Petunia Dursley was never a woman who let guilt eat at her from the inside. She bottled things up yes, but they never got out. She was also never a woman to be surprised, but a visit from her nephew almost 20 years after she had last seen him, last looked into the green eyes of her sister, left her standing in the doorway speechless. Unfortunately for Petunia, old habits die hard, and at first glance of James Potter's mob of black hair upon the head of a now grown man, very much like James himself, a sneer crossed her face.
"Hello." Petunia said stiffly, not quite game to let Harry enter her living room.
"'Lo Aunt Petunia," replied Harry. "I was wondering if I could ask you a few things?"
"It's been twenty years Harry. Twenty years and not a word, we had no idea what happened to you!"
"I honestly didn't think you'd care," Harry admitted, rubbing the back of his neck in a move that reminded Petunia of the first time Lily had brought his father home, James Potter standing hesitantly at the door.
"What did you want to ask?"
"I was wondering, because I've never been able to find out, and that's alright, but lately with my son ready to go off to Hogwarts next month –"
"You have a son?" Petunia exclaimed, surprise evident on her face. She held herself back from releasing the grimace at the mention of Hogwarts and tilted her head questioningly at Harry.
"Uh… Two actually, and a daughter. Anyway, I was wondering if you'd be able to tell my about, uh … I was wondering if you'd be able to tell me a bit about my parents," Harry blurted, a red tinge rising across his cheeks. He had never expressed his desire to know more about Lily and James Potter to Ginny, even after Remus had died and his last link to his family had been severed. In fact he hadn't mentioned to Ginny he was coming here at all.
"Oh," Petunia said, her slight smile disappearing from her face. "You best come in then."
As Petunia stepped away from the door to allow Harry inside and he brushed past her, he could have sworn he saw her wipe her eyes quickly, but Harry pretended he hadn't noticed it.
"This place hasn't changed much at all has it?" Harry said, gazing around the familiar rooms. He did not miss it, certainly not. But his childhood occurred in these rooms, in these hallways, and that would be something he could never forget, no matter how traumatising the experience was.
"Well, it's a lot quieter now. With Dudley gone and having his own family and all," Petunia spoke harshly. To the point, and Harry noted that she hadn't changed much either in his absence.
Following Petunia up the stairs, Harry briefly wondered where she was leading him. When they reached the entrance to the attic Petunia reached up high for the cord to pull the ladder down, wincing as her back protested against the action. She was quite shocked when Harry grabbed the cord and pulled it down for her. She muttered a brief "Thankyou" before climbing swiftly up the wooden stairs and turning on the light switch.
Harry gazed around the dusty room full of boxes, wondering what could possibly be up here that Petunia wanted to show him. And that was when he saw them, the dozen or so boxes pushed up against the side wall, clearly labelled 'Lily & James', he saw, resting underneath them two trunks, both with fading initials, but unmistakably marked with those of his parents.
"Why didn't you-?" Harry broke off, not wanting Petunia to hear the emotion in his voice. It was when he turned to face his aunt that he saw the tears leaking out of her eyes.
"It hurt. She was my sister and I never got to say I was sorry. I never got to apologise for all those years when I was horrible and nasty to her. And having to look after you, it just made it hurt all the more. Seeing her eyes every day, and you looking just like your Dad, he was so nice to me, even though I was such a horrible bitch to both of them every time I saw them. It just hurt Harry, I'm sorry, I should've told you but then it was too late and you were never here," Petunia slid to the floor of the attic, trying to hold in her heavy sobs.
"Can I- can I take them? I mean, am I-"
"They're yours, it's all yours. It's got a bunch of their stuff from when they were in school, and a lot of your baby stuff in it, photo albums and such. Your Dad kept a diary of your Mum's pregnancy, there's also some letters that they wrote to you. I didn't open them, but they were addressed to you, they knew they might not make it and they must have wanted to make sure you understood that they loved you."
"I did. Uh, do you mind if I?" Harry gestured with his wand to the pile of boxes.
"No go ahead," Petunia smiled, watching as Harry shrunk the boxes and placed them delicately into the pocket in his robes.
"Sorry about the clothes, I came from work. Kind of a spur of the moment type decision, if you know what I mean," Harry grinned sheepishly.
"Its fine," Petunia smiled. "Did you want to come downstairs to the kitchen and have a cup of tea, maybe I can tell you what I know, what isn't in the boxes."
"That'd be amazing, thanks a lot," Harry grinned.
As Petunia turned the kettle on and stood by the sink she watched Harry sit in the same chair he had always used when he had lived here.
"Where's Vernon?" Harry asked, interrupting Petunia's thoughts.
"Oh, long story," Petunia smiled, but Harry grinned encouragingly and so she continued. "We're not married anymore, haven't been for a while, now it's just official."
"I'd like to say I'm sorry, but I'm really not. I rather have the urge to say 'Congratulations!' actually," Harry grinned. Petunia nodded, smiling in agreement.
"Your mother would've said the same thing. She knew he was no good for me, constantly argued it at home. Even though I was a bitch to her all the time she was home, she always told me that I deserved better. She always supported me. Then when she brought your father home over Christmas break their seventh year I began to just feel jealous. He was so in love with her, always watching her," Petunia smiled fondly and Harry begged her in his mind to continue.
