Longest chapter yet! A few surprises for you and some questions answered….Thank you to Steph for being a great beta (huggles) I don't own anything apart from the plot! Hope you enjoy the chapter.
"Time does not change us. It just unfolds us" -Max Frisch
Chapter six: Time
"Harry? Harry Potter?" the voice repeated. Having been startled at the first call of his name, he immediately raised his head from his slumped position and scanned the park. Then it hit him. Standing right in front of him was the lanky form of his aging aunt Petunia.
Despite his amazement that she had actually recognised him, Harry stood to his feet and prepared to leave. He knew that his aunt despised him for a number of reasons and he didn't want to waste time by letting her get the better of him.
"Petunia." he nodded, before slipping past her to find a spot to apparate home. As he did so, her usually cold voice changed somewhat and he froze, listening to the words that left her mouth.
"I-I thought you were dead…" she whispered quietly. He waited for a few seconds and then unwillingly let himself turn to face her. She stood hands clasped together about the waist with a deep blue coat sheltering her body from the cold. Her face was a mixture of surprise and something that he couldn't quite make out….regret?
"Well, now you know the truth--have a nice evening." he told her politely before turning once again, he decided upon being civil and preferred to avoid an awkward silence.
"Please," she began, "don't leave just yet."
Harry furrowed his brows at her obvious plead and stopped in his tracks once again. Regardless of the several years of abuse he suffered at the hands of the Dursleys, he found himself curious of her wanting to interact with him.
"It's been nineteen years," she started, "nineteen very long years."
"Your point is?" Harry asked puzzled. He was clear of the time gap since their previous encounter and was partially grateful of the time he managed to avoid a Dursley.
"Things have changed Harry. The family, Vernon…me" she spoke. Harry noted that her eyes lifted to his as she mentioned herself. He refrained from snorting at her words and shook his head.
"I don't think I can fully believe that." he replied trying his best to ignore her saddened appearance.
"I don't expect you to," she sighed unhappily, " T-that night, those people took you away, when we were taken to a safe house, they told us there was a possibility that you might not make it out of a war that was about to take place. They told us that you were probably the bravest being on earth, they said that you were fighting to save your world from destruction…" She slowly quieted with each statement that escaped her lips. The creaking of the park swing echoed through the darkness of the night and she pulled her arms around her body in a comforting embrace.
"-They mentioned V-Voldemort--" she suddenly quietened and silence fell upon them, leaving the howl of the wind to fill the void that should have been their conversation.
He could see that she was desperate for him to reply, to do something - anything. He couldn't quite bring himself to answer immediately; he was still trying to figure out as to why she was talking to him.
"He murdered Lily didn't he?" she asked solemnly. Harry nodded in response and tucked his hands into his jacket pockets. The mentioning of his mothers death still pained him, however the feeling had subsided a little and he gulped in a deep breath of air before telling her.
"He's gone now. Dead."
"He is?" she swatted a lone tear from her eye and released a shuddering breath, "That's a relief."
"S'pose it is," he replied minimally, "Look, Petunia. I have to go, my wife is going to be wondering where I got to, Lily and Hugo are going to be driving her up the wall." he cut the conversation hastily. He used Ginny and the kids as a quick excuse to depart from the awkward scene he was stuck in.
Her eyes widened at the mention of his 'wife' "you're married?" she asked curiously. He nodded and prepared himself once again to apparate.
"Harry, please! I-I know I don't deserve your company, but please, don't go. I returned to Privet Drive a few months after we were delivered to the safe house. Just ten minutes of your time, please." She begged. Her wrinkled eyes implored him to accept her invitation; he found it somewhat strange considering his early childhood years. Plus the threat of Vernon didn't appeal to his liking too much.
"Sorry, but the thought of Vernon in the same house as me, does not bode well on my part." Harry told her.
"We're divorced."
"What?" Harry asked confusedly, had she said what he thought he heard?
"Vernon and I divorced, nineteen years ago." she added. Harry let out a soft "oh" and watched as Petunia held her head up high. He was curious as to why she had divorced him- they always did seem perfect for one another, what with the 'let's torture Harry' attitude. He couldn't help but ask.
"On what grounds?"
She hesitated for a second and her watery blue eyes scanned him for a few seconds until she spoke once again.
"You".
"Lily, Hugo!" Ginny shouted up the stairs.
"Yes mum?!" came Lily's shout back.
"Teddy is going to be here in a few minutes, he's babysitting until daddy gets back."
"HE IS?!" she practically screamed. The sounds of rejoicing could be heard as the pair excited themselves over his visit.
