What If… Harry Potter

Minerva was in a right state during her latest home visit to show off what students could learn in magic school. She had lost her temper and had used magic in front of muggles. She took solace in the fact that they knew about magic already and took several deep breaths to calm down.

“I've a right mind to leave you all as the pigs that you are!” Minerva exclaimed and heard several pig squeals in return. She also heard several giggles and turned her head to look at the very small and thin little boy that had his mouth covered with his hands to stop his laughs.

“I wish Dudley's gang could see this!” Harry said between laughs. “They'd leave me alone forever if they did!”

Minerva closed her eyes and let her breathing even out. She calmed and composed herself. “Harry, this isn't something that is supposed to be done.”

“Why? It's hilarious and they deserve it.” Harry said.

Minerva sighed. She really didn't have any way to convince him that they didn't deserve it, not from what he had told her and what she had seen in the house. The cupboard under the stairs was the worst thing she had ever seen done to a child, at least, until Harry told her about the beatings and the frying pan to the head that his aunt would give him for burning breakfast.

“Come along, Harry. We need to go.” Minerva said and ushered the little boy out of the living room.

“What about my clothes and things?” Harry asked.

Minerva shook her head. She knew he didn't own anything anyway, so leaving it behind didn't matter. “I'll get you anything you need after we make a side trip.”

“Okay.” Harry said and went with the oddly dressed older lady.

Minerva called the Knight Bus and she paid extra for a smoother and longer ride. The bus driver shrugged and took the longer route that wasn't as jarring to the passengers, mainly because they were his only customers this early in the morning.

They arrived at a side street in London and Minerva took young Harry to a department store window. She exchanged words with the mannequin in the window, then it nodded and Harry was shocked when the old lady dragged him right through the big picture window... only they didn't crack the glass and were now inside a hospital lobby.

“Name?” The witch at the counter asked.

Minerva wasn't stupid enough to give Harry Potter's name to the witch with everyone that was waiting in the lobby. “Hogwarts student appointment at nine for a check-up.”

The witch nodded. “Door five on the right-hand side. Third corridor. Healer Smethik.”

“Thank you.” Minerva said and took Harry to the right door and they went inside.

“Sweet Merlin, are you kidding me?” The man asked as his eyes caught sight of Harry.

“I'd like for you to check him over and...”

“He's going to be admitted right away for malnutrition and under-growth.” Healer Smethik said, his voice a little harsh. “When did you find out he was like this?”

“About an hour ago. I changed his relatives into pot belly pigs.” Minerva said.

The healer gave her a raised eyebrow for a moment, then he nodded in understanding. “All right, let's get you settled in.” He said to Harry and the three of them left the small examination room.

As they walked down the hallway, several nurses and a doctor saw him and a couple of them winced.

“Here we are.” The healer said and brought Harry into something that looked like a surgery room. “Hop up on the bed and I'll be right back with everything we're going to need.”

Harry waited until the doctor left before he spoke. “What's going on?”

Minerva thought about telling him the truth, then decided on a half-truth. “They believe you are sick, so they are going to treat you to make you all better.”

“Okay.” Harry said and laid down on the bed. “I've never been to a hospital before.”

That's because they didn't want anyone to know. Minerva said and managed to not grit her teeth in anger.

They waited for nearly ten minutes before the healer came back in with an armful of things and three other people came in with him. Two men and a woman took one look at him and grim expressions formed on their faces.

“Don't worry, little one. We're going to have you fixed right up in a couple of weeks.” The woman said and lightly pat Harry's head.

“A couple of weeks?” Minerva asked, surprised.

“It's a rush, I know.” Healer Smethik said and opened up a potion bottle. “It's the best way to handle this, that way he has time to adjust before school starts.”

Minerva sighed and nodded. “It's all right, Harry. They are going to let you sleep while they work.”

“But I'm not sleepy.” Harry said.

“Drink this.” The healer said and handed him the open potion. After a nod from Minerva, Harry drank it. He barely held out the empty bottle to the healer when he fell unconscious and dropped it. The woman cast a cushioning charm on the floor before the potion bottle hit it and it stayed there.

“He's got almost no stomach or resistance to... oh, damn! He's eleven years old and he hasn't had his inoculations!” One of the men said as his wand showed him the results of the brief medical scan.

“Oh, no!” Minerva gasped.

“Out! OUT!” Healer Smethik yelled and Minerva retreated to just outside the door with the other healers, leaving Smethik by himself. There had been way too many contaminants in that room for someone that hadn't had any of their inoculations.

“He'll need an hour and a cleansing potion before we can go back in.” The woman said.

“How did the boy get this bad?” One of the men asked Minerva.

