Chapter 46
For now, she was Fallon’s daughter, Denlon’s sister, and she would grow up in as safe an environment as the residents of the Pond could give her.
“Allie’s doing well, sir.” Denlon smiled. “Please, won’t you come in, she’ll be happy to see you.” She only knew Harry as the nice dwarf, that had brought her a tiny version of the Willow, that their village was named after. And that he came with a beautiful white bird that would sit on a little perch and let her pet it.
~~~
April 1st 2922
“Happy birthday, Forge.” Fred whispered, letting a tear run down his cheek.
“Hey, Fred?” Harry stuck his head around the door into Fred’s workshop. “Gonna take Rover and BlackJack on a run over to the Brandywine River waystation, want to come with me?”
“BlackJack?” Fred blinked. “Is he ready for going out in a cart?”
“Squire and Jonah both think so.” Harry shrugged. “And he’s got to learn sometime. If he mucks up, I can hit him with calming charms until we get back.”
“True.” Fred nodded. “A nice drive might be what I need, I’m feeling.... restless…”
Nothing more was said until they were turning onto the East-West Road, Rover calmly walking, while BlackJack twitched and fidgeted, unsure if he liked this change of scenery.
“So…” Harry spoke to Fred but let his voice rise enough to reach the ponies, knowing that if they could hear him, they’d remain calmer for longer. “Today’s your birthday. By the calendar if nothing else.”
“Yeah…” Fred sighed, he missed George so much and wondered how his twin was managing without him.
“We’re having a party for you.” Harry said.
“Oh, but-”
“No, buts.” Harry cut in. “You’re popular with our residents and they want to throw you a party. And while it’s probably not the first of April, back in England, like it is here, at least, I don’t think it is... But when it is… you know damn well, that your mum will be doing the same for George.”
“Huh.” Fred grunted. “Didn’t think about that.”
Fred looked at the collection of gifts on the table and frowned. “I thought the gift-giving thing was only for family…?” He asked.
Harry sighed and looked at him. “Fred? As far as most of us are concerned, you are family.”
“Oh…” Fred flushed, he hadn’t realised that so many people thought that way.
“Well, come on. Open them.” Colin ordered, from his seat next to James.
“Right.” Fred huffed and started on the first parcel.
By the time he finished he was just shaking his head. A dinner set, a copy of the Weasley Family kitchen Grimoire, a set of leather duelling armour, a magical version of a sea-chest that would shrink and enlarge, clothes, a new set of chisels, blankets, pictures, towels and an IOU for some charm-work for a kitchen stasis cabinet, for when he moved out of Harry’s place.
And the gift that made him catch his breath, was a pair of swords, made by Thorin and commissioned by Harry, Sirius, Cedric, Lavender and Colin.
~~~
April 15th 2922
Thorin laid the quill down and stepped back from the desk.
“I would like to say Congratulations to all of you.” He nodded to those gathered around Fred’s living room and looked at the dwarf nearest to the door. “Lady Gina? Tarbûn for administrator, animal husbandry, apothecary, field-healer’s aid, hand-to-hand fighting, knife-fighting, knife-throwing, scribe, and staff-fighting. I know you professed to asking why you were placed with Oín for staff-fighting as opposed to being trial for stick-fighting. The reason is quite simple. Oín’s staff is ironwood with a steel rod running through it, to affix steel endcaps to it. Your sticks, while every effective against an unarmed dwarf are ineffectual against a blade, they would be sliced in pieces in seconds. Until we can locate more ironwood to make weapons for you, we are unable to gauge how effective you would be against bladed weapons.”
“Ah, thank you, Uzbad Thorin.” Gina nodded quietly. “That makes a lot more sense than anything that I had thought of.”
“Matthew.” Thorin looked to Gina’s husband. “Animal husbandry, hand-to-hand, knife-fighting, knife-throwing, scribe and staff-fighting. Tarbûn for all of them.” Matt said nothing, only smiled and gave a bow. Thorin looked to the next person, which was the pale blonde dwarrowdam, Pandora. “Lady Pandora. Administrator, animal husbandry, axe and knife throwing, apothecary scribe, shopkeeper, and staff-fighting. Tarbûn for these, but also Tarbûnel for sword-fighting.”
