Harry and Mrs. Figg prepared tuna sandwiches in the kitchen. Mrs. Figg
didn't seem to let Harry's' celebrity status in the wizarding world bother
her one bit. Harry was very impressed and needed to know why.
"How come you never treated special or you know like a celebrity? Most
witches and wizards do." He said spreading the tuna over bread.
She snorted, "Harry, I have changed your diapers. You are just a boy like
any other."
"I wish." Harry said.
Mrs. Figgs face softened. "Harry, you just need to go with the flow of
life. I know things are hard. You haven't been dealt a fair hand, but not
many have. You have been doing an outstanding job playing with your hand,
Harry. You really have. Now, pull out the glasses and I will fetch the
others.
Harry finished setting the table, and sat down. The others joined him.
Snape had a scowl on his face. Lee Lee was giggling as he set her down in
her high chair. They all ate in silence except for Lee Lee who insisted on
throwing her crusts at everyone.
Snape helped to clear the table and Mrs. Figg used her wand to wash the
dishes. They all returned to the sitting room. You could have cut the air
with a knife because of all of the tension.
The front door was thrown open and a tall attractive blonde woman entered
the room, slamming the door behind her. "Damn that blundering buffoon!",
she cried.
Lee Lee jumped up from her coloring, "Mummy!" she squealed running up to
the strange woman.
The woman scooped her up, smiled and kissed her. "Hey, munchkin."
Mrs. Figg sat reading the Daily Prophet. She looked over her paper and
said, "What did Fudge do now, dear?"
The woman sat down on the coach next to Harry. She handed the little girl
to Snape and smiled. "Oh, nothing really. He fired me."
Mrs. Figg dropped her paper. She looked angry and Harry thought there
might be some trouble.
"He what?", the old woman screeched.
"Fired me mother.", the strange woman said. She turned to Harry. "Hello,
Harry. I'm Alex otherwise known as Tibbles."
"Hi." He said weakly.
"So, what did your poison tongue do this time Alex?", Snape asked bouncing
Lee Lee on his knee.
She looked at Snape gravely. "Scotland Yard found Kakarofs body. The Dark
Mark was floating over head. We had to alter over seventy muggles minds.
Fudge refused to face the music and I tried to help him understand." Alex
shrugged. "So, he fired me."
"Alexandra, what did you say to him?" Mrs. Figg asked sharply.
"Mum, I told him exactly what I have just told you. Nothing more.", she
covered Lee Lees ears and whispered, "well, I may have said something about
his head being stuck up his arse."
Lee Lee giggled, "Mummy! Dat is bad."
"Not when you are telling the truth sweet heart." Alex assured her.
Snape set Lee Lee on Alex's' lap and headed to the door. Mrs. Figgs voice
rang out sharply halting his progress. "Where do you think you are going
Severus Snape?"
He turned to face her. "I have to leave aunt Arabella. I am a danger to
you all."
"No, you are going to stay here. Albus wants you here. We want you here.
Should we send Harry away as well? Voldemort wants his head on a platter.
Hell, he wants Dumbledore's head on a platter, he should probably leave
Hogwarts. He is too dangerous to have around.", she answered back
sarcastically.
"Albus is needed to protect Hogwarts. If he left Voldemort would be
running that school", Snape said angrily.
"Well, we need you too." Alex said. "Sit down cousin."
Snape eyed Lee Lee and Harry and shook his head, "No, I am too dangerous to
have around. Think of the children."
"Professor, if anyone needs to leave it is me. Five people have been
murdered because of me." Harry said angrily.
"What are you talking about Potter?" Snape asked sarcastically.
"Don't you remember? During my third year at Hogwarts. The shrieking
shack? Sirius and Professor Lupin were going to kill wormtail. I stopped
them, and because of that wormtail escaped." Harry stood up and continued.
"Because of me he returned to Voldemort and helped him return stronger than
ever. They used my blood to bring him back. It's all my fault." Harry
whispered as tears began streaming down his face. "It would be best if I
just disappeared. Who knows what else I am going to do to cause peoples
deaths."
"Don't cwy Hawwy." Lee Lee cried.
Snape moved toward Harry, but a knock on the door interrupted them. He
quickly hid behind the coat rack, wand at the ready, while Mrs. Figg
answered the door. "Remus!", she said happily, "come in, dear."
Harry quickly wiped his face with his sleeve. Remus Lupin and a large
black dog entered the house. Remus was grinning from ear to ear. "Hello,
Harry." He said as the large black dog bounded on Harry's chest knocking
him to the ground.
Harry laughed and pushed the dog away. "Stop Sirius." Harry cried
exasperatedly.
The dog transformed into his true self and helped Harry off of the ground,
pulling him into a bear hug. "How have you been Harry?", he said pulling
away. His eye brow arched, "Have you been crying?"
Sirius glared at Snape, "What did you say to him you greasy git!"
Snape glared back, "We were just discussing how Harry believes he is to
blame for Voldemorts return."
Sirius looked at Harry, "It isn't your fault Harry. He would have come
back with or without wormtail."
"From what I understand Mr. Potter, Barty Crouch was fighting his fathers
curse. He would have overtaken him eventually. It all would have happened
with or with out Pettigrew." Snape said sitting down.
Lee Lee jumped off of her mothers lap and climbed into her cousin's lap.
"You stayin?" she asked.
Snape nodded, "Yes, I am staying."
"What exactly did we walk into here?" Remus asked.
Mrs. Figg smiled. "We were just bonding."
Harry grinned at Remus. "Hello, Professor."
"You can call me Remus, Harry. I am not your professor anymore.", Remus
said with a wink.
"What are you two doing here?" Harry asked in disbelief. "I thought you
were hiding."
Sirius grinned, "We are hiding. We are just hiding with you."
"Cool," Harry said, "Hey Sirius, Dudley said I was going to have a new dog
to protect me at the Dursleys. You don't know anything about that do you?"
"Oh, I might know a thing or two about it.", he answered slyly.
Harry turned to Remus, "Coach Witherspoon, I presume."
Remus looked surprised and confused. "What are you talking about Harry?"
"You are Dudleys coach. Dudleys coach just happens to get sick around the
full moon and cancels practice. I know it is you." Harry said.
Sirius and Remus looked at one another seriously. "I honestly don't know
what you are talking about Harry." Lupin said.
Harrys grin faded, "Then, Dudleys coach is a werewolf!"
"That is something worth investigating." Mrs. Figg said. "What was his
name again, Witherspoon?" She stood and went into the kitchen. Alex
followed her with a worried look on her face.
"Is Dudley in trouble? I thought it was you Pr- er Remus. Dudley has
really lost a lot of weight. I thought it was you. Coach Witherspoon has
really gotten under Dudleys skin.I thought you were using some kind of
charm to help motivate him or something." Harry said in a bewildered tone.
Lee Lee crawled off of Snapes lap and into Harrys. "Don't wowwy Hawwy,
mummy wiww fix it." She said patting his arm.
Alex and Mrs. Figg entered the room heading for the door. Mrs. Figg barked
orders. "Severus, Remus, and Alex are with me. Sirius you stay here with
the children. Albus said he has no idea who this person is. There have
been attacks in the vicinity caused by a large animal! Harry you may have
been right."
Sirius gaped. "Why do I have to stay here?" His question was answered by
the slamming of the door.
Lee Lee grinned at him. "Wanna play?"
