Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The knock on the door startled Leroy Jethro Gibbs from his thoughts. He had been, once again, contemplating his life after the death of his wife, Shannon, and his eight year old daughter, Kelly. He had joined NCIS, Naval Criminal Investigation Service, after it was all over and he did enjoy the work but what was the point? Nearly ten years of solving cases and catching bad guys. Sometimes he got to save people before they ended up like his family. His family. They never truly left his thoughts. He knew that he’d probably take his own life if it wasn’t for the fact that Shannon would kill him again in the afterlife.

He opened the door sharply. It obviously wasn’t anyone he knew, they all knew that he kept the front door unlocked.

A woman about fifty years old with dark hair pulled into a bun and wearing a very out of fashion dress (Even Gibbs knew that. It looked like something from the twenties) was standing on his porch.

“What?” He barked, annoyed at being disturbed by a possible crazy lady.

“Leroy Jethro Gibbs?” She asked. She had a thick Scottish accent which reminded him of his friend Donald ‘Ducky’ Mallard.

“Yes? May I help you?”

“My name is Professor Minerva McGonagall and I’m here on behalf of your first cousin Lily Joanna Potter née Evans.”

Gibbs frowned hard. His baby cousin? The one who lived in England and was about sixteen years younger than him? He’d only seen her a few times in his life and had heard from her even less. The last time he talked to her had been over the phone when she called to let him know she was getting married at eighteen.

“Lily? Last I heard from her was that she was getting married.” Gibbs said, surprised this person was bringing her up. He had a sinking feeling what this was about. “What about her?”

“You were never informed.” She said sadly. “I’m sorry to have to be the one to deliver the news, Mister-“

“Agent.” Gibbs interrupted gruffly. “Special Agent Gibbs, NCIS.”

“Agent Gibbs, I’m sorry to tell you that your cousin Lily, along with her husband James, were murdered ten years ago.”

It was like a blow to the chest. Lily and he had never been close but she was family. He had very few family members left. His father and his maternal cousins Lily and Petunia were pretty much it. And she had been murdered. Maybe their family was cursed, forced to die young. His mother died of cancer when he was ten. Shannon and Kelly had been murdered and now his cousin Lily and her husband. They were so young too. All of them, gone too soon.

“Why wasn’t I informed?” He asked.

He wasn’t surprised he’d never heard anything from Petunia. She had never liked him and he had definitely not liked the man she picked for a husband. The last time he’d seen her was at her wedding that Shannon and he had attended about twelve years ago. He remembered Shannon had written that they’d received a birth announcement from Petunia who had named her poor child Dudley.

“We assumed that Petunia would but obviously not. But, their death announcements are not why I’m here. May I come in? This is not a topic to be discussed in the open.”

He let her through and took a seat on the couch.

He waited until she had pulled his kitchen chair and sat down before asking, “Is this about the person who killed them? And how did you know her?”

“In a way. Lily and James Potter were some of my best students.” She said mournfully.

“You teach at Lily’s fancy boarding school?”

McGonagall nodded. “I do indeed.”

“So why exactly are you seeking me out after all these years?”

“Lily and James had a young son when they were killed. His name is Harry.”

Is was a wonderful word to hear through all this news. That meant that Harry had lived. Lily had had a child. A child who was now orphaned. Well, Gibbs wasn’t an investigator for nothing. He knew were this was headed.

“You’d like me to take custody of him, wouldn’t you?”

“It is our hope.” McGonagall nodded.

“I don’t know if I’m in the right place to be taking care of a child. My own child died ten years ago. I’m an investigator as well. I’m not always home.”

“I’m sorry for your loss but you are our, and his, last hope for a solution.”

“What do you mean?” Gibbs asked. Surely there were other people who take Harry. Ones who lived in the same country.

“Agent Gibbs, do you believe in Magic?”

“What the hell kind of question is that?!” He asked incredulously.

“Magic exists, Agent Gibbs. Lily and James attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.”

“This is a sick joke. My cousin is dead and you’re bringing up parlor tricks!?” Gibbs shouted.

“I assure you, I’m not playing a joke.”

She stood up and withdrew a polished stick from her sleeve. She waved it at the coffee table and with a flash of light there was a pig standing in his living room. Gibbs stared as it oinked at him.

“So Magic is...”

“Very real.” McGonagall said succinctly as she waved her wand again and the table was restored.

“And Lily was a Witch?” He asked.

“She was what we in Britain call a Muggleborn. A person who has magic born to people who do not. Here in America you’d call them No-Maj-born.”

“And her murderer?”

“He was a Wizard as well. He is actually the reason I am here. When Lily died she cast an ancient spell of protection on Harry. It’s what saved him when He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named tried to kill him like his parents.”

“He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?” Gibbs asked unbelievingly. Why on earth was she calling this man that.

“You must understand that Wizarding Britain had been embroiled in a civil war for many years before Lily and James died. They were fighters for the Light in that war. You-Know-Who was a Dark Lord. Many muggleborns have compared him to Hitler. There was what we call a Taboo put on You-Know-Who’s name.”

“A Taboo?” Gibbs asked.

“A Taboo is an illegal spell that is keyed into a specific word or phrase. Anyone who said his true name was able to be tracked through the Taboo.”

“So you came up with ways around it.” Gibbs nodded.

“Yes. He true name is...” She paused and took a shuddering breath. “Lord Voldemort.”

“Voldemort.” Gibbs repeated.

The name of the man who killed his cousin sounded less like a name and more like something made up. It would be hard to track down someone with a made up name but he was sure he could do it.

McGonagall flinched. “Please don’t say that name around me. The spell that Lily cast requires someone of her line to anchor it. For the past ten years that spell has been anchored by her sister Petunia and her nephew Dudley.”

“What happened to Petunia and her son?”

McGonagall shook her head with a severe frown. “Absolutely nothing. But Petunia and her husband have refused to let Harry return home.”

“What? Why?” Gibbs asked but he was pretty sure he knew the answer. Petunia and her husband were horrible bigots. They hated anything that wasn’t what they considered normal.

“Harry began his magical schooling this past year. They refuse to have a Wizard in their house.”

Gibbs snorted. “Petunia hates anything that isn’t ‘normal’ as if there is such a thing.”

“Yes, we are well aware of that fact. But the truth is, Harry needs someone of his maternal line to preserve Lily’s spell.”

“What’s so important about it?”

“Lily’s work is such a powerful spell that it protects him even now from You-Know-Who.”

“He still needs protecting? Haven’t you caught the guy who did this?” He demanded.

McGonagall shook her head. “For many years we heard nothing from him and thought him dead. Then he showed up at the school this past year and attempted to kill Harry once again. Lily’s spell protected him and saved him.”

“He got to Harry!?”

“Unfortunately, yes. But like I said, Lily’s spell protected him. And now we know he is still out there.”

“I thought you said that he was after Lily and her husband because they fought on the other side.”

“No one has ever survived when You-Know-Who tried to kill them before. We think he will continue to go after Harry until he finishes the job.”

“That’s just great. And Petunia won’t let him stay with her?”

“I’m afraid not, Agent Gibbs.”

Gibbs sighed and knew there was no other choice. He had to protect what was left of his family. “I’ll take him.”

“There are some provisions you will need to adhere to.”

“Such as?”

“Harry must continue to attend Hogwarts. He is the Heir of House Potter, a Noble House within the British Wizarding World. He will be expected to attend.”

Gibbs nodded. “I can allow that. But, I think I’d like him home for the holidays. Easter and Christmas.”

“That is something to discuss with Mister Potter. We have breaks at those times but it’s between the students and guardians to decide who stays at the school.”

“Another thing. I want to be able to tell my team about magic and the guy who’s after my cousin.”

“That is highly unusual, Agent Gibbs. We generally only inform immediate relatives or guardians.” She protested.

“There is a murderer after my baby cousin. My team can help protect him but only if they know what they’re up against.”

“I will have to discuss it with not only our Ministry but MACUSA as well.”

“Ministry? MACUSA?”

“We have our own governments, Agent Gibbs. The Ministry of Magic serves magical Britain. MACUSA is the Magical Congress of the United States of America. We need permission from both because Harry is a British citizen while you and your team are American.”

“I’m a dual citizen, actually. My mother filed the paperwork when I was born. I’ve just never used it.”

“Really? Well, it will make transferring custody over to you easier. But the point still stands, I will have to ask both governments for permission to tell your team.”

Gibbs nodded. Bureaucracy was something that he understood. He didn’t like it but he understood it. And it seemed like Magic didn’t change that aspect of government at all.

“Where is Harry now?”

“He is currently staying at his friend’s house in England. But he still needs to recharge the Wards, which is where you come in.”

Gibbs nodded. “When does he have to be back in Britain?”

“Term starts on September First but he will need to get his school supplies so I suggest late August. Oh, and he has an owl.”

“An owl?” Gibbs asked. That was certainly an unusual pet.

“We use owls to carry our mail.”

Gibbs raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything.

“I have the papers for you to sign.”

She brought out a bundle of parchment tied together from her handbag. Parchment. Who used parchment anymore? Apparently the Magical world was more old fashioned than he was and that was saying something. He had a feeling that Abby would be appalled.

“Petunia and Vernon Dursley have already signed over their custody of Harry.” She now withdrew an actual quill from the handbag that was obviously bigger on the inside then it appeared on the outside.

“You guys are really behind the times I see.” Gibbs commented as he took the quill and signed the parchment.

“We generally don’t pay much attention to technological advances in the Muggle world. Technology doesn’t mix well with magic. It tends to explode.”

Gibbs snorted. Abby would be very disappointed but, “Sounds like my home is perfect for Harry. I don’t believe in much technology either.”

“That will be good if he has any accidental magic outbursts.” McGonagall commented as she flicked her wand at the papers which disappeared with a flash of light.

“Accidental Magic?” Gibbs asked warily.

“When a young witch or wizard loses control of their emotions they also tend to lose control of their magic. Normally the outbursts of magic mellow out when they receive their wand but for more powerful witches and wizards it can last until their magical maturity at seventeen.”

Gibbs nodded. “Well, there’s not much for him to short out if he loses control.”

“Very good.” McGonagall nodded. “I will be here with Harry in two days along with two of my colleagues who will raise the Wards around your house. I will let you know then what the governments say about permission to tell your team.”

“I look forward to meeting him.” Gibbs said as he showed her out.

He had a lot to do. He didn’t want to give Harry Kelly’s room so he supposed he’d put him in the guest room, which luckily had a newer bed because Tony had ended up needing to stay over for a week while his apartment was being fixed for an issue. He’d definitely have to stock the fridge with more food then he currently had. Maybe he should call Ducky for advice. If any of his team already knew of the magical world, it was probably him.

Chapter Text

It may have been later than nine at night but Gibbs knew that Ducky would come over if he called him. Ducky was barely phased at the request (though a bit worried) and made his way over to Gibbs’ house quickly. He found Gibbs sanding his latest boat in the basement.

“So Jethro, what’s the emergency? I don’t see any blood.” He commented.

“I’m not hurt, Duck. I just made a decision I’m unsure of.”

“Oh?” Ducky asked curiously.

“I just took custody of my first cousin once removed.”

“Took custody as in...?”

Gibbs nodded. “I think he’s about eleven or twelve. The woman said his parents died ten years ago when he was an infant.”

“Where has he been between his parents and you?”

Gibbs sighed. “From what I’ve inferred, my first cousin’s possibly abusive home.”

“Well, you know the signs and you know how to correct the treatment.”

“I haven’t had a kid in the house since...”

“Kelly.”

Gibbs nodded silently and took a drink from his coffee mug which did not currently contain coffee.

“It may be good for you, Jethro. Something to focus on besides your work.”

Gibbs smirked. “At least it’s not another wife.”

Ducky laughed. “Yes, I think we’ve all dealt with enough of them for a lifetime.”

“The lady who came to see me brought up something interesting. She said that Harry attends a special school in England.”

“Oh?” Ducky asked. Gibbs glared at him. He knew from that tone that Ducky knew exactly what he was talking about.

Ducky sighed. “Would the name of that school be Hogwarts perchance?”

“Yes.”

“Your cousin is a wizard. And Hogwarts is actually in Scotland.”

“Semantics.” Gibbs scoffed.

“Different countries.” Ducky argued. “Would your cousin’s name be Harry Potter?”

“How the hell did you know that?” Gibbs grumbled.

“It wasn’t hard to put together. The war was widespread in the UK but there are very few orphans. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and his followers didn’t usually leave very many victims alive. He’s a celebrity within the Wizarding World. He survived a curse which no other person in history has survived. It’s a fascinating case, actually.”

“My first cousin Lily and her husband died.” Gibbs growled as Ducky grimaced.

“Yes but whatever she did to young Harry allowed him to survive something unsurvivable. You must understand my curiosity?”

Gibbs nodded sharply. “So you’re a wizard too?”

“Oh, yes. Magic on my mothers side goes back generations.”

“Victoria’s a witch?” Gibbs asked in horror. Victoria Mallard was a terrifying person without magic.

