Chapter 2: Secrets
For the first time that summer, Harry had not had one single dream as he slept. He woke up the next morning at 10:30, feeling wide awake and fully rested. He thought it odd that his Aunt Petunia hadn't woken him at the crack of dawn like she usually did. He threw on some clean clothes and went downstairs, hoping there was still some breakfast left. Surprisingly there was a plate of bacon and eggs sitting on the kitchen table. He didn't know if they were for him or not, so he just sat there. Ten minutes later Aunt Petunia came into the kitchen and sat down across from him. "Harry, we need to talk," she said bluntly. "What about?" Harry asked. He began to eat the eggs as Aunt Petunia started talking, "Harry, I need you to listen to me. Please don't interrupt me until I'm finished, ok?" she asked him. "Sure," he replied, wondering what on earth she wanted to talk to him about. "You see Harry, it all starts with me and Lily," she began, "Did you ever find it odd that your mother was a witch, but I'm a muggle?" she asked him. "Yes, I did," Harry admitted. "Well that isn't entirely true. You see, I'm not a muggle, I'm a witch," Aunt Petunia finished. "You're a WHAT?!?" Harry screamed, white hot anger boiling up inside him. "Dumbledore said this was how you might react." she stopped mid sentence as Harry interrupted her. "Wait a second, you're in contact with Dumbledore?" Harry asked his aunt, not believing what he was hearing. She took this opportunity to continue, "Yes, how do you think your Hogwarts letter found you in your second year? I secretly sent an owl to Dumbledore informing him that you had gone to the Burrow." Harry chose now to bombard his Aunt with questions, "Then why didn't you tell me before now that you were a witch? Why didn't you tell me from the beginning how my parents really died, and who I really was? Why didn't you give me my Hogwarts letter when the first one came? Why?" "Oh, Harry. I had to keep up an act. I really loved Vernon, and if he'd known that I was a witch, he'd have thrown me out. I never hated Lily or James, it devastated me when I found that they had been murdered by Voldemort. Lily and James didn't visit often, because the both understood what Vernon would do if he knew. He only knew that Lily and James were magical, he never knew, until now that I was also magical." Aunt Petunia finished. "Then why isn't Dudley magical," Harry asked his aunt desperately wanting to know the answer. Aunt Petunia hesitated at first, but continued, "Well I guess Dudley just isn't magical." "I've only one more question. How do I know that you're telling the truth, can you prove that you're a witch?" Harry asked his aunt. Aunt Petunia, looking as though she expected much worse replies, "Of course. Harry please through that vase at the wall." "Harry did as he was told. The vase shattered as it hit the wall. Aunt Petunia withdrew a long thin stick from her apron pocket, and pointed it at the smashed vase and muttered, "Repairo." The shards of glass flew back together and the vase looked brand new. She then said, "Accio vase," and the vase flew into her outstretched hand. "Ok I believe you," Harry replied still amazed at what he'd just seen, although he'd seen Hermione do something just like it countless times. "What did Uncle Vernon say when he found out that you were a witch?" Harry asked. "He stormed out of the house taking Dudley with him. I couldn't lie to him any longer. I mean I'd almost blown my cover last year actually knowing what dementors were. He got so mad he just walked off," Aunt Petunia told Harry. "Will they come back?" Harry asked. "To tell you the truth, I really don't know. I think I made a big mistake in marrying Vernon. Now I see that I could have done so much better. I have to tell you that Dumbledore wrote to me, offering me the vacant position of Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts. I accepted," Aunt Petunia told Harry, glad for once to be telling her nephew the truth. "Aunt Petunia, can you come up to my room, I have some things to show you," Harry told his aunt. "Sure Harry," she answered. As they climbed the stairs Harry found that his aunt was pleasant company. "You know Harry, the summer before your third year, you weren't the one who blew up Aunt Marge, or made her wineglass explode. I did that. I got so mad at her for insulting you, Lily, and James, that I just sort of lost control. The fact that you got mad at the same time sort of covered it up," Aunt Petunia told him with a smile, "Well what is it you wanted to show me," she asked, as they reached Harry's bedroom. "Let me get it Aunt Petunia" Harry replied, happy for the first time to call her his aunt. He went over to his trunk and pulled out his photo album, and made space for him and Aunt Petunia to sit on his bed. As Harry opened the album, his aunt's eyes began to glisten with tears as she looked longingly at the moving images. "I remember that day well. I was the one who took the picture. Vernon had thought that I'd just gone up to London for a couple days shopping, but I'd really met you and your parents at the Leaky Cauldron. We had so much fun, it's hard to believe that they were killed