III
“Thank you and have a nice day!”
Petunia closed the door and let out a deep breath of relief. Two wizards and a goblin had spent seven hours putting up some kind of wards to protect the house from any threats. It had been Mister Black who had suggested doing so as Harry was apparently famous. Surviving a killing spell was a merit many found impressive. Magnolia felt it absurd that any grown being would try to cast a deathly spell at a child.
Mister Black was quite unusual, he felt aloof at times but remained in contact with them. He had a particular interest in Harry that she found discerning, but she allowed it as he had only offered them help as of now.
She walked up the stairs to check on Harry in the nursery and smiled when she reached him.
He was playing with blocks and was currently building a very impressive tower.
The peculiar being gifted to Harry by Mister Black was sitting with him and smiling. The big ears flapped when Harry giggled.
“Dobby, is everything alright?” Magnolia asked the creature.
Big eyes that looked on the brink of tears blinked at her.
“Yes, missus Evans. Master is being very good!”
Magnolia smiled and left them. It was quite nice to have a live-in babysitter. She was no young dove anymore and Harry craved much attention, his magic had proved to be quite dangerous. This was made evident after he disrupted the electronics in the house in a fit of rage. It had started a fire that Mister Black managed to put out. It was a good thing he had been here for some tea at the time.
A day later he had offered the house-elf as a gift, his grin had been unsettling as he had presented Dobby and spoken of how the Malfoys would rage the moment they learned that Harry Potter had taken an elf from them. When she questioned that he had simply stated that he had won the bidding easily.
“I don´t think so, Mister Dumbledore.”
The ancient man had a beard so long it had to be unhygienic.
“The wards I put up there- “
She raised a hand and shook her head. “Let me stop you there. I’ve had people securing this house, Harry will be perfectly safe here. I´m sorry to say that my oldest daughter is an unsuited guardian to Lily´s boy. She mistreated him and I won´t stand for it,” Magnolia shook her head. “I’m frankly disappointed in how you could leave him on a doorstep and then assume him cared for.”
“Lily put up a protection, her blood in Petunia will help power it! Perhaps if we - “
Magnolia stood up.
“Enough! I would like you to leave.”
The headmaster had ended up apologising for his actions, showing regret for how he had left Harry on the porch. If he truly meant it or used it as a way too placate Magnolia, she did not know. The only thing she was certain of was that the man should stay where he belonged - in the school.
Mister Black – Arcturus, as he had insisted on being called, visited every week. His interest in Harry had been explained during his last visit.
Harry was his heir.
Harry´s godfather was apparently his grandson and Harry´s grandmother was a Black. Those two details made Harry the heir to the Black fortune. Arcturus had requested her letting Harry take the name Black beside the name Potter to cement it, but Magnolia had been uncertain. She had looked up who the grandson of Arcturus Black was and had found that Sirius Black had betrayed her daughter and his husband. Magnolia did not want Harry to carry the name of such a man.
She gave the letter to the owl and hoped that it reached the magical police. It was a request for the transcript of the trial of one Sirius Black.
Her late-husband William the solicitor would be proud of her.
Magnolia grimaced as the dog licked the face of her grandson. The thought of the germs in the saliva made her shiver. The fact that it belonged to a grown man made her eye twitch. This was highly unregular.
The dog shifted back to the gangly man with too long hair, she would have to give him a hair-cut.
The young man had moved in with her and Harry after being freed from prison, he had been innocent of all crimes and had at his release demanded the guardianship of his godson. Magnolia had bristled when he and two policemen had shown up at her door. Sirius was now Harry´s guardian but he had in the end decided to stay here in Cokeworth as to not uproot the child. Magnolia was grateful for that. Harry was her grandson and she had to make sure that he was raised right, just like Lily would have wished.
Magnolia bid Arcturus goodbye before he stepped through her fireplace to return home.
She turned to Harry and his shadow - Dobby.
And Sirius who sat beside them with a grimace upon his face.
“I still can´t believe that grandfather willingly interacts with a muggle.”
Magnolia harrumphed at the words.
“Beg your pardon young man!”
Sirius paled and started to back-pedal. “I meant no offense! It´s simply that my family have always been quite prudish when it comes to muggles.”
“I´ll have you know that Arcturus is a perfect gentleman, and that you would do well to emulate him.”
The younger man sputtered in disbelief before turning to a dog, he always did that when he felt uncomfortable.
