Chapter 67
Lily met with Dumbledore in front of 4 Privet Drive the next morning.
"Hello my dear. Are you ready to enter the lion's den?" the old wizard chuckled.
Lily, who looked beautifully in her green robes, just nodded. Although, she had slept a lot better that night, she didn't really feel better. She seemed to stay tired and even the thought about food made her shudder.
I'll take a little trip to Hogwarts and let Poppy have a look. Maybe I'm coming down with a simple cold.
It definitely felt like it. Her body was aching terribly and her head felt dull.
"Then let's get I on" Dumbledore cheered. He seemed to enjoy this whole situation immensely.
Lily groaned at the thought about another encounter with her unpleasant relatives while she followed her former headmaster to the entrance door.
She rang the doorbell but nobody opened.
Dumbledore pointed at the living room window and Lily spotted Petunia's horse-like face there next to Dudley's pig-like one including all three of his chins.
"I bet Vernon is in there too" she said and her face showed an angry expression
"They never seem to learn that hiding is not an option when they are dealing with me" Albus chuckled and shook his head pitifully.
He rang the doorbell once more but when he still didn't get any response, he lowered his face to the keyhole and whispered "Open the door please"
The whisper enhanced itself magically while it floated from the entrance hall further into the house and by the time it reached the living room it had developed into a deafening roar.
They didn't hear any footsteps approaching but suddenly the door sprung open and a frightened looking Petunia pulled the two visitors inside.
When Petunia closed the door behind them she hissed "Turn that noise off"
Just then, the whole house was shaking when the whisper blew the living room windows to pieces.
Lily could see Vernon and Dudley dashing behind the couch as the glass fragments were flying at them like arrows.
"Goodness" was all Lily could utter as she watched the pieces of glass turning into blossoms.
"Pretty isn't it" Dumbledore said happily and clapped his hands. Instantly the roaring ended and the old wizard sat down on an armchair next to the broken window.
Vernon peeked over the couch and looked at the disaster. The windows in his living room were gone and the big mirror as well, but the whole place was covered with flowers.
A mere ocean of blossoms.
Lily had to stifle a giggle when her brother-in-law moved his stout body from behind the couch and walked over to the window.
The arrangement of daisies on his head was blending wonderfully with his fiery red face.
Through the empty window frames he recognized a few neighbors staring at him in utter disbelief.
He shrugged his shoulders apologetically and stated nervously "Have you all seen that big meteor that has just crushed in our living room?"
Then he turned around to Dumbledore and hissed "And you get away from the window before anybody finds out that we have to associate with your kind"
Lily now was laughing hysterically and all she was able to utter between fit's of laughter was "Oh yes ... the flower-comet"
Petunia, who felt a bit more confident now that the roaring had ended and no more glass was flying around, marched forward and positioned herself in front of Albus, who was still sitting in front of the window.
"Look at this mess! You better clean that up you old buzzard or –"
"What exactly would you do to me Petunia" Albus said calmly, decorating his long, white beard with some pretty violets.
"You better not talk to my wife like that. From what nuthouse did you escape that you think you can attack us in our own house" Vernon now yelled.
"Nice flower arrangement" Lily giggled. Her mood was definitely improving now because she knew what was coming. Dumbledore was a very understanding man, but even his patience ran out sometime.
Vernon totally ignored her and was tapping his foot impatiently.
"Now, who are you and you better have a good explanation why you've blown up my house"
"Your wife can certainly inform you who I am, Vernon. She knows me better than she wants to. And please do not talk to me in such manner or I will have to get unpleasant"
Vernon now looked at his wife with a shocked expression. "How would you know such a person?"
"Oh to spare Petunia the hassle, I will introduce myself properly. I am Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, former headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot and Chairman of the International Confederation of Wizards."
Vernon dropped on the closest seat with a dull expression on his face.
