The Witch of Little Whinging

While Petunia read the letter from Hermione over morning tea, the third letter of the morning, Hedwig watched from the perch they'd put out for her in the kitchen waiting for the inevitable return letter that her boys' mother would send. She had just come from Hermione's house and was rather happy to have so much to do.

"Everyone settled in well, dear?" Vernon asked between bites of his breakfast.

"Oh yes," Petunia said as she finished the final letter, "Poor Dudley ended up in a different House from Harry and Hermione. Those two are in… 'Gryffindor'," she sounded out the word, "which Hermione says is the House of the Brave. That was also Lily's House, I'd forgotten that. Lucky Harry."

"Would have thought the two brains would be in the smart house. There was one, right?" Vernon remarked, earning a warning glare from his wife.

"Dudley is in 'Hufflepuff'," Vernon snorted and choked on his tea, "Oh please, you know how they are with naming things!" Petunia admonished him, "Hufflepuff is the House of Loyalty. Dudley wrote in his letter that the entrance is under the dining hall and is hidden behind a barrell you have to tap in a special rhythm. He makes it sound very 'James Bond'."

"How was the first day of class then? I have to go soon, don't keep me waiting."

Petunia frowned, "They all had their first two classes together, and all three said they loved it. That book the three of them were looking at last month has apparently gotten them ahead of their peers in Charms and Transfiguration."

At Vernon's confused look she elaborated, "'Making things do things' magic and 'turning things into other things' magic, Vernon. This is about your children's lives, the least you could do is try and learn how to talk about it." Vernon nodded, duly chastened.

"Harry and Hermione had a good time in their afternoon classes too, but… I may need to write a letter to Professor Mcgonagall about their Potions Professor."

She pulled out Dudley's letter again, "He calls the Professor 'Snape', but from the description of him it has to be Severus Snape. He grew up on the same street as Lily and I. A truly spiteful boy. I should feel sorry for him, with his father having been abusive, but he turned that abuse on others. He tried to use magic on me when we were little but my sister stopped him, and Lily told me stories of him running with a darker crowd in school."

"Hard to imagine someone like that changing enough to become a teacher." Vernon mused.

"That's the thing," his wife returned, "according to Dudley he hasn't changed. Apparently Dudley lost house points, part of some year long academic competition, for breathing too loudly among other inane reasons. He says he was pretty much the only one targeted like that in his class. I think the man knows who our boy is, and is acting unprofessional. It's exactly the kind of thing the Severus Snape I remember would do."

She took a moment to inhale a composing breath, "But I probably should wait until Harry has had the class as well, just to know it isn't a one-off thing."

"The real problem." She continued, looking at each of the letters one more time to confirm they all mentioned it, "At the commencement feast the Headmaster said to the whole school that there was something dangerous being kept in a wing of the third floor. That anyone who went there would, and I quote, 'die a most painful death'."

Vernon almost dropped his cup.

"Dudley says in his letter that he asked his Head of House about it, and while she isn't on board with whatever the Headmaster is doing there, the threat is real." She huffed, "I suppose I'll include to absolutely not go testing things in that corridor in my letter back."

"Do that, dear." Vernon shivered, "How can that man, even if it's true and the warning is important, say things like that to children that young? Threatening painful death my bloody arse." He gathered his silverware onto his plate and moved it to the sink as penance for his language, Petunia seemed appeased.

"I'll have my mobile phone on me today," he said as he went to put on his shoes in the living room, "Petunia, call if anything happens with this 'Lupin' fellow at the bank. I'm a little worried about you meeting some strange man like this, even if he was a friend of your sister and her husband."

"Don't worry so much about me, Vernon," she said, "Axegut and Griphook will make sure that nothing untoward happens."

Vernon nodded once more before sighing, he couldn't argue there. The goblins had quite impressed him with their armor and weapons when they'd gone to Gringotts two days ago, as had the extent of his wife's finances with them.

"Remember to talk to the Polkiss girl about that nonsense at the driveway too." Petunia just shook her head in confusion, Tina Polkiss had been jumping on and off their driveway from the sidewalk for a couple evenings now, since Harry and Dudley left. Neighbors were noticing it and starting to ask questions.

"Alright Pet," he said a few minutes later, "my taxi just pulled up. Be careful driving the car today, dear."

Once her husband had left, Petunia went back and reread the end of Harry's letter. A proxy on the Wizengamot? Gringotts would be able to tell her what that was about before she met with Mister Lupin. It sounded like someone was legislating in her nephew's name and Dumbledore had arranged it.

Unacceptable.

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

Remus Lupin woke to the sound of an owl pecking at his window, he rolled over and let the thing in. It dropped the letter on the desk and perched on the back of the chair.

"I suppose you want a response then?" He asked the brown owl, it looked sort of like a Hogwarts owl. The bird had the gall to glare at him.

