As tomorrow is a Sunday, Jean and Gene arrange with Petunia to visit their Glimmerstone home by Phoenix express. Harry and Petunia both return to the Realm of Magic using their Glimmerstones. Just as they're about to walk through the portal to get to Glimmerstone proper, L appears behind them.
"Harry, Petunia, wait up. I need to talk to you before you go home."
Petunia turns around, "Sure, what do you need?"
"I was babysitting Dudley, and the subject of magic came up. He didn't believe that it exists, so I brought him here. Once he collected all the motes he needed, I gave him magic. Only, I think he's getting the interface now."
"I'm not happy that you've done that without asking me, as he is my child."
"I know, I can see that. But we were having so much fun trolling the forums that I didn't stop to think. I promise that I'll teach him properly."
Petunia slumps, "I can't exactly stop him from coming to see you now. What do we need to know at the moment?"
"You need to be very careful with what you say to him, as he's currently acting on interface commands only. He's currently playing video games while I'm watching him, but he'll need to eat soon. You'll need to command him to do that through the interface, as well as going to the loo and washing himself. You'll probably need to command him to bed too."
Petunia glances down at where her portrait would be and makes it open. Looking through her icons she can see that she's sad that it's happened, angry with L, happy that Dudley isn't going to be excluded, uncomfortable because she's done so much shopping, and uncomfortable because she's tired. No wonder her feelings are confused.
"L, at the moment I'm a little angry with you for doing this. But I'm also happy that it's happened, as it means that Dudley won't be left out the way I was. I'm also sad that he's had to go through that too. Overriding it all is the fact that it's been a long day and I'm tired and uncomfortable. Thank you for letting us know before we got home, but it might take me a while for me to forgive you."
"I know, I saw the friendship meter drop. I'm sorry, it wasn't my intention to hurt him."
"I'm going to go home now, and once Dudley is back to normal we can start again."
Petunia turns and walks through the portal, Harry just looks at L and cocks his head, "I know that you're dastardly, and mean, and that you are the sage of mischief. That means that I also know you manipulated Dudley into getting magic. Remember, if I've worked it out, my aunt will too."
After he's walked through the portal, L says quietly, "I know, but hopefully once she does Dudley will already be doing well here, and I'll have been able to teach him to channel his natural meanness into pranks and mischief."
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As Petunia lands by the front door of the bungalow, L opens the door in greeting, "He's still playing video games. If you want I can keep watching him while you cook some dinner. That way you can devote the rest of your evening to him."
"Look, I'm very family orientated, and I know you know that. So yes darn it, go and keep an eye on him while I cook a stupid meal. Stupid, damp, awful. If I cut myself and use a hanky to clean it up, I'll have a bloody hanky. That word, why the silly afterlife couldn't I use that word. Stupid little profanity filter."
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After a couple of close calls with Dudley almost wetting himself, or collapsing the floor in exhaustion, Harry and Petunia manage to get him to bed safely. Once Harry is in bed, Petunia starts to play around with the build mode to add a new floor to the home, where she moved the bathroom and created a bedroom for herself, Harry, and Dudley, though she doesn't move the furniture, she has to sell some of the furniture that she'd bought to spite Vernon. Setting aside a dining table and chairs along with some artwork to brighten the place up, she explored the rest of the build interface and picked some acceptable wallpaper and carpet for the upstairs rooms. Sheepishly she adds some stairs so that she could actually get to bed. While exploring the roofing options, she discovers that they could put wind turbines on the roof to supplement their power supply. Having grown up with the miners strike in the 70's, she immediately buys 4 and changes the roof to a flat roof, before adding them.
Finished on the immediate redesign, she adds a large book case to the living area and adds all of the books that Harry bought to it. While she tends the garden quietly, she thinks about all the things she's going to have to get done next week.
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By the time the Grangers are due to come round, Dudley still hasn't woken up. Though Petunia has been able to move the kitchen into the old bathroom and split the living room up into a small dining room, and a large living room that extends into the space that Harry's bedroom used to occupy. At some point while she's got harry doing a last minute clean with her, Sunbeam disappears in a bright flash of light. A few moments later she reappears with all three Grangers.
"Good morning. Sorry the house is still a bit of a mess. L gave Dudley magic last night, and he's still integrating the interface. If it's the same as it was for me then he'll be asleep till this afternoon. At least he didn't do anything he'll regret last night like I did. Though at least it's not me bearing the consequences this time."
Gene looks at Hermione, "Why don't you have Harry show you around while we talk to his Aunt."
