Loyal Pet

by H Bregalad

Bellatrix is an animagus and escapes with Sirius, Harry catches her and decides to keep her for a pet, she decides to raise him into a Lord and Master that she can be proud to follow. Rated M for sex and animagus sex. Warning: Polyamory eventually. There is also violence, including towards children and animals. You have been warned. Based on timbarney110's challenge 'loyal pet.'

70. Year 6 Chapter 6

Dudley's Road Trip (Part 8): Leaving & Rescuing

[Content warning: half accidentally raiding an orphanage / human trafficking ring?]

Padma accompanied him into town to pick up the copper plates.

Wotcher said they were fine, so she paid for them and expected to help Dudley load them into his car.

Dudley would have felt more insulted by the offer, if it weren't for the fact that they weighed about a third of a stone each, and there were seven of them.

(Apparently, that was 30 quid for the copper and twice that for the engraving.) And the whole time the engravers joked about how weird she was for wanting them flat instead of bent into one of several standard-sized fermenting vats, which must be their normal line of business.

When they got back on the road, she directed Dudley to the best route to the highway. When she was confident that he knew the way, she wished him safe travels, and she portkeyed right out of the passenger seat.

So that was startling. At least she'd waited for me to be at a stop sign.

He found himself weirdly irritated about the whole thing until he released her now empty seat belt. And then he was fine.

Maybe I'm a tiny bit OCD.

Maybe Dad is a whole lot OCD.

Maybe Dad is a whole lot OCD and is paranoid about keeping Mum happy and protected.

And Mum is definitely prejudiced against mages, and … might have reason to be paranoid.

There was a stop sign so overgrown that Dudley barely managed to recognise it and stop in time.

Just as everyone not currently in a car should be paranoid about the capabilities and trustworthiness of anyone behind the wheel. But we have a system of enforcement that mostly works, and have gotten used to it. I wonder how effective the current system of enforcement is at protecting everyone from unethical use of, and accidentally out-of-control magic.

Something to ask Padma next time I see her.

Or Harry, I suppose.

Depending on whether I want statistics or a sermon.

.

While passing a rundown office park, Dudley saw a kid pushing a lawnmower much too big for him, it made Dudley feel tired and nervous just looking at him.

It reminded him of Harry all those years ago.

He checked his rear-view mirror and noticed a low stone wall less than a block back.

Was it exiting the wards that made me stop feeling un-nervous, had that also stopped me from feeling mildly invigorated?

"Wotcher, can you hear me?"

The response was so muted that Dudley couldn't make it out. But it was there. Unless I'm making it up out of habit from trying to interpret what Wotcher normally would be saying at the correct interval after addressing him. The way it takes half a second after the picture goes away for you to be sure that the telly is only showing static now.

Oh, but I've got those copper plates in the boot. No one else is around to mess with my mind … well except that kid who probably isn't old enough.

Right, that kid was out of place.

He pulled into the next entrance to the office park and circled back.

That kid was definitely too young to be the landscaper for an office park. At least in a proper city. Maybe here farm kids got up to whatever their parents assessed them to be ready for. … but … in that sort of professional situation, wouldn't they have given him a riding mower?

Dudley shivered.

And drove closer and parked.

What can I even do? Find a pay phone and call the Bobby? The closest Bobby might be in the employ of Lord Potter actually.

Did Harry's jurisdiction end at that stone wall, or only Wotcher's communication network? Was the proximity to the wall only a coincidence? It felt like it wasn't, but maybe I'm naturally in paranoia land after spending three days under an unnatural sense of security. Withdraw effects or something.

[You're close enough at the moment, that the new ward stones you made can connect to my old stones, which yes, are in that wall.]

The feeling of extra vigour and security might gradually be returning as well.

"Oh. Hi Wotcher. What can you tell me about that kid?"

[Part wizard, about 9 years old, malnourished.]

"Part wizard, What's he doing here?"

[I'm sure I don't know, he's very miserable, and worse than that: hopeless.]

Really? Hopeless … Dudley hadn't felt truly hopeless since halfway through his first semester at Smeltings. "Yeah, I guess hopeless can be worse, where are his parents?"

[I don't have any idea, I've yet to see him interact with an adult, I couldn't see him until you stopped driving for long enough.]

"Is there anyone else around here?"

[There are more miserable kids in this building: [map]]

"Tell me about the three that aren't miserable?"

[Two are playing, instead of cleaning or sewing or bored, the last is … in charge, it's not that she's not miserable, it is that she's … proportionately less hopeless. Being in charge of something has a way sometimes to make a miserable situation significantly less traumatising.]

"What else can you tell me about them?"

[The age range seems to be 7 to 15, about a third of them are boys, and younger than the one you see mowing. The ages of the girls seem less tightly clustered.]

"Odd," said Dudley, "15 … so I'm older than all of them?"

[Yes.]

Dudley got out and headed for the building.

The sign on the door said, "Hours of Operation: Tuesday - Thursday, 10 to 6." The signs in the tiny window said: "Sorry, we're closed" and "West District, independent adoption agency."

Independent of what exactly? wondered Dudley. Is this Harry's orphanage?

[The House of Potter orphanage shut down about three and a half years ago when it ran out of children to place.]

Oh, He knocked.

There were footsteps. Whoever that was, wasn't reflected in the map Wotcher had given him.

"Can you just keep the map of the building and the kids updating quietly in the back of my head?"

[Like this?] [Map.] [Map.] [Map.] [Map.]

"Just like that, but … a third as often, or … a fifth as often but update a little faster when anyone moves a lot."

Wotcher switched to doing that instead.

The door opened to reveal a girl, a couple of inches shorter than Dudley, but a third his size, who started yelling at 'Kurt' for using the bathroom too often or something.

She stopped when she caught up to the fact that Dudley was there, not Kurt.

She backed up and started to swing the door closed, but Dudley was faster and stepped inside so the door slammed harmlessly against his shoe, then he stepped the rest of the way inside.

She flinched but tried to stare him down, tried to get angry, then got shy, "You're very early," she said, sighed, clenched her teeth for several seconds, then took a deep breath and said, "I guess you can come on back."

She led the way deeper into the building.

How strange was it that he was here on a non-business day, and she called him 'early.' And didn't turn him away. Or … not beyond slamming the door in my face.

Dudley followed, she tried to motion for him to stop, and said, "If you could wait for a second for me to see who is ready," but when she punched a combination and slipped through a door, he didn't let it close behind her but stepped through also.

She walked a few steps down a plain corridor, lit only by the light through a doorless opening farther on.

She stepped halfway into a common room, then leaned on the door frame for support. "There's a customer here. Who is ready?"

Everyone glanced up.

Dudley passed behind her to see who she was talking to.

About the spread of sizes that Wotcher had warned him to expect. Three very little kids. (two boys and a girl, if the hairstyles meant anything.) Three medium-sized girls, two of which were snogging, looked like identical sisters. Or at least they were in identical nightgowns and hairstyles, the rest were in normal clothes. And the in-charge one that Wotcher had guessed was fifteen.

Dudley wasn't sure if they were actually skinny, or if it was an illusion of too big clothes.

"Chelsea is still in the shower," reported the girl who wasn't snogging.

Dudley found the dot of her location on Wotcher's map. Apparently, Wotcher estimated her at about 14 'based on the height of her brain off the floor,' but the unequal levels of malnutrition among the members of this group seemed to have Wotcher's estimate of its own ability to estimate anything operating in the paranoid range.

Well, that was disconcerting.

His tour guide sighed, as if Chelsea was the star of the show and they couldn't get started without her.

Or as if this was a brothel and Chelsea was the only other girl old enough to work, or only one other than the tour guide.

Except, … the two girls who were snogging, probably had learned that by working too.

Dudley shivered, Bloody hell, that fits everything together much too well. Or am I just primed to make certain assumptions after being forced to think about sex so much over the past week?

The oldest boy stared at Dudley, "So he's one of the stupid customers that doesn't know where to go?"

The tour guide noticed Dudley had followed her too far and glared, then sighed again, "Ronnie be nice, most of them don't know where to go on their first time."

Then she turned all the way to face Dudley, "He's right though, you shouldn't be back here, you should be waiting on the other side of that glass."

She pointed to a mirror set deep in the wall.

Ah ha, so as a hypothetical customer he could have made a selection, told it to her, and she could have gotten the kid and taken them to a … bedroom or whatever.

Ronnie gave a bemused expression, then dashed forward, stopped at six inches out, paused, and backed away again, "He smells like another orphan, not a customer."

Their tour guide stood up straight and looked interested or embarrassed or something.

Wotcher, can squibs smell squibs or wizards?

[I don't know, can you?]

Dudley crouched down, "Do that again, slower?"

"Don't grab me?"

"Wasn't planning on it," said Dudley, "But move slow. So I don't have reason to ask you to be still?"

Ronnie flinched but approached to eight inches.

"Yeah, I might can tell you're there."

Ronnie's eyes got wide.

"Thank you, Ronnie," Dudley stood up. Ronnie backed up to his 'safe distance' again.

"So you are one of us?"

"If you mean, am I halfway magic, then yes."

Now he had even more of their attention.

Though half of them either reprimanded him or merely informed him that it was against the rules to talk about that in front of customers.

The guide on the other hand relaxed and muttered something about being able to use, 'mistaking him for another orphan' as an excuse for letting him in.

Dudley sighed and then cleared his throat, "Alright everyone, I have a question."

