Chapter 4: Home and Heart

AN: I will try updating once a week, but won't be able to at all next week due to not having access to my laptop.

The End of Year Feast went spectacularly. 3/4ths of the school cheered the Gryffindor win, something Dumbledore thought was only fair after all the points the children had lost earlier that year (Hagrid had confessed to him in tears.) Making up those points by rewarding the three who went through the trapdoor was simple. And it was only fair to teach the school a lesson about what Gryffindor bravery truly meant.

Harry approached Neville after the feast to congratulate him on the points.

"Thanks," Neville shrugged. "I shouldn't have tried to stop you. I heard what happened."

"No," Harry shook his head. "You did what you thought was right. Dumbledore was right that it was a brave thing to do."

Neville beamed in response. "Not as brave as you."

"Nah. I have a hard time arguing with Ron and Hermione. I couldn't tell them off like that. Not like you didn't. I'm not confident enough," Harry said.

"But you stopped You-Know-Who! And went past that Cerberus and faced all kinds of crazy things."

"Less scary than losing my only friends," Harry explained. "It takes a lot of heart to stand through all of that."

Neville stared at him in disbelief. "You're Harry Potter, you must have had friends, from before school, and everything. You're a hero!"

"Doesn't mean I have friends. You saw what happened when we lost those points," Harry said, but then grinned. "Guess after this they'll be a lot nicer to us."

Neville laughed. "I hope so."

Harry returned to Ron and Hermione but resolved then to be better to Neville as a friend as well. He would celebrate the end of the exams now that he was out of the hospital wing with Ron and Hermione and enjoy his last days in the magical world.

Dumbledore did not sleep much that night. He stroked Fawkes as he thought. Harry's peculiar dreams, among the other revelations he'd had the past few days were factoring in to make a major change for the plans he'd laid out over ten years ago.

Many children had asked to stay at Hogwarts for the summer. Before he had never truly considered it. As awful as orphanages could be, or the homes of boring relatives were, it was not the same as what Harry seemed to be enduring. Perhaps he had just been blind to other children and it had taken a special student, who had brought out feelings he'd never thought he might have, to make him see it.

Harry would not be like Tom Riddle, or Severus Snape. Nor would he suffer anymore. Dumbledore was surprised the boy had not become an obscurial. Harry had not felt at home, the blood protection had only worked in part. Yet, Harry had not exhibited the behavior he knew existed in an abused child. No depression, violence, aggressiveness, or any instability. The boy was short and thin, but James and Lily had been the same at that age, as had many other children.

Then there were Harry's dreams. It was unusual, but as he thought about it, he decided it was Harry's power expressing itself at an early age. His magic worked in unusual ways, Dumbledore thought. He would have to do more research, and perhaps keep Harry under better observation.

Better than Mrs. Figg. He wouldn't be able to watch Harry at the Dursleys, nor had he easily tried to in the past. But secondhand reports would not do him well. He stood and paced for a few moments, then sat again. He repeated this a few times as he thought hard on the situation.

It was early morning when he'd made his decision. He would need more information. Though he did not want to have to resort to Harry's plea until there was no other choice. He would have to compromise. The light was shining through the windows of Hogwarts, and the earliest risers among the portraits were stretching and sitting up to attention as they started to their routines. He looked at the portraits around him. "Would one of you mind going to find Professor McGonagall for me? She should be up by now."

This was true at all times of the year, but especially after Exams when she had many papers and tests to grade. Dumbledore knew this plan would need a lot of help to keep all the moving parts in place. Of all the people he depended on for help, Minerva was the best to help with this.

She had been invested in Harry's life since the beginning. Sitting on the wall the entire day that November 1st wasn't even the start. James and Lily had been favorites of her and stayed close by working with the order. She'd watched the boy closely this year as well, but by her apparent shock after the whole stone ordeal, not close enough. There was no choice but to enlist her help in this endeavor.

He was contemplating Harry's life again when McGonagall entered through the Gargoyle stairwell. He gestured for her to take a seat opposite him. As she did, he smiled with twinkling eyes, falling into a normal routine for their meetings. "Lemon drop?"

"No, thank you," she said with slight exasperation.

"Very well."

"Now why have you called me here at this time of the morning? There must be some type of emergency and not just one of your eccentric speeches."

"I suppose you could say it is something of that sort."

"In the few hours since Mr. Potter has been dismissed from the hospital wing has he gotten into more trouble? Or have the Weasleys twins pulled another prank? Or was it…"

"No Minerva," he said softly. "Nothing has happened to your Gryffindors in the past few hours."

