CHAPTER TWO

 THE TRUTH

Harry woke up late that day at least later then he usually could his Aunt and Uncle had never let him sleep in late before. Of course that all changed when they received that warning from Moody, Tonks, and the Weasleys that little encounter really scared Uncle Vernon ... maybe that's why Aunt Petunia seemed more – er – concerned.

No, no, no that didn't make sense she would seem more scared of him then concerned for him in fact that little threat of theirs hadn't seemed to scare as much as Harry thought it would. Course in the begging of the summer she looked out of the window a couple of times as if expecting them to walk up their lawn any second dressed in Wizardry clothes.
Now he stood up in bed starring at his calendar where he had been marking the days he had gone through waiting for his return to Hogwarts. He had only spent 16 days with the Dursley's and their were still so many days left till he could go back sometimes he just felt like getting on his broom and heading to Number 12, Grimmauld place but Dumbledore had given him specific orders and he knew he would have to stick to them.
Fifteen days from now would be his birthday and he was expecting tons of gifts from Ron and Hermione course he wasn't expecting anything at all from the Dursley's.
He went downstairs to see if he could get anything out of the kitchen. When he came down the stairs the house was awkwardly quiet the only sound that could be heard was the clanging of the dishes in the Kitchen. That's when Harry remembered that Uncle Vernon had taken Dudley golfing.
Uncle Vernon kept on saying that this was just one of his attempts to "try and culture the boy" course Dudley didn't like this idea at all but seeing no way around it he had to go. So today it was just him and Aunt Petunia and Harry couldn't think of a more perfect time to talk to her and well .... Confront her about her – er- new attitude toward him and well what caused it?
When he got in the kitchen he was surprised to see that his aunt had just put down a plate of eggs which unless he was very wrong were for him. He pulled out the seat making it screech against the floor just trying to catch her attention and it did. "oh –er- thanks for the breakfast aunt Petunia" she just gave him one of her usual nasty looks the turned around to start cleaning the dishes again but he could have sworn that she gave a grin we she thought he couldn't see her face anymore but then again he could be very wrong.
After he had finished his breakfast he stopped and just tried to think of a way to start a conversation with his aunt. "er – Aunt Petunia can I talk to you for a second?" "What?" She said with a nasty tone. "Well umm you've been acting different towards me ever since Professor Dumbledore sent you that letter last year and well I just cant help but wonder why?"
At the name of Professor Dumbledore she froze then after he mentioned the howler she nearly jumped into the air and when I asked why she was acting different with me she nearly fainted. "I don't know what your taking about." She was walking out of the kitchen and Harry new this was his only chance and he had to take it he took him wand out of his pocket and pointed it at her.
When she saw him pointing his wand at her she freaked "What on Earth do you think your doing?" "look I just want some answers and I wont them now just tell me something just tell me why your acting different with me and don't pretend you haven't because its obvious that you have.
This finally made her sit down and feeling like it was safe to let his wand down he did and then pocketed it again. "well are you going to tell me?" she gave him a dirty look then said "its because of your mother mind you I never liked that that freak (this made Harry go red he tightened his hand around his wand and was about to ready to attack her but he new that what she was about to say would make up for what she just called his mom) but when Dudley got attack that poor, poor boy well memories came back to me and when I was reminded of the deal I made almost 15 years ago well I thought it was time to keep it up.
Harry was amazed she really was trying to be nicer with him. She got up to leave and he grabbed her arm to have her stay for a little longer and when he touched her arm his scar felt like it had erupted causing an enormous amount of pain in his head. When Harry opened his eyes however he wasn't in the Dudley's house anymore in fact Aunt Petunia was no where in sight.
Instead of being in the Dudley's kitchen he was in a living room but it wasn't the Dudley's living room either it had a more quaint feel to it the fire was going strong and its light and warmth spread all over the room. It was snowing quite heavily outside and it was obvious that it was Christmas not only from the snow but from the tall Christmas tree in the corner of the room decorated in red and gold.

There were also an ornament that Harry recognized well at least he knew what it was it was an ornament with the Gryffindor shield on it he was obviously in a house of a wizard who was or had been in Gryffindor.

Another thing that bothered Harry tough was his dreams were almost always about Voldemort and they always took place in the present and this definitely was not taking place in the present not only was it Christmas but he had also seen a television an old one the antique ones he use to see in his history class back in muggle school. One other thing was that last year when he had his dreams about Voldemort they were always painful and usually full of anger or just evil but this time it was true his scar hurt but he felt warm and safe and happy.

