Disclaimer I own nothing but that which came from my head the rest belongs to JKR

Chapter 1 Wee Rosie

As they entered the car, after just leaving the others in the station Harry noticed a baby girl in the car sleeping. She looked to be about eight months old. Seeing the confused look on her nephew's face Aunt Petunia said "This is your new cousin Rose you will be looking after her this summer. And there will be none of your freakishness around her understood!" snapped Aunt Petunia

"New cousin?" Harry thought "I hope she's not like Dudley, that's all this world needs"

The journey to Privet Drive was a quiet one; Harry's thoughts were mostly dwelling on the events of the past few weeks. He knew that he couldn't wallow in self pity over the death of Sirius and he knew that Sirius wouldn't want him to do that. Sirius would want him to get on and live his life to the full because it wasn't Harry's fault it was Bellatrix LeStrange and Voldemort fault and it wouldn't help matters if Harry was depressed. He realised that as practically the weight of the Wizarding world rested on his shoulders that he couldn't just sit around moping he'd have to face it head on by doing everything he could and that meant training. Whether he was able to practice magic outside of school or not he would re-read all the books he has from all five years he's been at Hogwarts and master all the theory of all the spells, the truth be told Harry had always enjoyed reading it was just the fact that when at primary when Harry got better marks than Dudley his Aunt and Uncle used to punish him so that put him off working hard but now he had a new goal in life that he hoped would make Sirius and his parents proud of him.

As they got out of the car at number four Harry made his way straight up to his room with his trunk and Hedwig. After he got into his room he noticed an owl in his room with a letter.

Harry

I know you have only left school a few hours ago I wanted you to know that I shall be stopping by tomorrow around noon we have a great many things to discuss.

Yours

Albus Dumbledore

Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Strange Harry thought that Dumbledore would be visiting him here at Privet Drive after Harry had trashed his office after the night at the Dept of Mysteries in the Ministry. Before Harry could think on it any more his Uncle Vernon shouted on him.

"BOY COME DOWN HERE NOW"

"Yes Uncle Vernon" Harry replied

Making his way back downstairs and into the living room Harry found his Uncle standing by the fireplace,

"Dudders and I shall be going out you are to watch Rose and not disturb your Aunt understand?" Uncle Vernon said

"Yes Uncle Vernon"

Picking up Rose from her basket in the living room Harry took her upstairs to his room he had started to grow attached to little Rosie from the very start. As Harry and Hedwig entertained Rose (who was fascinated with Hedwig) they heard Uncle Vernon's car pull out of the drive, half an hour later as Rose slept in Harry's arms there was a soft knock on the door. And Aunt Petunia walked in

"Harry may I have a word with you please?"

"This isn't right" thought Harry "she never asks if she can talk to me saying that when has she ever politely spoken to me." But there was a look of hopelessness in her eyes, that made Harry wonder what was wrong.

"Is everything okay Aunt Petunia?" asked Harry who was never close to his Aunt and had never seen her like this.

"Harry I wanted to apologize to you for the way we have treated you over the years, but I come to you now to ask you to do something for me."

"What is it Aunt Petunia" Harry asked confused was this really his Aunt talking to him.

"I want you to take Rose with you and leave and never come back and care for Rose as we should have cared for you."

"Are you being serious? You want me to take your baby away! Why I'm the freak remember?" asked a really confused Harry

"Yes I apologise Harry for everything I really do but I fear for her life. Your Uncle Vernon doesn't know but Rosie here is a witch!"

"What? How do you know??"

"I walked into her nursery the other day and her rattle was floating in the air I knew then that her life would be in danger as Vernon would never have a child who was a witch or wizard the only reason he hasn't seriously harmed you is because people in your world would come looking for you especially your headmaster."

Harry's mind was going into overdrive his Aunt was talking about magic without hesitation; she wanted him to take her child away because she thought her brute of a husband would kill the baby. Thinking about his Uncle Vernon, Harry knew what she said was true.

"Of course I will take and protect Rose, it so happens my headmaster was going to stop by tomorrow at noon so I could try and make arrangements with him then about Rose and me leaving with him"

"Thank you Harry I don't deserve your help thank you" said Petunia "oh Lil if you can hear me I am sorry for what I have done to your boy but I do need his help." Thought Petunia to her long dead sister whom she still loved. "I'll just have to learn to live with the knowledge that I will never get to see my baby girl grow up" continued Petunia to Harry with tears in her eyes.

