The sun was already up when Harry opened his eyes. He'd taken a moment or two to remember everything but was then fully ready to face the new experiences he was going to be having. Dora opened the door as he sat up and handed him more clothes.
"Do you want your Hogwarts letter, breakfast or a shower first?" she asked.
"Food, letter then shower." Harry grinned as his stomach agreed.
"Come on squirt." Dora tossed the clothes on the bed.
"Did you see my letter?" Harry asked.
"Mum got to it first and blurred out your name." she smirked, "But I'm pretty sure I know who you actually are. That scar on your forehead kind of gives it away."
"Can't get anything past you Auror Tonks." Harry chuckled.
"You caught me in my secret profession." Dora giggled at him, "I've been drilling Kingsley for years to get all the info I can get."
"You'll be a fabulous auror." Harry assured her, "Especially if you can do more than the red and pink hair."
She grinned and began to shrink until he was looking at himself, "I can do a bit."
"Still your voice." He pointed out, "But that is cool anyway."
"Let's see if mum can tell the difference." She giggled and pulled him along.
Andromeda looked up as they entered looking like twins, "That didn't take long but I'm sure I can get you to change back." Both looked skeptical until she held up three letters, "Dora you also have a letter from Charlie and I'm going to open it up."
Harry wondered who Charlie was because Dora immediately morphed back and jumped at the letter, "You do not play fair."
"Is Charlie her boyfriend?" Harry asked.
"No!" Dora shook her head as she tried to get the letter, "Just my friend. He applied at the Dragon Reserve in Romania. He's in my year but studied a lot last year and took his NEWTs early. If he passed well enough the reserve said they'll hire him right away."
"No more morphing into John." Andromeda held the letter behind her back.
"Fine no John." Dora agreed to easily.
"Or whoever else he turns out to be." Andromeda added.
Dora groaned, "Fine no copying H… who ever John turns out as."
"Who?" Andromeda asked.
"I saw his scar." She admitted, "Kind of hard not to know who he is."
"Just keep calling him John until Kingsley says different or you go to Hogwarts." Andromeda handed over the letters.
Dora tore it open and jumped up and down for a few minutes squealing, "He's going."
"Well you better write him back congratulating him." Her mother reminded her.
Harry had sat himself down at the table and was snickering at the mother and daughter as they argued, then again as Dora jumped around the room squealing before heading off to reply. He realized she had to be talking about Charlie Weasley.
"It would have been great to grow up with Dora." Harry grinned, "She is so full of life."
"That's one way to put it." Andromeda grumbled then started his breakfast with potions, "Drink and then we'll eat."
Harry sighed but drank it down with only a minor shudder before he opened his letter, "An owl, a cat or a toad?"
"Owls are for letters it is very convenient to have one around." Andromeda explained, "Toads are generally for people who like to sing. Hogwarts has a toad choir. And many people have cats for familiars. If you find any other animal as your familiar before Hogwarts you have to get special permission."
"When do you think we'll go get our things?" Harry asked.
"We have to wait for Kingsley but he should be by today." Andromeda ran her hand through his hair, "I'm sorry you may not be able to go until birthday."
"Not a problem." Harry grinned, "I was there just yesterday. My only request is to go back before Hogwarts."
"That I think we can manage." She chuckled, "You need to reply to that."
"Yes ma'am." Harry took the quill and ink she offered but looked up at her, "Ummmm."
"Wait." She ran off and came back with a muggle pen, "Quill lessons are now on the list of things to do."
"Can't I just take a bunch of ink pens?" Harry grumbled.
"I always wanted to do that." Ted entered, "Good morning all, where's Dora?"
"Hiding with a letter from Charlie." Andromeda answered.
"I still don't get why they don't just date." Ted huffed.
"Maybe he has a girlfriend." Harry put out even though he knew Charlie never dated.
"No, she said he hasn't dated anyone yet." Andromeda looked concerned.
"Maybe he has no interest in dating anyone." Harry pointed out, "Studying hard to get his NEWTs a year early so he could apply to the dragon reserve sounds like someone more interested in dragons than girls."
"He is." Dora plopped down in her own spot, "Actually I think dragons may be his only interest. The only thing dimming his enthusiasm is his mother not wanting him to go."
"I understand that." Andromeda huffed, "I'm not his mother and I don't like seeing him run off to play with dragons. It's dangerous!"
"You've never dissuaded me from being an auror." Dora pointed out, "It's dangerous too. I'm not saying neither of you can worry about us but she's trying to squash his dream! You'll be happy for me if I achieve it. That's the big difference."
