Sensing Magic
by Teddylonglong

Please refer to chapter 1 for my disclaimer and warnings. Thank you.


In the morning, Regina, Severus, Minerva, Remus, Harry and Lucy stepped through the fireplace to travel to the Ministry of Magic for the Wizengamot meeting.

Before Harry and Lucy could take their seat together with Regina, they had to wait for Remus as the head of the Wizengamot to introduce Regina and Marvolo to the other lords and ladies as the Lady Lestrange and Lord Gaunt.

Curiously, Harry sat next to his adoptive mother on the Lestrange seat, smiling upon realising that the Prince seat was on his left side with the Gaunt seat just opposite of him. Before he could relax in his seat with Lucy standing at his side to show him the assembled members, however, a witch in a pink cardigan began to shout.

"Someone kick that dog out and the child with it. This is neither a zoo, nor a playground for children!"

"Easy Harry," Regina whispered, calmingly reaching for his hand, while Remus replied on his behalf.

"Madam Umbridge, the boy is Harry Prince. He is not only the youngest recipient of the Order of Merlin first class of all times, but also the heir to the Potter, Prince, Lestrange, Slytherin and Gryffindor families. However, he is blind and needs his guide dog. Therefore, we have special permission from Minister Bagnold to have him attend the meetings of the Wizengamot together with his canine familiar."

The witch in the pink cardigan mumbled something that Harry could not understand; however, Lucy efficiently shut her up with a small growl.

Before Remus was able to properly start the meeting, an old lady, which Severus telepathically reminded him was Madam Longbottom, spoke up in a loud voice.

"What is that criminal doing here?" She pointed her wand at Marvolo, staring at the younger wizard in clear disgust. "It's his fault that my children never will be able to take their seats here again."

Marvolo rose from his chair, giving Remus a questioning look.

"Lord Gaunt please." Remus nodded at him.

"Madam Bones, you have my permission to publish the details of my interrogation, so that I don't have to answer the same questions over and over again."

Amelia nodded and was given the floor. "I questioned Lord Gaunt under Veritaserum the other day. Everything he did before his downfall on that fateful Halloween, he did not do by his own free will." Ignoring the gasps from all over the Wizengamot, she explained about the Imperius curse, which apparently had been cast by the late Lord Theodore Rosier."

"Amelia, you will surely believe that this is unbelievable. Do you have any proof? If I am not mistaken, Lord Rosier only died a few weeks ago. Isn't that a strange coincidence?"

"Augusta, an elf has admitted killing Lord Rosier to revenge Lord Gaunt. Lord Gaunt did not even know about his intention beforehand." Before Amelia could continue her explanation, an older wizard spoke up.

'That's Tiberius Ogden,' Severus thought to Harry, who was following the conversation with interest on the one hand, annoyance on the other. 'Poor Marvolo,' he thought, sympathetically. 'It must be so unnerving to explain the same matter again and again.'

"I believe Lord Gaunt. He is not the only victim of Theodore Rosier."

"Tiberius, what are you talking about?" Augusta Longbottom glared at the wizard, who seemed about her own age.

The old wizard thoughtfully let a hand run over his beard. "A few days ago, the Carrow twins, who are living not far from our factory, came to visit. Alecto and Amycus Carrow. They told me a simply incredible story, which however, seems to be the truth. They informed me that they originally had been triplets." Ignoring the gasp that spread through the Wizengamot, he continued. "However, before they could even enter Hogwarts, Theodore Rosier abducted their sister Lydia to use her for some kind of ritual. Needless to say, the young girl did not survive the event. He then placed the twins as well as their parents under the Imperius curse to tell everyone that they were twins instead of triplets, probably in a simple attempt to hide the murder which had occurred by his hands. Only when Theodore died the other day, the curse was lifted and the twins were able to talk about it. They have shown me a couple of photographs from their early childhood, when they were still triplets."

Remus cleared his throat. "Too bad that we cannot question Lord Rosier anymore. In any case, I believe that we can set this matter aside for the time being and get to our agenda. Would that be all right? Madam Longbottom?"

The old witch nodded, although Harry had the impression as if she was still not overly convinced.

From that time onwards, however, the meeting proceeded discussing the suggestion of a monthly or yearly fee for the Floo travel as well as the option of adding a school bus as an alternative to the Hogwarts Express for the students' travels to Hogwarts and back.

By the time the meeting ended shortly before lunchtime, groups of people gathered around Marvolo and Regina.

