Chapter Four

Long time no see! I am sorry for not uploading for like… years. Truth time? I was diagnosed with depression not long after I originally uploaded the last chapter, and it has taken me a few years to get back on track. But I am in a really good place right now!

Now, here is chapter four. If you have any ideas for this story please let me know. Also, my other story 'Harry Potter: The Other Sister', has not had as much traction as this one so any ideas for that (including a title change maybe?) that you can think of, I would be so grateful!

We are doing a slight time jump but I will be doing flashbacks to the intervening years during the story. I just think it makes more sense this way.

All right belong to JK Rowling.

Written: 24/04/2020

It was a warm day on the last day of June 1991, and Ted and Andromeda Tonks were finishing up their breakfast before Ted was off to work. "It says here that Fudge is reviewing the werewolf regulations" said Ted, over his paper.

"Again!" Andromeda sighed with frustration. "Let me guess. He is restricting rights again? When will he learn that not all werewolves are like Greyback! You would think he learnt his lesson with Remus." Ted huffed, folding his paper and saying,

"Sirius told me yesterday that Fudge is gunning for Remus' job." Andromeda responded angrily,

"What was the point of hiring a werewolf to improve relations with the werewolves, to start restricting them again a few years later? It's only going to make them angry and cause the radical fractions to rebel even more!" Andromeda ranted before sighing. "Poor Remus".

"Poor Remus?" Hermione said worriedly as she walked thought the kitchen door with Harry. "Is Uncle Remus okay?". After glancing as his wife briefly, Ted replied,

"Just some problems at work. Nothing to worry about. Morning kids!"

Harry and Hermione sat down at the table as Andromeda put their breakfast in front of them. "Where is your sister? It maybe her say off from the Auror academy today, but it is no excuse to have a lie in". Ted shook his head,

"I think it is a good reason too Dromeda. Leave her be. She is 19 and is intitled to sleep in a bit" He looked at his watch and chuckled. "Its not even 8:15am yet". He turned to his younger two children. "Hey kids guess what".

They looked up at their Dad. "What?" Harry said.

"A little bird informed me at work yesterday that certain letters should be arriving today"

Harry and Hermione looked at each other, smiles practically reaching their eyes. "Hogwarts letters!" They shouted turning to their Dad who just chuckled, nodding. Andromeda rolled her eyes and scolded the children for raising their voices as they hear a loud clanging upstairs.

"Someone's awake" Ted continued to chuckle as his wife just rolled her eyes. A few moments later, Dora opened the kitchen door, looking completely drained,

"Mornin' everyone"

"Really Dora" Andromeda scowled as she handed her a cup of coffee. "Did you stay up all night?" Dora just huffed as they heard a tapping at the windows.

"Letters!" Harry and Hermione shouted. Ted chuckled again, saying,

"Not so loud. Hang on" as he went to the window to grab the letter from the owl. Ted gave the letter to the over excited children before giving the owl a treat before the bird flew off. Harry and Hermione looked at each other excitedly.

"Don't rip them open" Andromeda smiled fondly, grabbing the camera. "Let me take a picture of you both as you open them. This is one for the album!". Harry and Hermione then opened their letters as the camera flashed.

HPHPHPHP

Albus Dumbledore was sitting in his office at Hogwarts, thinking. Harry was starting school in September, but there were so many problems starting. Fudge had been causing more and more problems since he came to office. He has his own prejudice against a range of magical creatures and even certain witches and wizards. Lucius Malfoy and other rich ex-death eaters is bank rolling him of course.

There was also the problem of Quirrell, the defence teacher coming back from his sabbatical. Dumbledore was convinced he is now in league with Lord Voldemort, he had returned too different to the man he was before. Whether possessed or now being a death eater, he did not know. Maybe he even met Pettigrew on his travels, they never did find him.

The last problem was how he was going to prepare young Harry for his battle ahead. He is obviously too young to fight Voldemort now, but he will need to start his training as soon as possible, as he is the only one capable of defeating Voldemort now. But first, Dumbledore mused, he would need to assess the boy's ability, and that of his friends. Yes, Harry will need good friends to help him with the fight ahead. He will need to have a meeting with the Tonks' soon, even if cannot tell them everything, he will need to tell them enough as they are his legal and magical guardians.

With that, Dumbledore picked up his quill and started to pen a few letters. He had a plan a foot. This year was going to be the beginning of a very long journey.

HPHPHPHP

As Ted got to work that day, he was humming. Harry and Hermione were so happy to receive their letter. It was good Dora was not at the academy today as she could take them out to help with their energy levels. Andromeda had an article she wanted to work on for Witch Weekly. As Ted arrived at his desk, Arthur Weasley came up to his desk. "Morning Arthur! How are things? Is this a social call or have you got a muggle artifact that needs my attention?" Arthur looked annoyed about something,

"Morning. Yes, a couple of work things. Firstly, Mad Eyes dustbins reacted to a muggle postman again this morning. Don't worry we dealt with the magic side, but we bail him out of police custody-"

"custody?!" Teddy cut him off, alarmed.

"Yes" Arthur sighed. "The muggle postman told the police Mad Eye was the one that attacked him."

"I'm guessing this is after you wiped his memory?"

"Yes. The officer who wiped his memory stupidly forgot to remove the fact he was attacked so the muggle got the police to charge him with something called… what was it, ah yes. GHB?"