eight months later," Aunt Petunia told her nephew, a silent tear rolling down her cheek. That was how the afternoon went. Harry pointing to each picture in turn, and Aunt Petunia telling each photo's story. When they got to the one of Lily and James's wedding, Aunt Petunia let out a soft gasp. "Aunt Petunia, what's wrong?" Harry asked his aunt. "N-Nothing. It's just the fact that I haven't seen any of these people for years, since you defeated Voldemort, the first time. There's Hagrid, Frank, Alice, Arabella, Sirius, Remus, Mad- Eye, Dumbledore, old Dung(Mundungas), ahh there's little Nymphadora(Tonks), Kingsley, Lily, James, and that traitor Peter Pettigrew," her voice shook as she uttered Wormtail's name. "I know Frank and Alice's son, Neville, he's in Gryffindor. Tonks, Moody, Lupin, Hagrid, Kingsley, Mrs. Figg, Dung, a-a-and Sirius are all in the Order," Harry told his aunt. "First of all, who's Tonks? Mrs. Figg? And why did you seem so sad when you said Sirius' name?" Aunt Petunia asked him. "Nymphadora prefers to be known as Tonks now. Mrs. Arabella Figg is our neighbor, she's a squib. And didn't you know about Sirius?" Harry told her. "What about Sirius, he hasn't been caught has he, because he's innocent. I KNOW that Peter was the secret-keeper," Aunt Petunia said in one breath. Harry took a deep breath before breaking the news to his aunt, "No Sirius hasn't been caught. You see, at the end of last term, during the fight at the Department of Mysteries, Bellatrix Lestrange, sh-she stunned Sirius and h-he fell through the archway." "Oh no, I'm so sorry Harry. I didn't know. I knew how close you were to him, how you were always writing him letters. I knew him well. I actually went out with him for a while. All the girls at Hogwarts hated Lily, Kate and I because we went out with the Marauders. We were all marauders. Lily, Kate, and I removed our nicknames Flower, Gem, and Storm, from the Marauders Map. All of us were animagus too. James was a majestic white stag, Sirius was a big grim(dog), Remus was a werewolf and a white wolf with his chocolate brown eyes, and Peter was a gray rat. Kate was a white falcon with her amethyst eyes, Lily was a red fox with her piercing green eyes, and I was a pitch black owl with my stormy gray eyes. Would you like to add a picture to your album of all of us in our animagus forms?" Aunt Petunia asked Harry. "Sure Aunt Petunia, I'd like that," Harry told her. Aunt Petunia went to fetch a few pictures of the original Marauders, while Harry dug through his trunk to retrieve the Marauders Map. By the time his aunt returned, he'd found the Marauders Map, and was now wishing they were at Hogwarts, so that he could open it. "I see you've found the Marauders Map. I can bewitch it so that all of our names are on it again, if you want me to," Aunt Petunia asked Harry as she sat down. "That'd be great," Harry answered enthusiastically. She withdrew her wand, tapped the parchment and muttered, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." A map of Hogwarts appeared instantly. At the to in elegant script, were the words.
Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs
Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers
are proud to present
The Marauder's Map
"Aunt Petunia, how do you change the writing," Harry asked. "It's very simple really, just watch," she answered. She pointed her wand at the heading and muttered, "Revealios," The top now read.
Missuses. Storm, Gem, and Flower
and
Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs
Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers
are proud to present
The Marauder's Map
Harry was amazed. "Your Storm, aren't you. My mum was Flower, and Kate was Gem. Right? Could you turn into your animagus form, please?" Harry begged his aunt, finally putting the puzzle pieces together. "Why, not. I have to tell you now, that I haven't had much practice transforming. I had made a habit of transforming every full moon, just like old times, but then I grew worried that Vernon would catch me, " Aunt Petunia told Harry. A second later, a pitch black owl, with stormy gray eyes, was hovering above where Aunt Petunia had been moments before. "Wow, that's so cool. Will you teach me how to become an animagus this summer? Even though we have a class at Hogwarts teaching us how to become animagi, I want to learn now." Harry pleadingly asked his aunt.
"Well I guess I could," she replied, after transforming back. "Hey, maybe my friends could come and stay here the rest of the summer, since your teaching at Hogwarts this year," Harry suggested. "Who are these friends of yours?" she questioned. "Well there's Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, Luna Lovegood, and Neville Longbottom. They've all been invited to join the Order with me," Harry told his aunt, "So will you teach all of us this summer?" "Of course, but I'll start teaching you now. Don't worry, you aren't breaking any rules, because you don't need a wand for this. We'll start after dinner, ok?" she told him. Harry was ecstatic, "That's fine. Thank you Aunt Petunia. I think that being an animagus will help me defeat Voldemort. I'm going to write my friends asking them to stay."