Ronnie crossed his arms in a way that Dudley categorised as, he'd been drilled to keep his hands to himself while fidgeting nervously. The effect was that it pulled his sleeve down enough for Dudley to see a bruise on his shoulder inside his collar.

More shades of younger Harry.

Wotcher, can you get all of us out of here?

[Yes, Where?]

Not sure yet, ask Harry. Has the old orphanage been turned into something else already?

[Alright, I'll ask. Yes. It has. Are these the last three years' worth of abandoned squibs that somehow didn't find their way into town?]

That's my theory.

[Understood. I'll ask him.]

Dudley cleared his throat, "Who's in charge of all this?"

All the kids pointed to his guide.

Dudley glared at her.

She cringed, "I'm only in charge of keeping them fed and … and showered," she said, "The adults that are really in charge, aren't here yet."

"How many of them are there?" said Dudley.

"Three of them," she swallowed.

Dudley nodded.

"And four from the adoption agency, they aren't really in charge, just do the paperwork."

"How many of the evening customers come back as morning customers?"

She nodded, "Some, eventually."

Dudley nodded.

"Are you going to?" she said.

Dudley shrugged.

"Tell me about the other one who isn't Chelsea."

"What?"

"Upstairs," he said, "at the end?"

Everyone flinched.

"She's … not for everyone."

Dudley shrugged, "she's special in some way?"

Her eyes bulged, "how do you even know about her?"

"What if I told you I could see her from here?"

"You're special too?" she said glancing around nervously, "But different?"

Dudley shrugged.

She shrugged, "I'll take you to her if you insist, but …"

"But what?"

"Do you have to assess her too?" she said, "Like you're assessing everything else?"

Dudley nodded.

"Before you can do … what are you doing?"

"Still figuring that out, calling for help probably."

"Help … rescuing us?"

"Exactly," said Dudley.

"I'd rather you completed your assessment of everything else first. Most people aren't the same after her."

Dudley blinked, "Makes sense. Wotcher, I don't want another one of them to get hurt. If Harry doesn't tell you where to put them, put them in his front yard."

"Who's Wotcher?"

"My friend who can see through walls," said Dudley.

"A demon?" said the smaller boy.

Dudley shook his head, "Not nearly as smart as that, but mostly more good. Maybe like a djinn."

"A what?"

"A genie!"

"Oh!"

"You have a genie?"

Dudley shook his head, "Lord Potter has a djinn, he just suggested it obey me about a couple of things, and I just told him to take care of you if I don't survive talking to the one upstairs."

"There isn't a Lord Potter," said the tour guide, "It's just a lie they used to tell us to … trick us into coming along quietly."

"There is a Lord Potter," said Dudley, "He's my cousin, and he's still in school, so he's only here in the summers, and he didn't have any idea you were here, until a minute ago when I told Wotcher to tell him that you are here."

They were all looking at him sceptically.

.

[Your requested rule has been changed from 'rescue the children from bruises and sex, by moving them to safety,' to 'by moving bruisers and people attempting sex with them into the dungeon cells.' Do you still want it?]

"Thanks, that's probably better," agreed Dudley.

[What do you want me to do about the pair playing already.]

That's above my pay grade. I don't know. I think they're willing. I just don't think they're old enough. But I'm not sure, because they're sitting down so it's hard to guess what size they are.

[Does willingness trump the age problem?]

No, but … can you make an exception for them?

[An exception for whoever they're willing to play with.]

For right now, just an exception for just those two playing with just each other.

[Understood.] … [Harry is annoyed but permits. The rule is in force.]

"Alright," said Dudley, "No hitting each other, or the djinn will put you in the jail that is meant for adults and customers that hit you."

They all blinked at him.

Dudley shrugged, "I think Harry is finding a place for you, but I don't know how fast he'll be. But he knows you're here now and need help, and won't let anyone else hit you."

"Who cares about hitting," said one of the three medium girls.

Dudley looked at her, "Don't submit to anything you don't want to, if they try to hit you … they will go to jail."

She looked sceptical.

Dudley snapped his fingers, "Wotcher is this fast."

The twins stopped and looked at him.

"Make them hit us?"

Dudley grinned, "Test it, see if it makes your life better."

Their eyes all got huge.

Dudley turned to the guide, "Is the 'adoption agency' competent to continue operating during the day without the other people giving orders from behind the scenes?"

"How should I know?"

Dudley shrugged, "Wotcher, I think, Harry or one of his Ladies should check on things soon, If I don't remember to tell you anything else about that."

The tour guide stared at him, "You're really going to check on … upstairs?"

"I am," said Dudley.

She shrugged, "anything else to do first?"

"Like what?"

"Prayers and wills?"

Dudley frowned, "Wotcher, if I never get around to that, remind Harry about putting the wards around my parents' house."

She frowned, "Is that all?"

Dudley nodded.

She rolled her eyes and led him out and upstairs.

At the end of the corridor, she unlocked a door, then backed away.

"Go to the end of the hall, turn left, it's the last door. The code is 1, 3, 5."

Dudley blinked and opened the door, it was another twenty feet down the hall.

"You're not getting any closer?"

"Certainly not," she said, "They picked where to put the third door very carefully, I'm not going inside it, No matter how many times they beat me for not making her shower."

"Oh," said Dudley.

He stepped through the door.

Nothing?

He walked to the end of the hall.

Nothing.

He punched in the code and felt something. Something magic.

He opened the door and stepped inside.

There was a bed, and a couch and a Telly, there was a kitchenette. It was just an average very basic apartment. Barely furnished, waiting for a tenant, Except for the cage with a half-bushel rubber tote in it, full of muddy water. And lying beside that, was a brown creature Dudley didn't think he recognised.

It lifted its head and looked at Dudley.

It was unbearably cute, and he had an infinite desire to run to it, grab it out of its cage, hug it and take it home with him forever. And very close behind it, the competing urge to stay here and snuggle with it until the end of time. And that might only be second because he was already used to feeling safe.

Wait for a damn second!

Infinite desire to hug it, vs. Wotcher's zero fear and zero fatigue.

Wotcher, can you see if it is lying to me?

[Yes, she is projecting something affection-related into your mind.]

Thanks.

"Stop lying to me," said Dudley.

It sat up and stared at him.

Dudley approached and sat down out of claw range.

It was kind of a big creature: while they were both sitting down, it came up to his chest.

"Did you hear me?" said Dudley.

It nodded.

"Did you understand me?" said Dudley.

It nodded, then opened its eyes a little wider, and the impossible desires eased off.

Now it was just cute. Or as cute as an ugly brown creature could be.

It had webbed feet and sizeable jaw muscles. Its size seemed mid-range for a dog.

And it definitely wasn't a dog. Perhaps a huge squirrel? Except there wasn't enough tail for that.

"They tell me you're a witch," said Dudley.

It shook its head.

"I told you not to lie to me," said Dudley.

It shuddered and turned human. Perhaps younger than the older group of girls downstairs. So … six to eleven? Depending on how malnourished it had been. Dudley was betting on nine or less because betting much more than that meant believing a horrible level of malnutrition.

Naked except for a dingy pair of knee-length drawers. Matted hair hung to its waist. Several bruises showed through the dirt, a few were shaped like handprints. But the deepest were less like bruises and more like a carpet burn, across her chest from armpit to armpit with a central deviation up towards her neck, and shadows across her face. The fact that they had bled a little and that they were symmetrical set them apart from the other bruises.

Dudley didn't have any idea what would cause that pattern of damage, but it didn't look at all like the random blows that caused the other bruises.

And from the grime, he realised, she hadn't been given anywhere to wash except the same bucket of water that her animal instincts insisted she poop in.

He reached for the cage lock, at the very least to let her out and suggest she use the perfectly good shower right over there.

But she flinched from his hand and returned to animal shape.

And re-raised her protective projection of, 'I am too cute to do anything to but love.'

Given that he was even more committed to getting care for her than he had been when he stepped into the room, it was even more difficult to restrain his reaction to it.

Why is it so important that I do not react? Besides perhaps training her not to do that.

Well, if he did give in, would that be so bad? She needed someone to care for her, and … well he wouldn't mind having a pet … his parents would go spare at him bringing home another mage, even one too small to have a wand yet.

And she needed a better place to grow up than the place where his parents had always been hoping that Harry would die or run away and leave them in peace. So no… well … yes, but not yet, that wasn't the point the point was…

Forget what he wanted, forget what she needed, there was something wrong with reacting to her lie, and he knew it.

What if he rejected the lie? He was already trying to do that, somewhat unsuccessfully.

Ok, what if he rejected her because of the lie? Could he do that?

He could, but acting indifferent to the creature of infinite cuteness might require becoming indifferent to all cuteness forever. And Dudley didn't want to give up that instinct.

Similarly, he could … try to put both of them out of their misery by killing her, given the blood on the floor, others had tried and failed, perhaps failed spectacularly. He might, however, succeed in chasing her off, or … convincing her to let him leave. Whichever.

Reacting negatively towards the infinite cuteness might get it over with sooner, but would also train my mind to hurt things for being cute. And that is specifically what I'm trying to recover from. Though hurting Harry originally was about his scar freaking me out when I was tiny.

But the rest of him was cute enough. I guess.

"You really need to stop it with the infinite cuteness projection," said Dudley.

She edged farther away.

"Please stop lying to me," said Dudley.

The projection eased off. There was still more cuteness than most humans could match, but at least she was within the range of the finite.

"Better," said Dudley, "Thank you."

She sat down.

"I and some friends of mine are trying to find a better place for you and the other children."

She continued to stare at him.

