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The Yankees Nephew and the Philosophers Stone	By : Wilde_Guess Category: Harry Potter > General > General Views: 5806 -:- Recommendations : 5 -:- Currently Reading : 5
Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter Universe I am making no money from this fanfiction

Chapter List
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Chapter 2. Catching Their Breath.

John and Pet decided to have just a bit of a lie in on the morning of the fourteenth. They were laying together in what would pass for the “afterglow” had they just finished making love rather than having done so before showering the night before. When John had Number Four built, he also had American style closets added along with an ensuite bathroom for the master bedroom. While this made the bedrooms of Number Four seem smaller, since they didn’t have to have armoires or wardrobes for their hanging clothes, it evened out. It also ensured that John and Pet wouldn’t be competing with eleven kids or more to take a shower.

Pet remarked, “Sometimes John, it all seems so unreal, and I don’t just mean the magic. You never said why Catherine and you only had two kids. Why?”

John replied, “We were lucky to even have two. For all my training as a Special Forces Medic, I never thought to ask Cathy her blood type until after we lost Sally. Sally Catherine Dvorak was Cathy’s and my third child, and she should have been born within a day or two of David. But Cathy’s blood type was A negative. It didn’t come up with Danny, and we didn’t notice it with Michael. But Cathy developed Rh antibodies, and Cathy’s blood practically cooked Sally. Cathy miscarried in August, and between being premature and having her circulatory system destroyed, Sally barely lived long enough to be baptized. Cathy and I had Sally frozen to be buried with whichever one of us died first. It just happened to be Cathy that Sally got to ‘sleep’ with in Arlington first.

“Cathy had her tubes tied before she left the hospital. I also wanted to get a vasectomy, but she forbade it, which has actually turned out for the best. I see it every time you pick up Dudley that no matter what you’d have told me, that you would have been miserable if we had married with me not able to make you conceive children from your own body.”

After a short pause, Pet replied, “True enough.”

After pausing again, Pet asked, “Why are you playing ‘matchmaker’ between the girls and the older boys?”

John chuckled before replying, “That started out as Cathy’s idea, along with Delilah’s and Debbie’s birth mother. While Cathy and I were expecting Michael, we lived with the family of Sandra Johnson’s new husband; the Ptaks. Delilah and Debbie are full sisters to each other. Delilah, despite being born in Chicago to a young American woman, was raised in a Czech household in Cicero, mostly by her Czech grandmother. So, her first language has always been Czech. Marek and Adela Ptak, Delilah’s and Debbie’s paternal grandparents together helped Cathy in a very rough spot in our relationship. In fact, if they hadn’t helped us, Cathy and I would never have married. So, I remained friends with them until they both passed, and I learned Czech to honor Adela.

“Delilah was always smart, and at two she was very precocious. But the only relationship Delilah had seen between boys and girls of the same age was “manžel and manželka,” or “husband and wife.” So, Delilah’s always called Danny “Manžel.” Once they both got old enough to know what the words actually meant, Danny was ‘too used’ to being called that, and he actually started calling her “Manželka” sometimes in return. While Debbie can also speak Czech, she was actually raised more by her birth mother than her paternal grandmother; so she’s always spoken English. Despite how smart she is, Delilah almost repeated kindergarten, because her English was that bad; she could read English just as well as she spoke it, which was poorly. She could read Czech just fine from when she was three. She still has a bit of a Czech accent if she’s tired or angry.

“I don’t know what was going through Sandra Johnson Ptak’s mind before she went nuts, murdered her husband, and killed herself. But Cathy insisted that we take guardianship of the girls. Marek had already died, Adela was in failing health, and the aunts and uncles were soulless human parasites. I had already decided to go along with Cathy’s wishes before Adela asked me the same thing. So, we took the girls in. When Adela herself died, she left everything to Delilah. Yet we only took guardianship instead of outright adopting the girls, ‘just in case’ they and the boys decided that they wanted to get married. So, I haven’t pushed them together or forced them apart. And if they start going that route, like we both see that they already have, then we won’t let them do anything more with each other than “PG-13” kisses and hugs. For that matter, we won’t let any of the kids do more than that with anyone, at least not while they’re minor children under our care. If they sneak behind us and get in trouble, they’re keeping the kid they make, and we’re keeping the kid they make. I’ve already told you about the messed up childhood I had. My kids won’t have to live like that, and my grandkids won’t have to live like that, either.

“And as for David, Saria, Tim, and Pixie, all of them were already dancing around the innocent childhood edges of dating before I became a parent or guardian to them. So, I won’t force them together or apart either, and so on. Aaron, Paul, Dudley, and Harry, along with whomever is inside you right now and the rest will have to date the ‘old fashioned’ way. And our daughters are not dating our sons, or vice versa.”

They both laughed right before Dudley, Harry, and Neville announced that they were awake, wet, soiled, and hungry.

§§§

It was Friday, the fourth of December 1981. While the school-age kids (except for David who had strep throat) were at the American School in London where they attended classes, John had taken the day off of work to meet with Remus Lupin. Lupin would linger on until the rest of the children got home to visit with them for a while, but he was at Number Four more to visit Harry and conduct business with John.

John conveyed Remus into the lounge after the Englishman had changed his shoes for house slippers in the genkan. Petunia brought the tea service (all stainless steel) in, and they served themselves.

John asked, “How are the repairs in Godric’s Hollow coming along? And did they get the ‘monthly’ cellar fixed up?”

After a momentary stutter, Remus answered, “The repairs are all complete, including Floo, telephone, gas, and electric; since they’re all in your name you should be receiving the bills in the Muggle Post, even for the Floo. The Floo Authority sends bills to Squibs via Muggle Post to avoid crowding them out with extra Owl Post. The Floo Name is ‘Dvorak Hollow,’ and the phone number is…”

After Remus gave John the telephone number, the American replied, “Remus, I know that you’re uneasy accepting use of the house from Harry. That uneasiness is part of what makes you a decent person. But I’ll only expect rent from you when you’re actually working outside of what I’m having you do for Harry and my family, and part of my pay to you is use of that house. If the need arises, I’ll post the rent into Harry’s trust accounts, though I honestly don’t see that happening. James and Lily never charged you to stay over, and I don’t think they’d like it if Harry did.”

After a pregnant pause, Remus replied, “‘Thank you’ is truly all I can say to that, John. I’d already do anything I can or could to help you because of Harry.” Changing subjects, Remus asked, “Did you get all the stuff I had sent over for you?”

John stated easily, “That I did. James and Lily’s schoolbooks will help Harry and Dudley out a lot as they get ready for Hogwarts in a few years’ time. I also appreciate your getting James and Lily’s wands without attracting any notice. While I won’t let Harry have them before he’s an adult, and he’ll get his own new wand when he goes to Hogwarts, he will appreciate them as keepsakes. Most of the clothes were already outgrown, but clothes are inexpensive enough. Dudley is built like a Dvorak, and Harry is built like a Potter, so they’ll probably never share clothes beyond right now. As for the toys… See that hole in the wall? Can you fix it? And the matching one in the hallway?”

Remus looked to where John was pointing. There was an oval shaped hole in the wall about half-way up, that would perfectly match the handle of a Comet Tyke child’s broom, such as the one of Harry’s Remus had delivered and the two extra ones John had Remus buy for Dudley and Neville. Two reparo charm later, and the holes were completely gone.

While Remus sat back down, Petunia informed him, “That’s why Harry, Dudley, and Neville weren’t down here to meet you, though Neville was behaving himself and decided to take his nap early because he was lonely. And it was Dudley who speared my wall, not Harry. Both boys are magically powerful enough to easily override the height charm that much or more. Harry is reckless on his broom, and Dudley tries to keep up. Dudley usually manages, but Harry is the better flyer, and goaded Dudley into a horizontal wonky-feint or some such; whatever Lily said James called it. I heard a thump/crunch while I was in the kitchen making lunch, and came into the lounge to find Neville sniffling on the floor with Paul holding him, while they looked up at Harry trying to tow Dudley and his broom out of my wall. They’re still too young to send to bed without supper, but their lunch wasn’t happy and treat-filled, and they went up for their nap right after. Neville refused his treat in solidarity with Dudley and Harry, even having done nothing wrong himself, and even Paul refused his treat to stick up for Neville.

