I've been thinking about writing this story for several years. It will be nine chapters long and I plan to post weekly, though I'll be doing a bit of traveling and so postings may be slightly delayed. Enjoy!

"We won't have it, Albus!" Molly Weasley firmly admonished Hogwarts' Headmaster. She stood with her hands on her hips, defiantly facing the powerful wizard. "Harry deserves better! He'll spend the summer at the Burrow!"

Albus leaned forward in his chair behind his desk. He took off his half-moon spectacles and wordlessly conjured a handkerchief. Polishing them, he shook his head. "That won't be possible, Molly."

"So you've said," Arthur Weasley acknowledged. "But you've never given us a good reason why. Harry's spent most of the summer with us in the past with no problems."

Eyeing the group gathered in front of him, Albus decided that he needed to provide part of the explanation. "The night Lily Potter died, she conferred a protection upon her son that has been keeping Harry safe. That protection will remain as long as Harry calls home a place that belongs to Lily's bloodline. He must spend the summer with his aunt in order for the protection to remain in force."

"Wait a minute, Headmaster," asked Remus Lupin. "Lots of parents died for their children in the last war. James died too, remember. How are you so sure that it was Lily's act that conferred special protection? What made Lily's act unique?"

Albus put his glasses back on. "Absolutely true, Remus. Other mothers and fathers valiantly fought the Death Eaters when their family was attacked, fighting Voldemort himself if needed. The difference is that Voldemort three times offered to spare Lily if she stepped aside. Of course, she refused."

"Why would old serpent-face do that?" asked Tonks with her nose and forehead scrunched up.

"And how do you know what happened?" added Arthur.

Remembering his promise to Snape, Albus shook his head. "That I cannot say, but it is very fortunate for us that she did so. Her act saved Harry and gave our world over thirteen years of peace. We haven't used it as wisely as we should have, but remember that before it happened, we were on the verge of losing. Now we are in a better position."

"This is all very interesting, Albus, but you've diverted us from our main demand." Molly crossed her arms. "You're saying that Harry needs to live with that horrid excuse of an aunt and uncle to keep the blood wards active."

"Exactly, my dear. That's why he cannot live with you for the summer."

"But before his second year, Harry joined us just after his birthday, so he just needs to spend a month or two there, not the whole summer!" Molly concluded triumphantly.

Albus cleared his throat. "Well, that was a special case …"

"The following summer Harry ended up at the Leaky Cauldron well before school began." Remus added. "Albus, you can't deny that."

"Well, no, but …"

"And don't forget," Arthur continued, "we took Harry to the World Quidditch Cup before his fourth year."

"And at the beginning of last year, we brought him to Grimmauld Place before his Wizengamot trial for defending himself against the dementors." The normally mild looking Lupin looked implacable.

"So obviously Harry doesn't need to spend all summer at his relatives!" concluded Tonks.

Albus leaned forward and tapped his index fingers together. "You're right, of course. But he needs to spend some time there to keep the wards active."

"How long?" demanded Molly.

Albus removed his spectacles again and rubbed his eyes. "Let's say, seven weeks."

Molly drummed her fingers as she did a calculation in her head before looking Dumbledore straight in the eye, daring him to disagree. "That's settled then. Harry comes to the Burrow on his birthday. We'll have a wonderful party for him." She looked around. "Of course you'll all be invited."

"Thank you, Molly," replied Remus. "But I'm still worried about Harry for those first few weeks of summer."

"We could have Mad-Eye threaten them if he doesn't write," offered Tonks.

"No threats, please!" Albus was beginning to get worried.

"Could we leave them Stupefied for the month?" asked Remus. "After all, the blood wards only require Harry live in their house, not that they be awake, don't they?"

"I'll be happy to give them a Draught of Living Death!" Tonks jumped in. "I still remember how to brew it from Sixth Year!"

"No spells, no potions," Albus begged, wondering how things had gotten so far away from him. "We don't want to create a major incident with the muggles."