"I just want to talk with you for a while, is that alright?"

She lay down.

"Do you mind talking to me?"

She sat up a little and shook her head.

"Can you talk like that?"

She shook her head.

"Can you at least tell me your name?"

She shook her head.

"Your age?"

She shook her head.

"Your birthday?"

She sat up and pawed the ground seven times.

"Seven?"

She shook her head.

"Try again."

She pawed the ground and he counted along. At five she nodded, and switched to her other front foot, to paw the ground two more times.

"May second?" said Dudley.

She nodded.

"Do you know what year?"

She shook her head.

Oh well, so much for that idea.

May second was groundhogs day. And she was not a groundhog. Though she was close enough people might have claimed that until she got too big. May first was St Brigid's day … or goddess Brigid's day in some sects apparently.

"May I call you Brigid?"

She turned human and grinned.

"What?"

She clapped her hands and patted her chest.

She was really excited, and almost cute in … she was projecting even less than she had been before.

"Is your name actually Brigid?"

She nodded and grinned wider.

"Oh," said Dudley, he smiled, "Nice!"

She crawled to the cage door and sat down again.

"Alright Brigid," he said, "let's see, we've established that you can understand me and you can count."

She nodded proudly.

"Can you talk?"

She shook her head.

"Because it was hard to learn while you were your other shape, or because you can't make any noise at all?"

She shook her head, turned to the brown creature, made three different chirps and barks, then turned human again.

"So you can make noises," he agreed, "Can you make noises while you're human-shaped?"

She shook her head.

And to use a wand you had to be able to talk. … or at least, that's what most of the kids had done, though a few had only whispered, and…

Wotcher, does wand magic require talking?

[How should I know?]

Please ask Harry, does wand magic require talking?

[…] [He responds: it's hard but possible to form your magic into a spell by only believing the arithmancy describing your intended effect. It's easier to reuse/reference a spell that is attached to an easy-to-pronounce incantation. Easiest to learn a spell by watching or listening to someone else cast it, from that incantation, while also witnessing the magic form into the intention, then also unpack and resolve into the intended effect. Why? Did you find a wand?]

Tell him 'No, I found a witch who is mute, and who I think was abandoned where it is established tradition to abandon squibs that one doesn't want to keep and don't mind shuffling the burden off on the House of Potter.'

[He responds: Ah, is that what is going on over there? Do you want help or company?]

I want help with the others, I don't want help with this one until I'm sure she's safe enough that I haven't sacrificed my sanity to step into the same room with her.

[Was I supposed to pass that on to him?]

Yes. Do I need to repeat that?

[That's enough, I've got it.]

[Harry responds with: other than you and the Lovecraftian horror, is anyone in immediate danger?]

Tell him "No, but I suspect that the brothel opens in a few hours. The changes to Wotcher might take care of it, but … because of past politics, myths, and lies, You might want to find sustainable situations for them as fast as reasonably possible, and … not show up until you can rescue them permanently."

[He says: Huh?]

Tell him: "They were told that they were being dropped on your doorstep, then left in the woods or on the street right outside your wards. Eventually, someone noticed the pattern of the drop-offs and has been rounding them up and selling them or renting them as best fits his business model. I think preferentially giving the boys up for adoption, and renting out the girls. Unless this just happens to be sufficiently farm-ish country that boys are just that much more highly prised for … step-children or slaves."

[He responds with: Or the details of their family inheritance laws make leaving a male squib heir alive more dangerous than leaving females alive, and therefore the sample is getting selected before they even get abandoned.]

Tell him: That makes me feel, both better and worse. And tells me an interesting thing about statistical reasoning I hadn't realised before.

[He responds with: Yes, well. Alright, I'm going to get my best minds together to start working on the problem, how many are we dealing with?]

Tell him:

"Oldest seems 16, girl

"Probably second oldest: Chelsea, unknown age

"Probably third eldest: seems 14, girl

"Probably fourth and fifth: seems 12 to 14, twin sisters, only ever seen actively snogging each other.

"Probably sixth, I think boy, who is outside mowing, probably 7 to 9, and not big enough for mowing, I heard a name but don't remember it.

"Probably seventh, eighth, and ninth: two boys, one girl, all seem 6 to 7 but I don't trust my guess.

"And somewhere between them this witch, answers to Brigid. mute, animagus, and can do creepy emotion magic, I don't fear her changing me so much as I fear changing myself in the false context of the extreme emotions she can project."

[He responds: Sounds like a valid concern. Thank you for the information, we'll start brainstorming.]

Brigid fixed her hair behind her ear, yet again, then lay down. Not like a human, but in the same way he'd seen her animal form lay down.

He was mildly prepared for another eruption of infinite cuteness, (therefore embrace me forever). He wasn't prepared for infinite laziness, (therefore snuggle me for the foreseeable future).

He blinked and suppressed a yawn.

"Brigid," he said, "I'm glad that you're comfortable, but you've got to stop doing that."

She looked at him bemused, then toned it back to reasonable levels.

"Better," he said.

She smiled.

"I want to go talk to the others for a few minutes," said Dudley, "Do you mind if we continue our conversation later?"

She shrugged and stayed lying where she was.

He stood, but as he put his hand on the doorknob he felt, infinite loneliness, (therefore we must go find all the other people everywhere and keep them together for a perfect party forever) but also, Infinite loneliness, (therefore I must find at least one person who can see as far into my soul as I can see into theirs, and stay with them forever.)

Dudley blinked, "Did you just ask me to stay, or did you ask to come with me?"

She blinked and the loneliness stopped. She sat up and reached through the bars and around to the lock. She clicked five of the buttons, and the cage opened.

She crawled out and came and knelt at his feet.

"I wish you could use words," said Dudley.

Infinite abject regret.

"And I wish you didn't yell so loud,"

And his emotions were silent.

Silent to the point of feeling numb.

A trickle of regret. And then silence again.

"Thank you," said Dudley, "You're forgiven."

She touched his knee. Flinched back, changed to her animal form, and pawed his knee again.

"Does that mean, 'Please carry me?'"

She nodded.

Dudley sighed and picked her up.

At least thirty pounds, maybe more.

She did not smell great, but better than he expected. Perhaps her emotional balance might be a more pressing concern."I shouldn't take you out of here unless you promise not to yell anymore."

She ducked her head. There was a trickle of paranoia.

"Hmm," said Dudley, "if I promise not to take you anywhere I think is unsafe, can you promise not to yell at me or anyone else?"

She sat up and looked into his eyes. Another trickle of paranoia, and … probably that was trepidation at promising anything.

"Alright," said Dudley, "let's put it this way, I promise to do my best to only take you safe places, and if I have to take you anywhere that is probably unsafe, I'll tell you first, so you can be on the lookout too. And we'll work together on you not yelling, and only projecting at a reasonable volume, and preferably only to the one person that you're trying to talk to."

She chirped and snuggled into his shoulder.

"Can you promise to do your best not to yell, and not to panic?"

She chirped, nodded, and snuggled tighter.

"Alright," he said.

"Can you aim at only one person at a time?"

She shrugged, which somehow she did with both her shoulders and her hips at the same time. Whatever.

Interested anticipation.

She was willing to try to learn that too.

He punched in the combination so the door would let him back out.

At the next door, he realised he didn't know the code for this door. He punched in the code he knew but was unsurprised when it didn't work. He knocked on it, he knew someone was waiting on the other side.

He also knew it wasn't his tour guide.

The door opened, revealing a face he didn't recognise.

"Are you … Chelsea?" he said.

She nodded, her eyes huge, "You're not supposed to let him out."

Brigid tensed.

"Well, I can't leave her in there to starve," said Dudley,

Which of course made her tense even more.

"And anyway she promised to whisper her projections as quietly as she can, instead of yelling them."

Brigid relaxed, Chelsea gave him a sceptical expression.

Dudley shrugged and led the way back downstairs.

Chelsea followed though she made several sighs and other hints of trepidation.

.

When they got down to the common room everyone was standing around in wide-eyed shock.

Are they having panic attacks because I brought Brigid down?

"What's going on?" said Chelsea.

"Mr Buttons," said the boy from outside, "came in, roared at me, and then tried to separate the halves," a gesture toward the twins, who for once were not kissing, "then he vanished with a weird noise, Gretel said you brought a djinn to protect us?"

"It was kind of a familiar noise," said one of the halves, "and it didn't seem like elf magic."

"Wotcher isn't an elf," said Dudley, "he's not really a djinn, he just … can move people about when told properly."

He had all their attention now.

"Can you just tell him to move us each back home?"

"I think he can only move people around within Lord Potter's land," said Dudley, "and … the only reason why he can see this far right now is that … he was keeping an extra close eye on me. A favour that cost someone ninety quid. But never mind that. What matters is that—"

[Harry says: Package received. Have formal complaints been levelled?"

"What matters is that Harry wants to know what charges to put in Mr Button's arrest paperwork."

They all talked at once.

Watcher, can you understand them all at once?

[Yes. But what I do is not technically called, 'understand']

Feel free to compress that to a set of accusations and the number of times each kind of crime happened.

[I don't think I can do that.]

Then … collate them however seems best to you and transmit them to Harry.

[Alright.] [Harry says: Bloody Hell.] [Harry says: do you need an army?]

The children ran out of steam and looked at Dudley questioningly.

"Wotcher, Tell Harry, 'They tell me that there are three bad adults in charge. Also lots of customers, but it won't be opening time for hours.'" He stopped and looked at them, "Was Mr Buttons one of the bad ones, or one of the customers?"