Ducky shook his head with a grin. “Thank heavens, no. Mother is what is called a Squib. A person of magical lineage who doesn’t have magic. I’m whats called a halfblood. I have a Squib mother and a Muggle father. Your cousin Harry is a halfblood as his mother was Muggleborn and his father pureblood.”

“Pureblood?”

“The Potter family is an old magical line, a purely magic line, going back to before the time of King Arthur who was real.” Ducky grinned.

“Merlin?”

“Real.”

Gibbs shook his head in disbelief.

“I’m putting him in the guest room. He’ll be here in two days with some people who are gong to put some kind of magic around my house.”

“They’re called Wards. They’re protection shields.”

“Yeah, those.”

“You should speak to Anthony as well.”

“Tony is one of you?”

Ducky nodded with a grimace. He wasn’t sure how Gibbs would react to this news. “Anthony is an Auror charged with making sure magic goes undetected by nonmagicals.”

“Auror?”

“Wizarding term for police officer. You may also hear the word Hit Wizard thrown around. They’re a combination of a SWAT team and the military. Young Harry’s father was a Hit Wizard.”

Gibbs nodded. “So he’s stationed at NCIS to make sure any magic or magical deaths are covered up?”

“Essentially. There is usually at least one Auror or Hit Wizard within every federal agency and one in the police departments of every major city, at least in the US. Americans keep the separation of our worlds very seriously.”

“And other countries don’t?”

“Well, the Statute of Secrecy is international law but how each country chooses to administer that law is up to them. America takes it very seriously because during the infancy of this country there were wizards called Scourers who sold out their fellows to Muggles.”

“They sold out their own people to witch hunters? Why?”

“Why do people do anything? Money.”

Gibbs nodded in understanding.

“Is that all you wished to speak about?”

“Yep. Would you mind examining Harry when he arrives?”

“Of course. I’ll even provide magical healing if he needs it. You really think your cousin could be that abusive?”

Gibbs shook his head. “I don’t know. Last time I saw Petunia was twelve or thirteen years ago and she was a sour person who blamed everything that went wrong in her life on her younger sister.”

“You’re worried she transferred that to her sister’s son.” Ducky nodded in understanding.

“I wouldn’t put it past her.”

———

Two days later Gibbs had stocked the fridge, changed the sheets on the bed in the guest room and forced himself to make the move from the couch to his actual bed. A preteen with a murderer after him was bound to have nightmares and Gibbs wanted to negate that as much as possible.

He also had a plan in place to get his young cousin some training. He may be magical but Gibbs would feel better if he knew that Harry also knew how to defend himself the regular way.

As soon as the sun had set there were pops in his living room. He forced himself not to go for his sidearm as four people appeared in his living room.

“I must say, Agent Gibbs, getting permission to tell your team was much easier than I expected.” McGonagall said briskly.

There were two men behind her. An eccentric old man with a long beard and a short man who looked a few years younger than McGonagall.

Gibbs nodded. “Ducky and Tony are two of your guys.”

“Had I known Donnie was part of your team, I would have stopped and said hello.”

“You know Ducky?”

“I attended Hogwarts with him.” McGonagall blushed and the boy standing next to her stared with a mix of horror and intrigue. Obviously he had never considered that his teacher could have a life outside of the school.

“You must be Harry.” Gibbs said to the boy.

He had messy black hair that looked like it’d never seen the bristles of a brush or the teeth of a comb. He must’ve looked quite like his father because Gibbs could only pick out a few details from the Evans lineage. He had obviously inherited the green eyes of his mother and grandfather (and Gibbs’ own mother) but they could barely be seen behind the ill fitting glasses he wore. He was short for an eleven almost twelve year old. Lily had been a rather tall ten year old but he didn’t know what the height of her husband had been. He was wearing clothes at least three sizes too big for him and all of it combined set off alarms in his gut.

“Yes, sir.” Harry said quietly.

The way he looked at Gibbs’ only confirmed what he had guessed. Harry was wary of him, possibly wary of adults in general. What had his shrew of a cousin done to this boy?

“Don’t call me sir, call me Jethro or Gibbs. I’m your mom’s first cousin. My mom and your grandpa were brother and sister.”

Harry’s eyes lit up at the obviously new knowledge of his family and Gibbs’ cursed his cousin again. Petunia had apparently grown so bitter at her family that she didn’t even speak of her parents anymore. The boy was starved for information about his family.

“Really? Did you know my grandfather?”

“Yeah and your mom when she was young.”

“Can-can you tell me about them?” Harry asked softly.

“Sure.”

Harry’s eyes brighten and Gibbs could see the bright young man behind them for once.

“Agent Gibbs, you have permission to tell your Director and Abigail Scuito about our world. I’d reprimand you for speaking to Donald and your friend about magic but as you are a Muggle and they are wizards, there’s nothing to it.” McGonagall said.

“Agent Gibbs, I would like to thank you for taking dear Harry.” The man with the long beard said. “Had I known you existed before, I probably would’ve taken Harry here first. I’m Headmaster Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore and I’m responsible for Harry’s safety.”

Gibbs shook his head. What a name. “Well he’ll be with me from now on.”

“Let’s set up the Wards, shall we Albus?” The little man asked. “I’m Professor Filius Flitwick, Charms Master.”

Gibbs nodded in acknowledgment at him.

“Yes, we should get to it. I have to be in Geneva in a few hours.” Dumbledore commented.

“Geneva, sir?” Harry asked Dumbledore.

“Yes. The International Confederation of Wizards hosts their annual meeting during one of the summer months, this year it is July. As Supreme Mugwump, I must open the session and be present during it.”

“Supreme what?” Gibbs asked.

“The ICW is like the UN except it’s much older and Supreme Mugwump is like the Secretary General.” Harry explained.

Gibbs nodded in understanding. “You’re the leader of the Wizard’s version of the UN?” He asked Dumbledore.

“Indeed I am, since the early eighties. Now, why don’t you show Harry his room while we raise the Wards?” Dumbledore suggested.

Gibbs didn’t appreciate being ordered around his own house but didn’t argue. “I hope you don’t mind that one of my team observes?”

“Of course not, Agent Gibbs.”

Tony stood up from the couch behind him. “I’m NCIS Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo Jr., Liaison Intelligence Auror of MACUSA.”

“Come on, Harry. I’ll show you your room.” Gibbs said as Tony stared down the three professors.

Tony (and MACUSA) had not appreciated the lack of a heads up before British Wizards had made their way into the country (and specifically for Tony, his boss’s house). While MACUSA understood the need for secrecy regarding Harry, Tony had said his higher ups were annoyed because they hadn’t even been consulted before McGonagall asked for permission to tell two of the NCIS team. Tony was observing for Gibbs and MACUSA so both parties knew about the Wards that the British Wizards were erecting.

———

Harry had followed his second cousin Gibbs upstairs and still had a hard time believing how he got here.

When he had arrived at King’s Cross he had expected to find his Uncle Vernon waiting for him on the other side of Platform 9 3/4. Vernon wasn’t there but luckily for Harry, Ron’s parents were. Together they waited for over an hour for Uncle Vernon or Aunt Petunia to appear and when neither showed, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley brought him to their home in Devon, the Burrow. They contacted Professor Dumbledore via the fireplace, using what they called ‘the Floo’. (Harry’d had no idea wizards used fireplaces to talk and travel.)

Dumbledore went over to the Dursley’s house to find out why they hadn’t picked up Harry. He had returned with a grim face and said that they had refused to let him come back into their house, that he was ‘their’ problem now. Dumbledore seemed surprised and upset but Harry wasn’t. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia had made it pretty clear how they’d felt about him over the years.

After Dumbledore delivered the news, Harry wondered what would happen to him now. Would he stay in the Wizarding World? Dumbledore seemed to think that could be rather dangerous for him and believed it to be the last resort. Then he wondered if he would be sent to an orphanage like Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia had threatened to send him to many times. Dumbledore promised Harry that he would never go to an orphanage and that he would look into other relatives for Harry to stay with.

In the meantime, Harry had been graciously allowed to stay with the Weasleys and he’d had the best week of his life. Ron and he had played Quidditch with Fred and George. Ron had thrashed him many times at chess and the best part of the whole week was the food. Harry had known that when he went back to the Dursleys he would go back to receiving one meal a day (if he was lucky). He had gotten used to good and steady food at Hogwarts and had been dreading returning back to the Muggle world.

Dumbledore had returned to the Burrow a week later with the news that he had found a first cousin of his mother living in America. He had agreed to take Harry in and the Professor seemed delighted. He apparently worked in the Muggle government, he could help anchor his mother’s Wards and being in Muggle America meant that it was probably the safest place Harry could stay.

Harry did not appreciate the crash course in Wizarding travel. He disliked the Portkey they took from Cornwall to Washington DC, it made him dizzy and he had trouble standing straight for a few minutes after. The apparition was interesting because he hadn’t known Wizards could teleport. He didn’t throw up on his first go from the Portkey check point to his cousin’s house. Dumbledore thought he might, apparently a lot of people did.

His cousin looked older than Petunia. He had salt and pepper hair and steely blue eyes. He looked a bit stern but Harry didn’t get any bad vibes in his gut from him like he did Uncle Vernon. There were no warning bells and he allowed himself to relax slightly as he followed him up the stairs to his new room.

Upstairs there were four doors. Three were open and one was closed. Gibbs led Harry to the door directly across from the closed one.

“This is your room. If you need anything, just let me know.”

Harry nodded. It had a full sized bed which looked newer than his bed at the Dursleys. There was a dresser to the left of it and a window to the right. He placed his trunk at the foot of the bed like he did at Hogwarts.

Gibbs smirked. “Nice footlocker.”

Harry glanced at him. “Footlocker?”

“It’s what the US military calls trunks with locks that go at the foot of your bed. Hence footlocker. I have one from my time in the Marine Corps.”

“You were a Marine?” Harry asked.

Before Hogwarts and the Wizarding World, Harry had planned on going into the Armed Forces at the legal age of sixteen just to get away from the Dursleys. He had heard of many people who had used the military to get out of bad situations.

“Once a Marine, always a Marine. Is that all your stuff?”

Harry nodded. “I don’t own much.”

“Are all your clothes too big for you?”

Harry blushed and looked down. “They’re Dudley’s handoffs. My Wizarding clothes are tailor made but I can’t wear them in the Muggle world.”

“We’ll go shopping tomorrow. I’m sure Abby would love to help.”

“You don’t - “

Gibbs cut him off. “You’re in my care now. We’ll get you some proper clothes.”

Harry nodded. “Who’s Abby?”

“A friend.”

“Oh.”

“Bathroom is the room next to the closed door. Don’t go into the room that’s closed. My room is next to yours. If you need me during the night and I’m not in there then I’m usually in the basement. I have a few rules for you.”

Harry looked at him. “What kind of rules?”

“They’re a kind of code I live by.”

Harry smiled. “Everyone needs a code.”

Gibbs looked nostalgically sad at the words and Harry wondered what he had said wrong.

“That’s right. Most of them don’t apply to you. First rule is 23, never mess with a Marine’s coffee. Second is 28, when you need help, ask. Third, rule 45, clean up the mess you make. Those are the main rules I want you to follow living here.”

Harry nodded in agreement. That seemed easy. Almost too easy. The Dursley’s rules were long. The first of course was ‘don’t ask questions’. He wondered since Gibbs didn’t list that if he could ask questions. He was a curious person but the Dursleys had tried their best to stamp that out of him.

“Boss! They’re done!” A shout came from downstairs.

“Come on, you should say goodbye to your professors until September.”

Harry followed him back down the hall and caught a glance of the closed door. He noticed that there were faded flowers painted on the door. He was curious about it but he figured that he shouldn’t ask. If Gibbs had wanted to tell him, Harry was pretty sure he would’ve.

They met Professors Dumbledore, Flitwick and McGonagall back downstairs.

“Mister Potter, I expect your homework to be done when you return to Hogwarts.” McGonagall said sternly.

“Yes, Ma’am.” Harry said.

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure he does it even if I can’t help.” Gibbs said.

“I can help, boss.” The man who had identified himself as a coworker of Gibbs’ said.

“Well Mister Potter, I hope you enjoy your new home and I’ll see you in September.” Professor Flitwick said.

“Harry, I am sorry about the Dursleys.” Dumbledore said. “I hope this home works out much better.”

Harry nodded silently. He told Dumbledore all about the Dursleys but he didn’t believe him until they had refused to take him back. McGonagall didn’t listen about the Stone. He needed to face facts, adults never listened to him.

Three pops and the professors were gone. Harry was alone in America with his newly found cousin Gibbs and Gibbs’ coworker Tony. He felt alone and rather nervous but he knew had Hermione’s phone number in his pocket and Hedwig was on her way here from Ron’s.

“Why don’t you go unpack, Harry? I want to talk to Tony for a minute.” Gibbs suggested.

Harry nodded and went back upstairs. He knew when he was being dismissed. He didn’t argue because he wasn’t quite ready to test Gibbs’ limits and boundaries. He didn’t know enough about him but he hoped he was better than the Dursleys.

