Harry Potter and the Icemaidens

Night soon fell over the Somerset Levels. In the living room, popcorn was being passed around as eight people -- Tamara had returned an hour before sunset, having finished getting Harry's school records out of Little Whinging Primary School and having them deposited in the offices of Millfield Preparatory School, plus left charms at both places to ensure that the staff, when they went to work the next morning, would believe what would be required of them -- relaxed as they watched the first season episode The City on the Edge of Forever. All the women there were quick to note that Harry had tears in his eyes as he watched Captain Kirk hold back Doctor McCoy from the street after the latter had tried to save Edith Keeler from an oncoming automobile.

"I could have saved her . . . do you know what you just did?"

"He knows, Doctor," Mr. Spock then advised. "He knows."

"Master Harry? Are you alright?"

Harry blinked, and then he shuddered slightly as Bessie hugged him from behind. Everyone else gazed at him, and then Rose crawled over to grasp his hands. "Are you okay, big brother?" she asked as the scene on the television switched to the plains of the planet Gateway as Kirk and Spock emerged through the mists of the Guardian of Forever, they soon followed by McCoy. "Do you want to stop . . .?"

Her voice was interrupted by a howl from outside. "What's that?!" Harry gasped.

Lilian looked through the living room window to see the full moon. "It's Nancy and her pack. I hope Doctor St. John gave them enough Wolfsbane over the last week so they won't be hurt when they return to normal in the morning."

Harry blinked, and then he stood, walking to the window to gaze outside. In the bright light of the full moon overhead, he could see a half-dozen wolves scamper around the perimeter of the Garden of the Galaxy, never penetrating into it. Watching them, he blinked as tears flowed down his cheeks. "Are they hurt?" he wondered.

Lilian walked up to stand behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "It doesn't hurt them, not unlike other weres I know of. The magic of the Hill is a lot stronger than most other magical places in Britain, even Hogwarts. With the Wolfsbane potion Doctor St. John makes, they transform into normal wolves that won't hurt anyone that lives here. Rose normally goes out on the nights of the full moon to give them fresh meat to eat and pet them before she goes to bed."

Harry looked at his sister. "Are you going out now?"

Rose blinked, and then she exhaled as something came to her. Standing up, she turned to head out of the room. "C'mon, big brother."

He watched her head to the stairs, and then ran off after her. They descended to the second floor and walked into the Scrying Room. Once there, Rose headed to a stone shelf anchored in the wall on the west side. Pulling up a small dagger -- it was solid silver -- she beckoned Harry to the middle of the room. "What are you going to do?" he asked as his eyes locked on the gleaming surface of the weapon in her hand.

She took his left hand in her left (the right held the dagger), and then she stared into his eyes. "Do you want to come out so we can be with Auntie Nancy?"

He blinked, and then he nodded. He had come to like Nancy just as much as she did. When Harry had met Nancy Snagge earlier in the day, he had been inundated with tears from the woman as she recalled James and Lily Potter (they were a year behind her at Hogwarts) and what they had done for her after she had been bitten by Greyback, losing her job and pretty much all of what had made her life meaningful (she was a normal-born) until that day. That brought her to the attention of Glaston Tore; the Potters had helped Nancy resettle in Godric's Hollow, providing a place for her monthly "furry problem" until they had to go into hiding and Glaston moved her to the Reevewick so she could live her life in peace. As a former Auror, Nancy had been made the Chief Constable of the Reevewick and Glaston had actually been sizing her up as a potential successor when Fate -- and Voldemort -- got in the way. Since that time, Nancy had whipped the five other werewolves -- all wizards and witches, all Hogwarts grads from the previous decade, all of whom had good lives until Voldemort's werewolves under Greyback had cruelly altered them -- under her charge as the Reevewick's local militia force.

"What do I have to do?" he asked.

Rose sighed. "This is gonna hurt a bit."

With that, she turned the dagger down and gently pressed the tip into the centre of Harry's palm. He hissed as the tip lanced in and produced blood, which streamed down his skin to dribble on the floor. Once the first blob of red made contact with the magical stone, the runes in the floor lit up like the noon sun as energy began filling the room. Harry gasped in awe as the warmth of the floor flooded him from head to toe, the pain in his hand fading immediately as Rose slipped the dagger into her dress pocket. "Wow . . .!" he breathed out before staring at his sister.

Rose raised her right hand. "Raise your hand."

