Chapter 1

Saying Goodbye to Privet Drive

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and any of its characters, location etc. (You get the point)

Privet Drive was calm. Everyone was asleep except Harry Potter. He was lying on his bed but couldn't sleep. He had different things on his mind, like the death of former Headmaster Dumbledore, Sirius and Cedric. He couldn't help but feel that he's the reason they're dead. Even for his parents death he feels guilty, if it wasn't for him Voldemort wouldn't have even came to Godric Hollow. His thoughts switched to a certain redhead who captured his heart, Ginny Weasley. He broke it off with her some days ago and since then he feels like a part of him is missing. He just couldn't live with himself if something happened to her because of him. 'No, I made the right decision.' Harry thought to himself.

He was awoken out of his thoughts by the snores of his best mate Ron Weasley. He turned over the see Ron and remembered he wasn't alone. Hermione Granger his other friend was staying in the guest room that Aunt Petunia offered her. Come to think of it Aunt Petunia has been a lot nicer lately. She's probably glad that I'll be gone for good by the end of the week.

"Harry, are you still awake?"

Harry recognized the voice coming from Ron. He didn't know he had woken up.

Harry replied: "Yeah, I couldn't really catch sleep. Why are you up?"

"I can't sleep either. All I want to do is find and destroy the horcruxes so we can get to Voldemort and kill him once and for all."

"We better get some sleep, we need to start figuring out where the remaining horcruxes are and we can think better if when we aren't sleep deprived."

"Right, goodnight"

"Night" Harry said, his thoughts now went to the horcruxes. 'I wonder what and where they are.' He decided to start figuring that out tomorrow with the help of his friends. Surely Hermione could figure that out. She's the smartest witch Harry ever met.

And Harry went to sleep.

(Next Morning)

"Wake up... wake up sleepy heads"

"Five more minutes, mom, just five" Ron responded from under his pillow"

"Ron Weasley, I am not your mother. But still I demand that you get up at once" Hermione said sounding a bit annoyed by being compared to Mrs. Weasley.

Harry got up before he also receives a scowl.

"Harry, good you're up. You're aunt 's expecting us downstairs, I think she has something to tell us."

Harry wondered what her aunt wanted. She has never shown any interest in him before.

He quickly got dressed and headed downstairs while Hermione resumed trying to wake Ron up.

When he got downstairs he smelled a delicious smell of pancakes and again wondered about his aunt.

"O good, Hermione managed to wake you guys up. What kind of pancakes do you want?"

"Uhm... blueberries please" Harry was startled by the way his aunt was acting.

At that moment Hermione came in with a smile and sat down at the table. She was happy that she woke Ron up. Seconds later Ron came in a bit grumpy because he was denied some of his sleep.

Aunt Petunia made breakfast for all three of them and sat down. She looked a little nervous. "Harry, I have some things to tell you. Your friends can also hear this"

Harry was surprised at how nervous she looked and realized that she would tell him something very important. He nodded and motioned to her to proceed.

She smiled and then cleared her throat to begin her story.

"Harry, I wasn't always honest with you. I've been living with a secret for some time now and I think it's time to let you in on my secret. It started years ago when your mom and me were children. We were the best of friends, unfortunately we grew apart after Lily got her acceptance letter to Hogwarts. I was jealous to say the least. Mom and dad were so proud, Lily was talented, she could do magic. I was on the other hand still Petunia, plain old Petunia. That changed later on when I got my acceptance letter."

Harry's eyes widened. 'No, it couldn't be. My aunt?'

"Yes Harry, I'm a witch" Ron spit the coffee he was drinking back out, Harry gasped and looked ready to faint while Hermione was calm and collected.

Harry regained his composure and asked: "Why didn't you tell me before?"

"Well I turned my back on the wizarding world long time ago. I go maybe twice a year to Diagon Alley to catch up on some news, but that's it. I suppose after some training I could use my wand the way I could back then."

"But why would you turn your back on the wizarding world?" Harry was a bit confused.

"I fell in love with a wizard. We were to be married; we were both going to be aurors. We were happy but the he had to go and be a deatheater. I was heartbroken, I came back to the muggles and tried to put everything associated with magic behind me. I married Vernon even though there was no love and then tried to come over as a perfect housewife to the world. That's why I acted the way I did. You reminded me of everything I left behind. I never hated you, I loved you but it was hard. Can you please forgive me?" And so Petunia ended her story with a sad tone.

Hermione got up and went to comfort her. Harry was digesting the information. Her mother's sister was a witch and never really hated him. Then he realized that he didn't hate her either. Maybe Uncle Vernon, but not her.

"It's okay. I forgive you." Harry said. He was curious to the reason why his aunt told him this now, so he asked.

"Well, you are going away for good. But another reason is that I'm thinking of rejoining the wizard population. I'm going to leave Vernon and go with Dudley. I know what's going on and I want to help protect you."

Harry smiled at this. His aunt actually wants to protect him.

"So technically Dudley's a squib?" Ron stated. Aunt Petunia sighs. "Actually Dudley's a wizard, but I asked Dumbledore to leave him alone so Vernon won't get angrier. He never received his letter but he's a wizard all right."

Harry stood up and was ready to leave. "Thanks Aunt Petunia for telling me this. We'll be going to Ron's house tomorrow but I think I'll see you after that." Harry said with a little smile.

The three were going back up while Ron was muttering: "Bloody hell, the Dursleys are wizards."

Nothing could get done after the revelation. They decided to work on the horcruxes at the Burrow.

(Next day)

"Dad's coming to pick us up with a few order members. He told me to have our stuff ready." Right after Ron finished speaking they heard Uncle Vernon screaming.

"I think they're here, let's go downstairs"

While Harry was descending the stairs he saw Mr. Weasley, Lupin, Tonks and Moody at the bottom of the stairs. Mr. Weasley asked them if they were ready to leave. Harry just wanted to say goodbye to his aunt. He walked towards her to tell her goodbye when she hugged him and whispered: "We'll be seeing each other soon." And she let go with tears in her eyes. Hermione was also teary eyed.

With one last glance at number 4, Privet Drive Harry got in de ministry car and was headed to the Burrow, which was more a home to him than Privet Drive ever was.