Then he looked more closely at the three people gathered around a coffee table in the middle of the room they were sitting on a rug talking and laughing then he saw someone he recognized it was his Mother!

He had only seen her in pictures and that couple of time in the mirror- but that wasn't important he was positive it was his mother younger then what she usually looked true but it was her no doubt. She had his eyes it was true almost the same green eyes.

Harry felt a tear fall down his cheek he was in one of his moms memories but that didn't make sense – but who cared if I didn't he was seeing him mom and what most have been his grandparents; he had never meet them Aunt Petunia never talked about them either.

His grandmother had brown eyes and his moms dark red hair she was skinny and had the kindest face she looked a lot like his mom. His grandfather on the other hand had black hair tough not much of it left and had greens eyes just like his moms and his own. He was a rather good size for a man his age not skinny but no where near the size of uncle Vernon. His grandfather too had a kind face and looked some what like his mom but his mom defiantly looked much more like his grandmother.

They looked so happy there laughing and talking about her time at Hogwarts then she took out her wand and made a simple swish of her wand making the teacup in front of her hover slightly his grand parents all clapped. She quickly let it hover back to the table to make sure she didn't use enough magic to attract the Ministry of Magic's attention.

Then Harry thought of something where was Aunt Petunia I mean as hard as it was to believe she was a part of the happy loving family. Then he Harry saw her she was hiding in a dark corner near what looked to be the stairs. She was looking at her sister Lily as she hovered the teacup again for a short while making her parents cheer again. She had a look of pure disgust and Harry had remembered how she had always thought it was strange magic and how she had always thought his mom was a – er - well freak.

Then a voice was talking but it wasn't one of the people again it was a person who's voice rang trough out the house yet no one seemed to notice it. Harry listened to it trying to see if he could recognize it and to his surprise he could it was Aunt Petunias.

"Why that little stupid girl she thinks just because she can perform those little tricks of hers and that she a witch that makes her better then the rest of us I could be a witch too if I wanted to but he would want to be that. Look at mom and dad pouring over her she probably has them one of her stupid spells I mean who would be impressed by someone who could magically make teacups float or turn plates into to mice or make the doors to the house impossible to unlock."

These words were Aunt Petunias thoughts at least at the time they were and she didn't think that his mom Lily was a freak she was jealous. As she said her last words she started to whimper and quietly ran up the stairs. The vision or whatever this was wasn't based on Lily's memories on even a random moment it was based on Aunt Petunias memories and in her point of view.

She was jealous all those years that her sister became a witch and she hadn't she didn't feel special and to cover up her jealousy she just thought to herself that her sister was a freak and after so many years she truly came to believe it and now she didn't even want to speak her name all because she was jealous of her sister many, many years ago.

Suddenly the room began to blur and then disappeared and Aunt Petunias kitchen came to replace it. She was leaning over him half concerned, half worried. She kept glancing over her shoulder as if expecting to see all the neighbors peeking through the kitchen window. She saw him stirring and helped him up :what happened to you?" she asked. "Well I had – er – what I guess you call a vision," "you had a vision of what?" "well of you of my mom and my grandparents."

At the mentioning of these names her face turned white and she slowly walked over to the living room taking each step as if they had 200 lb. weights on them. She collapsed in an arm chair and then looked straight at Harry who had just sat beside her "what did you see?" she asked. "well it was Christmas mom ad just gotten back from Hogwarts and was showing my grandparents some little magic tricks meanwhile you were by the stairs starring at her." She turned so white now it looked like she was dieing.

"I always did hate it when she got home always showing off her dumb magic to your grandparents how I hated her a witch, how could there be a witch in the family such evil –" Harry's blood boiled she was trying to cover up her jealousy about his mother but her knew better now and he wasn't going to let it stand this time.

"How dare you try and cover up your jealousy about my mother by saying she was evil and you despised everything about being a witch. I know the truth you wanted to be a witch you wanted to have everything my mom had but when you didn't you made up these stupid lies for your self about how she was evil and witches were just abnormal and normal was the only good thing in your book. You tried to hide your jealousy behind hate and because of that you can barley talk about her anymore or my grandparents you've never even told me their real name."

