Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Harry, Petunia, Snape or any other characters you may recognize throughout this story. I also don't own the wizarding world or basically anything else you recognize from the Harry Potter series. That all belongs to the wonderful goddess of writing, J.K. Rowling. So don't sue me!

I'm glad that people seem to be interested in this story...I hope that I can finish it before Deathly Hallows comes out, but I don't think it's going to happen. There's just not enough time. But I'll have fun with it anyway. :)

James-Padfoot: Your comment makes me wonder if you've read Growing Up Flower Twins, because there is definitely more to Petunia than meets the eye. :) I hope you like this chapter.

Becca: I was so surprised that you weren't my first review! But you were there quite soon after it, and I love your analysis of Petunia coming back from the dead, because that is how it feels for me. And sorry about the cliffhanger . . . you may not like the end of this chapter either. :-p

storylover1992: I'm glad you liked the first chapter and GUFT. I hope you like this one, too. :)

Ecstace: I didn't think the last line was all that funny, but I'm glad you did. I hope you like this chapter, too. I'm glad I'm writing again, too. :)

LilyJames addict: Okay, here you go. :)

Tina: Yeah, sorry about not updating GUFT for so long, I promise that I won't do that with this story. Well, unless something happens to my computer, which was one of the reasons GUFT got put on hold for so long. Say a prayer to the computer gods to keep my laptop safe.

SiriuslyLoopyLupin: I'm actually really glad you pointed out the Harry/Petunia thing as being rushed, because honestly, it was. But it was an intentional rushing. I wanted to get across that Petunia didn't just go from zero to sixty with how she remembered. When Lily died, the memories were there. And while she's had some brushes with the wizarding world, seeing Dumbledore kind of unlocked, if not her memories, at least her personality. I'm sure it's no wonder as to why Severus was the one to completely unlock everything. But anyway, the Petunia in GUFT was a kind, wonderful person who would of course want to be close to her nephew. As for Harry and how he was able to forgive, that's from GUFT too as I'm sure you'll remember how everyone reacted to Petunia. She's just a light that draws everyone to her, and Harry couldn't resist either. So that's why it was rushed. Harry was meeting the real Petunia. Wow that was a long response, but I want everyone to read it too, in case they have had the same question.

Gossipchick: I'm glad you liked my first story, and I actually think it's going to be interesting with some of my readers from that story coming to this one. Because pretty much everyone ships James/Lily, because it's so very canon and wonderful, yet despite the fact that certain ships are now canon, people don't necessarily like those. But there's the answer to one of your questions. My ships will be canon, as I love it so very much (and it happened to match what I wanted anyway. :) )

drayvin04: I'm glad you liked GUFT and I'm glad you're liking this so far. :)

Kaedwen: You asked me to carry on, and carry on I shall. Enjoy. :)

Lily's Petal: I'm glad you liked my first chapter of this and GUFT. I hope you like this one, too. :)

Bahzad: It's pronounced Sa-roar-a-more. And hopefully you recognize it from GUFT. If you don't, well, you may want to give the story another looksie . . . although it won't be long before you hear about it in this story.

I am so happy that you are all reading this and liking it. So many shiny reviews! It really does encourage me, and maybe, just maybe I will be able to finish this whole story in a month's time. (Oh my). Oh, and I encourage you to all read my response to SiriuslyLoopyLupin up there, because it may answer some questions that many of you may have. Now, enough of me going on and on. Enjoy the chapter. :)

Chapter 2: A Life Remembered

If Harry had had a single rational thought in his head, he would have realized it was odd that Snape did not have a faster reaction time to being attacked. Normally, Snape would have had Harry immobilized before he had had a chance to move an inch. However, seeing as Harry was blinded by pure, unadulterated hate, he didn't notice at all that not only had Snape not reacted and blocked an attack, but that even after several punches, Snape still was not reacting.

In fact, Snape seemed barely aware that Harry was even there, he was just staring in shock at Aunt Petunia lying on the ground. After a few moments though, all of these facts registered to Harry and he backed away slowly and picked his wand up from the floor. He kept it trained on Snape the entire time, even as he gently shook his Aunt to see if she was alive.

To Harry's relief, she was, and she was slowly coming to.

Her eyes fluttered open and she looked up at Harry. "Harry, what happened?" she asked, rubbing her head.

