CHAPTER EIGHT: SUMMER HOLIDAYS

To be honest, I thought that my summer holidays would be my worse holidays ever. The Dursleys were still furious about Hagrid giving Dudley a pigtail and were not pleased to see me, but that was no surprise. The moment we got home, Uncle Vernon locked all my spell books, broom, wand and everything else he deemed to be abnormal in the cupboard underneath the stairs. I was surprised that he didn't lock Hedwig and me under there too. He was probably afraid that I would turn them all into fruit bats if he attempted to. However, with my school belongings locked away, I was unable to complete my summer homework, but the Dursleys didn't care. They didn't care if I got in trouble for not having my homework done.

As the weeks went on, I enjoyed muttering gibberish under my breath whenever Dudley annoyed me and to then see him run off as fast as his legs would take him to his parents. I usually got a long list of chores after my little moment of fun. Same went if I said words like "magic", "wizard", or "Hogwarts". Basically any words that have something to do with my abnormality, as Uncle Vernon kindly put it. However, my fun with Dudley soon began to wear off when I received no contact from any of my friends or family. None of them had bothered to owl me, and I wasn't able to owl them since Uncle Vernon locked Hedwig in her cage, not that this was his best idea. Hedwig didn't appreciate being locked up, which resulted in her screeching at all hours of the morning, which then led to an annual agreement at the breakfast table.

'I'm warning you; if you can't control that ruddy bird it'll have to go.' Uncle Vernon warned me once again.

'But she's bored! If I could only let her out for… an hour or two…' I argued back, trying to allow Hedwig some freedom.

'Do I look stupid?' Uncle Vernon said with some egg dangling in his bushy moustache. I resisted the urge to say, 'Do you really want me to answer that?' Instead, I remained quiet. 'I know what will happen if the bird is let loose.'

He exchanged a look with Aunt Petunia and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

I opened my mouth to argue back, but I was interrupted by a huge, long belch from my massive, whale-sized cousin, Dudley. I couldn't believe we were related.

'Want more bacon,' he said to his mother.

'There's more in the frying pan, sweetums.' Aunt Petunia said, turning her attention from me to Dudley. 'We need to feed you up while we've got the chance. I don't like the sound of the food at Smeltings.'

'Nonsense, Petunia. I never went hungry while I was at Smeltings. Dudley gets enough, don't you, son?'

Dudley didn't answer for he was looking at me.

'Pass the fry pan!' he ordered.

'You forgot the magic word!' I said irritably, glaring at my cousin. It wouldn't kill him to use his manners every now and then. Then again, I don't even know if my cousin knew what manners were.

Unfortunately, magic was a swear word to the Dursleys. Dudley gave a terrified gasp, fell out of his chair and crashed to the ground which was like a mini earthquake. Aunt Petunia shrieked and hurried to Dudley's side. Uncle Vernon, however, stood up furiously, his face turning red with a vein throbbing in his temple.

'How dare you use the "M" word in front of Dudley!' he roared, spit flying everywhere. 'How dare you threaten Dudley! How dare you mention your abnormally under this roof!'

'Whatever,' I muttered, sulking slightly as I put some bacon onto Dudley's plate. He had been heaved to his feet by Aunt Petunia, not that I understood how she managed to do it.

Uncle Vernon sat back down and glared at me as I picked at my food. If you couldn't tell, I was upset. See today was my birthday and I had been expecting a card or letter from my grandparents wishing me a happy birthday, or at least writing to see how I was. I hadn't even gotten anything from Ron and Hermione. I didn't even get my hopes up for anything from the Dursleys.

Uncle Vernon, having now calmed down, cleared his throat and said, 'Okay, we all know that today is a very special day…'

I looked up, barely believing what I was hearing. Was he seriously saying what I thought he was saying?

'This is the day I make the biggest business deal of the lifetime,' he said.

I looked back down at my breakfast. Of course, Uncle Vernon's stupid business dinner with a rich builder, whom Uncle Vernon was hoping to get a large order of drills from. How could I have forgotten? He had been going on about nothing else for weeks, trying to make the dinner flow perfectly.

'Let's go over our schedule one more time. Petunia, when the Mason's arrive, you'll be…'

'In the living room. Waiting to welcome them graciously to our home,' said Aunt Petunia.

'Right… and Dudley?'

'I'll be waiting to open the door,' answered Dudley. 'May I take your coats Mr and Mrs Mason?' he said in a sickly voice… at least that's how it was to me.