Remus made a point of slowly getting out of bed and putting on pants before sitting down the read the letter. The owl pecked him on the head and glided over to the headboard to wait. It was from Albus…

"Remus,

I have found myself in quite a predicament, old friend. I was wondering if you could take a sabbatical to return to Britain and help me with an investigation I have been forced to undertake? It seems a distant relative of the Potters is attempting to take control of young Harry's inheritance. So far they are hiding from my attempts to contact them but, thankfully, they are moving slowly. I fear bringing the Ministry into this, lest they force Harry from the safety of his home. My hope is that you could look into things while I am forced to manage the school, Harry was Sorted into Gryffindor at the Welcome Feast. His parents would have been proud. Perhaps you will get a chance to see Harry this year at school even.

Your Friend,

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore"

What to do? Remus thought to himself. If he ignored the letter and Albus sent Fawkes he would be in trouble. But at the same time he had promised not to correspond with the Headmaster at all until he had met this 'Ms. Acacia'.

"I think she will forgive me a prank on the old man." Remus said to himself as he began writing a short return letter, once he was done he duplicated it and put the copy and the letter from Albus aside and attached the one he had just written to the owl.

"Go on then." The owl flew out the window and Remus began preparing, both physically and mentally, for his meeting in only a few short hours.

At eleven-thirty he found himself entering a Gringotts conference room once again. There was an ornate table with refreshments set up in the middle. A pair of goblins sat on one side of the table at an end, each with their own stack of folders and account files in front of them.

Interesting, Remus thought as he was directed to sit across from the larger goblin. His enhanced senses were telling him that there was a woman disillusioned in the seat at the head of the table. By her smell, he assumed it was Lily's sister. The thought of Lily reminded him why he was here and he sat down, taking note that there was a vial of the truth serum from his last encounter with the goblins in front of him.

"Thank you for being prompt, Mister Lupin." The goblin began, "I am Senior Accounts Manager for the Potter accounts, Axegut." He sneered, barely concealing his teeth, "First, I must ask you to drink that truth potion and I will ask you whether you have corresponded with Albus Dumbledore in the last two days."

Remus took the potion and drank it without comment, accepting a sip of water to wash the taste down.

"Mister Lupin, have you, since receiving the picture of Harry Potter that Ms. Acacia sent to you, corresponded with Albus Dumbledore?" Axegut asked, clearly knowing the answer somehow.

"Yes." Remus responded without question as he reached into a coat pocket, "I have the letter he sent me this morning in my pocket, the only correspondence from him I have received in that time."

He could feel the truth serum directing his words when he spoke, but he didn't care. He had nothing to hide here.

Axegut quickly read the letter before muttering, "Rubbish," and flinging it away. Not coincidentally to land right in front of where the hidden woman was, and oriented for her to read it.

"I sent him a reply," Remus continued as he pulled out another small piece of parchment, "but I made a copy of it for you, I will swear that the text on this copy is verbatim what I sent to the Headmaster. I felt not responding at all would be risky, as he has been known to drop in on people with his phoenix when he needs to."

Axegut took this letter, much shorter, and after a brief glance decided to read it aloud to himself, "Headmaster Dumbledore, I regret to inform you that I am, myself, totally unavailable at the present time. I recently found myself discovering family troubles of my own while abroad. The only family he would have besides the obvious, that I'm aware of, is potentially in South America. Have you tried asking Harry himself? Your associate, Remus Lupin."

"Asking Harry indeed." The smaller goblin chuckled, "The old fool isn't allowed alone in a room with the boy. You couldn't have known that Mister Lupin, but I believe this is acceptable."

"Then may I be introduced to our final guest?" Remus asked, nodding his head at the unseen woman at the end of the table, "I believe it is Petunia Dursley? Lily's sister?"

The smaller goblin clicked his fingers and the woman shimmered into view, Remus' guess as to her identity was spot on.

"You have lycanthropy don't you?" Axegut asked him.

"Uhm, yes." Remus responded, still under the effects of the potion and unwilling to cause issues when this came out later, "Since I was five, I have tried very hard to hide it. But it let me sense her when I entered the room. She reminded me of Lily, so I assumed her sister."

"Pleased to meet you Mister Lupin." The woman said as she extended her hand after discreetly sniffing herself, which he accepted, turning attention back to her, "I am Petunia Dursley, Harry's Aunt. If you don't mind my asking? What is lycanthropy?"

Remus looked down uncomfortably and let go of her hand, "It's nice to meet you ma'am."

"If you would like to take the antidote Mister Lupin…" Axegut began.

"No." Remus interrupted him, "No, I should say this under the potion so there is no question. Ma'am, lycanthropy is a disease. Having it means that I'm a werewolf."

Petunia gasped and Remus winced. Of course she would be frightened, who wouldn't?

"You poor dear…" She whispered, "Mister Moony?"

"You… know?" He asked, incredulous.

