Raising Harry
PetuniaxSirius, Harry
Rated T
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or its characters from the franchise. That honor belongs to JK Rowling
Raising Harry
Chapter 4: The Leaky Cauldron, Diagon Alley, and Severus
Petunia decided three days later on how to try and get into contact with Severus Snape. The only issue she had with how she was going to do it was finding it. The place she was going into London with Harry to look for today was called The Leaky Cauldron. She had only been there once with Lily, her parents, Severus, and his mother Eileen when her sister was about to start her first year at Hogwarts and needed to get her supplies. She hadn't been there since, but she was going to take the risk of going there now for Harry's sake. She wouldn't be able to see the entrance, wherever it was, but Harry would be able to and she was counting on that.
"Harry, are you ready to go? We need to get to the bus stop before the bus arrives," Petunia called up the stairs as she grabbed her purse and coat. It was rather chilly outside so she opted for a pair of jeans and a purple sweater shirt with warm boots on her feet. The sound of little footsteps running towards the staircase was heard and it wasn't long before Harry appeared wearing his own pair of jeans and a red sweater with his black tennis shoes on his feet. She smiled down at him as he grabbed his own coat from the lowest prong on the coat rack and put it on. Looking up at her he said, "Ready, Auntie!"
The blonde nodded and she and her nephew exited their house, Petunia locking the door behind her before taking Harry's hand and walking down to the nearest bus stop. Along the way Harry babbled on about the chocolate cake that he and his classmates had the day before at preschool. He said it was good, but that Petunia's was better and that no one could make a cake better than her. Petunia smiled at his childish innocence as they reached the bus stop, moments before the bus pulled up allowing them to climb aboard.
During the bus ride Harry kept looking out of the window in awe, especially as they entered London. It wasn't long before they got off of the bus and Petunia began to look at the street signs to see if they were on the right street. While she did so Harry asked, "Aunt Petunia, where are we going?"
"Somewhere only you can see, and hopefully we can get in touch with your mummy's old friend," Petunia answered as they walked along. Before she knew it she came across Charing Cross Road, and realized that it was here where the entrance to The Leaky Cauldron was. Looking at the buildings, all she saw was an old, broken-down shop, but Harry began to bounce and point, saying, "Auntie, let's go inside. Other people are going in, too."
And he was right; people wearing robes and peculiar hats were walking inside the broken down shop. Petunia and Harry walked into the old looking shop and followed a man, a wizard most likely, to the back of the shop and through a strange looking door. Upon entering Petunia and Harry were met with an onslaught of voices in what was obviously a pub. They had made it; they were in The Leaky Cauldron.
Petunia immediately felt on edge because she hadn't been around magical beings outside of Lily, Severus, and Eileen. Harry too was feeling a bit uneasy as he had never been around so many adults, and loud adults at that at one time. He immediately gripped his aunt's coat, causing her to bend down and pick him up, holding him close as she made her way through the crowd to the bar. She felt many pairs of eyes on her and the child in her arms as she walked along. Suddenly her arm was yanked, turning her around and causing her to almost drop Harry.
"Hey, what are you doing in here, Muggle?" some wizard asked, looking at her in disgust.
Bristling Petunia replied, "Don't you dare put your hands on me again. And what is wrong with being a Muggle? There are plenty witches and wizards who are Muggleborn and have Muggles for parents and siblings. I just so happen to be the sister of a Muggleborn and the only reason I am here is for my nephew. So you have no right to ask me why I am here when I have magical family. Therefore, step away from me right now."
The wizard looked very put out, causing the other patrons to chuckle in amusement. Harry, who had had his face hidden in his aunt's neck, looked up and softly said, "Auntie?"
"It's alright, Harry," Petunia answered soothingly, rubbing his back.
"Harry? Harry Potter? That's Harry Potter?!" a witch suddenly exclaimed, and suddenly the whole pub was in an excited uproar. Many of them rushed forward and surrounded Petunia trying to get a glimpse of Harry who was beginning to get overwhelmed and cry. Others tried to reach out and touch him, causing Petunia to move away only to move away from someone else. The blonde woman was beginning to get very angry at all of the people bombarding her and her nephew. She understood that Harry was some sort of celebrity in the Wizarding World, but he was a child, damn it!
