Tim and Lily held hands as they followed Ginny down into the underground. Harry followed close on their heels.

Harry always followed his family, keeping his eyes on them, watching their backs. His training as an Auror only encouraged his own native watchfulness (it couldn't be called paranoia if they really were out to get him). Harry could still hear Moody's refrain in his head, after all these years, "Constant vigilance!"

Lily was delighted, this was the first time she'd ever taken the underground and she was thrilled to be meeting her new cousin.

Tim had no problems with the tube. He'd been on it with his mum lots of times he'd said, apparently trying to ease Ginny's worries that their first outing as a family might be hard for him. Tim had shrugged and said that sometimes he took it alone if he had to pick up his mum's "medicine".

Ginny had swallowed hard and fussily cleared the breakfast table when Tim had said this, turning around to the sink to hide her overly bright eyes. Understanding far too well what Tim was referring to when he spoke of his mum's "medicine".

Hermione had explained a bit to Ginny and Harry about heroine; it was almost unknown in the Wizarding World. It just didn't have the same effect on wizard nervous systems. There were quite a few potions that used the basic ingredient, papaver somnifera, but unless activated by the magic of a potioneer, the effects would be cancelled out by the taker's magic.

There were, of course, more than a few potions wizards were known to become addicted to in the same way that Tim's mum had to muggle drugs. All the vices to be found in the Muggle world certainly had their equivalent among wizards.

That morning with Tim had been unsettling, he was very watchful and wary. Harry wondered if the boy was waiting to be punished for breaking into his study the previous night. Harry knew that Tim had seen him return the photograph album to the room and then lock it magically. This morning. Harry heard Tim walk softly out of his room, and then hurry down the stairs, avoiding Harry completely. Probably fleeing to the relative safety of Lily's presence.

Harry wouldn't have worried about Tim going into his study, if there hadn't been some dangerous objects locked up in there. Mostly it was the books that Harry used for his work, and a couple of amulets that were issued by the Dept of Magical Law Enforcement. Those things had their own wards, but Harry didn't even like the children in the same room with them.

At breakfast Tim had eyed Harry and Ginny fearfully, keeping close to Lily. Harry wanted to talk to the boy, reassure him, but Tim was so skittish. Harry worried that he'd upset the boy if he pushed. So he let Lily chatter happily about the day ahead to Tim.

He wasn't fooled by Lily's seeming obliviousness. A few times, he caught Lily looking between Tim and himself, then she redoubled her efforts at cheerful chatter. Harry reflected that Lily had the same fierce urge to protect the helpless that her mother and grandmothers had.

When Harry had went upstairs to get his cloak, he heard Lily's step on the stairs, "Dad?" she asked seriously as he turned around.

"Yeah?"

"Is Tim in trouble?" she asked, sounding worried.

"Why do you ask?" Harry, evasively.

"He just asked me if you use the belt or would he get off with just a smacking?" Lily asked, "I told him that you don't believe in smacking, and that its Mum who does the shouting. But that seemed to make him worse. He thinks he's in horrible trouble."

Harry sighed and sat down on the step , "Thanks for telling me, love. He's not in any trouble. He just went into my study last night, and I told him off. I forgot to lock it because I know you and the boys never go in there without me."

"And he thinks you're not done telling him off?" Lily asked shrewdly, "I'll tell him you're done, then." she smiled brightly, gave Harry a quick hug, and scampered back down the steps.

The rest of the morning had gone easily enough. The ride on the underground not much different to what Harry remembered. Lily was holding Tim's hand protectively as they made their way up the escalators and out onto the sunlit London street.

"Come on, you lot." said Ginny, glancing over her shoulder, "We should meet Dudley and Phillip outside. They won't be able to see it without us."

The Leaky Cauldron was the same as ever, although old Tom had retired, with his son taking over as barman. Ginny and Harry often brought the children down of an evening or on a Saturday afternoon.

Standing in front of the Leaky Cauldron was Eleanor excitedly trying to explain to Phillip and Dudley that there was a door there and giggling because they couldn't see it.

