untitled

A/N: Okay, I know some of you don't like the idea of Harry's return to the Dursley's but it'll work out to everyone's advantage, trust me. A funny thing I discovered though. When using my spell check, it always wanted to change Vernon to Vermin, and Dudley to Deadly. Kinda weird , huh, but fairly appropriate? Well, enjoy! This has more of a feel like Summer, at least to me, but I can't wait to get to the Burrow! I'm really sad that "my font" doesn't show anymore.


Chapter Two - Shifts in Circumstances


Harry couldn't believe he'd heard Ivy correctly, but when Hermione wailed "Oh. Mom, no!" he knew he had.

"We've just gotten back! Can't he at least wait until tomorrow?" she pleaded. "Isn't there an awful lot to do today, cleaning up, putting things away? It's just too much for me to do alone!"

Harry had to laugh at this. When had anything been too much for Hermione, as far as work went? But he wondered why Ivy was sending him back to the Dursleys'. Had she or Chris seen him going into her room or, even worse, coming out? He knew his face had been all hot and red then, and he wouldn't have noticed hearing any doors open or close. At least they couldn't know how he'd felt.

Ivy 's next words, though they didn't make him happy, did at least make there seem a glimmer of hope. "Don't whine, Hermione," she said, only half jokingly. "We've just gotten back, there's virtually nothing to clean up or put away, except your own clothes and things. As you've taken care of those since you were six, I see no need for Harry to stay and help you put clothes on hangers"

"Harry will only be with his family for a short time," she continued. "We'll be leaving for the Burrow within a few days, and the time to leave for Hogwarts is getting short. Chris and I will need to be there for at least a week before term begins, so you and Harry will need to stay with the Weasleys. Unless you'd rather visit the Dursleys, Hermione?"

'Well, this all made perfect sense,' Harry thought. He did need to pack the things he'd left there, though there wasn't a lot. And he knew Hermione's parents would be busy getting ready for such a change in their lives. He had just hoped he'd be allowed to help, but he guessed this was a family thing and they didn't.....

"Ivy has another part of her summer plan that needs to be completed, Harry," Chris told him, apparently noticing Harry's face had fallen to the floor, practically.(At least it felt that way to him.) We need to make sure the entire family has experienced the Amiability Charm, and you know, there is one member we haven't completely addressed."

Aunt Marge?" Harry asked. "I really hadn't given her much thought since we left her in Paris. Wonder how THAT trip went?"

"Not the way she expected, but Chris is right, things need to be completed and we must be sure the Charm is still strong and working effectively with the others. I've been out of the magical world for some time and they may be due for reinforcing. I hope it will not happen, but if there's any chance you'll need to go back there, and quickly, I have to be sure they'd not only take you in, but not react badly while you're there. We don't need to have a repeat of anything similar to the "First Year Letter" fiasco!"

Harry saw Hermione turn a bit pale and look very worried. He felt that way too but he also knew Ivy was right to be thinking realistically. He remembered how angry he'd been when Cornelius Fudge had refused to believe anything other than a terrible accident had taken place at the Triwizard Tournament.

They really had no idea what they would be facing this year, and even if being at Hogwarts, with Dumbledore there was safer than anyplace else, anything could change. Unwillingly, he remembered the tired look on the Headmaster's face after the tournament and felt a shiver go down his spine. 'Well, still,' he thought.' Professor Dumbledore looked young enough when he was handling that bludger, in Paris.'

"So when's she coming?" he asked. "And will old Ripper be coming along as well? Crookshanks will adore that. Right, Hermione?" Harry smiled at Hermione as he tried to cheer her up, and she seemed to realize he was attempting to put his gloomy thoughts and feelings aside, out of necessity. She smiled back at him, not much of a smile, it was true, but at least she was trying.

"Not only Ripper, but Marge's friend, Colonel Fubster," answered Ivy." If all goes well, you can go back to the Dursleys' with them. If I have any doubts that it has gone well, you'll stay here with us. I won't throw Harry to the "manticores", unless I know they've been made harmless."

"Okay, Mom," Hermione replied, looking embarrassed to have been so transparent about not wanting Harry anyplace unpleasant, but also distinctly relieved. "I guess I can't ask for more than that."

Harry couldn't think why Ivy would look so pleased about all this, aside from a group that contained Voldemort and Malfoy, the trio she'd just named sounded worse than any he could think of! "We'll use the same Charm on Marge that I used on Dudley and Vernon. Hermione, you, Harry and Crookshanks will have the fun of working with Ripper. I have a potion all ready for him."

"What about Colonel Fubster," asked Harry. He'd never met the man, but any friend of Aunt Marge.....

Ivy laughed and Harry could, for a moment, see why muggles thought witches could be bad news. That laugh was something he wouldn't want to hear if it had anything to do with him.

"Colonel Fubster is an old Army career man," she told them. "And Petunia has not been tending Dudley's diet and exercise as she ought to. For the boy's sake, I thought it would be wise for Colonel Fubster to use his army skills, and my exercise and diet plan to get Dudley in better shape. I have some persuasion all planned for him."

