I own nothing of Harry Potter. There are some quotes in this chapter, as well as the next two, that will be the same or similar to passages from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

A Birthday Surprise

31 July, 1991

All of Harry and Dudley's friends clapped and cheered as they finished singing "Happy Birthday" and watched Harry blow out the eleven candles on the cake, which featured a wizard in grey robes that looked vaguely like Gandalf casting a spell at a wizard in black robes drawn on it in icing. Harry, uncomfortable being the center of attention, tried to back out of the crowd as his aunt began serving slices but almost jumped when Hermione grabbed him and held him still, much to his friends' amusement.

It had been a major deal last month when Harry and Dudley told their friend circle that Hermione was going to the same boarding school as Harry. Especially when that news came coupled with the fact that the Grangers had been able to get information about Harry out of the school, and they now knew when his actual birthday was. True, it was really Gringotts that had provided that information, but the Dursleys had been so happy for their boys that they had gone all out for Dudley's party last month, and now had done so again for Harry.

Christina Polkiss was the only one at the party not totally thrilled for Harry. Yeah, she was glad that Harry knew a little more about his parents, and especially when his actual birthday was. It must have been dreadful to have to share your birthday with your cousin for nine years! But who did this Hermione think she was? Tina had been Harry's friend for way longer, but there she was right beside him while he ate cake.

It was like that from the first weekend that Hermione had been over, back in January. The week before christmas, Harry was at Tina's birthday party and he'd said they were best friends, then a week later he's going to Crawley to hang out with this girl. Or she was coming here, it didn't matter. Normally Harry was glad to help Tina with her math homework whenever they got together for a study group, but the first weekend they had together that year he spent the whole time getting people to talk to 'my new friend Hermione'.

After that they had started studying some of their advanced classes more and more often for that boarding school Harry was going off to this fall. That was going to be terrible, a whole school term without seeing her best friend! But of course the new girl would get to see him all the time. Tina looked over at Harry and Hermione again and sighed. I'm sure she's a witch or something, an evil curse is the only way Harry would change so fast, Tina thought dejectedly. If only she could find some fairy magic and use it to save Harry from the wicked witch.

When the party moved to the nearby park for a game of football, Tina got it in her mind to investigate her new explanation for the evils of Hermione Granger. While getting some water, she went peeking into the older girl's unattended bookbag.

This was how she happened upon a well bookmarked tome that would go on to prove all her theories about Hermione Granger were right, just not in the way she thought: The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts.

I'll save my friends from you, you witch, She thought as she studied the table of contents, I won't let you hurt my brother, or Dudley, and especially not Harry!

o0-0oo0-0oo0-0oo0-0o

"Hermione dear, I don't think I saw you reading even once the entire time you were over today. Are you sure that you brought it? Could your parents have taken it out of your bag before you came?" Petunia was positive that Hermione wasn't the type of girl to misplace a book, particularly one as important to her as that one, and they'd been looking since the party ended an hour ago. The only book she loved more was Hogwarts: A History, and Harry had secretly confided to his aunt that he hoped actually seeing Hogwarts would curb his friend's tendency to quote from the book constantly during talks about magic.

"I suppose they could have, Mrs. Dursley… Harry does have a copy upstairs, so that makes sense." She said, thoughtfully.

"Wonderful, and Hermione? Don't let yourself get too down because you couldn't stay tonight, sweetie. Harry got his acceptance letter this morning, so we can all go to the Alley and get you kid's your wands on Monday after you and your family are back from the beach. Now, your parents are about thirty minutes away, go show those boys who's the Mario Queen before they get here," She smirked as the girl turned and scampered into the family room. According to Emma Hermione had never been much into games, or friends, growing up. You couldn't tell that now, the way she interacted with her boys and their crew.

She peeked her head back in the doorway a moment later, "Actually Mrs. Dursley, Its 'Princess Toadstool." Then she ran back to the telly. Petunia chuckled, introverted indeed.

o0-0oo0-0oo0-0oo0-0o

The next evening, just before dinner, the doorbell rang. When Petunia answered it she found little Tina Polkiss nervously fidgeting on the porch. Strangely she was wearing a light jacket, and seemed to be hiding something bulky under it.

"Mrs. Dursley, m-may I come in?" The girl's voice was shaking as much as she was.

"Of course dear! Is something wrong? Do your parents know you're here?" Petunia asked her as she guided the ten-year-old to a comfortable seat on the couch. She noticed the child made sure to keep whatever was under her jacket hidden from view.

"Tina dear, what have you got there? It isn't dangerous is it?"

"I don't think s-s-so." She stuttered as she began to cry a little, "My mu-m-mummy knows I'm here. I said I wanted to ask Harry ab-bout a book."

"What's wrong deary?" As Petunia asked, Harry and Dudley entered the room. Tina looked up at Harry and began sobbing.

"THIS IS Y-Y-YOU ISN'T IT, H-Harry." She pulled out a book, open to a marked page with a picture of a family of three, juxtaposed against a blown-out two-story cottage. As she held it open, the pictures began moving. The book was specially enchanted not to move if it wasn't near strong enough magic, to keep it from muggles. But now that it was in Number 4 Privet Drive, the headmaster's blood wards told the book to activate.