"GHB?" Teddy responded, mildly amused. "You mean GBH? As in Grievous Bodily Harm?"

"Is that what it is? Anyway, we need you to go and smooth things over with the muggle police and see if you can get the charges dropped."

"I am guessing it's the station nearest to Mad Eye?" Teddy replied, writing down some notes as Arthur nodded. "And what is the other matter?" Arthur pulled out one end of the object out of the bag and asked,

"This was confiscated by an Auror off Elphious Dodge in Diagon Alley this morning. Do you know what it is and if it is dangerous?"

As Ted looked down at the object in Arthurs hand, he couldn't help but burst out laughing. Arthur looked confused and asked, "What's so funny?"

"Has it been charmed?"

"No. We tested for anything magical. Why?"

"Arthur, it's harmless." Ted stated.

HPHPHPHP

That night, after the kids and gone to bed, after Harry and Hermione had gone to bed, Ted was telling Andromeda and Dora about his conversion with Arthur that day, they were all having a laugh. "And it was a pink feather boa with sparkly bits"

"Oh my god! That's hilarious! What did Arthur think? That it was a muggle weapon that commits crimes against fashion?" Dora said through tears of laugher.

They were all still chuckling when Dumbledore came through the flames in their flu. "I see I have interrupted a family joke" he said, chuckling slightly himself. The family started to sober up and Andromeda said,

"Good evening Albus. We got you owl. Would you like a cup of tea?" Dumbledore beamed and nodded. "I'll get you a mug. The kettle has only just boiled. Please feel free to sit down." As he seated himself, she filled up a mug and handed it to him. "Here you go." Andromeda then sat down. "Dora. Time for bed."

"You do know I'm an adult right?"

"Dora. Now!" After one final strict note from her Mum. She left the room with a huff.

"Now." Albus said. "I have come about Harry starting school. I was wondering. What have you told him, well, and Hermione, about Hogwarts and, specifically, the houses?" They both looked slightly perplexed.

"Just about what all the houses are, the traits that each of the houses tend to exhibit. Dora and I would talk about what it's like in Hufflepuff and Dromeda would talk about Slytherin. Sirius and Remus have discussed Gryffindor a lot with them of course, as have the Weasley's, the twins especially." Dumbledore nodded, and Andromeda frowned.

"I of course was a hat stall. The hat was torn between Slytherin and Ravenclaw but I begged the hat to go with Slytherin. I was still scared of repercussions from my parents back then." Andromeda paused. "I know why your asking Albus. You want him in Gryffindor, don't you?"

"Not necessarily" Dumbledore reassured. "I will be blunt. I wouldn't normally stress about this but with the prophecy, and his involvement, I think it would be best for his own safety not to be in Slytherin House. Other than that, I see no reason for him to be in any other house. But of course, I am sure you have your own fears for he and Hermione if they were to end up in the same house as young Draco Malfoy." He finished, looking over his half-moon spectacles at them. His blue eyes shining as if boring into them. Ted and Andromeda looked at each other in mixture of understanding and slight annoyance. Finally, pursing her lips, Andromeda turned to Albus,

"I understand your concern Albus. I agree it is a concern. But as I was a hat stall, I think we can give them enough information and to trust that they will make the right decision for them." Dumbledore nodded.

"I understand. I know I was slightly overstepping but I am concerned for their welfare. Harry's in particular. A lot of death eaters believe Harry to be the next dark lord, and some just think of him as the boy who killed their master, and as much as I hate to admit it, Slytherin house is still the pureblood basin it always was."

All Ted and Andromeda could do was nod. Neither could fault what he was saying. Hell! Andromeda grew up around it, and was kicked out of her family for marrying a muggleborn, which her family considered her 'dirtying the blood'. Andromeda then said, "Thanks Albus. Was there anything else?"

"Yes" Dumbledore paused. "At some point, we will need to consider training for Harry. As he gets older, he'll come closer to his final fight, and if we want him to win-" Dumbledore left the rest of the entrance in the air. The parents knew it was essential to consider this.

After a few moments, Ted replied, "I agree Albus. And Harry is aware of how his parents died and how he survived, and we do intend to tell him everything in the next couple of years. But I think for now," he glanced at his wife before continuing, "he just needs to focus on being a child. We will of course provide extra reading which I am sure our Hermione will encourage him to absorb and even practice maybe", he and Andromeda smirked slightly, "but we do not plan on even considering full training for a year or two. I do know both Sirius and Remus are interested in helping with that when the time comes, and I am sure you would be also. But not yet. We want him to be as much as a normal couple of years at Hogwarts as possible. Well, as it can be for him anyway."

Dumbledore nodded. He agreed with them. He wanted the boy to experience as much of his childhood as possible as well. "Okay. That is all I came here to say. I assure you. I will keep an eye on Harry, and Hermione, whatever happens." He paused. "Is their anything you wanted to ask me?" The couple shook their heads no. "Then I will bid you goodnight. And goodnight to you too Nymphadora" he said, smirking towards the kitchen door. He disappeared into the flames as Dora came back in through the door.

Before her parents could say anything, Dora just said, "As much as he was out of order in coming here and trying to tell you guys what to do. It makes sense. What's the prophecy?". He parents looked at each other and sighed.

"Sit down Dora" said Ted. As she sat down, they started to explain everything to Dora, and they talked about it, late into the night.