Progenis Mater

Chapter II: Of Broken Saucers & Eavesdropping

By: Saadie

Summary: Yet another "Harry-has-other-living-relatives" story, only not magical relatives, we've done that to death. This is a story of Harry and his life if his rather distant and curious muggle relatives had intervened.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I'm pretty sure you can tell by the dismal Latin in the title. My friend in Latin classes just gave me a weird look so I'm pretty sure it's weird or something. Anyone you don't recognize is either an OC of mine or a really obscure character only mentioned briefly in a blurb.

Standard A/N: None of my stories are beta-d, I'm not actively looking but if anyone ever offers :). Until then, ya'll just have to put up with my atrocious grammar!

She leaned forward slightly with a taunting smile and Petunia felt herself taking a step back, and then another, until there was room enough for her to pass. It was self-preservation at its finest; Petunia knew beyond a doubt that she could not deny her entrance and she had no wish to make a scene in front of the neighbours. Already there were several curious heads craning over fences and almost openly ogling the pristinely white stretch limo parked in front of their driveway. Petunia pursed her lips but said nothing as she breezed through the door without a single care that she had just single-handedly thrown Petunia's relaxing day off into turmoil – just explaining the presence of a limo would be enough of a headache.

Shutting the door, Petunia turn around, determined to play the perfect host to that despicable woman – and oh! She would do it so well, be beyond reproach so she could complain of nothing – only to stop dead at the sight of her already seated in the living room, legs daintily crossed, hands demurely in her lap even as she stared Petunia down, daring her to say something. Petunia forced a smile onto her face and took a deep breath to calm herself, "What an unexpected but pleasant surprise! Would you like some tea? I just bought some fine Darjeeling tea the other day, let me just go grab us a pot and some refreshments, it'll just be a moment."

Without waiting for a response, Petunia whirled on her heels, only barely able to keep herself from stomping down the hall and into the kitchen. Besides those freaks, there could not have been a more unwelcomed guest.

Harry watched, utterly fascinated by the way his aunt seemed to have to force herself to move from the doorway and admit the mysterious stranger that she seemed to hate so much. His eyes widened comically when the visitor finally cleared the doorway and for that instant, just one instant before they disappeared into the living room, Harry could see her perfectly. Why ever would his Aunt hate this lady? And a lady she was, she moved like one of those princesses in the movies they had watched in school a couple of days back. Her hair was blonde but unlike Aunt Petunia's pale straw-blonde, the lady's hair gleamed of rich golden hues, like honey glistening in sunlight. She stood just a tad shorter than Aunt Petunia and seemed to have a soft smile permanently upon her face as opposed to Aunt Petunia's pursed lips and scowls. The lady wore a white summer dress that Harry was certain he had seen in Aunt Petunia's magazines, one that Harry had seen his aunt fawn over for weeks now.

Even now, Aunt Petunia seemed to move mechanically, freezing again when she looked into the living room. There was a tense silence and Harry was wondering if, hoping really, the lady would speak. Would she have a nice voice? She had to, all princesses had soft soothing voices in the movies and, since she looked so much like one, the lady must also sound just as gentle and kind. His aunt broke the silence, prattling on about some sort of tea before she moved towards the kitchen, hands clenched so tightly that Harry instinctively recoiled from the door of the cupboard before returning to his perch near the crack – this was the most interesting thing that has ever happened in Privet Drive!

Petunia near slammed the tray into the glass table beside the couch, catching herself just in time to ease it onto the table and set about pouring two cups and placing one in easy reach of her guest – she refused to hand it to her like some servant! Settling onto the couch adjacent to her seat, Petunia sipped from her cup before finally looking at her guest. Her scowl deepened as she took in the brand-name dress she had yearned for but couldn't afford – it was just like her to flaunt her wealth.

"Is there a reason why you came here?"

A tinkling laugh like a breeze running through wind chimes sounded and Petunia steeled herself for the reply. "Still blunt as ever I see, Perrine. And why, must there be a reason for me to visit? It has been much too long since I've seen you, dear cousin."

The air between them seemed almost electric now; Petunia's smile came out as more of a grimace despite her best efforts. "Of course Lucia," Petunia paused to take a sip of tea and, struggling not to choke on her words, continued. "I'd be simply delighted to see you more often. It's just you rarely ever visit, and even then, they are never just social."

