Liliana's POV:
It was finally summer and I honestly couldn't wait to celebrate that with Lucy, Ginny and Vanessa. Summer was my favourite time of year, for many reasons.
That, and I was also ecstatic to see my parents again. Don't get me wrong, I loved Hogwarts and being away wasn't as hard as I'd expected, but I couldn't deny that I'd missed my family.
"So honey, what do you wanna do for now?" Mom asked me as soon as we got home and I'd settled my trunk. That was my mom: always in for games, chatting, story telling and free to take care of you at any time.
"Why don't you tell us about your year first?" Dad chimed in, getting us drinks and sitting down at the table in the living room.
Let's say my family wasn't the typical wiz- arding family: both my mom and dad had fulltime jobs at the Ministry, my dad was an Auror and my mom worked worked in the Improper Use of Magic office.
When I was younger and not at Hogwarts yet, I used to spend a lot of time with the Tonks'. This worked fine and I was always allowed to go visit Mom and Dad for an hour or two if I wanted, because they had a lot of friends and good connections at work.
I told my parents about my time at Hogwarts and could even show them a few of the pictures Lucy had taken with her camera. We'd split all the photos we were all in among our group, so we all had some.
"You should hang those in your room," Mom said, a huge smile on her face as she looked at one photo with me, Vanessa, Lucy, Ginny and Marley. "I didn't see that girl on the platform though," Dad said, pointing at Marley.
"Oh yeah, that's Marley," I answered. "We share a dorm with her and she's a friend too. But she hangs out more with some Hufflepufs and Luna. She's not into pranks."
Mom and dad laughed as I showed some more pictures, with other people. I introduced them to Luna, Neville, Dean and Seamus and to Fred and George. "They also prank a lot. They're Ginny's older brothers."
"I'm going to start cooking," mom said and she went into the kitchen. "Dad, did you know Lucy's parents well?" I didn't mean to ask it like that, but it was done before I could stop myself.
"Well, I knew them because they were in my year. And let's say they were... quite a group." He laughed to himself, losing himself in nostalgia. "And I was in a study group with Lily. We were pretty good friends after a few years. And then we all joined the war and we grew even closer."
"So they were the perfect couple in school?"
He laughed again, shaking his head. "No, no relationship is perfect, Liliana. But once they got together, they were very good together."
"Lucy and Harry barely know anything about them y'know?" I said after a while. "They got a photo album from Hagrid last year, but before that, they had no idea what they even looked like."
I couldn't imagine not knowing a single thing about my parents, growing up. I loved my family so much and I knew I would miss them very much if they died. But they'd never even known their parents, always lived at their aunt and uncle's house.
"Could I maybe invite my friends over for a sleep over some time Dad?" I knew that wouldn't be a problem before I even asked. My parents loved meeting people I liked. Dad nodded and we chatted some more, now more about work at the Ministry.
*~*
Lucy's POV:
The car ride home was already tense. I got pretty nervous when we neared the house. I knew Uncle Vernon wanted a reason to beat us up and of course there was one. Even if it wouldn't have been there, he'd have found a reason.
"Get inside," he commanded and we all rushed inside. I desperately hoped Vanessa wouldn't decide to come over tomorrow or the day after. Uncle Vernon threw the door closed behind him. Aunt Petunia went to the living room.
"Upstairs," Uncle Vernon's whisper sent a shiver down my spine and Harry and I went upstairs. And we got a beating.
It wasn't technically the worst one I'd had I guess, but it felt like it was. Because we were out, just yesterday. We hadn't had a beating in so long, especially Harry, who had only had to endure last summer. It felt like it hurt more, was more humiliating then usually.
In the end, he'd won, 'cause we were back and we would be for the next six or seven years. Luckily I was still good at cleaning up after, so that's what I did. Harry protested, but I wouldn't let him help.
Why not? Because I needed to be alone and I wanted him to rest too. I bet he would clean up and do all of my chores next full moon, so the least I could do, was take this job.
"Lu, please just... talk to me," he said after a while. He'd been sitting outside the door, but I hadn't talked. He knew I could sense he was there. "Please. We're doing this together right? We always have. Don't shut me out now."
I had to do my best to not make the crying audible, Harry couldn't see me like this. No one could. And no one ever would see me like this. "One day, we'll get out of here," I just said.
It's not that I didn't trust him. I was pretty sure Harry was the only person I trusted, besides Remus. And I wasn't ashamed of this, not for him.
I honestly didn't really know what this was about.
"Of course we will Lu. If you need me, just... say the word." I heard him go downstairs and into our cupboard. Right. I almost forgot about that horrible thing. I couldn't avoid him, not for the whole summer, not when we shared the cupboard.