"WHY DID IT DO THAT?" Tina shrieked, her tears temporarily forgotten, as she dropped the book and fell back into the couch, her eyes transfixed on the moving images, "OH MY GOSH THAT MEANS IT'S REAL!"

With Vernon and Petunia at a loss for how to handle the situation, it was up to Harry to sit down on the couch beside her and hold her as her crying started up again, then calmed down. "Yeah. Those are my parents, there," He whispered reverently, pointing them out, "and that was the house we lived in before they died." Harry looked Tina dead in the eyes, "Tina, all the stuff in this book is real. Magic, Dark Lords," he broke eye contact for a second and choked, "and H-Hero Parents. I was left here by a wizard after they died. and when he left me, he also put a magic shield around my aunt and uncle's house that keeps out all grown-up magical people until I'm ready to go to school. That way the other evil wizards can't find me."

He locked her gaze again, "You can't tell anyone about this, Tina. I'm magic too, and I'm sure you can guess that the special boarding school Hermione and I are going to is Magic school." The girl nodded.

"Right." He continued, "But you have to promise me that you won't tell anyone else about magic. They probably wouldn't believe you anyways, but real wizards could find out and then Hermione and I would be in big trouble. Okay?" Petunia was astounded, Harry apparently had a commanding presence when he needed one. But it was definitely a kind presence, Harry would make a wonderful doctor (or healer, whatever) if his dreams didn't change.

"Okay Harry…I promise!"

"Why did you take her book to begin with, Tina? That's not really like you." Dudley asked from behind Harry.

"I'm so sorry! I… I was worried for you and Harry! It's just… Harry became Hermione's friend so fast, and he doesn't really open up to people at first when they're alone like that. Dudley's usually the one bringing new people into the group. So I thought maybe she was an evil witch and had cast a love spell or something, like from 'Disney'." She pouted when the two boys looked incredulously at her, "What? I was at least half-right! She is a witch, isn't she?"

Harry hugged her and laughed at that, and Tina smiled, she was worried Harry would hate her for betraying his trust like this. She was just so worried about him! But if he's magic and she's the first magic person he's gotten to meet, it makes sense they'd become friends fast.

"So I guess I have another question, if it's alright?" Her tears had mostly stopped, knowing her friends were still her friends.

Harry smiled and nodded, "No secrets between us now, as long as you can keep them between us."

"Is that magic shield thing what gives me that tingly-feeling when I come to your house? My parents just said I was 'too young to feel that way about boys', but I've always felt it. Even when we weren't friends yet."

Harry was speechless, while Dudley began loudly complaining about how unfair the world was. Petunia just fainted.

o0-0oo0-0oo0-0oo0-0o

After two days with no response from the Dursley household Albus began sending extra owls to make sure Harry got them. Every day without a response, Albus had increased the number of owls. There was supposed to be a magical guardian, after all. Shouldn't they be able to respond on behalf of the Dursleys? If Albus could force a situation where a teacher was required to go collect Harry for his school supplies, he could likely press for guardianship back. To that end he had called Hagrid up to his office this Monday morning, almost a week after Harry's first letter was sent out.

Which left him rather perturbed when the half-giant came up the stairs accompanied by his deputy headmistress. Hagrid apparently couldn't help but brag that he was going to see Harry Potter again.

"Now, Minerva, I'm sure there's no reason to trouble you for this. Hagrid will be more than capable of showing the boy around Diagon Alley."

"Albus, if the Dursleys aren't responding because, as you say, they dislike magic and the 'abnormal'; then an eleven-foot-tall man showing up on their street will drive them spare! I may not be able to remember exactly where that house is, but I do remember the uniformity there. No, I will go and see what the trouble is, at least I can blend in."

"Profes'r M'Gonagall, I was really lookin' forward tah see'n Harry again. Haven't since I held 'im as a tyke. I gotta run an errand fer Dumbledore at Gringotts anyways, can ah meet you at the 'Leakey? Jus'ta say 'hi'? Maybe 'Happy Birthday'?"

Minerva smiled at her big friend, "I don't see why that would be a problem Hagrid. I'll meet you there with Harry in a little while."

Dammit, Albus thought to himself as they left, I'm going to regret this.

o0-0oo0-0oo0-0oo0-0o

Mcgonagall appeared in the alley Albus had indicated was perfect as an apparition point to Harry's home and stepped out onto the street, Number 4 shouldn't be too difficult to find should it? No, not when there were a half dozen people gathered out front gawking at two boys frantically trying to gather up what looked like hundreds of letters on their front lawn.

"What in Merlin's name?" She drew her wand and cast a few quick confundus charms, sending the muggle bystanders away as she approached.

"I hope we don't have you to thank for the nonsense these past few days?" A stern looking woman asked from the front porch, the same porch she remembered leaving little Harry on all those years ago.

"Ma'am, I have no explanation for why so many letters would be directed to your home." She could tell from looking that they were all Hogwarts letters, "I was sent because the Headmaster felt you might be ignoring the school. I am the professor of transfiguration." The woman obviously knew what was happening, no reason to insult her with lengthy explanations.