“Thank you, king of ravens.” The sweet but vague voice made Dwalin blink at Pandora, it was so at odds with what she was capable of.
Thorin nodded and looked to the next person. “Lady Dorcas. Archery, animal husbandry, axe and knife throwing, scribe, staff-fighting and sword-fighting, all tarbûn.” Dorcas smirked and nodded. “Master Frank. Tarbûnel in animal husbandry, knife-fighting, hand-to-hand fighting and staff-fighting. Tarbûn in axe and knife throwing, field-healer’s aid and scribe.” Frank nodded and Thorin looked at the healer. “Healer Alice. Tarbûnel in healing, knife-throwing and sword-fighting. Tarbûn in animal husbandry, apothecary, hand-to-hand and scribe.”
“Thank you.” Alice grinned and leaned closer to her husband.
“Master Fabian.” Thorin looked at the redheaded twins, not knowing which was which.
“That’s me.” The one on the right answered.
Thorin nodded. “Tarbûn for… Apothecary, archery, axe-throwing, field-healer’s aid, scribe and sword-fighting. With Tarbûnel for leatherworker.” Fabian grinned and saluted Thorin with his mug of hot chocolate. “Master Gideon.” He looked at the other twin. “The same as your brother, but instead of Tarbûnel in leatherworking, yours is as a cooper.” Gideon also raised his mug to Thorin. “Cedric. Utrab in administration and animal husbandry. Tarbûn in apothecary, axe-throwing, blacksmithing, farrier, field-healer’s aid, hand-to-hand, knife-fighting, knife-throwing, scribe and sword-fighting.”
Cedric nodded. “Thank you, Uzbad.”
Next was… “Master Sirius. Utrab for apothecary. Tarbûn for axe throwing, hand-to-hand, knife-throwing and fighting, as well as scribe. Tarbûnel for administrator and sword-fighter.”
“Nice.” Harry nudged his Hand.
“Lady Lily.” Thorin looked at Harry mother. “Tarbûn for administration, field-healer’s aid, knife-throwing, scribe and staff-fighting. Tarbûnel for apothecary.” Lily smiled and nodded. “Master James. Utrab for apothecary. Tarbûn for axe-throwing, field-healer’s aid, knife-throwing and scribe. Tarbûnel for administrator, potter and sword-fighter.”
James and Sirius grinned while Remus grunted.
“Master Remus. You’ve added an utrab bead for sword-fighting, as well as, hand-to-hand and knife throwing to your list of tarbûn beads. While Tonks has added tarbûn in knife-throwing and upgraded to Tarbûnel in hand-to-hand. Colin. Well done, you’ve progressed to Tarbûnel in staff-fighting and Master Harden would like to work with you, towards a Grand Mastery in the next few years.”
“Thank you, Uzbad Thorin.” Colin gave him a slight bow.
“Lady Lavender.” Thorin said after nodding to Colin. “You’ve added an utrab bead for apothecary and staff-fighting, as well as upgrading to tarbûn for field-healer’s aid. Master Harden would like you to join he and Colin for the rest of the season, before your Grand Master’s Trial in September.”
“Thank you, Uzbad. I shall be.” Lavender answered.
“Fred. You’ve added an utrab for silversmith, a tarbûn for apothecary, upgraded to tarbûn for administration and to Tarbûnel for scribe. You’re clearly working towards Trade-Master and a Mastery in woodcarving.”
“I need a tarbûn in silversmithing before I can add silver or gold inlay to my work.” Fred shrugged. “And you were the one to suggest Trade-Master.”
“Indeed I was.” Thorin agreed. “Harry. You’ve added utrab beads for administration, animal husbandry and shopkeeping.”
