Author's Note: I want to thank all of you for your reviews. They are all like candy to me, and so far I haven't hit a sour one. ^_^. Lol, jk! The last chapter was another cliffhanger, as will be the next, and the next, and so on and so forth. Now, a little review of the last chapter.

Aunt Petunia was sorted into (dumdumDUM!) Slytherin and starts to hang around Lucius Malfoy.

She starts to get scolded by almost every teacher but Dumbledore and finally ends up trying to leave. However, just as she gets to the great oak doors to leave, an angry, yet young, Albus Dumbledore comes into view. That, of course, is where I left off.

New Author's Note: I'm Sooooo sorry for the lack of updating. I KNOW it's been 2 months, and I know you're all angry. But I've got a life too, and lately I've been under a bad depression. I'm feeling better now so you can expect to at least get 2 more chapters out of me (Lol).

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Chapter Four

No Turning Back

Harry stood there, eyes transfixed on Dumbledore. He wasn't sure what Dumbledore's reaction would be when Aunt Petunia explained that she would be leaving. He seemed to just stare at her through his half moon spectacles. She was trembling, most likely thinking she'd surely be in trouble. Dumbledore circled around her, looking down at her suitcase and then up at her once again. His expression changed from angry to sad in an instant. He then spoke.

"I'm sorry you must be leaving us, Miss Evans." Harry and his Aunt stared at Dumbledore, wide-eyed. The flickering light of the torches made his face seem younger than it was, as the brushed off some dust that was settling on his robes.

"Um, aren't you going to-to punish me, sir? I'm trying to leave the school. Isn't that against a rule or something?" she spoke back.

Dumbledore gave a slight chuckle and smiled at Petunia. He waved his hands in the air and two fluffy chairs appeared from nowhere. He sat down in the first one, and motioned her to do the same. As Aunt Petunia sat Dumbledore folded his hands and spoke once again.

"No, my dear, it is not against the rules. After all, we cannot make you stay at Hogwarts against your will. No, I simply have a way of finding these things out, and came to see you off safely. How did you think you'd get back home?"

Harry noticed a look on her face that told him she didn't even know the answer to that question herself. Harry noticed Dumbledore's face suddenly grew strangely happier.

"Miss Evans, I realize you have been having troubles with your school life. I am afraid to say that not everybody has in fact made it through seven complete years at Hogwarts. There have been many dropouts, and I must tell you, none of them have turned out completely useless." Dumbledore spoke.

Aunt Petunia gave a forced laugh. Her face was growing paler by the minute. Harry came closer to the two, as he knew they wouldn't see him anyway. Aunt Petunia gave a little cough and shifted in her chair. She brought herself up to speak.

"P-professor? May I ask you something?" she asked.

"Sure, Miss Evans, go ahead." He replied.

"Well, see, I was just wondering . . .wondering why you haven't failed me in your class. I've done horrible with my spells. All the other teachers notice this, but you seem not to care."

Dumbledore gave another chuckle and quickly conjured two butterbeers from thin air as he had done with the chairs. He handed one to Aunt Petunia and signaled her to drink it. He took a sip himself and set his drink in his lap.

"Ah, yes, a good question indeed. I believe that you are doing splendid in all your subjects. However, most of my fellow teachers believe that things must be precise. I don't agree the least. I think that if a student is trying their hardest they shouldn't be failed, they cannot help it that they aren't as skilled as the rest of the class. I see that you are having trouble with your spells, Miss Evans, yet you always try over and over; and that, is what I believe every students needs . . .determination."

"Well, Professor," she spoke again. "I just don't think I'm as skilled as the rest. I just don't think I fit in here. I want to go home, Professor. I don't need magic to survive out there. I want to go back home with my mum and dad."

Tears started to roll down Aunt Petunia's face once again. Her face fell into her hands and she sobbed even harder. It was hard for Harry not to feel sorry for his Aunt. She truly thought she couldn't make it. She was giving up and wasn't giving it reconsideration. Harry could tell Dumbledore knew there was no persuading her to stay. He got up from his fluffy armchair and made it disappear as quickly as he had conjured it. He slowly walked over to Petunia, creating a gentle pitter-patter with every step.

"There there, Miss Evans." He said while patting her back gently. "There is no need to cry. We will simply have to send you by floo powder. Now, you know what floo powder is, correct, Miss Evans?"

