Capítulo 26: Chapter 30: 2-1: Dobby
Disclaimer: Being neither British nor Japanese, it should therefore come as no surprise that I own neither Harry Potter nor Naruto, nor anything from their respective franchises.
Book 2: Umino Iruka and the Secret Snake
Several visits later, Harry commented that he hadn't been getting any letters, despite several people's promises to stay in contact over the summer. Iruka checked with Neville and Hermione at their homes, and confirmed that they'd written to Harry but received no response. The teacher assured his students that Harry was fine and wanted to stay in contact, but somehow his mail wasn't getting through, and offered to 'play owl' until the problem was sorted out. He also made sure to send off a missive to Horace Slughorn to notify the man about Harry's difficulties and assure him that any lack of response was unintentional; best not to risk offending someone with such a wealth of powerful contacts, after all.
The summer continued to heat up but Iruka and his four students kept up their exercises, and the chuunin made sure to supervise their training individually during visits when he could. A clue about Harry's missing mail came in mid-July, when Harry reported feeling like he was being watched, and even spotting a pair of eyes watching him from inside a nearby shrub at one point. Unfortunately, he'd been unable to get a clear look at his mystery stalker.
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As July came to a close, all of them gathered at the Longbottom family home for a combined birthday party for Harry and Neville. Iruka himself had Apparated his two students without access to other magical transport, and both Harry and Hermione had spent some time commiserating over how profoundly unpleasant the experience was. The Dursleys had been quite pleased to see Harry go, which the young wizard explained was due to the fact that Vernon had invited a potential client over with his wife for a dinner at which he hoped to make the biggest deal of his career. Given how shameful they considered Harry's very existence, his relatives were glad he'd be elsewhere and even asked that he stay out until at least the following day. Thankfully, Neville and his grandmother had smoothly invited Harry to stay overnight.
In addition to the three current members of S.E.N. and their teacher, the party guests comprised a number of their classmates including all of their Gryffindor yearmates, as well as a couple of Hufflepuff girls that had known Neville for years and the Ravenclaw twin sister of one of Hermione's roommates. Given the fact that he expected the four to begin training together once school resumed, Iruka had also swung an invite for Luna Lovegood so that she could begin getting to know her fellow students and maybe make a few other friendships as well.
All the children had enjoyed themselves greatly, and Augusta (as she had asked Iruka call her outside formal circumstances) confessed to Iruka that it was a tremendous relief to her to see her grandson so much happier and more confident than he'd been a year prior. Iruka gifted the two birthday boys with high-quality calligraphy kits to use with their sealing work. He also told Hermione with a wink that she'd get her birthday gift from him no later than the first Seals class of the upcoming school year; Luna already had a kit she'd been using when Iruka began teaching the Lovegoods about sealing.
It was around dinner time that things went strange. Harry returned from a restroom trip clearly disturbed, and related the story of a visit by a strange house-elf (thankfully while he was washing his hands). Dobby, as the elf gave his name, insisted that "Harry Potter must not return to Hogwarts!" and gave dire but extremely vague warnings about some evil plot aimed at the school. It also seemed that the little being was responsible for Harry's recent mail troubles, and still possessed a stack of intercepted letters.
Based on Harry's description of Dobby's appearance and behavior, the elf was likely being abused even worse than Harry himself had been, and likely belonged to whoever was behind the mysterious plot. Unfortunately, Harry's refusal to avoid the school hadn't deterred his possibly-deranged elfin stalker, who had departed with a look of resolve that likely did not herald anything good.
Both Harry and Iruka agreed that they'd need to keep their eyes peeled for anything amiss, both over the remaining summer and back at Hogwarts. Iruka also promised to warn Headmaster Dumbledore immediately after the party, while Harry used the party itself as an opportunity to share an abbreviated version of the story with Neville and Hermione, committing to discuss the matter in more detail when they could all meet under quieter circumstances during term, assuming the situation hadn't been resolved by then.
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After the party Augusta asked Tilly, the Longbottom house-elf, if she knew to which family Dobby belonged; unfortunately but unsurprisingly, she didn't.
Iruka reported in to Headmaster Dumbledore as soon as he got back to Hogwarts, as promised. When an inquiry to the castle's elves found that they too were unaware of Dobby's family, both Professors were forced to conclude that at present they didn't have enough information to do more than watch and wait. They did, however, instruct the castle's elves to be on the lookout for an interloper matching Dobby's description, and to report any appearances by him to the Headmaster immediately.
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It was around ten the next morning when Iruka walked Harry back to the front door of #4 Privet Drive. Behind that door was a furious Vernon Dursley holding a crumpled piece of parchment.
"Inside. Now!" The obese man was clearly restraining himself from shouting through the open door. As soon as that door had shut behind them, however, his restraint evaporated.
