The Wizarding world had been free from the megalomaniac known as Lord Voldemort for over six months. Harry Potter had spent most of that time hiding out in the castle. He hated people constantly fawning over him. When Minerva McGonagall had visited him in the hospital wing and asked him to help rebuild the school, he'd happily agreed. Unfortunately, Poppy Pomfrey had overheard and refused to let Harry leave until he was completely recovered from his injuries and had recovered some of his strength. So Harry had spent three weeks letting the matron nurse him back to health.

The only good that had come of his time in the infirmary was the tentative relationship he had developed with his ex-professor and spy, Severus Snape. The two had been kept in a private room at the back of the hospital wing to protect them from the hordes of reporters and well wishers that descended on Hogwarts daily.

After the events in the Great Hall, he, Hermione and Ron went back to the Shrieking Shack to retrieve the man's body. They were surprised to find him breathing and the worst of his wounds healed. Once they got him back to the castle, Pomfrey was able to finish healing him. It took him four days to be coherent enough for conversation.

Snape was a little surprised to wake up in the infirmary and not in Azkaban. But Harry and Minerva had explained that along with Harry's memories and the letters from Dumbledore, which were released by the goblins when Voldemort finally died, the Ministry had no choice but to grant him his freedom. Of course, it didn't hurt that a member of the Order was the acting Minister at the time.

In those few weeks together in the infirmary, Harry learned more about the professor than he had learned in the previous seven years. They discussed everything from their families and their upbringings to their hopes for the future. With the loss of nearly every adult male Harry looked up to, he had come to think of the stern man as a mentor of sorts.

Harry was having tea with Minerva and Severus Snape one afternoon in late November. These afternoon teas had become a ritual for the three of them. They would talk about the repairs or the recent gossip about Harry. Today's topic was the reopening of the school after the holidays.

The students would be returning after the holidays. The school year had been extended by six weeks, ending in mid August. Any student who would have finished school last June and the students that were to finish this June were combining classes. The teachers planned to provide them with all the information they needed to pass their N.E.W.T.s in the next few months.

In order to do this, extra teachers were being brought in to focus solely on N.E.W.T. students. Professor Snape had agreed to teach both Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts to the older students. Slughorn would stay on to teach the younger ones. Bill Weasley was going to be taking over Transfiguration for Minerva. Minerva was going to teach the N.E.W.T. classes. Bill's wife, Fleur, had agreed to help out with Charms. The other teachers were arranging their schedules so they could also help out. There were going to be evening and weekend classes held in order to help everyone catch up. It was going to be an intense learning environment, but the teachers and the board agreed it was better than the students missing the entire year.

Their conversation was halted by the arrival of an owl at the window. Minerva waved her wand and the owl flew in. It went directly to Harry, dropping a letter on his lap before disappearing out the window.

"More letters from your adoring fans, Potter," snapped Professor Snape.

"Nah, I have those directed to the head of my fan club," Harry replied smoothly.

Harry had grown used to his professor's barbs in the last few months. He knew the man was joking with him now. The hatred that they had once felt for each other had been replaced with mutual respect. Harry had grown up since the war ended, and Snape had come to realize that Harry was not his father. Neither of them would admit it, but they enjoyed each other's company.

Snape and McGonagall went back to discussing the teachers quarters as Harry looked at his letter. It was from his Aunt Petunia. He recognized her handwriting. He had written to her after the war to let her know that he had survived and that her family would be safe now. He had told her how to contact him if she ever needed him. He'd never expected to receive a letter from her. He'd figured they would be happy to ignore him for the rest of their lives.

After a few minutes of staring at it, he screwed up his courage and opened the letter.

Harry,

I know you never thought you would hear from me, but I felt it necessary to inform you that your Aunt Marge has passed away. She had a heart attack yesterday out in the yard with Ripper. I know you and Aunt Marge never got along. I am sure you will not grieve her loss. I felt that since you are family you should know.

Services are scheduled for Thursday at two. We decided to have them at the church in Little Whinging. There will be a small gathering afterwards at the house, if you would like to attend.

Sincerely,

Petunia Dursley

Harry was shocked. He sat there staring at the letter in his hands. He never noticed how his hand shook or that the professors were calling his name. The Dursleys had always hated him and treated him like trash, but to have one of them die. They were family. It seemed surreal. He had thought now with the war over, there would not be any funerals to attend for a long time. There had been so many funerals for fallen friends and Order members.

He had always disliked Marge. He even felt glad that she could no longer torment him. It was the idea of facing another funeral that had him so upset.

He flinched when he felt a hand touch his arm. He raised his head to see a concerned look in the headmistresses' eyes. The letter was taken from his hands by Professor Snape.

"Harry is everything alright?"

He couldn't respond. It wasn't that he was upset. It was a surprise and one he did not feel ready to deal with just yet. Snape had read the letter and handed it to Minerva. He reached into his robes for a Calming Draught. He removed the top and poured it into an unresisting Harry. Once the potion started to work, Harry began to relax.

"Sorry, I… it just took me by surprise."

"It is understandable. The death of a family member is always a little unnerving," Snape said.

