An Unconventional Upbringing

By EllaLewis

This story is written for thegenuineimitation's "I Was Raised By…" Challenge on the Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges Forum. This is the first chapter in what I hope to be a long story. I hope you enjoy this, thegenuineimitation. :) And yes, this will eventually be more than 1000 words. This chapter just happens to be an introduction.

XxXxXxXxX

Chapter One

When Dumbledore had requested this of her, Poppy Pomfrey could only see he logistics in her mind. The Dursleys were, as McGonnagall had said, "the worse kind of muggles imaginable" as well as horribly prejudiced against magic folk and therefore thoroughly unfit to care for a child other than their own. The press and fan-farers, as well as those who remained loyal to You-Know-Who after he supposedly died, would immediately assume that someone as special and famous as Harry Potter would stay somewhere where his family's blood would keep him safe. However, Poppy's home was a small, heavily warded cottage in an undisclosed, safe location—a location that You-Know-Who himself had never even heard rumors of. After all, people always assumed the nurse came with the school, and thus lived at the school.

With these logistics firmly in place in her mind, Poppy had accepted Dumbledore's request.

Now, however, after Hagrid and Dumbledore gave her the most precious of packages and left, and as she held in her arms a small cloth-bundled baby boy with dainty hands and feet and a jagged, lightning bolt-shaped scar on his forehead, she wondered if she really was the right person for this particular job. Sure, she often felt as if the students she treated were her own, and she certainly was able to take care of them, but a baby? Poppy hadn't needed to take care of a baby since she had a brief stunt in Saint Mungo's maternity ward many, many years ago for only a short week.

She didn't know how she was supposed to cope with the full responsibility of the growth of a baby.

Sighing lightly, Poppy tucked the cloth a little bit tighter around the boy's neck, to keep the warmth in more efficiently. Thank goodness Poppy was able to take care of him, at least. Still, to raise him completely on her own… Why couldn't Remus have… No. No, there was no way that the Ministry would allow a werewolf to care for a child, even if they didn't know who it was. If they even had a clue about it, Remus would be in quite a deal of trouble, and Poppy wouldn't want that trouble on any of her former patients' behalf.

Poppy straightened her back as a new determination shook her. She was going to raise this boy, and she was going to raise him right. She might need to buy a few books within a few weeks or months, and she definitely needed some groceries, some toys, and a crib, but Poppy was going to do this. And with that thought in mind, she introduced herself to her new housemate.

"Hello, Harry Potter," she said in a stern, clear tone. "My name is Poppy Pomfrey, and I am taking care of you from now on. You'd better behave yourself, too."

Harry's only reply was a deep green stare and a soft coo.