After the reading up to the 1st of September…
Petunia Evans & Harry James Potter
Harry was a little disturbed, he never had seen his aunt drink, let alone whiskey, but it looks like she wasn't drunk, maybe a little tipsy but definitely not drunk, he noted that she was holding his mother cup in a vicious grip, the papers were in his bag like she didn't care for them as much as she cares for the cup...
Once he had her in the cab they were dead silent, both of them itching to tell something but both of them too afraid to do anything, to say anything they have been apart from each other for a long time, they never had the kind of relationship that allows them to speak to each other freely or with ease…
They arrive in Privet Drive a little before dinner, he did walk her to the door since he remembers the manners she told him but he was insecure about entering, Dudley saw him through the window and run to greet him, but stop in his tracks at the sight of his mother, he as well as Harry never had seen her drink so he was a little concern, Petunia simply keep walking through the door and caress his cheek before enter the house inviting Harry to dinner, much to his surprise but he was not complaining, Kreacher had been happy to work on the kitchens of Hogwarts but he had died shortly after the battle, since the excitement had been too much for an elf of his age, so he had been feeding himself but he wasn't good at it, even when Petunia force him to help her cook, he simply wasn't good at it, not even with magic, so he often eat out or with the Weasley's but it was too often and he didn't like to feel abusive, so he follow her aunt and cousin into the house and to the dining room to the surprise of Vernon who was in shock at the sight of his wife but he was hungry so in grudgingly tones he accepts to share the table with Harry…
As turns out Petunia left the food prepared before went to the reading, so it was only a matter of heated it for it to be ready, she had the food heated in less than half an hour and Harry that didn't want to be alone with his uncle, help her to put the table as any good guest will do, during dinner Dudley ask him about the war and his new home, since he hadn't come back to live with them, Harry was happy he and Dudley had a new level of agreement and understanding and his aunt seems to be smiling to this development, so Harry was less fearful and start to tell him everything, about his travels, the war and the ultimate victory, he did try to be a little cheerful but the stories were a little dark, even so Dudley was excited when he told him about the breaking on the Ministry and terrified about the scape from the Malfoy Manor right under the noses of the Dark Lord, the excited again about the dragon ride to escape the goblins and finally about the final battle at the school and his friend's mother killing the most evil witch on England, a little before he kill the Dark Lord, just to finish the story he tell him about the renovations he was doing at his home, his girlfriend and the job offer he received that same day, just as dinner was ending and much to the surprise of Vernon and Petunia, Harry invited Dudley to his house has soon as the house was ready for visitors and Duddley to the surprise of his father agreed immediately...
They had a nice dinner for the first time in his life and he didn't want to end but it did, after dinner, Harry went into his old room, and noted that he was empty, like waiting for him, he felt at peace for the first time when he heard the door been open, thinking it was Dudley he turns around but it was his aunt trying to catch him before he leaves and asks him for the grave of Severus, he told her where the grave was and she smiles, he really was a sentimental guy, she asks him to go with her to visit them, for the first time, he is surprised but agrees wholehearted almost immediately, he hadn't been back since the incident with Nagini, Petunia smiles and before she leaves, she invites him for Sunday dinner anytime...
He was a little shocked, but had no troubles to disapparate just to apparate a few seconds later in his house still a little disturbed but also happy that he might, finally have the relationship he was supposed to have with his aunt and all thanks to Snape, he never had imagined that someday, he will be thanking him for something, less alone a family...
Petunia went back down to face Vernon but contrary to Harry and Dudley conclusions, she was nowhere near to be drunk or out of control and Vernon knew it, he had witness since the early days of their marriage that she drink a lot, she even pass out drunk some days and had a lot of aspirins for the occasions she over drink, so he felt safe to confront her and question her about the inclusion of the boy in the family dinner and he also had overheard about the invitation to the graveyard and to Sunday dinner, Petunia, that currently was sipping a glass of whisky while cleaning the plates, didn't paid attention to his outburst, Dudley wisely had gone out to spend time with his friends, since they haven't seen each other in a year, once Dudley leave the house, Petunia look to Vernon and told him that the boy was his nephew and she will be part of his life, even if was only for dinner on Sundays or visiting her sister's grave, she had never visited her and she was long overdue, after finally understood everything she had meant for her sister, and even if it was too late to apologize to Lily, Harry was the next best thing and she will be there for him, Vernon tried to protest but Petunia calmly state that if he disagreed, she will consider divorce and take with her half of everything he had, along with his pride, Vernon was furious, he immediately ask what had happen in the reading, but Petunia simply stated that Severus help her remember who she was, and certainly, she wasn't a simple housewife and she confess to him that she only married him because it was what normal people do when they reach certain age...
