AN:Seems you guys are liking this, and that makes me so happy! THANK YOU EVERYONE!

I am trying to do things a bit different with the soul mate thing. With luck that will come into play a bit more in the next 2 or 3 chapters. With luck I should be getting another chapter up this weekend, but that sadly depends on how much life decides to interfere in my creative time. Until then, ENJOY!

Chapter 12

"Well then," he got a smug grin on his face, "you should probably just hand it over soul mate."

"Cheater," she said and stuck her tongue out at him.

"You're just jealous I got in a good one," he grinned and began to eat with gusto.

He should have noticed the dangerous look in her eye, and the way the corners of her mouth turned up just ever so slightly, but he didn't. Instead Harry oblivious to all the warning signs kept eating and humming happily that he had gotten her with his remark, and the fact that he would be able to get his hands on such a delicious recipe.

Somewhere far far above, watching over them, sometimes, sat two women, one a little concerned and the other grinning like a mad woman.

"So what exactly did you slip in that I did not notice? I thought we agreed on three soul mates?" Fate said looking at the half kender.

"Well, three soul mates and him make four. Frankly, kind of square." The goddess groaned at the poor pun. "So I thought if I added another one it would be better, him in the center and the others surrounding him, a circle, or wheel if you will. The wheel to roll over his enemies and it follows the laws of cycles, birth, death, decay, and begin again."

"How is it that a mischievous imp like you can spout forth wisdom like that?"

"Because my dear friend, I listen and learn, and in order to break the rules, you have to know them," she grinned and skipped to the door.

"Wait, won't you tell me who the soul mates are?"

"That would be telling, and you already know of Hermione and one other," turing she winked at the woman. "just wait until you see the family unit that this bonding will create! I had to dig up so really old rules for it, but frankly this is going to be so much FUN!"

The woman behind the desk watched the monitor again and sighed as the other woman had pranced out of the room.

"Good luck Harry, you might really need it." She paused for a moment and then sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, "of all the afterthoughts."

She rose up and head out to her own secretary, a proud Elizabethan dressed woman.

"Beatrice, please place a call to Chance, let her know I really need to have a talk with her. Also let her know that I am headed into her domain to wait for when she is free."

"Certainly m'lady," she said and lifted the ceramic and brass telephone to make the call. The goddess for her part began the long trek with her thoughts the only companion.

As the adults came into the kitchen to see Harry taking the last mouthful of pasta, Hermione rose up and rushed to her parents excitedly.

"Mum, dad, Harry proposed to me!" she squealed excitedly while jumping up and down.

For their part her parents looked a bit stunned, however her goal was achieved as Harry began coughing and spluttering. Having so many great expressions, including from bones and Clara she couldn't stop and leaned back against the counter and began laughing uproariously, with tears flowing down her face.

"Oh! Oh! You should see your face Harry!"

Realizing that they had been had the adults all grinned but her mother looked between the two of them.

"What brought this one Hermione? You usually don't do things like this, except to your cousins after they prank you, or tease you," she had no heat in her words since no one was harmed. Well, her husband would begin to wonder if his little girl was growing up too fast and wonder about sending her off to a school so far away that she might find a boyfriend and grow out of being his little princess.

"We were talking and harry asked for Grandma's recipe for spaghetti sauce. When I told him it could only be passed down to family, he said he still wanted it," she grinned.

"Ah, I see, so the young man walked into a trap," she agreed with a grin. "Harry, you should know that women in my line have a tendency to get what they want, and they are even more tenacious on the Granger side."

"In other words Harry," Dan said coming to the aid of the young boy, "that means if my daughter sets her sights on you being her husband, the only way you can possibly get out of it is to move to another country, or perhaps planet I'm not sure that would really work either, but it might buy you some time."

"Really?" Bones asked looking at the man who felt sorry for the ribbing the young man was getting.

"My grandfather was a serious ladies man, eternal bachelor and all that, but when gram decided she wanted him, she followed him over four continents and countless countries until he gave up and got a clue. Then he proposed, and only then. Now I know you might be wondering why it is the Granger women when she wasn't? Simple, his mother kept telling her where to go to find him, and gave her all the money and support to land him," he sighed. "Sadly this only taught her to chase after things and once you get hold to never let go. Each woman that comes into the family will turn out to be just as tenacious as well, and smarter than the last one."