“But anyway, that’s why I had you cast unbreakable charms on all the windows in the house, even with the ‘toy’ brooms supposedly only being able to go up only two feet high. And though I haven’t caught them yet, I’m sure the boys are riding the brooms up and down the stairs, too. Or, at least they were.

“They’re not getting the brooms back here, ever. If we can find a place in the country we can take them to play outside where they won’t be seen by non-Magicals, they can have them back then, and only for those areas. They need to be boys and roughhouse sometimes. They don’t need to destroy our home.”

Remus shifted nervously before he announced, “That was partially what I needed to talk to you about. After Herbert and Augusta finish recovering and Neville goes home, there is their estate, though that’s their call to make, not Professor Dumbledore’s. But he did suggest that you might want to meet and get to know the Weasley family.”

John asked, “Don’t they live in Devon, though? I don’t fancy myself or my kids being side-along Apparated every which way, and I’m not putting a Floo in my house to allow some Magical ne’er-do-well to bypass the wards and break into my home.”

Remus informed John, “That’s actually the other part of what Professor Dumbledore asked me to pass on to you. Have you noticed that Number Seven directly across the street has just sold?”

John groused, “I wish it had been Number Eight. But what’s special about Number Seven?”

Remus replied, “Albus got a Squib from the order to buy Number Seven and move in. She’s an older widow woman, Arabella Figg. She’s a Kneazle breeder, but she’s not a pig like your visitor with her dogs at Number Eight. She’s also good enough with kids and can babysit for you if and when you need her to. She’ll have a Floo as well as a telephone, and she should be moved in by the end of next week. She’s not rich, but she’s well off enough that she paid cash for Number Seven without having to wait for her old home to close first.”

Petunia volunteered, “John and I, and the kids for that matter, will have to meet her first. But if we get along, then that’s really good news. When Harry and Dudley get older, they’ll even be able to visit you when you’re willing to have them, keeping clear of your ‘special days’ of course. And I know you’re safe during the daytime every day, but Lily told me that you were always completely knackered the day after even with company, and you sadly don’t have company anymore.”

The sound of almost silent bare feet interrupted them as David padded into the lounge in his pyjamas and served himself a cup of tea. After taking a drink and sitting on the chair furthest from everyone else, he very quietly said, “Hi, Uncle Remus. Can you get something to treat strep throat in magical toddlers? I woke up under a pile of them plus an almost five year old who only gets cuddly when he’s getting sick right before Dad let you in, and I think they’d all been there for a while.

“The doctor at the Embassy has me on antibiotics already, and they’re working. But the little ones will be just miserable if they have to take antibiotics and wait it out. And Paul, they only have tea made. But Mom has some honey on the plate along with some cookies, so come in and I’ll make you a cup.”

The second almost silent pyjama clad boy entered the room and took the half-filled cup and shortbread biscuit from his older brother before climbing up carefully on John’s lap. After John gave the boy his tea and biscuit back, he said, “Hi, Uncle Remus. Can you get me a ‘big boy’ broom? I tried sitting on Dudley’s, but it wanted to break, so I got off of it really fast before it did. And I promise not to spear the wall like Dudley did… Mommy, where’s the hole?”

Petunia replied, “Your Uncle Remus fixed it for us, Paul. And even if Remus is an honorary uncle, it’s rude to ask him for big stuff like that outside of birthdays and Christmas. Apologize to Uncle Remus for real, and your Daddy and I will think about getting you a big boy broom sooner than your birthday. But you won’t be flying it in the house. You’ll only fly it somewhere outside in the country where we can keep people who can’t fly brooms from getting jealous and getting their feelings hurt. Okay?”

“Yes, Mommy, and I’m sorry for real ‘bout asking you for something too big without asking Mommy and Daddy first, Uncle Remus.”

Remus told the four year old, “I accept your apology, Paul.” He told the adults, “I’ll have to ask about the help…”

He took out his wand and silently cast a spell, causing a silver flash to go the northwest corner of the house before leaving. A few moments later, a silvery owl appeared in the lounge and spoke.

“I was with the Headmaster when your Adfero came in, Remus. For the little ones, I’ll pop by and deliver some Pepper-Up. But that only works reliably for wizards and witches. For squibs it depends on how much magic they actually have, and for Muggles it’s a waste of time, so they need to see NHS for antibiotics. And if they’re in the house and don’t have it yet, they will. Your particular circumstances make you immune, and really powerful wizards are also normally immune. I’ll be by there in about ten minutes, reply only if they don’t want me coming by.”

John remarked while comforting Paul, “I suppose that Arabella’s Floo will come in handy next week. How does the Floo work with Hogwarts?”

Remus told John, “The Floo needs Floo Powder as well as a connected fireplace. If the fireplace or fire you put Floo Powder in isn’t connected, the fire burns purple and gets hotter instead of turning green and cooling to warm bathwater. Likewise, without having Floo Powder on the calling end, it’s just a fireplace.

“All the fireplaces at Hogwarts can be used for the Floo. But Floo Powder is actually contraband for the students. And to receive a Floo call or Floo travel, your fireplace needs to be named. Some Floos also have passwords set by the owner of the place where the Floo fireplace is located. There is no Floo just called “Hogwarts.” The Headmaster’s Office and the Infirmary are publicly named, but the Headmaster has to give you the password to use them for travel. Likewise, the fireplaces in the dorms and elsewhere either don’t have names or the names are only known by the staff. That way, if a professor actually needs to use a Floo to go from one end of the castle to the other, they can, and they can also use their office Floos for calls or travel.

“All Hogwarts Floo activity is also logged automatically, and the Headmaster and Deputy review those logs regularly. So, on the very remote chance a student manages to make unauthorized use of the Floo, they’ll be caught, and more than likely caught in the act.

“Muggles can travel by Floo if a wizard or Squib holds on to them. But it’s not pleasant for them, and they can’t place calls.”

John replied, “So, some of the people who live here could use the Floo if I had one put in, but everyone would be threatened by it. James did tell me that even with the Fidelius charm on the house, that he had the Floo disconnected and blocked first, and that some of Voldemort’s supporters were able to breach the Floo at least a couple of times during the war. I don’t see anyone bothering Arabella Figg, and it’s her house. I still can’t quite see putting a Floo in mine. The best I would even think of would be to build a fully enclosed barbecue fireplace in my back garden, and use that. But I would only check it from time to time, so it would mostly be for outgoing calls. I think we’ll get to know Mrs. Figg first and go from there.”

The Doorbell rang, and Petunia went to see who it was. Almost a minute later, Pet led in a upper middle-age woman of average height and build with slightly graying brown hair dressed similar to a Victorian Era Muggle nurse.

The woman introduced, “I’m Madam Poppy Pomfrey; the Hogwarts Healer and a Paediatric Healer. I’ll leave a stock of Pepper-Up Potion before I leave, but I’ll want to examine all three boys first. If you’re a ‘high-Squib’ the Pepper-Up will also work well, but if your Muggle Healer has you on antibiotics, take them as directed until they run out. If you’re a Squib, it will relieve symptoms, but it will be the Muggle antibiotics that actually cure you. If you’re a low Squib or Muggle, don’t bother.”

David raised his hand and told Madam Pomfrey, “I’m a high-Squib according to the MaCUSA section at the Embassy, and so’s Paul. What’s the dose for us?”

Madam Pomfrey replied, “Open your mouth and let me see.”

David did so, and Madam Pomfrey took a quick look. She asked, “What’s your name?”

“David Dvorak.”

“Okay, David; the small cupful I give you should fix you up. Your mother will have you take another one before you go to bed tonight, and you will take the antibiotics your Muggle Healer gave you according to directions until they run out.”