"Petunia... I had no idea that you have ever been involved with them yourself"
"Oh my dear sister was also tested on magical abilities but fortunately for the world, her magic was so little, that she never could attend the school. I already told you that during my visit yesterday, but I guess you were too occupied with not wetting yourself that you did not fully understand what I was saying"
Vernon shot angry glances at Lily and his wife. He most definitely felt betrayed that he had to find out about it that way. Lily on the other hand thought it was hilarious.
"Now let's get to business. I had to take a bit extraordinary measures to arrest your attention." Dumbledore said airily and flicked his wands.
Then the blossoms transformed back into glass fragments and rebuilt the plate in the windows and in the mirror.
"I trust you have already heard the great news about Dudley" he said and looked from Vernon to Petunia.
"By the way, where is my nephew? Still searching for a cure for his decease?" Lily said sarcastically. "Dudley Dursely! I thought your parents have taught you some manners. Get here and say hello to your new headmaster"
"First of all, Dudley is not going to this school. He's finishing his education at Smeltings and then he will work with me at Grunnings. And even if I would consider sending my son to a school for magic, what I certainly do not, I would send him to a school, whose headmaster has at least a decent haircut"
Lily was now laughing again. She knew that Dumbledore had to get his hair cut every evening; otherwise he would be stepping on it in the morning. His hair was growing so fast that he never could keep it under waist length.
The stout boy left his hideout behind the couch reluctantly and stood close to his mother.
"Excuse me, Vernon, but I have to tell you that you have no say in that matter. Dudley will have to go to a wizarding school. It is too dangerous to let a wizard wander around untrained. He could do a lot of damage." Albus said calmly and waved his wand over the living room table.
Instantly a big bowl of lemon drops appeared and Dumbledore offered them to every one. Lily grabbed a handful but Dudley pinched his lips together and shook his head furiously.
"I have already made all the necessary preparations so that Dudley can come to school after the winter break." And then the white-haired wizard informed the Dursleys what plans he had made.
"He of course will need proper school supplies, so I suggest you take them all to Diagon Alley, Lily"
"Lord have mercy, are you deaf? Dudley IS NOT GOING!" Petunia now shouted.
"Excuse me Albus, but I just can't take this any more."
Lily got up from her seat, crossed the room in two long strides and waved her wand at her sister.
Petunia started to shiver when the spell Lily just casted on her became effective.
Her mouth disappeared and there was nothing left than bare skin, while her ears were growing and growing until they were the size of cauliflowers.
Petunia tried to scream as she recognized her image in the mirror, but no sound could be heard.
"Now you better listen closely to what I'm telling you, if you don't want this to be permanent. Your ears are certainly big enough now that are not going to miss anything" Lily said angrily and waited for her sister to show any signs that she had understood.
After Petunia had nodded anxiously, Lily continued.
"Let me tell you what the ministry is going to do when they find out about his magical abilities, and trust me they will sooner or later. When they see that you are not cooperating, they will send officials to your house. These wizards and witches will modify your memory so that you will never remember that you ever had a son. Dudley will be taken in by a wizarding family and will be raised as a wizard. So if you do not want to lose your son, you better start working with us. The ministry officials didn't have to do that since medieval times, but I trust they would have no qualms to do it again."
Albus had a hard time to remain serious. The ministry would never do such a thing, but if this was the only way to persuade the Dursleys to agree to his plan...
The witch recognized that her sister was trying to speak so she removed the vanishing spell on her mouth.
"I don't want to lose my son" Petunia squeaked anxiously in her high- pitched voice.
"Then all you need to do is to stop acting against us" Lily said now a bit calmer.
Vernon had remained strangely quiet during the whole bickering. The fact that not only his Dudley but also his wife had magical abilities, no matter how small, went way past his limited imagination. It seemed like he had blown a fuse.
He couldn't understand how he could not have recognized it all the time.
Petunia was looking at her husband in dismay. This had been too much for him. His eyes were dull and his hands and head were shaking as if he was suddenly suffering from Parkinson's.