Ginny returned to combing her thick red tresses and admired herself in the mirror. Deciding to keep the dress she bought from France with Blaise on, she reached for her matching purse and solid black trench coat to cover her outfit. If Teddy were to see her in her evening gown and ready to leave for the night without Harry she had a feeling he would be quite suspicious. Tying the belt around her waist she quickly slipped her boots on and observed herself once again. If Teddy were to ask, she could pass it off as an emergency at work.
In truth, Blaise was once again taking her out. She felt as if she deserved it seeing as she had played the loving housewife for the past week. Harry had been none the wiser and that's the way she intended to keep it.
Earrings, hmmm, sapphire or ruby- I thin-
Her thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of Teddy in the family's fireplace. Being careful not to trek soot into the house he quickly brushed the soot from his feet and clothes before entering.
"Teddy darling!" Ginny cooed as he looked up bemused. It had been weeks since he had visited the Potter residence and he couldn't stand turning down another invitation to see Lily once again. If it meant trying to stop himself from confronting Ginny and having to listen to her gushing about another meeting or another conference, then so be it.
"Lily upstairs?" he asked stiffly.
Ginny having unnoticed his unsavoury tone simply nodded before adding, "Hugo's here too, sleeping over," she warned him.
Teddy refused to acknowledge her any further and raced up the stairs to greet his two favourite nine year olds. They screamed in delight when he grabbed them both and quickly began to show him their latest presents and other miscellaneous items.
"Yes, those are lovely quidditch pyjamas H, what about you lil? Have that letter James sent you?" he asked as they quietened.
"Yeah, its right here…got it!" she cried whilst pulling it out from under her bed, "I forget how messy my room gets sometimes." she smiled with a cheeky grin.
"My mum never let's me mess up my room. Last time I did she confiscated my broom," Hugo huffed as lily plonked herself onto her bed.
"Albus got sorted int-" she was soon cut off by Teddy.
"Don't spoil it!" he cried as he motioned to the letter in his hands. He began to read the messy scrawl that belonged to James...
Dear Lils,
Another new year at Hogwarts! Just think, in two years you'll have started! I forgot to do my Potions essay for Professor Bulstrode so I'm sorry if the letter is brief, I need to get it done. The train ride was okay, but Al kept pestering me and wanted to sit in my compartment but I managed to get Rose to drag him to another one. The sorting was ok this year, and guess what! Al, proudly did the family well- GRYFFINDOR, along with Rosie! Rosie almost got sorted into Ravenclaw, but she did her family proud. Oooh and if you see Teddy tell him Victoire managed to hex that little rat Scorpius Malfoy (new first year) he tried riling Rose up and kept pestering her, so Victoire used the 'shut me up' charm, although it did wear off when classes were due. I've got to make a start on my potions essay now, or I'll be forced to scrub the cauldrons again.
All my love
James x
P.s Tell dad that I'm sorry for what I did on the platform, he didn't deserve it.
Teddy raised his head from the letter with a wide grin present on his face, "Gryffindor certainly chose the perfect students." he commented.
"Yes, well, I'm going to be in Gryffindor when I go to Hogwarts!" Lily firmly stated.
"Me too!" Hugo added.
"Not if Slytherin has anything to say about it!" Lily joked. Hugo's face immediately paled and he looked sullen.
"Really Lily? Do you think I'll be in Slytherin?"
"Most certainly," she assured him. Hugo looked fit to burst with tears but was soon comforted by Teddy.
"Lily's just being silly, you have as much chance of getting into Gryffindor as your cousins and sister, especially Lily," he told him, "Lily's just being Lily, she likes to be a tease!" he chuckled.
"Yeah, Lily" Hugo added whilst sticking out his tongue.
The loud sing song of "Slytherin, Slytherin; Slytherin!" Emanated from Lily and Teddy quickly covered his hand over her mouth.
"Don't let me use a 'shut me up' charm on you!" he warned.
Having walked with Petunia to Privet Drive, Harry allowed his aunt ten minutes of his time so that he could question her upon the divorce with Vernon and why it concerned him. He wasn't surprised to find that Vernon was unaffected by the auror's words about his predicament with Voldemort and the danger it would entail. But what did surprise him was the reaction that his aunt had towards the news. Petunia told him that she feared for his safety greatly, constantly fretting over his state and his welfare. Having Harry as the only reminder of Lily, she instantly regretted the fact that she had shown him no kindness what so ever.
Harry found it hard to believe at first, questioning her and demanding to know why she treated him with the least respect a human could possibly deserve. Her simple answer was-
"Vernon."