"Lily told me that there was a werewolf attending the school after her second year." Petunia explained, "I was horrified at first, but Lily told me about how kind 'Mister Moony' was every day of the month other than the full moon, and that you were just irritable that day. As well as the fact that you went to a secluded place and were locked away during those nights. She said you were one of her favorite study partners, but I never knew Mister Mooney was you. She talked about you separately, by name. I just never put two and two together. I don't think I would have on my own either, she told me 'Mister Lupin' was a bit of a prankster that ran with James. Not exactly 'study partner' material."

"You aren't scared? You aren't uncomfortable around me?" He asked.

"Oh not at all. I probably would have been had Lily not told me about you, but she said lycanthropy was just a 'furry little problem' that she was going to one day cure." Petunia had to stop, remembering Lily like that always made her emotional.

"Yes, I remember her promising that one day she would cure me." Remus comisserated, "She actually did invent an improved version of Wolfsbane that relieves much of the after-transformation soreness the year after she graduated. Too bad it still cost half an average man's monthly salary to brew for one person."

"Mister Lupin, before we continue let us administer the counter to the truth potion. Your forthcomingness until this point shows that we need not worry about deception at this stage." Axegut interjected.

"Please also remember that you are paying for this time, Ms. Acacia." Griphook added.

"What?" Remus asked, dumbfounded, "Ms. Acacia? How is that possible? Wait, Dumbledore is trying to figure out who Ms. Acacia is… but he never asked the woman raising Harry about her, er, you?"

"Please don't laugh for too long. Professor Mcgonagall needed almost five minutes to compose herself when she delivered Harry's Hogwarts letter."

That did it, "She knows too?" He began cracking up, "She knows, and Albus is still reaching out to me to find some distant relatives?" He began howling with laughter, "And in all that, he still hasn't come and asked if anyone came 'round asking about Harry?"

If only the Marauders had been this good, they wouldn't have been caught as often. Though this almost said more about the Headmaster's blind spots than anything else.

"May I assume that being a werewolf is why you weren't considered to take care of Harry ten years ago?" Petunia asked without preamble once he'd regained his composure and taken the counter potion.

"Yes ma'am, for obvious reasons it's illegal for a werewolf to be the guardian of a child that isn't theirs." He answered sadly, "But if there is anything I can do for him, I will. I've begged Dumbledore for years to let me see Harry, if only just to tell him stories of his parents. Most recently in July when I asked if I could be the one to reintroduce him to the magical world."

"He would have loved that tremendously, and it would have been a sight better than the old man's plan to send Mister Hagrid to pick Harry up. Luckily cooler heads prevailed and Mcgonagall came instead." She chuckled again at that situation, "As for telling him stories of his parents? I was honestly hoping for that, Harry needs to hear stories of them in the magical world. Particularly his father. I could tell Harry about how great Lily was until the sun went out, but I only met James once or twice, and most of what Lily told me about him when she was in school wasn't exactly 'nice.'"

"If he had to grow up on stories of only one of them, though it pains me to say it, Lily was absolutely the better role model. We could get into trouble when she wasn't around." He responded, tears in his eyes at the memory of his friends, "If that is all you need of me, telling Harry about his parents, I still consider this time well spent. But I was under the impression that there was some actual service you needed of me."

"Among other things, I need, for lack of a better word at the moment, a bodyguard." The tall woman replied, "I need a wizard that I know will be on my side in disputes with other wizards because to be on my side is to be on Harry's side."

"Specifically," she continued, "someone willing to stand between the Headmaster and myself."

Remus nodded and she went on, "When I first discovered how he had mishandled Harry's inheritance I was furious. I wanted to confront the man and demand he take responsibility for it. All that money, and he never sent anything to us for taking care of Harry?" The werewolf in the room growled at that.

"I don't mean to say that it's 'about the money'," she appeased, "though to Axegut and Griphook it most certainly is."

The joke broke the tension, "I mean to say that my husband and I had just gotten our lives back into normalcy after our own son was born, he's only a month older than Harry. We weren't prepared for two children, and Vernon had to work a lot of extra hours to make up the slack. Dumbledore should have taken those things into account. Though had we not had Dudley we would have been fine."

"Was he the boy Harry was playing with in the picture?"

"Yes," she replied fondly, "we actually found out in July that he's a wizard too. The mail wards that Albus put on my home apparently stopped his letter from arriving on his birthday. The girl in the picture was Hermione Granger, Harry's best friend. She's a muggleborn, a little older than the boys but in the same year group."

"Anyways," she said to get back on topic, "my accounts advisor, Griphook," she indicated the goblin, "managed to convince me not to confront Dumbledore myself and demand a reckoning."

"How did he do that?" Remus asked.

"With the threat of one word." Remus looked confused as Petunia's face scrunched in obvious disgust, "Obliviate. He told me that wizards can strip your memories from you, and as a squib I would have no defense. If I confronted him as Ms. Acacia, he could simply make me forget that I was ever Ms. Acacia in the first place."