For the first time that summer, Harry had not had one single dream as he slept. He woke up the next morning at 10:30, feeling wide awake and fully rested. He thought it odd that his Aunt Petunia hadn't woken him at the crack of dawn like she usually did. He threw on some clean clothes and went downstairs, hoping there was still some breakfast left. Surprisingly there was a plate of bacon and eggs sitting on the kitchen table. He didn't know if they were for him or not, so he just sat there. Ten minutes later Aunt Petunia came into the kitchen and sat down across from him. "Harry, we need to talk," she said bluntly. "What about?" Harry asked. He began to eat the eggs as Aunt Petunia started talking, "Harry, I need you to listen to me. Please don't interrupt me until I'm finished, ok?" she asked him. "Sure," he replied, wondering what on earth she wanted to talk to him about. "You see Harry, it all starts with me and Lily," she began, "Did you ever find it odd that your mother was a witch, but I'm a muggle?" she asked him. "Yes, I did," Harry admitted. "Well that isn't entirely true. You see, I'm not a muggle, I'm a witch," Aunt Petunia finished. "You're a WHAT?!?" Harry screamed, white hot anger boiling up inside him. "Dumbledore said this was how you might react." she stopped mid sentence as Harry interrupted her. "Wait a second, you're in contact with Dumbledore?" Harry asked his aunt, not believing what he was hearing. She took this opportunity to continue, "Yes, how do you think your Hogwarts letter found you in your second year? I secretly sent an owl to Dumbledore informing him that you had gone to the Burrow." Harry chose now to bombard his Aunt with questions, "Then why didn't you tell me before now that you were a witch? Why didn't you tell me from the beginning how my parents really died, and who I really was? Why didn't you give me my Hogwarts letter when the first one came? Why?" "Oh, Harry. I had to keep up an act. I really loved Vernon, and if he'd known that I was a witch, he'd have thrown me out. I never hated Lily or James, it devastated me when I found that they had been murdered by Voldemort. Lily and James didn't visit often, because the both understood what Vernon would do if he knew. He only knew that Lily and James were magical, he never knew, until now that I was also magical." Aunt Petunia finished. "Then why isn't Dudley magical," Harry asked his aunt desperately wanting to know the answer. Aunt Petunia hesitated at first, but continued, "Well I guess Dudley just isn't magical." "I've only one more question. How do I know that you're telling the truth, can you prove that you're a witch?" Harry asked his aunt. Aunt Petunia, looking as though she expected much worse replies, "Of course. Harry please through that vase at the wall." "Harry did as he was told. The vase shattered as it hit the wall. Aunt Petunia withdrew a long thin stick from her apron pocket, and pointed it at the smashed vase and muttered, "Repairo." The shards of glass flew back together and the vase looked brand new. She then said, "Accio vase," and the vase flew into her outstretched hand. "Ok I believe you," Harry replied still amazed at what he'd just seen, although he'd seen Hermione do something just like it countless times. "What did Uncle Vernon say when he found out that you were a witch?" Harry asked. "He stormed out of the house taking Dudley with him. I couldn't lie to him any longer. I mean I'd almost blown my cover last year actually knowing what dementors were. He got so mad he just walked off," Aunt Petunia told Harry. "Will they come back?" Harry asked. "To tell you the truth, I really don't know. I think I made a big mistake in marrying Vernon. Now I see that I could have done so much better. I have to tell you that Dumbledore wrote to me, offering me the vacant position of Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts. I accepted," Aunt Petunia told Harry, glad for once to be telling her nephew the truth. "Aunt Petunia, can you come up to my room, I have some things to show you," Harry told his aunt. "Sure Harry," she answered. As they climbed the stairs Harry found that his aunt was pleasant company. "You know Harry, the summer before your third year, you weren't the one who blew up Aunt Marge, or made her wineglass explode. I did that. I got so mad at her for insulting you, Lily, and James, that I just sort of lost control. The fact that you got mad at the same time sort of covered it up," Aunt Petunia told him with a smile, "Well what is it you wanted to show me," she asked, as they reached Harry's bedroom. "Let me get it Aunt Petunia" Harry replied, happy for the first time to call her his aunt. He went over to his trunk and pulled out his photo album, and made space for him and Aunt Petunia to sit on his bed. As Harry opened the album, his aunt's eyes began to glisten with tears as she looked longingly at the moving images. "I remember that day well. I was the one who took the picture. Vernon had thought that I'd just gone up to London for a couple days shopping, but I'd really met you and your parents at the Leaky Cauldron. We had so much fun, it's hard to believe that they were killed eight months