The next day, Harry get up early and went to Gringotts in order to change wizard coin for muggle coin and brought a rented town car to pick up her aunt, he briefly considers buy one but he needs to learn how to drive first, above all he was static about visiting his parents grave, he could not believe he was going to visit them with his aunt, Petunia seems to have similar thoughts, they buy flowers in their way and as soon as they reach Godric's Hallow, she went completely silent, became a little bit nostalgic, the two of them clean the grave of the Potter's while Harry clean the tombstone, Petunia put seeds on the grave, Harry pretends not to notice it but he saw her sharing a tear at the sight of her sister name in the grave, after that, she cleans the grave of Snape and planting some seeds as well...
For the rest of the summer both Harry and Petunia feel like a family, a little late maybe, but a family no less, she gave him some cooking and shopping classes so he didn't starve or got broke from taking out, Dudley tried to learn as well but he was bad at it, he keeps on trying to do to it, to the horror of his father, she also gives him some pointers for the decoration of his house, one morning that she and Dudley visit him she tears up a little bit at the sight of her sister portrait, it was enchanted, not like the ones in Hogwarts, the enchantment was a little simpler, it was her sister putting a lock of hair behind her ear and smiling…
He gives them a tour through the house and shows them the guest room they can use if they ever need it or want to use it, he promises that the house doesn't have any magic of his own, so there will be nothing weird about it, he also shows them the phone he had installed that week and give them the number so they can call him at any time, Petunia notices that next to her phone there is only five numbers, the Dursley House, the Granger House, the Finnegan House, the Thomas House and the Brandon Legal Firm with the direct number to Christopher Brandon Office.
They sit to dinner since Harry had been practicing and even when they ate it, his aunt tells him he needs a little more salt and less garlic, during the meal, he told his aunt about his new job, to start in September, she was a little preoccupied and though that he shouldn't do something like that, he should enjoy and be something else that a cop for wizards, after all, his all life was about surviving, he deserves to live but she understood why he had taken it and hopefully, there will be no more wars and life will be boring, Dudley was surprised, but nonetheless proud, he probably will end up being a desk job or something like his father, he was going to college but he didn't have any idea about what to do with his life...
So Harry devoted his summer to the renovations of the house, to study the books Snape had given him and to date Ginny, he actually eats with the Weasley's a couple of days a week while he ate every other Sunday with the Dursley's, he became proficient in the kitchen so, one random day he invites his uncles and Dudley to dinner so they could meet Ginny, Petunia and Dudley agreed almost immediately while Vernon prefers to stay at home and reheat a meal while watching the news, that dinner went better than expected since his aunt was civil as well as Ginny and Dudley joke that he had caught a pretty girl and demand to be introduced to her friends since pretty girls usually had pretty friends, which actually make her laugh and embarrass his mother a little bit…
Petunia summer was also eventful, regardless of her relationship with Harry, she went to the lawyer and put everything Severus left her in her name, once they were in the bank, she separated an amount of the account and put it in an investment found, so the money keeps growing, she did change the deed of the house to her name but she didn't have any plans to change the agreement so the couple that was renting it didn't have trouble or even notice the change in owner so she keeps renting them the house and didn't have any immediate plans to stop that business.
They keep having dinner together much to Vernon despair and even had dinner with his girlfriend, they were also planning to do dinner with the Weasley´s so Petunia could meet them, in addition, and without Harry knowing it she keeps visiting the graves and crying softly, out of shame and despair but each time promising to the both of them to make amends for her previous actions, slowly but certainly, the flowers were growing...
