Login
MuggleNet Fan Fiction
Harry Potter stories written by fans!

Lily and Alice by Wenlock

[ - ]   Printer Chapter or Story Table of Contents

- Text Size +

Story Notes:

I don't own anything you recognize, JKR does.

While this story is canon-compliant will all the books, it may deviate from some interview statements.
Prologue

November 2, 1981

Alice did not cry when she heard the news. Instead, she left her son with Augusta and Apparated to Hogsmeade. She then marched to Hogwarts. Dumbledore was in the entrance hall, so she did not need to waste her time shouting names of sweets at the gargoyle in the hall. She gave her former Headmaster a glare worthy of her mother-in-law. The students, happily milling about in the hall tried as best as they could to shrink into the corners and avoid notice. Even Dumbledore took a step back, but stopped himself and greeted her warmly.

She did not return his pleasantries, but launched straight into a tirade. –You sent him to Petunia! How dare you! The absolute worst place he could go! If Lily were ali-”

But she couldn’t finish the sentence. She tried again before choking on her tears. The students began to whisper quietly, but Professor Slughorn was passing by and shooed them away. Dumbledore conjured a comfortable chair and made Alice sit down. He waited until the sobs subsided before telling Alice of what had happened to James and Lily. He defended his choice to leave Harry with the Dursleys by saying, –It will be best for the boy to be raised by family.”

To this, Alice said angrily, –James is my second cousin. In fact, he’s related to half the wizarding world, one way or another. You’re sending the boy to the one place he won’t feel loved, or even welcome!”

–Lily died to save him, Alice. There is powerful protective magic in young Harry’s mother’s blood. He must stay with her family, and Petunia is the only choice.”

–Will that magic make them love him? Frank and I are Aurors! We’ve done well enough protecting our son. If it were anyone but Petunia, I could accept it. I’m as good as Lily’s sister. You know I’d raise young Harry as my own. That woman - ”

–Yes, about her,” Dumbledore replied. –I need someone to pay her a visit and make sure the young boy is getting settled alright. But please, Alice, be subtle. Don’t make contact if you don’t need to. Don’t reveal yourself as a witch. Take young Neville in a pram and just happen by her house.” Dumbledore gave her the address and Alice walked back to Hogsmeade to Apparate home.

*****************

She did not, as he instructed, intend to be friendly or subtle. She checked on Neville, who was napping happily in Augusta’s spare room, and then changed into her most official and dangerous looking Auror uniform. She took the Knight Bus to Private Drive, walked down the street to number four, ignored the disapproving glances of the neighbors, and rapped sharply on the Dursley’s door. Petunia answered and, realizing Alice could not be anything but a witch, ushered her in quickly, lest the neighbors suspect anything dodgy.

Alice introduced herself and said, feeling only slightly guilty about using her position to intimidate a Muggle, –I’m with Magical Law Enforcement, here to ensure the wellbeing of young Harry Potter.”

Petunia nodded and gestured for Alice to follow her up the stairs. They came to Dudley’s room where the two boys were playing on the floor, keeping mostly to themselves. Harry looked up when he heard the door open, gleefully said, –Ala Ala,” and toddled over to give Alice a rather wet kiss. She proceeded to play with the boy for twenty minutes or so, until Dudley began to whine for lunch. Alice, while not entirely happy - which she feared she would never be again because of all she had lost in the war - was somewhat placated. She allowed herself to be led out. As she was leaving, she told Petunia she would be around regularly to check on the lad. As the door was closing, Alice straightened up to her full height and menacingly whispered to Petunia, –And if I find out you are treating him poorly, I will kill you.”

Petunia did not tell Vernon of the encounter, until they had a row when Vernon wanted to move Harry down to the cupboard below the stairs. Because of their fear, Harry was given the same treatment as Dudley. The witch came back once or twice a week for a month. Then she did not show up for a week. That week became two and then a month passed. –Humph,” said Vernon one night, –Your sister’s sort are rather the unreliable type, aren’t they?” Petunia wasn’t convinced. Her fear of the witch kept Harry in the second bedroom for two years.

Alice was, of course, not the unreliable type. She was, as Vernon made his remark, lying unconscious in a hospital bed in London, as she had been since the attack. When she awoke, she would not remember her own son, let alone the toddler in Surrey whose mother was gone.

This is the bittersweet tale of a war that brought two remarkable women together and made them the best of friends, before it ripped their families apart.