chapter3:- food and conversation

Septima wanted to move quickly, but did not want to make things even worse for the child that was attempting to keep up with her, his possessions still clutched in his hands. She walked more slowly than normal setting an easy pace away from Privet Drive. She debated her next move carefully, uncertain if apparating the child would be a good idea. She had informed him of the basics, but there was a lot more information in the letter that he had not gotten to see yet, and she had not touched on any forms of wizarding travel. She was also certain he was most likely hungry and in need of something to eat for breakfast. Ultimately, she decided that perhaps the Knight Bus would be the best option of travel for now. So at the next street corner she paused, made sure Harry was slightly behind her, then stuck out her wand and called for the Knight Bus. The triple decker, purple bus appeared with a loud bang and the conductor emerged ready to give his usual spiel. Septima cut him off, handing him more than enough for two

passengers, and gave her address.

"Come along," she instructed the child motioning for him to precede her onto the bus. He did so quietly, but paused when he saw the beds and odd chairs scattered throughout the bus. "Just take a seat and hold on tightly," she instructed a bit disturbed at his continued silence. He had asked very few questions when she knew he had to have dozens if not hundreds of questions.

"Yes, ma'am," he replied softly and did as directed. The toy soldiers had disappeared inside his pocket, and he still held the blanket in one hand, but with his free hand firmly grasped onto his chair. She took the seat beside him, and the bus took offimmediately. The chairs slid as the bus careened its way towards her small home, and she watched him for signs of motion sickness or fear. For his first time on the Knight Bus, he seemed to do quite well. She knew that by taking him to her home, they would have someplace where she could talk to the boy privately, and where preferably he could get cleaned up for his first trip to Diagon Alley. It would not do for the Potter heir to show up in the wizarding world looking like a street urchin. It would also give her an opportunity to feed him breakfast, and she figured she could come up with something for him to wear that would fit better than his current rags until they could buy him a proper wardrobe. The simple errand of delivering a Hogwarts letter, and accompanying a new student to Diagon Alley for the first time, had gotten a lot more complicated than she originally thought. Who would have thought the savior of the wizarding world would be dressed in overlarge rags, look half-starved, and live in a cupboard under the stairs?

Harry surreptitiously looked around him as the strange purple bus seemed to jump and swerve through and around traffic and buildings. It had easily been the strangest morning of his life so far. He wanted to ask Ms. Vector about everything, but was nervous if he annoyed her too much if she would return him to his relatives. She said he wouldn't have to go back there, but Harry wasn't so sure. After all, his relatives certainly didn't like him and they said no one else had wanted him. Why would they want him now? What if she was worse than the Dursleys? He gave the woman a sidelong glance. She had been nice to him so far, but she had done something to both Dudley and Aunt Petunia. She said they would be fine, but Harrydidn't know that for sure. She did seem like a nice person though, and she said he wasn't a freak, that magic was real. He had wondered if perhaps magic could explain the odd things that had happened to him, but dared not breathe a word of that near his relatives for fear of punishment. They hated even the mention of the word magic. He desperately wanted to believe her, to believe that he wasn't a freak, but a wizard.

"This is our stop," she informed him quietly as the bus came to a stop. She followed him off the bus, and it disappeared a moment later and Harry found himself amazed once again. Buses didn't just appear and then disappear out of the air, and yet, the purple triple-decker bus had done exactly that. He turned back to Ms. Vector and followed her as she started to walk away from where the bus had left them. There were no houses or buildings that Harry could see, only trees and such. They walked for several minutes down a tree lined road before Septima slowed and reached out with her magic to allow the young man into the wards surrounding her home. Harry was astounded when a small cottage seemed to appear almost from nowhere. There were flowers growing in wild, riotous colors all through the front garden which lead to a large blue door. "Welcome to Wildwood, my home."

