Daniel paused after tossing the gold. "Tonks, would it be possible for us to floo back to the Leaky Cauldron from here? Emma and I have our shopping there along with our normal clothes."
"It's also far closer to our car." Emma winced with a grin "I haven't walked this much since we took Hermione to Paris last summer."
Daniel bent down and scooped Emma into his arms. "Well, I could always carry you, my lady." He spun her in a circle as she laughed holding her head to his chest. Before he finally set her back on her feet.
"Prat…" Emma reached up and gently smacked him on the back of his head a small smile tugging at her lips as Daniel burst out laughing.
"Sorry love, I have it on good authority that it's genetic." Daniel laughed as Emma groaned softly.
"And I'm bringing another one of you into this world." Emma shook her head "What was I thinking!"
Daniel wrapped his arms around her bringing her to his chest before bending down and touching his lips to hers in a gentle kiss pulling away he lowered his voice so that Tonks could only just hear him. "Because Mi… You and me? When we are together we can make the world change." He smiled as a tear rolled down Emma's cheek as she nodded.
"You and me Harry." She whispered before pulling back. "Sorry about all that Tonks, you'll get used to it." Emma brushed her tear away a beaming smile on her face.
"Either she will or she can join our neighbors in their discussions on those peculiar Grangers." Daniel seemed to shrug while shoving his hands into the pockets of his robes. "So about the floo?"
Tonks blinked a few times before she began laughing. She hadn't known what to expect but she was already beginning to love this fun couple who didn't seem to give a damn about what anyone thought of them She liked that. She liked that a lot! "Yeah come with me we can use the Auror's floo. It should be pretty empty this time of day." She led the couple to the private floo showing her badge to the guard who allowed them past.
After watching Emma carefully walk out of the floo Tonks couldn't stop the snort which escaped her as Daniel flew out landing on his face.
"I maintain that I hate using the floo…" Daniel grumbled as Emma helped him to his feet brushing the soot off of his robes grinning wildly. "Give me a good broom any day. Or at worst I'll take a portkey."
"Why don't you apparate?" Tonks asked once they were headed upstairs to the room the couple had rented.
"Left the magical world before we became of age." Daniel shrugged unlocking the door. "You have to understand Tonks when we got here I was fifteen and Emma was three months from her seventeenth birthday. It wasn't long after we got here that we decided to live as muggles permanently. Emma kept her wand but neither of us have cast even a Lumos in roughly twenty-five years." He walked into the bathroom after grabbing his slacks and button down tossing his new wand carelessly on the bed.
Tonks looked over at Emma once Daniel was in the bathroom. "Why? I mean I can understand living in the muggle world me Dad is muggle born so when I saw family they were muggles. But to completely abandon the magic world? I mean Madame Bones said he even snapped his wand."
Emma sighed as she lay her own wand on the bedside table. "You have to understand Tonks when Harry, Neville and I arrived here we were not in good shape. I was dying from a vicious cutting curse. Neville's nose and wand were just broken and Harry… Harry had just watched his Godfather fall through the veil. Once I was being cared for by Madame Pomfrey and Neville received a new wand Harry realized that his Mum and Dad hadn't even started Hogwarts yet. So… He talked to Dumbledore. Told him everything absolutely everything he knew."
Emma sat on the edge of the bed frowning after she pulled off the robes she was wearing. "He only wanted to do one thing. He wanted to hunt down Tom Riddle and kill him before he could go after Harry's Mum and Dad. All he wanted to do was stop the first wizarding war before it even started and the old meddling bastard told him no. That time must continue as normal. That's when Harry snapped his wand. He stayed with me until I was well enough to be released we went to Gringotts Got a bit of a loan which they knew would be paid back due to the blood test they requested. We changed our names legally created new identities. Everything we'd need." She smirked after a moment "We decided to use my Mum and Dad's names as a lark."
"..." Tonks leaned against the wall as she took in everything Emma had told her. Her hair had cycled from her normal pink to white then red before finally ending at a mousy brown which her mum told her was the color at birth. "So then You are your own Mum?"
