A/N: Back again this chapter is somewhat influenced by my recent health issues.
Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione began the lengthy and tedious process of becoming Animagus the Monday after Fred's funeral… That is to say, Hermione insisted on a sort of logistics meeting before they even started the process…
"So," she began formally. I've spent the weekend coming up with a plan for the Animagus transformation."
They were outside around the pond at Burrow, away from Molly who would undoubtedly pry and protest of their endeavors.
"Plan? It's called follow the list Mione, what's the point in any other plan?" It was a lazy question from Ron.
She huffed impatiently. "A list that includes drinking the potion during a lightning storm, being out during the full moon to catch its rays, keeping the potion away from sunlight. These things can go wrong Ron and that would mean starting all over, or getting stuck as a misshapen animal." Said Hermione in exasperation.
"Alright I hear you, what's your master plan then?" He asked seriously, now giving Hermione his undivided attention.
She continued instructionally. "First, we need to scout for a cave in advance, I've read up on this thoroughly over the weekend and sunlight destroys the integrity of the potion. That makes sense given the sun and moon's rays are oppose each."
"The cave around Hogsmeade we met up with Sirius in 4th year?" Harry suggested casually.
"Good thinking mate!" Said Ron enthusiastically.
"Yes that will be perfect when the time comes." Agreed Hermione praisingly and without looking up from her notes. "After we drink the potion we say the incantation—Amato Animo Animato Animagus with the tip of our wands over our hearts, and don't forget we have to say it every sunrise and sunset while waiting for a storm." She finished bluntly.
"Say that five times fast…" Said Ron grinning with amusement at the other two.
Harry sobered Ron. "We'll be saying it a lot more than five times I reckon mate. Now it makes sense why this took the marauders three years." He looked at Hermione uncertainly. "Err, it won't take us years, will it?"
She shook her head. "No, McGonagall gave us a head start. They did it on their own without any guidance—minus Wormtail but that's not surprising…" She bit her lip nervously. "Still, given some of these steps it seems like at the bare minimum it'll be two months from now, hopefully we'll be done by the time we go our separate ways for the year."
"One is the loneliest number." Said Ron quite subdued.
"But that's what you want most, to be number one, you'll have your shot with me not in Auror training for a year." Said Harry jovially.
"What makes so sure that's what I want most." Asked Ron defensively.
"You told it to me, seven years ago, it's the deepest most desperate desire of your heart." Said Harry with quiet seriousness.
"I did not think you two were that close back then and Harry was apparently a prophet." Said Ginny giggling with amusement.
Hermione however, looked at Ron with sympathetic eyes. "You… never told me that was what you saw looking in the mirror."
Ron shrugged while Ginny looked at them all curiously now. "What Mirror?"
"The Mirror of Erised, it shows the person staring into it the deepest, most desperate desire of their hearts." Said Harry quietly. "Dumbledore used it to guard the stone in our first year."
"Do you think it changes? Ron asked Harry quizzically.
"Depends I suppose." Said Harry quietly.
"Yours hasn't I bet." Said Ron quietly, trying to keep the pity out of his voice.
"Probably not…" Harry acknowledged.
Ginny was quiet suddenly, what would she have seen in the mirror, and if it did change what would she see now? The second was an easy answer, Harry, and she knew rather certainly that it would have been the same thing back then…
"You see your family don't you?" Asked Ginny delicately.
Harry nodded. "Yeah, only now our family is there too I'm sure of that."
"We'll get there…" Ginny dropped her head on his shoulder.
"Hopefully not too soon." Said Ron indifferently.
She rolled her eyes at her brother. "Such a hypocrite considering you've shagged don't you think, all it takes is one slip and you have a baby as before 20 like Mum and Dad." Said Ginny impatiently.'
Ron spluttered defensively while Hermione flushed a very deep pink and Harry looked entirely uncomfortable.
"Let's get back on track." Said Hermione pleadingly. "I think we should camp in a stormy climate once we get to the last step because we will be more in touch with nature in the wild and mastering the transformation will be a little easier… The last thing is when we start going about this." She looked cautiously at Harry. "I think we should wait until after Lupin and Tonks funeral, I know it hasn't been set but..."
"Yeah, sure, right… Good idea." Said Harry, sounding rather removed now. "I—I'm going for a walk."
Ginny frowned watching him get up, turn, and walk away without another word. "That's my cue." She smiled sadly before standing up and going after her future husband.
"I'm sorry." Said Hermione apologetically. "But I had to consider that…"
Ginny waved her hand shaking her head dismissively. "I know, we have a plan now which is good because Harry really needs this transformation. He checks out so abruptly… I have my work cut out for me."
Little did Ginny know that this would turn out to be quite literal…
Harry walked for quite sometime... Dealing with death and loss was nothing new. Lupin and Tonks death was a special sort of nagging guilt. That Teddy was an orphan, like Harry, like Tom Riddle, it made him feel sick… Before he knew it he was bent over barfing that morning's breakfast in a pool of vomit, twice more and then nothing but dry heaves…
"Harry!" Said Ginny in exasperation having finally caught up to him since he stopped walking. "Oh Harry…" She vanished the mess with a wave of her wand and rushed to his side so he could lean against her body for support.
