Harry Potter - The Accidental Animagus

Chapter 8 - First Christmas

December 1985

A small, red Austin Metro pulled into the driveway at the Granger residence, the back seat filled with luggage and colourfully-wrapped boxes. An elderly couple climbed out and within seconds was hit by a brown-haired missile screaming, "Grandma! Grandpa!" Grandpa Granger was ready, though, and scooped Hermione up in his arms when she reached him-well, mostly ready, she was starting to get too big for this, the way his back was protesting.

"Hey there, Princess," he said, twirling her around once before setting her down.

"How's my favourite granddaughter?" Grandma said as she gave the little girl a hug.

"I'm your only granddaughter, Grandma," Hermione shot back, completing their usual exchange.

The three of them looked back to the front door, where Dan and Emma stood, Emma holding a reassuring hand on Harry's shoulder.

"And this must be little Harry," Grandma said as they approached.

"Yes, ma'am-Grandma," Harry said as she grasped him firmly by the shoulders. He was trying not to stare too much, but it was hard when he was meeting new people and harder when they grabbed hold of him like that. He recognised Grandma and Grandpa from the pictures, of course, but it was a different matter to meet them in person.

Grandma eyed him up and down, noting how small he still looked. She frowned a little at the uncombed hair and the scar on his forehead, but she lightened up and gave him a reasonably gentle hug. "Well, it's good to meet you, Harry. Now I have a favourite grandson, too."

"Come here, Sport," Grandpa said and threw an arm around Harry. He fought the urge to push him away. Even after a month and a half as a human, he still preferred a little scratching behind the ears to an overzealous hug, but he could mostly only get that from Mum.

It was strange having grandparents, he thought. None of his birth grandparents were still alive, nor were Uncle Vernon's parents. It was strange being able to add two more friendly faces to his new family, at least for the few times when they could come down from Manchester.

"So you finally went and had another kid, Dan?" Grandpa told his son as he ruffled Harry's hair.

Dan smiled. "Yes, well, you know how it is. He showed up on our porch like a little lost kitten, and we just had to keep him."

The rest of the Grangers suppressed a snicker at that. They had told Dan's parents a little about Harry being abused, but nothing of the rest of the story. They had been annoyed to learn that grandparents were something of a grey area with regard to the Statute of Secrecy. They weren't really supposed to be told about magic, but the Ministry would look the other way if no one else found out. But since the only magic they could actually demonstrate was Harry's animagus ability, which was supposed to be even more secret, Dan and Emma reluctantly admitted to each other that it wouldn't do much good to tell them. When the kids went off to Hogwarts, it might be another matter, though.

"Come on, let's get the car unloaded," Dan said.

Grandma and Grandpa carried their luggage inside, while Dan and Emma helped with the rest, being sure to place the presents under the Christmas tree in preparation for the festivities two days hence.

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The Dursley family was not having a happy Christmas season. Harry had been lucky enough that the magistrate allowed him to be interviewed on video without appearing in court for the trial. He had not seen his relatives once since he had run away and reportedly never intended to again. That was the one bright spot in their ordeal.