Emma wrinkled her nose for a moment then shook her head. "Not in the manner you are thinking. Ha-Dan and I adopted her at birth from a teen mother who had chosen us to be her baby's parents. We named her in honor of who we had been. I don't think it really hit either of us that she was me until her eleventh birthday when McGonagall knocked on our door. During the meeting, I had deja vu something horrible but it wasn't until she turned my teacup into a canary that it finally hit me. Dan held me as I sobbed long into the night." She changed into her normal clothes and shook her head. "The fact took a while to sink in. That Dan and I had no choice in what we had to do. We even discussed running away."
"But, you didn't, why?" Tonks asked as she sat on the end of the bed.
"Because without Hermione I never would have survived my first Quidditch match not to mention my first year." Dan smiled sadly as he came out of the bathroom "Sure I've been terrified having her away from us especially under Albus I know everything Dumbledore But, I also know just how important my little girl is to a certain boy with messy black hair and stunning emerald eyes."
Emma smiled over at where Dan was standing "And I can assure you that she felt the same about that boy. Though she did wish he would study more!"
"Hey! I didn't get my doctorate just on my good looks ya know?" Dan laughed as Emma rolled her eyes
"No, no I will admit when we started Uni you were very focused." Emma smiled sadly "Though I think partly that was because you needed something other than magic to focus on…"
After walking over and wrapping an arm around his wife Dan finally shrugged "Yeah, I'm not going to tell you that you are wrong."
"You both are so in tuned with one another." Tonks shook her head in wonder. "Even my Mum and Dad have moments where they bicker something horrid."
Daniel smiled sadly as he placed a kiss on Emma's head "I think partly it's because we got married before we fell in love."
"You what now?" Tonks blinked not quite certain she had heard him correctly.
"It was one of the first things we did after leaving Gringotts with new identities Tonks." Emma smiled over at the younger woman. "I knew that even as Dan Harry could be a target especially if Dumbledore was capable of tracking him down. Harry was my best friend I refused to leave his side. If that meant marrying my best friend and staying with him for the rest of my life? I would be happy to do so. She shook her head. "We fell in love quite by accident!"
"I think that was the best way for it to happen. We didn't have to go through any of the normal BS that couples do when they are dating. It was far more enjoyable to wake up beside you one morning and have it hit me that you were the most beautiful woman in the world. Past, present, or future." Daniel grinned capturing her lips with a kiss that he knew would cause his wife's legs to turn to jelly.
"Best friends first always." Emma gently pulled back her voice a touch husky as Tonks cleared her throat.
"Do you need me to wait by the bar?" Her hair was pink again as she teased the couple.
Daniel laughed hard-throwing his head back "Nah, let's get the hell out of here!" He stood up tugging Emma to her feet their new clothes shoved into a bag. Daniel grabbed his wand and slipped it into his pocket.
Tonks let out a low whistle as they pulled into the driveway of a large two floor home. She had already been impressed by the car the Grangers had led her to a red with gold trim Jaguar XJS convertible. Dan grinned as he stopped the car doing his best impression of the cat who ate the canary.
"What were you expecting? Remember Emma and I are dentists by trade in our muggle lives and bloody millionaires in the magical one."
"...That's right you're the head of the Potter family, aren't you? Bloody hell…" Tonks shook her head as she got out of the car and followed the Grangers inside. The entryway was covered in family pictures of two very happy adults and a giddy little girl. Daniel paused at one where he had his arms wrapped around Hermione in front of the Eiffel tower. "That's our most recent one. Wasn't but a few days later she was back to Hogwarts."
Tonks nodded "She's a very pretty girl. I can see why no one has ever questioned her parentage." She grinned over at Emma "You two could be twins."
Emma rolled her eyes as she showed Tonks the living room, den, and kitchen "Well considering we are the exact same person? Yeah, it's pretty easy to imagine." She paused "Dan what room are we giving Tonks?"
Daniel came towards the two of them from the den having put the lid back on the scotch he had opened the night before. "The one closest to Hermione will be Tonks. Harry will have the room on the other side of the hall."
"Danny… Are you actually attempting to protect Hermione from yourself?" Ema smirked her eyes twinkling at the idea of it. "I really don't think you are in the right spot to play the protective father role. I mean maybe if she winds up with a boy other than Harry maybe then."
Dan sighed "True, alright you're right Em, Tonks you'll have the room across from Hermione Harry can be next to her. We've got a few days before the term ends. We should fix his room up for him. Red and Gold obviously might see if I can find that album Hermione has in her room…" He frowned before smiling "And maybe some pictures of his Mum and Dad that he has never seen before."