'Oh, they'll live him!' exclaimed Aunt Petunia, while I tried not to vomit.

'And you?' Uncle Vernon asked, turning on me.

'I'll be in my room, making no noise and pretending I don't exist.' I answered in a dead tone. It was the same answer I had been giving him for the past few weeks, every time he asked. 'Which is where I'm going now. So if you excuse me…'

'Oh no you don't,' said Uncle Vernon, grabbing my arm, preventing me from leaving the room. 'You can go once all your chores are done.'

Aunt Petunia handed me a piece of paper with my chores written on it.

'You've got to be kidding me! It will take me hours to get all this done!' I exclaimed when I finished reading the list.

'Then I suggest you get started,' Uncle Vernon said nastily.

I stormed out the room and outside with a scream, of frustration. I wouldn't have minded doing chores if Dudley got them too, but no… Dudley couldn't possibly be given such a hardship.

For the entire day I was outside working in the blazing sun. I was out there pulling weeds from the flower beds, washing the windows and car, mowing the lawn, repainting the outside bench, among other ridiculous chores, while Dudley lolled around eating ice-creams. I was so tempted to march over to him and shove the ice-cream in his face, but I knew that I would end up in serious trouble if I did. Besides, I needed to focus my energy on my chores and not waste my time on the likes of him.

This had to be, without a doubt, the worst birthday I've ever had. No cards from my friends and family, slaving outside in the heat and then spending the night pretending that I didn't exist. I vaguely wondered if I did something terrible in a previous life to have a horrible one.

Several minutes before the Masons were due to arrive, Aunt Petunia ushered me inside. I gratefully stepped inside. I was covered in dirt and sweat… and I probably stunk.

'Walk on the newspaper and quickly eat,' said Aunt Petunia. She was already wearing a salmon coloured dress.

I did as she asked, too tired to argue, and walked on the laid out newspaper as though I was some sort of animal. I then inhaled my pitiful dinner of cheese and bread – I hadn't gotten any lunch – and went to my room, with Uncle Vernon calling up the stairs, reminding me to remain quiet.

'I got it the first hundred times,' I growled as I opened my bedroom door. At that moment the doorbell rang telling us that the Masons had arrived.

I hope Mr Mason doesn't agree to the deal, I thought bitterly as I closed my bedroom door and chanced into my true form. I had become more comfortable as a female now that I knew the truth about being a Valkyrie. In fact, I was more comfortable as a female than a male.

It would deserve him right; I continued to think bitterly as I went to collapse on my bed. It was then I got the shock of my life. Someone was sitting on my bed, and that someone was a little creature with large, bat-like ears and bulging green eyes the size of tennis balls.

I somehow managed not to yell out, instead I just stared at it and it stared back. Moments later, the creature slipped off the bed and bowed that low that the end of its long, thin nose touched the carpet. It was then that I noticed that it was wearing what looked like an old pillowcase with rips for arm –and leg-holes.

'Princess Harrietta! What an honour it is!' the creature said in a high-pitched voice.

'There was that "Princess" thing again, but I barely paid it any attention. I was more interested as to who this creature was and what it was doing in my room.

'Who are you?' I demanded coldly. I currently wasn't the most pleasant person in the world.

'Dobby, Princess. Dobby the house-elf,' answered the creature.

'Not to be rude, but this isn't a really good time for me to have a house-elf in my bedroom. Is there any particular reason why you're here?'

'Oh yes, Princess,' dobby said earnestly, but I could tell that my coldness towards him had hurt his feelings. 'Dobby has come to tell you… it is difficult, Princess… Dobby wonders where to begin…'

'Why don't you sit down,' I suggested warily, indicating to my desk chair as I collapsed on my bed.

To my horror, Dobby burst into very noisy tears and I swore the voices downstairs flattered.

'I'm sorry,' I whispered hurriedly. 'I didn't mean to offend you or anything –'

'Offend Dobby!' choked the elf. 'Dobby has heard of your greatness, Princess, but never has Dobby been asked to sit down by a wizard, let alone a Princess, as an equal.'

'Let alone a Princess?' I repeated, not understanding what he meant. 'Well, I don't know what you mean about princesses, but you can't have met many decent wizards.'

'No, Dobby hasn't,' the elf said brightly, before looking horrified at what he just said. 'That was a horrible thing to say.' Without warning, Dobby lunged at my dressing table and began whacking his head against it… heard. The entire time he shouted, 'Bad Dobby! Bad!'