"Ginny… I— "
"Don't talk Harry." She ordered sternly.
The twist in his gut was unbearable, his legs failed him and he was dead weight against Ginny's body. "Teddy Lupin is an orphan and I could have prevented that if I went to Voldemort sooner, I just can't handle, I think I hear the voices again… He was talking as if in between two conversations, it was very sudden.
"What do you mean Harry?"
"The arch, the voices are so loud, I think they are calling—it's so beautiful out, the sun is so bright. It's a shame… they can't see it. No wonder… They are…lonely.
Harry fell unconscious moments later.
She sighed. "Great." She carefully laid Harry down on the ground. The fact that he was significantly taller than him made this quite a feat. She pulled out her wand, muttered Renervate, and knelt down beside him placing her hand on his forehead for signs of a fever. He had none, yet Harry did not stir… "No… no, no, no no… No! HERMIONE RON!" She shouted for them as panic flooded every inch of her body, leaving her numb…
They were at her side within five minutes slightly winded with their eyes closed. "Ginny… what— " They paled immediately when they saw Harry unconscious.
Ron spoke hoarsely staring wide-eyed at Harry's unconscious form. "What happened?"
"By the time I caught up to him he'd vomited multiple times and then he was distraught about Teddy being orphaned and then he got delirious mumbling about loud, lonely voices and an arch and then just passed out. I tried Renervate but he won't nothing!" Said Ginny anxiously.
"He spirals so easily." Hermione bent down to check his pulse it was slowed but clearly distinguishable. "That's because this is not a magical or even a physical ailment… Let's get him back to the house. Hermione took care of this with a nonverbal Hover charm.
"Take him, take him to my room… I'll stay with him until he wakes up." She said determinedly.
"Ginny listen… I think he's fallen into a coma, I have been practicing Legilimency and I inadvertently saw into Harry's mind the day he broke his hand, it was an open book but also a chaotic mess."
"You're just telling me this now!" She said anxiously.
"I didn't want people to think I was probing their mind so I kept it to myself." Said Hermione her expression subdued. "It's nothing you don't instinctively know already Ginny."
"I know but I didn't think he would fall into a stress coma." Ginny looked shattered.
Hermione sighed heavily. "Honestly, I'm surprised it didn't happen just after the battle ended, Harry's mind right now, it's under the constant strain of guilt, loss, and post war expectations, it seems like he really has had enough." She said sadly.
"So you're saying he's cracked." Ron said a little too bluntly, for Ginny let out a small wounded cry. "Sorry Ginny." He said apologetically wrapping his arm around her.
Hermione shook her head "No Ron, quite the opposite his mind is trying to prevent itself from falling apart, though not every coma is a defense mechanism but this seems like one."
They made it to Ginny's room a few minutes later. Ginny took a seat right in front of her bed, looking utterly deflated…
"You can't just sit here sis, you'll go mad, you'll need to eat eventually and shower and use loo and sleep." Said Ron insistently.
"Like hell, I can't just sit here… I already thought lost him twice, maybe more than that if I really think about it… I won't, can't go through that again!" Said Ginny breaking into quiet sobs suddenly.
"Ginny…" They said together looking somber.
Fawkes flew through Ginny's open door and landed on her right knee, letting out a soft melancholy chorus of Phoenix song as he stared intently at Ginny.
Ginny felt the warmth that Harry always mentioned coming into contact with a Phoenix, she felt inexplicably less somber from his contact…
"Come off your perch to check on me?" Asked Ginny with an appreciative smile at Fawkes, gently stroking him by his feathers…
"She's gone right now, but I'm sure Mum will bring dinner up to you, it'll be okay Ginny." Said Ron consolingly.
"Only if he wakes up…" Said Ginny in a hoarse whisper.
Telepathy would be very useful in moments just like this one…
Coming Mione?
I will soon, but I'm going stay with her for a bit.
Can't magic fix him?"
No, Harry isn't having physical issues it's in his mind, he just checked out… All we can do is wait.
"I'm not good at doing nothing, I'll wait for Mum to get back from Diagon Alley, apparently a lot of shops that reopened are giving customers free stuff. I'll fill her in and keep her at bay for their sakes
You are a good brother, son and friend, I wouldn't be in love with you if you were not!
You have to say that, but I love you for it.
I don't have to say that, it's true…
Once Ron left Hermione took Ginny's hand. "He will be okay you know." Said Hermione kindly
"I waited for years, I gave him up for the rest of the world after only a few months, had to witness him dead, and now this."
"You're coping very well, I don't seem to cope with Harry suffering without, without crying." She began to sniff audibly now.
Ginny made a request looking determinedly at Harry's unconscious form in her bed. "Hermione, can you teach me Legilimency? I know it can be used to show people things, even if what they see isn't real." She sighed sadly. "Words, words aren't having an effect on Harry. I need to show him, what lasting peace and happiness looks like because I don't think he believes that it's possible, happiness is entirely fleeting to him."