"How dare you say that me jealous of your mother I hated the fact of wizards and witches I never wanted anything to do with them." She had gained back some color now clearly from her rage but he could see through her now he could see through her shield he could see her breaking up inside reliving the feeling of jealousy. "Don't lie to me I know everything the vision I had did not only show me what I described to you but I heard your thoughts I heard it all I know how you truly felt about my mom so don't you start trying to Persuade me anymore I know the truth now!!!!!"

Now she shrunk back into her chair and her face turned white again obviously not attempting to pretend that she didn't know what Harry was talking about. "Phillip and Jean" she said "excuse me what" Harry had no idea what she was talking about who were Phillip and Jean? "your grand parents names were Phillip and Jean you were right I have never told you their names before."

Harry was once again shocked she had accepted he knew the truth just like that he had to admit it came at quite a surprise but he took his chance to get as many questions answered as he could while she was opening up. "What happened to them are they still alive you've never mentioned them?" "No, no they aren't they died shortly before your mother" "What who, who killed them?" "The same man who killed your mother." "Voldemort (she gave a slight winch it was so strange for someone who knew so little about the wizardry world or was suppose to know so little she still winched like other normal wizards at the sound of his name) Voldemort killed them?"

Harry couldn't believe his ears Voldemort really had taken everything away from him and Aunt Petunia too no wonder she seemed so scared when he had mentioned Voldemort had returned what seemed to be so strange at the time now made perfect sense. He was about to ask while they were killed by Lord Voldemort himself when Uncle Vernon and Dudley came walking in and he knew better then to keep talking with them around.

"Amassing I tell you amassing his natural this one his he'll be the next big thing I tell." Aunt Petunia sprung from her seat her face full of color again "oh how wonderful I'm glad things went so well with my Dudley Poo. "Has the boy bothering you again Petunia asking more questions like the little brat he his?"

Harry was about talk back to him when they stopped just stopped they weren't moving anymore and neither was the clock and the television was stuck in between two channels as Dudley had lunged for it the moment he arrived. Harry Immediately raised his wand and started looking around him he knew he had done things before when he was mad but stopping time was way beyond him he even knew that. He continued to point his wand in all different corners of the hose till a voice said "Hello again Harry."

Harry immediately pointed his wand to where the voice had originated from and out from the shadows came Professor Dumbledore. Harry lowered his wand yet still looked at him in shock "Dumbledore I'm so happy to see you – er – did you do this?" "Why yes I did Harry and needed to get you and knowing that your aunt and uncle don't appreciate magic very much I figured this way would be better. Now hurry we most get going." Dumbledore gave a wave of his wand and Harry could hear up in his room things flying around and he could only imagine everything was packing itself inside Harry's room.

"oh Dumbledore don't take this the wrong way because I'm really glad I'm leaving but well why am I leaving you said this was the safest place for me." "That is very true Harry and this still is the safest place for you but I remember last year and much you did not like being kept out in the dark. Plus things are now much more hectic then last year and I was sure you would like to join your friends Ron and Hermione as soon as possible I assume I was right in thinking these thing was I not?"

"You were very right Dumbledore as always." Harry's trunk Fire bolt and cage with Hadwig still inside now floated down past the stairs and stopped in front of Harry still hovering. "Wait Dumbledore let me at least –er – say goodbye to my aunt." "very well then: he said and with a wave of his hand she unfroze. When she Uncle Vernon and Dudley she gave a small shriek but when she turned to face Harry and Dumbledore her face of panic turned to calm face.

"Oh hello Albus I awesome you are here to take the boy." "you would be assuming quite right Petunia" he responded "well then good bye take – er – good care of him." "we will we always do nice meeting you again Petunia and now if you excuse us we'll be on our way" "- er – bye Aunt Petunia see you next summer I guess." She gave Harry a small smile then just stood there waiting for them to leave.

Harry couldn't believe it not only did Aunt Petunia know who Albus Dumbledore was but she had referred to him by his first name as tough they were good friends. Harry couldn't help thing that this was one of the strangest days ever! "Hold on tight Harry" Dumbledore grabbed his shoulder with one hand and his trunks which were rested one on top of the other with another hand and the all of a sudden there was a pop.

The Dudley's living room turned into nothing but a blur lights where flying past them at shocking speeds cars house roads laws all their colors turned into a blur and in a matter of seconds it felt like Harry had traveled hundreds of miles and when they finally suddenly stopped he saw Number twelve Grimmauld Place right in front of him.