DISCLAIMER: Just playing with someone else's toys. Not getting paid, so don't sue.
2. Yesterday's Feelings
Harry woke up with a start. He knew where he was but he didn't know how he got there. He sat up and looked around. His eyes stopped on a chair across from him. There was a blanket laid in it as if someone had been sitting there sleeping.
He smelled something cooking coming from the kitchen. That was odd, Harry usually cooked breakfast.
He stood up slowly and walked into the kitchen. He expected to see Vernon sitting at his place at the table, but all he saw was a used plate and a half full cup of coffee. Vernon had already been here and left for work. Dudley wouldn't be expected to eat the food Petunia was cooking; he was on holiday with the Polkisses in Germany. She and Harry were the only ones home.
This was too weird. It was his birthday and Petunia was making him breakfast? This had never happened before.
Petunia turned around and saw Harry standing near the table.
"Good morning, Harry! Happy Birthday! I do hope you like pancakes. I'm baking you a little cake as well. Oh yes, and this came for you by one of those owls. I think it's from that Weasley family; it had a tired, beat up looking owl carrying the package. I carried him up stairs and put him in your owl's cage. She wasn't there and he needed a rest and some water so, I thought it would be alright to let him rest…" Petunia just kept talking and talking about what happened this morning. How she explained to Vernon what happened last night and what day it was. She also explained why he was on the couch.
"It was so I could keep an eye on you better. Anyway, I thought maybe if you weren't sleeping on that lousy, lumpy mattress you have you'd get better sleep. I must get you a new one. We'll go get one this afternoon, what do you think?" Petunia said beaming at Harry.
"Um.. Ok… But aunt Petunia, you mentioned, um lat night, um, about a photo album my mum gave you? You said you'd let me look at it…"
"I said I would give it to you, Harry, not let you look at it. I've had it and didn't use it like I should, you'll get more out of it then I will, I got to spend time with Lily, you didn't." She said, her eyes stating to glisten. "You will take it right?"
"I'd love to have it Aunt Petunia, thank… thank you." Harry smiled at his Aunt
"Your welcome Harry, now eat some breakfast!"
Petunia realized that was probably the first time she had ever seen her nephew smile. She remembered to try to make him do it more often.
That afternoon, they did indeed go and buy Harry a bigger, softer new mattress. They got home an hour before Vernon would have gotten home, so they went up to Harry's room to look at the photo album together.
"… And that was taken at school when we were 7 years old. It was Halloween and we were dressed up, see? She was a witch and I was a princess. I thought it was odd how she wanted to be a witch every year for Halloween until she got her Hogwarts letter. It was like she knew already or something."
Harry looked down fondly at his seven year old mum and aunt. The picture didn't move, but he could see how happy they were and that they were in a sort of parade going around their school showing their costumes off to the parents that came and all the others that were there. His mum wore a black robe and had a pointed black hat on her head and his aunt wore a pink dress with a glittering tiara set atop her blonde curls.
There then came the sound of the front door opening and closing. Vernon was home. Harry lifted his head and looked at the door, then to Petunia.
"What happens now?" Harry asked quietly.
"Vernon knows to behave. I threatened him with a divorce if he didn't start treating you differently." She said with a half smile.
"Why did you listen to Dumbledore? Did he say when he'd be sending someone to get me?" Harry asked trying not to sound desperate.
Petunia looked at Harry, then down at the picture of her and her sister.
"What kind of sister would I be if I didn't look after her only son? The only reason Harry, I ever mistreated you was because of what you were, I was scared and confused. I didn't know how to handle two little boys, one of whom could make things float or explode randomly…"
"I did that?" Harry asked with disbelief.
"Why yes you did. Lily did the same thing you did when you were little. I was six years old when Lily was born, I remember. Anyway, I was afraid you'd be a psychopath but never gave you the chance to prove you weren't. I listened to Vernon; he was the one who feared you. I knew that you lot weren't crazy, my sister was a witch after all. Magical folk couldn't be all that bad, but Vernon convinced me since someone tried to murder you, you were crazy and someone had the right idea of getting rid of you before you were a real threat. I really couldn't oppose Vernon; I was so upset of losing Lily and my parents. They came after my parents when they found out Lily was a , 'Muggle-Born', or something like that and would have killed me to if it weren't for Vernon. He took me out of there before they were murdered. I was just weak and easily manipulated. I'm so very sorry, Harry. Can you ever forgive a silly woman's mistakes?" Petunia sobbed.
Harry knew the woman was truly sincere about apologizing to him.
"I accept your apology Aunt Petunia, thank you for telling me everything and giving me the photo album. It means an awful lot to me..." Harry said, "Oh yea, and for my new bed." He added with a sheepish grin.
"Thank you, Harry." Petunia said pulling him into a hug. Harry hugged her back.
"Well, I'm going down stairs to start dinner. Oh, your owl's back with something." Petunia said pointing to the window.
Petunia left and Harry opened his window to let Hedwig in. A few seconds later two more owls started tapping on the window. Both were barn owls; both from Hogwarts.
Hedwig placed the parcels on his desk and landed on top of her cage eying a sleeping Errol angrily. She hooted reproachfully at Harry.
"What? He's old and tired, you'll get over it. He'll be gone in a day or so." Harry said giving her an owl treat. He walked over to his desk to untie the letter and parcels from the other two school owls.
Hermione, Ron, and Hagrid sent him birthday cakes and Remus, Dumbledore and the rest of the Order sent him birthday cards.
Harry read all the letters except Fred and George's, it felt full of something that wouldn't be to pleasant to be covered in if what he thought was in it was truly in it. He finally got to Dumbledore's letter. He gave the two barn owls treats and sent them off out the window. He opened it quickly.
Dear Harry,
Happy Birthday, my boy! I hope you have a great one this year. I hope your Aunt Petunia has done as I requested to her. You should know what I am talking about and if in your reply to me you are confused by this, she should expect something worse than a howler in my next letter to her.
Even though the term just ended, many things have been happening. We are in a world of War, Harry. There have been many casualties so far on both sides.
This brings me to a point where I need to ask a favor of you. When the Order comes to bring you to headquarters next week, there will be a new house guest I ask you to befriend. He recently lost his father to the Dark forces. He refused the Dark Mark and now is targeted to be killed by Voldemort personally. He and his mother will be staying at headquarters with us until the term starts. Please act in a respectable manner and don't make things harder for him or yourself. You never know who you can find a great friend in.
See you next Friday.
Albus Dumbledore
A cool breeze blowing through Harry's hair made him snap back into reality. Who had been killed? What was Voldemort doing? Who would be at Grimmauld Place? Why hadn't Ron or Hermione tell him about this new addition? Did they even know?
He ran a hand though his hair. Things were getting stranger and stranger. At least he got to go back to his world in a week.
"...Now all those feelings,
Those yesterdays feelings will all be lost in time
But today I've wasted away for today is on my mind..."
The Used "Yesterdays Felings"