"I should have known it was too easy getting you out of the house yesterday. As if anyone would actually have a party for a miserable little freak like you! You both used that unnaturalness to hide here to sabotage me! Not only did you ruin Petunia's perfect pudding, but the bloody owl that delivered this" he brandished the parchment in his hand "upset Mrs. Mason. You ruined the biggest deal of my career, boy, and so help me-"
Vernon had started moving towards Harry, violent intent clear in every line of his body, while seemingly forgetting Iruka's presence. He got a reminder of that presence in the form of a hand clamping around his throat and lifting him off the floor. It wasn't quite tight enough to completely cut off his air supply, but it did cut off his tirade quite effectively.
"I can assure you that we were nowhere near this house last evening." Iruka's voice was calm, almost casual, as he used his chakra to both boost his strength and anchor his feet. "It's likely that the party-crasher Harry encountered briefly last night caused whatever trouble you experienced here. We are currently investigating where he came from, and would be happy to convey your displeasure at the intrusion should we find those responsible. Now, might I see that parchment?"
The half-afraid-half-angry Vernon feebly passed the item over. Smoothing it as best he could with one hand, Iruka read over the letter from Mafalda Hopkirk, finding it to be a warning notice for underage magic use. He'd have to clear that up on Monday.
"This changes nothing. While it is... unfortunate... that your deal fell through, the party or parties that caused last night's disruption are not here. Attempting to take your misfortune out on your nephew is not an acceptable response. The same rules continue to apply, do you understand?" Iruka's glare produced as much of a nod as someone being held aloft by their neck can manage. "Then I believe we are done here." He let go, allowing the terrified Dursley to crash heavily to the floor.
As they walked away from the dazed man, Iruka turned to Harry. "I'll straighten things out at the Ministry first thing on Monday. This may be just a warning, but we still don't want it on your record for something you had no hand in."
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Vernon's behavior had Iruka worried, so after talking with Harry to confirm that his idea met with his student's approval, he made his way to the home of the Granger family.
The door was opened by a woman, presumably Monica Granger. The petite woman looked to be in her mid-thirties, with brown hair in a bob-cut that framed a kind face from which hazel eyes studied her visitor, shining with a keen intellect. "Can I help you?"
"Mrs. Granger?" She nodded. "I'm Professor Iruka Umino, and I was hoping to speak to you and your husband regarding one of Hermione's friends at Hogwarts. May I come in?"
Hermione's mother blinked in surprise for a moment, before smiling brightly. "Of course. Wendell!" The name was called deeper into the house as she led Iruka in.
"In the kitchen!" A man's voice called back.
"Hermione told us that you saved her from a troll back at Halloween; given what we've read in that book on fantastic beasts, we probably have you to thank for still having a daughter." Her bright smile turned a bit brittle at that. "I can't really think of anything to do or say, except 'thank you'."
The second non-magical home he'd seen in this world showed a stark contrast to Harry's residence. Absent was the sterile, rigid vanity of the Dursley household, replaced by the clutter characteristic of a family home. While there were some photographs in evidence, they showed more than just the house's residents, and they were often stood on or hung between or on the ends of the packed bookshelves that seemed to line almost every significant stretch of wall. These shelves, and the fact that much of the clutter took the form of further books, showed that Hermione was not alone in her love of reading.
"Mum, who was i- Iruka-sensei?" Hermione had partially descended the stairs from the home's upper floor and was clearly surprised to see her teacher. "Why-"
Sensing one of her characteristic volleys of inquiry coming, Iruka cut her off preemptively with a raised palm. They'd been working on calming her tendency to interrogate people rapid-fire without permitting answers, but it was still very much a work in progress. "Everyone is fine; I'm here to talk to your parents about something regarding Harry. I can't tell you more than that right now, not until I've spoken to your parents and to Harry."
Hermione frowned at his response. Well, it was more of a pout actually, but Iruka certainly wouldn't say that where she might hear. Leaving his student to return upstairs, the chuunin teacher followed her mother into the kitchen, where he saw Wendell Granger assembling ingredients into a slow-cooker.
The first thing to draw his eye about Mr. Granger was his hair: It was a very dark blond, but just as bushy as his daughter's, and held in a ponytail that wasn't so much tied back as forcibly restrained (to only a debatable degree of success). Overall, the man was of about average height and build with a long face, receding hairline, and brown eyes that Hermione had obviously inherited.
"Welcome, Professor. I'd offer to shake your hand, but both of mine are a tad occupied at the moment, not to mention covered in various food-related substances. For now, then, I'll just say 'thank you for saving my daughter' and tell you that if you ever need my help, just ask. Oh, and feel free to grab a seat." He waved vaguely to the small dining table nearby.