Madam Pomfrey gave David a small paper cup full, which was about one ounce. David accepted and drank the potion. While making a face at the unpleasant taste, a moderate amount of steam shot out of both of David’s ears, startling both John and Pet, and impressing Remus.

Madam Pomfrey remarked, “In the Wizarding world, we go opposite of the Muggles for oral medications for children. Muggles make the medicines taste pleasant when they can to make it easier for the children to take their medications. We magicals make the healing potions just as unpleasant as for the adults. Part of the reason is that the potions can’t be sweetened or modified without losing some or all of their effectiveness. The other part is that it’s easier to fight a sick child than to cure a potion overdose in a young child.

Madam Pomfrey examined Paul, and gave him a cup of the same size she gave David while Paul remained in John’s lap. He also made a face at the taste, followed by giggling as the steam shout out of his ears too.

He told the room, “The magic medicine tasted yucky, but I feel great now! And the steam tickled.” He still cuddled with his dad, though.

“Did anyone give a number when David was tested?” the healer asked.

John opined, “I have the numbers, Madam. I know what they mean, my wife knows what they mean, and my older-than-toddler children know what they mean. The children with eyes like mine are high Squib, my wife is low Squib, the other older-than-toddler children are Muggle as you lot call them, and all three toddlers are fairly strong wizards at least. That is all you need to know.” David nodded at John, who smiled just as the telephone rang.

Petunia answered the phone, talked for a moment, and hung up. She announced, “Just as you thought might happen John; that was the school. They sent the rest of the kids to the Embassy with strep throat. The duty physician gave them all antibiotics and the Embassy Staff got them onto the train at Vauxhaul. They should be arriving here in half an hour or so.”

Remus offered, “I drove that FX-4 you had fixed up for me instead of Apparating. I can help pick the kids up from the station?”

Pet replied, “That sounds great. John, if you can take your FX-4 too? The little ones have just snuck downstairs, and while she’s here I can have Madam Pomfrey check them over while we wait for you to get back with the rest of the kids.”

John and Remus left for the Ashford train stations in the FX-4 London Taxis that John bought because his youngest four non-toddlers refused to even go near a passenger van after how they’d lost their previous set of parents. Since the cars both had manual transmissions, Pet couldn’t drive either one legally yet, since the UK only issues restricted driving licenses if you don’t take your driving test in a car with a manual transmission. Though Pet was learning now, she’d gotten her license in a Grenada with an automatic. Lily had learned to drive in the Ford Capri five speed “X-Pack” V6 James bought her as a wedding present, which Pet was now using to learn to drive with a manual transmission. Remus had bought an old Morris Minor that barely passed its MOT to get his driving license. Since John owned both FX-4s, they had diplomatic registration plates, as did his other cars.

Over the next several hours, kids were retrieved, checked, and if worthwhile dosed with Pepper-Up. John took a dose of Pepper-Up as a precaution after Madam Pomfrey had left, and Petunia helped him prepare supper for a houseful of quasi-invalids and one immune houseguest. John gave Remus permission to leave his car overnight, allowing the werewolf to Apparate back to Godric’s Hollow after supper and pick the car up the next morning.

Once Remus left, John had everyone gather in the lounge except for Paul and the toddlers. While they were better from their slight-onset strep throat, they were all still tired enough to sleep through the night once they were read to and put to bed.

He told everyone gathered, “Earlier today, while she was helping David, Paul, and the little ones, Madam Pomfrey asked about our magical indexes. I haven’t told you all the details of yet. I refused to tell her. You need to do the same unless and until I tell you otherwise, once I tell you what they are. No one outside of this house needs to know them. But all of you do need to know. You also need to know that these magical indexes, unlike the ‘degree of Squibness’ I’ve told you to say, are a Family Secret, and they’re just about as deadly as those come.

“Delilah, Debbie, Saria, and Tim; you don’t have magic. But you’ve got the rest of us, and we’ve got your backs. Pet, like I’ve already told you, your magical index is a 0.6, which is actually a ‘regular’ Squib. You could easily work at Hogwarts in a non-teaching position or as the Magical History Professor, you can see Ghosts, Thestrals, Dementors, and so on, and many ‘magical only’ healing potions will actually work on you, though to only a limited degree. The Pepper-Up I had you take after Remus left should keep you from getting strep throat at all, or at the least slow it way down and make it less severe.

“If you have silver eyes, you are in fact blood Floyds, whatever name you were born with. I’ll explain more details about that in a minute. But the first thing it means is that you will not take any more of the antibiotics the Embassy sent home with you; you don’t need them at all. The main Embassy staff do not know your true magical index, and you will not tell them. Only the two MaCUSA Liaisons who tested you knew. Since they owed me, and still owe me far more than I asked, they managed to Obliviate each other of the knowledge of our scores, so they don’t know anymore, either. Each of them tested all of you separately so that before I took that step I knew that they were not making individual mistakes.

“The Floyd Family was originally a branch of the O’Connells, who were a very powerful Irish Magical family centuries ago. Our particular branch of the O’Connells began when a number of young O’Connell women married several powerful Spanish Wizarding Navigators after the Spanish Navy and Army were repulsed by Queen Elizabeth the First of England in 1588. This grouping eventually emigrated to the new colony of Maryland in 1639, taking the Welsh family name of ‘Floyd’ rather than keeping their Irish names or taking a loathed English name.

“The Floyd Family were always whiskey distillers, and were lawful ones when it suited them. Some were magically powerful, while others were actual Squibs, but magic was never important to the family. We didn’t use magic to make whiskey, and we sold to anyone thirsty with coin, magical or not.

“This changed first in 1777 and again in 1790. In 1777, the Magical Congress of the United States of America, which was not a part of the United States then, debated joining in the Revolution and if so on which side. Relations between magical and non-magical people in the land now known as the United States were always poor at best; and the Salem Witch Trials are just the best-known example of this.

“‘The Country or Kind Debate,’ as it’s called, was where the MaCUSA debated whether to join the Revolutionary War, and if so whether on the side of the Second Continental Congress or the British. Many of the pro-interventionists argued that MaCUSA could save lives by intervening. A few pro-interventionists argued that the British should be kept in power, believing that Britain would be a better government than the local ones to rule the No-Maj peoples and keep them out of the way of and prevent them from oppressing magic peoples. With the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy mandating a world-wide separation of some form between magical and non-magical peoples, and prevention of No-Maj peoples from learning of magical ones, this was even more important.

“Many believed that MaCUSA should remain neutral and uninvolved in the Revolutionary War, because the war was only being fought over oppressive government by No-Maj peoples against other No-Maj peoples. Then, there was the Floyd Family.

“The Floyds believed in direct intervention on behalf of the Second Continental Congress against the British, with the use of magic being kept secret from all save the highest levels of the Second Continental Congress and the Continental Army. We believed that by such intervention we would have a single, fully free, and fully accountable government over all Americans, while maintaining what secrecy needed to be maintained according to international law. Furthermore, then Family Head Francisco Javier Floyd was also one of Washington’s generals, a Floyd sat in the Second Continental Congress, and many Floyds and Floyd retainers were in the Continental Army holding every rank there was to hold below Washington himself.

“Did the Floyds use magic in the American Revolution? Who knows? If they didn’t, they still fought well for their nation in its time of greatest need. If they did, then they kept their magic use secret, just as the International Statute of Secrecy demanded.

“But back in 1777, MaCUSA ended up sending a letter to the British Ministry of Magic, asking if they were intervening on the side of the British. The British Ministry’s reply to MaCUSA consisted of only four words: ‘Sitting this one out.’ MaCUSA’s reply to the British was only three: ‘Mind you do.’ MaCUSA was officially neutral. Beyond the Floyds, MaCUSA unofficially intervened on a humanitarian basis, reducing casualties and suffering on both sides. The Floyds, of course, continued to fight for the Second Continental Congress, accomplishing as much as they dared, with whatever talents and skills came to hand.

