I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.

The Family that Heals

Chapter 6 – Necessity

Harry smiled as he saw the box on his desk shake a little. It was made from wood, smoothed and polished. It was flat, with a lid that could be removed and completely unmarked on the outside, the wood being smooth and devoid of any etchings or carvings, no decorations. When he took off the lid, a letter sat within, folded neatly. He picked it up and opened it, happy to see the paper whole and undamaged, the writing clear and legible.

Satisfied, he reached out for a small mirror sitting on his desk. "Jean and David Granger," he said and waited. The mirror's surface shimmered and undulated and then smoothed, revealing the image of a smiling woman with familiar bushy brown hair. "Hello," he said warmly.

"Hi Harry!" Jean said brightly. "Did it work?"

"It did!" he said and smiled as she cheered. "And it was easy on your end?"

"Really easy! We put it in the television room with those wards against accidental magic you and Hermione put up. We even put it on one of the pillows that absorbs magic. The letter came in without a problem and the box didn't shake or do anything. The letter was perfectly fine and we put our reply back and pressed down on the center of the lid like you directed. A moment later, the letter was gone and none of the wards flickered and the pillow was fine."

"Perfect," Harry said, feeling pleased. "It should work out great then."

"I think it's wonderful that you made it," Jean said warmly. "This would have been wonderful to have when Hermione was at school. This will make a world of difference to all parents of Muggleborns or families who don't like or have an owl, or the services of an owl provided by a wonderful young boy."

Harry smiled and flushed a little. "Hedwig loves you all too."

"Thank goodness and I'm so happy we have Athena in the family too," Jean smiled. She looked at him closely. "Are you doing okay?"

"I am," he said honestly. "Taking it day by day."

"Good. You know you can talk to David and I. We have big families and plenty of people we don't get along with on either side," she said seriously.

"I do, thank you," he smiled.

"And how are the bunnies?"

"Really good," Harry said gratefully. "Back to normal."

"Thank goodness," she said with a big smile.

"And Quidditch try-outs are this week," Harry said with an even bigger smile.

"Oh yay! As if they won't make the team," Jean laughed. "Let us know when their first game is. David and I will be there with bells on."

"Will do! Thanks again for helping me test this."

"Any time love. You're doing a wonderful thing. Speak to you soon!"

Harry smiled as her image faded but as he sat back and looked at the letter box for a long time, his smile faded too as he dreaded what was to come.

-0-

Sandy looked out at the crowd of fellow Gryffindors. They were from all the years except the first years, though a few first years sat in the stands of the Quidditch pitch to watch. They were not the only ones watching either. Students from all the Houses were there and while some were there to enjoy the weather and sit with friends, others were there for a very important purpose.

To scout the upcoming opposition.

Sandy was going to give them an eyeful.

She clapped her hands and pitched her voice perfectly to cut through the hubbub and conversation, having learned how to do that from her mother. "Alright you lot!" she shouted and people stopped talking and turned to face her. "Let's get things rolling, yeah? You all are out here to try out for the Gryffindor Quidditch team so let's do it right so we get the best team we can get!" The students cheered at that.

Luckily, and unluckily from a certain perspective, the majority of the Gryffindor team graduated and left the school last year, leaving a fairly bare team. Sandy would be the most senior as a fourth year with Megan also being a fourth year. They had two third years that were content with being reserves and Sandy hoped that she could not only have a full regular team, but at least a reserve in each position. She was a Beater and Captain like her mother and Megan was a Seeker like her mother, so those were filled at least.

"Right, let's start with Beaters and Seekers," she said. "I'll need a good partner and Megan needs a reserve, so let's do that first." She put them perspectives through the paces, testing them on how hard they hit the Bludger, their accuracy, and how well they flew in tandem with her. Some balked at the intensity of the scrutiny while others that were more serious about the game appreciated it. She decided on a fifth year, Leonard Green, to be her primary partner and with one of the previously mentioned third years to be a reserve, hoping to find another eventually. Megan, easily outflying the other perspectives, tested her group on speed and agility and accuracy as well, settling on a third year named Johnathan Combs to be her reserve.

Keeper selection was next. It was surprisingly competitive between the older years and there was a definite surprise when two second years were picked, Alice and Esther. Some complained about favoritism, due to Ester being Sandy's little sister, but the complaints dried up when they were put against the pair again and Alice and Esther out-kept all of them, blocking the most shots.

Megan snorted as the older years shuffled off the pitch, having been beaten twice. "Idiots." She shook her head. "Once wasn't enough for them?"

"Apparently not," Sandy snorted back. "Idiots."

