I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.

Extended Family

Chapter 49 – Storied History

Takes place before chapter 37.

"How is she feeling?" Hermione asked.

Harry rubbed his face. "A little better. She's still sick, obviously, has to stay in bed. They said the best thing to do is let it run the course but I wish I could do more for her."

"You've done a lot, don't think otherwise," Hermione said soothingly.

"Thanks. I'm just worried. I really wish I didn't have to play today. Shelia is sick too and we don't have another reserve right now. If we both don't play it's basically a forfeit. Katie couldn't get out of St Mungo's either today or else she'd be here."

"Hey that's what I'm here for and the others. We'll be fine. You go do your job and don't worry too much. If anything happens, you know we'll call you or Katie or Samantha or Andromeda. It'll be fine, you can trust us."

"I know," Harry said with a sheepish expression. "I just…well…I don't want her to be alone. You know…"

She hugged him. "I know. And you know that the circumstances are entirely different. Go on. We'll be fine."

Harry nodded. He opened the bedroom door and went in to give Dahlia a kiss and a hug. "I'll be back as soon as I can, okay Dally? Don't worry, you'll be taken good care of by everyone today. I'll bring your favorite treat home too. I promise."

"Okay," Dahlia said, coughing and sniffling a little. "Have a good game. Come home soon."

"I will. I love you, flower." Another kiss and Harry left reluctantly.

"Hi Auntie Hermione," Dahlia said weakly, rubbing her eyes.

"Hi Dally," Hermione said. She set up a floating desk beside Dahlia's bed and sat down in a chair. "I'll be spending time with you first. Okay, let's take a check, shall we?" She took Dahlia's temperature and checked her over with a charm. "Yup, you're still a girl." She smiled at Dahlia's giggle. "Your fever is a little lower but we need to make sure you have plenty of fluids and to take your medicine. Your daddy left lots of soup and stew in the ice box and I'll warm it up whenever you want it. Think you can sleep a little for me?"

Dahlia nodded. "You'll be here with me?"

"I'm not leaving this spot unless it's to use the washroom. Don't worry Dally. I'm here." Hermione tucked the grey stuffed cat beside Dahlia and smiled softly as Dahlia slipped into sleep. Hermione worked for a while, reading contracts and making adjustments to them, referencing law books. Eventually she realized Dahlia was lying there quietly, watching her. "Can't sleep? Am I making too much noise?"

"No, just don't feel like sleeping. I don't like being sick."

Hermione smiled. "I hate being sick too. What can I do to help you feel better?"

"Stories?"

"I can do that! What story would you like to hear?"

Dahlia looked thoughtful. "Maybe a new one?"

Hermione thought for a moment. "Okay, I have one for you. I think you will like it. There once was a little girl, older than you but still little. She was in a big castle and though she had seen castles before, this was the first time she lived in one. She was there to learn things and at first, she was so excited to learn. But she had a terrible secret. She was very lonely."

"That's sad," Dahlia sniffled.

"It was. She had no friends. Not even at home. She was always lonely and buried herself in books to try and appear like an adult, to be smart. She desperately wanted people to like her and she thought by being smart, people would. But no one seemed to like her and that made her miserable."

"I would've been her friend," Dahlia said.

Hermione smiled. "She would have loved that. One day, she was trying her best in class and she thought she was helping but she did it in a bad way. Someone said something dreadfully mean to her and it was too much for her to handle. She hid in the restroom and cried for hours, asking for her mummy and daddy to come save her."

Dahlia whimpered sympathetically, reaching out with a hand that Hermione gratefully took.

"Then when she thought nothing worse could happen, it got worse. A troll, a big terrible monster that was so big came into the restroom. It had a club that was many times your height and weight and the girl was frozen stiff from fear."

Dahlia hugged her stuffed cat and held Hermione's hand, enthralled.

"But then, the door opened and two small boys ran in. One of them distracted the troll and climbed up its back, shoving his wand deep into its nose." Hermione smiled at Dahlia's cry of disgust. "The other boy cast a spell and yanked the troll's club away and dropped it on the troll's head, knocking it out. They saved the little girl."

Dahlia cheered. "They saved her!"

"They did! And ever since, they have been friends. Like many friendships, there have been ups and downs, but they are still friends even to this day."

Dahlia blinked slowly. "Were you the little girl?" she asked.

"I was. Can you guess who the boys were?"

"Daddy?" Dahlia squealed happily when Hermione nodded. "And…was it Hadley's daddy?"

"No, it was your uncle Ron."

"Uncle Ron? But he runs from everyone!"