Harry blinked and shook his head. Where had the house come from he wondered. He followed Ms. Vector inside the home which had a small entry way. He stopped just inside the door and noticed a room lined with books and comfortable looking chairs off to his right, and another room with a table large enough to seat six off to his left. Stairs were tucked in against the right wall, and a hallway on the left lead back to a wall of windows. Harrycould see several plants hanging from the ceiling and on tables near the back windows. Septima set her bag down on a small table along the wall, and then led the way down the hallway motioning for Harry to follow her. Harry noticed that the room widened so that the whole back of the house was one large open room. A kitchen stood on the far left near the dining room he'd seen earlier, with the rest of the space set up as two separate cozy seating areas in front of the wall of windows. There were flowers and books and pretty pieces of glass nearly everywhere and Harry found it to be one of the brightest and most beautiful rooms he'd ever seen.What would you like for breakfast?" The question brought Harry out of his quiet exploration of the room. No one had ever asked him what he wanted to eat.I am fine, ma'am," he assured her. "Thank you." Not to be deterred, Septima moved towards her refrigerator and was grateful that she had picked up some necessities yesterday once she had unpacked. She pulled some eggs, yogurt, and fresh fruit from the ice box"I will just make something simple and quick, and if there is anything you don't like, just let me know," she stated and proceeded to scramble some eggs. Harry didn't know what to think or do as normally he would be tasked with making breakfast or at least helping to make breakfast. Sensing Harry's indecision, Septima asked, "Would you like to set the table?"Yes, please," he responded quickly. She showed him where the plates and cutlery were, and thenhim where the plates and cutlery were, and then handed him a bowl of cleaned strawberries and blueberries. He placed them on the table as she dished them both up a serving of the scrambled eggs. She set a cup of yogurt down in front of both places, while he fetched two glasses. "Orange juice, milk, or pumpkin juice?" She enquired with a smile. Uncertain, Harry requested milk. Moments later the two were seated with their breakfast in front of them, and a glass of milk each. Harry waited patiently for her to start eating. Septima noticed him watching, and smiled encouragingly. "Go ahead, Harry. You must be hungry." Harry couldn't believe his luck. He didn't have to wait for her to finish, and he had been given the same amount of food as Ms. Vector.

Septima watched surreptitiously as the boy began to eat slowly, almost fearfully, as if she would take it away at any moment. She also noticed that he took his cues from her, adding fruit to his yogurt after watching her do so. Harry found he enjoyed the taste of the fruit mixed with the yogurt. He finished his eggs, yogurt, and fruit, than drank all of his milk. It was the best meal he had ever had and the fullest he had felt in some time.

"Thank you, ma'am, that was very good," he complimented her.

"Would you like some toast as well, or more eggs or yogurt?" She marveled that he didn't eat more, but then reflected on the fact that he did not appear as if his relatives fed him either.

"No, thank you," Harry replied positive he would not be able to eat anymore. "Dishes in the sink then," she added and the two carried their plates to her sink. "I'll clean up later," she insisted and motionedhim towards one of the seating areas. Harry, who had been about to roll up his sleeves to wash the dishes, paused and then took a seat across from her in the cozy living area. It felt odd to not be cleaning up after the meal.

"Now that we have both been fed, it is important that I finally give you your letter welcoming you to Hogwarts." She produced her wand again and summoned his letter from her purse, handing it to him. Harry looked at the letter in his hand, that Ms. Vector had just made come towards her from her bag.

"How did you do that?" He questioned looking back at her rather than at the letter. He was still amazed at each new thing he saw her do.

"Magic," she replied with a smile. "At Hogwarts, you will learn all sorts of things including how to summon something like a letter to you." Seeing the skepticism in his face, she decided to address it more directly. "Despite what your guardians may have told you, magic is very real. And all of those things you did that were strange or unexplained were most likely normal incidents of accidental magic. You are not a freak. You are, in fact, a young wizard who just needs to learn how to control his magic," she stated emphatically.

"Why don't you open your letter, and once you have read it, I'll answer some more questions for you." Harry opened the letter. It was on thick, parchment paper with green ink and the name of the school was emblazoned at the top. It was addressed to him, with instructions and a list of items to be purchased. His heart sank as he realized his relatives would never pay for him to attend a schoolfor magic, and would certainly never buy him any of the required items needed to attend classes. Septima watched patiently as the boys face darkened and she wondered what had happened.

"I don't have any money, ma'am, to go to this school or buy these things, and my relatives won't do so."

"Your father was from an old and wealthy wizarding family, I am certain you have more than enough money to pay for your tuition at Hogwarts and to purchase your school supplies. If not, Mr. Potter, I would be more than happy to assist you," she assured him and found that she meant it. She had never met James or Lily Potter, but she knew of the Potter family. And after seeing how his relatives had treated him, she was not about to return him to them willingly.

