Chapter 1 – The Wake

Harry walked through the door trying to call as little attention to himself as possible. Not only out of respect, but also out of habit. He couldn't believe he was back here in his childhood home. He looked down the entryway and his eyes locked on the small door for the cupboard under to the stairs. Looking at it now, he wondered how he ever fit in there. He wondered how he fit his entire life in that one small room. Having children himself now, he couldn't imagine any of them living in conditions like that. He still held onto a certain degree of anger. Not for himself, but for his parents. If something were to happen to him and Ginny and someone treated James or Albus or, god-forbid his little Lily, that way... He couldn't even think of it. But this line of thought had no place here. Not right now. Right now, he was here to say goodbye.

Uncle Vernon may not have treated him well but he did, grudgingly, provide him with food, water, some semblance of shelter, and even Dudley's old clothes. Sure, it wasn't great but it could have been worse. He could have refused him, he could have left him out in the cold. Today was a day to remember the good and support his cousin whom he had been slowly mending fences with over the years.

"Harry," Dudley had spotted him at last, "I'm so glad you could make it. I know he wasn't your favorite person but it means a lot to Mum and me that you're here. She's around here somewhere," he started to look around but Harry wasn't exactly keen to see her either. She was kind to him now at Dudley's request but he knew she still didn't like his kind.

"How are you doing with all this, D?" Harry knew that Uncle Vernon and Dudley had been extremely close in his last year so this loss had to be particularly devastating to his cousin. The look that ghosted across his cousin's face confirmed his thoughts.

"It's been hard but I'm trying to stay strong for mum. She's been putting on a brave face but I can just feel that she's going to break down one of these days. Mostly though, I just feel a bit lost without him to take care of everyday now. Mum is still in good health, she doesn't need the kind of care he did and caring for him was sort of my life this last year," Dudley breathed hard in that way people do when they are trying not to cry and it broke Harry just a little. His Uncle may have hated Harry but he'd truly loved his son and Dudley had truly loved him, flaws and all. Perhaps Harry should invite him over for dinner sometime, get him out of the house.

Just as the thought struck him, Ginny piped in, putting a hand on Dudley's shoulder, "Why don't you join us for dinner next week? We're having a small gathering and we'd love to have you over."

Dudley looked a bit struck dumb for a split second which amusingly reminded Harry of the perpetual look he'd worn as a child. "You know, I think I'd really like that," Dudley finally replied. "Text me the details of it so I don't forget, will you?"

Ginny nodded. Dudley had showed them texting and they'd bought a small telephone at the local muggle Dollar store and loaded it with some time which could also apparently be used to send instant letters on the small screen. Ginny's father had almost feinted when they'd showed it to him. They'd had to buy him his own though they didn't buy any time for him because, as they knew he would, the first thing he did was take it apart. Molly told them all at the next family dinner that after they'd bought it for him, she hadn't seen him for a week. They resolved not to ever tell him about the tiny computers they now made for carrying around.

"Harry, so glad you could make it," his aunt's voice pulled him out of the reverie. Though her words were friendly, they were stiff and her face was pinched. Maybe he shouldn't have come. He had come for Dudley's sake but he didn't want to make this harder on his aunt.

"Aunt Petunia," he said in his most compassionate voice, "I'm so sorry for your loss. If there's ever anything we can do for you," he trailed off knowing she'd never take him up on it but it was polite, was it not? Ginny, who had always disliked his Aunt from the stories she'd heard of his childhood actually hugged the woman then. Harry and Petunia both stiffened in surprise. The latter of whom also let out a surprised, "Oh" and patted Ginny awkwardly back.

"I can't even imagine what you must be going through," Ginny stepped back and took his Aunt's hands in hers. Wait, was she crying? "Honestly, anything you need, anything at all, Dudley has our telephone number. Just send us a text letter." Aunt Petunia winced almost imperceptibly at the weird turn of phrase. If Ginny noticed, it didn't deter her. She squeezed his aunt's hands and smiled and nodded as Aunt Petunia turned to Dudley.

"Dudders, your Aunt Marge is having a bit of trouble getting up from the armchair, would you be able to give her a hand?" They both walked away and Harry and Ginny stood awkwardly before Harry made a move to the refreshments table deciding they would stay a half hour and they claim an emergency with the kids.

Chapter 2 – A meeting of the minds