"True, I've only been here twice. Once for the housewarming and the second for Dudley's birth. Last time I saw you was after the birth of Liliane's baby boy, Harry I believe they named him." Lucia sighed in her usual dramatic fashion that Petunia hated while twirling a stray honey lock around her finger, "Such a plain name, I really had hoped Liliane would reconsider, the meaning's good and all but really, a Lord's child named Harry? Harold would have been more fitting however old fashion. Have you heard from your sister ever since she went under that program, witness protection was it? It's been a good five years since."

Petunia dropped her saucer at the mention of Lily and fumbled to recover herself and gather her scattered thoughts about her. She had completely forgotten to tell the rest of her family about Lily's death. Had been so glad to just forget about her irritatingly perfect sister and her perfectly magical life and could have if it wasn't for that little freak sitting underneath the stairs right now. How was she going to explain this? The little freak was no doubt eavesdropping at the very moment but there was something greater than that. She could pawn him off onto another member of the family! They didn't know about the freakishness of Lily and the rest of her world. They could take the boy and all his freakishness and Petunia wouldn't have to worry day in and day out about the freak tainting her home and her precious Dudders.

Looking up, she flinched at the sight of those eyes set in that achingly familiar heart-shaped face. That startling intensity of her stare, like the fireflies they had trapped in glass soda bottles one autumn evening with hands still sticky from spilt Sprite and melted jellybeans; like the sunlight filtering through the shade of a thousand leaves of the tree she spent forever lazing under when the sweltering heat made it too much to move; like candlelight hidden behind blades of too long grass that time her father had broken his leg and no one had wanted to mow the lawn; like running up and down rolling hills of the French countryside with that warm hand clasped firmly in her cooler one, bare feet upon damp soil and the hems of their dresses soaked in dew within minutes – a thousand moments in her childhood, all wrapped up in her sister's eyes way back before she became a freak. Her mouth felt dry, throat burning with tears that threatened to rush into her eyes so she forced herself to swallow before croaking out a reply, forced herself to remember that many people in her family had those eyes.

"Lily's dead, been dead for five years now. Her husband was drunk and crashed the car, killed her and himself."

Harry gasped, stuffing one hand into his mouth to stifle the sound. Why was the Lady calling Aunt Petunia, Perrine? That Lady, Lucia his aunt had called her, was Aunt Petunia's cousin? What was she to him then, his Aunt? Wait! That meant he had other relatives! Relatives that weren't the Dursleys, relatives who smiled instead of scowled, spoke in soft, gentle tones instead of screeches. But why hadn't they come to visit him before? Did they not know he existed?

He had spent so many night underneath the stairs, dreaming that one day his relatives, relatives he hadn't know about and someone nicer than the Dursleys, would come and take him away. That they would come to look for him at long last and demand the Dursleys give him to them. They would open the cupboard door and hold him, hugging him like he'd see Aunt Petunia do to Dudley, and they would take him to a new home a thousand times better than here.

Perhaps they didn't care, didn't want to deal with a little freak like him. He thought of the Lady in her pretty dress with her pretty hair and graceful movements and decided that must have been why. No "respectable people", like his aunt had said, would want to see a freak.

But then the Lady had started talking to his aunt about her sister, only she said 'Liliane' instead of 'Lily' but Aunt Petunia only had one sister and the Lady called his aunt 'Perrine' so maybe his mum had another name, a special one, too? Did he have one? And then the Lady was talking about him, even said she had been there when he was born! So maybe she wouldn't mind that he was a freak? But then why didn't they visit?

Harry had never been more confused in his whole life. Was the pretty Lady really related to him? The lady was talking again and Harry strained to listen – she talked so softly it was getting really hard to catch what she said – when suddenly she asked his aunt whether she had heard from his mum after they went under some weird program, 'witness' something, and Harry realized that she didn't know his mum had died and so had his dad. Harry wondered what would happen if he burst out of the cupboard now. His aunt would be mad but since the Lady was here, she wouldn't hit him right? But would the Lady be shocked at how he looked, would she realize he was a freak and leave him here? He stayed silent instead, realizing his aunt hadn't answered. Then she was telling the Lady that his dad had been drunk and crashed the car with his mum in it and the Lady had been silent before she said in, dare Harry hope it? An urgent tone?