Stomping her foot she yelled, "Stop it! Stop it right now!" Seeing she had everyone's attention she continued. "Stop harassing my nephew! You all are adults; act like it! He is a child, do you hear me? A child! You are scaring him and this is his first time since he was a toddler back in this world! If you had any common sense you would step away and leave him alone. Lily would be so very disappointed that her fellow witches and wizards would harass her only child. Harry is four years old and he doesn't know anything about this world or what he means to it, so leave him alone! I shouldn't have to scold you all, but you are acting like children and harassing an actual child. You wouldn't want your child to be harassed, so I won't allow you to do the same to my nephew. Show some respect!"
The witches and wizards had the decency to look guilty and apologized before going back to their seats, though their conversations quietly revolved around Harry Potter's presence with his Muggle aunt. Petunia huffed and walked over to the counter with Harry in her arms to the bartender and obvious owner. The man smiled and said, "That was a brave thing you did being surrounded by witches and wizards like that while defending your nephew."
"It shouldn't have had to happen, but someone has to let them know that attention is not always wanted," Petunia said answered still upset. Harry looked at his aunt's face and gave her a kiss on her cheek, instantly calming the woman down.
The man smiled at the display before saying, "Hello, I'm Tom, the owner of this establishment. You must be Lily Potter's sister since young Harry is your nephew."
The blonde nodded and said, "Yes, that's right, and it's nice to meet you. But I am here because I'm trying to get in contact with someone and don't know how in the Muggle World."
"Who is it that you are trying to get in touch with?"
"Severus Snape. He is an old friend of Lily's and I would like to request his help to educate Harry about the Wizarding World. He already has questions and I can't tell him much."
"Ah, that's understandable. Well, I do know that as of right now, he has taken employment at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He is the Potions professor there; he is also the youngest Potions Master to ever grace Wizarding Britain. He got his certificate dubbing him a Potions Master at twenty-one. Twenty-one, can you believe it?"
"I can, actually. He was always rather smart. But Hogwarts, you say? I can't get there by myself."
Tom looked thoughtful for a moment before saying, "Well, you could always go into Diagon Alley and buy an owl. They make great messengers and fantastic pets."
Petunia wasn't too sure about having a bird inside her house, no matter how well trained it was. But she also figured it would be good to get in touch with her sister's childhood friend. Making a decision she looked at her nephew who was watching glasses of drinks float by themselves towards a table and said, "Harry?"
Harry turned his green eyes up to his aunt's blue and said, "Yes, Aunt Petunia?"
"Would you like to have a pet?"
"Really?!"
"Yes, how about it?"
"Yay!"
Harry hugged his aunt happily and asked what kind of pet they were getting. She told him an owl and he never looked so excited to Petunia. Tom led them out of the Leaky Cauldron through the back and into an alley way up to a brick wall. He took out his wand a tapped certain bricks before the wall opened and revealed a very busy street with all kinds of shops, all of which were hidden from the Muggle World. Tucking his wand away, Tom said, "Welcome to Diagon Alley. I will escort you to Eeylops Owl Emporium just as soon as I can get Gordan to watch over the pub for me."
Tom disappeared back into the Leaky Cauldron for a moment before returning and leading Petunia and Harry towards the pet shop. Harry had been put down and was eagerly dragging his aunt behind the wizard that was leading them. Before long they reached the shop and Tom led them inside, their ears being filled with noises from the caged animals. Harry immediately ran towards the cages housing the different species of owls. Petunia walked after him and waited for him to choose one that he would like. She knew he had chosen one when his green eyes locked on a beautiful Snowy Owl and widened in awe. Stepping up to the cage Harry looked up at the snow owl that was staring back at him in curiosity and said, "Hello, there. You are very pretty and your feathers are lovely. Would you like to come home with me?"
The owl made a light crooning noise an affectionately nipped Harry's finger that was on the cage, making the four year old giggle. Turning to the blonde woman standing behind him he asked, "Can I have it, Auntie?"
"Of course you can," Petunia replied before taking the cage and walking with it to the counter. The clerk behind the counter looked up at her and smiled saying, "Ah, I see you are buying the Snowy Owl. She has been here for a while now, but I'm glad that you chose her. She will be five Galleons and two Sickles."
Petunia's blue eyes widened as she heard what the owl would be worth. She didn't have Wizard currency and hadn't thought to get any until now. Frowning she looked down at Harry and said, "Oh Harry, we might not be able to get her today."
Harry's happ y expression turned into a sad one and he hung his head in sadness, only to snap it back up in surprise when the clerk suddenly exclaimed, "Harry Potter! Oh wow! You may have the owl for free!"
"Oh no, we couldn't just take the owl without paying."
"No, I insist. A great owl for a great young wizard. Please take her."
Petunia was still hesitant to take the owl for free, but Harry's puppy dog eyes melted her reserve and she agreed. She took the cage holding Harry's new owl and stepped out of the shop only to run into Tom who was waiting outside.
