Hi again, Zeta here. So, I know you all must hate me now, because I haven't updated in like, forever, and I am a terrible person and will burn in hell for my sins. Well, that may be true…but, yeah, it's true. It's all true. I suck. I deserved to be spanked. In fact, I'm going to do that right now… as soon as I finish this chapter!
Here is a promise to all of those readers who think that it's moving too slow: this is the last strictly filler chapter of the story! There won't another one until Serendipity, which will have even more action and more characters, so that'll be fun, won't it? 8-D Just stick around for the ride, because if you're all as excited as I am, then I can guarantee that you'll have a blast! (I sound like an infomercial, don't I? Okay, I'll stop now before I even annoy myself.)
Disclaimer: All this stuff ain't mine.
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Harry spent the rest of Monday afternoon doing homework. He had avoided his assignments as much as he could until then, but Harry knew when to give in. Without Ron or Hermione for three more weeks, he would have to get by on his own.
For some strange reason, getting a chunk of work out of the way seemed to help clear his mind. Harry found himself much calmer than he had been in the past three days and able to think about things that had been bothering him with a more optimistic approach. For instance, his staying at the Dursleys for an extra month – Harry simply decided not to think about it anymore. He would play it by ear. Hopefully, with both Tabitha and the baby around to distract his aunt and uncle, Harry would be able to go unnoticed most of the time.
The baby was a strange topic for him. Really, it always had been. Once Harry had gotten over the initial disgust of his aunt and uncle…ugh, anyway, he had more or less accepted the news when the Dursleys had come to pick him up from the platform in June. Not that he would have had much to say in the matter. By then, Petunia was seven and a half months pregnant and showing. Harry had thought that her extra weight finally honored her married name, since Vernon and Dudley had always looked as if they too were with child.
On pure estimation only, Harry gave the baby six weeks before he or she became as unbearable as its parents. But by then, Harry would be long gone and probably laughing over it with his friends in Hogwarts.
o-o
Petunia was feeling a bit ill that night, so Lily brought her sister's dinner to her room. She had long ago admitted to herself how much she hated catering to the Dursleys. Harry had been right, two days ago, when he criticized her job. It was horrible, and Lily couldn't think of a single situation (except, of course, the one she was in) which would make her take it again. But her love for Harry and her desire to get closer to him strongly outweighed her frustration with Petunia.
And if there had ever been a time when Lily found Petunia more disagreeable, she couldn't remember it (and that was saying something, because Petunia had no idea that Tabitha Royce was actually Lily Potter). The lady of the house had hated the chocolate tart which Lily had made the previous day. As punishment for the tart being "disgusting, and without enough olives", Lily had to polish all the Dursleys' silverware – the set that they wouldn't have to use until next Easter, Lily knew. It was a particularly messy and tiresome job; she barely had enough time to cook between polishing. Finally, at about ten minutes to midnight on Monday night, Lily wrapped up the silver in its heavy mahogany case and tucked it away into one of the living room cabinets. She had every intention of taking a long, hot shower to scrub off all the polish before collapsing in bed.
But when Lily got back to her room, she found a surprise – Peine, sitting on her bed with a letter in her beak.
"Thanks, honey." Lily whispered, taking the letter from the parakeet and ripping it open.
Tabitha,
I wanted to let you know that I met with Harry today at St. Mungo's, in case you were wondering where he went off to earlier in the morning. I told him about the protection spells that were placed on the Burrow on Saturday, and how they differ from the ones on his aunt's house. I'm afraid I had to tell him of my decision to keep him with the Dursleys for the rest of the summer, although surprisingly he wasn't as upset as I expected. I do believe that you may have something to do with his reasoning, however.
The anti-Sopravivus is coming along spectacularly. It should be ready as soon as my contact in Paris sends the lark sinews I requested for the potion. It would be a good idea for you to start considering what you're going to do once the potion is completed in regards to Harry and his living conditions. I would be more than happy to provide you with advice, but Harry is your son and you will have full guardianship over him again soon, and if I know you as well as I think I do, Tabitha, you will want to take advantage of that.
I will be in touch,
A.D.
Lily's fingers were sweaty and shaking by the time they reached for her wand and set the parchment on fire. She couldn't believe it…after fifteen years of waiting, she was finally going to reveal herself to Harry.
She tried to picture herself telling him the truth. First of all, where would she do it? At the Dursleys' house? In Shrine Park, where they had first bonded? And would they do it alone, or in front of the Dursleys, or with Dumbledore helping her through the awkward explanations? Lily imagined Harry's response. Would he jump into her arms and cry? Would he fend her off with a stake and garlic? Was it even possible that he would break inside?
Lily prayed for anything but the last. She wouldn't be the reason for Harry's shattered heart. If that did happen, she would go to Dumbledore and beg him to erase Harry's memory. Then she would run away and never approach him again.
Let's not be too optimistic, now, said that little wry voice in her head which always sounded like James.