Harry did as she bade him. "Say after me: 'I, Harold James Potter . . . '"

"I, Harold James Potter . . . "

"'Do solemnly swear . . . '"

"Do solemnly swear . . . "

"'That I will be faithful . . . '"

"That I will be faithful . . . "

"'And bear true allegiance . . . '"

"And bear true allegiance . . . "

"'To Her Majesty . . . '"

"To Her Majesty . . . "

"'Queen Elizabeth the Second . . . '"

"Queen Elizabeth the Second . . . "

"'Her Heirs and Successors . . . '"

"Her Heirs and Successors . . . "

"'According to law.'"

"According to law."

"'And that I swear my magic . . . '"

"And that I swear my magic . . . "

"'To this oath . . . '"

"To this oath . . . "

"'And pledge my magic . . . '"

"And pledge my magic . . . "

"'To the defence . . . '"

"To the defence . . . "

"'Of Her Majesty . . . '"

"Of Her Majesty . . . "

"'And to the peace . . . '"

"And to the peace . . . "

"'Order and good government . . . '"

"Order and good government . . . "

"'Of Her Majesty's Realm.'"

"Of Her Majesty's Realm."

"'This I swear.'"

"This I swear."

"'So mote it be!'"

"So mote it be!"

The room then was bathed in blinding light . . .

* * *

Five hundred kilometres to the north . . .

"I'm glad that session is finally over with, Minerva."

"You look very tired, Albus. I hope you'll go to bed soon . . . "

Hearing his deputy's concerned words, Albus Dumbledore nodded as he walked into his office, and then he tensed on sniffing something burnt from a shelf to one side of his desk. "What on Earth . . .?" the headmaster gasped as he slipped his hat and cloak off, and then he walked over to stare intently at one of the devices there.

Minerva McGonagall walked in right afterward, and then she blinked. "What's wrong, Albus?" she asked before staring at the device that had caught his attention. "What is that thing, anyway?" she wondered. "I've always wondered . . . "

"It's one of the devices that I use to monitor Harry Potter," he replied. "This one indicates if he's left his relatives' home. Why would it burn out?"

She shuddered. "Albus, I still think . . . "

Her voice then trailed off as she sensed a growing wave of energy emanate not just from the broken object that now held Albus' attention, but all the other objects on the same shelf. As smoke and fire began to erupt from all of them, she whipped out her wand and grabbed the headmaster, yanking him back. "PROTEGO!"

The shield charm came just in time; with a thunderous CRACK!, all of the objects there exploded in a wave of fire and magic that disintegrated not just them, but the shelf they were placed on and everything within a metre of them! Despite Minerva's spell, the concussive force was enough to smash down everything in its path right to the windows, shattering them instantly as a geyser of fire and spent magic billowed out into the dark sky over the north shore of Loch Eigheach . . .

* * *

Back at Beckery Hill . . .

Two laughing children had run out of the Reevetor some minutes before to find themselves romping amidst six yelping and barking wolves, all of whom were trying to playfully grab the Potter siblings and force them down to give their faces a good tongue-washing. Watching this from the windows of the living room, six human-shaped elves could only smile with delight on seeing Harry and Rose play . . .

* * *

Meanwhile, back at Hogwarts . . .

"Albus! Minerva! What happened?!"

A cough escaped from the heavy smoke now pouring out of the opened door of the headmaster's office. "It's alright, Filius!" Albus called back before summoning a wind silently to blow the smoke and soot out of his office. "We're alright!"

Quickly walking into the office, Filius Flitwick instantly drew his wand to add to Minerva's as both worked to douse the fires still burning up what was left of a certain shelf and what had been sitting there. With the diminutive retired duelist's help, the fire was soon put out. The headmaster then summoned another cleansing wind to vent out what was left of the smoke before turning to stare at the ruined shelf and what little remained of the instruments that had given him solstice for so many years. "Dear Merlin . . . " he breathed out, shaking his head.

Minerva gazed at him, and then looked once more at the shelf there. "Don't tell me that ALL of those things were meant to track Harry, Albus!"

Filius perked. "Harry?! You mean Harry Potter?!"

"The same."

Both professors tensed on hearing the voice of ashes that had just escaped their leader. "Albus, what's wrong . . .?" Filius asked as he grasped his friend's robes.

Albus blinked, and then he stared absently at the diminutive man beside him before slowly turning and walking to his desk. Filius and Minerva watched as he sank into his chair, their eyes wide with fear and disbelief on seeing Albus Dumbledore -- the rock that had kept the wizarding world together in the face of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and the Death Eaters, who had been a rock in the earlier war against Gellert Grindelwald when the muggle world had been fighting their Second World War -- look like he had just had everything important in his life ripped away from him. "Albus . . . " Minerva breathed out as she grasped his shoulder. "Albus! What does it mean . . .?"

