to have it sealed. That's why he came to see me as the account manager for the Potter vaults. I didn't even have time to prepare anything."
Felina nodded in understanding. "All right, Buckbean, please do me one favour. I know that you can manipulate these guardianship matters. List the two of us as his magical guardians. I don't trust Dumbledore to have little Harry's best interest at mind, especially hearing that he sent him to live with his muggle relatives."
"The two of us were good friends with the Potters," Whisker added, "and Lily once told us that her muggle sister absolutely despised her because of being magical."
"Apart from everything that we can do as Unspeakables, I believe that Arabella Figg is going to move near the Dursleys' home to keep an eye on young Harry."
Buckbean nodded. "Felina, please do so. I shall secretly change the guardianship to you, and I'll see to it that Dumbledore won't learn about it if not absolutely necessary for some reason."
Felina nodded, contentedly. "Thank you, Buckbean. May your gold always flow and your enemies cower before you."
HP
During the following months, Rebecca sometimes popped herself right into the Dursleys' house and checked on little Harry during the night. As an Unspeakable, she was able to turn herself invisible and pop into places without alerting anyone to her presence. During her weekly check-ups on the small boy, she realised that the Dursleys were not treating him well. At least once a month, it was bad enough for her to take Harry to the Unspeakables' healer. The healer kindly treated the rash on his bum and fed him a nutrient potion or even sometimes a Pepperup potion if necessary.
Every time, her heart broke, when she had to return the little tyke to his home, which was the cupboard under the stairs of all possible places, before the morning.
Sometimes, she was able to babysit Harry in her Arabella Figg form; however, she dared not tell him about magic, afraid that he might unintentionally alert the Dursleys to the fact that she belonged to the magical world. However, she noticed that he was much too small and skinny for his age. His speaking abilities were what she deemed far behind those of other children of his age, and he did not have any self-esteem whatsoever. He did not even know his own name.
"Fweak," he told her at the age of four in a barely audible voice.
HP
When the Dursleys returned from their weekend trip and she took Harry back to his home, she was so upset that she called Minerva McGonagall. The older witch was very kind to her, even if she only knew her as Arabella, the Squib, and had no idea of her real identity. Before and after the meetings of the Order of the Phoenix, which only took place rarely now that the war was officially over, she always asked her about little Harry. She had also admitted to her that the boy had always been like a grandson to her and that she'd have loved to take him in.
"Arabella." Minerva smiled in apparent surprise. "Is something wrong with little Harry?"
Arabella sighed. "What is not wrong with him? Would you perhaps like to come over for a moment? I'm sure that my cats would love to see you."
'I'm stupid,' she berated herself. 'I should have called her over, while Harry was here.'
While they spent some time in the garden playing with the cats, she told the older witch everything about Harry, who believed that his name was Freak. She only omitted the part of her weekly check-ups on the child, considering that they were not fit her Arabella persona.
"I'm going to kill Albus." Minerva's voice was murderous, and Arabella smiled, feeling very happy to see how upset the older witch was, whom everyone believed to be Dumbledore's right hand. "I'll try to talk to him," the deputy headmistress promised, "although Poppy and I have tried to make him see reason multiple times." She remained pensive for a moment, only to add, "During the weekend, I'll check on him in my Animagus form. May I use your fireplace for the purpose?"
Arabella smiled. "Of course, dear. Any time."
HP
It was just a few months later, on a hot summer day shortly after Harry's fifth birthday that Rebecca noticed that the child was running a fever. When she took him to the healer, it became evident that he was suffering from a concussion, while his skin was covered by bruises and welts, obviously caused by abuse.
She remained with him in the hospital room of the Unspeakables' office overnight and, to her horror, witnessed how the child begged his uncle to not harm him, while he was asleep.
'That's it,' Rebecca decided. 'I'm not going to take him back to the Dursleys.' First thing the following morning, she called Artemis over and whispered, "Whisker, I'm going to abduct him. Will you support me?"
"Felina, of course. I will always help you. What are we going to do with him though?"
"I hope that Regina will be willing to raise him. I believe that she'll be a wonderful mother to him."
"In spite of being a real Squib?" His voice was laced with apparent concern.
"Yes." Rebecca nodded in determination. "I will double the effort to possibly find a way to give her magic. In fact, I've already spoken with her about the possibility years ago, and she agreed that if necessary, I could bring him to her."
"In the meantime, I'll go to the Dursleys and cast a couple of select spells at them. I'll make them believe that he's just gone to see a friend in case anyone asks. I'll just have to hurry, as I need to be back on time for breakfast at Hogwarts."
"Thanks, Whisker," Rebecca replied, gratefully, gently squeezing her best friend's hand.
A short while later, Harry woke up by the healer's fussing, and ten minutes later, he was released into her care. Rebecca walked with him the small distance to Team room 13, where she lowered her hood and changed into Arabella Figg, before she sat down with the child on her lap.
"Harry, you know me, don't you?"
Emerald eyes met hers, and a small smile crossed the child's face, before he nodded.
"Your relatives don't treat you well, do they?"
Harry nodded again. "I am a freak, and people don't like freaks." His voice was thin and barely audible; however, Rebecca had heard every single word.
"You are not a freak. You are a wonderful child. You are a wizard. That's why you occasionally do magic, which is why the Dursleys call you a freak. They are probably jealous, because they cannot do magic. Do you want to live with someone else, who will be able to love you and accept you as you are? As a wonderful little boy who can do magic?"
Harry's eyes widened in surprise, before he gave her a small nod.
"Very good. I will take you to my sister. She knows about magic, but she can't do magic herself. I know that she'll love to have you with her." Rebecca nodded, contentedly. 'Thank Merlin I already discussed this possibility with Regina months ago,' she thought in relief. 'I wouldn't be able to take him in myself with my two personas and Artemis' job at Hogwarts, and Regina is the kindest woman I can imagine.'
'Regina, I'm going to take Harry to you now,' she telepathically forewarned the Squib, before she took Harry straight to her sister and female best friend.
tbc... ? (only if there is interest)