"Is that them?" squealed Lily, "Is it?"

"Yes." replied Harry, "Dudley!" he called, waving.

The three of them turned to look at the Potters.

Eleanor blushed and looked down, but Lily, like her brothers, had nary a shy bone in her body. She rushed up to Eleanor, with Tim in tow, "I'm your cousin Lily!" Eleanor looked startled, but pleased so Lily continued, "I'm so glad you're a girl! My other cousins are boys-well Victoire is eighteen and is much too grown up to bother with me and cousin Rosie is at school and Hugo's lots of fun, but y'know sometimes boys just don't get things."

Eleanor smiled, "Are you a witch too?" she said tentatively.

"Yes! And we're going to be in the same year at school. Dad said I could get my wand today, if I want. Are you getting yours today as well?" Lily asked.

Eleanor glanced at Phillip and Dudley who were looking on fondly, "Can I? Papa? Dad?" she asked breathlessly.

Phillip glanced at Dudley, who smiled and nodded, "Well, Tich, if your Aunt and Uncle show us how to get in here and then take us to wherever you get one, I don't see why not." Phillip stepped forward and caught Ginny in a hug and then Harry, "So where are we going?" Our Eleanor says this is the right place, but I can't see what she means."

Ginny smiled and took Phillips hand, glancing around she pointed her wand at him "Muggle animadverto videlicet!"

"Oh, my." he looked up and it was obvious that he could now see the sign and doorway to the Leaky Cauldron, "Oh, my." he repeated dazedly.

"You'll be able to see Wizard things when you're with Eleanor now." said Ginny, repeating the spell on Dudley, who looked as dazed as Phillip.

"Oh," exclaimed Lily, turning to Eleanor and pulling Tim forward a bit "I forgot. This is my foster brother, Tim! He's only been at our house since Wednesday."

Tim drew back from Phillip and Dudley, closer to Lily's side.

"Hello Tim. We met the other night, remember?" Said Dudley, in a gentle voice reminiscent of the voice Hagrid used with newborn monsters and injured bowtruckles.

Tim nodded seriously but didn't speak.

They all trooped into the now visible Leaky Cauldron.

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Potter!" called the barman, "Mr and Mrs Weasley were just here. Said they'd meet you at Fortescue's."

"Thank you, Bert."

Dudley hung back to walk with Harry as Ginny led the rest of them through the back of the Leaky Cauldron and to the wall that opened onto Diagon Alley, "How's Tim been?" Dudley asked softly.

"What you'd expect. The healer's weren't happy with his condition. Malnourished, lots of bruises, really distrustful and convinced he'd done something terrible." replied Harry, "Hoards food. Sleeps pretty badly, but that might just be the transition. To be honest he's a little eerie to be around. Really too quiet for a seven year old. I guess I'm used to my lot, who take after the Weasleys." Harry jerked his chin at Lily who was telling Eleanor, Tim and Phillip about each and every thing to be seen on the street. The muggle born children and Phillip's eyes were wide as they made their way through the enchanted wall.

"Mum and Dad would've hated this." remarked Dudley, a little awed.

They walked a little way down the street. At last, Eleanor spoke up, "This is better than...than anything!"

"I have to get a cloak!" declared Phillip as they walked past a shop with a display of them.

Dudley laughed, "Where would you wear it?"

"Well, here, for one." Phillip said, "I feel positively underdressed!" he was actually dressed very smartly. Phillip was clearly not a jeans and t-shirt man, rather linen trousers and a rather expensive looking (though casual), shirt. "Velvet, d'you think?"

"How about blue with yellow stars on the hem!" put in Eleanor, pointing to one.

"Oh, YES!" laughed Phillip, "We'll get a matching one for your Dad, only in yellow with blue stars. Then we could visit Dad's Aunt Marge! "

"You'd get tried for manslaughter, Lawyer-boy." smirked Dudley, "She'd have a stroke on the spot and how would you explain it to the nursing home staff?"