Since Petunia and Vernon had been 'lumbered' with him, Vernon had drilled the fact that Harry was a 'freak' an 'outcast' and above all 'abnormal' into her head. He hated that he had to spend more of his earnings on such a 'devil child' and refused to let Petunia show any kindness towards him. Vernon reminded her of the fact that Lily died protecting him, claiming it to be his entire fault. Petunia having suffered from her sister's passing soon began to believe Vernon's words and she too blamed Harry for the death of Lily. As Harry grew up she despised him for having inherited Lily's eyes, avoiding eye contact so that she was not reminded of her sister, and the pain it brought thinking about her.
Once he had left Privet Drive for good, Petunia told him that she soon began to realise that Harry was the closest thing she had as a reminder of her sister. Having suffered terrible nightmares about Lily haunting her for effectively 'torturing' Harry, it soon dawned upon her that she had spent the better part of sixteen years listening to her estranged husband, being persuaded to believe what hebelieved to be true.
"I confronted him, having realised that he had twisted my mind whilst I was in a vulnerable state. He refused to admit that we had done anything wrong, and when I asked if he would treat Dudley the way we did you he laughed and said 'bloody hell no'. I felt guilty for what I did to you, and couldn't help you through this supposed war." She paused for breath as Harry watched her intently. He was receiving answers as to why he suffered as he did. The fact that she was manipulated while her mind was vulnerable was upsetting, but it still didn't give her the right to abuse him so. Knowing that she could've stopped it if Vernon hadn't manipulated him so was also saddening, but it was now nineteen years later and Vernon was gone, whilst she sat apologising-- a sight he never believed he would behold.
"Things will never be what they could have been Harry, I don't expect your forgiveness at all, but I hope that we can end terms on a better note than previously. I don't want you to be the reminder of Lily any more, even though that is essentially what brought me to my senses, but I want to get to know my nephew, I owe it to you. "
Harry sat dumbfounded. The information he received tonight was astounding, he still couldn't entirely forgive Petunia for the sixteen years of hell she had caused him, he couldn't forgive her for locking him in the cupboard under the stairs, but his familial senses were lingering on the edge of accepting her apology. His mother, he knew, would be proud of his actions.
"Sixteen years Petunia. Thirty -six years Petunia, that's a pretty big time span to make up for." he replied with a small curve of his lips. She jumped up immediately and beckoned for a hug, but Harry held his hand aloft.
"It's going to take some time Petunia, sorry, but I need to ensure that you'll stick by your words. The war has taught me a lot of things…who you can trust, who you can't." he told her quickly.
"So, you're married?" she asked trying to hide the hurt that had spread across her features, "I secretly liked that girl" Petunia grinned.
"Like who? I didn't know you knew my wife?" he asked curiously.
"Oh. That girl, the one who kissed you on the platform, err big bushy curly hair-"
Harry almost choked on his drink with laughter, "you mean Hermione?" he asked with a slight chuckle.
"That's the one!" she smiled.
"She's not my wife" Harry informed her. Petunia's face fell and she furrowed her brows in thought.
"But you and her, you always seemed so close, I saw some of the letters on your desk. She was constantly touching you, grabbing your arm and you seemed so taken with her."
"What gave you that impression?"
"Don't know, it just seemed…right" she tried to explain.
"No, but she's still my best friend. My wife is called Ginny; she was a year below me at school." He told her.
"Any children?" she asked hopefully.
"Three. James, Albus and Lily. James is thirteen, Albus is eleven and Lily is nine, she looks a lot like mum actually, red hair, freckles but she has blue eyes. Albus managed to inherit the old emerald orbs." he stated proudly. Petunia could see the pride that radiated off of him and smiled accordingly.
"How lovely. It's wonderful you named two after your parents, I hope to maybe see them one day?" she asked pleadingly.
"Maybe. For now I better get going, otherwise the wife'll throw a fit." he smiled before pulling his jacket back on.
The air between the two seemed somewhat clearer and Harry could safely say that even though he had not entirely forgiven his aunt, things were already looking better.
"Ginny, I'm home!" Harry shouted through the hall as he entered through the front door. Having heard no response he quickly made his way to the kitchen where a loud clattering caught his attention. He pushed the door open slowly to reveal Teddy and the trouble duo preparing hot chocolate.
"Teddy?" Harry asked disbelievingly, "geez kid, how long has it been a month?" he asked jokingly. Teddy grinned in response and shook his head, giving the hot chocolate to Lily and Hugo he sent them off to bed and promised to visit them soon.
"Ginny not home?" Harry asked, leafing through a wad of mail.
"Left for a staff meeting." Teddy spoke, albeit clenching his teeth in annoyance.
