Prophecy’s Child
Chapter 1: Revelations
Harry sighed and leaned against the door. His aunt and uncle were fighting again. It was such a surprise at first, he had never heard them argue, much less his aunt standing up to his uncle. This was the ninth fight in as many days.
His cousin Dudley came knocking at his bedroom door. “Harry, are you there?” He said as quietly as he could.
Harry opened the door without speaking, wondering what his cousin was up to.
“What do you want Dudley?” Harry asked after a few moments of the two of them just staring at eachother.
“It’s you they are fighting about, you know,” said Dudley. “They’ve been going at it all year, ever since the attack by the dementors last year. Mum has been writing to that Dumbledore guy.”
This took Harry by surprise. His aunt had never had anything to do with what she called “his type”, meaning wizards in general.
“Oh? And I suppose this is my fault?” Harry said with a great deal of sarcasm.
“According to Father, yes. But I think it was inevitable. We had to find out sometime what was going on in that world of yours.”
“What do you mean? You and you parents have never cared for me one way or the other,” said Harry.
The boys heard stomping and a door slamming downstairs, but paid little attention to the noise.
“I’ve changed a lot since last year Harry. I don’t expect you to believe it. But Mum and I both have changed. It took me realizing that you had saved me, and not tried to harm me to bring about that change. I mean, all I had ever done was pick on you, and get my friends to pick on you as well. When things had calmed down after you left last summer, I started to question Mum about things. It seems that the incident that night brought back a lot of memories about Aunt Lily that Mum had thought were long buried.”
“Why should I believe or trust you?” Harry asked incredulously.
“Because he is telling the truth. We have much to discuss and much to apologize for Harry. I let childish jealousy get in the way. I also let the prejudices of my husband rub off on me. I lost the time I could have had left with my sister before she died. I treated you abysmally out of anger, and for that I apologize. I don’t expect your forgiveness, but I had to apologize,” said Petunia as she walked in the door.
Harry’s jaw dropped open as he stared at his Aunt and Cousin as if they had grown two heads.
“I was jealous of Lily. I never received a letter from Hogwarts. Lily was always the beautiful one, the gifted one, and when she for her letter and I didn’t, it was just too much. I completely rejected the life she had chosen. I took that out on you for so many years,” Petunia said as she wrung her hands in the doorway. “After the dementors attacked you and Dudley last summer, I began corresponding with your headmaster. He had quite a lot to tell me. You are a remarkable young man Harry, no thanks to Vernon or me. I may not be able to make amends for all the wrongs done in the past, but I would like a chance to make a difference from here on out.”
“Somehow I don’t see Uncle Vernon agreeing with this,” said Harry with a sardonic smile.
“Vernon has decided to leave. Dudley and I have talked about this possibility for months. I knew Vernon’s patience would not last much longer, but I had not expected him to blow his top so soon. He has given the three of us two weeks to get out.”
Harry’s face fell as the guilt hit him. He had broken up his aunt’s family. How was he going to live with this on top of Sirius’s death?
“I see that look Harry Potter, and you can get it off your face right this very moment. I knew the chance I was taking by talking to Professor Dumbledore. Albus made me realize the mistakes and misconceptions I had made over the years. I was planning on leaving Vernon, I had just counted on more time to get things ready. Vernon has given me a week to get out and take you with me. I had even given Dudley the option to stay with his father or come with me. He chose to come with me….with us if you will have us.”
Harry sat down heavily on his bed. He wondered if he had slipped into some sort of muggle telly show where everything was turned topsy turvy as a joke. He was still staring dumbly at his aunt when he heard the pops that accompany apparition.
Tonks, Lupin, and Moody rushed into the room, tripping over Petunia in the doorway.
“We have to get out of here NOW!” yelled Tonks as she picked herself up off the floor.
“What is the meaning of this?” asked Petunia, almost forgetting her promise to herself and her nephew to change her ways.
“Because of you throwing Harry out, the wards around this house are crashing as we sit here and argue. I have orders from Dumbledore to remove you all from the premises,” exclaimed Moody as his magical eye kept scanning the area.
“It was my uncle, not my Aunt, Moody. I will explain it all later,” said Harry as he snapped back to reality. “We need to make sure Aunt Petunia and Dudley are safe as well.”
“I have a portkey here, set for headquarters. I am not sure about taking these two,” Moody pointed to Petunia and Dudley. “But if you are sure Harry…”
“I’m positive. Now let’s go, this is going to be a long night of explanations. They can start when we are settled,” said Harry with a sigh.
Lupin escorted a very frightened Dudley to his room to pack while Tonks went with Petunia. Moody waved his wand and Harry’s items flew into his trunk. Luckily Hedwig was out hunting, so they shrunk her cage to fit in the trunk.
The six met in the hallway, touched the teacup that had been enchanted as a portkey, and left Privet Drive .