"Lady Lestrange." Augusta Longbottom was the first to gain Regina's attention. "First of all, congratulations for becoming the head of the Lestrange family, and secondly…" She fidgeted a little, dapping her eyes with a white handkerchief, "… I'd like to suggest to you to kick your brothers and sister-in-law out of the family. I know that no one has ever escaped from Azkaban, but still…" She glanced at Marvolo, who was equally surrounded by other lords and ladies, "… it might not be impossible for an evil wizard to break into the prison and free other criminals."

"Thank you, Madam Longbottom." Regina spoke in a soft voice, smiling at the old lady. "I will heed your advice and speak with my account manager at Gringotts at the next opportunity."

"Harry." The old lady suddenly addressed him. "I don't know if Professor McGonagall told you, but my grandson Neville is of the same age as you and will attend Hogwarts together with you next year. Neville is very shy though, and does not match well with other children. Would you perhaps be willing to meet him and see if the two of you can get along? When you were babies, your mothers were best friends, and you often played together."

"I'd like to play with Neville." Harry gave the old lady a reassuring smile. 'Regina, may I perhaps invite Neville to visit me at our home tomorrow or the day after?' he thought to his adoptive mother, who immediately replied on his behalf.

"Madam Longbottom, as you probably know, we live at Hogwarts, and Neville is very much welcome to visit us at any time."

Harry smiled, when Lucy gently licked the old woman's hand in apparent appreciation, while the two witches agreed that Neville and his grandmother would visit them on Sunday afternoon.

'I hope Neville is nice,' Harry thought, as he absentmindedly played the Suikan before bedtime that evening. 'I should ask Severus if Draco can come to visit again, too.'

HP

When Augusta Longbottom stepped out of the fireplace together with her grandson, Harry realised immediately that the boy was extremely shy and obviously tried to hide behind his grandmother.

"Good morning, Madam Longbottom, Heir Longbottom," he greeted them like Regina had instructed him beforehand.

"Heir Prince-Potter." The old lady smiled. "This is my grandson, Neville."

"Please just call me Harry."

"I am Neville," the other boy said in a small voice, and Lucy dashed forward to gently lick his hand, which she used to do for people she seemed to like.

To his relief, Regina joined the conversation and talked the old lady into having tea together. "Harry, why don't you go and show Neville Hogwarts?"

"Neville, would you like to see the castle?"

"I'd love that. Can we also visit the greenhouses?" The boy's voice was laced with apparent excitement, and Harry happily agreed.

"I'll see you at lunch in the Great Hall," Harry said to Regina, before he ushered Neville out into the dungeon corridor.

"Where are we?" Neville looked around in apparent bewilderment. "Aren't there any windows?"

Harry smirked. "The entrance to our quarters is in the dungeons, near the Potions classroom and the Slytherin common room." He first led the other boy into the Potions classroom, where he showed him some especially interesting ingredients, such as small frogs and other tiny animals, which were alive and kept in glasses on one of the shelves.

"I have a toad as familiar," Neville admitted. "Trevor."

"Where is he? Did you not bring him?" Harry was surprised, knowing that he would never go anywhere without Lucy.

"Gran said I couldn't bring him, when I visit you." Neville seemed sad about it, and Harry quickly reassured him that he could, of course, bring Trevor, whenever he came to visit him.

They thoroughly inspected all possible places of interest at Hogwarts, and by the time lunch commenced in the Great Hall, they still had to visit the library and the Astronomy tower.

"Let's go to the Great Hall and have lunch together with the Weasley twins."

"Can we just sit together with students, although we're not even at Hogwarts yet?"

"Of course. I always sit at one of the house tables, but the twins are my best friends," Harry replied and pulled Neville over to the Slytherin table. "This is Heir Longbottom, and these are Fred and George Weasley," he quickly introduced everyone, smiling when the twins immediately made space for a second person between them.

HP

Severus observed proudly how his son entered the Great Hall, closely followed by Lucy and the Longbottom boy. He strode over to the Slytherin house table in determination, and two minutes later, the two ten-year-olds were sitting between the twins. 'Harry has improved so much in every hindsight, even his social skills. It's a real pleasure,' he thought, feeling happier than he had ever felt before. 'Just a little more than two months, and we'll have two sons,' he thought, looking over to his wife, who was sitting a few seats to his left with Madam Longbottom sitting between her and Minerva.

'I hope Madam Longbottom won't get a heart attack noticing that her grandson is sitting at the Slytherin table,' he thought to his wife, unable to hide his amusement.

"Severus, what is so funny?" Minerva asked from his left side.

"Harry seems to have become friends with Heir Longbottom." Severus' response was innocent and smooth.

"Where are they?" The old witch, who had been Minerva's classmate in their own time as students at Hogwarts, looked around the Great Hall, searchingly.