The emotions were quick to flicker across her face, proud, exasperated, worry, and pity, before she pulled her face back into the usual stern expression. After Elphinstone, after losing her chance at family and love Minerva had dedicated herself to her nieces, nephews, and students. She didn't often show it to them, but she cared deeply for her 'lion cubs,' and was still feeling guilty after she didn't believe the three first-years who had come to her for help.

Finally, she sighed. "So, what is it, Albus? I do have more papers to grade."

He then sighed as well. "Well, you see Minerva, I have come to the realization I might have made a mistake. One you warned me about many years ago."

"Your obsession with muggle candies perhaps?" she smirked.

"No. That was never a mistake. They are just as good as any wizard candies. If you tried, then you would find them sweet."

She rolled her eyes but listened as he continued. "I need you for something else muggle I fear you will find much less sweet. I need you to make a visit to the Dursleys."

"Potter's relatives," she said after a moment. "Albus, you said nothing had happened to him."

"Not in the last few hours. Yet, when Mr. Potter was in recovery something curious came up. I would like to observe him closely to see what happens. No worries, he shall be in no danger. I just need you to visit the Dursleys and inform them that plans for Harry's summer have changed. They might be more receptive to you than Hagrid."

McGonagall raised an eyebrow to combat his tone implying this was less than obvious. Dumbledore ignored her and continued. "This must be kept secret. It is for Harry's safety."

McGonagall scoffed voicing her suspicions on the topic. "You told me that ten years ago when you left him on their doorstep!"

"I know," Albus said. "And that is why it is your help I am enlisting in this."

She sat and listened as he explained how he wanted to keep observation and then his ensuing plan. It was a sign of her loyalty that she did not question him too much on all of it, though she did she would not do so immediately. Not until the students had safely left the castle and were on their way home.

She walked up the road in the professional outfit she usually wore for muggle-born visits. It was a sweater over a white blouse and a nice skirt. The road was familiar, the same as it had been for almost twenty-four hours over ten years ago. The house she approached now was exactly the same as well.

She knocked politely on the door, bracing herself so she didn't yell the moment the door was opened. Petunia Dursley had approached the door and looked through to see who was knocking, assuming it was another salesperson. However, the women at the door was dressed professionally and looked to be decent. "Yes?"

"Mrs. Dursley?"

"Can I help you?" Petunia asked looking at the woman feeling suspicious. Her beady eyes were usually able to pick out anything that didn't belong in seconds. She wasn't able to with this woman just yet, nothing came out at first sight.

"My name is Professor McGonagall; do you mind if I come in so we may have a conversation?"

Petunia nodded and stood aside trying to remember why she recognized that name. Maybe the professor was famous and had been on the news. As McGonagall sat and Petunia brought in tea, she suddenly realized why she did. The tea tray started to drop as her eyes widened. McGonagall was quick to react drawing her wand as Petunia snarled. "You!"

"Yes?"

"You're the one who told my sister what she was!"

"Yes," agreed McGonagall. "That is often my job. Now she will sit civilly and have some tea or – "

"As if people like you could be anything civil," Petunia said under her breath. McGonagall almost hexed her, hearing it with the sense of a teacher who had taught whispering students for years.

"What do you want?"

"I'm here to talk about your nephew Harry."

Petunia scowled. "What about him?"

McGonagall put down her tea and narrowed her eyes as she stood, matching Petunia's height. That was when Vernon Dursley entered with their son, who was fatter and ruder than any student or child McGonagall had ever seen. Vernon looked and asked, "Petunia, I didn't know we were having a guest."

"Neither did I," Petunia sneered. "She's from his school."

"One of them?"

In response, she grasped her wand tightly as she tried not to bite her cheek too hard while she did what Dumbledore asked. "Well, as you know Harry is a special child."

"You mean one of your kind," Vernon grumbled.

"More than that. Professor Dumbledore, the school headmaster, has noticed something and would like to keep Harry at school for a few more weeks as a precaution."

"Why?" asked Petunia. "What did he do?"

"I'm not paying anything if he caused some sort of damage. I said I wouldn't pay for anything from the start," declared Vernon with a puffed-up chest.

McGonagall sighed. "He and some friends stopped a valuable object from being stolen. He was in the hospital wing for a few days after and there was some more unexpected magic."