“Francisco Floyd challenged MaCUSA President Elizabeth MacGilliguddy to a duel. In the duel, MacGilliguddy was severely disfigured, but rescued from death by her Aurors. MaCUSA, in turn, expelled the Floyd Family from MaCUSA for the duel and for going to war on behalf of the Second Continental Congress. They also barred any Floyd from admission to Ilvermorny, the major American Wizarding School. Very few Floyds attended either Ilvermorny or Hogwarts anyway, so it was an almost clean break.

“This brings us to 1790. The Floyd Family was living under the authority of the Federal and State Governments governed under the United States Constitution of 1787. MaCUSA was still fully independent, as it remained until 1965. MaCUSA President Emily Rappaport, the fifteenth person to hold that office, had a serious incident. A closeted Witch Hunter seduced the daughter of Rappaport’s equivalent of the Treasury Secretary. This agitator, Bartholomew Barebone, printed many pamphlets exposing MaCUSA locations, exposing actual wizards and witches as wizards and witches, and he even stole the poor seduced witch’s magic wand as a piece of “evidence.” His activities even forced MaCUSA to move its capital.

“In his zeal, Barebone mistakenly attacked a building with no magicals inside but a number of locally influential No-Maj American Citizens. Barebone and his entire mob, or at least those that survived capture, were summarily hanged on the spot, and kept suspended for at least a week until their bodies started to rot off of the ropes. From what I remember reading, the sheriff of that county was a Floyd retainer who was sending all sorts of messages to those who would heed them.

“MaCUSA was humiliated that this happened, even with the ‘No-Maj’ solving their problem with Barebone himself for them permanently. They were even more humiliated by the International Confederation of Wizards Censuring them, and were humiliated further yet when President Rappaport was forced to admit that she would never be able to certify to the ICW that every No-Maj who found out about magic from this incident had been Obliviated, or had their memories of magic removed from their minds.

“In reaction to this, President Rappaport had MaCUSA pass and enact Rappaport’s Law, mandating a near-total separation of the magical and non-magical peoples, allowing only the absolute minimum interactions between magical and non-magical people to enable the survival of magical people. Marriages and friendships between magical and non-magical people were forbidden, any trade that was even slightly suspect was outlawed, and the penalty for almost all of this was death.

“MaCUSA had confiscated roughly 10,000 Dragots, or the equivalent of $15,000 US then, from the Floyd Family in the 1770s. This is equal to no less than $500,000, or 400,000 Pounds Sterling today. They decided to add insult to injury by demanding that the Floyd Family submit to MaCUSA Control and imprisonment, since the Floyds were both magical and not, and that the magical Floyds be punished and the non-magical Floyds be Obliviated of every knowledge of the Family. The Floyd response was only two words: ’Bring it.’

“This led directly to the Floyd Family War of 1791. In that conflict, the Floyds lost three family members. MaCUSA sent their entire Auror force into the hills of Western Maryland to capture the Floyds. Only one returned, and he was maimed to the point that he would never take to the field again. Tattooed to his grievously wounded body was a simple message: ‘Pay us back the 10,000 Dragots you stole from us with use. Leave us and ours alone from now to perpetuity. Do this and live.’

“As unwilling as they otherwise were to comply, they had no way to muster every magical person in the area MaCUSA governed at the time, they had effectively lost their entire force for subduing rebels, and they didn’t even have any idea how big the Floyd Family was. In that day, we made our own wands at need and taught our magical family members what they needed or wanted to know without sending them to Massachusetts, or Scotland, or anywhere. Our non-magical family members knew how to fight magic users and win, and our magic users could use magic or not as they saw fit to win the fight. MaCUSA sent 20,000 Dragots in an acceptable combination of genuine United States Currency, British Pounds, and gold. After that, we were truly separated from MaCUSA for the next one hundred seventy-four years.

“After Rappaport’s Law was repealed in 1965, and MaCUSA and the United States signed the Treaty of Parallel Free Unity, the Floyd Family was no longer exiled or barred admission to Ilvermorny, and the Bill of Rights was the law of all the land and all those who lawfully dwelled within it. However, the Floyd Family does have one unique benefit from this state of affairs. Magical members of the Floyd Family may participate in magical affairs, however we may not be forced to do so.

“My biological father, Hernando DeSoto Floyd, told your Uncle Rick and me all of this and more in 1959. Of course both Rick and I thought that he was completely full of shit. Since neither Rick nor I had any interest in remaining in the family business, he never bothered trying to prove what he told us. I never had the Floyd family name, and Rick and I were creating the legal persona of Richard Christopher Dvorak for him to assume so he could escape the family name. Rick had entered the most violent part of the family business at a young age, and he wanted out. For my part, I certainly didn’t want in, though thanks to Harley Floyd, I’d already earned my ‘Family Name’ of ‘The Dragon.’ So, seeing our disbelief, as well as our determination to leave or stay out of the family business, he helped Rick and me complete building Rick Dvorak. We entered the Army in 1962; with Rick flying Army helicopters, and me serving in the United States Army Special Forces. Rick’s asthma finally got so bad in 1966 that the Army had no choice but to medically retire him. I got wounded and sent home to be medically retired later that year.

“But what does that have to do with us right now? Simple, you are not Muggle, or No-Maj, or even Squibs. A magical index of 1.0 defines an actual witch or wizard according to international law, since with a magical index of 1.0 or greater you have a near certainty of being accepted by a magic wand. The “hedge academies” throughout the world seldom test the magical indices of their students as such. Their “standard” instruction is more or less taught to the same standard as Hogwarts or Ilvermorny, just with less prestige. Their remedial programs only require you to be able to successfully use a wand. In some rare cases, magical people have been chosen by wands with a magical index of 0.7, which is high Squib.

To be recognized as an adult wizard or witch by International Law, whatever your magic level, you only need a score of “Acceptable” or better on an internationally accepted Ordinary Wizarding Level exam in Transfiguration or Charms or Potions. If you pass the written exams for these subjects and cast any successful magic at all on your practical exams, or brew even one acceptable potion, you will fulfill this requirement.

“To be admitted to Ilvermorny, you need to live in the areas of North America governed by MaCUSA and have a magical index of 1.3. To be invited to Hogwarts as a “Muggleborn,” you need a magical index of 1.5, and if you’re the child or grandchild of a former Hogwarts student who passed at least one OWL, you need a magical index of 1.25. This index is actually a rather complex ratio, and grows slowly with age even while the magical capacity it measures grows exponentially with age. While actual ‘average’ indices aren’t entirely reliable, the estimated magical index of students of Hogwarts, Ilvermorny, or any other major magical school is 1.8.

“Petunia has a 0.6. Harry has a 4.1, Dudley has a 3.8, and Neville has a 3.9. The boys all have very high measurements. Providing they aren’t injured or maimed before entering school, they have the potential, but only the potential to be very powerful wizards. The magic index, like the Intelligence Quotient for academic learning, only measures capacity and potential to learn. If you choose to not practice magic, or choose to not learn in general, then you won’t.

“Paul has a 3.1, Aaron has a 3.1, David has a 3.8, Pixie has a 3.2, Michael has a 3.7, Danny has a 3.4, and I have a 3.5. One other thing Hernando Floyd told Rick and me was that Floyds seldom have bouts of accidental magic prior to their teens, if they have them at all, unless they are exposed to a heavy magical environment at a young age, but that if we have magic, we have it even without flashy and difficult to explain happenings. While all of you can use electronic devices, none of you have been able to wear a watch that was non-mechanical and have it last for more than a month. Out of you boys, only Tim could get a digital watch to last. Likewise, the only watch that’s held up for Pixie was the mechanical watch her mother gave her.