"Oh I think this is settled then. I will send you an invitation letter with all the information you will need. Lily will take you all to Diagon Alley to get his supplies. I trust you will all enjoy the trip immensely" Dumbledore said finally with the familiar twinkle in his eyes.
"Lily would you mind to –", Petunia said abashed and pointed at her ears.
Lily chuckled and removed the engorgement charm before she got ready to leave.
"I will get in contact with you shortly" she said, before she followed Albus' out of the door.
"Have a pleasant day" the old wizard said and smiled before the door closed behind them.
Lily heaved a sigh when she was finally back at headquarters. While she was carefully tiptoeing up the stairs, she had to hold on to the railing. Her head started to spin and she sat down.
James who had heard someone arriving and assumed it was Lily recognized her sitting on the steps.
"Is something wrong with you dear?" he said with a concerned voice and stroked her cheek.
"I'm just a bit dizzy that's all" she said and waved her hand dismissively.
She was still holding on to the railing as she tried to get up.
"You're exhausting yourself, dear" James said sternly as he lifted her up and carried her to their bedroom. "You need to rest more, Lily. All this stress with the Dursleys and your researches is getting too much for you."
He put her down on the bed and took her shoes off. While she laid back and closed her eyes, James started rubbing her feet.
"How did the meeting go?" he asked. "Not too well, James. Vernon and Petunia are not cooperative and Dudley doesn't want to go to Hogwarts at all."
The black-haired wizard left his spot on the bottom of the bed and lied down next to his wife. "The have no other choice, I trust you and Albus have told them what the ministry could do" he said while he placed Lily's head on his chest and started stroking her auburn hair.
Lily smiled sleepily and nodded. The warm and soft bed along with the comforting presence of her husband was all she needed right now.
Soon she was fast asleep and James remained by her side. He looked at her curled up figure next to him and wondered, not for the first time in the past days, how he had managed to survive all those years without her.
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"No Albus, I'm not going to do this. You will not be able to convince me to play the babysitter for muggle children. It's enough that I have to put up with all these dunderheads who claim themselves wizards and I'm not going to tutor a 15 year old boy who is afraid of a stick. Find someone else for this nonsense, because I'm surely not going to waste my time with it." Severus roared, while he was pacing back and forth in front of Dumbledore's desk.
"If you haven't recognized it, but there is a war going on out there" he spat and pointed at one of the windows. "Many wizards and witches will lose their lives in the process and you want me to teach a muggle boy, who doesn't even want to be here"
Albus had watched the potion master's outburst calmly, but now it was time to stop the ranting and start with the work.
"Severus, please sit down and have a lemon drop"
The potion master snorted disgustedly and glared at the potion master with his onyx eyes.
"Mr Dursley is not a muggle boy. The ministry has acted carelessly in this special situation. He needs to be trained by the best teachers available and you" he pointed at Severus "are one of them."
Severus was sitting stiffly on his chair with his arms crossed in front of his chest. His face showed that fury was raging within him and was about to break lose. Dumbledore had known from the start that Severus would be hard to convince, but he needed his help.
"Severus I know this is not a part of your teaching post and I'm not talking to you as the former headmaster, but as your friend. We need all the help that we can get in these dangerous times."
Then Dumbledore's voice became darker and lower. "Believe me the enemy will find out about Dudley Dursley very soon and this boy knows about Lily and James. We cannot risk that Tom finds out about them, before we want him to. Dudley needs to be trained and he needs to understand how serious this situation is."
Severus relaxed slightly and he knew Dumbledore was right. No matter how much he hated the fact, but it was his duty.
"We cannot allow him to slack. He needs to learn in high-speed and you're the only one who can make a strong impression on him. Dudley Dursley needs a firm hand or he will be lost to Voldemort"
Snape nodded and sighed "Well then when is he going to arrive?"
"Lily will take him to Diagon Alley next week and I will send all of them back to school after that by portkey. Dudley will be sorted then and he has enough time to adjust and get comfortable before the students arrive a week later."