I cleaned everything up and went to start cooking, but Harry was already doing that. I could do the laundry then. So I did that and after, dinner was ready.
Dinner was rather quiet today. I could feel the tension in the air like it was an object in the room. Harry kept shooting me glances, but I tried to ignore him as much as I could. Even Dudley was silent and it was kind of scary.
"Don't you two have anything to say for yourselves?" Uncle Vernon started, very tense. I was afraid he would burst next. I looked at Harry, but he didn't seem to understand either. "What happened?" He asked finally, when he saw I didn't understand like him.
"The bird," Vernon said and Aunt Petunia shivered. I frowned, because Hedwig had only been back for a few hours and hadn't even screeched yet. "We didn't leave Hedwig here," Harry answered, carefully choosing his words and watching Vernon's reaction.
"Not that bird," Aunt Petunia hissed without even sparing us a glance. She was just star- ing straight forward, at nothing. It was frightening to say the least.
"What other bird came here then?" I asked, just as careful as Harry. Remus hadn't sent a letter here right? No, he's smarter than that, he wouldn't. "Everyone knew we were at Hogwarts, so I don't undrstand who would send a letter here."
Uncle Vernon started shaking with anger as he turned to me. "Well, there was a letter. And it was adressed to us!" He said. I flinched at his tone, which he didn't even notice. "And it was about you. And your condition. Your freakish, monster condition."
Harry was about to talk back to him, but I was first. "What did they have to say?" Of course I cared about what he'd just said. It hurt, more than I dared ever admit, to any- one. But he was completely right about my condition and I couldn't show him that I agreed. Harry was about to protest again, looking to me with a conflicted look, but Aunt Petunia answered.
"It's about what you are to do when it's... time." Time for the full moon, as I gathered it. "Where do they want me to do it?" Dudley shuddered now, in pure fear, I guess. It seemed almost funny how reversed roles were now. If only for the cause of it. Instead of answering, Aunt Petunia tossed the letter, without another word.
Harry leaned in to read over my shoulder, which kind of annoyed at that moment, but I didn't say anything else. The letter was indeed adressed to the Dursleys, Petunia specifically. I'd expected the letter to come from Dumbledore, but luckily it hadn't: it came from Minnie and I was fairly sure Poppy was in on it too. It talked about getting me to Hogwarts to transform and spend the night there. It also had a lot of explaining on how I had a potion to make it better, but that it didn't help enough for it to be safe to let me stay here.
"She isn't really staying here, is she Mom?" Dudley asked his mother, looking horrified. "I thought you could read Dud," Harry responded coldly. "It clearly says here that she isn't to stay here." The Dursleys sent him angry looks for this, but didn't act this time. I snorted at the sassy remark and secretly felt a bit proud of him as well.
"Well?" Uncle Vernon said irritably, sending me a glare, I think for laughing. I shrugged, not really knowing what he wanted. "I guess I'm going back to Hogwarts for the full moon. Unless you want me to change here and kill or turn half the village." It was more of a joke, I wouldn't even consider staying around here, ever. I might hate most the people around, but I'm not that much of a monster. Not that kind of monster.
"That's NOT what we meant!" Uncle Vernon boomed and Harry and I both flinched. "Then what did you mean?" Harry asked and I swear, I could see his whole face go purple slowly. "The owl!" He whispered it, kind of, it was something like a hiss and a whisper, and he spat while doing so.
Disgusting.
"The owl that sent the letter?" I asked nevertheless. It was better if I talked from now on, since Harry was only blowing this man up and he hated me more anyways. "Did it come while there was a visitor?"
"No, but we thought you'd make sure not to bother us with your little problem here," Aunt Petunia clearified, holding in a lot of anger too. "It's not like we sent it here ourselves," Harry responded, he was getting heated. I kicked him under the table to shut him up, hoping he'd get the message.
"To your cupboard!" Uncle Vernon yelled, spewing us with his siliva and pointing to the hallway angrily. Well, at least it wasn't more beating, we were lucky! I quickly stood up and dragged Harry with me to the cupboard.
"Lu, you need to talk to me," Harry started once we were in the cupboard. "I have no idea what I did wrong Lu..." It wasn't him, but one thing I hated was the 'it's not you, it's me'-saying. "I will talk to you Harry, just... not yet." He didn't really seem to understand, I wouldn't expect him to, I didn't even understand it myself. But he went along with it anyways.
And those are the moments when I'm actually really happy to be Harry James Potter's sister. Just sometimes. I hugged him, to let him know that and we just sat in silence: not the peaceful kind really, but it wasn't that awkward kind either.