"Yes I can teach you but you need rest so get some food and sleep, it won't work if you're tired or unfocused. We'll start in a few days." Said Hermione advisably.
"Thanks Hermione."
"You're welcome Ginny." She squeezed her hand tightly before leaving Ginny alone in her room.
"Harry I know you will hate that I'm doing this but it's long overdue… Expecto Patronum." She said quietly.
Standing on in the hallway between Ron and Ginny's room, Hermione thought out a message to Kingsley Shacklebolt and sent her silver otter off to deliver it.
"I just hope Kingsley tells me what I want to hear…" Said Hermione anxiously.
Mrs. Weasley, and the rest of that matter, were shocked by Harry's apparent stress coma. It was late evening now. Luna, who had spent the majority of the day working on her flower bed at the ruins of her house felt more optimistic about Harry's current state, even though there had been no change.
"Oh I expect he's having very good dreams." She told Ginny with a comforting smile."
"Thanks Luna." Said Ginny appreciatively.
"Oh look a patronus!" Said Luna excitedly.
Kingsley's Lynx bounded suddenly into the sitting room and spoke in his deep yet gentle voice. Good evening, I am sorry to hear about Harry's coma, PTSD is cropping up amongst the Auror office, people dealt with war and Death Eaters too long, it's not easy… Hermione I double checked and they have indeed been moved back to their original residence. Please let me know when Harry is awake, the storm of press and magical community demands to hear from him."
"I don't know why you're bothering with those barking people Hermione, what's done is done where they are concerned and Harry himself would tell you not to bother." Said Ron bluntly.
"That's precisely why I'm doing this because he thinks nothing of what they did and did not do!" Said Hermione hotly, well I definitely think plenty about it!"
"Suit yourself, Mione just remember their fire place is boarded up, so don't floo in unless you want them to be even more barking when you get there…" Ron fought back a laugh sharing a grin with George.
"I'm muggle born, I wouldn't floo into a Muggle house." Said Hermione slightly offended.
"Lucky them." Sad Ron fighting more laughter now.
"You coming? Tomorrow afternoon." Asking Hermione looking at Ginny now.
"Oh, Yes I am!" Said Ginny quite tensely.
"Don't go causing trouble girls, those people have the worst phobia of the magical community I have ever seen and you know my job within the Ministry." Said Arthur uneasily.
"We just want to know why!" They said angrily together.
"Bed!" Called Mrs Weasley to the room and so they all turned in for the night, Ginny sleeping right next to Harry even though he was still in a coma.
The following afternoon, Hermione helped Ginny don a in her words, Muggle friendly wardrobe…
"Hermione," Ginny began, sounding rhetorically blunt. "I have no intention of being chums with the people that made the first 15 years of Harry's life about the same as a House Elf."
"I know but we need to keep up appearances until we get in the door, and not for nothing, but their lives were uprooted for an entire year. Do you really want to spook them the moment we knock on the door?" Asked Hermione sounding blunt.
Both girls settled on wearing their funeral dresses again, the rationalization was that this would be equally as grim…
"So how do we do Apparate to Little Whinging without drawing attention to ourselves?" Said Ginny quizzically.
"I've made arrangements with Arabella Figg, to Apparate directly into her house." Said Hermione matter of factly.
"The Squib who was in the order?" Asked Ginny not quite sure of who she was talking about.
"Yes, she is right next door. Dumbledore stationed her in close proximity to Harry so she could keep an eye on things, report to Dumbledore about any magical anomalies so he could head off the Ministry, and stay informed of about Harry… Let's go." Said Hermione promptly.
Ginny nodded but before they even prepared to Apparate magical light began to radiate from Ginny before shooting out giving form to her Doe…
"Lilly, I'm sorry. I should have known you'd want to be there too." Said Ginny apologetically.
"It's okay sweetheart, I would however like to use your body for a while, my sister owes me an explanation and somehow I don't think she will give it to a reincarnation." Said Lilly calmly.
"Can you really do that?" They asked astounding.
"Yes I believe so as I am merely consciousness given form by the magic within you Ginny." Answered Lily. "I will understand however, if this is too close to home for you."
"Will I still be able to move?" Asked Ginny uncertainly.
"I think you will simply be a passenger like I am in using your body as refuge. Here however, I will be driving, and as I said, only if you allow me."
"Okay, besides it's not really fair of me to deny you yelling at your sister… I'll gladly wait my turn." She said stroking her head gently.
"Thank you Ginny, you are very kind to allow me the use of your body, for both refuge and as a vessel." Said Lilly gratefully.
Once again there was light surrounding Ginny, but this time when it was gone there was a healthy glow of sunlight in her eyes. Lilly took in her surroundings slowly walking to the mirror on Ginny's closet door and examining herself.
After a few minutes she spoke, and not in Ginny's voice but in her own. It was much softer. "It seems my likenesses to Ginny are not over exaggerated, aside from a few key differences, my hair was a darker shade of red for instance and obviously no freckles." Said Lilly aloud.
