Chapter 2: Enter Petunia

Petunia put the try on tea in front of her son and nephew and eyed them worriedly. They had both been so different this summer. More subdued. Dudley spent more time at the gym than he ever had before and always came back looking dissatisfied and muttering 'got to do better' under his breath. And Harry. Harry had near-nightly nightmares if he ever slept at all. She heard him talking to his dog all night. It seemed the only thing keeping him sane. And now the beast had run away. She knew there was more going on than either boy was admitting. Arabella said they told her the dog had been spooked by the sudden thunder but she didn't believe that for a moment. After all, the dog had never been bothered by loud noises before.

"If he doesn't turn up by tonight we'll make posters." Dudley said spontaneously. Harry sighed tiredly. There was a knock at the door.

"I'll get it dears." Petunia said. She wiped her hands on her apron and opened the door. The woman in front of her was offensively magic.

"Hiya… Mrs. Dursley yeah?" The woman with hot pink hair questioned, the red robes clashing so horribly that Petunia was very thankful Vernon had gone to the store for more ice cream.

"Yes." Petunia said before she winced. "Come inside."

"Oh? Alright!" the woman said before she grinned and walked in. she took off her black boots to revealed strippy mismatched socks with moving shooting stars. Petunia was VERY thankful Vernon was not home. She stepped into the living room and smiled. "Wotcher boys!"

"Tonks!" Dudley said with a smile before he stood and gave the woman a firm handshake.

"Good to see you again. All business I'm afraid." Tonks said with a sigh before he handed Harry a letter. "Read that then I'll explain." Harry frowned then ripped it open and began to read.

Dear Harry James Potter,

The Ministry of Magic was notified that at 6:47 pm on July 17th, 1994 you performed a Patronus charm. In accordance with the reasonable restriction of unaged sorcery, you have been hereby EXPELLED from Hogwarts School of witchcraft and Wizardry. An Auror will be arriving to confiscate your wand shortly.

Hoping you are well,

Mafalda Hopkirk

Harry looked up from the letter feeling numb. He looked up at Tonks then sighed and held out his wand to her. The woman blinked before she laughed.

"Oh no Harry, I'm not here to snap your wand." she said with a sad smile. "Dumbledore sent me to explain everything. He's managed to void your expulsion following a formal hearing."

"A hearing?" Harry asked in confusion.

"But he only used that spell because we were being attacked by those Dementor things." Dudley said angrily as he read the letter. Petunia perked up.

"Dementors? Why were they here?" Petunia asked "I thought they guarded your prison?" the whole room stared at her in shock.

"Mum… how do you know about Dementors?" Dudley asked in shock. Petunia pursed her lips then huffed.

"I did have a witch for a sister Dudley. I'm not completely ignorant of… that world." Petunia argued. Harry looked at her like she'd grown a second head. In the span of five minutes his aunt had said Dementor, witch, and openly referred to the world of magic. There was another knock on the door. Petunia went and opened the door again and blinked. "Mr. Lupin! Oh!" the dog gave a contrite yip. Harry was up like a shot.

"Snuffles!" he screamed before he gave the dog a tight hug. He was muttering something into the dog's coat. He seemed to be apologizing, though for what Petunia didn't know.

"I was just the area." Remus explained. "There's a lovely farmer market around the corner."

"Yes. I shop there often." Petunia said quietly.

"Do you want to come in for tea Mr. Lupin?" Dudley offered.

"No, I should really-" Lupin began before he looked back. A cop cruiser was rolling up to the house. Petunia let exhausted groan. This was not her night. She looked around as the police officer left the car and looked at the house. Tonks gave her a thumbs up then changed her appearance completely before her eyes. In the end, she looked no older than Dudley and Harry. She could easily pass for one of their friends. Remus stepped aside as the officer approached.

"This is the Dursley residence?"

"Yes. the dog has been returned." Petunia explained with a smile. The officer blinked and looked at the large dog before he looked at her again.

"This isn't about a dog ma'am… may I come in please?"

"Of course." Petunia said in confusion before she gave Remus a slight smile. "Thank you for finding him Mr. Lupin."

"Of course. I'll see you at Smeltings young Mr. Dursley." Remus said as he tipped his head to Dudley before he walked away.

"I should go too." Tonks said with a worried smile. "See you later Harry. Don't worry about the letter. Everything is taken care of."

"Right. Thanks again, Tonks." Harry said. The officer gave the teen a tip of his hat before he followed Petunia, Dudley, Harry and their dog into the living room.

"Perhaps you should sit down Mrs. Dursley." he said after a beat of silence.

"Why? What is this about Officer?" Petunia asked. The man sighed sadly.

"I regret to inform you Mrs. Dursley that we found your husband dead." the officer said. Petunia's veins filled with ice and she sunk into the couch behind her in shock. She didn't hear anything else the man said. At some point, a weight settled onto her knee and she reached out a hand. The moment she felt the dogs first she began to pet it unconsciously and felt some of the fog lift away. "-at the coroner's office. We can bring him to whichever funeral home you direct."

"What happened to him?"

"He was in a car accident mum." Dudley said quietly. Petunia gave a shuddered breath and put her face in her hand. Another hand gripped her free one while Dudley rubbed her back. After a moment she looked down at the hand holding hers. She knew it well. It had always reminded her of Lily. She gave the hand a soft pat before she went back to covering her sobs.

Petunia looked down at the dog in front of her deep in thought. Suddenly she blurted out.

"You should come to the funeral Harry." her nephew looked up from his book in shock.

"What?" he asked before he frowned. "I... I don't think that's a good idea Aunt Petunia." he said nervously. "Aunt Marge wouldn't like that very much."