"Noted," Harry said as he swallowed thickly looking at the woman he could not run from and knew he was soul bonded to, or would be. A shame they couldn't say anything about that just yet.

"Well then Harry, let's get you off to bed," Clara said kindly. "After you get up in the morning is when you will want to shower. Also Mrs. Granger his bedding will have to be done as well. Though we vanish the bones, the thing is, they have to go somewhere. Everything goes somewhere, and we have found that what we truly do is turn the bone into a dust that exits the body through the pores. If the bedding is not changed and cleaned then the dust will begin to clump and while you sleep make the sheets feel gritty and painful to sleep on."

"That's what happens?" Amelia asked, "I never knew."

"Healer classes teach it. Shame they no longer do an introduction to healing arts at Hogwarts anymore. Many of us older folks found our love for the healing arts through that class, though I do hear that the matron there will take some on and teach them a little then tell them where to go to get the training needed to become a full healer."

"Are there many classes that are no longer given at Hogwarts?" Hermione inquired as the group slowly made their way upstairs to where the young man would be sleeping.

"Oh yes. Back in my grandmother's grandmother's time they had a basic alchemy class, enchanting, economics, banking and money management, then there was the daily life courses. Oh those ones always sounded so much fun to me. They taught sewing and magical embroidery, cooking, cleaning, and spells in order to quickly remove stains, or heal very minor injuries," she sighed thinking of all the classes that had fallen away.

"Home economics classes," Emma said as she opened the door to the royal blue bedroom. "That sounds very interesting; could you get me the titles of the course books? Even though I can't cast spells, it would be interesting to read, and perhaps Hermione might take up a hobby from them other than reading," her mother teased.

"Certainly! I'm sure they are still in circulation somewhere, but if the bookstores in the Alley don't have them, they will do their best to find you a copy." The medi-witch smiled. "Now you just get yourself changed while we wait here, and let us know when you are ready."

"Dan why don't you take Amelia to where the Floo can be installed, that way when this is all done she can go home and rest," Emma said with a smile.

After entering harry closed the door and glanced about the room. The whole place was bigger than the smallest bedroom of Privet Drive, to be sure. There was the closet, and a nice sized standing dresser, a mirror on the back of the closet door, a desk for doing homework, and a small nightstand on either side of the queen sized bed, with the small bedside reading lamps, and a digital alarm clock, the floor was a polished wood, with a blue oriental style rug, which matched the blue of the curtains and bedding. His school trunk had been placed at the foot of the bed so that he could get into it.

He was going to have to write a thank you letter to the aurors that had been thoughtful enough to bring his belongings here. Once he dug out a new set of night clothes he changed and placed his worn clothes in a wicker laundry hamper inside the closet, and then shut the door. Once more his eyes looked over the room, this would take a bit of getting used to, but it would be nice to be treated like a human being this time around.

"Ready," he said opening the bedroom door to allow the three females access. Hermione was the last to enter, and moved over to sit on the bed that he was not moving to occupy.

Clara took the blanket and sheet and pulled them down to below his feet, and then began to set bottles up on the nightstand.

"Here is what we are going to do," she said as she continued to prepare, "I will be casting a spell that will gently hold your body in place for the night. This way you wont turn over and manage to somehow get a bone that comes back misshapen, and yes it has happened though very rarely. Once that is done I am going to begin with a spell that will allow me to target all of the bones that need to be vanished so that I only have to cast that spell once.

"With that done I will be using a nifty device that for some reason went out of fashion, but lucky for you I found one," she brought out something that resembled a turkey baster with a very narrow slightly curved tube. "This was used to give potions to patients that were in a coma. I admit is will feel a bit strange, but this will keep you from tasting most of the potion and having to fight that urge to purge it from your system.

"Once you have the Skelegrow in your stomach, I am going to give you another potion that will give you some much needed nutrients for your bones to grow back very healthy, and will in fact strengthen your current bones and heal and small issues. After that one with been a Dreamless Sleep potion, and like its name this will cause you to drift off almost instantly. Then all you have to do is sleep and let magic run its course," she said with a grin.