"Definitely one of the bad ones," said Chelsea.

"I remember when he was only one of the customers," said the oldest girl, "But that was years ago."

[Harry says: 'Thanks.' And, 'Padma has turned him into a magpie and put him into a smaller cage.' And 'feel free to send along the other two.' And 'Parvati notes that three criminals could be fed to three pet kelpies without making any of them jealous.']

"Right," sighed Dudley, "I think …" he sighed. He didn't actually have a plan, and …

"But there's a customer here already, but we can handle him," Chelsea was saying from out in the hall, "and I think I'm supposed to tell you that Mr Buttons won't be here tonight after all, and …"

Someone growled, then agreed he'd call 'Lanna' and explain that problem, and either she'd come by or she'd call Mr Buttons and give him a piece of her mind properly.

Chelsea returned, looking mildly pleased.

Right, Chelsea was a dangerous young woman.

"I'm sorry," said the mower boy, "could you back up and explain who 'Harry' is?"

"Harry is 'Lord Potter'" said the guide girl.

He frowned, "Literally or just figuratively?"

"Literally," said Dudley, "and I'm his cousin, and he didn't send me to rescue everyone, he sent me home with a piece of Wotcher, who is … the personality inside his wards. And only figuratively a djinn. Or more like a nymph, but still, really just a set of wards that can talk in your head. But between the two of us, we figured out that something was going wrong here, and told Harry, and Harry has given Wotcher permission to capture anyone who tries anything bad against any of you, and is talking to his friends about what to do about you all after that. Have I left anything out? Oh, and one of Harry's friends has already turned Mr Buttons into a magpie and put him in a birdcage."

"Ronnie," said Chelsea, "Mr Menkenton should be just about done with his call, you were always best at provoking him, why don't you go wait until he hangs up, and then see if you can provoke him enough to hit you."

Ronnie gave her a look of wide-eyed horror.

"Trick him into getting angry and hitting you," said Chelsea, "So that Wotcher can arrest him, too."

"Oh," said Ronnie.

"But not until he's off the phone with Lanna."

He grinned impishly and went out.

There was a long wait where they all kept quiet and listened anxiously for Ronnie or Mr. Menkenton to shout or the sound of a portkey.

.

[Harry says: That one is now a very handsome carrion crow.]

"Good," said Dudley, they all looked at him, and then Ronnie returned.

"He said Lanna should be here by opening time."

"Which is hours away," said the guide girl.

"I'm sorry," said Dudley, "I only know a third of your names, could someone—"

"I'm Gretel," said the guide girl, then pointed at Chelsea, "Chelsea."

She kept pointing and they kept saying their names: "Lethe, call me Tate," and "Lysandra, call me Sandra, or Sandy." were the twins.

"Casey," said the last middle girl. A little before Gretel's finger got to her.

"Kurt," said the mower boy even farther ahead of time.

"Natalie," "Ronnie," "Andy."

They all looked back and forth.

"And Brigid," said Dudley, "Thank you."

They all looked uncomfortable about that, which annoyed Dudley on her behalf, but…

"Hmm?" said Melantha.

Dudley turned around, Harry's wives were there as well. He started to say, 'Oh, Hi!' But in the context of Chelsea and … Gretel's earlier muttering to each other about whether they could pass him off as 'just another abandoned/orphan squib,' and the context that Melantha was biggest, Padma's sister was wearing a sword, but the little redhead whose name he kept losing, who was the one most likely (with Harry) to be in charge of recreating the 'Potter Family Orphanage' if there was going to be one of those again, or at least if it had the same name again.

The best way to fix that was proper introductions and he'd just gotten distracted from memorising names and …

Right.

He stepped back and bowed deeply, "Lady Potter."

He stood up again, and just nodded a little to the others, "Lady Black, Melantha."

"Hi, Dudley," said Melantha, "I take it last night wasn't traumatic enough you just had to get in an even more awkward scrape?"

Dudley shrugged, "More like, Mr Snape told me I was old enough to start taking responsibility for righting the wrongs of the past, and … I had my eyes off the road at just the right moment … to see something I wasn't meant to recognise, but I did."

"Hum?" said Melantha.

Dudley shook his head and stepped between Melantha and Mrs Potter to stand behind them and turn around. Leaving Mrs Potter in front and therefore in charge.

There was the faintest of pauses, then Mrs Potter said, "Thank you, Dudley." He was fairly sure he heard a faint smile in her voice, "I'll want to hear those names again, in a little while, but maybe we should wait until Harry gets here for that. "Until then … why don't you tell me where things stand?"

"Two of the bad guys came in, and Wotcher moved them to Harry's dungeon,"

"Yes, and Padma turned them into small animals and put them in smaller cages," said Mrs Potter.

"Though from her and your description of her method, I'm not sure the transfiguration counts as a punishment."

"Not by itself, maybe," said Dudley, "caging them though I presume still means as much as usual."

"Ah."

"Alright," said Mrs Potter, "who's in charge?" she glanced between Chelsea and Gretel and Kurt.

I'd bet not Kurt, thought Dudley but didn't say anything. He was ready to not be in charge of the rest of this.

"Mr Menkenton and Lonna, are in charge," growled Gretel, "with a lot of dirty work by Mr Buttons."

"Humph," said Mrs Potter, "Fair enough, but they aren't in charge anymore, as they are in Lord Potter's custody. I meant, this is a big group, if we're going to finish in a reasonable amount of time, it might go faster if you all elect a spokesperson."

"Oh," said Gretel, she and Chelsea glanced at each other, then at the others, "I can be that person."

Most of the children looked ok with that, but Casey and Kurt didn't. Casey crossed her arms and glanced between them, "How about two spokespeople?"

"You or me for the second?" said Chelsea.

Casey shrugged.

"Chelsea," said Kurt, "though it might depend on why we need a spokesperson."

"Ah," said Mrs Potter, "Among other things, I want a tour of this place, or all three tours, as if I were an adoption service customer, as if I were … umm, looking for a red canopy, and as if I were a … new hire."

"Why?" said Gretel.

"Because," said Chelsea, "they're contemplating whether to rescue us, or whether to use us for bait to catch all of our customers too."

"Exactly," said Lady Black, "Although, I had the distinct impression that there was a consensus that would only happen with volunteers, and only until families could be found for each of you."

Gretel looked around, "I don't think any of us are going to tell you not to do that, but … I'm not … I suggest that you're not going to get many volunteers."

"Alright," said Mrs Potter, "That's fine, it was just an idea that someone was floating. The main idea was more along the lines of, the previous Potter adoption agency and orphanage managed to place all the children entrusted to it, probably partly because someone had intercepted all of you from getting to it, but the result is that it was shut down, so, in the week or three or ten that it takes Harry to find out who was working there and who owns the building now, or if there's a better building around, it might be smartest, and safest to leave you here except, now with permission to leave the doors locked at night.

"And possibly a guard," said Mrs Black. Drumming her fingers on the hilt of her sword.

"Good point," said Mrs Potter, "I think Wotcher is sufficient, but … she's not entirely a muggle-safe solution, whereas chasing someone off with a sword might spread word-of-mouth a lot better than just arresting every single person that visits."

"I think we'd actually rather you not arrest every single person that visits," said Kurt, "A few of them were nice."

"A few of them weren't even customers," said Natalie.

"Huh?"

"Sometimes customers bring their friends," said Ronnie, "and sometimes the friends aren't also customers. My best friend after Casey and Kurt is one of those."

"She killed two of my customers, and chased away another," said Casey, then shrugged, "One of them was my worst customer, so … it's hard to hold a grudge, but one of them was my second nicest, so … I kind of do."

"Yes, well," said Chelsea.

"Is that, normal?" said Mrs Black, "Because, I don't think I've ever heard of that being a thing that happens in this sort of place."

"It's not supposed to be normal," said Ronnie, "But I happen to like her. And Mr Buttons couldn't be everywhere at once, and anyway, he wasn't in charge of money so he often didn't know who was customers and who wasn't."

"You're talking about Silver?" said Gretel, "She paid sometimes."

"What?" said Ronnie.

"Sometimes she was my customer," said Kurt, "and sometimes she was yours, and sometimes she just hung out like she couldn't make up her mind, and I guess they let her."

"But she never …" said Ronnie.

"There are customers that buy things other than sex," said Kurt, "She bought sex sometimes, but usually she bought permission to hang out here instead of going home."

"How much did that cost?" said Ronnie.

"How much do you think?"

Ronnie thought for several seconds, "She had to actually pay for something about once a week?"

Kurt opened his mouth as if to deny that, then seemed to think the better of it and nodded.

"And reading us 'bedtime stories' counted?" said Ronnie.

"It did if Menkenton caught her with one of you in her lap."

Ronnie smiled, "Oh, ok, wow."

.

Harry, Freyazegen, Padma, and Luna appeared along with the sisters who cooked on days when the Potters didn't. Oh, and the medium snake was on Luna's shoulders.

"Circe," said Mrs Black, "just bring the entire household why don't you."

Harry smirked, "Grandma wouldn't have fit," then he sobered, "I tried to leave Freyazegen home, I wanted her parents' help finding out who ran the old orphanage, not investigating this one."

Freyazegen was looking around, "I thought we were going to the old orphanage, and I figured you wanted an experienced volunteer for a tour guide."

"I told you three times that we were not doing that until tomorrow," said Harry, "but never mind."

"Excuse me!" said Padma, "Can someone tell me if there are any muggles present?"

