.

Telling Dumbledore No

By Jamnaz79

The Wizarding world was in full force celebration. Today the Dark Lord was vanquished! No one really knew how or what happened only that he had attacked the home of James and Lily Potter. They were found dead and their son was alive. The news had spread like a wild fire, nobody knew the source but it was everywhere.

Owls filled the sky carrying letters and causing muggles to glance up in surprise. Fire whiskey was toasted in strange bars across the country in the name of Harry Potter. Fireworks seemed to go off at random times filling the night and day sky.

Not all were happy. Not all celebrated; some were traumatized at the cost of the victory against the Dark Lord. One of these individuals was Dorea Potter nee' Black, the mother of James Charlus Potter and Grandmother of Harry James Potter.

Dorea Potter was a stern woman who had lived through hard times in her live. She had been a Hit wizard when it was not a common choice of women. She had fought during the period of Gellert Grindelwald war. This did not even include the fact that she had been raised a Black and had the political teachings that the family held dear. Where Charlus Potter once was the kind heart of the Potter family, Dorea Potter was the stern matriarch. It was she that often would organize political and personal alliances of the Potter family. It was she that brought the family into the forefront of power houses.

It was because of her ambitions that she had a child so late in life. James came to her when she was forty. It had been a blessing but a costly one to her. The determined woman gave up all of her role in politics, she walked away from her Wizengamot seat leaving everything to Charlus to run as she instead took to raising James with the same determination she did everything else in life. While she may have spoiled the boy, she taught him everything she could to make him succeed even her someday.

At first she had been devastated that he had chosen to marry a muggleborn girl. She almost refused to attend the wedding of the two when she found out. But, over a few months and many talks she was won over by Lily's kind heart and keen intellect. It didn't hurt that the girl wanted to follow Dorea's own path into the Unspeakables and politics someday. Still the bridge between the two had been sealed forever when Harry came into the world.

The young baby had been so like her little Jamie. He had all of the high cheekbones, messy black hair and cute nose that she loved in her son and Charlus. But, his eyes were all from his mother. It was those emerald green eyes that shined so very bright as he said "Nanny!" for his first word that made her love the child with all of her heart. The very thought of that moment, the face of surprise on her Jamie and a bit of frustration on Lily's own face that made her smile.

The stern witch despite that memory was not smiling now. Instead she stood in the Headmaster's office at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry in a fiery rage. Her eyes pale grey like all of the Black family glared at the Headmaster of the school. Her wand drawn and ready twitched as she stood before the crib in the Headmasters office. They were not alone as Minerva who had been in school the same time as Dorea stood in the corner watching the two iron will's collide. But the woman didn't speak, for once the lioness of Gryffindor was silent as Dorea glared at the Headmaster.

"You will not take my grandson Albus Dumbledore!" Each of her words were punctuated by pointing her wand at the Chief Warlock.

Even Albus Dumbledore had to fight back a flinch each time she pointed at him. He knew of her youth and training. What is more important he knew that all Black's had insanity running in their blood and the eyes of the stern woman protecting her child shown true with that madness right now, "Now Dorea, we need to protect Harry. He needs to be safe as there are still Death Eaters out there."

"Yes there are still Death Eaters out there. I bloody know what type of protection you gave my son and daughter-in-law! Because of your failure they are dead! If they had stayed with me at Potter Manor they would be fine right now. I will not allow you to take my grandson away to some muggles place." The woman shown with power and anger filling her body, emotions ranged over her face at the recent loss and death of her child.

The Headmaster did not want to allow the child to be raised by Dorea. He had seen the spoiled child that James had become. Even more important with the fame that little Harry would enjoy he needed to be away from the Wizarding World. He needed to be away from everything else if he was going to complete the prophecy and fulfill his destiny! Add to the fact that this woman was a pureblood and would teach the young man the ways and positions of the pureblood society. It was not in the best interests of the Greater Good to have Harry with Dorea Potter nee' Black. "I will give him protections that are better than anything that could be found at Potter Manor. There will be blood wards protecting him from harm. He will be safe from everything at Petunia's…"

The pureblood princess turned her head and spat onto the floor in disgust. Her wand raised and leveled directly at Albus' face as she stared him down in anger, "It will be over my dead body that you will take my grandson from me Albus Dumbledore. Those muggles hated Lily. They didn't even attend her wedding! They are no kin of Harry's! If you attempt line theft of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter I will see you dead. Know too if I do not leave here Arcturus knows where I am and why. He has been signed over control of House Potter and Harry's guardianship if I were to disappear. He made a vow to me to see you destroyed politically and personally. Remember there are some that remember you were very close with Gellert despite how much you want it buried."

The threat hit home on Albus as the last thing he wanted at a time like this was to accused of murder and line theft. He had claimed a lot of power in this war and made many enemies to do what must be done for the Greater Good. If the wrong words came out it could be a major setback for him. The threat of Lord Black and potential blackmail about his 'dead' friend would be trouble as well. Anger smoldered in his eyes for a moment before they instead started to twinkle. A movement on the side of the room reminded him of Minerva's presence and he didn't want her becoming too inquisitive in the subject. "You will allow me to assist in protecting him…"

"He is a Potter and will be protected as one. Just because my son joined your little bird watching club doesn't mean I ever was a part of it. Harry is not your kin, not your responsibility Albus Dumbledore. You may someday get to interact with him at Hogwarts if I allow him to attend here." She turned and walked over to the crib lifting up the one year old boy into her arms carefully to keep her wand out. Dorea turned her gaze onto Minerva and gave a small smile, "Minerva please be a dear and light the floo."

"Very well Dorea. Please take care of the little Tike." The strict transfiguration teacher said as she lit up the fire and tossed in the green powder.

"I will. He is all I have left." Dorea looked down at the bundle in her arms before she stepped through the floo flames to Potter Manor.

The Potter Manor disappeared from any network or connection that day. Nobody would be able to locate the place or track it for years to come. No sight or sound was heard from the Potter family as Dorea locked down the Manor tighter than a virgin in an iron chastity belt. It would not be till a decade later when Harry Potter was set to attend Hogwarts that any stirrings of the return of the Potters would be felt. The world would be surprised at the young Harry that would be found.

Author Note: A little idea in the back of my mind for a while now. I found it strange how Dorea and Charlus died of natural causes and old age but they were only sixty one. That is young for a muggle let alone a witch. So here is my little idea of Dorea Potter nee Black still alive. Harry is all she has left in the world so she would do anything to protect him. What effect would being raised in a loving House and knowledge of the Wizarding World make Harry be? No fame or celebrity status just a stern, loving woman that will teach him as she was raised.