"While you were getting ready your cousin came out of the bathroom. He's off to bed in the room that shares the headboard wall with you," Hermione said looking at him a bit worriedly. "I know we just met recently Harry, but I feel like I have known you for a long time already."

"That could be your magics talking," Clara said as she measured out each dose of potion before they started. "Sometimes one person's magic will call out to another. People like that feel very comfortable with the other, no matter what they have been through, and they have very strong and lasting friendships, and sometimes they will marry and live very happy long lives."

"Really? So it isn't strange that I feel like that about Hermione?"

"Not at all. I am your dedicate healer, for all three of you kids, and for both you and your husband Emma," she stated. "Once I am done with harry, before I leave I would like to do a scan on you and Dan. Nothing as invasive as what I did for the boys, as you aren't going to need it for a court case, but just something to let me help the both of you keep up with three magical children."

"Thank you, we might need all the help we can get with two growing boys in the house now," she grinned.

"All set then Harry?" He nodded and tried to relax his body into the bed, though truth be told he was rather nervous about this whole thing. "When it is time to administer the potions I will do so in rapid succession, that way they will get working at about the same time."

Emma and Hermione watched as the medical witch raised her wand and began making gestures over his body, and pointing at certain places on his body. The words were almost lyrical in the rhythm, and even in the cadence. At the very end of the one spell she made a single gesture and a command. Her actions were quick an dwell practiced as she used her wand to place the potion into the tube, and then carefully placed it in Harry's mouth and administered the thick potion. Once more the wand and without moving the tube the next potion was ready, and gone, and then the same with the final one.

"Sleep well Harry," Hermione said as she saw his eyes begin to close.

"Now you need to get ready and head to bed as well young lady," her mother said. "It has been a very trying day, and you will need your rest as well."

"Yes mum. Thank you Clara for all you have done so far," she said before rising up from the bed and heading out of the room.

"You are quite welcome my dear," she replied before the girl left, and then turned her attention to repacking her supplies.

To say that Hermione was anxious was an understatement. Here she was laying in the dark wanting to fall asleep but also wanting to be with Harry. So trying to take her mind off of her healing soul mate she turned it instead to the problem that they were now going to face, multiple soul mates in the relationship.

Would they be older, or younger, or all about the same age giver or take a few months? Would they have to deal with someone that they could not possibly stand the last time through, or would everyone somehow manage to make this thing work. A five way bond was going to be interesting, but then there were other issues, like sleeping arrangements.

Questions spinning through her mind, she finally exhausted her own brain and passed out, only waking when her internal clock told her it was seven.

Her morning routine was quick and easy, and once she was dressed for the day she headed right to Harry's room and sat on the unoccupied side watching over him as he still slumbered.

Just in watching him sleep she knew that the potions had done their job well. Where as he just seemed small and waifish before, now even being asleep he looked more like a active young boy. The way his face sat relaxed she could tell that his jaw, and even his nose had changed just a bit. Glancing down the length of his body, from the way the covers had been placed over him, he had grown a bit as well.

It had been obvious that it was going to happen since when she removed the bones, his legs had given up form and just lay there like a half filled water balloon. Now his legs had form again, and she wondered how tall he would get once everything had been corrected. It would be nice to look into those green eyes without the dust on his glasses too.

"Is he awake yet?" the other young boy asked from the doorway, slowly coming into the room.

"Not yet, but it looks like he may have grown a bit taller overnight," she said gesturing to the prone boy.

"That stuff she gave me to drink last night really did knock me out, but I think that was the best sleep I have ever had," he said with a grin as he climbed up and sat next to his cousin across from the young girl. "Yeah, I think you're right, he may have grown. He does look better too."

Silence claimed a few moments as the two stared at the healing boy, wishing he would wake up so they could ask him how he was feeling, and see if he had gotten taller.

"Dudley, are you excited about your trip to get school supplies in a few days?" she asked turning her attention to the other boy.

"Yeah, and nervous too, I mean my mum and dad have taught me to hate anything not 'normal' by their standards. Now with my magic, and I can feel it, I feel like I wasn't normal before. I feel like me for the first time," he said scrunching up his face. "I dunno, sounds odd saying it like that."

