A/N: Can you spot my nods to other classic movie witches?
iii- Grab your things, I've come to take you home
It was dark in the house. The only real light was shining from the cat's animal eyes as she looped back and forth on the carpet below Harry. His arms stuck out to his sides so he couldn't reach for his wand hiding in his jumper's pocket. "Well, this is a right mess…" he said still struggling to free himself from the ceiling. His glasses fell from his face and on to the ground. Brilliant.
The door below him suddenly creaked open and he heard a whispered "lumos." as a faint glow silhouetted a sly moving figure.
"Com 'aut Com'aut, wher'ver you 're…"
"Albert! I swear to the Powers, I will grind you down with an emery board if you don't shut your trap!" hissed a woman.
"Rosalie?"
"Gah!" the figured startled, dropping to a defensive posture close to the floor, her glowing staff crackling in the dark.
"Rose! it's Harry. I'm…stuck to the roof." He grunted still trying to free himself. "look up. Please tell me you can get me down."
"Harry, what? How did you manage to get up there?! What are you even doing here? Hang tight, I'll pry you down." She quickly threw the lights on in the room. " Libercorpus…" Harry suddenly plummeted from 12 feet in the air. "ARRESTOMOMENTUM! HOLYNIGHTMAREBATMANIAMLOSTDROPPEDYOU.. I'm so sorry! have got to find time to play with these wards. The old man I bought the place from knew just enough tricks to get himself in trouble and I have been un-doing his "protections "on this place for the better part of 8 weeks." She set him down to sit on the carpet. The cat ran up to sit in his lap immediately looking for attention.
"Well, you aren't doin' to gud a job, areya Love? Prote-tin' Almost dropped the boy righ' on 'is 'ead" The voice suddenly muffled as Rosalie let the staff clatter to the floor. "You dropped me on me 'ead."
"Are you alright? Are you hurt?" She knelt in front of the boy on the ground, her hands on both his shoulders holding him, her eyes frantically searching for any hair out of place.
"M'fine. More shaken then anything. It's been a rather long night." He said with a shake of his head and placed his glasses back on his face. "What's the deal with the ceiling? I heard another voice, is someone else here?" He tried to wriggle back from her.
She continued to keep a studying eye on him but sat back from Harry to rest on her haunches, again grabbing her fallen staff. "This is Albert. He's a healer's artifact who has the unfortunate ability to speak and never shut up."
"Geddid right, girl! I'm a Rod of Asclepius, I am! Carved from an ancient Greek Laurel! Gifted to mere mortals from the Goddess Panacea 'erself! Instrument of great many Magicks!" He thrilled and writhed up and down the wooden staff.
"…and completely full of yourself, you ssssily sssserpent. He was a gift, or a curse, I can't really be sure, from my medi-master when I completed my apprenticeship. I really think he was just ready for some peace and quiet." She and Harry both stood from the floor. Eggy meowing in annoyance below. "I am not sure why you were drawn to the ceiling. When I purchased this house, it was advertised as fully warded with completely customizable charms, however I have found that the house has taken on a mind of its own. It never reacts to an intruder the same way twice and I never really know what it's going to do next. It must like you though. It blew up a squirrel that destroyed the bird feeder last week."
"OH Yeh! Fluff eve'where! POP!" glee in Albert's little voice. Harry pulled a face.
"Now back to my questions. How did you get here?" Rose crossed her arms.
"uhm, this thing called the Knight Bus? Ernie dropped me off right out front and I.."
"You took. The Knight Bus. From Surrey. By your bloody self?! Are you mad?! I'm amazed you're in one piece!" She looked angry. Adults always seem to look angry, Harry thought, his courage left him. She pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "Alright. Never mind. What happened that you absolutely needed to get here in a very dangerous fashion, by yourself, at night?"
Harry quickly explained everything that had led to him blowing up Aunt Marge. "…. But instead I told Stan I wanted to come here. I'm still dizzy from it. But I was so mad at them all! I didn't really even care where I ended up. And now I'm sure they won't let me back in school. Please, please do not make me go back there!"
