Monday May 6, before dinner, Orion caught Albus's eye, giving him a look, and the two of them left the Slytherin dorm, one at a time, and met when they were alone in a hallway. Albus took Orion by a little used passage to a room that was unoccupied, and asked, "What is going on?" after the door closed behind them.

"Delores Hanley wants to talk to you," Orion replied. "In private. She does not want anyone else to know."

"Tell her that I can meet her the same way we are meeting,"

Albus thought for a few moments, then proposed. "Have her catch my eye tomorrow after dinner. I will leave shortly after she leaves, and catch up with her when no one else is around."

As was usual with these meetings, Albus and Orion came back to the Slytherin dormitory at different times.

The next night Delores Hanley looked at Albus, and he almost imperceptibly nodded to her.

Albus whispered to Scorpius, "I am leaving alone." Scorpius nodded that he understood.

Albus walked out of the dormitory and headed towards the main floor. Eventually he waited, but Delores was not in sight. Other people were around, so he kept on walking. Albus arrived at the door to the Main Hall when his Elf Frerin motioned for Albus to follow him. Albus went up two flights of stairs and headed towards the room where he and Orion had met. Once they were alone, Frerin told Albus, "Dis, Cleo's Elf, is leading Delores Handley here. I heard Orion talking to you, and noticed Delores and you. Elves that serve a master like you notice these things."

"I'm embarrassed that you have to watch me so carefully," Albus admitted, "but I am very glad you have."

"You did not chose to be famous or in danger," Frerin countered. "I chose this job. It makes me happy when I help you."

"Thank you," Albus replied.

A short time later Delores came into the room, following Dis, the Elf that usually shadowed Cleo.

"I see you followed Dis, Cleo's Elf," Albus remarked.

"It is like no one noticed the house elf," Delores observed when she saw Albus. "Thank you for sending her to lead me here."

"Have you introduced yourself?" Albus asked Dis.

"I am Dis, the Elf that usually shadows Cleopatra Desiree Smith," Dis responded, talking directly to Delores. "Thank you for following me."

"You said, 'follow me to Albus,'" Delores replied. "I do not usually notice house elves, but I have seen you with Albus and his girlfriend. I'm taking a big risk meeting Albus, but it may be riskier not meeting with Albus."

"I need to get back to Miss Cleopatra," Dis announced.

"You ought to thank Dis for bringing you here," Albus informed Delores.

"We were taught never to thank a house elf," Delores protested, looking at him in shocked confusion.

"That is just wrong!" Albus proclaimed. "They are Elves, getting paid and clothed, and not house elves, Delores. Even if they were house elves, however, it would not be wrong to thank them."

"Thank you, Dis," Delores told the Elf, marveling at the small joy it gave her to extend such simple kindness.

Dis smiled warmly at the girl and replied, "You are welcome." She then disappeared with a crack substantially quieter than normal for a house elf.

"I'm scared, Albus," Delores jumped right in with. "I am scared to talk to you, but I am even more scared of my father and brother."

"I know that the Ministry will make sure you do not have to go home if you are in danger there," Albus replied. "I've talked to my mother and father about bad parents and guardians. Would your father really hurt you?"

"The physical punishments are not too bad, and you get used to it," Delores confessed. "What really scares me is my brother telling me that if I was not totally on the side of TR and dad, if I even talked to you or the Aurors, there are people who would rape me and if that didn't work they would kidnap me and keep me prisoner. He said that girls that got out of line had that happen to them in the past. They are sent out of the country and forced to marry older men, or worse.

"Albus, I've already talked to Mrs. Blackburn, and I am terrified."

"I think I can take care of it," Albus replied, assuring the frightened girl.

Delores thanked Albus, and they parted ways.

Albus took out his map. He saw that the headmistress was in her office, so he went over to her office. He told the gargoyle guarding the office, "Mr. gargoyle guard, I know of a student that has been threatened and is in danger. May I talk to Professor McGonagall, please."

After a few minutes, the gargoyle opened the door and let Albus in.