"I… understand your trepidation. While I would never think Albus capable of actually hurting someone, controlling information is like breathing to him. Especially if he thinks he's doing it for your own good." He thought for a moment, "Is there a reason that the Senior Accounts Manager is here?"

"Pretty fast for a wizard." The goblin said as he rifled through a folder.

"When I became Harry's magical guardian, Dumbledore lost his de facto status as steward, as well as access to Harry's money. But I, and by extension Harry, did not gain access. The only vault Harry can use is a trust vault with enough galleons to get him easily through school."

"You have no idea how glad I am that he doesn't have that much power anymore. Even if you haven't gotten the financial rights back yourselves." He returned with a sigh of relief.

"How do you mean?"

"According to the documentation I was shown a few days ago, some of the legislation he got passed with Potter family gold involved serious restrictions on werewolves. In fact, a law that Albus apparently funded through the Potter family, but publicly opposed on the floor of the Wizengamot, was the ultimate reason I found myself forced to leave the country. It's almost impossible for a werewolf to find work here under Ministry law, and almost any violation is a prison sentence. After that it was easy for the dark families to make it so that any crime of an even remotely violent nature is an automatic death penalty for a werewolf. Full moon or not." He shuddered, thinking of when he'd seen that law passed a few years ago.

"Not only that." Axegut added to Remus' rant, "You were right that it is about money for me," He nodded at Petunia, "I was forced to watch and smile as he took galleons from the vaults that I manage and use them to pass sanctions against Gringotts itself. I couldn't prove he wasn't spending the gold on behalf of Heir Potter to the kind of satisfaction that the Wizengamot would require, so my hands were tied."

"Then I walked in with Harry right beside me, him clearly amazed at all the magic, and you saw an out…" Petunia looked at the goblin, finally understanding some of the reasoning behind what had happened that day, "I always wondered why you were so keen to help me kick Dumbledore's legs from under him. It was revenge?"

"Indeed." Griphook replied evenly. When Petunia merely nodded, he smiled a toothless smile, this human was not to be underestimated.

"When I took over as magical guardian it became rather apparent that that man had neglected everything." Remus raised an eyebrow, "He froze almost all investments and fired all staff working on any property. He didn't do anything to the properties themselves, but he basically arranged that they would begin to fall apart on their own." She took another breathe, this was all too emotional for her, "It seems like he was setting it up for Harry to come of-age to nothing from his parents except money."

"So you need me, on the financial side, because I'm a wizard and you aren't?" Remus asked, understanding, "You can be his magical guardian, but only a witch or wizard can be the Steward of a House. In your position you can only make decisions that are solely about Harry."

"That's right, Axegut informed me that you were extraordinarily close with James Potter, like a brother even, I feel that Harry and I can trust you to do right by him." Remus nodded, "If so, the paperwork for Harry to sign is already prepared and ready to be sent to Hogwarts. My sister spoke of you, as Mister Moony, as one of the only people in the whole of Hogwarts that could challenge her, intellectually. With that kind of praise, I hope you will find this doable."

"It would be my pleasure, ma'am. My being a werewolf isn't widely known, so it shouldn't raise issues, and you knowing about it and hiring me anyways satisfies all the laws about it. Is there anything in particular that Harry is concerned about?" He asked, noting that the goblins were creating various forms in their folders. He could already feel the blood quills, and began rubbing the back of his hand in anticipation.

"When he got to Hogwarts, he learned that there is a man sitting proxy for him on the Wizengamot," Both humans noticed the goblins sneer, "and Harry isn't entirely sure what to think of that."

"I must admit, I haven't kept abreast of who sits where in England. Do you know who the proxy is?"

"It's a Mister Amos Diggory." Petunia answered after a moment to think.

"WHAT!" Remus exclaimed, standing before he remembered his place and sat back down, breathing deeply to try and calm himself before he terrified Harry's aunt.

Petunia watched him, alarmed, but confident that if something were to happen then the goblins would protect her. The head seat she was in had some 'auto-portkey' enchantment on it that would whisk her away if she were attacked, according to Griphook.

"I take it there is something wrong with that?" Petunia asked, as calmly as she could.

"Amos Diggory is a well known creature bigot. He looks down on non human magical creatures like goblins, merfolk, and centaurs. But he detests werewolves and vampires." He winced as he remembered why he hated Diggory more than most, "The laws forcing werewolves to disclose their condition to employers, with no protection of employment, were presented by him. They're the reason I had to leave, no one will hire a werewolf if they know. Prior to that, some jobs were such that we could explain the condition away, but after that law passed doing so meant life in Azkaban."

"I will write to Harry about it and let him know the situation." Petunia replied, "I don't think he will want someone like that representing him. What should I recommend he do about it?"

"He'll need someone to replace him with, since it can't be me." Remus demurred.

"Because of your affliction?" She asked, before smirking, "Once Harry meets you, I bet he makes the same promise my sister did about a cure." He raised an eyebrow at that but she continued, "Do you think you could investigate and find a suitable replacement soon?"