"Well this is your normal now. You, Harry and I get to learn all of this new stuff together too. We might not be sorted into the same dorms, but that doesn't mean we can't meet up and help each other do the best that we can in school, and have some fun too."

"That sounds good, but," he paused still a bit uncertain of himself before going on. "How am I going to pay for everything? I really don't have any money of my own. They may have set up as savings account for me when I was born, but I'm not really sure."

"Well," Hermione said as she tried to think who they could talk to about that issue.

"You don't have to worry Dudley, I can get everything for you," Harry said as he looked at the two of them grinning.

"Really? I mean even after all the things I did to you, and my parents did?"

"You're family Dudley," he replied as if that settled everything. "Also you are sorry for that stuff. I think I'd be a bit more upset if you weren't. So don't worry about it, my parents left me a trust fund, and with the money I pulled to shop with I still have quite a bit. So we can get you all you need, and some other cool stuff too."

"And just what other cool stuff might that be?" Hermione asked staring at him, hoping he wasn't going to try to break a rule already by getting a broom.

"Madame Bones said it might be a good idea to get a pair of flight goggles for when we learn how to fly on a broom. That way if we fly for fun and it gets windy, dust and dirt wont hurt my eyes. She also said not many people wear them because they don't look cool. So I was thinking a whole aviator kind of style for when we go flying," he said with a grin.

"I think," Hermione began as the unbidden image and blush crept upon her, "that would be very wise. I also think that you would look quite dashing like that."

"Well the thing is, if only I do it, it will seem odd. Yet if you two dress up like that with me," he said looking at Dudley.

"Yeah that could be fun, like those old flying ace movies! Mum forced me to watch a few of the lovey-dovey ones, but a couple others didn't get all kissy faced too much, and the flying was so cool to watch," his cousin said looking excited by the prospect of not only flying, but dressing up like some action star.

"I'm still not certain about flying, but dressing up like Amy Johnson would be a lot of fun," she said with a grin. Though the boys gave her a blank looks she just sighed and went right into the lecture. "First woman to fly from London to Australia solo, broke several speed records, and flew in the service for World War Two, though she was the first Air Transport Auxiliary causality in the war, and her body was never recovered."

"Also flew with Jack Humphries," Dan said as he came into the room from his place leaning on the door frame. "Some of us would salute her every time we passed by her picture in the hall when in the service. I think the idea of flying leathers and such is a great idea. It'll make your mother feel a bit safer about the fact that the three of you are going up into the air, not nestled into a tin can," he said with a smirk. "Amelia, Clara and your mum will be up in a few moments. I came up to see if I had to roust anyone from bed."

"Dad do you still have that book with all the photos of the famous pilots?" At his affirmative she grinned, "Then you should dig it out, and we can take it with us to make sure our flight gear is as close to authentic looking as we can get."

"I'll get right on that,' he said as he turned to leave. "I can hear them coming now."

"Everything alright Dan?" they could hear her mother ask.

"Right as rain, the kids were just chatting about things. So I shall leave them at your tender mercies as I have a book to go dig out," with that he gave a quick salute and began humming a catchy little tune.

"Morning everyone," Clara said brightly as she came in and cast a charm to allow Harry the ability to move once more. "The spell would have worn off in another hour, but since you are awake, you should be allowed to move about a bit. How are you feeling?"

"I feel great," harry beamed as he put on his glasses. "I feel like I am breathing easier than ever, and I just feel better in general."

"That is what I like to hear," she said and began casting a very short diagnostic.

"I came to let you all know what is going on so far, in regards to your parents Dudley. They went in and the information was given, and they are to be held without bail because they were caught in the act, and because of the brutality of it all. Your Aunt Marge did show up and demand to have you handed over to her, as your father called her to let her know what was going on."

Dudley slowly deflated where he sat wondering if he would be handed over to the large woman.

"Quite simply they told her they would send someone to her home to talk with her today. They are sending a member of Child Protective Services, an officer, an animal control agent, and a social worker. What she thinks is that they will have someone have her sign a few things and then bring you over later today, but wheat she is getting is a whole home inspection, an inspection of her dog breeding, as well as the social worker to sit and discuss with her about the need for you to have counseling, and a diet change, and many other things. If she is belligerent with any one of them, or her home is not set for you to come over and be lived in, and you will not be going there. Since I was in the courtroom when the bail was denied, I can say that she will never have custody of you.