Harry was about to tell her that she had to go upstairs immediately because she was in danger when she looked up at Snape. Rather than recoiling in horror as Harry thought any sane person should do, regardless of if they knew exactly how evil he was, Petunia looked at him with a look that Harry could not quite interpret, but that he found deeply disturbing.

"Severus? What are you doing here? What's going on? I remember . . . everything, yet I don't really . . . it's like I've awoken from a dream."

Harry looked from his Aunt to his former professor and back again, all the while keeping his wand on Snape.

"What the HELL is going on?" he said, not quite knowing who he was addressing, yet wanting an answer from anyone and everyone.

"Harry, there's no need to keep your wand trained on him like that. He's not going to hurt us," Petunia said, talking to him the way a parent might if she was scolding her child.

Wondering whether or not his Aunt had suffered some kind of brain damage when she hit her head, Harry said, "Are you mad, Aunt Petunia? Do you even know who this is. He's a Death Eater."

"I know that, Harry. I can't really explain everything right now, but I know that he's a Death Eater, but he's not. He's a spy . . ."

Harry looked at his Aunt as if she had grown a second head. How in the world did she know Snape? How in the hell did she know that he had pretended to be a spy. What was going on and why were his two separate lives suddenly colliding?

"What? How? Why? . . ." Harry tried to start a line of questioning, but his mind was so full of important inquiries that he couldn't really keep track and instead he just stood with his mouth flapping, unable to complete any coherent thought.

He still hadn't lowered his wand, but it was really like Snape wasn't even there. He wasn't saying anything and Harry wasn't even looking at him anymore. He was just staring at his Aunt as if he had never seen her before. It was true that over the past few weeks it had been like she was a completely different person, but now, he felt like he didn't even know who she was, and he was afraid. Afraid that his life was about to change . . . again.

"Harry, please. Just lower your wand, for me?" Aunt Petunia said, pleadingly. "Really. Just think rationally. You know how the blood protection works. Dumbledore told you. You're safe as long as you live here. If Severus meant you any harm, he would not be able to stand here right now."

At the mention of Dumbledore, Harry lost it all over again. "Severus? SEVERUS? How can you call him that?!?! How do you even know him?!"

"Harry, please calm down," Aunt Petunia pleaded once more.

"He killed Dumbledore. HE KILLED HIM!"

For a moment, it felt as if someone had placed a freezing charm on the room. Aunt Petunia halted exactly where she was, and her face went pale. Slowly, she turned and faced Snape.

Snape had finally stopped staring at Aunt Petunia after Harry's outburst, looking down at the floor in shame, to Harry's mind-boggling amazement. He watched with mingled fascination and horror as his Aunt approached Snape and placed a hand on his face. He wanted to move toward her, to protect her from this cold-blooded killer, yet it was like he was glued to the floor. She forced him to look at her and she gazed into his eyes.

Harry felt exactly the same way he had six years ago when Hagrid had stood in front of him and told him that his parents were wizards and so was he. He had had many life-changing moments since then, but none as big as that first one, where he had learned that his life was nothing like he thought it was. He felt as if very soon, he would be learning that once again, his life had been filled with lies.

Slowly, Aunt Petunia backed away from Snape. Once again there was an emotion that Harry could not place gleaming in her eyes, however, he could certainly recognize the tears.

"It's true?" his Aunt whispered in disbelief. "How could you? How COULD you?"

"Petunia, please. Let me explain," Snape said, taking a step toward Harry's Aunt.

Within a moment, Harry had stepped in between the villain and his Aunt, his wand raised. Even the shock of hearing actual tenderness in Snape's voice had not dulled Harry's senses so much that he would let this man approach is Aunt.

Yet, at the same time, what Petunia said about the blood protection had finally penetrated Harry's head, and he was anxious to find out why Snape was there, if it wasn't, in fact, to kill him.

Harry flicked his wand toward the sitting room, motioning for Snape to walk into it. "There's going to be quite a bit of explaining going on, but right now, I want you to close the door and go take a seat in there. And I'd thank you to leave your wand on the table right there."

Harry grinned inwardly at how composed he was staying. He felt as if Dumbledore would have been proud of him.

Snape grimaced, but looked like he was about to agree. Then he stopped and looked at Harry. "I have to do one thing first, Potter."

Before Harry could respond, or even react to block any curses that may have been about to come out of Snape's wand, the sour man in front of him had conjured another wand. He tentatively held it out to Petunia and said, "I believe this is yours."

Harry sat down heavily on the stairs behind him as he felt his legs give way, and his world come crashing down around him.