“And what all that means is this: Since you have to have already turned eleven years old prior to admission to either Hogwarts or Ilvermorny, David can enroll in either magic school on time. The rest of you can enroll in Ilvermorny as ‘late-enrollees,’ or enroll at Hogwarts as first-years with the option of testing out of years early if your academic performance allows for it. Hogwarts and the UK Ministry of Magic can not force you to take your OWL Exams before your fifteenth birthday or you’ve attended five academic years of formal education, whichever comes last. Likewise, they cannot force you to take a NEWT Exam until you’ve passed the underlying OWL and had two years of formal education at the NEWT level. The problem with this, if you choose to do it, is that these schools are full-time boarding schools that only teach magical subjects. Unless you change your dreams to ones that keep you in the Wizarding world, your useful education would be limited to summer school for up to seven years.

“Another option is to take one OWL exam in one of the three accepted areas as a minimum requirement as quickly as you can manage, and be done with it. The reason you might want to do this is that underage wanded magic use by those not living behind Wizarding wards is heavily regulated to the point that the Ministry of Magic here concentrates on underaged magic use over more serious criminal magic use. The disadvantage here is that the UK Ministry of Magic ignores international law and restricts all magic cast by those under the age of seventeen, even if they’ve passed all the NEWTS the UK offers.

“A third option would be for me to have your Uncle Frank quietly send us one of the Family Wand Crafters to make you a wand to use. This wand would have no Trace on it, and if used carefully and judiciously, would pass under the radar. But if you should get caught doing so here, the penalties would be more severe than those in the United States, since MaCUSA is far more concerned with actual avoidable and deliberate violation of the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy than they are some kid trying to practice magic discretely at their home, or defending themselves from criminal attack.

“I would actually recommend a combination of the second and third options. Harry will need us to help him out once he’s of Hogwarts age. While the terrorist Voldemort has been defeated, for now, many of his minions are buying their way out of criminal responsibility for their actions in the last war. Headmaster Dumbledore has also told me that he believes Voldemort is still alive somehow, and that his lieutenants might be able to bring him back to full health and power. This will not happen right away. Professor Dumbledore believes that the earliest that Voldemort could possibly be brought back would be ten years. If they chose to do so, David and Aaron could with ordinary effort both be finished with their magical schooling.”

David said, “Dad, if attending a magic school is the only way I can help Harry and Dudley, I’ll do it. But the other ways you’ve described would be far better for us, and certainly for me, if they can be made to get the job done, whatever that job is. If we can get the skills we need to help Harry in what you’re making sound like a possible return to the Terrorist War that’s barely ended, do we really need to ingratiate ourselves full-time into a culture that won’t respect us when we can just visit Harry and Dudley, enjoy a small dose of it, and go home? For that matter, what if Harry decides to tell the magicals to ‘shove-it’? Won’t he need us to help him find and achieve what he wants from life?”

John replied, “I don’t need any answers from any of you right now. I do need all of you to think about what you think the answer should be. And I also need you to know that there are people who will try to cause us trouble if they find out our actual magic indices. While I can solve problems, it’s far better not to have problems in the first place.”

All of John’s older children, born and adopted, went to their beds with much to think about.

§§§

It was late in the morning of Sunday, the twentieth of December, and the Dvorak Family was visiting Arabella Figg. They welcomed her to the neighborhood the day she arrived and found her a pleasant elderly woman, even if her appreciation for her Kneazles and Kneazle-housecat crosses was somewhat intense. She was also knowledgeable in a lot of things. One of the first things she mentioned was Floo travel.

“Yes, John, your Muggle children can travel by Floo, but they won’t like it. While side-along Apparation is uncomfortable, Floo travel without any magic of your own is much worse. Even I stay home on my bad days as a Squib.”

So, Remus Lupin had Flooed ahead to the Weasleys, and Apparated back. Next, Arthur and Molly Weasley Flooed over to Arabella’s house. They were both in their early thirties, freckled, and had red hair. Arthur’s hair was hinting at receding, and he was of average build and weight for a man who stood six foot and one inch tall. Molly was five foot five, and slightly heavy-set, but that was mostly from the residual “baby-weight” of having given birth to seven living kids in only eleven years.

Molly spoke first, saying while extending her hand, “Molly Weasley, Mr. Dvorak? Remus, Arthur, and I will need to side-along Apparate three times. You really don’t want to take a toddler through the Floo if you have any other option available, and Paul is still just a little too young as well. Why don’t I take one of your older kids over, and then Arthur can start helping people Floo over to me on this end?”

John replied, “That should work. I also have a canister of Floo powder to send over to you. If we really start getting along well, I’m sure our kids will want to Floo back and forth sometimes without imposing too much on Arabella’s hospitality or burning through the Floo powder you need to use otherwise.

While Arthur and Molly started to stammer, John added, “I wasn’t always wealthy, so I know what it’s like to stretch a Galleon. Like I’ve already said, this really isn’t charity, because our kids will probably burn through it in no time flat.”

Molly and Arthur looked at each other before Molly replied, “I guess that will work. Who should I take first?”

Molly ended up taking Delilah, while Remus took Debbie. As they Apparated away, David asked, “May I go first, Dad?”

John replied, “You may go first, then Aaron, Pixie, Michael, and Danny” just as Remus Apparated back.

When Arabella’s fire turned green and Molly announced, “We’re ready, Arthur, start sending them over;” Remus guided David by the shoulders towards the fire.

He told David, “Now, take a handful of the powder. After you throw the powder in the fire and the fire flares green again, clearly say ‘The Burrow,’ and step into the fire. The fire will feel pleasantly warm, not even hot. You will see a lot of other Floos pass by, but you will end up coming out at the fireplace in the Weasley’s lounge.”

David nodded nervously, but he followed Remus’s instructions exactly. After spinning through the Floo and seeing quite a few other Floos, he felt himself start to fall and stepped forward instinctively to make a perfect landing. Molly guided him away from the fireplace gently but quickly by the shoulders and told him, “That was a great landing for your first time using the Floo. Some people tumble out of it like a ten-pin ball even after using it for years.”

Molly finished brushing the soot off of David just as Aaron came barreling through like the ten-pin ball Molly had just mentioned. The rest of the kids Flooing through did somewhere between David and Aaron. Pet staggered out looking more than a little bit ill, not helped by being seven month pregnant and starting to show. John stepped out last as if he was just walking through a smaller than average doorway. With the last cracks from the back of the house announcing the last Apparations, all sixteen members of the Dvorak Party were on hand at the Burrow.

Looking around, David found a boy who appeared to be about his age. He introduced himself to the boy saying, “Hi, I’m David Dvorak” while extending his hand.

The boy shook his hand and answered, “I’m Bill Weasley. Who’s your shadow? He looks to be my younger brother Charlie’s age.”

Aaron extended his hand and replied, “Aaron Dvorak. I was born October twentieth of 1973, and David’s exactly three years older than me.”

Bill laughed heartily and replied, “Small world, I guess. Charlie’s only two years younger than me. I was born November twenty-ninth of ’70, and Charlie was born December 20th of ’72. You guys just made it for his birthday party later today, by the way. So, looking forward to Hogwarts next year?”

David replied, “I might be able to go, but I might also have to go to Ilvermorny since I’m an American, or they might not send me at all. It’s complicated, ‘cause my first Dad left me a non-magical Helicopter Transportation Company, and I’m supposed to run it when I’m older, and we’re not even sure I have enough magic to get into Hogwarts. Maybe you can show me how to ride a broom, though? I know I have enough magic for that, but since we live in a Muggle town, I can’t fly at home.” David managed to stave off a ‘school crisis’ and get back to making a new friend.

Charlie walked up to Aaron and introduced while holding out his hand, “Hi Aaron, I’m Charlie. We don’t need to fuss ‘bout school, since I won’t start ‘til the year after next, and you won’t have to figure it out ‘til the year after that.”

Aaron shook Charlie’s hand and replied, “Happy tenth birthday, Charlie. I’m not as wild as David but let’s give it a go. My toddler brothers and our guest speared the wall of our lounge with a toy broom four feet up where they’re only s’posed to go two. So, gotta do it, right?” The two boys laughed as they joined their older brothers out in the large back garden.