The couple exchanged glances. Behind them stood their son, cowering a little from her. She nodded at him curtly as the couple thought. Petunia watched as Vernon's mustache twitched and he spoke after another moment of silence. "Was there a reward?"

"What?" McGonagall asked in shock.

"The boy," Vernon said simply. "Did he get a reward for saving this valuable thing? There must have been some type of reward?"

McGonagall bit the inside of her cheek harder as she shook her head. "I don't believe so. If there is, it is Harry's."

Vernon Durley's piggy eyes narrowed to match hers as he huffed. "So then why are you here?"

McGonagall sighed. "To let you know that we wish to keep Harry under our watch for a while. I wanted to make sure I could get anything he needed from home as well."

"That's it?" Petunia asked suspiciously. She grasped at her thin bony hands, then squeezed Vernon's shoulder nervously. "Will he be coming back soon?"

"You will receive a few days warning if he does," McGonagall assured her. "Now where is Harry's room?"

Petunia gave her the directions but stayed downstairs as McGonagall went up to one of the rooms at the end of the hall. It was very bare, except for a bed, desk, and wardrobe. Corners had some broken toys tucked into them, and there were shelves around the top with more. She scowled at that.

The floorboards creaked as she walked in. On the wall was a calendar with September first circled. She smiled at that but then perused the rest of the room. There was one overly large shirt in the wardrobe, and some socks that needed darning. Harry's clothes must've been with him at school, then.

She turned to look under the bed when she heard the voices from downstairs. Mostly it was indiscernible, but they seemed excited. She hit her head on the bed-frame when Petunia spoke. "So, our letter worked."

"Yes. It was a brilliant idea asking him if he could stay there for the summer," Vernon agreed.

McGonagall stood brushing her skirt to get rid of the dust when she heard the son speak for the first time back. "Do I get my second bedroom back then? If the freak isn't using it anymore?"

McGonagall gasped and spun around. She checked the room once more to be sure of her suspicions, that Harry had lived there and been happy in this room for the ten years before Hogwarts. All she found were some owl pellets, socks, and more broken toys. No wonder the room was so bare. The broken toys were not Harry's but belonged to the fat, piggish boy downstairs.

Huffing she marched down to confront Petunia, who shrieked when she found herself at wand point. Vernon turned purple and started to threaten her, but McGonagall's stern voice was the clearest thing in the room. "Where did you keep him? His room has barely been lived in."

"It's my room," Dudley whined behind his parents. "Not his."

"We kept him in the guest room, and he slept there when we had guests!" Petunia said with a smile. Minerva didn't miss her continuous nervous glances to the hallway. "We didn't let him decorate it though, because we needed the guests to sleep there."

"While your son had a second bedroom?" McGonagall snarled.

"Leave! I'll call the police right now if you don't…" Vernon started but McGonagall had already turned to the hall where Petunia was peering. The only thing there was a small table with some more pictures of the fat boy, an ugly vase with flowers, a gaudy mirror, an umbrella holder and coat stand. That was until her eyes fell upon the door under the stairs.

She unlocked it to see an empty bedframe. There were a few child's pictures and half ripped report cards hung on the wall. More lost socks left under the bed, all accompanied by lonely little green army men and spiders. It was hard to miss the words carved above the bed, "Harry's Room," by a shaky hand she'd seen in essays she'd graded over the past year.

She spun on them with her wand. The pig hid behind his parents, she was half considering transfiguring all of them then and there. Then she put down her wand and narrowed her eyes and lips in a dangerous expression. "I don't think Harry will be returning after all. It's a wonder he's turned out so well, much better than that fat lump cowering behind you."

"Dudders? He's—"

"A spoiled brat. Somehow Harry has retained all of Lily and James's best attributes, with little thanks from you. I will make sure that is well-known and that he will never have to return here ever again."

"Good," Petunia sneered. "I've been wanting to be rid of you freaks since the days Lily figured out what she was."

McGonagall nearly used her wand then. "You're lucky you are muggles. I will still need to do something about this. That lump of a boy hiding behind you is in danger as much as Harry because of your treatment in my opinion. I'll be talking to the muggle services immediately."

Petunia gasped while Vernon growled, turning a deeper violet as Dudley cowered behind them. "You couldn't possibly. They wouldn't believe someone like you. I doubt you even know how to—"

"Call them?" McGonagall said with a single raised eyebrow. "You'll see I know that quite well."

She waved her wand, hidden discreetly by her long blouse sleeve as she stormed out and left. She had what she needed and neither she nor Harry would ever be returning here again.