"Only if you brought some with you!" yelled Gretel.

"Good," said Padma in a more normal tone and drew her wand and conjured a desk, before placing down two books, an ink well, and a quill pen, "Do you want dictation of everything or to tell me when you get to parts you want to be recorded."

Harry sighed, "Only when someone wants it recorded."

"Why?" said Mrs Potter, "I mean, why record anything?"

"Because any remaining batches of accusations, will be verbal only, we're not doing another batch of those via memory transfer through Wotcher."

"What?" said Mrs Potter.

Padma turned to glare, not at her but at Dudley, "Wotcher can't hear a word you say. She can only monitor your mood and to some extent your mind."

That's why some of them could be so good at praying to Wotcher silently.

Harry sighed again and looked around.

"The current question," said Mrs Potter, "was whether this orphanage can be made safe and secure given that the … previous customers know where it is. And along the same lines, whether the adoption agency staff can be trusted to continue doing their job, or for that matter if they're operating under instructions that should be changed."

"I'm fairly sure …" said Harry, "Wotcher, can you make the walls and windows unbreakable and Nonburnable?"

[Nonburnable, yes, (given that they are already masonry I can keep the paint and carpet from igniting), Unbreakable, not quite, but I can enact a curfew on those with hostile intent.]

"That makes them want to go home?"

[That's correct.]

"Do that from the outside walls to twenty feet from the road."

[All the time, or just dusk to dawn, or what?]

"I want the curfew from 4 pm until dawn, and I want the window and wall protection on all the time, except when someone is trying to use the door in a normal way."

[Rule accepted.]

"Except tonight," said Padma, "We're still trying to catch the last of the directors."

"Right, Wotcher," said Harry, "Tonight, delay the curfew until I order it."

[Change accepted.]

"Alright," said Harry, "And the staffing question will have to wait until business hours tomorrow morning,"

"Tuesday morning," said Chelsea.

"Ah," said Harry, and shrugged, "Maybe we can poke through the records and get things moving earlier than that, or maybe that's too much of a hurry on one front and we should concentrate on others." He looked across the room.

There was an awkward pause.

"Right," said Gretel, "this is where you wanted a repeat of the introductions?"

"Yes," said Mrs Potter.

"I'm Gretel," said Gretel, "and this is Chelsea."

Chelsea nodded.

"Tate and Sandra," said Gretel, "or Lethe and Lysandra if we're giving out mage names here."

"Whichever they prefer," said Harry.

"Tate and Sandra," said Tate and Sandra.

"That is Casey," said Gretel, "our resident swot."

Casey grimaced, "That's not exactly what I want to be known for."

"Doesn't matter," said Padma, "people figure out who we are eventually."

Casey shrugged.

"The brown thing that Mel-somebody is holding is Brigid."

Dudley thought back and could not remember when he'd let Melantha take Brigid, but apparently, he had because she had her now.

"The quiet one is, Andy. That's Natalie," said Gretel and turned, "That's Kurt and Silver and Ronnie, Silver where have you been?"

The girl holding Ronnie smiled, "I got a new job, a couple of months back, lots safer, but keeps me busier. Sorry about not checking in more often, I hope I didn't worry you."

"No," said Casey.

"Yes, we missed you," said Ronnie.

"You know these people?" said her sister.

"Sure," said 'Silver', "Ronnie and me are best buds, Huh?"

Ronnie nodded and hugged her even tighter. Then flinched and sat back, "Did they really charge you money for letting me sit in your lap?"

"Yes," said Silver.

"But … and you never complained?"

"I always complained," said Silver, "But some nights you needed it, and I could tell."

Ronnie bit his lip, then hugged her again, and put his head down on her shoulder. "I didn't know they were charging you money for that."

"Don't worry about it."

"But if I had known …"

"Then you would have stopped, completely?"

"Yeah … I guess?"

"But I didn't want you to stop completely," said Silver, "I wanted you to take as much affection and comfort as you needed."

"Oh."

"Well, actually, I wanted you to take as much affection as you wanted, but I couldn't afford that much."

"What about with your new job?"

"We don't make anything worth talking about," said Silver's sister.

"I don't know, Money isn't the only thing in the world," said Silver, and turned to Harry, "May I invite friends over to your manor for the summer, if they pull their weight farm-wise?"

"Ah," said Harry, "and after the summer?"

"Not sure yet," said Silver.

"Right," said Harry, "The point is, I want everyone in loving families, but barring that, I want everyone living somewhere safe and able to go to school when the time comes. Have they been letting you go to school?"

"No," said Casey.

The rest only shook their heads or winced.

"Alright," sighed Harry, "that's the long-term goals I want to see happen, I'm open to suggestions on how we get there, and I guess if there are additional goals we ought to be working towards?"

"Like what?"

"Did you leave siblings or parents behind that are also in danger, perhaps you don't want to be adopted into a family that only wants one child if you have a squib relative that you think will end up here within a year or two. I suggest that you not put your life on hold waiting for that, but if you already know, and have a preference about it, better to tell Padma and get it on the list."

"I'm not going to call it adoption or anything," said Melantha, "But if Sandra, Tate, and Brigid are going to be going to school with me in the fall anyway, they could start living at my house now."

"Ah," said Harry.

"Um," said Dudley, "I couldn't pin Brigid down about her age, but I'd have guessed eight or nine. Doesn't magic school not start until eleven?"

Melantha shrugged, "I think it can start as early as nine if you show enough talent."

"Oh," said Dudley.

"Three additional mouths to feed is a lot to dump on your mother," said Harry.

Melantha shrugged, "I think we can afford it, at any rate, … the extra bedrooms are safe enough, even if we have to ask you for help with food or food money."

"Ah," said Harry, "alright, I'm open to discussing it with her. And … they can all have the option to veto too I think."

Melantha stared at him, "Oh, … yeah I guess."

I think Melantha is used to people giving her pets the instant she admits being willing to take care of them.

"I bet my family wouldn't mind hosting one or two," said Freyazegen, "We have before."

"For how long?" said Harry.

"A year or two," said Freyazegen, "There was um a special needs case at the other orphanage, we took her in until things were settled and safe enough for her to go back there."

"Huh, alright," said Harry.

Harry turned to Silver … and the boy standing next to her.

"Eirian? Do you have plans or 'suggestions towards plans' that you'd like to share?"

"Can you give us a minute to discuss that?"

"Do you want a minute?" said Harry, "one day, or three days are also common amounts of time to ask for when making big life decisions."

Silver rolled her eyes, "Ronnie?"

"What?"

"Daydream number three?"

"What about it?"

"Would you still want it to come true?"

Ronnie shrugged.

"Right now?"

"OH!" Ronnie tensed and sat up so hard he let go and she had to let him slip to the floor.

"Really?"

"Do you want?" said Silver.

Ronnie nodded a little then turned to Kurt, "Kurt, Would you like to marry her and be my dad?"

"Oh," said Kurt with a start, but when he talked again, Dudley could hear the smile in his voice, "Yes, I would. Thank you for asking me. But—"

"Well, You couldn't say 'yes' without someone asking you," said Ronnie.

"No, I meant, thank you for … liking me enough to ask me to be your dad. I like you too, and I would like to be your Dad, but I'm not old enough to get married."

"Humph," said Silver, "says who?"

"The law, I think," said Kurt.

"What has the law ever done for you?" said Silver, "To hell with the bloody law, do you want to or not?"

"I want to," said Kurt.

"Then take my hand and say what you want, and ask if it is the same as what I want."

Kurt took her hand, and after a moment looked at Ronnie and back, "I want to work together with you to take care of Ronnie."

Silver nodded.

"I want to be able to … I want permission to use you for … an excuse to tell everyone else, 'no sex,'"

Silver nodded, "Damn straight! likewise?"

"Yes!" said Kurt.

"This is a yes/no question, not a request to state a promise, do you want to promise those things?"

Kurt took several seconds, then nodded.

Silver grinned, and nodded, "There, now there are some things I need to tell you before we promise and can kiss."

"You never want to kiss. And you haven't said what you want, yet."

Silver shook her head, "Sex is for bodies, kisses are for souls. It wasn't time, yet."

Kurt shivered, "Oh."

"And what I want is: Both of you to feel welcome in my bed when you want hugs. And there does not ever need to be sex just because you're there."

"Oh … Likewise?" said Kurt.

Silver nodded.

"Me too," said Ronnie.

"Thank you, Ronnie," said Kurt and scooped him up.

"Now then, three things you need to know before we promise, 1) I'm a witch, rumour is you're only half so if we ever have kids, only half of them will be mages, on average."

"Oh," said Kurt, "I hadn't thought about that, I don't think … having kids is something we should do … right away."

"Right," said Silver, "Let's both finish school first."

"Yeah," said Kurt, "I was going to say get jobs, but I guess it's almost the same thing."

Silver shrugged, "They might calculate to the same minimum time, regardless. But slightly different maximum times. My point was, no banishing any of my kids because they're more or less magic than some of the others."

"Agreed!" said Kurt.

"Good. The second thing is: that I'm a werewolf, what I need you to understand about that: is that I have to either lock myself up or ask Wotcher to move me deep into the forest with the other werewolves one to three nights every month."

"Bloody hell," said just about everyone. Not her sister though, nor Harry or his wives.

"And that's … all it takes to keep safe?"

Silver nodded, "Wotcher's pretty good about knowing where everyone is, and moving us back into the woods if we wander too far. As long as no one raises an entire mob or whatever to crowd the entire forest at the same time, there's plenty of space for her to put us wherever there's room. And I think there's an additional forest or two available if our regular forest gets unusable one night for some reason."