Lily mentally pushed aside her negative thoughts and imagined her life if Harry did accept her. She wasn't too certain about any short-term plans; she'd have to consult Dumbledore about finding them a place to stay. Then there'd be people they'd have to visit, and all the necessary steps they would have to take in order to get their lives back together again…
As cloudy her new life – well, old life, actually – seemed, the amount of attention Lily's reappearance would receive was not difficult to imagine. Reporters from wizarding communities all over the world would flock into England to see her. A woman back from the dead was no ordinary event, even for the magical set. Lily just hoped that it wouldn't last long, and that the people would let her get on with her life, and Harry's, for that matter.
But that wasn't really what she needed to worry about now, was it? The fluffy bird pecking into her arm and the black flatware polish stains on her face and hands seemed much more pressing matters to Lily…
o-o
Petunia didn't even get out of bed the next morning for breakfast, she was feeling so nauseous. Instead, she sent her instructions to Lily via-Vernon, who once again fled from the house at a sinful hour.
"He really is avoiding her like the plague," Harry commented as his uncle's car sped away. Lily giggled.
It was Petunia's wish that she gather what she could from the garden. The first tomatoes would be coming in around now, and Petunia wanted to give her baby an early start on a love of fine food. Lily held back several smart comments.
o-o
"Well, it could be a lot worse," Harry said resolutely, staring down at the garden.
It was a frightening sight, Lily had to admit. She had seen worse, certainly – the aftermath of a battle, the Marauders' old dorm room at Hogwarts – but the Dursleys' garden was messy nonetheless, with its spontaneous weeds and randomness.
"That's the spirit, Harry." Lily half-grinned weakly.
"I thought you just weeded that garden last week?" Harry asked suspiciously, with a trace of amusement in his voice.
She glared at him. "This English weather, completely unpredictable! How was I supposed to know that it would rain the day after I looked after the bloody garden? Excuse my language. But the weeds probably zapped right back up after the shower. So are you going to help me or not?"
Harry laughed, but agreed in the end.
o-o
It was slow, hard work. Tabitha had taken on the role of overseer; much to Harry's mingled amusement and annoyance. Never since Potions class with Hermione had he been bossed around so much. Tabitha told him how to clear up the branches and dirt that had fallen into the tomato plants ("That's not a twig, Harry, that's a root."), how to spot weeds and the correct way to pull them out ("You're yanking on the arugula!"), and which tomatoes were the right ones to pick ("If that tomato is green, do you really think it's ripe enough yet?").
But Petunia's vegetables were picked, and the garden restored to its normal pristine state. As Harry lugged the basket full of tomatoes into the house with Tabitha holding the door open for him, he thought to ask her, "What else is growing out there?"
Tabitha looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well… onions grow almost anywhere, so I'd be surprised if there weren't a couple hiding out in there. I think I remember seeing some eggplant – very little ones, though. A few carrots, maybe. And – do you remember those two great bushes towards the shadier end? Well, those were basil and arugula. Yes, that lovely little leaf you tried to destroy." She continued, ignoring Harry's small noises of indignation. "Probably in the winter, there'll be rosemary. That's one of the few plants that come up in the colder months. Petunia'll have nice fish around then…" Tabitha's voice drifted as she ran the tomatoes underwater and grabbed a cutting board and knife from the pantry.
Harry considered all of this. "It's funny how I've never even noticed all that before, and Aunt Petunia's had me water the garden tons of times," he raised his voice slightly over the chopping noises Tabitha was making.
She paused for a minute, tomato juice dripping off the serrated edge of the knife. "I suppose you have to know what to look for." Tabitha looked up at him. "What are you looking for, Harry?" She asked him in a frighteningly Luna Lovegood-ish way.
Blue eyes met green, and Harry was unsure of what to say. But loud footsteps spared him the trouble.
"Ms. Royce! What are you doing to those tomatoes!" Petunia cried. "Did I say I wanted you to slice them?"
Tabitha jumped a clean foot in the air. "I'm so sorry, ma'am! You – you don't want them anymore?" She asked timidly.
"No, I don't want them anymore!" Petunia shrieked, reaching octaves Harry hadn't known the human voice could go.
"I'll go to the store and buy you fresh ones!" Tabitha reasoned with her, panicky. She scrambled around for her worn leather purse.
Petunia was red in the face when she tumbled back upstairs, yelling "hurry!" to the frazzled au pair.
Tabitha reached for a set a car keys sitting on the kitchen table. "Coming?" She inquired to Harry breathlessly.
He was up in a second. "What, you think I'm going to stay here with Petunia?" Harry raced to the door.
Tabitha grinned at him. "Come on – let's make like Vernon and leave!"
They were laughing all the way to the grocery store.
o-o
What are you looking for, Harry?
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I know, it's much too short (so spare me the harsh reviews!), but next chapter will be longer, and much better. And will be posted sooner! (You guys are just raking in the chips, aren't ya? ;-)
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Trivia: Who knows what Rosh Hashanah is exactly? Don't give the answer away, fellow Jews!
Happy apples-and-honey eating!
LaRohaZeta