Remus and Petunia were out helping Harry, Dudley, and Neville fly their toy brooms in the Weasley’s expansive back garden, while Remus also taught Paul to ride his early-Christmas Present, a Comet Junior. After a few minutes, a redheaded toddler toddled out and asked, “May I?”

Before Petunia, Remus, or Molly could say anything, Neville landed his broom and told the toddler, “Boom fwy. Neview tired.”

Non-plussed, Remus helped the little redheaded boy onto the toy broom and taught him how to fly it. While Neville seemed to enjoy the broom, he looked more like was also playing to ‘fit in’ with Harry and Dudley. While the newcomer was just as interested in Harry and Dudley, he was also a more natural flier than Neville. Molly walked out and opined, “Thanks, Mrs. Dvorak, for letting my little Ronnie have a fly with your two.”

Pet replied, “It’s ‘Pet’ to my friends, if I may be so bold, Molly; and it was just as much Neville giving Ronnie a turn. When was he born?”

“March first of last year. He’ll be in the same year as your two if you stay in England.”

“Don’t worry about that, Molly. Harry’s still an English wizard, and John and I will stay here at least ‘til he finishes Hogwarts and passes his NEWTs. As far as that goes, Dudley might stay here. The law says that he’s both MaCUSA and English ‘til he’s an adult and can pick for himself. He has trouble some days picking his own socks, so it’ll be a while. He might stay here and work with Harry, or they might both go to America.

“As for John and me? It’s up to John. I decided before he even asked me to marry him that if we got married and he went back to America that I was going with him. Home is just as much an idea as a place. My home was in Cokeworth, which is just outside of Manchester. But that home no longer exists. The only family I have left are my husband and kids, including the one I took over from Lily with and the ten John brought in with him.”

While the three airborne toddlers and the four year old landed, a commotion started brewing next to the house. Remus and John were confronting Arthur, a smaller red-haired boy with glasses, and the stunned grey rat the boy was holding in his hands.

“Why did you stun my son’s pet rat?” Arthur angrily exclaimed.

John retorted, “That rat is the rat Animagus who murdered my brother-in-law and sister-in-law, and who stuck my friend falsely in Azkaban, without even a trial. Remus, force him out, now.”

Remus was just as angry as John was, since he now recognized Peter Pettigrew beyond a doubt. Remus cast the spell, and the rat enlarged into a sloppily dressed balding twenty-one-year-old man with a very weak chin, thinning mousy brown hair, watery blue eyes, and a paunch. Remus banished the man’s left sleeve without being asked, clearly revealing the Dark Mark on his arm, that being the magical tattoo Voldemort applied to all of his closest followers.

With a simple quiet “Sorry, John” to John, Arthur exclaimed, “Molly, Adfero Dumbledore right now, it’s an emergency! I’m calling the Aurors. Alistor and Kingsley are on duty today, so we shouldn’t see this rat weasel his way out of this.”

§§§

Six o’clock in the evening of Sunday the twenty-first saw an extraordinary emergency session of the Wizengamot called into session. Even more extraordinary, a prisoner who had been sentenced to life imprisonment in Azkaban was called back to London with the instructions to the warden and human guards being, “He’s probably completely innocent. Get him to the Ministry unharmed, at once!”

The Wizengamot was seated in Courtroom 10, where many of the recent Death Eater trials had been held. While some of the most potentially “difficult” Wizengamot members hadn’t received the notification of the hearing in time to attend, there was far more than enough for a quorum. Sirius Black, looking somewhat the worst for wear due to a month of Dementor exposure, was chained in the Accused’s Chair at the bottom of the room.

Albus Dumbledore started the meeting by announcing, “Now that we have a very clear majority of our members seated, let us begin the first of at least two trials, ‘The Ministry versus Sirius Black.’ Is the Ministry prosecutor here?

He was answered, “Representing the Ministry, Madam Amelia Susan Bones, Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.”

Dumbledore asked, “Is there representation for the Accused?”

He was answered, “Victor Donovan Esquire, barrister for the Accused.”

Dumbledore stated, “The accused, Sirius Orion Black, has been charged with two counts of Murder by being a false Secret Keeper in the Fidelis charm that was supposed to hide James and Lily Potter from Lord Voldemort…”

After gaveling down the clamour of the Wizengamot members and those in the audience, Dumbledore continued, “…One count of attempted murder of a minor child by being a false Secret Keeper, one Harry James Potter; One count of Murder aggravated by openly using a magical means in the known presence of Muggles, one Peter Pettigrew; and twelve counts of Murder of Muggles while openly using magical means. How pleads the accused?”

Victor Donovan stood and replied, “Not Guilty on all charges, Lord Chief Warlock. The Defense needs to make several motions. First the Defense moves for a directed verdict of acquittal and actual innocence on Count Four, the murder of Peter Pettigrew. He is in the dock awaiting the next trial, and he was alive and quite healthy ten minutes ago.”

After the odd combination of gasps and amusement subsided, Dumbledore asked, “Any objections, Madam Bones?”

“None, Lord Chief Warlock” Madam Bones answered.

Dumbledore replied, “So moved, the Accused is acquitted on Count Four due to actual innocence, seeing that his supposed victim is alive and well.”

Donovan continued, “M’Lord, the Defense moves for a directed verdict of acquittal on Counts Five though Sixteen due to deliberate spoilage of exculpatory evidence by the Ministry.”

Dumbledore asked, “Madam Bones, is this true?”

Madam Bones replied, “My predecessor wasn’t exactly careful with potentially exculpatory evidence, M’Lord. But other than potentially owing the Accused the price of a new replacement wand, it matters not. Due to new evidence discovered today, the Ministry moves to withdraw Counts Five through Sixteen with prejudice on the grounds of actual innocence.”

Dumbledore asked, “Mister Donovan, any objections?”

“None, M’Lord.”

Dumbledore stated, “So moved, Counts Five through Sixteen are dismissed with prejudice due to actual innocence. Any further motions?”

Donovan stated, “M’Lord, the Defense’s case consists of two witnesses who administered the old godparent oath to Sirius Black and Alice Longbottom. Had Sirius Black been the Secret Keeper, and had he attempted in any way to convey the Secret to He Who Must Not Be Named, the oath would have killed him outright before the words could have left his mouth, or before his hand could either write or deliver a note. His demise would have been messy enough that the likelihood of anyone gaining the secret from such a note would be quite low. Seeing that the Accused, despite the Ministry’s denying him a trial for over a month, and holding him in the high-security wing of Azkaban instead of a Ministry Holding Cell is still very much alive, I would move that upon the sworn testimony of my two witnesses that Sirius Black could not possibly have revealed the Secret to He Who Must Not Be Named, thus he should be acquitted.”

Dumbledore asked, “Madam Bones, any objections?”

Madam Bones replied, “M’Lord, Sirius Black is being tried publically now because he wasn’t publically tried last month, when he should have been tried. Except for the lucky discovery of the real murderer, who was hiding as an unregistered Animagus pet of a five-year-old boy, he would likely have never received a trial. I was unaware of the details of the Accused’s imprisonment without trial, and no one was in any hurry to tell me.

“The Ministry moves to withdraw Counts One through Three with prejudice on the grounds of actual innocence. We further move that the Wizengamot approve and compel the Department of Magical Law Enforcement to reimburse Sirius Orion Black for the cost of a new wand, and any other personal property seized from him during his arrest that is in anything less than perfect order and condition. We further move that the Wizengamot approve and compel the Department of Magical Law Enforcement to re-instate Sirius Orion Black as an Auror in good standing retroactive to the moment he was stricken from the rolls, count his time in custody as being kidnapped, thus making him eligible for payment of salary during that time, approve and compel the Department of Magical Law Enforcement to pay Sirius Orion Black all back pay owed forthwith, and to finally count any time Auror Black requires to recover from imprisonment and Dementor exposure as sick time not to be counted against normal sick leave, and finally that all such payments not be counted against damages or settlements should Auror Black sue for unlawful imprisonment or any other tort relating to the conduct of his now patently unjust and possibly illegal imprisonment.” Madam Bones took a deep breath after stating her motion.