Chapter Text

Gibbs turned to Tony as soon as Harry was upstairs. “I want you to start an investigation into the Dursleys.”

“You think they were abusive.” Tony said.

Gibbs stared at him. “Yeah, I do. Did you see him? He wears clothes that don’t fit him and he’s wary of both of us. He said his Wizarding clothes are tailor made but he has cast offs of his cousin’s for Muggle clothes.”

“I’ll see what I can do on the Wizarding side. I’ve got a few relatives there on my mom’s side and I’ll ask my contacts in Scotland Yard and see if there have been any Muggle reports.”

Gibbs nodded.

“So, now what?”

“Now, I try to make him feel at home. Ducky’s coming over tonight to look over Harry. Tomorrow I’ll ask everyone over so they can meet Harry and we can brief Abby and the Director.”

Tony nodded. “Good luck, boss.”

“And Tony, do it quietly.”

Tony left and Gibbs felt a bit lost. He was alone with a kid in the house for the first time in ten years. He had acquired a kid and was basically a father again. He had never imagined kids in this house again after Kelly and certainly with none of his ex-wives.

He made his way upstairs to see how Harry was doing with his unpacking. His footlocker at the foot of the bed was open and half empty. There was a cage sitting on the dresser that Gibbs guessed was for the owl McGonagall had told him about. A broom that looked like it wasn’t made for sweeping was leaning against the wall next to the dresser and Gibbs shook his head to himself as he realized there was some truth to the mainstream stereotypes of magicals.

He knocked gently on the doorframe and Harry jumped up from where he was sitting on the bed examining a red photo album. He closed it quickly, laying it next to the pillow and Gibbs wondered if Harry thought he was going to take it away from him.

“Pictures of your parents?” Gibbs asked.

Harry nodded. “And some of my friends from Hogwarts.”

“Can I see?”

Harry looked apprehensive about sharing his album with Gibbs but after a few seconds of deliberation he acquiesced to his question. Gibbs sat down on the bed and Harry joined him. He opened the cover to a picture of a red haired teenaged Lily and a messy dark haired teenaged man with glasses twirling entwined in wedding clothes with joyous expressions on their faces.

“It moves.”

“Yeah. Our pictures start out like Muggle photos but when we develop them we use a potion and it makes them move.”

Gibbs nodded. “Last time I heard from Lily she was calling to let me know she was getting married.”

“You knew her when she was younger?” Harry asked curiously.

“She came for a visit with her family when she was ten. She was an adventurous and curious girl. Always climbing trees and asking about anything and everything.” Gibbs tried not reflect on that visit too much. Lily and her family had come to the US for his wedding to Shannon.

“She was a Gryffindor.” Harry said with a small smile.

Gibbs glanced at Harry. “Gryffindor?”

“There are four houses - dorms - at Hogwarts. Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. We’re basically sorted by personality. Gryffindor is for the brave, Hufflepuff for the loyal, Ravenclaw for the wise and Slytherin for the ambitious. Mum and Dad were Gryffindors and so am I.”

Gibbs nodded and turned the page. A wedding party photo. Lily and her husband James in the middle with three women beside Lily and three men beside James. On the next page were James and Lily holding baby Harry with the same black hair and green eyes. He turned the page again and an older Harry was standing between two others, a bushy haired brunette girl and a gangly red haired boy. Both boys looked liked they had bandages on them and Gibbs was reminded that his cousin had a murderer after him.

“Your friends?” He asked carefully, not wanting Harry to realize he was still mad that the Wizards hadn’t managed to end the threat to him.

Harry nodded. “That’s Hermione and Ron.”

On the next page was Harry standing with three other boys and three girls. They were wearing long red robes and all of them were holding broomsticks. The two red headed boys looked identical and they were also holding what looked like short bats.

“I’m on the Gryffindor Quidditch team.” Harry commented.

“Quidditch?”

“It’s a Wizarding sport.” He pointed to the brown haired boy and said. “That’s Oliver Wood, he’s the Captain. The twins are Fred and George, they’re Ron’s older brothers. The girls are Angelina Johnson, Katie Bell and Alicia Spinnet.”

Gibbs nodded silently and closed the album, set it aside on the bedside table. “How are you settling in?”

“I hope you don’t mind that my magical things are out.”

“Sure. Just make sure that you obey the law and don’t let people not in the know see them. The Dursleys didn’t like them out?”

Harry shook his head. “Definitely not.”

“Harry, did your aunt and uncle treat you the same as your cousin?” Gibbs asked gently.

Harry looked at him with the knowledge of what he was asking. “You want to know if they abused me.”

“Yes. Did they?”

Harry shrugged. He wasn’t sure if there was a point to telling his cousin about Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia. He had told teachers in primary school and no one had listened or cared. He was just the lying, troublemaking kid that Vernon and Petunia took in out of the bottom of their heart. He told Dumbledore who thought he was exaggerating. He was pretty sure Uncle Vernon was right and no one could be bothered to deal with orphans.

Gibbs sighed. It was obvious that Harry didn’t quite trust him yet. Ducky had told him that he could scan for all previous injuries and that may be the best route to go in the beginning.

“Do you mind if I have a friend look you over? I just want to make sure you’re healthy. He’s the friend of your professor.”

“The one she called Donnie?”

“Yeah. I call him Ducky. He’s a wizard like you but he’s also a doctor.”

“Okay.” Harry said quietly. “Why do you call him Ducky?”

“Well, his first name is Donald like Donald Duck. His last name is Mallard also like the duck. So Ducky.”

Harry laughed softly. “Wow. His parents had a sense of humor.”

“His parents were something alright. Anyway, he’ll be coming over after dinner tonight. I thought I’d make burgers.”

Harry’s eyes brightened. “I’ve never had burgers before.”

“Really?” Gibbs asked. “Don’t they have McDonalds and the like in England?”

Harry snorted. “Yeah but the Dursleys would never let me have one. Freaks don’t get burgers.”

“Freaks?” Gibbs asked in astonishment. Surely Petunia wouldn’t sink that low.

“I thought my name was ‘Freak’ or ‘Boy’ until I started primary school. I got in trouble with the teacher when I didn’t answer to my name. She thought I was being a ‘insolent brat’.”

“Petunia.” Gibbs growled as his blood boiled in anger. Apparently his cousin would sink that low. “You’re not a freak, Harry. You’re just a boy with a special talent that others don’t have.”

Harry smiled up at him and Gibbs realized it was a test. He wanted to know how Gibbs would react and what he really thought of his magical powers. Just the fact that Harry felt he had to test him made him nervous. How many people had Harry told about the abuse without being listened to? Where the hell was Britain’s Child Services?

“Did you tell people about this?”

“Yeah. But Vernon and Petunia told everyone that my parents were drunks and I had inherited their troublemaking tendencies. I didn’t even know how they really died until last August.”

“Petunia knew, right?”

“Yeah. She admitted it when Hagrid came to get me for my school supplies.”

Gibbs shook his head in disbelief at his cousin Petunia. “Well, you’re here now and you know the truth. I promise I will never lie to you like Petunia did.”

Harry looked skeptical but nodded his head.

“Why don’t you finish unpacking? Ducky will be here in about an hour.”

“Alright.”

———

After dinner about an hour later (which was as good as Dudley used to brag about to him), Harry was sitting in the front room reading his history book. He was attempting to actually learn something of magical history because he did enjoy the textbook but hated Binns’ class. The history of the Wizarding World was interesting but Binns made it so boring that everyone fell asleep.

The front door opened and Harry jumped, startled. An older man about a foot taller than Harry walked through the door. He had a bag in his hand and smiled when he saw Harry sitting on the couch.

“Oh, hello. You must be Harry.” He said to him.

“Erm, yeah. Hi, you must be Ducky.”

“I am indeed.” He said cheerfully as he held out his hand for Harry to shake.

“Gibbs said you’re going to check me over?”

“Yes. He wanted a full medical check up by someone he trusted.”

“Shouldn’t we be in a doctors office or something?”

“Nonsense. I am a wizard as well. I can scan you non-invasively.”

“Like Madam Pomfrey?”

“Yes, like Poppy. She’s never done a full body scan on you?” He asked.

Harry shook his head. “No.”

Gibbs walked in from the kitchen where he had been washing the dishes. Harry had offered to do the dishes but Gibbs had refused, saying that they could decide on his chores later.

“Ready, Duck?”

“Just let me get setup, Jethro.” Ducky said as he withdrew a sheet of parchment and a light green feathered quill from the medical bag he had brought with him.

“Now, this is a Medical Records Quill. Note the light green color, the color of the Healing Arts.”

“Do quill colors matter?” Harry asked.

“Oh, yes. Some of them indicate what magic has been imbued in them with runes.” He showed Harry and Gibbs the small symbols carved into the tip of the quill.

“Are there other types?” Gibbs asked.

“There are Law Enforcement Quills which are dark blue, the color of the Law. They are used in interrogations to accurately record statements. There are dark red Blood Quills, which are illegal unless they are being used for binding contracts or inheritance tests. They’re illegal because they use the writers blood as ink.”

“They use your own blood?” Harry asked.

“Yes. It’s very painful and will create a curse scar if overused, hence they are highly regulated. The most common type of quill you will see in civilian life is the Quick Quotes Quill. My boy, if you ever see a reporter using a lime green quill I suggest you run.” Ducky said, leaning towards Harry conspiratorially.

“Why?” Gibbs asked. “Is it dangerous?”

“To your reputation, certainly. It’s used by writers to make everything said in an interview more exaggerated and exciting. I loathe whomever invented it. That quill is the sole reason I no longer receive the Daily Prophet. They rely heavily on it and less on accurate reporting.”

“The Daily Prophet?” Gibbs asked.

“Wizarding newspaper in Britain.” Harry said. “Is it a bad paper?”

“Well, like I said, they do tend to rely on sensational news or as they call it in Muggle Britain, tabloid journalism. I prefer the New York Ghost myself.”

“The Daily Prophet is a tabloid?” Harry said, appalled. Hermione was going to be so disappointed. Maybe he could get her a subscription to the New York Ghost for her birthday present this year.

“Not to the people of Britain but to everyone else in the world? Yes. Now, let’s get started with your scan. I will set up the quill to record whatever my spell detects.”

He laid the parchment on the table and pressed the tip of the quill to the top of the parchment.

“Medical scan of Harry James Potter.” The quill wrote across the top as Ducky spoke.

“Ready, dear boy? It won’t hurt.”

Harry nodded.

Ducky withdrew his wand from his sleeve. “Medicus Examino”

There was a light green flash of light that started at Harry’s head and made its way down to his feet. The quill on the parchment began scratching words rapidly.

“Oh dear.”

“What, Duck?”

“I’m afraid your concerns were well founded, Jethro.” Ducky sighed.

“Petunia and her husband did abuse him?”

“I’m afraid so.”

“I’m right here. I know they never treated me like Dudley but...”

Ducky cut him off. “I’m afraid that what they did will land them in prison for at least a few years. It may not have seen like that much to you but it was terrible.”

“Oh.” Harry said. He wasn’t really shocked. He knew it was wrong. He had never been treated even half as well as Dudley.

“How bad, Duck?”

“Bad enough that to correct the damage, I fear I will have to put him in a medical coma.”

Gibbs sat down on the couch beside Harry. “A medical coma?”

“Just for a day. I need to vanish the bones in his arm and regrow them. He has had two spiral fractures in his left arm. One less serious and one serious enough that it required surgery, which he never received.”

“What are spiral fractures?” Harry asked.

“A common injury with children who have been abused.” Ducky explained. “They’re caused by aggressively twisting or pulling the arm.”

Harry remembered the times Vernon used to drag him to his cupboard and throw him in.

“If it needed surgery, how is he still using it well?” Gibbs asked.

“I would guess accidental magic healed him enough for the pain to dissipate and render use of his arm again. The record showed it happened when he was seven, a common age for major accidental magic.”

“I accidentally turned my teacher’s hair blue.” Harry said in remembrance. “Uncle Vernon grabbed me by the arm when I got home and threw me in my cupboard.”

“Your cupboard?” Gibbs asked in confused anger.

“The cupboard under the stairs. It was my bedroom until I was eleven and got my Hogwarts letter.”

“Tell me we can use this in court. I want those bastards behind bars before the end of summer.” Gibbs growled.

“I’m afraid not, Jethro. I will have to take Muggle records. Some of his hair and x-rays.”

“My hair?” Harry asked. “Why do you need my hair?”

“You are showing signs of malnutrition that has been recently corrected. Your hair will show distinct signs of it if we test for it. I’ll need x-rays of your left arm and your skull.”

“His head?”

“Aunt Petunia hit me over the head with a skillet a few times.” Harry shrugged.

“Hard enough to fracture your skull.”

“I guess. I mean, once I passed out and woke up like five days later in my cupboard.”

“I’m going to kill her.”