"Well, we would have loved to reply that Harry would be attending, but the owls flew away right after dropping the letters, it's not like we have an owl. And every time I tried to mail that blasted school over the years the letters were returned as undeliverable."

Mcgonagall picked up one of the letters and opened it, this letter is for magical raised children…, it assumes the recipient already had a means of reply… what? Albus had to know that Harry Potter was muggle raised, what was he thinking?

"The magical guardian… Ms. Acacia." Mcgonagall muttered under her breath.

"I beg your pardon? What's that?" The woman looked rather perturbed.

"I assume you already have a copy of this letter?" At the woman's nod she swept her wand and vanished all the extras, "Then please allow us to talk inside, the spell that sent those looky-loos away will be wearing off soon and we shouldn't be out here when it does." She gestured to her attire.

"Yes, boys, please come in here." With that she gestured Mcgonagall inside, "May I presume that you are Professor 'Mcgonagall'?"

"That's correct," she responded as she sat down, one surprise after another it seems.

"Ma'am, do you have the ability to tell definitively if a person is magical?" The out-of-the-blue question surprised her yet again.

"Yes, there's a spell that can be used to indicate witches and wizards in a room. Do you suspect your son of being a wizard?" She looked at the muscular boy, "If I recall, he is older than Harry. He would have received a letter on his birthday if he were a wizard."

"Oh, no… not anymore anyways. Give me one moment, if you have any questions for Harry please ask them. I need to make a phone call if you wouldn't mind." Minerva's eyebrow rose, "It will only be a moment, I promise." With that she left the room.

After a minute of awkward silence Mcgonagall tried to break the ice, "So, Mr. Potter. How have you liked living with your aunt and uncle?"

"It's alright," he answered noncommittally, he looked like he wasn't sure if he could trust the witch in front of him. That doesn't bode well.

"Are you sure," As she asked, the aunt, Petunia, that was her name, came back in from the kitchen.

"Deputy Headmistress, please humour me for a minute or two longer. I put some tea to brew for us, it should be ready in time." Mcgonagall could only nod and smile, but she was growing wary, she didn't recall giving her full title before.

"Can you really turn into a cat?" The larger boy said his first words since she'd arrived.

"I'm sorry, where did you hear that?" The boy covered his mouth, clearly he knew things she wasn't suspecting and wasn't supposed to tell. Alright, she thought, let's see where this leads, "Yes, I can in fact. It's a very difficult kind of magic that very few people learn; mostly because the animal you become is always the same, and you can't choose what kind of animal you end up changing into. Meaning that you can go through all the work, only to learn you can turn into an earthworm or something."

After giving her explanation she transformed into a grey and brown tabby cat, meowed, then changed back with a chuckle at both boys' slack-jawed expression. The boys excitedly asked her questions, much to the professor's delight, which kept her from noticing when Petunia led two more people into the room until they were already well inside.

"Mrs. Dursley, I would have thought you knew not to bring in people about this."

"Cast the spell now." Petunia replied. "Little Tina here says that she can feel the ward on the house."

The mother looked up from her daughter at Petunia, confused, "Spell?"

"Cast the spell and tell us if she's magical." Petunia reiterated.

Mcgonagall was not used to being spoken to like this by muggle parents.

"Wait what?" Mrs. Polkiss asked, her face going white.

"Very well," There wasn't much to lose for doing it, the damage was already done, if nothing came of it she would obliviate the pair and have a stern talk with Mrs. Dursley… and Ms. Acacia when they finally met.

She cast the spell, which would cause any witch or wizard to glow if they were within about twenty feet. The girl began glowing with a golden aura and giggled happily, her mum was eyeing the light warily but still clung to her daughter.

"Mum, look at this!" Dudley Dursley was glowing as well!

"Oh Merlin." The professor sighed.

"I knew it!" Harry exclaimed.

A few explanations, and a lot of confusion, later, Professor Mcgonagall understood what had brought Tina Polkiss and her mother there that morning. Not that she approved per se, but she felt no reason to obliviate the pair when they would apparently learn of magic again in December. Learning that Dudley Dursley was a wizard was quite a revelation though, a patronus message to Flitwick back at Hogwarts was returned and confirmed his name did appear in the Hogwarts Book, which meant Dudley should have received a letter and didn't. Likely due to the Headmasters ridiculously overbearing wards.

Harry was quick to supply the story of his aunt and Dudley glowing that night three years ago. At first that annoyed Petunia, but she realized that it was her need to know about Dudley that hurt her then, anyways. Had she known she might have tried harder to get to Diagon and caused a problem for the family.

The final surprise came when Mcgonagall stated that she would be happy to take Dudley to Diagon Alley with Harry to get their school supplies, as she was his, Dudley's, magical guardian, by default, and that was her duty in that capacity.

"Oh, that you are most certainly not." Petunia replied calmly, glancing at Mrs. Polkiss, "Hogwarts' Deputy Headmistress, Minerva Mcgonagall." She had clearly elaborated the title for the other woman, the witch smirked at her, "During the last wizarding war, I stayed in contact with the magical world up until the night Albus cut us off. I did so through the use of an alias. I am Ms. Peony Acacia. I, not you, am my son's default magical guardian."