He looked up, shocking the transfiguration mistress into stunned silence on revealing tears in his blue eyes and no sparkle within those orbs that often showed delight even in the smallest of things. "Harry is dead, Minerva . . . " he said, his voice now the hollow tone of a man who had lost it all. "What have I done . . .?"

Minerva blinked before she collapsed to her knees, a look of total disbelief on her face as her own eyes brimmed with tears. As Filius walked over to comfort her, a pained sob escaped the headmaster as he allowed his face to sink into his hands . . .

* * *

Beckery Hill, Wednesday 20 August 1986 . . .

"Look at them," Jane whispered.

Lilian could only nod as she gazed on two beautiful children, both asleep with smiles on their faces. Around them were five sleeping wolves, all curled up around their new two-legged pack-mates protectively, their fur providing wonderful warmth . . . even though the bedroom they were sleeping in was quite warm thanks to the outside air and the fireplace nearby. The sixth of the pack of transformed werewolves -- Nancy Snagge, the elves all knew -- was awake and lying on the window ledge, gazing outside on guard duty, though she turned from time to time to look upon her pack-mates. The two human-shaped elves could easily sense the protective glare in the werewolf's dark green eyes as she looked on her late schoolmates' cubs.

As if they were Nancy's cubs.

And in a way, they were.

"Let's let them sleep," Lilian stated.

Jane gazed on her, and then she nodded . . .

* * *

Hogwarts, approaching dawn . . .

"How is he?"

"He's asleep now," Poppy Pomfrey stated as she walked around the bed now holding a comatose Albus Dumbledore. "Severus and I were able to get a Dreamless Sleep potion into him before he dozed off around 1:30 or so." The nursing healer then blinked before she stared wide-eyed at Minerva McGonagall. "Is it true, Minnie?"

The deputy headmistress blinked, and then she sighed. "I pray not, Poppy," she whispered. Her own face was still damp with tears. "Dear Merlin, I pray not . . . "

The doors to the hospital wing then opened. "I'm back!"

Both women spun around as Filius Flitwick walked inside. "Filius! What did you find?!" Minerva gasped as she got to her feet, and then she paused on seeing the confused look on his face. "Oh, Merlin! Did you find Harry . . .?" she pleaded.

A shake of the head. "No, I didn't, Minerva. As a matter of fact, I wasn't able to get anywhere inside Little Whinging whatsoever."

Silence.

"WHAT?!"

The diminutive charms professor and leader of Ravenclaw held up his hand. "Calm down, dear!" he said as he moved to guide her to a bed close to where Albus still slept. "It's true. I tried to apparate straight to where Harry's relatives lived. I wound up nearly falling right into Longside Lake, the lake beside that motorway that goes past the east end of the town. So I tried to portkey into the place. The portkey didn't work. I then apparated to Diagon Alley to use Tom's fireplace at the Leaky Cauldron so I could visit Arabella Figg; you told me she lives close to where Harry lives." He then shook his head. "The floo wouldn't operate."

More silence.

"Sweet Morganna! How's that possible?!" Poppy demanded.

"Please calm down, Poppy!" Filius urged.

"It must be something Amelia's people are doing," Minerva then said. "Anti-apparation, anti-portkey and anti-floo blocks are normal for the Aurors . . . "

"It's not the Aurors!"

Still more silence.

"Oh, Merlin, no!" Minerva breathed in as she gazed on Filius. "You mean . . . "

"Minerva, relax! It's not the Death Eaters, either!"

And still more silence.

"What do you mean?" Minerva asked.

The charms professor took a deep breath. "I did a scan of what magic was in the air around the town," he stated. "And there's a ward there. A ward as powerful as those that protect Hogwarts itself, Minerva. A ward that literally cancels out any magic that happens within its boundaries." Filius smiled, a look of sheer admiration in his dark eyes as he warmed up to the topic. "And I've seen that type of ward once before! Do you remember during the war with You-Know-Who? That incident near Hastings? I think it was in early 1979, around that time . . . "

Minerva blinked, and then her jaw dropped open. "Yes, I DO remember that!"

"As do I."

All three turned to see a raven-haired wizard in solid black walk into the room. "Severus!" Filius called out as Severus Snape moved to sit down beside him.

"What do you mean?!" Minerva demanded.

A sigh. "As you know, I was on the other side during that war," Severus began. "I was in a raiding party that was sent to a small village of known Muggleborns located close to Dungeness the Dark Lord wanted destroyed." He ignored the shocked looks on Poppy's and Filius' faces on hearing him admit that. "When we got there, we ported in just east of where their outer ward boundary was located. The team found the wards easy to take down, and then moved in . . . " He stopped. "And then . . . "

"They all died," Poppy stated. "All quite hideously, so I heard."