"We're going to have a pretty young team," Megan observed.

"True, but that's the best so far and you and I know that age and what's between your legs don't matter on a broom." She and Megan laughed, having heard similar things said many times by their mothers. "And that's why I'm trying to diversify the reserves and it'll be all the better for the team as we play together for the next few years."

"Fair enough. Now for the part I've been looking forward to," Megan said, rubbing her hands together gleefully.

"Me too," Sandy smiled. "Alright Chasers! Up front!" Everyone trying for the Chaser positions stood up and made a line. There was a mix of students from the years, and all were giving the last three in the line the most considering looks.

Dahlia, Hadley, and Hailey stood shoulder to shoulder at the end. Dahlia held her broom in front of her with both hands, Hailey leaned on hers, and Hadley had hers over her shoulders, arms draped over the shaft. All wore shrunken down jerseys that belonged to their mothers, cherished clothes that they wore and took very good care of. They did not join in with the jibing and jeering that the others threw at each other with varying levels of good-naturedness. Instead they stood there more or less quietly, at ease.

"Prospective Chasers, make five loops around the pitch and then do the basic evasion drill. Then come to the midpoint, grab the Quaffle, and make a run on the Keeper. You'll have three chances to try and score. Any questions? Go!" Sandy commanded.

The Chaser players mounted their brooms and did as told. They made their circuits and then did their evasions, under the watchful eye of Sandy, Megan, and the rest of the watching players and crowd. Then they came to the line of scrimmage and one by one, grabbed the Quaffle and flew towards the hoops. Esther and Alice took turns between score attempts to defend the hoops, blocking shots. The Chaser applicants took their turns in trying to score with most of them scoring at least one and none of them getting all three in.

Then it was their turn.

Unlike the others, once it was one of their turns, the three flew off together, being the last of the pool of applicants. Dahlia was first and she held the Quaffle under her left arm, right hand on the shaft of her broom. She bobbed and weaved, flying left and right and forcing Alice to move around the front of the hoops to match her. She then pulled hard, flying up at a sharp angle and threw the Quaffle up with her left hand and punched hard with her right. The big red ball flew hard and Alice just barely managed to deflect it and the attempt stung her hands.

Before she could grab it on recovering, Hailey scooped it up as it fell and twisted, flying upwards at a corkscrew. She threw the Quaffle hard with both hands back to Dahlia who caught it and looped around goals and threw it hard, sinking it into the center hoop before Alice could fly to block. Hailey recovered it next and passed it back to Dahlia who waited for Esther to take position, and then she flew up and then dove, flying straight for the right-most hoop. As Esther flew to intercept, Dahlia twisted around and spun, throwing the Quaffle and spinning it, sinking it through the center hoop once more.

With a whoop, she caught it on its way to earth and fielded it to Hadley who began her score run. She and Hadley did their score attempts with the other two girls flying interference and support and they too scored twice each respectively, making Alice and Esther fly fast and hard to keep up with them.

"They've gotten better," Megan said admiringly as everyone cheered when Hadley sank her second goal.

"We're going to take the Cup and never let it go!" Sandy shouted.

"Hey! They're cheating!" a burly sixth year complained.

"How so?" Sandy asked, frowning.

"They're playing together and supporting each other; they can't do that!"

"I never said you couldn't," Sandy countered. "I only said to grab the Quaffle and try to attempt to score after your drill. You want another go at it with two in support? Go for it."

"I hate you Hailey!" Alice shouted when Hailey scored by bouncing the Quaffle off the side post and sending it through the center hoop, just like her mother.

"Sorry! Love you Alice!" Hailey shouted back when she flew away, punching the air.

There were a few Chasers that tried the run again with other players in support but none of them were able to score more than once with their impromptu Chaser team. None argued when Sandy happily proclaimed the three girls as the main Chaser team and she picked the best of the remainders as reserves. All of the Gryffindors in attendance cheered and shouted at the formation of the Gryffindor House team while all of the students from the other Houses watched on with wide eyes and lots of muttering and murmuring.

"Oh look at Fields," Megan said with glee, pointing at a Ravenclaw. "He looks like he's about to vomit!"

"He's seeing his future keeping against the girls," Sandy cackled. "And it's looking grim! Don't have to be a seer to see that!" After she addressed the full team for the first time, she showed them the upcoming prospective practice schedule. After a sincere, but hurried, moment of celebration with Alice, Esther, Sandy, and Megan, the three girls took off running for the castle, squealing at the top of their lungs.

"Where are they going?" Leonard asked, eyebrow raised.

"We know where," Megan laughed as she and the others ran to catch up.