Mcgonagall sank into her chair, completely shocked. She was expecting to be told about Ms. Acacia at this meeting. Maybe even have a chance to set up a future time to meet in person, likely at Gringotts. Never in a million years could she have imagined this. Minerva couldn't help herself, this was too much. The Weasley twins were amateurs compared to this.

She began laughing uncontrollably.

After twenty seconds without a break in the older woman's laughter, Petunia turned to her friend and apologized for lying to get her over here before briefly explaining the existence of the magical world, she even pulled out the very book Tina had 'borrowed' that started this mess to show her what had had Tina in such a state after Harry's party from where she had stashed it under the couch. Angela returned with stories of when Tina was much younger and food she didn't like would disappear and show up in the dog's food bowl, but that stopped around the same time she started visiting the Dursleys. Meanwhile, Harry and Dudley were telling Tina about the professor turning into a cat earlier.

Angela Polkiss was scared at first. When Petunia had called her ten minutes ago to say that Tina might be able to get into the same elite boarding school as Harry if the representative met the girl right then, she was thrilled. Now she wasn't so positive. Her family was rather religious, and she wasn't sure how she could explain this to them. Witches and dark lords and magic castles sounded like a fast track to a priest or an exorcist. Petunia saved her by offering to be there when the conversation happened and help show them that this is was a gift, not some demonic taint.

"Forgive me, Mrs… Ms… um, oh dear." Mcgonagall had managed to pull herself together again.

"Mrs. Dursley, or just Petunia, if you wouldn't mind. I only wish to be Ms. Acacia when we are inthe magical world, and then only when we are acting in 'official' capacities. Your warning about Albus' snooping was enough to earn my trust for now, so I'd like to keep things between us civil." Mcgonagall's eyes widened at the implication of that and nodded.

"Very well, Mrs. Dursley, please forgive me for losing my composure there. It's just that the Headmaster has spent six-months trying to find 'Ms. Peony Acacia' without alerting the Wizengamot… the magical house of lords," Petunia nodded, "without alerting them that he had lost your nephew's guardianship authority. I asked him in late June if he'd contacted you directly about it. He assured me that you wouldn't have been involved intentionally, as your family hated magic and wizards, and that there was no point in bothering you and risking angering you."

Petunia smiled, "I will prepare a letter for Albus from Ms. Acacia, if you think that is safe, explaining that I have no desire to bring myself into the spotlight unless he is intent to drag me there. As long as he doesn't try to directly claim custody of my nephew, I believe I'm content to let him lead people on, at least for now." Mcgonagall could swear that the Petunia's smile turned sinister for a moment, "I would consider it an added layer of protection for Harry as well. One unfortunate fact I learned after returning to the magical world last Christmas was that there were many of those dark wizards that were never caught, or that somehow got out of sentencing. Keeping this place 'off-the-grid' as they say, is still a good idea."

"That sounds acceptable, and maybe it would get the headmaster back on track running the school. This has consumed him recently. Now, I must ask, how do you intend to help Mrs… Polkiss, yes? I'm sorry this has just been so much. How do you intend to help Mrs. Polkiss explain magic to her family if you are not, yourself, able to perform it?"

"Well, I was planning to do it here. I figured books with moving pictures would go a long way," Petunia smiled, "That, plus some easily demonstrated potions effects should do nicely don't you think? Harry and Hermione have been quite busy on nights when one of them stays over with the other, we have several small jars of Dittany Balm and Boil Paste, since it has a very long shelf life. But I think something more obvious, like an oil recipe Hermione found that waterproofs paper, would be best. The kids have been practicing potions and memorizing plant names and ingredients because they aren't allowed to cast spells at home."

"I think that would work perfectly, and I am very pleased that Mister Potter will not be returning to the magical world with no warning or preparation." The witch nodded, "If you need help, perhaps a demonstration of spellcasting, please let me know. You obviously know how to contact me. Erm, the headmaster sent me to take Harry, and I suppose Dudley now as well, to Diagon Alley for their school supplies… but if you already have? Or would prefer to go yourselves?"

"Actually, we were planning to meet Emma and Hermione Granger at the Alley… we were needing to leave soon when you came calling, oh dear, she'll likely be getting there in less than half-an-hour. We already have Harry's books because we got the list from Hermione. But we'll need to get supplies for Dudley now… We were waiting until after Harry's eleventh to get both the children's wands." Mrs. Polkiss looked panicked at the thought that her friend might be leaving her to fend for herself today with this information.

Mcgonagall, noticing the woman's distress, offered a solution, "There was someone that I had intended to meet at Diagon as well, Rubeus Hagrid, so I'll be heading that way after this regardless. He's the groundskeeper for Hogwarts, and he was close to Harry's parents when they were in school."

Harry perked up at that.

"Before I stepped in, on account of the man's utter lack of ability to fit-in in the muggle world, he was the one the Headmaster was going to send to check on Harry. But, I was able to convince him to wait at the Leaky Cauldron for us. I could take Harry and Dudley to Diagon, that way they won't be late meeting with miss Granger either. Then you would be able to stay and help your friend through this… transition." Both other women snorted at that understatement.