A nod. "Yes, they did," Severus stated. "All of them started to scream and grasp their left arms, where the Dark Lord put his mark on each of us." He reached to his own arm to gently squeeze the flesh over the magical tattoo hidden under his shirtsleeve. "At first, I believed it was the Dark Lord that was summoning them for some reason. But I wasn't affected by it whatsoever. And before I knew it, all of them fell to the ground and died within minutes. When I saw that, I fled." As given what had happened to him during that awful time, Severus could not recall the blinding pain that had resulted from the Cruciatus that had been applied to him by Voldemort in the wake of that shocking failure. A failure that had ensured over two dozen first-generation wizards and witches -- and those pureblood and half-blood wizards and witches who had married them -- who had chosen to erect their own community in Romney Marsh, away from the traditional wizarding habitation areas, would live to see the Dark Lord's fall and the end of the Purification War thanks to Harry Potter.

Filius nodded. "I was part of the investigation team the D.M.L.E. sent down to look around where they fell, and then examine the bodies in a post-mortem," he then said. A tired sigh then escaped him. "It was as if all of them had been struck with a Cruciatus-like curse," he explained. "That was then followed by a direct use of the Killing Curse right on their Dark Marks." As Minerva and Poppy both gaped in shock, Filius closed his eyes. "What is strange about it is this: No one could find out where the curses had come from. Finally, Barty Crouch had no choice but to say that somehow, they had been struck from every place on the compass!" He then grinned. "But when I walked over the place where they fell, I felt a curious type of warding energy. And THAT is the same energy now that is surrounding Little Whinging!"

Everyone stared at him, and then they jolted on hearing a voice call out, "So our mysterious allies in that war have come back. And they're protecting Harry."

"Albus!" Minerva gasped as they turned just as the headmaster slowly began to rise from his bed. Instantly, Poppy was at his side as she began to scan him.

"Are you alright?" Severus asked as he, Filius and Minerva moved to gather around him. "Is there any chance you can find some way to track Harry?"

A sigh. "Well, as soon as Poppy certifies I am well, I will indeed go out to investigate what just happened. What time is it? Tempus!" A ghostly clock appeared before his face, revealing the time to be 4:47 AM. "Well, I should get some sleep first," he then noted.

"But what about Harry?" Minerva demanded.

Albus held up his hand. "Calm down, Minerva!" As the transfiguration mistress took a deep breath, the elderly headmaster sighed. "I remember the incident Filius and Severus just spoke of quite well. It was actually one of several incidents in the war against Tom when those who fought under his standard fell dead or totally vanished under circumstances that defied all attempts by the Ministry -- even those parts of it Tom turned to his side -- to determine the cause and the parties responsible for it."

"Were you able to find out anything about them?" Poppy asked.

"Sadly, no," Albus stated. "As Filius no doubt realises now -- and Severus nearly learned to his cost seven years ago -- these people possess control over very powerful forces and operate behind an impenetrable veil of secrecy that has even earned the envy of the Unspeakables in the Department of Mysteries."

"They're that good?" Filius gaped, his eyes sparking with a level of glee that made those around him think of a child who had managed to get into Honeydukes in Hogsmeade with a bottomless money bag straight from Gringotts and no adult in sight.

"Yes, Filius. They are indeed THAT good!" Albus stated before taking a deep breath. "I will get some sleep right now. I suggest you do the same."

"What about Harry?" Minerva demanded.

A sigh. "Severus, do you still remember how to use the muggle post?"

Severus nodded. "Of course I do."

"Write a letter to Petunia Dursley and send it to her."

Minerva tensed. "Albus, what if she . . .?"

"Minerva, if these people indeed have thrown up protections around Harry that even are better than the blood-wards Lily's sacrifice gave him, then the chances are there that they'll either respond with a letter of hope or give us silence as they've done before," the headmaster stated before closing his eyes. "We must believe these people, everyone. While their allegiance may not fully be to the Light as they were quite willing to torture, kill and vanish Tom's warriors with deadly efficiency -- and do so from behind an unbreakable veil of secrecy -- they must be sworn to protect the defenceless and the innocent. Just like those people in Romney Marsh."

Minerva blinked, and then she sighed, rising as she moved to return to her quarters. "I pray you're right, Albus. I so pray you are right."

With that, she left the room. "I'll get that letter out to Petunia as soon as possible. You best get some sleep, Albus," Severus promised as he drew out a capped vial of potion from his robes to hand to Poppy. "This is a mix of dreamless sleep and calming draft for him, Poppy," he added before he stood up to leave.

A sigh. "Thank you, Severus," Albus stated . . .