Albus rode the staircase up to Professor McGonagall's office and peered in. The headmistress said, "Come in, Mr. Potter. The gargoyle says you have information on a student in danger." She motioning him to her desk

"May I show you my memory?" Albus inquired. "I just met with her, but if that is not enough I have a couple of additional memories."

Professor McGonagall pulled the pensive down, and motioned for Albus to sit on one side of it while she sat on the other. Albus pulled out the memory of his meeting with Delores. Albus and the professor both watched the memory without saying anything. When they were finished, Professor McGonagall asked, mentally listing all the people who she need to see, "May I have your permission to share this memory? I know several people who need to see it.

"I am also going to have the Elves, ghosts and paintings keep a close watch on Delores and her brother."

"Thank you, Professor," Albus beamed.

"You may go, Mr. Potter. I can take care of this now."

Albus arrived back at the dormitory just before 10:00 PM. Delores was sitting where she could see the door, and Albus smiled at her.

*

Minerva McGonagall summoned Gabriel and Hermeli Habsburg, the Aurors, and Plato, the head Elf since Aristotle had semi-retired. They all looked at Albus's conversation with Delores. When they left the Pensive, Hermeli looked at Minerva, suggesting, "You probably ought to call Albus's father."

Minerva sighed. "I hate to bother him after diner, but I agree. Harry needs to see this. The Domestic Affairs department should have a representative here as well."

A short time later first Harry, then Lavender Brown Blackburn, came into Minerva's office through her private Floo.

Without a preamble Minerva pointed to the Pensive. Harry and Lavender entered it, coming out with sober looks.

Harry looked over to Lavender, who remarked, "We have been working on getting Tabitha Hanley moved out, because of abuse that seems to be increasing. Niles is becoming increasingly violent. It looks like we are going to have to move Tabitha out of the house as soon as we can."

Gabriel volunteered, "Hermeli and I are going to be watching Delores closely. We are also going to have all the portraits watch for us. We have enlisted their help, and most of them are eager to be able to still contribute to the good of Hogwarts."

Plato added, "I have two Elves who I can assign to the room in the girl's dormitory in Slytherin where Delores sleeps, Jane and her daughter Sally. We can make sure Delores is watched. I can assign Sally temporarily as Delores's Elf, as long as Delores is at Hogwarts. That way Delores only has to mouth 'Sally' and Sally will be there. Sally is not going to be able to leave Hogwarts, unless Delores calls her and is in trouble."

"I will talk to Delores after dinner tomorrow," Lavender volunteered. "Part of being in the Domestic Affairs Office is often working nights. Harry does insist that we take time off when we can. I've put in a couple of twenty-hour week before the problems with Tabitha and Delores came up, but it's time for more hours, more nights."

*

"Tell me again why the Auror Department is involved in all these Domestic Affairs problems," Harry griped as he listened to the problems with Tabitha and her daughter Delores.

"Because domestic calls are some of the most dangerous calls a Department of Magical Law Enforcement officer can go on, Harry," Lavender insisted.

Harry shook his head. "I know. I know. I was mistreated badly by Vernon Dursley, and Dudley, although Dudley has apologized. I don't want any children, but especially the children of Magi we are responsible for, to suffer like I did. You can have all the help you need to rescue Tabitha, and to make sure that Niles and his son do not try and capture Tabitha or Delores."

*

Monday May thirteenth Ginny was at the New Burrow talking to her mother when her Magic/Muggle mobile rang. "Harry, why the call?"

"I've been telling you about Niles Hanley, and how his wife Tabitha was becoming more and more concerned. We sent her back with a Personal Protective Elf, and she and the Elf want her to move out. Their daughter Delores wants to go live with her mother. Niles scares her too.

"We are putting then in one of the apartments at Six Grimmauld Place. I thought you might want to be one of the people welcoming her to the neighborhood."

"I would like that, Harry," Ginny responded.

"Cho says you should take the Floo to 'Six Grimmauld Place.' She will make sure you can get in."

Ginny turned to her mother. "Mother dear, could you take care of the baby so I can help Harry," Ginny cooed in an exaggerated and a little bit snarky tone, "now that I have some children."