"And the child? What happened to little Harry, Perrine? And why have you not told us of Liliane's death after all these years?"

Petunia swallowed hard, refusing to quail under Lucia's unforgiving gaze. Should she tell her that the boy was with her? But then she would insist upon seeing the boy and by God, the entire family would have her strung up by her heels if they found out she had kept him in a cupboard underneath the stairs. Should she tell them the boy had died? No, the freak was listening, he'd make a racket and they'd find him locked underneath the staircase and there'd still be hell to pay. "The boy has been living with us but I'm afraid him and Dudley don't get along. The boy's over at a friend's house for the weekend."

The lie slipped from her mouth before she could stop herself and she waited, forcing herself to meet Lucia's unblinking stare and hoping she would buy it and that the stupid freak would stay quiet!

Lucia held her gaze for a little longer before nodding slowly, eyes never leaving Petunia's face. "Very well Perrine, I'll take your word for it for now. But you were right; this is anything but a social visit. Grand-père suspects that he is on his deathbed and insists that the whole family be gathered. You have been absent for too long Perrine, Grand-père wants to see his all of his children and that includes you and your family no matter how you reluctant you are to keep in contact with us. The school year is drawing to an end. After this last week why don't you pack for a nice vacation to the French countryside? Bring Dudley and Harry to see the rest of the family, the boys should learn of their heritage, though Vernon can be excused if he has pressing business to attend to."

Petunia bristled at the tone in Lucia's voice, she was sick of being polite to this blasted cousin of hers. Who did she think she was, ordering Petunia around like that? "Do you expect me to just drop everything and whisk my child away on your command? And that tone! Do you always talk to your elders like that Lucia? However did Tante Alexandrie put up with your cheek?"

Lucia returned her saucer to the table before standing, drawing herself up to her full height that was admittedly intimidating despite the fact that Petunia was taller. Nothing in her posture or her voice betrayed the fury that burned so brightly in her eyes. "Grand-père asks it of us, the family demands your presence. Do not shame the Leclaires any more than you already have Perrine; Papa Richard will not hesitate to disown you completely, whether or not Grand-père agrees. Come to Le Chalet in a week's time, with or without Vernon but the children must be present. Do not forget yourself again in front of your betters Perrine."

Petunia reared back as if slapped, "You are not my better! You mindless chit! You're no better than me and certainly nothing more than a soon-to-be trophy wife!"

Lucia smiled that wretched smile of hers, face still infuriating calm, "Ah but by your own words I am to be a trophy: someone to be treasured, admired and proud of. You Perrine? You'll never be more than the over-worked housewife of a walrus of a man who's never going to amount to anything. No beautiful dress or expensive make-up, no perfect lawn or white picket fence, nothing in the world will ever be enough to hide the fact that you're a petty, bitter woman who's always been jealous of everyone better than her and too caught up in how 'unfair' it all is to ever try to better herself!"

She watched silently as Lucia turned and glided out of the living room, perfectly composed as if that angry tirade from seconds ago had not occurred at all. Petunia could feel her nails biting into her skin now, the edges imprinting cookie-cutter crescents into her palm. Lucia opened the door to let herself out, turning her head to stare at Petunia as she fired off one last parting shot, "God must be blind at times or there is a greater purpose. What justice is it that you are still here when darling Liliane no longer walks amongst the living?"

For a moment as the sunlight illuminated Lucia's almond-shaped eyes, Lucia's honey locks blurred and all Petunia could see was Lily's glowing red tresses in the doorway. By the time Petunia came to her senses, she had already hurled the saucer of her favourite porcelain tea set at the closed door with a scream as it shattered against the polished wood.

That was the second saucer today. She should have known nothing would go well when the freak had broken the first one.

AN: Sorry if the update was kind of slow. At the moment I'm still stuck mapping out the family tree and I also ended up re-writing the second half of the chapter twice. The imagery of Lily's distinctive eyes didn't get across too well and I still don't think it's all that good but I had no idea how to tweak it anymore. Hopefully it wasn't too bad?

Hope you guys enjoyed it anyways. Feel free to make suggestions or ask any questions if I made a huge blunder and something made no sense at all, I'll do my best to answer unless it spoils the rest of the story. Also, please do tell me if you think Lucia came across as too much of a Mary-Sue. As always, please take the time to review! They're like mother's milk to me.

Ever yours,

Saadie