Chapter 12: Tea for Three
Harry Potter led the queue into the Leaky Cauldron. He was slightly shocked at his Aunt Petunia's presence, but kept it hidden with in. Ginny looked up from where she was talking with Ron and Hermione and their children, Rose and Hugo. Ginny gazed over the group and stopping at Petunia. Though they had never met before, Harry's description and how she was close to Dudley allowed Ginny to recognize her. Ginny's stare was ice cold and was only turned away when Harry approached his wife and had a quiet disagreement.
"What is your Aunt doing here?" Ginny asked.
"I think, make amends," Harry said.
"After what she put you through?" Ginny asked, "She was worse than Dudley!"
"Ginny, everyone deserves a chance to feel remorse. Remember, I even asked Tom to try. If I can ask him, why not her?" Harry asked.
"Sometimes you make me question your sanity," Ginny said. Harry left and returned to his kids and the Dursleys.
"I'd like a private word with Dudley and Petunia please," Harry said, "Everyone else, follow Ginny." Emily looked at her husband and he nodded to her, agreeing with Harry's idea.
Harry walked to the aged Tom and said, "Tom, I need a private room."
"Yes sir, Mister Potter," Tom said as he came around the bar, "This way please." And so, Emily, her children followed Ginny, her children and her brother's husband, wife, and niece and nephew, while Harry, Dudley, and Petunia followed Tom into a cozy dinner room. They sat at the circular table, glancing at each other. Tom returned with some tea.
"That will be all," Harry said, paying for the tea. Tom gave a quick bow and left. Harry poured three cups.
"Aunt Petunia, three sugars, no cream, right?" Harry asked making the tea, she nodded. "And Dud, one sugar, and some cream?" Dudley nodded. He handed both of them their tea.
"You still remember that?" Petunia asked.
"I remember a lot," Harry said, "'Tuney'." Petunia chocked on her tea.
"How did you know that name?" Petunia asked shocked.
"I heard my mother call you it," Harry replied sipping some tea.
"How could that of happened?" Petunia asked, "You weren't even a few months old when she came with you to show me you. How could you remember that?"
"I didn't remember that," Harry said, "I learned it from 'that awful boy'." Petunia chocked on her tea again.
"Your father?" Dudley asked.
"No, Severus Snape," Harry said.
"How do you know him?" Petunia asked, "That boy?"
"He was a Professor at Hogwarts," Harry said, "He died fighting against Voldemort, protecting me to the very end."
"But Lily said he hurt her by calling her something," Petunia said, "She said that ended their friendship."
"Snape loved my mother, but was a fool. He called my mother the lowest insult to someone with no magical parents and that's what ended it. He also liked the Dark Arts, so with his friendship to my mother gone, he joined Voldemort," Harry said.
"Now this is confusing," Dudley interjected, "This Snape joined this evil guy, Voldemort, but then helped fight him?" Harry nodded. "What happened then?" Dudley asked.
"I was getting to it," Harry said. He sipped his tea and continued, "Voldemort came into possession, from Snape, a prophecy that foretold his fall by the hands of a baby. The prophecy could of meant two babies: myself and another. Voldemort choose that I was the threat and planned to murder my parents and me. This choice drove Snape away from him, because Snape still loved my mother. Snape sold himself to Dumbledore in exchange for Dumbledore's personal protection of my mother, father, and me. In return, Snape became a spy for us."
"Then what happened?" Petunia asked, "How did he find out where you hid?"
"The one person who could tell Voldemort where we were was a friend of my father's from school. He betrayed my parents to Voldemort and was the one Sirius was hunting down when he escaped," Harry said.
"So, what happened to Snape?" Dudley asked.
"Snape continued playing spy and protected me from a distance, never letting anyone know, expect Dumbledore. Do you recall when Dumbledore visited your house to pick me up? His hand looked really bad?" Harry asked. Petunia and Dudley nodded. "That hand was cursed, and it would kill him eventually. Due to that, Dumbledore ordered Snape to kill him if the first person Voldemort wanted to do failed. And then, at the end of my sixth year, the one who was first ordered failed. He couldn't kill Dumbledore. So Snape came in and did it for him." Harry stopped to drink some more tea. Dudley and Petunia were completely hypnotized by Harry's story. "After that, Snape fled Hogwarts," Harry said, "Only to return once the Death Eaters had the ministry. He was made Headmaster."
"But he was still a good guy?" Dudley asked.
"Yes," Harry said, "He covertly led me to a weapon that could help defeat Voldemort. Later, he was killed by Voldemort because Voldemort thought that doing so would allow him to unlock a powerful weapon."
"Did it?" Petunia asked.
"No," Harry said, "I was hiding near by and he gave me his memories before he died."
"'His memories'?" Dudley asked.
"Yeah, wizards can take out specific memories from their heads so others could see," Harry said, "It was in these memories I learned the truth about him, and where I heard that name." Harry looked at his aunt and cousin, whose mouths hung open like fish. "I believe there was something you wanted to tell me before that anecdote?" he asked Petunia. Petunia shook for a moment and then remembered why she came.
"So, you saw the memories of me as a child?" she asked, and Harry nodded, "Then you know I was horrible to my sister. I couldn't stand her being special."
"Why?" Harry asked.
"Because I was jealous. I was older, but she became more loved when my parents found out. I felt shunned and hated her for it," Petunia said, "I also hated that Snape for telling her in the first place. I hated Dumbledore for not allowing me to come. I hated your father for being with her. Their wedding was more important than mine to my parents. And then I hated my sister for being something I could never have been. But in spite of it all, part of me still loved my little sister." Harry looked at his aunt. He finally understood everyone who mattered to him. Dudley smiled, now knowing most of what had happened and that Harry seems to of forgiven Petunia. Petunia was just happy to tell Harry her feelings. Learning Snape
"Vernon can go swim to America for all I care," Harry thought, "My mother's sister and my cousin, both seeking amends for what they did. Love is truly a great power."
"So, now that we understand each other, want to go shopping?" Harry asked Petunia and Dudley.
Both smiled and said, "Yes." And so, they all stood up and left the room. They crossed to the back alley, where the entrance lay.
"I've never actually been here before," Petunia said blushing, "I either waited in the car or didn't come."
"Well, here we go then," Harry tapped the brick and waited, watching his family's face. Once again, they looked like fish with their mouths open. "Welcome to Diagon Alley."