Magnolia did not know when her clean and tidy house turned into a hovel. Another friend of Harry´s father had moved in, this one much politer than Sirius but just as messy as any other young man. It had taken her two days to convince him to let he cut his hair though. This was quite agreeable compared to the two weeks it had taken Sirius to let her cut his hair.
They were good boys mostly. Harry was loved and cared for by both and it warmed Magnolia to see her grandson glow with delight at all the attention. But that didn’t stop her from growing tired of seeing clothes everywhere in the house and dog hair on the couch. Not to mention that she no longer used the bathroom down-stairs thanks to fact that the boys seemed incapable of cleaning the toilet after them. Never had Petunia or Lily been so filthy. And William had never dared to.
“If you are to remain here then you better start cleaning up after yourselves, one would think that I´m sheltering pigs!” She growled before leaving the house to go for a walk with Harry in his stroller.
The house had been spot-less at her return. They had also cleaned themselves up quite nicely and Magnolia had felt pride. The next day they presented another house-elf. This one an older female with the name Emla. This elf was a delight as she helped Magnolia with all the housework and enjoyed knitting with her. Emla had become a precious friend of Magnolias.
Harry James Potter-Black was his new name. Arcturus was over the moon with the name-change and Sirius had been proud to properly claim his godson. Magnolia had been flummoxed when they had requested this of her as she had thought that Sirius would have liked children of his own one day and that they would be his heirs.
“I have no interest in starting another family, I’m happy with this one. Harry is my godson and I want to give him everything I can.” Sirius had said with a determined look upon his face. “Besides, grandfather is clamouring after having him as his heir because ‘Dorea´s little boy would bring back the family glory once again’.”
Harry was nine years old when he summoned an anaconda to his bed. She had woken to a scream and had found Remus and Sirius trying to lift the giant snake of Harry who was half-asleep.
They had watched The Jungle Book the night before and her grandson had decided to summon ‘Kaa’. The snake had then refused to return to where it came from as it like Harry´s room, according to Harry himself. Kaa was currently sleeping with Harry this night too.
Magnolia took a large sip of her tea and shook her head.
Remus sat with his face in his hands while Sirius stared at the unmoving wall.
“I think I understand why grandfather wanted him as heir now.”
Magnolia raised an eyebrow.
Remus groaned. “That blasted thing was resistant to our spells!” the young man looked defeated as he clunked down more water. “Summoning a snake, enchanting it and speaking to it is not something that is done. By anyone! Let alone child.”
Magnolia took another sip.
Harry was good a magic.
Just like Lily.
The day his letter arrived was well awaited. Harry had shrieked in delight with his godfather and honorary uncle. Magnolia had sipped at her tea. She was happy for her grandson, but she was also worried.
“I will make you proud grandma!”
Green eyes sparkled in delight as they looked into her own. He was smiling broadly.
“You already make me proud, my dear.”
Harry was off to fetch the train. Magnolia had decided to stay home as she didn’t feel all that well. Her grandson had cried when he hugged her goodbye while she herself had to hold back her tears.
Magnolia picked up her phone and dialled the number she had called the first day of every month for last couple of years. She heard the one on the other side answer, take a breath and then hang up. Petunia did this every time she called. Yet Magnolia kept calling. She had sent presents to Dudley each Christmas and birthday but had not seen her grandson since the day she found Harry in that cupboard.
She wanted to hug her daughter who she loved still, wanted to kiss the head of her other grandson. Yet she could not go to them. Petunia had not apologised, she had made no move to make-up for her transgressions against her nephew and Magnolia could not forgive that. The fact that Magnolia´s relationship with Dudley suffered because of this was tragic but Dudley had both his parents to be with him.
Lily´s boy needed her more.
Arcturus waited for her to open the letter from Harry with a bated breath.
“Gryffindor!” Magnolia proclaimed, the same house as his mother she thought smugly. The man groaned and shook his head. He had hoped that Harry´s ability to converse with snakes and his large familiar would put him into the Slytherin house. Magnolia didn’t really care for where he was put as long as he was taken good care of there.
“A parselmouth with an anaconda in the House of the Lions.” Arcturus muttered before refilling his cup of tea.
Magnolia hummed and ignored the grumpy man all while staring at the last line of the letter.
Her heart burst at the untidy scrawl.
Much love, your Harry