Once the children are gone, Jean sits down on one of the chairs and then sighs in contentment, "Gene, we have got to get ourselves one of these. Unreasonably comfortable furniture aside. Petunia, Gene and I were talking last night. While we're happy that Hermione has made a friend in Harry, we're not happy that she's likely to be spending a large amount of time in a place that we can't get to without assistance, even in theory. I know that Hermione has warned us off getting magic here due to how much it hurts, but we'd like to know your experiences with it."
"I'm not sure that it would be much help, as it wasn't in anyway painful for me. You need to understand that I've been living with Harry since he gained the interface just before Primary School. From what Simeon said, and as he's the one that has access to the historical information about this world I can't say if he's wrong or not, those of us with the interface are constantly shedding nano-machines. These machines build up in the environment we live in, as well as the people surrounding us. What happened to both myself and Dudley, is that we had enough that the process of getting magic kickstarted the process of initialising the interface. I, found myself responding to Vernon for the first time in years." – Her portrait gains a yellow background as a block saying embarrassed because of a conversation appears – "He was always smooth with his words, and before we had Dudley he was lovely, suave, rich, and attentive. Since then he's put on massive amounts of weight and stopped pretending about his habits to keep me happy. To put it frankly, he's a slob and I think he hates children. I'm telling you this so that you understand how out of character it was for me to not only respond to his flirting, but also WooHoo him and asking him to make a baby with me. You haven't been around any of us for anywhere near long enough to go through that. But having magic is something I've always wanted, ever since Lily was told she was a witch. So I'd go through that a thousand times and still choose to do it again to gain magic.
"As for the process, you'd need to talk to one of the sages in the Realm of Magic as they're the only ones that I know of that can do the thing that gives magic. If you want to do more than buy a familiar and a broom, then you'll also need to learn to read Simian."
"As in the language of the apes?"
"No, it's what they call the language that they use here. One mo, I'll grab a book so that you can see."
Jean and Gene both look at the book together and see a completely unfamiliar alphabet.
"Of course, there are good reasons to learn to cast spells. Such as the Scruberoo spell, which allows you to clean pretty much anything except dirty crockery, including yourself and other people. I'd like to be studying the potion of plentiful needs, as it would be good to keep a few in the fridge here and in Little Whinging. It's a potion that restores all of your needs, including mental and social. From Harry's said it also includes a limited Scruberoo too. He found a book to make a potion of Good Fortune that I can just about understand, so I'm going to study that while I'm waiting for him to finish the other one. From what I can tell, magic here is much more involved than it is on earth, and you need to really understand the inns and outs of how the magic needs to be shaped before you can cast the spell. Once you've learnt it, it's quite easy to cast it just takes time."
Looking uncomfortable, Gene says, "Yes, well. I think that we've had enough of TMI time. Maybe you should show us the way to the Realm of Magic, and we can let the kids loose in the library there."
With tacit agreement they all get up and find the children in the basement. Petunia writes a note to Dudley that they're going to the magic realm, and there's food in the fridge if they're not back by the time he wakes up.
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The walk to the portal is relaxing, and gives all of the adults time to get over the embarrassment of listening to Petunia's confession. Once there, the children hare off to find Simeon while Petunia explains how to identify the three sages, and then they go looking for one of them. As it turns out, they find Morgyn, the only sage that Petunia doesn't know very well. The three of them talk to him for a while until Jean and Gene are both happy that they know what's involved in getting magic, and why it will hurt so much. During the conversation they find out that the process is reversable, but something that is usually reserved for people that would like to take on a different life-state, such as becoming a mermaid or vampire.
Gene and Jean then treat the subsequent search for motes like a scavenger hunt, except with more flirting and joshing. Meanwhile, Harry buys them a couple of marble wands, and also buys familiar orbs of bunnerfly, fairy, and sixam owl, as well as a yellow common broom each. Hermione confides that he also bought a score of supermops after he heard one of the students complaining about the state of the school brooms in Madam Malkins yesterday.
When they complain about him buying them stuff, Harry point blank points out that they don't have any of the local currency, while the interface seems to treat all money the same. So if they really want to pay him back, they can help with stuff on earth. Eventually, they both get enough motes to satisfy the requirements, and with the temporary spell they're under they can see they both glow with a pinkish purple aura from head to foot.
Hermione again tries to talk them out of putting themselves through that much pain on her account. They gently but firmly remind her that they are her parents, not the other way around. As such, it's their responsibility to look out for her. This is part of doing that.