Harry couldn't help it, he caught Dudley's eye and they both started cackling. Harry could just imagine the look on the old harridan's face. It would be the same look she wore when he'd accidently blown her up just before his third year.

It took a few minutes for both Dudley and Harry to calm down. Every time they got their laughing under control, they'd look at each other. Ginny and Phillip didn't help, they kept making comments to each other, "It wasn't that funny."

"Is he often like this?"

"Only when he's been hanging out with my brother too long."

"If you keep it up, we'll have to separate the two of you."

"People will think you're out on a day pass."

"People will think I overdid it on a Cheering charm."

"People already think your drunk."

The trouble was, their comments just added to the hilarity.

The three children looked on in awe at the spectacle of two grown men unable to stop laughing.

Finally, after about twenty minutes, Harry and Dudley wiped their eyes. Harry shook his head, "Have you met Aunt Marge, Phillip?"

Phillip's smile turned wry, "Only the once, at Petunia's funeral. She nearly did stroke out when she realized who I was. I think we should pay her a visit and take care of some unfinished business. Finish the job, like."

Harry nodded and returned the wry smile, amazed at how good he felt to be out on an outing with Dudley, of all people.

"So," said Dudley, "Where do we get wands?" clearly trying to get a handle on his not-quite-suppressed giggles.

"Ollivander and Lovegood's" said Harry firmly, "But you need to exchange some money, they don't take pounds."

"They won't take a credit card?" asked Phillip surprised, "I guess we're really not in Kansas anymore."

Lily looked up surprised, "I thought Kansas was in America?"

It took Phillip and Eleanor a few minutes to explain to the Potters what "Not being in Kansas anymore." meant.

Eleanor couldn't believe that wizards didn't watch films, and insisted that Lily "just had to see" about a half a dozen before they started school in the fall. By the time the group was halfway to Gringotts to exchange some pounds for galleons, Lily and Eleanor were deep into plans for a "film night" at Eleanor's.

"You'll have to tell your grandad all about it." laughed Ginny fondly.

"Will the Royal Bank of Wizards or whatever it is have a ATM?" asked Phillip, "Otherwise I'll have to go to the one I saw up the street outside."

Ginny looked confused, but Harry said, "Yes, they've got one. Put it in last year." The Ministry had spent the better part of a decade debating whether to allow the Goblins to install computers to integrate with the muggle financial world. Fortunately for the goblins, enough wizards had holdings in muggle banks, which were all run by computers, that the Ministry had had to allow it, "They'll let you into the room they keep it in, since you won't make it crash."

"Now, that's confusing me," said Dudley, "Eleanor doesn't make the telly or the DVD blow up, just her mobile."

"No, there was also the laptop." Phillip turned to Harry, "Caught fire on her. I got her a new one by threatening to take the buggers to court. To be fair, I thought it was a defective battery at the time."

"I think," said Harry slowly, "It's got to do with how often she uses something and how close she is to it. The bank machine in Gringott's is in a shielded room. If a wizard needs to use it, one of the goblins goes in and does it."

Phillip shivered exaggeratedly, "What, you give them your card and your PIN? I don't think I want to do that..."

"You can use it yourself since you're a muggle." assured Harry.

"Oh, that's all right then." said Phillip relieved.

"Why don't the rest of you go on up to Fortescue's and meet Ron and Hermione?" said Ginny, "I'll take Phillip to the bank and we'll catch up."

"I hope your wife doesn't like shopping as much as Phillip does." Dudley said to Harry, "Or we've lost them for the afternoon."

Lily was explaining to Eleanor and Tim that Fortescue sold amazing ice cream. Tim whispered something to Lily, but it was Eleanor who replied softly, "I'm sure Uncle Harry will let you have one. My Dad wouldn't bring you to stay with anyone who would be mean."

Harry and Dudley exchanged a pained glance, "You've got your work cut out for you with him." Dudley shook his head, "Eleanor was a lot younger when we got her."

"You adopted her? I'd wondered if you had or if one of you had been married previously." said Harry.

