18 Lily and Petunia

"James? Lily? Will you please come to Hogwarts at the moment? I have some news for you." Albus Dumbledore called the Potter parents after they celebrated Godric receiving his Hogwarts letter. The Potter parents knew their boy will get the letter but it has always been a joyous occasion when they get it regardless. Godric has always had magic and is very talented with it, mostly because Lily made sure the boy at least gets some brains in him while James has to try to stop spoiling the kid.

James and Lily thought Albus will have some concerns or questions regarding Godric and his first year at Hogwarts but the news wasn't what they expected. No. Harry and Iris were on the list of students who will join Godric this year.

This came as a shock for both James and Lily. This was very unexpected. (Albus more so as this was one of that he has never considered ever in his plans).

"How are we going to tell Godric and Lilac about this?" Lily asked.

"What do you mean how?" James asked his wife, clearly distraught. "Lily-flower, how are we going to tell Harry and Iris about this?"

After all, the Potter family dropped off two of their children to live in the muggle world and they have not reached out and contacted them at all. They are magical and deprived of the magical knowledge that they should have been privileged with. Plus Harry is their eldest and heir to the ancient and noble house of Potter which could have been easily transferred to Godric if he come of age in the condition that Harry is a squib. However, the letter proves he is not a squib. If the public finds out about this, they will face an inquiry. They can't exactly hide the fact that they have two more children who even at the time of their birth know that they look like them.

The two wind up arguing about this before Lily decided to come to visit the two children first before they decide anything.

*****

So this is where Lily is. In Petunia's kitchen, with tea on the small dinette set, the sisters sat. It was a bit cramped but cozy. Lily was surprised that Petunia moved away from Surrey. She thought her sister would stay there long-term with her husband. Inkerman Terrace seems very nice though even Lily knows this place is an expensive location

However, the atmosphere is so awkward. It is hard to describe the tension in the room they are in. The two sisters sat there in silence.

Lily has to heal her nose after that door slammed on her face. She shouldn't have stood up too close to the door but she was just shocked to see Iris. She looked like her. Red hair with some black streaks (courtesy of her father's DNA), light freckles over the nose and she has almost forgotten that her eldest daughter has heterochromia – a condition where one person has two different colored eyes in which in this case, the one with the hazel eye is the one with the scar. If Lily recalls, this was the scar that Iris got from that night. The scar despite not a magical one like Godric's is a reminder of what happened that night. The scar is also something that could not be healed by the healers mostly, on Albus' theory, due to the dark magic that impacts it.

When Petunia invited her in, that's when she saw Harry. He looked just like Godric except his hair looked like he was using sleekeazy (is there even one in the muggle world? She was sure Harry's hair was just like Godric and James') and has green eyes behind those round glasses. She also noticed another boy who she assumed is her nephew. The boy looked like Vernon with his large build. She wondered where that man is.

"How are you, Petunia?" Lily decided to break the silence first.

Petunia took a sip of her tea before looking at her sister. "Fine, you?"

"I am fine, as well," Lily answered. It was definitely awkward.

Petunia and Lily never did have the best relationship after Lily was revealed to be a witch. Petunia did not accept it and would lash out at Lily whenever she can. Their relationship further soured during Lily's wedding. Petunia throws a tantrum. It wasn't because of Lily and her "freakishness" and her marrying into the "freak circus", it was the part where Petunia found out the truth about their parent's death, Channing and Rose Evans. It turns out that their parents were murdered by wizards. She found her parents mangled and body parts all over their home when she returned one day. She did not react very well and Lily has to "obliviate" her sister. Nobody knows how but Petunia was able to break the spell on Lily's when she arrive at her wedding demanding the truth.

To Petunia, magic took her parents, magic took her sister, and magic took her sense of self. Yes, she was jealous of her sister for having magic but she still should not have hidden the truth about their parents. Even if that memory was traumatic, Lily has no right to take that away from her, not to mention lying about her parent's death and that they were not murdered – not tortured to death by a bunch of terrorist wizards known as death eaters. After that, Petunia and Lily have never spoken or reached out until Lily dropped Harry and Iris, and even then there wasn't even a sound from Lily.

"Petunia." Lily began. "I know this is going to be a problem but you see, Harry and Iris got letters from Hogwarts. I have them right here." she laid the letters on the table. The letters are addressed to Harry and Iris and the exact location of their rooms, Harry has the third bedroom and Iris the second (Dudley got the first bedroom). "It seems the two are magical after all."

