Harriet Potter-Snape

Dudley checked nervously out of the window of his house. No sign of Harriet yet. She was due to pick them up in five minutes and take them to her summer home somewhere in the West Country. Dudley didn't know what surprised him more, the fact that Harriet had a 'summer home' or the fact that she intended to transport them all quite so far by magic. His only other experience of magical travel was when they were hidden by The Order, it was not something he was keen to repeat. It had felt like his whole body was being squeezed through a hosepipe and left him feeling quite ill.

Max was jumping around the living room with excitement, tripping over the suitcases as he moved between the window and kitchen, waiting for the arrival of another real-life witch.

"Will she come on a broom Dad?" he asked, for about the third time. Dudley fervently hoped not, but he managed a weak smile as he spoke to his son.

"Maybe son, but I think it might be against the rules in a place where lots of muggles live." he said, feeling strange using the word. "She might come in a car, they have those, or maybe she'll do that magical disappearing thing the professor did."

"How will we get to where she lives?" he asked, unable to help himself. "Will she magic us there, or make us fly?"

"I really have no clue," he laughed, "I know they sometimes travel using fireplaces, but I don't think they can do that here."

"Cool!" said Max, his eyes wide.

"This looks like her." said Dudley, as an ordinary looking woman turned into their road.

She was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt which read 'Holyhead Harpies', with a black leather jacket and pointy boots. Her wild dark hair was held back in a ponytail, but seemed to be making efforts to escape it. She looked distinctly unmagical.

"She looks really...normal." said Violet. "Are you sure it's her Dad?"

"I think I know what my own cousin looks like." Dudley laughed as Max ran to open the door. "Wait Max, let me get the door."

Dudley opened the door and Harriet's green eyes sparkled as she winked at him.

"Hey there Big D," she smirked, "this is a real turn up for the books isn't it?"

"Big D?" said Max pulling a face.

"Just something my mates called me when I was younger," Dudley said, flushing, "and honestly not the worst thing she could have called me."

"You not still going by 'Ickle Duddykins' are you?" laughed Harriet, and Max broke into hysterical laughter.

"Vi," he called, "listen to this." and he ran off to tell his sister the nickname.

"I suppose I deserve that," Dudley laughed, "but please don't tell them any more."

"It's fine Dudley," Harriet smiled, "I really am here to help. I'm past any childish grudges or hard feelings about when we were kids. My husband isn't quite as fine about it, but he will get over it eventually, in the meantime he's on his best behaviour."

"He doesn't like me?" Dudley nodded, "That's understandable. I was a real prick to you when we were kids. I should have apologised sooner, but now Max is going to be part of that world I need to be okay with you. I just hope you can forgive me."

"I already did Dudley," she said, "your parents are a different matter, but we're cool."

"Have you got time to come in?" he asked awkwardly, "Or do we have to leave now?"

"We've got some time." Harriet said checking a strange looking pocket watch, and Dudley led her into the living room.

"This is my wife Dianne," he said, waving his arm at Dianne, "this is my cousin."

"Call me Di," said Dianne, jumping up from the armchair, "lovely to meet you. I've heard so much about you, well, recently anyway."

Dianne was a similar height to Harriet, but as blonde as she was dark. The two women hugged and smiled at each other. Dudley was pleased how calmly Dianne was taking this. She had shouted at him for about an hour when he had told her about Harriet's abilities and how she had been treated. When she had calmed down she had made him promise he would find a way to make it up to her if he could.

"Dont worry," Harriet told her, "I know it's a lot to take in, but you will get used to the idea. Max will be great at Hogwarts, my two eldest boys will look out for him, they're already in the second year, and my other son starts in September too so Max will know at least one person his age."

"Two eldest?" said Dudley, "You have twins?"

"Yeah," Harriet grinned at him, "Harry James is the eldest by twenty minutes, and Severus Regulus is the youngest. They're a right pair of jokers, but too clever for their own good sometimes. They are so identical even I struggle to tell them apart and they look just like their father."

"What about the others?" asked Dianne, "The Headmistress said you have five."

"Well," said Harriet, smiling as she thought of her family, "Albus Sirius is the same age as Max, he looks like my dad. Then you have Lily Eileen, she's nine and she's really quiet and thoughtful. Then there's the youngest, Ruby Minerva, she's seven and more trouble than the rest of them put together. She has a thing for animals and the things she brings home can be tricky to get rid of. She would give the twins a run for their money in the mischief stakes."

"They sound like hard work." laughed Dianne. "I'm run off my feet with just Dud, Max and Violet."

"The house elves help, otherwise I'd never keep up with them all." Harriet said, she laughed at their confused faces. "Sorry, I forget you don't know all this stuff. I'll show you the elves when we get to the house."

Max and Violet ran in to the living room giggling and stopped shyly in front of Harriet.

"Can you do stuff like the lady that came before?" Violet asked, looking excited.

Harriet crouched down until she was at eye level with Violet and pulled her wand from her jacket pocket. She took Violet's hand and held it, palm up, in front of her. She waved her wand and a small purple flower, with five petals, appeared on Violet's hand.

"That is a sweet violet," said Harriet, "It's enchanted to never wither. So it can be worn in the hair of a sweet Violet."

"Thank you!" said Violet, looking awed, and she slipped it into her hair.

"Do I get one of those?" said Max pointing at her wand.

"You will," she told him, "but not until we visit Diagon Alley. Just don't use it out of school, trust me on this."

