Jillian had been half expecting a visit from the Potters so wasn't to surprised when they asked to speak to her, their opening comments did however catch her off guard.
"We are having our marriage blessed in a few days, it was originally going to be our wedding but since we're soul bound that's no longer necessary. The ceremony and party will take place here and everyone from the orphanage is invited. We plan on taking a three week holiday straight after it and that is where the problem might be, we would like to take Joan with us and are speaking to you first to ask if this is possible." Hermione found she was nervous waiting on an answer.
Jillian was not drawing out the silence deliberately but trying to figure out the best way to handle this, these people were effectively her bosses. Eventually she had only one option as the welfare and happiness of Joan was her only priority here. "Can I ask why? Please forgive my question but I have to know your intentions towards the child, I see her getting closer to you every day and to take Joan on a three week holiday then hand her back to me would be cruel beyond measure."
Harry and Hermione smiling at her was not the reaction she expected until he spoke, "you have just confirmed our faith in you as the best person for the job, let's see if we can put your mind at rest. We are both extremely fond of Joan and that fondness is growing by the hour but this is not a decision we wish to rush, as the thought of hurting her doesn't bare thinking about. Hermione and I are pretty sure that we want Joan to be part of our family and feel that three weeks together would turn that into being certain. Assuming Joan would accept us as parents we would start proceedings as soon as we return to formally adopt her."
This was what Jillian had been hoping to hear and she couldn't keep the grin of her face, "well normally I would say you were too young to take on that many responsibilities but having watched you both closely I can't think of two people I would rather see Joan go to. Shall we send for her?"
Winky appeared with a bemused Joan who immediately went to sit with Hermione as Harry spoke to the young witch, "there's a delay with the new building so everyone's going to be staying here for a lot longer than we thought and will be at our marriage blessing on Saturday." It was plain to see that Joan thought this was great news.
"After the blessing Hermione and I, with mum an dad will be going away for three weeks and we'd like you to come with us." Harry saw her expression change to one of uncertainty and understood the reason why, "Joan we're very much alike you and I, I was also left on a doorstep and wondered what I had done wrong to deserve it. Going to sleep every night hoping that tomorrow would be the day when I would wake up and find it had all been a mistake, this is your tomorrow Joan. We want you to be our daughter and for you to use these three weeks to see if that's what you want. Don't feel you have to be a perfect little angel or the deal's off, we've already made up our minds and this is to see if you can put up with us as parents."
Joan had tears running down her cheeks for the third time that day but had never been happier.
"I have to warn you Joan that Hermione is very crabbit in the morning," this earned him a playful hit from his wife, "and she also hits her poor defenceless husband for no reason." This had all three girls laughing though Harry wasn't sure whether it was the poor or defenceless jibe that caused it. "Are you sure you want her for your mother?"
Joan nodded emphatically before both girls became entangled in a mutual hug involving lots of tears, Harry watched before turning to a Jillian Green who had tears unashamedly running down her cheeks, "I don't think we need to wait those three weeks, do you?"
She just smiled at him, "I never thought you did in the first place, I'll get the paperwork started today and I can't see the ministry giving you any hassle over it. Not when you've got the ministers mobile number in your phone."
...
Voldemort managed to revive Wormtail and got him to seal Bella's wounds then force some blood-replenishing potion down her throat, they had burgled an apothecary on the continent to maintain a supply of unicorn blood needed to keep him alive but they had also grabbed a variety of potions as well.
When Bella regained consciousness and Voldemort discovered all his loyal death eaters were not only being hunted down but also taken from Azkaban and killed as well, only the fact that he was so weak saved the two servants. It was with great trepidation that Peter administered his master's potion but Voldemort wanted revenge on those who'd wronged him and Potter was top of the list.
"Wormtail, tell me this plan of yours?"
Peter now wished he'd kept his mouth shut as his master administered the torture curse until he was unconscious anyway, now he was literally putting his head on the chopping block with no measurable gain for him. If the plan worked his master would take the credit, if it failed he would pay the ultimate price and even with the telling he risked his master's wrath.
"Master, the Potter brat is out of our reach for the moment but it's still vital that you get a new body, I may have a way to accomplish that and deal the brat a devastating blow." The fact that he wasn't cursed yet encouraged Peter to continue, "when I was keeping an eye on the brat in his dorm over the years one thing was constant, the boy who's pet I pretended to be was always there to save Potter's arse. He killed the troll you released in the castle and only his sacrifice allowed Potter to face you with the stone, he was in the chamber of secrets but the resulting rockslide when he defeated the formidable Gilderoy Lockhart prevented him accompanying Potter further. He even faced up to Black and the werewolf and is the Potter boy's closest friend and truest ally. If you choose pureblood Ron Weasley for the renewal ceremony you will be removing a foe whose been a thorn in your side with the additional benefit of crushing Potter with the loss of the person he thinks of as a brother."
Peter had heard all these stories directly from Ron as he talked to his pet and wasn't overly concerned if the boy had embellished his role in proceedings slightly; he was a lot more concerned at the moment with saving his arse.
Voldemort thought over the plan and had seen how close both boys were in his time as Quirrell, this plan might actually have some merit and he wouldn't have to wait so long to regain his body either. "Are you sure he wouldn't have left Hogwarts with Potter?"
"The Weasleys are a poor family but proud purebloods, they would never take gold they hadn't earned honestly. He'll be at Hogwarts."
"You just staked your life on it Wormtail, in September you will sneak into the castle to make certain that he's there then we can make preparations to snatch him right from under the old fools crooked nose. While everyone else is waiting on the champions being chosen we will perform the ceremony on the night of Halloween, sending Potter his friend back piece by piece."
Bella was at first unsure if this was in fact her master but hearing his cruel genius banished all her doubts, she was home once more.
....
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