"Harry I-" she started. "I'm at a loss. I can't keep you here away from your guardians, no matter how appalling they may be. This is illegal; it's sort of kidnapping in away. Petunia said something about blood magic before she threw me out last month. I've been reading up on the subject. It is really important that you go back. And we should probably get you sorted out with Hogwarts and the Ministry. I think that if we explain what happened was accidental magic, and not on purpose, they will not expel you." She placed a hand on his shoulder in a gesture of comfort. He leaned into the touch absently, and it did not go unnoticed by Rose. "Let's call your Aunt, huh? At least let her know you are whole. How about a cuppa? Something to eat?" She led him to the kitchen, her hand never leaving his shoulder.
Harry sat down on a worn wooden chair and looked around the room. It was a strange sight, to be sure. There was a mix of muggle and magic items thrown together in a Hodgepodge of semi- functionality. Rosalie decidedly lived in between both worlds at once. 2 standard sized pewter and one non-standard silver cauldrons bubble away along the far countertop, a spice rack filled with little jars of pickled and fresh ingredients hanging above. One wall was full of dark wooden cabinetry, a stove sat in the center surrounded by weathered butcherblock counters. There was a refrigerator, and a microwave cart with copper bottom pots and pans hanging from the top. The floor had large black and white tiles that made it look like a chess board. The table Harry sat at was pushed up against a half wall portioning the kitchen with the sitting area. He noticed a broom sweeping crumbs off the floor into a dustpan by the rubbish bins, the Calico arching her back and hissing at its self-locomotion. Rosalie filled a copper kettle at the sink.
"She's not going to care, you know. She never cares." Harry fiddled with the hem of his worn-out jumper.
Rose placed the kettle on the stove, her back to the boy, and sighed. She turned around and wiped her hands down on green scrub pants. She really was at a loss. "Exactly how bad is it there? The truth, Harry, please." She crossed her arms leaned against the counter to look the child directly in the eyes. "I know Petunia is anything but maternal, but she has given you a home…unless there is something else going on."
Harry could feel his frustration make his face hot, his eyes began to cloud with a back log of unshed tears. With a deep breath, he let the damn burst. "They made me sleep in a broom cupboard."
It was an admission he'd never made to any adult. Hell, He'd never really said that to neither Ron nor Hermione. He'd always had a niggling in the back of his head that the way he was treated by the Dursleys was not typical, but really only ever had how they treated Dudley to compare to until he made some friends at Hogwarts. He thought it was normal to prefer one kid over the other until last summer when he had spent a little time with the Weasleys and saw Molly doted over all their children. Almost painfully so. And then had taken to Harry as one of her own little ducklings. He had always wished for a mother's embrace, but never lamented it as to when he left the Borrow last September 1st. Sure, he could have told Mrs. Weasley just how awful his aunt and uncle truly were and she would have probably never let him anywhere near Surrey again, but they had 7 kids! Who was he to burden the family with another mouth to feed and worry about?
This was a desperate last-ditch effort to trust an adult in his adolescent life. Maybe, just maybe, if he let all his embarrassment of his home life out, Rose would let him stay the summer. He could devise a plan between now and Christmas break to figure out where he would go next.
"I stayed in the cupboard under the stairs for years. My Hogwart's letter was addressed there. Sometimes, when the weird stuff would happen around me, Uncle Vernon would lock me in there with the spiders. He really doesn't like me at all. He gives me a to do list full of chores like cooking and cleaning and all the yard work, but nothing I do is right, and I've tried everything to make them like me, but they don't! Even when all the while the headmaster was paying them to keep me there! No one wants me." Harry was out of breath now and his chest felt tight. Saying all of this out loud for the first time deflated all the defiance he had left. "Never mind, Rosalie. You can call them. It was stupid for me to run away and I'm sorry I made you come home from work." His eyes were glassy peering up through his round worn glasses. He would not let himself cry. He was foolish to think an adult would believe him.
"I'll need the phone number, Harry."
Rosalie dialed out on an old rotary phone on the wall by the fridge. She did not look at Harry as she waited for someone to answer.
"Dursley residence! Lady of the house speaking" She tried not to retch at the shrillness of Petunia's voice.
"Tuney, it's Rosie. I just want to let you know I have Harry."
