Chapter 18 Number 4 Privet Drive

Amelia Bones and Allister Moody apparated not far from Number 4 at around the same time as Sirius and Harry arrived.

"How do you tell the houses apart?" Every home had the same color scheme and was of a similar design.

Moody grunted and said, "They all have different numbers on them." He started walking towards Number 4 and Amelia with a curious look around the Muggle neighborhood followed him. She wasn't a field agent and hadn't had a lot of opportunities to escape the office. Maybe that is something she should change, she mused. She didn't like that there were things she just didn't know.

Harry and Sirius were waiting for them and as they all drew up close together Sirius nodded to the Auror and the Director. "See you found the place okay."

Moody grunted and turned his whirring eye on the boy. "You must be Harry Potter." Eyeing the boy with an intense stare that almost sent the lad scurrying behind Sirius's back. The man was terrifying in appearance.

"Y-yes sir." Harry tried to put Remus's etiquette lessons to good use. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir."

Allistor grinned, "Doubt that. But kind of you to say." He nodded towards the house. "So this the place then?"

Harry grimaced and Sirus nodded. They were all dressed in Muggle attire as they were in a Muggle neighborhood. Moody cast a spell and to Harry's fascination his appearance began to shift and he now resembled something only slightly less terrifying.

"Wicked." Harry excitedly said. "I wish I could do that." His mind cast back to his first visit to Diagon Alley where everyone stared at him and at his scar. He worried it would be that way at Hogwarts too. But the heavily scarred man now looked like a only slightly scarred man and his eye looked normal.

Moody grinned as if reading the boy's mind. "Someday you won't mind the stares so much. I quite enjoy making the witches faint and the wizards piss themselves."

Amelia cleared her throat and then nodded, "Best to get this over with."

Harry stepped closer to Sirius's side and his godfather placed a hand on his shoulder and as if preparing for battle the quartet walked to the front door and Harry nervously pressed the doorbell. Although he'd never used the doorbell before he didn't think it wise to just walk in like he would normally do.

A few moments later his aunt opened the door. "Yes, may I…" Her eyes widened as she took in the strangers on her doorstep and Harry sandwiched in the middle of them.

"You!' She snarled at Harry then due to the others she swallowed whatever she might have said as her eyes moved from Harry to the three adults accompanying him she asked. "So where did you find him?"

"May we come in Mrs. Dursley?" Amelia asked in a polite but firm tone of voice.

Sighing Petunia opened the door. "I suppose." Her angry gaze turned to Harry and she noted. "I have been worried, sick young man." Though her tone belied that. Harry knew that she hadn't been worried, because Remus had called her and explained the situation.

Harry had to talk him out of asking for a ransom, which Harry assured him they would never pay anyway and would probably beg the kidnapper to keep him. Remus hadn't quite believed it, but after having talked to her on the phone, he was sure that Harry was correct.

Remus told him that Lily must have been adopted, or Petunia had been because there was no way that woman was related to Lily.

"Is your husband at home Mrs. Dursley?" Amelia asked the woman who showed them into the living room.

"Yes, he's still… Can I ask what this is about and who you are?" But she kept glancing over at Sirius who was staring at her with a feral grin. She frowned and took a cautious step back from him.

"My apologies Ma'am," Amelia stated dryly. "I am Amelia Bones, this is my Associate Allister Moody, and I think you know Harry's godfather, Sirius Black?" Harry watched as a look of horror and something else unpleasant crossed her face.

"I remember you! You ruined my dress during my sister's wedding!" She practically growled.

Harry was surprised. "You know each other?" Shock must have shown on Harry's face because Sirius smirked.

"I wouldn't go that far pup." Sirius gave his aunt a grin, "I made your dress better!" He shrugged. "You looked quite fetching in Mustard yellow." He winked at Harry who was looking at his Aunt as if she had grown a second head.

Petunia, now aware that the people in her home were all 'that sort' let her civility drop completely. Harry thought that she really could use some of the etiquette lessons Remus had provided. The way she was treating her visitors was embarrassing to Harry. It was then that his uncle made an appearance.

"Who was at the door Pet?" He came in with his tie in his hand. He had never learned to tie his own and Petunia always did it for him. He paused in the doorway and frowned.