“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that.” Ducky said as he packed up his bag. “Tomorrow, we will take blood and x-rays and then you’ll be in for a day of healing. I will see you at NCIS tomorrow, bright and early.”

Gibbs nodded. “We’ll be there. Thanks, Duck.”

Chapter Text

The next morning dawned bright and early. It was a warm, humid morning in Washington DC. Harry had never lived somewhere so warm, it felt like the hottest part of the day in Surrey but the sun had only risen.

Hedwig had arrived just as Harry was waking up. She had seemed pleased with their new surroundings and had pecked his hand affectionately as he quietly got her food and water set up next to her perch on the dresser. He watched her drink and eat as he got dressed for the day and felt relieved that he wouldn’t have to worry about her safety in his new home.

Harry’s first day in his new home had been interesting to say the least. He had discovered just how bad the Dursleys had been to him. He wasn’t really surprised but he was disappointed in the adults of Little Whinging. They hadn’t bothered to notice the signs, they hadn’t cared. Somehow that was worse than the abuse itself. He had enjoyed a good nights sleep in a place other than Hogwarts for the first time. (He had been too nervous at the Burrow about what was going to happen to him to sleep well.)

He had gotten up a bit before the sun and assumed this was what jet lag was like. It didn’t seem like Gibbs was up yet so Harry made his way into the kitchen to start breakfast. He knew how to make an English Breakfast because of the Dursleys but he didn’t know what Gibbs liked to eat. He went simple; eggs, bacon and toast. He also started the coffee maker figuring Gibbs needed a cup of coffee like Uncle Vernon needed a cup of tea in the morning.

Gibbs walked in a few minutes before the eggs were done and just as the coffee was finishing.

“You didn’t have to cook breakfast.” He said as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

Harry shrugged dismissively. “Cooking was one of my main chores for the Dursleys. It’s no problem.”

Gibbs scowled. “When did you start cooking for them?”

Harry idly rubbed the burn scar on the top of his hand. He had gotten it the first time he had tried to make bacon by himself. “Aunt Petunia made me help her from age three. I started cooking on my own when I was five.”

Gibbs growled angrily but Harry never felt threatened by his anger like he did with Uncle Vernon. He wasn’t sure why but he was positive Gibbs would never hurt him.

“Unsupervised like this morning?”

Harry nodded. “I had to be up before Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia to cook them breakfast.”

“Kids shouldn’t be cooking unsupervised until they’re at least twelve. And adults are supposed to take care of kids not the other way around.”

Harry turned back to the stove. The more he learned about the Dursleys and their treatment of him, the more he felt anger and resentment. And he needed to understand, why? He was just a kid, what did he do?

Gibbs sighed. “You’re not in trouble, I’d just prefer you do it while I’m awake in case something happens.”

After a quiet breakfast Harry asked if he could call Hermione and let her know he was okay as he couldn’t do it yesterday because of the time difference. Gibbs led him down to the basement where it looked like a boat was being made. He pointed Harry to the phone in the corner. Harry checked the old watch that had once belonged to Dudley who had broken it within a week of receiving it. Harry was really proud of the watch, he had fixed it himself. It was about one o’clock in England.

He dialed the number that Hermione had given to him before they had gotten off the Hogwarts Express and listened to it ring.

”Granger residence, Hermione speaking.”

“Hermione!” He smiled.

”Harry! How are you? Is your cousin’s house okay? How is he? What’s it like in America?”

Harry laughed. “I’m okay. America’s different and it’s really warm here. My cousin is... hard to describe but he’s not the Dursleys.”

”That‘s good. I’m glad you called, Harry. I was worried.”

“I can’t talk long. Gibbs had his healer friend examine me. Apparently the Dursleys left some lasting damage. He’s going to heal me.”

”How bad is it? Can you call me when you’re done and tell me all about it?”

Harry sighed. “Well let’s put it this way, Gibbs wants them in jail. I’ll try to call the day after tomorrow. The healer said it could take a day or two to recover.”

”Alright. If I don’t hear from you in two days, I’ll track you down. This phone has caller ID, I will call back every hour if I don’t hear from you.”

Harry grinned. “You’re such a worrier, I’ll be fine.”

”It’s just - after Voldemort...” Hermione sounded like she was chewing her lip.

“Doctor Mallard is a friend of Professor McGonagall’s. I trust him and my cousin trusts him. I’ll be okay and I’ll call you in a few days.”

”Alright. Bye, Harry.”

“Bye, ‘Mione.”

He hung up the phone and turned back to Gibbs who was examining (or pretending to) something on his boat.

“Ready to go?” He asked.

“Yeah.” Harry said.

Gibbs had explained the night before that NCIS stood for Naval Criminal Investigative Service and was based in the Naval Yard in DC. Due to this, he would have to go through a few security checks. It was arduous but eventually they let him through.

Gibbs brought him to his office which he called the ‘bullpen’ and told him to sit at his desk while he grabbed his boss and his friend Abby so that they could head to Ducky. Ducky apparently worked in Autopsy, which wasn’t very reassuring.

The inside of the office was a blinding color of orange, the color of Ron’s room. He’d love it. Tony was already sitting at what Harry assumed was his desk, doing paperwork. He nodded at them as Gibbs guided Harry into his office chair and left up the stairs.

“Hey, kid. How are you doing?”

“Oh, you know. Found out my relatives were pretty abusive.”

Tony smirked. “Yeah. I’m currently working on taking care of them.”

Harry snorted. “Good luck with that. The Dursleys spread lies upon lies about me to the entire neighborhood.”

Tony looked at him seriously. “This time it’ll stick. Gibbs and I will make sure of it.”

“Tony, autopsy.” Gibbs said from the top of the steel staircase. There was an older man standing behind him.

Harry followed Tony to the elevator down to autopsy where Ducky was waiting with a girl that the Dursleys would instantly hate on site. She was wearing a white coat like doctors wore which didn’t really seem to go with the black choker around her neck. She had the same color hair as him that was pulled into two pigtails on the side of her head.

“Hi! You must be Harry. I’m Abby.” She said cheerfully.

“Erm, hi.” Harry said.

“Duck, is the room secure?” Gibbs asked from behind him.

“Anthony did the warding. It’s his speciality not mine.”

Gibbs turned to Tony who nodded his head. “Yeah, boss. It’s fine.”

“Warding?” The man with short balding white hair standing next to Gibbs asked. “I assume this is the cousin you’ve recently taken custody of, Gibbs.”

“Yes, sir. This is my second cousin Harry Potter. Harry this is Tom Morrow, the Director of NCIS.”

“Hello, sir.” Harry said quietly.

“Hello, young man. Now what was this about warding? I’ve never heard that term before.”

It took about half an hour and several demonstrations to convince the Director of the reality of Magic. Harry was surprised that he didn’t seem to think he or Tony and Ducky were freaks. In fact he seemed very accommodating of their magic. Abby seemed intrigued but disappointed that magic and technology didn’t mix. She looked like she had lots of questions that she was barely holding back.

The Director left them as soon as the explanations were finished and Ducky began to document the abuse caused by the Dursleys.

Harry had never had x-rays before but it didn’t hurt any worse than the healing he had received from Madam Pomfrey. They took his hair samples first so Abby could take them to her lab where she worked as NCIS’ scientist and run them. Ducky confided in him that they also needed pictures of his scars and he had taken the hair first so Abby wouldn’t be in the room and embarrass Harry when he needed to get undressed.

Harry showed them the scar on his back from Vernon’s belt, which he had only used on him once when he was four. Vernon never did it again after Harry’s accidental magic had hit him back with it in self defense. He also showed the burn he got on his hand when he was five and tried cooking bacon on his own.

Next were the x-rays. They showed old broken ribs from when Harry had been thrown on to the floor. Two separate skull fractures and the broken arm were the final x-rays. He was happy that it was a pretty quick process.

Afterwards Tony brought him to a room (orange again, Harry was starting to wonder if their interior designer was a wizard) and took his statement on the care of the Dursleys including information about his cupboard and how they would encourage Dudley to hurt him. The statements and evidence would be turned over to Tony’s friend in Scotland Yard and hopefully the Dursleys would be arrested soon. (Harry didn’t hold out much hope. No one had listen before. He was of the opinion ‘I’ll believe it when I see it.’)

A few hours later they were back home and Harry was preparing to have the bones in his arm vanished. He made his way into his bedroom wearing his pajamas and sat on the bed.

“Now, you’ll need to get comfortable. You’ll be lying here all night. Ready?”

Harry nodded as Gibbs looked on from beside the bed.

“Ossio Dispersimus” Ducky incanted, pointing his wand at Harry’s left forearm.

There was a white flash of light and then Harry’s arm fell limp. He could move his shoulder and could feel the bones still in his hand but couldn’t move them. He tried to lift it but it just wiggled like a dying fish. He picked it up with his other hand and watched as it flopped around like jello.

“Ew.” He said with a grimace. It didn’t hurt but it looked wrong and made him feel a bit queasy.

Ducky chuckled. “Yes it’s quite disconcerting, isn’t it? Do you have a favorite soda, Harry?”

“No. The Dursleys never allowed me to have any.”

“I have a few cokes in the fridge.” Gibbs offered. “Why?”

“I’m going to be giving him a particularly nasty tasting potion. He’ll want to get the taste out of his mouth rather quickly, believe me.”

Gibbs gave a half smile in bittersweet memory. He remembered having to fight Kelly tooth and nail when she had to take any type of medication. “I’ll go get one.”

Ducky handed Harry a purple potion while he was gone. “This won’t help the pain much, I’m afraid, but it should make it so you sleep through most of it. Take it now so it’ll be absorbed before the Skele-Gro.”

“Skele-Gro?” Gibbs asked as he came back into the room with a red can in his hand.

“The potion that regrows bones.” Harry said.

“Indeed.” Ducky withdrew a bottle that looked like a skeleton and uncapped it. He poured the smoking potion into a metal cup and handed it to Harry.

“Is it supposed to smoke?” Gibbs asked.

“Yes. I suggest you plug your nose and gulp it down as quickly as possible, dear boy.” Ducky said.

Harry took the cup from Ducky and chugged it back as fast as he could, trying not to spit it back out from the taste. It burned as it slid down the back of his throat and he coughed.

“Nasty stuff, isn’t it? Do you know who invented it?”

Harry shook his head as Gibbs traded the cup with him for the can of soda. Harry took a sip. It was very sweet but soothingly cool after the burn of the potion.

“Your ancestor.” Ducky said with a smile.

“My ancestor?” Harry rasped in amazement.

“Yes. Linfred Potter, a brilliant Potioneer and Healer. He is your many times great-grandfather.”

Harry smiled sleepily as the first potion began to kick in. His ancestor was a healer, that was rather neat.

“How long ago was this?”

“Oh, nearabouts the twelve century.”

Harry fell asleep to Ducky’s rambling tidbits of history.

———

Harry woke up the next morning to the smell of bacon and coffee. He flex his fingers and felt the bones in his arm again. He hadn’t slept very well despite the potion. The pain of the regrowing bones hovered throughout the night but he had managed to sleep through most of it.

He got up and dressed, petting Hedwig absentmindedly while he did so. She seemed happy in their new home which in turn made him happy. He made his way downstairs and saw Ducky and Gibbs eating at the small kitchen table.

“Ah, I wondered if the smell would wake you up. How are you feeling?” Ducky asked.

“Pretty good. The pain is gone and I managed to get some sleep.”

“Good. I suggest you eat a hardy breakfast, I hear Abby is coming over to take you shopping with Gibbs.”

Gibbs did not look happy at the reminder and said. “Are you sure you don’t want to come along?”

Ducky smiled knowingly. “Oh, no. I couldn’t intruded on the bonding experience between you three.”

“Word of advice, never go shopping with women.” Gibbs said to Harry as he joined them at the table.

“Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs!” The front door burst open with an excited Abby barreling through it.

“Abs, how much caffeine have you had this morning?”

“Enough to get me through a day of shopping. We have clothes to get and Harry probably needs new glasses and shoes and toiletries and...”

“That’s my cue to leave.” Ducky said hastily as he got up from the table.

“Coward.” Gibbs glared.

“I wasn’t a Gryffindor, Jethro. I was a Ravenclaw. I know the advantages of a strategic retreat.”

Harry laughed. “Bye, Ducky.”

Harry couldn’t blame him. It seemed like he was in for a long day of shopping and he hoped he had enough money for it all.

Chapter Text

Shopping with Abby was an experience to say the least. Gibbs had been married four times but their shopping excursions he had been dragged on were never this bad. Abby planned it like a military operation. They went to the mall because Abby said it should have every shop they needed there. They started at the optometrist’s office.

Harry had a full examination that took about forty-five minutes.

“His prescription is very out of date.” The optometrist said. “When’s the last time you got new glasses?”

Harry shrugged. “When I got them.”

The optometrist glanced at Gibbs with a look of consternation.

“Don’t look at me, Doc. He just came into my care this summer. I’m currently building a case against his previous guardians for abuse.”