"Oh."

Silver shrugged.

"Alright," sighed Kurt, "That was very heavy, what's the third thing?"

"The third thing," said Silver, "is that my first name is Eirian, and I want you to feel welcome to call me that instead of Silver which is a nickname."

"Oh!" said Kurt, "Alright, thank you."

There was a pause.

"Now you may kiss me."

"And it won't be a werewolf thing?"

"No, only on full moon nights, and then you'll know better because I'll have different teeth, among other things. Except you probably won't get much time to see that because I'll be several miles away chasing rabbits or who knows what all."

Kurt nodded, "alright."

They stared longer and leaned closer.

"Is there … a 'right' way to do this?"

"Think about me and about the promises between us," said Eirian, "and our souls embracing each other more directly than they can through our skin."

"Hmm," said Kurt, "Our promises aren't very standard."

"Neither are we, it's alright."

"No, that's fine, I just wondered if our promises … had a category, and we could call each other that instead of 'married' or whatever."

"Oh," said Eirian, "No idea."

"Are you going to have sex a lot?" said Ronnie.

Kurt turned and looked at him, "Yes, we will have sex, sometimes. No, not a lot, since there will be no one to tell us we have to."

"Ok," said Ronnie.

Harry cleared his throat, "I notice three traditional kinds or stages of relationships that you're mixing to make something different. I will tell you that your promises aren't terribly weird. I'll just mention two things, promising to each be exclusive to the other at least while you mutually agree about it, is a normal boyfriend and girlfriend thing. You already know about marriage, which also happens to be the standard relationship associated with adopting children.

"There is also the promising to marry sometime later, which is called 'engaged' or 'betrothed,' If all you had said was 'we'll get married in the eyes of the law as soon as Kurt is old enough for the law to allow,' that would be engaged. And I will point out that in parts of the British archipelago, there is more than one tradition of trial marriage, it goes by several different names, and sometimes by the same names as either betrothal or marriage. If you changed your promise to act married (which is much more than mere sexual exclusivity), for a period of time, (usually a year, but could easily be until Kurt is old enough instead) with an agreement that after that time, you'd either marry or part ways without enmity. You could use one of the traditional terms for such a trial marriage, I think 'handfasted' would be the most widely recognised."

"If we wanted those things, we could have asked for them," said Eirian.

"Getting married for real once the law allows, might be alright," muttered Kurt.

Eirian shook her head, "Promises that you mean to keep are real no matter who is out there to enforce them, don't promise more than you mean to keep."

"I haven't," said Kurt, "but …"

"If we both decide that we want to promise more later, we can, when you're old enough to get a government or a church wedding might be a good time to mark the calendar to think about it. Or when Ronnie is old enough to get his own job."

"Oh!" said Kurt.

"Well?" said Eirian.

Kurt swallowed, then looked at Harry, "What do you want?"

Harry wrinkled his nose and scratched the back of his neck, "It's not my job to tell you what to want, it's my job to keep my people safe. I wish you two would do something standard so I could use normal categories. But I tend to break categories myself, and so do my wives. So … mostly I just wish I understood what you two were promising each other because it not only doesn't fit my categories, it doesn't fit my idea of where the standard categories need more room or a better array of slots."

Casey muttered something.

"Right," said Gretel.

Dudley looked over, it seemed like Casey and Padma had been in conference, but Harry stepping into Kurt & Eirian's not-quite-a-wedding had drawn … more people's attention.

Harry was looking around too, "Um? Comments and suggestions?" said Harry.

"They don't want to get married," said Gretel, "They want each other's permission and help to protect themselves and each other from all the dangers, addictions, warped perspective, and social pressure, of stopping being prostitutes, and recovering from being prostitutes. Can't guess whether they'll be able to get back to normal faster or slower than whichever of us manage to get real adoptions or whatever." she shrugged.

"Oh," said Harry, he turned back to the three, "Ah, I see, then I agree with Eirian's assessment: I think support groups and things are a good idea, and I don't need to take a legal interest in those proceedings."

"Why would you?" said Ronnie.

"Because he's Lord Potter," said Casey, "and if we went, what, three miles south, he could officiate a marriage for you."

Harry shook his head, "In theory yes, but even I can't give judicial consent to anyone below 16, and (regardless of how hypocritical that sounds,) I wish all of you would mostly refrain from sex until you are about that old. There are plenty of other things to learn and explore first. Plenty of other parts of knowing yourself and learning about your friends that will help your minds and emotions grow up smart and healthy. Also, there are plenty of other exercises that are less risky for still-growing bones and muscles. And building up all those other kinds of strength, balance, and intelligence, will make the sex better once you are ready."

"Are you saying sex is bad?" said Ronnie.

"No," said Harry, "I'm not saying sex is bad, and I'm not saying that anyone is bad for wanting sex, or for having it. I'm saying that it is risky, like … dessert. I'm saying that … like dessert, there are other healthier things that you might be wise to prioritise first."

"Like what?"

Harry stared for a moment, then smiled, "like getting good at explaining your emotions, and really listening when your friends explain theirs."

"Harry isn't willing to say it, but I am," said Freyazegen, "Sex is actively bad for humans below the age of eleven in ways additional to the ways it's bad for those below 13, and the ways it's risky for those below about 16, and the ways it's slightly risky for those below 23 or muggles above 49, (unfortunately, no one really studies ageing in squibs so I can't be more specific than that)."

"So you're a swot too?" said one of the kids.

"Not really," said Freyazegen with an expression of mock disgust or frustration or something, "It's just, my mum is a scientist and sometimes prefers to answer complicated questions by giving me science papers to read."

"Oh."

"Anyway, my point is: no one should have made any of you have sex, and the oldest two or four of you, at most they should have asked politely, with no punishments at all waiting if you didn't want to."

There were eye rolls and everything all around, and a couple of 'Obviously!'s, but there was also a sob, and then Natalie was across the room hugging Freyazegen's leg and shuddering.

Freyazegen wasn't exactly a large teen, so the fact that Natalie came up to there on her just proved how small she still was. Dudley found himself wondering whether live birds objected to being plucked as much as he was suddenly hoping they would. Harry's weight shifted in a way that Dudley recognised as dangerous, so his eyes immediately tracked to him instead.

Harry's teeth were clenched. He nodded twice before saying, "Well said." Then turned his gaze back to Eirian and Kurt.

"Right," whispered Eirian, "So if we don't care about the law, and the law doesn't care about us, it only matters what we want to promise."

"No more sex you don't want," said Kurt, "and if anyone asks, I say, 'yes, I'm your boyfriend and that they should leave you alone."

"Exactly," Eirian nodded, "Likewise," she blinked, "except girlfriend."

They kissed, a little slow but not 'lingering'.

"And snuggles," said Kurt.

Eirian nodded. They kissed again but not for as long.

"And taking care of Robbie," said Eirian.

"Definitely," said Kurt.

They kissed for longer than both previous kisses combined.

Robbie grabbed them each by a leg and held on.

After several seconds, they straightened and locked eyes, then in almost mirror image, they each lowered a hand to Robbie's armpits and lifted him to shoulder height so that all three could hug.

"Alright," said her sister, "I think I'm on board with this after all." She circled around them and behind Robbie, then hugged all three.

"By the way," said Eirian, "Robbie, this is my sister, your Aunt Gwyn."

"Aunt Gwyn?" said Robbie, looking over his shoulder at her.

"Yes."

"What does 'Gwyn'mean?"

"It means blessed or blessing or light, white, or pretty," said Gwyn.

He nodded, "What does Eirian mean?"

"My name means silver," said Eirian, "except when it means air or word."

"Silver is easier to say."

"Certainly," said Eirian, "Is the next step, packing up your things and moving to your new rooms?"

"Um?" said Ronnie.

"Rooms of our own?" said Kurt.

Gwyn and Eirian looked at each other, then nodded.

"Uncle Leathan will be ecstatic to have my room back for his weapon maintenance room."

Eirian nodded again.

"Wotcher, take us to Potter Manor," said Gwyn.

And the four of them were gone.

Melantha grunted, then crossed the room to crouch by the recliner that Tate and Sandra had crammed themselves into.

"Do you two want to pack up right away, or would you rather first come and check out my Mum and our guest room, to see whether they meet with your approval before you choose to give up your place here."

They blinked at her, then looked at each other, then shrugged, "I think we'd better look first."

Melantha put Brigid down on their laps, and took one of their hands each, then looked over her shoulder at Harry, "Can you give Wotcher permission to bring them back when they're ready to get their stuff later?"

"Certainly," said Harry.

"Wotcher?" said Melantha and the four of them were gone also.

Dudley stared at the space where they'd been for much too long.

Wotcher, is she going to keep Brigid safe?

[I cannot predict the future. However, she has a long history of noticing quickly when her pets become miserable and taking the necessary steps to alleviate their sufferings.]

Brigid is a person, not a pet.

[Of course, people can be pets. Even you pointed it out, you are Harry's pet.]

That is a special case, and … an intentionally figurative usage.

[No, it's not.]

Alright, fine, I want you to notify Harry and me if Brigid seems to need any help, and Melantha takes too long or seems unable to provide it.

[…][Harry updates that to notifying his wives as well, and for all of these orphans, not just Brigid.]

That's fine.

[Rule is in force.]

Harry looked around, "And then there were five," he said.

Padma hissed. Mrs Black growled and Harry stiffened.