Lily expected Petunia to get angry at her but was surprised when she just drank her tea and looked at the letters indifferently. "I know."

Lily blinked. "What do you mean, you know? Do you mean all this time they were magical? Why didn't you contact me?"

"And how exactly was I going to tell you, Lily?" Petunia glared at her sister. "Did you leave a phone number? An address? An e-mail? No. You didn't give any further care instructions, no, nothing. You just left a note saying please take care of them they are not magical and dropped them on my doorstep on the cold November night."

"I-I..."

"Did you forget that I am a muggle and have no means to contact you, Lily? Might I remind you that you left your children on the doorstep at night while I was asleep without bothering to wake me up or even talk to me about it? I didn't even notice that they were there until morning, Lily! They could have died! Either from the cold or from some animal who would have eaten them! You just dropped them off like I am the orphanage!" Petunia was almost shouting, already standing up and glaring furiously at her sister.

"I didn't know it was an issue, Petunia. I-I..." Lily said guiltily. It was true she left them there without talking to Petunia. She was just too afraid that if she stayed a little longer, she would take them back in her arms and flee. She didn't realize the danger of it. She made sure there were warming charms on the two.

"An issue? What do you mean you didn't know it was an issue?" Petunia growled. "What kind of mother just drops off their children like that? Also, what kind of mothers don't talk to the people who were supposed to take care of their children? Even muggles do research when they leave their pets in a kennel, let alone their own children, Lily. If you were in the muggle world you would have been charged with neglect, abandonment, and child endangerment. I don't know what is done in the wizarding world, but apparently logic has left the building."

Petunia took a deep breath before sitting back on her chair. She aired out too many in her opinion but she couldn't help it. Lily on the other hand looked conflicted but is quiet, nonetheless.

"Either way, you can't have them back," Petunia stated.

This took Lily aback. "But they are magical and I thought you hated magic Petunia."

"I did. Still do. Only when it is used on others without their consent like what you did to me." Petunia muttered.

DING! DONG!

"Ah, he's here." Petunia turned.

"He? You mean Vernon?"

Petunia looked at Lily sternly. "Vernon's dead Lily" Lily gasped in surprise.

"He died after Dudley was born. That's why I have to sell the house. I have to feed three children after all. You didn't make financial arrangements for the two of them after all." The look of surprise on Lily confused Petunia but she ignored it and turned to the door. "The door is open, Augustus!"

*****

When Oggy received the message from Petunia that Lily Potter was at their home, he knew it was time. Petunia was adamant that if Lily and her husband were ever to come back for their kids, she must still have custody. "I did not spend my blood, tears, and effort just so they can take the children and play happy family. Besides Harry and Iris are more adamant to stay with me." Petunia told him. Oggy agreed mostly for the well-being of the Potter siblings. They were abandoned and needed structure and trying to take them away from that structure – which is their aunt – might not be good for them likewise especially as the magical world is not that well advanced regarding mental health.

Mind healers exist for that but they were focused mostly on mind ailments related to magic, not mental health issues common in muggles which ironically is also found in the magical world just not seen as a problem. People with mental illness are often attributed as having gone mad or gone old and is not something to worry about.

As for his cousin, Ignatius, he didn't want to hand over Harry and Iris because "I cultivated them. Don't want Dumbledore claiming them for his benefit." He told him. Oggy isn't sure but for some reason despite the effort to try to be civil, Iggy still has trouble accepting Dumbledore. The man is the chief warlock in Wizengamot, the supreme mugwump to the international confederation of Wizards, and the headmaster of Hogwarts. Not to mention that Oggy also has learned to currently possess the elder wand which seems to piss his cousin off even more despite his consistent claims that he will never ever try to take that wand again. Ironically, all Peverells have a wand made of elders. It's not the original wand from the original tree with the original core but any type of wand made of elder is the only thing that works for the Peverell descendants

He entered the house when he heard Petunia's voice and noticed the three kiddoes at the top of the stairs. Iris waved at him happily. Dudley and Harry just nodded at him. It would seem all three of them were curious about the outcome and are trying to eavesdrop (not the first time they did that) and were relegated to staying upstairs. Oggy smiled at them before entering the kitchen.

"Good morning, Petunia."

"Oggy, thank you for coming." she reached out to him.

"Yes." Oggy smiled as he grabbed Petunia's hand and gave it a light kiss. "It has been a while."