"How are we getting to your house?" Max asked, eyes shining. "Dad said we probably won't be allowed to fly."

"He would be right," Harriet chuckled, "I've arranged for something called a portkey. It's easier for more people and it's quicker than brooms." she waved her wand and their cases vanished. "I've sent your luggage ahead, but it's almost time now. Everyone stand up and make sure you're touching the portkey."

"That's just an old hair brush." said Dudley, as Harriet pulled the portkey from her pocket.

"It's supposed to look like that," smiled Harriet, "ten seconds left, everyone grab on."

Dudley grabbed the hair brush, feeling a little silly, and waited while Harriet consulted her pocket watch. It had more than the usual number of hands and faces. One face was flipped forward so Dudley could just make it out. Each hand was the face of a person, seven in total, and instead of numbers there was writing around the circumference. It said things like; home, school, travelling, trouble, lost and work.

"That's an unusual watch." Dudley remarked.

"Molly and Arthur Weasley got one each for Evan and I, for a wedding present." said Harriet. "Hold tight now, three, two, one."

Dudley gave a shout of alarm as he felt a tugging sensation behind his navel, he tried to let go of the hair brush in his fright, but his fingers seemed to be stuck. Everything was swirling and he was spinning around the brush, watching the shocked looks of his family as they were all spun wildly. Then just as suddenly the whirling stopped and they all fell to the floor with a bump, except Harriet who stood over them laughing.

"Sorry I should have warned you," Harriet said, pulling Dianne and Dudley to their feet, "portkey travel can really mess with your balance if you're not used to it."

"That was fun, can we do it again?" said Violet, and they all laughed.

"Well, welcome to the Potter-Snape Cottage." Harriet said, waving her hand across the field they had landed in at a large house.

Potter-Snape Cottage was an unusual looking building. It had two large towers, one on either side, and a large thatched-roofed building in the centre. It was surrounded on three sides by impossibly tall hedges, that Dudley was sure were held up by magic. From where they stood the front fence looked like an ordinary picket fence. With gates in it to a driveway and path leading up to the main house. On the driveway was a large motorbike and side-car. The garden was busy but neatly tended, with plants and bushes Dudley had never seen before. A few trees surrounded the base of the left tower, their topmost branches just below the third level of windows.

"What's that?" asked Max, with his mouth gaping as they neared the gate. "It's like a giant bubble."

"You can see it?" Harriet asked in surprise. "Impressive. It's the security wards, they keep the grounds safe and keep unwanted guests out. Usually untrained wizards can't see them, but you can."

"It's sort of glittery," Max said, "how can you not see it?"

"I can't see a thing son." said Dudley.

"You may have a Ravenclaw there Dudley." Harriet grinned.

"What's Ravenclaw?" said Max.

"It's one of the Hogwarts houses," Harriet said, "Ravenclaw is usually where the clever one's go."

"What others are there?" Max asked.

"The kids will tell you all about it," Harriet smiled, opening the gate as the wards let them through, "they should be around here somewhere."

Two identical faces peered over a nearby bush, grinning cheekily. The two boys had pale skin, thick dark hair, slightly over-large noses with a slight hook and jet-black eyes that sparkled with mischief.

"Hey mum!" both the faces said.

"We weren't expecting-" said the first.

"-You back for ages." finished the other.

"What are you two up too?" Harriet said suspiciously.

"Just playing-" said the first.

"-With our youngest sister." finished the second.

"They helped me find Tatters." said a young girl, with dark hair with a hint of red, as she peered around the side of the bush.

She had bright green eyes and looked very like Harriet. In one hand she had the tail of a very large, black and white speckled cat. The cat was sitting beside her looking extremely grumpy, with patches of fur missing and only half an ear on its head. It looked like a vicious cat, but it sat placidly next to the girl, even though it looked unhappy about it.

"Tatters follows you everywhere Ruby," Harriet frown, "why did the boys have to help you find him?"

"He got stuck in the tall tree again." Ruby said, fluttering her eyelashes innocently. "Harry and Sevvie had to take me up to get him on their brooms."

"Ruby Minerva," Harriet said sternly, "what have I told you about going on your brothers' brooms?"

"You said I wasn't to fly them," Ruby said, "but I didn't, I sat on the back and Harry and Sevvie flew."

"Harry and Severus knew full well not to take you up." she frowned at the twins and they began to edge away. "Stop right there you two. You can take Dudley and his family in to the house while I talk with Ruby, but I haven't finished with you yet."

The boys grinned at Dudley and beckoned him and the others to follow, leaving Harriet lecturing Ruby. They each had a broomstick over one shoulder and Max eyed it excitedly as they followed them up to the house. They pushed open the front door to reveal a large entrance hall, with a large staircase at one end and two wooden doors leading from each side. They followed the twins, through the second door on the left, into a large living room. There were comfortable sofas around a large fireplace and the walls were lined with bookshelves and pictures. There was a large wooden writing desk in front of a wide window, with a high backed, leather chair in front of it. As they moved further into the room the chair was pushed away from the desk and a man stood up and turned to look at them.

He was tall, pale and slim, with shoulder length black hair and a hooked nose, like the twins. His black eyes sparkled, but not with laughter. As he scowled at Dudley he gave off a definite air of menace. He stepped forward, mouth curling in a sneer, and Dudley couldn't help but step back.

"Dudley Dursley!" he said with an icy tone. "We meet at last."