“I only found out an hour ago.” Minerva said and the healers shook their heads.

“I'm surprised he's still alive.” The other man said and the hallway grew quiet.

*

An hour and a half later, Healer Smethik came out of the room. “Okay, you can come in now. It's safe for him to be around us now.”

Minerva let out a sigh of relief and entered the room. She sat in a chair and watched as the healers went back to the work that had been postponed while Harry got his shots for Dragon Pox, Wizard's Flu, and every other disease that magical people were susceptible to. Now, it was time for them to start correcting all of Harry's physical problems.

“You might as well go home.” Healer Smethik said to Minerva. “I'll floo you when visiting hours start tomorrow.”

Minerva wanted to protest, then remembered that she still had two other children to visit today and to set up Diagon Alley visits. She nodded at the healer and said her goodbyes to the others. She had work to do.

*

Minerva checked on little Harry every couple of days and the change in him was readily apparent. Whatever procedures the healers were performing on the boy were doing wonders to his tiny body, only it wasn't so tiny anymore.

When she asked about it, they filled her head with explanations of growth potions, breaking badly healed bones or vanishing them entirely to regrow them, nutrient potions, skin regrowing creams for the removed scars, muscle rebuilding potions, and a few other things that she didn't understand.

The only thing Minerva knew for sure was that she was grateful that the healers had put Harry into a magically induced coma using the Draught of Living Death, so he wouldn't feel any of the things they were doing to him. They would wake him up when everything was done and Harry would be as good as new.

*

Harry opened his eyes and was surprised that the bright light he had seen before falling asleep was only a dim glow. “What... what happened?” He croaked. His mouth was as dry as a desert and his tongue felt like sandpaper.

“We're done of all your medical procedures, Harry.” A female voice said.

Harry felt a straw inserted into his mouth and he turned his head slowly to look at who was sitting beside him. She wore a nurse outfit and her face had a smile on it. He took several long sips of water and sighed.

“Who're you?”

“I'm just one of the many people that volunteered to watch you while you recovered.” The young woman said and her eyes went to his forehead. “Healer Smethik wasn't sure why you had a certain complication when they removed what used to be on your forehead.”

Harry's brain didn't register anything about what she said for several seconds, then it hit him and he tried to sit up. “It's gone?”

“Easy, now. Lay back.” The young woman said and touched his shoulder. “I'll get you a mirror, okay?”

Harry relented and nodded as he laid back down. He watched as she left the room and his hands reached up to rub the spot. His fingertips felt nothing but smooth skin. The door opened and the nurse came in with Healer Smethik.

“You're awake. Good.” Healer Smethik said and walked over to the bed. “Any aches or pains?”

“I'm fine.” Harry said automatically.

Healer Smethik squinted his eyes slightly before he took out his wand and performed several diagnostic charms to see what the truth really was. He knew that someone that had gone through what Harry had endured, that they would hide any true pains that they had, just so they could avoid any more punishment.

“You're fine.” Healer Smethik said and put his wand away. “I'll be keeping you until the morning, then a few people will be by to talk to you.”

Harry's heart started to beat faster and he started to sweat a little. The healer and the nurse noticed Harry's body change immediately and both reached for him to pat his shoulder.

“No, it's nothing bad.” The nurse said with the best smile that she could muster. “A member of the magical police will be by to talk to you about where you will be living from now on.”

Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing. “You... you mean... I don't have to go back?”

The nurse almost cried at the relief in the boy's voice. “No, you won't ever be going back there.”

Harry felt tears form in the corners of his eyes and he closed them to try and stop them, only to push them out anyway. “Th-thank you. Thank you. Thank you.” He whispered and the nurse couldn't stop her own.

“You're welcome.” She said and gave his shoulder a squeeze. “Excuse me for a minute.”

Healer Smethik nodded and watched the nurse make a hasty retreat. “Go ahead and get some actual sleep, Harry. The morning is going to be here before you know it.”

“Okay.” Harry said and seemed to fall asleep right away.

*

Amelia Bones was a pragmatic woman. She did things by the book and she didn't embellish anything in her reports. She didn't lie, cheat, or try to influence the evidence to make things harsher on criminals. She did her job and she enjoyed it immensely when she put people away for their crimes.

Today, for the first time in her life, she reconsidered her position on that. Those muggles had hurt a child and that was bad enough. That the child was the savior of the wizarding world and was famous, made the crimes against him that much worse.

Amelia had walked into the records department and demanded everything they had on Harry Potter, only to be told that the Chief Warlock had sealed all of the files concerning the boy.

All of the files? Amelia asked herself, then she took in a sharp breath. His parents!

