Petunia Dursley stood completely motionless in front of the sofa she had leapt from moments before. Her mouth was still frozen open into an almost perfect circle. She closed, then opened, then closed her mouth again, as she tried to form words in her confused mind. Weakly, she sank back onto the sofa, though sat rigidly, not taking her eyes off the man in front of her.
'I'm sorry to surprise you, madam,' Dumbledore started, taking a slight step forward. 'I thought that maybe revealing myself to you in person would be kinder than owl post…' He looked at the timid woman in front of him, who was still speechless. 'Perhaps ringing the doorbell would have been better,' he mused. 'Even the most wise of people can make the most thoughtless mistakes,' he added, smiling at Petunia.
She seemed to gather her senses and finally blurted out, 'You're Dumbus Albuldore?' There was a short silence, before Petunia realised what she had just said. She shook her head and corrected herself, 'I mean, Albus Dumbledore…'
He smiled at her again as she went crimson and averted her gaze. 'Yes, I am Professor Albus Dumbledore from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.' Petunia's eyes grew wide, and she looked at him like a deer caught in headlights.
'Ho-' she whispered hoarsely.
'Of course, Petunia – you don't mind me calling you Petunia?' She shook her head absently-mindedly and he took it as consent to continue. 'Indeed, I teach at the school. I am sure that you are aware that we aren't just a band of magical persons, defending the innocent from evil!' He chuckled at this notion, failing to notice her blank gaze, though he saw her stare once more at her knuckles, embarrassed by her ignorance.
As if reading her mind, Dumbledore grinned apologetically. 'I do not believe you to be foolish; thought perhaps uninformed or a little stunned by my somewhat… extravagant entrance.'
She looked up and saw a mischievous expression glance across the old man's face. 'I… You…' Petunia struggled to gather her nerve and vocabulary. 'Why have you come here?'
He pondered the question for a moment as Petunia watched him carefully. He seemed to be having difficulty forming sentences as well now. 'To see you,' he said shortly.
'Me? Are you sure that you aren't here to check on Harry?' Petunia asked slyly, raising one eyebrow in disbelief.
Again, Dumbledore paused, and eventually sheepishly replied, 'I am apparently more transparent than I imagined. Conceivably you have proved your higher intellect. I admit I am here to see Harry.' He beamed at her once more, though this went unnoticed.
Petunia felt herself bitterly remembering words of her sister from their childhood. 'No letter Petunia?' she had laughed in the summer after Petunia's 12th birthday. 'You clearly aren't clever enough for the teachers of Hogwarts!'
Snapping out of her recollections, Petunia looked up to see Dumbledore surveying her fairly strangely. 'Oh, I'm sorry! Harry's just sleeping upstairs, Professor!' Petunia rose and led the way out into the hallway. 'Can I get you anything?' Petunia offered, having remembered her manners as she made for the stairs. Dumbledore declined, so they ascended in silence, turning to a door on the right at the top of the staircase. Petunia laboriously pushed the handle down quietly, and pushed the door opened, the wood ruffling the carpet beneath.
The two of them crept across the darkened room towards a small cot in the corner. Peering inside, they could see the toddler snoozing peacefully, one hand on his stomach and the other next to his head. His jet black hair was already fairly long, yet not quite covering the scar clearly visible on his little forehead.
They stood in silence for a while watching him sleep, before Dumbledore offered, 'He looks a lot like James did at that age. I see you are caring for him as I expected.'
Petunia looked at him questioningly and opened her mouth to speak, but Dumbledore interrupted, 'I'm afraid I will be needed back at the school, my dear, so I had better be off.'
Petunia followed him into the hallway and closed the door behind her. The wizard stood facing her, smoothing his robes and buttoning his travelling cloak tighter around him.
'Do you need-?'
'The fireplace? Good gracious no, I've seen enough of that for now! I plan to Apparate thank you; it's far more pleasant I assure you!' He chuckled and held out his hand to shake, giving her a little nod as he did so. 'It's fairly cold where I'm going, sadly,' he explained, gesturing to his cloaked and booted self. 'Well, I'd best be off. I'll send you letters by owl in the future, to warn you if I'm popping by! Good bye, Petunia dear.' With that he stepped back and disappeared with an almighty 'crack!'
Petunia stood alone in the corridor for a few seconds, staring at the place a man had been moments before. Shaking her head, she started to return down the stairs to make a start on dinner, her mind buzzing with confusing new questions. It was only as she passed the living room that she became aware that Dumbledore had not left behind the letter she had tried to destroy.
Hey reviewers! (hint hint) Back again, I just got to update cos theres lots of exciting stuff to come! Though annoyingly much of it is going to be re-written; I'm going to have to accept that my disk is forever ruined. sigh.... oh well. Please note that I'm aware you can't apparate in Hogwarts, Dumbledore isn't necessarily telling the truth! I'll come back to it (she says, hoping that she will remember... lol)
DISCLAIMER: J.K.Rowling owns these characters, I'm just putting my own spin on it, let me know what you reckon :)