Chapter 2 : Saying Goodbye

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Remus Lupin was sitting on his bed at Grimmauld Place crying silently.
He had now lost all of his best friends. James, and Lily fifteen years previous, Peter, also fifteen years ago when he betrayed James and Lily to Voldemort, and Sirius less than two weeks ago.

Remus knew he was hurting, but he knew that one other person would be hurting more. Harry would be devestated by the loss of Sirius.

As per the wishes of Lily, James, and Sirius, Remus would now be the one to take care of Harry, and the first part would be helping with his grieving.

i>Dear Harry,

It is my wish that you join me here at Grimmauld Place, so that we can properly honor the memories of Padfoot, Prongs, and Lily.

I know you may not wish to be in the place that reminds you so much of Sirius, but we must both move on with our lives, and remember the good times of everyone that we care about.

Dumbledore will be coming to pick you up, as well as some other members of the Order, if you wish to come.

Remus /i>

Remus sent the letter to Harry with Fawkes, who had suddenly burst into the room, with a letter for Remus from Albus Dumbledore.

i>Remus,

Please know that my sympathies are with you and Harry. The Orders are as well.

Albus /i>

At least that was right, Remus thought.

Harry was lying on his bed, when all of a sudden a flash occured in his room. Uncle Vernon barged in through the door. It appeared that he had just been to the bathroom, since he carried bits of toilet paper, which were hanging from his pants.

"What the devil do you mean by it, boy, Uncle Vernon roared.

"What do I mean by what," Harry snapped back.

"That glden flash in your room," Uncle Vernon growled.

"I'm not sure," Harry lied.

"Don't give me that, boy," Uncle Vernon said. "You've done something, and now you're trying to hide it, so you don't get chucked out from that freak school of yours," Uncle Vernon said, coming to his favorite conclusion.

"If you really must know my every move," Harry said bitterly, "I received a letter from a Professor, well a former Professor at my school. I haven't read it yet, but if you will excuse me for a moment, I will now."

Harry scanned the letter, and felt his heart plummet. But, he thought it might help, so he sent Hedwig off to Grimauld Place, with a simple response, OKAY.

"What did your message say," Unlce Vernon asked.

"Remus has asked me to join him in remembering the lives of my father, my mother, and my god-father, you know, the escaped murderer."

"What was his ruddy name again? Ralph?"

"Sirius," Harry said, and heard a gasp in from behind Uncle Vernon. Aunt Petunia had been behind her husband at the door.

"Sirius... is dead," asked Aunt Petunia, looking extremely pale.

"Yes, Aunt Petunia," Harry said in a low voice. "He was a hero until the very end. How did you know him," Harry asked.

"If you will take me to your little ceremony, I will tell you later" she said in a high-pitched voice.

"But Petunia," Uncle Vernon said in a quiet voice, "you don't want to fraternize with those freaks."

"I am so sick and tired of you calling witches and wizards freaks," she said in a stronger voice. "I was expelled from that school in my sixth year myself, through no fault of my own. You heard me Vernon," Aunt Petunia bellowed, "You married a failed witch. When I was expelled, I gave up everything I had in the magical world, to live a normal life. I gave up everything that I once had, so that I wouldn't have to remember what I had lost."

"Why didn't you tell me at the first Petunia," Uncle Vernon squeaked at her.

"Because I knew that we wouldn't have lasted if I had told you," she said with a bite.

"I would have loved you, even for that," Vernon Dusley said.

"Bull, and you know it Vernon," Aunt Petunia raged at her husband. "I know I would have had to drag you down the aisle if I had told you at the time. You are an utter fool Vernon, and I feel pity and sorrow for you. It is way beyond time that I took up my place in the magical world. The place Lily would have wanted me to take."

With a faint pop, Dumbledore apparated into the bedroom.

"Headmaster," Aunt Petunia said to the old wizard standing in front of her.

"Petunia Dursley," he said kindly, "it is nice to hear that from you again. Why the sudden change of heart?"

"It's a long story, Professor, and I would prefer if you would use my maiden name, as I'm going to be divorcing this oaf, and coming back to our world."

"Very well, Mr. Evans. Am I right in thinking that you will be attending the ceremony that Remus has planned?"

"Harry and I will both go," Aunt Petunia said. "It would do me some good, as I haven't stepped foot into the magical world for over thirty years, ever since I was expelled."

"I think there is something I can do about that, Petunia," Dumbledore said kindly. "You were in your sixth year when you were expelled, if my memory serves me correct," he said.

"Yes, I was. I had just passed my OWL's."

"Ah yes, but I am able to bend a few rules myself," Dumbledore said with a chuckle, "since Cornelius wants my favor once again. I will allow you to complete your sixth and seventh years of study at the school, if you are prepared to work really hard."

"Yes, I am," Aunt Petunia said.

"What in the ruddy hell is going on here," said a red-faced Vernon Dursley. "You and the boy will not go to that freak school, do you hear me Petunia," Uncle Vernon bellowed at her.

"Shut up Vernon," she snapped. "I am tired of listening to your constant orders to me. I'm leaving," she said, striding over to stand with Harry and Albus Dumbledore, as they left the bedroom.

"You will regret this Petunia. Dudley will never come around you again, now that you are contaminated with that filth."

"And you know what Vernon? You are the most insensitive fool that I have ever had the misfortune to ever meet," Harry said to his Uncle. "She wants to go, and there is nothing you can do to stop her. She has the right to do what she wants, just like everyone else."

"What kind of rubbish is this," Uncle Vernon roared. "You're right, for a change boy," Uncle Vernon said, "Petunia has rights. But not when she is living with me. She has the right to cook, and clean for me, and she should be greatful I give her those rights," he barked.

Dudley popped into the room to see what all the shouting was about. he stopped as he heard his mother and father screaming at each other.

"She wants to be with that filth," Uncle Vernon said to Dudley as he raised an eyebrow in an unasked question.

"I think it's time for us to go Harry," Dumbledore said. "I will apparate to Grimmauld Place, while yourself, and your aunt use the floo network."

Dumbledore disapparated, as Harry and Aunt Petunia walked, hand in hand, to the fireplace, and used some floo powder, to go to "12 Grimmauld Place"