Sensing Magic
by Teddylonglong

Please refer to chapter 1 for my disclaimer and warnings. Thank you.

When Harry and Severus returned home from the lab, Regina and Rebecca were sitting on the sofa animatedly talking. Lucy was fast asleep between them with her head comfortably perched on Regina's lap. Apparently, Petunia and Dudley had already retired to bed.

'Harry, do you want to discuss the matter with them, before we speak with Petunia and Dudley?'

Harry nodded, casting his father a grateful smile, when his father cast a silencing charm at his bedroom door, so that Dudley could not overhear them in case he was still awake.

"What's going on?" Regina quickly made space for Harry to sit between her and Lucy.

Harry let out a deep sigh that turned into a smile, when his father informed his wife and sister-in-law about their earlier conversation.

Rebecca stared at him in apparent disbelief, while Regina shook her head.

"Harry, are you sure you want Dudley to gain magic and be at Hogwarts during the next couple of years?"

Harry gently caressed Lucy's fluffy ears. "He was only a child. He didn't know what he was doing. I think that his parents were wrong, not him."

Just then, Luna entered the room, giving them a dreamy smile. "Am I disturbing something? I am sorry. I'll go to my room right away."

"No, Luna. Please stay." Harry suddenly heard himself speak to the girl. Startled by his unintentional offer, he smiled. 'Her opinion is worth listening to,' he realised. "We were just discussing what to do with Petunia and Dudley. Dad offered to give Dudley magic in spite of what he and mainly his family did to me in the past."

"He really was a bully towards you." Rebecca cast him a sad look.

"He could become a very gentle wizard." Luna smiled, dreamily. "Why don't you keep him here until the end of the holidays and decide then?"

"I believe that's a good idea, provided that Petunia and Dudley agree." Severus glanced at Regina.

"It's fine with me."

"Harry, you're much too nice for your own good. Bad enough that you healed Petunia after what she did to you." Rebecca shook her head in apparent annoyance.

"Sorry, but I couldn't let her die knowing that I could have saved her life, especially that they were only attacked because they're related to me," Harry replied, heatedly. "I don't know why the attackers wanted to get at me." He shrugged, looking questioningly from Rebecca to his father.

"I hope you're not considering giving her magic as well." Rebecca's voice was grim, as she continued, "She really doesn't deserve it after what she did to you."

"I fully agree," her sister said, giving Harry a sad smile.

"I will offer to accompany her home and play my Arabella Figg role for a couple of days. I wish to return there, pack everything and give up the house anyway. I am thinking of renting a small place at Hogsmeade instead."

"Please tell me if you need help. Teddy and I will be happy to assist."

Rebecca sighed. "Thank you, Harry. I appreciate it very much, but I don't want you to do anything right now. Just enjoy the last month of your holidays and do nothing but play around with your friends."

"Rebecca, if there's anything that I can do to help, please tell me. I'll be very happy to have you nearby." The sisters smiled at each other, causing Harry to think that they looked very much alike.

HP

At breakfast the following morning, Rebecca joined them again and offered Petunia to take her home. "My colleagues have finished repairing your house, and I believe that you'll have several things to do considering Vernon's funeral and whatever."

"Will you come back as well?" Petunia cast the woman, whom she had apparently believed to be just a normal citizen, a helpless look.

"I will. For a few more weeks, I will take my Arabella Figg persona again. I'll be off to work at times, but I'll also have to look after my cats and prepare everything for moving. In fact, I only lived there to keep an eye on little Harry. Not that it helped him much."

For the first time that morning, Petunia looked straight at her nephew. "Oh Harry, I am so sorry for what we did to you. I should have separated from Vernon the instant you displayed accidental magic for the first time since you came to live with us."

"Why didn't you?" Rebecca's voice was soft but at the same time accusing.

"I was afraid of what he'd do to all three of us."

"You could have owled me, for example, and I'd have taken Harry in, even against the headmaster's wishes, and so would my colleagues have done." Severus' expression was grim, and Petunia quickly averted her eyes to the floor. "Do you know that Harry saved your life? In the magical world, you owe him a life debt, which means that if you harm him again, no one will be able to save you."

"I'm sorry." Tears began to well in Petunia's eyes.

"It's all right now. It's in the past, and I have a wonderful family, the best I could wish for." Harry smiled at his aunt, before he turned to Dudley. "Dudley, would you like to remain here at Hogwarts till the end of the holidays?"

Surprise flashed in his cousin's expression. "I'd like that. Mum, can I?"

Petunia looked sad, however, nodded. "If you may stay here in spite of not having magic."

"As Harry is the owner of Hogwarts, it's his decision, and as we all know, Harry is much too nice for his own good." Severus smirked.

"Hawwy bewy nice." Felix jumped from his seat and climbed onto Harry's lap, where Lucy gave him a thorough face washing.

"Thanks, Harry." Dudley nodded in apparent gratefulness.

"Will you at least come home for the funeral?"

Dudley cast Harry a questioning look and, only when he saw his cousin nod, reassuringly, did he reply. "Yes, Mum. I will, and I will send you an owl every now and then. Luna showed me to the owlery the other day."

Later the same day, Rebecca changed into her Arabella Figg form and took Petunia home.

HP

"Good riddance," Severus said to Regina, when they headed to bed that evening.

"Oh yes. I usually don't despise people, but every time I saw her, I couldn't help thinking how she and her husband abused our son."

"You have a tremendous influence on Harry." Severus smiled at his wife. "His kindness towards everyone reflects yours."

Regina chuckled. "I try, but I couldn't get myself to be kind to Petunia. As Harry said, Dudley is a different matter. A Knut for your thoughts?" she asked, realising that Severus seemed strangely absentminded.

"I was wondering if we wanted to try for a baby girl. What do you think?"

"I'd love it." Regina smiled. "Do you think it's a good timing though, considering that I'm going to begin teaching a new class in four weeks' time?"

Severus reached out and pulled her close. "Then we'll time it, so that the baby will be born at the beginning of the summer holidays."

"A brilliant idea," Regina agreed, feeling very happy, as she slowly drifted off to sleep in his strong arms.

tbc...

Thank you so very much for the kind reviews for the previous chapter.