An hour later Harry was staring at the two people in front of him as if he had never seen them before.

"You're a Squib?" Harry asked for at least the fifteenth time.

Once again, Aunt Petunia nodded.

"And all this time I've been told that my mother was muggleborn, because that is what everyone believed, because my mum created a spell that altered how everyone perceived the world?"

Aunt Petunia nodded.

"Everyone except you?" Harry said, looking at Snape, if possible with even more loathing.

Snape sneered and said, "Yes, Potter, for the last time, everything we are telling you is true. I know it's hard to get through that thick skull of yours, but your Aunt Petunia is a squib."

Aunt Petunia swatted Snape on the arm and said, "Don't talk to him like that."

Harry's head fell into his hands. He had never been so confused in his life.

"You two were involved?" Harry asked, dreading the answer.

He looked up and saw that the two were trying very hard to avoid each other's eyes. Finally Aunt Petunia spoke up. "We were very much in love."

For a moment, Harry thought that he would actually vomit right then and there. Even when his Aunt had been the horrible person she had been all of his life (something that apparently was a horrible result of the spell and which he was sure his mother cringed over if she was watching over him) he would never have imagined she could have been involved with someone more horrible than Uncle Vernon . . . but apparently she had been.

As Harry continued to glare at Snape, Petunia asked. "Why do you hate him so, Harry?"

Harry actually laughed out loud, trying to decided how to answer. Finally he said, "Besides the fact that he killed Dumbledore? He's been absolutely horrible to me and every single person close to me ever since the first moment he laid eyes on me. He is a miserable human being who revels in making the lives of everyone else around him miserable."

Aunt Petunia looked at Snape and Harry nearly fell off his chair when he too looked at the man. He was showing actual remorse. Harry shook his head, knowing that it had to be some kind of trick of the light.

"I was under the influence of a spell that was designed to protect me, Severus? What's your excuse for treating Lily's son that way? And don't try to tell me it's because he's James' son, too. Your hatred of James could never outweigh how much you cared for Lily."

Harry's head hurt. It hurt really bad.

"Why aren't you asking me why I killed Dumbledore?" Snape asked, rather than answering Aunt Petunia's question.

Placing her hand on top of Snape's (which made Harry have to choke back vomit once more) she said, "Because I've already figured out why you did. At least I think I have."

"WHAT?" Harry yelled, jumping to his feet. "I know why he did it, too. Because he's an evil son-of-a . . ."

"HARRY!" Petunia said, shocking Harry into silence. "You are blinded from your hatred for this man. Hatred that I am quite sure is warranted, and I do want to hear about everything that Severus has put you through, and I fully intend to make him pay for those things in some way or another, but it is hatred that is not allowing you to see one fact in front of you, and is not allowing you to listen to the things that I wish to tell you."

Harry sat down, glaring and said, "What fact could possibly tell me that Snape had some good reason for killing Dumbledore?"

"The fact that he is sitting in this living room right now," Petunia said. "If he meant you harm, he could not be here."

Mumbling to himself, "He didn't try to hurt me last year either, said I belonged to his precious Dark Lord."

His aunt kneeled down in front of him and took his hands in hers. "Harry, I know that besides these last few weeks, I have never given you any reason to trust me. But I am asking you now, as your Aunt, as your mother's sister and best friend, to give me a chance to discover exactly what is going on, and to give Severus a chance to explain himself."

Her eyes were different. He hadn't noticed over the past few weeks, but he did now as she was gazing at him. They were kind . . . honest, and he found that he couldn't really help but trust her. It was odd, but it was as if she had cast some sort of spell over him. What he didn't know, was that many people in the past had felt the same way about the woman, that even though she wasn't technically magical, she still had an ability to render people spellbound.

"Fine," Harry said, grudgingly.

"Thank you," Aunt Petunia said, squeezing Harry's hands before standing to face both men in the room. "Now, Harry, first let me tell you why I know Snape could not have killed Dumbledore for Voldemort . . ."

"You said his name," Harry said with awe.

"I've said it before in front of you," Aunt Petunia pointed out.

"But that's before . . . before you knew it was something to fear."

"Fear of a name . . ." Aunt Petunia started.

"Only increases Fear of the thing itself," Harry finished smiling. "You DID know Dumbledore."