After a moment of thought, Emma nodded. While she hadn't been thrilled with what Dan had done so many years ago she understood how important it was to him now. It was amazing how easy it had been to get to know the Evans family as early University students offering tutoring. She smiled as she rested her head on Dan's arm They had grown close to the Evans family and when Lily had been found to be a witch the Evans had become even closer to them after they revealed that she was a muggle-born witch herself who lived with her muggle husband. They had even been invited to Lily and James' wedding. And were one of the first non-family members to hold baby Harry. Emma shook her head as she thought about the Potter's sealed will. While it was without a doubt true that Sirius was Harry's Godfather. His godmother was herself.
"Thirteen years late but we're finally getting him like Lily wanted Danny."
Daniel simply nodded "Tonks, do you have any muggle money or do you need some?"
Tonks considered asking about what Emma had just said but decided if she needed to know she'd find out later. "I have a muggle bank account Me Dad insisted. Said if I ever got in trouble and my wand broke or some such I'd be bloody relieved to have it."
"Smart dad you have Tonks. Really listened to the Father's handbook he did." Daniel grinned as Emma just shook her head. The three of them agreed to go shopping the next day for Harry and Tonks' rooms.
Daniel sighed as he shook his head listening as Tonks plead her case to his wife. He had good money on Emma winning though.
"My boss told me I'm not allowed to let you go anywhere without me. I'm your guard detail remember?" Tonks' hair was a bright purple as she looked down at the shorter Emma who had her arms firmly crossed.
"And I am telling you that Danny and I are quite capable of traveling to King Cross Station where we will be surrounded by Wizards and Witches who are certain we are muggles just as we have done the last three years." Emma huffed "Just because your boss knows who we are doesn't mean the whole bloody magical world will suddenly realize Danny is Harry Bloody Potter!"
"I have to be there! Madame Bones will have my butt if she didn't see me there when she picked up Susan!" Tonks argued back.
"If you did come with us that would be a bigger clue to the fact we were something other than normal muggles! Muggles do not have Auror bodyguards unless they are the bloody Prime Minister! Danny and I are Fooking dentists!" Emma uncrossed her arms her hands now resting on her hips.
Daniel finally places his fingers in his mouth and whistles "Tonks, first of all, I congratulate you Em hasn't sworn like that since we got the letter in Hermione's second year that she had a magical disease and was in a quarantine situation where we couldn't be allowed to see or write to her." He shook his head "Em, Tonks is right, Bones requested her to guard us for a reason. So here is what's going to happen. We'll drive to Kings Cross together but before we park Tonks will apparate to just outside the entrance and remain ten or fifteen feet in front of us. Close enough to keep an eye on those around us. But not close enough to be identified as being with us. And just in case Emma you and I will both have our wands. Fair?"
Both women nodded after a moment and Dan chuckled and gestured them out the door locking it behind him. He had been looking forward to this day for a week and not just because they were picking up their daughter and bringing Harry home.
Dan walked with his arm around Emma's shoulders his eyes scanning the cluster of muggles waiting for their children the veterans helping the newbies to relax. He smiled as he finally picked him out. Standing away from the other parents but close enough to watch the divider of platform nine and ten was the fat bastard himself Vernon Dursley. "Excuse me, love, I've been waiting for this moment for well over thirty years."
Emma glanced over "Well don't let me stop you, want me to accompany you?"
Dan rubbed his chin he and she were both dressed in what they referred to as rich casual. "Are you planning to stop me from saying too much?"
"Not at all, I just thought you'd enjoy the look on his face when you introduce your gorgeous young looking wife when he has to return home to his shrew." Emma grinned.
"God I love you!" Daniel kissed her hard as she placed her hand into his back pocket as she pulled back and they walked over to the fat man.
"Well! Vernon Dursley! Now there is a man I can honestly say is a man in the broadest sense!" Daniel spoke mildly, approaching the rotund salaryman.
Dursley turned a bit in surprise and more than a little uncomfortable to be recognized in this place. "Do I know you, Mister…?" He looked askance toward Dan's identity.
"Definitely not And it's Doctor Granger. But let's not stand on formality. It's not like you want to be here today., just as you didn't want to be here for the previous three years. Don't worry. That won't be a problem any longer."