"If you want I can help there I could get Professor Dumbledore to wipe your memories of any knowledge of you having baby Rose and remove any knowledge from the house of there ever being a baby in this house"

"Thank you Harry, I don't know what to say I think I'll go and pack her things and tell your uncle that we are redecorating the nursery and we'll put her things in here, Vernon won't complain"

Petunia was getting teary eyes at the thought of her daughter leaving and never seeing her again. Sensing this Harry handed Rose over to her mother for those precious few hours they had left until tomorrow. Harry only hoped Dumbledore would take them away from Privet Drive, Harry hadn't bothered to suggest his Aunt leave his Uncle for he knew she never would she loved him and love can do strange things, even blind people to the truth of what actually happens in their lives by those they love.

"I'll go and pack Rosie's things, you stay with her"

Petunia took Rose in her arms and held her there knowing this could well be the last time she had to hold her child and she knew that she would be better off with Harry. She looked at Harry with thanks in her eyes as he left the room to begin packing.

The next day noon came around too soon for some in Number four. Everything was packed and ready to go Uncle Vernon had took the bait about redecorating the nursery and he and Dudley had left to go and buy the materials needed. 11.59 came and Petunia sat there holding Rose in her arms when the clock started to chime there was a knock on the door at that exact moment. Harry without making much noise rose from the kitchen table where he'd been sitting contemplating how he was going to get the Headmaster to take him and Rose away that very day. As Harry opened the door Albus Dumbledore stood there in his midnight blue robes.

"Good afternoon Harry, how are you?"

"I'm fine thanks sir, wont you come in?"

"Yes thanks we have a lot to talk about, is your Aunt in?"

"Yes she's in saying goodbye to Rose"

"Harry may I ask who Rose is?"

"She's my baby cousin"

As they made their way into the living room Harry made the introductions.

"Aunt Petunia this is my headmaster Professor Dumbledore"

"Sir this is my Aunt Petunia"

"Pleasure to meet you again Petunia, you are probably wondering why I am here?"

"Yes, would you please excuse me I think Rose needs changing" said Aunt Petunia just wanting her last moments with her daughter alone and not really listening to what Dumbledore had actually said.

"Sir, why have you come here, when you could have spoke to me at school?"

"My boy I have come because it would be safer to take you away before you come age on your birthday!"

Maybe it wasn't going to be that hard to get Dumbledore to take him away that day he just had to make sure he could take Rose as well but then he realised...

"Sir I don't come of age until next year I'm only going to be sixteen this year" Harry thought maybe the headmaster was starting to lose his mind.

"Yes in normal circumstances that would be correct but because you are the last of the Potters you will become of age on your sixteenth birthday and as such will gain control over all your family's possessions which have been held since your parents deaths but we shall talk about that later when we go "home" shall we say"

Dumbledore's eyes where excited he had waited for years to be able to get Harry out of this place though it was the best protection for him while growing up he would no longer be calling this place home. If it was ever called this in the first place, Dumbledore knew putting Harry here was the biggest mistake he had ever made and he hoped to put it right.

"Sir, I'm guessing you will be talking in more detail when we go "home" but before we go there are a few things I need to discuss with you…"

Harry was unsure how to proceed from here, but he didn't have to worry Petunia stepped back in the room "I want Harry to take my Rose away with him and for him to bring her up with love and affection and help her with gifts and I would ask that you take away any knowledge I have of Rose the same for Dudders and Vernon"

"Ah so I am presuming Rose is a witch? I haven't checked the register lately being away from the school and all, but if it is your wish I shall do it, not out of gratitude but because I know Lily cared about you very much even though you refused contact with her." said Dumbledore his eyes dimmed in their twinkling though he was thinking this could actually help Harry in his loss over Sirius with Rose to care for and also with the knowledge his Aunt was able to in trust him with the care of her baby. "If that is your wish then as Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot I can help you, you will need to sign these to transfer guardianship over to Harry" and with a wave of his wand he had conjured the guardianship papers that as the most senior member of the Wizengamot it was within his powers to do.

After all three of them had signed the papers Dumbledore created a Portkey for Harry and Rose to take them to Hogwarts while Dumbledore changed the charms on the house and placed a memory charm on Petunia, Dudley and Vernon, the latter two arriving just as Dumbledore was finished Obliterating Petunias memories of Rose. With what hoped to be his last time to ever set eyes on them Albus Dumbledore left number four and made his was over to Arabella Figgs house to floo back to his office at Hogwarts to start a very long talk with the young man he loved as a son.