She nodded, wiping tears from her eyes. She got up from her fluffy chair and grabbed her suitcase. Harry saw that Dumbledore was strangely preoccupied . . . with a wall opposite from him. Dumbledore neither moved nor blinked; he just stared. Suddenly, as though the wall spring to life, it started to move. It seemed the air in front of the wall was making a rippling movement, and then a person appeared from the ripples.

Harry knew only too well what had happened. The person standing in front of him had used a disillusionment potion to blend in with his surroundings perfectly. Harry had done this once last year when he was rescued from the Dursleys' house. The man standing in front of him was short, thin, and growing slight bald. He was wearing a brown cloak with the Hogwarts emblem sewn onto it. Dumbledore gave a slight laugh and walked over to the man.

"Igor," said Dumbledore. "You really do entertain me. You seem to be having fun with your new potion, perhaps too much fun."

"Indeed," the man spoke back. "I wanted to know what the ruckus down here was so I disguised myself with the potion. I must say it's half your fault for supplying me with it."

The man named Igor now turned to face Aunt Petunia. She was still slightly crying, suitcase still in hand. Igor then spoke once more.

"Now who do we have here, Dumbledore?" he asked.

"This is Miss Petunia Evans. She would have been one of your future astronomy students if it weren't for some slight details to the matter." He answered back.

"Oh, Albus, she's not being expelled is she? She seems to be a nice little girl, and only in her first year. Why would the headmaster expel her-" he was cut off.

"Not expel, Igor," Dumbledore interrupted. "She is leaving on her own free will. Her classes haven't gone as she expected so she'll be leaving tonight by floo powder."

"Ah, yes, I see." He said with a slight disappointment in his voice.

Dumbledore then turned about face and looked at Petunia. She was trembling; obviously afraid of all the people she might have to meet. She didn't know this man nor did she want to. She wanted to leave. She wanted to go home and be with her mother. Dumbledore cheerfully spoke.

"Miss Evans, this is Professor Igor Karakoff. He's the Astronomy teacher here at Hogwarts. You would have had him next year but seeing as how you have decided to leave us earlier than expected, you wont be able to have the pleasure. Now, shall we take you to my office now so we can contact your mother and father, Miss Evans?" Dumbledore asked.

"Y-yes, P-profess-sor." Said Aunt Petunia, still trembling badly.

Harry found the journey to Dumbledore's office quite exciting. It was amazing to see Hogwarts so many years ago. The torches along one corridor changed colour and extinguished themselves periodically. Down another corridor was a gallery of paintings containing beasts of many kinds. Harry noticed one of them to be a Basilisk and another to be a cage of pixies.

As they arrived at the end of a hallway a loud cackle emerged from the opposite end. Dumbledore, Harry, Petunia and Igor all flung themselves around to see what thing could have made such a mischievous sound. Harry didn't have to think too much, for that cackle her had heard many times in his present day. It was Peeves, Peeves the Poltergeist, and he seemed to be causing mischief as always. He came bursting through the hall holding a green water balloon. Harry new Peeves was about to throw it but he didn't duck, he knew the water couldn't touch him.

He was right; Peeves tossed the balloon directly at Karakoff's head a cackled as he flew off into the corridor west of them. Igor stood there, soaking wet, water dripping onto the floor and gave a deep sigh. It seemed Dumbledore was trying to keep in laughter and obviously Karakoff knew it too.

"Something funny, Dumbledore? Do you find the idea of me soaking wet standing in the middle of a freezing cold corridor humorous?" Karakoff said angrily.

Dumbledore gave a chuckle.

"Why yes, Igor, indeed I do. You must admit, the wet clothes give you personality."

Harry laughed. He always did love the way Dumbledore was serious when needed, yet had a good sense of humor when the time calls. Dumbledore walked away from Petunia and Karakoff and stood in front of a large statue of an eagle.

"Earwax Jellybean." He said to it.

The stature sprung to life and spun in circles upward like a spinning top, revealing a large stairwell that led to a door made of mahogany. They continued to advance towards the door until a moment later they had reached the summit of the stairwell. Dumbledore stopped in his tracks once more, turned to face Aunt Petunia, and put a hand on her shoulder.

"This is your choice, Miss Petunia Evans. Once you enter this door and leave Hogwarts, there will be no turning back."

Harry's stomach got an unpleasant feeling in it. He knew that Aunt Petunia had belonged to such a wonderful world, and now she was going to leave it all for the life of a muggle.

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Sooooo, how do you like THOSE apples? They're pretty good, huh? Well, like I said, reviews are candy and my candy jar is empty. I'll try to have the next chapter to you by next week, so be patient!