//------------------------------// // Chapter 8: From Hogwarts // Story: The Boy Who Disappeared // by computerneek //------------------------------// Dudley was safely out of the house, “playing” with his gang.  Hailey knew that probably meant he was beating someone up. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, however, were in the living room with Hailey. “So,” Vernon began.  “About…”  He looked down at the letter he’d placed on the coffee table between them.  The green ink, addressing it to Hailey, was visible, right on top.  “About Hogwarts.” Aunt Petunia took a deep breath.  “It’s real.” “...  Real,” Hailey muttered incredulously. “All of it,” Petunia continued.  “Witches.  And wizards.  Using wands, to do magic.  My sister- your mother- was one.” “Your parents,” Vernon took over, “didn’t die in…  In a car crash.  They were murdered.  By…  By wizardkind’s version of Hitler.” Petunia looked at him.  “If I recall correctly, ‘terrorist’ fit Dumbledore’s description of Voldemort better than Hitler did.” Vernon shrugged.  “Same difference.  He tried to kill you too- but it didn’t work.  He died.” Petunia sighed.  “And as a result, you…  were famous.” “I-  I can’t be famous,” Hailey responded incredulously.  “I’d know if I was.” “That’s the thing:  The old you, Harry, is famous.  In the Wizarding World.  A celebrity, even.” “I-  No, I can’t be,” Hailey said defiantly. Petunia nodded.  “They know nothing about the new you- Hailey.  No fame, no nothing.” She took a deep breath.  “Good.” “We swore,” Vernon began, took a deep breath, and started again.  “When we took you in, we swore we’d stamp it out.” Vernon and Petunia then spoke as one.  “We’re not having a celebrity in the house.” Petunia sighed.  “Fame is a fast way to get targeted, and we don’t want to be anywhere near that.  Then, you’ve become…”  She gestured forwards. “So long as you never return as Harry,” Vernon muttered, “we’re prepared to help you get into magic school- into Hogwarts.” “Well…”  Petunia scowled, looking Hailey up and down.  “Not yet.  We need to get you a decent wardrobe first.” Vernon blinked.  “True.  And a proper bedroom.”  He looked at Petunia.  “Dudley’s second, perhaps?  He probably doesn’t need even half his first if we throw away some of the stuff he’s destroyed.” Hailey could only stare. Professor McGonagall looked down at the piece of parchment in her hand, then up at the house in front of her. Then she looked both ways down Privet Drive. She could swear the place looked familiar- but she couldn’t remember from where, and the parchment in her hand indicated it to be the classic muggleborn introduction, where she’d have to introduce the new witch and both parents to the existence of magic.  It couldn’t possibly be Harry- he wasn’t muggleborn so, even though he lived with muggles, the magic wouldn’t flag him as needing a classic muggleborn introduction.  Completely aside from how the witch in question was named Hailey, not Harry.  It was an interesting coincidence that a muggleborn with his last name would be entering Hogwarts in the same year as he.  Hagrid was looking forward to fetching Harry, once the castle magic gave up on delivering his letter by magic and gave it to them for staff to take care of. Dumbledore- and she as well- fully expected that to happen, after all. She stepped up to the door of number four, and knocked. Silence. She waited a minute, and knocked again. Another minute, another nock. Finally, she slipped her fingers into the pockets of her jeans- uncomfortable as they were- where her wand was hidden, and muttered a soft incantation. There wasn’t a single soul in the house. They must’ve gone out somewhere. She sighed, and headed back for the street.  She’d have to come back tomorrow- in the meantime, she pocketed that note, and drew a fresh note from her other pocket.  She never headed out to do muggleborn introductions with only one, unless there was only one left; more often than not, the first one she stopped at wasn’t available.  She read the next note.  Perhaps this…  Hermione Granger would be available?  It wasn’t even far- a quick incantation informed her it was only a thirty-minute walk! She decided to walk, instead of apparating.  It was a nice day for a walk. Hailey was having difficulty believing what was happening. The Dursleys had suddenly gone back on their fear of her thinking of anything behaving in a way in which it shouldn’t, explaining it away as a fear of her attracting the attention of the Wizarding World as Famous Harry Potter. Who was famous for having his parents killed, and surviving it. Hailey readily agreed with them, she shouldn’t be famous for that. Next, since Dudley was still too terrified to get within ten feet of her, Vernon drove Dudley to one of his friends’ houses, then returned to take Hailey and Petunia clothes shopping. When she saw the sheer size of the lingerie section, Hailey was at once glad that Aunt Petunia had been able to help her verify that she didn’t need to wear a bra unless she wore something see-through- which she didn’t plan on doing. They spent the entire day going around to the various clothing stores in town.  