"Padma," said Harry, "you don't have to compete with the others."

"Who said anything about competing," said Padma, "I want her."

Harry sighed, "Casey, are you willing to be Padma's … apprentice or whatever?"

"Assistant," said Casey, "specifically with the library. In exchange for a place to stay, and eventually, university tuition, if I can keep my grades up enough that one will take me. Yes, I am. Yes, that's what I agreed to."

Harry nodded and looked back at Padma, "are you sure that's what you want to be offering?"

"Yes," said Padma, and tilted her head, "how … much of that do I need your permission to be offering?"

"To the extent that you can keep those obligations without recourse to House of Potter or House of Black resources, you don't need my permission," said Harry, "You are a Head of Family and can adopt children that don't have anyone else to speak for them."

The two girls looked at each other then Casey nodded.

Padma took her hand and led her over to the now-empty armchair, and sat down.

"Turn around," she told Casey.

Casey turned around and stayed to the side, seeming to expect there to be some kind of speech, instead, Padma grabbed her, centred her, and pulled her backwards into her lap.

Casey looked mildly annoyed, but … willing to put up with some intimacy for ceremonial reasons or whatever, Padma muttered something, Casey shook her head, "No, I don't want to keep my old last name, why?"

Padma took hold of some hair at the top of Casey's neck and yanked it up, causing her to grunt and lean forward. Padma also pinched the back of Casey's collar and pulled it away from her back.

Casey squeaked and flinched away hard enough to free her shirt from Padma's grasp.

Padma sat back.

"Um," said Casey, "Start over with, Um, what exactly are you planning on doing?"

"With this kiss, I unmake Casey the unwanted foundling, and create Casey Patil, a valued member of the Family of Patil and the House of Black."

"Oh," said Casey, "Yeah, fine." She sat up.

Again Padma pulled her hair up and her collar down, then leaned forward, and kissed her back.

This time Casey held still, but after a few seconds she whimpered, and her face closed up as if in extreme pain. After at least twenty seconds, Padma sat back looking pale.

Casey panted, "I'm not sure that was worth it."

"What did she do?"

"I think she tried to give me some of her magic," said Casey, "I suspect it wasn't exactly good for me. I'm a squib Padma, I'm not supposed to have as much magic as you."

"Humph," said Padma, "That's not what I was doing."

"What were you doing?"

"Luna, come show Casey your Singer mark."

"Oh," said Luna. She went close and turned around. And pointed to the back of her head, "It looks like this, it means being one of Padma's library pets."

"Oh," said Casey.

"May I see yours?" said Luna.

Casey shrugged, stood, and pulled her hair out of the way. Luna circled and pulled down Casey's collar.

The medium snake slid off Luna's shoulders to fold along Casey's shoulders. So Luna had to pull that aside too before she could look.

"Yep, Welcome to Padma's Family," said Luna, "do you want to see how it looks?"

"Thanks," said Casey, "Yes, I do." She led the way to the door, "What's the snake's name?"

"Tom," said Luna, "But she's Harry's Library Pet."

The snake hissed.

"She prefers to go by Margaid," Harry called after them, "Though she might answer to other things also when she's in an accommodating mood." He sighed theatrically.

Padma rolled her eyes, then stood and went after Luna and Casey.

.

"And then there were four," said Gretel.

"I'm serious about offering my family's guest rooms," said Freyazegen.

Harry turned and stared at her, "For short-term emergencies," said Harry, "or long-term?"

Freyazegen shrugged, "I can say 'for short-term emergencies' by myself, you'd need to clear long-term with my parents, but they've been wanting more kids for a while, or we wouldn't have so big a house."

Harry nodded, "Fair enough."

"Nor would we have spent so much time volunteering at the other orphanage."

"Ah," said Harry, "And has your mother released your necklace back into your own control?"

Freyazegen gave a start, "Um, no? But I think she's getting close."

"More than a month," said Harry, "That seems like a long time to get used to reality."

"Puffs are known for their stubbornness," said Freyazegen, "and I think the name is making it more difficult, not less."

"Humph," said Harry.

"And she works 50 to 60 hours a week when the days are so long," said Freyazegen, "I think … it's letting her hide from reality a little, Dad says to give her the time she needs to mourn for her son before she'll have 'bandwidth' free to listen to me."

Harry nodded.

Melantha had said, 'We used to call her Ben, don't call her that to her face.' Harry had asked about a necklace that needed to be 'controlled'. Padma had said she might be able to make me a necklace that would turn me into a pig, but that it could take weeks.

Freyazegen had been a 'Ben' once, as recently as two months ago.

"What you're really looking for," said Harry, "is to do something so provocative that she has to notice you again?"

Freyazegen shuddered, "Not … exactly?"

"It's fine," said Harry, "and bringing home strays to prove your nurturing side is a perfect and beautiful piece of virtue signalling, the problem is the extra and unnecessary emotional roller coaster it would put Adam and Natalie through, if your parents turned out unwilling to take them in."

"I'm ninety per cent sure they'd be willing," said Freyazegen.

"Um," said Natalie, "I think the adoption agency has a family lined up for me (if the paperwork ghosts would stop messing things up)."

"The paperwork ghosts?" said Ginny.

"Probably another name for Mr Buttons," said Dudley.

They all turned to stare at him. "Right," said Harry, "Your theory that the gender ratio is artificially skewed toward brothel ideals?"

Dudley nodded.

"I'm going to kill him," growled Gretel.

"Get in line," said Ginny.

"Do you have reason to suspect Mr Buttons specifically over any of the others?" said Harry.

"No," said Dudley, "Just, … dirty work is dirty work,"

"I was fairly sure the division of labour was more 'face' work vs. 'wet' work."

"Oh," said Dudley and wrinkled his nose, "so which of them were more known to volunteer at the adoption agency, rather than who could break in after hours to do the same thing?"

Harry nodded.

"So there's a reason it only took about two families to make it through the vetting process to get the boys adopted and four to eight to get the girls adopted?" said Gretel.

Harry shrugged, "That's his theory," said Harry, "and I don't disagree that it might be possible."

"Wait a second," said Ginny, "are those records still in existence?"

"What?"

"If there's a stack of maybe six completed applications somewhere for all of you, and they're all waiting to hear back, or whatever, or might not mind hearing, 'I'm sorry we confused your paperwork with someone else's, you're cleared to adopt after all, or whatever?' Then surely all that needs to happen is someone notifying the people upstairs that the sabotage was real, and should stop now, and they're welcome to go back to doing their jobs, and whichever of those families in each of your files is your preference is who you'd rather they contacted first to try again."

"Ugh," said Chelsea, "Don't get my hopes up like that."

Ginny shrugged, "If it's been long enough, they may have given up hope too, but … it's worth a try, you know?"

Harry turned to Freyazegen, "No, you may not take any of them home, but you're welcome to grab a card from the front desk and bring your parents back during business hours."

Freyazegen nodded, "Yeah, alright."

Harry turned and his eyes caught on Dudley for a moment.

Yeah, and I almost asked for Brigid, despite knowing how horrible my parents were to a mage significantly less unnatural than her.

But partly that was because I thought Harry wasn't going to do anything unless I offered to make a rescue that personally cost me something. Rather than keeping her safe, which would mean, keeping her away from my mother. Although she seemed alright with Leona. And maybe a small fraction of her cuteness projection would be sufficient to keep Mum attracted … at least until she lost control of it, and then there would be hell.

But Harry kept looking until he found Gretel, "Do you know anything about the family that was picked out for Natalie? Or picked her out, or whatever?"

"No," said Gretel, "Standard policy is not to let us meet across candidate families, to keep them from experiencing over-abundance of choice, and to remove the temptation for us to compete for attention."

"Ah," said Harry, "that makes sense, after a fashion."

.

"Alright," said Harry, "Once the last of the three is in custody, and I turn on the curfew field against those with hostile intent, can you lock the doors and feel safe here? Or would you prefer to move into a mostly empty pureblood Manor house, 20% full of visiting purebloods and half-bloods?"

Gretel crossed her arms. "Are you saying that leaving the squibs for last wasn't a bit of your own prejudice, but to protect us from your friends?"

Harry grimaced, "I have not yet orchestrated anything of the sort, only permitted, or not. I am offering the four of you a temporary place at my manor until I can run background checks on everyone who works for this adoption agency, and everyone who used to work for the other one and decide to either let this one continue or start a new one from the remains of both.

"With the brothel shut down, and those customers blocked from visiting, do you feel safe here? Or do you distrust the adoption agency as well?"

"I … only mostly trust them," said Gretel.

"That sounds like staying here might be best," said Harry.

Gretel shrugged, "That sounds like your friends except for Silver and Freyazegen, are prejudiced."

Ginny cleared her throat, "You're confused," said Ginny, "We are his friends, those of us he brought with him to help here, about half the people in his manor are the children of his enemies that he already offered temporary sanctuary to, for the summer. Partly to keep them safe from their own families, and partly for a chance to indoctrinate them with muggle literature and ethics."

"Bloody hell!" said Gretel.

"He hasn't offered them permanent sanctuary, and so far he hasn't offered you that either, he's only asking about your experience: do you think this adoption agency is trustworthy, or do you want to move elsewhere for a month, while a different adoption agency is created, one with no history nor any backlog of families waiting to adopt."

"Then yeah, the choice is kind of obvious," said Chelsea.

Gretel nodded. They stared at each other for several seconds.

"But Silver?" said Gretel.

Chelsea shrugged.

