Chapter 37: Dorea Potter to the rescue
“Mom, are you sure calling or sending a letter is not better?”
“Are you sure it’s the right address?”
His father gave Rick's shoulder a firm pat of reassurance, grounding him with a calm, steady presence. Dorea Potter, meanwhile, had delivered a retort so sharp it could've sliced through steel, her voice steely with righteous conviction. No one dared question her tone; everyone knew exactly why she was so fired up. Rick and Lily had tracked down Andromeda, or at least believed they had, based on a hunch and an old school connection, assuming she was still involved with her Hogwarts sweetheart, Edward Tonks. The man was reportedly living in Norwich, nestled in the North-East of London. When they returned from their investigative date and relayed the information to Dorea, the matriarch of House Potter wasted no time. Boots on, wand holstered, determination blazing, she marched straight to the Leaky Cauldron with the others hot on her heels. There, they boarded the Knight Bus in a whirlwind of cloaks, purpose, and fury, and soon enough, they were standing on the modest stone doorstep of one Edward Tonks, the air buzzing with tension and unspoken hopes.
Dorea lifted her hand and knocked firmly on the wooden door, each rap echoing with crisp authority. She waited, tapping her foot lightly, eyes narrowing when no answer came. Just as her knuckles rose for a second volley, Rick reached out and gently caught her wrist, giving her a look that said *Really?* before pressing the doorbell with a soft but decisive push. The sound of the chime rang out from within the house, far more efficient and less aggressive than Dorea’s impending thunderclap of a knock.
“Oh.”
“Now he definitely heard you.”
It proved to be true when the door creaked open and revealed a strikingly beautiful girl in her late teens. Her hair was a sleek cascade of chestnut brown, falling in a glossy curtain just past her shoulders, contrasting elegantly with the porcelain fairness of her skin. Her grey eyes, cool and perceptive, flicked toward them with cautious curiosity. Rick froze for a heartbeat; the arch of her brows, the subtle curve of her jawline, even the determined line of her lips mirrored his mother’s so eerily that the recognition struck like a blow. There was no mistaking it: this was Andromeda Black, standing at the threshold of a modest muggle home with no trace of pureblood pride in her expression, just exhaustion and wariness.
“Yes? What can I... Aunt Dorea?!”
On instinct, Andromeda tried to slam the door shut, panic flashing across her face, but Dorea was faster, faster than fear itself. With a flick of her wand and not even a word, the door froze mid-motion, locked in stasis with a soft crackle of magic. Another subtle gesture, and it swung wide open, the entrance laid bare under the quiet, commanding force of the Lady Potter. The spell had been elegant, seamless, a demonstration of power wrapped in maternal ferocity.
“Is that the way to greet me, girl?”
Andromeda yanked out her wand with the desperation of someone cornered, but Dorea was faster. Blindingly so. With a flick barely more than a breath, the spell leapt from her wand and disarmed the younger witch before she even managed a proper stance. Andromeda’s wand spun through the air, landing neatly into Dorea’s open palm like it had been summoned there by fate itself. Rick blinked. He had seen duelists move fast before, but this? Dorea didn’t seem to move at all. Her wand danced like an extension of her thoughts: elegant, effortless, terrifyingly precise.
“I’m not here to hurt you or your family, Andromeda. I’m here because I was worried about you,” the Lady of House Potter said gently as she lowered her wand and, with graceful ceremony, extended Andromeda’s own back to her: an olive branch.
A tangible symbol of peace, and a promise unspoken. Andromeda hesitated, torn between instinct and emotion, before slowly reaching out and reclaiming it, her fingers brushing Dorea’s in the exchange. Before she could retreat, she was swept into an embrace: warm, strong, and fiercely maternal. A hug that said *you are still loved*, whether she believed it or not.
“I’m glad you are safe. When I heard what happened…” she said in a low tone. Pulling back she put her hands on her shoulder and kept her at arm’s length. “Look at you! So beautiful! The last time I saw you, you were barely taller than my knee.”