Hermione laughed heartily. "He runs from us when he knows he's in trouble but he is very brave and kind too."

"Not as brave and kind as Daddy!"

"No, not as brave and kind as your daddy," Hermione agreed with a smile. "But few are."

Dahlia tugged on Hermione's hand until Hermione sat on the bed and Dahlia hugged her around the waist. "I'm glad Daddy saved you."

"Me too. He's my very best friend. And that's why you're my favorite niece, even though we aren't technically related."

"Daddy says you don't have to be related to be family," Dahlia said sagely.

Hermione blinked away a tear. "No, you don't have to at all," she agreed solemnly.

"I'm glad you're my auntie. I love you."

Hermione hugged her tightly and teared up more when the hug was returned tenfold. "I love you too."

-0-

Luna opened the door and peeked in, "Oh hello there," she said warmly. She waved at Dahlia who waved back.

"Hi Luna," Hermione greeted with a smile. "How was the meeting?"

"Very good, thank you. The customer was very pleased with the painting and I made an embarrassingly large amount of money."

"You get paid for what you do, you deserve it."

"That is very kind of you to say." Luna looked over at Dahlia eating a bowl of stew. "How is Dally?"

"A little better, eating her lunch as you see. She needs to take her medicine after this."

"I will make sure she does."

"Thanks. I gotta run to the firm for a while. I'll see you later Dally, okay? I'll come back tonight." She kissed the little girl's forehead and left after hugging Luna.

Luna cast a charm after clearing the dishes away and having the girl drink a potion. "You seem to be doing better. How do you feel?"

"A little chilly and achy still," Dahlia said. "Will you sit with me?"

"I would very much like that." Luna sat on the bed, resting her back against the headboard, and smiled when Dahlia draped herself over Luna's lap. She slowly ran her fingers through the girl's dark blonde hair. "Better?"

"Mmhmm," Dahlia murmured. "Thank you."

"You are very welcome. Did you get some rest earlier?"

"A little, but I couldn't sleep. Auntie Hermione told me a story."

"Would you like another one?"

"Yes please. She told me a story of when she was little."

"Did she?" Luna hummed softly. "Oh, well if that is the theme, I think I have a good story for you then. I do not have many good stories from my younger years but I do have this one." She cleared her throat softly. "I was unfortunate because I was in a different House than your daddy and mummy and most of your aunties. I was very alone."

"You didn't have friends either?"

"No I did not. I became friends with your daddy and was friends with Auntie Ginny before, but not very close ones. Luckily, your daddy was very kind to me early on and I did not feel that alone, but no one was nice to me in my House. The opposite really. One of their favorite things to do was to hide my things."

"That's not nice!" Dahlia cried indignantly.

"No, it was not nice at all. Very mean in fact. I was very different from them. I believed in things they did not. It bothered them so they took it out on me."

"Like nargles and wrackspurts and things?" Dahlia asked. "That's not nice to be mean just because you think different."

"It's not. You are so much smarter than they were and they were much older than you." Luna hugged her tightly. "However, that was what happened. For more than two years, they hid my things and said many terrible things to me."

She wiped a tear from Dahlia's cheek. "Do not cry Dally. It happened very long ago and it was stopped in the most wonderful way. You see, one day I was following a path of wrackspurts and found them bothering your daddy. He was having a bad day and I managed to find him and help him." She continued to gently brush Dahlia's hair with her fingers, looking back into yesteryears.

"I was fortunate to help him you see but the wonderful thing about you daddy is despite his problems, he always manages to see other people's problems. He noticed that I did not have any shoes and socks. All of mine were taken and hidden. He said he was going to help me and I confess that at the time, I did not believe him."

"Why not?"

"Because he was in a different House and only a year older. I did not think he could help me. But wonderfully, I was very wrong." Luna smiled. "That night, the Ravenclaw Prefects came into the tower and started shouting. They were yelling at everyone, demanding that my things be returned. The others, the ones that took my things, tried to lie and say they did not know what the prefects were talking about. The prefects, for the first time in years, did not believe them. They shouted and the one that shouted loudest said: 'I'm not risking going against the Head Boy over this!'. He was genuinely frightened by the Head Boy."

"Was it Daddy?"

"No but your daddy became Head Boy much later. The Head Boy that year was your uncle Percy."

"Uncle Percy is so nice though! Why would anyone be frightened of him?"

"Because your uncle Percy is a true lion. He was calm and majestic on the surface but when roused, his wrath was loud and terrible. He made the Ravenclaw prefects listen and they found all of my things. They said that if anyone bothered me again, they would stop it. The next day, Professor Flitwick came to the tower and was even more frightening. He punished the worst of the ones that treated me poorly and for the rest of my years at school, they never bullied me again."

