Disclaimer all characters, settings, etc, are the copyright of JK Rowling and Bloomsbury Publishing

The Grey haired old Lady

Chapter 10

The penultimate chapter Mums story

Mum looked over at Mrs Potter, then took a deep breath, "Andy would be a wizard if my mother and I had not performed a dark spell that would bind the magical core and take away his abilities to find and use it, well not really his abilities, more his capability to access the mental pathway that connects to his magical core."

Mrs Potter looked a little confused, "You know it's not possible to remove the pathway from away from someone, so all we need to do is to work out how they did that and reverse it," she said, more as a question than a statement.

"The charm mother used also places thoughts deep in the subconscious, thoughts that make someone unable to believe in their ability to use their magical core, it distracts a person away from connecting with their magical core, I do know it binds the core allowing no access to it even with exceptionally hard concentration, I did not understand it all really, because it was very dark magic it was not something I ever dabbled in, anyway she said if it was placed early enough, then he would grow up as a Muggle, it was a charm passed down from my grandfather," mum said as tears started to form in her eyes.

"I have never heard of such a spell or charm," Mrs Potter answered, getting agreeing nods from the others.

"No you won't have, it was a family secret, my grandfather got it from Tom Riddle, he perfected it, they were going to use it to stop any Muggleborn's joining the wizard world, it is dark magic but I had my reasons for doing it," mum started to cry again.

"Is there a counter charm?" Mrs Potter asked, a sad look on her face.

"I don't know," mum sobbed "I just wanted my son to grow up happy, not to suffer like I had to."

"Would you like to tell us about it, why you suffered so bad you would rob your son of his gift," Mrs Potter sounded calm and sympathetic as she spoke.

Mum started to sob and it was a while before she answered, taking a handkerchief from her pocket she wiped her eyes, then with out looking at me she started to explain.

"I was in Gryffindor at Hogwarts, the first one in my family, through out the generations, ever since 1022 ad, just a few years after Hogwarts was built and became a school they had all been in Slytherin, then I came along and spoilt their reputation, all my family treated me like I was a diseased leper, all but my mother who secretly supported me a little and helped to get me through it all without going crazy.

I was hated by my family at home and even at school I was hated, I never had any friends, none of the Gryffindor's would associate with me, so I spent my school years hated and disowned by my fathers side of the family, including my own father who beat me every chance he got, mothers side also disowned me, I was hated at school by the Slytherin's and by the Gryffindor's, I did not want that for my son," mum finished with more tears.

"Why were you so disliked?" I asked wanting to know why my mum had had such a miserable time.

Mum looked at me, the memories she had were obviously upsetting her, but she knew she had to tell us the whole story, "I gave up magic and changed my name before I met and fell in love with your father, I had lived as a Muggle for five years when we met, for the first time in my life I was happy, really happy, I never told my family when I got married, only my mum, the rest don't know about you, I never wanted them to get their hands on you because they would have taken you away from me," she looked at me then at Mrs Potter before continuing.

She bowed her head when she said "My grandparents were Draco and Pansy Malfoy, I was a Malfoy, but only in name, being the granddaughter of one of the most hated of all wizards was not easy."

Mum finished talking, her head held in her hands, I was stunned as I tried to think of some thing to say, I was the great grandson of death eaters, the ones who had helped kill and torture so many people, Mr and Mrs Potter's vilest enemy after Voldemort. I was thinking of all that my mum must have endured, when Mrs Potter spoke to us.

"Well we need to find a counter charm for our 'Muggle born' wizard, don't you think?" she said emphasising Muggle born.

I think mum was a little surprised at Mrs Potter's reaction to the knowledge of who her grandparent's had been, she looked at the picture then asked "You don't hate me then?"

"No dear, I can understand some of what you went through being a muggle born." Mrs Potter smiled.

"We are going to need some help with this, we don't have to let them know who placed the charm or why, we just need to get it lifted, so Andy can be who he was meant to be," Mrs Potter said then walked to the edge of the picture saying "I won't be long."

Five long and silent minutes went by before Mrs Potter returned, "I have enlisted the help of Harry, Molly, and Ginny, I have also asked my friend Ron to be here," she said when she returned.

Mum looked a little worried when I explained that Mr Weasley, Mrs Potter's best friend was the Minister for magic, between us Mrs Potter and I convinced her that everything would be ok. That evening as dad sat down stairs watching the local TV holo-cast, my mum joined me and Mrs Potter in my bedroom, we did not have long to wait before company arrived.

When with his arrival announced by a quiet popping sound Mr Weasley joined us, I must have jumped a metre off the bed I was so surprised by him just appearing out of thin air, then the beautiful women I had seen in the pictures at Mrs Potter's house joined Mrs Potter in her picture along with Harry.

I introduced Mr Weasley to my mum, then he turned to the portrait and introduced the other new arrivals to her.

"This my dear is the famous bat bogey hexer of Hogwarts, my sister Ginny, and of course then we have the best cook ever to put food on a table my mother Molly, the ugly guy you have already heard of he's Harry Potter, you already know Hermione, the most beautiful witch ever born," he said with a chuckle then smiled at my mum before he took a seat next to me on the bed.

Mr Potter grinned and then stuck his tongue out at Mr Weasley who returned the favour by blowing a loud rasberry which made every one laugh, even my mum.

Mrs Potter must have told them the reason for their visit because Ginny asked my mother about the charm that was used, neither of the new arrivals seemed interested in who had used it or why. Mum could'nt tell them what the charm was as her mother had used the family grimoire which she was banned from using.

Mrs Potter while laughing, told Mr Weasley off for saying she was the most beautiful witch ever born, I was unable to stop myself when I blurted out. "Second most beautiful."

Mr Weasley looked at me with surprise, I stuttered that the most beautiful witch was my girlfriend.

"And who pray might that be?" he asked, as he unsuccessfully tried to suppress a smile.

"Ginny Potter... I agree that Mrs Potter does look very beautiful, but I think Ginny is the most…" I stopped talking as he laughed.

"So dear little Ginny is your girlfriend then, you know I remember…" he was saying before he was cut off by a blushing Mrs Potter.

"We have things to do Ron, we need to find a counter charm," she said seriously

"I was just going to tell him how I reacted when my little sister Ginny first got a boyfriend," Mr Weasley said apologetically "and I still think you grew into the most beautiful…" he fell silent when both Harry and Hermione sighed then rolled their eyes at him.

We spent the evening listening to Mr and Mrs Potter and the two other witches work out several charms and counter charms, we all knew it was time to call it a night when we heard dad call up asking about supper and what we both wanted to eat.

It took three weeks before Mrs Potter finally worked out how the charm worked then another week before she found a counter charm.

I was getting worn out by it all, I had to go to school all day, then in the evenings I would be in my room trying to do the spells they all showed me, while my mum and Mr Weasley kept trying different counter curses on me, or I stood holding a book for Mrs Potter and turning the pages when she told me to, when Mrs Potter told Mr Weasley a counter charm to try one evening we were all slightly shocked when he did finally they had found a counter charm that worked, I had had so much practice with various spells, that I simply waved the wand around with out thinking.

"Wingardium Leviosa," I groaned again for what seemed to be the thousandth time that week, the vase I was pointing at suddenly took to the air, Mr Weasley had to duck down quickly, as I not thinking, not truly expecting it to work, I spun around to face my mum, I came to my senses when the vase passed by my mum and hit the wall and shattered.

"Sorry mum," I mumbled feeling a little silly.

Mum grabbed me in a hug even as I spoke, she was genuinely happy that I had done some magic at long last.

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