“We’ve been busy.” Harry said, earning himself choked laughter from Fred and Sirius and huffs of amusement from Lavender and Lily.
“Harry? A word, if I may?” Thorin approached Harry’s workshop.
“Uzbad Thorin.” Harry blinked and waved him in. “Please, come in out of the rain. How can I help you?”
“I have had a query from Balin, in regard to your training of hobbits.” Thorin replied. “His concern is over beads. In dwarven culture Craft Beads are a vital way of determining someone’s ability and statis. We had no objection to you training hobbits and they’ve been doing rather well, but now I wonder… Will they want beads? Or, if we were to offer them, would they wear them? For that matter, as most of the males tend to wear their hair shorter and hobbit hair is quite… wild… Would a bead even stay in their hair?”
“Ah.” Harry grunted. “I’d actually planned on talking to you about this, on your way back west. We hadn’t expected you to spare the time for Trials this early, we had thought it more likely that their Trials would happen the same week that Lavender’s Grand Master’s Trial in September. But the hobbits? Some of them are asking for beads. Sigi, Violet, Saradas, Rori, Dinah and Micah in particular. Micah and Saradas had quite the discussion about beads and hobbit hair.” Harry chuckled. “It was very entertaining for their spectators. Saradas was of the opinion that hobbit hair wouldn’t hold a bead, it was too wild and curly. Micah argued that if a hobbit’s hair was longer, a bead would be fine. They went back and forth for weeks, until Micah was obviously over the debate, he went off to Lavender and asked if there was a potion or charm that could grow just a few locks of hair long enough for beads.”
“And is there?” Thorin asked, curious about the limits of magic.
“Oh, yes.” Harry grinned. “She used her wands to pick out a couple of locks of his hair and cast the growing charm on them, then took a pair of pennies and transfigured them into tube beads. A couple of minutes to show Micah how it was done and he bounced around for days with shiny copper beads in his hair. At least, until the charms wore off, later that week. Saradas was most disgruntled that he hadn’t thought of it. He’s been growing his hair, ever since.” He chuckled again. “To make the charms permanent would require a potion for the hair and runes for the beads.”
“Ah.” Thorin chuckled. “I’ll talk to Balin and Dwalin. If we decide to offer beads, we’ll bring Halphi back with us, in September.”
“Sounds fine.” Harry said. “Where are you heading this year?” Thorin and Dwalin went to different cities of Men each year to raise funds, to cover the expenses of their families back in the Blue Mountains.
“Just to Tharbad, this year.” Thorin answered. “Their Guards’ smith has requested assistance in making swords for the officers being promoted.”
“And only a Grand Master is good enough…” Harry nodded.
~~~
May 20th 2922
Magpie ~ Cauldron (sent 8.04am, May 20th 2922)
Morning, Professor
Your box is on its way.
Being delivered by Fundin, son of Farin, son of Borin, of the Line of Durin.
Good dwarf, he Trialled me, shortly after I arrived here. The LAD chain came in handy for getting funds but I still had to have beads if I wanted dwarves to take me seriously, and that meant a Trial.
We’ve just harvested a bumper crop of Lady’s Mantle and Lily, Alice and Pandora came up with a potion, or rather, a course of potions that ease the pressure of pregnancy and childbirth for dwarrowdams. Those that have tried it found a massive difference.
Once you have the box, we’ll send through the recipe and the harder to find ingredients, but at 43 ingredients, 102 steps over 6 stages, it’s way too long to send via the book. Not to mention that it requires snidget feathers and James is only one of us here that can transfig a pair of canaries into snidgets long enough for them to breed? Thank Merlin, that snidgets only take 8 weeks to start moulting.
I’m just glad it doesn’t need grindylow slime, like Dorcas suggested. Ugh!
Whoops, gotta go, someone’s at the door.
Fred.
MoS
~~~
June 1st 2922
Cauldron ~ Magpie (sent 7.15pm, June 1st 2922)
Mr Weasley.
I am still unsure of what to say to your last letter and as a result, have delayed writing until now to reply.