-0-

Harry was working in his office. Normally he preferred to be home at the Village when he wasn't actively working but he had stayed for this long for a very important reason. He resisted the urge to open his curtains to watch the pitch, his office being at the perfect height and place to look down at it. Instead he willed himself to be patient and continued to work.

He looked up when his door shook from a happy pattering of fists banging on it. He dashed to it and opened it. "Well?!"

"WE'RE ON THE TEAM!" the bunnies shrieked with joy, tackling him to the ground.

"YES!" Harry shouted at the top of his lungs, ignoring the pain from landing on the hard stone and hugging the girls to him with immense strength. "I knew it! Oh you girls are the best! That's my girls! I'm so proud of you!"

From his prone position, he summoned the mirror on his desk. "Katie!"

The image shifted for just a bare second before Katie appeared within the mirror and Angelina and Alicia could be seen there too. "Well?!" the three women shouted.

"We're on the team!" the bunnies shrieked again.

"YES!" the women shouted, laughing wildly and hugging each other.

"The dynasty is back!" Alicia shouted.

"Those are our girls!" Angelina howled.

"Good job girls!" Katie screamed.

"Oh and Esther and Alice made the team too!" Dahlia shouted happily.

"Is it a Portree team or a Gryffindor team?" Angelina asked, laughing happily.

"Yes!" Katie said high-fiving her.

"Dog pile Uncle Harry!" Megan jumped on the pile with Sandy, Ester, and Alice joining in without question, crushing him beneath him. "Go Pride!" they shouted. "Pride and Gryffindor!"

"Attacking a professor?" McGonagall appeared in the open-door way but her stern expression was dwarfed by the biggest smile, easily reaching ear to ear. "And making a disturbance?"

"McGonaGranMum!" Dahlia wriggled her way out of the crush and launched herself at her. "We made the team!"

"Congratulations!" McGonagall cried, catching the girl and hugging her mightily. "Oh my that's wonderful!" She dabbed her eyes to stem happy tears.

"We're going to get the Cup back!" Sandy shouted and the others roared with her.

"I cannot wait!" McGonagall said with immense satisfaction. "Filius has been far too full of himself lately!"

Harry finally caught his breath back and smiled up at her. "Say, do you think there's time for a parent and Head meeting later? Talk about something important and bring some food and things to smooth things over?"

McGonagall turned stern again but her eyes twinkled. "Sounds serious," she said. "By all means, let us do that and involve all the necessary members," she added with a wink.

"We'll be over in a bit!" Katie said as she and the others laughed.

-0-

"Oh thank you," Harry said, taking a teacup from Katie. It was hours later and the families had left the school after the impromptu celebration.

"You're welcome," she said, sitting beside him with her own teacup. "I'm glad we were able to celebrate the girls and the team without it being favoritism."

Harry grinned. "We just made the party bigger and made a picnic party for the whole school. Can always count on the Elves to help out thankfully." They sat together in companionable silence, enjoying being with each other and warm. The fire crackled pleasantly and filled the room with warming light as night fell.

He cleared his throat a little and she looked up at him. "I need your help with something," he said.

"Anything, what's up?" she asked, sipping her tea.

He reached into his bag and took out the letter box and gave it to her.

"Yay present!" She opened it and saw it was empty. "Hey, what gives?"

Harry laughed. "It's not a present for you."

"I guessed," she giggled. "What is it? The magic I feel coming off is nice though."

"It's something I've been playing with for a while. It's a letter box, but they come in pairs." He showed her the second one. "You put a letter or whatever fits inside and you can use magic to send the contents to its twin box."

"Oh very neat," she praised. She set the boxes side by side and put a piece of parchment in one. At his instruction, she pressed on the top and felt the magic hum. She then opened both and smiled, seeing the letter in the other box. "Very cool! What's the range?"

"So far I've tested from the school to past London," Harry said. "And it works perfectly well. More magic is needed the further the boxes are and I don't know if it'll work overseas, but so far, within the country seems feasible."

"Aww, is this for Muggleborn students and families?" Katie asked, eyes sparkling.

Harry nodded, smiling when she kissed him and he eagerly kissed her back. "An idea I've played with a for while. It took a bit of work but Hermione, Daphne, and Professor Babbling and I were able to make it work where it absorbs ambient magic as well as the magic of the user. And Jean helped test it and she was able to send it back without depending on magic of her own. As long as the other box is in a magic rich environment, it can summon the contents of the other box to it."

"That's wonderful!" Katie said. "You all are amazing and I'm so proud of you. But what do you need my help for?"

