Chapter two Aunt Petunia

Harry heard someone knocking on his door.

"Come in."

"Harry? May I have a word with you?"

Harry looked in surprise at his Aunt, standing in his doorway.

"Uh...yeah I guess."

Petunia came further into the room and looked at Harry's packed trunk.

"You're ready to go?"

Harry nodded.

"Well, Harry, I wanted to talk to you before you left. And give you something."

"Okay, go ahead Aunt Petunia."

"Harry, I wanted you to know that I never hated you, or your family. Especially your mother. It's just that, your mother and I, we used to get along great, until she received her letter. She had always had it better than me. She was more popular, and mother and father doted on her. I admired her courage and strength, I guess, I just couldn't express how much I loved her. And you were a reminder of her. Every time I looked at you, I thought of her, you have her spirit for justice, Harry. But your fathers for adventure. I guess what I'm trying to say is, I don't expect you to ever forgive me, or Vernon and Dudley, or to ever keep in touch with us, but I just wanted you to know that I love you Harry, and nothing will ever stop that."
Harry looked at his aunt in surprise, and the fat tears rolling down her face. He did something that he never thought he would do, he reached over and hugged her. Petunia was momentarily shocked, than her arms came around her nephew and she held him tight.

"Hermione! You're here! How are you?" Ron came out from the kitchen, pulling his coat on as he walked.

"Ron! You haven't left yet?"

"Well, obviously, since I'm still here, and Harry is not, the answer is no."

"Why?"

"I had to finish something before I left. And our Hogwarts letters came. Yours is here too Hermione. They're on the kitchen table."

"Did Harry get Head Boy, Ron?"

Ron looked at Hermione as she asked him about the Head Boy position.

"Let me go get Harry first, then, we'll see."

Both young women grinned at that suggestion, and watched as Ron disappeared with a loud pop.

"He passed his test?" Hermione's face bore a curious look.

"Yep, shocked all of us too. He only took it once. Even Percy and Bill had to take it twice. Mum was overjoyed."

"I had to take it twice too." Hermione frowned. "Has he been acting strange lately?"

"Yeah, so has Harry."

"Meaning..."

"Well, Harry has been laughing more again. But he has a very haunted look in his eyes. And his letters scare me. They're all about death, or bleakness. Ron is scaring me too, though. He's too responsible, just not like Ron. He's already studying for the NEWTS and he has been writing letters to someone, and won't tell me who. He doesn't use Pig with these notes, he uses Artemis." Ginny looked at Hermione's quizzical look and answered her unspoken question, "One of the owls Mum and Dad bought this summer. Artemis and Apollo they are brother and sister."

"Why is it so important that he is using Artemis?"

"It means that it is a long distance away. Wherever he is sending the letters."

Hermione sighed; she couldn't help but wonder where Artemis was carrying the letters, and who to.

Vernon Dursley was a beefy man. His head, too small for his body, sat directly on his wide shoulders. His son, Dudley sat hunched over in the chair across the room from him. Both of the large men were beyond nervous as they watched the fireplace for the Weasley's. Aunt Petunia sat on the couch next to Harry. She suddenly leaned over and whispered in his ear.

"They're not coming by floo, are they?"

"You knew what floo was?" Harry's whisper was hoarse with shock.

"Of course. I just remembered that your young friend is 17. He knows how to apparate." Petunia laughed at Harry's dropped jaw and wide eyes. "Oh, Harry I saw your mother apparate enough times, I know what it is."

Harry smiled at his aunt, "What do you think they'll do?"

"Vernon and Dudley?" Petunia laughed, "I can't wait to find out."

Harry grinned at his aunt. At that moment a loud pop came from behind him. Dudley and Vernon jumped, both spinning towards the sound. Harry and Petunia both turned slowly to face a bewildered Ron Weasley.

"It never ceases to surprise me that I've done this correctly." Ron's shocked voice spoke out. "Mr. Dursley, Mrs. Dursley, good day. Ron Weasley."

At those words Dudley and Vernon both became a few shades whiter. Petunia came around to the other side of the couch and took Ron's hand in her own.

"Hello. You are a friend of Harry's from school?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Well, I hope that you have a safe year. Harry?" Petunia smiled, "Take care."

Harry nodded, "Thank you for everything Aunt Petunia."

With those words the two boys disparated, ready to start the beginning of their last year at Hogwarts.