Petunia thought it would hurt to be forced out of New York—no matter how short the time or distance. But she didn’t feel as if she was anywhere but home. She had her boys, Dud and Harry, and Lloyd, who she found ever more reliable the more she thought about the past few weeks.

Technically, they were not headed to Salem at all. They were headed to Boston, which was less than an hour from Hecate’s and had much better hotels. It did tack on another forty five minutes to their drive, but it would still put them in the city by mid-afternoon. Just in time for check-in.

Ursula had called ahead and reserved the family suite at the Parker House for them. Though she had said they called it some god awful name like the Freedom Trail Suite. Petunia would not be referring to it as such. Family suite was plenty encompassing of its purpose.

Next to Petunia, Lloyd was trying to decipher a mundane map.

“Next exit? Maybe?” He said, his voice anything but sure.

Petunia laughed, her voice clear and full. Her fists were gripping the steering wheel tightly to hold back her shaking, but one wouldn’t know it by the look of her.

“Just pull out your other map, I know you brought it.”

Lloyd huffed, feigning ignorance, “I have no idea what you mean.”

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“Lloyd, darling, if we miss our exit because you are too proud to pull out a map that automatically tells you where to go, we’ll be having words.” Her tone was jovial, but Lloyd immediately took out his wizarding map.

He wasn’t one to poke the bear that was Petunia.

“Yes, yes, it’s another ten miles. I figured that.” He sighed.

Petunia stretched out her arm and gripped Lloyd’s leg gently, trying very hard not to grip with all her might.

Another round of attacks had started on her wards, and the pain was snaking around her heart and squeezing. Her wards were fueled in several ways. The first diverted the blood ward Lily had cast upon her death, that was the easiest to do once Petunia had realized it was there. She simply used her own blood to tie the protection to her new wards. The second way was a re-cast every few months. This was a modicum more difficult as her wards required simultaneous casting of several charms at once. The third way was a backup. Should the power of the wards fail upon the first two, it would be fueled by her own life force. It was different from a blood ward, minutely. Rather than casting upon one’s death, it was fueled in the intentions of protections in life. Much like the Patronus charm, it was high white magic.

The first two empowerments had obviously failed earlier on in their drive and now Petunia found herself cursing the damn man who was attacking her home.

Now, Petunia found herself shaking once again as Lloyd had to support her out of the car. Dudley and Harry were looking on in concern but simply followed behind. Throwing her keys to the valet she snatched the ticket out of the man’s hand. Then she tossed a fifty at him and hissed, “Family suite.”

After checking in, they went up the thirteen stories to the room.

It had a set of two bunk beds and a room with a king sized bed.