"Did you know my parents?"

"No, I actually attended Durmstrang, a different magical school and I would hazard a guess that I started school around the time that they were graduating. There are several professors at Hogwarts though who knew your parents, like the Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall who sent you that letter. I am certain that your professors would be more than happy to tell you about your parents and perhaps who their friends were so that you could write to them for further details. The Potters are also discussed in several books regarding Ancient and Noble Houses that I am sure we could get copies of for you from Diagon Alley."

"I'd like that."

"That's settled then Now Lwas thinking that couldsee about getting you some clothes that fit a little better while you take a shower and clean up a bit before we head to Diagon Alley where we can do some of your shopping. Does that work for you?"

"You don't have to..."

"I insist on the better fitting clothes. You appear to be practically swimming in that shirt. Let me show you the bathroom so you can freshen up, there's one on both floors," she insisted and rose to cross the room to the opposite side from the kitchen. A door there opened into a medium sized bathroom with a combination bathtub and shower, toilet, and sink. Fresh towels sat on a shelf near the sink, and soaps and shampoo were lined up neatly just below the towels.

"Use anything you like," she reassured him. "I'll make sure the clothes are waiting on you when you are done."

"Thank you, ma'am," Harry found himself saying again as his skin flushed in embarrassment. He had washed his face and hands in the bathroom sink at the Dursleys, but it wasn't often that his aunt allowed him time to actually take a shower especially during the summer when he wasn't in school.

"You are most welcome, and call me Septima for now. After all, school isn't in session yet." Harry could only nod unsure if he would feel comfortable using her first name. She left the bathroom and he looked around him again before choosing a soap and shampoo, and marveling at the softness of the towels.

While Harry set about cleaning up Sentima wentto her room upstairs and dug through her left over drawer. She was fairly certain she had some clothes that an ex boyfriend had left at her home at some point. She found clean boxers, jeans, and a green collared shirt. She even found a decent pair of socks. The clothes were obviously too big but a few shrinking charms brought them down to a size where she was fairly certain they would fit Harry. She knocked, then cracked the door slightly and placed the clothes just inside the door of the bathroom before closing it quietly.

She had not been sure what to expect when she was asked to take Harry Potter his Hogwarts letter. The child himself was polite and quiet, but showed obvious signs of neglect and malnutrition. She thought it a good idea to have him checked by a healer, and wondered why she hadn't thought to mention that first. There were so many things to consider. She had no authority over the child. And obviously Minerva McGonagall had been right to question the child's upbringing, but then why had no one noticed how the boy was treated? And, if they had, then that meant that no one did anything regardless of his treatment. Had Albus Dumbledore deliberately left the boy in a home without checking up on him or insuring that he was being provided for properly? If so, why? That added a whole new level of concern regarding what she should do. Not only would she need to be wary of those who might seek revenge against Harry Potter for defeating the Dark Lord, but she might also be setting herself against the wishes of Albus Dumbledore. Never one to back down from a challenge, she pondered if she knew someone that would take a look at the child, and keep things private. A complete work upon the child would be good evidence against his relatives in the event of possible abuse and neglect allegations. But, she also did not want to have the child clam up and not trust her before revealing more about his home situation. She decided to talk with Harry about some of her concerns, and recommend a health check first. It was not uncommon after all for students to have a health check before starting school.

She heard the door open and looked up as a clean Harry Potter emerged from the bathroom. The clothes still seemed a bit big, but were much closer in actual size than the rags he had been wearing earlier. He was incredibly thin, and she did not doubt that nutrient potions would be recommended to get him to a healthier weight and size. He looked all of eight years old with pale skin and large dark eyes under a mop of thick black hair.

"Please come have a seat, Harry. I want to talk with you about something else before we leave to do some shopping." Harry sat on one of the chairs near hers enjoying the feeling of being full and clean. He'd never had clothes that fit this well, and it seemed a bit strange to him. She also seemed to encourage him to sit on the furniture and he quite liked it. Aunt Petunia never allowed him to sit on the furniture except for the one dining room chair.