*~*
Vanessa's POV:
I was back at home for the summer. I finally saw my parents every day again and my brother Johnny too! I'd never expected to miss him, but turned out I actually had.
I don't know what kind of uneasiness had come between me and my dad last year, but it still was there, just a bit. I guess he just can't get over the fact that I'm a witch.
"He needs time honey," Mom explained pat- iently. "It's not nothing. And you're his little girl and now he doesn't get to see you as much antmore either. I think he's just scared."
"But it's where I belong, and it's where I have friends!" I argued, huffing impatiently. "He's had a year to adjust!" Mom tutted, but I didn't know if it was at me or my dad. "I know, but he has been adjusting, trust me." Yeah of course.
"Don't worry sis," Johnny said, from the door. He'd been eavesdropping again. "Dad will get used to it. I know he will!" I smiled to him. His eavesdropping habbits were usually pretty annoying, but this time, I was kind of grateful.
And if I was honest, I might've taught him all about eavesdropping and being nosey. I used to listen in on everything my parents said. And I totally don't do that anymore of course.
"Johnny, you know we don't want you to listen in on us all!" Mom scolded and she chased him back to him bedroom, scolding him. I laughed at my crazy family and thought more about Dad.
He loved me, there was no question. And we'd always been good together, even though he was almost always working. Deep down, I knew he'd come around in the end. It's just... with everything at Hogwarts, and I wasn't exactly often here, fir God's sake, let him hurry up. I needed both my parents for this all.
After a few days, even being home with fam- ily all day got a bit boring. Johnny asked me all about Hogwarts and I told him a lot. Just not the part where Ginny accidentally pet- rified me and a quarter of the muggleborns at Hogwarts and the almost death of her, Harry and Lucy.
I didn't want to start school for next year yet, not in the holidays. I knew that would be the responsible thing to do, but screw that. I was planning on visiting Lucy in a few days, but she hadn't been answering my letters, both through owl and the muggle post. I knew the Dursleys hated the wizard- ing world, so thry might not like me all that much.
What I did do, was search some books that I'd lended from the library over the summer, on werewolves. Knowing my best friend was one got me curious to know more, both in general and in her situation. But the books were all so hateful towards werewolves, it made me sick and I ached for the mazing girl, ho did not deserve this.
"Hey sweetie," I turned to face my mom as she called me from the door to my bedroom. "Yes mom?" She came in and sat on my bed.
"What would you think if we went and visited some of your friends? I'd love to meet magical families, get to understand them more. Maybe we can find other 'muggle' parents and be good friends?" That's my mom: she loved making new con- nections, both for fun and for her own good. Or that of her family, in this case. She wanted answers, and she got them through social contacts.
"Of course, I'd love that," I said, sitting next to her. "But my best friends aren't muggle- borns. Ginny and Lili are purebloods. But they'll know everythung you want to know." Mom smiled and hugged me. "It might also be good for your father. To see you're in good hands in that world. Find at least one friend who can help him understand that's his own age."
I couldn't agree with that more, I just felt doubtful he would come. But I guess that was something to convince him on. He wasn't that stubborn, I thought. "Who's gonna ask Dad?"
"Maybe you should ask him," Mom said, looking like she was thinking hard. "I think it might really help."
So I approached him that evening. "Dad, I think we need to talk." He turned to me, looking quite pained. I didn't know him like that, he'd always been a bit more tough in that way. "You're right kid," he finally said, and he motioned for me to sit down.
"I feel like the magic thing is still not really sitting right." He sighed and looked me in the eyes. "Not really. I'm trying to adjust for you, but it's all so vague! I don't understand anything of it!"
"That's why I want you all to come meet some of my friends. Ginny and Lili are pure- blood and their families might be able to help." He smiled and I noticed there were tears in his eyes now. "Dad..." he sniffed and hugged me tightly. "I think that would be good."
I hadn't expected it to go this easily really, but I suppose he'd had a hard time as well. He missed me just as much as I'd missed him, after all. "How about the Weasleys? They're really kind and I think Lucy and Harry might go there too! And we'll ask to meet Lili's family too, they'd love that!"
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A/N:
Sorry for the long wait guys, but here it is.
Hi, I know maybe the Vanessa and Liliana parts might be a bit boring, but I thought it was important, to give a little back- ground to their characters and families. We only really know much about the Weasleys and the Potters in the series.
I think it would be realistic if muggle parents were very wary of the Wizarding world at first, so that's what I did for Vanessa's dad. I've always thought it weird Hermione's parents were mentioned so little, apart from the fact that they're muggles.