Please pass my greetings to Lily and Potter.
I KNEW a Potter was involved, I just failed to grasp WHICH Potter.
I also knew that these books required more charms than I estimated you to know. As did the wand holsters, Potter’s work I assume? He was always best at wards and his transfig was easily enough to earn him a Mastery, if he hadn’t joined the Aurors.
Would Alice be Miss Alice Green, whom married Auror Longbottom?
If so, please pass along my regrets for the treatment of her son. It was the only protection, I could give him.
Dorcas Meadowes had an unfortunate preference for using Grindylow slime in her potions. A form of retribution for them almost drowning her, as she once informed Lily when it was commented upon.
And I as I do know not the name Pandora, but as it was used in conjunction with Lily and Alice, am I correct to surmise that she is a magical?
And yes, a potion for the dwarrowdams would be most beneficial, even one as complicated as it appears to be.
I look forward to receiving the box and hope that you have included an invoice.
My greetings to Miss Lavender.
Severus
MoP
P.S. What of the other two marauders? And their families?
~~~
June 2nd 2922
Magpie ~ Cauldron (sent 8.14am, June 2nd 2922)
Oops, Sorry Professor
But in all honesty, things have been so hectic here, that it just slipped my mind (and a few others, as well) that you hadn’t been told.
We’re not alone, but you’re probably not going to be pleased to hear about who IS here. Lavender was found in a small village called Eru’s Crossing, some Man was trying to force her to marry him, but Harry and Hermione had spent most of their 5th yr, teaching self-defence to a group of students, you know the ones I mean. Harry insisted that all the girls be taught some muggle skills and Lavender used them to great effect, she planted her fist in the Man’s family-jewels and then slammed his head into the table. From there, it was easy to get out of the building with the help of a pair of old grannies. Colin was found in Minas Tirith, he’d joined up with a gang of boys that did courier deliveries for some of the seedier businesses, but when we turned up, he said something along the lines of ‘my ride’s here, I gotta go’ to them, then asked ‘where are we going?’ He’s doing well, has a tarbûn for jewellery making and a Tarbûnel for Staff-fighting.
Next was Remus and Tonks, found them just south of Tharbad. Took a while for them to decide what they were going to do, trade-wise, but eventually, Remus went with paper making and book binding. This book is one of his. He’s got a few tarbûn beads, including hand-to-hand, knife-throwing and scribe, but he’s only an utrab in sword-fighting, something I’m working to change, but that’s going to take a few more years. Tonks is a little better, she’s got tarbûn beads for staff-fighting, knife-throwing and scribe, but also had a Tarbûnel in hand-to-hand.
Everyone else was either at Bree, or were located after we settled here, at the Pond.
James is a Potter or should that be a potter? As in pottery and mud. He’s got 3 Tarbûnel beads, Potter, Admin (apparently, he was trained to run an Ancient and Noble House and that transfers over quite well) and Sword-fighting (most Heirs to Ancient and Noble Houses got taught this, he says). Lily has a Tarbûnel for apothecary (which is the closest they get here to potions, as you know), plus tarbûn beads for a handful of other crafts, 3 of which use weapons.
Sirius Black runs a hotel-like venture, the Gryffindor’s Den, he has a Tarbûnel for admin (like James, he was Heir to an Ancient and Noble House) and sword-fighting (same reason). In addition to this, he has 1 utrab bead (apothecary) and 4 tarbûn beads (weapons based).
Gina Matthews and her husband Matt were sent here by Gringotts, along with their 2 daughters, no idea how, though. They brought their sheep and rabbit farms with them and have a number of beads each, including hand-to-hand, knife-fighting, staff-fighting, animal husbandry and field-healer’s aid.
Alice IS Mrs Longbottom. She’s our healer and has Tarbûnel beads for Healing, knife-fighting and sword-fighting. Frank is managing our stables and pony breeding concern and has Tarbûnel beads for animal husbandry, knife-fighting, hand-to-hand and staff-fighting.