"That's good," Dahlia said, relieved. "Oh! Did Daddy ask Uncle Percy for help?"

"He did. He went to him and asked him to help me. And that is what happened."

"I'm glad he did that."

"Me too. Your daddy was my first friend and my big brother and I love him very much. All that I am now is thanks to him." She hugged Dahlia tightly. "And I love you very much."

"I love you too," Dahlia said, her voice muffled as she buried her face into Luna. "I'm happy you're here with us."

"I would be nowhere else," Luna said softly.

-0-

Dahlia grumbled a little, waking up. She did not know when she fell asleep, the last thing she remembered was cuddling with Luna. Now she was blinking slowly, realizing that she was covered in things and something was being lowered onto her head. She squinted a little, slowly focusing on the woman with dark brown hair balancing one of her plushies on her head. "Hi Auntie Taffy!"

"Hi Dally! No, don't move!" Tracy sighed when Dally sat up and her plushies fell every which way. "I had seven balanced on you! My personal best."

Dahlia giggled. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, we can try again another time. How are you feeling, little banshee?"

Dahlia opened her mouth wide and made clawing motions with her fingers. Normally she would screech but her throat was still sore. "I feel a little better. Did Auntie Luna leave?"

"She did but she said she would be back later tonight too."

"That's good." She opened her arms wide and Tracy sat on the bed and pulled her onto her lap.

"Don't get me sick now, you hear?" Tracy said as she positioned Dahlia comfortably on her lap.

"She cannot help it," Daphne said severely, walking into the room with a floating tray beside her. "Besides, it is a children's illness. Adults are typically immune but since it is you, perhaps you have cause to be wary."

"Dally, Auntie Daffy is being mean to me," Tracy whined, making Dahlia giggle.

"Auntie Daffy told me that she's never mean to you. She does it to keep you in line."

"Did she now?" Tracy glared at an unrepentant Daphne. "She misbehaves more than me, don't listen to her."

"Do not lie to her," Daphne said severely, pinching Tracy's foot and making her yelp. "Drink some water Dally and you may spill a little on Auntie Taffy."

Dahlia drank the water and did not spill any. She sighed softly, wriggling comfortably in Tracy's lap. "What time is it?"

"The game hasn't started," Tracy said, guessing Dahlia's question. "Sorry Dally."

"We are watching you for a bit before Alicia comes over. She will stay with you until the game ends and your daddy and mummy get back." Daphne smiled at Dahlia's expression. "Not too much longer."

"I can wait," Dahlia said with a sigh borne from suffering. "Thank you for watching me."

"You're very welcome," Tracy said. "How have you been keeping busy?"

"Auntie Hermione and Luna told me stories from when they were little."

"Ohh, anything juicy that you can tell me?"

"Tracy!"

"What does that mean?" Dahlia asked, scrunching her nose.

"It means something that she does not know and wishes to know for nefarious purposes," Daphne said and pinched Tracy's waist.

"Nefarious means bad right?"

"Yes and good job on your vocabulary."

Dahlia preened at the praise. "No, I don't think so. Auntie Hermione told me the time Daddy saved her from the troll with Uncle Ron. Auntie Luna told me how Daddy stopped people from bullying her with Uncle Percy's help."

"The troll thing was real?!" Tracy exclaimed.

"I do not know why that is a surprise but it is," Daphne shuddered.

"You didn't believe Daddy?" Dahlia frowned.

"More like he never talked about it and we never asked," Tracy said. "Then again, knowing your dad, we really shouldn't be surprised. Hmm, so they told you important stories of how awesome your dad was? They're trying to butter you up."

"They aren't being nefarious," Dahlia said loudly.

"You are so smart," Daphne praised. "And no, I suspect they are not. Hmm, well, I can tell you this story then. It certainly fits the theme." She summoned one of the plushies to her. "Have you seen a real hippogriff yet?"

"No but I've seen pictures. They're really big right?"

"Yes, very big and very scary. They have very sharp claws and razor-sharp beaks."

"Like Hedwig?"

"Much more so than Hedwig, believe it or not. They are much bigger than an owl you see."

"I wish I had a very big Hedwig," Dahlia said dreamily.

"That's legitimately a nightmare," Tracy shivered. "Can you imagine what an enlarged Hedwig could do?"

"Anyways," Daphne said a little louder, "hippogriffs are incredibly prideful. They respond poorly to insults and will react violently. In my third year, ours and your daddy's, we were taking a Care of Magical Creatures class. A…person in my House made the mistake of insulting one to his face. The hippogriff became very angry and it attacked."