later," Aunt Petunia told her nephew, a silent tear rolling down her cheek. That was how the afternoon went. Harry pointing to each picture in turn, and Aunt Petunia telling each photo's story. When they got to the one of Lily and James's wedding, Aunt Petunia let out a soft gasp. "Aunt Petunia, what's wrong?" Harry asked his aunt. "N-Nothing. It's just the fact that I haven't seen any of these people for years, since you defeated Voldemort, the first time. There's Hagrid, Frank, Alice, Arabella, Sirius, Remus, Mad- Eye, Dumbledore, old Dung(Mundungas), ahh there's little Nymphadora(Tonks), Kingsley, Lily, James, and that traitor Peter Pettigrew," her voice shook as she uttered Wormtail's name. "I know Frank and Alice's son, Neville, he's in Gryffindor. Tonks, Moody, Lupin, Hagrid, Kingsley, Mrs. Figg, Dung, a-a-and Sirius are all in the Order," Harry told his aunt. "First of all, who's Tonks? Mrs. Figg? And why did you seem so sad when you said Sirius' name?" Aunt Petunia asked him. "Nymphadora prefers to be known as Tonks now. Mrs. Arabella Figg is our neighbor, she's a squib. And didn't you know about Sirius?" Harry told her. "What about Sirius, he hasn't been caught has he, because he's innocent. I KNOW that Peter was the secret-keeper," Aunt Petunia said in one breath. Harry took a deep breath before breaking the news to his aunt, "No Sirius hasn't been caught. You see, at the end of last term, during the fight at the Department of Mysteries, Bellatrix Lestrange, sh-she stunned Sirius and h-he fell through the archway." "Oh no, I'm so sorry Harry. I didn't know. I knew how close you were to him, how you were always writing him letters. I knew him well. I actually went out with him for a while. All the girls at Hogwarts hated Lily, Kate and I because we went out with the Marauders. We were all marauders. Lily, Kate, and I removed our nicknames Flower, Gem, and Storm, from the Marauders Map. All of us were animagus too. James was a majestic white stag, Sirius was a big grim(dog), Remus was a werewolf and a white wolf with his chocolate brown eyes, and Peter was a gray rat. Kate was a white falcon with her amethyst eyes, Lily was a red fox with her piercing green eyes, and I was a pitch black owl with my stormy gray eyes. Would you like to add a picture to your album of all of us in our animagus forms?" Aunt Petunia asked Harry. "Sure Aunt Petunia, I'd like that," Harry told her. Aunt Petunia went to fetch a few pictures of the original Marauders, while Harry dug through his trunk to retrieve the Marauders Map. By the time his aunt returned, he'd found the Marauders Map, and was now wishing they were at Hogwarts, so that he could open it. "I see you've found the Marauders Map. I can bewitch it so that all of our names are on it again, if you want me to," Aunt Petunia asked Harry as she sat down. "That'd be great," Harry answered enthusiastically. She withdrew her wand, tapped the parchment and muttered, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." A map of Hogwarts appeared instantly. At the to in elegant script, were the words.
Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs
Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers
are proud to present
The Marauder's Map
"Aunt Petunia, how do you change the writing," Harry asked. "It's very simple really, just watch," she answered. She pointed her wand at the heading and muttered, "Revealios," The top now read.
Missuses. Storm, Gem, and Flower
and
Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs
Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers
are proud to present
The Marauder's Map
Harry was amazed. "Your Storm, aren't you. My mum was Flower, and Kate was Gem. Right? Could you turn into your animagus form, please?" Harry begged his aunt, finally putting the puzzle pieces together. "Why, not. I have to tell you now, that I haven't had much practice transforming. I had made a habit of transforming every full moon, just like old times, but then I grew worried that Vernon would catch me, " Aunt Petunia told Harry. A second later, a pitch black owl, with stormy gray eyes, was hovering above where Aunt Petunia had been moments before. "Wow, that's so cool. Will you teach me how to become an animagus this summer? Even though we have a class at Hogwarts teaching us how to become animagi, I want to learn now." Harry pleadingly asked his aunt.
"Well I guess I could," she replied, after transforming back. "Hey, maybe my friends could come and stay here the rest of the summer, since your teaching at Hogwarts this year," Harry suggested. "Who are these friends of yours?" she questioned. "Well there's Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, Luna Lovegood, and Neville Longbottom. They've all been invited to join the Order with me," Harry told his aunt, "So will you teach all of us this summer?" "Of course, but I'll start teaching you now. Don't worry, you aren't breaking any rules, because you don't need a wand for this. We'll start after dinner, ok?" she told him. Harry was ecstatic, "That's fine. Thank you Aunt Petunia. I think that being an animagus will help me defeat Voldemort. I'm going to write my friends asking them to stay."