Shadows In Light
Chapter II
. . .
HARRY
It was a good day for Quidditch, Harry decided as he adjusted the warm bundle in his arms. The sky was a clear blue with a few generous clouds spotting it, the wind blew across the Potter lands making sure the warm sun didn't make it too hot. It was absolutely perfect in Harry James Potter's opinion. The small thing in his arms started bouncing and cooing. Harry looked down and smiled at his little cousin heart melting. Harry would never say this to Ron or the Twins or even Neville, he did have his male pride after all, but Hester Rose Dursley was the most adorable thing he'd ever seen and this had been one of Harry's best summer solely because the little angel in his arms.
On the few occasions Harry had pictured his future after the Dursleys he hadn't really wanted kids. Babies and younger children scared him. Mostly because his Uncle had told him over and over how freaks like Harry would contaminate other children. Harry used to believe this so much that when his second grade teacher had let the kids touch her belly he'd ran away afraid of hurting the baby. Now he knew differently and after helping Aunt Petunia take care of her what with all the changes he could honestly say he was looking foreword to being a dad, even if the sleepless nights were a nightmare. A gentle tug on his hair signaled Hester wanted his attention and seeing him look at her she gave him her large one toothed grin and pointed toward the pond shouting "Fishy!" at the top of her very developed baby lungs.
Harry complied and as Hester looked over at the goldfish eyes wide in fascination, Harry's arms holding her shoulders so she didn't fall in, Harry considered how extreme the changes of the past year had been. This time last year he'd been the Dursleys dirty secret and had lived in Dudley's second bedroom. Looking across the sprawling Potter land and spotting the magnificent main house, Griffin's Keep, in the distance Harry thought back to the day everything changed.
. . .
The summer had started out with an uneasy peace when Aunt Petunia announced she was pregnant at the dinner table. At first everyone had remained silent, too stunned to react, but then Uncle Vernon jumped to his feet and picked up his wife spinning her around the room and shouting for joy. As his aunt and uncle celebrated the surprise Harry watched on in wonderment, he'd never seen his aunt look so happy, she could almost be called pretty. When Harry saw Dudley's expression though he knew one Dursley didn't enjoy the news. Dudley looked as if he'd been hit in the stomach with a bludger and in the first few minutes didn't feel the pain but was horrified by what was coming.
Aside from Dudley's quiet grimness and jealousy everyone in Number 4 Privet Drive was happier than ever. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon existed in a constant air of air of quiet ecstasy and because of this Harry's life improved considerably. In the face of their new found joy they were more generous with their nephew and besides helping paint the baby's room, a nice yellow, and moving in the furniture Harry's chores were nonexistent and he actually found free time he wasn't sure what to fill with. He managed to finish his homework due to their forgetting to lock it up and he was eating almost as much as when he was at Hogwarts.
When the baby was born Harry was more than happy to help his Aunt to the hospital having to drive there because Uncle Vernon was at work at the time. Harry waited calmly with his glowing uncle and sullen cousin thinking to himself that this baby was the best thing that ever happened to him. When the doctor walked out to congratulate him with the birth of a beautiful baby girl, Uncle Vernon actually hugged Harry and ave him and Dudley a cigar saying it was time they became men. It was a weird feeling to be included as one of the family for once. When they'd went to see aunt Petunia and name the baby everything had fallen apart. The second Harry saw the pale, worried look in his Aunt's face he knew the peace was about to be shattered. Sure enough as soon as Uncle Vernon laid eyes on the baby he went a nasty puce color starred at Aunt Petunia horrified and marched out. Aunt Petunia had went after him placing the newborn in Harry's arms. Dudley had watched gape mouthed and turned to stare at the baby along with Harry.
She was beautiful like the doctor said, but she looked as UnDursleyish as Harry, and it made his heart squeeze in sympathy. She had silky black hair, an olive toned complexion, and some of the most lovely dark brown eyes Harry had ever seen. Harry felt his heart swell up at the sight of her even as the fear he would hurt the small thing in his arms by accident filled him. Hester had him wrapped around her finger the day she was born. Dudley made a strangled noise drawing Harry's attention away from the small girl child in his arms and Harry realized even his cousin knew what the baby's appearance meant. There was no way the baby was Uncle Vernon's.
When Aunt Petunia finally arrived back, looking teary eyed, but telling Dudley to get in the car with his father and that they'd come back tomorrow Harry had settled in the chair and was holding the baby like the nurse had shown him. Harry volunteered to stay with aunt Petunia and seeing the woman's face the doctor allowed it. When the nurse took the baby back they'd sat in silence that Harry interrupted not being able to stand the absolute pain on his Aunt's face anymore.
"She's beautiful Aunt Petunia." Harry told her stubbornly and after starring at him a few minutes in shock she started crying quietly.
When it finally came time to sign the baby's name the next day Uncle Vernon refused to let aunt Petunia name her what they'd originally wanted. Mary Violet after both their mother's. Aunt Petunia looked lost and Harry had been the one who'd somehow received the job of naming her. He named her Hester after the only teacher he remembered from elementary school who was nice to him and Rose because it went with the floral theme of the Evans side and he knew he wouldn't get away with Lily. Uncle Vernon had grunted his consent and they'd went home with a quiet spreading through the house waiting to be broken by the inevitable storm.