'Stop! What are you doing?' I hissed, jumping off my bed and pulling the small creature away.

'Dobby had to punish himself, Princess,' said the elf, who had gone slightly cross-eyed. 'Dobby spoke ill of his family, Princess…'

'Family?'

'The wizard family Dobby serves, Princess. As a house-elf, Dobby is bound to serve one family forever. If they ever knew Dobby was here…' dobby shuddered. 'But Dobby had to come. Dobby has to protect Princess Harrietta. To warn her… Princess Harrietta must not return to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year. There is a plot. A plot to make most terrible things happen.'

'What plot? Who's plotting them?' I asked immediately.

Dobby made a funny choking noise and then banged his head frantically against the wall.

'All right!' I said, grabbing the elf by the back of his pillowcase and pulling him away from the wall. 'You can't tell me…'

I broke off as I heard Uncle Vernon coming into the hall calling, 'Dudley must have left his television on again, little tyke.'

Heart pounding painfully, I picked the elf up, startling him and shoved him in my closest. I had just closed the door and flung myself onto my bed just as the door handle turned.

'What – the – devil – are – you – doing – up – here?' Uncle Vernon demanded through gritted teeth, his face horribly close to mine. 'You've just ruined the punch line of my Japanese golfer joke…'

'I guess I did them a favour then!' I snapped. I was not in the mood.

Uncle Vernon's eyes narrowed dangerously.

'I'll pretend I didn't hear that,' he snarled. 'One more sound and you'll wish you'd never be born.' He stomped flat-footed from the room.

Shaking with anger, I let Dobby out of the closet.

'And that is why I'm returning to Hogwarts,' I told the elf. 'If I have to stay with them for much longer, I'm going to go insane and probably do something I'd regret. Besides, it's the only place I've got friends.'

'Friends who don't even write to Princess Harrietta?' Dobby asked slyly.

'I expect they've been – hang on. How do you know my friends haven't been writing to me?' I demanded when I realised what he had just said.

Dobby suddenly became nervous under my hard stare and shuffled his feet.

'Princess Harrietta mustn't be angry with dobby. Dobby hoped that if Princess Harrietta thought her friends had forgotten her, Princess Harrietta might not want to go back to school, Princess.' He withdrew a stack of letters from his pillowcase tunic. I recognised letters with Ron's chicken scrawl, Hermione's neat handwriting, Hagrid's handwriting and even Grandfather's handwriting.

My blood began to boil.

'Give me those, now!' I growled out, taking a threatening step towards the elf.

'Dobby will if Princess Harrietta promises she won't go back to school.'

'Never,' I growled, leaping forward to snatch the letters away from the elf, but Dobby was faster than me. To my horror, he ran out of the room and downstairs. I quickly followed him, taking four steps at a time, leaping down the last several steps and landed cat-like at the entrance. Dobby was nowhere in sight.

'Dobby?' I whispered urgently. I could hear the Dursleys and Masons talking in the lounge room.

I quietly snuck into the kitchen before I felt my stomach drop. Dobby was sitting on the kitchen bench with the desert Aunt Petunia had slaved over, floating next to him.

'Dobby, please, don't. They'll kill me!' I told him, glancing fearfully at my uncle.

'Princess Harrietta must promise that she won't go back to school.' Dobby said firmly.

'I can't! Hogwarts is my home!'

'Then dobby must do it, Princess. For Princess Harrietta's own good.' Dobby said sadly, before snapping his fingers and making the pudding float towards the Dursleys and Masons.

Horrified, I quickly knocked Dobby off the bench so no one would see him and hurried after the pudding. It took the Dursleys a few moments to notice the floating pudding with me focusing on it, trying to catch it. Just as I was about to catch the pudding, it fell and landed on top of Mrs Mason.

'I'm so sorry. It's my niece, she's very disturbed. We think strangers upset her, that's why we kept her upstairs.' Uncle Vernon apologised as the Masons looked at me, and then at Uncle Vernon for an explanation.

Then, to make matters worse, an owl flew in and dropped a letter on the coffee table in front of the Masons. This wouldn't have been a problem if Mrs Mason wasn't petrified of birds. As a result, Uncle Vernon didn't get the deal and I, of course, got the blame.

Once the Masons had left, Uncle Vernon grabbed the letter the owl had delivered, looked at it, before giving it to me to read.