"Now they may ask you to visit her, but it will be in their offices, and they will not let her take you with her. As it stands I sent an auror to her place and let them have a peek at things. From what I was told there was no way for her to have the place looking good enough by the time they show up there at nine. In fact it is quite likely that all of her animals will be taken from her, and she might have to have a social worker come help her. I believe my agent said she was a hoarder, and that one room of her home was nothing but a great rubbish heap. So you can relax, it would take a few magicals to clean that place and someone really quite adept at mind magics to change her overnight." Amelia grinned as the boy relaxed, happy that he wasn't going there but also a bit conflicted about the issue with his own parents.

"As for the house on Privet Drive, and all of your parents funding, it has been frozen. Nothing can be done really until after the trial. Technically the house is still a crime scene, but a few squib police contact my office and said they can take you into the house to collect some of your things if you like. Otherwise they did find a suitcase and packed up a few drawers of clothes for you."

"I don't think I can go back there yet," he said swallowing thickly while he recalled the image of his father's face as he smacked him for the first time ever, not to mention what had happened to Harry.

"Take your time, you never have to go back there again if you do not want to," Amelia said as she squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. "I can send a house elf over after it is no longer a crime scene to collect all of your belongings."

"A house elf?" he asked tilting his head up at her.

"They are small magical beings that work in most wizarding homes. They magically bind themselves to the family and are usually treated like family, though there are some families that tend to see them as slaves and lesser beings," she said looking at him.

"Do you pay them?" Hermione asked, feeling a bit of déjà vu but not really understanding it quite yet.

"Not in money or even really in anything of what you might call tangible value. The bond they have gives them magic to use, and they rather enjoy cleaning and doing all household work. Most of us really don't know all of the ins and outs of how it works, just that it does. Yet there is a small group of people who are trying to find out more about the bond, and what it really does for the house elves."

"Have they found anything out yet?" she asked worried for the little beings welfare now that she knew there was abuse.

"Yes they have. The most interesting thing that I think they have found out is that the stronger a family bond is, and the more stable the family, the more happy and healthy the elf. They have been doing this study for only four years now, but they managed to purchase a rather sickly elf from someone, the person selling thought that he made the buyer overpay. He still has no idea that the elf in question is making a recovery, still not a full one yet, but he is doing quite well with the family he was asked to bond to." She smiled as the bushy haired activist calmed a bit at this. "After you get a few years in at school I will get you in touch with them. I'm sure they would love for more people to get interested, but right now everything is rather hush hush. If some families found out what was going on, there would be another whole slew of legislation to fight to allow them to do this research. So do you think the three of you can keep this a secret?"

After they all gave her an affirmative, she smiled at them and then looked to the healer.

"Good news Harry! You have grown almost seven inches, and all of your bones are now re-grown, healed, or strengthening up. I would like to keep you on this as a weekly potion, all three of you in fact, until you leave for school." She looked over the three of them, "having nice strong bones will help you to stay healthy with all the stairs you have to climb. That is why I am not so worried about you losing weight right now Dudley, you will be doing plenty or running up and down stairs and long corridors while in the castle.

"As for your magic, it seems to be holding steady in getting stronger, and it is actually eating away at the binding that was placed upon you. As for that other issue you were told about, it seems that your magic has strengthened the new core casing. Again we shall keep an eye on it, but try not to have any bouts of accidental magic, or even try casting right now.

"Emma has been informed of the potion regimen that the three of you are to have, and they are set up in a cabinet downstairs in the kitchen. I will come back in a few days to check up on how all three of you are doing at that time. Any questions?" she asked looking directly at Hermione.

Though she and everyone was surprised when she shook her head no, though everyone was certain she would start a list to ask when the healer came back. The woman nodded and headed back out of the room and downstairs with Amelia.

"Well then, the two of you that are dressed should head down for breakfast. Harry take a nice hot bath or shower, and then come on downstairs. I'll collect the bedding later," she said with a warm smile to the boy and then ushered the other two out and closed the door.