Petunia looked at her boys, she'd really wanted to be there when Harry got his wand. Lily had said that getting her first wand had been an incredible experience, and she was sad Petunia had missed it. But Angela and Tina needed her help here, today; Christina Polkiss being a witch had thrown all of Petunia's plans into disarray.

"If the boys are okay with that, I believe it would solve our problems nicely." Petunia looked to the two wizards for confirmation before continuing, "Understand though, that Emma Granger will be acting as my representative while the five, or six of you with Mr. Hagrid, will be in the Alley, not you. I don't want there to be any confusion on that point." After the professor had nodded her ascent, Petunia turned to the boys, "Harry, please go upstairs and grab your key… Would you mind paying for Dudley's things while you're there? I can move the gold back into your school vault the next time I go." Harry nodded and headed up the stairs to his room.

"Mrs… Petunia. You seemed to hesitate there? About more than who's in charge I mean." The woman looked away for a moment.

"Yes I… I've always regretted not being there for Lily when she got her first wand… Would it be possible for you to save that for last?" She glanced at Angela and Tina.

"I think I see where you are going, let me offer a solution?" Mcgonagall asked, "I could take the boys to the Alley, I'm sure you know I could have them there in moments, then leave them in the care of Mrs. Granger. Afterwards, I could return here and help you introduce the rest of the Polkiss family to the magical world. Then, if the children wait till last to get their wands, I should be able to take you to Diagon as well to see it."

Petunia sighed in relief at hearing Mcgonagall's willingness to give up her time for them, "Professor, thank you for your help here. I was honestly trying to figure out how to get you to come without giving away that it wasn't for Harry or Hermione. Finding out Tina could feel the ward on the house was quite destabilizing." She looked over at her friend and smiled, "You can tell Timothy that Tina definitely passed her interview for school. Would you like to speak with the Professor for a little while before we bring in your family?"

"I think that would be good." The woman replied, "If I see it with my own eyes maybe it will help me wrap my head around telling Timothy and Piers about this. It's a lot to take in…"

"Truly," Mcgonagall replied as Harry returned from his room with a hat on, she noticed that he had also covered his scar with some sort of muggle cosmetic, "Well, we should be off. Hagrid will be getting worried, Mrs. Granger as well, if they are there already. If you both will take hold of my arms and we shall be off."

The boys looked at her a little strangely before glancing at each other, shrugging, and doing as she bade, "Excellent. Mrs. Dursley, Mrs. Polkiss, I shall return shortly after ensuring that the boys are safely delivered to Mrs. Granger. Now, boys, hold tightly. I am about to apparate with the both of you to Diagon. The Headmaster altered the wards for the day just for this."

"Isn't that like teleporting?" Dudley asked from the professor's right arm, at her nod he grinned and said, "Awesome." The three disappeared from the family room in a crack.

Angela Polkiss' legs gave out on her and she fell to her knees, staring at the spot where three people had been just a moment ago. Secretly, she was hoping that the moving picture-book was some kind of elaborate hoax. Not anymore…

"Mummy, next time we have to ask her to turn into a cat!"

o0-0oo0-0oo0-0oo0-0o

When Harry and Dudley finished their side-along apparition with Mcgonagall they both stumbled forward. Dudley hit the ground and rolled onto his back, laughing as he almost pulled his escort down with him. Harry caught himself before he lost his footing, but looked queasy.

"Now I know how the toothpaste feels when comes out of the tube…" Harry muttered as he fought to keep his breakfast down, "Is it always like that?"

Mcgonagall chuckled as she took in the disparate reactions, "It's something most have to get used to. I honestly envy your cousin his enjoyment of it though. Now, this is the designated apparition point for Diagon Alley, behind The Leaky Cauldron. Which I'm sure you know is the muggle face for the Alley." She studied the boys, Dudley was looking around curiously, but Harry had simply nodded in acknowledgement. Clearly he knew where he was.

"Mister Po-," She shook her head and stopped herself, Harry looked up at her strangely. She began leading them into the back of The Leaky Cauldron as she continued, "For the duration of this trip, I believe it would be best if everyone called you both 'Mister Dursley', brothers, in an effort to keep crowds away from you. The whole of magical Britain knows that last week was your eleventh birthday. That hat and the disguise on your scar will help tremendously, and if I need to differentiate you from your cousin I will call you James Dursley. I'm sure you're aware of the pedestal our society has placed you on, so I shouldn't need to explain why." He nodded again and they entered the tavern.

Hagrid almost blew Harry's cover immediately, as the man was clearly too excited to contain himself upon seeing Professor Mcgonagall enter the tavern. The only thing restraining his outburst was his confusion at seeing Dudley's large body and short, brown hair. By the time he finally saw Harry entering behind his cousin, Mcgonagall had closed the distance and gotten his exuberance under control. He still blubbered when he saw the child of his lost friends. But he was known as an emotional fellow, so it didn't draw too much undue attention.

o0-0oo0-0oo0-0oo0-0o

"Professor Mcgonagall? What a pleasant surprise." The group had just enough time to stand up to say 'hello' to Mrs. Granger before a frizzy, brown-haired missile sailed into Harry, latching onto him in a hug; which Hermione quickly jumped away from, wincing. Harry was devastated for the two seconds it took him to realize that her face was very sunburnt. Then he gingerly returned her hug, doing his best not to put any pressure on her skin.