'Read it out loud!' he growled at me.

I did as he asked. The letter did not contain birthday greetings.

Dear Mr Potter,

We have received intelligence that a Hover Charm was used at your place of residence this evening at twelve minutes past nine.

As you know, underage wizards are not permitted to perform spells outside school, and further spell work on your part may lead to expulsion from said school (Decree for the Reasonable Restriction ofUnderage Sorcery, 1875, Paragraph C).

We would also ask you to remember that any magical activity that risks notice by members of the non-magical community (Muggles) is a serious offense under section 13 of the International Confederation of Warlocks' Statute of Secrecy.

Enjoy your holidays!

Yours sincerely,
Mafalda Hopkirk
IMPROPER USE OF MAGIC OFFICE
Ministry of Magic

Once I had finished reading I gulped and looked fearfully at my uncle.

'Well, this changes everything,' Uncle Vernon said quietly, before grabbing me by the hair and leading me upstairs. I could have sworn that I heard Aunt Petunia said, 'Vernon,' in a shocked tine when he grabbed my hair.

'Let go!' I yelled, trying to get him out of my hair.

'You didn't tell us you weren't allowed to use magic outside school,' Uncle Vernon said with a mad gleam dancing in his eyes, as he dragged me towards my room. 'Forgot to mention it… slipped your mind, I daresay. Well, I've got news for you… I'm locking you up. You're never going back to that school… never… and if you try and magic yourself out – they'll expel you!'

He pushed me into my room and slammed the door shut.

At least he didn't lock me in the cupboard, I thought as I lay on my bed sulkingly. This had to be, without a doubt, my worst birthday ever.

-THE UNMASKED MYSTERY-

Sadly, Uncle Vernon was as bad as his word. The following morning, he paid a man to fit bars on my window while he added several locks to my door and fitted a cat flap so small amounts of food could be pushed inside three times a day. Five days I was locked in my room and I was only allowed out to visit the bathroom mornings and evenings, though when Dudley and Uncle Vernon weren't home, Aunt Petunia allowed me the freedom of the rest of the house and the freedom to have a proper meal. On the sixth morning, I was sitting glumly at my desk, looking out my window, when I noticed a black car pull into the Dursleys driveway, but it didn't hold my interest for long seeing as I didn't see who got out.

Probably another rich builder, I thought. How wrong I was.

Moments later, I heard Uncle Vernon yelling for someone to get out of his house. Someone marched past my bedroom, before they came back and began unlocking my door. The door then opened to reveal a very angry Uncle Severus. I coward slightly from him.

'Oh yes, Dursley. I can see that Harrietta isn't here!' Uncle Severus said, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he took in my room. 'Harrietta, please pack your belongings while I talk to Vernon and Petunia.'

'All my school things, wand, broom and trunk are locked up under the stairs.' I said nervously.

'Really?' Uncle Severus said, eyes narrowing and looking down the hall where I assumed the Dursleys were. 'You boy, make yourself useful and help your cousin with her trunk!' he snapped at Dudley. I heard Dudley give a little squeal and him running down the stairs. 'Vernon, Petunia, I think we should have a few words.'

I walked out of my room and saw Uncle Vernon cowering slightly under Uncle Severus' cold gaze, before leading the way to the living room. I followed them downstairs to help Dudley with my belongings. Together, Dudley and I carried my trunk back upstairs with my broom balancing on top, and school belongings inside.

'Who is he?' Dudley asked me when we placed my trunk on my bed.

'He's my Uncle Severus,' I answered as I began to pack my clothes. 'My father's twin brother.'

'You never said you had another uncle. You only mentioned your dad's parents!'

'That's because I know my grandparents better than I know my uncle,' I replied, wondering why we were even having this conversation.

'If he is your family, why are you living with us? Didn't they want you?'

'Of course they wanted me!' I snapped. 'I had to live here for my safety. Hopefully, I won't have to live here much longer. Why do you care anyway?'

Dudley was about to answer when we heard Uncle Severus begin to yell.

'DON'T LIE TO ME, DURSLEY! WHAT YOU DID WAS UNACCEPTABLE! YOU NEVER TOLD HER ABOUT HER HERITAGE, ABOUT MAGIC, OR ABOUT HER PARENTS! YOU NEVER DID AS MY FATHER ASKED YOU TO DO IN THE LETTER HE LEFT! YOU DIDN'T RAISE HER AS THOUGH SHE WAS YOUR OWN, INSTEAD YOU MADE HER LIFE MISERABLE! THE ONLY POSITIVE THING IS THAT SHE HAS ESCAPED THE APPALLING DAMAGE YOU HAVE INFLICTED UPON YOUR SON!'