* * *

Minutes later, Severus relaxed in his private quarters in the dungeons where the students of Slytherin normally were quartered during the school year. Several sheets of lined paper were on his desk, a pen he had purchased in a convenience store close to King's Cross Station in London on it. He wasn't writing the letter Albus had asked him to compose right now. Instead, the potions master was gazing at a framed picture he normally kept in his safe. A picture of a beautiful red-haired, green-eyed girl then dressed in a Hogwarts school uniform, taken when both she and he were in fifth year.

A year before he made a horrible mistake.

A mistake that had cost so much to this very day.

"I pray that he is safe, Lily," he whispered. "I so pray he is safe . . . "

* * *

Beckery Hill, sometime after dawn . . .

"Big brother! Harry, wake up!"

A moan escaped the lump on the bed. "Coming, Aunt Petunia . . . "

A sigh. "Harry! You don't live there anymore! Wake up!"

Harry then shot out of bed, and then blinked in confusion for a moment before he turned to stare at the red-haired, green-eyed girl beside the bed -- he was actually lying in a BED? -- in a semi-circular room with stone walls, floors and ceilings, windows open on the walls showing a beautiful view of the countryside around Beckery Hill and Glastonbury off to the east, St. Michael's Tower on Glastonbury Tor to the southeast. Taking a moment to consider what just happened to him, he then found himself smiling as tears formed in his eyes. "It was no dream," he whispered.

She blinked, and then she grinned. "Nope. No dream."

A shudder then rolled through him as he started to cry. Seeing that, Rose immediately scampered onto the bed to embrace her brother, her own eyes moist. Watching this from the entranceway to the stairwell, Lilian could only smile . . .

* * *

Little Whinging . . .

"Good morning, Pet."

Petunia blinked, and then she smiled as Vernon came over to embrace her from behind, landing a kiss on her neck which made her yelp. "Vernon!"

An amused chuckle escaped him as he moved to the dining room table as she turned back to preparing breakfast. Last night had been fun. "So what are we having today?"

"Hopefully, eggs Benedict with bacon and hash browns," she replied as Dudley came into the room. Vernon understood that statement; it had been a while since Petunia had cooked, the Dursleys having forced Harry to do it since he was old enough to make his way around a kitchen. "Good morning, Dudders," she said as he walked over to accept her kiss. "Have some orange juice. Breakfast will be ready soon."

"Thanks, Mom," he replied before heading to sit down at the table. "Where's Harry?" he then asked before blinking. "Oh . . . forgot."

Petunia laughed. "I was asking the same thing when I woke up. This is something we all have to get used to, Dudley. Don't worry about it."

"What do you suppose he's doing right now?" Vernon asked as he picked up his morning copy of The Times to gaze at the headlines.

"No doubt either sleeping in or having breakfast like we are," Petunia mused. "Last night was a full moon. Napaeae told me there's a group of werewolves who lives around Beckery Hill, so Harry and Rose were probably kept awake by the howling."

Dudley blinked. "Werewolves?! COOL!"

"Do you think Rose and Harry will be in danger from them?" Vernon asked.

"Oh, no! I asked Joanna about this when Napaeae mentioned them. A few years ago, a fellow named Damocles Belby came up with something he called 'wolfsbane potion.' It doesn't actually cure the victim of lycanthropy, but if it's taken in proper doses for the week before the full moon, the transformation will just see them shift into a normal wolf, not a werewolf. Totally harmless. In fact, the doctor who lives at Beckery Hill -- scarily brilliant fellow named Hamilton St. John; he once worked at their magical hospital, Saint Mungo's -- has even made improvements to the potion. I don't think Rose or Harry will have a thing to worry about."

"Are you okay, Mom?"

Petunia blinked, and then she sighed. "No, Dudders. I'm not okay." She sighed as she moved to serve the eggs Benedict on everyone's plates. "When your aunt Lily got her Hogwarts letter, I was quite jealous of her. Even wrote to Professor Dumbledore -- he's the man who brought Harry to us; he's the headmaster at Hogwarts -- asking if I could go to Hogwarts to study. Before then, Lily and I were very close." She sniffed back tears in her eyes as she placed the plates on the table. "He actually wrote me back, believe it or not. Was very nice and kind about it, but unless I could weld magic, I couldn't go there." A sigh. "And that's where it began."

"I wish I could go," Dudley mused. "It sounds pretty neat."

A shake of the head. "I doubt you'll like it, Dudley," she warned. "They have their likes and hates there, too. Your Aunt Lily was called a 'muggleborn.' 'Muggle' is their term for people like us, people who don't have magic. Some wizards and witches -- those who have parents and grandparents who were magical -- always see themselves as 'pure.' Above the rest of the lot." She closed her eyes. "That's what killed Lily in the end, Dudders. And if Dumbledore is right and this Riddle fellow might still be out there, ready to cause trouble . . . " Another shake of the head.