"I can definitely start. I'll begin by seeing what the Tonks' are doing I suppose. Andromeda could also help him with any questions he has about the upper crust of the magical world."

"Should I know who those people are?" Petunia asked.

"They are Harry's closest living relatives, after you, distant cousins. Andromeda Tonks was once Andromeda Black. The only member of the Black family, as it turns out, to ever spurn their family's Dark tendencies." He said gravely.

"We heard the story of Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew the first time I brought Harry to Gringotts. It was also when we learned of what Albus had been doing with Harry's inheritance." Petunia shuddered and sighed before bitterly finishing, "If you can imagine, that was a wonderful day."

"Well," Remus answered, detecting irritation in her tone, "Andromeda truly isn't dark. She was cast out of her family and disowned for marrying a muggleborn wizard a year ahead of her instead of the man her parents had arranged for her. They both became healers last I heard."

"Healers? Both?" Petunia perked up, family name forgotten, "Harry has wanted to be a healer or doctor ever since he learned that was what his mother was working to be."

"If you wouldn't mind, Mrs. Dursley, could we get lunch at the 'Leaky after we wrap up here? I would love to hear about Harry, and his friends."

It took almost an hour and a half to finish all the paperwork, and to discuss plans that should be enacted the moment the Stewardship was confirmed. By the end of it both Petunia and Remus were holding their aching hands and thankful for the murtlap essence the goblins provided to ease the pain.

"Any transaction of this magnitude should leave a mark on those involved." Axegut had said when Petunia asked why so many forms needed to be signed in blood at the conclusion of the meeting.

"Well, this certainly has." She responded, looking at the faint lines where the quill had drawn her own blood to write her name. It wasn't bad enough that an anti-scarring potion wouldn't make it invisible, at least.

"Will Harry have to sign anything with one of those quills?" She asked as they sealed up the letter to him, complete with an extra note from herself and Mister Lupin.

"A special quill that will vanish after use is being sent with the paperwork. The documentation must be signed one time by Heir Potter to enact the changes you have requested and to finalize Mister Lupin as Steward of the House of Potter." Axegut said with as much sympathy in his voice as he could muster. Which was not a lot.

"Could I add a reminder for him to go to the infirmary for murtlap after he's signed it?" She asked, there couldn't be a more innocent way to verify that her requests concerning her children's health would be honored by the school.

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

"SOUTH AMERICA!?" Albus shouted as he read the letter from Remus. There was no way he was going to be able to get away to South America any time before the Christmas hols. Perhaps it was time to request a meeting with young Harry after all? Even if he would have to do it with Minerva present.

He was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that the boy had some kind of snake as his familiar. Hagrid had told him that they bought an owl in Diagon, so he assumed that was the boy's pet. He had been sorely tempted to insist the serpent be removed, Minerva had admitted that Harry had neglected to inform her of the nature of the thing before getting permission, but that would only serve to alienate him before Albus had even had a chance to start building a relationship. Besides, apparently the snake wasn't a dangerous breed at all, though he was sure that Mcgonagall was joking about it's colouration.

"What do you think Fawkes?" The bird watched him and sang softly, easing the old wizard's stress ever so slightly.

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

"I'm not sure I would have been able to handle all of that without screaming for the hills." Remus confided once Petunia had finished telling him the tale of the day Professor Mcgonagall came to the Dursleys' home.

"It was almost too much. I owe Mcgonagall a lot for spending most of her day helping us." She agreed, "But I'm glad that we were able to confirm it, and we got her guardianship taken care of on the First."

"I'm sorry, what? Mrs. Dursley, did you file for magical guardianship of Miss Polkiss?" He asked, interested and confused.

"She and Hermione both." Petunia answered, "I learned quite a bit about how the magical world treats those with non magical parents. It's appalling. After presenting all the facts, both girls' parents were happy to sign."

"I'm afraid I'm not familiar with that aspect of the magical world." He confessed, "But I will help you in any way I can. For Harry or any of his friends." Tom the barkeep came by with the bill, "I can get that Mrs. Dursley."

"Nonsense Mister Lupin," She returned, "Griphook told me you were struggling financially even before you told me of your condition and the restrictions you work under."

Petunia recognized the look of trepidation on the man's face. She remembered their time like in that situation, the year after Harry was left with them Vernon had hit a very tough time at work. They had been forced to accept the charity of their neighbors. It was one of the most demoralizing and embarrassing things they had ever had to do as a family.

"If it helps, Mister Lupin, think of it as an advance on your first paycheck?" She smiled, it had taken quite a while to agree on a salary for his services as Steward.

Axegut had shown data concerning the average salary, and Lupin had immediately tried to cut that number in half. Petunia was having none of it, and they had ultimately agreed to eighty percent of the average for a House Steward; or about four hundred galleons a month. According to Axegut, the cost would be a pittance of the money that they would have available to invest again once the House Accounts were reactivated.

"I suppose I can accept that, ma'am." He nodded.