'We have never mistreated Dudley!' exclaimed Uncle Vernon.

Dudley and I were now standing at the living room door. Dudley was trying to figure out when he had ever been mistreated.

'I frankly don't care, but I do care about your mistreatment of our niece,' Uncle Severus said coldly.

'If you love her so much, why don't you raise her?' snapped Uncle Vernon.

'Believe me, I would if I could, but sadly she is safer living with you. However, she can stay with me and her grandparents at the end of summer. In the meantime, when she is living with you, you will TREAT HER LIKE SHE WAS YOUR OWN DAUGHTER, is that understood?'

'Are you threatening me?' demanded Uncle Vernon.

'Yes, I am. And you don't want to know what I'll do to you if you do mistreat Harrietta again.' Uncle Severus said calmly and I noticed that he was pleased to see my aunt and uncle pale, though he was also a little confused when he saw Dudley grabbed his bum tightly. 'Have you finished packing, Harrietta?'

'Yes, sir,' I said. 'My trunk is at the front door.'

'Right. Let's not waste any more time here,' said Uncle Severus, leaving the room. I quickly followed him. We carried my trunk, broom and Hedwig to his car.

Once my trunk and broom were secured in the boot and Hedwig safely in the back seat, Uncle Severus and I hopped into the car and left Privet Drive.

'Once we arrive at my place, I'll let your owl out,' Uncle Severus told me as he stopped at a red light, five minutes later.

'Hedwig will like that,' I said, glancing at him out the corner of my eyes. I had no idea how I was supposed to act around him.

'Dursley said that you used magic. Is that true?'

'No,' I said with a slight huff. 'It wasn't me. It was a house-elf.'

'A house-elf? Why would a house-elf be in the Dursleys house?' Uncle Severus said with a small frown on his handsome face.

'You think I'm lying, don't you?'

'No, I believe you. I just can't understand why one would come to see you. Did it say what it wanted?'

'Yes. Dobby came to warn me. To try and stop me from returning to Hogwarts,' I replied, looking out my window. 'Said that there was a plot to make terrible things happen.' I looked over at my uncle. He looked thoughtful and suspicious. 'Do you think he was lying?'

'Maybe. I cannot understand why his master would send him to warn you –'

'No one sent him. He said that his family didn't know he was gone.'

'I would not pay much heed to what the elf said.' Uncle Severus said firmly. 'A house-elf cannot leave without their master's permission. Probably someone play a joke.'

'What if Dobby was telling the truth?'

'I'll let Father know and we'll take necessary procedures, just in case. Now cast it from your mind, Harrietta. We don't want a repeat of last year.'

'Yes, sir.'

When we arrived at Uncle Severus' house, he withdrew his wand and trapped the large lock on Hedwig's cage. It unlocked itself and he opened the cage door. Hedwig took flight immediately. She was grateful to be free again.

'How come you never answered any of your grandparent's and my letters?' Uncle Severus asked as he rummaged through one of his cupboards.

'I never got them,' I replied, after recovering from my slight shock of learning that he tried to write to me. 'Dobby prevented all my mail to make me believe that I had no friends in the hope that I wouldn't want to return.'

'Someone's definitely trying really hard to make sure you don't return to Hogwarts,' Uncle Severus said as he took something from the cupboard. It looked like a jar of ashes. 'I advise that you stay out of trouble this year and watch your step.'

'Yes, professor.'

'Harrietta, you know that you don't have to call me "sir" or "professor" when we're in private with family.' Severus said gently.

'Yes, si – Uncle Severus.'

'When you feel more comfortable you can call me "Uncle Sev". The rest of the family calls me "Sev", so you might as well to.'

'In that case, you can call me "Harri". Harrietta is too long for my liking, plus I'm more likely to answer to Harri over Harrietta.' I said and started slightly when Uncle Severus chuckled. To be honest, I didn't even know that he could.

'Right, we're going to be Flooing to Acacia Palace…'

'Acacia what?' I asked. I was sure I had misheard.

'Palace. To meet up with your grandparents. I don't suppose you have Flooed somewhere before, have you?'