Harry and Hermione looked at each other and began to laugh, until tears were ready to pour and Harry was holding his aching sides. Seeing this would be worth being on Privet Drive for a few days, he thought.

"I.... I think I should come over for another dinner," Hermione gasped, when she could speak. "Maybe we all should!"

"That's a possibility," Chris replied, his eyes twinkling too. "Before we leave for the Weasleys' home, it would be good to see how they're all functioning together-and how strong your mother's potions and Charms are!"

Harry had to admit, he was a bit surprised the Ministry was allowing this, since ordinarily very little magic was practiced with muggles involved. He remembered Ron's dad telling him about penalties for muggle baiting and the way some wizards enjoyed shrinking keys and things, so muggles couldn't find them. Ivy must have some strong powers and some strong influence for this to be allowed.

The rest of the morning passed pleasantly, but uneventfully. He and Hermione played with his birthday gift from Sirius, Ivy talked to them about their part in the plan (he was going to enjoy this, Harry thought, remembering the times Ripper had chased him up a tree, or tried to attack him) and did some food shopping for Ivy. Before they left, Chris had told them to be sure to get some extra food that Harry could take to his Aunt and Uncle's house, since the food there would be very sparse. He almost wished Chris hadn't said that, because Hermione had insisted on getting a whole basket of various snacks and tinned foods for him to take along. When he protested that it was a lot for a few days, she'd said, "That's, OK, you can bring what's left to the Weasleys, and we'll finish it up there." He had to admit, that was a good idea, Fred and George were probably missing their trips to the Hogwarts kitchen by now.

Back at the Grangers', Hermione had coaxed him up to the attic, saying she needed help bringing her school trunk down, After they'd climbed the steep steps though, he found his best friend had other ideas and they passed a pleasant time, making sure they still enjoyed, as Hermione had told Hagrid "having other things in common." He had told her how good she felt in the silver dress and she had slipped behind a screen and reappeared in a blue dress that had the same feel. They were curled together in their favorite windowseat spot, and Harry was just enjoying holding Hermione, and smelling the fresh scent of her hair and skin, when he felt her tense slightly.

"What's wrong?" he asked. "Did I do something? Or not do something?"

"No," she answered with a sigh. "It's just that, the closer we get to the beginning of term, the more I wonder what we're facing. You know, this summer has been sort of a "time out" but I feel we're going back into the real thing. And I hate feeling this way, Harry! You know, I'm always so excited at this time of the year, knowing I'll be back at Hogwarts, learning all sorts of things, and back with you and Ron and the others."

"You think you're usually excited by now? This is the first year I haven't had a mark off calendar all summer!" He pulled her to him a little tighter and tried to say something comforting. "But Hermione, think about this... you won't have to miss your parents this year. If it were anyone else's parents I'd kind of wish they weren't going to be watching us all the time but yours aren't that way. 'Course I don't know how thrilled they'd be to see us now."

"Not especially," she giggled, and slid her arms around his neck." I don't really think it's a problem though. When we came up, they were "deciding" what to take to Hogwarts, and what to leave behind. If it hasn't turned into a full fledged battle by now, it will, once they reach the books!"

"So....?" Harry whispered." We are very, very forgotten and alone? The answer to a wizard's dreams!"

***(Now it's up to you and your wildly hormonal-or not!- imaginations, for a bit. Just remember they are FIFTEEN, this is MY story, and by now, some of you know me pretty well!) ( I'd love to know how the blanks were filled in, or would I?)

Only a few hours later, Harry was riding in the back of Colonel Fubster's car, with Ripper looking adoringly at him from the floor. He still had to smile when he thought of the way Ripper had scrambled to try to climb a tree when Crookshanks came out to chase him, but after a while they had begun to feel sorry for the dog, even Crookshanks. While Ivy and Chris were occupied with Marge Dursley and her friend, he and Hermione had amused themselves by teaching Ripper to attack a picture of Dudley. And they hadn't even used magic, except to make a picture of Dudley larger. Hermione had cut some pants out of a very large piece of material, and they had stuck on pockets and hidden some tidbits in the pockets. Ripper had now gotten the idea and would, when they showed him the picture, rip off the pockets, even when they were empty! The rest of the time, he followed Harry around and drooled on his shoes. Harry asked Hermione whether there was an anti-drool spell, and she'd found one immediately. After one "Evaporatum Salavicus !" Ripper seemed content to keep his mouth closed, and his drool to himself. Harry wasn't sure he wasn't imagining things, but Crookshanks had been in Hermione's arms when they left, with a more smug, self -satisfied look on his squashed in face than usual, almost as if he was saying to Harry, "Hermione is all mine now!"

He shook his head, as if to clear it.Was he jealous of a cat? However, Crookshanks was certainly no ordinary cat.

Aunt Marge, as he had expected, was not especially delighted to see him, but she also wasn't as unpleasant as she had once been. Ivy's Charm had been successful though, since, before she left the Grangers' , she'd pulled out a huge box of chocolates, handing them to Harry to share with his friend. She told them she'd bought them for Dudley, but he wasn't to be allowed such things any longer.