Tom smiled and said, "What a lovely bird."
Harry nodded happily and said, "Yes, and she's pretty, too."
Petunia and Tom chuckled before Petunia asked the man where he had gone off to. He responded telling her he went to Flourish and Blotts to pick up a book that he thought would be good for both her and Harry to have. Handing the book over Petunia saw that it was titled A History of Magic. She thanked him and allowed him to escort them back to the Leaky Cauldron and Charing Cross Road before bidding them farewell. The blonde woman hailed a taxi and she and Harry got inside, along with the new bird. They rode back to their house where Petunia paid the cabdriver before he drove off and they entered their home.
Walking in they took the cage to the living room and placed it on the coffee table. Petunia opened the cage and the owl flew out and circled the room before landing on the table in front of Harry. Harry, who had been looking through the book they had just gotten, giggled and lightly stroked the bird's feathers. Looking at his aunt he said, "I saw a name in this book that I want to name her."
"Really? And what would that name be?" Petunia asked curiously.
"Hedwig," Harry said with a grin before looking back at the owl. "Your name is Hedwig now."
Hedwig crooned and nipped Harry's nose lightly, making him laugh in delight. Petunia giggled and reached out to stroke Hedwig as well. Hedwig was quite frankly enjoying all of the attention that she was getting.
"Hedwig, will you deliver a letter for me after I write it?" Petunia asked the bird. When Hedwig trilled in response and seemingly nodded her head, Petunia grabbed a notepad and pen and began to write a letter for Severus Snape. When she was done she folded the letter and found an empty envelope and placed the letter in it. She wrote Severus' name on it before handing the letter to Hedwig, telling her to take it to the man. Hedwig flew to a window and waited for Petunia to open it before flying out.
"Will she come back?" Harry asked.
Petunia looked at her nephew with a smile and said, "You can guarantee it."
At Hogwarts in the dungeons, Severus Snape was in his private quarters looking at an old photo of him and Lily together when they were first starting Hogwarts together. It was taken at Kings Cross Station and it was one of the only photos he treasured of Lily, the last one of them taken together the summer before their sixth year, the year that everything changed between them. In it Lily was hugging him closely and was grinning happily. The reason for it was that he and Lily had given each other their first kisses and were almost dating, but when he thought to make it official, he lost her trust in him and they stopped being friends.
Severus was heartbroken to see the love of his life dating his mortal enemy, and then later marrying him. He was just as upset to find out that she had fallen pregnant with Potter's spawn. But for him the final blow was her death. He had told her just a week before her death that he loved her and had since they were children and that he was so very sorry for what he had said. Lily had seemed taken aback by his confession and really touched. Before he left, she had made him promise her to if anything ever happened to her and James, for him to watch out for Harry. She had seen his reluctance and mentioned that he had her eyes; Severus has always told her she had beautiful eyes and loved them. Lily had also given Severus one last kiss, in it spilling the love she still held for him before telling him 'goodbye'. Severus still treasured that memory from three years ago. However, he believed he was failing in keeping his promise to watch out for her son, especially since he had no idea where he was.
The sound of wings flapping caught his attention and he turned his head to the open window near him to see a Snowy Owl flying his way. Confusion apparent on his face he watched as the owl flew into his private quarters and landed on his desk, dropping the letter in its beak before beginning to groom its feathers. Taking the letter the bird had just dropped, Severus looked at the handwriting and didn't recognize it. Opening it he took out the letter and began to read.
Dear Severus,
I know that I am the last person that you would have ever expected to hear from, but I am writing to you to ask for your assistance. You see, I am Harry's official guardian now that Lily and her husband are dead. He has discovered some time ago that he is magical and doesn't completely understand. He had asked me questions and I have given him very general answers, though I don't think that I have explained everything to him well.
I am reaching out to you to help in educating Harry about his magical heritage. You were the only person that I could think of to do so, and since you are Lily's childhood friend, it only seemed fitting. I am off from work tomorrow, so you can come tomorrow should you agree to this favor. My address is 4 Privet Drive, Little Whingingm, Surry. Please send your response back with Hedwig, and thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Petunia Dursley (nee Evans)
Severus' black eyes widened at the words he had read. Lily's son was living with her annoying sister? He wondered if the boy was alright, as he clearly remembered Petunia hating anything to do with magic. Deciding to take Petunia up on her offer, he wrote a quick reply before sending it off with Hedwig. And as the bird flew away, he couldn't help but be interested in seeing how the following day would go.