Hermione was suddenly very nervous, she responded awkwardly. "Um I haven't seen enough pictures to compare myself, but you share a large temper when you're angry…" She blushed embarrassingly.
Lilly chuckled gently. "Yes, we do." She became apologetic. "I'm sorry Hermione I am sure this is the strangest thing you have witnessed since you entered the magical world."
"It's definitely up there." Admitted Hermione shyly.
Lilly turned in the direction Harry still in a coma on Ginny's bed, recent events hadn't stirred him at all.
"He is the spitting image of James, right down to the naturally messy black hair." Said Lilly emotionally. She placed a hand on one of his cheeks.
"Did you want some time alone? We don't have to leave until you're ready." Said Hermione uncertainly.
She shook her head. "No, if I stay with him it will be harder to leave and I won't abuse Ginny's permission to borrow her body." Lilly tore her gaze away from her son looking intently at Hermione. "I would however like to thank you for always helping my son, that goes for Ron too. We knew what he was potentially destined for and to have friends with him through nearly all of it means a great deal to me as his mother." Lily said all this with quiet solace.
"I need you to know how much I love your son, more than my own family." She said quietly.
Lilly gauged Hermione's expression with an emotional smile. "You'd have to, seeing as you removed yourself from your parents memories to accompany him this past year, I do not take that lightly Hermione, few would make such a decision."
"You know about that?" Said Hermione taken aback.
Lily had an apologetic expression. "Yes, there's times when James and I are listening from within Harry and Ginny's souls… Several days ago Harry had a conversation with you that led to an emotional breakdown… James made me aware, and we nearly came to his aid, but I felt you had things well in hand, I happened to catch that information."
"Considering that he broke his hand, I'm not sure I had anything under control… He was so distraught." Said Hermione somberly.
Lily shook her head holding Hermione's shoulders consolingly. "Harry's emotions can overwhelm him at a moment's notice… My son is incredibly lucky to have two women in his life who love him as thoroughly as you and Ginny do albeit in your own distinct ways."
"I never had siblings, and my parents were focused on work much more than I would have liked." Said Hermione quietly.
"Solitude is the profoundess fact of the human condition, we're the only being that knows we are alone."
"Octavo Paez…" Said Hermione quietly.
"Very good, I always thought magical philosophy was not nearly as profound as Muggle philosophy." Said Lilly with a broad smile.
"Was your sister ever kind?" Asked Hermione abruptly.
"Once," Started Lily with a sad sigh. "We did everything together as young children, but when my magical abilities started to pop up and she had none I think she became afraid of being left behind, my friendship with Severus did not help… It's quite something for a child to personally contact Hogwarts especially a Muggle who has no magic. Naturally, Hogwarts can't accept Muggles void of magic. It would destroy the Statute of Secrecy. Dumbledore was very kind about it, but I think she felt I abandoned her." She sighed very heavily now. "Then she met Dursley and became excessively uptight, determined to pretend magic didn't exist at all."
"And yet that's where Dumbledore left him." Said Hermione bitterly.
"Hermione please don't be angry with Albus." Said Lilly calmly.
"How can you be okay with it!" Said Hermione in exasperation.
"Please sit down." She said gently, using Ginny's wand to conjure chairs next to Ginny's bed where Harry slept without the slightest movement. "You must understand the first war against Voldemort, wasn't like your generations… He resurfaced in Britain after more a decade abroad, he'd been invisible, no one not even Albus, knew what he was doing and he resurfaces with an army that was larger than your generations from the very start and steadily gained more power and followers, keeping there identities hidden. He made people fear him and he made people respect him… Britain was at his mercy. Dumbledore put together the Order of the Phoenix but our numbers were infantile by comparison and thus were picked off like ants and it didn't stop when he fell… His most loyal followers refused to believe he fell and continued causing chaos in his name. Frank and Alice Longbottom are notable victims after he fell, it was dangerous for Order members especially." She glanced intently at her son before continuing. "We can only make decisions based on what is happening in the present, and I believe Albus did not want my sacrifice to be in vain. Did you know he spared my life, likely for Severus, multiple times? He only ever wanted my baby boy and my sacrifice broke his powers… Albus had the foresight to keep Harry out of the magical community, given its state after the first war I'm grateful."
"But your sister and her family, they don't love Harry. He barely existed to them!"
"I'm angry, make no mistake about that but my in-laws are to blame, not Albus, he ensured evil could not get to Harry… My sister and her family are many things, but they are not evil people." Said Lily calmly.
"They are not good people either." Said Hermione flatly. "You don't know, how underdeveloped he is emotionally. Treated like nothing, until he had leverage to get treated with indifference, around 4th year." She sniffed audibly. "He doesn't know, but I saw, in his mind, flashes of the 10 years before Hogwarts…" She trailed off with a heavy sigh.
"You know Legilimency." It was an observation not a question.