The rest of the day is spent learning how to use the Glimmerstone from Petunias home in Glimmerstone, with the help of Simeon and L. Harry and Petunia, on the other hand, spend that time teaching Dudley how to use his new interface.
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Hermione wakes up early the next morning and is finished with all of her chores before her Mum or Dad even come down to breakfast. Once they come down to breakfast, she has the table already set.
Gene smiles at Hermione, "Ok honey, what's the deal with the breakfast and looking so excited?"
"Can I go to the Realm of Magic instead of coming to the surgery with you?"
"I don't know, what do you think Jean?"
"I thought she was getting really interested in that book about muscular composition and the ATP process."
"But Mum! That was before I had my magic books, and now I have the opportunity to learn magic before school."
Jean and Gene share a smile, "OK, but make sure you take something to eat, and we want you to let Petunia know that you're there if she's in Gimmerstone. Before you start doing anything else."
"I will, thanks Mum, Dad. See you soon." She runs to the hallway and grabs her backpack and broomstick before coming back to the dining room and grabbing her Glimmerstone from around her neck and concentrating with a wave to her parents.
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Hermione appears outside the library and runs through the portal behind her. Once in Glimmerstone, she quickly mounts her broom. But in her excitement, she isn't quite seated properly before the broom takes off, unseating her and dragging her along in it's wake. Shakely she stands up outside Harry's house and brushes herself down while nervously looking at the broom that's now lying on the floor.
"Well, I suppose that I've just proven that it's impossible to actually fall off a broom if you're using it the way I was taught. I've also learnt that I need to take my time to actually mount the broom properly."
Gingerly she picks the broom up and slings it over her shoulder before stepping forward and knocking on the door. It takes a few minutes, but Petunia does answer the door.
"Hello Mrs Dursley, I'm going to the Realm of Magic. Mum and Dad wanted me to let you know. Also, I've got our home phone number and their practice numbers on a sheet of paper for you."
"Thank you for letting me know, Harry's just doing his chores in the garden, and he wanted to try some painting. So you can wait for him if you want."
"No thanks, I need to bug L to teach me Simian. But I plan to be around all day while Mum and Dad are at work. Oh hi, you must be Dudley. I'm Hermione Granger." She waves at an overweight boy that has just come downstairs wearing a night dress.
"Er, hi, I'm Dudley. You're not going to scream at me and call me a freak are you?"
"I don't think I am. Why should I?"
"I don't think so, but it's what all the girls at school did."
"Well they're stupid. The only thing that would make you a freak is if you did freakish things, like eat people. You can't help the way you're wired."
"Um, actually I can now. I found out that Harry changed me to like dressing like this, and how to change it if I want. But, it's really who I am now, so I don't think I'm going to change it. I was just going to play video games if you wanted to join me."
"No you're not, you're going to do the washing up, and then once you're washed and dressed you can play video games. Don't forget we still need to get you a familiar and a broom as well."
"But I never had to do chores before."
"Yes, which means it's past time for you to learn. Don't make me use the interface."
Hermione shudders at the thought and quickly steps back, "I'll be going now, bye."
Pulling the door closed on the argument, she carefully mounts her broom before nervously heading back to the portal. Once through it takes her a good half an hour to find L in the Library.
"Hi L, I'm Hermione Granger. I hope that Simeon mentioned me to you."
"Hello Hermione, he did. What can I do for you?"
"He said that I should ask you to teach me Simian, as you're the best person to do it."
"Not today, I'm busy."
"Please. I can't start to learn magical spells and potions without it."
"No."
This goes on for the next hour on and off, as Hermione goes away for a bit before coming back and asking again. Finally L turns around to her.
"You really want me to teach you to read Simian. What are you willing to do for me?"
"What do you need me to do?"
"Minionise! Strip down to your underwear."
Face bright red, Hermione helplessly strips down to her underwear.
"Take this book."
Hermione takes the book.
"Jog to a seat by the fountain in Casters Alley and sit there studying the book until you understand it."
Helplessly Hermione jogs away with the book to do as instructed. L gathers her clothes and stuff up and puts it in her inventory.
"She can have that back when she's finished. In the meantime, Minionise! Strip naked and go about your day normally without getting dressed again."
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Petunia stops as they finally find Simeon in the stacks, completely naked and having a conversation with a couple of people as if there's absolutely nothing wrong. Her cheeks and portrait pink, and she quickly glances down and hides it as she absolutely did not want to know for definite that she was feeling flirty just looking at him.
To Harry and Dudley, it looks like he's just wearing blurry clothes that leaves his arms and legs bare.
