James patted Harry's shoulder and continued up the steps to the dorms.
Harry liked his cousins, alot! They were very friendly, of course, they'd always been friendly to him. He never got to see them very much because they were a part of Ravenclaw.
Lily came up and gently touched his arm.
"Harry, I look forward to seeing you around."
"Yeah, same here Lily."
"Did James tell you he's Ravenclaw's new beather?"
"Yeah, he told me."
"Guess who's Ravenclaw's new Seeker?"
Harry's eyes widened. Lillian laughed, "Yep, me! Can you believe it? Must be a family thing. I love Quiddich and always have, though I'll bet you never thought you'd see me on the field?"
"No, I didn't. Don't expect favours." Harry warned with a smile.
"I won't. The same goes for me, though you ARE my favorite cousin. I'll be honest, I kinda can't wait for Christmas break so we can all go home and spend the holidays together. Mom wanted me to let you know, you are free to invite Hermione and Ron over if you want to for the holidays, and even for a few weeks during the summer."
Harry's eyes widened, "Really? That's great, I'd love to! Thanks a lot Lily."
"We care about you Harry, and we all want you to be happy. Me, personally, I think you deserve it. Mom's told us some of the stuff she's seen the Dursleys do to you, she even cursed Vernon Dursley one time, remember the time he lost his job? That's why!"
Harry couldn't help smiling. She obviously loved him, and it felt great to be loved.
"Mom let me see too, so I understand Harry. You'll get no such treatment from us. We're blood, through thick and thin. We won't desert you. Everyone else will but we've got your back. Just remember that." Lily impulsively hugged him and kissed his cheek then ran up the stairs.
Harry was stunned. He hadn't expected anything like that. He'd think about this all carefully and remember well how very different life was turning out to be now that Aunt Viviane and his cousins were in the picture. He'd tell Ron and Hermione about the offer to spend the holidays at Ravensgate Manor with them.
He'd just told Ron and Hermione about his incident on the stairs when the first year Gryffindor's came in. He noticed a familiar face.
"Lavinia," he gestured to his cousin.
Lavinia walked over and sat down beside Harry.
"You aren't in Ravenclaw? That seems odd as the rest of your family is."
"Not all of them. Maybe it's because we're descended from both Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, but Laetitia said the sorting hat kept going back between Slytherin and Ravenclaw. James and Lily wound up in Ravenclaw. If they'd known you'd be chosen for Gryffindor they might have tried to influence the hat. Jonathan and I are the only ones who wound up here in Gryffindor."
"If you need any help, Lavinia, just let me know." Harry now that he was a 4th year student could make such an offer.
Lavinia smiled, "Thanks a lot, Harry."
She got up and went off with the other first year students to their dorms.
"Another Malphrus?" Ron commented.
"Yeah," Harry said.
Hermione just looked concerned.
Christmas vacation had finally arrived. Harry's school year thus far had been uneventful. Except for the usual trouble he got from Draco, Goyle and Crabbe. Harry found himself looking eagerly towards going to his new home with his cousins.
They all got along quite well. He invited Ron and Hermione to join him for Christmas vacation and they too were eager to see Harry's new home. It isn't everyday that wealthy, noble witching families invited them to stay with them, so for Ron and Hermione it was quite a treat. Everyone in school talked about Harry's great turn of fortune.
Severus Snape didn't seem to bother Harry as much. Perhaps he seemed less threatening to Harry because he knew how his aunt would react to Severus Snape's treatment of him.
As it was the school buzzed about Lucius Malfoy, who came to school to protest Viviane's appointment.
"Don't you think you should be," he paused for a moment, "hiding?" he asked her in the hallway.
"Don't you think you should stop interfering in places you do not belong? I know well all that you have done, Lucius. I am so glad I did not pollute my pure blood with yours."
Lucius looked affronted, "As if I would have you!"
"I remember a time not so long ago when you wanted me very much indeed. If James had known how you, proposition me, you would not be alive now."
Oohs and ahhs came from the crowd which had gathered around the two combatants. Poor Draco didn't quite know what to do, Harry couldn't stop smiling.
"The Potters are a dying breed, my dear."
"Really? I am a Potter, or have you forgotten? Harry is alive and quite well too I might add, and lest you forget, I have five children of my own, though they bear the proud, old, noble name of Malphrus, a name which goes back almost a thousand years, oh what a minute, wasn't it Phineas Malphrus who married Goda Hufflepuff?
Oh, my, but indeed that was the name. Wasn't it Henry Potter who apprenticed under Godric Gryffindor and so won the hand of Alditha Gryffindor, his grand-daughter, Oh, my, my what noble blood have I. Can you say the same? You who set such store by your "pure lineage" to me your upstarts. Alfis Malfoy was the progenitor of your line, and by this time the Potters had been a great witching family for almost four hundred years, and the Malphrus family a good two generations earlier. Be very careful what you say and to whom you say it. I could speak of the nefarious deeds of Saltzin Malfoy, who through dark means obtained the..."
