Chapter 3 – The Women Speak Up

Harry overheard from his breakfast in the kitchen that Uncle Vernon and Dudley were going to be gone for the afternoon and part of the evening. There was a junior boxing tournament all the way up in Bedford and both thought it was a good chance to watch youngsters learning to box or meeting some coaches or clubs that might be available for Dudley to join.

One of Harry's usual Saturday chores was washing and taking care of Vernon's car. Because they were leaving right about lunchtime, Harry had to finish the breakfast dishes and get right to the car. And Harry remembered that he also had to get over to Mrs. Figgs house in the afternoon for her mowing. At least Mrs. Figg was usually good about letting him take some breaks and giving him something cold to drink.

Harry had barely finished washing the car and cleaning up around the garage when he was called in to fix lunch. Vernon and Dudley were in a hurry to get going so Harry packed a bunch of sandwiches, enough crisps to feed 12 (or just Dudley) and some sodas. They grabbed the basket and said goodbye to Petunia. Harry placed the few remaining sandwiches they hadn't grabbed on the table for his aunt. She looked at them for a second, split them in half and went into the kitchen for some water. She came back and sat down and did something totally out of character; she asked Harry to sit at the table.

Looking a little shocked, Harry sat down. Aunt Petunia stared at him for a few seconds. "You seem surprised, Harry."

"I'm still getting used to the new household rules and attitude. It's a little disconcerting."

"Don't confuse the indifference or tolerance with anything like approval Harry. For Vernon and Dudley it's only about the money; their only reason not to continue their regular attitude."

Harry noticed that his aunt only spoke of the male members of the household. "And what about you Aunt Petunia?"

"Your headmaster was very rude when he was here last. Of course, he may have been a little provoked by what was said to him and about you. I've not been taken to task like that for a long time."

Harry remembered that his aunt had said exactly why she had hated magic in general and Harry specifically. "I can't apologize for him. He doesn't lose his temper very often if that helps any."

"That's probably a good thing. I was relieved that the house still stood. But he did say something that made me think about the whole messy situation about you."

Harry didn't know which of the many things Dumbledore said that day affected his aunt. He just nodded a little and hoped she would explain.

"That w…wizard said that if it hadn't been for your moth…Lily, I wouldn't still have Dudley or Vernon. I know you probably don't think much of me but I really do love Dudders and Vernon very much. I think.. I hope if faced with a choice that I could be brave enough to defend them like your mother tried to defend you."

"I've been mad and bitter for many years Harry. Lily was my best friend when we were growing up together. And I lost her. Twice! Once to the magical world and again when she died. It hurt when I couldn't join her in your world and I held it against her."

Harry was captivated by his aunt's story. "I'm not sure if she didn't try enough to mend fences or if it was totally my fault that we didn't stay close. All these new and different friends she had at school, secrets I wasn't allowed to know and then she had to go fall in love with your father. Things would never go back to the way they were between us. It was too late then. And then one Halloween, you showed up on our doorstep; with a note that said that my only sister and her husband were dead."

"I hated it; the utter loss. And I came to hate the whole magical world and especially you Harry. It had to be somebody's fault and you were here. And became the target."

"Vernon has his own reasons for hating magic and you especially as the nearest representative of that. Add in the fact that somehow he understood my loss and pain – that's how you ended up in the cupboard under the stairs."

This had been the longest real conversation Harry had heard from his aunt. Well, it wasn't really a conversation but an outpouring of grief and sadness and explanations.

"I can't ask you to forgive or forget what I've done to you Harry. It's way too late for that and I think I may not ever get over these feelings. But at least I can see them for what they are now. And I will try not to blame you for everything as I have."

Harry was still speechless at his aunt's confession. "So I have some sort of support from you?"

"What you have is my attempt to stop or slow down any more suffering at the hands of Vernon and Dudley. They have the rest of that compensation money coming and they are thinking of that. So the best place for you to be is out of their sight. I'll do what I can but I just can't openly defy Vernon. For a start, you can forget Vernon's rule concerning friends not visiting on the weekends if we're not here."