Albus Dumbledore stated, “Such a motion from the Ministry beyond the withdrawal of charges will require the Wizengamot to vote, since the motion involves financial compensation. First, Counts One through Three are withdrawn with prejudice on the grounds of actual innocence, and as such the Accused will be freed from Ministry custody. However, the former Accused will need to remain available for as long as he is able, since the Ministry may need to call him as a witness for its next trial.

“On the balance of the Ministry’s motion to start making a falsely imprisoned honest Auror whole again, or at least as close as can be managed, all those who vote in favor will now light their wands.” An overwhelming majority of those present lit their wands.

Albus Dumbledore continued, “All those who would oppose the Ministry’s motion will now light their wands.” No wands were lit in opposition.

Albus Dumbledore instructed, “Auror Black will now be assisted out of the Accused’s Chair. Madam Bones, will Auror Black need to be escorted to the Witness Waiting Area?”

Madam Bones replied, “No, M’Lord, although if he is able, we would ask that he be allowed to witness the next trial. If we need to call him, we reserve the right to do so. However, the other evidence we have should meet our burden of proof not only for conviction beyond a reasonable doubt, but to also sentence that Accused to the Dementor’s Kiss.

Without reaction, Albus Dumbledore replied, “Very Well, let the trial proceed.”

§§§

Sirius Black didn’t stay for the trial, which was just as well. Peter Pettigrew lost whatever dignity he had left to him in the last two hours of his life, before being convicted and Kissed. With his mother not being able to care for him, and with no other family left available, Pettigrew’s soulless body was sent to the Department of Mysteries, who quietly tossed it through the Veil of Death.

Sirius, meanwhile, was admitted to the spell damage ward of St. Mungo’s Hospital for treatment of acute malnutrition and Dementor Exposure. Remus Lupin and John Dvorak visited with him there after helping get him admitted.

John told him, “I tried to get Dumbledore to give you a trial. But he believed you had killed Pettigrew and the bystanders, so he believed you deserved life in Azkaban whether you were actually James and Lily’s Secret Keeper or not. I don’t know if Dumbledore has actually seen someone who has been hit by a blasting hex or an explosion, but I’ve seen a lot of them. You can’t get a cleanly severed finger from otherwise vaporized body unless you cut the finger off first and get it out of harm’s way. So I knew something wasn’t right; I just wasn’t heeded.”

Sirius replied, “If Dumbledore apologizes directly, I might believe it; and perhaps I might eventually forgive him. The law says that I should have been tried. And, if the Ministry hadn’t already destroyed my wand without even checking it, I could have been acquitted of all charges without Pettigrew. Moony, I’ve already forgiven you while you helped get me here; James and I thought that you might have been the one giving secrets to Voldemort. Otherwise, Moony would have been our first choice as Secret Keeper. If you try Legillimancy, or roughly ‘mind-reading’ on someone with Moony’s ‘disposition,’ your mind will be ripped to shreds.

“I actually picked Peter because no one would have expected him to be James’s Secret Keeper. If he hadn’t already become a Death Eater without our realizing, all he had to do was stay in hiding while I ran around having all the Death Eaters chasing me. Since I wasn’t the Secret Keeper, I couldn’t betray James and Lily.

“For you, there’s nothing to forgive. Although you were ignored at first, it was you who pointed the Rat out to Moony and got him to recognize him. Even before then, you had advocated for my receiving a trial, even though you were ignored.”

After a pause, Sirius asked, “So, Moony tells me that Dumbledore put up blood wards on Pet’s and your place?”

After chuckling, John replied, “He did. Based on how Lily died for Harry, the booby-trap curse she placed on Harry to take the Fake Frenchy Terrorist out, and the fact that the stupid SOB tried killing Harry anyway, Dumbledore was able to use some of Lily’s blood to ward the home of Petunia Evans, Lily’s older sister – and my wife. Since she loves Harry just as much as she does our other kids, the wards are so strong that even my Muggle kids can feel them protecting our home.

“And while the end result seems to be holding up great so far, his execution left something to be desired. First, Lily and you guys hadn’t been spreading the fact that Pet and Lily were actually starting to become loving sisters for the first time ever. And that’s Pet saying that part. So, reality not withstanding, as far a Dumbledore knew he was going on a wing and a prayer that Pet would even keep Harry.

“Second, somehow Dumbledore was spying on that asshole Dursley who lives down the road from me at first. It seems that Petunia had turned in a resume at the company that guy runs, and had she not got on at the Embassy she would have gone to work for him. But the real kicker there is that the woman who got that job was also named Petunia and was within a month or so of Pet’s age—and Dursley married her. They sure seem happy enough together at least. They even have a kid about Harry and Dudley’s age, too. You remember how big Dudley is? Well their kid’s about half again larger, and it’s mostly fat. The poor kid will probably be wider than he is tall by the age of five!”

After they all laughed, John finished, “And the real kicker is this. Dumbledore was going to leave Harry on my porch with a note and a warming charm in the middle of the night, in November. Frank and Alice had side-along’ed me from Vauxhall Station to the station in Ashford, Surrey so I could get my car and we could drive the last couple of miles home. They spent the rest of the evening visiting with us after telling us what happened to James, Lily, and Harry. Dumbledore came skulking around in the middle of the night like a burglar or a Death Eater, and despite McGonagall’s reservations was going to leave Harry on my porch in the middle of the night like a bottle of milk with no more than a warming charm to protect him in November. We get foxes out here, and there’s no telling where Harry might have wandered off to had he awakened alone on that pouch. I got Dumbledore’s attention by cocking my shotgun behind him. We cleared up the ‘misunderstanding’ right after Hagrid brought Harry over on your flying motorcycle, thank God. But I swear that Dumbledore’s hair got just a little bit whiter when he heard that action click.”

After all three men laughed for a moment, Sirius somberly asked, “There ain’t no chance of me getting Harry, is there?”

John calmly answered, “Getting Harry, no. Visiting Harry frequently, you had better fuckin’ visit! He cried for ‘Pafoo’ almost as much as he did for James and Lily that first night. And, thank God that Remus didn’t run off and hide, I’d have played hell of ever finding him. But as it is, he gets along well enough on the Muggle side that I have him staying in James’s old house in Godric’s Hollow. Since neither James nor Lily actually left a will, everything went to Harry, which is probably what they wanted anyway. The Ministry tried to take the place to make it into a war memorial. Dumbledore got that stopped, but it was Remus who let me know what was going on so I could get it stopped. He also managed to save a lot of James and Lily’s personal stuff from getting weather-damaged or stolen, he supervised getting the house repaired, and he even got the electricity and gas turned on, along with a telephone and the Floo. I had him build a ‘special room’ in the basement there for his use when he ‘feels the need,’ and I’ve got him living there. If I have to charge him rent, I’ll pay it into Harry’s trust fund. It’s not like the Ministry planned on paying Harry anything for stealing his house.

“When Harry’s old enough, he can decide what to do with it. But it’s thanks to Remus that he has the chance to decide. And he’s helped out in other ways, too. On the fourth of this month, a full week before Dumbledore got Arabella Figg moved in across the street with a Floo we could borrow, Remus stopped by to check in, on the day all of my kids started getting strep throat. The Muggle healing with antibiotics works, but it’s still not fun, especially not for toddlers. Remus sent an Adfero, and Madam Pomfrey came down from Hogwarts just over ten minutes later. She looked us all over, including the rest of my kids who the Embassy sent home with antibiotics, and those of us with enough magic for it to work got dosed with Pepper-Up. Come Monday, the only ones of us who weren’t right as rain were the four with no magic at all.”

Sirius asked, “Why didn’t Pomfrey give them any Pepper-Up?”