"No, the death I understand. The woman was grossly overweight and had very unhealthy eating habits. I was surprised that Aunt Petunia took the time to inform me and then to invite me to the house."

The professors shared a look. Minerva turned back to face Harry, her mouth hanging open. Snape was looking at the young man as though he had never seen him before. Harry just grinned at their reactions

"Come now, you two were members of the Order; surely you know how they treated me. Aside from Vernon, she was probably the worst."

"Harry, I knew that you and your relatives never got along and that various members of the Order had threatened them on a few occasions, but to be so nonchalant about your Aunt's death." Minerva was trying her best to not be disappointed with him.

"Professor McGonagall, my relatives hate me. They hate magic. When I left their house last year, I was fully prepared to never see any of them ever again," he said while looking at the headmistress.

He turned to Snape, "After all you saw during Occlumency and what I have told you these last few months, you really shouldn't be surprised either."

Snape was the first to recover. "Are you planning on attending the services?"

"I am not sure. I don't think I mourn the idea of her passing. Yet, I want to go, if only to find out why I was invited. I don't think I would feel comfortable going by myself, and Ron and Hermione are still in Australia with her parents. They decided to stay until school started in order to enjoy the summer months down there. I don't think I would want to subject any of my other friends to the stares and comments coming from my relatives."

"Mr. Potter, I can accompany you. I knew your Aunt when she was younger, and I had the most unfortunate pleasure to meet your Uncle on a few occasions."

"When did you meet my Uncle?" Harry's curiosity was getting the better of him.

"Have you forgotten that I grew up with your mother and Petunia?"

"Oh, well no. I just didn't realize that Vernon and Petunia knew each other then."

"Petunia started dating him when she was sixteen. Lily and I were fourteen and still friends then. Vernon came by a few times that summer we were home. He was large then. I can assure you from what I saw during your lessons that he has only gotten bigger.

"He made the mistake of calling Lily a freak a few times when I was able to hear him. I spiked his tea for him one afternoon, and that was the last time he came by when we were home from school."

"Severus," Minerva said in a scolding tone.

"What did you do to him?" Harry asked.

"Let's just say, you are not the only investor in the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes."

Harry laughed.

"Well, at least I can be sure he won't be able to intimidate you."

Snape raised his eyebrow and smirked. He was going to enjoy making that man squirm.

The ladies that lived in Little Whinging were passing gossip from one another at a high rate of speed. Not since the strange events that had happened almost a year and a half ago had there been such juicy tidbits spread from house to house. Strangely enough, both events centered on the same family.

Yesterday morning Marge Dursley, Vernon's sister, had a heart attack. Many people in the neighborhood felt she had it coming. She was always so unpleasant to everyone when she came to visit. The only people she seemed to like were her brother and her nephew. The neighbors had cringed when they'd heard that she was moving in full time at number four.

For years the Dursleys lived in the house on Privet Drive and raised two children: Their son, who they adored and spoiled, and their nephew who was shunned and bullied by the entire family. Many of the neighbors were just as guilty for the verbal abuse the second boy had suffered while living there, but they blamed the Dursleys lies about him for their behavior.

After the Dursleys had left for an extended vacation two summers ago, some of the neighbors got together to discuss the two youngest residents of number four. It turned out that the smaller of the two was known among the elderly for helping with yard work. He had never accepted any money, but had gladly taken a sandwich and a cold drink for his efforts. The ones with children told the others that when the Dursley boy had bullied the neighborhood children, the Potter boy had deflected his anger onto himself thereby saving the rest of the children from his wrath.

The residents of Little Whinging slowly realized that they were all wrong about the Potter boy. They realized that the Dursleys were telling them lies all these years and abusing that boy in front of their faces.

When the Dursleys came back in early June, after being gone for almost a year, they were still spewing lies about the 'trash that was left on their doorstep sixteen years ago'. The other residents just nodded their heads and ignored them. The Dursleys were happy to be rid of him and the neighbors were glad he escaped. Marge moved in with them a week after they returned home.

By the beginning of July, Petunia noticed that she was no longer invited to the weekly teas that the wives held at their homes. She tried to host a few herself but none of the ladies of Privet Drive came. In August, Vernon overheard some of the men on the golf course talking about the despicable family that had fooled them all for years. He was shocked when he heard his name mentioned as the head of the family.

The Dursley were being shut out of neighborhood events and parties. The arguments from number four could be heard all the way to number twelve. Many times the word divorce had been heard floating from the windows.

Arabella Figg smiled. Her promise to Sirius Black was complete. She swore the Dursleys would get what they deserved once Harry was out of that house for good.

On Thursday morning the Professors and Harry were having breakfast when the owls came in to deliver the mail and the news. Harry had long ago stopped taking the paper, and all of his correspondences was being sent directly to the kitchen fireplace unless the person who sent them was personally known to Harry. Professor Flitwick had worked up that little charm. It helped to keep the fan mail and Howlers from piling up too high at the breakfast table each morning.

He glanced at Minerva's copy of the Daily Prophet and saw his face smiling back at him. Not an unusual occurrence. It was the Muggle picture below him that caused him to gasp. The picture was of his family: his Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, Aunt Marge and Dudley. It looked to be a tourist photo taken in front of Stonehenge.