"Well," said Molly slowly, "if we can't control them, then someone will just have to drop in now and then to monitor them." She nodded to herself in satisfaction. "I'll stop by the first week school is out for a few days."

"I have a few days of vacation time available. I'll stop by the second week for a bit," Arthur promised.

Remus and Tonks quickly volunteered for a visit sometime during the summer as well.

Giving in to the inevitable so that he could still exercise some control over the situation, Albus sighed. "I'll ask two or three of the professors who will be around during the summer holidays if they won't mind spending some time in the muggle world. They can cover the weeks none of you are able." His thoughts immediately turned to the Muggle Studies and Herbology professors. "Charity, of course, should fit it well at the Dursleys. And Pomona is conducting research into the differences between magical and non-magical plants – she will probably enjoy a few days doing firsthand research in a non-magical garden."

"Excellent. As always, Albus, you've come up with a wonderful solution." Molly smiled for the first time since she'd arrived in the office.

The Headmaster sighed after the group left the office. He admitted to himself that he had been worried about Harry during the summer, but knowing how much Petunia and Vernon hated magic he hoped that their guests would be gentle with them. However, Harry's protectors were a level-headed group. They understood the need to keep the Dursleys mollified.

As expected, Pomona jumped at the chance to work in a muggle garden and said she could spare a few days one week during the summer. Charity, however, was unavailable. "I've already planned an extensive summer excursion, Albus. It'll be exciting – I'm going to be visiting five overseas muggle communities so I'll be able to compare them to those here in Britain."

Discouraged, he headed back to his office. Minerva and he had to prepare for a Board meeting and didn't have time to leave the castle. Hagrid and Filius would obviously not blend in. He paused. Filius wouldn't blend in physically, but he could charm anyone (Dumbledore smiled at his double entendre) and that certainly included the uptight Dursleys.

However, even if the small teacher was free for a few days, he still needed one more teacher to spend a day or two with the Dursleys. Septima and Rolanda were purebloods and would have no idea how to act. Severus would be a disaster. Bathsheda was presenting at a world-wide ancient runes conference mid-summer and would not have time to spare until then. Aurora was busy editing a new book on the retrograde movement of planets and had a tight deadline. Wilhelmina would never consent to leaving her beloved animals for any length of time, and he winced as he pictured Mashaka, her pet niffler, loose in the muggle house. Poppy visited her family every summer.

An hour later, his ruminations were interrupted by a knock at the door. He'd been so deep in thought that he hadn't heard the gargoyle announcing that he had a visitor. "Come in!" To his surprise, it was his Divinations professor. "Sybill? How wonderful to see you! Please, have some tea!"

Sybill jangled as she took the seat that Albus motioned for her to take in front of the fireplace. She gazed at the Headmaster through her thick glasses. "Thank you for the tea, Albus," she said in her usual misty, dreamy voice.

"Of course, my dear! While I always enjoy your company, I so seldom see you away from your tower. Is something the matter?"

Sybill didn't answer before she finished her tea and turned it upside down on her saucer. She peered at the dregs. "Still the same," she muttered to herself. "Cards, crystal ball… all the same."

"Excuse me, my dear, I don't have the sight that you do. Is there something I can do to help you out?"

Sybill took one last look into the saucer before looking up. "Headmaster, I see that you have begun a new project this summer involving protection. Every sign tells me that I must be a part of it."

"While I appreciate the offer, Sybill, I have the matter well in hand. It's really not…"

"I MUST be part of it," the seer repeated more forcibly. "Otherwise, I foresee doom and death."

"But surely…"

"No, Albus, I must insist. Do you not respect my ability?" Sybill's voice had lost any trace of softness.

"Of course I do, but this is a matter requiring not just divination but also subtlety as it will require interaction with the muggle world."

Sybill sat up straight. "Have you forgotten I'm a half-blood, sir? Do you doubt my ability to act as a muggle? Do you think that poorly of me?" She pushed her teacup away as she clenched her fists. "You doubt my reading, you hire someone to teach MY classes, you doubt my behavior – I've never been so insulted!" Dumbledore tried to speak but Sybill raised her voice as she spoke over him. "I don't have to put up with this. I've been thinking about it since that toad fired me. I've been at this school for a long time. Maybe it is time I left. I can make my way outside this school – you can find yourself another divination teacher for next year! Maybe that nag," she sniffed, "will teach full time."