Harry fought hard to keep his mouth shut. She'd done the same thing to the twins. He thought perhaps Bill had also suffered that particular trait of the Weasley matriarch. It was why the twins avoided her as much as possible and why Harry's part in the store was kept quiet. To keep that all inside Harry took another bite of his breakfast. Kingsley arrived in the kitchen just as Harry was finishing breakfast and the owl with the paper was reaching the window. He pulled Harry outside as Ted took the paper from the owl and began to read.
"I'm glad I beat the paper." Kingsley sighed, "George and Ron being found in Diagon Alley yesterday is in the paper. They concocted a story about how they were abducted and ended up there. If you remember I told Andromeda I found you in conjunction with another case. She will probably put it together. So, we need a story for you. Alister is suggesting you accidentally apparating there trying to get away from your uncle."
"Do kids do that kind of thing often?" Harry asked curiously.
"It's not unusual for kids to get mad and take themselves to a toy store or pet shop." Kingsley answered, "An abandoned building in the alley is a bit different. But if you were just thinking of a place your uncle would never find you it could work."
"How about I apparated just in front of the shop and that brought you close enough to hear Ron and George inside?" Harry didn't think landing with them would be accepted, "Then if Dumbledore gets on you, we have a readymade excuse without giving away our time travel to him."
"You arrived right in front of me and I noticed your bruises. I checked you over and found injuries and a block. Then I took you to the goblins and after that Andromeda." Kingsley agreed, "We left you there to keep you safe. Now I'm giving the pictures of the abuse to the muggle aurors along with your testimony."
"How are you getting pictures?" Harry asked.
"I'm going to get Andromeda to help me duplicate all the injuries with illusions and we'll take pictures with a muggle camera." Kingsley explained.
"What do you do if it's a magical family?" he asked.
Kingsley blinked in confusion, "Magical families don't hurt their children."
"I'd say that's wishful thinking." Harry shook his head, "I know of one right now."
"Who?" Kingsley asked in shock.
"Neville Longbottom." Harry explained, "They think he's a squib and are basically trying to scare his magic to work. If half the stories he told at Hogwarts are true and if he had actually been a squib, he'd be dead. Next, we can discuss the squibs. They're still children of magical families. How many were killed or abandoned?"
"You have a point but there isn't anything I can do about most of that." Kingsley held up his hands in surrender, "Not without some proof at any rate."
"Maybe not now." Harry grinned, "But someday people will listen to you."
"Let's get these pictures and we'll start there." Kingsley really didn't want to know more about the other time line.
When they reentered the house, Dora was gone and Andromeda turned on Kingsley, "Is this when you found him?"
She shoved the paper at Kingsley who nodded, "First actually. He popped into being right in front of the shop and I heard a noise inside that led to those two."
"I suppose you were trying to get away before they hurt you worse?" She turned on Harry.
"I was boxed in." Harry shivered, "I was running down a dead-end alley and Dudley and his gang were a few seconds behind. I tried to jump behind the trash cans as I looked behind to see if they were in the alley yet. Then I felt like I was being sucked through a straw and suddenly I was right in front of Auror Shacklebolt."
"What I'd like to do now is get some evidence for the muggle aurors." Kingsley explained, "I want to use illusions to put the bruises back and maybe show injuries where some of the evidence of injuries are. Do you still have the clothes he came in?"
"Yes, I've not done anything to them in case you needed them." Andromeda walked out of the room and they all followed to the room Harry was sleeping in, "Go into the bathroom and put on just the pants and then come back out.
Harry did as he was asked and reappeared in the very overly large jeans. Andromeda waved her wand and recreated a horribly bruised and cut up Harry. Next Ted placed the illusion of a broken arm in a cast and a wrap around his head.
"You look entirely too cheerful." Andromeda said, "Try to look sad."
Harry looked at the floor and remembered the abuse, the way people had treated him and how Fred had died. A finger lifted his chin and as a single tear ran down his face, they took the last picture.
"I could use some cheerful thoughts now." Harry whispered.
"Go get dressed and we'll have some hot chocolate." Ted gave him a small hug, "You did a great job."
Harry nodded and shuffled into the bath. Andromeda wiped her eyes, "I hate seeing him like that."
"We'll cheer him back up love." Ted gave her a hug, "Speaking of cheering we need to get him to Diagon Alley for his school things and new eye glasses."
"I've got the gold here." Kingsley handed it over, "Wait until tomorrow I'm on patrol duty at noon for the school rush. Change his hair color and I think he'll be safe. I don't think anyone will give him a second glance unless he's introduced. Nobody did yesterday when we went to Gringotts."
"Alright." Ted agreed as Harry left the bathroom dressed for the day, "Ready for some hot chocolate?"
"Always." Harry gave him a small smile and followed him from the room.