"Are we gonna be okay?" Dudley asked.

"We're as safe as we can be," Vernon assured him. "It's just like crossing the street. You look both ways before you do that, right?"

A nod. "Sure I do!"

"Don't worry about it," the older man assured him. "People like Mr. Spelthorne, Mr. Roper, Mrs. Runcorn and Ms. Skegness are out there keeping an eye on things."

Dudley blinked, and then he nodded as he moved to eat. "Dear, I'm going to visit Mrs. Figg after you go to work," Petunia stated. "I want to make sure she's fine and ask some questions. I wonder how many of Lily's friends are still alive."

"Sir Reginald warned us to keep it down, Pet," he reminded her.

"I remember. But isn't it odd that no one from their society ever came by here to look in on Harry? I understand keeping him isolated from what he was said to have done, but still . . . " Petunia said before shaking her head.

He hummed. "Good point."

* * *

An hour later, the door to 12 Wisteria Walk opened to reveal Arabella Figg. She then gaped on seeing who had come to call on her today. "Mrs. Dursley!" she said before waving Petunia inside. "Come in, come in! Is Harry with you?!"

Petunia smiled, ignoring the strong odour of cabbage that seemed to be a normal scent in the Figg home, and then she stepped inside. "No, Mrs. Figg. Harry's now with his sister in Beckery Hill as I'm sure Sir Reginald told you yesterday."

The squib stopped for a moment as she took that in, and then she chuckled. "I'm sorry about that," she apologised. "I didn't know what they had done to you; he didn't mention that to me yesterday. Would you like some tea or coffee?"

"Tea, please." Petunia then blinked on seeing the half-dozen cats that Arabella rose lounging on the living room sofa. She then paused as certain things about them began to make themselves apparent. "Mrs. Figg, I don't mean to be rude . . . "

A chuckle. "They're kneazles, Mrs. Dursley. Magical cats. I raise them and sell them in market at Diagon Alley so that the kids who go to Hogwarts can have them. They make excellent familiars and pets. That's how I earn my living."

Petunia blinked. "Aren't they affected by the magic Sir Reginald used yesterday to block off the town from outside access by your people?"

Arabella smiled as she waved her guest into the kitchen. "No, they're not. You have to understand some things about magical wards and how they work." She moved to prepare breakfast tea. "The wards Sir Reginald erected make sure that no one can use any form of magical transportation or communication to penetrate into the town. No apparation, no portkeying and no floo usage. Even owls or other magically-enchanted birds can't be used to deliver the mail. But it doesn't block out all access by wizards. All they would have to do is apparate to the edge of town and walk in. They won't be able to do magic here, but they can still come here if they're determined."

Petunia tensed. "So it's not a perfect shield, right?"

"It can be made so with just a phone call," the older woman assured her. "Sir Reginald told me about the Magical Sheriffs and what they do. And he's constantly monitoring movement by people who have the Dark Mark -- that's You-Know-Who's personal magical tattoo -- anywhere in Surrey. With just a command, he could have them portkeyed right out of the county. Or even kill them if necessary."

Petunia shuddered. "They're like the S.A.S., you mean."

"Somewhat. Personally, I feel quite reassured now that Harry's with his sister and safe in Beckery Hill." Arabella paused as the kettle began to whistle, and then she poured the water into the tea cups. "Sir Reginald told me about the fellow who was Rose's predecessor as Magical Sheriff of Somerset. He sacrificed his life to save Rose's life; did you know that?" On seeing Petunia nod, the older woman smiled as she took the cups over to place them on the kitchen table. "That must have been quite the spell he used, keeping your sister alive long enough for Rose to be born." She then stared at Petunia. "What does she look like, anyway? I never saw her."

"Like Lily at four, but with reading glasses," Petunia answered, and then she squeezed her eyes shut as another arc of guilt flowed through her. "Oh, God!" She then sipped her tea. "Wherever she is, I hope she'll forgive me . . . "

"I'm sure she will," Arabella assured her. "As for her husband, though . . . " A shake of the head. "I heard he was quite the prankster when he was at Hogwarts."

"Agreed." A sigh. "Mrs. Figg . . . "

"Please: Arabella."

"Petunia," the latter offered. "One thing I was wondering, though. Are there any friends of Lily's that might still be alive? It's rather raw, I think, for Harry and Rose to grow up and not know a thing about their parents. There's that elf who made herself look like Lily, but it's not . . . What?! What is it?"

Arabella looked gobsmacked. "You mean it's true?!" she gasped as she stared intently at her guest. "They can make house elves look human?!"