Andromeda was completely lost and didn’t understand what was happening.
“Can we come in and talk?”
A hint of fear crossed over Andromeda’s face when she heard ‘we’ and Dorea quickly reassured her.
“My husband and son.” She sidestepped to reveal the two men of her life. Rick waved his hand as a hello and Charlus gave a nod.
“Son? You found him?”
“I did.”
The radiant, unguarded smile on Dorea’s face, so full of warmth, pride, and unwavering love, obliterated the last flicker of doubt in Andromeda’s heart. It wasn’t just joy; it was a declaration.
“Come in.”
They all got inside the small house. Looking around Rick noticed that it wasn’t the most luxurious design but also not the poorest, though it was closer to the latter than the former. That confirmed the impression he got when he had seen the house from the outside. With only a single small couch to sit down, Charlus conjured more seats for Rick and himself while Dorea sat close to Andromeda and held her hand.
“How did you find me? Will my fat…”
“No. Your father is an idiot and would never think of using a… phone?” She turned to Rick for confirmation who nodded. “Phone book to find your boyfriend’s address.”
“Husband.”
“Really? Congratulations!”
“Thank you.” for the first time since the reunion Andromeda smiled.
“Anyway, my nephew probably doesn’t even know what a phone book is, so you’re quite safe. It was Corvus who got the idea.”
“I grew up in a muggle orphanage until last Summer so of course I know what a phone book is,” Rick explained when Andromeda gave him a look.
“… Why…”
“Are we here? Simple. You’re family my dear. No matter what your grandfather says or does. When Corvus told me of what happened, I knew I had to find you.”
“Why would you talk about me? We don’t know each other,” Andromeda asked, looking at Rick.
“You were in your sixth year when I was in my first. I remember seeing you around the castle a few times and Sirius talked about you at the beginning of our third year. We’re housemates. Anyway, my girlfriend and I were talking about her being on the potion thanks to the policy at Hogwarts and you came up.”
“Something which didn’t exist in my time, with plenty of witches quitting school for unplanned pregnancy. Congratulations again about becoming a mother by the way! Is it a he or a she? Can I meet them?”
“A she and I’m sorry, she is napping.”
“A she! Wonderful! What’s her name? Do you have pictures?”
“Aunt Dorea, why are you here?” Andromeda insisted again, not having gotten a proper answer that would satisfy her.
“I came to see if you and your family were alright and if needed, to provide you support in any way I can. As I said, you’re family, dear.”
“…But you’ll be… Grandfather forbade anyone to get in contact with me or they’d be disowned too.”
“My brother can go and eat a dick, for one.” The words shocked Andromeda to the core and her eyes widened almost comically.
“I’m his favorite sister and he loves me to death. He also doesn’t have the balls to disown me and even if he did, which he really doesn’t, I’m a Potter now. And if anyone else have a problem with it like your father or that bitch, Walburaga, they can go fuck a quintaped.”
“You know, dad? Despite us being Potter, I’m surprised it’s mom who has the potty mouth,” Rick joked and made his father snort.
“Corvus!”
“What? It’s true, mom.”
“Wait until we get home, you’ll see,” Dorea threatened in an annoyed tone. Turning back to Andromeda her expression softened. “Do you need anything? Anything at all? Money? A better logement?”
“Auntie, I can’t…”
“Of course you can. You're choosing not to. Look around Andromeda, you’re hiding in the muggle world in a house too small for a married couple with a young child. It’s not good for her and it’s not good for you. You deserved better.”
“It’s not just my family I’m hiding from.”
“That ‘Dark Lord wannabe’ and his partisans, I know. Trust me, dear. Dark Lords never last and they are rarely as powerful as they appeared to be. Look, I’m not expecting you to give me an answer right this instant. Take your time to think about it. But know that Charlus and I are there for you and your family. You can move in the manor or use one of the Potter properties scattered across England. You have options and you’re not alone.”