"Silver wasn't just a child of our enemies," said Luna, "She was one of our enemies, at least by technicalities."

They turned to face her.

"The difference was that the werewolves rebelled at the last minute and chose to fight on our side."

"They could do that?" said Gretel, "and you trust them?"

Harry sighed, "Who says I trust them? I merely have given them sanctuary, for the time being. Just now Eirian proved that we chose well when we judged her good enough to let live, but also perhaps impulsive enough not to trust her with secrets or long-range plans."

Gretel shivered.

"You've killed your enemies?" said Gretel.

"Certainly," said Harry, "Some of them."

"Why?"

"Have you ever heard of death eaters?" said Harry.

"Sure," said Gretel, "but I … don't see you as being old enough to remember much."

Harry blinked.

"Just how long have you been out of circulation?" said Parvati.

"Since just after her parents were sure she wasn't going to get a Hogwarts letter," said Luna.

"Alright," said Ginny, "History lesson: you-know-who tried to come back in 91, and 92, and succeeded in 94. Then this year in early May, we, with a lot of help from our allies, including some werewolves, wiped out most of his army."

"Bloody hell," said Chelsea.

"The other friends that Silver came with, Were they werewolves also?" said a voice that Dudley didn't recognise.

Harry sighed, "I don't know, but given that it was a friend group that apparently didn't include her sister, it wouldn't surprise me."

"And you said, that you won't let them come back?" Oh, that was Adam's voice.

"That's the idea, yes," said Harry.

"Then, I'm ok with staying here," said Adam.

.

There were nods all around.

"Alright," said Ginny, "And you said it's another two hours before our last criminal arrives? I still want that tour."

"Me too," said Luna and Freyazegen.

Parvati almost went with them, then changed her mind and asked Natalie and Adam to give her a tour of their rooms.

Harry approached Dudley, "You have an extra wardstone?"

"Except for the part about being made of copper not stone, yes. Two extras, if we restrict ourselves to boxing Mum's yard with a rectangle."

Harry shrugged, "never mind the material, you have six?"

"Yes, Padma insisted."

Harry nodded, "always trust Padma when she says to order extra of something."

Dudley shrugged, "She ordered them herself, actually, I just said 'thanks' and assumed I'd be including your park also."

Harry smiled, "That's a nice thought. Thanks, I'd appreciate that, if it can be made to work. And doesn't obstruct traffic or anything."

Dudley shrugged, "So what are we doing," he said, "burying one of them around here somewhere, where it will give Wotcher enough coverage to create as thick a curfew field as you want?"

"Yes, exactly," said Harry.

So they went out and found a likely-looking place on the extreme north end of the office park.

After putting up an enchantment that made Dudley want to not watch, (though he'd had a lot of practice recently noticing when magic was lying to him,) Harry cast a spell into the dirt that made a bunch of it lift out and set down nearby. They lowered the plate into the hole and twisted it around to the orientation that Wotcher said was best, then filled the dirt in around it.

Dudley tried to piece together the sod over the disturbed dirt but wasn't particularly impressed. He'd have done better if Harry'd used a shovel instead of that digging spell.

Whatever.

"Well," said Harry extending his hand, "Thank you for visiting, I guess I won't be seeing you until next summer."

Dudley shrugged, but accepted the handshake, "Yeah, but after I get Wotcher situated, you'll be able to visit whenever you want."

Harry smiled, "and how often do you expect that to be?"

Dudley shrugged, "As often as you want to snuggle or borrow video games."

Harry blinked several times, "Both my wives and several of my consorts are better snugglers than you, but I'll keep the video game library idea in mind."

"There's no way," winked Dudley, "I have it on very good authority that the fatty patches are the best part to snuggle."

"What?" said Harry.

Dudley patted his chest, "Their fatty patches aren't as well developed as mine."

Harry snickered, "I think I'd better leave that one alone."

Dudley smirked, "Anyway, at least I'll be able to visit whenever I want. Instead of only when I can commit an entire weekend and money for petrol."

"Sure," said Harry, "And how often will that be?"

"I don't know, a few days ago I would have said as often as I miss you."

"And since then?"

"Later I'd have said, as often as I got homesick for Wotcher's reassurances. Now, I'm taking him with me, so … I guess it's back to as often as I miss you, or … some of your friends."

"Ah," Harry nodded, "which ones specifically?"

"Hmm," said Dudley, "After you? Gregory, Padma, Melantha, Luna, … Mr Greyback."

Harry's eyes widened drastically, "wow, alright."

"Talking to Theo and Mr Snape too, but that's different. Your wife's cooking, too, but that's also different."

Harry smiled, and nodded, "No doubt."

Dudley sighed, "I promised Brigid I'd help keep her safe, I … don't mind that not putting her within Mum and Dad's reach is safer than otherwise, but … if you or Melantha ever need extra help with her, give me a call."

"Oh," said Harry, "That's … wait the capybara is the eldritch horror you mentioned?"

Dudley raised an eyebrow, "I never said there was anything horrible about her, just that she could project infinite cuteness among several other emotions, and I had the feeling that responding to that could be dangerously addictive, not because of the cuteness part, but because of the infinite part."

"Um?" said Harry, "Huh, alright."

"I … just please don't go crazy the first time she has a panic attack and asks for a snuggle without words, is all."

Harry crossed his arms and stared, for several seconds, then nodded, "Next time you see Auror Moody, tell him I said you have permission to seek training for throwing off the imperious curse."

"What's that?"

"The least subtle but most addictive mind control curse."

Dudley raised an eyebrow, "And what?"

"I can throw it off more easily than most, I assumed it was related to living through a lot of abuse. But it might also be genetic."

"Oh," said Dudley, and shrugged. And decided again not to mention the hazing at Smeltings. It was getting easier and easier to not mention.

.

"Now," said Harry, "I think this is when you get back on the road and go home."

"Yeah, that needs to happen," said Dudley, "I was … mildly hoping to stay until you had the last criminal in custody, but … it's several hours of driving and I'd rather not be on the road too late."

"I agree," said Harry, "I'll see you later."

"Yeah," said Dudley.

They walked back towards Dudley's car.

"If you warn me whenever you and your wife are cooking together, I'll make every effort to be there."

Harry laughed, "I'll tell her you said so."

Harry caught on to Dudley's mood and the laugh trailed off, "What else do you need to say, Dudley?"

"Is there a … deadline I need to be keeping in mind?" said Dudley, "setting up Wotcher."

"What sort of deadline?" said Harry.

"If I want to be back in time for helping pluck your … newly captured jailbirds."

Harry's eyes rolled and widened, then his teeth gritted. After a moment he raised an eyebrow and relaxed, "Nim says she'll save one for you, do you have a preference which?"

Dudley shrugged, "I don't know enough to have a special preference, I imagine I'm last in line for getting to pick."

Harry nodded, "Nim also has no say in the question, so no, their end will probably not include a ceremonial plucking, no matter how well deserved that would be."

"Alright," Dudley shrugged, "I'd still kind of like to know what does happen to them."

"I'll keep that in mind," said Harry, "As much as it would simplify my life to disappear them, I think it behoves me to hand down sentences with accurate lists of their crimes attached."

.

Harry frowned, "Quite, and no matter how much Nim might approve of your taste prolonging torture, No matter how much I might agree that such treatment might be deserved. I am going to disabuse you of the notion: No, plucking is not what is going to happen to them, and no, you may not participate. Nor will I mention that you suggested such a thing. Right now, your continued health rests on maintaining a reputation for non-violence, at least among my friends and adoring public."

Dudley frowned, "Controlled and correctly directed violence is more the reputation I try to cultivate."

Harry nodded and absently took a wider stance with an elbow out horizontally, "I know, and I approve, but unfortunately, I am a celebrity, and both of us are under more scrutiny than average, get used to it, or stay out of sight of my friends."

"Oh," said Dudley, "Fine, whatever," he got in his car and started it up.

When he looked up again, Harry had not moved, but his shoulders were now covered in predators.

Not just the cat and owl, but now also the medium snake.

Dudley unrolled his window, trying to come up with something to say.

But the snake and Harry were focused on each other, and one was hissing. Not that Dudley could tell which.

Only the cat was keeping an eye on Dudley. And for once she seemed to see him as a fellow hunter, rather than as prey she couldn't wait to be allowed a chance at, (or as a danger she was meant to protect her master from.

But that was back before Harry could turn into a lion.

Back when Dudley had been violent whenever the whim took him, back before Dudley had learned that there were more dangerous bullies out there than himself and his father. Back before he'd learned that violence was best reserved for self-defence.)

The snake turned his head to glance at Dudley.

Harry had always been able to command snakes. And usually got away without anyone blaming him for what they did.

His owl and cat were mostly under his control. But the idea that Harry now had a poisonous snake to do his bidding … well it struck home in a way that none of the rest had. Even more than the idea that Wotcher answered to Harry, (and that was probably how they'd gotten onto Harry's shoulders just now).

And for once, Dudley wished he could turn into a pig at a moment's notice, at least pigs were reputed to be better able to survive poisonous snakebites.

Dudley shivered, rolled up his window, and drove away.

He'd talk to Harry later, about Wotcher, and about whether any of his … friends or adoring public could use Wotcher to visit Surrey.

And Harry had always been able to tell snakes what to do (so as not to be blamed for it). And if in addition to that, this one was loyal to him. The power Harry represented with a snake added to his … Well it didn't bear thinking of.

.

...-...

{End chapter 6}

A/N: Thanks to Lotus2109 for notifying me that the character names portion of the story page was working again.