He knew Hermione would probably throw hers away, but he thought he might enjoy strolling around the garden at his aunt and uncle's while Dudley was busy with his new exercise regimen. Marge had told them she was shocked that Petunia wasn't taking better care of her nephew's health, and was in the front seat with Colonel Fubster, discussing exercises and "running" on a track. That would be fun to see. The only running Dudley had done was to run to the refrigerator during a television advertisement.
Soon they arrived at Four Privet Drive, and Harry groaned when he noticed the rose bushes looked a bit straggly. Would Petunia have him out pruning before the day was over? The front door also looked faded, and he imagined the garden bench did too. Were they saving all the work for his return, or, after Ivy's Charm, did they just not care? He hid a snicker,as he imagined his aunt, lying in front of the television, eating candy and watching the TV, instead of rushing about, obsessively cleaning and spying on the neighbors.

Looking at the front seat, he could tell he wasn't the only one to notice some changes.

"What's happened to your brother's house, Marge?" Colonel Fubster blustered. " It was perfectly tidy the last time I was here. With a teenage son to help, there's no excuse for this shabbiness."

Harry could see Marge's face darken, and he thought 'Oh, no, now she'll defend her precious "neffie" and Colonel Fubster will just leave!' He needn't have worried, however, since Marge turned to him and said, "I see the one who's been doing the work around here all this time has been you, Harry. As soon as you left with the Grangers, Vernon and Petunia let everything go. We've gotten here just in time to make sure Dudley's trained to takeover. It will probably take both of you to do it though."
Once again Harry had to hide a snicker, but couldn't help feeling happy. 'This ought to be fun,' he thought as they got out of the car.'Me, training Dudley, after all those years of him, lying around, watching me work, while he ate everything but the couch!' They went to the door, and it was opened by Petunia, who greeted Aunt Marge with the usual "air kisses" and exclamations. Then she seized Harry and gave him a hug that rivaled Mrs. Weasleys for force, but wasn't nearly so pleasant, due to the sharpness of all Petunia's bones! This was more like being squeezed by some insect with a hard shell! He couldn't help thinking longingly of the hug from Hermione, before he'd left. A lot of force there, too, but what a difference. She sure did manage to feel soft in all the right places, while still being small enough for him to ....

"Harry!" Dudley shouted, shaking Harry from the thoughts that were so pleasant. " Mum said you'd be back today, but we'd nearly given up. How was the trip? Guess it was great, traveling with Hermione. D' you think she'll come over for a visit before we begin school."

'Not if I have anything to say about it!' Harry thought fiercely, but then he remembered Dudley was going to be in for a pretty tough time for a while. And he was acting perfectly, well, not normal, for Dudley, but like a real person.

"She might," he answered, cautiously, not wanting to commit to anything. " I've got a couple of CDs for you, Hermione and I got them in Paris." It was a good thing he had listened to Hermione, who told him this might be a good idea, whether Dudley was friendly or back to his normal self, when they met again. He noticed Dudley did look more like a baby whale than ever, and he could tell, from the look on Colonel Fubster's face that he was thinking the same, or worse.

Aunt Marge was also surveying Dudley, and then she turned to Petunia. " It's time we helped Dudley, Petunia. We've all spoiled him and now look.... he can barely get through the doors!"

Harry saw Dudley's face go a bright red, but he also had a look of surprise that made Harry want to laugh. Dudley was accustomed to Aunt Marge, and his mum and dad too, finding no fault with anything he did. He did feel a bit sorry for Dudley, though he'd never expected such a thing to happen, not in a million years.

The group moved into the Dursley's living room and when Colonel Fubster sat down, he pulled out a folder, and opened it. "Petunia, I have a plan here for helping Dudley. Dr. Granger has added some nutritional ideas and I've worked out an exercise regimen. Marge and I hope you'll let us take on his care for a bit."

At this, Dudley's face had a look Harry hadn't seen since last year, when he'd eaten one of Fred and George's Ton Tongue Toffees. Aunt Petunia, however, was nodding in agreement and Dudley was looking more horrified by the moment, as he listened to Aunt Marge's friend outline the diet and exercise that would be his new life. Harry settled back contentedly on the couch, listening. He reckoned after hearing all this, he'd be heading back to the Grangers' house (and Hermione!) very soon. Of course Uncle Vernon hadn't arrived yet, but surely if the rest of the muggles were this way, Vernon would be no problem.
(Oh yeah?)

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, and this is being written without the permission of JK Rowling or Warner Brothers, or Scholastic, or any of those other power things. I'd like to hope JK would have a chuckle or two at what's happened before and what's coming up though. Thanks, very big thanks, go to 007 for ALL the beta reading he's done, plus the encouragement to keep me going. Please check out his new story "Power", it's simply spiffing. And come back soon to see whether Vernon needs a reinforcing Charm, and whether the "baby whale" survives.