"She felt, sounded and looked as simon-pure human as you are!" Petunia replied. "Even when she changed back to her elf body, she still sounded normal! Why?!" A smirk then crossed her face. "Are you interested in getting one?!"

"Well, if one could live here now, I would. I doubt they would be able to survive with that ward up around town. Still, it does get lonely at times with my husband gone." A tired look crossed her face. "He was killed in the war with You-Know-Who. I've never told people this, but my parents were purebloods and early supporters of You-Know-Who. They were quite ashamed when I never got my Hogwarts letter, but couldn't find it in themselves to kill me. Banishment to the muggle world was good enough for them." A smirk. "They felt that I would just die living among the 'filthy muggles.'" She snorted. "I showed them, though. They wound up dead at the battle of Romney Marsh. Actually, 'Massacre of Romney Marsh' is more accurate."

"What happened?"

Arabella took a few minutes to describe what she knew of that event. Listening to that, Petunia closed her eyes as she imagined a map of the area around Dungeness. The county line between Kent and East Sussex came down by there, didn't it? ". . . so they all died and those muggleborns got to see the end of the war," Arabella finished, and then she perked on seeing her guest's face. "Petunia?" she called out.

The younger woman jolted, and then she sighed. "I'm sorry about that, Arabella. I was just remembering that the Magical Sheriffs are all assigned by county. Dungeness and Romney Marsh are on the border between Kent and East Sussex. I'm wondering if it wasn't one of Sir Reginald's friends who put an end to those murderers."

Arabella hummed, and then she nodded. "Maybe so. Well, thank the Heavens for that." She breathed out, and then sipped her tea. "Before I was thrown out of the house, I believed all that claptrap about blood purity and that rot. But living all these years as a muggle . . . " She grinned. "Excuse me, as a 'normal' . . . " She sobered. "It was rough at the beginning, but I got used to it. Still go to Diagon Alley every once in a while so people can buy my kneazles, so it's not a total loss."

"You seem to be doing well for yourself," Petunia mused as she gazed around the kitchen. Well lit, furnished and clean. A perfect middle-class house, a place Petunia could call home. "Tell me something, Arabella. What will Dumbledore do now?"

A sigh. "Your guess is as good as mine, Petunia. You know, I tried several times to warn Albus about what was going on in your house. I didn't know about the charms that James put on you and your husband, though. No doubt, if someone did come down, they would have discovered it sooner." Another sigh. "Unfortunately, every time I called him, he waved it off. I guess he couldn't begin to imagine something like child abuse." She then looked apologetic as a guilty look flashed across her guest's face. "Oh, I'm sorry about that, Petunia. I didn't mean to . . . "

"Oh, no! Don't apologise," Petunia said. "Lord knows, I deserve it even if it was Lily's idiot husband that started it. How could a person DO that to a helpless child?!" she then demanded before shaking her head. "Still, what will happen now?"

"Again, I can't say. He could try to investigate it. Or he could just simply wave it off and wait for the time Harry gets his Hogwarts letter. The wards around Beckery Hill won't stop a post owl from delivering THAT letter, I think."

"At least he'll be better prepared for it."

A nod. "That he will, Petunia. That he will. And when Rose arrives . . . "

Laughter filled the room, and then both sipped their tea. "Tell me something," Petunia then said. "Does Lily still have friends that survived your fight with Voldemort?" She then winced on seeing the older woman gasp. "Sorry!"

Arabella took a deep breath. "No, I'm sorry about that, Petunia! But PLEASE, don't mention his name! Even now, it scares people . . .!"

"That bad?"

"That bad."

"Sorry," Petunia repeated before sighing. "Well, let's call him by his real name then: Riddle. That shouldn't scare anyone, I think."

Arabella blinked. "Riddle?"

"Tom Riddle. He went to Hogwarts during the Second World War, I think."

Silence.

"My God!"

Petunia perked. "What?!"

"Riddle was a half-blood!"

More silence.

"You mean . . .?" Petunia began before her jaw dropped. "Oh, my . . . "

Arabella nodded. "How ironic."

They relaxed as they continued to drink their tea. After a moment, Petunia then stared at her host. "So is there anyone still alive that Lily knew?"

The squib breeder hummed. "Well, Alice Longbottom's in Saint Mungo's now; far too much Cruciatus exposure. Same thing as her husband. Sirius Black was the man who betrayed your sister and brother-in-law to You-Know-Who. He's in Azkaban; that's the wizards' prison, out in the North Sea. Peter Pettigrew died tracking Black down after James and Lily were killed. The Weasleys -- Molly and Arthur -- are still alive and well; they live down in Devon. But I doubt it'll be a good idea to expose Harry and Rose to them or their family; they're very close to Dumbledore and we have to keep the whole thing about the Magical Sheriffs a secret . . . " She then paused before her eyes widened in shock as it came to her. "Remus Lupin!" she gasped.

