Chapter Seven
Returning To Privet Drive
Harry Potter never thought he'd ever return to Privet Drive after leaving for good just before his seventeenth birthday, as they reached their destination he began to feel sick again, though this time he wasn't sure if it was the nerves or morning sickness. Leaning into Ginny he breathed our before knocking on the door lightly trying to ignore the strange looks he was receiving from the nosy neighbours.
As they waited for the door to be opened Ginny took in her husbands appearance noticing he was just as pale as he'd been that morning when she'd found him hunched over the toilet. Before she could say anything the front door to Number Four opened revealing Petunia and Dudley. Harry smiled shyly as his aunt stepped aside to allow them indoors.
"Good to see you Aunt Petunia, Dudley you're looking well." Harry smiled feeling self conscious as his cousin openly looked at his stomach. He knew his aunt just have warned him about the pregnancy but he wasn't used to people gawking at him in the muggle world especially not his cousin.
"Welcome home Harry. This will always be your home, most now than before. Would you like anything to eat or drink?"
"Do you have any ginger ale. I'm still feeling the affects of this mornings bout of morning sickness."
"Of course I'll be right back go through to the living room." Petunia gave her son a pointed look which seemed to knock some sense into his cousin. Dudley actually shook his hand apologising for the past. If he could let his aunt back into his heart he could do the same with Dudley. It wasn't his fault his father was a bully. It was a learned behaviour.
Making their way into the living room Harry curled up on the couch with his head on his arm as he felt Ginny's hand rubbing his stomach gently. Letting out a contented sigh he turned to his cousin determined to make the most of the opportunity he'd been given. If there was one thing he'd learned from dealing with Draco it was never judge a child for the sins of the father.
"I hear you got married Big D. Cho was in the year ahead of us. How'd you two meet?"
"We were in London and I accidentally bumped into her. I know I was horrible to you Harry. When you were gone, when we had to hide I asked a lot about you, those wizards who were guarding us told us how much you were risking your life for us. I'm sorry I never gave you a chance."
"It's in the past. We can start again, if you'd like."
"I'd like that."
Harry held his hand out much the same way Dudley had before they went into hiding smiling shyly and for the first time in their lives the cousins were determined to make amends, something which most wizards couldn't agree to do because of their pride. Sometimes he wondered if Pettigrew could have been saved from joining the Death Eaters if he hadn't been self conscious about everything. Before either man could talk Petunia bustled into the room with tea for herself and Ginny, a bottle of water for Dudley and a glass of ginger ale for Harry. Once everyone had their drinks and settled down Harry actually believed this new relationship with his aunt and cousin would be a good thing.
"Your mother would have been proud of you Harry. She'd be furious at me but you were her pride and joy. I wish I'd been able to tell you about her, every time I tried Vernon would appear."
"About Uncle Vernon, I've got my suspicions that he wasn't entirely himself. Professor Dumbledore was a good man but unfortunately now I have my own children I'm realising just how manipulative he is. I mean he left me on your doorstep in the middle of winter. He was extremely talented at charms, now I think about it he probably made uncle Vernon the way he is. There's a charm that makes someone loathe a person, I'm almost positive he used it on my step godfather as well."
"The summer during your sixth year, he came to the house, he walked around, is it possible one of the ornaments was used so it couldn't be traced."
"It's possible, can you tell me what he was like when I was at school?"
"It was like living with a different person. The man I married."
"I can't believe he'd go so far as to make sure I was beaten. Did he care about me at all?"
"I think he did, he just that a strange way of going about it."
"I wish I'd known the true him. I'm sorry he's dead I never wanted that."
"His death wasn't your fault. He refused to lose weight no matter how many times we tried to tell him."
Ginny watched the conversation between aunt and nephew discreetly rubbing Harry's rounded belly gently. She found out years ago rubbing his belly was the only way to relax him. As her husband leaned into the touch as he sipped his ginger ale sighing in relief as his nausea eased off.
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Feeling miles better than he had done when they arrived Harry closely followed by Ginny made his way upstairs where Petunia had vanished 10 minutes pior. They found her in his old bedroom sitting on the bed as she stared at a picture of his mother he'd purposefully left behind for her. Squeezing Ginny's hand to let her know he was okay, he made his way over to his aunt sitting on the small bed beside her.
"I have a way to talk to Mum if you want to. Though its highly dangerous to use the stone I'll do it if you need to."
"Stone?"
"When Ron, Hermione and myself were hunting Voldemort's Horcruxes we discovered the secret to the Deathly Hallows, the stone of resurrection is one of them. It allows the person seeking out their loved one to talk to them, it's what killed Dumbledore in the end, he didn't know at the time it was a Horcrux the curse killed him, it's gone now."
"I'd like that."
Taking out the Stone of Resurrection Harry thought about his mother dropping it on his old bedroom floor, taking a small breath out as he saw the ghostly image of his mother. Her eyes frowning as she looked between her son and her sister.
"Tuney I know you've been through a lot, I've been watching over you since the day I died. And no matter what I could never hate you. We all make mistakes, the fact is your making up for it now."
"How can you forgive me so easily." Petunia asked quietly.
"I've had a long time to forgive you Tuney, you were scared for your son and deep down for Harry. If you didn't care so much you wouldn't have made the first move to make things up to Harry. Grieve for Vernon but don't blame yourself. His actions were his own, be happy Tuney you deserve it."
"Thank you Lily. I love you."
"I love you too. Look after each other, and Harry?"
"Yes Mum?"
"Albus says this is the last time you are to use the stone. In fact his words were bury it. Your father and I had portraits made if you need to talk to us. Your father says congratulations, oh and the potion you asked Sev to make. It'll be a success. I have to go now, I love you sweetheart."
"Love you too Mum."
Harry held in the tears as he watched his mother disappear from view. Picking up the stone he slipped it into his pocket making sure to burn it. There was no way he was going to unseal Dumbledore's grave again. An hour later Harry found himself falling asleep again and Ginny decides it was time to go home. With one final hug goodbye Harry felt better about his relatives than he had done in years. He'd finally put the past to bed. All he could do now was look to the future and the future looked bright.