"Oh. Well. What? You expect us to come collects him up all the way in Tyne?! Did he tell you what he did?"
"is it true? Did you have Harry stay in the broom cupboard. Did you allow your husband to take his resentment and deny basic needs of the boy?" the line was silent. "Petunia, I can hear you breathing. I'm accepting your stark silence as an omission of guilt."
"He ruined everything. All of the time. Can you imagine having a constant reminder of EVERYTHING that had taken Lily away from me in the house?"
Rosalie could not feel any sympathy for her cousin. All she could feel was overwhelming disgust. She interrupted. "I suspect I would try to love and protect the only bit of your sister that is left, and to answer your previous question, I expect Harry will never have to see any of your faces ever again. A Simple Yes will suffice if you are agreeable."
"Fine. Keep the little leech."
"Great. Oh, and Tuney, a little parting gift for you…." Rosalie said something in a different language. To Harry it sounded guttural and ominous compared to Rose's normally even voice. He heard the phone click as Petunia slammed the receiver on the other end of the line.
"You aren't sending me back?" Such a small voice and one of complete disbelief. Harry waited for the other shoe to drop.
"No. Never again." She placed her receiver back on the cradle. The cat yowled by her feet. "Eglantine, enough. There is food in your bowl."
"What Now?" implored Harry.
"Now, we have to figure out your schooling." She picked up Eggie, scratching behind her ear. Harry blanched.
"However, I will do that tomorrow. Grab your things. You can stay in the guest room. I'll make the bed. Then we can come have some tea and then I am going to sleep. 36 hours conscious is unpleasant in the best of circumstances." She placed the cat back down and gabbed Harry in a hug. "This is home now."
The next morning, Harry woke to the sun higher in the sky then normal. The alarm clock never went off! He was late to make breakfast! Uncle Vernon will be furious! He clambered to get out of bed and got tangled in soft blue sheets. He went down on to the floor with a thump. "Oof."
Escaping his plush prison of sheets and downy pillows, he looked again at the room. Yesterday's events flooding back into his sleep addled brain. Oh. Oh! He wasn't at the Dursleys and this was not Dudley's second bedroom full of broken things. He smiled to himself. Rose said he could stay here.
She also said they would have to face whatever punishment would come for his blowing up Aunt Marge. Harry's smile faded quickly. This would not be good.
After putting on some old socks and using the hallway loo, he padded down the stairs to look for Rose. He nearly tripped over the cat lazily stretched out on the second to last step. He was abruptly stopped from falling face first in midair by an unseen force. Rosalie appeared in the doorway to the kitchen still in her pjs.
"I think Eglantine is trying to off you, kid." Her hand extended, she dropped Harry on his feet at the bottom of the steps and then dropped her hand to her sides.
"How'd you do that? With out a wand? And what did you say to Aunt Petunia last night before she hung up on you?"
"Good morning to you too, twenty questions." She retreated into the kitchen. "It was a wandless spell. I don't have a wand. No, I've never owned a wand. No, I can only do simple things without a wand. All my big guns must be cast with my staff." Harry followed, Eggie in the crook of his arm. They had made up from the stairs incident. "My turn!" she clapped. "What do you want for breakfast?"
Harry thought. No one ever asked him what he wanted for breakfast. He had always just taken what was handed to him or left behind by others. Not Bacon, he knew he didn't want bacon. The thought of smelling burnt bacon and a frying pan connecting with his head had destroyed his taste for the breakfast meat forever he reckoned.
"Errm, eggs and toast?" he murrmered
"Orange juice or milk?" Rose had already moved to the fridge. Was she going to cook? For him?
"I can cook for you, you know. I'm pretty good at it!" Maybe if he showed Rose he could earn his keep she would let him stay past the summer. It would be nice to have somewhere to go for holidays. She came back out from the icebox door whit a somewhat sad expression.
"I know you can, but you don't have to here, Harry." She started setting items out to cook and poured him a glass of milk. Rosalie looked at the kid, really looked at him. He was thin for 13, and although his mother and father were not astonishingly tall, he should have had a couple more inches on her by now. His old pajama bottoms were too big all over and dragged on the floor past his feet. He had them rolled over at the waist at least twice, obviously, his clothes were not bought with Harry in mind. Basic needs withheld and basic decency with them. Her anger from the night before flared as she whisked the eggs."