Dorcas Meadowes runs the dairy. Before her arrival, we had to put up with goat's milk or buy cow's milk and cheese from Bree, each week. She has more than half a dozen tarbûn beads, including archery, knife-throwing, axe-throwing and staff-fighting.
Pandora is Luna Lovegood’s mother, she works for Gina and Matt, mostly grooming rabbits for their fur, which is spun into yarn. She’s also got a handful of tarbûn beads and a Tarbûnel for sword-fighting.
The other two magicals from the first war are my uncles, Fabian and Gideon. Fab’s a cooper and Gid’s a leatherworker. Both have Tarbûnel beads in their trades and tarbûn beads in sword-fighting and axe-throwing.
The one that you might be pleased to know is here, is Cedric Diggory. He’s our farrier and has a nice round dozen beads (2 x utrab and the rest tarbûn).
Plus we’ve a few hobbits that we have permission from Uzbad Thorin to train, most won’t get above utrab level, but a few might make tarbûn, we’ll wait and see what Thorin has to say, when he comes back through the Pond in September.
We do a Point-Me for newly arrived magicals, every day, but we’ve had no new contacts since October (Gina, Matt, the Longbottoms, Pandora and Dorcas were all found on the same day, but actually arrived at vastly different times). We’ll keep looking. I’m kind of hoping that George might turn up. I miss him, so much, some days it feels like I’m being gutted. Not great.
Oh, well. The future is coming, we just have to wait for it to get here.
Anything else, I can help with, let me know.
Fred
MoS
There was so much to tell the Slytherin but so much of what they wanted to say, needed visual context and that wasn’t going to happen, until they actually saw Snape, in person. And Harry was still not ready to come clean to Snape and Dumbledore, about his being in middle-earth.
James wasn’t expecting them to hear from Snape for a while, the animosity between the marauders and the lone Slytherin, would make him hesitant to act.
~~~
July 5th 2922
It was 7.30 in the morning when Harry accepted a mug of tea from Colin and while he sipped at it, attempted yet another Point-Me. The difference between today and the last two-hundred-fifty-odd days, was that his wand actually moved.
“Oh!” He gasped.
“What?’ Colin turned around as Harry gasped.
Harry’s wand settled, pointing to the south-west. “We have a contact!” Harry yelled. He lowered his mug to the table and headed for the farmyard, he needed to be outside where his wand could touch the ground, while he tried to narrow down the location of the new arrival.
Five minutes later and he had some answers, answers that were slightly confusing.
“They’re young, two of them, one below Hogwarts age and one that’s a current student.” Harry told the hastily convened magical conclave. “Not sure which is which, though. One male and one female, not related to each other. Or at least not for five generations, which is far enough back to know, or at least have a vague idea. Neither appear to be injured, but I have no idea about what caused them to come here.”
“Current student, you say?” Remus twisted his mouth as he thought. “Can you tell what year they’d be in? Or how old they are?”
“No.” Harry shook his head. “Could be anything between eleven and seventeen.”
“Hmm…” Remus huffed. “Probably best if you go then. Maybe… Colin(?) with you? If they’re a current student, they’ll probably know who both of you are.”
“Especially after Snape called you out, the night Voldy died.” Fred snickered.
“Shut up, Weasley.” Harry mock-glared at the redhead.
“But he’s right.” Lavender nodded. “Colin and I will go with Harry. If this student doesn’t know Colin, they might recognise me. I was fairly noticeable.” She grinned.
“Do you know how far away, they are?” Lily asked, handing Briar to Sirius.
“Between two- and two-hundred-twenty miles.” Harry answered. “According to the map maker’s charms, they’re south-west of the Blue Mountains, on the coast. Like right on the coast, within a mile of it. Again, within a mile of a lighthouse-type beacon, below an area called Dor Tinuviel.”
“Are we taking ponies, or will we be on foot?” Colin asked.
“Quick and quiet, I think.” Harry answered. “We don’t know what sort of conditions they’re in. Only that they’ve been here, less than a day.”