Daphne patted Dahlia's hands reassuringly. "Were it not for your daddy's bravery and swiftness, the person and myself and a third would have been terribly injured. The claws would have torn through us like knife through butter and it would have been a very dangerous thing."

"Why did the person do that?! Didn't he know not to do that?"

"Because he was thicker than a cow's arse and the biggest idiot you could ever have the misfortune to meet," Tracy said, her face twisting.

Daphne poked her, giving her a look. "Auntie Taffy is not wrong. He was exceptionally stupid."

"But Daddy saved you?"

"He did, spared me from considerable pain and damage."

"Were you friends then?"

"We were not actually. But that was the moment where I thought it would be nice to be friends with him. You see, our Houses were traditionally enemies and he had no reason to try and help me, or the exceptionally stupid person. However, he did help me because he did not like seeing people get hurt."

"There was a chance you wouldn't have been friends?!" Dahlia cried.

"A very good chance," Daphne said softly and Tracy nodded.

Dahlia teared up. "I would've missed you two so much."

Daphne climbed onto the bed beside Tracy and hugged the small girl tightly, holding her with Tracy. "And we would have missed you very much," Daphne said emotionally. "We love you very much Dahlia, never forget that."

Dahlia burrowed into them. "I love you two too."

They sat in comfortable silence for a long moment. "But you love me a little more, right?" Tracy whispered loudly. She shrieked. "Stop pinching me there!"

"There is more to pinch these days!" Daphne retorted.

"Oh that's it, get her Dally!" Tracy threw Dahlia onto Daphne and the small girl laughed her head off as she and Tracy wrestled with a smiling Daphne.

-0-

"AliMum, what does thicker than a cow's arse mean?"

Alicia quirked an eyebrow. "And where did you hear that from? Wait. What is your aunt Tracy teaching you?"

Dahlia giggled. "Auntie Daffy was telling me about an...exceptionally stupid person in her House and Auntie Taffy said he was thicker than a cow's arse and the biggest idiot."

Alicia snorted. "I know exactly who they are speaking of and they are being polite. Well, you know thick means how a potion can be very thick and slow instead of thin and watery? A person can be thick in the way that they think very slowly, just like a thick potion pours slowly."

"What do cow arse's have to do with that?"

"It's an expression and not a polite one so don't go about repeating it." Alicia waggled a finger at her. "Basically, a cow has a very thick arse as in a large one."

"Oh I see. So thick too 'cause it would think very slowly too?"

"Exactly." Alicia smiled at her. "Clever girl."

Dahlia smiled brilliantly. "Auntie Daffy said I had good vocabulary. I learned that nefarious is bad today."

"What are they teaching you?" Alicia sighed.

Dahlia giggled again. She took her potion medication and watched Alicia clean a few things. "Can I ask you a question?"

"May you, and yes you may."

"You're not related to Mummy or Daddy right?"

"That's correct."

"So you're like the aunties?"

"I'm smarter and more important than them, but that is also correct."

"I'm telling them you said that."

"Please do. They need to be reminded of that often," Alicia smiled.

"Why are you AliMum and not Auntie Alicia?"

"Well for a couple reasons. The main reason is that I'm your godmother, one of your godmothers," Alicia said. "The second is that I am arguably closer to your daddy than your aunties are to him but they would debate that hotly. I am closer to your mummy than they are though."

"And because you think you're smarter and more important."

Alicia tickled Dahlia. "You're so cheeky! But yes, I do think that." She frowned a little. "Do you not like me being AliMum?"

"No! I love it. I was just curious. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry Dally. It's always good to ask questions and to wonder. It's how you learn. The day you decide to stop learning is the day you cease to be smart. I just wanted to make sure because if you said no, I would be heart broken and be sad forever."

Dahlia hugged her tightly. "No, don't be heart broken and sad forever!"

"Well now I won't be, I am reassured." Alicia hugged Dahlia fondly.

"Did Daddy save you too when he was younger?"

"Hmm? What does that mean?" She listened to Dahlia describing her day. "Ahh, I see now. In a small way, yes. Though I saved him far more times." Alicia hummed softly, rubbing Dahlia's back, lost in thought. "My family, the Spinnets, aren't like yours or mine now. They weren't cruel really, but they weren't kind or warm.

"I remember being jealous of your mother and AngiMum. Yes, AngiMum and her brothers fight a lot, but she and her siblings love each other deeply, same with their parents. Your mother and your aunt Lyla are as close as sisters can be. My brother and I…we never quite got along."

