Petunia had been helping Molly with breakfast when the doorbell rang. As the Weasleys had not been expecting guests in addition to Harry, Dudley, and her, and Arthur would not be home from work yet, she knew who it must be and rushed to answer it. She smiled at the memory of Arthur upon hearing their long-range plans.

"Full integration? I don't believe it, Perkins and I have been preparing since we made the anti-Voldemort amulets theoretical quantum physics books. Most of the muggles never got it, though. Have you decided on the Benevolence yet?"

But Arthur was gone now, and Molly would not be as optimistic at the sight of her visitors.

"Come in, come in," she drawled, hoping she appeared far more casual than she felt. "Now, your presence means you are willing to listen now, I expect?"

"Listen? No, I don't believe a seminar was in our plans for the afternoon," Ella responded coolly, sensing the game the woman wanted to play. "We'll just pick up little Jimmy and be off—we do thank you for taking such good care of the child."

"Oh, and I almost forgot," Barnaby growled, pulling out a revolver, "the Dursleys pay for baby sitters by the hour."

In an instant, all trace of a game was gone; Molly's wand was out and pointed at the man's throat. "Do you want to know what I can do with this? Your little toy will most likely be incinerated in the blaze."

Courtney stepped forward. "Please, I know what tempers you folk have, but we just want the boy back."

"Tempers!" Molly's voice rang to the rafters, rousing the more sluggish Weasleys. "Tempers!" She frowned. "Don't know what you're talking about." But Barnaby had pocketed his firearm.

The red-headed clan made a sleepy entrance to the scene. "Did someone mention Mum's temper? We're the only ones allowed to set her off before breakfast," George

informed his visitors.

"You've certainly done a good job, though," said Fred. "What business are you here on?"

"Dad must have invited them," said Ginny.

Ella pushed her way through Rilla and Courtney, who didn't seem to find Charlie and Fred the least bit offensive for all of their blatant magic origins, and marched up to the young Weasleys. "No, we had to find our own way here, young lady. Your mother seems to have kidnapped my great-grandson!"

"And we've no intention of returning him if you don't hear us out!" Petunia responded. "Thomas Dursley had magical powers, and Dorian can prove it. There's Robert Dursley's diary right there on the table, if you want to look through it."

"Robert? That lying uncle of mine?" Ella was bewildered. "He took Aunt Sally's side. He'd have rather a better chance of credibility if he made up something like that, now, wouldn't he?"

Petunia sighed. They would listen to no reason. She watched a month's worth of hope slip through her fingers. "When is the last time any harm was done to your family? Make no mistake, our ministry knows where you are. Why haven't they wiped you out yet?"

Barnaby frowned. "Don't ask me to fathom how your lot thinks."

She glanced downward. "Molly, get the boy."

Dorian would not be so awful, she decided, as Jimmy was retrieved from Ginny's old playpen (built with wizard space to take up an entire room of toys). He had been so sure of this plan—but there would be others. They did not need ministry approval, not if they kept their plans hidden well enough, but it sure would have helped. She looked up and saw the future of two worlds rush out Molly's crooked door.

But not all of it.

Rilla had stooped down on the pretence of grabbing her dropped handkerchief, and Courtney was with her. Once the rest of the Dursleys had crossed the border in their haste, there would be no coming back for the two young women.

Rilla stood up. "We believe you. We have a Dursley seal ring each; will that serve your purposes?"

Courtney spoke up. "What do you need our help for, anyway?"

Petunia smiled broadly. "The rings will do just fine." She began to explain.