Emma Granger couldn't help but chuckle at her daughter's predicament, "Next time you'll remember to put on sunscreen!"

"But Hermione, I thought we had made a couple batches of Daywalker, what happened?" Harry asked, confused.

Mcgonagall answered for her, "Daywalker is a very effective sunblock for being relatively simple to brew. So strong that, as the name implies, it can allow a vampire to walk in daylight for a limited amount of time." She smiled, "What most textbooks, or recipes for that matter, would leave out of the instructions is that salt, particularly sweat, will break down the potion and cause it to evaporate due to slug flesh being a primary ingredient. This obviously isn't an issue for vampires, as they don't sweat. But it makes the potion not very useful for young witches on the beach." Hermione was probably blushing in embarrassment for not realizing that, but it would be impossible to tell.

"Thank you, Professor. Hermione has fretted all weekend over what she and Harry could have done wrong in making the cream." Emma eyed Hagrid as she spoke, "Professor, I was expecting to meet someone… else… here with Harry. Is everything alright?"

"Oh, yes quite. There was a change of plans."

Dudley spoke up, "We found out what happened to your book Hermione." At her questioning look he continued, "Tina took it out of your bookbag when we were at the park." Hermione gasped, "Get this, she thought you were a witch and had cast a spell on Harry or something." He and Harry laughed, but Emma was rapidly losing her new tan as she looked at Mcgonagall.

"Professor, exactly what kind of change in plans has happened?"

"Nothing to worry about Mrs. Granger. Christina Polkiss did in fact take your daughter's book, but she went to the Dursleys the next night to ask them if certain chapters were real. While there, it was discovered that she might be a muggleborn witch herself." Emma and Hermione were speechless, "This morning I visited the Dursleys' home to verify if James here", she looked meaningfully at Hagrid, "would be attending Hogwarts. While there, I confirmed that Miss Polkiss was, in fact, a witch."

Before she could spoil it for him, Dudley interjected again, "And I'm a wizard too! I glowed when she cast the spell and everything!"

"Indeed," Mcgonagall continued, smiling, "I verified that his name appears on the Hogwarts list, the ledger of all students magically invited to attend the school. I can only assume that the wards on the house prevented Dudley's letter from being delivered. The Headmaster was personally seeing to the letters going to James."

"Blimey!" Hagrid exclaimed, "I'm glad I let you go tah pick 'im up now Mcgonagall. I'd not known what ta' do there. Welcome to tha magical world then Dudley! Are ya excited?" The boy smiled and nodded.

"Oh my. So is that why Petunia is not here?" Emma asked, more at ease.

"Yes. Actually, Angela Polkiss was worried that she would need help explaining magic to her family. Petunia felt she should stay to help her friend, and I offered to bring the boys here and, if you wouldn't mind, leave them with you. Meanwhile, I felt I should offer my help in explaining things to Mister Polkiss. She just asked that you saved wands for last. She hopes to be able to be here for that."

"That sounds perfect to me professor."

o0-0oo0-0oo0-0oo0-0o

"I'm serious, It was a whole vault just for some little thing wrapped up in brown paper, it was lower than my school vault too." Harry was explaining to Dudley and the Grangers while they ate lunch in the Leaky Cauldron and waited on his aunt.

"James," Mrs. Granger chided, "Are you sure you should be talking about this? He and Mcgonagall implied that he was on business for the school." Hermione nodded in agreement with her mum.

"Maybe, but if it was supposed to be secret he shouldn't have talked about it so much. He spent the whole time we weren't riding the cart talking about how great the headmaster was and how much he trusted Hagrid to help with really important errands. Then, I was worried the cart driver was going to throw us out when Mr. Hagrid suggested that Headmaster Dumbledore," He smirked at Hermione, who insisted on proper titles even for people she didn't particularly like, "being at Hogwarts meant that was the only place safer than Gringotts while we were headed back up. You don't suggest that the goblins don't take security seriously right in front of them." The others could only nod at that, and the owl on the table hooted indignantly.

"Don't worry Hedwig, we still think he's a good guy. Just doesn't do 'subtle'. If that goblin had tossed him out of the cart then we wouldn't have gotten you." Dudley said to placate the beautiful snowy owl in her cage.

After they had finished all their shopping except for wands Hagrid had insisted on getting Harry a pet to take to Hogwarts for his birthday. At first Harry had wanted to protest, he already had Najash, but Hermione had suggested that he get an owl that the three of them could share to keep in touch with their families. Harry and Dudley decided on a stunningly gorgeous snowy owl that the shop owner had said was rather ornery, but seemed to warm up to the boys instantly. They named her 'Hedwig', which Harry remembered from A History of Magic as being an exceptionally beautiful witch who was also a spell inventor.

"But, aside from that. He basically said that Dumbledore doesn't think Voldemort is dead. 'Not enough humanity left to die' was what he said I think, but read between the lines: no body, no proof. Just like Uncle Vernon's always said." Harry finished. Emma frowned at the blase way the boy was talking about a murderer potentially still being after him, but didn't say anything.

