Harry woke up early to discover Ron still snoring in the bed next to his,
and the twins also asleep, catching flies. He looked over to the nightstand
for his glasses, and found them placed atop a worn black journal. In the
lower right hand corner, the initials S.B. were engraved in gold. Harry put
on his glasses, and, with trembling hands, reached out for the journal. It
was locked at the sides by two strips of leather, and Harry made no move to
open it. He simply stared. He remembered back to his first meeting of
Sirius, the kindness his godfather had shown him, the many letters they had
exchanged, and then that awful final moment - Sirius' look of surprise and
Bellatrix's look of triumph, and the veil which Sirius disappeared behind.
Harry roused himself from his thoughts, and, moving quietly so as not to
disturb the Weasleys, placed the journal at the bottom of his trunk. He was
not ready to face what he might find.
He sat on the end of his bed for long moments, listening to Ron snore and thinking of what to do next. He had no idea what time it was, had Mrs. Weasley made breakfast? He decided it was probably too early for breakfast, and cast a glance around the room, looking for something to do. He then remembered Aunt Petunia's letter, and pulling out of his now rumpled pocket, he quietly tore it open and began to read:
"Harry (it read), Perhaps you will not understand all the choices I have made in my life. It does not matter now. I know more about your past than you may think. I know of Voldemort, I have seen the Dark Mark. Vernon does not understand about magic, and I keep my mouth shut about it for his sake. When you arrived at our doorstep, taking you in seemed the only right thing to do. I learned that you had destroyed Voldemort, and because of that, I knew I couldn't toss you out into the street. But I also feared that someday, something similar might happen, and new Dark Lord might arise, and then your presence would be a danger to me and my family. And I was right. Vernon has made a deal with a man named Lucius Malfoy, and I know him well. He murdered my parents, your grandparents. Vernon does not understand. He will not listen to me. Malfoy has set his trap well. I know that you are the only power that could stand up to Voldemort then, and I know you are the only power now, and I cannot let them have you. Perhaps it will cost me greatly, and I am throwing my family into more danger than ever by telling you this, but if you do not survive, none of us will. I wronged my sister, and your father, and even you, I think, and it has taken me long years to realize this, but I cannot change the past. I will do what I can now to help. I was afraid then, and I acted badly. I am afraid now too, but I will not make the same mistake twice.
Be Safe,
Aunt Petunia"
Harry was shocked. Aunt Petunia knew all about Voldemort and Malfoy and Dark Marks and his prophecy? His grandparents had been murdered, too? What deal had Vernon made with Malfoy? Harry sat there, his mind a whir, until Ron sat up, rubbed his eyes and asked, "What time is it, mate?"
Harry only shrugged. "Hey, what's that?" Ron asked, seeing the letter. Harry numbly handed it over to Ron, who read it quickly, with a growing expression of awe and said, "You just can't catch a break, can you mate? Sorry about your grandparents."
Harry shrugged, "It's okay, I never knew them."
Ron looked about to say something in reply, but decided against it. Harry thought it might have been something like, "You never knew your parents, either." But Ron just grinned and said, "Breakfast?" Harry put the letter in his trunk and they both tromped downstairs to the kitchen. Hermione was up already, and just putting the kettle on for tea. She was wearing a light robe over sensible cotton pajamas, and the boys startled her when they came in.
"Oh!" she yelped, "Good, it's just you two, I thought it might be the twins."
Ron grinned, "At least you didn't have to live with them when you were a defenseless six year old! They terrorized me and Ginny!"
"I believe it," said Hermione, searching in the cupboard for her favorite tea - peppermint. Harry sat down at the table, and Ron plunked down beside him. Hermione got the tea ready and brought it over to them, then took her seat across from Harry, but next to Ron, who was at the end of the table.
"It's nice just us three again," she said, blowing on her tea to cool it.
"Uh-huh" nodded Ron, never the sentimental one.
"We missed you, Harry," said Hermione, smiling at him. Harry grinned back, it was good to be back. He had dreaded re-entering the wizard world, but now, he knew he had only prolonged his suffering by staying away. His feelings about Sirius, and the prophesy, and now Petunia would have to be dealt with eventually, but for now, it was nice to just sit and chat with his two best friends. Harry glanced at the clock, it was only five thirty in the morning, and he knew the rest of the household wouldn't wake for at least another hour. He wanted to talk to his friends about something normal - something not having to do with the war, or his terrible burden, but he found himself incapable of small talk. So, instead, he told Hermione about Petunia's letter.