It took her six hours to rouse enough members of the Wizengamut to get a court order for those files and they all agreed, because they knew that Amelia wouldn't be asking for it if it wasn't necessary. She went back to the department of records and they handed over a copy of everything that they had and Amelia took them back to her office. She sat down and thought she would get the basic background on things and perhaps a clue as to why Harry was placed with muggles...

...and she was shocked by what was in the files. Multiple obliviations of muggles, namely the police and teachers, with several young muggle children included. They had ignored the warnings about erasing a child's memories and how dangerous it was for a developing mind.

Amelia growled as she kept reading the muggle hospital reports that had been stolen and replaced with fakes with different names, which meant there was no official records of Harry's injuries in the muggle world. A broken arm, several broken ribs, sprained and broken wrists and ankles, it just went on and on.

“These people are never seeing the light of day again.” Amelia promised as she moved that aside to look at the other files that had been unsealed by the court order. “James and Lily's will? What is this doing here?”

Her mind whirled as she read the thing. It had been made after they had gone into hiding ten years ago and what it revealed was shocking. Harry Potter was never supposed to go anywhere near the muggle world. He was entrusted to Sirius Black, his sworn godfather, or to Alice Longbottom, his sworn godmother.

“I always wondered why the death eaters would target Frank and Alice after He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was defeated.” Amelia whispered. “They must have been searching for Harry Potter.”

Amelia read the next file, which was the transcript for the trial of Bartemus Crouch Junior. She wasn't sure what that was doing there, then her breath caught when the reason he was charged was nearly identical to what she had assumed. They went to the Longbottoms for information about their defeated lord.

The next file was just as perplexing. There was an arrest report for Sirius Black and nothing else, even though his trial transcript should have been in there, just like Bartemus Crouch's. She rubbed her forehead and tried to decide what she was going to do now. There were too many holes in this case that she needed to fill with the truth, except that the only thing that all of the files had in common, was Albus Dumbledore.

“Ah, screw it. He's going to answer to me or he's going to be crucified in the press.” Amelia said and closed the files. “For now, I have a little boy to visit in an hour.”

*

Minerva was overjoyed when she visited Harry at the hospital and saw that he was finally awake. “Hello, young man!” She almost gushed, which was very unlike her normal behaviour.

“Hi.” Harry said and smiled at the older lady. If it wasn't for her, he would still be at his relatives.

“I'm so glad that you're doing better.” Minerva said and sat beside his bed. “Have they given you the pudding of the day yet?”

Harry grinned and pointed to the breakfast tray on the nightstand. “It was butterscotch! I never had it before and it was delicious!”

Minerva laughed nervously and was glad that the boy didn't notice her voice shake slightly. “W-well, we're just going to have to make sure you get to try a lot of different things, won't we?”

Harry nodded and before they could start talking, the door to the room opened and a stern and handsome looking woman came in.

“Excuse me, I am Amelia Bones.” Amelia said and her eyes took in everything in the room. Her eyes locked onto the young man in the bed and she sighed internally at his healthy look. The pictures and medical descriptions she had seen in the report had given her a mental view that she never wanted to see in person.

“Amelia!” Minerva exclaimed and stood. “Thank you for coming over so quickly.”

“I think we've all been eagerly awaiting Mister Potter waking up.” Amelia said and walked over to the bed and stopped the other woman from moving. “You don't have to leave for this, Minerva.”

“Oh, thank you.” Minerva said and sat back down. “I want to be here for Harry as he tells you everything. I'll also offer my own testimony to corroborate his.”

Amelia nodded with a smile and sat on Harry's other side. “Hello, Harry.”

“Hi.” Harry said, a bit nervously.

“You don't have to be nervous. This isn't an interrogation and I won't be bombarding you with questions.” Amelia said and did her best to relax the witness. “We're just going to sit here for a while and talk about different things. Is that okay?”

Harry glanced at Minerva and the older woman nodded encouragingly. “Okay.”

Amelia smiled and then she started to have a normal conversation with both Harry and Minerva. It was a more subtle way to get answers from people and she always prided herself on always getting the job done. She was just glad that she was experienced enough to not let her negative emotions show on her face as Harry let certain things slip out.

*

A week later, a shocked Harry stood in front of a very nice manor house. “I'm going to be living here?”

Amelia chuckled and gave his shoulders a light squeeze. “Your mother insisted on it, actually.”

“She did? How?” Harry asked.

“When people pass away, they leave a will. It tells the people left behind what to do, now that they are gone.” Amelia said. “Why don't we go up to the door and take you inside?”

Harry nodded and went with her up to the door. It opened before they could knock and a little house elf was there.

“Welcomes, little master and Miss Boneses!” The female house elf squeaked. “Missus Bottom's waiting for yous!”