"Whatever your selling we don't want it." He glared, but then his eyes spotted Harry and he frowned. "Thought we were shot of you until next summer boy?" His pig eyes glared at Harry and his walrus-style mustache trembled with rage. "You can just go back to wherever you were!"

Harry was spared having to answer by the accompanying adults. Amelia seeing that the situation would devolve unless she took control spoke with some amount of force. "We are sorry to intrude on your morning. However, we are here to discuss Harry's situation with you. Shall we sit down?"

Vernon puffed up like a walrus on the attack but perhaps because of the terrifying-looking man with all the scars on his face who was giving him a particularly terrifying grin, he decided it might be wise to comply. "What is this about?" As both he and Petunia went to sit on the love seat.

Amelia had not been idle while all this was going on. She had taken a moment to look around at the spotless home that smelled strongly like a hospital. She took note of how Harry's relatives treated him. Saw the mantle with all the pictures of a fat round-faced boy who must be their son Dudley and not one picture of Harry. After they were all seated except for Moody who wandered off while the others were talking, Amelia immediately explained why there were there.

"It has come to our attention that you may not be the best-suited guardians for Harry. Especially since he is starting Hogwarts. Harry has explained that you don't like magic." Amelia explained.

Vernon nodded, "That's right. We don't. And if it weren't for your kind and their meddling we would have been able to squash it right out of him." Sirius stiffened and was about to respond but one look from the formidable witch had him holding his tongue. He was being weighed as a fit guardian as well he supposed. His arm went protectively around his godson and he settled for a Pureblood mask of derision.

"And how, may I ask were you thinking you could 'squash' Harry's magic?" Amelia asked succinctly.

"Through hard work and punishment," Vernon growled.

Amelia lifted a brow, "I see." She nodded, "And what would you call hard work?" She asked casually.

Vernon unapologetically began listing off all the chores that Harry was responsible for. Aunt Petunia was looking more and more uncomfortable though as Vernon continued, "The boy takes care of the garden, washes the car, cooks, and does the dishes…" Amelia held up her hand to stop the litany.

"And the punishments?" She asked, her voice becoming harder.

Vernon scowled. "We were promised no interference from your kind. It's no business of yours how we choose to discipline the boy!" Petunia Dursley placed a placating hand on her husband's arm and he fell to fuming.

"Be that as it may, what kind of punishments?" She insisted.

It was Aunt Petunia who answered. "At most he has been sent to bed without dinner from time to time. Mostly we ground him to his cu… room." She huffed and gave a look that promised more of the same.

Amelia caught the stumble but simply said, "I see." She gave a heavy sigh. "So would I be mistaken if I were to think that you would prefer if your nephew were to live with different guardians?"

Vernon was nodding emphatically and Petunia looked at him with a frown, "Well. I would think he would be better off with his own kind. But your Professor Dumbledore informed us that Harry staying here would keep us safe. As long as he lived here."

Amelia hadn't inspected the wards but she assumed they were extensive. She nodded, "We could insure your safety without the boy living here." She shrugged, "Or you could move and change your name if you are inclined. Most wizards and witches are ignorant about nonmagical folk and their address systems." She shrugged ignoring the Dursley's look of panic regarding moving.

"Oh just like that is it? Just move? Just change our names?" Vernon scoffed. "Nutters the lot of you!"

"Watch your tongue Dursley before I have it cleaved from your dirty mouth." Sirius was smiling and his tone was as sweet as sugar. Which was even scarier than if he had shouted Harry thought. Vernon must have thought so too because he snapped his mouth shut angrily.

It was at this time that Moody wandered back in and he looked grim. "So anyone want to explain the cupboard under the stairs?"

"What did you find Allister?" Amelia asked when she saw the Dursleys scoot closer to each other as if for protection.

"You should see it for yourself, Amelia." He gave Harry a piercing look that had him squirming uncomfortably.

Harry knew intellectually that the way the Dursleys treated him was wrong but it wasn't until just now that he realized just how wrong it was. The anger on Moody's face brought it home to him.

Sirius's protective arm was all that kept him from bolting out the door in shame and he was brought along to visit his old cupboard. Moody had removed his school trunk to reveal the closet interior with a filthy mattress and a sign on the inside of the door which read 'Harry's Room'.