It probably could have continued like that for months if not for Aunt Marge's visit. For once it wasn't just Harry dreading the woman's presence. Aunt Petunia, who was almost constantly near tears now, looked terrified when Uncle Vernon growled that his sister was visiting over the breakfast table. That week was the worst visit ever. The baby things were removed from the guest room and before Uncle Vernon could protest Harry moved Hester into his room, knowing the further away the baby was from the man when he seemed ready to burst the safer she was. Aunt Petunia hadn't said anything but he knew she was grateful. Aunt Marge was merciless when she caught sight of Hester tucked sleepily in Harry's arms. She and Uncle Vernon spent the visit being so cruel to Aunt Petunia it took all Harry had not to curse them. Even Dudley looked troubled by the change in family dynamics, but aunt Petunia bore it with a grace and perseverance Harry hadn't suspected she possessed.
When the last day arrived Aunt Marge had finally took note of Harry after a week of ignoring him and all that saved up venom had been focused on his parents. Harry snapped.
"YOU FREAK!" Uncle Vernon shouted running after Harry after unsuccessfully trying to drag his sister down. He didn't even have a chance to get his wand before his Uncle grabbed him around the throat, getting around his trunk with surprising agility and bodily threw him into the dinning room.
Harry hit the table with a scream one of the glasses shattering when he hit at and causing Dudley to jump away in fear from where he still sat frozen. Before Harry could recover Harry was pinned under his Uncle's bulk and his large fingers were crushing his throat.
He couldn't breathe. He couldn't think. Uncle Vernon had never gone this far before. He'd never really physically hurt him. The glass dug into his back making something warm flow out. Harry realized he was going to die the same second a scream burst his eardrums.
"Vernon stop!" his aunt scream and Harry saw her dart foreword to pull at his Uncle's arms. Suddenly Harry could breathe and it almost made him cry in relief, but then he heard the thump of a body hitting something hard and he realized why his Uncle was gone. He'd found another target.
Aunt Petunia was holding the stove for support hand pressed against what was clearly a slap mark on the right side of her face. Uncle Vernon had slapped her. Harry's stunned mind couldn't quite register it. Aunt Petunia's eyes darted to him and Dudley wide and terrified. Harry realized his cousin was very pale and as shocked as he was.
"Vernon please, the children—" Aunt Petunia began weakly, pleadingly.
"YOU KNOW NOT TO TALK BACK PETUNIA!" Uncle Vernon roared lumbering foreword and Aunt Petunia flinched, but opened her mouth throwing Harry and Dudley another look that Harry dimly recognized as run. Before she could say anything though Uncle Vernon slapped her again.
"St-stop!" Dudley screams stumbling foreword and drawing his father's attention. The second Harry saw his uncle's face he felt a chill go through him. Uncle Vernon had completely and utterly snapped. Harry recognized the look of utter insanity and uncaring for whom he heart in those eyes. Aunt Petunia seemed to recognize it too.
"It's Dudley Vernon," she said in a soft voice, the type one would use to calm a startled animal. "It's your son, our son. Look at him Vernon."
It almost worked. Harry could see the madness began to leave his Uncle's eyes as he took in Dudley's stark white terrified face. His eyes started to soften and his fists began to unclench.
Then Hester cried, finally woken from the nap she'd began halfway through dinner. Harry knew that moment that Uncle Vernon was going to kill his cousin and that he was too far away to get between them. A scream was building in his throat when suddenly Aunt Petunia jumped in the way shielding her daughter. Everything that followed happened in a blue. Uncle Vernon grabbed Aunt Petunia and started choking her like he had Harry, Harry dragging Hester out of the way, shoving her into the Sitting Room before jumping his uncle from behind arms wrapping around his throat as he clawed at Uncle Vernon's face and kicked him. Dudley trying to punch his father only to be swatted away by the inhuman strength uncle Vernon possessed in his rage. Dudley falling over and hitting his head hard against the wall and going horrifyingly still. Harry losing it and his magic going through him like a shock wave into Uncle Vernon, causing the man to release Harry's aunt. Uncle Vernon trying to kill him again. And then the wizards showing up to tell them Aunt Marge was safe and didn't remember a thing.
The Magical Reversal Squad had stunned Uncle Vernon and moved him into the Sitting Room allowing Harry to retrieve Hester first. The the Aurors showed up and a surrey cop, who was apparently a Muggleborn called Officer Stevens. The Aurors had been a intimidating black man name Kingsley Shacklebott and a small brunette woman named Senua Greengrass. Auror Greengrass had explained that after they got their testimonies uncle Vernon could be tried in either Magical or Muggle courts because two Magical Minors had been involved. Everyone had froze at that and starred at Hester.
When the Auror and Officer had left to talk to Uncle Vernon they were left in a quiet tense room. Then Petunia started to sob softly. Harry moved over to Aunt Petunia and did the only thing he could think of he promised his aunt everything would be alright even though he knew her normal world had just been shattered. Dudley chimed in and Aunt Petunia had starred at both of them a few minutes before crying and hugging them both closely.
A few weeks later Uncle Vernon was found guilty of attempted homicide and abuse on a minor and sent to Azkaban. Aunt Petunia had helped Harry claim his Potter houses and they moved into them to escape the whispers and stares of Privet Drive. The first few months had been hard, but things had settled down now that Aunt Petunia had found her purpose and was attending Nursing School in London, Flooing there everyday to Harry's new London house. Dudley had gotten nicer since he'd moved past his father's arrest and taken up karate. The teacher's now nonsense attitude had helped more than the exercise and he was taking her quiet teachings to heart and made his long repressed Evans genes show.
. . .
All, in all, not a half bad life. Harry thought to himself pleased. If his Godfather could get his name cleared it would be perfect. But he would think about that later, right now a one year old was screaming "Wunch!" and pulling his hair. Harry smiled scooping her up and running to the house, happy for once that his family was waiting back home for him.