"There's another boxing exhibition in three weeks and I think we'll be visiting his sister Marge once or twice on these weekends until your birthday. You can have your friends over while we're absent but you'll still have to stay out of sight of the neighbors and get your chores done. Will that help a little?"

Harry nodded. "Yes, I appreciate that Aunt Petunia. Is there anything I can do to help you?"

"Just keep out of their way Harry and don't antagonize them. That would be the best help for me. I don't want to see anybody hurt anymore; my family or you. You're protecting us; Vernon will never believe that, but I have come to think so."

Harry felt awkward but he stood up and gave his aunt a hug. A first for both of them. Harry regained his seat and ate a quick lunch with his aunt and served her the last of the strawberry shortcake.

Looking at the time, Harry finished the water he was drinking and put all the dishes in the sink for washing later. He told his aunt that he was going over to Mrs. Figgs.

Harry was almost at the door but turned around as something else occurred to him. "Aunt Petunia?"

"Yes?"

"Do you suppose .. could I go out in the morning and do some running before breakfast?"

"As long as your back here in time to fix up breakfast for everyone, it should be ok. Leave some extra time to cool off and clean up; Vernon won't appreciate any sweat of yours in his eggs."

Harry smiled as his aunt almost had made a joke there. Maybe the summer wasn't going to be so bad after all, no matter what the confinement. Harry told his aunt he was leaving again but stopped when she called out to him.

"Harry, don't forget your wand; just in case. And sometime you'll have to tell me the story sometime of how you have permission to do underage magic."

Harry's eyes opened wide at that statement but he hurried back upstairs and got his spare wand and put it in his wrist holder. On his way back down he gave his aunt a quick hug and practically ran down the street.

Petunia Dursley had a very surprised look on her face as she watched her nephew head out for even more chores.

Xxxx xxx

It only took a couple of minutes for Harry to make his way over to Mrs. Figgs house. She opened the door when he knocked and Harry used some of his seeker reflexes to catch two of the cats that wanted to have an afternoon stroll outside.

Mrs. Figg apologized for the animals and led Harry around to the side of the house and to a small shed. Levering open the doors Harry saw a number of gardening tools inside as well as an old but functioning rotary mower. Harry took a look out the shed door and was glad that the yard wasn't that big. Mrs. Figg had seen the glance and told Harry that the back yard was a trifle bigger but shouldn't take much time. Harry pulled the old mower out and got to work. It didn't take a lot of time to actually cut the front yard grass but Harry had to go back to the shed for some tools for trimming around the fences and the sidewalk.

Harry decided to take a break and went back to the front door to ask Mrs. Figg how far back she wanted the bushes trimmed. The older lady came out but told Harry he looked hot and that he should take a break. She led Harry through the side gate into the back yard. Harry found an old metal table there with three chairs under a big elm tree. Mrs. Figg told him to take a seat in the shade and she would bring him out something cold to drink.

Harry looked around and just enjoyed sitting in the shade and letting the little breeze cool him off a little. He heard the door to the house open behind him and wondered what Mrs. Figg was bringing out.

"Was that just cold water or some lemonade you wanted dear?"

Harry turned at the sound of the voice. "Whatever you have will be fine Mrs. F …Weasley?" The last part of Harry's answer was finished in a squeak as he saw that it wasn't Mrs. Figg coming out of the house but Mrs. Weasley. And she was followed by Mrs. Granger. Harry felt his face flush and then he felt a little dizzy. Things were just happening too fast today.

He looked up to see both the women watching him closely. Harry stood up and took the tray Mrs. Weasley was holding and placed it on the table. "Not that I'm not happy to see you both but why are you here? Oops, that sounded awful rude of me. Let's start again. Hello."

Harry was grabbed up in one of Mrs. Weasley's giant hug and had barely caught his breath when Hermione's mother followed with one of her own for him. The three sat down at the table and shared the pitcher of cold lemonade.

"Sorry to startle you Harry", Mrs. Weasley started. "Dee and I had a free afternoon and we thought we would stop and have a chat with our daughter's boyfriend."

