Harry slowly walked down the street dragging his trunk behind him while Uncle Vernon fumbled with his keys trying to find the one that goes to the house. Harry was still dreading going into the house, but he knew he had to. This last year was one of the worst at Hogwarts. Losing his step father had hit him very hard. All he did nowadays was sit and think. He'd taken a liking to reading a lot if the classic muggle books.
"OUCH!" Harry yelped. Without noticing, he had run straight into his uncle. Looking up, he saw that uncle had stopped trying to find his house key, and started talking to a young women who looked to be in her 20's at the most. She had a thin slightly frail face, puffy red hair, and big, gleaming eyes which looked very familiar. She was smiling, and as far as he was concerned, this was one of the prettiest women he had ever seen in his whole life. Uncle Vernon whipped around and tried to shuffle Harry past him but the women had not ignored his scream of pain.
"Vernon, who is this young man?" She asked eyeing him. Her smile widened as she looked him over. Her eyes crossed his forehead and they widened.
"This- er - this is nobody,boy get upstairs!" Uncle Vernon yelled sternly to him. Harry tried to walk behind him, but a highly manicured hand was placed on his chest, holding him back. He looked up and saw the women up close. She was prettier then he thought, and that was saying a lot.
" Now Vernon, don't be shy of your house guests. Howdy, I'm Merionle, and you are…?" she asked, pulling off her hand, and holding it out in front of him.
" I'm- er - Harry." Harry answered, sticking out his hand and shaking hers.
" Is this your other son Vernon?" Merionle asked. Harry's uncle's eyes right about popped out of this head, and Harry suppressed a fit of laughter as he tried to straighten up.
" No, um this is my wife's nephew, he came to live with us a while back. Not right in the head see, now he must be on his way, so Harry, get up stairs now!"
" Now, Now, Vernon, let him meet my daughter, she coming over here right now, Alice!" Merionle yelled. Harry turned and saw a girl walking towards them. She seemed to have taken from her mother, Harry thought, as she pulled her hair back into a pony tail and finished jogging over to her mother.
" Yea, mom?" she asked. Her voiced brought all other thoughts from Harry's mind. She looked over to him and smiled. " Howdy Mr. Dorsey, how is your day going?"
" Just fine Alice, but really, we must he off, young Harry here must get to his room…"
" Nonsense, you and your wife must come over later and bring Harry and Dudley. We'll have dinner at my place, and I won't take no for an answer." Merionle said. She looked back up at Harry and smiled. "Harry this is my daughter Alice, Alice this is Harry. He Mr. Dursleys nephew."
"Hello there," she said. Alice stuck out her hand and shook Harry's. Her hands were icy cold, like he was touching ice. It seemed they held each other hands from hours, but really it was only a few seconds.
" Well, if you insist, then me, Petunia, and Dudley shall be at your house, say 7:00?"
" That time is perfect, but you don't want to forget poor ol' Harry now, would ya?" Merionle said. Uncle Vernon face became more purple then usual. He shot a look at Harry that could kill.
"Well, thank you. Harry, please thank Merionle for the invite,"
" Thank you Ms.- er…?"
" Tonks, Merionle Tonks."