"Harry! Are you serious?" she exclaimed when he had finished, "I knew she had to be hiding something! Who else would hate her own sister that much?" she stole a glance at Ron, and added, "I know you don't hate Percy that much."
Ron glowered, "Wanna bet?"
"Ron! You really should go talk to him! Now that Fudge admits Dumbledore and Harry were right, and that You-know-who is back, he's bound to be reasonable. I'm sure he regrets it already, but he's probably just afraid to take the first step!"
"Hermione! Don't start this again! I don't even consider him my brother anymore! He's gone! He's history! The way he treated my mum and dad! You weren't there! You don't know! I won't ever forgive him for that!"
Harry could tell they had argued these points many times before.
"What if he dies! You'd feel sorry you never made up with him then! And it would be too late! Stop being so stubborn!"
"Stop being so pushy! You're not right about everything you know!"
"I DO know! But I am right about this! If you would just think this through logically!"
"I don't want to be logical! He insulted all of us, and he meant it! And I mean it when I say I hate him, and I'm never going to forgive him!"
"Just give it a try!"
"NO!"
They were bellowing at each other now, or rather, Ron was bellowing, and Hermione had raised her voice to compete. Harry was sure the entire house was awake now.
"Fine!" Hermione yelled, "Be that way!"
"I will!" said Ron. They had obviously reached an impass. Just then Molly Weasley appeared in the door way, and she asked, "What are you two going on about now?"
Hermione sniffed, but said nothing. Ron glowered at her, and Mrs. Weasley glowered at him, waiting for a reply. "Percy," he muttered. Mrs. Weasley paled. It was Hermione's turn to glower at Ron, but he glared back, as if to say "You started it!"
Just then, Mr. Weasley, Ginny, and the twins arrived. None of them said anything, but surveyed the scene quietly. Mr. Weasley put his arms around his wife, who was now crying softly. The twins made their way over to Ron, and George muttered in his ear, "You idiot! What'd'jou have to go make mum upset for?"
Hermione looked down, and Harry could tell she was feeling extremely guilty. He looked over at Ginny, who was twisting a lock of hair around her finger, apparently lost in some deep thought. When she felt Harry's eyes on her, she looked up at him, and smiled, but her eyes were still elsewhere, thinking. The room had grown quiet except for Mrs. Weasley's muffled sobs, and finally, she turned towards them all, and, wiping her eyes, said, "Well, since we're all up, I might as well make breakfast."
Everyone moved to help her, but she shooed everyone out of the kitchen, and, finding a skillet, began scrambling some eggs.
He sat on the end of his bed for long moments, listening to Ron snore and thinking of what to do next. He had no idea what time it was, had Mrs. Weasley made breakfast? He decided it was probably too early for breakfast, and cast a glance around the room, looking for something to do. He then remembered Aunt Petunia's letter, and pulling out of his now rumpled pocket, he quietly tore it open and began to read:
"Harry (it read), Perhaps you will not understand all the choices I have made in my life. It does not matter now. I know more about your past than you may think. I know of Voldemort, I have seen the Dark Mark. Vernon does not understand about magic, and I keep my mouth shut about it for his sake. When you arrived at our doorstep, taking you in seemed the only right thing to do. I learned that you had destroyed Voldemort, and because of that, I knew I couldn't toss you out into the street. But I also feared that someday, something similar might happen, and new Dark Lord might arise, and then your presence would be a danger to me and my family. And I was right. Vernon has made a deal with a man named Lucius Malfoy, and I know him well. He murdered my parents, your grandparents. Vernon does not understand. He will not listen to me. Malfoy has set his trap well. I know that you are the only power that could stand up to Voldemort then, and I know you are the only power now, and I cannot let them have you. Perhaps it will cost me greatly, and I am throwing my family into more danger than ever by telling you this, but if you do not survive, none of us will. I wronged my sister, and your father, and even you, I think, and it has taken me long years to realize this, but I cannot change the past. I will do what I can now to help. I was afraid then, and I acted badly. I am afraid now too, but I will not make the same mistake twice.
Be Safe,
Aunt Petunia"
Harry was shocked. Aunt Petunia knew all about Voldemort and Malfoy and Dark Marks and his prophecy? His grandparents had been murdered, too? What deal had Vernon made with Malfoy? Harry sat there, his mind a whir, until Ron sat up, rubbed his eyes and asked, "What time is it, mate?"