"Yes, her mum was a crack addict. We thought she was going to be a special needs kid, but she surprised everyone. I guess it's because she's a witch?"

Harry nodded, "Do you know who her father was?"

Dudley shrugged, "Could have been anyone. Her mum didn't give a name and then she went and gave up the child because she couldn't look after her. So I suppose her biological dad could have been a wizard." Dudley seemed to hesitate a moment, "Eleanor's not going to have any trouble because of who her parents are, is she?"

"Oh, these days Muggle-borns don't have much difficulty. Since the war, there's been a huge change in sentiment about it." Harry shrugged, "And if anyone gives her problems they'll have all the Weasleys and the Potters to answer to."

"That wasn't quite what I meant," Dudley half smiled, "I just wondered if wizard society had trouble with same sex couples."

"Oh. Sorry. Right." Harry blinked, "Never occurred to me." he replied honestly.

"I think you just answered that question." Dudley grinned, slung an arm over Harry's shoulder, "Bloody hell, why did I take so long to find you?"

Harry grinned too.

Tim suddenly stopped. He had seen something in a shop window and he let go of Lily's hand to walk over and touch the glass. He looked fascinated.

Harry was surprised, the shop was not one likely to catch the eye of a seven year old. It wasn't a display of magical toys or sweets, but an apothecary. The window displayed cauldrons, herbs and a collection of brown wrinkled stones.

Harry crouched down next to Tim, making sure not to crowd him, "What do you see?" he asked.

"Mr Potter, if I wanted a bezoar, where could I get one?" Tim asked seriously.

Something about the way the child asked the question made the hair on the back of Harry's neck stand up, it reminded him of...something...but he couldn't think what, "Why do you want one?" he asked, feeling a thrill of foreboding.

Tim turned to look at him and pointed to the display of bezoars which were labeled "Assorted Bezoars; Cure almost any poison".

"Well, they come from a stomach of a goat." the moment of uncanniness passed. Harry shook off his unease, "But why would you want one?" he repeated.

Tim gave him an appraising look, then whispered, "My mum says she's been poisoned. That's why she needs her medicine. That's why she gets sick with the shakes if she doesn't have it. I thought maybe that could fix her."

Harry sighed, "I'm sorry, but that's not the kind of poison a bezoar can cure." he'd wondered what the boy's mother had told him about her drug habit, "I know the hospital is doing their best to take care of her."

Tim nodded, looking rather resigned.

"You know, you don't have to keep calling me Mr. Potter. You could call me Uncle Harry, if you like." Harry said quietly. The girls were absorbed in their own conversation which Dudley had joined in.

Tim's expression turned hard, making him look much older than seven "I've had 'uncles' Mr. Potter. They were right buggering bastards." Tim stopped and clapped his hand over his mouth, obviously he hadn't meant to say that.

Harry couldn't find it in him to correct Tim on his language, "I'm sorry, I don't think I caught that last bit." he winked at Tim, "I had a not-so-great uncle, come to think of it. Do you think you could manage just 'Harry'?"

Tim's mouth curved upward in a smile behind his hand. He nodded, a little sheepishly.

"Do you want to visit your mum? Once she's feeling better?" Harry asked carefully. This had been something they'd talked over with the healers, the official position of both Muggle and Wizard Child Services was family reunification. However, unless Tim's mum was completely off the heroine, it was unlikely that she'd ever get custody of Tim back, but visitation (assuming both of them wanted it) was encouraged.

Tim just shrugged, "I don't know if she wants to see me. She..." he trailed off, turning red and swallowing hard, "Never mind."

Harry nodded, he didn't like to give the child empty reassurances. He remembered all too well how it had felt to get his own hopes up as a child, only to have them dashed, "Okay. We'll talk later." He stood up and offered Tim his hand, "What kind of ice cream do you like?"

"Um. Chocolate?" Tim tentatively took Harry's hand as they went to join Dudley and the girls.

