Disclaimer: No, No, No… Harry Potter does not belong to me (*sigh* I wish… but I could never come up with something that good!) Well, the plot does belong to me. : )

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UNEXPECTED VISITORES

Chapter Three – Not a Good Start

"Well…" Harry faltered, looking around at the other flabbergasted people in the room and not knowing what to say.

"Harry!" Mrs. Weasley said warmly as she swept him up in a bone crushing hug. "It's so good to see you! I was so worried that you might lose you temper and use magic around these Muggles," she told him, her motherly face looking tired and her eyes gleaming with unshed tears.

"Hello, Mrs. Weasley," replied Harry, hugging her back. He then moved on to Mr. Weasley, who looked immensely upset about leaving his youngest two children in the hands of a family full of wizard haters. Instead of hugging the older man, Harry shook his hand and gave him a weak smile.

"Alright, Harry?" Mr. Weasley questioned. All Harry managed was a weak nod.

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After everyone had been greeted and the situation was clearly explained to him, Harry found himself grinning from ear to ear. He couldn't believe his luck! It was like Christmas had come early!

Ron, Ginny, and Hermione were going to stay at Four Privet Drive for most of the summer. They would return to Hogwarts (along with Harry) a week before school officially started. Ron and Harry would be staying in the same room, while Ginny and Hermione would share the newly added room.

There were tearful goodbyes and many hugs before the four were finally alone.

"Umm, Harry?" Hermione said suddenly when they were alone.

"Yeah?" he asked in return.

"Do you think we should go and talk to your aunt and uncle?" Harry could hear the nervousness in her voice.

"Nah, I don't think they want to see any of us at the moment," he told her, grinning.

"But–" she began before she was rudely cut off by Ron.

"Who wants to see that feisty old prune, anyway?" Ron snapped, referring to Harry's Uncle Vernon.

"I know he might not be the nicest person, but he is helping us out here, Ron," she replied angrily, her eyes flashing.

"Why are you sticking up for him?" Ron asked. "Its not as if they're going to look after us, anyway! Look at how they treat Harry!" he retorted, his ears turning a shade of red that matched his hair. This was a danger sign that their argument was getting out of control so Harry decided it was time to step in and put a stop to it.

"Look," he said, holding up his hands in annoyance. He couldn't believe they were already arguing in the first few minutes of being back together…. "Can we please not ruin the moment? This is that first time I've ever had friends here at Four Privet Drive…"

Ron and Hermione stopped bickering but still refused to look at each other. Ginny just shot Harry an amused look. He felt a bit sorry for her, as she was a bit of an outsider. However, he was determined to make sure they didn't leave her out this time.

"Come on… let's go upstairs," he told the group.

"It looks like we'll have to walk up and down the stairs more than once," Ginny remarked, pointing at the heavy trunks.

The group made their way towards Harry's room carrying two trunks between the four of them. On the second trip up they met a boy in the hallway roughly the same size of a small whale. Struggling to get past, Hermione and Ginny ogled at him. They had heard so much about Harry's cousin, but this was the first time they had ever seen him. Ron looked at Dudley in open distaste. The moment Dudley saw the group, he turned around and fled into his room. Laughing at his cousin's reaction, they finally made it to Harry's room.

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"Was that your cousin?" Hermione asked when they had shut the door.

"Yeah, that's him" Harry sighed.

"He is a bit overweight isn't he?" Hermione stated, then suddenly clamped her hand over her mouth in horror at what she had said. "Ohh sorry, I can't believe I just said that!" she apologized.

"He's a blob" Ron said matter-of-factly. "Wow! He's grown even more since I last saw him! I didn't think it was possible!" exclaimed Ron while Ginny sniggered.

The friends continued to tell Harry about their brief summer holiday but soon the conversation turned to the subject on all their minds— The conection between Dumbledore and Petunia.

"Harry?" Started Ron "Are you and Dumbledore are related?"

"Yeah" Ginny exclaimed looking at him enquiringly "You never told us about that"

"That's because I never knew I was related, that is IF I am," Harry responded looking confused and scratching his head."

"Well what else could it be?" Hermione said logically, "You wouldn't call someone your Pop if you weren't related to them"

He really didn't think Petunia would call a stranger 'Pop.' But that howler he thought to himself, that one after Dudley and he had been attacked by Dementors in Little Whinging thinking back to his last summer. It had been Dumbledore who had sent his it to his Aunt that night. He had to tell Ron he should have told him before, but so much was going on then with the hearing and everything.

"Remember when I had the Hearing…." Harry told his best friends and Ginny about that night and waited to see their reaction.

"Well Dumbledore would still send your Aunt that letter even if you weren't related" stated Hermione "It was the only way to keep the Dursleys from kicking you out of the house."

"She's right," Ron said looking at Harry "We have to asked your Aunt as soon as we get down stairs" He said excitedly

"Yeah that would be fun," he remarked sarcastically. But he too really wanted to find some answers, "So, do any of you know anything about Voldemort?" He brought up.

"Well not much…" answered Hermione. "The news that he's back hit the Wizarding World only about a week ago, and most people are freaking out already."

"Do we know what he's planning now that the prophecy is gone?" Harry asked, feeling a bit guilty that he still hadn't told his friends why Voldemort wanted to kill him or what had happened in Dumbledore's office. He remembered how angry he had been at himself a week ago.

'Don't think about it Harry,' he told himself. Ginny must have noticed, as she went a bit pale. Harry thought she was probably remembering the night at the Department of Mysteries, too.

