Chapter 8: What the Hell?

'What the hell?' thought Harry. Keeping his eyes on the Dursley's, he pushed off the wall and sunk into a chair. Vernon and Petunia were huddled together, nearly on top of one another at the furthest end of the couch from Severus. Vernon's bulk had increased over the years and he no longer had any visible neck. Petunia, as bony as ever, still had enough neck for two.

"Your relatives," Severus stabbed a finger in their direction, "arrived shortly after you left. Despite my advice, they chose to remain and wait for you." Severus sneered and crossed his arms over his chest.

"You've been sitting here, waiting for me, all these hours?"

"Yes," hissed Severus.

Harry chuckled and Severus, Vernon and Petunia all glared at him.

"If you will excuse me." Severus stood, the Dursley's flinched as he swept by and strode up the stairs.

"He's quite rude," said Petunia as she smoothed unseen wrinkles from her skirt. "Not once did he offer us refreshment and it's well past lunch."

"Hey, he didn't hex you, did he?" asked Harry and the Dursley's blanched.

"Harry, I…" began Vernon. Harry let Vernon's voice fade into the background. Severus had been strange that morning, working at something, not letting Harry see in the bedroom and he didn't argue with his usual ferocity.

Vernon slammed his fist on the couch and Harry jumped. "Are you even listening to me boy!"

Harry stood and made a motion to draw his wand. "Don't call me boy." Petunia clutched Vernon. Harry chuckled.

"Not an underage wizard anymore now am I? I need to check on Severus." The Dursley's mouths gaped as Harry left the room and quietly climbed the stairs.

The door was open, so Harry peaked in. Severus stood facing the bed, his back to Harry, stuffing clothes into a brown paper bag. Severus took out his wand, muttered a charm, shrunk the bag to palm size and pocketed it.

"You're leaving," said Harry.

"Yes." Severus stiffened but didn't turn around.

"If the Dursley's hadn't shown up you'd be gone already." Harry slowly moved into the room.

"Yes."

Harry reached out and lightly put his right hand on Severus' left shoulder.

"Stay," said Harry. Severus didn't move.

"Stay," whispered Harry and he squeezed gently. Severus turned his head enough to look at Harry's hand.

Harry stepped closer, so that his body was inches from Severus. Severus moved to look straight ahead.

"You've been hurt your whole life. By so many people, so many times that you can't conceive of anyone caring for you." Severus was stone beneath his hand.

"Albus did."

"I care." Harry moved from behind to face Severus' left side.

"Considering our history, I find that difficult to believe." Severus said. Harry reached his hand out to touch Severus' cheek. Severus startled at the contact and looked at Harry. They were now the same height and Harry looked directly into Severus' unknowable black eyes.

"Stay. Give me the chance to make you believe. Give yourself the chance to come to believe." Harry rubbed a thumb along Severus' cheek. Severus closed his eyes and nodded. "For now," he said.

Harry beamed. He stepped back from Severus and clapped his hands together. Severus looked at Harry in surprise.

"Good. Put your things away and come teach me the proper way to torment my relatives." Harry rubbed his hands together, still grinning.

"Really, Harry, an emotionless expression is a key component. You must create a certain atmosphere to be effective."

"Right, emotionless, got it." Harry struggled to take the grin off his face.

"Pathetic," said Severus as he enlarged his possessions. Harry kept grinning as he watched Severus put his clothes away in the armoire.

Severus turned back to Harry. "Are you under control yet?" Harry tried not to smile, without success.

"Indeed not," Severus murmured.

***

Harry and Severus returned to the living room, once Harry had suppressed his grin. Vernon was pacing and Petunia was wringing her hands. Vernon started in at once.

"May we speak at last?" he snapped.

"Not the best way to start in, Uncle Vernon, when you clearly want something," said Harry.

Vernon took a deep breath. "I apologize. I am under a great deal of stress and I do not mean to be harsh."

Harry's eyes widened before he resumed a blank face. He gestured from everyone to sit. The Dursley's eyed Severus.

"This is a family matter…" said Vernon. Harry and Severus stared at Vernon until he began to fidget and sat down.

"Well, if you wish your lover to be present…" said Vernon. Severus snorted.

"My relationship with Severus is none of your business. If you wish to talk, then talk," said Harry.

"It's Dudley," said Petunia. She drew a tissue out from her purse to dab at her eyes. "I'm afraid we're going to lose him," she whispered.

"Lose him?" asked Harry.

"My poor baby," Petunia began sobbing into her tissue.

"There, there, Petunia," Vernon patted her leg. "Let's settle down and speak to Harry." She nodded and quieted to occasional sniffles.

"Dudley is suffering severe complications due to his diabetes. Life threatening complications. He's been hospitalized for some months now and his prognosis is poor. We've seen every doctor imaginable, tried every alternative therapy, without satisfactory results." Vernon paused.

"Dudley's diabetic? Since when?"

"He was diagnosed several years ago." Petunia began dabbing away stray tears. "He's suffered so much."

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that," said Harry. "So…what do you want?" Harry crossed his legs and folded his arms over his chest.

Vernon looked exasperated. "We are investigating every alternative to assist Dudley." Vernon looked at Harry pointedly.

"Ah. So let's see what the freak can do with his abnormality," spat Harry. Severus arched an eyebrow and continued to observe.

"Perhaps magic has its place," Vernon growled.

"Magic! Can you even say the word? I was certainly never allowed to speak it. You overindulged Dudley and now the gluttonous pig has indulged himself to an early grave. And I'm supposed to just wave my wand and make it better? I remember nearly being strangled for taking out my wand." Harry shot to his feet, fists clenched at his sides. He had fantasized about getting back at the Dursley's for all the injustices he had suffered. Maybe that time had arrived.

Petunia stood, shaking. "How can you!? After all we did for you. Took you into our home, clothed you, fed you, put our lives at risk. We saved your life!" Petunia began sobbing again into her disintegrating tissue as she sank down to sit next to Vernon. Vernon wrapped an arm around her in comfort.

"How can I?" Harry ground his teeth. "After the horrible way you've treated me, you try to make me feel guilty?" Harry was shaking and then, as if the trembling had liquefied his bones, he slumped into his chair. Covering his face with his hands, he said "Oh Severus, I am so sorry." Everyone stared.

"What the bloody hell does this have to bloody well do with him!" Vernon's face began to resemble a deformed eggplant.

"I said the same things to you, Severus. She plays upon my sense of duty and I did the same, however unconsciously. I did want you to appreciate what I had done, what I had gone through. It should have been freely given, to honor your sacrifices, out of respect for you. I am sorry." Harry's voice dropped to a whisper.

Severus cleared his throat. "The circumstances are dissimilar" Harry looked up. "You treated me well, despite your motivation." Severus glared at the Dursley's. "They have no such claim." Petunia began rhythmically smoothing her skirt and Vernon seemed fascinated by the motion.

Harry smiled. "Thank you." Looking at the Dursley's, "I will see what can be done for Dudley." They brightened. "However I will caution you that despite magic even wizards die. After this, I will consider any debt between us satisfied."

The Dursley's gulped and nodded.

"The past is always part of us," said Severus.

"But it need not rule the present." Harry got up and moved to the Floo powder on the mantel. "Time to contact Hypericia."