"So, Simeon, did you dress that way just for me?"
"Petunia! It's good to see you, no I didn't. However, if I knew you were coming I might have done."
Damn, did he just gain a pink bar above his head, "Well, next time maybe I can call ahead." – with an effort she pulls her brain back on track, so what if she's had an 8 year dry spell, and last week doesn't count, "I don't think I've met your friends."
"Oh, this is Rondo and Maria. Occasional students here, we were just going over some of the finer points of their research. To what do I owe the pleasure of your presence today."
"While I would love to have just been seeking out your company, Dudley was given magic by L on Saturday. Sunday we had the Grangers over, and he recovered from the interface intitialising. So we were hoping that you would be able to teach him how to summon a familiar and ride a broom. I know that L has offered to teach him, but I'd rather a more practically minded person taught him the basics."
"If you'll excuse me, it seems like I have a damsel in a dress to assist." He leaves the conversation and walks with them to Casters Alley.
"If you don't mind me asking, what's with the outfit choice today?"
"Ah, I have somehow managed to annoy our dear L. It's not the first time, and I doubt it will be the last."
"She does this often?"
"Well, she has the mean trait, one that your son shares for that matter. However she channels it into mischief rather than genuinely mean actions."
"Wouldn't that make her rather hard to live with?"
"Sometimes, but she's nice enough if you can roll with the punches."
As they step through the portal Simeon looks around than then stops, "Ah, I think I know what I did to annoy her now. I had completely forgotten that I pointed Hermione in her direction for learning Simian."
Petunia looks over but can't see a problem as Hermione seems to be wearing a fuzzy translucent outfit. "What do you mean?"
"She's sitting there reading in only her underwear, the fuzziness you can see is because she's underaged, so the interface won't allow you to see her body. If you walked in on someone on the toilet or bathing you'd see the same thing."
"So, why do you look, you know…" she says glancing at the two boys that are heading over to say hi.
"It's because we're both adults, and the interface has recognised that."
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"Hey Hermione, how are you doing?" Harry says cheerfully
"Go away.", Hermione growls under her breath.
"Why?"
"Because I'm almost naked."
"Oh, don't worry about that. Simeon said that nobody can see anything because you're under-age. Look, I'll prove it." – He does something and then he spins around and is suddenly blurry around his torso with only his arms, legs and head visible normally – "See?"
"Do you mean to tell me that I have been so embarrassed sitting here reading, and nobody could actually see anything?"
"Yep, do you want any help?"
"Please, I've got a massive headache and I'm only ¾ of the way through this book."
"Why are you still reading it then?"
"I badgered L to teach me until she cast a spell on me, now it feels like someone's trying to shove a mountain into my head. I wouldn't mind so much, but this is a bottom of the barrel romance novel."
Dudley wanders back to his Mum as the two of them start to work together.
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With Harry's help, Hermione went through the book faster than she was, at the cost of a larger headache. Whether that was because of his help or proximity Hermione wasn't sure.
Dudley got a raven familiar and a Gnarled wooden broom to practice with, they didn't buy him a wand as he wasn't going to interact with the magical world. Petunia also got talking to a couple of the adults about schools in the area, and what they're like. Specifically the Charm Family that live in the Manor in Glimmerstone. Dudley end up running off god knows where with Gemma Charm, their teenage daughter who's a couple of years ahead of Dudley. Petunia promises to invite the family to their home in Little Whinging so that they can see how a world without the interface works.
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"L, I want to say thank you for your help learning Simian, it is most appreciated. I would also like to apologise for badgering you until you chose to embarrass me. Please can I have my stuff back?"
L looks down at the shivering 11 year-old who's holding out a book. "Let this be a lesson in manners. People don't like to be badgered for things, especially if they don't know you from Adam. Well Lilith in your case. You can often do better by becoming friends with them, and once you've got to know them you can ask them for help. Even a Master of Mischief like myself takes the time to get to know people before demanding things from them. If nothing else, getting to know them will allow you to know the best way to approach them to get what you want. Now, don't think your punishment is over. Oh, no. You, young lady are on probation. If I see you being overbearing, demanding, or a general pain in the arse, the first thing you'll know about it is when you're stripping to your smalls. To be fair to her, I'll do the same to you as well if you're around, so take it as an incentive to teach her how to make friends."
Harry sighs, "I'm glad I managed to avoid the loner trait now."
"You can't do… Yes sage, I understand.", Hermione goes to object and then stops when she sees the spark of magic form in L's hand. That day she learnt a very important lesson, the difference between can't and won't.