"I'm practicing…" Admitted Hermione shyly. "I didn't mean to catch so much of Harry's memories but He was always dreadful at Occlumency, so when he has an emotional breakdown his mind is quite literally an open book." Silent tears began to fall from her face now. "He had nothing and no one, not even any friends… A decade and a half of being completely alone, shoved in a cupboard under the stairs… When he was very young, he would cry alone and regularly hungry, sometimes so long he would fall asleep…" Hermione trailed off watching Harry's unconscious form feeling pity she knew he would loathe.
"I'm going to kill Petunia!" Seethed Lilly angrily. "Now I'm ready to go."
"Can you give Ginny back control until we get in their house? They have been in refuge for a year… I haven't met them but they'll likely slam the door if they hear without context." Said Hermione rationally.
"That would be a headache knowing my sister as I do. It definitely makes more sense for you both to soften them up before I start yelling at them." Said Lilly stiffly.
"Thank you."
There was a nod, her eyes closed for several seconds and when they opened again, Ginny's bright brown eyes were present once more…
"Let's see if these people show remorse for their actions." Said Ginny bluntly.
After a somber goodbye to Harry, Ginny and Hermione Disapparated, from the Burrow together. They appeared in Arabella Figg's sitting room, the smell of cats was instant, she burst through the kitchen door a few minutes later.
"About time, why you insist on seeing these people when Harry could careless to see them ever again and they feel the same way." She said impatiently.
"He's fallen into a stress and guilt induced coma." Said Hermione plainly.
"But, You-know-who is gone." Said Ms Figg blankly. She gave a subdued shrug. "If you're thinking they will care that anything happened to him, don't hold your breath… They hated the boy… Never fed him a proper meal in the decade before he went off to Hogwarts. Had no problem over feeding their bratty, pig of a son though before the diet anyway." She said snidely. She led them through the sitting room, sighing as they went. "I tried to give him more than that whenever they left him here. Couldn't act like I cared too much or they wouldn't have kept it up and I would have been worthless keeping Dumbledore informed as he was growing up and coming into his magic… I'm not too fond of children but I felt for the boy." Finished Ms. Figg, pity in her voice now. She stopped in the kitchen and sat down gesturing at the front door. "There you are, Vernon hasn't gone back to his job yet same with Dudley and school so you'll have the lot on your hands."
"Why don't you move?" Asked Hermione bluntly. "Nothing is keeping you here now."
She gave a batty laugh. "Look at me girls, it's a little thing called old age… Too much energy that I just don't have."
"You were in both wars, surely you can get up energy to move." Insisted Ginny.
"I'm content, come back through when you're done with them, this neighborhood is about as Muggle as it gets, you're dressed well, they judge strangers by their looks." She said lazily.
They nodded and left, crossing to the driveway of Number Four.
Hermione spoke somewhat quickly. "Let me get us in the door and your still underage so no magic."
"They better hope they don't set me off." Said Ginny stiffly.
"Ginny, I'll be your wand okay please." Pleaded Hermione.
"Alright."
Soon they were on the Dursley's doorstep… Hermione cast a silencing charm around their general space, took a step back and gazed below…
"This is right where he was left as a baby…" They sniffed glanced at each other with on nod before Hermione rang the doorbell…
"Dudley, get the door please we're in the middle of watching a Benny Hill Marathon!" Shouted Vernon Dursley loudly.
"Alright!" Said Dudley irritability. "I really wish people would stop welcoming us back to the bloody neighborhood…" Dudley muttered under his breath. "I was just about to eat lunch."
Any irritation vanished the moment he opened the front door and saw two girls standing on the doorstep.
"Um can I help you?" Dudley said shyly. His expression looked like no matter they wanted he would gladly entertain them, though he was looking past Hermione at Ginny on the lower step with his mouth ajar.
"Are you Dudley?" Asked Hermione in a friendly tone.
"Yeah I am. Are you new to the neighborhood, haven't seen you before and we've lived here for ages until we had to leave because my cousin got himself wrapped up in a war." Said Dudley dully.
"Your cousin Harry Potter right?" Asked Hermione gently.
"You know him? Are you from his lot? I've been worried about him, just up and left and we had to go into hiding for a year."
Hermione chose her words carefully. "Yes, I was raised normal until I found out about magic, like Harry. Both my parents are normal, no magic at all. We have news about Harry. May Ginny and I come in?" Ask Hermione politely.
"Who is it Dudley!" Barked Vernon from the sitting room.
"People about, about him. You know, the stuff we had to move for." Said Dudley hastily. "Come in quickly." He added to the girls. "I want to know what's happened and I don't want Mum and Dad to shove you out."
They walked into kitchen past Dudley just as his parents registered what Dudley had said and could be heard rushing into the kitchen.
Vernon showed instant agitation. "They told us the nonsense that boy was involved in was over! I don't ruddy care what's become of him!"
Any hope of Ginny staying calm vanished immediately. "He has a name you know. Did you really hate him that much? That you couldn't show him the slightest bit of kindness? He was a child!" Said Ginny with ice in her voice.