The doctor nodded. “Well, your eyesight has changed quite a bit and part of it is because you’ve probably needed a new prescription for a while. I’ll get started on them right away and they should be done in a few hours. You’ll see much better with the new ones. Why don’t you go pick out some frames?

The selection was overwhelming. The Dursleys had chosen for him, the cheapest pair they could find. He eliminated the round frames like the ones he had because he noticed they were the same style as his father’s though his were a thick plastic black and his father’s were wired gold. He was always getting ‘you look just like your father’ and while it was great to know that, he saw how people looked at him and saw his father not him.

He deviated towards the squarish-rectangle frames. He found a pair of rectangular glasses. They were made of a thin black metal that had Gryffindor red painted on the inside.

“What do you think?” He asked Abby.

“Cute. You sure about the red? The green would bring out your eyes.”

Harry frowned. “Green is a Slytherin color. Red is Gryffindor.”

“They’re the dorm names at his school. Harry’s in Gryffindor.” Gibbs explained to Abby.

She nodded. “There’s a bit of rivalry there, I can tell.”

Harry snorted. “That’s an understatement.”

“What do you think, Gibbs?” Abby asked.

He shrugged. “Well, they’re not BCGs which is nice. If you like them, get them.”

Harry scrunched his eyebrows together. “BCGs?”

“Birth Control Glasses. They’re issued by the military and are practical but very ugly. They’re called BCGs because you’ll be lucky to get a woman to pay attention to you while wearing them.”

Abby laughed. “Harry’s not going to have trouble there. He’s a cutie even with his old glasses. The girls at his school will be all over him in a few years.”

Harry blushed and cleared his throat. “Erm, I do like these.”

Gibbs nodded and took them from Harry, giving them to the lady behind the desk.

“It should be about two or three hours.” She said.

“Let’s go get his new clothes and some shoes.” Abby said, smiling.

“Ergh.” Harry groaned. He hated shopping.

Gibbs patted him on the shoulder sympathetically.

Abby dragged them to a mid priced clothing store where they spent about an hour. They left with several pairs of pants, shorts and shirts. Harry also got few packs of underwear that Gibbs had discreetly steered Abby from so Harry wouldn’t be embarrassed while he picked out the kind he liked.

The shoe store was next. Abby insisted that Harry get a new pair of trainers or as they called them in America, sneakers. He had been wearing his shoes from Hogwarts which were the only shoes he still had. They were a nice pair of shoes but not something you’d see boys wear everyday. He didn’t really have a choice because his pair of Dudley’s old trainers had fallen apart a month into the first term at Hogwarts.

He got a nice pair of grey and red shoes (which pleased his Gryffindor sensibilities) and by the time they left the store, it was time to pick up his glasses. He was relieved to be done with the shopping and now he knew why Dudley had always loudly complained when Aunt Petunia dragged him around town for a day.

After a stop at the food court for a break and snack, they made their way back to the optometrist’s office. They were greeted at front desk by the eye doctor who took a few minutes adjusting the frames for Harry’s head.

Harry looked around the room in wonder. Everything was so clear! Was this how everyone else saw the world? Maybe he’d do better in school now that he could actually read the board. His new glasses were the highlight of the trip to the mall.

By the time they got home Harry was exhausted. For some reason Muggle shopping just wasn’t as exciting as Wizarding shopping. Maybe one day he’d be used to being a Wizard and stop being awed by everything in the shops.

While Gibbs took his new clothes to be washed while Abby and Harry ordered Chinese food for delivery. He’d never had Chinese before and so Abby made them get a variety for him to try.

Dinner was delicious and different to anything else he’d ever eaten. Afterwards, Abby asked to look at Harry’s potions book, wondering how it related to Chemistry.

Harry joined her. His enthusiasm had returned for a moment as he remembered his ancestor had been a potioneer. It was snuffed out again when he remembered he had Snape as a teacher.

Abby saw his glare at the textbook and asked. “What’s with the face? I thought you wanted to know more too?”

“It’s just... the professor who teaches potions hates me.” Harry sighed. “It ruined the whole class for me.”

Abby ruffed his hair gently with a smile. “How could anyone hate you? You’re adorable.”

Harry shrugged with a light blush. He’d never been called adorable before. “I don’t know. I’ve never even met him until school.”

“What’s he do?” She asked.

Gibbs listened from the kitchen as he cleaned up. Maybe Harry would open up to Abby more than him.

“He picks on me for the littlest things like breathing too loud. He accuses me of messing up the potions of people three desks over. He always acts like I asked for my fame.” Harry said angrily. “Like I’m a spoiled brat who uses it for everything. I’m famous for my parents dying and me surviving. How could I ever be happy about that?”

“Maybe you should tell him that. Stand up to him.”

Harry shook his head. “And get a month’s worth of detention cleaning cauldrons?” He snorted. “No thanks.”

“Then you have to do your best.” Abby said. “Prove him wrong. Practice your potions over the summer and show him up.”

“I don’t know if I can.”

“As long as Tony or Ducky are supervising, I don’t care.” Gibbs stuck his head through the threshold.

Harry smiled. “Really?”

“Sure, you need to study.”

Gibbs saw a glint in Harry’s eye that reminded him of Lily when someone told her she couldn’t do something.

About an hour later, Abby left for home. She had a bowling game with her nuns which Harry found interesting. Bowling nuns? He’d never heard of that before.

He feel into bed happier than he could ever remember being, except when he was at Hogwarts. For once, he didn’t dream of Voldemort or that green flash of light but of showing up his bat of a professor.

———

Gibbs didn’t even bother glancing up from his boat when he heard the footsteps on the stairs. They were too large to be Harry’s. Abby usually called before coming over and Ducky rarely left his house after nine in the evening because of his mother.

He figured it was Tony with the information on the man who had killed his cousin and her husband.

“Tony!” Gibbs barked quietly. Harry was asleep upstairs and he didn’t want to wake him. “What can you tell me about this Voldemort character who’s after Harry?”

“Erm, not much, Boss.” Tony grimaced. “I asked for the relevant files from the DMLE in England but they’ve refused to send them over without knowing why we want them. I figured you didn’t want people to know about Harry.”

Gibbs nodded. “Not unless they have to know. The less who know he’s with me and his relation to me, the safer he is.”

“I can tell you what I do know from friends over there and the news we got here.” Tony sat down on a stool beside the work desk.

Gibbs waited a few seconds as he took a sip out of his coffee mug. “Well?”

“Right.”

Tony startled and dropped a screw he had been playing with back on the table. Sometimes Gibbs wondered if his agent had ADD.

“Um, Voldemort showed up around 1965 out of nowhere. There’s no mention of him anywhere but it’s obviously not his real name. I mean, wizards have some bizarre naming traditions but even Voldemort is a bit out there.”

“Yeah, figured it was made up.”

“He formed a coalition of purebloods known as the Knights of Walpurgis. They aimed to restore the ‘pureblood ideals’ through the Wizengamot - Magical Britain’s Parliament. He didn’t have a Wizengamot seat but the other members did and they did what he told them. After about fifteen years and very little to no success, they officially disbanded.”

“Officially.” Gibbs raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah. About a year later homes of muggleborns and halfbloods along with purebloods who were known supporters of the previous started to be attacked. The attackers called themselves the Death Eaters and that their goal was the restoration of the ‘proper’ wizarding world.”

“How did they connect the Knights of Walpurgis with the Death Eaters?”

“When they arrested some of the perps, they realized they had also caught several prominent members of the Knights. During interrogations they confessed that most of the Knights had joined back up as Death Eaters under Voldemort.”

“My old mentor’s friend Moody was an Auror during the war. He said at first it was like dealing with a gang, they were rather unorganized and attacked at random.” Tony sighed. “As the years went on, Voldemort’s group got stronger and larger until it was practically an army. By 1985, it was a full out civil war.”

“How did Lily and her husband get involved?”

“Well, Lily was a Muggleborn, she probably got drawn in to fight for her rights. James Potter was a Hit Wizard so it was his job. Rumor has it, they got Voldemort’s attention. He wanted them for his army. Lily was apparently very powerful as was James.”

“They refused.” Gibbs guessed.

“Yeah and that put them on his list. He went to kill them personally, which was pretty unheard of.”

Gibbs nodded. “Don’t send a general to do a soldier’s job.”

“Well, actually... Wizard battles are a lot like the battles of old. Our leaders do fight on the frontlines because we tend to elect by Magical power.”

Gibbs nodded and changed the subject. “What do you know about the professors at Hogwarts?”

Tony raised an eyebrow. “Not much. I went to Ilvermorny. I know Dumbledore is the Headmaster and McGonagall and Flitwick are worldwide renowned Masters of their individual subjects but that’s about it. Why?”

“Harry said something about one of his teachers, Snape, hating him.”

“Kids say stuff like that all the time. You know that, Boss.”

“It sounded like more than childhood imagination. Can you find out about him if possible?”

Tony shrugged. “Sure.”

Chapter Text

Gibbs heard a small boom from the kitchen as he walked up the stairs from the basement, heading to the bathroom. He knew that Abby and Tony were here to spend some time getting to know Harry and wondered what they had done this time.

“Everyone alright?” He called.

Abby stuck her head out of the kitchen with a large smile and some soot on her face. “Fine, Gibbs! Harry’s potion just went wrong.”

“Told you I was terrible.” He heard Harry groan from the kitchen.

Gibbs detoured to the kitchen to see exactly what was going on. Harry and Tony were standing by the stove and peering into a cauldron that was emitting purple smoke.

“You’re making magic potions on my stovetop?” Gibbs asked.

“Trying to.” Harry said. “I asked Tony for help with my potions homework and he wanted an evaluation when he read what I’d written so far. It’s not going too well.”

“Not surprised. You didn’t properly prepare the ingredients.” Tony said as he lifted a bit of goop from the cauldron with the stirrer and examined it.

“Didn’t know I had to do that.”

“Your teacher’s shit then, kid. It’s potions 101.”

“Language, Tony!” Abby said from the table where she was examining Harry’s textbook.

Harry snorted. “Yeah, I know he’s no good. He doesn’t actually teach, you know? He just writes a recipe on the board and tells us to get to work.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to transfer to Ilvermorny?” Tony asked.

“Yeah. I love Hogwarts except for potions and history.”

“Well, don’t worry. Uncle Tony is here to help.” Tony said, rubbing his hands together and cracking his knuckles. “With him at it, you’ll caught up in time for school to start back.”

“Talking about yourself in third person is a sign of madness, Tony.” Gibbs teased.

“Any good at history of magic?” Harry asked.

“Not my best subject. Ask Ducky, I’m sure he’d love to tutor you.” Tony said.

“I’m assuming you can kind of self teach yourself history though.” Abby said.

“Yeah. That’s what my friends and I mostly do. History of Magic is a joke at Hogwarts.” Harry said.

“Why?” Gibbs asked as he sat down next to Abby.

He wanted to learn more about Harry’s schooling. He had decided that if he was taking on a kid, he would throw himself in it full heartedly. It had been surprisingly easy to fall back into the parental mindset and while it was bittersweet at times, it was nice to have a kid in the house again.

“It’s taught by a ghost. He died while teaching the Goblin Wars and now that’s all he teaches.”

Tony giggled. “That would bore anyone to death. I myself slept through that unit at Ilvermorny.”

Abby’s face lit up. “Ghosts are real? I want to meet one!”

“Sorry, Abs.” Tony said. “Only magicals and squibs can see ghosts.”

Abby pouted. “Are we sure I have no magic?”

“Abby, you grew up in New Orleans, one of the most haunted and magical cities in the world. You would’ve known if you had an ounce of magic in you.”

“Not fair! I want to talk to them.”

“You can feel them though.” Harry said.

“The cold thing is real?” Abby asked.

Harry shuddered. “Very true.”

Tony grimaced. “I hate when they walk through me. Stupid ghosts never watch where they’re going.”

Harry grinned. “You know, you could always take Tony or Ducky with you. They can see and hear them.”

A grin brightened Abby’s face and she pointed at Tony. “You’re coming on vacation with me next time I go home, Tony.”

Tony groaned. “I hate ghosts.”

“Hasn’t anyone ever tried to get him to move on or something?” Gibbs asked, turning the subject back to Harry’s schooling.

Harry laughed. “That’s the problem! He doesn’t seem to know he’s dead. Hermione said that she asked McGonagall who said that they try every summer but he refuses to believe he’s dead.”

“Does that happen often?” Abby asked.

“Occasionally.” Tony said with a frown. “It normally happens with kids though. They don’t understand death or the fact they’re not alive anymore.”

“So they stay kids forever.” Abby nodded sadly in understanding.

“So your history teacher isn’t the best.” Gibbs said.

“No. Hermione makes us self study the textbook though.”

“I’ll give you an outline of what will be on the fifth year OWL and seventh year NEWT so you can make sure you’re prepared.”

“Thanks.” Harry said with a smile up at Tony, “Can I get copies for Hermione and Ron too?”

“No problem, kid.”

“Owl? Newt?” Gibbs raised an eyebrow.