"There's at least one more thing that needs to be done today." She said as she gave Tom some silver sickles to cover their lunch, "You need to know where our home actually is. According to Professor Mcgonagall, no adult wizard can find the house unless Vernon or I guide them there, willingly and intentionally, or the Headmaster himself does. So, if you have the time, my husband let me use the family car today and I can drive you there."

"I hadn't thought of that. I suppose that's the best way to go about things." He said as they got up and headed towards the front door.

The ride back from Diagon Alley was filled with stories of Harry's youth. Petunia confessed how she had hidden magic from Harry until he was older, which Lupin agreed with readily given the circumstances. He loved hearing about Harry's studies in potions and chemistry, as well as about Harry's prowess at football. Most wizards didn't care at all for muggle games, but he had found himself in the muggle world long enough to develop a taste for the larger team sports. Knowing that Harry had led a sort of study or reading group that evolved into an 'around-the-town' gang with his cousin had the man grinning maniacally. It sounded like Harry, Dudley, and Hermione were a few pranks away from becoming the New Marauders.

Petunia did not find that thought nearly as amusing as he did after he explained it, but she did concede that telling Harry some stories of his father's exploits with his friends in Hogwarts would be a wonderful Idea.

"Wow, that ward is something else." Lupin said as they pulled into the driveway, "I could feel the ward that protects against dark creatures conflicting with the harmful-intent ward as we crossed. But it seems like the scheme was designed to accommodate me."

"That's good," She said as she got out of the car, "I didn't know there was a separate ward for dark creatures, just the one to keep out wizards. Oh, Vernon is home early, I can introduce you before you leave." She pointed to the telly through the window as they approached, showing the news.

"I have plenty of time," He said offhandedly, "I have that room at the Leaky Cauldron for another two nights at least. Once we have access to the rest of the Estate information I can look for a place to stay more permanently. There must be some out-of-the-way worker's building I can use."

"We really must work on your self-esteem, Mister Lupin." Petunia huffed.

He smiled, "Your sister said that too, often. But actually I would be looking for a place like that so that I have somewhere safe to transform."

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I'd already forgotten." She apologized as she opened the door, "Vernon, company." She called.

"I've just returned to the living room, Pet." Her husband called back.

Petunia led her guest into the room behind her. Vernon, seeing this put down his corned beef sandwich and wiped his hands, "Sorry, sorry. I thought she'd mean the Polkisses from down the street. Vernon Dursley, a pleasure."

"Remus Lupin, likewise." He replied as he shook the large man's hand. He must weigh almost nineteen stone, Remus mused to himself. This man was the physical opposite of his wife.

Then a smell caught his nose that shocked him.

"Ma'am, sir, are you aware that you seem to have one or more snakes hiding in your home?" He asked as he slowly walked around the room, sniffing.

"What's this then?" Vernon asked, slightly irritated at the man's demeanor.

"Right now? Already?" Petunia asked, jumping onto her couch and frantically looking around, "He's only been gone two days."

"The smell seems a couple days old, but its powerful. Like it's been in here for a while." He replied, "What did you mean 'he's only been gone two days'?"

"Oh, of course. It must be Najash you smell. Strange, I never noticed any kind of odor. Did you Vernon?" She turned and asked her husband as Lupin's mind spun away.

"No, if I had I'd probably have rethought letting the boy keep it." Came the gruff reply.

"It must be because he's a werewolf then." She said to herself as she got back down onto the floor.

"A what?" Vernon's heart stopped, "What?"

"It's no problem, Vernon. He was a werewolf when he was at school with Lily. Think of it like a disease that flares up once a month, I suppose. He's safe except the one night." She waved a hand at him to keep him from protesting.

"Mrs. Dursley." Remus began, "What did you mean? Who is Najash?"

"Harry's snake." She replied simply, "Lovely little thing, I've been paranoid for months that when he left I'd have to contend with snakes and rats in my garden again." She sighed, "But he took the little guy to Hogwarts with him. At first he was joking about cheating on tests by asking Najash the answers, but I told him he'd have to send the snake home if Hermione caught him trying it."

"'Asking' Najash for the answers?" Lupin was getting worried. What had happened to Harry? Was he a parselmouth? How?

Petunia covered her mouth, "Shoot." She glanced at Vernon for support before realizing he didn't even know that snake-speaking was considered a 'bad' thing in Britain.

"Yes. Harry has been able to talk to snakes for as long as he can remember." Honesty is the best policy, she thought to herself as she spoke.

"But… that's impossible." He uttered, "There aren't any parselmouths in Harry's family tree, and there's no way he inherited it from Lily. No offense."

"I don't know about any of that," Vernon offered from where he'd returned to his chair and sandwich, "but I know the snake's no problem. Saved my wife twice, it has."

"Yes, I can't believe I forgot to mention him in the car, Mister Lupin, the week I accidentally got myself sick from potion ingredients it wasn't just Harry and Vernon that saved me. Najash apparently found the bezoars that I kept and told Harry which ones weren't good anymore."