Dumbledore knew he could not risk Voldemort capturing the seer who had made the prophecy about Harry Potter. "Now, now, Sybill, I do value you or I wouldn't have insisted you stay after Professor Umbridge fired you, or rehired you as soon as she left." Albus wondered if this day could get any worse and let out a soft sigh. "Of course I want you to help. It involves staying with Mr. Potter's family for a few days. I'm still working out the details. I'll let you know when plans are finalized."

As quickly as she had lost her temper, Sybill calmed down. "I will be happy to be his protector," she stated as she squared her shoulders. "Just let me know when."

Dumbledore was very careful not to say what he was thinking.

Harry Potter found a surprise awaiting him as he stepped through the magical barrier between platforms nine and ten at King's Cross Station at the end of his fifth year: a group of people standing there to greet him whom he had not expected at all.

"Hi," said Harry. "I didn't expect … what are you doing here?" he asked with a bit of trepidation.

"Well," said Lupin with a slight smile, "we need to have a little chat with your aunt and uncle before they take you home."

Harry looked beyond the group, and there were the three Dursleys, all of whom looked positively appalled to see Harry's reception committee.

"Ah," said Mrs. Weasley. "Shall we do it then?" She led the group across the station toward the place where the Dursleys stood, apparently rooted to the spot.

"Good afternoon," said Mr. Weasley pleasantly to Vernon Dursley, coming to a halt right in front of him. "You might remember me. My name's Arthur Weasley."

As Mr. Weasley had singlehandedly demolished most of the Dursley's sitting room two years previously while trying to enter the house via a fireplace that had been closed off, Harry would have been very surprised if Uncle Vernon had forgotten him. Sure enough, his uncle turned a deep shade of puce and glared at Mr. Weasley, but chose not to say anything, partly because the Dursleys were outnumbered. Aunt Petunia looked both frightened and embarrassed. She kept looking around, as if terrified somebody she knew would see her in such company. Dudley, meanwhile, seemed to be trying to look small and insignificant despite his bulk, holding one hand over his mouth and one behind him.

"We thought we'd discuss a few things about this summer," said Mr. Weasley, still smiling.

"Yeah," said Lupin, growling. "About how Harry's treated when he's at your place."

Harry was getting a very bad feeling about how this confrontation was going to turn out. "Mr. Weasley, Mrs. Weasley, Tonks, Remus, there's no need …"

He was ignored by both groups. Uncle Vernon's mustache bristled with indignation. "I am not aware that it is any of your business what goes on in my house –"

"We disagree," interrupted Tonks, whose pink hair seemed to offend Aunt Petunia. "Harry is special to all of us. That's why we're going to pop in now and then and see for ourselves how he's doing. We'll each take turns spending a few days with you this summer, keeping him company."

This was the first time Harry had heard of this plan. He could see how rapidly visits of wizards to Privet Drive could go wrong. "Really, that's not necessary …" he started to say.

Uncle Vernon swelled ominously, his outrage outweighing even his fear. He interrupted Harry again. "Now see here! I refuse to allow…"

Aunt Petunia grabbed his arm, motioning to the wand that Tonks was casually waving between them. "It's alright, dear. I don't mind the company." She gathered her courage. "But I won't have the boy lazing about all day!"

"Of course not," Molly said. "I give all my children a reasonable number of age-appropriate chores, like picking up around the house and working in the garden. But they also need time to play."

Uncle Vernon, looking at Aunt Petunia and then the wand, and satisfied that they had scored a point, deflated. "Very well then," he snarled. "But if any monkey business goes on, out you go!"

Arthur Weasley smiled. "Oh, I don't think you'll even notice us."

Harry very much doubted that.


You may have recognized some of the dialogue in the scene with the reception committee. I modified it to fit my story. All reviews are appreciated!