Oggy turned towards the other woman in the room. She looked so much like Iris it was hard to not know she was the children's mother. The green eyes are as vivid as the forest as Harry's although he seems to be a shade darker and she looked more like an older Iris.

"You must be Lady Potter, it is an honor to meet you." Oggy turned towards her.

"Likewise." Lily shook his hand. "But who are you? You look familiar. You are a wizard right?" she looked at Oggy's clothes but she was more confused about the part about how Petunia and this man know each other. He is wearing the common fashion in the British wizarding world. He didn't have the time to get home and change after all.

"Yes, I am, Lady Potter. We occasionally see each other in Diagon Alley where I currently have an office and I have attended some meetings with the ministry with your husband though we never really talked," he answered.

"You also don't sound British?"

"Well, I am American. Still have trouble trying to emulate the British accent, you see. I don't want to sound too fake."

"But how do you know each other?" Lily asked Petunia and Oggy.

"I lived in America for a few years Lily. Had to find the opportunities since you left Harry and Iris to me to fend for myself without any financial support" Petunia said sternly and watched Lily flinched. "That's when the MACUSA found me."

"The MACUSA?" Lily gasped. The MACUSA was known to be very strict against anything not magical.

"Well, the children were showing signs of magic so we were sent to investigate," Oggy replied. "I have longed since resigned from MACUSA to pursue other projects and so I have helped Petunia and the children."

"So Harry and Iris know about magic?"

"Yes. We were able to give them some guidance about the magical world though it might be a little different." Oggy answered. "The U.S.A. and Great Britain are a bit different in many of our systems and culture I suppose and they emulate the American culture more. I mean if they stayed longer in the country, they would have wind up in Ilvermony than Hogwarts." Oggy chuckled when he looked at Lily's conflicted look.

People in Great Britain and those who graduated from Hogwarts tend to have a biased view regarding their schools. So it is very common to find them sometimes sneering or looking down on others who graduated from another school. Although his cousin who is a graduate of Castelobruxo (a magical school known for its magi zoology, potions, herbology, and obscure magic in Brazil) was an exemption. Mostly because he is a lord and also the richest wizard in the world and money talks no matter where you are.

"But if they have known, why didn't you contact me about this?" Lily asked looking conflicted and confused.

"Lady Potter. You are the parent." Oggy answered. "It's not the obligation of the children to make the effort. That's the parent's job I'm afraid. Also, you did not provide any emotional, social, or financial support to Harry and Iris which I also found in your heritage laws as a bad thing especially as Harry is your oldest and heir to the Potter house. You might have been able to get away with it if they were squibs (this only made Oggy frown as the thought of abandoning any children regardless of magical status or reason is awful in his opinion), but they are magical."

"But since they are magical. They can't exactly stay here." Lily insisted.

"They can," Petunia replied. "Didn't you feel any of the wards when you came in?"

"Courtesy from me of course," Oggy said.

Lily frantically looked around but Oggy didn't want her to finish. "Also, I work as a lawyer and solicitor on the side. Her side of the course." Oggy pointed to Petunia.

"So." He took out forms from his robes. "Shall we start?"

"Start with what exactly?"

"The custody arrangements. I am afraid that legally, Petunia was able to apply and have approval from the child wizarding services for custody of the children since according to your laws your neglect of them is classified as abandonment. Your husband I believe will be receiving the papers as we speak. The CWS is very interested."

"But I am also aware that your husband Lily is a Lord of some sort in this Wizamaget thing," Petunia said. "And as much as I want you to suffer the consequences for abandoning your children I also don't want some scandal to befall your family especially since it is also Harry and Iris's family. And Oggy was kind enough to explain to me about Harry being the heir thing. As much as I don't want you to have custody of the children due to your neglect, I will not prevent Harry and Iris from preventing any relationships with you on their terms by the way. So this is where we are. An arrangement of custody and their wellbeing. I still have primary custody and until you have proven otherwise, you will have some rights over them with my approval."

"Shall we start, Lady Potter?" Oggy asked while sliding the papers to the redhead.

*****

"Well, that was anticlimactic," Iris commented.

"Yeah. I expected some battle or something." Dudley muttered.

"It was, in some sort," Harry replied. "A battle of legal forms and custody."

Iris gave his brother a side-eye. "Of course, you'll like that."

"But what do you think, Iris?" Harry turned to his sister. "What should we do with the Potter family?"

Iris curled her lips and pondered. "Well, it depends on how they respond. We'll see."