Lucius put a hand to her lips.
"Do not speak of it Viviane, or there will be trouble."
"Take your hand off me! Were my husband to see this display he would take you out to the far green and demand a wizards duel! NO MAN touches me unbidden!"
More ohs and ahs from the crowd.
"Viviane if you were not female..."
"You'd challenge me? Forget that I am and challenge me anyway. I should love to see you laid bare and low before all. Know this Lucius, if EVER again you threaten any of my family, I will take you out where you stand!"
"How dare you!..."
"I saw how you threatened Harry after the business with the Chamber of Secrets, oh, yes, I, my husband, and two elves saw and heard your threats to my nephew. Lucky are you that I could not be here at the time. If you EVER threaten my nephew again, I WILL take it very personally! I have learned much in the past 13 years, and you would do well to be forewarned of what such actions will bring down upon your head."
Harry watched his aunt with pride. She held herself well and she was not in the least frightened by Lucius Malfoy.
"Enough witnesses exist to your threat that were I to take it before the ministry of magic it could earn you punishment unlike you have dreamed. To threaten ANY student here at Hogwart's brings down the most dire of punishments. It would be wise of you to remember this. You wouldn't care to spend a few years in Azkaban would you?"
Lucius Malfoy's face turned red with anger. Finally he turned away. He began to walk away then stopped and turned back around to face Viviane.
"Watch yourself Viviane Potter Malphrus! For one day I will come to get you! You have insulted me beyond the endurance of man to accept such a thing!"
Viviane just smiled, "I would welcome such a day. If He Who Remains Nameless does not frighten me, do you really think that YOU do?"
Lucius turned away and stalked out of the school in a huff.
Harry was very proud of his aunt, she'd stood her ground and told off Lucius Malfoy. Draco went running after his father.
Hermione was just shaking her head.
"She shouldn't have done that."
"Why, she's brave, beautiful, and she's powerful I don't think Lucius Malfoy would be able to touch her in duel." Ron said. He seemed quite taken with Harry's aunt.
"I am impressed, she stood her ground firmly." Harry thought of how she'd stuck up for him and his pride seemed to have no bounds.
Viviane clapped her hands and got the students heading off for their dorms. She came over to Harry.
"I'm sorry Harry, I hadn't intended to make a scene but Lucius always did manage to push just the right buttons to set me off. Your father, James used to bust on me time and again about my temper." she smiled and laughed softly, "He used to threaten to turn my black hair red for he said it was more fitting to my temperment."
Harry couldn't help chuckling at that. From what he'd learned about his father from his aunt, that seemed a typical thing for him to do.
"Harry, I want you to know I will let no one take advantage of you. I will protect you to the best of my ability, and I will teach you all I know. I loved you when you were just a year old, and I still do, Harry, dear. How much of James and Lily I see every time I look at you. It is as if my dear brother were still here with me. So he is, in you. If ever you have wondered why you are so precious to me, that is the reason. It is the one little bit of James I have left to me." her eyes got misty and she turned to wipe away a tear. "Forgive me, I'm afraid I'm getting maudlin again."
Harry shook his head and gently put a hand upon her arm. "It's alright, aunt Viviane, I think I understand. You're becoming quite a lot to me too. I am so glad you decided to come out of hiding, for if you hadn't I would never have known of you, I would never have had the chance to meet you."
Viviane took a deep breath and smiled at Harry. "You're a good boy, Harry Potter. A very good boy. Your parents would be very proud of you." she gently patted his hand. "Come now, are your things all packed?"
"Yes, aunt Viviane, they are."
"Good, we must be leaving soon. I've heard there's going to be a lot of snow and we want to make sure we can get through Joven's pass before long. As it is, it will be dark before we get to Ravensgate."
In walked Ash through the front doors. He smiled at his lovely wife. He truly loved Viviane and the past sixteen years had been ones of joy. They'd had the children and had learned alot about each other. Even the last few years were good, for short seperations made for grand reunions. He stopped and kissed her passionately, but briefly.
"I've missed you, dearest."
"As I have you. Glad am I that you are here, for I'm afraid I've had quite a trying day thus far."
"hmm, what have you done now?"
"Ask Harry, he can tell you." she said and blushed slightly.
So Ash asked Harry and he told him. When Harry was through his uncle just shook his head.
"Beloved, have you a wish to join your dear brother and sister? For if you do than you are taking the right path towards death and destruction. Lucius Malfoy is not without power or connections."
"You forget that we have the same connections as he does, and I've more power. When Harry, Laetitia, James, Lily, Jonathan and Lavinia become adults they will have the same power as well. We Potters will not be put down, Ash. We will not!"
Ash seemed uneasy, "My love, we must take care. Think of the children, all of them. Harry requires just as much as the others, perhaps more protection than most. He is very special not just to us, but to everyone."