“They’re exit exams for magicals.” Tony explained. “We take our OWLs or Ordinary Wizarding Levels at the end of Fifth Year. You have to pass them to head on to NEWT level studies. NEWT stands for Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests, which are taken at the end of Seventh Year. NEWTs are kind of like SATs, you have to pass to go on to Master level. They’re not necessary, you can graduate with just OWLs but if you want higher education you need to pass your NEWTs.”

Gibbs nodded in understanding and looked at Harry. “I expect you to get your NEWTs, Harry. You don’t have to go any higher but I want you to have the option should you want to.”

“I was planning on it anyway.” Harry grinned. “I don’t think Hermione would accept any less.”

“So potions seems like a branch of chemistry.” Abby said as she turned her attention back to Harry’s potions textbook. “You have to know how the ingredients react to each other and how much to use and properly prepare them.”

“I kind of thought of it as cooking.” Harry said.

Abby nodded. “Cooking and baking is chemistry and chemistry is like potions. So yeah, it’s like cooking.”

Harry nodded. He could work with that idea.

Tony frowned. “I recommend you don’t mention it to your professor. I made that mistake with mine and she did not appreciate the comparison. But that’s how my mother explained it to me.”

“Neither did my chemistry professor in college.” Abby pouted. “It’s the same basic principles though, so I don’t know why he got so upset.”

They all laughed at the thought.

“So.” Tony said as he vanished the remnants of Harry’s potion and turned towards everyone who had gathered at the kitchen table. “Schooling aside, I hear you’re a pretty good Quidditch player.”

“Yeah, I’m fair.” Harry said with a grin.

“I played Quodpot myself at school. It’s like Quidditch but better.”

“Complete lies.” Harry said teasingly. “Quidditch is the best game in the world.”

Harry had never felt this happy at home before. Tony was easy going and Abby was affectionate, which made it easy to talk to them. Gibbs seemed gruff but Harry had glimpsed that he was softer inside than he appeared on the outside.

“How about I prove it to you?” Tony grinned. “There’s a field in Arlington that’s a Wizarding public sports park. Care to take me on?”

“Definitely. I’m undefeated at school.”

“You’re so on, kiddo.” Tony smirked fiercely.

———

Later that night, after Harry had gone to bed and Abby had headed home, Tony and Gibbs sat down in the basement drinking beers and discussing what Tony had uncovered from the Wizarding World.

“What did you find out about his potions Professor?” Gibbs asked. He didn’t like what he was hearing about him and Tony’s own appraisal of Harry’s potion making abilities.

Tony grimaced. “You’re not going to like it, Boss.”

Gibbs raised an eyebrow at him, a sinking feeling in his gut.

“The current Potions Master at Hogwarts is Severus Tobias Snape. He’s the youngest British Potions Master in over three hundred years and considered a genius.”

“Genius doesn’t mean being a good teacher.”

Tony shook his head. “No, it doesn’t. And by all accounts, he isn’t. Hogwarts’ potions test scores have dropped dramatically in the last ten years coinciding when he took up the post.”

“Yeah, I sort of guessed that was the case. So why does he teach?”

“Dumbledore.”

“Dumbledore? The Headmaster? What does he have to do with anything?”

“Severus Snape was a Death Eater, one of Voldemort’s followers, during the last four years of the War.”

“What?!” Gibbs growled.

Tony swallowed. He didn’t like it when Gibbs was angry and though he knew he wasn’t pissed at him, he was baring the brunt of it.

“During Snape’s trial, Dumbledore vouched for him. Said he was a spy for the other side and had been turned years before the fall of Voldemort.”

“Was he?”

Tony shrugged. “No idea. But Dumbledore seems to trust him and the general public thinks that Snape is at Hogwarts to remain under his protection.”

“And the reports of him bullying students?”

“There have been several complaints from parents of students to the school board but they have all been brushed aside as kids making something out of nothing.”

“No investigations?” Gibbs raised an eyebrow. Normal schools would at least investigate the allegations.

”Apparently Dumbledore isn’t his only friend in high places.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. Snape is publicly listed as the godfather of Draco Malfoy; whose father, Lucius, is on the board.”

“Corruption at its finest.” Gibbs rolled his eyes.

Tony laughed. “Welcome to the British Wizarding World. It’s one of the most corrupt governments in the world, Muggle or Magical.”

“Fantastic.” Gibbs growled. “What have you discovered of my cousin and her husband?”

“Vernon Winston Dursley is Vice President of Grunnings Drills, based in Surrey.”

Gibbs raised an eyebrow. “He’s done well for himself. He was only an Operations Manager when he married Petunia.”

“Petunia Michelle Dursley née Evans is a homemaker. They have one son, Dudley Vernon Dursley.”

“I know who my cousins are, DiNozzo.”

“Right. Anyway, looking into the family on paper, they seem perfectly ordinary. Too ordinary. They’re definitely hiding something.”

“Can we open a case against them?”

Tony nodded. “Copies of the evidence of Harry’s abuse were send over to my contacts in Scotland Yard. It was enough to open an investigation.”

“Good.”

“They’ve asked us not to get involved, Gibbs.”

“To hell with that. I want to know everything they know.”

Tony smiled. “That’s what I told my buddy. He’s agreed to share information as long as he gets the arrest.”

“I want a few hours in the interrogation room.”

“Already done, boss. I got you up to five.”

“I won’t need that long.” Gibbs said as he headed back up the stairs.

“Are we done talking?” Tony called.

“Head.”

“Oh. Okay, I’ll wait here.”

Gibbs smiled to himself. Tony could be very strange sometimes but he was a good friend and an excellent investigator.

Gibbs ducked his head into Harry’s room when he was done in the bathroom. It was an old habit he had had with Kelly, he was sure most parents did it too, and it had been easy to fall back into it. He was concerned with what he saw.

Harry was thrashing quietly in his sleep. He was obviously in the middle of a nightmare but unlike most children, he was silent. His sheets were wrapped around him like a mummy and Gibbs wondered how long he had been stuck in his dream.

Gibbs walked into the room and gently nudged Harry’s shoulder, “Harry, wake up.”

Harry shot up off the bed. “I’m sorry, Uncle Vernon.”

“I’m not your uncle. You’re in America, remember?”

“Oh. Right.” Harry released a quick breath. “Sorry, it’s a force of habit.”

“Don’t apologize for that.”

Harry nodded.

“You were having a nightmare.”

Harry nodded his head quickly and grabbed his glasses off the nightstand.

“Wanna talk about it?”

Harry swallowed. “Voldemort.”

Gibbs nodded and said. “Come on, I’ll make you some hot chocolate and you can tell me about it.”

Harry followed Gibbs down the stairs and sat on the couch when he directed him to it.

He went to the door to the basement and called, “Tony.”

“Yes, boss. Coming, boss.”

“Do you mind Tony staying?” Gibbs asked Harry. “He’s helping protect you and I’d like him to hear about the guy after you.”

Harry nodded silently.

Gibbs went to the kitchen and prepared a cup of hot chocolate for Harry and two cups of coffee for him and Tony.

He heard Tony say, “Hey, kid.” as he was finishing up.

Gibbs made his way back to the living room with three mugs in his hands. He handed the hot chocolate to Harry and one of the mugs of coffee to Tony, then pulled up a chair from the dining table.

“So, Voldemort.” Gibbs said.

Harry took a sip of his drink and nodded. “What do you know about him?”

“Terrorist who killed your parents, tried to kill you, failed and then tried again this past year.” Gibbs said.

“Yeah. A few weeks ago he tried to steal the Philosopher’s Stone.”

“Shit.” Tony muttered.

“He didn’t get it.” Harry assured Tony quickly.

“What’s the big deal?”

“The Philosopher’s Stone is a magical key to immortality, boss. Voldemort getting his hands on that would’ve been bad.”

“Immortality? Really?” Gibbs asked, skeptical.

“Immortality is rare but possible in the magical world.” Tony said. “The Stone is extremely hard to make and is pretty much priceless. Dumbledore is one of the few people who knows how to make one.”

“Dumbledore was out of the castle and the professors didn’t listen to us when we told them he was after it. So we decided to stop him ourselves.”

“That’s ballsy.” Tony commented.

Harry gave a small grin. “Well, actually we thought it was Professor Snape.”

“Nice.”

“But it was Voldemort.” Gibbs said.

“Yes.”

Gibbs nodded.

“I killed him.”

“Voldemort?” Tony asked, sitting up straight.

“No. Professor Quirrell.” Harry said quietly. “Voldemort was possessing him.”

“What was he doing when you killed him?” Gibbs asked.

“Trying to strangle me.” Harry rubbed his hand across his neck in remembrance.

“That’s self-defense, kiddo.” Tony said.

“But I still killed him.”

“He was trying to kill you.” Gibbs said.

“If anything, it was a mercy killing.” Tony said.

Gibbs raised an eyebrow.

“Possession is a nasty way to go. Your body literally rots while you’re alive and you feel every bit of it.” Tony explained. “It was probably pretty easy to kill him, he was already half dead.”

“Tony.” Gibbs reprimanded. “Not helping.”

Harry grimaced. “It was. I just put my hands on his skin and he burned.”

Gibbs looked at Tony for an explanation who shrugged.

“I’ve never heard of that happening before.”

“Professor Dumbledore said that it was my mum’s protection. He was hosting Voldemort and Voldemort can’t touch me because of mum.”

“A sacrificial ritual.” Tony said in realization. “They’re rarely used because they’re not quick, they take months to prepare. But it’s very powerful magic and must be part of the Wards I saw them erect. That’s what your blood is powering, boss. You’re renewing Lily’s protective shield.”

“So as long as he’s with me, Voldemort physically can’t touch him?”

“There are ways around it but as long as he doesn’t get a sample of your blood, Lily’s blood, you’ll be fine.”

“Then you didn’t kill him, Harry.” Gibbs said. “Your mother did. She’s protecting you, even now.”

Harry’s eyes filled with tears and Gibbs squeezed his shoulder gently.

“Don’t worry about Voldemort, alright? We’ll handle him. Worry about your grades and classmates.” Gibbs said.

“But he’s never going to leave me alone.”

“He will if I have something to say about.” Gibbs said firmly. “Now, finish your hot chocolate and try to go back to sleep. Think about that sport you play, quickditch?”

“Quidditch.” Harry smiled.

“Think about whopping Tony’s ass tomorrow on the field.”

“Hey!” Tony protested.

Harry laughed.

Chapter Text

“Harry! Pull up!” Gibbs called from the ground as he anxiously watched his cousin take a steep dive on his broom.

It was the second weekend of summer vacation and everyone had finally began adjusting to the new way of life. Gibbs and his team had had to come up with a whole new routine to deal with cases. Regrettably, they hadn’t thought about what would happen with Harry if they had a case in the middle of the night.

As it had happened, they had been called out just after the conversation about Voldemort’s attack on Harry a week ago. It was past Harry’s bedtime and Gibbs obviously couldn’t leave him in the house alone. Director Morrow had come up with the solution. He had requisitioned a cot from the Marine barracks and placed it in Abby’s lab. Abby kept the music low enough so it wouldn’t bother Harry and he usually stayed with her while the team was at the crime scene.

Abby, being the smart woman she was, also cleared off some desk space so he could do homework and had even installed some computer games on a desktop that wasn’t used much.

Gibbs was thankful that the team who had become his family were so willing and eager to change their lives and routines for his new charge.

“Your cousin is insane, Gibbs.” Tony said, a bit out of breath, as he came to an abrupt stop down by Gibbs, hovering about five feet off the ground beside him.

“He’s trying to give me a heart attack.” Gibbs groused back. “I’ve seen fighter pilots take less risks than this kid.”

Harry was grinning widely when he came to stop beside Tony, holding a silver ball with wings.

It was a practice snitch that Tony had bought especially for Harry, though he let him think it was an old one that he just didn’t use much anymore. He was sure that this kid was used to second hand and discarded things and would protest if he knew that Tony had bought it just for him. But it was totally worth the lie and money because the joy on Harry’s face was unbeatable.

“You are an amazing flier, kiddo.” Tony said.

“So everyone keeps telling me.” Harry said.

“Are you trying to kill me, Harry?” Gibbs asked.

“No?” Harry sounded confused.

“He’s talking about that dive you just pulled off.”

“Oh. Sorry, I guess it can be kinda scary the first time seeing it.”

“That was a textbook perfect Wronski. The pros have trouble doing it.”

“Wronski?” Harry asked.

“Wronski Feint.” Tony explained. “It’s a very complicated. Only two people in the pros can pull it off.”

“He can do a move only professionals can do?”

“Yep. I’d say you’d have chance in the big leagues, Harry.”

“Really? I’d never considered myself to be good enough to go pro.”

“Definitely should give it thought. I’d love to go to one of your games and see what you can do with a full team and real snitch.” Tony said.

“Yeah?” Harry smiled shyly at him.

“We both would. Family is allowed at games, right?” Gibbs asked.

“Yeah, I’ve just never had anyone to invite.”