Harry only shrugged. "Hey, what's that?" Ron asked, seeing the letter. Harry numbly handed it over to Ron, who read it quickly, with a growing expression of awe and said, "You just can't catch a break, can you mate? Sorry about your grandparents."
Harry shrugged, "It's okay, I never knew them."
Ron looked about to say something in reply, but decided against it. Harry thought it might have been something like, "You never knew your parents, either." But Ron just grinned and said, "Breakfast?" Harry put the letter in his trunk and they both tromped downstairs to the kitchen. Hermione was up already, and just putting the kettle on for tea. She was wearing a light robe over sensible cotton pajamas, and the boys startled her when they came in.
"Oh!" she yelped, "Good, it's just you two, I thought it might be the twins."
Ron grinned, "At least you didn't have to live with them when you were a defenseless six year old! They terrorized me and Ginny!"
"I believe it," said Hermione, searching in the cupboard for her favorite tea - peppermint. Harry sat down at the table, and Ron plunked down beside him. Hermione got the tea ready and brought it over to them, then took her seat across from Harry, but next to Ron, who was at the end of the table.
"It's nice just us three again," she said, blowing on her tea to cool it.
"Uh-huh" nodded Ron, never the sentimental one.
"We missed you, Harry," said Hermione, smiling at him. Harry grinned back, it was good to be back. He had dreaded re-entering the wizard world, but now, he knew he had only prolonged his suffering by staying away. His feelings about Sirius, and the prophesy, and now Petunia would have to be dealt with eventually, but for now, it was nice to just sit and chat with his two best friends. Harry glanced at the clock, it was only five thirty in the morning, and he knew the rest of the household wouldn't wake for at least another hour. He wanted to talk to his friends about something normal - something not having to do with the war, or his terrible burden, but he found himself incapable of small talk. So, instead, he told Hermione about Petunia's letter.
"Harry! Are you serious?" she exclaimed when he had finished, "I knew she had to be hiding something! Who else would hate her own sister that much?" she stole a glance at Ron, and added, "I know you don't hate Percy that much."
Ron glowered, "Wanna bet?"
"Ron! You really should go talk to him! Now that Fudge admits Dumbledore and Harry were right, and that You-know-who is back, he's bound to be reasonable. I'm sure he regrets it already, but he's probably just afraid to take the first step!"
"Hermione! Don't start this again! I don't even consider him my brother anymore! He's gone! He's history! The way he treated my mum and dad! You weren't there! You don't know! I won't ever forgive him for that!"
Harry could tell they had argued these points many times before.
"What if he dies! You'd feel sorry you never made up with him then! And it would be too late! Stop being so stubborn!"
"Stop being so pushy! You're not right about everything you know!"
"I DO know! But I am right about this! If you would just think this through logically!"
"I don't want to be logical! He insulted all of us, and he meant it! And I mean it when I say I hate him, and I'm never going to forgive him!"
"Just give it a try!"
"NO!"
They were bellowing at each other now, or rather, Ron was bellowing, and Hermione had raised her voice to compete. Harry was sure the entire house was awake now.
"Fine!" Hermione yelled, "Be that way!"
"I will!" said Ron. They had obviously reached an impass. Just then Molly Weasley appeared in the door way, and she asked, "What are you two going on about now?"
Hermione sniffed, but said nothing. Ron glowered at her, and Mrs. Weasley glowered at him, waiting for a reply. "Percy," he muttered. Mrs. Weasley paled. It was Hermione's turn to glower at Ron, but he glared back, as if to say "You started it!"
Just then, Mr. Weasley, Ginny, and the twins arrived. None of them said anything, but surveyed the scene quietly. Mr. Weasley put his arms around his wife, who was now crying softly. The twins made their way over to Ron, and George muttered in his ear, "You idiot! What'd'jou have to go make mum upset for?"
Hermione looked down, and Harry could tell she was feeling extremely guilty. He looked over at Ginny, who was twisting a lock of hair around her finger, apparently lost in some deep thought. When she felt Harry's eyes on her, she looked up at him, and smiled, but her eyes were still elsewhere, thinking. The room had grown quiet except for Mrs. Weasley's muffled sobs, and finally, she turned towards them all, and, wiping her eyes, said, "Well, since we're all up, I might as well make breakfast."
Everyone moved to help her, but she shooed everyone out of the kitchen, and, finding a skillet, began scrambling some eggs.