Aunt Petunia returned the smile, "Yes, I did. He was possibly the most wonderfully kind man I've ever met in my life. Patient. Understanding. And able to make one believe that they could achieve anything they put their mind to. I knew him. And I loved him very much, and believe me, once I've had a chance to process the fact that he is gone, I will need my time to grieve, but now is not the time."

Harry nodded and motioned for his Aunt to continue.

"Yes, well, I know Severus. I know him better than probably anyone else in this world. I can see that his years as a spy has torn him down. The Severus I once loved seems to be gone forever, but I can see that he does still exist. A small part anyway. I can see it when I look into his eyes. And I know that Dumbledore gave him everything. He gave him his life back when he had lost it the first time. And the only way Severus would kill Dumbledore would be if Dumbledore himself had ordered him to do it."

Harry and Snape both gaped at her in shock. Harry because he couldn't understand how she could possibly deduce that Dumbledore wanted to be murdered. Snape because he couldn't figure out how exactly Petunia had figured out the truth.

"How did you know?" Snape asked, staring up at Petunia.

"It's the only explanation. I know that no matter how bad your life has been, how miserable you may have been, all alone all these years, you would never go back to serving him. I saw how broken you were after you killed your father . . . and Dumbledore was the father you never had. You loved him just as much as I did, as Lily did, as everyone did. I can't imagine why he would order you to do it, but that's the only way you would have done it. Because you swore you would always follow Dumbledore's orders, no matter what."

Harry couldn't take it anymore, he stood up screaming. "He didn't love Dumbledore! He hated him! I was there when he killed him. I was THERE! There was nothing but hate in his eyes. Dumbledore was pleading for his life, and Snape killed him."

"You don't know what you're talking about, Potter," Snape sneered. "But you are right about one thing. I did hate Dumbledore. In that moment, I hated him. I hated him for caring more about my position as a spy than about my actual feelings. When I killed Dumbledore, I killed whatever was left of my soul. But I did it, for him, because that's what he was pleading for. He was pleading for me to kill him, so that I could still continue to help you."

The malice in Snape's voice was tangible. Harry was shocked. He didn't really believe Snape, and yet, if it was true . . . Harry couldn't really blame Snape for hating him. Yet, it didn't necessarily add up. There had to have been another way to protect Snape's role as a spy without killing Dumbledore. Malfoy wasn't going to do it. Maybe he would have helped if Snape had tried to overthrow the Death Eaters up there. There had to have been another way.

But maybe there wasn't.

"Dumbledore was a brilliant man," Harry said, deciding that he would honor Dumbledore's memory and see what he could find out. "He was, but he had one major flaw. He trusted too much. I still think he trusted you too much. But for a moment, let's pretend I believe you. What are you doing here? Won't Voldemort wonder why you're here? Unless you're here on his orders, in which case, you're a liar."

To Harry's surprise, Snape actually smiled. Well it was a sneer like smile, but a smile nonetheless. "That is the question you should have asked first. I am here, because I have finally succeeded in a task Dumbledore set me many years ago, and now I am here to see it the rest of the way through. I found out where two of The Dark Lord's Horcruxes are, and he will never give me any more information than that, thus I no longer need to pretend to serve him, and now I will do everything in my power to help you defeat him."

At this Aunt Petunia gasped, "You're free, Severus?"

A genuine smile broke across Snape's face, which Harry found frightening, but Aunt Petunia seemed to fine endearing as she smiled even wider. "Not quite. I won't really be free until The Dark Lord is dead, and really, as soon as he realizes I've deserted, he'll send Death Eaters to try to kill me, but that doesn't matter."

"How does that not matter?" Harry asked.

"Because I'll be with you, and anyone who's with you is in danger of being killed," Snape said. Harry glared at the hurtful, yet truthful, jibe.

"What makes you think I want you along?" Harry asked. Against his will, he was beginning to believe Snape, but that didn't mean he didn't still hate the guy.

Before Snape could answer, Petunia spoke up. "He's going, and I'm coming with."

Both Snape and Harry jumped up, preparing to protest. But all objections were halted when the front door opened, and all three turned to see Vernon Dursley standing in the entrance of the sitting room, with his mouth hanging open.

"What in the world is going on?" he finally managed to ask.

A/N: I know, I know. Another sort-of cliff hanger. I just can't help it. I love them. :) Anyway. I hope you guys are liking it so far. This chapter was very difficult to write because I needed Harry to hear Snape out, but still make it quite clear that he hates the man, and doesn't necessarily believe him. So, I hope I did okay with that. Next chapter will be up soon, promise. :)