'No,' I said, wondering why they were calling their house a palace. It gave a new meaning to a man's home is his castle.

'It's very easy,' Uncle Severus said encouragingly, before telling me exactly how I was to Floo.

Once he finished he opened a jar of Floo powder, which I thought had just been ash, and held it out for me to take some. I nervously took some and went to his fireplace. Uncle Severus would bring my trunk and other belongings with him.

I scattered the powder into the fire. The fire felt like a warm breeze as I stepped into it. I opened my mouth and immediately swallowed a lot of hot ash.

'Ac- Acacia Palace,' I choked

It felt as though I was being sucked down a giant drain. I seemed to be spinning very fast - the roaring in my ears was deafening – I tried to keep my eyes open but the whirl of green flames made me feel sick - something hard knocked my elbow and I tucked it in tightly, still spinning and spinning - now it felt as though cold hands were slapping my face – I wished it would stop, and then I fell, face forward, onto cold. Dizzy and bruised, covered in soot, I got gingerly to my feet and looked around.

I was in a large, well-furnished dining hall, roughly the same size as the Great Hall of Hogwarts. Groaning, I climbed unsteadily to my feet and it was then that I realised that I wasn't alone. There was roughly twenty other people in the hall, wearing grey dresses and suits. They stopped everything they were doing, – they had all been cleaning – stared at me and whispered quietly to each other.

'Who is she?'

'You don't think that's Harrietta?'

'I just cleaned the floor!'

I nervously looked around, wondering if I was at Acacia Palace and what I should do.

'Um, sorry. I guess I messed up my Floo travelling,' I muttered to the group of staring servants. I gathered that I was at the wrong place. This was definitely a castle I was at, not a house.

'no, you did fine. I just forgot to tell you which fireplace to come out of,' Uncle Severus said, walking into the hall, followed closely by my grandparents.

'Wait! This is Acacia Palace? It is an actual palace!' I gasped.

'Of course. Where'd you think we were going?' Uncle Severus asked as Grandmother embraced me.

'A house. I thought Acacia Palace was just a fancy name!' I said, now embracing Grandfather.

'No, this is the home of your ancestors.' Grandfather smiled, before frowning slightly. 'Have you lost weight?'

'Probably,' I muttered.

'It wouldn't surprise me if she has. The Dursleys were starving her and had her locked up like a prisoner.' Uncle Severus said darkly. 'But don't worry, I had words with them.'

'You threatened them, didn't you?' Minerva asked tiredly, though her eyes spoke how angry she was about the Dursleys inhuman behaviours towards her granddaughter.

'I don't threaten… I persuade,' Uncle Severus said innocently.

'Not to change the subject or anything, but why did my ancestors have a palace?' I asked, looking around and trying to ignore the staring servants. It then clicked. 'I'm a princess, aren't I? That's why Dobby and Firenze referred to me as "princess", isn't it? I am such an idiot! I can't believe I thought it meant something else.'

'You're not an idiot,' said Grandfather. 'But yes, you are a princess. You are currently Severus' heir. You will inherit the throne if anything were to happen to him.' said Grandfather.

I wasn't thrilled about becoming a queen, so I hoped that Uncle Severus would have a kid to let me off the hook.

'Come on, we'll give you a tour,' Grandmother said calmly.

-THE UNMASKED MYSTERY-

The summer holidays had finally arrived when I stayed at Acacia Palace and it became my true home. I felt more at home there than I did at Hogwarts.

The first week there I sat catching up on my homework, which didn't take me very long seeing as my family were more than willing to help me and it was an added bonus that they were all teachers, two of which actually set me the homework.

Once my homework as completed, I focused on settling into my new room and getting to know my family more. Surprisingly, it was Uncle Severus that I became the most attached to. I would sit and watch him work on his potions, chatting away and he would patiently listen to me. He even let me help him with a few. During which time I learnt how talented my uncle really was when it came to potion making. He rarely used potion recipes and when he did, he didn't follow them exactly. He did different short cuts and tricks. He also rarely measured potion ingredients out. He was like a professional chief you saw on television. When I told him this, he only laughed.

I also ended up meeting my great-grandmother, Rhiannon, during the holidays, much to Uncle Severus' dismay as he found out over breakfast.

'Mother will be back from Malcolm's by lunch today,' Grandmother informed Grandfather as Uncle Severus took a sip of orange juice.