Dorea enveloped Andromeda in a long, warm, unshakeable hug: the kind that said everything words never could. When she finally pulled back, it wasn’t to leave but to dive right into a flurry of eager, tender questions about Andromeda’s life, each one laced with genuine interest and the deep longing of a lost aunt finding her niece again. Charlus, sensing the moment was deeply personal, gave Rick a knowing nod. Together, they quietly slipped out of the house to grant the women their privacy.
Rick led his father through the winding streets of the small town, taking the chance to bridge the magical and the mundane by introducing him to a marvel of Muggle ingenuity: the telephone. Charlus approached it like one would a strange magical creature: curious, skeptical, but eventually charmed. Rick showed him how it worked, the buttons, the dial tone, even a quick mock call. Laughter and questions followed, the kind of bonding neither had expected that day. Their leisurely stroll lasted a couple of hours, the setting sun casting long golden shadows behind them.
When they returned and lingered across the street, hesitant to interrupt, the door finally creaked open. Dorea stepped out onto the porch, her face lit up with a smile so brilliant it could’ve powered the Knight Bus. Andromeda followed, and Rick caught his breath. She was smiling too, truly smiling. Not out of politeness, not to hide pain, but with genuine joy. And in that instant, Rick thought she looked ten times more beautiful. Because happiness suited her like nothing else ever could.
“Ah, that explains it.”
Turning his head to look at his father to ask what he means, he saw something change color behind his cousin’s legs. Taking a better look, he saw a very small child, with bright pink hair who he was sure was blue a second ago.
“That must be her daughter. She’s a metamorphmagus. If Acturus learns about this he would blow a casket up.”
“That gives credit to my theory that too much inbreeding is bad for family magic. One good dose of pure magic from muggle-borns and suddenly after generations, the family magic manifests again.”
“Hm, that may be true.”
“This is also hilarious because that would imply that pureblood’s blood is actually dirty and muddled making them the actual ‘m-word’,” Charlus snorted at the joke.
“Oh, your mother will love that one.”
“Maybe we can start a trend? Calling muggle-born ‘clear-blood’ instead?”
“… You really have strange ideas.”
“… Can I blame mom for that?”
“Go ahead and try.” The knowing smile on his father’s face made Rick think twice about actually doing it.
After one last hug to Andromeda and kneeling down for a hug to her daughter, Dorea said both goodbyes and joined her boys.
“She’s definitely moving in. If only for little Nymphadora.”
“‘Nymphadora?’”
“That’s the little one’s name. Nymphadora Velpecula Tonks.”
“Still keeping up with the Black’s naming tradition, I see. Although I’m not aware of ever being someone named Vulpecula,” Charlus was stroking his chin in thought.
“No, it’s a bit of a mouthful.”
“Now that I think about it… What’s your constellation name, mom?” Dorea was obviously not a constellation name.
“Virgo,” she said nonchalantly and grabbed his shoulder in the process.
“Clearly it’s not…”
Dorea side aparated him right in front of Potter Manor.
“… fitting anymore.” Falling to his knees because he had not been ready for the displacement, he heaved a good while. He sent his mother a glare which doubled in intensity when he saw her snickering face.
“That’s what you get for joking about your mother’s name.”
“I wasn’t!” he shouted, focusing on feeling better.
“Uh-huh.”
“I’m your son! Obviously, you’re not a virgin anymore!”
Rising to his feet with dramatic flair, Rick stormed into the manor, his boots thudding against the polished floors like war drums. The weight of maternal vengeance still clung to him like a wet cloak, and he made a beeline for the living room. There, perched gracefully on the couch like a flame-haired goddess of calm, was Lily, nose deep in a book. She didn’t even have time to register his entrance before he barreled straight into her, collapsing face-first into her chest with all the wounded pride of a man defeated.
