Chapter 6: Mutual Discoveries

Mutual Discoveries

When they arrived at the car Luna handed her car keys to Dudley and said,

"You drive, for you know the way, and there is no need to worry, I am insured for any driver over 25."

Surprised, Dudley accepted the keys and folded himself into the driving seat of her little Mini Cooper. Adjusting the seat for his much longer legs he turned out of the car park and made for his daughter's school. As they drove, Luna turned to him and asked,

"Is this going to be a problem for you if your childminder is going to be off work for some time?"

"Well I have a standby," replied Dudley. "She will manage for a few days. But for but is she is out of action for a long time it may be a bit more difficult. Petunia got on well with Mrs Watson who is a retired teacher. Alas, with the stock market collapse and the banks running into problems she lost quite a bit of her income and had to find ways to supplement it.

Looking after Petunia suits her. She comes and sees her to school then collects her and stays with her until I return. This means she is free for most of the day and she likes Petunia's company in the evening when I have to work late."

Luna turned to look at him and said to him as he drove,

"That must be expensive though. Can you afford that on an inspector's salary?"

Dudley Laughed and said,

"No I can't, but my Father allowed himself to get overweight and took little or no exercise and had high blood pressure, as a result he was a prime candidate for a heart attack. After his first one, he sold his share in the drilling company he part owned. He was not very good at following doctor's orders and had a second one about a year later and this time it was fatal. He left half his money to my mum, and a quarter to me and the rest in a trust for Petunia's education".

At that point he took a left turn into a side street which had houses on one side and a school on the other and this cut his conversation short.

"There she is," he said with a sigh of relief and sure enough there stood a young eight or nine year old girl. She was slim and quite tall for her age. She looked very relieved when her father got out of the strange car and called to her. She ran up and hugged him and asked

"Where is Mrs Watson?"

"I afraid she had an accident and has broken her leg," said her father. "She will be in hospital for about a week and then she will get home. I don't think she is going to be able to look after you for some time."

"Can we visit her in hospital?" Petunia asked.

"Yes I think we can manage that." Dudley told her. "Now let's get into the car, so that we can take you home."

As she got into the car his daughter asked, "Whose car is it."

"Mine," said Luna, "Your dad and I had a meeting when we got the news that your childminder could not collect you so I offered to go with him to get you since his car was still at the police station."

Dudley said,

"Petunia, this is Luna Lovegood and she is helping me with a case I am investigating."

"Hello," The little girl replied as she got into her seat and strapped herself in. "Thank you for coming to get me."

Dudley drove off and as the car got underway, Luna turned in her seat and spoke again to Petunia,

"I hope you were not frightened waiting there all by yourself. A lot of little girls would have been."

Almost as if she was too mature for her years, Petunia said,

"Sometimes when daddy has collected me before, he has been a little late so I just waited to see who would come. Besides, the big dog that lives in the house across the road was in his front garden and he told me not to be afraid because he would watch out for me and not let anyone bad get me."

At this the car swerved and almost hit the kerb before Dudley got control again. Luna looked across at him and for a moment she would have sworn that a look of fear flashed across his face and then he said,

"Petunia has a way with animals. They seem to like her and sometimes I think she reads their minds" he said with a rather forced laugh.