"Ok, thanks for babysitting at such short notice then. Where've you been for the past month?"
"Training. Just got harder this month, exhausting…" he lied. He hated betraying Harry and wished for something--anything that would help him in his predicament--then the doorbell rang.
"I'll get that" Harry said as he placed the mail on the kitchen table.
"I'll get going then, probably be round for tea tomorrow. Gran is going out and I'm hopeless at cooking." he ginned a cheeky smile.
"Yeah, you just hang around here for the free grub!" Harry shouted over his shoulder.
"See ya Harry!"
"Bye"
Pulling the door open Harry was surprised to find Hermione stood shivering outside without a jacket.
"Hermione! It's freezing, get inside!" he ordered her as she gratefully accepted his invitation. She quickly wiped her feet on the mar- something that Harry found to be a habit of hers and they shuffled into the living room by the roaring fire.
"I come with an apology and a bottle of Ogden's." she raised the bottle from her arm.
"Hermione your apology is not needed, you were stressed, and it's not uncommon. Let's just forget about it and carry on." Harry spoke as her true best friend.
"No Harry, you deserve an apology. I was totally out of order and treated you awfully. You'd done your best to comfort me and I guess jealousy took over, however I am sorry and beg of your forgiveness." she spoke firmly.
"What if I said no?" Harry asked.
"Too late. You said I didn't need an apology, so technically I was already forgiven."
"Beaten once again," he grumbled with fake anger. A flicker of joy flashed behind his eyes, and a wide grin spread across his face.
"Ginny not home?" Hermione asked quickly. Harry shook his head and sighed.
"You know, I'm almost believing in that theory that you presented to me this evening about her." Harry said.
"Oh Harry. You know I was angry at the time, I bet she's just had an emergency, the prophet I quite a busy place day and night," she replied with a slight unease to her voice.
Harry watched as Hermione seemed to space out for a second or two and waved his hand in front of her face to try to receive some form of communication.
"Sickle for your thoughts?"
"Hmmm, just thinking about Ron," she lied. Rising from the sofa with a glass of whiskey in hand she turned away from Harry and brushed her hand along the mantle of the fireplace, occasionally stopping to glance at photos of the trio and Ginny. As she shifted her gaze over the various pictures one caught her eye- Harry and Ginny's wedding photo. Harry was stood in a sharp black and white tuxedo with an emerald green bow tie, Ginny dressed in on of the most finest wedding dresses know to mankind. However the oddity of the photo was that Harry and Ginny had unlocked from their newly wed embrace and now stood on opposite ends of the frame occasionally scowling at one another. It seemed odd to her, and she couldn't help but stare as Ginny cast a malevolent glance towards Harry.
Hermione almost jumped as she felt Harry's presence behind her, he rested his chin on her shoulder and stared at the photo with her.
"It's been like that for the past month, doesn't seem to want to change," he told her sullenly, "I'm taking it as a bad sign" he sighed. She would have replied, but the feel of Harry's chin on her shoulder and the breath on her neck distracted her from beginning any conversation. For so long Ron had neglected to show her any love, much less show her any kind of affection…and yet the simple feel of Harry's chin atop her shoulder almost sent a shiver down her spine.
She quickly turned and embraced Harry in one of her infamous hugs and almost dropped her drink in the process.
"Whoa, Hermione, watch you don't spill." Harry warned her as she enveloped him.
"What was that for?" he asked curiously.
She had asked herself that question and drew a blank; she had simply….wanted to…felt the need to. Something was taking over and she couldn't tell if it was the alcohol or the incessant want of contact-- Harry's contact.
Suddenly blushing at the thought of seeking Harry's touch, she was disturbed by the loud chime of the clock. Twelve AM. Time had passed quickly and she hadn't realised how long they had been standing at the fireplace. One thing besides the strange feelings she was suddenly encountering was the fact that Ginny still hadn't returned.
However the chime was a reminder that she had outstayed her welcome, even if Harry didn't think so. She wondered if the time had been a warning, who knows what her feelings could have turned to, who knows what she might have done, had she stayed any longer.
The photograph scene was inspired by Nickelback's song- Photograph, especially the line-"Look at this photograph" It gave me the inspiration for Hermione's observation of the wedding photo…..I know some people might think that Harry talking to Petunia may seem odd, but I don't think he would pass up the chance of reconciling with his mother's only living family member (apart from himself) In the beginning of DH she did act differently as they were being shipped to the safe house…and Vernon, well I can see him toying with her mind- evil git he is, but anyway hope you liked it! Ps I don't own the song Photograph.