"Thank you for the clothes, ma'am, er, uh, Septima," he expressed his gratefulness. He had hundreds of questions to ask her, but knew from the Dursleys that one of the things that set them off the most had been asking questions. He had already asked quite a few, and he certainly did not want to annoy her."You are welcome, Harry. They fit you much better than the other clothes, and I can adjust them a bit more if you would like. For now, I wanted to ask you if you have had a health check recently?" Septima watched as the boy looked down at his feet, and a faint flush touched his cheeks. He seemed reticent to talk, and she wondered if it was abuse or fear or a combination of the two that kept him silent. "Because of magic a healer can simply wave their wand and do most basic diagnostic exams to make sure you are healthy and ready to start school on September 1. It would be a fairly simple and easy thing to get checked. I have a feeling that with some nutrient enriched potions you would be able to grow a little bigger, and we could also check with an oculist about your eyes and see if your prescription needs adjusting."

Harry seriously pondered what she was saying. The diagnostic spells wouldn't hurt, and the thought of being able to see better was incredibly tempting. He often got headaches with his current glasses and suspected it was because the prescription wasn't correct. But he also knew that those very spells might reveal a lot about his lack of food and past injuries. He wasn't supposed to tell anyone about how the Dursleys treated him. Uncle Vernon had made that very clear to him. He was a freak and a burden to them, and he deserved how they treated him. He didn't want to end up in an orphanage as the Dursleys made it sound quite bad, but he also didn't want to live with them anymore either. Septima watched cautiously as the boy appeared to struggle with how to respond to her suggestions. She decided to give him one more push."I know you don't know me, Harry, but I will tell you that no child should have a cupboard for a room. And you are smaller than I would expect. If you want to get away from your relatives, than documenting how they have treated you could be helpful."

"Where would I go?" Harry struggled to steady his voice as he voiced one of his greatest fears.

"I am not certain, but I am confident that we could find someone who would take you in and treat you better than your relatives. I will help you look into who your parents wanted to have guardianship, and in the meantime, you can stay here or perhaps with one of your other teachers." Harry considered her statements. She seemed sincere, and he really wanted to believe her. He supposed he could always work on plans of his own especially if she helped him get access to money.

"If you think I should see a healer than I will."

"Excellent, Harry, I think that is a very good decision. I also think you might be more comfortable if the healer came to us. Would you be alright to stay here and read for a few minutes while I fetch a healer from St. Mungos, the magical hospital? You are welcome to look for a book from the shelves in here."

"Okay," Harry agreed nervous but looking forward to the idea of being able to see better and of getting away from the Dursleys."

"I'll travel by floo from my fireplace to St. Mungos," she explained as she moved towards the largefireplace in the center of the room opposite the wall of windows. "It's another form of magical travel that is even faster than the Knight's Bus, which is how we got here. I keep floo powder on the mantle for just this purpose," she instructed as she took a handful of powder, and showed it to Harry before tossing it into the fireplace where the flames immediately turned green. "Now I just step into the green flames and clearly state my destination," she stated before walking into the flames and saying, "St. Mungos." Harry watched in amazement as she disappeared. He blinked and still couldn't quite believe it. He found himself simply staring at the flames even after they went back to their normal color. He had a feeling he was going to love magic.

After several long moments, he tore his eyes away from the fireplace and began to examine the room around him. He felt nervous about looking for a book on her shelves, but she had granted him permission. And so far, she had been unerringly kind to him. Then again, Harry was used to dealing with teachers from school. On the whole most seemed to ignore him or believe the Dursleys words about him. However, one or two had been nice to him over the years. And this teacher had done something already that no other teacher had accomplished, she had taken him from the Dursleys.

Author's Note: Thank you for the support and the reviews thus far. Reviews, especially positive ones, always brighten my day. I do hope you are enjoying the story thus far. I spent a lot of time on this chapter and the next, editing and making changes to try to make it flow but also to show thehandful of powder, and showed it to Harry before tossing it into the fireplace where the flames 21% immediately turned green. "Now I just step into the green flames and clearly state my destination," she stated before walking into the flames and saying, "St. Mungos." Harry watched in amazement as she disappeared. He blinked and still couldn't quite believe it. He found himself simply staring at the flames even after they went back to their normal color. He had a feeling he was going to love magic.

Disclaimer: The characters of Harry Potter are not mine. I am merely playing with them for my own amusement.

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