By the time they returned home, the sun was going down- and Hailey had a brand-new wardrobe. Then, once they returned home, Vernon and Petunia gave her Dudley’s second bedroom, exactly as they had promised. She couldn’t wait to tell Hermione about it. The following morning was…  interesting, to Hailey.  She’d discovered in her morning shower that her new private parts were far more sensitive than she might have liked- and that reminded her of one thing Hermione had told her about girls, that she had not been interested in:  Menstrual cycles. A quick flash of green fire- she couldn’t figure out where it had come from- fixed the sensitivity problem, though, so she had elected to ignore it.  When she was done, she’d looked at her scar in the mirror- and, curious about the fire, concentrated on the scar disappearing. A second flash of green fire, and not only had her scar vanished tracelessly, but her hair was dry as well.  Convenient. This time, they left Dudley at home, since Vernon and Petunia would be returning shortly- and they drove Hailey out to London, and stopped on a big street. “You’re looking for a grubby-looking little pub by the name of ‘The Leaky Cauldron’,” Petunia informed her, before they got out of the car.  “Muggles like myself and Vernon can’t see it without making physical contact to a witch or wizard of at least twelve years of age, so we won’t be able to follow you in.” Vernon handed her a wad of cash to put into the purse she’d gotten the day before.  “This should cover at least some of the list,” he told her. Then Petunia handed her a cell phone- something she’d never even touched before, though she understood how they worked well enough, from watching other people at school.  “Give us a call when you’re done shopping,” she informed her. “Keep us posted if anything happens,” Vernon told her. “If I remember right,” Petunia muttered, “you’ll need a wand to get in and out of Diagon Alley…  so you’ll probably need to ask someone in the Cauldron to open the gate for you, and the same on the return, if you don’t have your wand yet.” “So…  You ready?” Vernon asked. Hailey looked out the window of the car, and almost instantly saw what they were talking about.  “I think,” she answered.  “It’s…  The Leaky Cauldron, right next to that bookshop, right?”  She pointed. Petunia looked.  “...  Yeah, I think so.  All I see next to the bookshop is the record store- if you see something between the two, that’s where you’re headed.” “...  Well, I do.” “Alright then,” Vernon nodded. She took a deep breath.  “So, when people inevitably ask about Harry Potter…  I claim to be a muggleborn…  whose mother both married a muggle named Potter, and had a sister that was a witch, so knew where to send me?” Vernon nodded.  “Got it in one.” She took a deep breath.  She was starting to get nervous.  “Alright.  I think I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.” When Professor McGonagall knocked on the door of Number Four, Privet Drive, she got a response.  It was a middle-aged woman- must be the mother.  “Yes?” She started her greeting spiel.  “Good morning, I’m Professor Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  I’m making a courtesy visit to ensure that you and your family are fully informed, and able to send, ahh, Hailey Potter to Hogwarts this year, if you so desire?”  She’d had to remind herself that it wasn’t Harry Potter. Mrs. Potter narrowed her eyes.  “And that’s normal?” “Ahh, yes, it is,” McGonagall informed her.  “We don’t make housecalls for young witches and wizards of wizarding blood, but any of non-wizarding stock often need a housecall to be able to answer the letter at all.”  She took a deep breath.  “My apologies for nearly messing up her name- we’re also expecting a famous student by the name of Harry Potter to come to Hogwarts this year as well.  We’re fairly certain there’s no relationship between him and your Hailey, despite how close the names are.  Interesting how these things happen, isn’t it?” Mrs. Potter seemed to relax.  “Ahh.  We will be sending Hailey to Hogwarts; however, it so happens my sister is a witch as well, so she took Hailey to Diagon Alley for her supplies today.” “Ahh.  Thank you for the information.  Um…”  She drew an envelope from her pocket.  “This’ll be her tickets for the train to Hogwarts on September First- I assume you or your sister already know how to get onto the platform?” She nodded.  “The barrier.” “Very well.  Have a good rest of your day.”  She bowed slightly, and left.  Mrs. Potter closed the door, disappearing back into the home. McGonagall sighed as she reached the sidewalk once again, digging in her pockets for the next muggleborn note; she still had five of them left.  That had been a lot easier than she had feared it would be- it was always a pleasant surprise when one or the other of the parents happened to have a wizarding relative.