Remus sighed before answering, “Don’t you remember your basic magical first aid class from the Academy, Padfoot? Really? Most healing potions won’t work on Muggles because they use the patient’s own magic in order to work. And there’s a few healing potions that will actually make Muggles sick, or even kill them.”

Sirius sighed before replying, “You’re right, Moony. My head is still foggy from the Dementors, even with me knowing my innocence being an unhappy thought, so they couldn’t take it away.”

John announced, “It’s just past ten o’clock, Sirius. Remus and I need to go and find out where my family is staying tonight, and what I’ll do about work tomorrow. By the way, when you are well enough to leave the hospital, I’ve got your motorcycle in my garage in Little Whinging. Since I had a garage built behind James’s old place, you can park it there since you’ll probably end up moving in with Remus at least for a month or two.”

Remus supplied, “I got an Adfero from Molly right before you showed up, John. Your whole lot are staying the night at the Burrow, and we’ll get them back to Little Whinging some time tomorrow. Molly said that there was plenty of room for you, too. Will you have to phone in or go in to work tomorrow?”

John replied, “I can stop by the Duty Desk and report to the Marine on duty before we leave London. Can you side-along me to the Embassy before we go to the Burrow?”

Remus replied, “I can do that. If things look too crowded at the Burrow, I can always Floo to Godric’s Hollow from there.”

Remus and John left Sirius and went to the Apparation Point. An hour later, they were both at the Burrow asleep.

§§§

David awoke with a start, and remained frightened for just a moment waking up in a strange bed wearing borrowed pyjamas. Since he was sharing a somewhat smallish bed with Bill Weasley, Bill also woke up. Bill asked, “What’s wrong?”

After yawning and stretching, David replied, “Nightmare, Bill, and ‘Good morning.’ ‘Member what we talked about last night? An’ I bet we’ll both be walking zombies as late as we were up. Least I’m not gonna get back to sleep now.”

After he yawned and stretched, Bill answered, “Guess so. Still can’t believe you’re as cool with stuff as you are. Your actual parents being killed in one of those Muggle boxes with you in it with them, your uncle adopting you, him remarrying to what to you is a foreigner, finding out you’re what you called a ‘double-secret rebel wizard,’ and getting to grow up with the Boy Who Lived. It’s so weird.”

As they got up to change out of pyjamas and get dressed, David opined, “It is, and it isn’t. First, while Harry did live, thank God, it was Aunt Lily who set it up. Ronnie’s only four months older than Harry, and you wouldn’t bet your life on him right now, would you?”

While Bill shook his head ‘no,’ David continued, “Some guys don’t get good parents in the first place. Mine were great, even remembering that nobody’s perfect. They even gave me Aaron for my third birthday. I saw him come out of Mom, and they let me feed him, and change him, and bathe him, and everything. It was a lot of work, but every smile and giggle Aaron gave me put a hundred smiles and giggles on my heart.

“Dad is Dad now ‘cause he ‘dopted me, and him ‘n’ my birth father were brothers who were very close to each other and shared everything growing up. I’ve always known Dad, and the way things happened, it was just natural to call him ‘Dad’ once things happened. So, I was lucky that I not only had good parents, but that when I really needed ‘em, I got good replacement parents, too.

“‘Mom’ is ‘Mom’ ‘cause she’s Dad’s wife, and she makes him happy – and not just with that. They can talk and hang out together, they do things together beyond just raising all of us kids, and they encourage each other to become better people. She’s also good with all of us kids, despite being kinda young and picking the ten of us up as ‘steps.’ Now she’s had Dudley, we’ve adopted Harry, and Mom’s having a girl some time in February. Maybe that one and Ginny will hang out together when they’re both older.”

Being fully dressed and hungry, the two boys went down the several flights of stairs to the kitchen to find Molly Weasley making breakfast, with a pot of tea already brewed. The Burrow was originally a larger one-floor cottage, one of many to be found in rural Devon. But Arthur and Molly added on to the place over the years as only a wizard and witch could, to the point that the Burrow was now obviously magical and itself had to be hidden from Muggle view, since it couldn’t possibly exist and remain standing without magic.

“Morning Mum/Morning Mrs. Weasley,” the two boys greeted as they walked into the kitchen. Bill asked, “Should we help set the table, Mum?”

Molly told them, “I’d hoped that at least our guests would sleep in this morning. I’m up to make your Dad his breakfast, since he has to go into work today. I’m not sure how we’re going to get the Dvoraks back home today either.”

After Arthur joined them in the kitchen, the appropriate greetings were given, and the tea was poured around, David offered his opinion.

“Mrs. Weasley, It’ll just take us a bit longer, but we’ll be fine. Dad ‘n’ Mr. Weasley are the only adults who have to be anywhere this morning, so there isn’t the rush like we had yesterday, with all of us Dvoraks learning some new magical form of transportation to boot.”

John Dvorak walked into the kitchen. He greeted, “Good morning Arthur, Molly, and kids.” After being greeted in return and accepting a mug of tea, he continued, “David, unless the Embassy has something really important come up, I told the Watch Officer at the Embassy that I was taking a personal day, and that they could get in touch with me via the MaCUSA liaison. I gave the MaCUSA watch officer your Floo address, by the way, Arthur. If I hadn’t, I guarantee that something would have happened where they’d need me to come in and get angry because they couldn’t find me.”

John had just finished his second drink of tea when they heard a voice from the Weasley’s lounge; “Is this Arthur Weasley’s home? Is John Dvorak there?” John rapidly walked into the living room to take the call. Five minutes later, he came back into the kitchen and explained, “They’ve got some stuff they need me to do, and they can’t send it through the Floo. So, Pet and Remus will have to get my bunch home without me.”

Pet walked into the kitchen carrying Neville. She greeted, “Good morning everyone, and thanks again for having us spend the night. John, either Remus or I will leave a car for you at the Ashford station when we get back to Little Whinging, just in case we can’t pick you up. But call ahead to both the house and Arabella’s, just in case we got held up.

“Neville’s a little ‘clingy’ this morning. Danny and Delilah will be bringing the other two down shortly.”

After handing Neville off to David, she and John hugged and kissed politely, before John went into the lounge to Floo into work. After accepting Neville back and sitting down at the table, she remarked, “The one thing it’s never been for me since marrying John is boring. John and I became almost instant friends, and quickly fell in love with each other along with that. I brought him into the Wizarding world without really meaning to; I was actually trying to get shut of it because Lily and I never got along until the last year and a half or so. John brought me into a large American Family, where I hadn’t grown up with Americans or large families; it was just Dad, Mum, Lily, and me. But John and I both adjusted, and I even mostly reconciled with Lily for the first time ever.” Remus Lupin and the rest of the Dvoraks and Weasleys started coming down in fits and starts, with Molly bringing Ronnie and baby Ginny down, Aaron guiding Paul, and Charlie guiding the twins.

Breakfast was starting to wind down when a silver bloodhound appeared in the kitchen. It announced in an older sounding voice, “Arthur, Thought I’d save you the bother. Just got in to the office to be met by Madame Bones; she told me to tell you that you have the day off to take care of your kids. She also said that you are absolutely cleared about the mess with Pettigrew, and that if her kid had asked to take in a friendly wild magical rat that she would have been just as fooled.”

Arthur excused himself to use the Floo. He normally wouldn’t use the Floo to check in because of the expense, but since he literally had Floo powder to burn right now, he took advantage of it. Ten minutes later, he returned to the kitchen followed by John Dvorak.

Arthur explained, “I called in to Madame Bones directly as a courtesy. I’ve got an extra week of paid vacation, plus a reward of 10,000 Galleons for the capture of Pettigrew. Could have been a whole lot worse, but there you go.”

John explained, “Right after Arthur rang off, I Floo called and came back. The Embassy really did need me to come in that very moment, they really couldn’t have sent the stuff through the Floo, I really was the only one who could get the job done for them, and it really did take only as long as I was gone to finish it up.” With everyone now available, they continued to finish the wonderful breakfast Molly Weasley had prepared.
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The Yankees Nephew and the Philosophers Stone