"As one of her teachers, I'm sure it comes as no surprise to you that Hermione has kept us well-informed about the goings-on at Hogwarts. I can't say we were happy to hear about a staff member endangering and outright trying to murder students, but she said it was like a mystery story where you know enough to say whodunnit, but can't actually prove anything. We both appreciate that you and Headmaster Dumbledore were doing what you could to keep Hermione and the other kids safe, it's just unspeakably frustrating to know there's a threat to your child and you can't do anything about it. Thank you again for keeping Hermione and her friends informed, giving them what tools you could to stay safe."
Mrs. Granger chimed in at this point. "Also, as far as the incident at the end of the term, we don't blame you at all. The kids may have made some mistakes, but they were at least well-intentioned, and they are still children. We're hardly going to scold our daughter for caring about other people and trying to help them. For your part, you did the best you could with the information you had. As a wise, if fictional, man once said: 'It is possible to make no mistakes and still lose.'"
Her husband picked back up with an amused smile. "So, now that we're done blathering on, what brings you to our humble abode this fine day?"
After taking a moment to make sure there was nobody listening in, Iruka began. "I'm sure Hermione has told you about her friend Harry Potter?"
Mrs. Granger's expression turned pensive. "Yes, she's spoken a lot about him and Neville. She was suspicious that Harry's home life might not be very good."
Hermione's father chimed in. "From the fact that you're here to talk about him in the middle of summer, rather than the beginning or end, I'm betting she was more right than she realized. I'd also guess that you need help handling things in some way on our side of the divide, correct?"
Iruka nodded. "Yes, Harry's relatives are, to be blunt, abusive. It hasn't been sexual, thank the Sage, and I've certainly heard of worse cases in the physical aspect, but it's still a bad situation. Worse, recent events have left me afraid that the abuse may escalate soon."
"If Harry were an ordinary child," he continued, "law enforcement could handle things, but the laws on the magical side don't actually cover child abuse, and trying to prosecute things on this side would require answering questions about where Harry goes to school. Still, it wouldn't be hard to get Harry's custody taken away from his relatives by the laws on the magical side, but between his celebrity status and the reasons behind it, plus government corruption, there's a strong chance that he'd be given to people that might be even more dangerous to him than his current guardians. What needs to happen, then, is to get Harry away from there without involving unanswerable questions by nonmagical law enforcement or placement by corrupt magical government."
"In other words," Mr. Granger replied over the running water as he washed his hands, "you need to get Harry's custody changed through the nonmagical system. His new guardians would presumably have to know about magic already, to avoid legal trouble later? They'd also need to understand the unique concerns surrounding Harry himself, which also involves information that's not all widely-shared, so you'd need to know you could trust them. What you're looking for, then, is a nonmagical family with a magical child, preferably a child that already gets along with Harry, and that is well-informed about the semi-secret events at Hogwarts this past year. Thus, your presence here."
Iruka was impressed. The man was certainly not at the level of a Nara, but had a sharp analytical mind. That his wife showed no surprise at the conclusions he'd stated showed that she was at least his equal mentally. It was no wonder Hermione was such a brilliant student considering her parents, both of whom he now recalled were a form of medical specialist and thus had to be highly-educated. "That does sum up what brought me here. The whole thing would have to be legally solid, but at the same time kept as quiet as possible. I'll tell a few trustworthy magicals that might be able to help you retain custody if it later becomes known you've taken him in, but I suspect it would probably take some time to lay the groundwork properly."
Mr. Granger turned to his wife, who nodded. "Assuming Hermione is all right with it, not that that's a big 'if', I think we may be able to give you a tentative 'yes', on two conditions: First, you look into arranging whatever magical protections you can for our home; if wizards find out Harry's here some might decide to forego the legal process, either out of misplaced concern or because they mean him harm, and I want my family as safe against that as possible. Second, Hermione has been awfully vague about precisely what it is you've been teaching her and her friends, and we'd like a more detailed explanation."
Iruka gave a resigned sigh. He really should have expected this...
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After Iruka once again gave an overview of his origins and skills, and described the training he was giving their daughter, the Granger parents were satisfied enough to call Hermione down and ask her if she would mind Harry coming to live with them. The enthusiastic hugs they both promptly received gave a rib-creaking demonstration of their daughter's improved physical conditioning.
A/N: It was only after writing the scene of Harry's return to #4 that I realized Iruka was doing an unintentional (on both his part and mine) Francis impression. That, of course, influenced a subsequent bit of phrasing in that scene. And yes, Mrs. Granger (mis-)quoted Captain Picard.
Fic Recommendation: "Rewrite" by Silver Pard - a short one-shot about the Nolanverse Joker.
Posted 22 April 2018
Current WIP Chapter: 57
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