"What was the deal with that blonde kid in the robe shop, though?" Dudley asked, after the silence became uncomfortable, "He didn't stop talking about Mr. Hagrid and Harry the whole time he was there." He frowned, "And what was his problem with Mrs. Granger?"

"I assume he was one of the more close-minded wizards that your mother warned us about, Dudley." Emma Granger responded. "Who think that non magical people shouldn't be allowed here. Even as family."

They didn't have to wait much longer before Professor Mcgonagall entered the tavern with Petunia Dursley, who was eyeing the white owl Dudley was cooing to rather warily, she didn't need much convincing to agree to keeping Hedwig though, she had been worried that her children wouldn't be able to communicate with her while at school and this solved that dilemma nicely.

Seeing that everyone had already eaten, Mcgonagall suggested they head on to the wand shop; realizing that the professor might be in a hurry at this point, Emma offered to take the Dursleys home in her SUV so she could get back to the school. Before the thankful witch could get away, Harry stopped her to ask one last question.

"Professor, the invitation letter says we can bring an owl, cat, or toad. Dudley and I were planning to share Hedwig here, but I have a different pet I found in the back garden a few years ago that I wanted to take. Can exceptions be made? At school Hedwig could 'officially' be Dudley's one pet." Dudley smiled and nodded at the obvious compromise.

"Yes, Mr. Dursley, that wouldn't be an issue as long as the pet isn't a dog. What is its name?" Mcgonagall had had a very long morning. She wasn't about to question Harry Potter taking a mouse or rat to Hogwarts, maybe he'll make friends with Percy Weasley over it.

"His name is 'Najash' ma'am." Harry replied.

"Alright, I'll make sure to update your file. Good day, everyone." The woman stepped over to the tavern's hearth, grabbed a pinch of something from a jar that she threw into the fireplace, then stepped right into the now green flames and was gone.

"That doesn't look like I'm going to enjoy it any more than apparating." Harry said, glumly, as the group headed back into the alley towards the wand shop.

o0-0oo0-0oo0-0oo0-0o

"Ah! Welcome, welcome!" a rather eccentric, and ancient, looking man said from his stool behind the counter as the five entered 'Ollivander's Wands'. "Miss Granger, Mr. Dursley, I expected both of you to come through my doors already. Why, Miss Granger I was beginning to worry something had happened to you." Seeing the adults' looks, he took pity on them, "Forgive me, madames, I am Garrick Ollivander, the proprietor."

He paused as he looked at the last young person to walk into his store, "Mr. Potter, please let me tell you how honored I am to finally meet you." He stepped closer, " You are the spitting image of your father, but you have your mother's eyes…" The two women were gawking at the old wizard as he winked and turned towards his boxes and pulled one out, removing the wand within, "Now then, ladies first. Miss Granger, please give this a wave."

It took almost ten minutes for Mr. Ollivander to find Hermione's wand; Vinewood and dragon heartstring, from a Hungarian Horntail, ten and three-quarter inches. When she held it up for the first time a wind picked up that was so strong it actually blew the shop's door open in addition to knocking several of the rejected wands onto the floor. The wandmaker just smiled like a giddy child and waved his own wand to right things before promising that Hermione's wand was 'uncommonly attached' to her.

When Ollivander had said that the wands chose their wielder, and he was just going to introduce Hermione to a wand that was technically already hers, Emma was bemused. But seeing the look of awe and adoration on her daughter's face as she gazed at the piece of wood in her hands was making the mother question. Sticks can't really think for themselves, can they?

A game of rock-paper-scissors had Harry stepping up to receive his wand next. After seeing several reject Hermione he was prepared to have to try a few, but a half-hour later the others were looking a little worried and Ollivander was hurriedly pacing back and forth looking at wands on shelves before finally moving some boxes aside and grabbing a wand that was at the back of the shelf, previously out of view.

"Hmm. I wonder," The wandmaker mused as he turned around holding the box. Harry looked at the stack of rejected wands, more than a few dozen of them, and prayed that this one would work. "Eleven inches, holly and phoenix feather. Nice and supple. Give this a wave."

Harry took the wand and felt a burning heat come out from the wand, he swished it and red and green sparks shot out of the end of it. Harry frowned as he held the wand. It made him feel powerful when he held it. He wasn't sure he liked that though.

Harry looked up from his examination of the wand as Olivander explained that this wand's 'brother' had belonged to Voldemort, "I'm not sure I want it if it's connected to him, sir."

Ollivander tried to suggest that perhaps the wand wanted to atone for its brother's misdeeds. But Harry's objections were ultimately shut down by his aunt, of all people, who said that she felt Ollivander's explanation was a fine one.

"After all," she'd said to finally convince him, "isn't that kind-of what you want to do by becoming a healer? Undo the pain and hurt that he caused?"

When Dudley's turn came, it took even longer. An hour into the search for Dudley's wand Ollivander shouted, "I give up!" and went into the back, coming out a few moments later with a few larger boxes full of wands.

