dwntwndanbrwn – to be fair, she didn't have much choice.

VII: A Dursley Farewell "Who's there?" Uncle Vernon shouted from upstairs. There was a loud commotion as he and the other Dursleys stumbled down the stairs in the dark. He thundered along the hall, and Harry, McGonagall, Tonks, Moody, Arthur and Mundungus all panicked and ran quickly to hide. Vernon, Petunia and Dudley toppled into the kitchen and looked around at a young woman with shoulder length pink hair (whom they had been acquainted with just over a year before) looking frantically around for a place to conceal herself. She looked up at the three astounded people in front of her. "Oh bugger," she said. There was a mass sighing throughout the room, much to the shock of the Dursleys. A middle-aged man whom they had witnessed destroy their fireplace just three years beforehand stepped out from behind the fridge. A youngish man, probably in his mid to late thirties climbed out of the cupboard under the sink, stretching his back, as it had been painfully cramped. As if that wasn't strange enough for Vernon, Petunia and Dudley, an old man with an uncontrollable eye clambered out of the cooker, causing Petunia to scream, and an old woman leapt out from beneath the table, followed by their nephew. "YOU!" bellowed Vernon, his already mauve face turning distinctly crimson, his countless chins wobbling. "Yes, me." Harry strolled towards him half-heartedly, remaining remarkably calm. "You've really done it this time, boy. How DARE you invite strangers into MY humble abode, in which I have permitted you to stay in for SIXTEEN years!" Minerva McGonagall stepped lightly forward. "I am ever so sorry about this, but it isn't Harry's fault at all. I think you'll find that he was leaving the house, when we, that is to say my colleagues stopped him, and brought him back here, to your delightful domicile." "And what gives you the right?" Uncle Vernon was now verging on blue. McGonagall crossed her arms and stood up tall, which, considering she was quite an elderly woman, was rather tall indeed. "I am the newly appointed Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, which, as you know, Mr Potter here is starting his final year at on September the First." "What happened to Fumbledee, or whatever the last Head was called?" McGonagall sniffed sadly, and was joined by six others in the room, "Albus Dumbledore was murdered by another member of staff last term." Vernon laughed gruffly, "You need to keep your workforce happy this time. Petunia, why are you weeping like the rest of these idiots?" Petunia glanced pleadingly at Harry, but Harry looked back sternly, and she gazed at her husband tearfully, "Vernon, darling, there's something you and Dudders ought to know." She ushered the other two Dursleys into the hall and shut the door. When it was quiet again, McGonagall looked at Harry and scoffed.

"What a nasty piece of work! I did wonder why you always seemed so miserable about going back to Little Whinging."

Harry looked back at her, "Well now you know." he frowned for a second, "Professor?"

"Yes?"

He leaned closer towards her and whispered, "Why have you kept it so quiet that you have a daughter?"

McGonagall sighed dejectedly, "I don't know. It just happened that way. She doesn't mind people not knowing who her parents are; in fact I believe she prefers it!"

"And Professor?"

"Yes, Harry?"

"Who are her parents? Well of course you, but what I'm trying to get at is –"

"Harry?"

"Yes, Professor?"

"That's none of your business."

They broke apart, and the silence congested when noises were heard from the hall.

"WHAT?"

"Well I know it isn't what you'd want, but –"

"What were you thinking?"

The three Dursleys came back into the room. Petunia was deathly white, Vernon a beautiful shade of cerulean blue, and Dudley strayed behind looking stunned.

"Your race is evil!" Vernon cried at McGonagall, Tonks, Moody, Arthur and Mundungus, but mainly at Harry, "How dare you do that to my wife!"

"Vernon," Petunia wailed, "it can be quite helpful at times."

Vernon looked at her, and sighed, "I'm sure it can be, but how could you give in to such malevolent practises?"

"Jealousy!" moaned Petunia, "I was envious of Lily's powers. I wanted them for my own. Our parents treated me as the boring one, the drab one on the side, the cheaper object in the Buy One Get One Free sale."

Vernon's indigo visage turned ghostly white, "You had that despicable childhood, and you still brought Potter up like this?"

"You weren't much better, in fact you're a lot worse! You are the one who physically hurts the boy!"

As the two Dursleys bickered, Tonks looked at McGonagall.

"I'll collect Harry's things, you go straight to the Burrow."

Minerva nodded, and Tonks squeezed past the arguing couple into the rest of the house.

"Harry," McGonagall looked at him, "now is your time to say goodbye."

The four remaining members of the Order huddled together, and Harry walked up to Petunia, Vernon and Dudley.

"Bye-bye," he said, looked at them almost fondly. He turned, and grabbed McGonagall outstretched hand. As the apparation took place, Harry managed a glimpse at the Dursleys, seeing them for probably the very last time. He sighed. He was now seen to be a registered wizard. Life was going to be different now, he could tell.