His smile faded a little. "Part of what drove me to finish it properly was…Daisy." He looked at her. "I mean, I remembered how things were for Muggleborns from our time with Hermione. And I've seen it since becoming a professor. So I've been working on this for a while now but since her, I guess it pushed me to finish it properly. I told her I would take one to her…family and deliver something for her since up till now, no one told her how to."

"What about the school owls?" Katie asked evenly.

"Let's say having owls visiting the Dursleys wouldn't be a great idea," Harry said evasively. "At least before, and maybe now. Though she did tell me that they, meaning her immediate family, don't live in Surrey."

"I got you," Katie nodded. She patted his knee and got up, putting her teacup on the table. Ignoring his bemused look, she went to the hall closet and opened it, rifled around a little and came back with a knapsack. "I've been waiting for this."

He took it from her and opened it, looking inside. His bemusement became confusement as he pulled objects out. "Tarps, gloves, is this a surgical knife set? What the hell is this?!" He gaped at a large hacksaw.

"Bone cutter. Dragon grade, got it from Charlie," Katie said, drinking her tea with remarkable calm.

He stared at her before going back to the bag. "Scent destroying powder, industrial cleanser, acid cleanser, what in the heck is…metal eating powder. Good Merlin." He stared at her. "What is this?!"

"My kit for disposing bodies," Katie said glibly. "And cleaning."

Harry sighed and laughed all in one. "I don't need you for that."

"Aw nuts," she sighed with genuine disappointment. He chuckled and hugged her and she hugged him back. "Why not send it via Hedwig?" she asked.

"Remember what I said about owls going? Let's just say Hedwig had her revenge before we moved out that year before fourth year," Harry said seriously. "Not to mention she and they didn't get along before that."

Katie hummed softly. "And you feel like you need to deliver it yourself? Because you promised Daisy?"

He nodded.

"And that's the only reason?" she pressed.

He nodded more slowly before sighing and rubbing his eyes. "I feel like I owe it to her, after what Hadley and Hailey did."

"Fair," Katie conceded.

"And…"

She waited patiently, taking his hands in hers.

"It's been a while," he said at last. "A part of me…wants to see if I can at least stand to see him. I don't know how I'll be when I see him, and a part of me isn't brave enough to do it alone." He smiled limply at her. "I was hoping you'd come with me to help me be brave."

She kissed him sweetly. "Love, you're plenty brave. Just you even considering doing this is more than they could ever deserve."

"Even if Daisy and her mother aren't responsible for any of it?" he asked.

"Well the mother did marry him," Katie said, shrugging. "You're not wrong about Daisy though. Still, it only speaks better of you that you can see that they are somewhat separate." She rested her head on his shoulder. "My answer is yes of course. I'll go with you anywhere and do anything for and with you. And that includes disposing of bodies."

"Good to know," he said, smiling into her hair.

"Have you told the others?" she asked.

"No, I can see them trying to persuade me not to do it or wanting to come with and I don't think I can handle this and them at the same time."

"Also fair," she agreed, laughing with him. "When do you want to go?"

"Might as well get it over with," he said softly. "Tomorrow? SamaMum and Thomas are watching Iris and Lucas already."

"Might as well," she agreed. "We'll go as soon as Mum and Dad get here. See how long it takes and how we feel after, if we need to get a drink or several."

"Sounds like a plan," he said, voice softer still.

She hugged him, holding him close. "I love you."

"Love you more," he said, smiling back.

"No you don't," she said confidently.

-0-0-0-

AshokaTheGreat - Thank you so much. I wanted this story to fit the feeling and the vibe of the setting and to tell a somewhat contained story but one built on a lot of established history, while hoping it would be interesting. Glad you are liking it.

odonnellzoo99 - Even more plausible deniability coming up. You're going to like this chapter more with your last thought. That's fine, I think it is a bit of a compliment for you to be thinking of the fic in such a way and to evoke those feelings. If I'm' wrong, don't tell me though. It's hard writing Dursley characters. I'm trying my best to tread a narrow path for her and when you see more of them. Hopefully it will make sense.

TheSphynx - There will be hope in some ways. Hopefully it'll make sense when it comes.

DOOOOOOM Lord of Waffles - Oh you have no idea. There will be a chapter that I'm rather proud of and it's steeped in awkward feelings and emotions.

alix33 - I think other first gen witches and wizards wouldn't be as nervous as Daisy, or are but in other ways. Hence they would learn in time. Right? That would be a funny mental image of Snape.

HoneyBear84 - No. They both work at the ministry and probably came over at the same time. As for your other questions, you'll have to wait and see how things develop. Hopefully you will like it.