Molly laughed. She remembered a Christmas scene years ago when she agreed to a newly married Ginny about taking care of Ginny's children 'when she had some.' Ginny had fulfilled that desire; Minerva was her fourth child.

"I do not know what you did to produce an easy going and easy to take care of child, but I would be delighted," Molly replied.

Ginny and her Elf aid Mitzi took the Floo to Six Grimmauld Place. There to greet her were Cho Chang, Lavender Brown Blackburn, Tabitha Bainbridge Hanley and her daughter Delores Hanley. There was also an Elf in a Department of Magical Law Enforcement uniform.

"Hello, Ginny," Cho chirped. "I am very glad you could come. Who is taking care of baby Minerva?"

"My mother," Ginny cheerily replied, grateful that she and Cho had finally become somewhat friendly. "Mum is surrounded by children and people who take care of children and school them, and loves it. Even thou there is a group here in this block that does the same thing, I think I will keep taking her to her grandmother."

"I want to introduce you to Tabitha Bainbridge Hanley and her daughter Delores, Ginny," Lavender began. "The Domestic Affairs Unit has been working with them ever since her oldest son and daughter were found dead at Hogwarts. Rescue is the Personal Protection Elf we assigned to her.

"We had Delores leave school so she could see where she was going to be living, and so there was no chance of her having to go home to her father and younger brother. We may have her ride the Hogwarts Express with Albus and Rose, since they will be coming here.

"You are the most senior person here, at least in terms of having lived in this neighborhood the longest. We thought you could give Tabitha and Delores an introduction to the neighborhood."

"Where are they going to be living?" Ginny wondered. "Maybe that would be a good place to start."

"The upstairs apartment," Lavender replied. "Fourth floor."

The group went up from a basement kitchen and eating area to a main floor with an office and a couple of meeting rooms, and then to four floors of apartments.

"The fourth floor has one of the nicer apartments," Lavender explained. "The only problem is that it is on the fourth floor."

"It is nowhere near as many stairs as Hogwarts," Delores countered. The adults laughed, remembering all the stairs in Hogwarts.

The apartment had two adequate sized bedrooms, a common bath, and an open living area that included a kitchenette and a couple of desks, plus comfortable casual seating.

"We try to have all the women and children living here eat at least one meal a day together," Lavender explained. "I am sure Tabitha and Delores will want to share some meals not in the larger group as well."

The living area looked over the gardens in the back, and there was a small porch outside a door that led outside. Ginny led Tabitha and Delores out to the porch. "All the house you can see are owned by Magi," Ginny started, pointing to the various houses as she spoke. "The last one was purchased just last year. The block consists of thirty addresses, one to fifteen Grimmauld Place, and one to fifteen NewBright Street. The garden areas in the back are not exactly common property, but they have been managed as if they were for years.

"Henry Granger and his wife Lilly live with their family in One Grimmauld Place. His family has owned that property for years, although Henry and Lilly moved in after we did. They also own two and three Grimmauld Place, each of which has two units, and one to four NewBright Street, all of which are flats. I guess they own the garages at that end of the block, but anyone can park an automobile or bicycles or other things there. The garage goes underground and is huge.

"Four to six Grimmauld Place are owned by a foundation, and house women and children who are leaving bad situations, and who do not have another good place to go."

"The Harry and Ginny Potter Foundation," Lavender butted in with.

Ginny just shrugged her shoulders. She never wanted to brag about the charitable work she and Harry did, and never knew how to answer these type of comments. She just plowed on.

"Seven Grimmauld Place is owned by the same foundation, and houses men.

"Eight to thirteen Grimmauld Place are private houses. We live at twelve, and my brother Ron Weasley and his wife Hermione Granger-Weasley live at thirteen. Hermione is not closely related to the Henry Granger family, if you wondered. Fourteen is an Elf house, with living quarters but also offices for the large group of Elves that work for the family and that work for the businesses my brother Bill runs. Finally, fifteen Grimmauld Place is owned by Harry's cousin and business partner, along with my brother Bill, Dudley Dursley, Dudley's wife Belinda and their children."