Harry slapped a hand over his mouth to stop his laugh before it escaped.

Amelia let out a chuckle on his behalf. “Thank you, Bippy. Lead on, please.”

The house elf nodded and led them inside the manor house to the den. Inside was a much older woman and a boy that was the same age as Harry. In fact, he was only a single day older.

“Madam Longbottom.” Amelia said and nodded in respect.

“Madam Bones.” Augusta said and stood.

“T-t-tall.” Harry whispered as the very tall woman walked over to him.

“Hello, there. I am Augusta Longbottom and I welcome you into my home.”

Amelia nudged Harry with her elbow and Harry gulped.

“Th-thank you for accepting me into your house, Madam Longbottom.” Harry said and his voice barely shook as he said the formal phrase that Amelia had practised with him.

Augusta smiled. “Now that we've gotten the formal things out of the way, why don't you and Neville head outside for a few minutes.”

“Um...” Harry looked at the boy that sat in one of the big comfy chairs. “I'm not allowed outside unless I have chores to do.”

“I h-have ch-chores outside, t-too.” Neville said, nervously.

“Why don't you go to the greenhouses and show Harry what you do out there?” Augusta suggested.

Neville's eyes almost lit up and nodded as he stood. He walked over to Harry and smiled awkwardly. “Follow me. It's out the back way through the kitchen.”

Harry looked at Amelia, who nodded. “Okay.”

The two boys left the den and the two women sat down to discuss things.

“Is it true what the press is saying?” Augusta asked. “That sweet boy was abused by his muggle relatives?”

Amelia sighed and nodded sadly. “I tried to get them prosecuted in our courts and Dumbledore put a stop to it.”

“Of course he did, considering he was the one to put Harry with them and ignored Lily's wishes.” Augusta almost spat. “Heaven forbid that his name be associated with magic hating muggles, even if he was the one that made them that way!”

Amelia could only agree. After a short investigation and a few memory extractions, the entire story was laid out for her. The only problem was, there were no real laws on the books to accuse Albus of anything. Technically, he did nothing wrong, even if it was morally objectionable.

“Will you be releasing any more of the evidence?” Augusta asked.

“I knew you would figure it out.” Amelia said with a laugh. “You know how difficult it is to let this stuff leak without it getting back to me, don't you?”

“Then give it all to me and I'll handle it.” Augusta said, to Amelia's surprise. “Harry should have been living here as soon as Sirius Black was sent to Azkaban.”

Amelia nodded. “I would have taken Harry myself if I could.”

“A lot of people would.” Augusta said with a smile. “I see that his stay in the hospital was fruitful.”

Amelia sighed. “You'll be even more thankful of that when you see the medical files.” She said and took out several shrunken folders from her robes and passed them over. “You have years of crimes that were covered up by Albus and members of the flaming turkey.”

Augusta's face changed into a scowl. “That order got my son and his wife committed to the hospital.”

“I know, and I'm sorry for bringing it up.” Amelia said and lightly touched Augusta's hand before she tapped the files with her wand and they expanded to full size. “I'll stay here for the next couple of hours to answer any questions you might have.”

Augusta took a deep breath and nodded, then she started to read.

*

Minerva couldn't believe the change she saw in the young man that stood in front of her. He was slightly taller than the other first years and he wasn't wearing glasses. She couldn't hug him like she wanted to, as she did during nearly every visit she had with him during his hospital stay. All she could do was smile at him and he returned it with a bright smile of his own.

She gave her speech about the houses and then brought the students into the hall for the sorting. She did her job the same as she did every year, right up until she called that special name. Her breath hitched when she called out Harry Potter and the entire hall full of students quieted. She hated that he always got some kind of reaction like that.

Minerva watched as Harry put the hat on and sat down on the stool. She waited and held her breath as Harry seemed to have a long conversation with the hat, then the brim of the hat opened.

“HUFFLEPUFF!” The hat shouted.

“What?” “No!” “He's not a Puff!” “How can this be?” “Sort him again!”

The various shouts drowned each other out as the Hufflepuffs gladly accepted the wizarding world's savior into the ranks of the hard working and loyal friends. He sat right beside Neville Longbottom, who had been sorted into the house before him.

Minerva didn't feel sad, because she knew that Harry was grateful for all of the friends that he had made over the last month and a half since entering the wizarding world. Her, Amelia, Augusta, Neville, their house elf, two of the nurses, and even Healer Smethik, who had visited several times to make sure that Harry was doing fine.

All of those people looking our for him had given the boy a strong impression that good friendships mattered. She couldn't fault him for wanting to find even more friends that saw them in the same way that he did.

Minerva called the next name on the list and continued to do the job that she enjoyed so much.

THE END