"I certainly hope that he's not going to be sorted into my house" Snape said sulkily as he stood up from his chair and proceeded to the door.
"We all do that Severus, we all do" The Sorting Hat said cheekily from his place in the cupboard and the last the potion master heard before the door closed behind him was the chuckles of Dumbledore.
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The rest of the week was quite uneventful. As they had promised, nobody had approached Zara about what Harry had overheard and she didn't show any signs that she wanted to talk about it. It seemed that she he was trying to forget that it ever happened and was as cheerful as ever.
Lily had decided that it would be nice if they would all go to Diagon Alley. She and James would disguise as Molly and Arthur to make sure that nobody would recognize them.
Fred and George were not allowed to go. They were grounded until their return to Hogwarts because of their insolent behavior after the meeting.
Early Monday morning, Lily, James and Sirius gathered the kids together in front of the fireplace in the kitchen.
Ron was rubbing his eyes sleepily and groaned "Why do we have to leave so early? It's still dark outside. We might get lost"
Harry chuckled at the lame attempt of his friend to gain some more time.
Hermione, Zara and Kayla were already wide awake and eager to leave. In their point of view the boys were just lazy as usual.
Ginny had to stay at home, because she was suffering of trollpox. Her whole body was covered with colorful bumps, which were itching terribly. Another symptom of this very common childhood illness was hiccups with a trumpet sound.
Harry felt for his girlfriend. He wasn't even allowed to see her because trollpox were very contagious and his mother had told him that Ginny wouldn't want him to see her in this state.
She had promised the poor girl to stop at the pharmacy and get her a potion to ease the itching.
When everybody, more or less awake, had gathered in the kitchen, they stepped into the fireplace one by one. Lily had already apparated to Privet Drive and would take Dudley to Diagon Alley by portkey.
Harry stepped out of the fireplace into the Leaky Cauldron, the trumpet sounds of Ginny still ringing in his ears.
The rest of his friends soon followed along with James and Sirius.
Before Harry had exited the pub, he already heard a booming voice that sounded very familiar.
"Oh no" he sighed before he stepped outside and saw the inevitable.
His uncle was standing in font of him, pointing at passers-by and carping at them.
"Why did you bring them along?" Sirius asked fretfully as he spotted the angry muggle. "He's going to spoil all the fun"
"They wouldn't let Dudley go alone" Lily sighed. Her face was pale and she had dark shadows around her eyes.
"But don't worry, he won't be too much trouble" she added as she recognized the concerned look of James. "I have casted a soundproofing spell and an invisible harness on him. Nobody can hear him except of us and he can't run away"
Sirius eyes were wide with surprise. "You put a harness on him? I had no idea that they work on adults as well. I always had the impression they would only be strong enough for toddlers?"
Ron chuckled and shook his head. "Trust me, they work on everybody. Mum put them on Fred and George before to make sure they don't run off at Diagon Alley and do something crazy"
Harry had to stifle a laugh and asked "They didn't escape?"
"In the end they did. There are counter-spells to break the contact, but as long as the one controlling the harness is concentrating it's no use. They waited until mum was busy with one of the others and then they were gone"
"I doubt that Vernon even knows that he's wearing one right now, so it's nothing we have to worry about" Lily said with a strained voice.
I need to see Poppy as soon as possible. Something is not right, she thought before she turned towards Petunia and Dudley.
"I trust that you know how to behave. No running off and you're not going to touch anything you don't know. That should be almost everything and even if you do know, be careful."
Dudley snorted in disgust. "I'm not a little boy and you can't tell me anything"
Lily looked at her nephew and growled "You're in my world and you better behave. If you show the same attitude at Hogwarts then you will spend more time in detention than anywhere else. And trust me; detentions with Filch are extremely unpleasant. Right, guys?" she said and turned towards the students.
They all nodded in unison trying hard not to laugh at the sight of Dudley's horror-stricken face.
"First of all we need to get some money "Sirius said and they were on their way to Gringotts.