Albus Dumbledore headmaster of Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry sat behind his desk staring despondently out of his window. He had tried every magical spell he knew to try to recall the Granger address. He desperately wanted to talk to the Granger adults. If he could not make them see sense then he would have to once again use a little magic to get the two Muggle's to change their minds. Looking down on his desk he glanced again at the rejection slip that had arrived with the day's mail. How could it be possible for Harry Potter to not attend Hogwarts, it was unacceptable. All Albus's plans, all his scheming all he had done would all be for nothing if the Potter boy was not under his guidance in his school.
A tapping at his window brought the old man out of his thoughts as an owl waited impatiently for him to let it in. as he opened the window for the owl a quick tap on his door and then the voice of his deputy temporarily took his mind off the letter the owl was trying to deliver. "Ah Minerva do come in. I'm afraid we have a small problem." He was saying as he absently removed the letter from the birds leg. Albus opened the letter as he was telling Minerva about the rejection slip that had come from the Grangers. His eye's almost popped out as he finally turned to look at the letter he held.
'Mr Dumbledore.
It is the duty of my office to inform you that the return of the key to the Potter family vault and to the Harry Potter school vault is requested. It is also my duty to request the return of all items that were taken on loan from the above mentioned vaults, to include all art, metal, and wood work. Also requested is the return of all monetary funds that have been removed.
We being lenient in our dealings with all customers will be charging no more than three percent interest on all monies and a nominal rent for all other items removed. We hereby grant you forty eight hours to complete these requests if after this time is lapsed you have not returned all said items we will be forced to report via the Wizengamot the said items and monies as stolen by you while illegally posing as Harry Potter's guardian.
Wishing you a very good day
Tailhook.
Dept for Fraud, theft, and debt recovery office.
Gringotts.
London branch
Albus Dumbledore stared at the letter as he realised that if the Goblins did actually report his theft from the Potters it would do him no good at all to claim he had simply borrowed the two and a half million to pay for the war effort. He had hoped that once he had Harry Potter under his influence he could simply talk the boy into donating to the war fund of the order of the phoenix. He could see his world in his minds eye as it would crumble right in front of him. His political positions would be withdrawn as would his order of Merlin first class. Goblins would empty his life savings from his vaults, he would be destitute and disgraced drummed from the society he had spent so long creating.
Minerva stood and stared as the headmaster sat down in a trance like state; slowly she read first the rejection slip from the Grangers and then with a little effort she managed to wrest the letter from Gringotts from Albus's hand. She could not believe what she was reading when she read that he had stolen money and property from a child.
Albus Dumbledore simply sat at his desk as nightmares of what his life was about to become took over his entire brain. Minerva had to send for Madam Pomfrey the school healer to take a look at the almost catatonic old man, who actually looked every day of his great age.
At the Granger house, the trip to Wales postponed until the following weekend due to the unavailability of great uncle Norman, the Grangers and Potters sat around the table enjoying a cup of tea and discussing what the Irish school might be like. Hedwig arrived home after being let out to do a little hunting, when she alighted on the back of Harry's chair she lifted a leg to him, showing him her first delivery. The letter was like Dumbledore's in that it came from Gringotts though it's contents in no way resembled the small bomb shell that had Dumbledore locked in a state of shock.
'For the Attention of Mr and Mrs H. J. Potter, and Muggle guardians Mr and Mrs R. B. Granger.
Sir please find enclosed one family portkey for a return trip to our London branch. An appointment has been scheduled for 11 a.m tomorrow. I look forward to seeing you and discussing your inheritance and heritage.
Griphook.
Potter vault keeper.
Gringotts.
London.
Just three days after the meeting at the bank Harry held Hermione's hand as they boarded the ferry over to Dublin in Ireland. They had discussed things with Harry's Goblin accounts keeper and had made the decision to take a look at Potter Retreat in County Cork Ireland. Richard and Helen had been surprised to say the least to find that Harry had homes on every continent, and also on several tropical Islands around the world.
As they sat in the lounge of the ferry while it sped its way to Dublin the family talked about what to do if Potter Retreat was in reasonable condition. Richard and Helen seemed to be keen to settle down there because they would have no trouble with the Irish authorities regarding setting up a new dental practice. Richard revealed that they had even been offered a grant from the Irish government to assist in setting them up with a new practice when they had made some initial enquiries.
Potter Retreat came as a surprise to the Potters and the Grangers. It was a large country house that was well kept, with exquisite gardens all around it. Several acres around it in fact, it had its own cricket and football pitches as well as a small Quidditch practice pitch. The house itself consisted of a three story stone built regency type building. Inside it was spotlessly clean and as they entered they were greeted by some small creatures that Hermione said were house elves.
The house had twelve bedrooms, eight of them being large double bedrooms. There was also the master bedroom and three large single rooms. All the rooms were larger than any of the Grangers own bedrooms had been.