"I really don't know what you are prattling about sir." Vernon was acutely aware that this 'Doctor Granger's' voice was carrying rather a bit and people were starting to take note.
"Of course," Dan said lowering his voice."Let's not make a scene. Walk with me Mister Dursley. I think you'll be interested in what I have to say."
Warily, Vernon followed Daniel's gesture and they began to walk along the platform. Emma following behind, holding her tongue for now.
"Harry James Potter," Daniel recited. "A child you never asked to be burdened with. A child undeserving of the sort of familial love that you give your natural son, Dudley. But still, because of you, Harry has learned humility and industry. Lessons well worth learning."
Vernon nodded. "If I am expected to house and feed a child, I should make certain he keeps from mischief."
"Oh most assuredly. In the meantime, you deny your own son that self-same discipline. As a doctor, I fear he'll have the devil's time with hypertension and an unhealthy heart. And he hasn't been given the tools of self-discipline to save himself either. Frankly, he needs a good boxing program. Boxing rather than mere brawling mind you. It's the difference between driving and joyriding."
"Now see here!"
"Harry hunting isn't the best way for Dudley to learn to fight anyone who can actually fight back! Now let's cut to the chase, shall we? Harry Potter, the unnatural boy whom you have trained to cook your meals, do your wife's gardening, take care of every bloody menial job you can think of because he's too unlike you and that petty little narrow-minded world you live in where mediocrity is prized above exceptionalism and dreams are crushed because you haven't the imagination to understand.
"Well, understand this Uncle Vernon. Harry Potter is not your concern any longer." Daniel looked coldly at him. "I can make thirty-seven different cocktails but I will never again mix a gin and tonic. Watching you guzzle seven of those on Empire Day when I was ten was disgusting. As if a man like you knows anything about the sacrifice of men better than you that built that Empire so pompous fools could drink and pretend they were of the same mettle."
Vernon stared at Daniel caught between rage and complete shock as he saw in his own soul this was somehow that same… It was impossible but just the same."
"Don't ask. It would take the slightest touch of imagination for you to understand." Emma spoke up from behind him. "But We've been together a long time. Long enough for me to see what you did to a helpless boy. It ends today Vernon Dursley! WE are taking Harry home. He'll never be anywhere where the likes of you will ever touch him again!"
Daniel wrapped his arm around his wife as she lay her head against him. "Now get out of here… And if anyone stops by looking for Harry. Just tell them honestly. He is being taken care of by his god mum." And with that final statement, Daniel turned his back to Vernon Dursley for the very last time. They got back just in time to see Hermione place a kiss on the cheek of a very startled Harry Potter.
"Hello, darling!" Daniel called out after his little girl had pulled back blushing he omphed as he was struck in the chest by a small bushy haired missile. He picked her up and spun her around with a laugh.
"Daddy! Mum!" Hermione beamed as Emma joined her Dad in hugging her tightly She glanced back to see Harry watching though he kept looking around. Hermione pulled back from her parents then beamed "Mum, Daddy I want you to formally meet my best friend Harry!"
Daniel grinned over at Emma as Hermione tugged them over to the small boy.
"Harry, I'm so glad you aren't gone yet. Your Uncle normally gets you out of here as fast as he can!" Hermione frowned as Harry glanced down "Harry?"
"I uh, I don't see Uncle Vernon here yet Hermione, that's all. Must have forgotten today was when I was coming back." Harry shrugged "I guess I'll find a way back to em."
Hermione chewed her bottom lip "Well, I'm sure my Mum and Dad can help. Harry these are my parents Doctor Daniel James Granger."
Daniel smiles and holds his hand out for Harry to take "A pleasure Harry, Hermione has told us all about you. We couldn't be more pleased that you two are such close mates. A good match the both of you are."
Harry shook the man's hand. He seemed really nice Strong but not overwhelming. "Nice to meet you as well Sir."
"And this is my Mum, Harry, Doctor Emma Jean Granger." Hermione gestured to Emma with a grin.
Emma gently wrapped her arms around Harry smiling sadly as she felt the stiffening she remembered far to well before he allowed himself to relax "Hello Harry, I'm sorry but you looked like you needed a hug."
