'For what it's worth: It's never too late to be whoever you want to be. I hope you live a life you're proud of, and if you find that you're not, I hope you have the strength to start over.' – F. Scott Fitzgerald
Chapter Two: The News
Vern was a man on a mission. He'd avoided another fight with Petunia, and gotten out of the house almost on time. He buckled Dud into the car seat in the back of his work van, and jumped in behind the wheel.
"All good Dud?" he threw over his shoulder as he reversed out of the driveway and took off down the street. "We just need to stop in at Daddy's work and then we'll head off to the park to meet the boys."
If Vernon had been more closed minded, or simply not paying attention, he wouldn't have noticed the cat standing on the corner of the street reading a map. He blinked, shook his head, and looked again. No map, but the cat was now reading the street sign. He sighed, pulled over and rolled the window down.
"Can I help you Minnie?" He called out.
The cat scowled at him, looking like it was trying to decide whether or not to ignore him and just walk away, before sighing rather dramatically for a cat. Leaping, the cat flew through the open car window and settled down. Vern pulled back out on to the street and kept driving.
"What's going on Min?" he said.
The cat – no, the woman sitting in the passenger seat gave him a look that would have knocked back a weaker man, but Vern just grinned and said again "Come on Min, what's going on? Why on earth were you sitting on the corner of my street, as a cat, reading a map?"
'Min' sighed again, deeply this time, muttering under her breath about nick names and 'those bloody boys', before looking at Vern and speaking.
"Vernon Dursley, how many times have I told you that my name is not Min. If you really must, call me Minerva."
Vern grinned, and winked. "Will do Minny."
Minerva McGonagall glared again, and then said "I'm afraid that I bring bad news. When did you last speak to your brother and sister in law?"
Vern frowned, the cheeky grin falling from his face. "What's happened?"
"I'm afraid, that what we all dreaded happening, has happened. He found them."
Vern pulled the truck over, the tires running up on to the curb slightly, Min jolting slightly in her seat as she gripped the edge of it.
"The bastard. He's done it hasn't he? Oh god..." Vern's voice trailed off, his hands coming up to his angular face. "Just lay it on me Min. What's happened?"
Minerva bit her lip, willing the tears to hold back. She turned to Vernon, and put her hand on his shoulder. "James and Lily..."
"And Harry? My nephew... what about him?" Vernon interrupted her, desperation colouring his voice.
Minerva dug her nails in as she clutched at his shoulder, and Dudley, who had been sitting quietly in his car seat, piped up.
"Har? Har? We see Har?"
Nothing Minerva could do would stop the flow of tears that rolled down her cheeks at this.
"Yes Dudley, you'll see Harry."
Vernon let out a gasp, the relief evident in his voice. "Oh thank god. Thank god. He's ok?" he said desperately to Minerva. "Minny, tell me he's ok?"
She smiled, despite the horrific situation, and nodded. "He's ok Vernon. A nasty cut on his forehead, and... he saw the bastard kill Lily." The pain in her voice evident.
"Paddy and Rem know? You've told them?" Vern said to her, barely pausing to allow her to answer. "We were on our way to the park – we were meeting James and Harry, Paddy and Rem. Weekly play date... right Dud?"
"Right Daddy."
Minerva's hand fell from his shoulder, and the pain on her face made his heart drop. "Vernon... it was Sirius. He gave them up."
Vernon, completely disbelieving, burst out laughing. "Paddy? Minny, you have to be joking."
"He was their secret keeper Vernon. There's only one way a fidelius charm can be broken, and that's when the secret keeper speaks about it."
She looked on in horror as Vernon continued to laugh, until tears were running down his own face, and Duddly in the back seat, seeing his father crying began to wail.
"Min... hang on." Vernon reached into the back of the truck, and unbuckled Duddley's straps, "Come up here Dud."
Duddly scrambled out of his carseat, his face red, tears blurring his eyes, and climbed up into his fathers arms. Vernon brought the boy close to his chest, still internally marveling at the father he had become. He'd always imagined – had intended in fact – to be the kind of father his own had been. Harsh, strict... and unemotional. That had fallen out the window when the boys had brought him into their little group. He'd become a kinder man, compassionate... and now he couldn't imagine being anything except the kind of father who would pull his child into his arms when they were crying.
Vernon kissed the top of Dudley's head, and breathed in the soft still baby like scent of his hair. Duddly's sobs calmed, and his thumb drifted up to his mouth.
"Min..." Vern started again, "Paddy wasn't the secret keeper."
Minerva's mouth gaped, her voice coming out in gaspy half spoken words. "What... what?!"
"James and Lily swapped... Paddy thought it was too obvious. He was the clear choice as far as anyone was concerned... so they swapped."
"Who?" Minerva demanded. "Who... not Remus? No..." her voice trailed off as Vernon broke across her pained words.
"No, no of course now. Rem would never... it was Peter. Peter was secret keeper."
Minerva's eyes widened, and she pulled her wand out. "I have to go. I'll... I have to tell Albus. I'll... I'll come and see you later. I have to... Shit."
If Min hadn't been the bearer of such awful news, Vernon would have burst out laughing and jokingly told her off for swearing. But while his mind was able to register that thought, he could also feel the shock coming on. "Min, who has Harry?"
"Hagrid.. I think. I'll send him to you... or will that be a problem? Petunia..." she trailed off.
Vernon snorted. "If it's a problem for her, it's her problem not mine. Dud and I will head home, send Rubeus over with Harry as soon as you can. Give me half an hour. And... when you see the boys... Paddy, Rem... tell them they're welcome. No matter what Pet has said in the past, they're family, and they're welcome."
Minerva smiled for the first time since breaking the news. "I will. Take care Vernon. And take care of Harry."
And with that, Min raised her wand, her body lifting and spinning in the confined space of the car, and with a pop, she vanished.
Vernon, with a half smile, kissed the top of Dudleys head again "Never have quite gotten used to that." Looking down, he saw that Dudley had drifted off to sleep, thumb still securely in his mouth.
Carefully, Vernon shifted out of the front seat, opened the back door and buckled Dudley back into his car seat.