Minerva pointed at his house-table. "They're sitting at the Slytherin table together with Severus' student assistants."

"At the Slytherin table?" The old witch's eyes widened in apparent shock. "I very much hope that Neville will step into his father's footsteps and become a Gryffindor."

"They're sitting together with the Weasley twins, who are in Slytherin in spite of the fact that the Weasleys have been in Gryffindor for generations." Minerva's voice was soothing, and she quickly managed to calm down her friend.

'Minerva seems much younger than that old hag,' Severus thought. 'I'm going to relay this conversation to Harry. Perhaps, he can convince Neville that it would be fully all right to be sorted into any house in spite of what his grandmother says.'

HP

When Neville's grandmother returned home right after lunch, the two boys managed to convince her to leave Neville at Hogwarts for the afternoon.

"Neville, are you sure that you'll be able to take the Floo just by yourself?"

"Yes, Gran." Neville nodded in apparent excitement.

"Madam Longbottom, may Neville come to visit again next Sunday?" Harry enquired, smiling when Neville immediately voiced his consent.

"If that's what both of you want and your parents don't mind." The old lady cast Regina a questioning look.

"Of course not. I believe that it is good for Neville to meet other children. He seems to enjoy himself." Regina's voice was soft and convincing as usual.

'She's really good with people,' Harry thought in amazement. 'I'm really glad that she's my adoptive mother. She and Severus are really great.'

By the time Neville stepped into the fireplace a few hours later, Harry had the impression as if he had gained another good friend.

HP

It was shortly before the last Sunday before Christmas that Marvolo telepathically invited Harry to join him for a Yule ritual.

'Neville always visits me on Sundays. May I bring him?'

'If he wishes to come, you are free to bring him as well as Lucy and Teddy of course. You should warn their parents though that it's going to become a bit late that evening.'

'All right,' Harry agreed and asked Regina to inform Neville's grandmother, while he would tell Misty about it.

"You better not tell the old hag that the ritual is going to be performed by Marvolo at his place." Severus smirked.

"I might not be fully acquainted with all things magical, even if I have been taught at House Lestrange until I was eleven," Regina replied, smirking, "but I'm not that stupid."

"I know that, dear, and I appreciate that you're teaching Harry everything that an heir needs to know, considering that I am completely lacking this knowledge."

"Oh Merlin, if his grandmother finds out later on, Neville might never be allowed to visit me again."

Severus quirked an eyebrow. "That might be a possibility, but in the worst case, you'll be able to meet him, when you're going to be students in a little more than eight months' time."

"That's true, and then I'll be able to see Draco, too," Harry replied, feeling very sad that the Malfoys had not allowed his friend to spend a week at Hogwarts during the holidays. Apparently, they had other plans for the holidays, which Harry, however, did not really believe, considering the letter that Draco had secretly sent him through a house-elf.

HP

On Sunday afternoon, Severus and Regina accompanied Harry, Neville, Teddy and Lucy to Riddle Manor. When Lucy showed him an image of the living room, Harry looked at the circle of candles and runes in amazement, glad when Regina gently introduced Marvolo and Neville to each other. 'Sorry, I was so surprised that I completely forgot,' he telepathically apologized to his adoptive mother, who merely returned a smile and ruffled his hair.

"It's fine, son. Marvolo, would you mind explaining a bit to us?" she then enquired, once the Dark Lord finished his preparations.

Harry's friend nodded. "Today, in the early evening of the winter solstice, we worship the goddess Canola, the Celtic deity of magic. As the mythical inventor of the Irish harp, she is especially important for musicians. I thought it fitting, as Harry is so adept at playing music. Just do everything after me, and at the end, each of you may utter one wish. If the ritual works, your wish is likely going to become true between now and the next winter solstice."

"Really?" Neville stared at Marvolo, hope written clearly on his face.

'I wonder what he's going to wish for,' Harry thought in excitement, at the same time feverishly pondering his own wish.

"Now, sit just inside this circle on the floor."

Everyone quickly followed Marvolo's instruction with curiosity. Neville sat to the left of Harry with Regina on his other side, and Teddy took the spot at Harry's right with Severus on his other side. Lucy let herself fall into Harry's lap.

"Dolly, Draht!"

An instant later, the two elves appeared and completed the circle with Marvolo sitting between them.

Marvolo enchanted something which Harry was unable to understand. It sounded like a long-winded song in some kind of ancient language.

Harry felt absolutely amazed, when he felt the air bubbling with magic. 'That's not Marvolo's magic alone,' he realised. 'It feels as if I could sense Canola's presence. But is she here? Does she really exist?' he wondered.