"I think those are pretty scrambled, yeah?" Harry laughed from behind her.
"Yeah, I showed them!" She poured the mixture into the pan. "It was Gaelic. What I said to Petunia last night. It was a Gaelic hex." She turned to face Harry "No lasting damage, I swear, but she will be very surprised when she wakes up and all of her hair has fallen out." She had a sly smile on her face.
Harry laughed so hard his milk came out of his nose. He snarffed and sputtered but kept laughing. A great gregarious noise. It was the first time Rosalie had heard it. She liked hearing it and couldn't help but to join in.
After breakfast, Harry washed the dishes by hand. Rosalie had set some ground rules. None of which sounded awful at all. Keep his room tidy, clean up behind himself at meals, leave her brewing station alone, in fact, don't even look at it with out her there, and do not, under any circumstances, bring anyone into the house unless Rosalie expressly gives him permission. That was for their protection and, to a lesser extent, whom ever was coming over to visit. At least until the house's protection wards could be sorted out. In fact, until Harry's magical signature itself was added to the charms, Rosalie asked him not to go outside without her. Who knows what the house would do if he tried to get back in! She had to figure it out on her on as her sales agent augmented the wards for entry at signing and assured her it would be easy peasy from here on out. The house had other ideas.
Eventually, after a few hours of Rose pouring over a large envelope of documents on ancient looking parchment from her sales agreement on the house, she popped into the living room where Harry had been pretending to work on a summer assignment for transfiguration.
"Eureka! I found a way to bring you in to the wards!"
"Brilliant! What do we need to do?"
"It turned out to be really simple. All I need is a 'bit of thine own tongue." Rose face twisted in a creepy smirk as she held up an empty vile.
"Wait! You need a piece of my tongue?! No Way!" Harry scrambled across the room, his back against a wall, hand over his mouth as Rosalie stalked towards him
She couldn't keep her face straight anymore. "I'm messing with you, kid! "she laughed. "I do need you to spit in this container though. I need it for the charm. You should have seen your face!"
He swiped the bottle from Rose's shaking grasp. "That wasn't funny."
"I thought it was! Ha! That's enough. I only need a few drops." He handed the vial back and wiped his mouth with his sleeve. "You'll think this even less funny. We have to make a trip to the Ministry on Friday. I spoke with the office of for the Management of Adolescent and Accidental magic and notified them of your new living arrangements. We have an appointment with the Minister and Professor Dumbledore to discuss last night's events." Harry's stomach dropped.
A tiny tabby cat with curious markings ran through the castle, she meowed at the stone gargoyle and bounded up the steps towards the gray bearded man sitting at his desk. "Hello Minerva. I'm glad one of you got the message." The cat leapt into a wing back chair by the roaring fire and Minerva McGonagall transfigured back into her human form. "Where did they find him, Albus?! I spent most of last night searching Diagon Ally, worried sick! I'm chilled to the bone and could use something warm to drink."
Dumbledore returned with a tumbler of firewhiskey. "Works better than tea, hnm?" He sat in the opposite chair. "He's in Tyne, England. Safe and sound for now. He took the Knight Bus to an obscure relative's house. Although, I can't for the life of me figure out why our tracking charms lost him completely. I still can not get them to lock on to his magical signature."
Minerva took a long nip from the tumbler. "What will we do about his admission? Surely, he won't be expelled for an accident, will he?"
"Oh no, I'll have everything smoothed over with the ministry by Friday, and I would very much like to meet this, cousin of his." He stroked his long beard in consideration. "Now if only I could get a message to Severus to call off the search. My patronus returned unanswered. I worry he's now under the same veil shielding Harry, which may be curious. He'll be quite cross when he returns, I suspect."
"I don't want to be around for that homecoming…" She drained the rest of her glass.
"Tell me, Minerva, does the name Rosalie Novack ring any bells?"
"Albus, you can not be serious?! You don't remember that name? The '75 sort? She was the longest hat stall of our tenure?" He had the grace to look perplexed. "Oh Lord, pour another, if you will."