"Okay, I think we can manage that." smiled Harry, grateful for such an easy distraction. He made a mental note to ask Hermione if she'd heard anything about the boy's mother, since she officially had his case. In the muggle world, it would be a conflict of interest he supposed, but there were only three witches in the whole Ministry who handled muggle-born children.

"All right?" asked Dudley as they joined he and the girls again. Harry grinned at himself, it was amazing how quickly Eleanor and Lily had bonded, becoming "the girls".

"We're fine." said Harry.

Dudley rolled his eyes, "That good, eh?" he shook his head, sighed, "Nice to hear you both have a heartbeat."

Before Harry could reply he heard someone calling him across the street. Hermione, Ron and their youngest, Hugo were sitting outside of Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor.

"Harry! Dudley! Over here!" called Hermione, waving.

Lily took Eleanor's hand, and pulled her along "That's Uncle Ron and Auntie Hermione!" she told her, "And Cousin Hugo. Come on."

"Hello, Lily!" said Ron, "Is this our just-discovered cousin then?" Eleanor nodded uncertainly.

"Ms. Granger, it's good to see you again." said Dudley, coming up behind the girls. Harry hung back a little with Tim.

Hermione laughed, "I only go by Granger in the Muggle world. It's Mrs. Weasley in the Wizarding world. And Hermione to you. This is Ron and that's Hugo." She indicated them and they smiled. Harry didn't miss the skeptical look Ron gave Dudley, the one time he'd met Dudley hadn't gone well.

"So where's Ginny?" asked Ron.

"Off with Dudley's partner." said Harry, "Changing money."

"Hopefully, Phillip won't spend all afternoon gawping at the shops." said Dudley pulling up a chair.

The girls both sat, as did Harry, but Tim didn't seem to know what to do until Harry pulled an empty chair over by him. Tim sat quietly, looking around.

Fortescue came out to take their order when he saw them sit down. After a bit of dithering, Eleanor decided to try the pumpkin flavor, Dudley stuck with vanilla, "Papa's going to get here and want to try the ice mice, you watch." remarked Dudley to Eleanor who giggled, "Phillip's the adventurous one." Dudley went on to explain to the other adults. "I'd never so much as eaten a Chinese dinner before I met him."

"Why does that not surprise me?" commented Harry, amused, handing over the dish of chocolate ice cream to Tim.

Eleanor turned to look at Dudley, "But your parents must have brought Uncle Harry here when he got his letter!" she exclaimed.

Dudley and Harry exchanged glances.

"Well, your grandparents didn't like magic. My dad went a bit mad when Harry's letter came. Dragged us halfway across the country to avoid them." Dudley said.

"Why?" asked Ron.

"Oh, I know I've told you this, Ron." sighed Harry, "Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon hated anything that wasn't normal."

Dudley nodded, "You should have seen the day I came out to them. You remember how Dad was when you got your letters? He was just like that. Going on about how it wasn't enough that he'd had to put up with one freak in the family." Dudley shrugged, "And Mum there wailing that Harry had cursed me."

"No way." said Ron, "Where'd she get the idea that was even possible?"

Dudley shrugged again, "No idea."

"Thanks for waiting to break it to them until I was gone." said Harry shuddering, "That would have gone really badly."

Dudley snorted in agreement.

There was a momentary silence until Ginny and Phillip came strolling up. Greetings were exchanged between the adults. Hugo pulled his chair over closer to the girls and Lily urged Eleanor to tell him all about there plans to see films at Eleanor's.

Harry sensed that Tim was feeling a little overwhelmed. He had actually scooted his chair a little closer to Harry.

"All right?" he asked the boy.

"Fine." Tim whispered back. Harry was beginning to see what Dudley meant about that word.

"Let's head over to Ollivander and Lovegood's and get this lot set up with wands." said Harry to Ginny who was sitting on his other side now, "I think Tim here is starting to flag a bit. If you like, after that, I'll take him home and you can stay out with Lily."

"You sure?" asked Ginny, "I could take him home." then she saw how Tim had moved closer to Harry. He had even taken hold of Harry's robe. Ginny smiled, "All right, sounds like a good idea."