"Harry, you don't still blame yourself, do you?" she asked uncertainly.

"What?" he said, jerking out of his self-induced trance. He muttered a quite, "Er…I really don't want to talk about it…."

"You know it's not your fault, so stop blaming yourself," Hermione said kindly.

"Yes, it is my fault Siru– " he faltered. Saying his Godfather's name was still very painful.

"Look," Ginny said sympathetically, "maybe now is not the best time to talk about it."

Harry felt grateful and gave her a small, weak smile which she returned. Ron and Hermione were silent for a minute. Soon, however, a new subject was being avidly discussed by the four friends. Harry was glad that he could turn his sad thoughts to another subject.

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Evening soon came, and before long it was time for dinner. The Dursleys weren't sure if they should call their unwanted company down or if they should have separate dinners. In the end Petunia marched up to Harry's room and, without bothering to knock, opened the door to find the four teenagers deep in discussion.

"Dinner is ready," she announced, startling the four. Before any of them could say anything she left as fast as she could—almost as if she were afraid that if she stayed in the room too long, something funny would happen.

Harry led the way down the stairs and into the kitchen, aware of the frightened glances Vernon and Dudley were throwing him. Petunia, however, look almost calm and relaxed making Harry think for sure that it must be an act.

"Mmm, this pasta is good!" commented Ron after the meager dinner was served. He was shoveling down his food as if it were his last meal, earning vicious glares from the Dursleys. Ron was oblivious to the stares, due to the fact that he was so engrossed in his food.

Harry diddnt waste any time brining up the subject as to why Petunia had called Dumbledore 'Pop'

"Aunt Petunia, why did you call Dumbledore Pop?" He inquired feeling Vernon shoot him a vicious glare, which he ignored. His Aunt seemed not to hear but Harry knew better.

"Harry's Aunt? Why did you call Dumbledore Pop?" he ask loudly thinking she hadn't heard Harry.

"That is none of your business," Petunia snapped at him pushing away her food and obviously loosing her appetite.

"Yeah but it is Harry's business if he is related to Dumbledore" He continued tactlessly

"I am not related to that strange man," her voice was deadly and at a low whisper.

"Then why did you call him Pop?" Ron pressed on wanting to set something straight

"If you don't shut up Now you can leave this house," She snarled her threat

Ron could see he couldn't ask her anymore questions without starting and argument. He turned towards the pasta that had seemed so nice at first, now it stuck in is throat like cardboard.

The strained silence seem to leave a ringing in Harry's ears. Never had he heard Dudley so quiet at the table without his usual taunting of Harry. The atmosphere was so tense, a person could slice it with a knife. Ginny looked as nervous as a cat and jumped as she heard his aunt scrape her chair against the floor, causing her to spill apple juice all over the table. With that, Uncle Vernon's temper burst.

"You, girl! Are you trying to cause trouble?" he snarled, making Ginny back her chair away from him.

"N-no," she answered weakly. Then, regaining her Gryffindor bravery, she said calmly, "It was an accident. Accidents happen!"

"You're trying to be smart with me aren't you? You, you… freak!" Uncle Vernon exclaimed in an outraged tone.

"Look, I'm really sorry about the juice," she stated.

"Is that why your worthless parents didn't want you? Spent there money on drugs and drink… too poor to look after you, eh?" he bellowed, his temper rising. It seamed all the anger that had been stirred up since Harry's companions had arrived was finally erupting.

The comment regarding their parents really didn't sit well with Ron. Being poor really was a touchy subject with him, after all. "You worthless Muggles," he shouted. "Our parents are better than you'll ever be! You gave Harry the worst parenting anyone could possibly give him!" Fuming, he sent Petunia and Vernon a glare that could have killed.

"How dare you, you cheeky freak!" Vernon spat. "After all we've done for the boy! We were better to him than he deserved! His parents were stupid enough to get themselves bl–"

At the reference to his parents, Harry's face immediately paled and the rest of the sentence wasn't heard. Suddenly, his wand was in his hand emitting simmering red sparks. To Harry, it felt a bit like a Muggle movie…. The scene stood frozen, his mind telling him to do something but his body useless to comply.

Hermione stood close to Harry, her eyes watering. She could not understand how anyone could talk about her best friends' parents like that. Petunia's eyes, so keen to spy on neighbors, were darting wildly around the room. Dudley was clutching his heart with his fat piggy hands and whimpers were escaping his lips. Ginny and Ron looked ready to pounce on Vernon, who stood frozen, his finger pointing at the alight wand while his mouth opened and closed soundlessly like a fish in water.

"U-umm, could you please excuse us?" It was Hermione voice. She didn't wait for an answer, but dragged a furious Ron out of the room. Harry pulled Ron's equally furious sister behind them, leaving three very frustrated and scared Muggles in the kitchen.

Once they were safely in Ginny and Hermione's room, Harry let go of Ginny.

"H-h-how can you live with them?" asked Hermione tearfully.

"Well," Harry said slowly. "You learn to put up with it and ignore it."

"I'm so sorry Harry," Hermione said. "I had no idea they were this bad."

Harry shrugged it off. He didn't need people feeling sorry for him.

Sensing his friend's mood, Ron spoke up. "You know what?" he asked, an evil glint in his eyes. "I have an idea… I think we need to get them back for what they've done to Harry!"

"You sound more like Fred and George every day," Hermione sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Ron is right," Ginny piped in. "We need to teach these Muggles not to insult our friends."

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