The top floor contained just four rooms. Harry and Hermione walked into the room marked 'Gym' and found it was a fairly large room with muggle training equipment all set out, it reminded them both of the gym at school. For a few minutes they both played around like the kids they truly were, panting and a little breathless they left the gym in search of the adults.
Helen and Richard had entered the room marked 'Magic restricted', mainly because the name plate on the door had them a little confused. Inside they found a wonderfully decorated and furnished living room. Unlike the living room down stairs this one had a TV and an Hi Fi and telephone along with all the other gadgets found in a non magical persons living room. The view from the window which covered more than half the longest wall, floor to ceiling was what Helen called a panoramic scene of the real Irish country side.
Harry and Hermione found Helen and Richard sitting on a large chesterfield sofa, they were totally relaxed with Helen leaning back onto Richard while they watched the news on the TV.
"Can we stay here, can we please, its great here can we stay p… l… eazzzzzzzee" Harry begged getting a laugh from the Grangers and Hermione.
"Oh I don't know, what do you think dear? could we get used to living in such splendour?" Richard said with a small chuckle thrown in.
Three heads turned as one and stared at Harry with huge smiles on their faces when he took hold of Helen's hand and said "Please Mum!"
Helen pulled Harry into a hug so fast he had no idea it was going to happen until his breath was being squeezed out of him a little, slightly confused he looked at Hermione "Does that mean yes?" he asked with his eyes wide.
Helen eased off with the hug and gently held Harry by his shoulders at arms length, "Harry sweet heart you called me mum!" she almost whispered, a few small tears trickled down her cheeks.
"I'm sorry Mrs Granger, I didn't…" Harry began before Helen shushed him.
"Harry son, you have no idea how good it makes me feel to hear you call me mum," she said as she pulled him forward a little and kissed him on his forehead. "And yes love, we can stay here. Mind you I suppose we should find out where the local shops are, other wise we are all going to starve to death."
Just two seconds after Helen let Harry go he found himself in another hug as Hermione wrapped her arms around him and kissed him gently and quickly on his lips, "We have a new home husband of mine, and you never even carried me over the threshold," she said with a mock pout.
"Was I supposed too? I suppose I could try to lift…" Harry fell silent when she kissed him again saying "Oh Harry."
A knock on the door surprised them all, and as though they had all been doing something they shouldn't have, they all quickly moved slightly apart. The door opened and a house elf walked in carrying a tray. The elf was wearing a light blue slightly flared dress with a small white apron on the front. "I thought the master might like some refreshments," she said as she placed the tray on the nearest coffee table, "And would the master and mistress like their dinner served here or in the dining room… oh and cook wonders what the master, mistress and their family would like to eat?"
"Just a simple meal will do, tell the cook to prepare what ever she wants, and I think we will eat in here tonight," Richard said as he looked down on the small being.
"Yes sir, will you want your rooms airing sir," asked the elf.
"What is you name?" Hermione asked the obviously female elf.
"I'm Petal mistress, I'm your head housekeeper," she replied giving a small curtsy.
"Well Petal, I'm Hermione, my husband's name is Harry, mum is Helen and dad is Richard, I'm sure we wont need all that master and mistress stuff. Thank you for the tea and your thoughtfulness," Hermione said as she reached out to shake the little elf's hand.
The four of them learned that a house elf could blush when Petal's face turned red at the praise, "Yes mistress Hermin… Hermoney.. Mione, dinner will be ready within the hour."
Petal turned and hurried to the door, closing it quietly behind her, while leaving four people standing slightly surprised by what had just happened.
After a traditional dinner of roast beef potatoes and other assorted vegetables, they all finished their tour of the house. Down stairs they found all the rooms normally found in a country manor, Harry was quite interested in the games room. While Helen found the sewing room rather fascinating, she found that there were several spell books all the spells of which were dedicated to a different way of sewing.
As they finished the tour Petal along with another elf she introduced as her life mate paddy, he was apparently the master's valet. Petal offered to show the way to their bedrooms, Helen and Richard were shown into a room opposite the master bedroom, while they went into the room to unpack the few things they had brought with them Petal showed Harry and Hermione into the master bedroom and then left them alone, their unpacking had already been done.
Harry stared at the one huge bed in the room for a few seconds before he propelled himself forward and then launched him self on to the bed "This is brilliant Hermione, look at the size and wow its so bouncy," he said as he started to jump up and down in the middle of the bed.
Hermione could not prevent the huge smile she got from watching him play around, "Aren't you tired yet, I know I am. This has been a hectic week, don't you think? First we're married then all that money in Gringotts, and now this, I'm… I'm… I don't know what I am really, apart from being really happy.
"Yeah me too," Harry said as he stopped bouncing and lay back on the bed, "shall we get some sleep?"
Hermione nodded and after finding they had their own bathroom and making full use of the shower they both snuggled together in the middle of the huge bed and were asleep in just two minutes.