A/N: And so our story continues! Charlie shall make his first apperence in the next chapter...or perhaps the one after that. We shall see.


Rose stood on the door step of the rather boring looking house on rather boring Privet Drive, in an extraordinarily boring looking black suit that made her feel like a stuffy lawyer. Though, that was a good thing, the presumed, all things considered. In a last attempted for some excitement, she ruffled her slicked back pixie cut, causing it to spike. Satisfied, she rung the doorbell and waited.

"Aunt Rosie!" The door was thrown back quite un-boringly and a very skinny boy threw himself into her arms, making her laugh.

"Harry!" Rose exclaimed in an exact copy of the young boy's exuberance. She ruffled his shaggy hair and pulled him back so she could look at him. "Look at you, you're so big! You're almost as tall as me now!" And he was, for Rose Evans was a very short woman. "Petunia must be feeding you miracle grow!"

"Hello Rose." In hearing her older sister's voice, she looked up to see Petunia's rather tight smile and Rose dropped her arms from Harry's back. If she hadn't have been listening, she would have missed Harry's mutter of "Pretty close, actually."

Rose walked to Petunia and gave her a rather loose hug, and they both kissed cheeks as Petunia mentioned how much they had missed her, and Rose said that she had been quite busy lately, while they both broke away quite awkwardly. Petunia put a hand on her sons shoulder then, and Rose gave the boy a pat on the head with a fleeting comment about how big he was too, that they must be feeding him like a horse! Though actually she thought the boy was rather fat and arrogant looking.

"Rose, it's a pleasure as always." Vernon held out his hand to the much smaller woman, and she took it, shaking his clammy hand once before dropping it, hiding her disgust.

"Likewise, Vernon. However I won't be staying long. I must be on a plan back to America by 6:30 sharp!" A lie, of course, but Rose beamed down at Harry and sold it. "I was hoping I could steal Harry for a little bit, for a little birthday celebration, since I won't be in town for a little bit." Rose didn't even pause as she turned and lead the boy out of the house, waving away any sputtering words the two elder adults might have said. "I'll have him back soon!"

Her heels clicked against the pavement as she steered a smiling Harry out of the drive way and down towards their favourite place; the woods. Once out of view of the house, both burst out laughing.

"Did you see the look on Vernon's face when I took you? He looked like he was going to have a heart attack!" Rose's laugh was like a tinkling bell, and always made Harry smile. He always missed her when she was away, and cherished the time he had with her. She was like an escape of his horrid life.

"Yeah, and Dudley looked like he wanted to choke me." Harry couldn't help but roll his eyes as he pushed the bridge of his glasses up his nose.

Rose smiled and shook her head, and leading him to their favourite tree, she proceeded to shuck her black blazer and matching heels. She rolled up the stark white sleeves of her blouse and scaled the tree in seconds, reaching down to help the more awkward Harry up and onto the large branch of the tree that would face the sunset. Rose crossed her ankles and swung her feet idly while Harry pulled his legs up to his chest, and for a while they sat in silence, just enjoying each others company.

"Aunt Rosie, you're not going to America, are you." Harry looked up at the twenty year old woman who sat beside him, staring at the expanse of blue sky as he asked a question that wasn't a question.

She smiled, amused. Harry was the only one of the Dursley's who knew she was not an inspiring lawyer. He didn't know the whole truth, of course, but he did know that she worked in Romania with large animals. He just didn't know how large they were, or that she had not rode a plane since she passed her Apparition test. "No Harry, I'm not going to America. But don't tell Petunia that." Rose winked at Harry, mischievous green eyes looking into glasses clad green eyes.

For a while they sat on the branch and talked about anything and everything, making up for lost time with one another. Rose would make Harry laugh with her jokes, and she would smile at all the dreams Harry told her about. But it was when she put her hands on her sides that she remembered the reason for her visit.

"Oh! Before I forget, I have your birthday present." Harry knew better then to argue with her, and merely sat in curiosity as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a small box wrapped in shiny red paper and wrapped with a yellow bow. The colors of Gryffindor, though she didn't say that. Harry took it in his hands and smiled as he turned it over and over. The presents he got from his Aunt Rosie were the only presents he ever got, and he always appreciated them.

Rose smiled and nudged him with her shoulder. "Well go on, then! Open it!"

Harry didn't wait for another moment and tore into the package, giving the paper and bow to Rose's outstretched hand until he was down to a small brown box. He tilted his head to the side as he lifted the top of the box and emptied it onto his hand. It was a thin gold chain that had two gold rings hanging from it, one smaller then the other. Harry looked up at Rose, confused.

Rose's smile was soft as she touched the necklace. "They were your parent's wedding rings. This one was Lily's," she touched the smaller one. Then her hand moved to the bigger one. "And this one belonged to James." She looked up at Harry then. "You look just like him, you know. He even wore the same type of ridiculous glasses." Rose pushed those glasses up his nose with a crooked smile.

"And you have her eyes. Lily I mean." Rose's smile softened again and she took the necklace and slipped it around Harry's neck, tucking it under his shirt. "There. Now you will always have them near your heart, hmm?"

Her response was having Harry throw his arms around her and hug her tight. "Thank you, Aunt Rosie. It's the best gift you could give me."

Rose put an arm around his back and hugged him as well, the only reminder of a happier time in her life. She kissed the top of his head and turned to look at the sun that was already starting to settle on the horizon. She pulled away and moved to climb down the tree. "Come on, kiddo. I better get you home."

They walked down the street, much slower then when they were escaping, as Rose carried her shoes in one hand and her coat slung over one arm, her shirt untucked. When they were a few houses away from number 4, Rose stopped and turned Harry to face her, her face an odd mask of seriousness.

Harry furrowed his eyebrows as he looked up at her. "What's wrong, Aunt Rosie?"

Even though Harry was only about a head shorter then her 5'1, she still crouched down in front of him, and put her hands on his shoulders. "I need you to listen to me, Harry. Things are going to change for you very soon, and it's going to cause a lot of confusion. Things are going to be very different, and you will be thrown into a world that you may not fully understand." She pushed back his bangs and touched the small, lightning bolt scar on his forehead lightly. She trailed her hand down his neck and to the two rings that sat there. "But I need you to promise me something." Rose looked into his eyes, searching.

Harry, though thoroughly confused, nodded to his aunt. Rose took a breath and continued. "I need you to promise me that you will never loose sight of what's important, okay? Remember where you came from, and remember who you are. What you can do, whatever your talents are, they don't make you. You create the person you will be." Rose smiled then and stood, ruffling his hair so that it fell back in place over his scar.

"Now off with you, boy! Before you're late for super!" She nudged him towards his house. She watched as he turned and started walking, but then turned and ran back to give her a big hug that nearly knocked the wind out of her.

"When will I see you again?" His voice was muffled because of her shirt and she smiled and kissed the top of his head again, pulling back to look down at him with a wink.

"Sooner then you think, Harry. Sooner then you think." Harry pulled back then and turned to go, making it several feet away before he was called to a stop by his aunt. "Oh and Harry! If you happen upon a man named Hagrid – rather tall fellow, with a lot of hair – trust him! And send him my regards!"

Harry smiled at that and waved while he ran the rest of the way home. Rose watched as he was pulled inside, and then counted to five before turning to walk away, only to disappear from sight.


A/N: Do tell me what you think!