Petunia perked, and then she blinked. "Lupin . . .?" she breathed out, and then she nodded. "That's right! Lily said he was one of James' friends!"

Arabella nodded as she stood up. "Then let's make a call!"

* * *

Reevetor Chestershire . . .

The home base for Her Majesty's Magical Shire Reeve of the Loyal County of Cheshire -- the actual location was still addressed by the older name for the county -- was located on a hill overlooking the town of Runcorn, one of the urban sections of the borough of Halton. To the normals, the Reevetor was part of the ruins of Halton Castle, built in the wake of the Normal Conquest and given to one of William the Conqueror's many subordinates, Hugh d'Avranches, the first Earl of Chester. Part of the castle was given to the Rumcofan family, local wizards who became the magical assistants to the Earldom of Chester . . . and the ancestors of the Noble and Most Ancient Magical House of Runcorn, though its members do not use that title, even privately.

Unlike its counterpart on Beckery Hill, the tower housing Napaeae Runcorn's work place was buried underground, the upper section forming parts of the ruins of Halton Castle, which was visited by local archaeologists, though thanks to various spells and charms, they didn't dig too deep into this section of the ruins. The Runcorn family lived in a normal house on the Underway, which ringed the hill around Halton Castle to the north and east. An underground tunnel connected the basement to the Reevetor.

"So you think you have leads now on the smuggling ring?"

Napaeae was seated in the middle of her scrying room, speaking through a magical link to her work office phone in her home. The person at the other end -- while he did know certain truths about his co-worker -- assumed she was in the family residence. "We've got them to rights now, Nappy," David Gerrard, the supervisor of the Force Major Investigation Team of the Cheshire Constabulary -- Napaeae was a member of the part-time Special Constabulary as she couldn't give full time service to her normal friends and still perform her duties as the Magical Sheriff of Cheshire -- replied, the excitement in his voice plain. "We should be able to make the final move on them soon enough. The chief was wondering if you could provide . . . ah, well . . . "

Napaeae grinned. "Special help?"

An embarrassed laugh. "Yes."

"I'll be there when you need me," she promised before a chime echoed around her. "Just a moment, Dave. I've got another call." She waved her wand to put David on hold, and then she tapped to her right to pick up the new communication. "Yes?"

"It's me, Nappy."

She perked. "What is it, Reg?"

"Just got a call from Arabella Figg. Petunia Dursley is wondering if we could find some way of tracking Remus Lupin and getting him over to see young Harry and Rose at Beckery Hill. I say 'Yes.' Given it WAS the full moon last night . . . "

Napaeae hummed. "I'll get right on it. Let me just close off with my friend from the F.M.I.T., Reg. I'll talk to you later."

"Right."

The link with Ripley was cut, and then Napaeae re-opened the link with the Investigation Team's supervisor. "Just a minor thing from one of my friends, Dave," she explained once the link was reopened. "How soon will you move?"

"I'll call ahead of time," David replied.

"Right."

That call was soon ended, and then Napaeae sighed. "Room," she called out before a grin then crossed her face. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good."

The room around her lit up as special runes activated. Soon enough, a voice that sounded very much like the late James Potter then spoke from everywhere around her, "Mister Prongs is very happy to be able to assist you in your dashing career, Miss Cheshire. What sort of magical mischief will we be doing today?"

Napaeae grinned. She had not been part of the Marauders when she had attended Hogwarts with James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew. As a Slytherin, descent of a long magical line and soon to marry into an even older line that had served the Crown for generations, she had been as much of a target of the Marauders' pranks as Severus Snape. Unlike Severus, though, Napaeae Collins gave as good as she got. By her third year, she had formed an "anti-Marauder" team of pranksters with her sister Slytherin Veronica Kelly (known as "Hunter") and two Hufflepuffs (who often found themselves as much targets of the Marauders as Slytherins): Corrine Stuart ("Princess") and Diana Faulkner ("Falcon").

As a group, they were known as the "Icemaidens."

"County map, please, Mister Prongs," she ordered.

"Right away, Miss Cheshire."

Immediately, a holographic projection of the British Isles appeared before her. She then sighed. "Miss Cheshire requests the location of Mister Moony!"

Instantly, the map sparkled before lines of energy formed at the seashore edges of England and moved in to converge somewhere in the Midlands. "Leicestershire . . . " she whispered. "Somewhere close to the border with Staffordshire . . . " She then stood up. "Mischief managed," she ordered before heading out of the room . . .

* * *

To be continued . . .