Harry's cheeks flushed just a little bit and he had to concentrate on not choking on the sip of lemonade he had in his mouth. He looked around the yard just a little suspiciously.

"I never asked Hermione or Ginny to keep it a secret from anybody but is there a chance I'll survive the reaction from Ginny's brothers or Mr. Granger the next time I see them?"

Mrs. Granger and Mrs. Weasley looked at each other and broke out laughing. "It's ok Harry", Dee Granger said. "Mr. Granger knows because Hermione told us both on the car ride back from King's Cross. She was so happy that Tony didn't dare say anything against it."

"And Ginny told me and Mr. Weasley at bedtime that night. She seemed really happy but she knows not to tell her brothers quite yet."

Harry let out a big sigh of relief. "So, how's Ron doing?"

Mrs. Weasley frowned a bit at that. "He's grounded for three weeks. No flying, no snacks, and he's giving Arthur and me a daily progress report on the homework he has this summer."

That sounded like absolute torture for Ron but Harry had mostly forgiven his sometimes friend for attacking him. "Mrs. Weasley, could I make a suggestion?"

Mrs. Weasley wasn't sure what Harry wanted but she was willing to let him speak.

"If Ron behaves himself for two weeks would you consider going easier on him? Ginny and I understand how Ron gets a lot better now so maybe we can catch it before it gets too bad. I think we are going to try telling everyone else in your family about the soul bond once I got to The Burrow after the six weeks here. That may or may not help him to understand and not fly off the handle."

"That's commendable Harry seeing as you were the injured party. Do I sense something else going on in that sharp mind of yours?"

Harry grinned at the compliment. "Something that Neville Longbottom told me before we left Hogwarts. That Ron might have been jealous because he hadn't anybody special in his life. I'm not one for telling tales but I think Ron is starting to fancy Luna. Maybe hanging out with her would do him a lot of good in a couple of ways."

"And divert him a little from paying so much attention to what Harry Potter or his sister is doing?" Mrs. Weasley gave Harry a smile. "That's a good idea. I think Luna would be good for Ron also but I'll not push them together. But if she gets invited over to see Ginny a little more often…"

Harry smiled but sobered up quickly. "Do either of you mind that I asked Ginny and Hermione to be my girlfriends? I realize it's very unconventional but they told me that if I hadn't asked them they would have asked me on the Hogwarts's Express on the way home."

Molly Weasley shook her head. "That sounds like my daughter. I don't mind since you are all magically connected but I worry that someone is going to get hurt down the line. You are all so young. But…"

'Uh-oh' Harry thought. 'Why is there always a but?'

"My daughter flooed home last night but rushed up to her room immediately once she saw me. That's not her usual behavior. I thought you had upset her somehow. Do you know what I found when I got up to her room?"

"I have no idea Mrs. Weasley." Harry was getting ready to be blasted out of his chair by an irate mother. Maybe if he asked nice, she would just 'Obliviate' him so that the last day would be like it had never happened.

"She was crying her head off. I was about to come and straighten you out myself but I suddenly realized something. She had no control – she was laughing! She finally broke down and told me what Fawkes had done to the three of you."

"Wait a minute – you aren't mad at me?"

"Molly came out of our floo smiling a few minutes later." Mrs. Granger was also smiling. "She told me the whole story and I just called Hermione down from her room to confirm the whole story. She couldn't figure out if blushing or laughing was the thing to do."

"Would either of you nice ladies care to explain to me why you're both so calm about something I got very upset about?"

Mrs. Granger leaned in to put a hand on Harry's arm. "We're about to tell you a universal truth Harry. Most boys don't realize this till much later in life. Most girls are way ahead of boys in emotional and mental development."

Harry nodded in agreement. "I already suspected that. I'm totally rubbish at feelings and such. Your daughters are doing a fair job of educating me though."

"That's why we're not upset with you. Both our daughters would do serious damage to you if you did anything you shouldn't. Before we got to you. And it wasn't anything you tried to do."