"We took him in!" Said Vernon hotly. "You lot with your magic nonsense… He caused us all sorts of trouble. Endless Owls, vanishing glass, floating Cake, blowing up my sister like a ruddy balloon, Dudley attacked by those Demte-things… Our fireplace blasted apart by a family too dense to use the door! Magic is nonsense and that boy gave me more than enough headaches with it! So forgive me if I didn't take kindly to having him dumped on our doorstep by that crackpot old fool!"
"Vernon you'll scare the neighborhood!" Said Petunia sharply.
"No he won't, Mrs. Evans, I cast a silencing charm around your house." We can't be overheard." Said Hermione in a calm innocent tone.
Petunia seemed shocked that a stranger would know her maiden name. She responded quietly. "It's Dursley, Evans was my maiden name.
Hermione faked ignorance and told a half truth. "Is it? So sorry, my mother didn't take my father's name when they married. They are dentists, I think they wanted to keep their professional standing separate, I always call people by their surname and Lilly is the historical records at Hogwarts as Evans." Said Hermione casually. "Pardon my rudeness."
"She said she was raised normal, her parents don't have any magic at all, but she does. Hang on you cast magic without one of those things. Is that why all that stuff happened with Harry when we were kids?"
"Most of that was accidental magic." Said Hermione quietly. "I cast a nonverbal spell to avoid alerting people without magic to our conversation." She was quite shocked that this was the same Dudley who bullied Harry when they were kids, but she maintained a smile in his direction. "May we sit down Mrs. Dursley?"
She was apparently still trying to process being addressed as Evans…
"You'll do no such thing, I've tolerated magic for more than a decade with that boy under my roof making our lives a miserable hell— "
"I think you have that backwards, Dursley." Said Ginny sharply. "Harry was the one in a miserable hell!" Her voice held suppressed rage.
"I will not apologize for keeping his abnormality contained!" Barked Vernon hotly.
"Idiot man, you can't stamp out magic by shoving kids into isolation and neglecting them!" Said Ginny angrily. "If Harry was a lesser soul you would have been responsible for creating the perfect right hand for Voldemort, and he might not have been defeated! Total absence of love is the very root of evil… Your cruelty toward Harry isn't very far off!"
He narrowed his eyes at Ginny. "Hang on you belong to that barking family that would rather blast apart a fireplace then use a door! And Dudley's tongue…" Said Vernon seething with recognition. "Magic is evil missy, I wish it could be stamped out completely!"
"But," Said Dudley slowly. "Magic saved my life." There was a subdued quality to his voice. "And she," He stared briefly at Hermione again. "Has normal parents and everything… Do lots of normal kids get magic?" Asked Dudley curiously.
"A fair amount around the world. It's most common in Britain an America though." Said Hermione casually. "There's not a lot of pure blood families left in Britain. Half-blood is the majority otherwise witches and wizards would have died out here."
"So if I have a kid, they could have magic in them?" He asked thoughtfully.
"You never know, it usually manifests around the age of nine. If the parents both together have exceptionally powerful magic then their children display accidental magic much earlier… What age did Harry start showing signs Mrs. Dursley?"
She ignored this question asking one of her own instead. "How does he know about the day she first left for that place? I haven't ever spoken about it, and certainly not to him." Said Petunia curtly.
"Snape's memories, Harry watched them—that's something that is within our power…" Hermione added at her questioning look. "Extracting, manipulating, implanting or removing memories… Snape was, as it turned out in love with your sister from the moment he saw her."
"I always said he was odd, creepy even… Trying to stalk her, but she felt sorry for him with his family as dysfunctional as it was." Said Petunia snidely. "Hang around with people like that, it's no surprise she got herself killed in the end… Well," She snapped abruptly, "Tell me I didn't take in my burden of a nephew in for nothing." Said Petunia bluntly.
"Voldemort is dead, our war is finished. Harry survived." Said Hermione bluntly.
"Can I see him?" Said Dudley surprised by his own eagerness to see his cousin.
"I'm afraid not, PTSD has taken its toll on Harry and he's fallen into a coma, he's had several emotional breakdowns before he lapsed into the coma." Said Hermione stoically.
Petunia had a suddenly worn down expression on her face, all traces of irritation or contempt were gone and she appeared lost in thought again…
"Boy finally cracked then did he? Not surprised, more trouble than he was worth that one." Said Vernon with amusement bordering on glee. "Serves him right for going with that giant oaf all those years ago!" He finished nastily.
Hermione felt unparalleled rage bubble quickly in her chest… With great difficulty she reigned in her emotions.
"Dudley we need to speak with them in private. Can you leave please… I don't think Harry will be awake anytime soon, but when he does we'll let him know you were asking about him." Said Hermione quietly.
"I suppose, but who are you?" He asked.
"Hermione Granger, Harry's best friend, and that's Ginny Weasley his girlfriend." She said, noticing that Ginny was looking murderous.
Dudley seemed to notice because he hastily left the room.
"I need to use the loo." Said Ginny in a low voice through gritted teeth. "Petunia can you accompany as I'm sure don't want a stranger wandering throughout your house. Said Ginny in a slightly calmer voice.'
