C2 The Grangers

It all went well. Once the call finished, Harry ran straight home just in time for the police to arrive.

The cops got all the evidence they needed. They got Harry to the hospital and with the battery of exams performed, plus the evidence found in the house, there was no doubt that his Aunt and Uncle would be spending some time in prison. It couldn't happen to nicer people.

Harry stayed at the hospital for two weeks, and in that time he talked to the social worker that was assigned his case. At the end of the two weeks when he asked where he would be going, he got a huge surprise.

"Well, you will be in the foster system... that means we will find you a nice family that will take care of you," said Alice, the social worker. "Truly, we already have a family in mind. I already went to talk to them and they have accepted to take you."

"Can you tell me about them?" asked Harry. Anything was better than the Dursleys. He doubted that this family could be worse, so it didn't hurt to know a little more about the people he was going to live with from now on.

"Let's see... Their names are Dan and Monica Granger, and they are both dentists," said Alice. "They also have a daughter that is one year older than you, and she seems really excited about meeting you."

It took Harry a considerable effort to not gawk at Alice as she talked about Hermione's family. Harry couldn't for his life remember if Hermione ever said anything about her parents being part of the foster care system. Actually, he couldn't remember her talking about her family period.

After Alice left, Harry spent the rest of the day waiting for his new family's arrival. Meanwhile, he was also contemplating why Dumbledore did not come to check on him or sent another person to do so.

It's been two weeks since he came to the hospital. Even if nothing had happened to the wards at Private Drive when his aunt went to jail, there was still Mrs. Figg to consider. She should have told Dumbledore that Harry's relatives were in jail.

So the question was, why no one from the magical world came to talk with him?

It was while Harry was musing that a group of people entered the room. Besides Alice, a couple with a little girl trailed behind.

"Harry, these are Dan, Monica, and their daughter Hermione. They are the ones who you are going to live with from now on," said Alice.

"Hello Harry, my name is Dan," the man said with a presently smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"And I'm Monica. It's nice to meet you, Harry," said Hermione's mother.

"Hi, my name is Hermione Granger. Nice to meet you," said Hermione. "Are you all right? Is it true you are going to live with us? Are you gonna be my brother? Do you like books?"

"Hi, my name is Harry Potter," answered a bewildered Harry. "It's nice to meet you. I'm fine, thank you for asking. Yes, it's true. Maybe, if you want me to be. I don't know if I like books or not."

For the next couple hours, the group chatted about everything they could. Dan and Monica work, Hermione's school and hobbies, and so much more.

"So Harry, would you like to come with us?" asked Dan.

"I would love to, Mr. Granger," answered Harry.

"Please, call me Dan. Mr. Granger makes me feel old," said Dan with mirth in his voice.

Soon after signing the papers, the Granger's and their new member walked out of the hospital. On their way to the car, Harry sensed someone on his right and there she stood, in all black, a cane in one hand and the ankh necklace. Death had a smile on her face and when they made eye contact, Harry could hear.

'Do you like my present?' asked Death.

Harry understood. He didn't know how Death had made the Grangers adopted him nor did he care. At that moment there was only one thing he could say.

'Thank you,' he said, trying to put all his gratefulness on those two words.

Death just smiled, and when Harry blinked she was no longer there. Feeling more hopeful for the future, Harry got in the car ready for his new life.

What he didn't notice was that concealed by a remarkably elaborated spell, a tall, elderly man with a long white beard, dressed in a very odd purple robe, stood outside the hospital. He watched as Harry walked out of the door together with Granger's family, talking non-stop and grinning at each other.

Watching the small boy as he talked to his new family, with no sign of the trauma he must have endured while living with his relatives, Albus Dumbledore sighed.

"It should be fine..." he said thoughtfully to himself. "He already looks happier."

He knew that he had not placed Harry with the Dursleys with the idea that they would be good foster parents. No, he knew enough about the relationship between Lily and her sister to gather that much. However, he had expected, or at least hoped, that they would at least treat Harry well. After all, at the time he left Harry on their doorsteps, he was barely one year old and had done nothing to him.

He had not taken Petunia's jealousy nor her husband's vindictiveness into account.

Dumbledore even made sure that the goblins would convert some money from his personal account every month and send it to the Dursley so they could better take care of Harry.

There and then, Dumbledore made his mind up.

He would take no action regarding Harry Potter's accommodations. He would see about setting wards around Harry's new family's house - at least enough to ensure the family's well-being and if any wizard came near the house with intentions less than noble.

That should be enough for now. At present, all Dumbledore wanted was to ensure that The Boy Who Lived enjoyed a peaceful, happy life, ignorant of his fame until such a time he could accept the identity without it going to his head.

He merely hoped that no one in the Ministry would give him a hard time, wards were tricky things to erect over a muggle area.