Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, and no profit is being made.
Summary: See Previous Chapters.

CHAPTER FIVE

Natasja and Henry had considered asking the Creevys to babysit Harry during their Honeymoon week, but that fell through when the Creevys said that they were also taking a holiday at the same time. The others at the station were taking slightly longer shifts to cover for Henry, so they were also out.

So, Harry came with them.

It was summer, so the small family took the chance to spend as much of their time outdoors as they could. Currently, they were spending the morning at Blackpool, and wandering along the pier. They had reached the end of the pier and were about to turn back when there was a splash and a child screaming in panic.

They rushed to the edge and saw a boy about Harry's age splashing in the water, barely staying afloat, as an old man shouted to him. "Come on, boy, you can save yourself!"

Not bothering to think about the ramblings of a crackpot, and leaving Henry to deal with him, Natasja told Harry to stay put and dove in after the child. She wasn't an Olympic swimmer, by any means, but her parents had made sure that all their children knew how to swim in all waters, and basic lifesaving. Luckily, the boy wasn't far from the edge, and she got to him in a few quick strokes. "Calm down, now. Just hang on to me, and we'll get you back on dry land in a jiffy."

There were ladders spaced along the pier, though slightly rusty or covered with seaweed or barnacles, so Natasja and the boy were quickly up again. Harry, who had remained where he was told, along with the empty picnic basket, hurried over, carrying the blanket. Natasja smiled at her son as she wrapped it around the shivering boy. "Good thinking, Harry. Now, just hang on in there, dear, and you'll be warm and dried off in no time."

Henry re-joined them, discreetly conjuring another blanket, which he wrapped around his wife. He was followed by a life-guard and a few police, who had been called by another concerned citizen. "Are you all right, love?"

Natasja smiled warmly, wishing they were in a private enough spot for him to cast a drying charm, but it couldn't be helped. The police asked a more pertinent question. "Do you know what happened here, Ma'am?"

Natasja and Harry shook their heads. "We were just walking when we heard screaming and saw him in the water."

The boy spoke up through chattering teeth. "M-my uncle p-p-pushed me off, sir. He s-said that I sh-should have sh-show signs of accidental m-magic by n-now, and th-this would enc-courage me. M-my family have been saying that for ages."

That did it. Harry was getting home-schooled by a Muggle Born when he was old enough. There was no way Natasja was letting her son into a world that practiced Child Endangerment as a matter of course! The police had no knowledge of magic, but that didn't mean that they were pleased with the explanation, either. "What's your name, son?"

The boy had mostly stopped shivering by now. "N-neville Longbottom, sir. I'm not in trouble, am I?"

Well, Neville wasn't in trouble. His uncle, on the other hand… The policeman smiled. "Not at all, son. We just need to know so we can contact your family about this, just to let them know."

Natasja had been around policemen long enough to know that the slight emphasis on 'contact' usually meant 'arrest – and put them in the most unpleasant cell we have available'. She exchanged a look with her husband as Neville gave them the address of his house. Henry nodded and addressed the officers. "I'm Henry Irons, Little Whinging police. My family is staying in a hotel nearby, and my wife can take care of the boy while this gets sorted out, if you like. Best to get him looked after right away."

The officers nodded. "Much obliged to you. Mrs Irons, we'll contact you once we're finished."

Natasja nodded, lifting Neville onto her hip and taking Harry's hand. "You're welcome, Officer…" she looked at his badge, "Smith. Come on Harry, Neville, we'll go back to the hotel and wait there. You can show Neville some of your toys, and be friends for the day."

Being an invigilator meant a lot of practice at not showing how much you wanted to strangle someone who was being particularly difficult. Natasja managed to keep a warm smile on her face as she fixed the two boys hot chocolate and a snack, no matter how much she was seething inside. If she ever got her hands on Neville's family…!

Well, Mrs Longbottom was a bit too formidable (and a bit too good at staying out of reach) for Natasja to strangle her as she originally wanted, but that didn't mean that Natasja was any less upset. Henry would have been surprised if she had been calm about the issue, though that didn't stop him from pausing when he returned to the Hotel. It might sound cliché, but seeing his wife's flashing eyes, as she all but radiated Protective Wrath, was a very attractive sight.

"Who do you think you are, not letting me near my own grandson?"

"I'm the main reason that you still have a grandson! Did you know that his uncle pushed him off the pier, and he would have drowned if my family hadn't helped?"

"If he's anywhere near as good as his father, he would have been fine!"
"He's a five-year-old boy, and I doubt that his father would thank you for making him childless! What other ways have you managed to nearly kill him so far?"

"How dare you accuse me – "

Officer Smith broke in at this point, drawing the attention of the two boys, who had been watching the confrontation, heads looking back and forth as though they were at a tennis match. "Ladies, if I may interrupt?"

Natasja drew a deep breath, shooting a final, vicious glare at the older lady. "Of course. How did the investigation go?"

Henry answered that, walking over to pick Harry up. Harry might not have been of his blood, but he was Henry's son in all ways that mattered, and the man was still having trouble with the discovery that someone would throw their great-nephew into the ocean just to make his display accidental magic. "Well, Mr Algie Longbottom is being held on charges of deliberate child endangerment and resisting arrest. Social Services are on their way, so I'm afraid Officer Smith needs to take young Neville back to the station for a bit."

Officer Smith levelled an unfriendly look at Neville's Grandmother. "You should come with us, madam. The case worker will probably have a few questions for you, as well."

Neville gave Natasja a nervous look, as if asking if he really had to go with the Officer and his grandmother. Natasja tried to look reassuring. "Go on, dear, I'm sure the officer will take good care of you."

Neville and Madam Longbottom followed the policeman out of the hotel room, the matriarch giving Natasja a final dark look over her shoulder. Once the door closed, Natasja sat down next to her husband and son. "What are the odds of the charges actually sticking?"

Henry frowned disapprovingly. "Not very high, I'm afraid. The Longbottoms are a very old family, with a lot of connections, and Madam Longbottom is intelligent enough that she probably alerted Aurors before she came. Anyone officially involved will probably be Obliviated before the day is out."

Natasja sighed and leaned her head on his shoulder. "Harry is not going to Hogwarts. I won't let my son in a world where people think nothing of drowning a little boy just to see if he shows accidental magic."

Henry kissed her hair and held Harry closer. "Agreed, but we'll burn that bridge when we come to it."

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A/N: Right, another chapter is up, and the next is in the works. So far, 68 people have this story on alert, and I'm trying to work out an average of alerts/favourites to reviews.

Constructive criticism is very much appreciated, but flames are not.

Thanks, Nat.