The magic of the goddess seemed to remain in the centre of the circle, and when Marvolo motioned them to one after another voice their wishes, Teddy as the youngest member of the group began and told the goddess that he wished for a small sibling.

'He still doesn't know that he's going to be a big brother,' Harry thought in surprise, resolving to speak with Misty about the matter at the next opportunity.

As the next person to voice a wish, he turned his head to the centre of the circle, where he could still sense the strange magic, which he had never encountered before. "I wish for my baby brother to be healthy and happy." At first, he had intended to add 'and a wizard', however, knew that it would be possible to somehow give him magic in case he was a Squib.

Afterwards, it was Neville's turn, who was only a day older than Harry. The shy boy spoke up in a barely audible voice. "I wish for my parents to somehow be cured."

'I thought his parents were dead just like mine,' Harry thought, resolving to ask either Neville or Severus, as soon as the ritual was over. 'If it's possible to heal them, we'll do that.'

When it was Regina's turn, she said in a soft voice, "I wish for my son's eyesight to be healed.'

Harry jerked around towards his adoptive mother in shock. 'Thank you,' he thought to her, surprised that she had wished something for his own health instead of the baby's.

Completely engrossed in his own thoughts about Regina's and Neville's wishes, Harry missed his father's part and was surprised, when he felt the foreign magic recede, shortly before Marvolo ended the ritual.

Neville, Teddy and Harry helped Dolly and Draht clean the room with Lucy's assistance, while Regina and Severus enjoyed a glass of wine with Marvolo. 'Oh no, it's probably pumpkin juice or something. Regina doesn't drink alcohol because of the pregnancy,' Harry corrected himself.

HP

By the time they returned to Hogwarts, it was already so late that Regina and Severus sent them to bed right away. They had added a guest bed to Harry's room, so that Neville could spend the night with his friend, and both children were extremely excited. To his parents' annoyance, their mood even spread to Lucy, who was jumping around the room in spite of the late hour.

"Now Lucy, go to bed and sleep; otherwise, you're going to spend the night in the herb garden." Severus gave the canine a mock glare.

"That's much too cold. Lucy come here quickly," Harry replied, lifting his covers for his familiar to slip under them. He inwardly sighed in relief, when Lucy immediately complied and lay down cuddled against his stomach as usual.

As soon as his father left the room, Harry turned to his friend.

"Sorry Neville, may I ask something?"

"Yes, of course."

"What happened to your parents?"

Neville remained quiet for a moment, and Harry already thought that he had angered the boy, when he replied in a small voice.

"They were tortured into insanity. Just a few days after your parents died. They're in the long-term ward at St. Mungo's."

"Oh no, I am sorry," Harry replied. "Do you think we could go and visit them?"

Neville let out a deep sigh. "I must ask my Gran. She always takes me to see them on Christmas Day. I am not sure if they even recognise me. Probably not."

"Misty!" Harry called the elf who was as close to a mother to him as Regina. "Do you know about Neville's parents? They were tortured into insanity and are at St. Mungo's. Do you think I could try to heal them?"

"No Harry, even the healers don't have a clue how to help them." Neville's voice was laced with absolute disappointment.

Harry felt that Misty's magic moved over to the side of the room, where Neville's bed was. "Neville, Harry is a natural healer, and he might indeed be able to help them. I am not sure if it will work, but maybe we can try it out."

"Can we go right away? Misty? Please?"

"No Harry, we cannot go right away. It is the middle of the night, and both of you must sleep now." Misty's voice was strict, and Harry felt that she came over to him and gently touched his forehead, before he drifted off to sleep instantly.

HP

On Monday morning, Neville returned home after breakfast, which they had once again taken at the Slytherin table together with the twins. Somehow, Harry felt sad. 'I really like Neville,' he thought, feeling very happy to have gained so many friends during the last eighteen months. 'Just nine more months and we're going to attend classes together,' he thought, looking forward to finally becoming a student at Hogwarts.

During the day, Remus, Misty, Poppy and Cicero kept him busy, and in the evening, he spent some time with Severus and twins in the lab and the hour before his bed time with Regina in the living room.

Nevertheless, the thought of healing Neville's parents was still at the front of his mind. 'When I ask Misty or anyone, they'll only make a fuss. I'll just get up early tomorrow morning and pop myself to St. Mungo's to see if I can heal them,' he resolved.

'Teddy,' he thought to his elf friend, knowing that he was always up very early in the morning, just like the other elves, 'can you wake me up very early tomorrow please? And please don't tell Misty or anyone about it.'

'All right.' Teddy's response was quick and firm.