'Please tell me you are joking, Mother,' Uncle Severus said, choking slightly. 'I thought Grandmother was going to be at Uncle Malcolm's 'till the end of September!'

'She decided to come back early, since she saw that Harri was here,' replied Minerva. 'And no, I'm not covering for you while you run away and hide from her. Besides, I'm sure she won't try anything. She'll be much too interested in Harri.'

'You poor child,' Uncle Severus said seriously to me.

'Should I be worried?' I asked nervously.

'Yes,' said Uncle Severus, while my grandparents said, 'No.'

I blinked.

'Ignore Sev, Harri,' Grandfather said comfortingly. 'Your Gran's just going to want to get to know you.'

'And dress you up as a porcelain doll,' Uncle Severus added. 'Not to mention try and turn you into a polite, young lady with perfect posture and manners.'

'Enough, Severus. Stop trying to scare her away,' Grandmother said firmly.

'She'll thank me for scaring her away…'

And so I would have if I had of know what Gran was truly like. At noon, I sat nervously next to Uncle Severus, on the couch, in the lounge room, waiting for Gran's arrival. She would be arriving by Floo. Uncle Severus seemed to be sitting calmly, but his eyes said over wise. They were suspicious and wary. Grandmother and Grandfather on the other hand, were perfectly calm.

The green flames suddenly appeared in the fireplace announced Gran's arrival and I was shocked when a pretty, light brown-haired witch stepped out of the fire. My grandparents were mildly surprised, while Uncle Severus groaned. I looked questioningly at him, but he didn't look at me. He seemed to be preparing himself for something.

The fireplace glowed brightly again and a frail looking witch stepped out of the fireplace. I knew this must be my great-grandmother. Grandmother looked nothing like her mother, so I guessed she must have taken after my great-grandfather.

'Afternoon, Mother!' Grandmother greeted, stepping forward and gently embraced her mother.

'Good afternoon, my dear daughter. And you to, Albus.' Gran said, letting go of Grandmother and embracing Grandfather.

'It's a pleasure to see you again, Mother.' Grandfather said smiling, while Grandmother made an angry gesture at Uncle Severus.

Uncle Severus groaning and whispered to me, 'This is why you don't live with your parents when you are older.'

I giggled as he walked over to greet his grandmother.

'Grandmother,' Uncle Severus greeted stiffly.

'Why is it that you always sound as though you are doing something painful when you greet me?' Gran demanded as she embraced her grandson. 'You use to enjoy seeing me when you were a boy.'

'That's because back then I had nothing to worry about,' Uncle Severus replied with a glance at the pretty witch. 'Is this one of your friends?'

'Yes, this is Stacy. Stacy, this is Severus. My youngest grandson.'

'So this is the famous Severus. I've heard a lot about you.' Stacy told Severus, looking him up and down.

'I'm sure you have,' Uncle Severus said warily.

'I'm sure you two have a lot in common. Why don't you show Stacy to her room, Sev? That way you two can get to know each other better.' Gran said, looking between the two.

'Sure. This way, Stacy,' Uncle Severus said, leading Stacy out of the room.

'Don't they look wonderful together?' Gran exclaimed happily, the moment Uncle Severus and Stacy were out of the room.

I didn't agree. I didn't like Stacy and I didn't want her with my Uncle Severus. I was jealous. I had gotten use to having him all to myself over the past few weeks and I wasn't ready to share him yet.

Gran then caught sight of me.

'Harrietta? Oh, look at you! Look how big you have gotten!' Gran exclaimed, walking towards me before embracing me tightly. When she let go, she began to look me up and down. I moved nervously.

'I'm taking her shopping!' Gran said suddenly. 'She needs some new clothes. Clothes fit for a young girl her age.'

'But Mother, you just got here!' Grandmother argued.

'So? I'm taking her shopping.' Gran said stubbornly. 'Come dear,' she added to me, taking me by the hand and leading me towards the fireplace.

Uncle Severus was right. I should have hid.


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Written: 23 March 2012
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DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT CLAIM OWNERSHIP OVER THE ORIGINAL COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL IN THIS STORY. THIS IS A NON-PROFIT FANDUB CREATED BY FANS, FOR FANS. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED. FAIR USE ONLY. I DO, HOWEVER, CLAIM SOME COPYRIGHT OVER HARRI SINCE SHE IS HALF BASED ON MY ORIGINAL VALKYRIE CHARACTER, PRINCESS HARRIETTA.