Chapter 3: Answers
Half an hour later, Aunt Petunia came to. She told Harry to come into the kitchen and have a chat with her and Uncle Vernon.
"Harry," she began, "This isn't an easy thing to tell you. Eleven years ago, something serious happened. Your parents were killed, or so we thought, I suppose. Killed by an evil man, a…a wizard."
"What?" Harry exclaimed. "Wizard? There's no such thing as magic."
"Well, Harry," said Aunt Petunia, "We really didn't ever want to tell you this. There's a whole other world out there, and it involves magic, and witches and wizards. Your parents died and left you to us, but we thought-we think- that magic is unsuitable and abnormal. So we didn't tell you."
Harry was silent, absorbing that information, for a few minutes. He finally spoke.
"So…am I…a wizard?" he asked, fearfully.
"I sincerely hope not!" burst out Uncle Vernon. "That would be an embarrassment to my family!"
"But…Uncle, how can I be a wizard? I don't know any magic!" Harry was on the verge of tears.
"Vernon," said Aunt Petunia timidly, "We really ought to tell him."
"But Petunia, we don't want to raise a filthy wizard in our home! We'll have to chuck him out!"
"Vernon! He deserves to know the truth!" cried Aunt Petunia.
"Fine, Petunia. If you must." agreed Uncle Vernon releuctantly.
"Harry, there is a way to learn magic. If your mother is alive, we need to find her so she can take you. Take you home….and, to..." she sighed. "Hogwarts."
Just as Harry was going to ask what this "Hogwarts" was, there was a knock at the door. Aunt Petunia jumped up to get it. When she opened the door, she just stood there for a moment.
A young woman with bright red hair and startling bright green eyes stood there.
Aunt Petunia uttered one word.
"Lily.