“I’m sure Ducky and Abby will come too.” Gibbs said. “Send us the date of your first game when you get to Hogwarts and we’ll arrange a trip.”

They would make a stop at Scotland Yard and see how the investigation into the Dursleys was going as well. Hopefully Vernon and Petunia would be in custody or in line to be arrested by then.

“We’ve got to get going soon.” Gibbs said with a look at his watch. “Tony leaves for England in half an hour and you have lessons with Ducky.”

Harry smiled. “One last race?”

“You’re on kid.”

“Five minutes!” Gibbs yelled as they both shot up into the sky.

———

Tony DiNozzo wasn’t too keen on sticking his nose back into the British Wizarding World. He had always felt that his British side of the family had let him down.

Anthony David DiNozzo Junior was a half-blood, born of a squib mother and a muggle father. His mother, Claudia DiNozzo, had been born a Paddington.

The Paddingtons were an Ancient and Noble House within the British Wizarding world, like the Potters. Many purebloods considered them “blood traitors” like the Weasleys for their liberal ways. For example, they never killed or disowned their squib offspring but would send them to Canada, America or Australia for a proper upper crust education. Their view being that squibs may not have magic but they could make connections in the Muggle world that would benefit the family, if given a proper education.

That was how Claudia Paddington met Anthony DiNozzo Senior at Columbia University. He was studying business and she was studying history. The Paddingtons didn’t approve of their marriage. They had been hoping she would make a high societal match, to give them more financial ties to the Muggle world. Anthony DiNozzo Senior, while high upper class, was no millionaire socialite.

As Tony had learned years later, he was mostly a conman. The DiNozzo family money may have been rightly earned but unlike Tony’s grandfather, his father liked to cheat when possible; preferring to do business the easy and potentially illegal way instead of the hard and correct way. It was probably the real reason the Paddingtons had disliked him so much.

His mother’s family, disapproving of their scion’s marriage, cut her - and by extension her son - off entirely.

It had hurt his mother so bad that she had refused to even notify her family when she was dying. He had held a grudge for years against her for not even trying to seek help from the Wizarding World. It wasn’t until he entered school later on that he learned that the magical world had no treatments for cancer because magical people didn’t get it.

When he was nine, after his father had left him alone in a hotel room for two days, he had manage to track down his grandfather Clement and begged him to take him in, only to be denied. (He had later learned it was because they thought he had been a squib like his mother.)

So he, in turn, had cut off the Paddingtons when they found out he was magical and suddenly wanted a relationship with him. They hadn’t wanted him when he was just a disowned squib and they had refused to help when his father had been neglectful. Why should they have the pleasure of calling him family just because he had turned out to have magic?

But Gibbs’ new kid cousin needed help and Tony had the connections in the British Wizarding World and a duty to assist this kid who had been screwed over since he was fifteen months old. Due to Gibbs being a muggle, Tony had taken legal responsibility for Harry in the Wizarding World. He had become Harry’s official Magical Guardian and Gibbs’ magical proxy.

He sighed heavily to himself. He essentially had shared custody of a kid with Gibbs now, at least in the eyes of the magical world. Tony had never seen himself as a father or even a guardian of a child but Harry was a great kid who had had a shit life until now and if he could help, he would.

He took a portkey to the Ministry of Magic in London from the MACUSA branch in DC. From the Ministry he apparated to his family’s manor in Yorkshire. He stared up at the large house his mother had grown up in. He had only been here once, just after his graduation from Ilvermorny, the summer before he started college. It wasn’t a pleasant memory.

He took a deep breath and sighed heavily, pushing the gates open. He felt the Wards recognize his Paddington blood as they allowed him on to the property without repercussions. He shook his head at the ostentatious surroundings of the large mansion. He was well aware that he had grown up privileged, in a large house in an expensive neighborhood but this was something else.

He knocked on the front door and it opened to a middle aged house elf with big blue eyes. “May Hippy bes helping you?”

“Is your master home?” He asked.

“Yes, sirs.”

“I wish to speak to him.”

“Of course, sirs.”

Hippy led Tony into the study on the first floor. Tony had only been in there once, during the graduation meeting he had had with his grandfather.

About five minutes had passed when he finally heard footsteps echo through the halls, tapping on the hardwood of the mansion.

“Tony DiNozzo.” A sharp British voice said from behind him. “It’s been a long time.”

Tony turned to see his uncle and first cousin standing in the doorway. He didn’t look much like the two of them. The only similarities they shared were their eyes. Every magical family had a familial trait that seemed to be passed down through the line.

The Potters had messy hair, the Blacks had silver eyes, the Weasleys had red hair, the Malfoys had platinum blonde, etc. The Paddingtons had hazel eyes that changed colors depending on their moods.

His Uncle Clive had long dark blonde hair that was tied up at the back of his neck and was wearing silk robes that were probably the height of fashion in Wizarding Britain but were decades behind the popular fashions of the rest of the Wizarding World.

His cousin Crispian was narrowing his eyes at him. They had never gotten along, not as teenagers and not as adults. Crispian was a pureblooded snotty peacock who probably wouldn’t survive one day without a house elf and while Tony had grown up in a similar situation material wise, he had learned by the age of 9 how to take care of himself.

“What are you squinting at, Crispy?” Tony snarked tightly, knowing that his cousin was judging him from his hair to his shoes. He was aware that he shouldn’t be concerned about what his family thought of him but deep down there was still little nine year old Tony DiNozzo who just wanted his family to love and care for him. “Do you need some glasses?”

“So, you’ve finally come crawling back to your family, Anthony.” Crispian drawled with a smirk.

Tony tried not to flinch and clenched his fist behind his back. It irked him when his cousin pronounced his name the British way, the way his mother used to say his name. He only allowed Ducky to call him that because he was honestly closer to him than his own blood family.

“Your grandfather is the one that cut me out of the family!” Tony snarled, the anger and resentment bubbling to the surface. “It wasn’t my choice.”

“He was your grandfather too, Anthony.” Crispian sneered.

“Well he sure never acted like it.” Tony snapped. “He made it quite clear that I wasn’t family when I was nine!”

“If your mother had married the man we wanted her to, neither of you would’ve been cut off.”

“Boys.” Uncle Clive chided. “Crispian, that’s enough. Leave us.”

“Yes, Father.” Crispian turned with another sneer towards Tony and left the room.

Clive waited until Crispian left the room then made his way over to the desk and sat down, gesturing for Tony to take a seat in one of the plush leather armchairs in front of it.

Tony sighed and said, “I’m sorry for snapping at Crispian.” as he took a seat.

“You two have always brought out the worst in each other.” Clive steepled his fingers together. “I seem to recall you swearing never to set foot on the property again the last time you were here. So why are you here, Anthony?”

“I-“ Tony gritted his teeth. He hated asking for help at the best of times and this was not the best time. “I need your help.”

“Oh?” Clive raised an eyebrow at him and Tony had to push down the irritation he felt towards his uncle.

“Yes.” He said through clenched teeth.

“And what can I help you with?”

“I need information on the Death Eaters and You-Know-Who. The British DMLE is stonewalling me.”

“And why do you need information on the War? Last I checked it didn’t involve the United States.”

“I’ve recently become the magical guardian of one of your war orphans and I’d like to know more about what happened during the War.”

“A war orphan? That’s interesting. The Dark Lord was not one to leave survivors so there are so few.” Clive looked intrigued. He brushed his fingers over his chin. “It’s not the Bones girl, her aunt has custody of her. The Longbottom boy’s grandmother has him. And the handful of others are now old enough to take care of themselves, which leaves... Harry Potter.”

Tony paused and reluctantly said. “Yes.”

“Now tell me, how did you become the magical guardian of the Boy-Who-Lived?”

Tony sighed. There was no hope of hiding the whole situation from his uncle. “My friend is his cousin but he’s a muggle so I have magical guardianship.”

“Hm.” Clive hummed in thought. “Well, I suppose I can pull some strings and get copies of the war effort from Director Bones.”

“Will she do it quietly?”

Clive nodded. “Bones is professional and trustworthy. I may have to name drop Potter when she asks why but she will keep it silent.”

“Thank you, Uncle Clive.”

“So, should we expect you to show yourself in the British Wizarding World more often?”

“I suppose so.”

Clive nodded. “I would like to see you again, if it’s agreeable to you.”

“Wait, really?” Tony was shocked. His uncle hadn’t cared to reach out before now.

“I never contacted you on the orders of my father. He died several years ago and I have sent you letters since then.”

Tony ducked his head. He had received several letters from his uncle over the past few years but he had ignored them out of spite and a deep anger at his mother’s family.

“I don’t know, there’s a lot of bad history.” Tony said. “And I know Crispian wouldn’t like it.”

“I am Crispian’s Head of House not the other way around, Anthony.” Clive said. “He has no control over what either of us does regardless of whether he likes it or not. And frankly, if he keeps behaving this way, he may not even be my Heir for much longer.”

“Seriously?!” Tony asked.

Clive chuckled. “He’s been spending too much time with Lucius Malfoy and has been acting like the bloody peacock. That’s certainly not how I raised him and he’s got the stubborn head of his mother, he just doubles down instead of learning or admitting he’s wrong.”

“Wow.”

“Hm. Stay for dinner, will you?” Clive smirked. “It will annoy your cousin to no end.”

Tony shook his head. “I’m afraid I can’t, uncle. I have a meeting at Gringotts regarding Harry’s account.”

“But you’ll visit again?”

Tony hesitated and held back a sigh. “I suppose I can.”

“You’re a lot like your mother, Anthony. My sister would be proud of you.”

Tony swallowed down the knot in his throat. He felt the urge to run. He never discussed his mother, it was a touchy subject with him.

“Thank you.” Tony said. “I have to go, I have that meeting.”

“Of course.”

———

“Boss?” Gibbs heard Tony call from upstairs about five hours after he had left for England. Wizarding travel sure was fast.

Harry was away at Ducky’s house for the afternoon receiving a history of magic lesson. Ducky was appalled at how far behind Harry was in his lessons and had arranged for him to come over every Sunday afternoon for tutoring. Unfortunately for Harry, Victoria had also discovered that he hadn’t had a proper pureblood education and had insisted on teaching him wizarding customs and manners. It ended up that Harry usually spent the entire day at Ducky’s.

“Basement, Tony.” He called up to him.

“Yeah, should’ve figured.” Tony said as he made his way excitedly down the stairs with a file in his hand. “You’re never going to guess what Abby and I found.”

He had been called by Abby as soon as he had arrived back in the States. She had been having some fun with British banking systems and had found some interesting deposits.

“What?”

Tony slapped the file down on the desk and flipped a few pages, stabbing a finger at a bank statement. “The Dursleys were getting regular monthly payments from Harry’s trust fund account and the British Government for his care.”

“They never spent a penny on him.”

“Nope.” Tony grinned. “They’re at least going down for guardianship exploitation.”

“I’m glad I saved the rags they gave him.” Gibbs had had a gut feeling that told him he needed to save the evidence of the Dursley’s mistreatment of Harry. “So how much did they get from his trust?”

“1000 pounds a month. I talked to the goblins-“

“Goblins?” Gibbs raised an eyebrow skeptically.

“Goblins.” Tony nodded seriously. “They’re a warrior race and run the magical world’s banks. Anyway I stopped by their branch in London while I was there and according to them, you should be receiving the same starting next week.”

Gibbs had signed a document that had given Tony the magical version of a Power of Attorney for both him and Harry. Tony was part of that world and Gibbs trusted his expertise in navigating it.

“I don’t need it to take care of Harry.”

“It’s part of Lily and James’ Will. Whoever has custody of him gets 1000 pounds a month.”

“It should be saved for when he’s older, a nest egg.”

Tony raised an eyebrow. “How much money do you think your cousin and her husband had?”

“They were young.” Too young, barely adults; Gibbs thought to himself bitterly. “I doubt they had much.”

“James Potter was from a blue blood family and had old money. 1000 pounds a month for seventeen years won’t even put a dent in Harry’s inheritance.”

Gibbs raised an eyebrow. “I had no idea. That McGonagall mentioned something about Harry being an Heir to something or other but I never put much thought into it.”

“He’ll have a lordship to contend with when he becomes of age. That’s why Mrs. Mallard insisted on tutoring him. She’s from a Noble house too, the Ancient and Noble House of McKinnon.”

“I thought it was just some British thing.”

“Well, it is. Or more like a European thing, the lordships and classism. Granted we have our own version of it here in the States but no titles. It’s worse in the UK than it is here though.”

Gibbs nodded. “Did you discover anything else from your trip to England?”

Tony grimaced. “I talked to my uncle. He got me info on the war but it’s a lot and it’s going to take awhile to go through.”

He pulled out a large brick sized bound something and sat it down on Gibbs’ workbench, tapping it with his wand. It grew and became a towering pile of folders that wobbled, almost reaching to the ceiling. Tony flicked his wand and it split in half to make two steady piles of files. They were both still pretty tall but no longer swaying unbalanced.

“This is a copy of everything the DMLE has on the rise of Voldemort and the War itself.”