"Well, what she wants shouldn't matter." Petunia said flatly. "She might have been his sister but I was his wife."

"Aunt Petunia." Harry said before he sighed and eyed her with a flat face. "Vernon beat me for 6 years. I'm not glad he's dead, but I'm glad he's gone. I don't belong at his funeral.'' Petunia stared at him and felt her lip wobble. Then she looked down at the dog and suddenly it clicked for Harry. "Aunt Petunia. If you want to take Snuffles with you, you can." Petunia turned to Harry with wide eyes before she gave her nephew a sad smile. Then she looked down at the floor.

"I'm sorry." she said after a few moments. "I'm sorry that I wasn't strong enough."

"It's alright." Harry said quietly.

"No. It's not. And it never will be. But I'm going to try." Petunia promised. "And I hope someday you can forgive me." Harry gave her a smile before he went back to his book.

Snuffles woke up and did his customary shake and scratch behind the ear before he padded out of Harry's room. He made his way down the stairs and into the living room. He stood there for a moment before he looked at the clock, nodded and transformed. Sirius Black cracked his neck before he sat on the couch, propped his foot on his knee, folded his hands, and waited. Twenty minutes later Petunia woke up. She rolled out of bed and sighed before he got dressed and started her day. She made her down the stairs then jumped a mile.

"Hello." Sirius said casually. Petunia took a step back and pointed at him.

"Who are you? And how did you get in my house!?"

"My name is Sirius Black." Sirius said with a smile. "And I live here."

"You most certainly do not!" Petunia snapped. Sirius then stood up to which Petunia took another step back. Then he transformed. And she screamed. Both Harry and Dudley came rushing down the stairs as Sirius quickly changed back and tried to calm the woman down.

"Please calm down!"

"Get your hands off me!"

"Sirius!?" Harry and Dudley shouted in unison. The man looked up sheepishly.

"She took that rather worse than I thought she would…"

"How… how long have you two known about this?!" Petunia demanded.

"June last year?" Harry offered with a wince.

"Harry James Potter you better not be lying to me!" Petunia snarled with a fearful shaking.

"I'm not, I swear." Harry said with a flinch.

"And you?!" Petunia demanded her son. Dudley also winced.

"July."

"You are grounded!" she snapped. "I want all of your devices!"

"Now Petunia. It's not their fault." Sirius tried to reason.

"Quiet you! You're supposed to be a dog! Dogs don't talk!" the man quickly changed back and she grabbed her hair in a panic. "Stop doing that!" she screamed. Sirius changed back again, promising he'd remain in one form after the woman snapped at him again. The trio spent the rest of the morning and most of the afternoon explaining the entire story to Petunia then. Once they were finished she was very quiet. She stood and went into the kitchen and silently prepared them all lunch. Harry and Dudley spent that time working on their summer homework. Finally, Petunia emerged and sat on the couch again.

"So… the man who killed Lily is alive?" was the first thing she said

"Yeah." Harry said flatly.

"And he's trying to kill you?"

"Yes." Harry said tiredly. Petunia looked at him and sighed.

"I'm sorry." she said. "I know it's only a beginning but." she trailed off. Harry stared at her before he reached for her hand. She took it and looked at him then took a deep breath. When she released it her whole demeanour changed and patted his hand before she pulled him to his feet.

"We're going to Harrods." she said sternly.

"Why?" Harry asked in confusion.

"Well you're going to need a suit for your court hearing of course." the woman said as if it was obvious. "Though. I suppose robes would be more appropriate. Something classy. In a grey-blue or maybe brown" Harry blinked at her. Dudley smirked.

"Hey Mum… do you want to help us with a project of mine?"

"What project dearest?" Petunia asked. Harry looked at Dudley and shook his head in horror.

"I'm trying to make the Minister for Magic look like even more of an idiot than he already is." Dudley said. Petunia blinked at him while Harry buried his head in his hands.

Petunia patted down the pillows in the guest room and straightened up again.

"You really don't have to do this Petunia." Sirius repeated for the thousandth time. "I'm perfectly fine sleeping in Harry's room."

"Don't be silly!" Petunia insisted. "You need your own space. And if you insist on living here then you shouldn't have to pretend to be a dog even when you sleep."

"Oh, it's terribly comfortable. Like being surrounded in a full-body blanket." Sirius said with a grin. Then he shook his head "Though if you insist I won't complain." Petunia pursed her lip and didn't say anything before she turned to leave the man to his room. She stopped in the doorway then and turned back in a frown. "Do you mind me asking… why now?"

"Well. I wasn't afraid of Vernon per se. But I was terribly afraid he might take it out on you." Sirius said quietly. "You seemed a kind enough woman… to your son anyway. And I didn't think you deserved that."

"But… you came to the funeral." she said quietly.

"Because you needed a shoulder to cry on. And I'm not heartless." Sirius said with a smile.

"But-" Petunia began with a frown.

"I went to the funeral because you needed comfort. You didn't need a wizard, you needed a dog. And now… well I still think you need a dog. But as a wizard, I can help in other ways. And I don't mind doubling up." Sirius offered. The woman stared at him before she smiled and nodded slowly.

"Right… well goodnight. And thank you."

"You're welcome. I promise not to steal your socks." Sirius offered. The woman sputtered out a laugh and headed to bed feeling hopeful for the future for the first time in a very long while.

A/N: hello! hope you guys are having a good weekend!

dianaanne: Don't worry, Sirius will get over his trauma.

Just as soon as Harry gets over his!

Rori Potter: I hope this is soon enough!

see you later!

Be sure to stay hydrated, stay safe, wear a mask, get your shots, and stay home if you can!

Don't forget to keep on reading!

-TTC