"So it has some kind of intrinsic knowledge of magic?" Remus asked. He had never heard of that before. Granted, he'd never met a parselmouth that didn't want to kill him before either.

"As far as we can tell. He can identify what potion ingredients are generally used for by smell or something. He also knew what my wiggentree in the back yard was, and what it was for." She declared proudly.

"Very interesting… Is the snake itself magical? Many magical snakes are inherently very dangerous to non magicals." Petunia was beginning to look irritated at Remus, and he instantly regretted the assertion.

"Najash is anything but dangerous. He is as protective of us, and especially Harry, as any dog would be." She said icily, brooking no argument, "He's also a non magical breed. Hermione looked it up in an encyclopedia."

"Alright ma'am, I only wanted to make sure." Remus placated her as he held his hands up in surrender.

"Petunia," Vernon said as he looked out the window, "The school bus passed by a minute ago, and now Tina is back at the driveway again. Go talk some sense into her would you?"

Remus watched, bemused, as Petunia rushed out to stop a girl from jumping onto the driveway, then back onto the sidewalk, then repeat. His bemusement turned to shock and fear when the child waved at an elderly couple that seemed to be questioning her and they both turned and left with blank stares on their faces right as Petunia closed the door behind her. Clear signs of a confundus charm.

"Mrs. Dursley! Wait!" He exclaimed as he chased the woman outside, discreetly palming his wand as he went.

"What is the problem?" Petunia asked as she turned back to look at him from the porch, "It's just Tina Polkiss, I told you about her."

Remus merely nodded and walked around Petunia, keeping his eyes trained on the girl, "Miss Polkiss? I'm Mister Lupin, a friend of Harry's parents."

The girl had seemed wary of him until then, but perked up in recognition, "Auntie Petunia was going to meet you today at the bank!"

Petunia couldn't help but smile again. Since the paperwork was signed at Gringotts a few days ago the girl had taken to calling Petunia "Auntie."

"Yes, that's right. Could I ask you a question, Miss? What were you doing just then? Why are you jumping over that crack like that?" He had an odd suspicion that he knew, that would be about where the ward line was.

"I'm trying to hold the tingle." She replied cheerfully as she backed up and jumped over the threshold again.

Remus stood back and, without taking eyes off the child, whispered to Petunia, "Are you completely positive that that is Tina Polkiss?" At her nod he continued, "Ask her something only the real Tina would know."

"Tina," Petunia called, slightly confused but willing to go through to motions as she knelt down to be eye level with the girl and spoke softly, "could you tell Mister Lupin here who it was that held you and made you feel better the night we began to suspect you were a witch?"

"Huh?" She responded, puzzled, "It was Harry. I was so sorry that I had snuck around behind him like that and that he was gonna hate me! But he didn't." She paused for a moment, taking in Lupin's contemplative expression, "Is something wrong Auntie Petunia?"

There was worry etched on her face, was she in trouble now that Harry wasn't here? Had he been the only one that forgave her?

"This is definitely Tina, Mister Lupin," She eyed him menacingly, "Please explain why you felt the need to scare her like this."

"She performed a memory altering spell on that couple right before you walked outside." He whispered to her, eliciting a gasp, before turning back to the little girl and asking, "Miss Polkiss, Tina, what did you do to that couple that was here a minute ago? They looked like they were asking you why you were hopping like that, then…?"

"Um, I told them it was nothing special and asked them to just ignore me." She replied.

"And they did." Lupin concluded, "ignore you I mean."

The girl nodded, smiling obliviously. Remus let it go, better that she didn't go around intentionally messing with muggle's memories. Her accidental magic must have worked like that because she already knew memory magic was possible. But why would it answer so quickly?

"When you said you were trying to 'hold the tingle', you meant your magic? What does that mean?"

As he asked, Tina jumped into the ward once more, but this time she straightened up with a focused grin on her face as she held up her hand. Remus could see sweat forming on her brow as she pointed at one of the stone pavers leading to the porch.

"Auntie, I got it!" She cried as the paver rose into the air and hovered, perfectly stationary, three feet above the ground, "See! I really can do magic!" She tittered happily.

"Tina!" Remus exclaimed as he glanced around to ensure no one was watching, "Be careful, it is very easy to drain yourself using that spell when you are just starting!"

His warning was unnecessary, as Tina guided the paver through a circle around 'Auntie Petunia' before putting it back where it came from. Remus was beyond stunned, any normal underage witch would have dramatically overpowered a spell like that. Likely fatiguing themselves in the process. Her control must be amazing.

The girl in question was grinning as brightly as the sun, "I beat Hermione!" she said excitedly, "She couldn't get any magic to work before they left for school!"

"Sweet Merlin." Remus sighed in awe as he took in the girl's exuberance, "I haven't seen someone that natural at wandless magic since Lily."