"I-I can see where Hermione gets it from er not that her hugging me is a bad thing I really like her I mean it I mean." Harry nervously looked over at Dan who was gathering Hermione's trunk and to his surprise Harry's as well.
"Don't worry Harry, I've been temporarily rendered deaf."
Harry smiled at Emma the stiffness in his shoulders relaxing "I like when Hermione hugs me. She's my best mate I don't think I'd get very far without her. Um, w-why are you loading up my trunk with Hermione's?"
Daniel paused as Madame Bones walked over her hand on Susan's shoulder "Ah good, good I'm glad to see you found him so easily." She paused and spoke to her niece. "Susan, would you go over to chat with Hannah for a few moments?" The red-haired witch nodded and after saying hello to Harry and Hermione went over to where Hannah still was.
"Hello Harry Potter, my name is Amelia Bones I am the head of Magical Law Enforcement." She smiled at the boy as he simply nodded mutely before glancing over at Daniel who had his hands shoved in his pockets What a difference little over twenty-five years makes "Several days ago I was informed that your parent's will had been illegally sealed by someone who claimed they had magical guardianship over you. This has been rectified to my satisfaction. As you likely are aware your father named Sirius Black as your Godfather. However until such a time that we can find him and learn one way or the other what happened to lead to the death of your Mother and Father." She considered "If by any chance said Godfather might contact you inform him I'd like to offer him a real trial veritaserum if he requests."
Harry felt as if his heart was going to burst this woman Amelia was offering Sirius a way to prove his innocence even without the rat! Memories of the family he had hoped for with Sirius threatened to overwhelm him as he just nodded his understanding not willing to risk anything by speaking.
"As I was saying until such a time that he is found innocent and passes required mentality testing he is not capable of being your guardian." Amelia kept her expression mild even as she watched the boy in front of her slump she hoped that this would cheer him up. "However, he is not the guardian named in your Mother's will."
Harry blinked and looked up in interest whenever anyone talked about his parents it was almost always about his Dad. How much he looked like James, how much alike he and James were, how he got his talent on the broom from James. He hardly knew anything about his Mom. He ached to. Whoever Mom named had to know her really well. I can finally learn about her!
"Your mother Lily named a very close family friend as your Godmother. In fact, she was Lily's tutor before she attended Hogwarts and during the summers after she started. From what I've heard the whole family except your Aunt adored the young woman. I'd like to place you in her custody at this time. Is that alright Harry?" Amelia smiled as she watched Harry seem to start glowing in front of her eyes but he frowned.
"But, Professor Dumbledore says I have to stay with the Dursleys… There are blood wards protecting me." Harry blinked back the tears that had threatened to form as Amelia shook her head.
"Harry, I promise you that not even Dumbledore will be able to get you from your godmother. She was quite… incensed once we informed her of where you had been placed. Now if you are ready?" The tears still filled the boy's eyes much to Amelia's annoyance but she smiled as he nodded. "Harry James Potter. I'd like you to meet your Godmother Emma Jean Granger."
Emma smiled at Harry as he stared in shock at her "Bu-but you're a muggle! Mum chose a muggle?" He shook his head in shock not paying attention at Hermione who was looking at her Mother with a completive expression.
"No Harry, your Mum chose a witch with what she thought a muggle husband to be your godmother." Emma reached into her purse and pulled out her wand.
"Bloody hell… wait you said what Mum thought… Does that mean?" Harry looked over at Daniel who pulled his own wand out of his back pocket.
"I think we have a lot to talk about at home Mum...Dad." Hermione finally stated plainly "Come on Harry get Hedwig and I'll carry Crookshanks." She picked up her cat deliberately not looking at her parents and headed towards the car park. Harry glanced at his new guardians and gave a meek shrug and hurried after Hermione.
Amelia shook her head at the Grangers "I do not envy you both the conversation that is coming." She nodded her head at them. "Stay close to them Tonks we had that conversation purposely after most of the students and their families were gone for a reason."
"Yes, Ma'am." Came from the disillusioned witch standing on Daniel's left side.
Daniel shook his head putting his wand back in his back pocket and grabbed hold of the buggy. "Come on Em, the sooner we get home the sooner we find out just what all our brilliant girl has already puzzled out."
Emma snorted. "If she hasn't already figured out who we really are I'll eat my wand..."