“Armour?” Lavender asked.
“The lighter training stuff, but bring your weapons.” Harry cautioned. “We won’t leave magicals behind, especially young ones.”
“Got it.” The blondes both nodded.
“Five minutes and we’re gone.” Harry said. “Aunt Alice, we’ll come straight to the hospital, as soon as we have them.”
“On my way.” Alice handed Lawrence to Frank. “You get the rascal.” Frank just grinned and tickled his son’s foot, as Harry darted from the room. those going had only a few minutes to get changed and armour up, but thankfully Alice would alert Isengar, that there were incoming magicals.
The three magical dwarves landed on the bluff above the beach, their last apparition having been carefully planned, to deposit them where they would have the greatest shelter and the most visibility.
“There.” Lavender pointed, she could see two small shapes huddled down against the bitter wind that was coming off the Western Sea.
“Who goes?” Colin asked.
“Let’s get a little closer, before we make that call.” Harry suggested.
In near silence the three eased closer, sliding down the bluff and around this dune and that one, before crouching down to study the two small figures. As Harry looked, one moved, head lifting and scanning the beach, before dropping back into what little shelter their shoulders could give.
Before Harry or Lavender could put a name to a face they'd barely glimpsed, Colin was up and running.
“Dennis? Dennis!” He cried. “Dennis!” The cry became a scream.
The other boy’s head lifted as he heard his name and his jaw dropped when he saw who was yelling and running towards him. He leapt to his feet and managed to stumble a few yards, before Colin reached him.
“Colin?” Dennis collapsed to his knees, just as his brother reached him and skidded to his own knees, to wrap his arms around his younger brother. “C-Colin?” Dennis whispered.
“I gotcha, Little B.” Colin deliberately used the nickname that Dennis hated, knowing that he was the only one that ever called him that.
“What?” Dennis reared back his head and glared at his brother. “You’re dead!” He screeched. “You’re dead and you’re still calling me that?!”
“Yes.” Colin snapped back. “You’re my Little B and you always will be, just like I’ll always be your Big B. Not even death is going to change that.”
Dennis blinked at Colin, then his eyes widened and his face went pale, as he looked over Colin’s shoulder. “Oh, God…” Dennis whispered.
“Wotcha, Dennis.” Harry said as he and Lavender approached the brothers.
“H-Harry…?” Dennis asked, faintly.
“Dennis.” Harry repeated the boy’s name.
Dennis blinked a few more times, before he sighed and slumped back. “I’m dead, aren’t I?”
“I don’t know.” Harry answered. “What happened to you?”
Dennis gasped and pulled away from his brother, he darted back to the tiny huddled figure that had barely moved since they’d opened their eyes to the morning’s light.
“Jessie? Jessie? Wake up, Jess.” Dennis prodded until the figure moved slowly, lifting a head that Harry could now see belonged to a small girl. “We’re safe, Jess, we’re safe. Harry and Colin are here.” He raised his head to look at Harry. “Where is here?”
“Middle-earth.” Harry answered. “We’re south-west of the Shire and Hobbiton.”
Dennis’ eyes widened some more. “Middle-earth? Hobbiton? Like Lord of the Rings, Hobbiton?”
“Yep.” Harry nodded. “Have you got your wand?”
“Oh.” Dennis blinked and shoved a hand into his pocket, when his hand emerged it pulled a small item with it. It took Harry a few moments to realise that the item was a keyring with a tiny coin purse, shaped vaguely like a mini version of a man’s toiletries bag or a lady's domed clutch bag. “Oh, thank Merlin…” Dennis sighed in relief.
“What’s that, then?” Colin asked.
“When Hermione came back after…” Dennis paused before continuing. “McGonagall told me that as our dad was dead, that I’d be going to live in a foster home, so Hermione made me this.”
“Undetectable Extension Charm?” Harry asked.
“Uh... Yes…?” Dennis nodded. “How’d you know?”