"I do as well." Said Hermione casually.
"If you try any funny business, harm my wife in any way— " Started Vernon sharply.
"I would be more worried about yourself, Dursley!" She said acidly.
Petunia tempered her husband before she stood up and beckoned them to follow. "Come then."
It happened just as they were up close, Ginny passing directly into Petunia's line of sight, her mouth fall open, with an audible gasp…
When the kitchen door shut behind them Petunia spoke in a jarred whisper. "Why are you here?" We are through with the boy and he is through with us, we did what the Dumbledore asked of us!."
"You did the bare minimum." Said Hermione bluntly. "Case in point." They just came to a stop by the stairs leading to the second floor and were in fact standing right in front of the cupboard under the them, Hermione opened it with a flick of her wand…
Ginny dropped to a knee and stuck her head inside looking around with bile rising to her throat as she saw what had been designated as Harry's room since he could talk, walk, and feed himself. Ginny withdrew her head after a few minutes, but she couldn't stand, it was too much… Cobwebs, mold spiders, she didn't know if it was better when he was actually sleeping there but somehow she doubted it.
Ginny was shaking with quiet rage. "He hates small spaces, now I understand why. Eleven and a half years with a child size jail cell… The filth in there— why? Why did you treat him like he was a burden."
"I'm supposed to pretend that he wasn't?" Said Petunia unapologetically. "I hadn't seen my sister in years by the time he was dumped on my doorstep and then I'm reading a letter that she was murdered and the fate of the world depends on his survival and that some ancient charm is dormant and that I have to take him in, and treat him like a son when he is a constant reminder that magic cut her life short, not even a quarter of a century. Dead at 21 because she was too noble to leave that world behind before that lunatic found her." There was an aged look on her face now. "I have never been happy that my sister is dead, but I warned her when she told me of the prophecy to save herself and her family and she ignored me. "Now, by all means tell me how I was supposed to feel about the boy that is a never ending reminder that my only sister is dead?" Her tone was challenging. "Always asking about where he got that scar, and always wanting to know what she was like… I could hardly look at, much less comfort him." She finished bitterly.
"So, you couldn't handle your guilt and took it out on a child? Said Ginny incredulously.
"You're both going to judge me now I take it?" Snapped Petunia.
"You treated him like he didn't matter to ignore your own guilt! You've no idea the damage you've done to a him, damage that a boy whose parents were murdered did not need to be put through!" Said Ginny angrily.
"Far less damage than living amongst wizards and witches has caused him." Said Petunia bluntly.
"Considering the amount of work it's taken for both us to even start to fix all the psychological and emotional issues you've left him with, you are wrong." Said Hermione with an edge to her voice for the first time."
"Don't act like you have been inside his head." Said Petunia with a scoff.
"As it turns out," Said Hermione with a sad expression. "I have."
"I don't even need to guess when that happened." Said Ginny quietly.
Hermione gave Ginny a subdued nod. She turned back to Petunia. "I'm going to show you, the consequences of your actions." Said Hermione bluntly.
Petunia bit back a retort about being scolded like a child, saying instead. "I don't want to worry Vernon, we'll go elsewhere, my neighbor I left him with her many times and she seemed much less irritated than Vernon about the boy, if you insist on this I would prefer to do it there."
"I will modify his memory so he doesn't know we were here, there's no point to him remembering because he's just as insufferable about magic as Ron's Great Aunt Muriel is in general." Said Hermione bluntly. "You'll need to distract him."
Petunia gave a stiff nod entering the kitchen well ahead of them and she could be heard saying that the girls had gone and was fixing him lunch after a few minutes later…
"Couldn't I have hit him with my bat bogey hex!" Said Ginny angrily. The fat bastard, at least she has told us why she was such a git to Harry, even though she still can't use his bloody name!"
"No, you're underage, you using magic here could create an unnecessary headache… Just calm down!" Said Hermione with exasperation.
"Lilly wants to kill Dursley, Hermione. I can feel it. I'm not to far off either!" She spat venomously.
Carefully, Hermione narrowly opened the kitchen door and pulled out her wand but she had no intention of using a memory charm, instead she said, without the slightest bit of guilt. "Imperio…"
Ginny gaped at her for a moment, but then she looked as though Hermione had made her Christmas very early. "Please tell me your going to make him off himself…" She said with unapologetic longing.
"Ginny, that's an awful thought to have!" She whispered quite appalled. "I'm just going to send him to the sitting room make him stay there until we've left and she comes back… We're not burdening Fig with a likely argument between Lilly and her sister. Get behind the door…"
That's what Hermione did, Vernon Dursley lumbered back into the sitting room carrying his lunch without the slightest clue that two strangers were standing behind his kitchen door…
"You don't think you'll get in trouble for that?" Asked Ginny quietly.
I'm of age, so no, come on."
"Sit down, I'm doing this here and now in this house." Said Hermione abruptly.
"Don't." Said Petunia harshly.
"What's the matter Petunia? Ghosts finally catching up with you too much to handle?" Said Ginny in a low his. Ginny's face was extra close now.
