Baby Serena

The standard disclaimer applies: I own nothing and I am making nothing from this fanfiction. All characters belong to the incredible J.K. Rowling, I only wish that I had thought of it first.

Chapter 23

Molly waved her wand and a cup of tea floated over to the table for her oldest son. She sat down with her tea and listened to what had happened with Harry’s Aunt when Bill had gone to break her memory charm. The more he told her about Petunia’s reaction, the madder she became at Albus Dumbledore. The woman had been robbed of her memories and her life, not to mention the misery that it caused for Harry.

Bill was just telling her about the charms that had been on the woman to change her appearance when Petunia walked through the kitchen door.

“I’m sorry,” Petunia said. “I didn’t mean to interrupt. I just wanted to find Molly Weasley. Harry told me that she was the one to take him every summer, and that she was the first adult to actually give him a gift for Christmas. I wanted to thank her,” she whispered. “I was horrible to him and so were Dudley and Vernon. He still sent someone to get Dudley and gave him somewhere to go, how did he turn out so wonderful when I was such a shrew?”

Molly got up from the table and put her arm around the pale, shaking woman. “Don’t you worry about it dear. Albus Dumbledore stole your life from you and he was attempting to steal Harry’s inheritance. We stopped him, and now you are back where you belong.”

Bill chuckled as his mother led Petunia over to the table and used her wand to deliver a cup of tea to the table in front of her. “Petunia, this is my mother, Molly Weasley. Mum, meet Petunia Evans.”

Molly smiled at her and motioned for her to drink her tea. “We’ve made arrangements for Dudley to attend Hogwarts at the beginning of the term. He’s still unsure what year that he will be in, but after everyone is finished teaching him this summer he won’t have nearly as much to make up.”

Petunia looked up at the Weasley matriarch, “I don’t know how to thank you for all you’ve done,” she said. “You’ve given Harry the things that I should have, and now you’re helping Dudley to take his rightful place in the wizarding world.”

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Harry and Dudley stood outside Remus, Sirius and Severus’ room, debating on whether to knock or wait until the three had come out.

“Are you sure that they won’t mind us disturbing them?” Dudley asked.

Harry clapped him on the shoulder, “Come on Dudley, Remus is your dad. I am positive that he won’t mind you disturbing him.” He lifted his hand and knocked on the door.

Sirius opened the door and motioned for them to come into the room. Remus came out of the bathroom, his hair wet and robes half open. “I was just cleaning up a bit,” he told them.

Dudley cleared his throat, “Bill broke my mum’s memory charm,” he said. “She’s downstairs and she would like to see you.”

Remus smiled, “And I would like to see her,” he answered.

“Me too,” Sirius stated.

“And I also,” came from Severus.

The two boys turned and led the three men down the stairs to see their friend.

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Petunia sat at the table with Bill, Molly, Ginny and Hermione. They were each telling her about Harry’s adventures during his time at Hogwarts. Ginny had just finished telling her what she remembered about the Chamber of Secrets and Molly and Bill had already told her about the first task of the Tri-Wizard tournament. Hermione was just starting the story about the Philosopher’s Stone when Harry and Dudley stepped through the door.

“Mum?” Dudley said. “There are some people that would like to see you.”

Sirius pushed his way past the two boys, “Petunia, are you alright?”

Petunia jumped up from the table and threw her arms around Sirius. “Oh Sirius, I am so sorry,” she sobbed.

Remus and Severus stepped forward and wrapped their arms around the sobbing woman and their lover. “It’s alright Petunia,” Remus told her. “None of us remembered until earlier today. When Severus discovered that Dudley could do magic, we began looking into why he didn’t get a Hogwarts letter when he was eleven.”

Dudley rubbed his mother’s back, “It’s okay, mum. Harry’s going to take care of Serena. He’s still going to adopt her, and I’m going to go to Hogwarts.”

“And Aunt Petunia, you and Dudley can stay here as long as you want. The more family I have, the better I like it,” Harry piped up.

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Dudley’s lessons began that afternoon with Potions. Severus covered the first year of material and then had Dudley begin his first potion. Remus, Sirius and Petunia were holed up in the library, going over everything that she had missed.

Harry had found Draco and they were playing exploding snap with Ron and Ginny. Hermione was immersed in a book, and Charlie, Bill, Fred and George were out looking for creatures for Dudley to learn about.

Molly sat in the kitchen with Serena. She considered Harry to be her seventh son, so Serena was her grandchild. She had never thought that she would have a grandchild while she still had children in Hogwarts, but she loved the small girl. It gave her someone to lavish attention on when her own children were starting to grow up. They didn’t need her like they used to, but Serena did.

Harry had told her that he wanted the entire family to stay here with him. That way, he could have all of the people he loved in one place. He had also asked her to care for Serena while he finished his education, there was no way that she could say no. Her oldest children were going to try and salvage what they could from the remains of the Burrow and bring it to their new home.

Things were going to be okay, Voldemort was gone and it was the dawning of a new era and she intended to live her life.