The girl shrieked happily at that, jumping up and down in her excitement. Clearly he'd said something right, "Let's go inside and see if you can do that again, hmm?" The wizard asked.

Vernon went upstairs to do paperwork when the three came back inside. He still had trouble with magic, even if he was getting better.

For the first few minutes she wasn't able to do anything other than make the china gently rattle, but after Remus advised her to stop and focus for longer before 'doing' she was able to levitate the entire tea set straight up into the air. She giggled happily at her work even as she began to tire. Ten seconds later she faltered as her arm dropped, Remus whipped out his wand and caught the china before it shattered on the floor.

"That was truly astounding Miss Polkiss." Remus said once he was sure she was merely tired, "As I said, I haven't seen a natural talent for wandless magic like that since Lily Potter."

"Can you teach me to be better?" She asked, her best pout turned up to one hundred percent.

"If Mrs. Dursley wants me to, then I will." He said firmly, before turning to Petunia, "I do think it would be a good idea, though. Her control over her magic is, frankly, shocking. Any other child would have knocked themselves out lifting that stone outside, levitation is very easy to overdo."

He looked back at Tina and raised an eyebrow, "I don't think telling her to not try any more magic is going to work," she grinned and shook her head, mouthing 'nope' with a pop of her lips, "in which case she needs to have someone experienced nearby to help in case she accidentally does something she can't undo herself."

"That… makes sense." Petunia returned as she watched Tina, barely able to contain her excitement, "I'll call Angela, her mother, tonight and ask if she minds if Tina perhaps had some basic lessons in magical control."

She pursed her lips as she thought over it for a moment longer, "Actually, is it legal for students to practise magic outside of school if they have an adult wizard tutoring them or something? I remember Lily moaning each summer that she would fall out of practise not being allowed to use her wand."

"That's actually a common way that purebloods get around the underage magic restrictions," Petunia cocked an eyebrow at his response, "the usual practise is for a parent to register as their child's tutor, then the child can cast magic all they want as long as they are in the same general area. Such as the same household. Though they still have to wait until eleven to get their first wand. Incidentally, wandless magic like what Tina was doing is considered the same as accidental by the Ministry."

"But that's not fair." Petunia breathed, before smiling, "Though it makes the three of them being ahead of their peers even more remarkable."

At Remus interested expression she continued, "Hermione found a foreign book about wandless magic at Flourish and Blotts, the three children followed the instructions in it for 'feeling their magic' once they had their wands, and apparently they were able to levitate the book itself without wands after they had cast the spell a few times with them."

"Remarkable." Remus said, "That is more or less what Tina here was doing outside. Every time she passed through the ward line it 'pinged' against her magic, causing it to flare for a moment. A similar thing happens when one picks up their wand… but feeling that should be next to impossible for the untrained. These wards I understand though, they are crazily strong. I'm sure it was almost like a little electric shock every time she passed over the line."

Tina nodded, that was exactly what it felt like, "Hermione said she thought she could use the ward to feel her magic the same way she used her wand, but didn't because Harry and Dudley can't feel it at all and she didn't think that was fair."

"But you didn't think so because you didn't have a wand?" He asked good naturedly, "Spectacular. I can't explain Harry and Dudley not feeling the ward at all, I'll have to research it some, but the three of them being able to feel their magic with their wands is amazing. Your ability to reign in and control your magic without a wand to help is equally so. When you moved that paver I thought it was power. But it's not, you just don't waste any energy it seems."

He thought for a moment, "But can I ask you to please not use your magic to affect people's minds or memories like you did earlier? I'm sorry for scaring you earlier, Tina, but when I saw that confundus spell I worried you might turn it on Mrs. Dursley on accident. Mind affecting magic is very hard. I assume it was accidental, but even then it can be dangerous, much more than just levitating stones. The magical hospital has an entire wing for people whose minds are hurt by magic."

Tina nodded gravely, she didn't want to hurt people. Even by accident.

"Oh dear, I wonder what she wants?" Petunia muttered as she chanced a look out the front window.

"Maybe she saw me and wants to invite us into her coven." Tina said, trying to affect a spooky voice and break the tension Mister Lupin had invited into the room.

"What?" Remus asked, turning around, "Is there another magical here?"

"No," Petunia clarified, "The children joke and call her 'The Witch of Little Whinging', she's the town's crazy cat lady I suppose. An elderly widow who lives a couple streets over, Arabella Figg." She waved out her window to the frail looking woman standing on the street curb, who turned and hurried down the road.

"That's odd." Petunia said as she watched.

"Figg!" Remus jerked to his feet once more, "I know that name! Arabella Figg is a squib whose husband worked for Dumbledore during the war! I know for a fact that she spied for him during the war too. If she lives here it's on Dumbledore's orders."

"Tina, go home. Now." Petunia said as she rushed to the door to put her shoes back on, "Remus, we need to catch her. We aren't ready for Dumbledore to come here."

"Yes Ma'am." He said as he followed her out the door.