Gibbs stared at the stacks of files. “This is going to take awhile.”

Tony laughed. “It’s going to take all year. Thank god it’s chronological and we don’t have to go searching.”

Gibbs pulled a file from the top of the first stack and thrust it towards Tony, “Better start reading then.” And grabbed another for himself.

“Yeah.” Tony sighed.

———

Meanwhile, as Tony and Gibbs were attempting to make a dent in the evidence stacks of Voldemort’s bloodshed, Harry was having a pretty good time at Ducky’s house.

“No, child.” Victoria Mallard scolded. “You’re supposed to bow and then kiss my hand.”

“Oh, right. Sorry.” Harry said sheepishly, having done the opposite.

Ducky sighed from behind the book he was reading. “Mother, does he truly need to know this?”

“Yes, Donald, he does. He’s the Heir to the Ancient and Noble House of Potter and through no fault of his own he’s been raised without manners.”

“I have manners!” Harry protested.

“But not pure blood manners.” Victoria clarified. “And I would guess that you made enemies of a lot of pure bloods at Hogwarts, at least ones who follow the old ways.”

“Really?” Harry’s eyebrows raised, thinking of Zacharias Smith and Hortensia Belby in particular. The fellow first year and second year liked to glare at him. “Is that why a lot of people look at me funny?”

Victoria nodded with a satisfied smile. “I should say so. They probably assumed that you were raised properly and appalled that you appear to have not been. Of course, some of those children are probably just children of Death Eaters and would despise you no matter how correct you acted.”

“Death Eaters?” Harry asked, having never heard the term before.

“That’s what Voldemort called his followers.” Ducky clarified.

“Oh.”

“Now greet me again and do it right!” Victoria rapped his knuckles gently with a ruler.

Harry sighed. At least the lessons were more interesting than anything Binns taught. Ducky was an interactive and entertaining teacher.

Chapter Text

“So Uncle Clive managed to track down some of Harry’s parent’s old friends.” Tony announced to Gibbs one night when they were down in the basement reading old DMLE reports from the war.

“Really?” Gibbs said absently. They had just gotten into the true beginning of the War, not just the random terrorist attacks that had been happening in the years before Voldemort officially declared War on the Ministry.

“Mhm. Most of them were killed or incapacitated in the War but one of them would like to see Harry if you agree to it. He wasn’t allowed to see him before as the Dursleys wouldn’t allow visitations from the magical world.”

Gibbs looked up from the file. “We’d have to vet them and I’d want to meet them first.”

Tony nodded. “I told Uncle C that and he’s already gotten some information for us.”

“What do you know about him?”

“He was one of James’ best friends and was a groomsman at their wedding. His name is Remus Lupin.” Tony said. “I recognized the name so I checked Lily and James’ Last Will and Testament which was given to me by the goblins. He’s a beneficiary and there was paperwork filled out for him to have taken custody of Harry in the muggle world. It only needed his signature and to be officiated.”

“But he didn’t take Harry?” Gibbs said, laying the papers he was reading down. “Why? If he was next in line after his godparents - “

Tony had told Gibbs of Harry’s godparents, who had been listed in the Will as the ones to take custody of Harry should something happen to his parents. Sirius Black, James’ best friend who was convicted of being an accessory to the murder of his friends and Marlene McKinnon (Victoria Mallard’s great-niece as it turned out. Victoria had officially declared that because of the familial connections, Harry could call her Aunt Victoria and her son Uncle Donald [though the son in question had insisted on Uncle Ducky]), Lily’s best friend who was killed in action just a month before Harry’s parents. James and Lily hadn’t named anyone else for custody of their son, though the partially completed paperwork told him that they had thought about it.

Gibbs wished that his cousin had considered him and had made a point to list him in the Will. He knew they hadn’t been close but Lily would’ve known he’d be a better choice than Petunia. He supposed he and Shannon might have been on the list for custody and taken off after Shannon and Kelly’s murder - if his father had made a point to contact Lily about it. He sure hadn’t. He had barely had the strength to arrange and attend their funerals.

He sighed quietly to himself. He considered it was time to get back into regular contact with his father. Harry deserved to get to know what little family he had left. He had been so isolated by Petunia and her awful husband as a young child that even Gibbs had noticed his social awkwardness. He would also guess that being thrust into the celebrity spotlight at the young age of eleven hadn’t helped Harry either.

Tony’s grimace brought him back out of his thoughts. “Remus Lupin is a registered werewolf.”

“So?” Gibbs said with a raised eyebrow.

“There’s a lot of prejudice against werewolves in the Wizarding World, boss.” Tony said. “They’re a bit like lepers in our society.”

Gibbs stared at him.

“That’s not to say I believe the prejudices!” Tony said quickly. “I know a few myself who went to school with me. America is slightly better about it than the UK.”

Gibbs nodded, internally amused at Tony’s always rapid responses to even his slightest facial expressions.

“And it’s also why he wasn’t named in their Wizarding Will for his guardianship of Harry. It’s not legal.” Tony went on.

“But they did have muggle papers drawn up and prepared?”

“Yes.”

His clever little cousin, Gibbs mused. She knew that her friend couldn’t take her son in the Wizarding World but he could in the Muggle World because muggles knew nothing of werewolves or magical prejudices.

“Why didn’t he take Harry?” Gibbs said. “If there was paperwork drawn up - “

Tony frowned. “It’s possible he has a lot of internalized prejudice about werewolves and assumed that Harry was better off without him. Maybe he didn’t want to take care of a traumatized baby. Or he just didn’t know. His signature wasn’t on the papers.”

“Well, we’ll have to speak to him about that but if he passes our background checks then invite him over for Harry’s birthday.” Gibbs said. “I’m sure Harry would love to meet him and I’d like to pick his brain as a veteran of the War.”

“And how is the party planning going?” Tony grinned.

“I forgot how complicated planning a child’s birthday party could be. Especially when that child’s friends are all overseas.” Gibbs groused and glared at Tony who seemed to be enjoying Gibbs’ struggle. “But it’s not my first time.”

Tony cleared his throat and nodded awkwardly. He never knew how to approach Gibbs’ family history.

“How is it going on the Wizarding side of things?” Gibbs asked.

“I’ve got the park reserved for July 31st.” Tony said. “I also contacted Harry’s Head of House who put me in contact with the families of his Quidditch team members.”

“I managed to contact one of Harry’s best friends by calling the number he had dialed a few days ago back.” Gibbs said. “She’ll be flying over with her parents and staying for a week.”

“Harry’s going to love that.” Tony smiled. “The Weasleys - the ones Harry stayed with after the Dursleys kicked him out - are coming over by international portkey for the day.”

“So how many kids are we talking about?” Gibbs asked. “I know one with the Granger girl.”

“The Weasleys are bringing five kids with them. Their youngest son, Ron, is Harry’s other best friend. They have a set of twins who are on the Quidditch team with Harry and they also have an older boy and a young girl.” Tony said. “So six, plus four more - the rest of the team.”

“So eleven kids altogether plus Harry.” Gibbs nodded. “A moderate size.”

“There is one other person I think we should invite.” Tony proposed.

Gibbs raised his eyebrow silently.

“My Uncle Clive mentioned that Lily and James were the godparents of one of Harry’s classmates, Neville Longbottom.” Tony said. “He also lost his parents in the war, sort of.”

“Sort of?” Gibbs asked.

Tony cleared his throat awkwardly and looked down at the table, fidgeting with a pen. “They were tortured into insanity at the end of the War. They reside in the permanent care ward at St. Mungo’s, the Wizarding hospital in London.”

Gibbs swallowed down the bile at the back of his throat. He’d seen many terrible things in his time both as a Marine and as an NCIS agent. Post-traumatic shock, disfigurements, unspeakable things… but to be tortured so thoroughly as to lose your mind and be stuck in a mental hospital for the rest of your life was something else entirely.

“So this boy lost his parents and godparents?” Gibbs said softly.

“Both in the span of a week.” Tony confirmed with a sharp nod. “I think we should invite him for a few reasons. One, his birthday is the day before Harry’s and by all accounts of my Uncle, he has had few celebrations through the years either. Two, had Harry’s parents lived and the Longbottoms died, James and Lily were first on the list to take him. Three, I think it would do Harry some good to get to know someone who has been through a similar situation.”

Gibbs nodded. Tony had good points. It would do well for Harry to get to know someone his own age who had been affected terribly by the War.

“Do you know how to contact his guardian?”

“Yes. He lives with his grandmother, Dowager Lady Longbottom.” Tony shuddered.

Gibbs tilted his head slightly at the reaction.

Tony sighed. “She’s Ducky’s generation, he might know her actually, pureblood. Not a bigot but strong-willed and set in her ways. I ran into her at the British Ministry and she inquired about me taking Magical Guardianship of Harry. She told me that her son and his wife had been petitioning for custody of Harry through the courts when they were attacked.”

“Hmm.” Gibbs made a low noise. If they were petitioning through the courts, then it was public information that the Longbottoms wanted custody of Harry and that they possibly already had him or knew where he was.

“I know that look, boss.” Tony pointed a finger at Gibbs. “I had the same thought. The official motive for the attack on the Longbottoms was that they were high-ranking Aurors, basically the FBI of the British Ministry.”

“But if it was public knowledge that they were petitioning for custody of the child who ‘defeated’ the cult leader…” Gibbs continued.

Tony nodded. “Lady Longbottom implied it when I spoke to her. Terrifying woman.” He shivered.

“Invite him.” Gibbs said.

Tony smirked. “Already done. Rule 18.”

Gibbs rolled his eyes towards the ceiling but couldn’t begrudge him. Tony was as much Harry’s parent now as Gibbs was, and wasn’t that a thought? He shared custody of a child with his platonic friend and colleague. Oh, if only Shannon could see him now. He already knew she would love Tony and she would find this situation hilarious.

“Have you figured out a birthday present?” Tony asked.

“I was talking with Abby and she thinks he would enjoy an art kit. She noticed that he likes to doodle with pens in her lab while she works.”

Tony smiled. “She dragged me to the apothecary to get him a full proper potions kit. I'm pretty sure half the reason she bought it was for herself though.”

“She’s really enjoying learning potions, isn’t she?”

“Well, it’s pretty much chemistry. Are we truly surprised?”

Gibbs huffed a laugh, “No.”

“Harry enjoys it as well, as long as he isn’t reminded of his professor.”

“That’s good. Ducky said Harry is also enjoying his history lessons.”

———

Gibbs eyed the man Tony had brought to the house closely. Remus Lupin had passed both their muggle and magical background checks. He was Tony’s age, though he looked older, and had sandy blonde hair streaked with gray and amber eyes. His face was weathered and carried a few scars. His clothes were worn, clearly well taken care of but old.

“Why didn’t you take Harry in after his parents deaths?” He asked bluntly.

Lupin flinched. “I’m a werewolf. It isn’t allowed.”

“And you never tried to visit him?” Tony asked. “You were one of his father’s best friends.”

“Dumbledore said that his muggle guardians wouldn’t allow visits from the magical world.”

“But you’re a half-blood.” Tony said. “You probably know your way around the muggle world. In fact, it’s where you’ve spent the last ten years.”

Clive’s trail had run cold after 1991. He had gotten them everything on Remus Lupin before that, including a look at his Hogwarts records, but the evidence of Lupin’s existence after December of ‘91 vanished. Abby had been brought in and she had found employment and rental records throughout muggle Britain and France.

“So you abandoned him.” Gibbs said.

“I-I suppose I did.” Remus said. “But he was better off without me, I’m dangerous.”

“Only during the full moon.” Tony said.

“You could’ve easily gotten a babysitter for him during that time.” Gibbs growled. “You were his father’s best friend, his uncle, and you left him in the hands of abusers.”

“Dumbledore said - “

Gibbs smacked Remus on the back of the head, hard.

“Ow!” Remus yelped, rubbing his head. “What in Merlin’s name was that for?”

“He does that when you do something he deems stupid.” Tony said with crossed arms, unamused. “Frankly I agree with him. Dumbledore may be the leader of the Light but he’s never dealt with children younger than eleven and he didn’t know the Dursleys first hand like you did. I’m sure that Lily and James would’ve much preferred if you had made the decisions regarding their child.”

“Which you knew.” Gibbs growled. “After all, they had the paperwork ready for you, just in case.”

“I thought they were making a terrible decision, giving me the option to take Harry.” Remus said. “What do I know about babies or children? Nothing. Lily’s sister has a son his age.”

“Petunia is a spiteful, petty child.” Gibbs said. “From what I understand, she hasn’t changed much from the last time I saw her, which was over ten years ago at her wedding to Dursley. I vividly remember her cutting her sister out of the entire ceremony. How do you think that translated to her nephew?”

Remus’ eyes widened in horror. “She wouldn’t.”

“She did. She transferred all her feelings about her sister onto her young nephew.” Tony said.

“He would’ve been better off with you.” Gibbs grunted.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize to me, apologize to the child you failed.” Gibbs said.

“I will.” Remus nodded.