"They moved like they were connected, never far apart, like they were in a constant circle. And the way he looked at her, I knew I'd never have anything like that with Vernon. But when I saw how much Mum and Dad loved him I blew up. I yelled and ranted and raved and screamed. Lily left with James for a walk, looking at me angrily and I broke down. That's pretty much when I decided to settle…"
The loud whistle of the kettle broke the silence and Petunia quickly hustled to the cupboard to make the tea.
"Do you mind if I use the phone? It's just, I'm due home by now and I don't want Gin getting worried…"
"No, its fine. Phone's in the hallway," Petunia smiled, listening to Harry shuffling around the corner. She could only hear one side of the conversation, but she knew that he would be just like his father, this 'Gin' girl was lucky.
"Hey Jimmy-Jam, it's Dad, can you put your Mum on the phone? Yes I know I'm late, that's why I'm ringing. I'll be home soon I promise, can you just put your Mum on the phone please? Thank you," Harry sighed. Petunia let out a small chuckle at the playful nature with which Harry treated his son.
"Hey Gin, listen I won't be home for a bit. No I'm fine. No, nothing to do with work. I'm at Petunia's," Petunia could hear the grin in his voice and couldn't help but smile.
"Yes my Aunt," Harry's raucous laugh echoed down the hallway. "I'll tell you all about it when I get home, if I'm not back in time tell Lily I love her 'kay? Yeah you too. Yes. I promise. I love you Ginny. Yes, now get off the phone!" Harry laughed, she heard him say one final goodbye before she quickly carried the two mugs over to the dining room table, just as Harry walked in.
"Sorry about that, they're a talkative bunch, and James got his uncle's phone skills, he still thinks he has to yell for the other person to hear it. Thank God Ginny finally worked it out," Harry laughed, lifting the mug up to his mouth.
"Its fine, they sound adorable," Petunia smiled, tracing an indent in the wooden table with her finger. "So, I'm assuming 'Gin' is Ginny Weasley then?"
"Yeah," Harry grinned.
"Ron's sister right?" Petunia asked, Harry responded with a nod. "And you've got a James and a Lily?"
"James Sirius and Lily Luna, and Albus Severus is the middle one."
"Well Albus Severus is definitely a strange choice, it wouldn't happen to be after the Snape boy that your mother and I grew up with in Spinner's End would it?"
"The very same. He saved my life twice before he died."
"You know I'm pretty sure one of your Mum's old diaries in those boxes is titled 'Die James Potter, Die'," Petunia said with a laugh.
"Things change, don't they," Harry smiled sadly, looking out the back window.
Harry and his aunt spoke for over an hour that afternoon, laughing about stories that Petunia remembered Lily telling her, and Harry responding in turn with stories he had been told by Sirius and Remus. When Harry finally stood up to leave, he did so regretfully. Petunia walked him to the door and opened it softly.
"Would it be all right if I brought Ginny and the kids around this Christmas? I'd really like to talk to Dudley," Harry asked.
"I'd love it," Petunia smiled.
"And my godson, Teddy? He doesn't have a family other than us," Harry asked again, taking a step closer to the door.
"The more the merrier."
"Thanks, Aunt Petunia. For everything," Harry said, collecting her in a hug before turning on the spot and Apparating away. Petunia sighed and walked into the kitchen to clean up the mess, smiling happily.
When Harry arrived back at Grimmauld Place he made it just in time to tuck his princess into bed, before sitting down on the couch in the living room to watch a re-run of the last Chudley Cannons match with his two boys. It wasn't long before Albus fell asleep, stretched across Harry's lap, and upon arriving back in the living room after placing him in his bed, found James sprawled across the arm of the chair. Chuckling to himself, he picked him up and deposited him in the room that once bore the sign R.A.B., before walking down the hall to the room that had belonged to his godfather. He ran his finger over the plate on the door that he couldn't bear to remove, before slipping into the room and into his pyjamas.
Ginny glanced up from her book to smile at him as he slipped under the covers, and she folded it up on the bedside table as Harry wrapped his arms around her and dug his head into her stomach.
"How did it go?" Ginny asked, running her hands gently through the mop of hair on her husband's head.
"Great. She'd kept all the stuff from the house in Godric's Hollow and she let me have it all. I'll go through them one day, maybe the kids can have some of their old stuff."
"I'm proud of you Harry," Ginny smiled.
"I told her we'd visit for Christmas. Maybe then we can get away from Ron long enough to actually be able to hug at Christmas," Harry sighed.
"Harry," Ginny scolded, but Harry could feel her body shaking beneath him.
"Sorry," Harry laughed, not sorry at all. And when Ginny pointed this out he merely laughed louder and switched the light off, pulling Ginny into his chest as he closed his eyes.
"I love you Harry James Potter," Ginny sighed, closing her eyes.
"And I love you, Ginevra Molly Potter."
"Don't call me that," Ginny grumbled, slapping Harry's chest. Harry let out a loud guffaw and pulled her in tighter, kissing the top of her head.
"I love you Ginny."