"That's why I'm letting them set the pace. If there's any pace to be set; I'm very happy and content with just the hugs and occasional kisses."

"We know Harry and we understand the attraction and temptations you all are going through. We just wanted to check with you to make sure you felt the same way still."

"Truth be told Harry, accidents like that happen more often than anybody will admit to." Harry watched as Mrs. Weasley blushed a little. "My first year at Hogwarts, someone decided that banishing everybody's clothes during a flying lesson would be a grand prank. Can you imagine what 24 first years looked like when they were thirty feet off the ground and all their clothes suddenly vanished? Not only were 48 hands busy trying to cover themselves and steer a broom at the same time but you had to keep your eyes open to make sure you didn't crash or fly into somebody else! It's wonder none of us were scarred for life."

Harry snickered at the image of 2 dozen naked bottoms flying around the Quidditch pitch but caught himself as he realized that Mrs. Weasley had to have been one of them up there also. 'Bad, bad, bad!' Harry thought of himself.

Mrs. Granger tapped Harry on the shoulder. "I'll take a pass on telling my story for a while. I'm not sure I could top Molly's anyway."

"That story is something that I'm not supposed to pass along, isn't it?"

"There are some stories that don't get passed along Harry. If I catch Ginny asking me anything about flying naked, I'll know who told her."

"That brings us to the next little discussion." Mrs. Granger's face was unreadable as she addressed Harry. "Leading our daughters into danger."

"I never wanted them to go with me. I tried stopping them but they wouldn't listen. I had to try stopping…" Harry felt frustrated by his feelings. Ginny and Hermione had gone only because they hadn't wanted to let him face things alone.

"I'm so sorry they got involved" Harry finally said. He left himself open for the verbal attack he felt coming.

"Just don't do it again!" That both mothers said it jointly made it very real. Harry was on the verge of tears again. He was surprised to receive some gentle hugs from Mrs. Weasley and Mrs. Granger.

Mrs. Weasley picked up Harry's chin to look at him. "Not only did we get worried about our daughters Harry but we also got scared about maybe losing you too. You're important to everyone in our families – not just your girlfriends."

"Thanks Mrs. Weasley, Mrs. Granger. I appreciate you telling me that. I really hate to be rude but I should get back to mowing Mrs. Figgs lawn. I don't want to have my aunt get suspicious about me spending too much time down here."

"I'll take care of that Harry. Dee has a favor to ask you."

Harry watched as Mrs. Weasley stood up and went over to stand by the side gate. Harry didn't hear what she said but she made a back and forth swipe with her wand and the lawn was suddenly mowed. Harry applauded her as she returned to her chair. "Just a simple combination of a cutting and a banishing charm Harry. Please don't tell the boys that it's just that easy. They need to earn their allowances."

"I've just got to get one of those wands for Tony" Mrs. Granger joked. "He'd enjoy getting the lawn done that way."

She turned back to look at Harry. "The Granger family vacation starts soon. We're leaving for a week starting Friday Harry and we'll be in the southern part of France for most of that time. And Hermione probably won't be able to contact you, bond magic or not. I was wondering if you could write her a small letter or two that I could give to her if she misses you too much."

Harry smiled. "That's a wonderful idea. I'm sure she'd appreciate it. Let me go ask Mrs. Figg if she has any writing material I could use."

Harry left the two ladies and made his way into the house. He soon came back out and Mrs. Weasley and Mrs. Granger left him alone for fifteen minutes while he wrote Hermione two one page notes. He sealed them into envelopes and put a number one and two on the outside to let Hermione's mother the order he wrote them in.

Both Mrs. Granger and Mrs. Weasley gave hugs to Harry and he watched as they apparated away together. Harry hoped Mrs. Granger did better with a side along apparition that he usually did.

Harry put away all the tools he had used along with the mower back in the shed. He politely declined the couple of pounds that Mrs. Figg offered him and said he had been more than compensated by meeting with his girlfriend's mothers for a while.

Harry returned to 4 Privet Drive and wondered if all his Saturdays were going to be as unusual as the one he had just had.