"These wands were made by wand makers in other parts of the world. Sometimes those who are steeped in wandlore will feel compelled to work wands in specific ways, or to send them to different places after they are made." The two families nodded to the wandmaker, "Normally nothing comes of this, I haven't sold one of these foreign wands in over twenty years, but sometimes a wizard's wand needs to be made of components that his local maker doesn't use. In such situations, the wand will have itself made elsewhere, and moved to where it needs to be. Personally, I only use unicorn hairs, dragon heartstrings, and rarely phoenix feathers for cores. These wands use other magical cores, usually from creatures that do not appear in Britain at all. As well as foreign woods, which I rarely use as the Ministry has high tariffs on their import if brought in unworked."

Ollivander began pulling out more wands, adding their country of origin to his descriptions. Dudley still went through several wands before finding his match. In a too-large box he found a pair of wands; one pale white and one a deep reddish colour, but otherwise completely identical. Without prompting, Dudley took the white wand, which began emitting sparks of electricity from its tip until the boy swished it and unleashed a thunderclap.

"Rowan wood from right here in Britain, with a thunderbird feather core, eleven and three-quarter inches, flexible but sturdy, imported from America, these two were the last wands made by a native shaman before he retired." Ollivander began explaining, his excitement never wavering, "Wands of rowan are highly protective of their wielder's friends and family." He paused and looked squarely at Dudley.

"I would actually use thunderbird feathers in my own wands if they were native to Britain, they're as magically strong as phoenix feathers, but for one thing." Ollivander raised a single finger, "Thunderbird feather cores will react to danger before their wielder, sometimes casting magic at attacker preemptively and favouring spells often used by the wielder normally. In America they were traditionally wielded by chieftains and war leaders, and the wand tries to… 'protect the subordinates'... I suppose, when the situation requires. Unfortunately, in my opinion, the British Ministry puts the burden of proof on the owner of the wand to prove that anyone attacked by it was actually a threat, and this is often rather difficult. That wand will serve you well at Hogwarts, its protective nature is represented twice over since rowan also has such qualities, but I would be extra careful not to take it out with you in the muggle world as the wand won't care if someone is magical or not if they endanger you or your loved ones." Dudley nodded as he held his wand.

While Ollivander was explaining Dudley's wand to him, Harry was looking at the other wand in the case. Chirp, Chirp, there is was again… Harry was sure he could hear the wand making noises. He went to pick it up,

"Harry, you shouldn't pick things up without asking." Hermione admonished him.

"But… it's chirping at me." The confused boy replied as he continued reaching out.

"It's what? That's quite impossible Mr.-" He stopped cold as Harry's fingers clasped the wand and raised it. The walls and shelves began vibrating softly, and the overhead lights dimmed to almost nothing for a moment before the moment passed.

The old wandmaker stared at Harry Potter, dumbfounded, "You're a parselmouth?" at Harry's shocked nod he elaborated, "I intended to send those two wands back to America at some point. They were brothers, despite being totally different, and didn't like being stored apart."

"The thunderbird feather wand I, of course, have no problem with," He continued, "But that one is California Redwood, a wood associated with spiritual maturity as well as good fortune, no issues there, but, with a powdered horned serpent horn for its core, from a serpent in Singapore that gave its horn willingly. Eleven and three-quarter inches and stylized exactly like its brother, similarly flexible, but much more spring in it. Only a parselmouth could bond to it, due to the nature of it's core, and with that gift's negative press in our society I had felt that anyone that might have bonded to it would not have come to me in the first place."

"Curiouser and curiouser," The old wandmaker said after a moment's reflection, "Mr. Potter. I now fully believe what I said earlier about your holly and phoenix feather wand. After that bonding display I believe we can say without a doubt that this is your wand. Which means that the holly one is piggy-backing on you, so to speak. Perhaps it can sense some great destiny in you, holly is often a quester's wand. Mayhaps it really will bring you to undo some of what the wand's brother has wrought."

In the end, Ollivander sold Harry both wands, though he warned the boy that actively carrying multiple wands on your person was illegal under Ministry law and carried a huge fine without a special permit. He wouldn't be searched randomly or anything, but if he ever did find himself in trouble it would make things worse. Harry decided to follow some instructions he and Hermione had found in a book about wandless magic which instructed you on how to 'feel' your magic in your wand, he'd figure out which wand actually reacted better to him and keep the other one hidden unless he needed it. It didn't hurt to have a literal secret weapon when there might still be a dark lord out there after you.

o0-0oo0-0oo0-0oo0-0o

That night when Vernon got home from work he entered the house to the sight of Harry and Dudley reading a large book and alternately picking up and putting down wands.

"I supposed Dudley was a wizard after all?" He asked, rhetorically, as Petunia entered the room to welcome him.

"Yes, dear. A professor came to check on Harry today and confirmed that Dudley was a wizard too. Dudley also got an owl while we were in Diagon today. That way the boys and Hermione can keep in touch with us while they're away at school." Petunia returned brightly.

"Tina Polkiss then?"

"The professor confirmed she was a witch. She also helped me introduce the Polkiss's to magic. I'm going to be taking Angela and Tina to the Alley after the others are at Hogwarts." Vernon nodded to his wife as the boys continued doing, whatever they were doing, with their wands. Harry, he noticed, was switching between two different wands, while Dudley only had the one.

This is normal. My life is normal. Vernon reminded himself.