Startled, Lily jolted, her book falling to the carpet, as if she’d just been tackled by a wild creature. But then her arms moved automatically, instinctively, like they were made for this very moment. One hand slipped to the back of his head, fingers threading gently through his hair, the other pressing lightly to his back. No words. Just touch, just warmth, just comfort. She glanced up at his parents with a quirked brow, silently asking what storm had just dropped their son at her feet like this.
“His mother got her payback for this morning,” Charlus grinned but didn’t explain more. It was enough for Lily to have a smile herself but she said nothing.
“Let it be a lesson. I always win.”
Rick diverted his head away from his girlfriend’s bosom to look at his mother. “Is that a challenge I hear?”
“Oh, boy,” exclaimed Lily, knowing how this would end.
“It’s a fact, Corvus.”
“Challenge accepted. Just you wait.”
Charlus and Lily exchanged a look and sighed. They knew they would be involved indirectly somehow. Thankfully school would start again soon so they wouldn’t have to endure it for long.
The Tonks family took four days to make a decision. One family dinner at the Manor was all it took to tilt the balance for them to agree to Dorea’s offer. When Lily saw Nymphadora, she was in love. The three year old was quite the outgoing and adventurous child. Most of all her metamorphmagus abilities, which made her a total klutz and often fell on the ground, raised her cuteness to insane level. Lily wasn’t able to resist taking her in her arms anytime she could. It was an overload of adorableness that struck directly at her heart. Rick would have been jealous of the time his girlfriend spent with the little girl if not for the fact that he too had been bewitched.
To the redhead’s despair, Nymphadora latched onto Rick, following him everywhere because he had taken her for a ride on a broom. Of course, he never went further than a few feet above the ground and no faster than the speed needed to feel a little breeze, but she had loved the experience. Lily, always trying to hug her to death, also played a lot in the girl’s preference of teenager.
Ted Tonks was the right kind of bloke in Rick’s opinion. The man was kind, funny and hard working. He was ready to work around the house to earn his family’s keep: doing the dishes, helping the elves. He only stopped when the elves complained to Dorea and Charlus that he was stealing their jobs. Dorea set things straight with him. His focus should be on his family and finding a stable job. If he felt he needed to repay the Potter for their help then he would do so at a later time once he was settled and able to hear a living properly. He reluctantly agreed and that was it.
While he was not outside the manor, searching for a job, he bonded with Charlus over music. Ted was a muggle-born that came from a good background and had a better upbringing and childhood than Rick had at the orphanage. As such he was much more knowledgeable in music and even knew how to play the guitar. As such he taught Charlus a bit.
One day he caught father and son looking pensively at two manikins in the middle of the room draped in a white clothes. Wondering what they were doing he asked.
“We’re thinking of what to make,” answered Charlus.
“Make?”
He got his answer when Rick transfigured the clothes into a very intricate green dress.
“We’re imagining what we’d like our respective ladies to be in. Good practice for transfiguration and charms,” explained Lord Potter further.
Rick let out a sigh, “No that wouldn’t suit Lily. Marlene maybe but in a different color,” he thought aloud then turned to Ted. “Want to give it a try?”
Thinking about it for a second, Ted shrugged his shoulders. “Sure, why not?”
Waving his wand, the green dress turned into a very lithe and thin black dress. He didn’t stop there and bit by bit, began to change small things here and there with surprising accuracy and focus. The length of the dress was shortened from the ankles to a bit higher than mid-thigh. Another *swish* of his wand and the straight clothed took a bit of volume. Another and laces in flowery pattern began to cover the whole part of the dress below the navel. On and on the muggle-born worked on it and stopped once he was satisfied.
He walked back from his creation and admired his work. Rick let out a whistle, showing he was very impressed.
“That’s… a very revealing dress.”
“It just shows a lot of legs, dad. So not really. Though, yeah maybe for the wizarding world it does. For muggles? It’s just a bit daring.”
“Regardless, I think you have a talent for this, Ted.”
“Really?” The muggle-born was quite surprised by the unexpected praise.