She settled back onto the bed, holding Dahlia. "I initially tried to hold your daddy at arm's length. I didn't want to get too close to him. I didn't want to bother with him really. But he needed the help and as I got to know him more, the more I liked him. He treated me well and looked up to me, respected me. I remember thinking that this is what having a brother is like."

Alicia smiled. "One holiday, I had a fight with my mother and went back to school early. Your daddy was there and he talked to me and I still remember how nice it was to just talk to him. He valued me for me and it made me feel heard. And as I watched him try to do things better, it inspired me to do the same. And, well, it is partly because of him why I am with your Uncle Oliver now."

"Is that why you blame Daddy when Uncle Oliver does something to make you mad?"

Alicia laughed. "Yes, exactly. Don't worry, I blame Uncle Oliver more though."

"You're not really mad though, right?"

"No, not at all. I am very happy with Oliver and I am very happy being Hadley and Melanie's mummy. And your AliMum. I just like to say things and be dramatic."

"For ulterior motives?"

"What is Tracy teaching you?!"

"That was Mummy! When Tante Fleur and Tante Gabi visited and I let them stay in my room when Tante Aimee and Tante Colette came, Mummy said I was doing that. Daddy said it was me being sneaky in a good way and when I asked if it was like you, Mummy said yes and to tell you that."

"Did she? Well, she's not wrong but I'm going to get her back," Alicia chuckled. "Also that's not exactly correct but don't worry about that for now."

"I'm glad you became friends with Daddy and Mummy," Dahlia said, lying on Alicia.

"Me too Dally," Alicia said softly, meaning every word.

The door opened and Dahlia squealed happily. "Daddy! Mummy!"

"That was fast," Alicia smiled seeing the couple.

"Caught the Snitch in five minutes," Harry said without any pride or boast. "Wanted to end it fast so I can get back to my baby."

"It was awesome," Katie grinned. "Caerphilly just kind of stared blankly and the stadium was really quiet. They've never lost a game that fast before." She sat on the bed and rested her hand on Dahlia's forehead. "Are you feeling a little better flower?"

She nodded. "All the Aunties and AliMum took good care of me." She blinked a few times at Alicia. "AliMum took the best care."

Alicia grinned and hugged her. "Well of course. Now that you two are back, I better go get my little ones, though Danielle never complains about watching them."

"Let me give you a deep charm clean so the girls don't get sick," Katie said.

"If they do, then you two can watch them," Alicia laughed. "See you later Dally. Love you."

"Love you AliMum!" She waved and watched her mother and godmother leave. She sighed happily when Harry took Alicia's place on the bed and melted into him. "All the Aunties took just as good care of me," she whispered to Harry. "I only said that 'cause AliMum likes hearing it."

Harry laughed heartily. "You're such a smart girl," he praised. "I brought you your favorite cake from Skye Market. Mrs. Tilly says she hopes you feel better soon."

"Mrs. Tilly is really nice," Dahlia said happily. "Thank you, Daddy."

"I told you I'd bring you a treat."

"No, thank you for saving the Aunties."

He looked down at her. "What brought this up?" He smiled softly when Dahlia recounted the stories Hermione, Luna, and Daphne told her. "Well, what they didn't tell you is how they saved me. They always showed me kindness even when I was being thick and moody, always stood at my side no matter what. They showed me how kind people can be, and how not everyone is mean or rude. They saved me as much as I saved them."

"That's nice," Dahlia said. "Just like a family?"

"Yes," he said, hugging her close. "Just like a family."

-0-0-0-

Imaginer.012 - I'm glad to hear that you are doing better. Glad I could help in some small way and wish you the best. You are loved too. Hope you continue to do better and enjoy.

diffident-serpiente - Thank you for thinking of me like that, I don't have a lot of people checking on me like that so you saying that really made my day. I have had some tougher days of work and was a little slower on Monday, so the later post. I do appreciate the sentiment. I didn't find it ridiculous at all. I don't think Thanksgiving is as big in the UK but I'm sure I'll do some more themed holiday chapters. Like I said, the Halloween one was written more than a month prior but some shuffling of chapters made it happen to post on Halloween which was a nice surprise. I haven't started with my next long term project yet, still trying to work some details out and have been going through a different mental space lately, hence Before you Go and Unwanted. I even have another oneshot in the works along the same vein so we will see when I actually start. Hope you are yours are doing well and things have recovered for y'all since the hurricaine.

1529 - Thank you. It's been a while since we had more of a bittersweet one in Extended.

alix33 - Granddog is one of the funnier titles I've come up with.