Petunia was suddenly at a loss. "You're so much like her, when I saw you up close the first time I thought it was just the similar hair but she was always so— "
"Careful now Tuney, you don't want to speak ill of the dead." Said Ginny in a low tease of disapproval.
"Leave me alone, I buried my sister long before she died."
"Yeah, keep telling yourself that rubbish…" Said Ginny with a derisive laugh.
"Sorry, but if you think this cruel then you need to know what he went through." Said Hermione in a quiet but unmistakably unapologetic tone.
"You act like we tortured him. We gave him food and shelter, kept him safe." Said Petunia irritably.
"You did what was necessary… enough so he didn't starve, just enough to make sure he stayed alive, but you're naïve if you think you gave him anything that he needed." Said Ginny harshly.
"It's amazing you know, how kind Harry is when he has every excuse to be the complete opposite." She chuckled mechanically now. "I used to wonder how that was possible when you people barely acknowledged him. I'm a logical person, even about magic, but somehow I can't shake the feeling that Lilly and James have been watching over their son his whole life."
"They have, living in his soul, they protected him from them, from Voldemort, even with all his trauma… Nothing could damage his soul, not even being touched by the darkest magic." Said Ginny adamantly.
"Unfortunately, his life is prolonged suffering and this is where it started to become routine." Hermione pulled out her wand and spoke bluntly. "I haven't implanted the memories of another person before, but I have been practicing Legilimency for a while so you shouldn't have anything to worry about."
"Hermione is the brightest witch of her age, this can go wrong of course, but you'll probably be fine." Said Ginny with a thin smile.
"No, stay out of my head. Why are you doing this? I'm not evil, I took him in!" Said Petunia quickly sounding desperate for the first time.
Ginny looked stony now and if human stares could kill the way a basilisks did… "But you didn't love him, you didn't even like him and make no mistake, that's part of the reason, however small, why your only nephew is now in a coma!" She stepped back again. "Do it Hermione."
Hermione nodded then took a seat across from Petunia who was fidgeting. "I can't move…"
"I need you still, stop moving… You can't get up anyway, not until I let you." Said Hermione bluntly.
Petunia glared at them both. "You're wasting your time!"
"Of course you think that, you've never loved Harry, not like we do! What's it to you and your magic-phobic husband that you treated him like a slave and a criminal just because he has magic." Said Hermione venomously. "Even seven years around people who actually love and care about him hasn't completely undone the scars of your neglect and hate." She gathered herself with a heavy breath.
Hermione was determined more than she ever had been before to focus on the magic that she was going to cast… Only now did she fully understand why Harry had failed Occlumency, less than ten minutes of direct eye contact during an emotional conversation had let her in, albeit inadvertently, to a large majority of his memories, much of sad or terrifying or a heavy burden. No one with such baggage could master Occlumency, especially taught by Snape… Layers upon layers like an utterly depressing movie reel. At the time, she was preoccupied with the events at Malfoy Manor being on the surface.
She felt guilty, knowing so much of his life's memories now, even though it was inadvertent—she'd tell him when he was awake from his coma… Yet, she thought it a good thing. Harry was the closest thing to a brother that she had and she knew he was never going tell his Aunt how miserable his childhood had been. Still, good siblings held lousy parenting accountable even if one dismissed such failings. Besides, one adult had done that to Hermione's knowledge concerning Petunia Dursley, that was why this needed to be done. Hermione felt thankful for Lilly's blessing too, knowing that whatever the outcome of this experiment she was going to confront her sister. Either way, she would know how much Harry had suffered and was suffering still…
Ginny smiled with a rhetorical shrug. "Harry would say not to bother too, but either way, whenever he wakes up he'll know that we held you accountable for everything you've done and, failed to do… Your bastard husband is probably the bigger culprit but knocking the stuffing out of him is just pointless." She spat harshly. "That's why we're trying, let's call it a magical intervention, I've been wondering if you're still Lilly Evans sister underneath that wall of bitterness and jealousy, I guess we'll see." Ginny held an x-ray like stare at Petunia now. "You're up Hermione."
"I don't have a choice?" Asked Petunia irritably.
"Harry didn't have a choice so why would we let you off? Something tells me Lilly approves of what we're doing anyway." Said Ginny with an unreadable face.
"Yes now," Said Hermione in slow warning. "Legilimens!" She said emphatically.
With the cry of the spell and nothing but Harry's memories on her mind Hermione began the, as Ginny had deemed it, magical intervention of Petunia Dursley…
A/N: There's a lot going on here, I didn't even expect for things to go where they went, but that's writing for me, it's a gut feeling. I know it's a cliffhanger, but I try to less than 10k words per chapter.
Harry is having a rough time of it, but that's pretty much the theme of my story. That seems to have inspired Ginny and Hermione to confront his Aunt and Uncle.
Vernon Dursley is still insufferable but maybe there's a glimmer of hope for Petunia? Don't worry Lilly will speak to her sister there's no guarantee it will turn out as forgiving as with Snape.
.