The headline read 'The Boy Who Vanquishes Loses Another Family Member'. The Boy Who Vanquishes was a new name. He wondered when they got tired of printing The Boy Who Lived To Defeat He Who Must Not Be Named. Before he could stop himself, he started to laugh. The Wizarding world would turn his Aunt's funeral into a media circus. His Uncle was going to be livid. His first trip away from the castle since the war ended would be interesting.

Harry and Professor Snape arrived at the church a full thirty minutes early. Minerva was adamant that the family should be there early to receive the guests' condolences as they came in. Harry glanced nervously around. He was looking for any sign of reporters or stray fans. Snape saw the look and tried to calm him down.

"Don't worry, Harry, the Ministry has had the church under surveillance since the arrangements were made. Only those witches and wizards with special permission from the Minister will be able to approach the church."

"Why would anyone even want to come? She did not know any other witches and wizards. She never even knew I was a wizard."

"There will be some high ranking officials from the Ministry and a few foreign dignitaries that will be here. They will come because of you. It would be considered rude for them not to come. You have become a symbol to these people. It is to you they wish to pay respect to. Besides you have not been seen in public since May. I think many of them may just want to thank you."

Harry nodded. He knew so little of Wizarding culture. It was actually one of the things he and Professor Snape spent hours discussing.

They had reached the door to the church. There was a young man standing in front. As Harry got closer, he realized it was Dudley standing there. He stopped dead in his tracks. Dudley had grown a few more inches and lost a lot of weight. So much that Harry barely recognized him, though the man would never be thin.

"Dudley, is that really you?"

"Hello, Harry. Yes, it's me."

A look from the professor had Harry regain his composure.

"Uh, sorry. I didn't recognize you at first."

Dudley smiled, something Harry had rarely seen him do.

"I am in much better shape than the last time we saw each other. I spent a lot of time training while we were at the safe house your friends secured for us. I am also on the university boxing team. I managed to get a scholarship with the help of a few friends."

"That's great," Harry said as Dudley looked at the stern man next to him.

"Dudley, this is Professor Severus Snape. Professor Snape, Dudley Dursley."

Snape reluctantly held out his hand and Dudley grasped it.

"It's a pleasure, sir. I have heard a lot about you in the last year. I am honored to meet you."

Harry was stunned. Dudley was being polite; to a man he knew to be a wizard.

"Dud, how did you know about the Professor?"

"Dedalus. We became friends after he and Hestia took us to the safe house. He would come by every few days to check on us. He kept us up to date with information on what was going on in your war, brought me my school work so I wouldn't fall behind. He even helped me with my studies.

"Dedalus is a very big fan of yours." Snape snorted. "He told me about all of the times he met you when you were younger. It was amazing hearing all about you and then seeing your life in books. Mum and Dad only ever told me bad stuff about your parents, and I was immature enough to believe them.

"After a few weeks of listening to him go on about you, Dad blew up. He threatened to strangle the man if he mentioned your name again, but I was fascinated. I asked him to tell about you and magic. I never knew all that you went through at school and in your world. I guess coming home to us during the summers was just about torture for you."

Dudley grinned. Harry smiled at him. It wasn't much of an apology, but he would take it. It was something he never thought he would hear from one of the Dursleys. Snape gave Harry a soft nudge. It took Harry a moment before he realized why the man was hitting him.

"Dud, I was really sorry to hear about your Aunt."

Dudley shrugged his shoulders.

"What are you doing standing out here and not in the church with your family?" Harry asked.

"Waiting on you. I wanted to warn you about my parents before you went in."

"Warn me? Why?"

"Things haven't been that good since we came back. The neighbors all but shun us. I am really surprised they haven't tried to burn the house down to get us out of town," Dudley said with a smile.

"Oh, this is my fault. I never even thought about what everyone around here would make of the events when we left."

"No, Harry. That's where you are wrong. The neighbors' dislike of us is entirely our fault. Mum and Dad just don't see that. The neighbors finally figured out just how we treated you."

"Oh."

"Mum thought that if she invited you to come, then we could all pretend to be one big happy family. I heard them planning it the night Aunt Marge died. They figured they could be nice and even dote on you a bit in front of the neighborhood. Then Dad would take you aside and threaten to repeat his summer time treatment of you if you ever returned here."

"Summer time treatment?" Snape asked.

"Uh, well he was very…" Dudley started to say but Harry stopped him.

"Can we discuss this some other time, Professor?"

"Of course. Will that other time be this evening or would you prefer after breakfast tomorrow?"

"I would prefer never."

"Good. After breakfast it is."

"You know you're getting to be almost as bad as Professor Dumbledore."

"Possibly," replied Snape.

"Shall we go in?" Harry asked in hopes of changing the subject.

"Sure. After you, Professor, Harry."Yes, Harry decided, Dudley has certainly grown up.

A/N: Thank you sempra for making this readable. I hope you know that I couldn't do this without you.

The prompt I used was #8.

Harry goes to see his aunt and uncle after Voldemort is defeated. How does it go? What does he say? What do they say?