Tabitha looked confused, wondering, "I thought all these houses were owned by Magi. I'm sure I read that Harry's cousin is a Muggle."

"He is married to a witch who is also an engineer," Ginny explained. "Their children are magical."

"Dudley's wife drives a train?" Tabitha asked, obviously puzzled.

"No, a different kind of engineer," Ginny corrected, realizing that she knew much more about the Muggle world than many of the Magi, and certainly more than Tabitha.

"Five to fifteen NewBright Street are all owned by or inhabited by people in Law Enforcement, many Aurors, and other people who work for the Ministry. Lavender and her husband and children live at six NewBright Street."

"We have the cellar kitchen that looks out onto the garden," Lavender explained, "plus the main floor and the first and second floors. There is another flat on the third and fourth floors."

"There is another garage at that end of the street," Ginny explained, pointing towards the Dursley house. "Because of the garages, no one can see or get into the garden areas without going through one of the houses. They have even build apartments above the garages to block the inside of the block from Muggle eyes. This block is guarded as well as Hogwarts, probably guarded better than the Ministry."

"I think there is going to be a neighborhood party next Saturday night, Tabitha," Lavender told Tabitha. "Not everybody will be there, but it will be a good way to meet some of the neighbors."

"Is your husband in Law Enforcement, Cho?" Tabitha wondered. "Do you live here too?"

"Merlin, no!" Cho emphasized. "He and his family own some apartment buildings, with mostly Muggle tenants, and he helps manage and maintain them. The worst think he fights is balky drains. We live in one of the apartments the family owns."

*

Tuesday morning May fourteenth the headline in the Daily Prophet was:

Handley Family Drama
Tabitha Bainbridge Handley moves out with her daughter Delores. Blames her husband for the death of their older children.

The Rita Skeeter expose went on to say that Tabitha and Delores were going to be living in a secure safe house. There was much "we heard" or "we think" in the article, and it was difficult to know how much of it was true and how much of it was speculation, typical of Rita Skeeter.

The paper was delivered as the Hogwarts students were just starting breakfast. Lucius Hanley read the article, stood up with the paper in his hand, and went over to yell at his sister. A crowd quickly started to form around the brother/sister pair.

Gabriel and Hermeli Habsburg, the Aurors, and professor McGonagall went over to the altercation. Sally the Elf was standing next to Delores, and there were several additional Elves close. Albus and Scorpius were on the other side of Delores, and the students surrounding Lucius were eying them warily.

"Does anyone want to tell me what is going on?" professor McGonagall barked in her most commanding voice.

"Lucius accused me of being a traitor to our family," Delores yelled. "He was yelling at me, telling me to go back home or else. He has threatened to have his friends rape me, probably because he doesn't have the balls to actually do it himself.

"I'm NOT going back to my mean father and nasty brother. Stay away from me. You threaten me again and I'll have Sally the Elf bring me right to Professor McGonagall's office, and I'll use the pensive and show her all the nasty things you have ever told me."

Professor McGonagall looked right at Lucius, proclaiming, "I am writing your father to tell him about this incident you have caused. If you continue to cause trouble I will have you expelled. Is that clear?"

"But ..." Lucius started to say, when he was interrupted by Professor McGonagall insisting, "IS THAT CLEAR?"

Lucius nodded, anger and disgust on his face. He and the people surrounding him went back to their places at the table.

"I will eat with you and accompany you to classes today," Sally the Elf told Delores.

"Thank you, Sally," professor McGonagall told the little Elf.

"Thank you, Sally," Delores echoed, remembering Albus telling her to thank Elves.

"You are most welcome, Miss Delores Hanley," the little Elf replied, beaming. "I can better protect you if we is friends."

"We are aware of your schedule, and one of us will not be far away," Hermeli gently told Delores.

"May I sit next to you, Albus, Scorpius?" Delores inquired. "I don't care anymore if anyone knows I support you and not my brother and his nasty friends."

From then on Delores was a visible and vocal ally of Albus and Scorpius.

Lucius was quiet, but surly, quietly conferring with some of the pure blood fanatics while glaring at his sister and her 'new friends'.

*

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