“She made a bag for herself to keep all her things in, while we were hunting for a way to stop Voldy.” Harry answered. “And she made another one to send with me and Teddy.”
“All of DA have them, now.” Dennis said. “It’s got everything I own in it. My school trunks, Colin’s school trunks, trunks with everything else that belonged to Colin or dad, a wardrobe trunk for my everyday clothes. Everything.”
“Including your wand?” Harry asked.
“Uh…” Dennis opened the little purse and tipped the contents out onto his hand. Eight tiny trunks, each the size of a tiny two-stud Lego brick, fell into his palm. Also with them was a small tube, that Dennis picked out and gave a little shake to, when it rattled slightly, he smiled. “Yep, got ma wand.”
“Great.” Harry grinned. “Get it out. There’s no Ministry here, you’re free to use magic whenever you like.”
“Really?” Dennis asked, his face hopeful.
“Really.” Harry nodded. “Now, who’s your friend?”
“Jessie.” Dennis replied. “Jessica Carbonelli.”
“From next door?” Colin asked, looking at the girl, as she struggled to her feet and hunched in behind Dennis.
“Yeah.” Dennis nodded. “I went to say goodbye and got there, just as McGonagall was leaving.” He grimaced. “She was doing the muggleborn introductions. We chatted at the gate for a few minutes, before she left and I went up to the house. I rang the doorbell and Mrs Carbonelli answered and tried to brush me off. I was going to let her, then I heard Jessie scream, only she was cut off before it got loud. I pushed past Mrs Carbonelli and ran into the house, through the kitchen and out to the backyard, when I saw Mr Carbonelli trying to hold Jessie under water in the pool. I pushed him away and grabbed Jessie, but she wasn’t moving, then something hit my head and everything went black. When I opened my eyes next, we were here on the beach.”
“Ah.” Harry grunted. “And why didn’t you go up to the lighthouse?”
“We did.” Dennis answered. “We went up and just as I was about to knock on the door, I looked through the window and saw a man inside, he was cutting up a lady's body. I brought us back to the beach and we were hiding here. I was going to go up, after dark and see if I could steal a blanket or some money. Then try and find some other people or a town. But now, you’re here and I don’t have to. I don’t want to know what the man did with the lady's body after he cut it up.”
“I don’t think I want to, either.” Harry shuddered. “So, Jessie knows about magic, but has only had McGonagall’s muggleborn introduction? Nothing more?”
“Just the introduction.” Dennis confirmed.
“Okay.” Harry leant down and spoke to Jessie. “Jessie? I’m Harry Potter. Professor McGonagall was my Head of House at Hogwarts, she was my teacher for six years. We might not be able to teach you everything that you could learn at Hogwarts, but we’ll do our best. We’ve plenty of wands and lots of books, as well as people that can teach you. Will you come with us? Will you learn magic?”
Jessie peeked at Harry, around Dennis’ body. “Harry Potter? From Colin and Dennis’ stories?”
“Oh, boy…” Harry muttered, shaking his head at the two boys, before sighing. “Yes, that Harry Potter.” The girl blinked and gave a shaky little giggle at his resigned tone.
“Be nice, Harry.” Colin chided. “They’ve had a rough day.”
“Yeah, I suppose they have.” Harry agreed. “Will you come with us?”
Jessie looked at Dennis, then at Colin, before nodding. “Yes, please.” Her voice was little more than a whisper. “I want to learn magic, but daddy’s a catholic and Uncle Michael is a priest. When Mrs McGonagall left, daddy called me the… the spawn of the devil…” She hiccupped and started to cry.
“You’re not the devil’s spawn, you’re a little girl.” Harry told her. “Your daddy was wrong. Magic’s not evil, it’s just a tool. There’s good witches and bad witches, just like there’s good people and bad people. And you’re a good person.” He assured her. “Come on, let’s get you two home, checked over by our healer, into some dry clothes and get something warm to eat. Okay?”
“Yes, please, Harry.” Dennis spoke for the two of them, as he finished strapping his wand holster to his arm.
~~~