“Oh, yeah. I definitely want to see Lily in that dress.”
“And my wife.”
“I’d love to wear that on a date.” / “Not going to happen.”
The men turned around to find Lily, Dorea (cradling little Nymphadora in her arms) and Andromeda standing in an impromptu lineup, like a trio of muses caught in motion. Andromeda said nothing at first, her lips parted slightly as if words had abandoned her. Slowly, as if drawn by invisible threads, she stepped forward, eyes locked on the dress. Her cheeks were tinted a soft rose, the kind of blush that bloomed from admiration tangled with bashfulness. There was a glimmer in her eye, a breathless appreciation, as though she were seeing herself through her husband’s dreams.
“You really want me to wear… this?” she asked her husband.
“It’s not really a want, more like… I think you would look really beautiful in it. I’m perfectly happy with what you’re wearing.”
“Daddy! Can you make me a dress too?”
Ted turned around to look at the expectant eyes of his daughter.
“I can try.”
“Yay!” She jumped out of Dorea’s arms and ran to her father who scooped her up in his.
“You know… If you like doing this, why not make it a business?” Lily suggested.
“It’s transfiguration Lily, it won’t last,” reminded Rick.
“No but by using actual threads and clothes and weaving them would be permanent. I’m sure there are plenty of witches out there or even muggles who would love to wear such intricate dresses. You could make dresses on demand or present a list of models into a catalogue. With magic involved in the process lots of time would be saved.”
“Selling in the muggle world would also earn more than in the wizarding world,” pondered Rick.
“How so?” his mother asked.
“Mom, the minimum wage in muggle Britain is around one galleon per hour.”
All purebloods in the room gasped at the news. An entry level job at the Ministry was 25 Galleons a month and that barely covered the living expenses.
“But… you got paid two galleons a day when you worked in that shop?”
“I was underage and the owner was taking a risk by hiring me. He could have been fined heavily for that.”
“Another reason as to why it would be better to sell in the muggle world: the number of people. Muggles outnumber Magicals 20 000 to one,” informed Lily.
“Merlin’s beard! That much?!” Charlus wasn’t sure if he heard correctly or not.
“There have always been more muggles than magicals but the disparity was never so stark. Are you sure?”
“Lily might even undersell it, mom. After the Second World War, people began to reproduce like rabbits. So much that they called the years 46 to 64 the baby boom. And not just in Britain. All over the world.”
“With the advancement of science, most notably the medical field, the death rate of children dropped drastically and people’s life expectancy increased. Science is progressing faster and faster and so the population increases as a result. The world population, not counting magic, is around 2 billion currently and is expected to reach more than 6 billion by the year 2000.”
“‘6 billion?!’”
The number was staggering and made the wizard-born dazed.
“Imagine. 6 Billion people. All of them needing clothes and paying better money than in the Wizarding world,” Rick pictured them.
“If that money is put back into the wizarding world, the current wealth level for being called rich would look like being poor,” his father realized.
“Of course it’s impossible to sell to all muggles. And the business must be small because otherwise muggles will start asking questions and magic could be revealed. But one single store catering to a small number of people would be more than enough to earn a good living in magical Britain. Especially if rich muggles are the main clientele,” Lily finished explaining.
Ted thought about it. He always wanted to find a job in something related to transfiguration or charms. Because of his status as muggle-born and Andromeda’s disownment that became very difficult if not outright impossible despite his excellent NEWTs score. Making that dress earlier had been fun and he just had to think about his wife while doing it.
“That’s… Why not? Although I don’t know anything about handling a business. My father is a constable and my mom a baker.”
“Why not ask the goblins?” Rick suggested.
“Hm… That could work. They would definitely be interested in more money but it could devalue the currency,” thought Charlus.
“Not if the materials come from the magical world. And it would be a small business. There is also the muggle side to think about. Most notably taxes,” Lily pointed out.
“Well, I guess I have a lot of research to do.”